Girl's Camp Ritchie

Another busy week.......Teal & Sage are off to girl's camp at Camp Ritchie this week.  They are at bookends this year.  This is Sage's first year of girl's camp and it is also Teal's last year.  It's a little bitter-sweet as we march along and I watch my kids grow up.


Carson & Rafe got up early to see their sisters off.

Arrived at camp...the girls are checked in and ready to head off to their cabins so I got a quick picture of them with the Alpine lake behind them.













I'm sure they will have a fabulous week full of adventures, friends and fun.  I look forward to hearing all about it next week and seeing the pictures they take.......perhaps I'll even post a few here.

Teal's Young Women's Recognition

Today Teal earned her Young Women's Recognition.  I am so proud of her.  It was a lot of work to get here.  This recognition is equivalent to earning Eagle Scout.

We had a wonderful reception tonight for her at church.  More pictures will follow.  My friend Christy Holt took lots of pictures for me, so I'll be sure to share them with you.

For now, I want to share with you this slide show that Scott put together of Teal.  We are so proud of her and so happy for her reaching this accomplishment.  Enjoy!

Pioneer History

I love field trips! I love bringing history to life or putting science in motion. 

Yesterday we went exploring and found a  Nevada state park in Genoa called Mormon Station. It's a beautiful park and a pretty drive as well. Only $1 admission for 12 and up. It's small but they having some interesting items and I learned some state and Mormon history that I didn't know.   

The Old Family Home

My sister and I had a unique opportunity this week, to visit our old family home. It was recently bought and now is being turned into a business. They are redoing the inside and we had the chance to walk through our old house after years of being away. So much has changed! But a lot of it was the same, including the old stone fireplace where we had Christmas pictures taken every year. It was a little bittersweet, but I'm grateful for the opportunity.

Picture Show

I was looking through my photo album of pictures I took during my trip last January.  It made me smile....so I thought I'd share just a few.  Take a virtual drive with me from California to Pennsylvania, then south to Florida and across through New Orleans and Texas up to Utah and then back to California.  We had temperature swings from -16 to 93* along our route.

 Through the "sun" roof

 New Orleans....Beignets!!!

 San Antonio....mission

 Car door-handle in the morning




 He kept the rubber down!

 

Childhood memories

I'm at the city park with my kids. It's the same park I came to as a child. It's changed some, but essentially it's the same playground, basketball court and pool. It's kind of surreal. It's a unique experience to play with your kids where you once played. I'm grateful for the opportunity.

Gratitude For My Own Trials

You know what they say is the best medicine when you find yourself overwhelmed with your own troubles?  Looking beyond yourself and at the lives going on around you.  Somehow you can always look at someone else trials and think "Man, am I glad that I'm not having to deal with, or live through that!"  It doesn't necessarily make your trials easier, but they are yours and you can handle them. 

All these scripture verses and poems are coming to mind.  "The Lord won't give you more than you can bear."  "All these things will be for your good."  "I never said it would be easy, only worth it."  "Those times you only see one set of footprints.......that is when I carried you."

Do you every feel like you just want to curl up in a ball and be carried for awhile?  Then look around you.  Carefully observe the lives of your friends or family.  There is someone who you can carry for a bit.  There is someone who is living through their own personal trial...one that you would not want any part of........there is someone who you can help carry their load.  Walk a mile in their shoes.  Help serve them in some way.  You can be their "Samwise Gamgee."  You can't carry their burden, but you can carry them. 

And when you do this, when you stop focusing on yourself, and your trials, an amazing thing happens.  You find that you have been carried too.  Do your problems magically disappear?  No, but they become easier to bear.  Your burden will seem lighter.  And that is the miracle! THAT is the blessing.  That is when we truly learn that "when ye are in the service of your fellow beings, ye are only in the service of your God." (Mosiah 2:17)