Camp Kiesel with the Girls...

maggie...ashlyn...breanne...vanessa

Glad we are done with day camps for another year! Don't get me wrong, they are great and the kids LOVE them, and I really do love going with them, but it totally wears me out and I still don't get how that happens because I'm not the one running the obstacle course or playing all the games, I'm just a warm body hanging out with the women in my ward who have joined me in a day at camp, sometimes shooting the bb guns a little, maybe joining in on bow and arrows, not doing much to physically exert myself, but I still come home exhausted...maybe it's because when we get into those canoes, my pulse quickens and I realize it's game time and we have to win at collecting the most alligator eggs and when I'm trying to tell my oldest daughter, who's sitting in the front of the canoe, what to do and she looks back with the look of "Be quiet, mom!" I know I've gone too far...but I smile at her with love which makes her even more mad at me. It's funny that I can see how easily I am starting to embarrass McKenna in almost any situation, whether it's joining in on the dorky skits with the leaders at day camp, singing along to the songs on the radio when her friends are in the car or sometimes it's just because I'm in the same room with her...and I'm breathing...it all makes me smile (most of the time)! Our relationship is changing and evolving and I need to find where I fit in and how much space to give her. She's getting her own cell phone this week...she doesn't know this but Garrett's been looking for a few days and found her the coolest, purple phone and she's going to love it. He's been programming it and is so excited to put it under her pillow this weekend for her to find. He was so excited just to show it to me...so, I know he's pretty dang excited to give it to her. I love to see him like this! But seriously, when did she get to be old enough to have her own cell phone? The other day I found her in my closet trying on my clothes...and they fit her, they are a little loose, but she's wearing my clothes and my shoes...I think she's even taller than me now. The other day I couldn't find my favorite black shoes and guess where I eventually found them...in her closet! Wow, that was a lot of rambling...
Anyway, day camp was fun. Fun because I got to see my girls having a blast, but mostly fun because I got to spend some time with my good friends Shelly, Felicity and Lisa and because at one point, Justin, the youth leader had to reprimand Felicity and me because we couldn't stop laughing...here is one of the pictures we were cracking up over and here he is trying to look mad.I know it's not right that we laughed so hard while he was trying to explain gun safety, but when you see a funny picture of yourself or your good friend you can't help but laugh...and laugh hard we did!! I think I even snorted a few times...and that didn't help. Wow that takes me back to my youth! It was a great day.
We hurried home to get McKenna to her first game of the La Roca tournament that goes all week long and enjoyed dinner from Wingers and Father's blessings for Ashlyn and Colt as they prepare to begin a new school year in the morning.This really is a horrible picture of all of us...we all wondered why we even showered this morning. We are not perfect women, I think that's I love them so much and why I have to include this picture in my journal...we are not perfect, but we are doing good things. We are living the Gospel and teaching our children the Gospel. These women are great friends. I count on them and I love them.