Girls camp this year was at Heber Valley. What a beautiful place. I have had the privilege of going there 3 times, Sari has gone twice, and this year, we made it a family event. It was the most perfect place for Shawnie to have her first girls camp experience, and in spite of her stubbornly saying for weeks before hand that she. wasn't. going. and. we. can't. make. her. she had an amazing time, created lots of new friendships, felt the spirit of that mountain, and had her testimony strengthened. The highlight of her week was the challenge course swing. This girl and her dare-devil spirit...
Sari also had a great time with her friends and wasn't too very frustrated that everywhere she turned she found a member of her family. It's so fun to see her interact with the girls in the ward. She always recognizes the ones that need pulled in and steps right up to pull them in. She taught everyone a game that she learned at EFY that was the biggest hit of the week. I never did completely figure it out. It takes too many brain cells but is an absolute riot!
Keith was ultra-helpful and the girls all enjoyed having him there. I will admit, it was a pretty challenging year for me, wearing way too many hats as the assistant camp director, beehive advisor and personal servant and facilitator to the princess. I think I'm getting old, because it took me a couple of weeks to get over the after camp slump this year. Although, that could have been the all-nighter that the beehives pulled playing 'grandma's underpants' and jump roping with glow sticks and having silly string wars...
Showing posts with label family vacations. Show all posts
Showing posts with label family vacations. Show all posts
Wednesday, August 17, 2011
Friday, April 1, 2011
Guess What Kids, We're Going to Disneyland!!!
Disneyland was one of the best things that ever happened to our family! I kept wandering around every day with a perma-smile saying, "It really is a magical place!" We had so much fun together on this trip as a family, starting in Las Vegas, where Sari was introduced to the knights of the Round Table, and a whole lot of other things that we could have very easily done without... then heading to San Diego where we spent some great beach time, went to Sea World, and even got to show the girls the home that I lived in when I was born. After that we were able to hit Universal Studios, drive through Beverly Hills (for Shawnie, of course), take a walk down Hollywood and Vine, and spend 3 glorious days in Disneyland. If I could go back to Disneyland tomorrow, I totally would. We made some pretty spectacular memories there. Sari's favorite part was the Indiana Jones ride, and of course, Shawnie, being the thrill seeker that she is, absolutely LOVED California Screamin'. She made Keith take her on it 6 times in one day. I could only do it once. Total. Keith loved the 'Soaring Over California' which I will admit, was an absolute rush. They all rolled their eyes all the way through 'Small World' just to humor me, and we drove the cars multiple times which brought back sweet memories of the last time I went, when I was Sari's age, and Rob and I drove the cars over and over and over and over. Splash Mountain was closed, but we really enjoyed Space Mountain and the other roller coasters. We were pretty lucky, Shawnie brought special privileges for us, and we were able to bump to the front of pretty much every line and probably got through more rides in three days than most people could in two weeks... The Disney characters swooned over Shawnie, except for the Mad Hatter, who was pretty much obnoxious to her which for some reason made Sari adore him?
Along the way we were also able to visit 3 beautiful temples and experience the spirit of their grounds, the Las Vegas, San Diego, and Los Angeles temples. This was a highlight of the trip for all of us, as well. It is fun to see the uniqueness of the temples and the grounds but to feel the same peace and beauty at each.
I can't even watch this video without tearing up still! It was such an incredible bonding time for us as a family. We've decided that we need to go back yearly until Sari graduates, we'll see if we ever fit it in, but we're so glad for the memories.
Along the way we were also able to visit 3 beautiful temples and experience the spirit of their grounds, the Las Vegas, San Diego, and Los Angeles temples. This was a highlight of the trip for all of us, as well. It is fun to see the uniqueness of the temples and the grounds but to feel the same peace and beauty at each.
I can't even watch this video without tearing up still! It was such an incredible bonding time for us as a family. We've decided that we need to go back yearly until Sari graduates, we'll see if we ever fit it in, but we're so glad for the memories.
Sunday, December 6, 2009
washington dc: day five
11-11-09
Shawnie: Fifth Day
We woke up at eight o clock their time and got ready and then we rode a suboy to the mall and hung out there for a hour and then we walked To arleenton cemetery and it was raining all of the day so I was crying because my legs were like icicles and we saw the tome of the UN known Soldier but I was to bissy crying because I was cold. And then we went to a museum and here's the funny part my mom and I were in the bathroom trying to warm up my legs with a blowdrier it really Didn't work actually. So she rapped her coat around me but my dad bot me a rain poncho and we got to the hotel at 5:00 p.m.
Sari: Today was our last day! We headed out only to find that it was DOWN POURING!!!! We had been going to do something that each of us wanted to do today. We still went out. We walked to the metro and we headed out to do what Shawnie wanted to do, shop. We got breakfast and shopped at the mall for a while and then we decided that we were running out of daylight.
