Vocabulary 401

Back in 9th grade, I did something that made a lasting impression on my English teacher.  (Wow!  Who knew that was even possible, being the younger sibling of "Mr. Genius," who'd already gone through that same school and completely amazed all the teachers?!?)  Every time I, or someone in my family, have run into her since then, she always mentions this memory she has of me.

This is what I did - and I totally thought it was the perfectly NATURAL thing to do in the situation, so I've never been able to figure out what the big deal was - when I was reading a novel, and I came across a word that I did not know the meaning of, I looked it up in the dictionary, and wrote the word & definition down in my notebook.  (I filled quite a few pages of that notebook!)  
That's it.  So, now you know a "secret" to making your mark with your teacher!  haha.

So, I still read novels these days (I'll have to do another book review on my blog soon), but usually I understand all the words.  It may have something to do with the fact that, admittedly, I prefer what I label, "easy reads."  ;)

Until.....I recently read a book by a different publisher/genre than I most frequently read......and in the first couple of pages, I found myself back in 9th grade!  I didn't know the definitions of all the words, even the context of the sentence didn't help me understand the word's meaning!  They really were "advanced" words, in my defense. ;)  So, I jotted the words down on a post-it note and got out my handy-dandy dictionary again. 
These days, I don't know where that old vocab notebook is, but now I can just document them on this blog!

So, I present to you a vocabulary lesson from the novel, Breathing Lessons by Anne Tyler (which happened to be a book I rated 4 STARS!) 


SURREPTITIOUSLY - obtained, done, made, etc. by stealth; secret or unauthorized
 
SLATTERNLY - slovenly and untidy
 
QUERULOUS - full of complaints; complaining
 
BESOTTED - to muddle or stupefy

ABSCONDED - to depart in a sudden and secret manner, especially to avoid capture and legal prosecution

TOREADOR - a bullfighter

LOTHARIOS - a man who obsessively seduces and deceives women, in reference to
the young seducer in Nicholas Rowe's 1703 play, The Fair Penitent 
 
IMPERVIOUS - incapable of being influenced, persuaded, or affected; impenetrable

MAWKISHLY - characterized by sickly sentimentality; weakly emotional

OBSEQUIOUS - compliant, obedient; dutiful; respectful

ABDICATED - to renounce or relinquish a throne, right, power, claim, responsibility, or the like, especially in a formal manner

IMPERIOUS - domineering in a haughty manner; dictatorial; overbearing

APPURTENANCES - something subordinate to another, more important thing

DIRIGIBLES - designed for or capable of being directed, controlled, or steered


How did y'all fare?  Were you besotted by these vocabulary words?

Am I the only one who didn't know all of these words?  I am???  Are you sure you didn't surreptitiously use your dictionary to get all the answers?!?

I've got a favorite from the list: obsequious.  I want obsequious children!!!  ;)

If You Know Who the Pink Ladies and T-Birds Are.......

.......you're a girl/boy after my own heart!

I happened to check in at The Pioneer Woman's blog tonight for the first time since Summer started -- have I mentioned before that Summer really kicks my butt?!?  ;)  HERE and HERE and HERE for just a few reminders. Especially THIS ONE as I was getting a missionary ready to go?  And we went on back to back to back vacations/trips.  (unpack, wash, pay bills, pack, repeat!)

ANYWAY, so, although I love her blog, I've been a little preoccupied!  BUT ON THE DAY that I return to it, to my great delight, she is doing a movie quiz, which she does periodically, but today's was on the movie, GREASE!

Oh, I got giddy!  I could hardly start it fast enough!

You can check it out here:
 The GREASE quiz

I am pleased to announce that I DID NOT even use Google to help me with any of the questions (my 1st time ever on her movie quizzes).....AND......I was done lickity split (also, my 1st time ever!).....AND I scored a 100% on my own!

You see, when I was in my teens, "Grease" happened to be on T.V. one night, and my family recorded it on our VCR!!  We tried to remember to pause it for the commercials, but some still got recorded on the video tape, as well.  So, when we watched it in the future, we had to fast forward through those. But, I loved it!  (the movie, NOT the fast forwarding!)

