You Go Girl!

After watching the Democratic Convention this week and being bored out of my brains, I was so excited this morning when I heard John McCain's Vice Presidential pick. Sure I was hoping for Mitt Romney, (there is always the cabinet positions to be filled) but Sarah Palin is fabulous. The more I listened to her speak this morning the more I got excited for this election. She will be a great asset to the ticket, and the country! Wow, a woman...I am so giddy I can hardly stand it. So check out McCain's website later today for more details about her, she is amazing! Bye for now, just wanted to share my excitement...

Jacob's First Week of Kindergarten!

Jacob was both nervous and a little scared for the first day of school! We went to his appointment time and I listened to the teacher's speel (which I have had to give so I kind of wasn't listening to well--imagine that). While I was pretending to listen he colored and cut a project and played with puzzles. Following the meeting we walked around the school and found his name on the AM-Kindergarten list, and I showed him the office and cafeteria. Then we went to the grocery store to get stuff for his lunches. On a side note--I am all about the applesauce or diced fruit cups. After two days of cutting an apple and getting uneaten brown slices, I decided it was wasteful!

Tuesday was his official first day! He was a little scared, but Trevor and I walked him to his classroom and helped him put his backpack down and get his purple "Walk" punch card. Trevor walked a few times with him around the little track, and then it was time to line up. He didn't even cry, he saw a little girl have a fit and he looked at her kind of weird so I think he decided to be a big boy. As I was walking away, he yelled "I love you, Mom!' It was then I started balling like a baby all the way back to the car with Trevor. He is such a good little boy, and so independent! He earned a "Bear Buck" today for being extra polite! We are so proud!

Thank you to my good friend Alicia for sending Jacob his own special box of school supplies. What a neat gift! Also, many thanks to Grandma Russell for buying some school clothes and his backpack, and Great-Grandma Beylik for his matching lunchbox! Here are a few more of my favorite pics from the week...

Jacob and his teacher, Mrs. McCain.

Everyday Trevor is so excited to see his brother he walks right up and sits with him and his class while I sign Jacob out for the day.

Jacob, Preston (the little boy I babysit), and Trevor, watch the bus drive away, this is something that is very interesting and exciting for them to witness for some strange reason!

Goodbye Sony, Hello Canon!

This has been a good camera, and will continue to get used! But I am entering a stage in my photography that I would like it to be more artistic, than just snapshots. I can marry my Scrapbooking (traditional and digi) with my photography interest as well so that makes it all worth it. After months of discussing, begging, etc. my hubby and I decided to go with the Canon 40D. I was wanting the Rebel Xsi, but as he put it, as well as others, I might as well spend the extra $$ now and get one that totally rocks, because I would want it later!! I read the manual, well most of it, and bought a book and read the first few chapters...but I am still totally confused about how all this stuff works. I am helping my friend with a wedding gig this weekend so she is going to help me understand it all better I am sure. Either way, as long as it is in focus and not overexposed you can always fix it with Photoshop! I am planning to take some coursework at the community college as well to better understand all of this Photography stuff, but for now it is learning as I go...like for instance, I have never seen a camera that comes without a lens...it just had a capped off hole in it. I guess it is a huge welcome to the dSLR world!!

Family Trip

The week after Girl's Camp was spent preparing for our family trip to Utah. We left on Thursday, July 31st, and we took one day to make the drive and I must say our boys are awesome in the car! The first several hours they just colored and played with their Leapster stuff. Then it was about the movies. We made it in 2 gas stops and one extra potty break...it was the same number of stops on the return trip!

Anyhow, we spent the first couple of days with my sister Kyla and her family in Spanish Fork. On Friday we went the the Dinosaur Museum at Thanksgiving point. My cousin Jessamyn, and brother Branden also went. Afterwards we went to lunch at Cafe Rio---a favorite place to eat of ours. Later we BBQ'd at Kyla's, and anxiously awaited the "Breaking Dawn Release Party" at Borders. I have never in my life done anything like that, and I have no regrets! It was a blast staying up late to get a book!

On Saturday, we went to the "This is the Place" Monument and Heritage Village. My sister Kerri came with us too! We had fun going on a wagon and train ride, visiting the petting zoo, pony rides, and all around being hot. I would highly recommend it if you haven't been to do the new stuff. The rest of the day we just relaxed and hung around back at my sister's house.

On Sunday, we drove to Vernal and spent some time with Eric's grandmother, Aunt and Uncle, and cousin. While in Vernal the boys also got to go to another Dinosaur Museum, and ride big horses, with real cowboy hats! A big thanks to Eric, Mechelle, and Kellie for letting us hang out on the farm with them.

After the stops in Vernal we headed up the mountain to Green's Lake on Monday evening. We stayed in a family member's trailer-the boys loved it, and so did we! We hiked, kayaked, went boating, fed fish, and ducks, and a ton of other stuff! By Friday I was done, in many ways, and ready to get home...so were the boys, Jacob starting asking about home, and his bed, and Cartoon Network. You know all the things you miss about being in your own home!

On Saturday we headed to Ogden to see my Grandma Russell for a short visit, and then to visit our friends--the Kirschmans! We were home safe and sound by 7:00 pm on Sunday, August 10th! Sorry to all our other Utah family members we didn't get to see, I hope that since I saw you all in April you will forgive us. A big thanks to all the Vernal family for being so generous with your time and talents in making this a memorable trip!! So there you have a short recap of our trip...hope you are all bored out of your brains!!

Girl's Camp 2008

When I received my new calling I was asked if I would go to Girl's Camp, I said sure without hesitation...until I remembered where it was--BIG MEADOW!! For those of you who need a reminder, there are no showers (except the ones you build), flushable toilets, or any other civilized accommodation. My first question was "how many days?" and then as the time approached "is it going to rain?" We were so blessed to not have any rain (as stated in previous posts there were flash floods in our region)! I remember the year it rained in my youth up at Big Meadow, it is miserable when your tent, sleeping bags, clothes, and shoes are all wet, and no way to get them dry! Anyhow, the weather was perfect and we all had a blast. It is fun being a leader, I got to hang around camp, and wander around watching the girls do all of their certifications, and events. Here is the only really decent picture of me...

And not so decent...we fit 10 girls in the latrine with the door shut, me included!