Almost going to go insane

Well my friends, It has been four days since I last wrote. I know you have all been sitting at your computers waiting in suspense for me to post. Now where to start?

Lets start with the fact that we are almost done with this school year, when I say almost I mean I am almost going to go insane. I am ready for The Color Run, and mission farewells. I am oh so ready for EFY, 4th year hike, trek, girls camp and the US Power Tumbling National Championships. I am ready for summer training and I am ready to have the opportunity to sleep. These final weeks in school are just painfull. I can hardly focus on anything. Sorry Teachers.

This weekend starts the Elite Challenge. The Elite Challenge is well, just that, an elite challenge. My fab coach, Steph, is competing and is going to do fantastic! Texas had better watch out. We love you Steph! Good Luck!

On that note can anyone guess what next weekend is? That's right! Regional Championships! Whoo! Flipside is going to Vegas! This will be our final step on our road to Kansas City Missouri for National Championships this July. Ahhh! Oh and if anyone would like to help support our team in fundraising for National Championships click HERE. {And no, I am not going to Morp, incase you were wondering, I will be in Vegas.}

I was going to post a cool video here, but I guess it will have to wait until later. I'm at school you see, and at school the fantastic thing called YouTube doesn't exist.

So my mind is pretty much stuck on tumbling right now and I'm pretty sure it isn't coming out. So I will end here. Enjoy this picture of my team being super awesome at City Creek. I am the one on the far left. Admire my perfect handstand.







Feel my Sunlight




p.s. Congrats to all of you out there going on missions or getting married! There are lots of you and I am excited. Congrats! I love you all.

Remember how I had the best Summer ever?

13 days left of Summer.

 I want it to be more than 13 days.
I have tumbling tonight.
I can't find the chalk board paint.

 My EFY counselors are dating.
Its really sunny outside.

 This was pretty much the best summer ever.

Remember how I went to that family reunion, and played spoons for hours?
Remember how I went to EFY, wrote a letter, and cried when it was over?
Remember how I went to youth conference, and the bishop photo bombed with the hoarse head?
Remember how I competed at Nationals, and the sky was purple and orange at night?
Remember how I love my team, and how we prayed at Nationals?
Remember how I went boating, and I learned how to wake board?
Remember how I slept at the gym, and how we read scriptures, and watched Stick It?
Remember how I went on 4th year hike, and lived off what I carried on my back?
Remember how I hiked 20 miles, and wore socks, and sandals for the first time?
Remember how I watched the Olympics, and was inspired by the Magnificent Seven, and the Fab Five?
Remember how I went to girls camp, and we did log yoga?
Remember how I started work at Bowmans, and can reach the top shelf with only 1 milk crate?
Remember how I read the best book ever, and did it in less than a day?
Remember how I went the ward swim party, and I wore my new swimsuit?
Remember how I made this blog to document it all, and just love posting?
Remember how I had the best Summer ever, but know there are still good times ahead?

day six. {4th year hike, & girls camp}

day six. Saturday

On Saturday We got up, we went to flag ceremony, we ate breakfast, we packed up camp, we cleaned the lodge, we loaded up cars, and we drove home.

day four. day five. {4th year hike, & girls camp}

 Day four. Day five.

Thursday & Friday

Fred the Flamingo in his new habitat outside the cabin

18th ward zombies

models

my fantastic bumble bee balloon hat!

Log yoga

Avoiding the service project rain

pretty much the cutest picture I have ever seen!

"QUICK EVERYBODY SIT ON DANIELLE!"

BENCH YOGA

what a SUPER cute picture of Lauren!

day three. {4th year hike, & girls camp}

day three. Wednesday

 

 

 

Me, Katie T, and Keara before our final hike.

My pack, my not so new looking shoes, and Fred the Flamingo.

We started the day early. We ate breakfast, and we packed up camp. We had a devotional and we discussed how this hike relates to our lives. Its often darkest before the dawn. In life you half to set goals. You have priesthood leaders to lead you where you should go, and they will not lead you astray. With God you can do all things. There where many other things but It would take forever to write it all. After the hike we got ready to set out on our final hike. 2.8 miles. 

