WHAT GRANDPA DOES WHEN THE CANOES TIP OVER!

When the campers come to the lake and go out on the paddle boats and canoes, there are two rescue boats that are sent out on the lake, one to pick up the campers when they tip over their boats and bring them to shore, and the other boat picks up the over turned canoe and brings it to shore.  I was able to capture Grandpa rescuing a canoe. 

It is very hard work as you can see, and the men have to do it all by themselves.  Sometimes only a small part of the canoe remains above the water.  I think the canoe loves its ride to shore.  Great job, Grandpa!

A Day at the Lake!

This is what the lake looks like early in the morning when we first arrive. . .so beautiful and serene.  Then the girls start to arrive.  The air becomes filled with squeels and giggles.  We get life vests on everyone and then they sit and we orient them to what to expect on the lake, which boats to choose, and then . . .

they head for the water and the priesthood launch them into their canoes.Often there are really special things that happen.  The girl in the middle here is blind, and she trusts the other two girls that they will take her for a ride on the lake and not tip over.  She was quite an inspiration.  That took alot of courage for her to do that.

We often have deer that just sit and watch what happens at the lake.  We never get tired of seeing the beautiful critters here on the mountain.

Not Always Sunny at Heber Valley Camp!

The sun doesn't always shine up here on the mountain.  We woke to snow on the ground on May 24th. 

Our little ATV's had to be wiped off and dried before we headed down to the Lake.

Here we are today on the Lake.  It was raining, snowing, sleeting, and the wind was blowing.  But we had a family that were crazy enough to want to be out on the lake.  So we had to be there to rescue them if there was a problem.

Here I am at the front of the rescue boat.  Grandpa Steve was driving.  I had at least 5 layers of clothes on to keep warm.

ZIP LINE

At the Heber Valley Camp there are 5 challenge (ropes courses) courses.  As part of our training, in case they need us to assist, we spent two days learning all about them.

One of the exciting things are the "high courses".

After you climb up the tall pole, and walk across the log, there is only one way down,  the Zip Line.  Go Grandpa!

Week Three-the Adventure Continues

The week started out with all the missionaries going to the temple and then to a special lunch at the Joseph Smith Building.  This was a time to see all the missionaries all cleaned up and wearing nice clothes.  The food was wonderful.

It is cold in the mornings when we meet at the Lake for our training, so here we are all cozy in the furnace room at the lake.  It's a good thing we all like each other so much.

Look, Grandpa is busy at work fixing things.  Here he is fixing the light on our pontoon rescue boat.  Hey, it even worked when he got finished.

This is a picture of the sisters.  We spent the morning moving about 50 canoes.  Aren't we a great looking bunch.  I was taking the picture, so I am not in it.

Here is our wonderful, Legacy Lake.  Our first campers come on May 21, a Shakespear acting group.  Then followed by several youth confererences.  Our first girls arrive on June 4th. 

Heber Valley Camp Mission --Week Two

This  was our week of training.  The week started out with a Mini-MTC --a day filled with inspirational talks.  Such a great feeling to be here serving the Lord

.  The next day we started outdoors, in our camp uniforms.  Aren't we such a great looking group.  Notice the bald, and grey haired missionaries.  Grandpa is pretty darn cute.

We did all kinds of team building activities.  These are things that we can share with our families.  In this one, we all had to sit down and stand up together by pulling out against the rope.  Some of the other activities were much more challenging.  Lots of fun!  Each one tied into a gospel principal.

Notice all the great minds working at building this big tower.  I really think ours was the most beautiful of all when it was done.

This is Sister Deakins.  She and her husband are our team leaders down at the lake.  This will be our assignment this summer.  We will be in charge of putting 2500 girls and an equal amount of family members into canoes and paddle boats each week. 

Here is our lake team. The Millers, the Kenyons, the Deakins, Us, the Rhees's, and the Bournes.  They are the greatest of people.  I think we're all about the same age.  I am finding out us oldies are just old in age,not in spirit or the desire to have fun, and to serve the Lord.

