We met at the church on Monday June 13th to begin our Young Women camp adventure! We were excited to get our beautiful camp sweatshirts that Justine Frost designed for us. They had our camp theme which was "Press Forward To Higher Ground" on them!
The leaders were also ready and excited to leave for camp!
We went to Reid Ranch for camp this year! We were lucky to have Spencer as the manager up there. He really took good care of Kenna and I up at camp. He even came and helped me stake down the shade canopy which I was grateful for.
We all sat around the lower fire pit for our camp orientation. I love all these cute and happy faces!
It was fun seeing Spence doing his job! He works so hard and I was really proud of him. He even stayed up until midnight one night working on the new bathrooms.
We went back to camp for flag ceremony. Emily Frost was one of our awesome YCL's this year! It was not long after the song that it started to pour and we ran for cover. We were very glad to have two big shade canopies to hang out under.
Since it was raining and cold we decided to do the camp craft. I was the craft specialist for camp this year. I am so glad that we were able to use the conference center for our project. It was an added bonus that is was warm and dry. The girls cut our their favorite temples out of glitter paper, glued them on to their painted block, and added vinyl and ribbon. I was glad that it went so well.
I love how Melanie Bennee's turned out! It was fun to see how creative the girls were and what they came up with.
On the way to lunch we were greeted with this beautiful rainbow!
I introduced the girls to my favorite part of lunch, the soft serve ice cream. I had a whole bowl full. I got to eat lunch next to one of my Mia Maids Tayvia Mayhew. I also entertained them with the talking deer on the wall. This was when Mckenna started telling everyone, "My mom is so embarrassing!"
We had more rain the rest of the day. We sang camp songs and did crazy things to entertain each other. Macy Udy made a mustache out of Maddie Bradley's hair. Looking good Macy!
It was an answer to prayers that the rain finally let up and we were able to have a campfire and roast some marshmallows.
I also had fun taking pictures with some of the Mia Maids. Mckenzie Emmett, Maya Rayburn, Maria King, and Rylee Mendoza.
The girls wanted to take turns using my nice camera so I was able to strike a pose with them.
We also had fun taking some jumping shots. I got some good air in this one! I love being around these girls they keep me laughing and feeling young.
The girls also loved to take pictures of Jeremy Mitchell (he lives in our ward). He was also working up at the ranch this year. It was fun having him join us in some of our ward activities. He is such a good example to all the girls.
We were really blessed to be able to have our Iron Rod activity that night. The YCL's helped plan and carry out this activity. In this picture Emily Frost was trying to get Abby Udy to let go of the Iron Rod. Our awesome priesthood leaders Ben Frost and Tyler Endsley were helping guide the girls along the path.
Some of the leaders set up this beautiful tree with lights. It was the Tree of Life. It had family pictures and letters hanging from the branches. It was so beautiful and the perfect visual aid. The girls took off their blindfolds and the YCL's shared a spiritual message. Each of the girls found their letter and pictures on the tree and then read them. There was even a surprise on the tree for each of us leaders. Our husbands had written each of us a letter. It was so nice to read mine. I love my husband and am so grateful for him. Mckenna also came and gave me a big hug after she read her letters. It was a spiritual experience for all of us.
The next morning was beautiful weather! It was our turn at the sports court. We played several games of basketball. I loved seeing Aspyn Bedingfield in action! She is so talented at basketball. I even joined in on a game.
I went up to take some pictures of one of our groups at the horses. They were just meeting Wrangler Dan!
Mckenna went for her first ride on Jengo. Spence was there helping out at the horses that morning.
Tessa Olson was really nervous to ride the horses. We were proud of her for giving it a try.
Her facial expressions when she got on were classic. We were all laughing!
Horseback riding was one of the girls favorite activities at the Ranch. Some of them went on six rides. I even went on a ride. This is a big deal because I haven't ridden the horses at the ranch in 14 years. My horse was named Jerry Garcia. I actually enjoyed the views as I rode along and wasn't nervous.
