Girls Camp

This is a picture of the Young Women in my ward or congregation.

In this month's Ensign(which is a magazine my church puts out monthly full of wonderful and spiritually uplifting and enlightening articles from both church members and church leaders) there was an article by one of the twelve apostles Elder Ballarad about using the internet to help spread the gospel. He specifically talked about how pervading the internet can be in both negative and positive ways. He specifically talked about how much influence we can have if we share our feelings on the internet about the gospel. For anyone who is not a member of my church who may be reading my blog I have a hyperlink on the left side that is a picture of the Salt Lake City Temple spires that says 'I belong' if you click on that it will take you to my Church's website where you can see in its entirety anything you'd like to you'd like to know about my church.

After reading that article I immediately thought I'd like to at least once a month share my feelings about the gospel in hopes that I can yet be a emmissary of the gospel and help spread it positively in whatever way I can. So this month I'd like to share about Girl's camp. Nothing says I have a testimony of the truthfulness of the gospel more than the sacrifice of attending girls camp 7 months pregnant. I could not leave my two small children and husband, and abide the 100 degree heat for four days if it weren't for a cause I felt was totally worth it. No where have I ever felt the spirit of God stronger at a testimony meeting, than at girl's camp. One girl in particular touched me when she stood and said with great emotion "There isn't anything I wouldn't do for this church because I know it is true. If our church leaders asked us to leave our homes once again like the pioneers and leave all we knew and had behind, I would do it." It struck me because I knew I felt the very same way and in my own small way I had made a series of sacrifices to go to girl's camp and I felt so strengthened by the end of the experience that I really couldn't call it a sacrifice for me anymore.

Ward member friends and family willingly watched my children during the day and my wonderful husband willingly took on all responsibility at night so I could serve the young women. I am so grateful to all who helped me so I could be there. The gospeel is alive and well today and it blesses everyone's life who choses to let it be apart of their's. Christ stands at the center of my church, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints (commonly known as the Mormon Church), and leads it today through a modern day prophet who today is President Thomas S. Monson. I have met him and I have felt the power of the spirit that is in him. He is truly a man of God. Never have I felt a more powerful and reverent feeling than when I had the privilege of meeting him.

This is me proof of pregnancy at girl's camp with my dear friend Jessica. I was so excited when we both got called to serve on the YW camp board. She is such a great friend and example to me.

Happy Fourth of July

We had a good 4th of July. Let me just say how grateful I am to live in this country where we have the freedoms that we do. I am so grateful to all those who have given their lives, and who are currently risking their lives for our comfort and safety. I have always felt a sense of reverence and respect this time of year for this wonderful country and those who have fought to preserve it, which makes this one of my favorite Holidays of the year.

This year we have gotten into camping and its been a lot of fun. We camped overnight on the 3rd so we could get home to enjoy a traditional american feast and fireworks. We got together with our good friends the Cluff to do the celebrating. We camped at Henry Horton Park where we got the chance to see a bunch of really big spiders all night long. I should have taken pictures so you could understand just how big these spiders were, but we were trying to pretend we weren't really seeing them. Henry Horton had a few fun free activities for the kids to enjoy like making bird feeders, and taking a hayride.

American Girls

I didn't discover The American Girls dolls until I was about ten years old. This didn't stop me from getting into them. At that time there were only three American Girls Kirsten, Samantha, and Molly. I immediatiately fell in love with Samantha since I felt like she looked like me and I was totally enthralled with the Victorian time period. I loved Victorian style homes, clothing, and even transportation. It was so fun to read and reread all of her stories and then to get into the other girls that were out at that time.

Now I have no idea how many American Girls there are, but they are so fun and I am excited to get my girls into them. The books, the dolls, and the accessories are all so fun and even a bit educational about the era the girls are from.

Kinzy loved the movie so maybe we'll now have to start reading the books. I hope they make a movie about all the American Girls espiecialy Samantha!

We had lunch at Merridee's a fun bakery and deli, then got to go to the movie with our friends Jaya, Jessica, Brittany, and Lisa. I even brought Kaylie who seemed to enjoy at least the first half before she got stir crazy. Kaylie loves to feel like a big girl and do all that Kinzy is doing. I often have to remind Kinzy that some one is watching her so she better be a good example.

Boys will be boys. . .even into manhood!

One of the things I love to watch Steve enjoy is time with his brothers. I don't know of any brothers who enjoy each other more than Steve and his brothers. They work together well, and they play together well. I know that there is little in this world that puts that darling boyish grin on my husband's face as much as when he can get as many of his brothers together to play some sports. While he has had two brothers living here they have enjoyed softball, basketball, and indoor soccer. This is the last game they will play with three of them on a team for a while since Joe just moved.