First Day of School 2010

School started in late July…CRAZY!! It was nice to get back to a routine, have some peace and quiet in the house…but none of us was ready to start getting up super early again. But love it or hate it, the first day of school always comes around and at least everyone looked Fabulous!

Liz (Senior!), Megan (Sophomore) & Mikayla (Freshman)...they are all attending "Early Morning Seminary" together now too.

Donovan is the last one in Elementary School! I feel old! I actually took this one at the end of the day because I forgot in all the confusion at the beginning of the day.

Donovan playing with Sophie after school...

Ashley started 6th Grade this year...her first year in Middle School! PJ is a "BIG" 7th grader this year. He's almost 6 feet tall already. I took this one at the end of the day as well...mornings are crazy.

This wasn't the first day of school...but soon after. Both PJ and Donovan picked the same shirt this year, so I had to get a picture of my "twins," and a brief moment when they were being nice to one another :-).

 

2010 Young Women Camp

Young Women Camp (better known as “Girl’s Camp”) is a highlight each summer for girls ages 12-18 in our church.  It is a week away from the world where they get to concentrate on spiritual/fun things.

Liz (YCL), Megan (4th year) and Mikayla (3rd year) got to go to our Stake Camp this year and each one had a great experience.  There were tons of cool pics shared on Facebook…and I had a hard time picking which ones to share on the blog because I consider ALL of the girls there “My girls” since I serve them in the Young Women’s Presidency.   But I just selected a few of my favorites for the blog.

The AMAZING Young Women in our ward right after they completed their skit for "Skit Night."

I didn't get a very good photo of the skit because they had glow-in-the-dark necklaces and bracelets on and the stage was darkened. But here you can see Megan in the middle and the different groups were responding differently to her suggestions. The moral was that we can all work together and get along.

This is another ward that had just completed their skit.

There was a braiding class at the camp. Liz, who is already an expert "braider" did these braids for her friends.

Some of the fearless Leaders - LtoR: Sister Stone, Sister Joyner & Sister Watts

Some of "my girls"

Mikayla is on the far Left, with Janna, Kissa, Beebee & Jhoseline.

Mikayla with Janna

Liz, Alex & Kirstin

Megan getting a lift from Sister Joyner

Vanessa & Liz ("sisters")

This is a group of YCLs (or Youth Camp Leaders -ages 16-18). They were leading the younger girls in camp songs before a meeting.

Megan (right) with a camp friend from a different ward.

Laura, Vanessa & Liz

This was Liz's last YW Camp! Next year she will be 18 and graduated...how sad!!! By next March Ashley will be 12 and I will have FOUR Young Women in the program--for a couple of months before Liz moves on to Relief Society.

Mikayla (2nd from Left) with new friends from other wards.

This is our awesome Stake Young Women's Presidency!

The theme of the camp was the Doctor Seuss Book "Oh the Places you Will Go." The girls thought it was funny that the sign was right above the door to the bathroom :-).

The girls hanging out in their AIR CONDITIONED CABIN!! Not all YW Camps are like this...a lot of them (all over the world) do primitive camping. But I think they are pretty lucky given how hot and humid it was that week!

The first night of camp they had a "Let's Make a Deal" Game Show for the girls. They were supposed to dress up crazy like people used to do for that TV show. This is Megan's craziness.

More Crazy Megan

Going along with the Dr. Seuss Theme, here is "The Cat in the Hat" with "Thing 1" and "Thing 2."

Megan on her bunk.

Mikayla (middle) playing NINJA with Sister Watts and Kadison.

Some more of my Young Women LtoR: Laura, Tajheeta, Kadison, Katie & Eileen.

Liz (17) and Laura with a girl from another ward.

Sister Watts and Rachel

Liz - REALLY??

More Ninja for Mikayla

LtoR: Megan (15), Tajheeta, Katie, Melissa, Kadison & Katie (I don't know who the girls in the back are).

Megan got a Stake Award for being a "Peacemaker."

Here are a couple of videos of some of the singing that went on at camp that I got to be a part of.  As mentioned above, the YCL’s or Youth Camp Leaders, got to lead the younger girls in Camp Songs before the main gatherings.  They all had a lot of ENERGY!!!

ABOVE:  2010 Lilburn Stake YW Camp – YCL Songs 1

ABOVE:  2010 Lilburn Stake YW Camp – YCL Songs 2

ABOVE:  2010 Lilburn Stake YW Camp – YCL Songs 3

ABOVE:  YW Camp: YCLs singing “If the Savior Stood Beside Me”

This is the YCLs singing “If the Savior Stood Beside Me” before one of the nightly meetings.

I love this song and I missed most of it…I only got them singing the last verse (see lyrics below).

Lyrics:
by Sally DeFord

1.If the Savior stood beside me, would I do the things I do?
Would I think of His commandments and try harder to be true?
Would I follow His example? Would I live more righteously,
If I could see the Savior standing nigh, watching over me?

