Scout Camp

On Saturday the girls came home from Girls Camp and filled the garage with tents, bed rolls, camp chairs, stinky clothes, and whatever other camp paraphernalia they hauled to and from camp.  These girls definitely did NOT pack lightly.  And the lake seemed to have crept into everything they brought with them.  The whole garage smelled like stinky, rotten fish by mid-afternoon.  

We spent the better part of Saturday emptying out buckets and doing LAUNDRY, LAUNDRY, and more LAUNDRY.  By Sunday morning, there were piles of laundry in various stages of clean and to-be-cleaned, folded and to-be-folded strewn about the house.  It's a good thing we didn't have any plans for company on Sunday night.

I hurried through the unpacking and cleaning out process quickly because Craig was right behind me arranging yet another load of camping gear on the other side of the garage.  Scout Camp requires a whole different set of gear apparently, so he didn't re-use anything the girls had brought home.  We all tried really hard not to mingle the incoming stuff with the outgoing stuff.

Craig is quite meticulous about his checklists and preparation for Scout Camp.  This is his third year so he has it down to a very orderly and error-free science.  He's been in Scout Master mode since the middle of last week when he returned from his business trip and could officially start packing, stop shaving, and let the pre-camping beard-growing begin.  (I asked him why on earth he would want to have a full beard in 100 degree Texas weather, but he says that it's less surface area to have to spray sunscreen on...oh, the intricate workings of the mind of a Scout Master...)

We got very little sleep last night knowing that we would have an EARLY morning today.  (Why does that always happen?  Whenever I have to wake up earlier than usual, I spend the entire night checking the clock and counting down the number of hours still left to sleep.)

We both got up at 4:00am.  Craig jumped in the shower and loaded the last of his gear into the Jeep, and I threw 24 breakfast sandwiches into the oven to heat for the boys' breakfast.  (That's sounds like I'm so awesome, doesn't it?  Well, I didn't actually MAKE the sandwiches.  I only heated them.  And it's a TWO HOUR drive.  I may not be a Scout Master, but I know that when boys' tummies have been awake longer than an hour, they're gonna be looking around for food!.)  The night before, the girls helped me decorate little lunch bags with the boys' and drivers' names on them so that everyone could fill them this morning with a little snack for the road.  I packed the early morning picnic into the back of the van and met everyone right as they arrived at the church at 4:45am.  And since I was there, I just happened to bring my camera along to catch a BEFORE shot of the group as they embarked on their week long adventure.  

Aren't they perfect?  (I can say that because I don't have to spend a week camping with them.) I love these boys so much.  I love them because they are good boys and they work hard and listen to Craig and all of that.  But I love the collective group of them for what they are doing to my husband.  He has become more organized and meticulous in the three years  he's spent in this calling, but he's also become more compassionate and kind than I've ever known him to be.  He works as hard on their Sunday lessons at church as he does on making their camping experiences great.  He has taught them not only to pack efficiently and "leave no trace" at a campsite, but also to recognize the Spirit, be examples of righteousness, and not be afraid to proclaim the gospel in their daily lives.  He's genuinely interested in helping these boys not just become Eagle Scouts, but to eventually become great men.  And in the process of doing that, he is becoming a greater man right along with them.  It is an inspiring thing to witness.  

I'm grateful for this opportunity that Craig has to spend a week bonding with these boys and a few of their dads, and I look forward to all the stories he'll bring home with him on Saturday.

P.S.  Just so you don't get a false impression about my amazingness, I want you to know that  when I got home at 5:15am, I jumped right back into bed and slept until 10:00am.  And then I read a book until people started looking for me around 11:00am.  I'm not always productive and in motion.  

The Field is White...

Now behold, a marvelous work is about to come forth among the children of men.  Therefore, O ye that embark in the service of God, see that ye serve him with all your heart, might, mind and strength, that ye may stand blameless before God at the last day.  Therefore, if ye have desires to serve God ye are called to the work;For behold the field is white already to harvest; and lo, he that thrusteth in his sickle with his might, the same layeth up in store that he perisheth not, but bringeth salvation to his soul;And faith, hope, charity and love, with an eye single to the glory of God, qualify him for the work.Remember faith, virtue, knowledge, temperance, patience, brotherly kindness, godliness, charity, humility, diligence.Ask, and ye shall receive; knock, and it shall be opened unto you.  Amen.   (D&C 4)

Last weekend, a friend mentioned to The Scout Master that since the wheat in our area was starting to look "white already to harvest," he might want to gather all of his Deacons Quorum, dressed in white shirts and ties, and convince his aspiring photographer wife to go out and get a few pictures of them.  I LOVED that idea.  So, after some prodding, the Scout Master sent a mass email out to all the boys' parents asking them to show up in this particular wheat field at 10:30am before church today to have some pictures taken.  

We showed up a little early with some extra lenses, a ladder and a model (for test pictures.)

These little wheat fields are on just about every corner in Allen, and while they look vast in these pictures, they really are just about a block wide.  With the ladder, though, it made them look like they went on for miles and miles.  

My friend, Amy brought her family a little early, too, to get some family shots, so I took some test pictures of them, too.  

Look at this gorgeous girl!  Is she totally stunning in this picture, or what!?  She is so beautiful and glowy that I had to catch my breath a little when I saw this.  LOVE it!  LOVE her!  Amazing future missionary, for sure!  I think this was the best picture of the day.  

