Miller Family News: Brownie Camp -- YMCA of the Rockies

Wednesday, July 27, 2011

Brownie Camp -- YMCA of the Rockies

Elle and I got to spend some quality time together this past weekend. Her Brownie troop had a "campout" up near Estes Park at the YMCA facility, and I was lucky enough to go with her. We really had a great time together, and were so glad that Babette and Heidi Hansen let us bum around with them the entire time.

Activities included:

Tye-Dyeing in the Craft Center

Meals in the Cafeteria

A guided hike to look for beavers.

Elle's first experience with fishing. I'm not convinced there were any fish in the pond, but she still loved it!

Games, campfire songs, and smores.

Swimming.

And last, but certainly not least, horseback riding.

Really, how many pictures of the back of Elle's horse can I post?

We had such a great time. I loved getting that great one-on-one time with Elle. We packed a whole lot of fun into a little more than 24 hours, and I can't wait to do it with her again next year.

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"I've Got to Write that Down!"

September 2011 -- While riding in the car and listening to the radio, 2-year old Campbell pipes up from the backseat: "Mom, is this Katie Perry?" Sign that she is definitely the 4th child.
August 2011 -- During a FHE lesson on prayer, I was talking about how Heavenly Father always answers our prayers, but you might not get the answer right away. Elle piped up in agreement, "Yeah, like what your Heavenly name is."
July 2011 -- One day while visiting Grandpa and Grandma Allen Bennett said, "Campbell looks like a dwarf." My dad said incredulously, "Do you know many dwarves?" Bennett's response, without a moment's hesitation, "Seven."
February 2011 -- Giving Reagan a big hug, I said, "Are you my best friend?" She replied, "Yeah, and I'm dad's best friend too." I chuckled and said, "Who's your best friend?" Her response: "Elle."
February 2011 -- While putting Campbell down for a nap, I said to her, "Oh Campbell, you are the cutest! Who's the cutest?" And she replied, "ELLERY!"
February 2011 -- Reagan, while giving me a big hug, and totally out of the blue: "I love you mom. You're the best mom I've ever had."
September 2010 -- On the way home from school today, I asked Elle how her day was. Her response: "Good! . . . . .but I never want to go back to that place." Hmmmmm. . . . . . .
September 2010 -- Bennett has a new friend this year named John who has a skateboard, and Bennett REALLY likes him. Yesterday morning Bennett came into our room first thing in the morning and said, "Mom, is the 'three wishes thing' really true?" I said no, and then asked him what his three wishes would be if it were true. His reply: "One, that I had a skateboard. Two, that I could do all skateboard tricks. And three, that John and I were born on the same day."
July 2010 -- Reagan, during our time at the pool today: "Mom, you be Boots and I'm Dora. . . ." "Mom, you be Eve and I'm Wall-E. . . ." "Mom, you be a platypus and I'm Doofenshmirtz. . . ." "Mom, it's your birthday and here's your birthday cake. . . .Happy Birthday to you. . . .." This little girl has quite the imagination, and loves Make-Believe!
July 2010 -- Bennett, after spending too much time in the bathroom: "Mom, three things. I'm the strongest boy in the family. I'm the cutest boy in the family. And I'm the stinkiest boy in the family." He doesn't have much competition, but has himself clearly pegged.
June 2010 -- I heard Reagan say shut up. It was quiet, to herself, with a smile on her face, like she thought she was getting a way with something. Me: "Reagan, we don't say 'shut up'." Reagan: "Yes, we do. It means 'be quiet'." Me: "But it is a bad word, and we don't say it." Reagan: "Yes we do, when we want someone to stop talking." Atleast she understands the proper use of the phrase!
May 2010 -- Reagan, after Elle pointed a rainbow out to her, "That made my heart happy!"
May 2010 -- Reagan: "Mom, Dad said a bad word." Mom -- "Oh, what did he say?" Reagan, "He said, 'Stop sucking your thumb.'"
May 2010 -- Bennett: "Mom, even though it sounds really, really fun, I don't want to be an evil scientist anymore." Mom -- "Okay, what do you want to be?" Bennett -- "A scientist, without the evil part."
March 2010 -- Ellery: "You're a mammal, Bennett." Bennett -- "No I'm not. I'm a Mormon."
March 2010 -- Bennett -- "Mom, I can't wait to see who Reagan marries." Reagan -- "I want to marry you, Bennett." Bennett -- "Reagan, it is against the law to marry a brother." Reagan -- "I want to marry you, Mom."
December 2009 -- Bennett, at dinner last night: "Mom, when I grow up I want to be a scientist and a chef." Me, proud that he is aspiring to be several things: "Bennet, that is great. You can do whatever you put your mind to." Bennett: "I want to work at McDonald's." Not sure if he thinks that in order to work at McDonald's he needs to be both a scientist and a chef, or if when I told him he could do WHATEVER he put his mind to, he decided to set the bar really high. Either way, we're proud.
