6 F's

This 4th of July has got to be one of my best 4th of July's ever! 

The day started out with a small but nice breakfast before Mom, Dad, Erik, James, Emjae, Julie, Clint Mihaere, his son Noah, a kid from our ward Anthony,and I went shooting. We didn't go very far and it was nice that I was able to go and that the girls could come too. I didn't know how they would handle being out there, or even if they would keep their ear protection in. We got up there and both girls didn't want to put in their ear protection so we put them inside the truck and some how James was able to get them to wear it and not take it out! Defiantly a miracle worker that day :) 

Mom hit a clay pigeon! Shocker I know, but she did. I got 3 and I everyone else hit at least 1. And for those that are wondering how my hubby did....well.....

lets just say don't think about flying into my house without permission :) We also wanted the girls to shoot a gun. 

We want them to be comfortable around them and to not be afraid. They need to know the rules and why and when they are to be used, but if we don't start to teach them now it will be a bit more difficult when they are older.

When we drove back to the house we got some food, our swim suits and towels, and headed over to Clint's house to go swimming and hang out. Erik didn't make it because he was working at a Fireworks booth and James showed up just a little later than us with Helton and Grey.

By the end of swimming we were pretty well exhausted and could have ended our day there with satisfaction and fulfillment, but it wasn't over yet. 

There was a quick 2 hour stop at the house with baking and making. Then we headed over to Henry and Geneals. Grandma is till here so she was there, Gina and her crew, and Becca with hers were there. It was pretty low key which was nice and what we needed. There was plenty of food, as usual, and there was plenty of friends and family. 

The girls were starting to get tired around 8:30-9 so we started to head home. We didn't buy fireworks and no one in the family bought fireworks, but last year straight up the street about a mile away is a great spot were people shoot their fireworks and were you can see the whole Vegas valley being lit up with color. 

We live close enough to the air force base that we were even able to see their firework show pretty good. James was watching and keeping the girls entertained. He and Julie kept showing off their "MUSCLES"!!!!!!

The day was packed with 6 great F's....Family, Friends, Fire arms, Food, Fireworks, and Fun!!!!!

Thunder Storm

I think the better words for our thunder storm on Sunday night would be Power Outage Storm.

Our fast Sunday started out good and was seeming to come to a nice end after our dinner meal of banana bread, scrambled eggs and hashbrowns (breakfast for dinner) :) James had picked out a movie for all of us to watch and we all sat down to enjoy it. We were about 30 minutes maybe into our movie, Secretariat, when all of a sudden our power just went out. It was a little upsetting but, oh well not to much we could do about it. It started to rain and Opa said "lets go play in the rain," it soon turned to fast rain and a lot more rain and it wouldn't be a thunderstorm with out tons of lightning and thunder.

We came inside after trying to take shelter under the small overhang of the garage and some of use were soaked. We opened the windows and door because the storm dropped our temperature from 97 degrees to 77 degrees in a matter of minutes.  James strummed on the guitar with Emjae,

Julie played with blocks on Oma's lap,

and Opa was reading and playing with his touch.
An hour had passed and the power still was not on. I lit some candles because we needed some light.

But after awhile we decided to head outside and watch the lightning that had now moved from where we were to another part of the valley. It was a pretty amazing show!! It looked like this sometimes.

Nate and Sarah decided to drive over to visit Mom and Dad since they hadn't seen them yet. After standing for awhile my husband suggested we take a walk. So we walked along the wash and got to see all the lightening and all the fireworks that everyone was setting off, since there was nothing else to do. (and here in Vegas, everyone has the illegal ones that shoot upwards and go off in the sky)
When we got back to the house the power was still out and it started to turn hot and muggy. We pulled out chairs, James went and got the ice cream from inside and 1 spoon. His reasoning for 1 spoon was "I'm the one doing dishes tonight so if you want some ice cream we will eat it out of the carton and share the spoon." :) Smart thinking except it is now Tuesday morning and he still hasn't done the dishes yet, but you wont hear any complaining from me because he has to do the dishes from yesterday and this morning too :D

Finally around 10:15 the power turned back on. After 3 or so hours we finally had power again. Mom put Julie to bed and then we finished watching our great movie!
What started out as a great night and had turned into what I thought would be a horrible night, ended up being a great start to the holiday. It was time that I got to enjoy family and friends without distractions.
We later learned that 10,000 customers were without power that night for a period of time. 

Change or Enhance?

