August: Ward Campout

What a wonderful Ward activity this was! It was great. Our ward reserved about nine cabins at the Heber Valley Girls Camp, and we had a ward campout. They had sign up sheets for the cabins on the Bishops door for a couple of weeks, and we ended up in a cabin with none other than Drew's favorite buddies Jonah and Nicole Dickerson. They were so excited to go. And lucky for us, we were able to use it as bribery for the entire week! In order to get the kids to do their chores all I had to say was "Drew . . . I would do it if I were you! You want to go on the camp out with Jonah don't you? . . . " I know, it's terrible, but it certainly worked.

We drove up that Friday night after Lamon got home from work. We got up there between 8 and 9 just in time for some smores and ice-cream. It was raining a lot of the time we were there, and that kept a lot of the people who planned on attending from coming. Honestly though . . . we were in cabins! Who's afraid of a little rain? I love a good thunderstorm myself! It certainly didn't keep us or the kids from having fun. The kids were in heaven! Fire, dirt, sticks . . . what could be more fun?

"You love hugs, and I do too!"

Tonight we were getting ready for bed and Hayden turned to me and said, "You know what I was just thinking? . . . You love hugs . . . and I do too! I LOVE hugs."

And if anyone knows Hayden, they can attest to that fact! He is quite the tender little boy, and he's not shy about giving people hugs!

Later as we were reading scripture stories and talking about how Jesus referred to himself as the 'Good Shepherd'. I was proud of Drew when I asked, "If Jesus is the Good Shepherd who loves and cares for his sheep . . . who are the sheep?" Drew smiled big and said, "We are the sheep!" By the way he was smiling it was as if he was saying, "How could you ask me such an obvious question?!"

Drew then said, "Jesus knows all of the languages doesn't he." I assured him that he certainly did know every language. I read to them about how Jesus told his disciples that He had other sheep not of this fold, and how when Jesus was resurrected he visited the people in America.

Hayden lit up at the mention of that story, and smiling like he had just thought of something wonderful and exciting he said, "You know what Mom? . . . When Jesus comes down . . . I'm going to give him a big hug!" When something like that comes out of a little four year olds mouth . . . how could it not melt your heart? And I can't lie, I got a little teary eyed as I told him, "Hayden, I think that Jesus would love getting a hug from you. He loves you!"

Boy do I love moments like those!

Oh I have a sweet little boy!!!

I know it may be a lofty claim but . . . I am pretty sure that I have one of the most tender hearted sweetest boys that has ever existed right here in my family. Each one of my kids is so amazing and has unique talents. One of Hayden's special talents is simply that he loves people. And he does! He is always telling me, "Mom . . . I love everyone. I'm everyone's friend." And he means it!

Hayden loves to hug. He is always hugging. It was really cute yesterday at my parent's missionary report in their ward. After the meeting was over, and my parents were making their way down the isle greeting friends and neighbors as the went, Hayden walks up to my Dad and says something like, "Hey! . . . How about a hug?" And then he immediately ran up to and wrapped his arms around Grandpa. It was pretty cute.

Today the kids were running around playing and I was sitting on the couch. All of a sudden Hayden pauses from his playing, runs over to me and gives me a hug and then runs off. As he is running he yells, "I love you!" And then a couple seconds later he continues . . . "Jesus made you special!" It was a sweet moment. But not nearly as sweet as what just occured tonight.

Today was a hard day for Drew as far as being obedient is concerned. At the end of the day we told Drew that from now on every time he is being knowingly disobedient he is going to be grounded from his best buddy Jonah for the remainder of the day. We chose that consequence because it is the one thing we could think of that Drew would be devastated about if it were to happen.

So after we read scriptures, said prayers, and read stories I turned the lights out and was putting away some laundry in the drawers. Hayden started saying something and it wasn't making a lot of sense. I said, "What are you saying Hayden?" And then he said, "It's just that . . . sometimes Drew lies." And then he went on, "Drew was spitting on me and he said it was rain."

Of course I wasn't too pleased about this bit of information and I started saying to Hayden (but really meaning for Drew to hear) "Well Hayden, if Drew spits on you again . . . you tell me! Because if he spits on you I am going to ground him from Jonah!!"

As soon as I said this Hayden burst into tears and was sobbing uncontrollably. I was surprised. I thought Hayden would be happy to know that his brother would be punished for spitting on him. I wrapped my arms around Hayden and said, "Hayden . . . what's the matter? You down want me to ground Drew?" And Hayden weeping said, "It's just that . . . I love him!! And if you ground him then he is going to be out of this world!"I was like, "What are you talking about?" He kept sobbing hysterically. I tried to make him understand. I said, "Hayden I love Drew too, but it is not okay for Drew to be spitting on you. That is why I said I would ground him." This didn't help at all though. He started crying louder. He kept crying trying to find air and stuttering, "I love everyone. I don't want you to ground Drew and his friends." He turned over and seemed like maybe he might calm down. I said, "Go to sleep bud." And I put his blanket over him. I went in our bedroom and was going to tell Lamon about how sweet it was that Hayden cared so much about whether I grounded Drew or not, and then Hayden started sobbing again. Lamon went in and laid next to Hayden and Lamon asked Hayden, "What is wrong?" I overheard Hayden tell Lamon, "Mom said that she was going to 'Drowned' Drew. But . . . I love him." The whole time my sweet little boy thought that I was saying I was going to 'drowned' Drew. That is why he said, "but then he would be out of this world!" I didn't quite understand that when he said it. I came in and grabbed Hayden and hugged him and assured him that I would never ever ever ever drowned Drew. That I loved him too! No wonder the poor kid was so devasted! I said to Hayden, "Hayden say 'GRRR . . . ound' Do you know what grrrround means?" He didn't have a clue. So I explained to him when someone says that they are going to ground their children from something, it simply means that they can't play with it/him. He was quite relieved to say the least. And I just can't stop thinking about how traumatic that must have been for Hayden when he thought I was saying 'drowned' and not 'ground'! He certainly does love his brother though, and of course couldn't bare the thought of not having him here with him for a moment. Sweet, sweet Hayden!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I love you!!

