Rachelle in Wyoming and Virginia

My sister, Paige, spent about a month is Wyoming with DeNae and her family. It's great because they have kids the same age and the cousins have a great time playing with each other. Zach and Paige flew out with the boys in June but then Zach left to deploy to Africa for 6 months. That would mean that Paige was going to be on her own to fly home to Virginia by herself with the 4 boys. I offered to come out to Wyoming and help her get her boys back to Virginia. As a bonus for me I got to see some of my sisters and also my parents. It was was a quick trip but I am so glad I was there to help Paige out. Flying with one kid is tough by yourself...four kids would have been miserable! It was also nice to be in Virginia with her for a few days while she got some groceries and organized her house so that she had a bit of help getting ready for the rest of the summer as a single mom. I feel like she got a lot done by herself while I was able to watch the kids for her. 

My parents were so happy with the Family Memory book I made for them. My dad said he would read it every day:)

I helped DeNae out in Primary. She is in charge of singing time for the Primary and she was having the kids sing "The Iron Rod" and we made them hold on to the "rod" while we swung them around:)

Paige, Dad, Mom, DeNae, Tanya, me and Riann. It's so fun that when I visit Wyoming I get to see so much of my family!

T Chelle and Tia swinging Ali on a walk.

My mom sharing stories with some of the grandkids using the picture quilt her kids made for my parents 50th wedding anniversary.

Grandpa and Grandma with some of their many grandchildren

3 monkey cousins in a tree

My cookie maker helpers

The Israelsen and DeShetler cousins (missing Ethan because he is on his mission) It was hard to say goodbye for these cousins. They had been together in Wyoming for almost a month! DeNae is so generous to offer her home so the kids can get together and have fun.

From Gillette Wyoming we drove 6 hours to Denver Colorado. We let the kids get all their wiggles out in the hotel pool for a few hours.

Cafe Rio at the hotel in Denver...yummy!!

At the Denver airport heading to our gate

Silly boys at the Denver airport

On the flight back home to Virginia. The boys all did such  great job...even Alistair!

The boys loved being back home. They each had a special "Daddy Pillow" on their beds that they can snuggle while Dad is deployed.

Graham and Ali at the playground

Cecil the mountain climber

Cecil, Graham and Remy at the space museum in Hampton Virginia

Two mini pilots playing at the museum

It was tough saying goodbye to Paige this time. I know she will be fine and that she can handle being a single mom for 6 months. I just remember how hard it was when Hyrum was deployed and I wish I could be there for her more. She is an amazing mom and I just kept reminding her that life will be SO MUCH better once the kids start school again in a few weeks!!

July: 4th of July sail with the Doxey's, Weeding at the house in Corvallis, Visit to Tillamook, Bike ride to Vernonia, Julian learning to Drive

 July was an amazing month. We had so much fun as a family out on the boat and biking around and enjoying fun treats. Here is a quick sampling of our month.

I have spent the past 6 years (off and on) creating a memory book for my parents and Johnson siblings. I think it turned out great and I am so excited to see what my parents think about it when I bring it to them in Wyoming this summer!

We invited the Doxey's out for a 4th of July sail. We didn't sail very far and the boat was super crowded but it was a lot of fun!

We anchored in a little river and the boys had fun swimming off the boat for a while.

We finished our fun with dinner in St. Helens. We may do this again next year but also be able to enjoy some fireworks in the evening. They were cancelled this year due to construction in St. Helens

Hyrum and I drove down to Corvallis to do a bit of weeding..it was a disaster at the house!

The "before" picture

The "after" picture

Some of the weeds were taller than Hyrum! I guess it's a blessing to live in a place where lots of plants grow and we have lots of water...but it's also a bit of a curse!

Julian's first experience driving on the freeway. He drove us all the way out to Tillamook!