In fact, I looked for ANY excuse to watch it.  WHENEVER any friend came over, I'd be like, "Hey, do ya wanna watch a movie?!!?"
And they were like, "Sure."
And I was like, "Cool."
And then I proceeded to get the GREASE video tape out and watch it myself AGAIN play it for them, and introduced them to the greatest movie ever!

In fact, when I threw a Surprise 40th birthday party for Matt, we had Karaoke there.  NORMALLY, I wouldn't do that, but they had, "Summer Nights" - so what d'ya know?  We ended up singing it together!

***What I didn't know THEN, was that the movie I repeatedly watched in my youth had been edited for T.V., and years later, I was given the real movie as a gift, and I watched it again, and I was like, "WHAT?!?"  OH MY!  I don't remember THIS!  Did they change it?  Because none of these naughty/improper/crude/irreverent parts/lines used to be in it!  Apparently, they had done a thorough editing job!

And because I had so much exposure to it, I can quote many, many of it's lines.

Sandy: Danny?
Danny: That's my name, don't wear it out.
Sandy: What's the matter with you?
Danny: What's the matter with me, baby, what's the matter with you?
Sandy: What happened to the Danny Zuko I met at the beach?
Danny: Well I do not know. Maybe there's two of us. Why don't you take out a missing person's ad? Or try the yellow pages, I don't know.
Sandy: You're a fake and a phony and I wish I never laid eyes on you!
As she throws down her cheerleader pom-poms and runs away to cry!  (I may or may not have acted out this scene a time or two - "just for fun.") 

BUT, even though, Danny was a "bad boy" and a jerk, and Sandy did start to date a "nice", athletic, (but kinda boring) boy, in the movie, I was still pulling for Sandy & Danny!  WHY?!?  'Cuz in REAL LIFE I don't want my own daughters - or my young women - to go after those types of boys.  It sucks ya in, I tell ya.  This movie had POWER over me!  ;)  haha.
Also, I could ramble off these:

“Men are rats, listen to me, they’re fleas on rats, worse than that, they’re amoebas on fleas on rats. I mean, they’re too low for even the dogs to bite. The only man a girl can depend on is her daddy.” – Frenchy

“She looks too pure to be pink!” -Rizzo

Marty: Do you think these glasses make me look smarter?
Rizzo: No, you can still see your face.

“Tell me about it, stud.” -Sandy

It was a fun quiz! Any other Grease lovers out there?  If you're a serious Grease fan (like ME!), I bet you could score a 100%, too!  (let me know your score!)

In the end, when Sandy changes for Danny (becomes an "edgy girl"), and Danny changes for Sandy (a letterman sweater-wearing, clean-cut guy), I KNOW I should've been disgusted that she gave up who she was for a guy (because my mom always fed me that message about the movie!), but I actually thought Sandy looked GREAT/HOT with her curled & teased hair, black leather outfit, & her RED SHOES (Let's be honest, I was probably 90% swayed by the RED SHOES!) and I was happy with the ending!!!  Even though, AGAIN, in real life, I don't want my own daughters or young women lowering their standards because of a boy!
 

But, again, the movie gets to ya - right to your heart!

I'll always have a great fondness for GREASE.
{But, for the edited version a little more than the real one!}

The First of Many More to Come and Thoughts on D-Land

I've been looking forward to and making plans for various Mother/Daughter outings that I will do with my girls [when they are old enough] for years.   Well, I think we officially started this past week.  We went on our FIRST "Girls Trip."

Matt actually had a work conference at the Grand Californian Disney Hotel - and we tagged along.  

Why not?  Hotel room paid for?  Check.  Per Diem money provided for Matt & I by his company?  Check.  Discount Disneyland tickets offered by the conference?  Check.  Private Dinner Party/Evening of Entertainment/Priority viewing of World of Color included for the entire family?  Check.  

Fly for FREE on jetBlue?  Check.