Drew's dreams come true today . . . apparently.

Drew has a friend that lives next door named Jonah. Jonah is Drew's best buddy. They play so well together. They climb trees and collect bugs . . . all the good things boys like to do . . . And in Drew's book Jonah knows everything.

One night I was reading the scripture story about when Jesus was in the temple and teaching all the men there. I wanted to make a point about how "smart" these men were that Jesus was teaching so that it would show how amazing it was that Jesus, a young boy, was teaching and answering their questions, and I asked Drew, "Who is the smartest person you know." He didn't take long to answer the question. I thought Mommy might understandably be the first answer . . . maybe Daddy. But no . . . he replied, "Jonah!" I then went on to assure him that Jonah was not the smartest person in the world. He is only 8. But then Drew went on telling me all sorts of things that Jonah had taught him. Many of the things were absolutely ridiculous. Among those things was that lighting came from the ground.

"Drew" I said, "there is no way that lightning comes from the ground. That is the silliest thing I have every heard." But he insisted.

The next day Jonah came over and was playing. Jonah turned to me and said, "You know what?" and he continued to tell me the same thing that he told Drew. "Did you know that lightning comes from the ground?" I turned to Jonah and I said flatly, "Jonah . . . you're wrong." He looked at me a little startled and then his Dad yelled for him to come home. He walked off and I was feeling a little bad for putting him in his place.

So later that night Lamon had me come down to watch a weather forecast on the computer. I was wondering why in the world he was having me watch it . . . and then he just told me. Dan Pope just said that 90% of lightning comes from the ground." Boy did I feel sheepish. I was like, "Oh great . . . this is not going to help me as I try to convince Drew that Jonah is not the smartest person in the world." I then stayed up and researched all about lightning. The next day I humbly apologized to 8 year old Jonah.

Anyhow, Drew idolizes his friend that's for sure. Today I was mowing the lawn, and Drew came outside. I said, "Drew, do you want to come out and push the lawnmower?" He has been begging me to mow the lawn because his friend Jonah mows their lawn. So he came out and grabbed on to the mower, and couldn't move it one inch. I put one hand on the mower with him and we started to push it across the lawn. He kept insisting he could do it himself . . . so I would let go, and he would use every ounce of strength to push that thing. Any time I grabbed on he would say, "No, I got it. I got it!" It took quite a long time for him to finish, and despite his insisting, I had to help him push a lot of the time. At the end I said, "Drew, You are so awesome! You can do big things!" He was so excited! He was smiling ear to ear. He was like, "That was hard, but I did it by myself! Now I am like Jonah! I told you I wanted to mow the lawn!" Then he turned to me and said completely serious, "My dreams have come true!"

So what are the chances that mowing the lawn will continue to make his dreams come true in say like 10 years? Wouldn't that be fabulous?

Hayden . . . a boy aware of modesty!

I thought this was pretty cute, so I thought I would share.

This morning the kids were all getting dressed before breakfast. I was in the kitchen and I overheard this conversation.

Hayden very sweetly said to his sister, "Ada . . . your shirt is not modest."

I went into the hall where they were, and sure enough Ada had put on a shirt with no sleeves that needed a shirt under it.

Hayden then put his arm around Ada and said, "Ada . . . do you want me to help you find a modest shirt?"

After a few minutes Ada returned with a shirt underneath her spaghetti strapped shirt. It didn't match, but I let her keep it on because I was so proud of my little boy!!!! What a good big brother! I thought it was pretty good for a four year old! :)

Update--Scout Camp/ July 2010

Every year for the last 5 years Lamon has gone on a week long Scouting Trip. This year was his first week long backpacking trip, and he took the boys up to the High Uintas. He was looking forward to the trip for a long time, and a week or two before the camp he went backpacking in the designated spot with some friends from work to sort of check things out. He came home assuring me that the hike was certainly not as hard as he had previously thought.

The night before they were to set off Lamon packed his pack and brought it down and weighed it. They suggest that when backpacking your pack should be less than a third of your body weight. Lamon's pack? . . . . more than 70 pounds!! Lamon doesn't even weigh a buck 50! So he would be carrying more like half of his body weight. He let me try it on, and I just about tipped over backwards. I was thinking that maybe I might be able to make it around the block. I was a little worried about Lamon's back at the end of a week carrying that thing!

I heard from various sources throughout the week that leaders who hiked in and out admitted that the hike was REALLY HARD, and that some leaders and some of the boys were struggling. So the entire week I was worried that all the boys were having a miserable time, and I even had a nightmare that one of the boys was miserable and left and got lost. Everyone was looking for him, and somehow I was suddenly there and looking for him too.

They did all make it home alive however. There were so many mosquitos up there. One boy got more than 100 mosquito bites on his hands within minutes. Luckily they were smart enough to buy mosquito nets for all of the boys to protect their faces. And they also had plenty of food, which I was a little worried about as well. They were able to catch plenty of fish, and their bags of food lasted them throughout the week.

I sure love Lamon. He is a great example to me. He loves his calling. He loves working with the scouts, and I am just amazed at how dedicated he is. What a man!

We have our very own waterpark in our backyard?!