Thursday

Grace is starting to feel better. She has no appetite and is hanging in her jams and in bed all day but doesn't feel like throwing up or anything else awful.

Our pink flamingos are beginning to arrive, it's birthday party season and this is a sneak peek at one of them!!

Hopefully tomorrow we will see this little dude! Fingers crossed!

This missionary is doing awesome!  It's so fun to hear about his mission adventures!

2:23pm

Grace is sleeping in her bed. I took her to the doctor this morning after she started to say that she was having trouble breathing. She got a shot and an oral antibiotic. She has the flu plus an upper respitory infection. Poor thing. The doc first told us to stay home in bed until Sunday. Then he said we could drive on our trip if she felt much better, otherwise not to because she's on the hairy edge of pneumonia. Crossing our fingers two days of rest will be enough!

Ethan is doing his hour of reading. He's reading the storm of sharks or something like that.

Hannah has Kelly over and they are watching 12 dancing princesses.

Rob is at work.

Percy is laying on Grace's feet.

Z is laying on me and I am laying next to Lu reading "the gate theif" and browsing lds.org.

lazy lazy

Perseus

Grace felt better this morning, so we made a plan to go out.  We thought we'd go to the movies, it's bargain Tuesday, and to do a couple of errands. Even Ethan agreed to go.

Then she felt poorly again and our plans changed.  It's been a lot of days of not feeling well for poor Lu.


Hannah and I did run out to do some quick errands, we went to the bank, Joanns and Target. Then we plopped on the bed and looked at the ceiling.

It was kind of overcast and no one felt like swimming.  We had done a load of laundry but things were mostly clean.  I do need to organize my closet and the pantry, but that's not urgent, or fun.

Hopefully tomrorow she'll be better.

lazy lazy

The kids had mutual tonight.  So that was good.

Our ajustment to CA has been tough and really I think we mostly feel like we are here but we don't really live here, it's not really home.  Moving to MD was like coming home, only to a home we'd never been to before.  I miss it a lot, I loved it a lot. Those years went too too fast.

We are making friends, Rob's job is going well, Rob is doing well in so many ways, the rest of us just need to get with the program.  Ethan likes our ward and his leaders so that's good.  

Friday, with any luck, we are heading to Utah for Tanner's temple endowment and to spend the 4th with the family.  That will be great.  Hopefully everyone will be feeling well.

Summer dayz

Poor Grace has been sick since she's gotten home from camp. She's been running a fever, throwing up, achey. She's been sleeping in our room and we've been watching her carefully. 

Ethan has also been sick but only a low grade fever. Such a bummer to be sick in the summer. 

Hannah invited some girls over to swim. They've been having fun. I want her to have them over a couple of times a week. One common theme in testimony meeting at camp was how lonely it is to be a teenager. One common theme among mothers is the "my kid is home all the time and needs friends". It's hard to make friends with the same values and standards. Hopefully if we do some inviting and some others do too the girls will have a good support system. 

Kaylee, Kelly, Hannah, Heather, Emily and Mia. Camille was in the pool and missed the photo and Katie hadn't arrived yet.

Really the last camp photo

Ericka posted this fun photo. Her husband came to camp with us and so nicely had a birthday so we had secret treats in the leader cabin! Thanks Berkley!

High adventure!

I didn't know if we would get any pictures but we did and I am so excited about it. They also had some fun video.

Ethan had such a blast, he really likes his leaders and our ward. I'm so glad.

The boys were crazy, but I guess that's good.

Ethan told me "your suspicions about the leaders was right"

What were they? That the leaders would be just as crazy as the boys:)

Here's the food stealing fox! E said they unzip the tents to get treats!!

Pit toilets aside I am sure this will be a fondly remembered trip forever.

They spent a lot of time in the water. Ethan loved the caves. Some boys actually got caught in one during a huge wave that filled it to the top. They got scraped up and a little scared but the wave left and they got out! Yikes!

Looks like they had some hungry boys on the way home!

Last camp photo

birthday boy

 We are finally all home.  It was a long week, but a good one.  Rob got a lot of work done.  He's been working on a whale carving and pool maintenance.

