The journey to Brave Girls Camp

This last week I went to Brave Girl's Camp, it's run by Melody Ross and her sister Kathy Wilkins and their family and friends. It's located in McCall, Idaho and if you have never been in that part of our country it's a beautiful and serene. It calls to your soul... it takes awhile to reach your destination and I thought I would share my journey with you.

We left for the airport early, I am a nervous but patient traveller, always willing to be there early to keep the stress level down. I checked in and had plenty of time to grab a Starbucks Iced Tea (which was my last one for the week, ok I did not plan on the withdrawal heads from the missing caffeine, duh!) I think had I known it would be my last Ice Tea for the week, I might have slowed down and enjoyed it a little more.

Breezed through security, got on the on time flight and then we sat for 54minutes because we had too much fuel on board for the trip to Las Vegas. Never knew that too much fuel could be a problem, but now I know. They told us that SouthWest would hold the flights for connections in Las Vegas.

Arrived in Las Vegas and ran...yes I ran to the next gate, thank the airport gods, there was a short cut that lead right to my gate and I made it in enough time to make a potty stop. So important, because who no matter their size can fit in an airplane toilet closet? Actually connected with Jennifer who was also to be on the flight to Boise and we were off.

We arrived in Boise, but Jennifer's luggage didn't. I was sure with my quick connection mine would still be in Las Vegas, but it didn't work out that way. We got a few different soulutions to the luggage problem taken care of and made our way to hotel. We had time to grab lunch and then get the shuttle to McCall, plus add a trip to Target to get Jennifer some hold over cloths just incase her luggage didn't make it.

If you want to know the true start to the week, it happens in the lobby of the Hilton Garden Inn at Eagle River...they have some really nice folks at the hotel, very welcoming and ready to be of assistance even though we were not staying there for the night. It was fun watching folks come in and join the growing group of ladies waiting for the shuttle. Right on the dot, Melody's hubby Mike met us in the lobby and took us to the shuttle, where he got us and our luggage loaded up and on the road.

The rest of the journey to McCall was just a beautiful ride along green meadows and the river. Each bend of the road is a little prettier than the next. We even saw folks river rafting! I think that the 2 and a half hour ride helps to prepare you for Brave Girls Camp, not only is it time to get to know the ladies who you will be living with, but it helps to drop away some of the mental luggage you carry with you. One we reached McCall we were met by Melody Ross and some of the staff and with a brief introduction, we arrived at our destination and in a way if felt like coming home.

Sheila

Just 2 more days...

In just 2 more days, it's time to fly away and head north to Boise, Idaho and begin my journey to become a Brave Girl. I've been working hard not to let expectations overwhelm me, it seems like forever since I first found the website for Brave Girls. It's been an adventure I wanted to take from the first venture within the website. Brave Girls Camp calls to me...the friendships, the creativity, the time of introspection of who I am. Most of all the thoughts of going back and reliving a little bit of those past summer camps. Wither it was church camp, girl scout camp or band camp...those were some of the best times in my past. The friends I made, both with the campers and with camp staff, they helped to shape who I am and who I will forever be.

Sheila

Mud fun!

Most of the planning that happens for Scrapbook Royalty takes place in a wide range of places. Starbucks, over dinner, in cars, so why not spend the day being pampered and relaxing as we while away the hours getting ready for the next six months. We have a lot packed into those months, with some really fun and exciting events coming up.

I got muddy while Elena got a detox scrub, which kind of sets the tone for how our meetings go. We both come at the event planning from different directions and end up meeting in the middle with some really exciting ideas! Elena chooses a salad that they have built and I choose to build my own. I have to say I think mine was yummier and looked like a face! But the thing is, it works for us. Our hope is to find at least one or two more people willing to take on a chunk of the responsiblities.