Me and about seven other girls decided that we where going to run the last 2.8 miles. With our packs on our backs. We called ourselves the beastie girls. We figured it would be better just to book it and get it over with. The first day they told us that there would be a time on this hike when you thought you couldn't go on. They told us we would have to pray hard for got to help you get through it. I have to say I made it through the first 2.8 miles without that feeling. I made it through the 15 mile day hike without that feeling. I figured I was a just a fantastic hiker. I decided to joined the beastie girls on their little run. it was the hardest "run" I think I have ever done in my life. We didn't actually run the entire thing, but we ran whenever it was flat, and speed hiked through everything else. We took no breaks except for the short water fill up in the spring (we call it heaven water) The time came when I felt I couldn't go on when we where running towards the last hill. The hill wasn't huge, but I was already exhausted, My whole body hurt, and the girls in front of me didn't stop running when they reached the hill. I said a prayer that I would make it up the hill. I said a prayer that I wouldn't fall behind. I said a prayer to my Heavenly Father to give me strength. I made it up that hill. It was such a great feeling, but the greatest feeling was when I first caught sight of the cars. About 1/4 mile before we reached the cars I started to feel my gluts hurt (I have strained my left gluteous, or in other words my butt, 5 times) I said another prayer then that I would be able to make it the rest of the way with everyone else, and that I would have the strength not to quit. When we made it back to the cars I felt like crying because I was so happy. We sat down on the side of the road and waited a good 45 minutes before anyone else got there. When everyone else arrived we hoped in the cars and drove to Lake Lyman. We got out of the cars right before we got in to camp. We put on our packs and walked into camp. Everyone was lined up on the road cheering for us and giving us hugs, and congratulations for making it.

The treat bucket!

The rest of the day is kind of a blur. I was exhausted and really had no energy. Lauren (the only other 4th year from my ward that went on the hike) and I kinda stuck together and didn't really want to do anything. Lauren's sister had forgotten to pack any of her stuff, so she only had her backpacking stuff, and my family had forgotten some of my stuff. Both of us where crying at one point in the day. We sat out most of the activities, and games. It was frustrating when everyone was like "come do yoga with us!", and "go help make up the skit!" to me (and I imagine Lauren too)  it just sounded like "we don't care that you just hiked/ran 20 miles, we don't care that you just want to sit, we don't care that your whole body hurts!" I know they where just trying to be nice, but I didn't want to talk to anyone, all I wanted was a shower, and our ward was no help. So Lauren and I sat out skits and watched, then after skits we went and found Trisha and asked her about showers. I'm so thankful for Trisha! We took our showers. It felt so great to be clean! I may or may not have used the flushies too...Shhhh! don't tell!... I kind of avoided people for the rest of the day. I kinda stuck with the 4th years and avoided my ward as much as I could. I was so excited to get to bed. I had the best nights sleep I had had in a while.

Yoga

 

Yoga

day two. {4th year hike, & girls camp}

day two. Tuesday

a day I will never forget

The waterfall

We got up and I ate a bagel. (I know, exciting right?!)

My friend, Kaylee, had gotten sick in the night and didn't know if she could make it all 15 miles. She had been throwing up in the night (I know you where dying to know that.) The priesthood holders gave her a blessing that she would be able to make it the entire way. If I was in her position I would not want to attempt the 15 mile hike. But she set out with faith with the rest of us.

The hike was long. It wasn't too bad for the most part for me, but it was so hard for some of the other girls (like the one who was sick).

"you will find you are your strongest when you bend down to pick someone up."-Meg Johnson

I kept thinking of this quote over and over while I was on this hike. I knew I had to be a motivator. I had to help the other girls. I hiked with Kaylee almost the entire way. I found that when you tell others that they are doing awesome, you start to believe you are doing awesome yourself. Every time someone asked me how I was doing I replied with "I'm fantastic!" And I was! (Katie asked on the hike "how's life?" I replied "my life is fantastic!" She thought I said "my life is hectic!" It was kinda funny.)

I hiked with Trisha Green (yes, my favorite sewing teacher), and Kaylee almost the entire way, and we discussed everything

from the hardest thing about being a teenager, to our favorite vegetable. Talking to these two made me really rethink some things, and get excited about the future. It gave me the strength, and the mindset for starting high school. Because life as a teen in our day is hard. And we need to be strong. 

