Aloha

I wish I could explain this picture, but it leaves me speechless everytime. Emmanuel is a funny kid.
Hang ten in front of the church. Look closer and you'll see that Eric (the one without a grass skirt) is still wearing the seashells. He didn't take them off the entire time.
Julia demonstrating the hula.

Eric looking good.

Don't look Mom

I wish I could say I looked the best in these, but Emmanuel beat me. Fo sho.

Tiki Lounge...or Parking Lot

A few weeks ago, my ward had a Luau, and Shirley and I brought dates. This is my date Diego modeling some seashells.

Carazay

Mark doing a skateboard handstand while Greg practices being a Bob Barker Beauty. Mark thinks he needs to teach me how to do a handstand while skateboarding. Key word being thinks. I can barely even skateboard as it is.

I'm a loser

On the way to the beach, Mark and I had a bubble gum blowing contest. I lost every round. Horribly. I must admit I completely underestimated his bubble skills.

The Atlantic

My first time seeing the Atlantic Ocean. We swam for a bit, but the water was freezing (plus the salt was burning my razor burn on my legs. tmi? I think so too) We mostly just slept on the beach. It was nice. I have also gotten one step closer to reaching my goal visiting all fifty states. This was my first time in Rhode Island (which isn't even an island at all. That name is misleading)

Not for weak of Stomachs

After spending the day at the beach, we decided to get some grub. We were feeling a little adventurous, so we decided to try some deep fried squid. Mark is about to dig in. Yummay! And I decided to try a "tuber" or two. Note: it's much better with fresh squeezed lime juice. My stomach decided it didn't want the squid in there though...if ya know what I mean.

Welcome to Aimhi

A picture of our cabin in the woods. The trees were so tall and the floor was nothing but pine needles (and flower petals wherever I went)

Bonnie, Sarah, and Mike playing ping pong in the Lodge.
Me and Sarah playing pool at the other end.

On our way to Rope Swing Island

woohoo! Oh the adventures awaiting us.

Some chicka. But that shows the dif between the lower more wimply plank, and the one I went off of.

Drop it like it's hot.

I look good right there.

Me going off. It looks like I'm just hanging there, but I was actually swinging out.

And so it begins

Sarah didn't dare go on the lower swing. I told her that if she went of the lower, I'd go off this one. Big mistake. I didn't think she'd actually do it. I always tell her that I keep my word. If I say I'll do something, I do it. Well, she went off, got out of the water and said "You keep your word, remember?" as she handed me the rope. I didn't have much choice. I was the only person at Aimhi who dared do it.

Almost there.

This was the most awkward part of the climb. There was a better picture that shows the awkwardness of it, but it was very unflattering, so I deleted it. Sorry all you girls who are jealous of me, but I just have to look good.

Different View

It's a lot scarier from up here.

Hindsight is 20/20

Wishing there were some other way to get back down.

Nerves of Steel

Walk the Plank

High up in the tree. The plank I am standing on now is held up by duct tape. This is the part where I soil myself.

AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!

I did it! I screamed myself hoarse, but I DID IT! That night when I walked into dinner, I got a toast to "The Hero of Aimhi" that's the first time I've ever been toasted. Go me!

Ahoy

Some of the kids chillaxin the dock.

A view of the swim beach...sort of. You can see the floating dock that we would swim out to and play king of the hill. Naturally I won. Those eleven year olds can't touch this.

Eww and Eel!

You can't see it too well, but this kid caught an eel. His dad is trying to cut the line. It was so cool! I thought eels were only in the ocean. Guess not. You can click on the pic to enlarge it and possibly see it better. Better believe it.

My first time kayaking. They had a boat beach where they had kayaks, canoes, paddle boats, and motor boats where you could just take it when you wanted it. You only had to check out the motor boats. So one morning I went kayaking. It was a lot of fun. I would try and find motor boats going by so I could ride their waves. It was awesome!

All Hail!

I was treated like royalty in Maine. This group of girls (my eleven year old groupies) threw flower petals wherever I went. From left to right, Leah, Me, Rebecca (behind), Bonnie, and Melanie. You can't see it too well, but Rebecca is shading me with a branch. It was a hot day. And there are flower petals on the ground, which proves this story to be true (Mark) so you can enlarge this picture all you like. It be true. Can't believe you didn't believe me. Tisk tisk.

Breathtaking

Gorgeous picture of the sunset on the lake from the lodge. It was like that pretty much every night. It was beautiful.

Skip to my lou

Sarah and Bonnie searching for rocks to skip and rocks to paint. I hold skipping record at three. Yeah I suck, but so did everyone else....everyone else meaning my eleven year old groupies.

In the Spotlight

Thursday night, there was a talent show. I sang the concieted song so much applause. I was surprised at how much everyone loved it. Really. I know my Utah friends have always said they liked it, but I thought you guys were just being good friends and supporting me. Perhaps I really have written a hit.....

For my mom

I still can't get over how beautiful this place was. There are about a million little islands in this lake. This island was just big enough to hold a house. When I'm rich I'm gonna buy it for my mommy, or at least buy her a log cabin back in Utah.

Bonnie (left) and Zepporah (sorry if I spelled it wrong) practicing to be Bob Barker's Beauties as they display our sandcastle.

Should've been winner...I'm not bitter....

This is our centerpiece for the centerpiece contest. I had the kids paint pet rocks and we made a rock beach. It says Aimhi Rocks (double meaning...go us!) If you click on the picture you can enlarge it. See if you can see the two lobsters, the two sting rays (one is pink one is gray) the two fish (that purple one kind of in the lower left hand corner is the one I sold), One clam (that black thing with the yellow smiley face), a porcupine, two turtles, one snail, one seashell, one skunk, one starfish, one ladybug, an eel, a horshoe crab, the lochness monster, the pink panther, a mushroom, and a girl lying on a beach towel. It was beautiful. Even though we didn't win, I was extremely proud of the kids. They did so well and they were proud of the work they did. It was a lot of fun seeing their creativity blossom.

Hard work.

This was my favorite rock designed and painted by Melanie. Can you guess what it is? A porcupine silly! I thought it was awesome. If you look behind it you can see the rock I painted of a girl laying on a towel. You can also sort of see the pink panther, the mushroom, and that red one is a lady bug.

Winner

This was the winner of the centerpiece contest. As you can tell, the judges obviously don't appreciate originality and creativity, but only store bought arrangments.....I'm not bitter.....

Lemme explain this centerpiece a bit. The title says When the sun goes down at AIMHI. It has calender spots for ever day and they displayed what we did every night. The first night was Happy Hour, where they served spiked punch (very different party for a small town Mormon girl) and we socialized and got to know each other. The second night some guy (i don't remember his name) came and sang on his guitar. The third night was the "Teen Beach Party" but it actually ended up me and a large group of tweens. I tell ya I felt cool to the max that night. We ended up telling ghost stories, and a lot of the kids had to sleep with their parents that night. (The parents weren't very happy with me the next morning at breakfast). Tuesday night was bingo. Bonnie got bingo once, so that was fun. That square with all the flames was the night Flamin' Ramon and his wife Sizzlin' Suzan came. I was under the impression he was a dj and we'd get to shake our thangs. Not so. He played lots of cheesy songs (including the macarena) and we get to do lots of kids dance songs etc. The kids liked it though. Thursday night was the talent show. On this centerpiece they have a like a kelly doll american idol thing going on. Not original at all....I'm not bitter....Friday night was the lobster bake. I tried clams for the first time. It's not something I can see myself eating ever again. I also thought I liked lobster, but I changed my mind. Don't ask.