2.If the Savior stood beside me, would I say the things I say?
Would my words be true and kind if He were never far away?
Would I try to share the gospel? Would I speak more reverently
If I could see the Savior standing nigh, watching over me?

3.If the Savior stood beside me, would my thoughts be clean and pure?
Would His presence give me strength and hope, and courage to endure?
Would His counsel guide my actions? Would I choose more worthily
If I could see the Savior standing nigh, watching over me?

4.If the Savior stood beside me, would I often kneel to pray?
Would I listen to the Spirit’s voice, and hasten to obey?
Would I count my many blessings? Would I praise Him gratefully
If I could see the Savior standing nigh watching over me?

5.f the Savior stood beside me, would I comfort those in need?
Would I try to show the Savior’s love in every word and deed?
Would I give to those who hunger? Would I serve more willingly
If I could see the Savior standing nigh, watching over me?

6.He is always near me, though I do not see Him there
And because He loves me dearly, I am in His watchful care
So I’ll be the kind of person that I know I’d like to be
If I could see the Savior standing nigh, watching over me.

Pioneer Trek 2010

Pioneer Treks are a semi-recent tradition in the LDS Community. Each year (typically in the summer), LDS youth in different parts of the world have the opportunity to pull handcarts, dress like pioneers and do a lot of the same things the Mormon Pioneers did in the mid to late 1800s. Our Stake offers this opportunity to our youth once every 4 years (this was the first year).

One of the goals of ”The Trek” is to help the youth appreciate what the pioneers did for us…all that they sacrificed and went through in order to find a place ”out in the West” where they could practice our religion without fear and persecution.  Other things that are accomplished by the Trek are:  1)  the Youth learn to appreciate the modern conveniences and luxuries that we enjoy but take for granted, 2) unity is developed amongst the youth of the Stake, and 3)  they learn to work together as a group for a common goal. 

Frank participated in a Trek several years ago and had an amazing experience. This is the first Trek that our kids have been involved in. Liz, Megan and Mikayla all got to participate.  According to their report, all of the above goals were achieved.

 I’ve posted one of these links before…but for more info on the Mormon Pioneers, click on these:

 Mormon Pioneers:  The Pioneer Story

 Mormon Trail of Pioneers

 The Pioneer Trek

 **Here is a quote from one of the above links:

 ”All along the Mormon trail, and during the years that the pioneers traversed this great trek west, hundreds of Saints of all ages, especially the young and elderly, died from hunger, cold, sickness, disease, and exhaustion.¹ Countless stories have been told and recorded of the trials and tribulations of the Mormon pioneers. Nevertheless the Saints remained faithful and continued forward with “faith in every footstep.”²

On July 24, 1847, the first pioneers finally reached the end of the Mormon trail. Led by Brigham Young they came out of the mountains and looked down upon the Salt Lake Valley. Upon seeing the valley President Young declared, “This is the right place.”³ The Saints had been led to a place where they could live in safety and worship God according to their beliefs without the overwhelming persecution they’d faced in the east.

From 1847 to 1868 about 60,000-70,000 pioneers traveled from Europe and the Eastern US to join the Saints in the Great Salt Lake Valley, which later became part of the state of Utah.”

I took the first four pictures when I dropped them off...before they got dirty :-). For the rest of the pictures I was at the mercy of other people, so I didn't get a lot of good ones of my kids...but I was very happy to get the ones I did. Jackie Ober (Stake YW 2nd Counselor), Melissa, Mikayla, Megan, Nancy Goodyear (Stake YW Pres), Liz, Ma? #1, Ma? #2.

Jackie Ober (Stake YW 2nd Counselor), Melissa, Mikayla, Megan, Nancy Goodyear (Stake YW Pres), Liz, Ma? #1, Ma? #2.

Here are a bunch of the handcarts that the "families" pulled during the Trek. This was the first year that our stake did a Trek and the Stake leaders and Priests and Laurels actually made all of the carts in the Spring.

Mikayla, Melissa, Megan & Liz (who was not too happy to be there).

Can you see Liz? She is in the center/front, right above the wheel of the handcart (braided hair).

Another gathering of the youth...

This is Mikayla's "Family." She is on the Right in the pink shirt.

This is the Buck's Family (they were a "Ma and Pa" for the Trek)...Melissa G. is in the center.

The Bucks again...both on the Right.

I don't know the rest of these kids, but you can see Katie P. from our ward at the back of the wagon.

That's Melissa G. in the middle.

There's Liz behind the wagon...

Katie P. again (front Left)...

Melissa and the Bucks again...

That's Megan sitting with her back to the camera...I wasn't able to get a lot of good photos of her.

Hmmm...looks like a real pioneer camp...

Vikki P. (Center, facing forward)

That's Megan on the far Left (looking down) and you can also see Vikki P. from our ward (center, looking down).

Liz...making pancakes the hard way...

That's Liz on the Left...looking at all of the fired-up dutch ovens. Mmmmmm.....

Liz helping make pancakes...

I don't know who the guy is...but that's Megan in the background.