Bob's Lake. Our destination. Every single person that started on the hike made it. Every. single. one. I know that there where times when angels had to carry the girls. We kept calling Kaylee our miracle because she had the faith to try, and by the time we got to the top she was feeling tons better. We made it to Bob's Lake, and that was such a great feeling. We took off our shoes, and soaked our sweaty toes in the freezing water. It was such a great moment. 

The hardest part of the day hike was the giant hill we had to climb before we reached our destination. This hill was huge (well lets face it, it was a mountain.) We decided that 

"it's always darkest before the dawn."

The hardest hill was right before the triumph. In life that is often true. In in times of the hardest trials you just half to keep going, because as soon as you get through it you will be stronger, you will be wiser, and you will realize the reason for your trial.

Me and Katie T. with our socks and flip flops!

After Bob's Lake we made the descent down the mountain. We hiked down that mountain like we had wings on our feet. Taking almost no breaks, and speeding through as fast as we could. We made it back to camp in what felt like record time. We where so proud of our selves. As we where walking through the meadow with our camp in sight Kaylee said to me "Whitney, I'm proud of you." and I replied with "I'm proud of you."

We got to camp, took our shoes off. (this was the very first time I sported the socks and sandals look. And let me just say, I LOOKED HOT!" haha) We then ate dinner. I had Mountain House Chicken Al A King. It was DELICIOUS!! I'm pretty sure it wouldn't taste as good at home, but it was a ridiculously yummy backpacking meal. 

After dinner we talked, Sang our awesome Amazing Grace song (not the one you are thinking) and played some more games. We had a devotional and testimony meeting. It was such a fantastic spiritual night. Sister Greens words ring in my head. She said that 

"In our hardest times in our lives, I want you to remember these moments. Remember that time you hiked 20 miles, and lived out of the things you carried on your back. Remember that you can do hard things, but through the strength of the Lord you can do all things." 

Bob's Lake

 

Bob's Lake

My dirty shoes...EW! They smelled as bad as they looked!

Fred the Flamingo! We found him outside our tent one morning! Every Tent had been flamingoed! Ours was the best because it was zebra striped!

Bobs Lake

Marissa, Katie f, and Katie T.

Kaylee

Bob's Lake

Madie, Marissa, and Shavini

Bob's Lake

Rocks!

Bob's Lake

Trisha Green, Kaylee, and Katie

Lauren & The Meadow

This was one of the most fantastic days of my life. A day I will never forget. I am a much stronger person because of this hike. I would do it again in a heart beat!

day one. {4th year hike, & girls camp}

4th year backpacking trip, and girls camp

...4 more miles...

day one. Monday

So I kinda forgot to take pictures the first day. Mostly because my camera was packed in my 30 pound pack and I wasn't to fond of taking it on and off. So I got up early and took my last real shower. Carina and her dad picked me up to go get our lunch and Subway, we got to the church by 7:15, and headed out by 8:00. We said goodbye to civilization as we know it.

We got to Lake Lymen and ate our lunch. We put on our shoes, used the flushies for the last time. and loaded up the cars. We drove about 45 minutes to the trail head. Bumpiest road I have ever ridden! 

We arrived at the trail head. We put on our packs, and we started to walk.

I hiked about 2.8 miles with a 30 lb pack on my back. It was hard, but it was okay. I didn't have a problem physically. By the time we got to camp I was feeling pretty darn good about myself. 

I ate my first freeze-dried meal. I had Chicken Alfredo. It was okay, I would never eat it at home, but for backpacking, It wasn't to shabby. 

There where lots of laughs. We played the "Name Game" and Mafia while we waited for the stars to come out.

We went star gazing in the meadow. It was one of the most fantastic things I have ever seen! I learned so much that night, and the spirit was so strong. I went to bed with excitement for the day to come. 

I'm BACK!

Hey guys! I'm back from a long week at girls camp and 4th year hike. It was so fantastic I can't wait to tell you all about it so stay tuned! (yes, I like to pretend I'm a news caster.)

Astalasagna!!!

Hey guys! I'm leaving for 4th year hike & girls camp tomorrow morning! My last vacation of the summer :( hope everyone has a fantastic week and I'll write again in 6 days. Astalasagna!!!