Camp Jeremiah Johnson

I LOVE my church calling! I'm the Stake Activity Day Leader. I'm so glad that I got to stay in the Primary section of church....I really love it! The biggest bonus though is getting to work with awesome people! I seriously love the ladies I work with! They are so organized, spiritual, and team oriented! We had our Stake Activity Day Camp this year at Camp Jeremiah Johnson. I really wanted to do this because I was excited for the girls to get to do some of the outdoorsy things that the boys always get to do in Cub Scouts. My apologies to everyone who had to experience my lack of knowledge on the whole day camp thingy....next time I'm planning to be awesome!
Kristin, Me, and Amy....(about 4 years ago the three of us were at girls camp together....so fun...wish I had a photo!)

Me and Camry....melting! (Yeah...it was me who said, "Cams, let's wear jeans cause we're going to be up in the mountains and we don't want to be cold!" DUH!)
Kasey, Camry, Hannah, and Savanna
Shooting bow and arrows

This is how you cock a gun when you're a "girly girl"
Megan and Camry learning how to tie a square knot
Megan and Camry using the buddy system

Kristin, Me, and Tanya

Whose idea was this? It's a good thing we were so HOT....because after our rafting adventure we were soaked!!

Boon...Dogs

We got to go to Boondocks for Garet's 6th birthday party the other night. Our entire family refers to Boondocks as Boon dogs....for some reason this is what Jace thinks it is called. Everyone used to laugh when he said it...and now this is what all of us call it, even the adults. This is one of the kids' favorite places to go for sure. At least once a year one of the kids picks it as their birthday spot.Bonnie won Aunt of the year and took Camry on the "simulator". It's one of those machines they stick you in and it looks like you're riding a roller coaster.....hmmm NO THANKS!! (this is them after the ride)
All Jace wanted to do was hang out with his dad! He followed him around everywhere saying, "Hey Dad do you want to play this...." They shared all of their tokens and had a ton of fun together.
Easton gets real serious about things like this...he has his dad's competitive side! I hope he never plans to own a motorcycle for real!
Bumper boats

Bryan got absolutely soaked on this ride! Seriously dripping wet!

The culprit of the soaking....Kaleb.

Yesterday...Today...and Tomorrow Tag

20 Years Ago....
I was 12 years old. My best friends were Codi, Toni, Marci, Melanie, Gina, and Shaylee. (I wonder what happened to some of those girls) I wore hot pink clothes, stir-up pants, and Guess jeans with zippers in the sides. I had big bangs and a bad perm. I used words like 'radical'. I was mean to my little brother and had just started to think that my parents were old. My world was pretty rosy.
10 Years Ago....
I had a beautiful 1 year old daughter that my world revolved around. I got to stay home with her all day long...we would watch Barney and the Price Is Right every morning. She really loved Bob Barker. We read books, went on walks, cleaned the house together....everything. It's weird to think about my life with only one baby! It was such a short time! Bryan and his brother's had just started their own construction business. My parents still lived in Blanding and Camry and I spent a lot of time there. We would leave Bryan at home to work and go visit for weeks at a time. We both loved our Grandma time!
5 Years Ago....
We moved into our new house when our little Jace was 2 weeks old. (Something I would NOT recommend doing) I had 3 little guys at home all day and no yard for them to play in. Seriously...this is kind of a blur. (maybe it was survival mode) We spent lots of time back at the old apartment building where Jeff and Bonnie were living while they built their house. The kids could play together in the backyard there. I think this is when Bonnie and I started to become really close. I'm thankful that I had her that summer to play with...we both had stuff to offer each other. She had the backyard with the green grass....and I had the air conditioner! We spent a lot of time together! :)
3 Years Ago....
Camry was going into the 3rd Grade and Easton was going into 1st. I was preparing myself to be home alone all day with just me and Jace. We got into quite the routine....after lunch we would read books on my bed until we would both fall fast asleep. Boy...I really miss those days! Bryan's business was going along really well. I got called to be the Primary President in my ward. That was scary...but ended up being one of the best experiences of my life!
1 Year Ago....
I got the kids into the new Charter School in our area. They were doing so great in school! We got a puppy. Bryan's business was really booming. He and his brother's purchased a ton of new equipment to make their business grow. Bryan's dad was diagnosed with Leukemia. Our family became regular visitors at the Huntsman Cancer Institute.
So Far This Year....
The kids ended their 5th and 3rd grade years with great grades and good experiences. Jace graduated from preschool. I'm never going to have a preschooler again...and it's a little sad for me. Gas prices are too high. Nobody is building houses. I went on two trips to Hawaii. We took the kids to Disneyland. (those things really don't go together..do they)
Yesterday I....
Took the kids to the store to buy Garet a birthday present. Paid my power bill. Took the kids to the park for a picnic with Bonnie and her kids. Went out to dinner and to Boondocks for Garet's birthday party.
Today I....
Babysat at the church while the kids had a primary activity. Took Camry to the dentist to get 5 baby teeth pulled (she refuses to pull out her loose teeth). Went to Target to get her a prize for getting her teeth pulled and to buy a new mop because mine broke. Helped Bonnie make 36 handouts for relief society. Cooked dinner for 6 kids, my husband, and my mother in law. Took Easton to Karate. Caught up on my blog. PHEW!
Tomorrow I will....
Be patient with my children. Play with them at the pool. Make a fabulous dinner....then GO OUT for a girls night with friends! Yahoo!!! Can't wait!
In The Next Year I....
Will go back to work. See my baby go to Kindergarton. Get back on the work out wagon. Maybe go back to school. (as soon as I decide what I want to be when I grow up) Work on my blog book for 2008. Finish all of my projects I have started over the last year. Be happy with every minute I get to spend with my family!