 Matt spent all day in classes - poor guy!  :)

This MAY have been a mistake to start out so BIG.  Will the girls be satisfied with "Chick Flick" night out at the movies in the future now?  ;)

Now, a list of my random thoughts:

1. If I were RICH, I would always opt to stay at a Disney property.  We were spoiled to be there by "riding on Matt's work conference coat tails."  Not only was it such a nice resort (inside & out) but it came with "privileges" like Early Entrance at 7:00 EVERY morning.  The best part, though, is that we literally walked out our hotel room door, turned two corners, and we were right IN Disney's California Adventure!  To get to Downtown Disney, we walked out the hotel the other way...with Disneyland just a bit further up the way.  SOOO convenient (but also expensive!)
2. I have to say that I have officially "graduated" from the Tea Cups ride.  No more.  I really can't handle it anymore - I lose my equilibrium.
3. I LOVE my Disney Dream Reward Dollars.  I have the Disney Visa and earned about $150 to use anywhere in the park - no need to worry about packing in food.  But, we DID use it ALL in 3 days!
4. August is NOT my favorite time to go to Disneyland.  I've been at several different times through the years, and August probably lands at the bottom of my list.  (The HEAT.  The lines.  The crowds.  Even the cast members are a bit less "on their [magical] game" having to deal with all of the above.)
5. I need to wear "hospital shoes" or some other kind of super-duper orthopedic-bionic shoes while there - my feet were KILLING ME!  Seriously, I COULD NOT WAIT to get off my feet at night.
6. Dole Whip and Frozen lemonades are like manna from heaven!  (See #3 & #4)
7. We Americans are INSANE!  The first day we were there, the line to see Elsa & Anna (from Frozen) was a three HOUR WAIT.  3 HOURS!  So, I told the girls we would come the next day for our Early Entrance.  We were lined up outside the entrance gate at 6:45 IN THE MORNING to go in - and we still weren't the first in line!  What is wrong with all of us?  Who does this?  Isn't this a vacation?  Once the gates were opened, we walked directly to the Elsa/Anna house.....and the line was already starting - we ended up waiting 1 hr. 40 min!
8. Times have CHANGED!  Now, every ride is posted with a sign stating that children under the age of 7 (Brookelle) must be accompanied with a person 14 or older (neither Haylee or Katelyn) or they couldn't ride.  And they enforced it - our girls were denied entrance once!  Which meant, if Miss B wanted to do ANYTHING & EVERYTHING, I was the ONE to go with her.  Now let's go back 34 years, when my dad took me (then age 10), my older sister (age 13) and my younger brother (age 4) to So. Cal with him once on a business trip and he just DROPPED US OFF at Disneyland for the whole day.  I'm not sure, but I think that would be grounds for getting Child Protective Services involved these days?!?  Just a hunch.  ;)  AND, on that trip, my older sister (the one in charge???) got separated from us (the 10 & 4 yr. old) for HOURS!  We spent all that time looking for her - we eventually found her later and learned that she had just kept on going on rides the whole time - after all, she didn't want to waste her day looking for us! 
9. My bum sure doesn't fit the same in some of those seats as it used to!  Dang it!
10. I think it's time Disneyland establishes a "modesty standard" of some kind.  There was WAY TOO MUCH boobage (a lot more than just cleavage), backs, bras & bum cheeks showing!  For that reason, I was glad my teenage boys were not with us to see that.  It was still a bad example for my girls, though.  If the guests don't have enough common sense to cover themselves adequately, they should be policed.  No, seriously, they could make rules.  When we were at Hershey Park last year, this "warning sign" was out in the parking lot:
    

The fact that they even have to put up a sign.....Really?!!?

[Mis]Adventures in Fireworks

As a disclaimer, let me set the background:
I grew up going to a BIG fireworks show every year to celebrate the 4th of July.  'BIG' as in Professional. Spectacular.  Awe-inspiring.  Impressive.  "Whoa!" exclamations inducing.  Large-scale display of fireworks.
That's the way it is when your uncle owns a fireworks company!  (As in he makes the fireworks himself, dons the fireproof suit and sets off the fireworks for the show himself, some years with the help of my aunt, in a football stadium at the USU campus!)

So, with THAT to compare to, I have always thought the store bought "fireworks" (If you can even call them that) were on the boring side.  BUT, these days, what used to be illegal is now for sale to the public, so the quality of "at-home" fireworks is improving -- slightly.

