Favorite Things

I have been wanting to have a Favorite Thing party for a long time now.  I looked back to see how long ago I pinned it, and it was four years ago.  I finally got around to it.  I thought this would be a great way to get to know the moms of my kid's friends.  I made up some invites, handed them out, and then waited for the RSVP's to come in.  Unfortunately the moms I don't know were not able to come, but the ones I already feel we are good friends could.  Once I knew exactly how many people were coming I let them all know how many things to buy.  The item you bought had to be a favorite thing under $5.  (The one on Pinterest said $10 and you only bring five.  Then draw names to see who goes home with it.  But I wanted everyone to have one.  Also my ward just did something similar were you brought and told about favorite thing, but just showed.  So there are many different ways to do it.)  Anyways, I then made up some cute bags for them to all take their stuff home in.

To the bags I added some Lindor chocolates, a notebook, small Kleenex packet, and I made some lime mint foot soak and put it in mason jars.  I love how cute and simple the bag is.  I then made some of my favorite food.  Veggie and dip, 7-layer dip, watermelon, BBQ chicken pizza, Reese peanut butter cookies, and Mel's lime mint slush.

(Pizza still in oven when picture was taken)  Of course I served the drinks in my mason jars. :)  We snacked and talked.  I had them each fill out a fun questionnaire.  Ei:  What do you think the worst job would be, If you could travel anywhere, Worst fear, Have you ever meet someone famous......  Then we pick one, read it and that person would tell us about the favorite thing they brought.  We all went home with some cool things.  I had one other game planned, but we didn't get around to it.

I did the mini tongs because they are awesome.  I have 4 pairs and use them ALL the time for everything.  I thought it turned out really great.  It was fun to be with all of them.  Such a great group of women. A few times through out the night I thought, "When we are done this I will get a picture of the group"  Totally forgot.  I was very upset when I didn't have one.  Cora asked if I needed one just to prove that I really do have friends.  Why yes, my sarcastic daughter, I certainly need prove.  And what an awesome group of friends it is.

Sunny Days

Last few weeks have been filled with sunny days, baseball, track, and fun.  Definitely almost summer.

I don't have a chance to take pictures during Blake's games since I am score keeping.  This is a good friend of his.

He did well in county track and field.   Placed second or third in all his events.

There was a For Fun School baseball tournament that grades 5-8 were in last week.  Spent the time watching Blake and Leah and chatting with friends.

Run, Leah, Run!!

Nice hit.

Thursday night the kids went to town and watched Civil War.  I have been wanting them to go and have a kids day since Cora got her license.  We just now finally had a free weekend.  I got home after baseball and got laundry done and started some bread.  The warm sun coming in my patio door was the perfect place to have it rise.

Dave has been getting the yard ready and most of it planted with grass.  It rained last night after he came in.  That was good timing!  We had heard that some friends and neighbors wanted to see our house.  We invited them to come last night.  I made a few ice cream toppings and served sundaes.  We did a tour and snacked and talked for a while.  It was a very nice evening.  Cora and Leah had been invited to a party by the girls they meet at youth conference.  They got a little lost finding the house.  But Cora got them there.  They played games outside and had a fire.  Both girls really enjoyed themselves.  They came home wet, dirty, smelling like camp fire, laughing, and filled with stories.  This morning Leah and Blake were trying to put off chores as long as possible.

They sand a song with many wardrobe changes.  Procrastination!!  Leah has been preparing a talk, Cora studying for finals, I was preparing a lesson, Blake had homework, and Dave worked on our railings.  They are looking great.  I ran Cora up for the opening ceremony for the solar park that she helped design.  Than back to finish all mentioned above.  We are trying to graft a cow.  My dad came up, brought Levi with him, and lent his experience and knowledge to help us.  It was fun to work with my dad with cows again.  Later we were sitting for a moment when we saw this tent rolling quickly through the field next to us.  Jared's tent had blown away.  Cora, Dave, and I grabbed our shoes, I told Leah to text them and let them know.  Dave and Cora took off running through the field chasing this tent.  Dave finally caught up to it about the time Jared raced up on the 4-wheeler.  It was so funny, I really wish I had had time to grab a camera.

