One Woman's Experience of Girls Camp '09

Journal of Gena Faria
Girls Camp 2009
Camp Firewalker Bailey, CO

Tuesday: Alli and Em left early with other YL's (Youth Leaders). Packed up the car taking care to remove Charlie often. Loaded all the girls and their gear at the church (thank heavens for someone with a little extra room in their truck!). Arrived 80 minutes later at campground. Greeted by Allison, Emily and other YL's from our Ward, and a few not from our Ward. Warmed by Maddi calling, "Momma Faria!" Got all the gear unloaded. YL's awesome, helping set up two tents and a gazebo. After setting up one tent lost campers. Found campers in their tent eating lunch. Scolded campers. Moved one tent, set up, to other side of campsite; moisture issues. Met with entire encampment for opening ceremonies. Sent girls off for first rotation. Decided since this was my daughters' last time at Girls Camp I would follow them around for the week, taking pictures of them and others as I could. First rotation was the High Ropes Course; ten rope challenges 20-40 feet off ground. Allison is second to attempt and first to finish. Took her 1 hour 10 minutes. VERY difficult but she did it! Emily followed her like a mother duck and greeted her at the end of the zip line with a big hug (Em feeling tired, didn't want to hang on ropes). Small sprinkles but no rain. Good dinner. Fun campfire back at site with lots of chocolate, grahams, marshmallows, etc. Had all girls and YL's from our Ward (15 in all). Got everyone tucked in on time and all asleep by eleven.

Wednesday: Big day. Three rotations for everyone. Had fun watching Alli and Em on the Catwalk, the Leap of Faith, Jacob's Ladder, Archery. Did NOT want to rock climb for half an hour to watch rappelling. (disclaimer-- I won't even go more than 4 rungs up on a ladder, so, will I climb an 85 foot cliff?). Our Ward serves lunch. Crazy hungry campers. All girls have to leave for next rotation. Co-leader gets asked to hike more girls up to rappelling. She's already done it once that day. Feel sorry of co-leader but she's sweet and agrees to go. Clean up lunch by myself. Takes a long time but am happy not to be climbing up to rappelling. By end of day all campers grouchy and tired but still must push them to write the skit they are to perform that night. Came up with "America's Next Top Model" spoof. Cute and short! Dinner. Didn't start skits until 8... did no one remember that it gets dark? Heavy humidity rolls in and all are tired and cold. Finally get to campsite and fire won't start due to damp wood. I have fun with lighter fluid!! When time comes to put out fire it's difficult; lots of heavy black smoke. Get everyone to bed. Climb in my sleeping bag and literally smell like an ashtray. Not campfire, ashtray. Airways begin to close up but go to sleep. At 2 a.m. hear camper snoring in neighboring tent and realize that it would be nice to use latrine. This would entail getting dressed, putting on shoes and hiking 20 yards uphill. Had been counseled not to go anywhere alone after dark. Didn't want to wake asst. camp director. Rolled over and prayed for snoring to stop. It didn't. Fell asleep an hour later.

Thursday: Get everyone up. Campers are in better mood after good night's sleep. Only one rotation to look forward to and then they get to spend afternoon at the lake. Campers excited for this. While campers are at lake co-leader and I go to water pump (yes, the old fashioned kind) to wash our hair. Water temperature gives new meaning to phrase "brain freeze." Feels great to feel a little clean. Great evening; good dinner, lots of visitors from the Stake. Go to our own campsite for Ward Testimony Meeting. Firewood mysteriously missing. Gather what I can. Have to leave meeting to go get more. Nice roaring fire. After visitors leave we break out the last of the campfire treatage. Campers scurry and scamper, visiting with everyone. Loud thunder causes screams and running to tents. Realize towels are on clothesline in the aspens. Starts hailing, large, on way back to tent, hurts where it hits on my sunburned forehead. Campers call from tent to see if I'm alive. Thankfully I am. Get in tent before deluge of water hits. Me, co-leader and YW president (staying over to help ferry campers home) cannot speak over rain hitting tent. Twenty minutes later rain ends. Only minor water leakage. We are relieved. Two campsites over leaders have put in earplugs. Their campers guffaw until 2 a.m. Ironically noisy campers must use bathroom at 2 and whisper as they exit their tent. I get brave and issue a loud "SHHH" as they pass by. They go to sleep. I do too.

