Scout Camp at Bear Lake

The first week of July, Matt went to Scout Camp at Camp Hunt on the west side of Bear Lake. Since Matt is not 12 yet, I got to tag along as well.

Here is Matt with his friends Kason and Harrison working on the Environmental Science merit badge. They had to do observations in two different areas on three separate days. This is a nice little spot right by the beach.

One morning they did what is called the "Polar Bear". They went to a spot where a mountain stream connects into the lake. Then, they have to say the Scout Oath, Law, Slogan, and Motto while up to their chins in the 45 degree water. When they are done they dunk their heads under the water.

Part of the Woodcarving merit badge requires a "Totin' Chip" which shows you can safley handle an axe. Woodcarving is one of 7 merit badges Matt earned at camp. The others were Indian Lore, Basketry, Leatherwork, Geology, Environmental Science, and Pioneering.

For Pioneering, he had to learn some lashings and build a tower by lashing some dowel sticks together with string.

Here are the tower and baskets he built for the merit badges. It was a fun week full of activities. I liked it, too because I got to play golf every day while the scouts were at merit badge classes!!! (Jen teases me that I went to Golf camp.)

Taylor's Oakcrest Adventure

This is my counselor Teva, my friend Jacey, and me. We were waiting for our turn at archery and decided to pose for a picture. This is one of my favorite pictures I took at camp.
Here's me in action ready to hit the target. I'm really not that good at archery, but it just looks like I know all the answers. Actually I was pretty much the worst aim out of all the girls in my group. But one time it did go over the fence (which I wasn't to happy about) and went between these two rocks on the other side.
This is proof that I really did do something productive, and it wasn't just a princess camp. Here I am cleaning the floor in the bathroom, after about 200 girls took their one and only shower of the week. There was so much hair in the drains, it clogged them up. So we had to put on gloves to pick them out. Ick!!! :( Not to mention all the dirt, tissues, paper towels, and mud (at least I think it was mud) on the floor.
So, the week I went to Oakcrest it was the 4th of July week. And every week has a theme, and that week it was Red, White, and Who week. Kind of a mix between Fourth of July and Dr. Suess, and my group decided to be the Star-Bellied Sneeches. So I asked my friend Shannon to rat my hair, and I guess she ratted and hair-sprayed a little bit to much. Cuz, when I looked in the mirror it looked like someone had cut almost all my hair off and put it all on the top of my head. You can imagine how much of a nightmare that was to comb out.

Hoop it Up

We finally got around to putting in our baskeball hoop this last week. This was the part Matt has been waiting for since we moved here six years ago.

Digging the hole for the concrete and the pole to go in was easy enough. Maybe we should have just left the hole there. It was pretty fun to play in.

Then after mixing seven 80 pound bags of concrete in wheelbarrows and dumping it into the hole, we had to get the pole level while the concrete was still wet. Not too hard of a task, except the pole wanted to lean south and west.

The tough part was putting it together. After I discovered one of the main brackets was the wrong part, I had to make a little road trip to Clearfield to get the right piece. Don't try and make it from Sandy to Clearfield and back on your lunch hour. It takes two hours with the nasty Davis County traffic - even in the middle of the day. It finally went together after a trip to Home Depot and a lot of interpreting very vague instructions.

We got it up and running this morning. Matt had been trying to make this 45 foot shot from the front of the house. As soon as I pulled out the camcorder to record (thinking I would be there all day waiting for him to make one) he nailed the first one!

Bend it like BECCA

Becca is our little gymnast. She was in dance for a year and really liked it, but two years ago we switched her to tumbling because it was taught a lot closer to our home and it was a great move -she really loves it.
Last night she was in a program with the "mini team" she is on. They did a routine to the song "Walking on Sunshine" by Katrina and the Waves (a song that was popular when I was in high school). It was really a cute routine and they all performed their moves well.


After one year on the mini team, Becca just found out last night that she is being promoted to the "Junior Team" next year. Way to go Becks!!!

Piano Recital

Taylor and Matt have been in piano lessons for several years now. This last week they played in a recital and both did very well. We are very proud of them for putting in the time and effort. Sometimes it is difficult to get them to practice, but it sure pays off come recital time. I think we are going to try and get Becca in lessons in the fall.

Matt played "Best Friends" by Robert Vandall and "The Final Stretch" by Randall Hartsell.

Taylor played "Prelude No. 3" by Carolyn Miller and "Afternoon at Cooper's Rock" by Robert Vandall.

Patio almost done

The patio project is almost finished. The only thing left is the rain gutters. Of course I still need to put in the basketball hoop (Matt keeps reminding me of that), and I am also going the replace the stairs coming off the back door.
Tuesday and Wenesday they put in the brick columns.

The soffit and fascia were installed over last few days. And notice we already got the pool put in, too :)

Happy Father's Day

Yesterday was Father's Day and what a great day it was! I got to sleep in, then I got to eat breakfast casserole (eggs, hasbrowns, ham, cheese) and apple cake. Taylor and Matt made the apple cake. It was all delicious.

I got some napping glasses as a Father's Day gift. I need to take these things to church!

Later in the day we went to Grandma and Grandpa Anderson's for a BBQ. The Fitt's had driven down from Oregon on Saturday. Chad and Joey and Brandon and Camille also joined us.

We are not the only ones with a new back patio. Mom and Dad have recently added one in their backyard as well - and nice new patio furniture, too.

Everyone had a great time visiting and enjoyed each other's company.

Taylor and Sarah rest after a rigorous round of croquet - Which grandpa won of course!!!