Prepping for Girls Camp: T-Shirts (Project 1)

So most of my waking hours for the past few months have been spent thinking and stressing about girls camp (which is next week!). I was asked on the ward level to head up the projects for camp, which I was SUPER excited about... obviously because I didn't realize the time commitment and planning involved. In addition to ward stuff, I was also called on the stake level to be what they call a "level leader assistant." Out here they don't camp as wards. Instead, they group the girls by their age groups and call various adults to chaperon. The whole system is completely different than anything I've seen before so I've been struggling through a huge learning curve. Add a pinch of my current crazy state and that equals several months of Joe talking me into not running away to Africa.

Anyway, we finally had our camp prep activity last Tuesday. After all my worry and fretting and planning and re-planning each piece, I am SO happy to report that all went smoothly and the projects turned out better than expected.

Our camp theme this year is "Fully Rely on God" or FROG. So we decided to create shirts for the girls for camp. Easy enough, right? Not for yours truly. I think I just think things to death. For example... t-shirt vendor: cost vs. shipping vs. availability vs. opaqueness vs. durability vs. cost again vs. cut and so on. I spent FOREVER weighing all the options before choosing the shirts and vendor. Actually, I finally had to make a choice about two weeks ago because our activity was last week. Leave it to me for last minute! Luckily the shirt vendor is FAST. Delivery in one day!

Next (or I should say concurrently) I had determine a layout. What did we want on the shirt? I figured the basic idea out pretty quickly because I found a shirt I really liked and decided to copy.

I am known for my scraplifting! But, of course, the design wasn't "perfect" so I dilly-dallied around making all sorts of options. This also took time and energy and stressing. Would the girls like it? Is it cute? Does is portray the right message? What if I changed x, y or z? I know. I wish there was an off button too. Again at the last minute I finally sent a few of my favorite options out to the group and received their feedback. We settled on a frog inside a "funktified" crown (thanks for the design idea, Annie!). And I LOVED how it turned out!

Another decision in the process was applying the design to the shirt. Do I use a stencil, an iron one, markers, paint, spray paint, etc. TOO MANY OPTIONS for me, lol. I finally settled on creating my own stencil so I could use the custom design I made. This meant tracing my design onto sheer fabric and then painting around it using mod podge. The idea is that when the glue dries, the paint will go through the sheer only where your design is located. I made 4 stencils (so we could get all the shirts done in one night), each one taking about 1 to 1.5 hours to paint. Thank you Sarah for your help!!!! (Because of course I waited until Tuesday morning to finish 3 of the 4 stencils).

And I couldn't make it simple. Nope, that would be too easy. So my design incorporated 4 different colors! I'm crazy but, then again, we already established that.

Needless to say I was a wreck pre-activity. I had tried and tested everything at home, including paint order, to make sure we could get the girls in and out of the t-shirt station as quickly as possible. However, I shouldn't have worried one bit. I had my co-leaders Tara and Teresa rocking it out in the kitchen. They were amazing! And the girls loved how the shirts turned out, which was a huge relief to me!

Now that I've tried out the process, my mind is all ready back ordered on all the future t-shirts I'm going to create with my home-made "silk screening" process!

Tune in after camp for Journeys (Project 2). I'd share with you now but there are a few surprises that I don't want to spoil for any girls that might see this post!

First Trip to the D.C. Temple

Last Wednesday (6/9/10) I had the opportunity visit the D.C. temple with our ward youth to do baptisms. The night was super special because it was not only my first trip to the temple, but because we also had a record amount of youth attend. 30+ between the YM and YW!!! I almost didn't go because I had been sick all day, but I am so glad I did. It was super special to watch "my girls" be baptized for the dead, some for the first time. I loved the reverence and respect they showed while in the house of the Lord.

Spires from the freeway.

Up close and personal.

I was told this is one of two temples that has an angel Moroni who is holding the golden plates. All the others have an angel Moroni who has both hands on the trumpet.

