6.15.2011

{ Austin’s Crossing Over Into 11 Year Old Scouts }

Austin crossing over to 11 year old scouts blog

I remember when Austin started Scouts thinking how I would ever learn all of this stuff. Despite the fact that I had many brothers, I never paid too much attention to the finer details of Scouting. Austin entering into Cub Scouts changed all of that. Now, three years later, we are ending a journey of sorts, and starting a new one with his journey in the Boy Scouts is just beginning. He has been so excited to finally start attending 11 year old scouts. Today we had the official crossing over ceremony, along with the presentation of the rest of the awards he earned as a Webelo Scout. He earned his Arrow of Light, some more activity badges, and his Religious knot.

Aaron and him already went to get a new Scout book and a new uniform with pants, shorts, and belt. He was able to attend the 11 year old camp this year put on by the Stake. He was super excited to finally go camping! Aaron went up for one night and day and got to go on the hike with them. I still need to pull off the pictures from Aaron’s phone of them there. He was able to pass off a bunch of requirements with the other boys, and loved getting to hang out with other boys his age.

We are so proud of all his hard work in Scouting. He loves being active and in the outdoors, it’s almost a match made in heaven for this kid. Now, if his mom could just get her act together and sew all his patches on-that would be great too. Still working on that one.

6.12.2011

{ Brianna’s 13th Birthday }

Brianna 13 year old pictures blog Brianna 13 year old pictures 2 blog

Brianna 13 close up blog

Brianna 13 3 blog

Dear Brianna,

I am not exactly sure when 13 started seeming so old to me. The years seem to be slipping by now. Each year I am in awe at how beautiful you are-both inside and out. You amaze me with your talents and your love for life. I am constantly impressed with your love for your family, and the gospel. I am so proud of you. You have a drive within you to work hard and get things done when they need to be-a talent I so admire in you. I love to watch you hang out with your friends, try new things, and be excited for what’s ahead. One of your favorite sayings is,”I can’t wait until…” You love to look forward to things to come. That excitement is contagious and it helps us be excited too.

At 13 you are more comfortable in Young Women’s, get to now wear makeup!, are working hard to earn money for an ipad, and babysit for others and us all the time. You like to swim (and love your new swim suit-the black one from Delia’s), like to watch shows on Netflix from the Disney channel and also old reruns of Bewitched, have finally admitted you love your curly hair and have found a new way to get your curls just the way you like, and love activities with the youth (Wednesday night activities, BYF at our house on Sundays, ward activities, anything to be with your friends.)

You are now as tall as I am and we almost wear the same size shoe. We have already started sharing necklaces and some of my shoes seem to find their way in your closet sometimes (which I secretly love to know you approve of my fashion choices). You are on your second year of having your braces, and will be very happy when they are off. You love to eat homemade pizza, dumplings, and cereal.

It’s fun to see how you’ve grown in the last 13 years as well as how much you have stayed the same. When you were only one, you would refuse to go to sleep if Daddy and I were still awake-you had to be where the action was. Now, you still love to be where the action is. You love to be wherever daddy and I are, knowing what we are talking about, and who it affects. We love having you around!

I hope you will always have a love for life like you have now. I hope you will remember being 13 and how great it was. I hope you will know you are so loved!

Happy Birthday!

Love, Mom

Brianna and mom 13 blog

Brianna 13 Years & Monae 33 Years

6.08.2011

{ Girls Camp With Air Conditioning/Our House With No Air Conditioning }

Girls camp 2011 blog

Who would have thought a trip to girls camp in the middle of the hot summer would be cooler than your own house? A few weeks before Brianna and the other girls in our ward were to head out to girls camp, a tornado came through Pine Mountain and destroyed part of the camp. The camp directors tried hard to find another camp site so that Stake Young Women’s Camp could still go on. They secured a camp and rumors floated around that this camp had air conditioning! The girls were ecstatic. Every year they suffer with record breaking heat, and they were so glad to have some reprieve.

Fast forward to a few days before Brianna leaves and our air conditioning breaks. This was one experience that frustrated me so much abut renting-you were always at the mercy of the Property Managers who were at the mercy of the home owners who in turn were at the mercy of the 2-10 warranty company they were trying to use. I was wanting someone to blame and everyone was trying hard, but we were miserable! After the air conditioner guy had made his third visit at our house, I was about to hold him hostage if he wanted to leave without fixing it. Okay, not really, but hot weather does funny things to ya. At worst I sure would have shed some tears for him.

We got fans delivered to our house, spent a night at a friends house in the ward (heavenly to be in air conditioning again!), and suffered through our house being 91 degrees inside. I was humbled to say the least, and after two weeks of suffering we finally got our air conditioning working again. Never did 74 degrees feel so good!