Cold Camp

Two days after Christmas I had the opportunity to spend two freezing days and one sleepless night with my awesome young women.  It was cold but fantastic! 

Every winter for many winters past, the boys of the Briargate ward have bundled up and headed to the mountains for a winter campout.  Three years ago the young women of our ward decided that the boys were having all the fun and declared that they wanted to be included in the activity.  The first year the girls slept in tents outside like the boys.  Apparently that was too cold.  As luck would have it, the Rocky Mountain Mennonites have a camp with cabins near to the boys' camping location, so the past two years the girls have slept there, but don't think we ladies are too pampered!  We spent every minute of the rest of the time outside with the boys.  And honestly, I don't know if I would have minded sleeping cold as much as I minded the uncomfortable and loud crinkly cabin beds!  Plus, I felt like I had 15 daughters I was listening for all night, every sound woke me up, nervous that someone was sick or scared or needed something in the night.

This was my first year at our winter campout.  And yes, it was very cold, although I've heard that one of the past years was much worse.  The daytime temperatures this year were in the upper 20's and the nighttime temps were in the mid-teens.  The snow was a couple of feet deep in most of the places we were, and we had to pack it down just to make our camp.  A few of the girls were not-so-well prepared, so by nightfall I was shedding my layers to help cover them up.  One of my Miamaids ended up with my mittens on her frozen feet.  Fortunately I had a lot of other leaders lending me their blankets and extra jackets, so I didn't get too cold when I had to take off my coat to wrap around another pair of too-cold feet.  But even with the cold, it was such a fun time! 

We did some sledding; hiked up and down the hill from the boys' campsite up to the Crags parking lot a number of times; hiked down to the girls' camp; did some more sledding and sled racing; tried out the RMMC tubing run; ate a lot of good, warming food and drank a lot of hot cocoa; laughed a ton while playing games in the cabins before bed; got in a few rousing games of broomball on the frozen pond; listened to a wonderful fireside lesson; enjoyed the company of friends; and dug a lot of stuck cars out of the snow...ours and other winter mountain outdoor enthusiasts!  

I realize that while the activities sound fun, the cold and snow sound awful.  However, the the youth of our ward, who are simply amazing, tipped the scales in favor of the fun side.  They get along so well.  They are supportive and encouraging.  They laugh together a lot.  They jump up to help when needed.  I am so humbled by the strength of their spirits.  In spite of the cold, and in spite of having to leave my own sweet family behind at home when Adam was off work and I wanted nothing more than to snuggle up with them and play some of the new games and watch new movies that we received for Christmas, I am SO glad I was able to go spend a chilly two days with these beautiful daughters and sons of God!  It took me two days at home to warm myself back up again, but the experiences we had and the goodness of these kids will forever warm my heart. 

Three of my Laurels, Bailey, Sam and Krystal

Leslie, Bailey, Sam P., Alexa and Mylissa (front)

Camille, Mykinsay, Olivia and Mikayla

Two of my Miamaids, Sam H. and Leslie, and me too!

Beehives!  Maryanne, Mykinsay, Camille, Laura (behind) and Olivia

Mylissa, Leslie, Sam P., Sam H. and me!

Sledding!

If we didn't want to walk, we had to pile in the car that had the best chance of not getting stuck.  This drive up to the boys' camp had 19 of us in one Suburban!

Cold toes!  Those are my mittens.

Broomball!!

I had to include a picture of digging out a car.  It was amazing how much time we spent digging out cars!  The car in this photo isn't one of ours, but that of a cross-country skier who we helped out, but we dug out our own plenty of times!