The Brownsville Camp Out

Oh, the camp out was so wonderful. The brethren are so great and wonderful in the way that we love and care for each other and share with one another and help each other.

I rode up from Brownsville with Aunt Connie on Thursday. Shay and Katie were there for a little bit cause they came to put up their tent and then they went back home. After they left I hung out with Brandon and Josh, listened to the play Brandon's guitars and pretended to know what they were talking about when they talked about music and drank the Arizona Tea Josh gave me. We also stole or took a lot of Jake and Dustin's food because they went to the store and got a bunch of good junk. Melissa found out that they had Jerky and so she decided that Dustin was her friend because he gave her some and she kept on chasing him all weekend, it was really funny. Because we couldn't stay in the dorms that night I ended up sleeping in a room with Ashley, Alyssa, and Shelby, where I slept on the floor because 3 girls in that bad was enough, they thought that they were gonna stay up all night, but with me in the room they thought wrong, I turned of the light at one and told them to be quiet of go to sleep (they ended up going to sleep).

We mess around doing nothing on Friday morning until people started getting there. Then Bro. Marty and Sis. Kim and Bro. Conn and Sis. Nancy got there. After a bit I ended up back in the room with the boys (Brandon, Josh and Zakk) listening to them play, pretending to understand their music talk, drinking Arizona Tea and eating all of Brandon's penny candies. Then we had to move our things up to the dorms so that people could put their stuff in the rooms. Then Brandon, Josh, Zakk, Colton, Chantea and I walked around town (because the camp out is like in town), at first we were going to the playground, but then we went past it and ended up at the store, so we all got drinks and went back to camp. Then we played volleyball and Amber got there and then Shay got there too. I hung out with Katie a bunch that day. Sis. Christina asked us to make the rice cispies, but something was like wrong with the marshmallows and they wouldn't melt, so we went with her when she went to Wal-Mart and got some different marshmallows. Later I played football with the boys, Chantae and I were the only girls playing, but it was still a lot of fun (even if the boys never gave us the ball). Then I went and got Kate, so we could make the rice crispys. The new marshmallows worked, we had that stick marshmallow rice crispy mess all over us. Then I hung out with some of the young kids outside until Uncle Marshal came and told us that it was time to go inside (at 10:00 we have to be either in the building or upstairs in bed). Then I started trying to get all of the young kids to play games, you see Chris used to be our boss, but he got married, so now we don't really have a boss anymore, some how I ended up the boss though (because I wanted to play games and was trying to get all of the young kids to play), after on weekend now the young kids (or the ones who play) ask me what we are gonna play and I'm like 'I don't know, what do YOU WANT to play?'. None of the older young kids who are like 18 and older would play with us, which I thought was stupid. First we played States and I got a bruise on my leg from Zakk. Then we played Wink'em and then I got to teach some people how to play the killer game with the hands that we played at the Masquerade and then it was time to go to bed.

I had grandma get me up at 6:30 when she got up because I'm SIXTEEN now which means that I'm actually allowed in the kitcen, so I got to help with breakfast. I don't remember what I did until it was time to get ready for church, I was probably hanging out with the boys again (I hang out with them boys a lot) because Amber and Shay don't get up early. Then I was time for church, the meeting was really wonderful and lasted until like 2. Then we had dinner and then we were waiting to see when we were going to Silver Creek Falls. Well at first we were waiting, but when I didn't seem like anyone was going and no one was getting it going I got right on organizing that hike because I really really really really really wanted to go. So, I was running this way and that way finding people who wanted to go, cars for people to ride in, adults to go, then finding people again when they didn't go where I told them to go (I didn't know how exhausting it was to be the boss, when I finally got in a car to go I felt like I had just ran a mile). We ended up having 5 cars go, which isn't nearly as much as most years, I was still running finding things out when they were all in the cars and out at the road ( I almost got left, which would have been really sad after I had spent all that time running and organizing it), when I got to the cars were full, so I had to squish in with River. The hike was a lot of fun, we didn't have too many people, so no one got lost. Bro. Bill was our Chaperon and every one was really good for him and minded (we also had 2 other adults who went), which made he happy because I would have felt bad if they had given him problems. On the way back we stopped at the park again like last year. I hung out with Kate and Tiffany for a while cause I didn't know where Shay and Amber were. Then I saw Brandon and Zakk and I went and hung out with them, we went to the Swezeys camp and hung out, they talked about music and I pretended to know about it (I'm getting pretty good at pretending to know what their talking about, but I'm also learning a lot about music too). Then when it was time we went and played young kid games. We played States, wink'em, killer with the hands and killer wink'em and then it was time to go to bed.