So, this year, it was announced that a 4th of July shindig was going to be held on the 3rd in our cul-de-sac for the entire neighborhood.  It was scheduled on the same night as the above mentioned fireworks tradition, but we opted to stay home and join in our local party this year.  We all brought food to eat and contributed about 10 bucks towards fireworks that someone purchased in our behalf.

We ate first, and were sitting around visiting until dark so we could start the fireworks......
at least that was how I THOUGHT it goes....
UNLESS the toddler-age crowd (who have an early bedtime?) is quite numerous amongst the group...
and then they start them at 8:20 p.m. when it is still light outside. 

Huh?!?   I've never experienced THAT.

This is how it went.

You'd hear the noise/boom.
You'd look up, following the fire ball up with your eyes.
You'd only see blue sky, and lose sight of the fire ball.
Then you'd see the ash &/or cardboard packaging debris fall back down to the ground.
No lights.
No colors.
No "flowers of fire" (that's how the Japanese word for "firework" [hanabi] translates into English, cool visual, huh?!?)
Repeat.  Repeat.  Repeat.
Until all $200 worth of fireworks were all gone.
(Not the wisest use of money if you'd ask me -- but no one did!  haha)

So, on the actual 4th of July, Matt's family got some fireworks and came to our home to set them off since they aren't banned where we live.....BUT, we insisted they wait until DARK so as not to deja vous the night before.
We started out with smaller ones, and then moved towards the bigger ones as the night went on.
What was cool was that neighboring streets were setting them off, too, so we had our pick of displays to view.
We kept telling the kids to stay back on the grass and out of the road, but listening is not always their best attribute.....!
Along comes one of the bigger-ish fireworks and when it was set off, it did not seem to shoot up very high in the sky and the fire & lights were going off too LOW in my [semi-professional] opinion.  So, my survival instinct kicked in and I yelled, "Everybody get outta there!" (maybe a little unnecessarily?) and my outburst was followed by kids [actually listening!] running out of the road and my nephew literally leaping over the neighbor's fence!  (That was pretty admirable)
Then our neighbors drove into the cul-de-sac, returning home, so we took a break until their car was parked before starting up again.
For the "grand finale" we were setting off one that boasted 16 shots!
But, when it was set off, only about 5 went off, and it was kinda an anti-climatic ending to the 4th.
We were hanging around on the front lawn chatting for a while longer, not paying much attention to Matt's brother WHO WAS NOT SATISFIED with only getting 5/16 bang for his buck and was out there pretty much trying to dissect the dysfunctional firework and re-lighting it multiple times...... 
When all of sudden, mid-conversation, we hear a series of BOOMs and look up to see Matt's bro & dad running away from the firework as explosions started lighting up the cul-de-sac (it looked like slow motion running to me.)
Again, I screamed, "Hurry!  Get away!"  (but this time, NOT unnecessarily!)
THEN, the firework started going off sideways!!!
Right in the direction of our neighbors who had just returned home and were standing in their garage, emptying the trunk, just moments before!!!!
I had flashes of nightmare involving bushes, grass, & houses catching fire cross my mind.
(I think multiple people started screaming now!)
We were all thinking, Where's the next sideways shot going?  Towards OUR home and the 27 people?
Then almost simultaneously, we all got up and starting running for cover to the side and back of the house.

It was a reenactment of The Blob movie

Who needs Phoenixville, PA, we can do it right here in Farmington, too!

That's one way to clear a crowd, I tell ya - eveyone was gone within minutes of that!

It was very unsettling.

When I had sufficiently WATERED all remaining pieces of the fireworks, I was finally able to go inside to bed.

Hopefully, I can get my fireworks "fix" next week at Farmington Festival Days....my craving has yet to be satisfied this year!

All it Takes is 1 Song to Bring Back 1,000 Memories

There was once a magical time, when no one knew what song they would be listening to next. We got our music from the radio.  (I still do!)  Songs are like sign posts in our memory. They point us back to particular points in our lives.  When I tune into "80's night" on the radio, within the first strain of the song, I think of, or remember, a specific time/place/person associated with that song.  And in that spirit, with a Christmas twist, I'm going to fire up FM100 this afternoon and play you the next ten songs (so to speak).  There used to be a time when this station played Christmas songs sporadically in between their regular music in December, and it was just  the 100 hours (get it?  FM100) leading up to Christmas that they played continuous Christmas songs, NOT the TWO MONTHS leading up to it.  (My pet peeve.  It's not allowed until after Thanksgiving in my home/car.)  But, I digress.  Back to my experiment: listen while I spin the Christmas hits....and I'll see what comes to mind.