LDS Youth Conference

Friday afternoon we got all packed up and traveled all the way out to Fort Steele for our church Youth Conference.  The Cranbrook stake had invited us to spend this weekend with them.  We dropped Blake off with Dave at his work on the way.  Dave was just finishing.  While we were gone Blake had two ball games and he got to pitch.  They also worked lots on our yard, getting it ready for grass seed.  We finally arrived and set up our beds.   We had straw filled mattresses in bunks to sleep on in the barracks.  It was really cool.

Each youth member was given a bag.  In the bag was a candy bag, water bottle, map, itinerary, and a bandanas.  The color of the bandana was your group for the weekend.  We had some get to know you games, introductions, and fun until about 9.  Then it was pizza and dance time.  Cora usually hates dances, but had so much fun.  They both meet friends right away and had some they already knew. They got right in and just got involved.  Cora's foot was killing her that night after jumping around and dancing.  After the dance we all got ready for bed and had a devotional.  Our YW devotional started at 12:45 pm  It was a late night.

Up by 7 for clean-up and breakfast.  The missionaries came and cooked us breakfast.  We had some giant pancakes.  Tons of fresh fruit all day.  All the food was delicious.  

After breakfast we had an opening devotional, which was wonderful, than divided into our groups for the activities.  I did not get many pictures of Leah since I was with Cora's group.  I tried to walk back and forth some.  We did some gardening.  Lots of weed pulling.

There was gold panning and archiving.  My girls didn't get to do the gold panning, there wasn't time.  Leah and this girl from the other stake, Journey, hit it off right away.  They had so much fun together.  At the end they exchanged info and hope to keep in contact.

The Fort gets a lot of donations.  They had to catalog it all.

Another station was pioneer photos and Dutch Oven cooking.

Leah had an awesome group.  They pick a girl and boy in grade 12 and they are the youth leaders for the weekend.  Leah's would high five her every time the walked past and make sure she was dancing.  They always had all involved.  Cora was not even sure who her leaders were.  She still had a great time.  We just all learned a lesson in being a good leader.  This is Cora's group.

Making buns for dinner in the Dutch Oven.

Then last they had a wagon ride and played old fashioned games.  The wagon was pulled by Clydesdale.  We tried to get a picture but were to late.  I love Clydesdale.

Awesome action shot.  I'm always surprised when my phone takes a nice photo

 A picture at the gold panning station. 

 There were some leaders I enjoyed talking with and also learned ways to involve some of my yw better.  It was educational for all of us.

Lunch time.

It was a very hot day.  Anytime we could find shade we took full advantage of it.  After lunch we had free time to wander around the town, see all the shops, and buy souvenirs if we wanted.

I am not sure what my kids think other churches are like.  Cora is praising something.  No idea what is happening below.   Weirdos!!

Being bored in school.  Cora is trying to get detention by dipping Leah's hair in the ink well.

Leah does not really appreciate taxidermy animals or life like dolls.  Journey convinced her to sit by this one for a picture.

We all gathered at the Theatre at 2 for a fireside.  We talked about what to expect for Trek next year.  Cranbrook has invited us to that.  We had a mini reenactment, and a wonderful talk by the other stake YM president.  And then testimony meeting.  Going up the girls were not to excited and wanted to leave early.  Cora told Leah that they could not miss the testimony meeting. It was the best thing about youth conference.  And it's true.  Youth will say things with their peers that they will not talk about in a sacrament meeting.  It was just over and hour and a half long and I think we could have gone longer.  But dinner was ready.  This is another group of girls that my girls hung out with.  

Just as it was time to leave, they all decided to play spoons together.