We all had a great time at the lake. It was fun ramming into each other. I shared a paddle boat with Amy Udy. We both got in a good leg workout for the day.
It was fun that Emily Frost had both her parents Janice and Ben at camp with us.
Tessa Olson was our official camp hair braider. She braided just about everyones hair at camp. She is so talented. I was really grateful to her for braiding my bangs back from out of my face. It even lasted and looked good for all of camp.
We had what we called our "Rock Hike" that night. We actually decided to use water bottles instead. The leaders had written trials and tough situations on the water bottles. Janice was handing them out to the girls in this picture.
The girls had to carry them in their backpacks while they hiked along. They were able to have their burdens lightened when they reached the top of the hill.
Our awesome priesthood leaders had put up the temple at the top for us. The talented Justine Frost had painted this temple on canvas for us. It was a great backdrop for us to get some pictures of all us together.
Mckenna even cooperated to get a picture with me. It was fun being up at camp with Kenna. This was our second young women camp together.
We cooked cinnamon rolls on wooden dowels that night. The girls and I turned ours into Harry Potter wands. Maddie Bradley, Macy Udy, Ashley Topham, and I had a wizarding duel! We all got really into it. I even reenacted the scene where Ron says to Malfoy, "Eat Slugs"! Then I pretended to barf up slugs which really was uncooked cinnamon dough.
The next morning began another beautiful day at camp. We were happy to see the sun shining down on us. We even sang "There is sunshine in my soul today" at our camp morning devotional.
The girls put on some really great skits! We love seeing what they come up with. There were some really great props to choose from. The TV show "At Your Leisure" even filmed some of the girls for their weekly show.
Ben Frost and Tyler Endsley put on a great skit about how they used their hands to cute down tree branches. We also spent some of the morning swimming. We played Marco Polo, did some water yoga, and warmed up in the sauna.
I was really surprised when Grandpa Grant showed up at camp that morning. He was bringing the truck up for Hailey and Spencer. We ate lunch together and had a great time talking. It felt like I was at a family reunion up there. I also got to hang out with Hailey, Loren, and Brittney.
We also played the candy bar game again. I even brought some glasses and a necklace that were mine at camp when I was a girl. Kalle Porter was looking cool while eating her chocolate.
Amy Udy would scream every time she rolled doubles. We now know were Abby gets it from! It cracked me up how she was wearing two hats, and two pairs of glasses. The leaders got just as much into it as the girls. It was memorable having the bishopric with us that night. Ben and I both made dutch oven desserts for everyone. It was great because my 4th year girls helped me make mine to pass off a camp requirement.
We had our Ten Virgin's activity that night. I was one of the foolish Virgins that got caught up in the glitter of life. I enjoyed hearing all the different parts. It was beautiful as the girls all walked along with their lanterns which was a tealight in a small jar. I really felt the spirit when I heard the other women and YCL's share their parts.
At the end of the activity we ended at the vinyl picture of Christ that was illuminated by a spotlight. We had our testimony meeting right there around the campfire. It was experience I will never forget. The spirit was there so strongly. I enjoyed every testimony. I will never look at this same spot the same again. When I come back to the ranch every year for our family reunion I will always think of this spot as hallowed ground.
I played a fun camp prank that night on my bestie Brekke Houpt. Lacey Hales, Justine Frost, and Kallie Porter, and I had been planing all week. I was cleaning out my hairbrush and had a bunch of hair. We thought it would be funny to put it on an orange we had in the tent. I drew a little face on it. We were laughing so hard we were crying. We nicknamed it, "Hairy Navel". Lacey and I sneakily left it in Brekke's tent on her sleeping bag. She loved it and even wanted to keep it!
The last day we packed up camp and had some time to just hang out. I had so much fun hanging out with all these awesome leaders!
Kenna, Tessa, and I enjoyed a snow cone before we left.
We were surrounded by cattle on the way back down. The girls were rolling down the windows and mooing at the cows. I am so grateful I had the chance to go to camp again this year! I love being a Young Women's leader!