Friday: After four hours of sleep we arise and shine. Airways have tightened up painfully but is good comic relief as I laugh like a seal. After breakfast campers are highly motivated to help break down camp. We finish and camp staff passes our clean up. We have lunch and go home. Stop at 7-Eleven as we near home for Slurpees. Highly recommend Crystal Light Strawberry Slurpee. As we arrive at church all parents are there and we dispatch the campers quickly. Make it home. Dog almost has a heart attack of joy. Helen has just baked bread and we almost have heart attack of joy. Steve call and says he'll pick up Papa Murphy's Chicken Bacon Stuffed Pizza on his way home. Heart attack of joy. In shower am finishing by shaving my legs (joy) when hair swings down. Hair still smells like ashtray. Shampoo again. Hair still smells. Leave shower and yell for daughter to bring lemon juice to bedroom door. Douse hair with strong dilution of lemon juice. Hair still smells. Douse hair in lemon juice second time. Hair smells slightly better. Too tired to mess with hair any longer. Eat yummy pizza for dinner and watch DVD, "New in Town," with family. Go to sleep in clean bed.

Saturday: Sleep in until 8:30 and don't feel guilty. Forehead and nose peel slightly but enjoy slight blond tint to hair. We take Steven out for Father's Day. See "UP" and eat yummy Mexican food. Recommend see "UP" in afternoon in theater full of children; you won't embarrass yourself when you laugh out loud.

We're Tired

Packed for camp. Tents. Sleeping bags. Duct tape. Shovel. Tables. Air mattresses. Duffles. Backpacks. Flashlights. Extra batteries. Bug repellent. Sunscreen. First aid kit. Toilet paper. Rubber mallet. Firewood. Glitter. Streamers. Sunglasses. CANDY and S'MORE stuff. Hot chocolate. Rain ponchos. Mega medications. Camp chair with built in footstool. Scriptures. Toothpaste. Toothbrush. Lots of baby wipes (I don't want to smell them).

I think Allison and I could go on for a long time. We've planned, fund raised, prepared, packed, loaded, sack lunched and we're ready to go. Just think, in 12 hours my camp should be set up.

Now all we need is sleep and sunshine. Have a great week, WE WILL!!!

A Complete 180 From Last Week!

This is my sweet honey, alive and well, napping with Charlie, who loves to stick close by when Steve's home. The significance of this beautiful picture of domesticity? Well, it's just one of the many blessings that have come my way. I would be very ungrateful not to acknowledge them!

First, Steven was in a car accident. No, that's not the blessing! He was traveling at the height of rush hour at about 70 mph and was sideswiped in his Saturn sedan by a big pick up. It really scraped up his passenger side and he did hit the guard rail on the driver's side kind of hard. He was told that he could have very easily been killed but he came out of it without even a sore neck or back! If I could have my way I would ask the blessing to extend to the insurance company fully restoring my car and not totaling it out (it's a '99 so I'm a little concerned).

Second, Michael got a job!!! He's going to work at the Best Buy in American Fork. There is no way he could have received this blessing without a few angels in his corner. Nancy, Kaci and Raliegh! There are no words I could use to fully express the gratitude and relief you have brought into this Mom's life. I'd be baking cakes, making candy, waxing cars, whatever you needed, if I lived closer! Oh, and Brent? Thank you for being a sweetie. I think if you weren't such a nice guy then others may not help someone you were related to so blindly.

Third, my wonderful in laws, Bette and Tony Faria! They were able to step in and cosign for Michael's student loan. The love of grandparents is truly a wonderful blessing! And I received a copy of my credit report in the mail. You know what? I can't see what the fuss over us was, but I'm thrilled my Mom and Dad in California were able to do this very necessary service for my sweet son.