August 2009 -- Ellery, talking about something being cool: "Not cool, like rockstar cool; cool like cold." Good distinction.
July 2009 -- Reagan, while holding a harmonica: "Watch this Bent (Bennett)." Tries to play harmonica, which doesn't produce much noise. Looks disgustedly at harmonica and says, "Oh, Come On!"
July 2009 -- Conversation during dinner: Bennett -- "Dad, when I grow up I am going to be a karate instructor, and you are going to be my assistant." Ellery -- "Bennett, Dad will be dead by then." I'm not sure which statement was funnier.
May 2009 -- Driving in the car with our friend Haley, she was talking about how her dad likes cherries and will buy cherries, but her mom won't. Elle's response was, "My dad likes all sweets, and he'll buy us any sweets, because he has all the money."
April 2009 -- Ellery is becoming more and more aware that lots of people she knows and likes drink coffee. It has been a big topic of discussion with her lately. One day she said, "I wish coffee was extinct." Bennet said, "What does extinct mean?" Elle replied, "It means it isn't on the earth anymore. Like dinosaurs. I wish coffee was like dinosaurs."
March 2009 -- Bennett and Elle get very defensive of Reagan when Sam disciplines her or spanks her. After one such incident, Bennett said, "Dad, you are the worst dad." Ellery then said, "Now Bennett, he's not the worst dad. He's a bad dad, but he's not the worst dad." Sam appreciated Ellery standing up for him.
February 2009 -- Conversation between Bennett and his friend Addison on the way to preschool yesterday morning: Bennett -- "Addy, when I grow up I'm going to be three things: a ninja, an astronaut, and a cowboy." Addy -- "Well, I don't know what else I want to be, but I know one thing I want to be is a cowgirl." Bennett -- "Then you can ride with me to Texas."
January 2009 -- Bennett: "Mom, how old are you?" Mom:"28." Bennett:"28!!!! I thought you were 48!"
January 2009 -- Ellery and I are talking about modesty, and out of nowhere she says, "Boy and girls are very different. They have very different private parts, and sometimes boys don't have to wipe."
January 2009 -- Bennett's response when I ask him what he wants for lunch today: "I want honey and bread, butter and bread, an apple, orange, banana, and pear, and I want to watch a movie in the basement." This boy is very faithful to his two loves: fruit and movies.
December 2008 -- Ellery had a substitute teacher yesterday. When I asked her how her day was, she said, "Not good at all. We had a different teacher, and she LOOKED like a step-mother, and she TALKED like a step-mother." Apparently if something ever happens to me, Sam will not be able to remarry, because Ellery has a slight prejudice against step-mothers.
November 2008 -- Bennett has a lot of ideas of what to name the new baby if it is a boy. Since we informed him we already have a name picked out if it is a boy (Calvin, which he doesn't like), he now talks often about what he is going to name his boys when he is a dad. Right now his favorite names are Paul, Josh, Rocky, and Rex.
October 2008 -- Bennett, while watching "Mulan": "The Huns are very, very scary. I never want to go to China."
October 2008 -- Ellery, "Mom, do you know what the easiest word to sound out is? DVD."
September 2008 -- Ellery commiserating about her second loose tooth -- "Mom, you just don't understand. This is the hardest thing I have ever had to go through. This is as hard as having a baby."
September 2008 -- Yesterday we saw a stretch limo driving next to us. I pointed it out to the kids, and told them it was called a limo. Bennett piped up from the backseat, "They must have a lot of kids."
August 2008 -- Ellery's obsession with the restaurant Chili's continues. Ellery -- "Mom, do you think Aunt Lisa could make me a hair bow with a red chili pepper on it?" Me -- "If she did, when would you wear it?" Ellery -- "I don't know -- maybe the 4th of July, or my first day of college."
August 2008 -- Bennett asked me when we will get a dog. I told him we will probably never get a dog. He asked why. I told him that Dad doesn't like dogs. He said, "I do." A little while passes. Bennett says, "Mom, how old will Dad be next year?" Me, "He will be 31." Bennett, "Will Dad like dogs when he is 31?"
August 2008 -- Ellery was talking about how Giselle in "Enchanted" has long hair. I pointed out that most of the Disney princesses have long hair. I was just about to say that I think the princesses have long hair because it is so beautiful, when Ellery piped up and said, "Yeah, because there wasn't any place for them to go and get their hair cut."
August 2008 -- Conversation between Ellery and Grandpa Allen: Grandpa - "What is your teacher's name?" Ellery - "Ms. Debbie." Grandpa - "Is that with a 'y' or an 'ie'?" Ellery (not missing a beat) - "With a 'D'."
July 2008 -- Ellery, in response to someone asking her what grade she is in: "Oh, I'm not in a grade. I'm just in Kindergarten."
July 2008 -- Bennett, during one of his many Star Wars viewings, "Yoda is so funny!"
July 2008 -- Ellery, being silly, "Hotdogs are my passion!"
