Girl's Camp - Trust in the Lord

 I got called to help with Stake Girl's Camp this year.  It was nice to be needed after having had to be released from a prior calling that didn't work out because I was still struggling through chemo and its effects.  I was pretty down, and Sister Orchard, who I have served with in Stake Primary and YSA and gone to Wood Badge with asked for me to be able to help her.  I did all I could to be a support and take care of the things she assigned me to do.  And it turned out to be a really great camp!  It was a little hard for me because I came into it late and people already knew each other. It was also a little hard at camp too because of the same reason.  But I did get to know and appreciate some new people even though big group gatherings of people I don't know, and even ones I do know, aren't really my thing.  But I looked for ways to help all I could.  At first she just wanted me to help with the hike, but it expanded to much more and I was able to serve as needed.  I learned some new things that I'm glad for.  I don't think I want to do this again, but I'm grateful I did get to serve.  

We had what I like to call the 'campsite miracle'.  By the time Sis. Orchard was called it was very late to get a campsite.  They like the girl's to go to Pine Valley, but there was only one group site left then.  She got it, but we just kept worrying about how small it was and how crowded everyone was going to be there.  We pondered and visited it and rented other nearby single sites in the next over campground, but it just wasn't right.  We kept working on everything else and moving forward.  I was a little discouraged and one point and wondered if we should just cancel after the camp host made it sound like we couldn't put tents anywhere but on the one designated tent site in each little camp.  There was no way we could fit everyone then.  But Sis. Orchard just kept moving forward with her "trust in the Lord" attitude and one day she just checked the reservation site and suddenly the group site next to ours was no longer reserved during our time slot and she got it reserved right then.  And that made all the difference in us having a wonderful, comfortable and convenient camp!  Lots of things worked out and people to help were found where we needed them.  And she was called right in the middle of it all to be her ward RS president.  She was an awesome example to me and everyone of really trusting in the Lord and keeping a positive attitude through it all.  

The top picture is of the girls from my home ward.  The two girls on the climbing wall are from my ward and I had both of them in kindergarten!  I helped with getting the climbing wall to come to camp.  I had been in charge of getting it for Cub Scout Day Camp for several years and knew the people to call to get it set up and how to help with it there at camp.  I was in charge of the hike and took them to our favorite waterfall in Pine Valley.  The middle shot is of Sis Orchard and another stake YW leader and her husband.  The girls in red were waiting (leader with a curb pillow) for their turn on the climbing wall.  Below is a picture we took of all who came on the hike.  I'm on the back row with the black straps across my chest and a visor on.  

We encouraged the girls/leaders to come up with a haiku about the hike, but I don't think any did.  But Paul and I did one on a pre-hike we took and I came up with one after another pre-hike.

Spring torrents rushing, Forcing passage thru' jammed logs, Splashing down the stream

Delicate stars on stems, Glowing white, tinged with purple, Columbine glories

Another one from me:  Divine creations, Nature's glorious details, Showing us God's love

I found one to go along with our camp theme:

Why do I worry, God says I will be with you, So I put my trust in Him

Something new I learned was where to get some shirts printed for the best price in town with really nice people to work with.

And I also learned how to transfer pictures onto these little wood slices in a very simple way!

The Birthday Hike - Mill Flat

 The Mill Flat birthday hike (#67) was beautiful, really rough, sad and wonderful all at the same time.  We started in the morning and got out pretty late.  We hiked till we found the old mill parts and then broke for lunch.  And then we had to decide whether to continue on to the old campsite at the flat.  We opted for it and then started the really rough part where we had to basically get into the stream and rock hop and scramble for the next hour and a half because the trail is pretty much gone there now having been eroded away to steep dirt walls around the stream.  It got a little iffy a few times, but we kept at it.  We got pretty scratched up when we were out of the rocks because lots of raspberry bushes have now taken over the unmaintained parts of the trail that you can still find here and there. And there were so many downed trees to climb over from the fires, erosion and avalanche damage.  We got SO dirty!  But we finally made it to the the valley and to where to old campsite used to be.  It has gone through a fire and you can't even find it now.  Young aspen trees are growing up everywhere in the area it used to be.  It is sad to lose this old trail.  Lots of hikes and memories have been made there, but we both decided that this was the last time we'd do this trail unless the forest service decides to redo it in the very near future.  I would never want to go up it to camp carrying a loaded backpack now.  It's just too rugged.  Other people familiar with it have all said the same thing.  It's just one trail that is no more.  I'm very glad we did it so we could see for ourselves and kiss it goodbye.  

June birthdays...after Madi's & Father's Day

 

Lance - #44!  Derek - #45 And for Moss and Me I got no pictures unfortunately. Paul and I went for a hike to Mill Flat on my birthday and Moss, Christie and family were busy celebrating.  I got my gift and Moss got his at a family dinner after the fact up in Cedar.  Ferf brought Paul's Father's Day gift from everyone over that day.  We both enjoyed nice phone calls/messages people on those days too!

Kayaking the Colorado...a little bit

 Year's ago we took Anna Lou on a little rafting trip from Glen Canyon Dam down to Lee's Ferry and back.  It was really fun and so pretty.  A few years ago I heard about a backhaul service that will take you from Lee's Ferry to the dam and then drop you and your kayaks off to go back down.  And I've wanted to do it ever since.  So we planned a little trip to do it!  