Fourth, Girls Camp. I know, right? But the preparations have caused me to stop to appreciate many things. The other night I stayed up until midnight just studying scriptures. At first I was searching for ideas for devotionals but then I decided to mark the scripture mastery scriptures and that led to... get the picture? It was a nice evening, quiet and calm but for "Bridezillas" playing on the television (well, Alli, Em and I do have some guilty pleasures). Even with the ballistic brides I felt inspired and happy.

Fifth, women in the ward I work with. There are so many great people that are supportive and loving. It's an easy thing to take others for granted, especially when we're not always paying attention to things that are going on behind the scenes. They have made preparing for camp this year half the worry for me. Jennie and Rebecca, you rock!

Love to all!

Happy Anniversary Dad and Mom

Sixty seven years ago today George and Helen Ellsworth were married in the Mesa Arizona Temple.

They met when a mutual friend told a recently-returned-missionary George that there was this cute girl working at Johnson's Drive-In that George had to meet. The cute car hop in her white satin capri pants came to see what they wanted. George appreciated the view as young Helen bounced off to fill their order. When she came back she was flustered and spilled the entire tray of Root Beer and Hamburgers in George's lap. George went home, changed his clothes and quickly returned to the Drive-In. He went home that night and told his younger brother, Joe, "I've met the girl I'm going to marry."

After dating a short time George bought Helen a beautiful cedar chest for her birthday. She was the only woman he had ever kissed. One evening he looked into her eyes and said, "I'd like you to be the mother of my children."



They stood under a grapefruit tree during their reception at Frank and Annie Ellsworth's home, Helen's new in laws. As they left their reception at her new in-laws home they ran through the citrus orchard and Helen got a tear in her veil. She never repaired it. Just a few years ago Helen was in Mesa. The neighborhood has changed but the grapefruit tree was still there.



Helen and George lived through World War II. They had seven children, losing two at birth. Their family, children, grandchildren, great grandchildren and great-great grandchildren, numbers more than 140.

Daddy passed away from us on January 26, 2003 but today is his 67th wedding anniversary. The greatest thing he ever did for me was to love my Mother.

Snap Out of It!

I have a hard time coming up with things to write every week and, sadly, I've got the blues. The second computer is still having internet troubles (so tired of IT difficulties) and we're all trying to share time on Helen's. I finally got a turn! Here's a brief overview of my mundane existence:

1. Lots of rain. Upside? Everything is green and growing. Downside? Lots of mud to watch out for on Charlie's paws when he runs in and out.

2. Getting ready for camp. It's down to crunch time, only two weeks left. Time to find all the equipment, make sure everyone has their forms filled out and, gulp, make sure we have enough room to take everything and everyone up into the mountains.

3. Keeping things going. Trying to motivate myself is hard lately.

4. Worry and stress... I feel great about Chris in Maine (no worry). Allison and Emily have stellar grades and are anticipating their mother looking into insurance and taking them to get their driving licenses (stress). I'm so sad about Michael (worry and stress). He's tried everything to get a job (hasn't he, Marianne?) and still no luck. He's really down about it and worried about how to continue school. Sadly our unemployment woes have followed us and our credit took a hit so we can't even cosign for a loan. I hate not being able to help him!

Not the happiest post I've written but I'm trying to look for a silver lining in all the thunderclouds we're under (figuratively and literally). The quote "most people lead lives of quiet desperation" keeps running through my mind and I'm trying to banish it! I have so many blessing to be grateful for and I need to snap out of it!

It's Not Over Until I Sing

I believed I was ready for last night's Girls Camp clinic and the wrapping up of the craziness that has been my May. Snort!

Our sample was to be dutch oven cooking. Everyone does the "cobbler" thing so I chose to use one of Helen's tricks; biscuits from the dairy case dipped in melted butter and cinnamon sugar. Original and delicious. When last I posted I had already experienced the fear of running out of butter (became distracted in the store by daughters' desire for Dr. Pepper) and sugar (ditto). After coating half of the biscuits I realized I had run out of cinnamon (never happened before!). I scrambled with Alli and we realized we could mix colored sugar sprinkles in with the sugar for fun. The sugar actually coated much thicker without the dusty cinnamon in it.

