Pioneer Trek 2010

Meagan got to go on our Stake Pioneer Trek this year. I would have loved to be a ma and pa with David but he barely got into town from China the day before they left. Here is Meagan at the beginning before she left. She thought she looked stupid but I thought she looked so great. While she was gone I was worried about her a ton which is not usually like me. I prayed for her safety the whole time and I am glad I did. After the women's pull when she was trying to get away from the wagon so her brothers could pull it, her skirt got caught and she went down and hurt her leg pretty bad. It was quite sore for the rest of the trek but I heard she was a trooper and didn't complain or stop walking. She just kept going as much as she could. One time when it hurt too much she got into the medical cart. Some boys pulled her up a hill and then ran back down as fast as they could. She said she was so scared that she wouldn't survive and figured she could pretty much walk most of the rest of the way. She is amazing to me!!!! We so missed her but glad she was able to have this wonderful, spiritual experience. When she got home she was so dirty and didn't want us to take pictures. But you always have to have a before and an after!!!!!

Girls Camp 2010

This year was Heidi's first year to go to girl's camp. She was so excited to go but bummed it was only a 3 days since they were also doing trek this year. It was also Meagan's first year as a YCL (youth camp leader). The YCL's went up earlier and I forgot to take a picture of her but here are a few of Heidi. Heidi and her friend Jaden Biberston (our next door neighbor). All the girls going to camp. Heidi in the car getting ready to leave. ( She is in the purple shirt on the right. I know not the best pic.) I am so glad they had a great time and came home happy, tired and only a little stinky!!!!

Summer time vacations!!! Part 1

We were able to go on a few adventures this summer but it is too hard to do them all in one post because I like taking pictures of all of my kids and there was so much to capture. The first thing we got to do was go to the family cabin for the 4th of July. It has kind of become a mini family reunion every year and I totally love it. The kids were all working very hard on their fort/hideout. We got to ride on the 4 wheelers, fly kites, fish and play lots of games!!! Then on the 4th we went into town and watched the fireworks. They really know how to have a good time in Kemmerer with fireworks. They were going off everywhere and then the kids had fun playing with the sparklers. We also had a few fun running races with all the adults. My sister Alicia was the one that came out on top as the fastest but I didn't do too bad. I can still be fast when I have to. My sisters and I hadn't all had a chance to ride the 4 wheelers up to the ridge yet so Dad and Ben took us up. The view is spectacular and it was tons of fun. To have a little more fun we would go over the snowbanks. Unfortunately I gunned it a little too hard and went flying off the four wheeler and then landed back on it with a huge thump. I thought I had broken my arm but luckily I just bruised it really bad. It took a good month to be able to move it normally with out pain. All the kids loved going on the 4 wheelers. After I hurt my arm, grandma and grandpa were nice enough to take my kids on rides. Meagan and David had to leave early so Meagan could go to EFY in SLC at the University of Utah and David had to get back to work. Meagan loved EFY and now says she wants to go to school at the U of U. I don't think she understands that that will never happen unless she wants to be disowned!!!!! I love going to the cabin with everyone and only wish we lived closer to go more often. But for right now I will take the yearly family reunion on the 4th of July!!!!!! After we left the cabin we went back to Utah until Meagan got done with EFY. For 2 days Emma went and stayed with her cousin Ari. They got to go to the premiere showing of Sorcerer's Apprentice before it even was in the theaters and got t-shirts and hats. She had a blast hanging with Ari for so long and didn't even miss us!!! Heidi went and spent a few days with Aunt Tino in her new house and going to work with her at the Oreck Store. I think she may have worked a little but not too much. She started to miss us more after she had to go to work so much but absolutely loved getting to be the first person in the family to see Tino's new house. So that left just me and Eric. The local grocery store has a kids day every Thursday so we decided to go. The theme for the day was chickens. Eric got his chicken hat and then got to hear chicken stories, play chicken games, do the chicken dance and make a paper chicken. He had lots of fun. On the last day we went to the aquarium with Aunt Renee and the "cousins". It was fun but not very big. We are definitely used to the giant aquarium in Shanghai and this was teeny in comparison but we got be with family so that makes it more fun. The next day we picked up Meagan bright and early and headed back home. Unfortunately for us, David left that morning also for China and was gone for 2 weeks. 3 weeks is a long time to be away from each other and we definitely felt it with that trip. The good news is that he brought us home tons of fun presents from China that we loved!!!!!!!

