The Blanch Herd: Eden 1st Girls Camp {The Lord is My Strength}

I got to spend a few days (12-15 July) at Girls Camp with the young women in our ward. It was a fun time in the mountains with some great girls and women (and a few men). I definitely wasn't sad to have no cell service and need a hoodie for a few days (and we even got rained on! - hallelujah!), but man, I missed my kids and husband! (I guess what they say is true: absence makes the heart grow fonder!)

Our theme for camp was The Lord is My Strength (2 Nephi 22:2). The YCLs did a great job of planning Olympic-like activities and devotionals and the girls had a great time. We have a huge number of young 'uns who were at camp for their first time this year (partly due to the fact that there was no camp last year), so it was fun to see them learning and growing and having a fun time.

Day 1: Monday, 12 July - rock climbing in Ogden, Opening Ceremonies and lunch at the park, drive to Washington Lake in the Uintas (stop at Provo River Falls on the way).

The girls had loaded all their gear in a trailer the night before so
on Monday morning we just met at the church and divided into cars.

We hiked up to the 9th Street Crag where
a few guys from the ward had set up ropes/routes
for the girls to climb.

Piper was the first one on the wall.

Watchers and waiters.

These cuties are in my class.

Found some shade to wait for everyone with Pres. Laura.

Provo River Falls was a great little pit stop to cool off
and admire on the way to camp.

The girls always have some game they can play at
a moment's notice.

Campfire time!

Day 2: Tuesday, 13 July - hike to Haystack Lake (I was in charge of this and was so happy it turned out so great, even with the rain on the way back!), Olympic games

Piper forgot her backpack so rigged up
her own little knapsack for the hike.
(It didn't last longer than this pic, and her
mom ended up carrying her stuff!)

"Don't get lost and don't get eaten by bears!"

Washington Lake

Quite a few boardwalks to cross, which
was fun.

Tail Lake

We got way ahead of the others, so decided
a rest on a log was in order.

Shadow Lake

My fave!

And check out these blossoms on the false hellbore!

And, at last, Haystack Lake!

The advanced hiker group - first ones to the lake!

Janice and me - fearless (?) leaders of the "lower class"
(April, our other partner in crime wasn't able to come
to camp.)

Group shot on the hike (in the rain).

Back to Washington Lake.

A fun game we played when we had some
down time. I'd like to get it and play again.

The leaders were pretty dominant at can jam.

We never one a single race in the potato sacks!

These girls have hops!

More can jam - there was also spike ball (leaders were horrible at that one, too),
tug of war (domination by us big women!), and a hula hoop race (it was pretty pathetic).

Cute Kristin with her freshly washed hair glowing
in the sun like dandelion fluff.

Day 3: Wednesday, 14 July - crafts, lake day, testimony meeting

Good mornin' from my sube - I loved having my own
space to sleep at night, and no, I didn't freeze!

Breakfast crew.

Guitar lessons from Chris.

Painting time.

Lindsay painting Kristin painting a
forest scene.

It was pretty chilly/windy/cloudy for our lake time,
but we still had fun, and some girls/leaders were brave
and got in the water on kayaks and paddleboards.