Girls Camp 2013 - Oh, the Places You'll Go!

I know this is totally late, but better late than never, right?

In October, I was released from my calling in the Young Women's presidency. I was sad to leave the girls, but I'm now a youth Sunday School teacher so I still get to spend time with them (once I start going back to church)

I didn't go to the full week of Girls Camp again this year. Sleeping up there with the bad mattresses and having to walk to go to the bathroom in the middle of the night didn't sound fun to me while being three months pregnant. I did get to spend a day up there with the girls which of course was a good time.

The theme this year was "Oh, the Places You'll Go!" It was such a cute theme! The girls decorate the cabin with little direction signs and lights. Our center pieces for our table (every ward makes a centerpiece to mark their table) was supposed to be a bear dressed as a Lorax, but I have to admit it turned out creepy :) I can say that because I made it! I think it looked better in theory and not so hot in execution.

I just love these girls! They are such a good time and love camp so much.

On the day I went up they had the Bishopric races (Maybe it's suppose to be Bishop races. I'm not 100% sure). Basically they have a member from each wards bishopric come up and compete in a series of water games and then generally a big water fight breaks out. A member from our bishopric couldn't make it, but luckily the spanish branch sent two so they shared with us :)

Trek 2013

Every four years the youth in our stake go off on an adventure that we affectionately call Trek. Basically the youth dress up as pioneers and push/pull handcarts for several miles as a little reenactment of the Mormon pioneers that migrated across the United States to Utah.

I never hat the opportunity to do this as a youth so I was very intrigued by the trip. Jeff and I were thinking about being a Ma and Pa (leaders of one of the groups of youth), but we had to turn down the chance after we found out I was pregnant. I don't know why but walking for several miles in the heat of summer while being 24 weeks pregnant didn't sounds like a good time to me.

However, I was able to convince Jeff to go up and visit the kids last Friday. I was a little disappointed when we showed up and most of the youth were no longer in their pioneer clothes. I really don't blame them since it was like 100 degrees and humid and they had walked over 10 miles pushing the heavy handcarts. We spent the evening up there watching their evening entertainment. All the families took some time to sing a song about their travels. It ended up turning into a little open mic night with a few jokes, Shakespeare, and dancing. It was a really good time and I'm glad I went.

I'm just so impressed by these youth! It was such a hot and long trip, but when we saw them they were in good spirits and most glad that they made the trek. :)

Mutual: March Birthday Party

This is long overdue. I've been very busy as of late.

In March the Young Women celebrated all their birthdays with a big birthday party! I wasn't able to go, but it sure looks like they had a good time.

Below are pictures from Alleen. I wish I could take credit for them, because they are sooooo cute, but I can't :( She's the one with the skills.

WE WON! YOU GO GIRLS!

The girls played again last Saturday and WON! We only had four girls for most of the game, but they were still able to pull it off! I was so proud of all four of the girls (Diana, Rachel, Desiree, and Emily)... especially Emily since she wasn't planning on playing this season, but totally stepped in so we could have four players and not have to forfeit the game! Sweet Mary came straight from softball practice and arrived with only 5 min left on the clock.  She was our fifth player for the last five minutes of the game and provided a little relief to the four very tired girls that had to play the whole game! It was epic!

Young Women Celebration of Excellence

Yet another late post.

In December the Young Women had their Celebration of Excellence (I think it's technically Young Women in Excellence, but we called it Celebration of Excellence)

We had a little lunch and program after Church in honor of the Young Women. The girls served their families lunch (soup and salad) and then presented the value experiences they worked on during the year. The girls did such a great job! I just love them.

More Service with Mormon Helping Hands

Jeff and I volunteered again last Saturday with Mormon Helping Hands. It was fun working with two of my Young Women (Mary and Rachel). Those girl are really buff! I'm just so impressed.

We spent most of the day clearing out the house of one of the families in the ward. They really have a beautiful house and I'm sure it's really hard for them seeing it gutted like it is. The house has been in the family for years (I think she said it was a century house in the 1970's), so there were so many layers that we had to take down.