We then went to Arlington Cemetery. It was still down pouring and Shawnie was not to happy to be there. We went and saw the thousands of graves and it hit me what war was really like. There is more than 300,000 graves there and that is only the people buried there.
After we did that we went to my place, The Native American Smithsonian and stayed there for a while. Dad and I looked around while Shawnie looked in the gift shop with mom. There was a section that was all art. It was art that had been created out of ordinary objects. There was a whale that had been made out of lawn chair legs, and igloo out of trash cans, totem poles out of golf cart bags and my lest favorite, a skull out of base balls.
After we had done all of these things we got to walk home. We kept looking for a burger place (for that was what Shawnie and I wanted) and we couldn’t find one. We could’ve gone to McDonalds, but before we had come we had promised not to eat there. Finally we found Five Guys. That was the best burger I have ever eaten! They had won the best burger award for more than nine years! After we got our burgers we took them to our hotel and ate them there. It was still DOWN POURING outside. We finally got ready for bed and went to sleep.
Insert from mom: Day six we got up really early -still an absolute downpour- and Keith took Sari to go through the "spy museum". They had breakfast at the "spy cafe." It was the highlight of her trip. She was absolutely in heaven there and could have spent the whole day instead of the 1 1/2 hours they had until we had to leave. Shawnie and I went out and found -you'll never guess- one last place to shop. We picked out a few trinkets and a couple of sweatshirts and got up to pay and the guy told me he was giving me a 20% discount because I was buying so much!? I guess I know where Shawnie gets it from...
She and I stopped at a diner on the way back to the hotel for breakfast and we all met back just in time to catch the shuttle to the airport.
The plane ride was intense. There was so much turbulence the whole way, Keith and I kept looking at each other going, "This can't be normal..." Come to find out, it was the hurricane whoever that was ravaging the east that week. That explained the nonstop rain in DC as well. We didn't make it home to Logan until after 10:30 p.m., but we were so grateful to be home safe and sound in our own beds. All in all, it was an incredible experience, especially for being our very first traveling family vacation.
Shawnie: Fifth Day
We woke up at eight o clock their time and got ready and then we rode a suboy to the mall and hung out there for a hour and then we walked To arleenton cemetery and it was raining all of the day so I was crying because my legs were like icicles and we saw the tome of the UN known Soldier but I was to bissy crying because I was cold. And then we went to a museum and here's the funny part my mom and I were in the bathroom trying to warm up my legs with a blowdrier it really Didn't work actually. So she rapped her coat around me but my dad bot me a rain poncho and we got to the hotel at 5:00 p.m.
Sari: Today was our last day! We headed out only to find that it was DOWN POURING!!!! We had been going to do something that each of us wanted to do today. We still went out. We walked to the metro and we headed out to do what Shawnie wanted to do, shop. We got breakfast and shopped at the mall for a while and then we decided that we were running out of daylight.
We then went to Arlington Cemetery. It was still down pouring and Shawnie was not to happy to be there. We went and saw the thousands of graves and it hit me what war was really like. There is more than 300,000 graves there and that is only the people buried there.
After we did that we went to my place, The Native American Smithsonian and stayed there for a while. Dad and I looked around while Shawnie looked in the gift shop with mom. There was a section that was all art. It was art that had been created out of ordinary objects. There was a whale that had been made out of lawn chair legs, and igloo out of trash cans, totem poles out of golf cart bags and my lest favorite, a skull out of base balls.
After we had done all of these things we got to walk home. We kept looking for a burger place (for that was what Shawnie and I wanted) and we couldn’t find one. We could’ve gone to McDonalds, but before we had come we had promised not to eat there. Finally we found Five Guys. That was the best burger I have ever eaten! They had won the best burger award for more than nine years! After we got our burgers we took them to our hotel and ate them there. It was still DOWN POURING outside. We finally got ready for bed and went to sleep.
Insert from mom: Day six we got up really early -still an absolute downpour- and Keith took Sari to go through the "spy museum". They had breakfast at the "spy cafe." It was the highlight of her trip. She was absolutely in heaven there and could have spent the whole day instead of the 1 1/2 hours they had until we had to leave. Shawnie and I went out and found -you'll never guess- one last place to shop. We picked out a few trinkets and a couple of sweatshirts and got up to pay and the guy told me he was giving me a 20% discount because I was buying so much!? I guess I know where Shawnie gets it from...
She and I stopped at a diner on the way back to the hotel for breakfast and we all met back just in time to catch the shuttle to the airport.
