Balle & Co.: Church sponsored "girls week" = GIRLS CAMP!!

Saturday as I was mowing the lawn I came across a big praying mantis. I mowed up to it and waited while it inched away. Then came back down the row and waited for it again. The 3rd time I reached it I stopped and said, out loud, "don't worry little guy, i'm not gonna get ya." It took me off guard. Never in the history of my lawn mowing have I stopped for pedestrians. I just mow over them. I've even shredded a couple garter snakes.

I was confused, but then realized, "ah…… girls camp!"

I got to spend a week at girls camp and it was a blast. It has taken me out of this negative funk I've been in over the past couple of years. Forty girls and 13 leaders. A stink'n riot! It was just our ward and we got to stay in a cabin up in Walsburg. All the leaders stayed in a big master bedroom, all the YCL's stayed in two back bedrooms and the rest of the girls stayed up in the huge loft area. I was surprised at how quickly I resorted into a 12yr old girl. haha

Our camp theme was, "Anchor your soul in Christ." Tues morning we met at the church, split into crews and decorated a crew flag. I'm always getting on my kids about potty talk and then all the sudden I'm with a bunch of adults and we can't decide between, "shake your buoy, I like big buoys or It's all about the buoy" as our crew name. And then of course couldn't quit laughing about it. From then on out it was pure laughter about anything and everything. Laughter is definitely the best medicine.

We left the church, headed up provo canyon to float the provo river.

Next day was devotionals, game day and certification stuff.

third day was devotionals, boating at deer creek, sec sister revealing, awards and testimony meeting.

Last day was devotional, lunch, clean and go home.

Fav's from the week

*Sis Allen (leisl) bowing and sarcasticlly saying, "You're welcome" after everyone was complaining about the river and how cold and miserable it was

*Most of the leaders forgetting to bring a bra (because we started in our swim suits)

*Laughing

*Coming up with words to our roll call song (shake it off by taylor swift) and including a bra line.

laughing uncontrollably about it and sis price's (tami) innocence.

*The girls being so good, responsible, accepting, creative and inclusive.

*Laughing

*Sis Allen and Sis Church (leisl & brook) facing each other in the dance off

*Sis Butler (kate) being able to kick all the girls buts in a handstand contest.

*Being up there with Kate (charlies mom)

*Kamae Orton teaching everyone her gossip song and all the cute verses she made up

*Laughing

*The girls testimonies

*Sis Butler and Allen (kate & leisl) freezing my bra. I only appreciated it because the girls thought it was pretty funny.

*Boating. The leaders on our boat

*Pranks

Sharing my favorite scripture with other leaders through a small, personal devotional.

Not really- watching taylor swift video to get moves for our roll call

Girls testimonies by the fire

The older girls were so funny and wanted to prank us so bad. They tried to hide out in our room to scare us when we all got in bed. It didn't quite work. The last night, about 1:30 in the morn we were headed to bed and I noticed the bear rug on the wall and thought, Oh man we have got to get this down and scare the girls with it. There were still some of them awake so half of us snuck out the back door, went round front and the other half pulled some girls out front. I was crouched by the bushes. Kate rustled the bush and I roared and they screamed like little girls. Well they actually are little girls. hahahahahahahahhaha

Then that night they covered our door in toilet paper.

The last morning we did a little walk around the cabin and had diff stops to talk about the 8 diff yw values and women in the scriptures who portrayed those values. Then ate and headed home