These two girls are sisters, from our stake, and we are good friends with their parents.  No idea why we haven't got them together before.  Leah and Emily (also in blue) are the same age.  Two month apart.  Cora and Maycie (in flowered shirt) are the same age.  I hope to have them spend a lot more time together.  They are fantastic girls.  Cora and Leah loved hanging out with them.  They are also third cousins:)

We loaded up and headed home.  It was and wonderful, exhausting, strengthening, hot, uplifting, fantastic weekend.  It is such a great experience for my kids to spend time with others from our church.  I love that this church is world wide.  That we can go anywhere and get that unity and spirit.  I love their friends at school.  They have made wise choices and all have good standards.  But there is a difference you can feel when you get together with those of your same believes, a freedom to be you.  Cora comment about that in her testimony.  It is so true.  Despite the fact that there are no showers, I am looking forward to camp.  They will get to spend time with the girls they befriended this weekend and feel of that same spirit again.  Thanks to all for EVERYTHING that happened this weekend.  It was a ton of work for those that put it all together and a huge success. 

Stake Man Camp

Last week was our stake 'Man Camp'.  I can not even express the excitement Blake had for this event.  He was counting down and asking about it for weeks.  He and Dave went out Friday night in time for the dinner.  I guess they had planned on about 60 and had 140 show up.

They were a little cold that night.  We should have sent more blankets.  Blake took out his fishing, baseball, knives, and archery stuff.  What a beautiful spot.

Dave and Blake tossed a baseball, and fished.  There was a fireside and hot chocolate at night.  A great breakfast the next morning and tons of activities.  Our ward was in charge of making walking sticks.  And they asked Dave to take that on. One of the stake members had gathered a lot of willow branches and had a brand to put on it.  They were supposed to strip them and brand it.  But by the time Dave and Blake got there Friday, kids had already taken off with most of them and lots had gone in the fire.  Blake was disappointed about that, but he loved every minute of the camp.  He spent most of the day with his friends from our old ward.  Dave also enjoyed talking and catching up with other stake members.  After the activities, lunch was served and then pack up and home.  It was great for my boys to spend that time together.  Little things that make big memories.

While the boys were camping, I had let the girls have a movie marathon, with the condition that they had to get up at 6 the next morning.  We did a cow check and feed the calves, quick shower, and out to help mom with her DUP brunch.  Sunday was our Stake YW recognition night.  Leah had finished another two values, Good Works and Integrity.  Cora earned her Honor Bee.

This week Leah has had two track and fields.  First County, than she made long jump zones.  We spent these days in the sun getting burnt.  But I enjoyed the days talking and hanging out with Melanie, watching our kids.  

Nothing Specific

We had no school Monday and Tuesday.  Monday we had a lazy day.  Played some card games, colored, listened to Disney songs, read, nothing exciting.  Dave was busy as we were lazy.  He got a lot done on our stair railings and a door in.

Blake made this Lego creation.

Tuesday we straightened the house up, then took Cora up to meet the bus for rugby.  She had to be there early for taping.

I was thinking that if this is what you have to do to your feet in able to play, perhaps you should not play.  :)  It was the last game of the season and she did really well.  She again got to play hooker.  I dropped her off and headed out to my parents to get some work done on my new counter stools.  They turned out awesome.  When the are all complete I will take a picture.  I had a very short visit before going to Cora's game.  On the way home she was taking the tape off.  We think she is allergic to the tape, so she wanted it off right after the game.  It took her 13 minutes to unwrap and she kept muttering, "Oh, I should have shaved.  Ah, ow!  Yea, really should have shaved."

Had some fun with Leah's hair.

Wednesday was 80's day at school.  I had wanted to go to Party City and get neon leg warmers, but they were not open the day I could go, Monday.  So we spent lots of free time Monday and Tuesday knitting some.  That night Dave had high council and Blake had Scubs than baseball, but they spent a little time and got the 100 running.  Dave had ordered a part for it and it finally came in.

They spent a lot more time riding it Thursday.  Leah punched it a little to hard and it scared her.  She did well, but didn't want to do anymore last night.  Cora and Blake are loving it.  Cora took the bike to check cows last night and Blake spent a long time just riding around the yard.

I learned also.  But we had a good laugh over me riding.  Dave was giving me instruction.  He told me to put it in first, then before he could say anything else the bike took off.  I didn't know where the clutch was, or how to stop, or switch gears.  I went for a little ride around the yard and came back.  They were all laughing at me because I didn't listen to all the instructions.  It was not my fault, the bike just took off, with me on it.