MDA Camp

In June I had the wonderful opportunity to participate in a week long camp with the Muscular Dystrophy Association.  This summer camp is once a year at the Salt Lake Airport Hilton.  MDA camp is a place where kids can forget their disabilities and be known for who they are inside.  Many of these kids count down the days until they can return to this wonderful place again.  Its great to see the interaction each child has with a friend they only see this one week at camp.

I've never participated in such an activity before and I am so grateful I had the experience.   At the start of the week we had to turn in our car keys, cell phone, and lap tops if you brought them.  A week with no communication to anyone outside of the camp and nothing worldly interfering with you and the kids.  The first day of camp you get to meet your camper and the bonding begins.  I was paired up with Katie, she is 17 years old.  She was pretty quiet but when you'd get her going- she had quite the stories to tell!

My favorite part of camp was the dances.  It was so fun to see everyone out on the dance floor- wheelchair and non-wheelchair.  It didn't matter who you are, what you look like, how tall, thin, wheelchair.. whatever- no one was shy and just loved to be dancing.  I met so many wonderful kids and it was such a joy to watch their faces as we swayed back and forth to the music.  One night we dressed as our favorite movie character and I was Belle.  I had the sweetest girl tap me on the shoulder (her volunteer was holding her) and she asked if she could dance with Belle.  She was adorable.

I still can't get over how respectful and patient these kids are.  Some of them can't even do daily little tasks without the aid of someone and never did I hear them complain.  They are so concerned with others and making sure their friend is OK or someone else is getting helped before them.  It was truly a humbling experience.  How often do we gripe that we can't do something, when physically we can... but in the moment we may not be able to.  These kids are limited in what they can do-- but they make the best of what they have and it enjoy to their fullest potential.

 My amazing cousin who introduced me to such a great camp!

 Destiny.. she was apart of my group. AKA- Tickle Monster

 Katie, me and Allison

 Movie character dance.  We were all princess!

 This is the Place Monument.

 We spent the day at Hollywood Connections

 Zack is a ladies man... he was out with every girl!

Fireman Day

Wheelchair races!

Sheesh...

I didn't think I was so behind in blogging... I guess I shouldn't be too surprised since I just got caught up in my journal since March... hahaha!

Don't worry, I'm getting the courage to sit down and blog.  Some pretty fun posts should be coming out soon.

There's MDA, Lake Powell, family campout, and more!

Father's Day!

As tradition goes... Father's Day = Camping!

This year we packed up the 5th Wheel and went to the Ponderosa Campground in Nephi.

What started out as the entire family, slowly turned into only five of us... barely.

Thursday night Brooke ended up having her appendix removed.  She is doing great and appendix free now!  As you can guess... Josh, Cindy, and the girls stayed home this weekend.

Jason and Lindsay went up Friday to spend the day/evening and head home after dinner.  Me, Jake and Shalise planned on going up once I got off work.  However, Shalise started feeling sick so the three of us ended up staying home instead.  Saturday morning we made our way to the campground.  I'm glad to say that we had THREE discs off GLEE TUNES and the drive there was awesome.

Once we were there it was non stop fun.  Surprised Gar Bear with a Pinata of himself which had his Father's Day gifts inside, but he couldn't open it until Sunday.  So Senior Gar Bear hung outside until the morning. 

Jake brought his BB Gungs and I had brought my {innocent} water guns so as he was fiddling with his guns, I went and filled up mine to attack the innocent bystanders.  It was great!  So after squirting each other I thought of a game to play with the guns!  Let me clarify, the WATER guns.  

Do you all know the game of Spoons?  Where you have spoons in the middle of the table, one less than the number of people playing, and your trying to get a match of four cards as your passing cards around the table.  All while keeping an eye on the spoons to see if anyone has taken one?  You take a spoon as soon as you have four of a kind and once someone has it- its free game to grab a spoon.  Last one to grab a spoon gets an "S" and the game begins!  You play until you spell "SPOON" and then your out.

Well, in my version- same concept but you spell "WATER" and once you grab your gun and everyone has one- you squirt the one person you didn't get the gun!  Oh it was a hilarious!

It came down to me and mom.  She won and tied the score so it was anyones game... 

but in the final round.... I won the duel!

Our night ended in delicious Mexican Delight Dutch Oven dinner and Cherry Cobbler, Dutch Oven style too.  Then we watched a movie and went to bed.  Only to wake up to pouring rain the morning!  That was a little disappointing but it didn't stop the Pinata!

After breakfast burritos Gar Bear broke open his Pinata to some Mexican Fiesta music and loved his gifts.

Then we cleaned up and headed home.  Cut short thanks to the rain- but it was a great short and sweet camping trip!  Here are some more pictures!

 Wallie's first camping trip... he LOVED it!

 Making Breakfast

 Mom shooting..

 Jake and Shalise's new tent!  First time using it!

Wallie loves car rides and loves hanging out the window!!

PS- I know he looks gross... he's getting a hair cut this week!!!

Summer Fun

I am getting terrible at this!  Each night I lay in bed and think of a blog post... but as you can see I never accomplish it!

So for now.... until I feel like writing something meaningful... just enjoy some summer fun pictures!

 Tandem Bike Ride with Mom

 Pool side fun with Shalise, Jake, and creepy Mullet Man

 Bike rides with this handsome fella!

Tandem Ride

What do you do when the weather is perfect for a bike ride for two?!

TANDEM RIDE!

Evil Kitty...

My friend asked if I would house sit and take care of her dogs while they went out of town for the night.  Lucky for me, they also ended up watching one of their friends cats for the weekend, which turned into me watching the cat also!

I asked Jessie if she'd want to have a night out with me and of course... Justin Beiber so we were both exciting for a girls night together!


                                                                

I've never had a huge issues with cats and I used to adore them.. but that changed when I had to share a house with one 24/7.  I don't know what was with this kitty... but it was made of something different and it almost killed me!  OK... that's exaggerating a wee bit... but let me just make this more dramatic.

Upon arrival I let the kitty in the house, which I had to climb half way in her kennel to get the darn thing out, hold on to it tight so it wouldn't run away while we walked from the garage to inside the house and then when in the room down stairs, I let it go.  All within 2 minutes maybe.

As I was sitting there enjoying Bieber my eye started feeling funny.  I'm sure I rubbed it or tugged at an eye lash thinking something was in it.  Within a few minutes I finally give in and go look in a mirror. 

EEEK!

There is a hive, my eye is all puffy and a once white eyeball is now red!

Never had this kind of reaction before!

So bed time came around for the animals and Wallie decided to come with me to get the kitty.  I didn't think anything of it since it's Wallie and he was always (well, usually) nice to the kitty I had before.  Although this black kitty- wanted nothing to do with Wallie.  So I grab the kitty and she's freaking out because of Wallie and eventually her claws dig into my arm and I throw her as the blood comes oozing out of two deep cuts!

 The night ended with me and Jessie trying to get the kitty in its kennel with out touching it since we were both allergic to it.  She was taunting it with its little feather toys and trying to scoot it along.  It was hilarious watching her try to get the kitty in its box!