Girls Camp

Yes...I am one of those people who LOVES girls camp! So when there was an opportunity to go I jumped on it and I am so glad I did. The leaders and girls I went with were such a blast! It is so fun when you finally feel apart of your ward and really start building great relationships. Girls camp is a great way to help all that along...

Canyon Lake Ward Leaders-Jennifer Johnson (Camp Director, Me (Laurel Advisor), Teresa Dix (YW Pres.) Shauna Sullivan (1st. Counselor). These girls know how to have a good time! And let's just say that when camp was over we all went to the spa on Monday! Now that is how you do Girls Camp!

Not even half of our girls-17 altogether 2 non-members, 3 new girls and 2 eleven year olds! Never a dull moment with this group from Justin Bieber to Twilight and everything in between!

Helping the girls-I like to think I'm a pro since I kayak on the ocean.(I'm not even kind of)

Canoeing on Jenke's Lake. Small lake but fun none the less. It was fun going with Jennifer because she had never been. Don't be fooled by my camera-2.1 MP(that is less than most cellphones). It takes pretty decent pictures.

Here is Cheryl and I performing "surgery" on one of the new Beehives braces! It was either go home or have us cut her wires with none sterile wire cutters! She chose us! So brave, but you do what you got to do I guess and we stepped up to the plate.

This year they had us do repelling-we hiked up the mountain and then repelled down the face of an 85 ft rock. Pretty cool! I love that they offer this kind of stuff and not just basket weaving.

You have gotta LOVE McKenna's face in this picture! Utter TERROR!

Jennifer and I before our turn! I am so glad she decided to do it with me.

Almost to the bottom! Scary at first but then ended up being so much fun! Just please don't look at my butt! After Jennifer and I went we talked our other two leaders into doing it! Who says you have to be 18 or younger to participate!

Confessions and Lessons of a first time Dad-Part 2

So this post may be entertaining to some and may piss others off-which is kind of a summation of my personality in general.

Most know that I watched Camryn for 4 days while Erica was at girl's camp. I have learned many things about parenting, some of which I will share:

Day 1-POOL

I have been to the pool quite a bit already, but it's always funny to go on a week day when you are usually the only male there. It's also slightly embarrassing to have a shiny silver pool bag and a million other items one must take with you when you have a child. What I learned is that there must be a market for Swim Diapers that actually work. Camryn took a juicy dump in one and I didn't realize this until it started oozing out onto my towel. Camryn is petrified of her own poo and started screaming; sadly enough...I am just as petrified. Walking with your poopy kid to the bathroom is kind of like walking around with your zipper down. The walk of shame is also accompanied by a bunch of women who stare at you like you some how could have prevented your kid's bowel movement. I just stared at them like I was going to throw the poo in their face, mean while I thought to myself, "At least my kid is cute". I don't really think those mean of things, but in a stressful situation is just comes.

We successfully stripped her down and showered her off. She was of course traumatized at the sight-as was I-did you know almonds don't fully digest? We recovered and went home, while the lame moms burned in the sun.

Here are the lessons I learned that I feel I can share because I'm a dad and have heard so many people complain about the difficulty of children:

1. Naps are gifts from God.

2. Long car rides are like plane trips-you can give your kid ANYTHING and EVERYTHING to keep them entertained. There might as well be a conveyer belt of sugar going into their mouths; binky? You can have it because the alternative is me driving this car into a wall and death isn't a good thing. There is no judging.

3. If I have to play with jewelry, sing lullabies, put hair in a pony tail anymore I may grow breasts, and manboobs aren't becoming.

4. Mom's are WAY better than dad's, more kind, loving, and patient. Just know that I'm on to all of you...it's not that difficult. It was a fun time.

Forecast for the Bachelorette...

A million times better. Did this dude make you have to constantly swallow your stomach bile? Every time he opened his oddly miniature mouth, that looked like a Disney character, I almost threw up from embarrassment. Ladies out there, did you all have to go on real dates like this? It seems like there are many strange men out there...who "sing" as well, what the...

Let's move on to the partially deaf guy that no one is talking about. It's a little rude, but why hasn't anyone asked him why he talks like he lives with a terminal sinus infection and swollen tonsils. Let's forget about the awesome tattoo of the shield guarding his heart, that should be guarding he's ego that will surely be destroyed after this show. Also, he turns pink so quickly...like a little baby lobster who just climbed out of the pot.

I hope they do an after show where I can host and help them tap into some self awareness. Here are some quick lessons:

1. Don't sing unless you know you're good-if you don't know, ask me, not family or people in church-they lie. Even if you do sing really well, keep it a surprise; it's better if it's unexpected. Having someone serenade you is always uncomfortable, trust me I had a girl do that to me with a small child on her lap, in my car-I hurt for her.

