Yardley Family: SMILE Day 1

Today we started our 2009 Cousin Camp! My kids (& I) were so excited to see our cousins! We started by having Aunt Monica introduce the theme for this year- "S.M.I.L.E.- to be Spiritually Minded Is Life Eternal" from 2 Nephi :39. We played a smiling game where one person started by "peeling" their smile off and throwing it to another person. The only time we were allowed t smile was when we caught the smile- and NO LAUGHING! It was hard for us not to smile or laugh. We sang some smiling songs to- If You Chance to Meet a Frown, and more talked about Your are My Sunshine and Jesus Wants Me for a Sunbeam.

After talking about this for awhile, we called everyone in and we had family prayer to officially start our camp. It's so nice to get to pray with our family! Then we piled in the car and headed to Logan to go see Grandpa's friend, Bruce Thorn, and ride his horse and pony. Wow, were the kids excited!

Of course these pictures arent' in any kind of order, I keep forgetting to add them from finish to start- sorry about that. I even did these all mixed up and still have so many cute pictures to add. I just added them after I switched them from NEF to JPEG. After stopping by Bruce's house, his wife, Ladine, jumped in the van with Grandpa and took us to where the horses were. It was fun to see the horses and get to help brush and saddle them. We didn't get to brush the horse- just saddle him. His name was Spice. We did get to help brush Sunny (? I need to check on that name), the pony. The brush wasn't like a brush we'd use for our hair, or even for our dog's hair. It was a metal circle with 2 more inside it with a handle attached. The circles had little teeth. As we brushed the pony, dust would come out too. I guess it was a dust squeagy as well as a brush!

Once Spice was all saddled up and ready to go, Ashley mounted him and Carrie, Bruces daughter started leading them back to the house. Katie went too but she started just walking. She did climb on after awhile and ride. Then when the pony was all ready, James climbed on him. Emi, Grandpa, JD-Bruce's youngest son, started walking back and everyone else drove the vans back. After a little bit, Ash, Katie-now riding with Ash, and Carrie came back and met us. We all worked our way back to the house. James got off the pony and Emi got to have a turn for a little while. James got on the horse with Ash and Katie walked. Then Katie got on the pony, James on the horse and Emi on my back. We just kept rotating until we made it back to the house and everyone had a turn on the horse and pony- well, Ash just stayed on the horse.

Jacob didn't really know what to think about the pony. He really didn't want to be on it. Grandpa was close by- see his hand!

Watching Sunny and Spice was a whole lot better than getting close to them!

Emi's turn! Ashley was in HEAVEN! I wonder if she's going to add a horse to her birthday wish list. Notice that James is getting an "Alan back ride". Alan is Bruce's son who just returned from his mission. He and Carrie are the horse experts.

Cowgirl EmiLoo!

Howdy partners!

Ash got some -not a lot-speed! (I got some panning practice!)

I LOVE this picture. To me it represents too Grandpa so much. He is such a wonderful Grandpa and a teacher. He saw this field, all "white and ready to harvest" and took the opportunity and time to teach Emily. He showed her how if you take the pieces off the top and rub them between your fingers you will get the wheat. It was pretty amazing! Emi had wheat stuck all over her shirt!

Cowgirl Natie!

Maddie got her turn on the pony. From the beginning, she said she wanted to ride "by myself." She did not want to ride with anyone. We wondered if, when if came her turn to ride alone, if she'd really get on. Oh yes she did! She loved it. She didn't want to get off!