"Once Upon a Princess"

Hawes Ward Young Women's aka Celebration Nation

Kolyn, Me, Jenna and Fernanda after a shower and our fun hike and swim in Fossil Springs.

Bro. Postma and Bishop Peterson at our Testimony Meeting...they so wish they could be Princesses

Hawes Ward Testimony Meeting

Me and Sister Roundy learning some new dance moves

My girls really know how to get down


Sis. McDowell showing the girls how to work the stilts

Sis. McDowell yelling "Yeah I'm finally as tall as Sis. Flaherty"

Me and my 4th years after a fun, very eventful day of repelling...see the big band-aid on my chin

Getting dry after canoeing in the Blue Ridge Resevoir...it was beautiful



Aren't my girls so cute?!!

In the truck on the way to Girl's Camp

Who says you stop going to Girl's Camp after being a YCL? I am so excited that my calling is in the Young Women's because I got to go to Camp LoMia as a 4th Year leader. Tuesday I woke up around 4am and it felt like Christmas morning because I couldn't stop thinking about how much fun I was going to have with my girls. This year's theme was "Once Upon a Princess" and each ward had it's own Kingdom name. Our Ward was Celebration Nation. The 4th Years were designated as the "Royal PAINS (Princesses Are interested in Nurturing Sisterhood". We met at the Stake Center at 6:30am, jumped in my truck and headed to Blue Ridge Resevoir for a day of canoeing. It was beautiful and the girls had so much fun learning how to "swamp" a canoe and get back in. We got back to camp that afternoon, showered and had some fun down at main camp.

The next day we headed off to repelling. I have never been repelling, but it sure sounded like a lot of fun. It was said that going "Aussie" style was much easier, but a little more scary at first. I decided to take the challenge and got geared up. I got my feet over the ledge and began to slowly lower myself so I was perpendicular with the mountain. It was an extremely intense feeling as I am looking at the ground way, way below. I was given the okay to take a step and I pretty much don't remember what all happened after that because it went so quickly. Apparently, when I took a step my feet were no longer spread apart, but were side by side (which is a big no-no in repelling) and I lost my balance and went plummeting sideways into the mountain. The left side of my head/face hit the mountain. I was pulled back up to ground and was told my chin was bleeding. My head was throbbing and all I could feel were little "rocks" in my mouth, which turned out to be pieces of my teeth. I chipped two teeth and gashed my chin...I knew there was a reason why Brett is in Dental school. Luckily, a little ibprofen and a bandaid got me back into the harness and this time I repelled down the mountain "regular" style. I am so glad I can say that I have repelled. I just don't think it's going to become a hobby.

That night was skit night and everyone did these really cute "Once Upon a Time" skits about princesses. Well, our ward decided to do something a little different, so all the girls learned the dance to Napoleon Dynamite. They all wore white shirts that said "Vote for Pres. Thornock". The girls did awesome.

Thursday was our hike day and we headed to Fossil Springs. It was such a beautiful hike and the end was definately well worth it. There was this big waterfall pouring into a body of water. The water was so clear and the girls had so much fun swimming in it. Unfortunately, a girl from another ward gashed her head open when she jumped off a cliff into the water and ended up with 8 stitches. I guess us 4th years were a little unlucky when it came to making it out each day injury-free.

That night we had testimony meeting with our ward and the spirit was so strong. I can't think of any better girls to spend Girl's Camp with. They were all so fun to be around, so loving to each other and always so Christ-like. I hope I have daughters just like them. Hopefully, I will have the opportunity to go back next year because I would go in a heart beat.