There were also four missionaries that came down to help. Basically all the flooring needed to go up in the house and these missionaries so got into it!

An Evening with Renee

Renee was one of my YW for the past year and recently went off to BYU Idaho to go to school. Before she left I took her out to dinner and a show to celebrate and to pay her back for playing basketball. I bribed her with a show if she would play on the YW basketball team. The agreement was that she needed to play in half of the games, but unfortunately she hurt her knee in practice after the first game and couldn't play. She did show up to several of the games to cheer, so I counted it!

I took her to Juniors for dinner. Eating at Juniors is a pre show tradition from my first year living in New York. Then we went to see Bring it On the Musical. It was ok :) Not my favorite. I did like all the cheerleading routines, those girls can fly! I was afraid they were going to hit their heads on the ceiling. I really didn't care for the end. It just didn't do anything for me.

 It was a good trip into the city with the lovely Renee! I'm just so happy for her! I know she's going to have a wild, crazy, good time on this little adventure of hers.

Brandy's Eagle Project

A couple of weekends ago, Jeff and I spent a Saturday helping Brandy with his Eagle project. Ok, let's face it....I didn't really help. I just took pictures. A LOT OF PICTURES! I think I clamped a few things...maybe. Oh, well...I was moral support!

Brandy made picnic tables for the park.

Lunch! We got a chance to test out the new tables when we had lunch. Brandy's dad was so kind to bring us lunch!

These pictures are slightly out of order. Cleanup! Brother S took cleanup to a whole new level. He started vacuuming up the sawdust (we made these tables in the church parking lot). He missed a few spots, but he did a good job.

Girls Camp 2012: Food?

All I heard from my YW before camp was how amazing the food is! This is what they served on Wednesday night.....
 

Girls Camp 2012: FHE - The Healer's Art

Camp is a strange place.  People pound on the tables and yell/sing at you at meals for a harmless missed placed elbow. People happily sing about accidentally drinking their pet worm. AND FHE is on Wednesday night! (for those of you that don't know what FHE is...it's Family Home Evening and is usually on Monday nights, but not at camp!)

I had to go home on Wednesday night, but I made sure to stay for at least the lesson part of FHE. Sister B and the YCL's gave a beautiful lesson on the song Lord, I Would Follow Thee.

Lord, I would Follow Thee

Savior, may I learn to love thee,

Walk the path that thou hast shown,

Pause to help and lift another,

Finding strength beyond my own.

Savior, may I learn to love thee-

Lord, I would follow thee.

Who am I to judge another

When I walk imperfectly?

In the quiet heart is hidden

Sorrow that the eye can't see.

Who am I to judge another?

Lord, I would follow thee.

I would be my brother's keeper;

I would learn the healer's art.

To the wounded and the weary

I would show a gentle heart.

I would be my brother's keeper-

Lord, I would follow thee.

Savior, may I love my brother

As I know thou lovest me,

Find in thee my strength, my beacon,

For thy servant I would be.

Savior, may I love my brother-

Lord, I would follow thee.

Each of the YCL's took a verse and shared their thoughts. It was really quite lovely.

And like every good FHE we had amazing treats! Sister B found an idea on Pinterest where you take sugar cones and filled them with fruit, chocolate, and marshmallows and wrapped them in aluminum foil and throw them on the coals.

It was a great FHE and a great way to end my little trip to camp.

Girls Camp 2012: Skit Night - Old Spice Style

Tuesday night equals skit night at Girls Camp. However, they don't do skits out here like they do back home. I remember always planning the skit the day of and just kind of throwing it together. Out here in New Jersey? They plan the skits weeks in advance! They even write up the script for the girls to memorize the lines! Crazy!

This year the girls did a play off of an Old Spice commercial. You know the one? The one with the guy that ends with "I'm on a horse."

The lovely Clara played the lead, while all the other girls did things to change the scene so she could move from one to another quickly. Jeff wasn't so sure about how it would turn out, but I think it did! Sister B took a video of it and I will share a link once it's up. For now, you have my pictures. :)

The Skit!