More precious than RUBIES...

I got the great opportunity to go see my Young Women from our old ward (and stake) while they were at camp this year. I have truly loved girls camp over the years and all that it does to strengthen the YW and their testimonies. This year one of my cute Laurels was called as the Youth Director for our stake. She is a sweet girl with a magnificent testimony and understanding of our true Individual worth. Miss Kaylee has worked hard this year along with all the other seniors to bring a message of love from our Heavenly Father. The girls chose for the theme of camp this year... More Precious than Rubies. I was amazed at the way these seniors loved and showed the other girls how their Heavenly Father thought that each and every one of them is worth more than all that the world has to offer. These girls are an incredible group of girls that will go forth in this world and make a difference to all around. {Kaylee Christiansen and me}

The other fortunate part of being able to go up to camp was to see my dear friend Danielle Lewis. This sweet sister has loved and touched the lives of many girls and leaders over her nine years as camp director for our stake. She is a remarkable women that loves with no boundaries these girls that she works with. She teaches them to become great women and leaders. She will be missed as camp director but will always leave her influence on what she has done for camp and the girls and leaders that have attended with her. I know that I have learned much from her and will take it with me forever.

I would say that the girls were surprise to see that I was there, in that I hadn't told any of them I was coming to town. It was fun to hang out with them and see the Survivor Challenge. Where in my dad (as a bishop) got to take his turn in eating a cricket. (yeah right... him and bishop Rasmussen just seem to lose those out the side of their hands... haha) The other great part is I was there for testimony meeting to see how this girls grew and strengthened themselves and each other. I will say these young women are amazing in who they are and what they have to offer each of us.

Kaylee Christiansen, Jessica Smith, and Page Bartyn
Some of my old Laurels

I am still looking for pics of some of our other cute girls so I might have to edit this post as I find them.

BEACH DAY in AVILA

Wyatt, Karyn and Katy came out to spend a day at the beach with the rest of us. Since Pismo was cold and windy we decided to head up to Avila for the day. The kids absolutely loved it and couldn't get enough of it. Ella did say that she would like it better if there wasn't so much sand at the beach, then it wouldn't get in her eyes so much.


MaC kicking some booty at the arcade at the RV resort while we were waiting for Karyn and Wyatt to come in town.

Wyatt giving Ella some pointers at pool.

Ella, MaCayela, Katy & Trevor, They ran toward the water before we could even get their shirt and shorts off most of them.

Dallin and Mommy (& Mac), this is about as close to the water as he wanted to get, He would just scream if I set him down in the water.

Needless to say Ella's swimsuit was loaded with sand!

MaCayela and Mommy got their Sand Castle building groove on!

Dallin Happy as could be as long as he was just in the sand with his toys.

Dallin was fascinated with the kites that my dad had been flying so we thought we would try our hand at flying the little cars one...

As you can see, my dad is much better at the kite flying then I am, and Dallin loved just sitting with papa flying kites.

Grandma and Ella trying to warm up from the water.

MaC holding on a star fish that someone brought by on their way to taking it to another area that it could live.

Ella getting her turn at holding the star fish.

The beach is something I truly miss living in Utah. I'm glad that we had the chance to go while we were in CA. The kids enjoyed getting to spend time with family they had not seen in a while and had a blast having Katy ride home with us that day in that they all got to rock out and sing along to Hannah Montanna CD's.

PISMO BEACH

My Parents and the Ashcroft's were camping there at the beach already. So the kids and I (along with Trevor that came with my parents) piled in mom and dad's RV with them, we literally were wall to wall at night...

Trevor, Dallin, MaCayela & Ella

The kids were sooooo EXCITED to see Papa and grandma and Trevor (and I think they were a little excited just to be out of the car at that point.) They had a blast the first night just running around and talking about what they would do the next day on their "Fun Day" as Trevor called it.