In D.C. we provide ALL the necessary priesthood holders. It was neat to see fathers baptise daughter or son, mothers assist their girls in and out of the font, fathers confirm their children, and all of us completing the work for a family in the ward. One cool moment was when father baptized son for and in behalf of a relative. The spirit was strong. I hope the girls recognized and felt it.

We ended up being at the temple from 730p to almost 10pm because we had so many youth participating. Afterward, I grabbed a couple of pictures to commemorate the evening. The girls whined for a second (someday they'll understand the importance of so many pictures), but easily obliged me when I told them it was my first time there.

Most of our YW. Aren't they super adorable!

A set of sisters (whom I LOVE). The younger is in MiaMaids with me!

Another set of my girls. Three of the four are in MiaMaids and the other is an honorary class mate. It doesn't really matter, though, who is in my class and who isn't. They all can claim a piece of my heart.

I really do love my calling in the Young Women program. The girls are amazing, wonderful, fabulous, beautiful and every other good word found in the dictionary. I am learning much from them and am grateful for their example and support. I'm glad I didn't miss that night and I look forward to many more temple trips, both with them and on my own!

In the Dog House

With our tax returns we decided to get a new kennel for Josser since his Highness decided to get too big for his last one. Who ever thought our little puppy would grow to be this big (70+ lbs)? At least now he has his own personal Hilton with tons of room. How much room, you ask? Well... check it out!

Looks like I have a great new place to send Joe when he really makes me mad! Now only if I could find a door lock that Joe couldn't get undone. Hehe.

9 Years!!!

Monday Joe and I celebrated our 9-year Anniversary! I still can't believe it. Where has all the time gone? I guess the old adage is true, "time flies when you're having fun." Recently the thought has been bouncing around in my head that Joe rescued me 9 years ago. He didn't know. I didn't know. But it is the truth.

He rescued me from sadness as he is my eternal sunshine. He even sings when I'm really sad!!! (Think Barry Manilow... "I feel sad when you're sad. I feel glad when you're glad!")

He rescued me from boredom. I never know what is going to happen when Joe is around. He may seem completely predictable... and sometimes he is... but I am never bored. I LOVE my time with Joe, especially when he throws out cute little sayings like, "I'm just chillin' with my favorite chick." or "You're hair is beautiful and don't let anyone tell you otherwise."

He rescued me from myself. I'm always SUPER hard on myself and have extremely high expectations. Mercy doesn't apply to me (in my world) and neither does weakness. I must be strong at all times. Or at least that is what I tell myself. Joe keeps me real and grounded. He celebrates my "weaknesses" (not in the rubbing them in kinda of way, but in the I-love-you-for-a, b and c kinda way). He reminds me that I'm awesome and helps distract me when I get too philosophical.

He rescued me from a life without him. I know that seems silly. I never would have known what I was missing if we'd never met. But now that I know, I can't help but feel grateful that we found each other and that he picked me. Marriage has been hard at times. Some days I've wondered what we were thinking. But it only takes being near him to know exactly what we were thinking. Our lives have become more together than they ever were apart. I have been strengthened, edified, challenged (which I love, hehe), and transformed into a slightly better person because of our relationship. I am blessed to know my Joseph and to be loved by him. I am so grateful for a Heavenly Father who doesn't always give us what we want (aka... all the guys before Joe), but instead gives us what we need (aka Joe). In giving me what I needed, the Lord gave me what I wanted all along.

Thank you, my sweetheart, for filling my life with richness and adventure. I look forward to the many (MANY!) years I have to grow with you as we tackle this life together. You are the bestest in the whole world!!! I love you more than a million kit kat bars!

Below are some pics of us at the Natural History Museum in D.C. (taken on the iphone... I DISLIKE IMMENSELY camera batteries). We decided to save our shekels this year and do something new that was both fun and free.

Riding along in the automobile, my baby beside me at the wheel.

We're on our way, uh-hu uh-hu uh-hu uh-hu.

In front of the museum.

(Someday we'll hire a photographer to follow us around so we can get pics of the two of us together, lol).

The rotunda area as you first walk in. I like elephants.

LOVING the turtle! It was so cool!

This is supposed to be a T-Rex. I'm realizing the need for a flash.