1.  Angels Among Us

I first heard this song performed at a Homemaking Night I attended in my ward when I lived in North Salt Lake.  (1995-96)  A lady who lived in my same apartment complex was one of the singers, along with a bunch of kids singing with her.  I can still see them standing together on the stage.  It wasn't at Christmastime, but the message of that evening was, "THERE ARE ANGELS AMONG US" helping us, serving us, being [sometimes unknown] answers to our prayers - which is a wonderful Christmas message, too.

2.  Frosty the Snowman

This takes me back to another magical time when all the Christmas TV specials were actually on NETWORK TV (as opposed to cable).  At the beginning of the season, the TV schedule would be printed in the newspaper and we would cut it out and hang it on our fridge, underlining the "must sees" in our opinion.  Frosty the Snowman came on every year - it was one of those underlined ones we made sure to watch.

3.  Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer

This has "Elementary School" written all over it.  I sang this during music time at school.  It's where I learned all the great "echos" such as:
"Like a light bulb"
"Like a flash light"
"Like Pinocchio"
"Like Monopoly"
"Ho Ho Ho"
"Yippee"
"Like Columbus"
How FUN it was to sing it with all my other classmates!

4.  Rockin' Around the Christmas Tree

I'm sitting in the multi-purpose room, as a 3rd Grader, at Valley View Elementary watching the 6th Grade Christmas program. (1978)  With Dr. Tak (pronounced "talk") at the piano, the [big, cool, head-honchos-of-the-school] 6th graders started singing this song.....AND THEN started "rockin' out" up on stage, too, while they acted out the song.  And I sit there thinking, They are SOOO cool!

5.  You Make it Feel Like Christmas by Neil Diamond

Honestly, I don't know if I've ever heard this song, but I HAVE heard Neil Diamond.  And whenever I hear ANY Neil Diamond song, I'm taken back to my childhood home.  My dad was a fan of Neil Diamond and we for sure played his cassette tapes (remember those?) on our family room stereo.  The most well-loved song of Neil's (we're on a first name basis!) has to be "America" which leads me to remember my first nephew.  Nick was just a tot - maybe 2 yrs. old - and we'd give him all these miniature American flags to hold in his hands, then turn on "America."  He would just stand there waving the flags enthusiastically the whole song through, with a smile on his face.  "Nick-a-roonie" is now 22 yrs. old.  My dad also gave me two tickets to a Neil Diamond concert after my mission - in hopes that I would invite a date, and get onto the next step in life, but I was too chicken to ask anyone out, so I took my brother, Mike.  Other songs I can't forget are, "Forever in Blue Jeans," "Heartlight," "Love on the Rocks," "September Morn," and "Sweet Caroline" which I saw him perform at a real baseball game this summer -- and it was AWESOME!!!

 6.  Sleigh Ride

I did hear this song when I was younger, but a more recent memory has taken over whenever I hear this song.  Ryan played percussion in the Jr. High band for three years (2008-11) and they would perform this song for their Christmas concert.  The percussion section worked extra hard adding all the special sound effects with their various instruments (glockenspeil, sleigh bells, xylophone, temple blocks, triangle, slap stick, timpani, snare drum).  Whenever I hear the "horse whinny" (courtesy of a solo trumpet player) and the "whip cracks" part of the song now, I think of Ryan's band group at FJH and I can see the view I saw from my seat in the venue of their performance.

7.  Have Yourself a Merry Christmas

For some reason, my oldest brother, David, sang this around the house.....not in a festive kind of way, but an "In-Your-Face, invasion-of-your-space" kind of way - just to bug us, and provoke us to start swinging punches at or shoving him.

