Birthdays, Fireworks, & Camping

Happy Birthday David!!!!

 David turned 12 the day we left on our wonderful camping trip:)

12 balloons to find all over the house......he was SO happy!

 As per tradition in our home, David got a nice, brand new set of scriptures.

He LOVES them.  I know that not all of my boys will think that's a great gift, but David couldn't think of anything better.  What a sweet boy he is:)

Today he was ordained to the Aaronic Priesthood.

Very special.

Grandma & Grandpa Swain came, and Grandpa Christensen.

Matt ordained him.

My David is so special to me!

 We went camping for 3 days before we went to the Swain family reunion for another 2.

Just my boys and I at the top of the Uintah Mountains--Brownie Lake.

No cell phone coverage, not a lot of people--because it rained almost the entire time--just us, a lake, and trails to hike.  It was heaven!

The Swain reunion was pretty great too--even though we were only camping 10 min. from town and there was cell phone coverage:)

Kurls & Scott brought their boat and took us all for amazing tube rides for hours on end.

I knitted a way cute hat and talked with my family enjoying our time together.

Pictures will come as soon as Tammy gets them to me.......hint, hint:)

Now we are home--got here just before dark last night.

We stopped on the way home to let the boys spend some of their hard earned money on fireworks.

Grandma Swain gave Jared some army guys to bring home and keep.

The boys all put their heads together and came up with this......

 That is some of the army guys carefully arranged in battle position and the firework going off in the middle.....not sure this is the best Sunday activity--but it's working for us today:)

And while we were camping, Jason caught some of his favorite animals.

Snakes.

I was busy studying for the lesson I was giving in Relief Society on today when Jason showed up to show me his catch.  I was just reading about how we needed to show interest in our children and their interests.  Seriously!  So, I listened to Jason talk about the snake--which I hate, they scare me like crazy.  Then I even held both of the snakes he caught, yes, both of them.  I took them and held them in my bare hands.  Then I gave them back and listened to Jason tell me why they were such amazing creatures.  And I learned a lot sitting there listening to my 10 year old teach me about snakes for 10 min.  I still don't like them, but I learned a lot.  Thanks Jason:)

And thanks to my lesson that taught me to listen to him and not just scream and run away from the snake.