Mia Shalom-July 9, 2009...

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July 9, 2009-Mia Shalom

EARLY Morning-

Bad:

1. Feel sick

2. Cold and wet

3. Waking up at flipping 5:30 to see a sunrise because the leaders said it was the only day possible-like it’s not going to come up tomorrow. :P

4. Toilet paper is out in the bathrooms (good thing I brought my own)

5. 4 mile hike today for which I am so not in shape for

Good:

1. Dad’s coming up today

2. Able to rest for an hour after sunrise

3. Our attacks and counterattacks on 4^th ward (heehee)

4. Clean socks!

5. Hilarious one-liners

Resting after the hike

(or catching Swedish Fish in your mouth from Kim, who is clear across the cabin by me)

Still sick. I’m secretly hoping that dad will take me home with him tomorrow morning. Doubt it though.

Sister Baird arranged a forced march at 5:30 in the a.m. to watch a sunrise. By the time we got to the spot she’d picked it was over. Was there a point? I have no idea; maybe. We did receive our Letters from Home. I don’t know if I believe what my mom wrote. All this stuff about how great I am, yet as soon as I get home she’ll be mad about something.

Time to rest. Get as much as possible while you can, I say.

Morning-

Bad:

1. Fried eggs for breakfast to me = yuck, and Sister Whitaker becoming

Food Nazi-no seconds on toast despite the fact that there are six loaves

with 20 slices in each (roughly), meaning there are 120 pieces of bread

and 32 people to feed. Do the math.

2. Fires that won’t start

3. Girls getting burned while making toast over the fire-Sister Whitaker is

supposed to be watching and helping out but she’s busy playing vulture

at the food table. Good thing I’ve got a First Aid kit.

4. Problems with sleeping quarters for the men-the Men’s Cabin on the

map is actually the Men’s Bathroom. Oops.

Good:

1. Dad gave me a muffin

2. It’s not hot today

3. Fourth years are leaving for an overnight hike-more room!

4. New story idea

Sandra and Kim want me to write about them. Sandra first-she was one of the girls who got burned today while making breakfast. Now the tips of her fingers and the skin on her thumb are all blistered. Kim has recently been seen as the bandita Diablo. She leads the attacks on the 4^th ward; the most recent happened last night. She and Sandra planned to plaster the outside of the 4^th ward cabins with plastic spoons, and Sandra led the charge into camp. A sign left behind said “You’ve Been Spooned!” along with a jar of duct taped Nutella. They knew it was us. *smirk*

Shanae at Number 20

But spooning 4^th ward was not enough; the challenge was issued and they accepted. A Chubby Bunny Contest has begun again! *barf* Shanae from our ward won this time, beating Sandra’s Wednesday night record by 7 marshmallows. Yeah-21 marshmallows. Ew. But, it meant that our ward won. In retaliation, they spooned us back. Their spoons, however, were colored with marker to look like each girl in our ward. Cute, no? We also got “Sparkled!” by the 1^st ward. They brought silver streamers and Pixie Sticks (spelling?).

Afternoon-1^st Year Hike to Lone Pine

Bad:

1. STEEP climbing

2. Getting my shoes soaked just before the hike-not good

3. Linnea got a bloody nose and had to leave the hike

4. Fire on the other side of the mountain (it’s kind of cool that you can see it from up here though)

5. Lost my favorite pen

Good:

1. Meeting and getting to know my 1^st year girlies

2. Flat ground on the hiking trail in various places-almost seeming to be strategically placed for a rest

3. Seeing a small herd of deer-two does and two fawns (teenaged, by the size of them)

4. Chubs, my new pot-gut friend

5. Extra camera battery! I’m so glad I bought one!

I’m now sitting at the base of Lone Pine, the solemn sentinel that stands at the very top of the rim around the Mia Shalom Valley. I see the campground and surrounding mountains as she does, and it’s amazing. It’s so beautiful. The lake looks like a blue, teardrop jewel dangling from the neck of the mountain, green evergreens her hair, and her smile the road. I love it up here. It’s worth the climb.

Chubs stopping by to share lunch

A trail we hiked-looks inviting

Evening-

Bad:

1. Sore arm from mosquito bites-very, very sore

2. Girls fighting-really fighting

3. Dead batteries

4. Waiting and waiting

5. Dirt. So much dirt.

Good:

1. Energized after hike

2. Flag Ceremony cheer by the men

3. Glo Stix!

4. Snacks on the hike from our leader

5. Teaching “Da Moose” song

The hike was so amazing. I feel like I could go for two more hours. My 1^st years were so cute; I love them all to death! They were all really nice and so fun. I can’t believe I was scared of a group of twelve year olds. I’m glad I got to know them. I even taught them “Da Moose” song that I learned at my work. We did it at the Moosehead Trail sign. All of the girls made moose horns above their heads, either in Da Moose style, or Dead Moose style. Spazmatastic-I loved it.

Moose Head Trail

Flag Ceremony was so much fun. I totally am losing my voice from screaming. Hopefully everyone is too tired for me to read tonight. I sure am. :)

Kim during the Chubby Bunny Contest