Remembering

Craig started a new tradition last year. We go to the cemetary where his parent are buried and light candles on Christmas Eve. Each of us get to light a candle.

Amanda's Birthday and Gingerbread Houses

Amanda is seven. With having a birthday right around Christmas Amanda's birthday usually gets lump with other Christmas activities. This night it was the making of graham cracker houses.

Luckily she is still at the age that she loves getting so many presents around Christmas.

Here is the final product for this year. Anna refused to be in the picture because her house didn't turn out how she wanted it.

Pictures of the Process.

Halloween

Halloween is not my favorite holiday. But I do like sitting on my porch with my friends handing out candy while the men take the kids trick or treating.

Amanda with Rachel and Bria ready to go trick or treating.

Kayla

Zach (you get one guess who he is!)

Happy Birthday

Happy Birthday Anna! (Back in September)

Competitive Soccer

It is time to do some catching up. It is amazing how fast time flies. Since Zach's Rec soccer team split up he decided that he was ready to try competitive soccer. So he tried out last May and made the team. It has been a challenge for him but he has enjoyed playing. He played in a couple of tournaments before the fall season started. His team took Second in the Bountiful tournament.

It has certainly been a much bigger commitment but in the end he loves playing the game and we love to watch him.

Girls Camp

Well I couldn't post about summer and not have anything about girls camp since it did take up about 2/3 of my summer. I mentioned earlier in the year I was called as the ward camp director. I never realized how much work went in to four days. A couple of months before camp a new Young Women's presidency was put in. Which none of them had really been to girls camp before....so they were just as inexperienced as I was. Luckily I had Craig, who was awesome, and came up to camp and helped us set up and showed us how to use the camp stoves. He made daily trips to bring me things that we forgot....or a large diet coke.
The stake had challenged all of the girls and the leaders to complete the value virtue before camp. This included reading the Book of Mormon. On the first night up at camp those that completed this challenge received a necklace. I was so proud of how many of the girls were able to complete this challenge.

Anna completed the challenge. She was a big help keeping me motivated because we kept comparing to see who was ahead in our reading. I think she finished a day before me.


It was fun to be up at camp with Anna....I am not sure she always felt the same way but she was a huge help to me.

With 28 girls we only had 6 leader going up for the whole time. At the last minute 2 of our leaders weren't able to come....luckily my awesome friend Liz...(who was dying to come,) Was able to come up and stay the whole time. It was kind of funny because 2 days before camp I found out that one of the leaders was only going to be able to come for one night. So I was talking to Liz and told her that if I lost another leader I was going to call her. So the night before we left another of the Leaders got really sick and wasn't able to come. I immediately called Liz and asked her if she remembered our conversation from the night before? All she said was "Really" I said yes that I needed her to go. I also have to say thank you to her husband who found out at 10pm that his wife was leaving for the week the next morning at 7am. All I can say is I couldn't have done it with out her!

My friend Alison getting ready to perform her ganster rap. I was sorry I missed it...we had a little medical emergency with one of the girls so I was up at camp...but I heard it was great.

This is Anna and Sam performing their part in our skit....which was awesome.

The gang.

All of the awesome leaders. I couldn't have done this with out them. Kirsten was my assistant and probably the most creative person I know. She had some of the cutest crafts I have ever seen made at camp. Plus the young women's presidency which were just thrown into camp with someone who had no idea what she was doing.

Anna singing in the choir for the fireside. I love this picture of Anna. She is so amazing. It was very emotional for me to hear her singing in the fireside. She has turned into a beautiful, confident and strong young women that has a strong relationship with her heavenly father. You can see it in her face and hear it in her testimony. Overall it was an awesome experience. The girls are amazing. I learned alot about myself and about the girls. Next year I know what to expect so there are somethings that will go a little smoother.....but we will have 10 more girls. I do feel like I accomplished my main purpose which was to provide the girls the opportunity to feel our Heavenly Father's love for each of them.
And that is what I hope each of the girls remember.

Atlanta

After Charleston we went back to Atlanta. We had a father's day dinner cooked by Mike Crosby. It was delicious...I didn't take any pictures. Our last day in Atlanta we went boating with Kath and Mike at a lake near their house. Kris and Mike and their family came out for a little while.

This is Anna trying to get up on the wake board.

Zach had an easier time. He looks like he is really concentrating

This is Hailey and Kayla on the tube.


Amanda and Kira on the tube. You can't see Kira but lets just say that Amanda liked the speed more than Kira.

As you can see Kayla also liked the speed more than Hailey. They must get that from Craig.

The kids relaxing out on the big tube. In the afternoon the boat broke down so we headed to Kristine's pool and spent the rest of the day.

The kids had a great time on the slide. This is Amanda....no idea who the guy is.

Anna and Hailey

Can you believe this flower...they were all over.

Braxton, Zach and Anna

Noah enjoying his Doritos. I did manage to get a sort of smile. We were sad to go home. We had a great time with Kathryn, Kris and Jarom. We can't wait to come again!