A "good times" movie.

Joe and his dinosaurs. He LOVED visiting this museum!

View from above. These creatures must have been enormous. Since having Josser, I've learned the power of a tail. His is brutal. I can't imagine the pain (and death) associate with one of these pre-historic whips!

Bad picture but good looking man, hehe.

This was the biggest surprise... it's a ground sloth! I know it's sad that I get my info from kid movies, but I expected the sloth to be MUCH smaller. Like Josser on hind legs...

But they were actually bigger than a bear! Check out the claws on the one standing on its legs!

My fav... the mammoth. Don't know why I like it, I just do.

I couldn't resist! Joe was such a good sport!

This is the Hope Diamond. I was planning on playing all sorts of tricks on you but I couldn't get a decent picture with all the light. In reality, it's not as big as I had imagined. Not that I'd turn it down if some one wanted to give it to me. But I wouldn't be for stealing it either... but, then again, maybe that has more to do with my integrity than my lack of being impressed. **shrugs**

We left in the early afternoon to avoid rush hour and had a wonderful ride home, finished with a dinner at the cheesecake factory. I loved our relaxing day together. I doesn't really matter where we go as long as I get to be with Joe.

Memorial Day at the Lake

This was our first Memorial Day away from family and friends. If still in Utah we would have found ourselves at Pineview with family or at the Lawson's for a BBQ or both. It's just a little weird figuring out what do to with ourselves when faced with creating new traditions. But I think we've found one that will last for Memorial Day!

Our friends the Calder's invited us up to Cunningham Falls State Park to spend the day with them and the Cechinis. They were awesome enough provide most of the food, all of the shade, and one of the best days ever. We BBQ'd, they swam, and we all went on a little hike at the end of the day (though I don't know I'll trust Chantel again when she tells me a hike is all flat, hehe, as the trail had some decent hills we had to climb). All in all, the day was awesome!

I discovered that I need to re-learn being in the outdoors all over again. Joe and I were spoiled in Utah. Anytime we camped or spent the day at the lake we either had someone else providing anything we needed (thanks Mom and Dad Burns!) or we had people we could borrow items from if we weren't traveling with the Burns Hilton (thank you other family and friends who took such good care of us!). Here, we don't necessarily have that luxury. For example, we arrived up at the lake without swim wear (duh), chairs, any shade-making umbrella, or even a blanket. Not to mention the little things like bug spray or toys (aka volleyball). I mean, really, what were we thinking? We weren't, lol. Thankfully our friends were so great as to share all of the above with us. I don't know what we'd do without them! Next year we'll be better prepared (I hope). And we've definitely started an inventory of all the items we'll need for future outdoor activities!

The scenery at Cunningham Falls Lake was SPECTACULAR! The temperature was a sweltering 90 degrees plus humidity so high we were breathing water, but the views and the company made it more than worth it! I loved hanging out on the grass near the beach and staring across the lake into the dense forest sheltering us. I felt so peaceful and protected. I think I've fallen in love (sorry Joe, hehe). Anyway, here are some snapshots of our time at the lake. These were all taken by my friend Chantel as our camera is on its way to extinction.

Owen is sitting in front and his dad, Austin, is in the back. I like this picture not only because these guys are in it, but because of the gorgeous treeline Chantel captured in the background.

Owen (in blue) playing Frisbee with Matt Cechini (black shirt) and his little brother, Soren (in red). This was one of the views from our blanket.

Everyone hiking to the falls. L to R: Austin, Soren, Matt, Annie, Owen, Debbie and Joe. Chantel is taking the pic.

Just an awesome pic of the forest. According to the signs along the trail, this forest is less than 100 years old. It was cut down for farming in the early 1900s until they realized that the hills were washing away without the trees. It was replanted and in 1930-something established as a forest preserve. Cool, huh?

I truly can't wait to return here. I may not be patient enough to wait until next Memorial Day! Thanks again, to the Calders and Cechinis, for such a wonderfully peaceful and fun holiday. You guys rock! And to all our family and friends in Utah, hope your holiday was as wonderful as ours. Love you!