The plane ride was intense. There was so much turbulence the whole way, Keith and I kept looking at each other going, "This can't be normal..." Come to find out, it was the hurricane whoever that was ravaging the east that week. That explained the nonstop rain in DC as well. We didn't make it home to Logan until after 10:30 p.m., but we were so grateful to be home safe and sound in our own beds. All in all, it was an incredible experience, especially for being our very first traveling family vacation.
washington dc: day four
11/10/09
Shawnie: Fourth day
We woke up at 7:00 and we got ready. We walked to the White House and we had a tour. So while we were there we saw President Obama get on a helicopter. And while the tour was going I went upstairs to look in the rooms and we got a special tour to get to the elevator. We got to see the kitchen and President Obama's own elevator and his dining room. While I was waiting for the elevator to arrive, the man who took me and my mom to the elevator thought nobody was on the elevator and there was. It was the family dog, Bo! We were scared of each other.
We saw a lot of monuments this day.
We went on top of the Washington monument. It was cool. Soon we were in the elevator and the man took us up the elevator. It took 70 seconds to get all the way to the top.
Sari: Today we went and saw the White House. When we came around on to the lawns we were just in time to see them shut the doors for the President and his wife. We got to see the helicopter take off to! We then got to go through the bottom floor. When we had to go up a few steps they took Shawnie to go use the elevator. She had to use the one in the kitchen because the other one was for the president. When she went to get on the elevator guess who got off… Bo! He and Shawnie were scared of each other. I wasn’t there to see it though, but I hear it was pretty funny. We also got to here the story about the White House’s annual ginger bread house. The thing is HUGE! It weighs over five hundred pounds! That is more than Shawnie’s wheelchair and her put together! They have to bring it up on an elevator with five men carrying it. They then have to lift it onto the table. This entire exchange happens while the cook looks on and screams for them not to break it.
We then got to go eat at the Spy City Café, just for me. I wish Mikayla could have come, she would have loved it!
We also saw the Lincoln, Vietnam, Korean, and World War 1 memorials. We then went to the top of the Washington Monument. It was so TALL! We went to the very top and got to look out of the windows. We then all came back to the hotel, went out again for dinner and came back and went to sleep. The only thing that I did not like today was all the walking. We had to walk to all of these places, and back!
Shawnie: Fourth day
We woke up at 7:00 and we got ready. We walked to the White House and we had a tour. So while we were there we saw President Obama get on a helicopter. And while the tour was going I went upstairs to look in the rooms and we got a special tour to get to the elevator. We got to see the kitchen and President Obama's own elevator and his dining room. While I was waiting for the elevator to arrive, the man who took me and my mom to the elevator thought nobody was on the elevator and there was. It was the family dog, Bo! We were scared of each other.
We saw a lot of monuments this day.
We went on top of the Washington monument. It was cool. Soon we were in the elevator and the man took us up the elevator. It took 70 seconds to get all the way to the top.
Sari: Today we went and saw the White House. When we came around on to the lawns we were just in time to see them shut the doors for the President and his wife. We got to see the helicopter take off to! We then got to go through the bottom floor. When we had to go up a few steps they took Shawnie to go use the elevator. She had to use the one in the kitchen because the other one was for the president. When she went to get on the elevator guess who got off… Bo! He and Shawnie were scared of each other. I wasn’t there to see it though, but I hear it was pretty funny. We also got to here the story about the White House’s annual ginger bread house. The thing is HUGE! It weighs over five hundred pounds! That is more than Shawnie’s wheelchair and her put together! They have to bring it up on an elevator with five men carrying it. They then have to lift it onto the table. This entire exchange happens while the cook looks on and screams for them not to break it.
We then got to go eat at the Spy City Café, just for me. I wish Mikayla could have come, she would have loved it!
We also saw the Lincoln, Vietnam, Korean, and World War 1 memorials. We then went to the top of the Washington Monument. It was so TALL! We went to the very top and got to look out of the windows. We then all came back to the hotel, went out again for dinner and came back and went to sleep. The only thing that I did not like today was all the walking. We had to walk to all of these places, and back!
Saturday, December 5, 2009
washington dc: day three
11-9-09
Shawnie: The third day we Had a tour of the capital and I got to see a statue of Helen Keller. We went to the library of Congress and then We walked around the capital fountain and I played with pigeons and there was a little pigeon that I thought it was cute. And my dad had to go to a meeting and my mom, sari and me went to pop bellies sub to take out and I had a pizza sandwich it was a really good Sandwich And we took it to our hotel and we had a movie night with treats.