When the boys got there, we took some individual shots of them and then some group shots with the Scout Master.  These are such amazing kids.  I can't even tell you how much I love these boys, and all the other boys who came before them and who have now graduated on to become Teachers and Priests.  If I had had my choice, they would have all been in this field.  

And then, since there happened to be an ACTUAL missionary with us (well, soon...he leaves in July) we took some pictures of him, too.  Isn't he so cute?  He's going to be such an amazing missionary.  I can't wait to hear his reports from the Dominican Republic.

I can't tell you how much I enjoyed spending the morning in this giant wheat field with a bunch of teenage boys practicing my photography skills.  I'm so grateful for that man who suggested we do this.  I'm grateful for surprising wheat fields in Allen.  And I'm grateful for these little future missionaries who hopefully caught a glimpse of who they can become in the very near future.  

Memorial Day Drive

This morning, around 11:00, Craig and I found ourselves home alone with no children.  They were all occupied with friends and wouldn't be home for the rest of the day.  So, we snuck off for a little drive on a gorgeous spring day in Dallas.  

Craig has been dying to get out to Camp Trevor Rees Jones where his scouts will be having their annual week long scout camp next month.  He likes to survey the land and practice the drive and check out the surroundings so he knows exactly what to plan for.  

We had lunch on the way out and stopped in to check on a pair of shoes I desperately needed at Kohls.  They had my size AND they were on sale.  

Oops, I was writing about a drive wasn't I?

OK...back on track now...

Look at this beautiful scenery...and within just a couple of hours from our house.  It was just gorgeous at this camp today.  Totally quiet, no scouts yet, cool breezes, pretty wildflowers everywhere.  I found myself slightly envious of those boys who get to spend a whole week out here next month.  And then I accidentally disrupted an ant hill, started sneezing, and realized that I'm an indoor girl (who greatly appreciates the outdoors...but more from INSIDE the car.)

Seeing an alligator was one of the things on my list of stuff I wanted to do today.  

Why would anyone do that??  Did you see the mouth on that thing up there?

That whole little log was filled with turtles basking in the sun.  But these guys are super skiddish, and as we got closer they jumped off into the safety of the water.

I'm so grateful for all the beautiful things that surround us.  It's harder to find them sometimes in Dallas than it used to be in Utah, but there are plenty of them.  So glad I brought my camera today.

And here's what my mother is doing today to celebrate Memorial Day in Hawaii...this is so cool!  Every year, they have this amazing lantern festival to remember family and friends who have passed away.  They buy a lantern and write the names of all the people they want to remember on the sides of the lantern along with little love notes and messages.  

Ralph and Irene are Chris' parents (my birth grandparents.)  Irene was my adopted mom's best friend.

Krash was my mother's husband.  He died of colon cancer in 2010.

Then they take these beautiful little lanterns and set them on little floating platforms (like surfboards) and they float them in the ocean.  They've been doing this off the Ala Moana Beach in Oahu for 14 years.  Thousands of lighted memorials floating on the water.  

Doesn't this just make you ache to be in Hawaii tonight?  ...me too

I'm so grateful for all the people who have come before me to pave the way for all the opportunities I have and my children will have.  

Happy Memorial Day.  Hope you had a great weekend.  

Connemara Eagle Project

This morning, the Scout Master took Megan and McKay to Connemara to help with an Eagle Project for one of the boys in our ward.  

McKay went because he loves hanging out with the older boys and his dad, and because he will jump at any chance to use a hatchet.  

Megan went because she LOVES Connemara and she might also love that boy who was working on his Eagle project.  (Not like LOVEY DOVEY kind of love, but like SUPER good friends kind of love, you know?)

Really, how can you NOT love this gorgeous little piece of nature right in the middle of all of our Allen civilization??

OK, here was the project.  (This makes me get a little weepy, it's such a great thing to do.)  So there were all these little stray trees on the property that were in the wrong locations...like those little saplings that just spring up in wrong places.  

photo courtesy of Chad King

photo courtesy of Chad King

photo courtesy of Chad King

So all the boys (and Megan) dug them up, cut them down, and dragged them over to big piles like these...

Eventually when the leaves die and wither away, the piles will look like these little huts...

There is a large population of coyotes in the area and at night the bunnies are pretty vulnerable prey for them, so these little "bunny huts" provide shelter.  They're large enough for bunnies to sneak into, but too small for coyotes.  And all the thorny branches are not very appealing for those coyotes either, so they keep moving, and the bunnies are safe for another night.  Isn't that awesome?? The boy scouts spent the day clearing debris AND saving bunnies from coyotes.  I love that!  And I'm sure the bunnies will, too.

via

There was a great turn out for this activity, lots of future Eagle scouts and a handful of leaders helping, so they finished the projected 3 hour job in less than 2 hours!  And now all he has left to do is the paperwork...hooray!  One more Eagle about to leave the nest.  Craig is so proud of all these boys.  (Can you see the glowing pride?)

What a great service project to be a part of.  I'm so proud of my little environmentalist Megan who couldn't keep herself away from an opportunity to work at Connemara.  I see lots of GREEN greatness in her future...

photo courtesy of Chad King