Paul, Bean and I left on Thursday morning and went over to take Bean to see the North Rim.  He was too young to remember the last time he had gone.  It's always a treat! And we saw buffalo!  That doesn't happen very often.  In the late afternoon we drove over to check in at Cliff Dweller's Lodge for the night.  In the evening we had a great dinner at their diner.  We even tried avocado pie for the first time...it was really good!  Afterwards Paul and I went over to check out the spot we'd leave from in the morning.  We also walked back to the pioneer Lonely Dell Ranch and got to pick free apricots from the orchard there.  So tasty!  And we went over to look at the river from Rainbow Bridge.  

In the morning we met our backhaul ride at the dock and they loaded up our kayaks (we rented theirs) and took us up the river to a drop off spot just below the dam.  On the way up the captain gave us a little tour and pointed out desert bighorn sheep and wild horses and other cool things.  Then we got in our kayaks and got on our way!  It was SO beautiful!  The water was about 54 degrees that day and it felt good to get in or get splashed some to cool off.  We stopped off to see the petroglyphs.  We saw the people on top at Horseshoe Bend looking down at us and we spotted several herons along the way.  There were springs coming out of the rocks along the way too.  We found a spot with some cottonwood trees to eat our lunch under.  And we paddled on.  We had pretty much smooth going except for a few riffles here and there and wakes from boats of other kayakers being hauled up or fishermen.  One guy pulled out a nice fish just as we were paddling by.  The wind came up quite a bit just before we got back and made for harder work, but it was still great.  We were tired and ready to be done when we got done.  We did about 15 miles in 5 hours...started about 10 am and got done about 3 pm.  

We went to Jacob Lake to spend the night and had a fantastic dinner and wonderful, cool forest walk that evening.  In the morning Paul and I took another beautiful forest walk and then got Bean and had a great breakfast!  We drove over to see a historic forest ranger cabin and then headed home!  It was such a great little 3-day vacation!!!

Barker Lake-Escalante exploring

 This post is a little out of order.  At the end of May we took a drive over check out the site we had reserved for Family Camp 2022...and it was too small.  But, in the process, we saw a lot of beautiful scenery and learned about a camping area that we haven't done much in.  So, even though we went again the next day to try again to find a Family Camp site, it was worth the driving.  

Browse-Sequoia Campout + Cedar Mountain

 At last, we went on the first campout of the year!  We tried a few times earlier, but windy conditions put the kibosh on it every time.  So we were so happy when we drove up to the Lone Sequoia campsite and found it empty...just waiting for us!  Lynne gave me a new tent at the end of school, so we tried it out!  And Paul made such good DO food for us.  We had wonderful beef stew and biscuits and little apple pies for dinner and then biscuits and gravy and mandarin oranges for breakfast.  Came home full and fatter.  It was perfect weather, few bugs and almost no other people seen.  We slept in a little even.  And then we decided in the morning, spur of the moment, to pick up some lunch food in Cedar and then go driving around in new places looking for possible family camp spots.  It was so beautiful and green with aspens just leafing out and dandelions every where!  We pretty much made a day of it and had such a beautiful, relaxing time!  

Memorial Day Fun!

 After the fun of Derek and Kelli's wedding, we had the Memorial Day weekend to enjoy together!  We reserved a  group site at Pine Valley on Monday and spent the day up there in the beautiful forest and cooler weather.  We all brought our own picnic lunch and something to share.  It was so much fun and so relaxing!  We had Sunday dinner at Moss and Christie's the day before.  It was good to spend time with the fam!  And we celebrated Madi's June 1st birthday a little early!  

Derek marries Kelli Elizabeth Savage!!!

 On Saturday, May 29th, 2022, Derek and Kelli Elizabeth Savage were married in Cedar City, Utah!  We hope this is the beginning of a long and loving life for them and for their kids.  Kelli's kids do not live with her at this point.  She has a daughter on a mission and 3 sons.  I think the youngest is 17 and lives with his dad.  We have enjoyed getting to know Kelli.  She's very good to Derek's kids and I hope that will be a blessing to all of them.  It's a big step to take and they took their time.  I hope it is a wonderful thing for everyone!  We are excited to welcome her into the family!  She has come to some family parties and it has been fun to have her there!  (Kaebri and Kelli's daughter were "there" in cardboard cutout style!  They sent them dresses to match the bride's maids so they could match!)

Kennis does herself proud!!!

 Kennis works so hard, as well as being really smart.  She enrolled in an accelerated learning program a few years ago and it made it so she was taking college classes concurrently during high school.  And it made it so she actually graduated with her Associates degree from Dixie State University before she graduated from Pine View High School.  So now she has a 2 year-degree already behind her.  That's pretty amazing.  She was taking some of the same classes her mom is taking to get into the nursing program.  And they both got A's!  She decided she did not want to walk for the Associates degree, but she did for the High School graduation.  She can be proud of her hard work and great success!  We certainly are proud of her and hope she will be able to use this head start to a good advantage.  Way to go Kennis!!!

Another year of Kindergarten is over (2021-2022)

I think I can say that this was the best year ever!  Most of our class were kids whose parents had requested that they be in this class and 6 were kids that were the last ones of families that we had most of their siblings in our class too.  Most of them came from very supportive families and that made our work so much easier.  They were the top of the top academically and just such nice kids too.  It was a great year!  And a much needed break year after a very hard class last year. I really needed a break  because I was doing chemo during this year too.  This year was also a great one because we changed to all-day kindergarten!!!  It made such a difference in learning, stress levels, and good times with everyone.  

 

 

Some of their writing was so funny.  This is actually great writing for a kindergartner too!