BBD 2009

BBD 2009 was great! We had all the essentials for a successful camping trip. Bags of trail mix, huge tub 'o' gum, personally decorated sun visors, and a wildflower centerpiece. We were in for a great five days at Barton Flats in the Angelus National Forest. (Big Bear was 26 miles further down the road.)

The end of and era.....

The camping box has served its purpose and will now go into the history books and be next years campfire fuel. Dave has come up with an idea that won't be so heavy, awkward and big. I know you're all on pins and needles, but you'll just have to wait until next year. Sorry!

Our first night in camp was very very cold. Morgan had been given this Strawberry Shortcake sleepingbag (rated to 78 degrees!) by her neighbor and was bound and determined to use it. After the first full night of shivering, she gladly traded (permanently) for the red sleeping bag that we had brought for Shadow to lay on. Shadow didn't seem to mind.

It was a very relaxing trip. We hung around camp a lot and just did whatever came up. This particular morning grampa happened to find some mini marshmallows and some marshmallow guns just lying in the back of his car. Imagine that!

We sat around and told jokes.

We found a new game and it proved to be a hit! Everyone can play and did. Mario vs. Morgan, Janet vs. Faye, Ellen vs. Danny, Scott vs. Jody, Scott vs. Austen, Scott vs. Dave, Scott vs. Morgan (Scott likes to be active!)

Mitsi started reading Twilight.
Hope she has nothing else planned for the summer.....

Austen boned up on Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince as he, Jody, Faye, Ellen, Danny, Mitsi and Mitchell would all be going to the midnight showing on opening night!

We did get some action in and went on some hikes. Mitchell was given some bad information by the camp host so we never did find the beginnings of the Santa Ana River. After consulting Mitchell's map though, we know where we went wrong and will find that river next time!

Beck found the hike to be very relaxing and not a strenuous activity at all!
I am still in awe that Jody hiked with this sleeping baby on her back for a good hour!

It was a good hike, although you probably can't tell by Austen's facial expression.

And just to prove that we really were out in the wild..............

Fundraising (fun?) anybody?

As you all know, we had a fundraising project to get our girls to camp. We took orders and made Giant 10" Chocolate Chip Cookies for Father's Day. It was a success, and as with any project, you always learn something. Here are some of the things we learned:


It takes a lotta stuff to make cookies! And you find that once you get all your stuff over to the building that you have STILL forgotten stuff at your house that you wish you would have brought. But, being from pioneer stock, you make do.


You need three mixers going so that you can fill huge bowls with lots and lots of cookie dough (usually need to sample often for quality control!) so that lots and lots of hands can make lots and lots of cookies. (70 to be exact)

When you call your building coordinator and find out that the Spanish Ward has already reserved the kitchen for the evening that you need because they are making tamales for their camp fundraiser DO NOT BE UPSET! Believe it or not, this is a wonderful blessing in disguise. They had no problem in letting us use the ovens since they didn't need them, so we forged ahead. (Pioneer stock, remember?)

What we thought was going to be sheer disaster turned into the biggest blessing of the evening. It forced us to set up in the cultural hall and as it turned out, we had so much more room than if we would have used the kitchen. Need more counter space? No problem. Simply set up another table.

Our finished product, waiting for pick up on the Saturday morning before Father's Day. Did I mention that we had plenty of room to spread out?

And as you can see camp was great! Only two girls had to pay a little bit of something out of their pockets and that was because they didn't do the Valentine's Day fundraiser. I guess fundraisers are kind of like labor - you forget the bad parts until you go through it again and only remember the good stuff because I'm thinking about the great time the girls had at camp and what to do for next year.

Certainly doesn't slow down though, 'cause now I'm off to WalMart/Michael's/JoAnn's to get the supplies we need for tonight's Mother/Daughter Jewelry making evening. (Thank goodness for Pioneer Stock!)