Sari: Today we went and saw the capitol of our country. We got to see the reflecting pond, and got to walk all the way around it. I got to see many squirrels and sea gulls. Even in D.C. they have sea gulls! We got to stand on the exact place that Abraham Lincoln’s desk sat in the House of Representatives. We also got to hear how the whisper spot works. Today we also went and saw the place that George Washington was supposed to be buried. We then went and saw the statue of Helen Keller and see Lady Freedom. When we went to the capitol we also went and saw the mural on the ceiling. The mural is of George Washington with fifteen women sitting around him. There was one person for every colony and then there was a lady for freedom and one for liberty. We also got to go see the place that our House of Representatives debate.
We then went to the Library of Congress and we saw Thomas Jefferson’s library. We went and saw one of the twenty one reading rooms from up above. So many books! If my personal library was like that I would be one happy kid! I loved all the quotes on the walls. Each hall had a theme for the quotes and I thought that they were pretty cool. We then had to go to a gift shop for Shawnie. She had been very upset that we didn’t go to one in the Capitol. These things are the only reason she goes to places. I then had my picture taken out front of the International Spy Museum. We didn’t actually go inside but I love anything to do with spies so I got a picture.
After we left the capitol I got more pictures of squirrels and we started to head back. My dad had to head to his conference and Shawnie and I were hungry so we headed out to see what we could find. We decided on a pot belly sub shop. I got a Meatball Sandwich or as I call them A meat-a-ball sandwich. We then called it a day. We were tired, and sore. We all – excluding Dad – curled up on our couch and turned on a movie. We just relaxed for the rest of the night, and then we went to sleep.
Shawnie: The third day we Had a tour of the capital and I got to see a statue of Helen Keller. We went to the library of Congress and then We walked around the capital fountain and I played with pigeons and there was a little pigeon that I thought it was cute. And my dad had to go to a meeting and my mom, sari and me went to pop bellies sub to take out and I had a pizza sandwich it was a really good Sandwich And we took it to our hotel and we had a movie night with treats.
Sari: Today we went and saw the capitol of our country. We got to see the reflecting pond, and got to walk all the way around it. I got to see many squirrels and sea gulls. Even in D.C. they have sea gulls! We got to stand on the exact place that Abraham Lincoln’s desk sat in the House of Representatives. We also got to hear how the whisper spot works. Today we also went and saw the place that George Washington was supposed to be buried. We then went and saw the statue of Helen Keller and see Lady Freedom. When we went to the capitol we also went and saw the mural on the ceiling. The mural is of George Washington with fifteen women sitting around him. There was one person for every colony and then there was a lady for freedom and one for liberty. We also got to go see the place that our House of Representatives debate.
We then went to the Library of Congress and we saw Thomas Jefferson’s library. We went and saw one of the twenty one reading rooms from up above. So many books! If my personal library was like that I would be one happy kid! I loved all the quotes on the walls. Each hall had a theme for the quotes and I thought that they were pretty cool. We then had to go to a gift shop for Shawnie. She had been very upset that we didn’t go to one in the Capitol. These things are the only reason she goes to places. I then had my picture taken out front of the International Spy Museum. We didn’t actually go inside but I love anything to do with spies so I got a picture.
After we left the capitol I got more pictures of squirrels and we started to head back. My dad had to head to his conference and Shawnie and I were hungry so we headed out to see what we could find. We decided on a pot belly sub shop. I got a Meatball Sandwich or as I call them A meat-a-ball sandwich. We then called it a day. We were tired, and sore. We all – excluding Dad – curled up on our couch and turned on a movie. We just relaxed for the rest of the night, and then we went to sleep.
washington dc: day two
11-8-09
Shawnie: The second day we were there we got settled
we ride a bus To the temple and we walked the grounds.
Shawnie: The second day we were there we got settled
we ride a bus To the temple and we walked the grounds.
Sari: Today was the first day in our trip. We arrived last night at 1:30 a.m. in our hotel after a three and a half hour plane trip to Baltimore¸ and after a one and a half hour wait, we got on our shuttle. We got to our hotel thirty minutes later. That morning we were very slow getting out. We eventually left our hotel at lunch time and I got to have my first Metro ride. We had to walk a little farther than we planned to get to the shuttle, because the elevators to our platform were down so my sister couldn’t get down there. We finally got there. We rode the metro to union station and grabbed lunch. After that we got on the metro again and we rode it to Silver Springs. At Silver Springs we got on a bus and rode it for an hour. The bus dropped us off on a long winding road that had no side walk. We then proceeded to get ourselves very much lost. We ended up walking twice as far as we were supposed to. We finally arrived at the
washington dc: day one
11-07-09
Shawnie: My trip
The plain ride was cool and they give us pop, treats at the middle of the plain ride
Mostly I was watching movies on my iPod or listening to my iPod.
Shawnie: My trip
The plain ride was cool and they give us pop, treats at the middle of the plain ride
Mostly I was watching movies on my iPod or listening to my iPod.
Wednesday, October 21, 2009
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