So I keep looking in my dining room and trying to figure out what I can do to enhance its potential and to make it look more appealing to the eye. Recently I was at walmart with my mother to try and find some free body wash and razors and a few other things. We happened to walk down an isle that had some table cloths and place mats and a few other things. We stopped to look and my mom asked me if I would use a table cloth if she bought one. I told her yeah I would. I use to hate table cloths for some reason and with the kids and all the pulling on it that they would do, I was turned away from the idea, but I wanted to give it a shot. Of course it was on clearance too :) (can't stop the savy shopper) I also bought 3 place mats that I was going to use as decoration for the walls.
Anyways we bring it home and I don't open it until 2 days later. I love the table cloth and so does my hubby, but he didn't like my placement of place mats. He said "let me go get my bell bottoms out." So I took them off and was still trying to figure out what I could put on the walls!!!!!! I then had a brillant idea of a hanging wall fixture that I could put flowers in. I told my mom and she and I went out and looked at Ross, the 99cent store, Kohls and then we went to Dollar Tree. Dollar Tree had everything we needed, once again savy shopper came out. I purchased two baskets and I was going to wait until we got a paycheck before I went and bought flowers to fill it, but my Momma loves me and she purchased the flowers for me there as well.
 It took me another day before I put the flowers up, but I like it!! I need to take down one of the blinds and make curtains instead, but that will have to wait. Overall I think that I have enhanced the room from what it used to be. Erik my brother says that I just changed it, but to me Enhanced is a better word. I didn't just move things around and change it, but I placed new things around to enhance the quality of the room :)

This is what some of the room looked like

(everything was white!!!except the table, kids and hubby)

And this is now

Slowly but surely I will get the other things taken care of. I need to have something over the long blinds that lead to the back door and the blinds in the kitchen and the blinds on the wall you can't see next to the flowers will be taken off and have curtains put in its place. But not bad for only $16 so far!!!

Eagle Court of Honor

Congratulations Glen!!!!!!

(Yes I made the cake)

My cousin Glen just received his Eagle Scout. As far as I know, he is the first one in the family to have done that. My brothers got bored with scouts after awhile and my dad never got it. His father never got one nor did any of my uncles. I think maybe my cousin Brian may have it, but I am not even sure on that.
Any how....Congratulations on your hard work.
Thanks also for having it on our extended family home evening night. We had almost every one there. We were able to get a picture of all the 2nd cousins except for my cousin Mary's 2 kids (Olivia and Gavin) Lauras oldest boy Jacob and Amy's baby Erick.

This is a close up view without the pearl dust on the Eagle pin that I made.

Girls Camp

To be honest I only went to Girls Camp as a young woman for 2 years. My very first year was with my old Sacramento ward and my second was with my Spanish Fork ward in Utah. The first year was great and the 2nd year it snowed!!!!

If you were to ask me why I never went to camp again I don't think I would be able to tell you why. I am not sure if it was because I had sports camps that I had to do if I wanted to be on certain teams or if it was because I just decided not to go.

Either way I finally got to go again!! I wanted so badly to go in 2008 with the Inland Empire ward in California, and I was told that it would be fine even if I were to bring Emjae with me. (Emjae was only a couple months old) But later I was told that I couldn't. I was however able to go up one evening and be with the girls, but I know I missed out on so much. Now fast forward to June 20, 2011 and you would have seen me with 3 other leaders 2 priesthood holders and 14 girls setting up camp on Mt Charleston.

Our camp was only about an hour away from were we live, and you might think it is still too hot to be camping, but I think our high was only 84. It was beautiful weather!!!
Our theme was "Arise and Shine Forth....Shoot for the Stars."

 Each day we focused on something we could be just a little better at like more prayers, more steadfast, more loving, more testimony, and more faith. We did 3 hikes, (the 4th years, 2 ycl's, sister Henderson, and I did an extra hike), we made bracelets thanks to our very talented Bishop Whipple, painted blocks and totes, had a snipe hunt, skits, spiritual thoughts and all the other stuff that you do at girls camp.

I enjoyed my time up there. I was able to have more one on one time with girls and to see them in a different way. We all were able to talk and joke around and even have spiritual conversations out side of the spiritual thoughts. While we were up there we had a "Good Jar" and a "Bad Jar." At our fireside every evening we would throw all the papers that were in the "Bad Jar" into the fire, we then would share all the things written in the "Good Jar."
 
One evening a girl had written that she appreciated my knowledge/testimony and hoped to have one as strong as mine. It was very touching or me and I felt honored that someone would think that I had such a knowledge/testimony. I just hope and pray that the girl will be able to not only have what I have but be able to surpass what I am now.

