Viva!! Viva!! LAS VEGAS!!

Wowwy...we are home! We have been in Las Vegas for the week. Greg was session director for EFY this week down there and so we convinced Cammie to come with us so that we could take our children and have them around a little bit...which ended up being not at all since we had "uncool" coordinators!! (long story). It was such a fun week. We were staying just on the edge of the strip right next to UNLV and it was perfect. I have never been to UNLV but I was very impressed with the campus and the service these youth recieved this week. We actually got really close to the cafeteria gang!!! So, a list of some of the craziest events of the week.

1. The hotel:...squishing Greg, me, Cammie, Dallin, Alex and Colton all in one room...secretly. We were so paranoid of getting caught that when we would walk past the maids or other workers to our room we would say something like, "Hey, Cammie, are you coming to our room?" or "Do you guys want to go to Cammies room?" Pretty sneaky,...funniest part is that none of the maids spoke english so we probably conspired for no reason. They were probably saying, "dumb americans" when we passed. We would seriously go down in shifts to eat or to swim...they had so many people there they probably didn't notice us and it isn't like there wasn't room for us....(I am trying to make myself feel better)

Let's just say that Cammie saw me declothed a couple of weeks ago and I now believe it was only to prepare her for this last week because she got a show many times from both Greg and I... and no perverts...it was never at the same time. We like to space out our immodesty.

(look at Colton's Elvis lip...must be the Vegas air!!)

2. The stripper at the pool. Ya, you read it right. One day the boys and I were just enjoying ourselves at the pool. Cammie had gone to listen to Greg speak and we had the whole morning. We were there about an hour when all of the sudden a, um..., what is a nice way to say this...hooker, came out on the patio. She had a whole entourage with her, her husband, her photographer, and her followers. She had huge muscles and very enhanced bossoms and the scimpiest bikini I had ever seen and they were seriously taking exotic pictures of her. The funniest is when Alex noticed her and he quickly covered his eyes and kept repeating, "I not look ober der, I not look ober der!" (I not look over there) They took their pictures on the outside of the gates and they were pretty hidden so we kept swimming and I had to keep repositioning the boys so they couldn't see anything and then they of course came into the pool area and we had to get the flip out of there. It was funny how fast my boys moved!!! I mean I know I look exactly like that lady so they are used to seeing my muscly lean big bossomed body,... but I was wearing a more modest swimsuit and so the boys didn't need to see that other lady.

3. The drama of the week. Of course I hesitate posting the drama because there is so much good that goes on. But, boy was there drama this week at EFY. More than we have ever had. I won't go into details but Holy Freakin Cow!! And then we had Skylar...who was the hardest person we've ever met...but we loved him. He was so cold and unresponsive and I will never forget the feelings I had on Thursday night. Thursday is the big spiritual day and that night they have the musical program and then Greg gives and AMAZING talk on the Savior and then it ends when they all sing the EFY medley together. It really is so neat and you just pray that these youth are feeling the spirit. I just happened to be sitting infront of two of our hardest youth we have ever worked with. I prayed so hard that they would feel something....that is all I did was pray for these two. Well, the meeting gets over and they are releasing them for testimony meeting and everyone was crying and Greg turned around and patted Skylar on the leg and said, "Good to see you Skylar" and Skylar looked up at him and said, "You are the MOST BORING speaker I have ever heard!" (in his monotone voice through his long hair) Greg, said thanks that's means a lot coming from you and he said, "Did you not hear me? You are boring, Boring, BORING!!" And for some reason it knocked the wind out of me. I started to not cry but weep. I now know the definition of weeping. I am sure people thought it was because it hurt my feelings for Greg but if anyone has heard Greg speak you know he isn't boring and can hold his own....I was crying because it hurt me so bad that I was looking around and seeing all the youth crying because they had felt the spirit and that I had spent the whole meeting just praying for him that he would feel something and then for him to say that to Greg it knocked the wind out of me that he didn't feel a dang thing. I have never experienced that before. I physically hurt for him that he was so cold and shut off. I guess my hope is that EFY planted a seed in him and that one day he will be softened because deep down behind that hardness was a great kid!!!

4. So on the last day we were down swimming...all of us. We happened to be swimming with the "Immodest picture lady's" husband. Come to find out they were having the "Ms. USA body building competition" over at UNLV and she was one of the contestants. (That explains the big muslces, big hooters, and the minimal attire...sort of. We started talking to him and actually talked for awhile and then he asked us why we were here and we told him that Greg was directing a youth program for our church and Greg mentioned what church we belonged to. He seriously looked at us and said, "Well, hey, I gotta get out of here." We laughed and then we put it together. I would almost swear he thought we were polygamists because here is Greg with two women, three children and Cammie and I just happened to have our hair exactly the same...you know the hairdo with your bangs pulled back. We about peed our pants..okay, we about peed our swimsuits. We should have worn our pilgrim swimsuits!! I am sure we had many a people a wondering this week which is why I usually said out loud something about "Aunt Cammie". Ah,, funny funny!!

Well, the week was amazing. It is always so much fun to get so close to the youth and to see the power of this wonderful program. I am so lucky to be married to someone who is so gifted at speaking to the youth. He really truly is amazing. It always sets you back a little bit when they are asking for his autograph and taking pictures. On the last night all these girls were balling that they had to say goodbye to him. CRAZY. I hope they realize it isn't Greg but the spirit that testified to them. I think most of them realize that but Greg also has a way of making people feel loved and welcomed and let's face it..he's hysterical. I hope it was as positive experience for them as it was for us!!

Las Vegas 2008 Session 01 FOREVER!!!

Cammie and I practicing for her engagement pictures! (at the temple)

The boys looking over the "wicked" city from the Temple!