That's something that has happended this year, we've both learned that we can't do it all. Our first venture into sharing the load has been Club Royalty, this was something that Elena wanted to do for awhile, it was to be Elena's baby, but E has more than enough to do, so we've found 2 very responsible volunteers Laura and Angela and have passed the reins over to them and already they are doing a better job at than we were.

I always look forward to our planning sessions, you would be surprised how much fun they can be... we spent about an hour in the pool coming up with ideas for name tags for the up coming Westcott Party in Chicago and have it nailed down thanks to Ellison and Sizzix!

So Glen Ivy...a great place to get dirty, a great place to detox, and a great place to spend the day planning for future events!

Sheila

This is the bouganvilla in our backyard, it was the photo today for Project 52 . Every Sunday we're supposed to take a photo and post it on facebook. So far I'm actually doing it every week. I missed last week, but I was just too pooped to post after the fun weekend with the Desert Scrapper's Retreat in Palm Desert. It was a wild weekend, we had a fire drill, an earthquake, a little guy take a tumble off the balcony...he's ok by the way, plus our first Royal Add On. So it's my one free pass for the project, somewhere along the lines I'll post 2 photos and be caught up.

I love the bouganvilla in our backyard, this time of year it just shines! It's so full and lush and vibrant.

Sheila

Almost done with my questionaire...

I think they are getting more than they asked for from me, but I am almost done with my questionaire. I have a tendancey to be wordy when I want to be. They will find it amazing that we are the same person...I would never be able to tell them what I was able to write.

Would I have shared about Derek if I had to do it out loud?

I'm not so sure I would have. It does have me thinking though and sometimes that's not such a good thing...ideas just rolling around looking for a way out.

Last day and the first day at the same time!

Today was the last day of school...I remember how cool it was as a kid watching the clock, waiting for that time when the school bell was going to ring and we were going to be free for the summer! It would be time for us to hit the pool from early morning until late in the afternoon, first taking swimming lessons, then being a teacher's helper during swimming lessons, my first crush on an adult was the teacher I would help teach swimming. He might have been 5 years older than me, but in my eyes he was a god. An Italian one at that! Then later on we became lifeguards...

The other thing summer brought to us was Girl Scout Camp or Church Camp...I love camp, I love everything that has to do with camp. Camp fires, singing, swimming, horses, crafts, making new friends and just new experiences.

Lucky for me Melody Ross and her sister Kathy Wilkins have brought to life Brave Girls Camp, www.bravegirlsclub.com. Even luckier for me, I get to attend Brave Girls Camp in July! I'm so excited. Today we got our first e-mail from Kathy...there were details about camp, you know what to bring and stuff like that, but what got me was the questionaire that came with it. Oh boy this isn't going to be the ordianary type of camp. I think that what you get out of Brave Girls Camp is going to depend on how honest with yourself you want to be. How much of you are you willing to expose. Come along with me for the ride.

I'll post one of the questions here...feel free to answer the question in the comment section. Get a little taste of Brave Girls Camp and follow my journey!

Q. If you had a free day all to yourself, how would you fill it?

A. A day all to me…I would read, I love to read. I love jumping into new adventures, all snuggled up with my cats and a comfy blanket, with a big glass of Iced Tea. No phones, no interruptions. And if it was a purrfect day, we would be sitting on a balcony on a lounge chair with palm trees blowing in the wind and the ocean waves hitting the beach!

What's your answer?

Promised myself I would start this blog...

I promised myself I would start this blog, still not sure just what I have to say or if what I do have to say is worth reading. So I'll give it a try and see where it leads me.

We are just 10 school days away from the end of this school year. So much happens in the next 10 days...finals, dances, field trips, yearbook signing parties, promotion ceremonies, cleaning out pe lockers (don't really even want to think about that!) That's all for the kids...for the adults wow...some of us are waiting to see if we will even have jobs, some know they have jobs, but there will be a change of location or a change of subject, others are loosing hours and days...it's an uncertain time and we are all just WAITING!!!!!

Here's to finding joy in the journey and the wait!