camp. hike. eat. sleep. play. learn. grow.

I love girls camp. I loved it as a youth. I love it as a leader. I love it as a mom. And I love that my girls love camp. (This was Tana's 4th year, Kenne's 3rd year, and Tater's 1st year.) Camp provides a week away from "real" life. The girls are taken out of the world and placed in an environment--in nature--where opportunities to feel and recognize the Spirit and strengthen testimonies abound.

This year at camp the hike was tougher than in previous years. Our cute camp director (Cody Sanders) and assistant (Nancy Holman) talked to the girls about how important a good attitude is in life and how important it is to believe in yourself. Mantra's like Dory's from Finding Nemo, "Just keep swimming! Just keep swimming!" and The Little Engine That Could, "I think I can. I think I can." My personal favorite is "I can do hard things" by Elaine Dalton. No matter what quote you choose the message is the same--Believe in yourself. You can do it!

I love that my girls have righteous, spiritual, enthusiastic, fun, funny, really great examples of on-the-ball, outgoing, dedicated wives and mothers as their leaders. Camp was super fun because of them!

I don't know how many years I'll be at camp with my girls--so far I'm 4 for 4 with Tana, 3 for 3 with Kenne, and 1 for 1 with Tater. Hopefully that trend will continue!! But even if I'm not there, I love that they have each other!

Tana and Kenne came home from girls camp and just a few days later packed up and headed off to cheer camp. It is a super fun but very exhausting week. They work hard and come home absolutely worn out. I love that my girls are having this experience together this year. I feel like Tana and Kenne have already grown closer because of cheer. What mom wouldn't love that?! (Don't get me wrong--they still act like normal teenage sisters: they bicker and complain, but they're sharing experiences and friendships that they didn't last year.)