BI - 08.09

Ever since I can remember, our family has gone to Northern Wisconsin for summer vacation.  My wonderful grandparents first purchased the summer home when my mom and her siblings were children & they too have memories of growing up in the woods.  A few weeks ago, my whole family was reunited to celebrate the cabin's 100 year of being and the peninsula's history.  Each day we ate meals together, read together and laughed together - something that doesn't usually happen for all eighteen of us at one time.  It was so nice to be reunited with cousins that I hadn't seen in over a year or just a few months ago and relax.

I have been busy working on my friend's save the dates.  I've come up with a lot of ideas - hopefully she will like one of them!  I am also working on an invitation for the mama and business cards for the contractor.  Busy bee, that's me!  With all this (potential) work coming to me, I need suggestions for my business name.  My ideas: monica faye productions, little details., and p.s. designs - anyone out there have any suggestions?

Tomorrow night Chef & I are cooking dinner for our friends.  On the menu: salmon with pineapple salsa served over a bed of spinach, crab cakes, and carrot cake for dessert!  Delicious.  Hopefully I will remember to take pictures....

One of my favorite bloggers, Nie was in a horrific accident last August, a year from last Sunday and she recently climbed the Y mountain in Provo (similar to our A mountain in Tucson).  I only recently started reading about her, but she is one amazing woman.  By the time she was twenty five she had four children, which in my book deserves some kind of award.  I encourage all of you to read her blog - she can bring a smile to anyone.  She climbed the mountain because it was the anniversary of her and her husband's accident, a goal she set when she moved back to Provo after coming out of a coma and sustaining burns covering 80% of her body.  The past few days I can't help but to think about her this week.  Her story reminds me that anything is possible if you put your mind to it & of how blessed I am.

happy tuesday!

An ode to the Camp I love.

When I was in third grade, I went to Camp Shalom for the first time & I hated it.  I cried pretty much the entire time because I missed home so much.

The next year, I went back.

And until about three summers ago (jeez, has it been that long?!) I went there every summer for as many weeks as possible.  I worked there for two glorious summers and met wonderful little children that forever changed me. I also worked with fabulous Jesus-loving college aged adults and had the time. of. my. life.

Camp Shalom has been a part of my family's life since it was first created.  My mom worked there.  My uncle worked there (Boober!) and met his now-wife (my aunt) at the Maquoketa ool( because there's no pee in it!).  My other uncle worked (or at least went...I'm a little fuzzy on the dets).  My bro worked there (and might have had every counselor/camper girl in love with him.  I worked there.  My little sister worked there...and hopes to again next summer!  Never the less, there is nothing better to me than an evening at camp.  Playing all-camp.  Eating snack.  Singing by the campfire. 

I've been thinking a lot about camp lately.  Maybe it's because I'm jealous that my beautiful sister Kaeli gets to volunteer there in about two weeks.  So. Jealous.

So, I went through my pictures (most of them by the fabulous camp photog, Sarah) and picked out some gems.  MISS YOU, Camp Shalom.

love,

monica faye