Girls Camp

 This summer, I had the great opportunity to go to Bear Lake for Girls Camp! Margaret our YW President decided it would be nice if we could stay in her sisters condos...I concur!

On our way to Bear Lake, we stopped at Margarets Sisters house to grab the keys for the condo. She has an amazing property, and the girls rode down her monster driveway on scooters. We could have just stayed there all week and they would have been thrilled.

When we got to the condo, the keys were wrong or something. So Hannah and Jessi took matters into their own hands! They are amazing at breaking and entering.

 We all had such a good time. It was so fun to watch all the girls get along, make new friends, and support each other. All except my "own" girls who beat the crap out of each other when Hannah put shaving cream in Addies hair! BaD IdEa!!!

My "baby" Beehives! 

Margo and I shared a room. She has to lay completely flat to sleep. So i had my mountain of pillows and i peered down at her in her slumber:)

We hiked into Minnetonka Cave.

The Bishop and his family came for testimony meeting and stayed the night. The meeting was so amazing and each of the girls testimonies were so touching. I learned so much as a leader. I love them all so much!

On our drive home, Jessi, Hannah, and Meagan kept hanging out of the sunroof and they would face backwards and spray their hair with hairspray! It was hilarious. The pictures are a bit blurry because I think I might of had hairspray on the lens!

 Jessi....hanging out the window like a dog!

 I love being in Young Womens. I feel like I belong there! We have such a great group of girls and leaders. I can't wait for next year:)
*Margo, please come prepared with the "aqua net" brand next year. You're lowly no-name brand hairspray really matted the girls hair!

Lake Powell with Poppy and Dotty 2011

 We haven't been to Lake Powell since my Mom died 7 years ago.  She loved it there so much. We all have great memories of vacationing there...except my boys. Chance was only one when she passed away! So it was about time we go!
 Dad and Dotty invited us down and it was so relaxing and fun. The kids couldn't get over how warm the water was. I think they were in water more than they were on land. And I had forgotten how breath taking it is...all that red rock and green/blue water!

 The boys had to go immediately to the gift store and sport some "Powell" apparel.

So, my Dad has this crazy "go fast" boat. He freakin loves this thing and it is louder than an airplane and goes just about a million miles an hour. WELL, the boys thought it was the BOMB. They had to wear headphones to hear each other. At one point, Brandon and my dad had to turn off Eastons outgoing sound because he wouldn't quit talking to himself and singing:)

Wave runners were also a blast!

 Dotty is so accommodating and so kind to all of us. She is also very sweet about letting us be open to talking about my mom. She really is a great person, and I'm glad my dad has her in his life.

Brandon going "90" in the boat...butt puckering! I had to put my headphones in and listen to happy music so I didn't have a panic attack!

Chance had to get his wake boarding in. He is becoming quite the pro.

We celebrated all of the birthdays at once....we obviously don't get to see Poppy and Dotty too often. They are crazy kids and travel a lot!

 We loved riding in the "mule" back and forth in the marina. At the old marina you had to huck everything in and out and walk a mile each way in the blazing heat. Here, you just load up and go back and forth on the golf carts! Heck yeah!

 It was mostly just fun to go off of the slide, swim, eat, laugh and enjoy being with family! We can't wait until we can go back....WE HEART LAKE POWELL:)

Bear Lake with the Escobars

 Anthony and Meleesa invited us to go up to their cabin a couple weeks ago. We were so excited to go because we haven't been up there in a couple of years and we absolutely love going with these guys anywhere. Meleesa and I just sit back and laugh until our stomachs hurt at these two idiots...for some reason when they are together, they act 15 all over again!  And our kids don't ever need to take any friends because they are perfectly entertained listening to Uncle Anth and all of his ridiculous stories.

 Here's the cabin. Small and sad really. They are lucky we will agree to stay in such a heap:) NOTTT!
More like 5000 square feet of Disneyland. Bunk rooms, massage chairs, xbox, firepits, playgrounds, four wheelers, guns...you name it. You never even need to leave the property!

While we were there, we went to visit our friend "Jim Adamson."  He has the hugest property and lives totally off the land, solar panels, and food storage. It was amazing to see. I know where I'm going if there's ever a disaster!

 Their goats. Jim and LeeAnn make their own cheese, milk, and soap from these goats. They were having 10 more delivered the next day.

Everyone's favorite part of the tour....picking fresh raspberries off the bush. We ate them until we were literally sick.

It was a great weekend. We love Bear Lake and we love our friends. Thanks for all the laughs Escobar Family....you keep us young:)

FISHING WITH MY BOYS

My boys have been dying to go fishing. So last night while I was wandering through Wallmart, I picked up a couple of semi-simple to work poles and some fishing bait. They were so excited when I pulled them out of the car.

Now, when I was young, I would go to Bear Lake every summer with my parents best friends "the Thomas's." And their son taught me to fish. We would stay out on the docks all day long and pull catfish and blue gill out of the water one after another and every now and again we would luck out and get a trout. What a great opportunity I had to learn to love fishing...especially being a "girl." So I was equally thrilled to go watch my boys have the same great experience.

We had Chance's little friend "Troy" come with us to the lake tonight and we sat out on the dock for hours trying to catch a fish! We may not have caught one because the only hooks we had were large enough to catch a shark??? I'm just sayin. Might need to go back to Wally Mart and get some small ones ASAP and/or stop at Grandpa Bob's and steal some of his.
No worries though, because along the way, we met lots of new friends, learned new tips, and came home smelling like poopie fish bait... it was worth it because the boys had an absolute BALL and can't wait to go back tomorrow night!

Oh what fun I will have bribing them all day and threatening to take away their beloved fishing time! ba ha ha ha ha.

 Easton ROCKED at "casting out."  It really was amazing to watch.

 He kept changing bait every 30 seconds. Patience is not his strong suit:)

SEE THAT HOOK? HA HA HA

My spot on the dock. Lovin' it!

There was a little hispanic man over on the bank across the way just reeling in one after another and hiding them in his bag...dang I need to learn spanish so I could go learn his secrets.  I'm not gonna lie...it was a little hard on our self esteem watching him leave with his loot! I BET HE WAS USING CORN! Just kidding...i'm not a poor sport:)

I know I will always cherish this night. It is certainly going in my memory bank as one of the most precious days I have spent with my boys!!
NOTE: BRANDON WAS OUT OF TOWN OR HE WOULD HAVE JOINED US.  HE ALSO LIKES TO FISH, BUT SOMETIMES HIS A.D.D PREVENTS HIM FROM PARTICIPATING IN THIS FAST PACED SPORT:)