I survived Girls Camp. By Thursday at 6:00 I was beat. We had to clean up the dining hall, and I could really care less. We had about an hour to clean up the pavillion and little by little my girls were leaving to go back for warm clothes. Our testimony meeting was at 7:00 and we needed warm clothes. Since the dining hall wasn't completely empty yet, we let some go back for warm clothes while others worked. When they returned we let the workings ones leave for warm clothes. It took forever to clean up the dining hall. Partly because I was so tired and I wasn't doing a great job of directing, and partly due to the girls not wanting to participate in chores. The first and second levels were great, it was the third years that were being typical teenagers and not wanting to do anything.

Friday we got up early and took down our tent before anything really started. Our girls were so tired that I almost couldn't get them up at 8:00 for scripture reading. Around 1:15 we finally finsihed with all the camp activities and were packed and ready to go. I had two girls in my car and we took off. By the time we actually hit the paved road 20 minutes later, one was asleep. Another 10 minutes and the second girl was asleep. Pretty soon I started to feel sleepy. I said a quick prayer that I would be awake and alert so we could make it the two more hours back to the church. I kept turning the air conditioner all the way up until I couldn't feel my fingers. The poor girl in the front seat was freezing. Then I would turn the air conditioner down again until I got sleepy again. I also put in a CD so I could sing along with the music. I really needed somthing to drink, but there weren't any gas stations or other places to turn into. I had brough some water from the campground, but that water was disgusting. I didn't realize how bad it was until we were out on the road and I could see it in daylight. The water was a rusty brown clear color.

About 10 minutes south of Chico, I had the air conditioner all the way up and was still sleepy. All of the sudden I heard my name clear as day and opened my eyes. I realized during my last "blink" my eyes didn't come back open. That scared me. I turned up the radio and started talking to the sleepy girls until one responded and talked to me. Pretty soon the other one woke up and we talked for the next 10 minutes until we got to the church. I know the Lord was looking out for us, and the closing camp prayer that one of my girls said was heard and that we were protected on our way home.

So I think I ready for Girls Camp. I think I am really lucky because when I went to Girls camp we had to plan all of our meals, bring all of our food, and cook it. This stake does all the meals except for three, and only one of them do we need to supply the food. So I have been planning for a couple of months to do some dutch oven cooking. I think I am not really making a great meal, but it was what was suggested. I thought of making BBQ shredded meat. It is all cooked and ready to be reheated. I knew I would have to make it at home since I won't have hours to cook the meal, and it is much easier to make in the crockpot. I thought about side dishes of dutch oven french cheesy bread, and of potato salad and CA beans. However, I nixed the potato salad because I wasn't sure about keeping it cool enough. The camp leader was so excited about the beans, I kept thinking so I really want BBQ beef and BBQ tasting beans? This morning, I just remembered it would be better if it was dutch oven potatoes. Why didn't this dawn of me before??? I mean I make some mean dutch oven potatoes, and whenever I make them for work, people love them, so why didn't I think of them??? Oh the insanity. I guess the only thing I was thinking of was bread and beans and potatoes...all of them are pretty starchy and why they all taste good they aren't balanced. So instead of potato salad we are bringing carrots.

I also figured out I probably need another dutch oven. I currently have one 12 inch, and I have another 4 coming from other sources, but I found that they might be smaller. I think I can cook the bread in smaller ovens, but the beans might just barely fit in a 12 inch and my beef might not all fit in them either. I have looked at getting another dutch oven, but I about fell over when I saw the price tag on it. I remember buying mine in 1998 for about at Wal-Mart $30 dollars. It is a Lodge 12 inch. Now I was at a pawn shop when I saw the dutch oven and they were about $70 for the dutch ovens. What?? I guess I will need to wait until the price on them come down a little. I couldn't believe it. Also, I started thinking this week I would buy one anyway, but Target and Wal-Mart didn't carry any. So I am starting to stress about cooking for 36 and only having 4 ovens. Oh the insanity.

All I have to say is, thank goodness I am not in charge of more than one dinner meal. The stake will be providing the lunch and breakfast we get to cook.

It has finally gotten hot here. Last weekend it was in the '80's, and now it is in the '90s. Since we are going camping in the mountains next week, I hope it stays this warm. Plus I hope the rain stays away. While I have been enjoying rain, since Bakersfield hardly got any, it won't be a whole lot of fun to be a camp leader during the rain.

I get to be in charge of Tuesday's free time. Yeah, I guess. I get to teach the girls string games and how to play Chinese jumprope. I finally broke down and bought one off of Amazon since I couldn't find one. At least it will come with directions. I remember playing it as a kid and even setting up the kitchen chairs so I could play by myself, however, I don't remember how to do it now.

