GIRLS CAMP 2011

I was blessed to have been asked to go to Girls Camp this last week so I spent 5 days in a cabin with 7 girls and another cabin mom.  We were fed beans or chili 4 of the 5 days and the girls were only allowed to shower once, after the hike.  It was an experience I'd do again without hesitation.

  I was a bit worried about it since, for one thing I have very little patience for drama but mostly because I was worried about being away from my family for so long, especially because now that I'm working I feel like I don't get to see them very much already.  My awesome hubby took the 4th off and brought them up to Payson to have some fun out of the heat and watch the fireworks up there and then I got to ride home with them yesterday.  I was going to post a cabin pic but decided I had better not without parental approval but trust me, a beautiful group of fab girls!

  Camp was alot more spiritual than I remember it 20 years ago.  We had daily scripture study and classes for Personal Progress.  The first day, Thursday, Christy Bishop gave all of us a pillowcase, so stinking cute!

   We also found out, to our dismay, that the forest was and still is, closed due to fire danger so we weren't going to be going on the usual hikes, bummer.  Even more news, there have been 2 bears trapped in camp so far this summer so NOONE was allowed to go anywhere alone and absolutely no food in the cabins.  NICE!

Friday night was skit night.  Our girls took a little idea and ran with it and did great!!! The priesthood dressed up in their "stretchy pants" and came from Sherwood forest to serenade their wives. Instead of Robin Hood and his merry band we had Pancho and his merry band.  HILARIOUS!!!

So Saturday morning bright and early we set off on the Friendship loop, a hike that is nice, has great views, isn't terribly arduous but has some steep hills which was good for the girls.  We were able to go on that hike because it's entirely on church property so almost every girl in camp went.  We lost one girl and her mom on the first hill but 73 girls finished the entire hike!     Every girl in my cabin finished and so did every girl from our ward, all without complaining at all!  I was so proud of them and made sure to tell them so.

Check out the view!!  At the top of most of the hills we had an amazing view  to enjoy.  I love seeing the Lord's creations the way he made them.   We saw a few deer, with absolutely no fear, they just stood and stared at us and kept eating while we hiked past.

We saw a horny toad.  He didn't much care for being touched.

On Saturday night the bishops came up and first played minute to win it that was hilarious!  Then we went to the meat of the program.  The girls broke up into wards and the Bishops read to their girls the book, "My Wedding Day",  our sweet Bishop was teary eyed, he made it through the book but cried when he talked to the girls about his hopes for them to each have their own special day when they get married in the temple.  Awesome.

And lets not forget this not so little fellow who came to visit us in the bathroom on Saturday.  Thankfully the priesthood caught him and relocated him and just as thankfully, he was a very well fed bull snake which made me realize there were likely rattlesnakes around too and sure enough we came accross one on our way home from the sacred grove after testimony meeting on Monday night, we gave him a wide berth.  I was really surprised to see him being that it was dark out, it wasn't cold but still, pretty late at night.

Every night we were serenaded by the camp staff and priesthood.  Sister Hardesty is amazingly talented and made up lyrics to popular songs that were awesome!  They dressed up as Pancho and The All Earl Band and all manner of goofiness!

On Monday, July 4th, we were blessed to have a soldier who just returned from a tour in Iraq.  He and his wife spoke on how honoring their temple covenants gave them strength while they were separated.  Awesome.  They are such great speakers, could easily be professional speakers.  After they spoke we went to testimony meeting in the Sacred Grove, I always loved having church at camp, church in the forest, it doesn't get any better than that.  We ended with singing trees, also always phenomenal after which we met the rattlesnake in the path, but no worries. We stayed up way too late every night and got up early everyday and I came home completely exhausted but so grateful to have been able to go.  So grateful for my husband who took the helm so I could go.  Thankful for my mom who came over to babysit while R was at work on Thursday and Friday.  I even came home to a clean house, he even made the bed , which he thinks is a complete waste of time because you mess it back up every night, but he knows I care so he made it.  I am so blessed.