First Day of School! Part 2 (2010)

Meagan chose to go to the local high school this year and so is now on a different schedule than the other kids. She is now a sophomore and an Eagle High Mustang!!! Her first day of school was August 30th. She also has released time seminary and doesn't have to leave as early. She thought she was too old to get her first day of school pictures taken but I didn't think so. So here she is thinking her mom is so lame taking her picture in the house and then out the front door. I can't believe she will be leaving and going to college in 3 years!!! It really does go by so fast.

First Day of School! Part 1 (2010)

Today is the first day of school for Heidi, Emma and Eric. Meagan has decided to go to a different high school and doesn't start until Monday. It was weird having only part of the kids go to school today. I was ready to have my alone time back so I can get working on some projects that I haven't been able to do between swimming lessons, swimming at the neighbors, taking the kids to the movies, remodelling the basement, and vacations to Utah, Colorado and Wyoming. I am not sure the kids were all that ready to get back to school either. There wasn't any of that "I'm so excited for school start tomorrow, I can hardly fall asleep!!!" last night. David informed me that was normal and all the previous years of school that we have had the kids totally excited was not normal and just plain weird. I missed that excitement!!! I do hope they have a great day at school today and come home completely excited to share their day with me over an apple shaped sugar cookie!!!! Here are the first day of school pictures without Meagan. I will have to post hers on Monday.

Heidi is so grown up and loves to have her down in new ways and her nails done all the time. (and I thought she was going to be a tomboy when she was little)

Emma was the one that had her outfit picked out a week in advance and sitting on her chair. She also had everything ready except her new bag that she wanted from Heidi instead of a boring old back pack.

Eric was not happy about summer being over and didn't care too much how he looked or what was going on. It was all Meagan and I could do to get him presentable today. He did turn out cute and finally got excited when he saw his friends going to the bus stop.

Here they are at the bus stop.

Have a great year at school!!!!!

Nina Visits from China

Heidi's best friend from China came to visit us. Heidi was so excited to see her after a year and so were the rest of us. She lived in the same apartment complex that we did and Heidi and Nina really hit it off. They come to America every summer and so thought they could visit us. Nina and Heidi wanted to sleep every day because they would stay up late visiting and talking but mean old mom made the girls get up by 8am every day. The first day they went to the water park, just the 2 of them. They had to check in every 2 hours but had a great time. They got to play and talk the whole day without any sibling to bother them. The next day they went on a bike ride to downtown Eagle and went to lunch, then they went to YW together and to a late movie. Unfortunately Nina had to leave the next day and start her long drive to Kansas. We were all sad to see her leave but made plans for Heidi to go and visit her next year when she comes back to America.

Ward Campout

Our Ward really wanted to have a Ward Campout this year so since I am the activities chairman I got to plan it. I looked all over the internet for some ideas of what to do and all I found was posts with people saying, "Ward Campouts are GREAT!!! You should plan one." Not really helpful. I thought back to when I was a kid and tried to remember what we did and just remembered having a lot of fun. So I did what any chairman would do and I came up with a plan and assignments and I let everyone choose what they wanted to be in charge of. The YM said they would do the sloppy joes for Fridays dinner. (the rest was potluck style with salads/sides or desserts from the ward members) The YW were in charge of the program/games for Friday night. The Elders and High Priests were in charge of the breakfast Saturday morning. The primary for the kids activities Saturday morning. The Sunday School in charge of assigning cabins to those that wanted them. And the Relief Society was supposed to take pictures and make a DVD or slideshow to be presented to the ward at the end of the summer.

Overall, I think everyone had a blast and I heard lots of people tell me they wanted to do this every year so I hope it becomes a tradition.