Where in the world are the Blandings?

Jason is in Utah, Mike is in California, Matt is in South Carolina, Chris is traveling through the Cascades on a 50 miler, Jessie is too, and she went to dance camp,;Doreen is at Cub Camp, Ragnar, and Girls Camp and Steve is in India. 

Jason is going to school at BYU and loves his dance classes. We only hear from him when he needs money or he has a long walk from class and wants to chat with his mom. Doreen loves those phone calls!

Mike is still in California and is just days away from coming home. August 3rd to be exact! 

Matthew is in North Augusta, South Carolina, and getting use to heat and humidity. He is having one heck of a good time on his mission. 

Chris went on a 50 miler and didn't die. In talking with his adult leaders they were very thankful for his calm and easy manner on the hike. 

Jessie signed up to be a 4th year YCL for girls camp this year which meant she went on the hike again. She totally enjoyed it and was so happy to go. She did hurt her knee, but we think it will be OK. She was able to go to the top! 

Steve went to India again! He managed to do it at the same time Doreen was busy with girls camp so they didn't miss each other too much. It was hot and muggy and he got to ride business class. 

Doreen spent time at cub camp, ran a Ragnar, then headed off to girls camp to be a tent mom once again. And once again Jessie wasn't in camp; she went on the 4th year hike. She recorded this on Facebook after day two of Cub Camp:

I love my job!
This almost makes me cry. 
A young boy was so petrified yesterday that he almost didn't come inside my range. I talked him into holding the gun while I pulled the trigger. He left yesterday with a clean target that I wrote "Today I was brave."
Today he sought me out to be his helper. 
We load ten bb's today and he only wanted to do two. I talked him into loading five. He wanted me to pulled the trigger for the first one. I told him I would if he put his finger under mine. He said he wanted to do one more. He then pulled for the second. He turned to me and said, "I think I like this. I might need to put in the other five." He shot (missed everything) and said, "yes, I like shooting now. I want to do ten."
He wasn't very good but he got a 9 and two 7's. 
"I can't wait to come back tomorrow!"
Made my day!!!

Thanks for all the accolades, but this wasn't to brag about one of the two and only two special talents I have. It really was about facing our fears with a friend and over coming them. 
You see when my last boy went to his last cub camp I was a scared mom who had a very healthy fear of guns. I was invited to shoot at this very camp. I was next to my son who got all of his on the bullseye and I didn't even hit paper. My goal is to have every cub at cub camp hit the paper. I want them to smile and feel good about themselves. I want them to have confidence. Some boys may even face a fear and do something just a little bit out of their comfort zone and succeed in doing so. That is my goal and I love it when one little boy faces his fear and comes off conquerer. In fact this even makes me happier than the kid who got 100 today (10 for 10).

Just a little about Rangar. This year was very different. Our team was crazy this year. Van one was the exact same as last year--or at least 5 of the 6 was the same. But Van two (my van) was a crap shoot. I had FOUR new runners. I wasn't sure what was going to happen, but we busted it and did great. I actually made my goal. All of my milages was under 10 minute miles. The other goal: Run the whole thing, didn't happen. Mile 10 on my 10.5 mile run I hit a hill that just got me and I had to walk for a minute or two. I turned a corner and it was straight up a hill in the pitch black (it was 1am) and I just couldn't run up the hill. I had to have a little break! But I feel so good and can't wait to do it again next year!