We love hiking out to Kilchis Point in Tillamook. It is a great little walk through the forest and is never crowded! There are lots of stones to skip into the water:)

My boys at Kilchis Point

Of course a trip to Tillamook is not complete without a stop at the ice cream factory. We enjoyed some ice cream and deep fried cheese curds:)

We are going to Scotland in August and for some of the time we will be biking around. So we took a family bike ride out to Vernonia to get some practice in:) It was a wonderful day out.  We went biking...

...we stopped at the river for a quick dip in the swimming hole

...and ended with a yummy dinner. What a great adventure!

Julian is doing such a great job learning to drive. He is a careful driver and is doing great learning how to drive a stick shift. I take him out to practice driving everyday and we stop somewhere for lunch. It's a fun time together.

Julian and his friend Jacob having fun at Hagg Lake. We really haven't gotten out to do much with friends this summer so I'm glad he got invited to lake:)

4th Year Overnighter, Young Men's Camp, Young Women's Camp

 This was the summer of church campouts for me! I'm in charge of the 4th year overnighter for our Stake which means I plan a little campout for all the girls that will be 4th years at camp. It's nice to get the girls together for a little bonding before girls camp and 4th year is the last year of camp for some of the girls so we try to give them a little extra fun. This year I booked some sites at Silver Falls State Park. We hiked around the waterfalls and had a fun campfire with s'mores and the girls got their "4th year names" The next day we swam for a bit and had a picnic lunch. It was a lot of work for just one night but I think the girls all had a fun time.

I volunteered to help in the "kitchen" for our Stake Young Men's Camp. It wasn't really a kitchen, just a tent with some camp stoves and an old sink hooked up with a hose.  Julian really didn't want to attend the camp so I offered to come with him and he helped me out in the kitchen some but also participated in the other activities. If it takes me spending a week cooking in a tent for Julian to get out of the house and participate in the camp it's completely worth it for me. I love Julian so much but he struggles participating in group events. I hope that changes as he matures and experiences more of life.

Then I went to a week of Stake Girl's Camp. I always have so much fun at girls camp. I love hanging out with the girls but I also love that I get to spend time with some great adult leaders and I have really formed strong relationships with some of them. This was my 6th year at girls camp and I have been asked if I wanted to be released from my calling at church of being our Ward camp director. But I always say I'm happy to stay on because I love camp so much:)

The 4th year girls at the church getting ready to load up and head out for our hike:)

Enjoying one of 10 waterfalls you get to see along the trail at Silver Falls State Park

Campfire and S'mores

Picnic lunch and swimming the next day

Our whole group, we survived and I had some really great adult leaders helping me out. I couldn't do this alone so I'm always so thankful when parents step up and offer to come on the overnighter:)

Hyrum came to the Young Men's Camp for a night and helped set up our awesome tent trailer so Julian and I could sleep in comfort:)

Hyrum was the camp doctor for 2 days at the camp, he set up a little clinic. Julian was showing me how "happy" he was to be at camp...grumpy face 😏

Hyrum and I got to ride around the camp in style. We drove around to all the different stations to check on the boys and make sure no one needed any medical help.

Our fancy "kitchen" At least I got to spend the week working with some awesome adults.  It made all the difference:)

Julian participating in an ax throwing station. This camp had so many fun things for boys to do, I'm really not sure why Julian hates it so much!

I drove into town one day to get a diet coke and Julian got some ice-cream...AND I got a smile out of him!

My sweet set up at girls camp. The 4th year cabin is the only cabin at the camp with its own flush toilets and showers...right in the cabin. I love it!

Playing games with some of the girls and leaders in the 4th year cabin

At camp! I didn't get a tattoo...one of the girls in the cabin brought body markers and I asked her to draw some flowers on my leg:)

Me, Lisa Hoffman, Sara Kearsley and Angela Bennett. Lisa and I have been in charge of 4th years for 5 years now and I love her and look forward to camp so I can hang out with her.

Helping out at camps is not everyone's favorite thing to do but I really don't mind. I love being in nature and having a chance to unplug from the internet and find peace in the beauty around me. I love feeling like I accomplished something by helping out. I feel like a do a good job with the things I'm in charge of. I hope I get to keep helping out for years to come.