The other sample was to be Hot Chocolate Grasshopper Shots (thank you, Michael, for introducing us to this one). Using a Thin Mint, or the Keebler equivalent, you take a tiny bite off of opposite sides. You then use the cookie as a straw to sip the hot chocolate through, flavoring it slightly and giving you a yummy cookie to snarf down. As I was throwing things in bags to take to the church I found we were out of hot chocolate mix. I've had tons of the stuff from my dry pack canning and it had to be last night that I ran out.

I dropped the girls off at the church, Allison in the kitchen willing water to boil, and ran to the store to get the drink mix. There and back in 15 minutes, thank you very much, and the "gas tank empty light" turns on. I realize I wouldn't get stranded but it scares me every time it happens.

I run into the cultural hall with minutes to spare, feeling prepared at last, to find all the CPR dummies and bandaging materials laid out. It was First Aid Night, not camping skills night. What are you going to do? We had yummy, sugary biscuits and we'll have the hot chocolate next week.

ps. There's nothing wrong with the food pictured above... I thought it would be a nice touch to use some Halloween black sprinkles to simulate the ashes that will inevitably be in all the food they cook at the campfire. Pretty clever if you ask me.

Where in the Heck Did May Go? I'll Tell You...

It's the end of May and I was wondering where it went. Do any of you have the same feeling? I raced from the middle school to pick up the girls. We then raced to the grocery store to get things we need for the Girls Camp Clinic tonight. We've thrown together some dutch oven cooking. As I sit here I've been thinking "why is the month gone?" I pulled out my planning calendar and realized I've substituted 10 out of the 20 school days this month and then I noticed the activities we've been involved in. wow.

Above you'll see a photo of Allison singing at Ralston Valley High School's "Jazz on the Green" festival. The sunglasses were not a cool jazz statement but were worn because they were facing the sunset. They did look cool though.

I spent two days sewing/altering formals for the girls. It was a fun and creative outlet even if it always feels a bit rushed.

Don't you love how Emily's jacket turned out? I was rather pleased with it. She looked totally gorgeous in it.


As Allison was walking out she stepped right out of her shoe. This was an honest act of gallantry on Christian's part. Could we have set up a pose any better? Yeah, but it would definitely not be an "awww" moment.

Threw this one in because they have such cute tushies. Didn't tell Emily that's what the shot was for until after I took it.

Now glance up at Emily's wrist corsage and Christian's boutonniere. I do good work, no? The afternoon of the dance I did three faces of makeup, three heads of hair (with Alli's help) and made three wrist corsages and a boutonniere. What was I thinking? Oh, yeah, that all the flowers and supplies together were the cost of one corsage?

Isn't my Mom cute? Or as Allison and Emily say, "It's my cutesy, wootsy Grandma!" She keeps complaining that there aren't any good pictures of her. I beg to differ and here's my proof. I have no idea how annoying my life would be without her but I sure don't want to find out. We need our "Lucy and Ethel" moments to keep us both young, and humble.


Last choir concert of the year, The Collage Concert. The kids have a lot of fun with it. Emily above? "Dig in the Dancing Queen." Oh, baby, it was cute!


Shades of Blue sang a beautiful rendition of "Skylark." Tie dyed shirts? Seniors. Navy blue? Juniors. This group will include Emily next year!

The Collage is a fun show because there are different acts that perform in addition to the choirs, kind of like a talent show. The groups or individuals must audition to get a spot. Well, Allison and Emily grabbed one of their friends performed a song I found called "The Alto's Lament." It was absolutely hysterical and the crowd loved them! The video won't fit on blogspot (too many MB's) but it is posted on my facebook wall. I couldn't be more proud of how well they did. Emily commented "I really feel like I've come out of my box." Any of you who know her and watch the video would agree exponentially.

Today was a six hour recess with 120 7th graders. I'm tired but I have a smile on my face and a song in my heart for my awesome Young Women and can't wait to go over camping skills in an hour. I will sleep well tonight!