7/24/00 Funnies and Pioneer Day

Dallas, Bryce, AJ and Shelly on a hike, Kolob Resrvoir

7/24/2000

Funnies: Aj was learning to play chess and he lost his bishop. So he said, Dad you killed my Campbell.  (the name of our Bishop at church)

Bryce was looking through the dishes and said, "What the hell is that?!"  (I don't know where he got that but it sure made me laugh to hear a 4 year old say something like that!

Bryce, AJ Andy and Dallas
Enjoying some hot cocoa by the fire

We took the kids up to the Girl's camp by Kolob Reservoir this weekend.  We had a special weekend together.  We left Saturday at lunch time.  We got a sandwich at subway before we went up the mountain.  We got up there and set up camp and then went for a drive to see if we could find Duck Creek, where Andy's family was spending the day.  We drove 45 minutes on terrible roads and ended up at the Cedar City overlook about 40 minutes from Duck Creek.  We decided to go back.

We passed a place called "Summer Place" only I thought it said "Bummer place" so we were going to stop and take a picture with our bums facing out.  I was "bummed" it said Summer!

Andy, Dallas AJ and Bryce
hanging at the table

We got back to camp about 5:30 p.m. and made tin-foil dinners.  Sometime after dinner we realized we had a flat tire. We decided to wait and change it the next day.  The little boys went to bed around 9:30 p.m. and AJ and Andy and I played dice for awhile.

Sunday morning we had a yummy breakfast and then went on a 2 hour hike from 9-11 a.m. It was a hard hike.  All up-hill. But we found some horny toads and lizards and potguts along the way.  We were all sweaty and tired when we got back.

We then had our very own sacrament meeting.  Dallas said the opening prayer.  Andy blessed the sacrament.  And and I spoke.  The little boys sang a duet "I belong to the Church of Jesus Christ" and AJ lead the songs.  It was a special meeting.  There were 2 deer just off in the distance and a noisy bird flying overhead.

Dad, Bryce and AJ on a hike

Andy with a lil lizard

After "church" we had lunch and played charades and dice.  We spent the afternoon lounging as it was hot and we were tired from our hike.  After awhile Andy, Dallas and AJ went and threw the football for awhile.  i was reading a book and Bryce was playing in the dirt by himself.  He started screaming and I looked and realized he had fallen in the fire pit.

Luckily we had cold lunch so it was not as hot as it could have been.

He bot a big blister on his hand and his leg in the back.  It could have been much worse. We filled some buckets with water and soaked him for a long time. Then we decided we better change the flat tire in case we did need to leave in a hurry.

Andy showed me and AJ how to change the tire.  He was going to have us do all of it but it was too hard and he ended up doing most of it. At least we know how to do it now!

We made dinner and were trying to decide whether to stay or go home, about 8 p.m., when Mom and Dad Griffin arrived. We had just about given up on them coming.  They really liked our camp and walked around and checked it out a bit.  I got the kids in their pj's and cleaned up -- they were filthy!  And then we had a fireside.

Bryce nursing burned leg and hand
after falling in the fire pit

Grandma Griffin

Griffin's told us about loving one another and how they met at Saratoga Water Park and fell in love and married.  Grandma was only 16 years old!  They told us about having their children.  When Grandpa was about done with his Master's program in college, Grandma said, is it ok if we have another baby now? And Grandpa said, yes I guess so.  And Grandma said, good 'cause I'm pregnant!  (with Andy!!!)  The kids really liked that story!  After our fireside Grandma and pa left and we put the little kids to bed.  They (the kids) had been fighting and arguing a lot up until Bryce's little accident and then they seemed to start cooperating and getting along better.  It was nice.

AJ and Andy and I stayed up playing dice and yahtzee again.

We got up at 8 a.m. and had breakfast and came down the mountain.

Bryce not happy about crossing cattle guard

It was a really neat experience.  I really felt like we were protected and watched over and it was so neat to be so close to all God's creatures.  It really was a fun weekend and I hope we can do more.  The kids seem to get along better when you take them away from the outside world.

Last weekend we went up to Lehi for the Bahr Family reunion.  We went and stayed at the Hampton Inn in Provo and then went to Severn Peaks Friday night. It was fun to get away and do something with our family.  Mike and Ruth came and went with us then we went to Golden Corral for dinner.

We are trying to do more fun family things now that the kids are old enough.  This summer has been a fun summer.  Once school starts we probably won't be able to do stuff like this because Andy will be working most weekends.

That's all for now as my hand is tired!

Bryce, Dallas and AJ

6/25/00 Journal - Girls Camp

06/25/00 Sunday

I have been at girls camp this week and what a neat experience it was!

Attending: Sara Lang, Miranda Zumwalt, Charmaine Hansen (leader), Carol Letke (leader), Sherry Hall (leader), Elaine Thompson (leader), Gene Hansen (priesthood leader), Mirie Ray, Ashley Adams, Tamsy, Laura and Leslie Thompson (triplets!), Hally Thornberg, Ashley Scott, Jillyn Spencer, McCall Tanner, Clar Hansen and Gabby Trevort.

We met Tuesday night and packed all the gear into 3 trucks.  The girls practiced their sons and chants and we finished all the last minute shopping.  Everyone was in a really good mood and very excited for camp.

Wednesday morning we met at 7 a.m. and headed up the mountain.  We giggled and sang from Hurricane to the top of Kolob Mountain.  I had 6 girls in my van.  When we got there the big tent was set up but it wasn't as big as we thought so we had to give the girls the leader tent.  Luckily a couple of extra pup tents came up so each leader ended up sleeping alone. I slept in the back of Elaine Thompson's truck on my air mattress.  It was pretty comfy.  Was cold by morning.  Next time bring more socks!!!