As for the string games, luckily I was able to find a document on the web that had about 50 string things to make as well as the cats cradle. Now I just have to practice a little this week to be ready for next week.

Girls Camp

I am not sure what happened to this post, but it was to post a couple of weeks ago.

So I was asked to be in charge of one of the free times at girls camp next week. I get to be in charge of string games. I can't remember any string games from when I was little. I do remember I played some, but I had to look them up on the internet to see what I needed to do. I also get to teach them about Chinese jumprope. I can't remember the purpose of the the Chinese jumprope. I know it is a bungee cord thing that you and someone else have around your ankles and someone else jumps around, but I don't remember the point of it. I remember I used to put the Chinese jumprope around the kitchen chair legs and jump around, but I don't remember if there were points or how someone wins. Looks like I have some reading and practicing to do. I did find a nice website on how to play cats cradle and make a few other things with string. I think that it will take a bit of practice. I probably should start practicing. :-)

Mouse in the House!!

Okay, so I know I live in the country and bugs and mice are inevitable, but I have cats. They should take care of the problem right???

On Monday before work, I noticed Sam staring at some wood boxes I have that holds my glass. I really didn't think much of that. Then a few minutes later, Phil was in the room looking at things. Phil is always getting into things...he is the mischievous one. That night when I got home from work, both cats came out the computer room which was weird. They don't typically hang out in that room unless I am in there. About an hour later, I went into the computer room to reset the wireless connection and realized Phil was staring at the wall. As I turned to see what he was staring at, I thought it would be a bug or spider....NO, it was a small gray mouse.

I started screaming, "It's a mouse, It's a mouse, It's a mouse!!" I probably screamed for 10-20 seconds before I realized now what. It was running on my panes of glass. I couldn't throw something at it. I realized Phil was on the job and so I went to figure out how to trap the mouse. I really think I probably should get some mouse traps. This is mouse three in 6 months. I heard some squeaking so I knew Phil had got it. But Phil really likes to play with his food. He catches bugs and spiders all the time and plays with them before polishing them off. So after a few minutes, I went to see if I could find the mouse. I found Phil staring at where my computer wires are and decided the mouse would have to be in the mess down there. I spotted it and found something to pick it up with to take it to the dump.

I don't like mice. I know I had many hamsters growing up, but when I see a mouse, I think big teeth and ?? diseases.

Now I think that Phil and Sam probably had been having fun with the mouse all day before I got home. That is probably why I was able to catch it and it didn't try to run away. Poor mouse.

So the lesson last week went pretty well. I had a couple of people come up and ask if I was going to be the new Sunday School teacher....NO. Then they said they enjoyed it more than most lessons in the past couple months. That was nice. However, I was nervous the whole time since the Stake President is in our ward, and in the classroom, I am not much of an Old Testament person, and when nervous things slip out like kind of starting to sing primary songs while teaching. I couldn't help myself...we were talking about the Rock and building our foundation on it. The song with the rain came to my mind, and I started making the hand movements while talking about not building upon the sand. :-)

Also, thanks to all those who have sent in the replies to the 20-21 questions. I am starting to pull things together, and I am having so much fun. I get a glimpse of everyones memories and it brings me back a little. It is still not too late to send your responses in. So if you haven't, please do. I don't want anyone to feel left out. However, don't wait too long to send it in. My June/July is really busy and I want to get this project done before too long. :-0

So it has been a long time since I updated the blog. I am alive.

Things here are going pretty well. I feel that I am getting the hang of the job. I have also decided that I don't like computers or troubleshooting why they don't work. Other than that I feel like I am actually able to contribute to the walnut industry. Yeah!!

The weather here has been just great. It has been rainier than usual (or at least that is what I am told), but that is great for the trees. I am hoping, but not really hoping, that it will warm up enough that the pool behind my house won't be too cold when I start to go swimming. I went and bought a bathing cap and goggles so I could swim laps. Since the mornings are still a bit brisk, I have been too scared to jump in.

I am busy with girls camp stuff. I have had the girls over to my house twice already and I think we will have them over again this month. I get to teach first aid on Wednesday. That is actually a bit scary. Me teaching girls what to do in an emergency...people better not get hurt. That is all I have to say. :-)

As you all know I am trying to put together a family photo tree so I have been "stealing" pictures from blogs, facebook, the family website, and digging through some of my old photos. Needless to say I have a picture of almost everyone. There is a handful of people that I still need to get pictures for, or they might just have to be okay with whatever I can pull out. ;-)

Also, does anyone remember the song that Dad used to sing when he was making pancakes?