I had grandma get me up early again, so I could help with breakfast. (I'm skipping to church now.) So, church was really wonderful and great, lots of testimonies again and there were like 6 prosifys. It lasted about as long as Saturdays meeting. Then Rebecka Shockley gave her hand. Then we ate dinner, hung out, played volleyball in the rain and played bingo and hung out some more. Then it was time to get ready for the ordinance supper. It lasted 4 hours and was the most wonderful, beautiful ordinance supper I've been a part of. My mom wasn't doing well on the weekend and a lot of sisters came and prayed for her. And it was just really beautiful and really wonderful the whole thing. Then like all of us young kids who are 16 and some others made the cookies and donuts, we had a LOT OF FUN doing that. Then I started singing and Shay told me to get my books, so I got my books and we were all singing very loud and high too. It was also a lot of fun (but I almost lost my voice). Then we started playing young kids games after we were done cooking. Aunt Connie said that we could play cheat the judge as long as there was no pulling on clothes and it didn't get too violent. So we played that for a while, until it got a little wild and she came and told us to pick a new game. It was kind of my fault, but I'll blame Zakk for letting me win like that. Then we played initsation games on the younger ones until us older ones (like me) got tired of it. Then we at pizza. Then we played questions and answers. Then we played some other games, but not really because we were all just so tired to play. Aunt Connie asked us to clean everything up, so we did. Then people kind of went to bed for a while. Then got up to start cleaning things up and get around for leaving. Then people started leaving and we said goodbye and gave lots of hugs, even thought it's so hard to leave after such a wonderful weekend.

P.S. Brandon fell asleep on the way home and totaled his car, but he's all right.

More Summer Goings

As if I haven't had enough traveling this summer you're thinking, I'm now in Brownsville until the camp out. Really this has been one of my mellower, calmer summers, most years I have been away from home much more.

On Friday we went to Bro. Josh's funeral. Saturday we hung out around Brownsville, showed Amber the place at the park for my wedding. Then Sunday we went to church in Eugene, where we had a really good meeting.

Meetings and Singing

Last Wednesday night no one got up and it was a pretty slow meeting, but Bro. Sean was here and gave out meeting for the next night and then for Friday night. During Thursday, Friday and Sundays meetings we heard about the spirit, talking to the Lord, pleasing the Lord and some about miracles. They were some really wonderful meetings; all very uplifting. On Friday night Bro. Sean gave out a singing for Saturday night. At the singing we all sat in a circle and he said that we would go around and everyone could either pick a song, testify about something they were thankful for or both. So, everyone got a chance to pick a song; even Dale, when we got over to where he was he opened moms book and said that he wanted that song (he didn't know what the song was and I don't think that he even sang it with us, but he wanted to make sure to get a turn). It was a very good weekend or week actually.

Summer and Pictures

WOW!! This summer has pasted so quickly (I guess every summer is like that though),I can't believe that the camp out is less than 3 weeks away and then we have to go back to school. I was going to post many different times in the past few weeks,but like when Amber was here I just never had the time to sit and write a full post. On the second week that Amber was here we planned my wedding and she didn't let us leave one little thing out,which people think is odd since I don't even have a boyfriend,but at least now we will be prepared.
Josh, Amber, me and Shay (in picture)

Bailey

Me

Ashley and Shay, I love them.

This would be me, Ashley and Shay

Trip to Brewster

Yes, we are back from are trip, part of me is happy to be home (cause I do like my bed and other things about home) and part of me wishes that we could have stayed longer.

We got to Bro. Jerry and Sis. Audry's at like 10:30 on Friday night, so we had to go to bed. On Saturday our family went down to Chelan, to Wal-Mart and to the lake/river (they call it a like, but when you go over the bridge there the sign calls it a river so I was kind of confused). When we got back I had a headache and slept until, well almost after dinner, so I don't know what everyone else did.

On Sunday we went to church (of course), which the meeting was really good, a lot about Bro. John and the others that had recently passed away. After church we went out to Bro. Con and Sis. Nancey's for dinner. Abe and Tomas also came and we had a lot of fun. We jumped on the trampoline first until dinner was ready. Then after dinner Josh came for a little while, we visited with the adults for a bit and then went outside and played volleyball. Josh left and we played for a little bit longer before we went out to see the pigs. We had to Chase the pigs into one corner and trap them there because they had to give them some kind of shots or something. After we got cleaned up from being in with the pigs we played cards. When Colton got home we finished our game and went outside. We played a game that was kind of like dodge ball on the trampoline, one person was on the trampoline and the rest of us were in a circle around it playing volleyball around the person and trying to hit them. It was actually a lot funner than it sounds (like most things) and I also learned how to spike a volleyball. We left their house at about 9:30, the kids all had a lot of fun with Sierra, riding the horses (they had 4 kids on one horse), playing with the puppies and all of the other animals. When we got back to the house I called and talked to Shay and Amber before it was time to go to bed.