8.  Bring a Torch, Jeanette Isabella

I think of the Kurt Bestor.  Back when I was pregnant with Haylee, my OB asked me if we had any Christmas traditions at one of my monthly appointments.  He shared with me that his family always went to the Kurt Bestor Christmas concert - and he raved about it.  From that moment on, I wanted to go, also.  It took several years, but one December, Matt informed me to "clear my schedule" one Saturday.  I didn't know what we were doing, but he arranged a babysitter for our kids, I got in the car and he just started driving me somewhere.  We ended up at Abravanal Hall in Salt Lake City for the Kurt Bestor Christmas concert -- it did NOT disappoint!  (Why my husband is awesome reason #148).  Kurt Bestor's percussion group were amazing!  During the concert, I remember thinking I hoped Ryan would continue on to that level, but then it turns out, he quit after Jr. High.

9.  Let it Snow

When I heard this song as a boy-crazy teenager (1982-1989), my daydreaming would kick in.  How could it not with lyrics that conjure up images of delightful fires, lights being turned down low, and being "stuck" inside with that special someone?!?  I would fantasize about whichever boy was on the top of my list at the moment and picture me in an actual future scene with him that involved "As long as you love me so" and "When we finally kiss goodnight" and "If you'll really hold me tight."  How romantic?  No?

10.  Up on the Housetop

Back in the day, as part of our family Christmas Eve traditions, we had a talent show.  One year (1978), my little sister, Michelle, and I made up a dance to perform to this song.  I dressed in a red leotard and we wore matching Christmas aprons and tights.  As part of our dance routine, we'd snap our fingers to the "click, click, click" part, and we'd "shimmy" on down to the "down through the chimney" part of the song.  We played the song on a RECORD PLAYER - yes, as in a vinyl record, on a turntable, and a stylus with a needle on it to run around the grooves.  (Any other "mature" adults know what I'm talking/writing about?)

I think I may have a photo in my archives......of us AND the record player......

 {Hey!  I want that red rocking chair in my home, now!}

Favorite Childhood Vacation - Revisited

When I was 8 years old, my family went on the BEST. VACATION. EVER.  It was my favorite vacation of all time!
Including Marriott's Great America (although that's right up there, too.)
Including countless trips to Lake Powell.
Including Yellowstone.
Including rafting the Snake River and Jackson Hole.
Including DISNEYLAND.
Including Lake Mead.
Including camping trips to various places.
Including California.

We went to Aspen Grove Family Camp!

The name of my "kid's club" back then was called the "CUBS" and we had our very own "Cub Den!"  (I felt very special about this because my bros & sisters DID NOT have a "clubhouse" for their age groups!
This is the place where we met before we'd go PLAY, and hike, and create art, and sing, and cheer, and explore, and enjoy the great outdoors, and hang out with other cool 8 yr. olds and fantastic college-student counselors!  I scoured the property and had a talk with the current Camp Director-Elect and found out where my old "cub den" was - it's currently being used as staff housing, but I snuck up and took a picture anyway!  Creepy?  I like to call it "sentimental."

{I look a little different from when I stood by it at 8 yrs. old.  There's a photo of that somewhere in my mom's albums, I believe.  I should find it and compare!  ;)}

WELL, a couple of years ago when I discovered that we only had 3 summers left (ONLY 3 SUMMERS LEFT?!?) before Ryan goes on his LDS mission, I made a "bucket list" of our last three yearly family vacations I wanted to go on with our family before they started to "leave the nest."  (LEAVE THE NEST?!?)

And Aspen Grove was on that list!

We crossed the first one off the list in 2012 when we went on our Disney Cruise.  I can't believe I didn't even do a big blog post about it (I must not have been able to cope with reality at home after being surrounded by people whose only job was to clean up after me and make me happy!) that I can even LINK to right now, but I did include some photos here.

AND THEN, this year, just a couple of weeks ago, we made it Aspen Grove!

It's a Bona Fide Family Camp.
Think Cheaper By the Dozen 2
Think The Great Outdoors

There's not many Family Camps around here, in fact, I don't even know where any REAL (non-movie) ones are in the U.S. so Aspen Grove is a real gem of a place!  And we got to be there on a big milestone.

It looks a little different - many of the facilities have been updated, rebuilt, or refurbished - and much more has been added since I was here last, as a child.....BUT the feeling is the same!