This was our afternoon of ATV training.  I probably had the least experience of anyone.  I learned alot and our teacher was very patient.  I think I will be able to master this.  Notice the snow covered mountains in the background.

Doesn't Grandpa look like a very interested, ATV classmate.

At church I started to think:  I know why there is such a special spirit up here among the missionaries.  It is because we are old folks, and we have seen alot of life, had a lot of experiences, and have hung in there between the good times and the bad times.  We know Heavenly Father loves us, and we know the gospel is true. 

HEBER VALLEY GIRLS CAMP MISSION

Here we are all loaded up and ready to go!  We pulled out in a light rain.

 Here we are set up in "Cowboy Village".  It at the Heber Valley Rodeo Grounds.  Kinda muddy, not fancy, but, hey, we're on a mission.  There are about 60 other couples staying here in RV's.

 This looks a little official.  This is on the road going up to the camp.  Yep, I am still wearing clothes I wore on the mission to Argentina.  This was taken after our first day of training.

 This is Legacy Lake.  It is beautiful and serene.  The camp is so beautiful.  There is still snow on the hills and between the trees.  Can you imagine this lake filled with about 120 girls on canoes and paddle boats.

 Yep, Grandpa Steve does do work, already.  He worked with some of the other Elders and helped move canoes and paddleboats.

 All loaded up with arm loads of uniforms.  We are so excited.  We love it so far.  Everyone we have met is just as excited and happy as we are. 

Disney World

 We arrived at Disney World with our mouths hanging open in astonishment!  It was so huge.  We drove it seemed like miles just between one area and the next.  Our hotel was Disney Pop Century.  It was perfect for us, because everywhere we went there were things reminding us of the times we grew up in.  The music that played everywhere was "our" music. 

 Lady and the Tramp was one of all time favorite movies, and there was Lady and Tramp also, but I didn't get his picture.

 The Epcot center was so fun and so amazing.  We went at just the right time and there were no crowds and about a 5 minute wait to do things.  As I looked at my pictures, I realized I was having so much fun doing things, I didn't take many pictures.  Inside the big ball at Epcot is a wonderful ride that takes you throughout time and how man's discoveries have brought us to the age we now live in. Most of the things at Epcot are oriented around the future and science, and then the wonderful  exhibits from all around the world.  At the end of the day was a most amazing fireworks display as only Disney can do.
   

 Now here are two happy monkeys.  Notice the big smile on the one on the right..

 Epcot is part of Disneyworld, so the wonderful Disney characters were there.  

Here was one of my favorites, the "real " Alice.
We spent a day and a half at Disneyworld, with Epcot being our choice of kingdoms to attend.  It was a woderful break to our trip of traveling. 

Florida or Bust--Plantations and Baton Rougle Temple!

 Ever since watching "Gone With the Wind" as a young girl, I have always dreamed of seeing a real plantation.  We visited the Houmas Plantation near Baton Rouge.  It was everything I ever dreamed an old plantation house would be and more.  The inside of the mansion was more elegant than could be described.  I could just imagine Scarelt O'Hare walking down the curved stairs at any minute.

 The gardens around this mansion were fantastic.  Everywhere there were fountains and gardens and flowers.  There was even spanish moss on the oak trees.

 This oak tree was over 600 years old.  It was huge!!!

 It was hard to leave such a beautiful place.  My dream had certainly come true.

This is the Baton Rouge Temple.  A small temple, but so special.

Florida or Bust-Day 5-6

 Being very nervous to head into New Orleans driving our own car, we became very brave, and said, "lets to it!"  We did it and had a great time.  What an amazing place.  This is a bridge across the Mississippi River.

 We took a ferry across the river, and this is the New Orleans skyline.

 Crawfish are really popular down here.  Here is Grandpa, not looking too excited about being attacked by a huge crawfish.

 Yep, we went into the French Quarter and walked a short distance on Bourbon Street. 

 The French Quarter has 90 blocks of narrow, interesting streets like this.

This is the trolley we rode from our parking lot to the downtown area.