We got quite a bit more food than we needed to.  Better over than under I guess!

The first day we had a flag ceremony where we sang lots of camp songs.

In the afternoon we painted pictures frames, had a spiritual talk on standing for something and got our pictures taken.  They came out really nice.  And we went canoeing. It was about 4 hours.

In the evening we had another fireside and flag ceremony.  After we sat around the fire roasting marshmallows, making s'mores and talking.  It was nice.

Thursday we were able to relax and have an easy breakfast.  At 9 we had flag (getting a little old, but ok).  Then we had free time.  Some of us went on a "scripture hike" where we read scriptures and talked about prayer.

We had hamburgers and hotdogs for lunch.  Gabby was our chef.  She did a wonderful job.

After lunch the girls did a medical relay.  Some honors girls were injured i our camp and they had to fix them up and return them. Our girls did excellent.  Then they had a rope tying contest.  Our girls got a prize for the knot skills.

We had several hours of free time Thursday and set up a volleyball net and played over a make-shift net.  The girls spent hours doing that.

Our bishop, Jay Var Campbell and his wife Marsha, our stake president counselor Brother Hansen and wife Madeline and Tina Tanner came for dinner.  We made dutch over potatoes and chicken and peach cobbler and apple cobbler.  It was yummy.

After dinner the girls performed their song "I will survive" that Jillyn wrote.  It was really cool.

Then we went for another fireside and flag ceremony.  They had an excellent speaker on standing for something.

Afterward our ward (minus visitors) had an awesome testimony meeting.  Almost all the girls bore their testimony of their love for the gospel and Jesus Christ.  It was a touching meeting.  We knew our ward was splitting today and they want to meet 10 years from now at St. George temple on June 25, 2010 at 7 p.m. on the steps of the visitor center building.

Friday morning at 6:30 we had another testimony meeting with the stake.  I got up and bore my testimony and cried when I said I had to turn in my keys this week (I never cry!!).  I have really loved this calling and I really love these girls.  They are a special group of girls.  Friday at 10 we went on a hike and it was really fun too.  We made up a song to get through it.  It goes:

This is the hike that never ends
It just goes on and on my friend
It started really bumpy and it's getting much much worse
I know how it's ending,
It's ending in my hearse!
repeat

We sang it most of the way up the gill. I went with the 2nd year girls.

After the hike we packed up a little and signed off certification.  They had 4th year graduation and free time. We finished packing up and then sat around playing volleyball, mad gab and charades for 2 hours.

By 5 the storm was very definitely coming so we prayed for the rain to hold off as we hurried and ate.  As we were getting in our vehicles the rain started and by the time we were down the hill it was pouring.

All in all a super experience!

Gabby brought me a plate of cookies and a thank you note.  It really means a lot to have these girls love you!

I have a testimony of Jesus Christ and the gospel.  I love the Lord and I love to serve.  I have grown immensely in the past two years as a piano player and then as YW president.  I hope my growth can continue.  I love my family and the support they give me.  I am more happy now than at any other time in my life and I believe it is because of the gospel, my family and the growth I've had. I also love my job and the flexibility it allows.  I truly love Andy and the life we have made together.  We have special boys that I love with all my heart. Amen.

01/05/00 Journal Entry - Updates

01/05/2000 Wednesday

Bryce is 3 1/2 years old.  He started sunbeams this week and was SO excited.  He couldn't wait to get out of nursery!  He just a few months ago quit crying when he went to Nursery.  Bryce loves Dallas. They still share a room and I often find them asleep in the same bed.  They play for hours together and never get bored.  Bryce says his favorite cartoon is Bruno.  He luvs spaghettios.  Bryce is almost exactly the same size as Dallas so they share shoes, clothes and jackets regularly.

Dallas is almost 5 and a smart little boy.  He could play on the computer all day if we'd let him.  He can turn it on, select his game, switch the CD, play and shut down the system w/o any assistance most of the time.  He and AJ compete for computer time.  They like different games.  Dallas will start kindergarten this fall and I think it will be hard on Bryce to be left out.

AJ is 8 and was baptized in September.  He is a super kid who works hard on the vending route and earns $3/week.  He pays 50 cents tithing every Sunday on his money (a little extra, just because!) and he bares his testimony every month.  He's almost always first and he gets a smartie candy from Brother Greely (our home teacher) afterward.

He is on city rec basketball and Dad is coach.  They are doing really great.  AJ shot 2 baskets last night (first points he ever made in a game and he's played 2 years now).  He was so excited.  The team lost their first game and never looked back.  They've won every game since then.

Andy is keeping busy with the vending business, the crows-nest radio show, Jazz show on the radio, both sports talk programs he hosts on Sundays from 6-9 p.m.  He also write for Southern Utah Sports magazine and stays with the boys all day.  He is a good stay-at-home Daddy.  They kids adore him.  He is patient and kind but he makes them do their work too.

Cleaning the living room, dishes, trash, silverware, etc.  I think the boys need a man to help raise them and teach them.  They listen to Andy much better!

And I'm still at Washington City (going on 3+ years). Doing my court clerk stuff. I really love it.  The people I work with are awesome and the pay is decent.  The hours are good.  It isn't one I have to take home with me.

I am also YW president.  What a lot of work.  It's been really fun though.  I like it more than I thought I would.  The girls are fun and we keep busy.

I have also played organ in sacrament several times - A goal I set a few years ago.  Who would have thought?  It's amazing the things we can accomplish with help from the Lord!