Grace's camp report:  She had fun.  She made four friends.  Her favorite friends were Jude and Lauren C.  Her favorite activity was zip lining and catching a fish.  She wasn't signed up to fish but asked if she could and her leader said she could try but couldn't have a hook.  So she made a twine pole and quickly caught a little fish.  Everyone was super surprised and she felt like Uncle Michael!  She was pretty good at archery and even hit the bulls eye more than once.  They swam, hiked every day, played with the pets at the camp, had a couple of camp fires.  She said it wasn't too hot at night and the food was good.  I think it was a great week.   Now she kind of doesn't feel well but hopefully that will pass quickly.

Ethan had a great time.  He said the best parts were the boat ride to the island, it was fast and bumpy like a roller coaster and kayaking.  They snorkeled, explored sea caves and swam.  Pres. Silva went spear fishing and then made everyone ceveche from the fish he caught, which Ethan liked.  They saw lots of fish and seals and sea lions . They also saw lots of birds and foxes.  He said nothing was really afraid of them and the foxes kept stealing their food.  At one point they decided to catch one so they put food in a tent and the fox went right in.  They zipped it up and then he went nuts.  Next they sent Jordan in to catch it but he couldn't.  Finally they left the tent unzipped so the little guy would leave but Ethan said he just stayed in the tent for a long time peeing on all their stuff. Which I thought was just.

It was good in every way, and no great whites were spotted.

Today is Ethan's birthday so when we all were finally home and clean we went out to dinner.  He choose In n Out.

A Letter!!!

I wore my new awesomely cute shoes and was taller than Hannah for the first time in a while!

My new shoes!

new shoes

On the way home we stopped at a random fruit cart.  We see them all over the desert and people are always stopped getting stuff.  When we went up to ask the guy about it we had a language issue so finally we just said yes to whatever he asked and we ended up with a big cup of fruit with something yummy but hot and spicy on it and lime.  Now we know!

random desert fruit cart

We agreed we stop again and get the fruit but not the stuff on it.

I can't believe our boy is 14.  Crazy!  He wants to have a party in a few weeks so that will be fun.

Hannah's camp report: (even though I was there).  She had a really good time.  She enjoyed all the girls and the lessons and the hike.  She was a good YCL and finished certifying and received her little box.  It was a good week for her and she was happy.  She heard from Sawyer and that was awesome!

My camp report:  It was good, exhausting but good.  It's good to spend time with people at camp, friendships are made when you serve and sacrifice and spend time together. It was so beautiful up there in the mountain tops, that part I loved.  I love being with the girls and the other leaders.  It was really different from other camps I've been to, but that's fine.  There are lots of good ways to do things, and new and different ways are awesome.  It's all about the stretch!

Now I am tired and the house is a W.R.E.C.K! but it's fine, we will clean and sleep and get back to normal. 

Girls Camp Thursday

It's been a very peaceful camp (so far). Very little drama, which is not always the case with a group of 120 women young and not so young. The weather has been nice enough. 

Yesterday was hiking and swimming and crafting. The young women's presidency did their golden hour and I thought we did a pretty good job:)

The wards have each written songs and I have really enjoyed listening to each one. They have been beautiful. They take an existing song and change the lyrics and they've been very thoughtful and inspiring. 

My favorite was definitely Dan's astronomy talk. He was amazing and I know the girls loved it.  

It was a late night of conversation in there leader cabin, which was good. Going to camp with someone is such a great way to really get to know them and really grow friendships. 

I'm looking forward to tomorrow night, being home and gathering with the family to hear about everyone's week. 

Girl Scout camp in photos

Camp on Wednesday

Girls camp is going great. 

The food is great, the snack bar is a hit, girls are cheerful, weather is hot but cools down at night.

We had some awesome skits and songs.

We did a wonderful faith walk that was very touching. We had 7 sisters dressed like heroines from the scriptures. The girls walked from one to another in the dark and met them and heard a first person narrative. As they did several girls at a time would light their little lights. Our main  messages were : if you want to share your light you have to glow yours first, what real heroes are, following Christ. I got to be Hannah, from the Old Testament. I think it was very powerful.

We went on a killer hike. Here's Berkley fearless bush walking the way!

Got some pictures of Grace from her camp. Looks like great adventures are happening!