My first and only experience as a drill sargeant.

Bishop Pitcher was asked to do a spiritual workshop at Youth Conference this year. I learned that he can kick his leg above his head, fit four golf balls in his mouth and.....oh yes, I can make a difference, just little ol' me. I can do anything I set my mind to.

For youth conference we had the opportunity to attend Camp Williams. I have to say that I am so grateful for this opportunity to come here. I learned just as much or more than the kids and I will be a better person because of it.

This is at the Learning Reaction Course where there are different obstacles that each team or squad has to work together to overcome. Most of them were very difficult. In fact, I think my team only finished, without cheating, two of the stations. These people are our squad leaders showing how tough you have to be to be called a "drill sargeant". Jeremy obviously overshadowed my killer guns but don't worry. I'm sure you will all have the chance to see them if you haven't yet. His are only slightly bigger than mine. This is my squad. We named ourselves the BOM Squad or Book of Mormon Squad. Our cheers weren't the best and we were more like the GEEK squad than anything but we had fun and liked each other.
Ok this is a picture of our Stake YM presidency with Nacho Libre. There is a story to this and I don't know if I have all the facts but apparently the men were in charge of food. Men in charge of food. That's just crazy right but I guess it's better than putting them in charge of the spiritual stuff. Just kidding. Just kidding. Anyway, they wanted to have "Super Nachos" one day. Super because they weren't just chips with cheese but they added sour cream and salsa. That's what made them super. No meat, no beans, no lettuce. Well, I guess the YW presidency snuck in some meat and lettuce because we had taco salads for lunch on super nacho day and the YW also invited Nacho to lunch as a special surprise for the YM on "Super Nacho" day. It was hilarious. Mr. Libre pictured here is in our ward. If you don't recognize him and want to know who he is just ask. I would be more than happy to reveal the identity.
This is where we slept. Leaders and girls. Every night. The plastic sheets on the mattress were not too noisy and the community shower and bathroom smelled clean. The occasional tumble off the top bunks were the only hazard here. This is Amanda Stagno from Porters Crossing. How cute is she?Last but not least, my good friend Bec who, through the ADHD's, the chastisement, the heat and the stinky teenage boys was by my side the whole time. I am so glad we are friends.

Whats that sound?

Was anyone outside on Wednesday the 25th? This is Trevon and Ammon (our sweet friend and neighbor)doing a rain dance in the front yard, hopoing for another quick rainstorm to cool us. 10 minutes before this, the sun was shining and it was hot. All of the sudden the biggest raindrops I have ever seen starting falling from the sky and at first you couldn't see them. We could hear them hitting the ground though. We watched them come up the street and reach us. It was amazing and beautiful. The sun was still shining but it was raining hard and heavy. It was a good break from the heat of the day. Even if it only lasted 5 minutes.





The kids sat on the porch during the freak rain storm. Julie (Ammons sister) did not want her picture taken.





Notice the boys have no problem being shirtless and photographed.






Look at the water on the ground. It was crazy. Don't you love playing in the rain. These boys did.

Girls Camp 2008

Girls Camp was so great! We couldn't have picked a better spot. It reminded a lot of us of the sacred grove. This is the Tee-pee that Bro. Smith let us borrow. It's no small thing borrowing and transporting this baby. Thanks to Bro. Carrick and Bro. Sponbeck for their help with that. All the girls loved their sleeping quarters and are grateful to Bro. Smith for being so generous. We are missing 3 leaders in this picture and even though they couldn't come, they were in our hearts.
This group of dirty scoundrels are our girls. This is the last day of camp and look how spirited they are. I was so proud of them. Not much complaining went on, one of our beehives tripped and fell over a log but seemed fine and one of our miamaids got into the stinging nettle by the river but no major accidents. Thank goodness!
This is the log the girls had to cross while tied to one another. In hindsight, it probably was a little dangerous but they all made it without incident. We had to get one last picture on the challenge we had overcome together. Doesn't Bishop look like one of us?
The leaders from the last day. I can't believe Bro. Smith wanted to get this close to all of us. We stunk bad! But we had a great time. Notice the horizontal tree in the background, just above Bro. Sponbeck's head. That was our tree of life. It turned out really beautiful.
The girls and Bishop after testimony meeting. Notice the smoke and ash. We breathed this stuff for four days. It is the only thing, however, that covered up our stench. The girls love Bishop Pitcher so much and he loves them. This was evident in his stay with us. We are so blessed to have such a special bishop to lead us.

Rough Week

This is my brother-in-law in a big hole in my newly planted flowerbed where I was actually starting to get some good growth coming on. With every shovelful of mud thrown on my plants, there was a wince from me. Brook finally made me go in the house.
This is Brook after climbing out of the big hole. They were completely covered and anyone who knows Brook knows that this is driving him crazy! He hosed off after every descent into the mud. Anyway, we got the leak fixed thanks to some good neighbors and a love-to-play-in-the-mud brother-in-law. This leak came after Brook hit a deer and smashed his car which was getting fixed for 2 and a half weeks and me finding out I needed a new rim for my car which cost us $600. No, I'm not complaining. I'm just remembering how blessed we are that we are healthy and happy. Needless to say, everything is fixed and I have the opportunity to re-do my flower garden. But if it looks a little shabby when you come by, that is why.