We got back from Hawaii on Sunday morning. We flew all night Saturday and got into Phoenix at 7:30am. Between Richie and I it was a scary trip home (don't read this part mom). Rich drove from Phx to Payson and said he fell asleep 4 times, I hope he was exaggerating. The scary part is that he NEVER lets me drive and in Payson he asked me to drive. I drove the rest of the way home and can't recall most of it. Monday we unpacked, did laundry, and repacked for Girls Camp and Young Mens Camp.

We left Tuesday morning at 7am. Bishop counted the girls and actually expected us leaders to bring home the same amount of girls!!!

This year the theme of camp was "Keep your light shining bright, 'cause it's a Jungle out there" Each ward was an animal and our girls chose to be tigers. I was a 4th year Stake Leader so I was a Monkey.

Opening ceremonies...

Practicing our skit. The girls did a lip-sinc to the Tigger Song. It was really cute and they ended up getting the Most Synchronized Skit.

One night two girls from the Jenny Phillips organization came out and did a fireside of the book "The Parable of the Three Princesses". They sang and read from the book. It was SO good.

This is Cortlee cleaning the bathroom singing and dancing, "A broom, chicka-mopa, chicka-mopa, chicka broom". I just love that girl!

We had a 'watering hole' that the girls could leave notes to each other. One day we were in the cabin and Cortlee started reading a note she received...Dear Cortlee, You are so cool, you rock! Love, Me (Cortlee)

If she ever goes on a mission, we won't have to worry about her not getting letters! :)

My two girls in the center, Cort and Janelle waiting to do the Extreme Make-over game.

Janelle (blindfolded) doing Cortlee's make-up.

Yes, I would say that's one Extreme Make-over.

One of the other games was a hair-do game. They got in pairs and picked a theme from a bowl. Cortlee and Lexi Hall got 'bridal'. Lexi did Cortlee's hair and later that night at awards they got the award for the best bridal hair-do of the day.

This was the worst! Fear Factor. Did my daughter think so? Nope. It's all fun. She ate sardines in a mustard sauce and laughed the whole time. Janelle was brave, too, they said it tasted like tuna. I politely said, "No thank you."

Next we played a game called Battleship. It starts out with a team on either side of the volleyball net which has a tarp on it so you can't see. You 'plant' your feet and as the socks filled with flour come flying over you can move your body but not your feet. If you get hit, you're out. Well, that lasted a few seconds and then it was a free for all. I think girls will still be shampooing flour out of their hair at Christmas time. FUN!

Cortlee was asked to do the flag this year. I was so proud of her. She drew the pattern, ironed the wonder-under, and cut it out. I did some of the sewing and her leader put the names on it. The theme of the flag was virtue, so we did a spin-off of the Tigger song and added, "The most wonderful thing about VIRTUE is...we're NOT the only ones! I loved the way it turned out.

Girls camp was fantastic! Cortlee did really well for being 11. She really would have rather me not be there, but oh well. Our ward had some leadership issues and it gave me the excuse to hang-out, when possible, with them instead of the 4th years.

I did a hike with the 4th years to the Cat Walk in Glenwood, NM on Wednesday. We got away too late and it was really hot, but just an awesome day. We had a few girls that didn't make it to the top and some others that did by really pushing themselves. I was proud of all of them. Brother Fish spoke to the girls at the top and that was my favorite part. When we got to the bottom we had lunch and some of the girls got into the creek up to their neck, along with their leader, Pollywog. Silly girl...I wish I was fun like her :)

The last day Rich showed up about 10:30am. Both Bishop and Brother Halls were out of town, so Rich was on his own. He handled it great as usual. He helped in the kitchen during the day (not his duty, but he stepped up anyway), had dinner with the girls, played Missionary Tag with them, and then we had Campimonies and Testimonies. It was a great evening and I was glad I got to share it with him.

This same week Levi spent at Young Mens Strippling Warriors Camp. He had a good time and Richie was able to go out two different times. Levi received a couple of merit badges, too. There was a rifle contest and he ended up getting 3rd overall.

Saturday was my 40th Birthday. I got up and went to the bathroom to get dressed. When I got back there was a poster on my bed and a Pepsi on my pillow. When I got to my car the back of it had been vandalized by a friend. It said...HONK! I'm 40 today and still looking good. The rest of the day as I drove home and ran errands people kept honking and driving by rubber necking to see what I looked like. It was pretty funny. I felt like yelling, "What do you think 40 looks like???!!!!"

That night I sat on the back porch and talked to Levi about his camp for a long time then we went to Grumpy Jakes for my birthday dinner. A good week wrapped up by a good day.