While at camp I did miss my family :) The first night I missed my husband, and by the next morning I missed my girls too. It was nice to have a little bit of a break and to be reminded of how much they mean to me.

Who knows if I will be able to go next year or if I will be needed since it will be stake camp and not ward camp like this year, BUT I would take any opportunity I could get to spend time with the Young Women of the Desert Sage ward. All the good, bad and ugly moments are opportunities to learn, teach and grow. I know that there are some great young women that will make great mothers, leaders, and wives.

Father's Day

I am only able to celebrate Father's Day because I was born. Thank you Jon Burns aka DAD!!!!! I have a great father!
I also get to celebrate Father's Day because I have a great husband who is a proud DAD of Emjae and Julie!!!!! Everything that he has been through has helped him learn what to do and what not to do. He is an amazing Father who loves his children and thinks that they are angels. (yes, I think we need to have his brain checked too.)
Festivities started with breakfast burritos and ended with my amazing ribs, mashed potatoes, rice, broccoli and a salad. Of course like I promised I made a cake for Father's Day. I almost didn't do it, because well I didn't want too :) I thought it would be a little harder than what I thought, but it was probably the easiest cake that I have ever made.

Wait a minute I thought I said cake

 There it is :)

 This was our 4th of July/Grandparent picture. All the kids were ready for their naps!!! But before they went to sleep we not only needed that picture but we need hand prints and foot prints from all the grandkids for Opa. (Audrey's foot on the left, Riley's on the right, Julie's the yellow on the left and Emjae's the yellow on the right, with Erick being blue in the middle)

The Wallster

The Wallster
What is this? I think the better question is who is this? It apparently is a blog and means that there is a blogger behind that name who would choose to remain annonymous. I don't know how they found me nor do I care, my blog is open, I post updates on my facebook and if you want to read my blog you can and if you don't then you don't.
1. Let me just say that this blog and the things I write on this blog are my feelings, my thoughts, and my opinions.
2. I'm not ashamed or feel badly about what I write on my blog, I put it up and I make it open for anyone and everyone to see. I do not hide behind a invite only blog (I am not talking bad about my friends who keep their family blogs personal to protect information or keep things personal between close friends and family)
3. I don't feel a need to delete other peoples comments unless vulgar or offensive. People are allowed to their opnions.
4. I want to comment back to the comment that is the reason for this post

Wallster:
Well, I know a lot of the youth in the BG and FH wards and that's not the impression I get. If they seem other than how you'd like them to seem, consider that they might be used to a certain culture and certain attitudes toward things that are holy, and may not know how to respond to cultures and attitudes that are unfamiliar or confusing. Not that they are right, but who is right? And can being judgmental find itself into a post about someone else's judgmental qualities?

Me:
First off yes I may be making judgments on the way I was treated. Yes, there may be youth as well as adults in my ward who act not accordingly too. However we are members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints and we are taught not to treat others badly and to love all. I am not perfect at this attribitute and so I don't expect someone who is younger than me to be perfect at it either, but I felt as if I was completely treated like a bum from the street.
Now to say that they are used to a certain culture and certain attitude toward things that are holy, makes no sense to me and the topic of my post. What in my post was holy about basketball and the gym. What is so holy and different in culture and attitude from a ward that is only 2 maybe 3 miles away. Does the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints not teach the same principles, the same culture and same way of life? Also how does one person know my standing in life or my culture and attitude when I first walk into a gym, dressed in clothing that covers my body in a very respectable way, as well as those who I am with. The building that was to be used is a stake building and as such can be used by all who are in that stake. Not to mention we did not just show up and expect doors to be open, we brought a key with us that my husband has in his possesion because of a calling that he holds. The gym was not scheduled for one person or group so as such it was open to the stake members. If it was just said hey we planned on our group playing and we want to play full court can we take turns or something like that I don't think I would have been so offended (for we only could play half court with the MISSIONARIES). I don't care what ward that youth group was from I just happened to know from me being involved with youth and my brother being involved with youth. I know that the feelings I get are not only mine. Maybe I shouldn't have posted what wards they were from, but either way actions are what make a person and if we are to act a certain way then we will be percieved a ceratin way.
All in all the way I felt affects the things I write. My feelings may not always be correct and may be one sided. I do not write to offend any person as well. So if I have offended please accept my apology for doing so. I was frustrated and so I wrote about it.