Val Vista Ward Campout!

The Crawford family and Val Vista ward family had tons o' fun at the ward campout this year, June 23 &24, 2011. We got some great pictures too. Some were pictures of beautiful things, some of crazy tricks and some of the people we love!

Somties the people we love are a little reluctant- (cough, cough... Rustin!)

Karli Hall is our next-door neighbor in the real world, but when we were camping, they were further than they are in real life. What does that mean??

Me braiding the hair of one of my favorite red-heads, Sammie Gallman!

Anath Hall showing us what it's all about. Below with her son, Jacob, who had tons of fun playing Risk and Monopoly and other games with Rustin and friends.

Olivia Gallman always ready with a crazy face and big smile!

Russ and I had tons of fun paddling our new kayak the Gallmans gave us for Christmas and jumping off the cliffs!

Rustin half way through with his back flip off the cliff!!!

Garrett Mariner diong his backflip too. We thought he was crazy to try one from so high, but soon he and Rustin were doing front and back flips and showing off for the girls who were up at Blue Ridge Reservoir for girls camp.

Rustin and Garrett do a DOUBLE back flip! 

Above Rustin are some of the girls that cheered him on to do his first back flip and who he later found on facebook.

Olivia taking the plunge!!! Weeee!!!

Almost there Olivia!

Sammie stealing my sunglasses!

Olivia with her Hot Tan pal, Shaylee Gallman. 

Chloe going for it!!!

(Tess jumped several times too, but I can't find the picture of her!)

Neighbor, Jarom Hall, testing out our new kayak. 

Shauna Gallman and daughter, Penelope. She is like a sister to me! Don't know what I'd do without her!!!

Me, Shaylee, Olivia and Shauna (who are eyeballing each other on the right side) playing NINJA, our favorite group game. Olivia is VERY VERY GOOD!

Chris Lewis who just got baptized and officially joined our ward family last week (Sept. 17th) but he's been a big part of our ward campouts, choir and ward family for the last few years!!

Russ and I and Rustin with friends, just after eating breakfast

Waiting for some ward games to begin. We had an awesome candy treasure hunt where you paired up with a partner and one person was like the dog, sniffing out the candy and could only bark when they saw it. The other person had to follow the dog's lead and could only pick up what the dog brought them too. Fun and different. Then we played FIRE and WATER, which is a lot like a girls camp game we play called "A Rum!" 

Then of course the competition heated up with the classic, gunny sack race. Pye Hirsche, Rustin, Jacob and Susan Eck battle it out!

Olivia and the Mighty Mud Maniacs!

Kenna Petersen told us about Scottsdale's annual Mighty Mud Mania event and we headed out for an adventure we would never forget! It started with an incredible obstacle course that had big slides, rope swings, tunnels, bars to jump, and it all was in mud pits.

But the best part was the GIANT mud pit where they could just hang out and play. She went with Shaylee and Olivia Gallman, and Anika Hall.

Ooooey Gooooey mess!

Swimming in mud. Yum!

She looks like she's turning into a statue from her feet, up.

Four mud maniacs!

Heading to get hosed down.

The mud was very sandy. Check out that pony tail!

The hose was a good start but it took days to get all that out of her hair and the clothes never recovered. They ended up in the trash! Thanks Petersens! We can't wait till next year!

Olivia's Favorite Things

Olivia took the challenge that Bishop Budge gave us this summer to read the whole Book of Mormon in two months. Here she is all set up to read with her favorite pal, her rat, Carmel. She bought a gate that she can put around her and Carmel so they can chill together and she doesn't have to worry about Carmel getting lost.

Olivia has become quite the babysitter. Twins, McKenna and Connor Burns LOVE it when Olivia and Shaylee babysit them. 

Cooling off in itty bitty swimming pools

Olivia and Shaylee all worn out from a hard day's work and play.

I took Olivia and Kaitlynn to see the midnight premier of Harry Potter 7 part 2. We had such a blast and they were such troopers. We got let into the theater really early, about 8:00 so they had 4 hours to play around with other kids in the theater. Her friends from diving were there and they played Ninja and goofed around!

They made their own shirts for the occasion. Cute!

About 40  min. till midnight, she'd had enough. I woke her up right as it started and she watched the whole thing and LOVED IT!

Sisters and Nephews

This spring break we were lucky to have family visit us for their spring breaks. My little sis, Dorothy Winters, came down with her little kiddos. She is such a treat to be around and her kids are the cutest things!

Our big sister, Maryjane and Dorothy at the park watching our kids play.

Love you Dot!

Dorothy's youngest, Jack, "riding" Olivia's scooter.

Olivia giving her cousin, Peter (Mj's youngest) a ride on the swing.

Peter (prounounced "Peetah, or Peetose- Haha!) on the couch with his big brother Luke (prounounced "Spiderman).

Mother's Day!

Sunday afternoons are a wonderful thing. This one was particularly nice because it was Mother's Day!

My kids gave me breakfast in bed and some WONDERFUL homemade cards.

Rustin layed out these lacrosse photos and his Eagle Scout award and left this note on top...

Creative and sweet! Enough to make a mother cry.

Schooling Olivia at Othello. Not sure why I am not sitting all the way down! Must have been multi-tasking.

Silly Olivia is losing her mind.

Happy Mother's Day MOM!

We had my parents and sister and family over for dinner and it was very enjoyable and relaxing!

Not sure what is going on here but Olivia is awesome!!

Me at my station

Chloe decided to clean out the craft cupboard and took a picture of the mess half way through.

And AFTER. 

See her cute toes? Great job Chloe!

I LOVE MOTHER'S DAY and these precious kids I am blessed to be the mother of!