Girls Camp

This week, I went up to Camp Lomia for s camp!! It was my last year, and I was on Junior Staff. It was so much fun and I had a blast!! I'm pretty sad that I won't be going back, though...at least not until I'm married. Camp is the highlight of my summer every summer. There is such a special spirit on those grounds that you can't find anywhere else. I am definitely going to miss it.

Anyway...On a happier note, here are some pictures!!

Me, Rachel Ray, Karissa Galbraith, and Jannae getting ready to load the buses.

The day after we got to camp, the 3rd years hiked East Rim. Here are all of the 34th ward s that went on the hike (girls, YCL's, leaders, and me).

Me and Kelcie on the way back down.

The hike wasn't as bad as I remember it. I was dreading it big time, but it ended up being the best/most fun hike I've been on. That's saying A LOT, seeing that I loathe hiking.
I was really glad that I got to hike with Kelcie.

Intense, I know.

All of the Junior Staff s.

Tuesday night was the spiritual program. Junior Staff put on a skit. Basically, it was about how everyone has different trials, big or small, visible or behind the scenes. But no matter what, Christ, the Savior of the world, know what we're going throught, and how it is our responsibility to give our burdens to Him so that He can bring us peace and comfort.

The setting was at a get-together in the backyard of one of the JS s. In the skit, Rachel Johnson was the main who was in a rough patch in her life and felt like no one understood what she was going through. The rest of us JS s, who played her friends, told her stories of real and personal trials that we've been through and how we got through them by relying on the Lord. Several of the JS s sung solos to go with their stories. The finale song was "For Good" from Wicked.

The program was AWESOME. We performed better than we had ever rehearsed and the spirit was SO strong. I didn't think too many s were super touched until the closing prayer was said. There were constant sniffles. After the prayer, s flooded the stage and everyone was crying and hugging and it was just so cool. Seriously. It was amazing. s that I've never seen cry before were bawling because they were so touched. It was seriously the coolest thing EVER.

Late Tuesday night, after the rest of camp had gone to bed, JS caught a bat!! With the help of Uncle Phil of course. After we caught it, we found out it was a mommy bat and it was carrying a nursing baby!! It was so itty bitty and super cute. We gave it to the nature lady.

Wednesday, I went lling with the 3rd year s. It was a lot of fun, but I got sunburned :(. We got all the s to go down but one. This was my 3rd time lling and I love it!!

Those were all of the major points, I think....

Girls camp was SO fun!! I had the time of my life on Junior Staff...We were spoiled like crazy, stayed up late, had dance parties in the lodge, and pretty much anything else we wanted to do. We decided that we flunked Junior Staff so that we would have to come back next year and do it all again. I got to know these s and our stake leaders on a whole new level and I loved every minute of it!! I love s camp!!

Family Vacation Pictures

My Newest Found Piece of Heaven

Grilled cheese sandwiches. So simple, yet SO delicious.

Graduation 2009

me, Rachel, Michael Rudd, Zoe, Hannah
yours truly

Kelcie, me

mi madre y yo

Eku, me, Tema

Sis. Duncan, me, Jannae

mi padre y yo

Michael Rudd, me

Hannah, me, Michael Rudd, Rachel

me and Spencer :)

Pictures with the s

Prom 2009

Over a month later...

I promise you I did not fall off the face of the earth...I have just been super busy!! You know how the end of the year gets. Since my last blog (I know, it's been forever), lots has happened.

I went to prom with the one and only Michael Rudd. It was lots of fun. I found my dress last year at Arizona Bridal and fell in love the moment I laid my eyes on it. However, I wasn't about to spend a fortune on a dress for junior prom. So...throughout the year, I continued to stop by and check to see if it was still there, hoping to make it mine when prom rolled around again. I lucked out and bought it in March...before I even got asked to prom!! Pathetic, but I wanted it SOOO bad. It was kind of depressing knowing that this was my last school dance. Sad. All of us s were talking the night of prom about how the next time we get all dressed up like that, it will be for our wedding!! That right there is scary business.

Me and my best friends got pictures taken together. It ended up being just me, Hannah, Rachel, and Zoe. Zoe's cousin took the pictures for us and they turned out AMAZING. That has definitely got some talent.

I graduated!! There was a slight drizzle throughout the whole ceremony. It was funny to see all of the caps warped and bent. What are the chances of getting rained on at graduation two years in a row?! In Arizona?! It still hasn't really hit me yet...I feel like I'm on some two week vacation and will be going back to school to the same classes and the same teachers. I'm sure when it does hit me, it'll come like a ton of bricks. I am SO not looking forward to it.

I went to California with my friends for our senior trip. We drove up last Monday morning. We were supposed to go to the beach, but then we drove by Knott's Berry Farm. We saw all the roller coasters and we couldn't resist. I had a BLAST. I LOVE roller coasters!!! Poor Michael Rudd was such a trooper. He doesn't do roller coasters like the rest of us crazies, so he stood at every ride exit holding our bags. He's great. The next day, we woke up and went to Disneyland and California Adventures. Again, I had a blast. I must admit, Knott's was better, but that's just me. Wednesday, we woke up, went to breakfast, and headed back to the heat.

I went on my stake's pioneer trek. I really really really really did NOT want to go. But, my parents pulled the whole "you're not 18" thing and was forced to go. So the first day, I passed out from a migrain BEFORE we even started pulling the handcarts. I saw the doctor, took some medicine, and got a priesthood blessing. The doctor said I wasn't allowed to push or pull that day. After a while, it was really starting to bug me because I felt so helpless. I had to walk behind my "family" and watch them struggle. It was harder than you think. That was the hardest day. The women's pull was that night and afterwards was a section (the HARDEST part of the hike) called Rocky Ridge. And Rocky Ridge is exactly what it is. All rocks, all uphill. It was hard core. We hiked for 12 hours that day and didn't get into camp until 2:30 a.m. The next day, I woke up with my headache still, but within hours, it had gone away, when it usually lasts 1-2 more days. Just goes to show the power of the priesthood. I finally got to help push and boy was it hard work. My family was AWESOME. It amazes me how close you can get to people in a matter of days. I honestly love the group of people I was placed with. We worked so well together and got along better than anyone. They definitely made the trek worth it. Fine, Mom. I'm glad I went.

Saturday night, my parents surprised me and my little brothers and sisters with a trip to California!! We are leaving tomorrow morning, going to Disneyland and California Adventures on Wednesday and Thursday, and then going to the beach and coming home Friday. When they told us, we all kind of just looked at them in disbelief. Disneyland is just something we DO NOT do!!! My family's idea of a vacation is camping (not my cup of coco). We are all SOO excited. I can't wait!! I know I was just there last week, but it will be different with all the little kids. I'm excited!!

I THINK that's pretty much it...I will post pictures seperately in a little bit!! I'm retarded when it comes to figuring that stuff out.