WONDERFUL.

We literally took HUNDREDS of photos while we were there, but to make this post somewhat readable, I'll just run a "highlight reel." 

Brookelle's FAVORITE:

Her "Kittens" Club.

{When they went places, they had them all hang on to a rope, 

so no one would get "lost."  It was so cute!}

I happened to see her (I wasn't spying, I just "happened to be in the area!") out with her group one day, swinging high on the swings, and she blurted out, without even being aware I was there, "THIS IS MY BEST. DAY. EVER."

And for as shy and hesitant as Miss B was on the first day she met her counselors, (she didn't want me to leave her side - she didn't want to go) she FELL IN LOVE with them - and cuddled right up to them - in no time at all!  Just look at the pics:

A close 2nd:

These Bear statues.
She HAD to climb on them EVERY. TIME. WE. PASSED. BY.

Katelyn's FAVORITE:

Aspen Follies
{a camp wide family "friendly competition" with various games on the big ball field}

Haylee's FAVORITE:

Performing her Karate "kata" in the Talent Show.

I was so proud of her for being so brave!  (No one else in our family dared!) She didn't even have to be talked into it or "bribed."  It was a decision all on her own.....while she was packing, I just mentioned to her she could bring her Karate "Gi" if she wanted to be in the talent show - that was it!

I think it was her favorite because it feels so good to accomplish something!  Yea!  She's adapted her mom's

mantra, "I Can Do Hard Things!"  

She ALSO liked it because the whole rest of the week, she was somewhat of a "celebrity" amongst the other guests - she got all kinds of compliments & comments from them.....

"Great Job"

"Hey Karate Girl"

"Aaaah  YA" (trying to imitate the Karate sounds)

"Those were some high kicks!"

"Wow, I've never seen a girl do that."

"You were awesome!"

"I could never do that!"

"There's the Karate Girl!"

"Alright Haylee!"

Kyle's FAVORITE:

 Alyse, Emileigh, Kate, Olivia, Lauren, and Rio.

He discovered GIRLS! ;)

Ryan's FAVORITE:

The Sports Tournaments

He entered us into as many tournaments as possible:  ping pong, badminton, walleyball, raquetball (below), basketball, and sand volleyball.  Matt couldn't do much with his lingering knee injury, so Kyle & I got roped into most events!  But, one family we played (& lost to) was so impressed with Ryan, that they asked him to join their team as they moved on in the tournament since they were down one player anyway!  (He enjoyed the fact that THEY had skills AND a chance at winning!  ;))

{"Mixed Doubles" raquetball photo taken through the scratched up window in the door:  Ryan & I vs. some young 20's boyfriend/girlfriend duo.  We lost, of course.}

My FAVORITE:

 Water Frolics

{team races and relays for the whole family that even nonswimmers can win}
NEWS FLASH:  Our team won the overall competition!  Of course, it included more guests than just the Brenchley Brood.

The reason that THIS was my fave MIGHT have had something to do with the fact 

that it was the week we had 100+ degree temps down in the valley - 

we were a little cooler up in the mountains, but still HOT, hot!

We had a few minutes to make up a "synchronized swimming" routine to perform to music.

Then "Paula," "Randy" and "Simon" stood at the top of the water slide and judged us.

Matt's FAVORITE:

 The Family Dance

So, Matt & I got excited when a great 80's tune by [Matt's favorite] JOURNEY came on, "Don't Stop Believin'" - and MUCH to our surprise ALL the teens were singing and jammin' out to it just as much as WE were!  Huh?  I thought teenagers were suppose to despise and make fun of their parents' music!??  I guess we can thank Bedtime Stories for that.

At 9:30 p.m., they "excused" the adults and children - and the teens and young adults got to enjoy their OWN dance the rest of the evening....with the lights dimmed down! :)

It was sad to leave (NO cooking or cleaning up for me!) - all the kids thought it went too fast - they all want to come back AGAIN & again!  Does someone want to give us an "Aspen Grove scholarship?"  ;)

Aspen Grove kept true on their promise:  "Creating Family Memories"

Two down, one to go.....we've only got ONE SUMMER left before Ryan leaves on his mission!  {GASP!}