April 2008 -- Bennett, while we were outside doing yard work: "Mom, I only have 9 fingers, and I want 12."
April 2008 -- Ellery, after she had been upstairs alone for a little while: "Mom, I have to tell you a secret. I was upstairs in your room trying to read the scriptures. It was pretty hard but I was able to sound out the 'its'. I was just thinking I should read my scriptures so I can have scripture power."
April 2008 -- Ellery, as we are going to the dentist this morning: "Mom, girls talk too much."
March 2008 -- Bennett, to a two-year-old boy who was pushing Reagan out of the way at the McDonald's play place: "Excuse me, young man. Will you please share with my baby sister?"
March 2008 -- Elley came into the kitchen first thing this morning and immediately said, "Mom, I'm happy." When I asked why, she said, "Because I remembered to say my morning prayers."
March 2008 -- Bennett growled as Diego came on this morning. I asked if he wanted to watch something else, and he said yes. As I was changing the channel, he said to the TV, "I don't love you, Diego, and I'm NOT going to kiss you."
February 2008 -- Ellery is becoming quite the dignified orator. She is commonly heard saying things like, "I suppose that I should. . . ." or, "and besides, Mom. . . " Not quite sure where she picked up these phrases, but they sure are cute.
February 2008 -- Sam, while sending Bennett to a time-out for taking a toy from Ellery, "You never take something from someones hand. . . .unless it is a grenade." Strange counsel, and hopefully advice they will never need!
January 2008 -- Ellery, as she is resting from a wicked tickling session between me and her, "This is going to be the hardest funnest day of my life."
January 2008 -- Bennett, this morning as we are resting in my bed, "Mom, when are you going to ask Santa if I can ride in his sleigh?" (big smile spreads across his face) "That will be so much fun." How do I break it to him that it just isn't going to happen?
January 2008 -- After much pleading with Bennett that he share his toys with Reagan, he says to me, "But Mom, I'm a bad sharer. Call me a bad sharer."
December 2007-- Bennett, trying to convince Elle to let him play with her new Island Princess toys: "But Elle, I really love peacocks and elephants and monkeys. . . . "
December 2007 -- Elle, telling my mom about Reagan's new Noah's Ark toy: "It is Noah the Prophet, not our friend Noah. Our friend Noah is a baby. This is Noah the Prophet."
December 2007 -- Elle, in response to Santa's inquiry regarding what she wants for Christmas: "A bathrobe." Yes, we've taught her to dream big!
December 2007 -- Elle, in her personal prayer last night: "And please bless that the roads will be clear so there won't be anymore car accidents because I bet if our car got bumped we wouldn't have anymore money to get a new minivan."
December 2007 -- Bennett was sick, and so I was folding the laundry on the floor of his bedroom while he rested. I got up to answer the phone, and while I was still out the room, he called out for me, "Mom, you need to be with me. Come back in here and PLAY with the laundry."
November 2007 -- Bennett, after I asked him if he could say "hippo - potamus", says, "Mom, say 'rhi - noceros.' Good, now say 'horse - y'."
November 2007 -- Elle, talking to Sam about her flu shot experience: "I told Mom I would be so brave and not shed a tear and not make a sound, and I WAS really brave, and I DIDN"T shed a tear, but. . . . I did make a sound."
November 2007 -- Bennett, after Elle announces that she needs to go potty and runs off to the bathroom, says, "I don't need to go potty. I don't smell any coming out."
October 2007 -- Elle, after a discussion about the troops in Iraq: "Mom, why do they have to fight to keep us safe?"
October 2007 -- Whenever there is something that Elle really wants me to remember, like the fact that she really wants us to buy and carve pumpkins, she says, "Mom, make sure you write that UP so you don't forget."
October 2007 -- Bennett, while trying to convince me to let him watch a movie at 8:00 pm: "But Mom, we don't like going to bed."
October 2007 -- Elle, when I told her Sam was staying home today (it is Saturday), said, "Is today a holiday?!"
October 2007 -- Elle whispers in Sam's ear: "When I grow up I want to be a mermaid, but I'll really miss you, so will you be a mermaid too?"
October 2007 -- While watching Dora this morning -- Dora: "Do you like ponies?" Bennett: "I like horses." Dora: "I LOVE ponies!" Bennett: "I LOVE horses!"
October 2007 -- Bennett, after briefly watering the dead patch of grass we have in our front yard, "Look mom, it's alive!"
October 2007 -- Bennett, while looking at the picture of him in Albuquerque in front of the Horseman, says, "I love horses." I respond, "You love horses and guns, right?" Bennett responds, "Horses, guns, and swords."
October 2007 -- Bennett, after our BYU game weekend in New Mexico, says very sadly, "Mom, I miss Cosmo."
September 2007 -- Ellery, in response to the dentist asking her what kind of a van we got, says, "A mini."
February 2007 -- Bennett says to me in very longingly way, "Mom, I really want to be a bad guy."