Girls Camp 2009!!!

Last week, I went to GIRLS CAMP!!! I absolutely love girls camp. We always have the best and most spiritual times there. Our theme for this year was "Stand in Holy Places." It was on a ward level, so we ended up going to Matt's parents cabin for it. We had nine girls go this year, so for us it was a great turnout. We only have 12 young women, so there were only 3 who couldn't go.

When we first got there, we let the girls set up their tent.....



While us leaders, watched on the sidelines....




Later that night, after dinner and such, we decided to go on a snipe hunt... WARNING: SNIPE HUNT SPOILER!!!!

There were like 5 girls who had never been on one. So we put toothpaste on our faces to attract the snipes, but also so they won't bite us, grabbed our pillowcases, and headed out for the hunt. It was so fun, we went on a walk and had a few people spot a snipe. There were a few girls who were kind of scared, but they still had fun with it....



Oh, and one of our Young Women, Rachelle, actually caught one for us.... It was so funny, she started screaming, "I got one, I got one",everyone runs over to her and it really looked like there was something in her pillowcase, so she opens it up, and there it was, our snipe!!!....




The next morning, we woke up and started on our hike. The previous day, we had the girls make a flag and put on it a symbol of what they would want to represent them, or something that they want to strive to become. We had them take the flags with them on our hike. Also with that, we gave them all an egg and had told them that it was their most prized possession. After walking for 5 minutes, we had 4 girls give up their eggs, for us to hold. After we had a few of them we threw them on the ground.

When we got to the end of our hike we talked about our flags and everyone shared why they choose the symbol that they did. It was a really neat, and spiritual experience. We also talked about the eggs and related it to being virtuous and how they need to be virtuous girls and be careful in life, and how Satan is right there trying to tempt them to give into things.




On Friday, we had the opportunity to go to the Manti Temple and do baptisms for the dead. It was so pretty inside and everyone had such a great experience getting to be there inside the temple and feel of the great spirit that was with us. I just have to say that I am so proud of these young women. Every single one of them, had a temple recommend and got to be inside the temple.





After the temple, that night we had the bishop along with his wife come up. We had dinner and had an awesome testimony meeting. After testimony meeting, we had a yuumy dessert called smoreitos!! Then we stayed up till 2:00 in the morning playing the Great Dall Moody. It's like scum, for those who don't know, it just has it's own cards, instead of using face cards, and we play with funny hats. It really is so fun and the best game ever!!!



So as you can see, we had such a fun Girls Camp. This is my third camp with our ward, and I really truly hope that I will still be in there next year, so that I can go yet another year. I love my young women, I can't think of a better group of girls. No drama, no fighting, just everyone being friends with eachother. GIRLS CAMP IS THE BEST!!!

Hannah's going to preschool!!!

Hannah had her first day of Preschool yesterday. She loved it. She was so excited when she came home to show me a butterfly that she had colored and tell me all about the songs that they sang. One of the best things that she liked, was the little potty. As most people know, Hannah goes to the bathroom ALL THE TIME!!! So of course the little toilet was one of her favorite things.

It was so quiet while she was gone. With only having one child to keep track of, I actually felt like I got quite a bit done. She is getting so big, and I really did miss her. When she came home the first thing she asked me was, "Did you miss me?" And I sure did, she makes me laugh, so when she's gone, I really do miss her.

Sweet Papa..

My grandpa, Lawrence R. Rast died on Monday, August 3, 2009. He lived such a great and amazing life. I was very sad to have him gone, but I really am truly happy for him to be in the place where he is now, with his love, my grandma, Mother. Mother died 10 years ago, and I am so sure that their reunion was such a happy one.

The funeral for my papa is tomorrow, I know that it will be sad for me and there will be some tears, but I so happy and blessed to know that our family will be reunited again someday. I love you so much, Papa....


Aloha Oe'- Until we meet again!!

Makenna Knee boarding in St. George

As you will see in my post about St. George, Makenna was able to get up on a knee board and had so much fun doing it. She stayed up for so long, she only let go because her little arms were getting so tired.

ST. GEORGE TRIP

Last weekend, we went to St. George with Matt's family. We got there on Wed. night, when we got up in the morning, we decided to go right to the pool. When we got there, we started swimming, and Matt looked over and swimming with us was a....

That's right, a cute little frog, swimming along with everyone. We had lots of fun, swimming in the nice cool pool, but with how hot it was there, it felt sooo nice. I don't know if anyone recognizes the pool or not, but it is the same pool that was in High School Musical 2. They filmed that movie on Entrada, which is where the house that we stay at is.


Next we took our little family on a hike, in 100 degree weather, not too smart, but we found a nice shady cave to hang out in and take some cute pictures with all the beautiful red rock.



On Friday, we went boating with Matt's brother Randy and their family, along with Matt's parents. We had so much fun, it feels so nice to be in the sun and on a boat. Alexa tried driving the boat with her feet, Makenna went Knee boarding... she was so good. And of course Hannah fell asleep. She always falls asleep on boats. Matt did his skiing and I did knee boarding, and skiing. It was so much fun, but by the end of the day, it was hot and we were tired and burned, we decided to head home.

Of course Matt and Randy, could never get enough boating in, so Saturday, Matt and Randy went back to the lake by themselves and spent the day together boating and water skiing.





And then we just relaxed... being back at the house and just being in a nice air conditioned house felt very nice. I love this next picture. Grandpa was doing a word search and Makenna went over and started helping Grandpa find the words. She loved it. She sat there for an hour or two just being with and helping Grandpa. It reminds me of when I would help my Grandpa (Papa) with his word searches. I remember he once gave me my own book of word searches, and a pen to go along with it.

Alexa's 2nd Birthday!!!

Last Thursday, July 30th, was Alexa's 2nd birthday. It was kind of weird cause we were in St. George for her birthday, but we still had fun and celebrated. For her birthday dinner, we went to a place in St. George called, Pirate Island Pizza. It was a real fun place. It was decorated like a big pirate ship, it was so cute!! Then after dinner we went back to the St. George house and had cake and icecream, and opened a few presents. She got 2 babies, a baby high chair, and an elmo phone. Earlier, before we left, my mom gave her a Mr. Potatoe Head and a couple of outfits.


I just wanted to say a few things about Alexa. She is still such a sweet baby to me, she lets me hold her and cuddle with her, and she loves it. She wants to be like her big sisters and is always trying to play with them and do what they do. She LOVES shoes (as we already know),and she is talking really well. She will repeat and try to say anything that I tell her to say. She recently has really become such a Daddy's girl. When we were in St. George, and swimming she only wanted him to hold her, she didn't want to go to me at all. She really loves her dad!!! She is starting to learn to push and hit, I don't like that, but I guess it is a stage that they all go through. And last but not least, she is the cutest little 2 year old I know!!!


My sweet baby girl when she was born at the hospital 2 years ago...

Alexa on her 1st birthday

A quick birthday cake picked up at a store in St. George


Eating yuumy birthday cake...

Opening Presents...