What A Weekend!

Sorry I've been MIA the last couple of weeks! Honestly, though, I haven't really missed blogging..? But anyway, I could list everything that's been going on {which is a LOT} but I think I'll let the pictures speak for themselves! I will break them up into a few posts, because there are so many pictures.

Happy late Independence Day!

p.s. one of the crazy things that's happening is we're moving in two days. i don't expect to blog after that for another week or more, so ta ta for now!

First up, we were able to participate in a Pioneer Youth Conference Trek for our church two weeks ago. It was a total of three days, and about 13 miles of hills pulling two handcarts laden with hundreds of pounds each. The main purpose of this trek was to gain a better appreciation for what our ancestors and leaders sacrificed over a hundred and fifty years ago to escape persecution and bring the gospel of Jesus Christ to the west.

Franco and I were a Pa and Ma, "parents" to ten wonderful young men and women. I could go on and on about this trek, which was one of the most difficult yet amazingly spiritual experiences I have ever had, but I won't in the interest of time, since I have already written in my personal journal about it and don't need to necessarily share it with the world. Let's just say it was fun! I have so many pictures, but I whittled it down to these.

YW Board Dinner

Last Friday evening we had a dinner with the ladies who made up the last young women's board. A couple ladies had left before we took the picture together, but it was fun talking and eating some italian dishes at Ottavio's. Our last president, Emily {on the far right in the red} surprised us all with handdrawn portraits with sentiments written on the back. So impressive! It was wonderful to serve with each of these women. I learned so much, and look forward to working with the new board, of which Gayle {middle in the yellow} is the president.

Evening Of Excellence 2010: Color Our World

 

 

 

 

 

Chinese Moon Festival Concert

Brittany, Ruth, Karent & I were able to attend a Chinese Moon Festival Concert last Saturday night. 

13-year-old Alisa, our friend, was performing as part of an orchestra. We were so impressed! I didn't get a picture of her, unfortunately, but she was the youngest musician there by at least 10 years! She played the harp and she did beautifully. Some of the other performances included songs like, "Tiger Gnashing Teeth" or something like that, where they played instruments which sounded like a real tiger prowling through the woods and gnashing its teeth.

One of my favorites was the Chinese orchestra. It was so interesting to see the variety of instruments which made the music I've heard all my life but never knew what they looked like. Especially the Chinese dulcimer or Yangqin {I looked it up when I got home} that sounds like a piano and harp put together but is played while holding bamboo sticks.

The music is so beautiful! It helped me appreciate the Chinese culture so much more.

This Week

Happy Friday!

I'm so glad it's Friday, 

though I can't say it's been a tiring/busy week because, 

well, it's actually been the opposite.

 It's been a quiet week at work and at home it's been pretty peaceful, too. 

I think I'm finally learning to manage my time more wisely. 

Hmm, sign that I'm getting older and more mature? 

I prefer to think that I'm just prioritizing a little better.

Monday: The long-awaited last first day of school {for undergrad}. Yes, Franco will finally be done with school at the end of this school year in May. We eat instant oatmeal for breakfast pretty much every morning, so to kick off the new school year I made a happy face with raisins and blueberries.

Tuesday: Something  really sad happened about a month ago. Franco & I were driving home from Utah and I got a call that one of my young women's mom had passed away that morning.
My heart just broke and I cried the rest of the way home.
What do you say to a 13-yr-old girl after her mom just passed away?
Believe me, it was a huge learning experience for me. It still is.
Last Tuesday, for our fifth week of the month combined YW's service activity, we went to the family's house and cooked them dinner, weeded their front lawn, and baked them cookies. Some simple little things that hopefully will show them we love them.

Wednesday & Thursday: Worked on an almost-finished website for an author in Newbury Park {yes, I've been working on it for about 3 1/2 months}. I really hope I finish it this weekend. I'm also editing Franco's essay for his optometry school applications. Yikes! Can't believe it's finally happening.

That was our week. Now we're ready for a 3-day weekend! Any plans for Labor day? Franco may have to work, but I might go here with my family to have some real sushi. Sayonara!

"At All Times" Girl's Camp 2010

I'm barely coming down from an amazing week at Girl's Camp. {2009 Girl's Camp iBelieve here} Let me tell you, it's exhausting to camp with 120 young women for even a few days!

Highlights were:

• getting attacked by wild turkeys {aka quail}
• great food made by our excellent chef Fabio
• singing "the Princess Pat" like 20 times
• watching the coolio skits
• growing full mustaches and speaking with Italian accents
• crafts! {I was in charge of crafts again this year and it went really well.}
• listening to wonderful, inspiring messages and testimonies. My arms get goosebumps just thinking about it.

Le craft cabin. Please come in...

Nice and organized...it didn't look like this at the end of camp.

Camarillo 5th Ward

Day two: Tie-Dye! A girl's camp staple.

Rock wall & zip line

Some of the crafts: friendship bracelets and cute fabric flower hair clips!

Sadly, I don't think I'll be around for next year's round of Girl's Camp. 

But I enjoyed it immensely the two years I was able to attend!!

Mustaches!

Photos taken at Girl's Camp last week & made vintage by this picture generator.

{It's in Japanese. Click on English on the top right corner.}

Don't we look dashing in our newly-grown mustaches?

Especially our Bishop Barlow. Nice.

Fire & S'mores

I realize I post a lot about our Tuesday night Young Women activities, but we just do a lot of fun things I can't resist. I have no life, sorry.

Last week we had a camp prep night where we learned {including myself} how to build a fire, knot-tying, and how to cook with fire--s'mores!

Can't wait for girl's camp in August.
Hope it stops raining by then.