I'm tagging Kristin N, Michelle G, Amy J, and Bonnie

Grandpa's Quilt

For Father's Day we all got together and made Grandpa a quilt to keep him warm at the Huntsman Center. It's what you'd call a real "patchwork" quilt! Everyone picked their own fabric to match their personality. It was fun to put together. It looks real crazy...but he loves it. Grandma tying our quilt
A view of our craziness
Camry with Grandpa all wrapped up in his quilt.

~SIDE NOTE: for those of you wanting an update.....Mike is scheduled to begin the transplant process the middle of next week. For the rest of this week he expects to be poked and prodded in preparation. Please keep him in your prayers....and if you get up into the Salt Lake area I'm sure he would love a visit. He's feeling a little bit down about not being able to go home before the transplant....I can't imagine how it must feel being stuck in that hospital room day after day!

Happy Father's Day Daddy!

Random Facts about our Daddy

• Loves Golf
• Loves to make the kids laugh
• Gets in trouble for getting the kids too wound up before bedtime
• Watches movies he loves over and over and over and over.....
• Can sing the words to almost any song
• Loves puzzles
• He's a poker player...loves Vegas
• Can win any argument
• Hates being in the sun
• Loves Almond Joy candy bars
  

The kids were so proud of their Candy Gram that they made for their Dad last night! Giving him gifts is so much fun...he always acts super excited no matter what it is! Love you babe! Happy Father's Day from your biggest fans!

Our Favorite Dad's

• My Dad...My dad is the most tenderhearted, loving, affectionate, fun and best all around dad there is! I am the luckiest daughter to have had such a great dad!
• Mike...My other dad. Mike is the most patient and giving man I know. We love him so much and are keeping him around for a LONG time!
• My little bro...Colby is super dad! He helps out more than any dad I know and he is a great uncle to his niece and nephews!
• The Halliday Brothers....We are so lucky to live near all of Bryan's brothers! Everyone of them are great dad's and love my kids!
• Doctor....Dr. Amber is our adopted Grandpa. He is a wonderful person and we are so lucky to have him in our lives!
• My Grandpa Northern....My fellow blogger. My Grandpa gives the best hugs and is still the most fun Grandpa around!
• My Grandpa Otto....My quiet Grandpa. He doesn't get around as good as he used to, but I still think of him as the most energetic athletic Grandpa around!
• Grandpa Fred...Bryans Grandpa is amazing. He is seriously the youngest 80 something year old I know!
• My Uncle Chuck....My summer dad. My Uncle Chuck has put up with me every summer of my life. I'm so thankful for him...and he will always be in my mind...the perfect husband!
• Bryan....Last but not least! I could not possibly ask for a better daddy for my kids. Bryan is the fun and playful parent. We are so lucky to have him! He is the best Dad around!

Old Friends

Damon and Codi and their girls came to visit for a few days. Damon is Bryan's best friend from highschool. They were born a day apart and both had twin brothers. Codi and I also grew up together in the same grade and were always close friends. It has been so much fun to hang out together now that we have kids of our own. They all get along so great and have so much fun together! We hadn't seen them in quite a while so we tried to cram as much fun into two days as we could! Thanks guys for finally taking a day off of work to come see us! We miss you already!! Come again!Camry, Megan, Brianne, Jace, and Easton ready to swim!

Jace and Easton at Kung Fu Panda...(Jace ALWAYS has to make some sort of weird face when I take a picture this has to be one of my favorites...his look of surprise)

Me and Codi....two tired, windblown mommies!

Brianne. This girl cracks me up! She is 100% her dad! She is full of spunk and humor! ...oh and added bonus...she is Bryans little namesake! So cute!

Brianne and Jace got along so great! They had tons of fun together! He was very sad to see her go!