Monday we mostly just hung out at their house. The kids played a lot of different games. In the evening my mom and I walked around town with Sis. Audry and Sis. Petra, but we only walk one round with them, I probably could have walked two, but mom was tired and I figured that I would just go back with her and let them walk a round alone.

On Tuesday after dinner we went out to visit Bro. Greg and Sis. Philis. It was nice and even though they don't have kids our kids seemed to have a pretty good time, although Dale did throw a bit of a fit and wouldn't come in at first because he had wanted to go back out to Sierras.

Wends day, we mostly sat around again. Went to church and meeting was pretty good, there weren't many there cause a lot of people were out of town. After church we went to McDonald's with the few young kids that were there (Abe, Zakk and Rylan and that place was the slowest ever).

On Thursday we went back down to Chelan to swim again after lunch and then dad meet us when he got off work. After dad got to swim for a little while we went out for Pizza and then we went back to Bro. Jerry and Sis. Audrys. That night Audry and Petra walked again and mom and I walk the one round with them again.

Friday we went to sis. Sandra Todds funeral. It was a nice funeral as far as funerals go. Myla and I rode with Bro. Con and Sis. Nancy out to the cemetery because mom decided to stay and help get the dinner ready. Bro. A.J. was able to be at the funeral, which was good because he has been really sick and hadn't been able to be at church for a few weeks, I was glad to be able to see him will we were up there. When everyone left from the dinner we went out to Bro. Con and Sis. Nancey's and so did a bunch of other little girls and Tomas. We rode the four wheeler out to get the horses that we were gonna ride, I had to drive the the four wheeler back with Dale and get some feed so that Chantae could use it to catch the horses (it was a little bit scary since I had never drove a four wheeler by myself before). Then we saddled the horses and Chantae, Tomas, Tyrel and I went on about an hour long horse ride. There were only 3 horses that we could ride and 4 of us, so Tyrel and I had to double on Fritz, we took turns riding on the back, which for the next 2 days after that I was very sore. I had my hair up in a bun with a pencil because I had forgot to bring a rubber band and as soon as we started trotting my bun came lose, so my hair was just going everywhere. At on point Tyrel got on with Tomas and Chantae and I ran our horses though a field and we were all gonna take turns doing it, but Fritz wouldn't stay on the path and we didn't want him to decided to run off. So, we decided to start going back to the house, Tyrel was still on with Tomas and when we started trotting Peanut started bucking (we had forgot that Peanut don't like trotting while going double) and Tyerl got bucked off, I was right behind them and Fritz got scared and bucked me off too. So Tyrel and I got back on Fritz and we went the rest of the way home. When we got back we ate and sat around a bit. Tyrel and I got to drive the four wheeler again, but when Tyrel wouldn't stop going fast and went through some mud puddles I got off very mad. We stayed at their house until about 9.

On Saturday we went out for breakfast and then since they were having their Apple Pie Jamboree, we went and looked at all of the little booths until the parade. Rylan and Riannan got to play in the parade with the school band. After the parade we looked around a little more, went back to the house for lunch and then came home.

Going

We're going to Brewster for the week and I don't know if I be able to get on a computer, so I'll just tell you about the trip when we get back.

BABY!!!

So, yes our families wonderful news of having a new baby is out and my little brothers and sisters can't seem to shut up about it either (which I think makes my parents mad lol). Of course us girls are all sure that we're gonna be getting a baby sister, how could we not want a baby sister to dress up cute and love on now that we're all old enough to help out. Dad and the boys all seem to be in vote for a boy (us girls we don't really want another brother, but then the baby would be young enough that he probably wouldn't be picking on us girls) and mom I don't really think she cares what it is, but she is happy to be having a baby. I always thought that my parents should have waited to have a few of the kids til I was old enough to help out and when I found out that Amber's mom was having a baby I gave them another round of the guilt trip about how all of my friends have little babies, come to find out we already were having a baby on the way at that time too lol. So, me and Amber's moms are gonna be having babies in January. YAY!!!