Monday, July 27, 2009

Venture Scouts at Camp


Sunday, July 19, 2009

The Pioneers Knew Where It Was Cool!!!

Everyone knows when the daytime temperature in St. George reaches 110+ degrees it’s time to either head north or to Pine Valley! Escaping to Pine Valley has been a longstanding tradition since pioneer families discovered the lush green valley had daytime temperatures in June, July and August 20+ degrees cooler than in St. George!

The tradition continued on Friday, July 17, 2009, when 128 members of the Bloomington 7th Ward escaped the 113 degree summer sun for a few hours of rest and relaxation, socializing, wading in the cool mountain stream, good food, good music and good friends. The weather was perfect and the potluck dinner included bar-be-que beef and drinks provided by the ward with members rounding out the menu with their favorite salad, dessert or other side dish. There was a money scramble for the kids provided by the Primary and face painting provided by members of the Young Womens program. Entertainment was provided by Phil Tuckett who performed gospel music, including pioneer hymns on his autoharp.

Special thanks to the Ward Activities Committee including Doug and Janet Labrum as co-chairs who were assisted in the planning and presentation by Rebecca Ward, Jerry and Lorraine Erskine, Tom and Barbara Pinder, Adolf and Taj Becker and Allen and Sherry Scott. According to Janet Labrum, “everyone seemed to have a good time!”

Tuesday, July 14, 2009

Girls Camp Was All About BUGS

Girls Camp 2009
B. U. G. S. (Building Up Gospel Standards)

as reported by Kendi Hansen and Summer Simkins. Additions are welcome from other girls campers and leaders!

Wednesday, July 8th (Day 1): We left for our Duck Creek adventure at 8:00 a.m. When we got to camp…we were assigned to our tents (hives) and got set up. Putting up the tents was a little bit of a challenge. Some stakes were hammered in half, some zippers were zipped apart, and some fingers were smashed. After finally getting the tents up, we had a flag ceremony, which we held every day after a delicious breakfast. Along with a devotional. Then we drew for our “Secret Sisters" which was a way for the girls to get to know each other a little better. Every day we gave our Secret Sister a gift without them knowing.

We played a game to get to know everyone better then came up with nicknames for our mailboxes:

Evilicious Emily (Forsyth)
Spastic Sarah (Smith)
Absolutely Alicia (Ward)
Silly Summer (Simkins)
Kooky Kiera (Wright)
Amazing Ashley (Wilkes)
Lively Lisa (Carson)
Magnificent Mailea (Dalley)
Mighty Max (Gavin)
Lazy Liz (Larson)
Adjectively Aubrey (Forsyth)
Excellent Elizabeth (Bown)
Awesome Alyssa (Adamson)
Bodacious Brandy (Christley)
Terrific Toshi (Becker)
Authentic Aspen (Erskine)
Artistic Aleia (Anderson)
Kreative Kendi (Hansen)
Adorable Avonlea (Dalley)
Caring Caroline (Bown)
Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious Sarah (Bown)

In the morning we usually made a craft. That day we made decorated camp boxes. Then we ate lunch and did certification. Then we made up and practiced creative skits. Then came a 5-mile hot hike to the very cool ice-caves. Then we came back, cooked dinner, had the flag ceremony and our amazing skits. Then was Family Home Beehive (FHE). Later, we sat around the fire and talked before we went to bed.

Thursday, July 9th (Day 2): We started the day off with breakfast and our flag ceremony then did our craft. This time we did magnetic picture frames. Then we had free bug time. (Free time). After that we got to do a service project. When we came back we did our certification and then ate dinner. After the flag ceremony, the leaders gave us a skit called "it's a Bug's Life". And like every night, we sat around the campfire and stargazed then we went snipe hunting. That was fun. And when we came back, we all went to bed.

Friday, July 10th (Day 3): Just like every morning, we started with breakfast, then did our Flag Ceremony and finished our certification. After that, we went to Navajo Lake and we got to go on a boat. And when we got out on the lake, we all jumped in. When Aspen and Kendi were in diving position, everyone thought they were crazy. And yes, all of the girl's thought the water was freezing - actually melted snow from the winter. After the lake, there were only four girls plus the leader who wanted to go on the hike to Cascade Falls. There was Max, Kendi, Aspen, Sister Stout, and Lizzy Larson. We came back with some terrific pictures to find a delicious dinner cooked by our leaders.

After the Flag Ceremony we had a guest speaker, by the name of Norm Bangerter. After he left, we had a Testimony meeting. Everyone had such strong testimonies, and we were all crying. But can you blame us? That's just girl's camp!!! After testimony meeting, some of the girls went home. Avonlea and Mailea went home to welcome their new baby brother. And Alicia went home because she got sick. Then we all got to enjoy a good night's rest for the trip home tomorrow and a wonderful time at girl's camp.

Saturday, July 11th (Day 4): In the morning, everyone awoke with the sun and enjoyed breakfast. After breakfast, we hurried to get ready to go home to a shower. Putting down the tents (hives) was not that big of deal. But leaving girl's camp was going to be hard because even if it is your second or third year, you still probably had a lot of fun. When everything was packed up and put away, we said a prayer and left for our nice warm beds and our showers. And that was Girls Camp 2009!

Tuesday, July 7, 2009

It's A Boy for Marvin and Vicki Dove

Marvin and Vicki Dove are part of a growing population of American grandparents - in nearly 2.5 million households - who are fulltime custodial caregivers to minor grandchildren. Nationwide, this societal shift in parenting responsibilities is due to any of a variety of serious problems such as drug or alcohol addiction, financial hardship, mental illness, incarceration, domestic violence, divorce and other issues.

Last week, Marvin’s youngest daughter Valerie - a single mother with three small boys of her own - officially adopted 3 ½ year old Reilly after his birth mother signed away her parental rights. According to his new birth certificate and social security number, his name is now Reilly Marvin Dove. About 90% of the time, his home is with his great-grandparents where he has lived since the day his mother dropped her 13-month-old son off with little more than a few diapers and some baby food. "He had nothing, so right after we got him, we went shopping for a crib, high chair, car seat, clothes, diapers . . . everything!" notes Vicki. "At a time when other people our age are relaxing and enjoying retirement, we are scheduling ‘well baby’ checkups, researching the going rate for baby sitters, and child proofing the house!"

Vicki says Reilly loves his Grandma, but "he absolutely adores his Grandpa. He loves everything Grandpa does and says." The toddler particularly enjoys helping Grandpa in his lawn care business - even occasionally riding along on the big mower. Vicki admits it’s sometimes hard keeping up with their busy and curious little guy, but knows "the Lord is mindful of us and of Reilly and, there’s no question . . . he’s certainly going to keep us young!"