Thursday, August 25, 2016

DAY 1617... Girl's Camp

I had the opportunity to attend Girl's Camp with my church this year.
Girl's Camp is a week long camp for girls ages 12-18.
The leaders of those organizations in each ward are also invited which is why I was able to go.

When I was younger I didn't always have the best experiences at Girl's Camp.
My bestie and I were pretty rebellious,
and I only made it through 3 years before I got caught up in high school activities,
and those of course took priority in my life.
But the years I did attend,
were full of destroying our camp shirts,
pole dancing on the flag pole,
and a whole lot of ridiculous nonsense.
Which,
of course at the time,
we thought was super cool.

Going to camp as a leader was a much different experience.
It was so much better!

I only want to share one moment that really touched me,
and that I never want to forget.

The leaders over the entire camp showed this video:


Then we were given personal time to write in our journals and study our scriptures.

I had heard the story of the Candy Bomber before,
and it is an amazing story.
But when I first heard it I was in a different place in my life and it didn't touch me as it did this time.

At the end of our personal study,
the song "Geronimo" started playing super loud.
I looked at the other leaders and we were kind of confused.
It was a super irreverent way to end scripture study,
and totally took away from the moment.

But then we heard a loud noise above us.
As we looked up we saw a small plane waving it's wings just like the candy bomber.
200 young women and their leaders ran out the field and watched as hundreds of little parachutes with candy attached were thrown out of the small plane.






I couldn't even try to contain my emotions,
and I cried so hard!
I don't even know why.
I'm still crying as I write this.
It was a very emotional and touching experience that really just brought us closer to that story and the effect that it must have had on those children.


As we asked the girls about their favorite part of camp,
many of them said it was the candy bomber.

I loved the experience of revisiting Girl's Camp and having the opportunity to change my opinion about it.
Aniston is already really excited about it and she still has 8 more year to wait.

I know I've been pretty absent lately,
and there's a lot to that,
and hopefully I will find the strength to blog about it soon.
But know that I feel incredibly blessed in my life right now,
and I know that the Lord truly loves me.

Friday, August 5, 2016

Everything You Missed... July 2016 Edition

July was so much fun! 
I have always loved July!
Lucky for us it wasn't too hot so we got to play a lot!


Rexburg Rapids is always a blast!


Shooting with the hubs.


Big Jud's ice cream is the BEST!



Benson wanted so badly to get out of the wagon and to help push it.


I pulled out my little black dress from Junior year Homecoming (2002),
and rocked it to church.
Yikes!


Benson was having a rough morning deciding between the muffin,
granola bar,
and his smoothie.
Options are the death of my children!


Oh hey Vader!


I got to say goodbye to one of my old cheerleaders the night before she left on her mission!
She will be AMAZING!



I decided I needed a shelf and,
poof,
within 24 hours Spencer built this for me.
So obsessed!



Benson got really sick one day.
His temp was 104 and it wouldn't break with medication.
We took him to the doctor and they had to do some blood work.
Aniston was absolutely AMAZING!
She sang to him,
held his hand,
and comforted him.
Just watch this video and be prepared to have your heart melt!



Visiting uncle Ry at his new job!
Good thing we all love New York Burrito so much!



Monkey see,
Monkey do.


Oh Van Gogh.


This boy loves his sunglasses,
but he has such a bad habit of breaking them...


More Vader love!


Loving this new sign!



The power went out for a while one day,
a while being like 8 hours,
but Aniston had everything under control!


Guys,
I have had this alarm clock for 20 years!
I got it for my 10th birthday.
Yes it has a cassette player,
and yes it's incredibly ghetto,
but I cannot give it up!


I had to document how amazing I am as a wife.
I haven't eaten fast food once this year,
but when my husband wants it,
I will go and suffer through a delicious smelling car to get it for him.


My three white dresses!


Aniston is totally into photo shoots with her stuffed animals lately.
She set this all up and took this picture herself.


Both of my children love the booger sucker!
Best toy ever!
So gross!


My best friend since day 1!


Ani loves this moose!


She also loves this tiki and insists on taking her picture with it every single time we eat at Rumbi.
Which is way more often than it should be.


Happy 30th B-day my love!



We had a great day celebrating Spencer!


Aniston's latest obsession?
These boots!


This kid can make anything look good!


He always visits me in the bathroom and makes himself super comfy.


Another photo by Ani,
but I just love the changes I am seeing in my body lately!


Summer nights at the drive in!


My favorite sunbeam!


Our Sunday best!



The park is the best!


View on my morning run!



Benson has been in timeout a lot lately.
It's very dramatic and quite the scene.




Pictures every time I run the 6.3 miles out to my parents!


Slip and Slide craziness!


Ani loves to sing with me when I play the keyboard.


Sick Benson playing peek a boo!


Ani is such a tease!


I love all the batmans!
But Christian Bale the most...
Just kidding!
But kind of not.


Street dancer!