We enjoyed a great day just playing in Pismo. It was super windy and overcast that day so we saved the actual beach for the next, and opted to go into town and hit the pier (gotta chase all the pigeons off the pier you know), play at the park in Oceano, and sit around camp. I was have some really problems with my ankles swelling from the trip and so I was up for an easy put your feet up kinda day.

PEEK-A-BOO Dallin!

Ella playing at the RV resort park.

Ella chasing the birds off the pier.

Mommy and the sweet little ones out on the pier.

Trevor, MaC and Ella looking over the very end of the pier.

If anyone knows anything about the Dehmels or Ashcrafts, then you know you can NEVER pass up the chance for Ice Cream!!

Grandma & Dallin taking a break after a hard morning!

Kids being kids at the park...

I can not figure out for my life why blogger keeps flipping this pic, it is the right direction in my file, but it flips it every time...

Ella trying to help Larry and Frances with card decisions

Shucking corn to help get dinner ready. (Ella thought that this was so fun, that she now want to buy corn all the time, just so she can shuck it.)

Smores making 101... the kids are getting better and better at roasting marshmallow, but Mac still want hers at perfection, so she lets someone else do it for her.

MMMMMM.... DELICIOUS!

California here we Come!!!

The kids and I decided to take a 2week break from the rain in Utah and head to California. Unfortunately Corey was not going to be able to make this trip with us, so it was just me and the kids. (and I was not looking forward to the car part of the trip at all... ) We headed strait from Salt Lake City to Pismo Beach, and even though it is a 14 hour trip, it actually went well and we made it in one day. MaCayela was EXTREMELY HELPFUL and helped with Dallin and getting stuff to Ella in the back so that took off alot of the stress I had.

GUACAMOLE!!!!

Dallin usually likes the guacamole that I make, but we bought some deli guacasalsa at the market and he thought that he would try it.


He went for just a little taste...

But it had some kick to it...
and yes he did spit it right back in the bowl.

Kindergarten graduation

MaCayela and Mrs. Nelson

MaCayela was really fortunate when we moved to get a great teacher. They did some really cute things in class and put on a great performance for the end of the year. It mostly revolved around the solar system and planets as that is what they focused on this last 9wks. (she is in year around at this school and does 9wks on and then 3wks off, so the teacher would focus the learning on something different each 9 weeks) They did some great songs, poems and dances for us all. Unfortunately I picked a seat right behind where the teacher moved her seat to, but we still got some great pictures.



That is about as much enthusiasm as I could get out of Mac during the performance unless I would make faces at her and get her to smile.

My big girl is off to First Grade!!!

I thought that the refreshments were so cute so I had to take a pic just in case I have to do something creative sometime, I can just copy someone else.

I also wanted to remember what we made for MaC's teacher here (and her cali teacher) so that I can do again sometime.

Walking on the Moon

MaCayela's Class had a field trip to the planetarium that I was able to attend with her. They have been studying all about the solar system the last 9 weeks and so they really enjoyed going on the field trip. Her good friend Braxton was in her group so she had a lot of fun running around with him. They got to see a movie in a Dome theater and walk on mars and the moon.

MaCayela and Braxton

Easter Dresses...

Due to the fact that we didn't make it to church on Easter Sunday and the kids haven't had Easter clothes on at the same time (And when they do have them on we are running out the door and taking pictures is the last thing I am thinking of) we haven't gotten any pictures of them in their Easter outfits. Well, today was no different in we didn't have them all dressed, in fact Dallin was still sleeping until the last possible minute, (I really do not like afternoon church) but I did get the girls pictures.

It was a little breezy when Ella went out to take her pictures, but she loved that it blew her skirt, she thought that was really cool. However she DOES NOT like the sun and complained and wouldn't open her eyes for nothing.

MaCayela really has become our big girl in our home and is looking just beautiful

Okay Mom and Karyn... no more complaining about not having pictures of the Easter dresses. And Surprise!!! they don't match are you just amazed!... hehehe. I will try and get something of Dallin sometime in his shirt, but don't hold your breath.