2. Ease up on the one liners and the prolonged eye contact-staring is always rude...and again, uncomfortable.

3. Don't be a weatherman-ever. And if by some curse from the previous life you are, just try not to talk about the forecast in your personal life and other weather related jokes or your life will be stormy...with a high chance for suck.

Ladies, I turn it over to you for dating reality comments. Please tell me what some guys have said or hopefully sang to you.

Mike's Visit to His New Home!

We couldn't be more excited! My sister Amy and BIL Mike are moving to Oceanside with their family in less than a month! So to get things in order Mike came out to find a place and feel out the area. Lucky for us he decided to stay with us for 5 days! I think we showed him a good time and filled him with enough good food to last until he returns!

Here we are at Pipe's-gigantic breakfast burrito. Probably wasn't the best idea when going for an eating marathon day...we were full until 6:30 that evening.

We had to stop and see horses and really any animal where ever we were headed-Camryn's new obsession. We did happen upon these Shetland ponies so that was fun!

We also headed up a Farmer's Market that was more like a fair in Solana Beach. Crowded but Camryn was in heaven with a "bubble"-we are working on calling it a balloon.

I was sad we didn't get any other pictures taken because there was plenty of fun being had! Lots of pool time, eating out, the boys golfed and saw a movie and not to mention that Camryn LOVED Mike. Anytime he left the room or even if he was in the room she would say his name over and over. She even let him brush her teeth-must be his gentle dental hand. But lucky for her and us, he will be back and bringing her Aunt and her cousins for many more photo ops! We can't wait-July can't get here soon enough!

Temecula Berry Farm

A friend of ours told us about this place and I knew it was something we had to do. Camryn is obsessed with blueberries and I love the idea of being able to see how they grow and pick them ourselves.

Ready to go with her bucket

Picking the big ripe ones and refusing to put them in her bucket before eating them

Not letting one get away from her

Riding the farm's tractor

Final Product and still a clean white shirt! $5 for the pint but definitely money worth for the experience and all the ones Camryn ate along the way. We will definitely be back they taste SO much better than from the store!

West Coast Tour

Recently we've had a lot of time to spend together...maybe too much actually. We decided to go visit Grandpa and Grandma Motley in Granite Bay, then we took this show on the road and drove to Portland to visit our new niece Cassidy Tate Smart. The trips were amazing, the drives were....really really long. We first drove to Granite Bay and stayed for 6 days (had some shoes parties), with a quick/amazing trip to SF, and then drove to Portland for 4 days, then back to Granite Bay for 3 days and then headed home. Before we get to picture overload we'd like to thank a few people...and things.

1. Thank you Grandpa and Grandma Motley for being amazing parents/grandparents/hosts/cruise directors/chefs/chauffeurs

2. Thank you Erika and Jensen for our awesome night out in SF and for saving spots in line for Ironman as well as our delicious Crepes in Japan Town. I wish we had a picture of our time together.

3. Thank you Coalinga gas station that now has a Baja Fresh and the best candy selection you can imagine. This allowed us to not stop in Kettleman City...I have a nick name for this place that rhymes with City...but it's not so appropriate.

4. Thank you Cody and Whitney for being tour guides of your beautiful city (it really is an amazing place)

5. Thank you Rip City for being an awesome sandwich that almost rivaled Board and Brew...it didn't, but it was note worthy

6. Thank you Trolli for inventing delicious gummy worms that kept my daughter silent for much of the drive when we wanted to murder ourselves.

7. Thank you Grandma and Grandpa Smart for allowing us to borrow your Tahoe and tow Twigg all over the place.

8. Thank you Marilyn for letting us borrow a camera to record this trip since ours broke

There are many more things/people to thank, but there are so many pictures that we must get to it. This is mainly for grandparents who can't get enough of their grandkids. Enjoy...or don't:

Crepes with Erika and Jensen

Cute girls

Amazing trip to SF and a night at the famous St. Franics courtesy of Grandpa and Grandma Motley

Hiking the redwoods

Camryn looks so old in her cute trench coat courtesy of Grandma Smart

Quick drive across the river to Vancouver to visit Great Grandma Jean

Mother's Day surprise-Massage and Pedicure...here are the results

Cute new hair attempt to tame Camryn's crazy mane

Look at these eyes

Whitney's superior fire building skills. We roasted some delicious Brawts

Cody and Ryan argued over who was more unphotogenic...Cody won...by a lot ;)

The cousins don't love each other yet, but they will one day

Trying out our photography skills at the Portland Temple...pretty easy when you have a cute model

Helping G & G garden in jamies

Note Cam's new jelly's that she has to wear all the time. Thanks Grandma Motley

Pool time with Cousins (Ryan just finished a baseball game)

Cousins enjoying a famous Grandpa Treat which consists of anything in the pantry that has sugar.

GREAT TRIP!!! Thanks for all the memories

Preview of Our Hot Summer Days

Can't wait for many more days just like this one!