Youth Conference - "Snow" much Fun!

Are you ready for lots of pictures. I have been busy getting all of these scrapped. I took around 500 pictures (and I didn't even have my memory card the first day). Of course, I didn't scrap them all, but here are some of the fun times we had. We went to Snow College this year as a stake and we had a great time. I think our ward only had 1 girl and 2 boys that didn't make it, so we had a great turn out. I got to room with Ashley, Courtney H., Morgan H, Kylie A, and Kira. At least I think that was all. Our apartment seemed to be the hang out spot (maybe because I brought the slushie machine or maybe because I am just so much fun (LOL).

Day 1 -we met and had orientation and got our rooms then our group went up the canyon to the ropes course. This is where I discovered that I had left my memory card for my camera at home, so I didn't get any pictures there. I am hoping someone else will let me have some of theirs. It was a lot of fun and I am amazed at how fast Jonathan can climb. The rope course leaders said they had never seen anyone do the vertical playground that fast. I was also amazed at how brave some of the girls in our ward are. They climbed and jumped on things that I didn't think they would dare. Good job girls!

We came back and I was thankful that Ephraim is big enough to have a Wal-Mart. I made a quick trip for a new memory card so that I could take pictures the rest of the time. We came back, had dinner and then went to the Mormon Miracle Pageant in Manti. The last time I had been there was when Sean and I were engaged. It was fun and nice to just have to go to Ephraim when it was over instead of fighting traffic all the way home. It was pretty chilly though. I'm glad I had brought the levi blanket.

Day 2 - After breakfast we divided into groups and our ward first went and played sand volleyball

Then we played a game called rip-tag. Everyone had velcro things around their arms with two flags (tags) on each one. We were divided into two teams and the object was to run around and rip the tags off of the arm bands of the opposing team. You could only grab one at a time, tackling was allowed.

After that we went and played soccer with two balls going. They had these little tiny nets so the one team just parked Jacob in his wheelchair in front of the net and he was the goalie. He filled pretty much the whole net, so it was a pretty easy job. Then we went to the Institute building and had a workshop on leadership. Next we had lunch and then we got to play the water games. They were so much fun! I think the favorite things were the big inflatable slide and the slip N slide. On the inflatable slide they pretty much let us do whatever we wanted. They went down frontwards, backwards, front flips, back flips, trains, on their stomach, on their back. Anything goes!

There were around 10 different stations with all kinds of teamwork activities. Some were wet, some were not. Travis like the crab soccer on the tarp with the two giant exercise balls. Jacob was in charge of hosing everything down. Even the Bishop got to chase down the soccer balls that got kicked out of the playing area. The giant slingshots with the water balloons being caught with parachutes was a big hit too!

Here are pictures of the slip N slide. It was ginormous!

After that we got cleaned up, had dinner, Brother Linford came and spoke, and then there was a dance that night.

Day 3 - Breakfast and then a great testimony meeting and we all headed home.

Here are just a few random shots that didn't fit in with anything else but I thought were cute!

Kylee's shirt says "ever wonder what happened to the girls that ripped the heads off their Barbies? They Play Volleyball" Kyle's shirt says "Handsome is an understatement." I thought they were both funny.

It was a lot of fun to be their with both Travis and Tyrel. I remember doing this same Youth Conference when I was 15 or 16 and so I knew it would be fun. I think everyone had a great experience.

Steadfast and Immovable, Abounding in Good Works

The YM/YW theme for 2008 was also our theme for Youth Conference . We started on Thursday by heading up to Welfare Square for a tour and a treat from them of cheese and chocolate milk. We then toured the Humanitarian center. I thought both places were very interesting. I am amazed how much the church gives to other countries, people, and other churches in need. We had lunch in the park and then watched the Joseph Smith movie. It was amazing! You should go see it if you haven't already. We then went back to the park for a short talk by Justin Haskell regarding the church Perpetual Education fund about the Best Buddy program he is involved with. He even brought his Buddy along. We then headed up to Heber for a Pizza dinner and relay races relating to people from the scriptures that were Steadfast and Immovable. We talked about Daniel and his friends in the Bible that refused to eat the kings food but ate vegetables and fruits and water instead and had a relay with dipping a carrot in a cup of water (way funny). Also had relays related to Ammon rescuing the sheep (running with a pillow between the knees and under each arm with a sword in hand, the pillows were the sheep) and the four sons of Mosiah in the Book of Mormon (4 people tied together kind of like a 3 legged race except it was 5 legged). Then we headed to Strawberry Reservoir where the girls stayed in Haskell's cabin and the boys set up tents in the campground. On Saturday morning we had breakfast and did a service project for the Forest Service chopping weeds that were too close to campsites for them to spray. After that we all went to the cabin where the Smith's from our ward came and talked about the school they run in Mexico 9 months a year with their own funds and funds donated by our ward. Ann Johnson then talked about her brief stay in Panama and Ghana where she took hygeine kits and taught them about good health. She had us bead bracelets (called Weenies) while she talked. She had learned about them in Panama. Then we had lunch and headed to the boats and the beach.
After all the fun we could stand in the cold water, the Badders' from our ward came up to make us dinner (tri-tip, corn on the cob, brownies, watermelon). Then we all headed over to the amphi-theater for a fire and testimony meeting. It was great and spiritual. On Saturday we had breakfast, broke camp, had a presentation where each of the kids were given some money to use how they wanted, but hopefully after the weekend, they will use it to serve others. Then we broke out the super soakers that Sean and I had brought along and gave one to everyone so they could all be sopping wet for the ride home. It was a fun weekend and I'm glad I could be there with Sean, Travis and Tyrel.

Brand New Nephew

Our new nephew/cousin is here! He had a rough start but is home and doing well now. Trevin is the only one who has seen him so far because we were at Youth Conference, but we hope to see him sometime this next week. His name is Jaron Michael Evers and belongs to my brother Brett and his wife Andrea. Congrats! You will make great parents.
We spent the 4th of July at Shar's place watching the Stadium of Fire fireworks, but I forgot my camera so maybe someone who was there will send me photos with my kids in them.
Indymac bank got taken over by the Fed's last week, so Sean is looking for a job. He actually had multiple offers from other lenders within about 15 minutes of the announcement, he just needs to decide where he wants to go now.
Sean, me, Travis, and Tyrel spent Thursday through Saturday at Youth Conference and had a great time. Miraculously I did remember my camera, so I will try to post some layouts later.
That's all for now.