Mikayla enduring the heat and humidity of the great Georgia outdoors...the Trek took place during an unusually hot June...temps were in the 90's...PLUS humidity...I was proud of them for enduring it so well.

...entertainment...like the Pioneers had...

Sariah B. (far Left) at the dance.

Ferree B. (2nd from Left) at the dance.

Mikayla's first "Church Dance." :-) She turned 14 a month before the Trek.

"Stick Pulling" was an activity the pioneer men entertained themselves with. That's Bro. Heaton from our ward on the Right.

A stick-pulling win...you can see Mikayla in the pink shirt off to the Right.

Brother Heaton and his cute baby! The baby was only there for part of the Trek.

Yuck!! We were really worried about the girls getting ticks...but it didn't happen. They really didn't even have many bug bites.

Online Videos about the Mormon Pioneers:

Megan – 4th Year High Adventure

Every year our church has a camp for the girls ages 12-18…called “Young Women Camp.”   There are tons of them all over the world…you go to the one determined by your congregation’s geographic boundaries.  I’ll have more pics of that when Liz, Megan and Mikayla go in July.

All of the girls certify in different areas (First Aid, cooking outside, putting up a tent, identifying animals/bugs, starting fires, etc).For all of the girls that are going to camp for the 4th year, they have something called a “4th Year High Adventure.”  This year Megan got to participate in that.  She had an amazing time.  First they went rappelling.  She ended up going “Aussie Style,” which means face first.  I don’t think I could do that!  After they were done rappelling, all of the girls and leaders drove to Helen, GA, and went tubing on the Chattahoochee River.

Katie, Kissa, Megan, Shaunna (leader) & Betsy (leader). Harnessed and ready to go!

Kissa, Megan, Melissa, Katie & Kadison

Megan getting her harness on...

Shaunna (leader)...I love that picture! She is too funny. :-)

The view from the top of the hill. They had to drive for 2 hours to find a hill high enough to rappell off of. :-) Isn't it beautiful though?

Megan: "Do I really want to do this??"

Megan getting prepared...

 

Megan going over the hill!

Kadison ready to tackle the hill...

 

Kadison and Melissa going tandem....

Kissa

Katie getting ready...

Katie

 

Megan getting ready to go "Aussie Style" - or face-first.

 

 

Over the edge!

She's so brave!

Another beautiful picture of Georgia...this was taken on the way to the Rappelling area.

Youth Conference 2010

Every year our Stake (multi-area church group) has one or two Youth Conferences for our kids ages 14-18. In the Spring, for the past several years, they have held a Carnival for kids with Special Needs as part of the Youth Conference. They had pony rides, a petting zoo, miniature golf, face painting, snow cones/popcorn, slides, jump houses, etc…and it is all free to the kids and their families. It was really an awesome event. The youth run all of the booths, plus they get to be a chaperone for the special needs kids that are visiting. I was only there for the first part of it before it really got going, but I got some good photos before I left .

This is a bunch of our youth and a few leaders that attended the all-day youth conference (that ended with a dance). Some kids also showed up later on in the day after soccer games and such.

The youth being more casual...

Dane offering himself up as a target for bean bag practice.

Dane, Kadison, Melissa & Laura.

Getting candy ready for the Cake Walk...which was really a Candy Walk this year. That's Megan on the far right.

Lunch Time!

That's Brother Wells going the extra mile to help out with lunch preparations.

Adam and Kadison

Megan and Melissa

Kadison and Adam (again)

Laura and Brother Z (her dad :-) ).

Rachel, Rachel's friend, and Sariah...doing the lunch thing.

This is one of the kids trying out the bean bag toss.

This was a test run of the Candy Walk ;-).

The youth were doing the cake walk with a few of the early-arriving special needs kids.

The hat making table.

Princess Tyler :-)

Some of the outside activities...

...more outside activities...

There were a bunch of bunnies in the petting zoo this year...they were soooo cute!!

Rachel...the bunny lady...they all seemed to flock to her.

Sariah and a bunny...

One of the special needs kids getting a chance to meet the pony...

...and getting a ride too...

...this was a T-ball booth...

...they had a photo booth for the kids too...

...mini golf and bowling...

...crazy balloon booth...

...more bean bag throwing...our ward was in charge of the Candy Walk and the Bean Bag Throw.

 

Youth Conference 2010: Youth Waiting for the Conference to Start from Shayne Nolden on Vimeo.

Youth Conference 2010: Laura, Dane & Tyler from Shayne Nolden on Vimeo.

Youth Conference 2010: Special Needs Carnival from Shayne Nolden on Vimeo.

Megan – Academic Team Competition

Megan is our resident “smarty.” She is on her high school Academic Team and travels around to competitions. I went with them to a recent Saturday outing and took a few pictures…

That's Megan...second one from the Left...but you knew that, right?

...and the opposing team...

Megan and some of her JV teammates...and their coach (on the right).

Young Women in Excellence

Every year our Young Women (ages 12-18) at church have a program called “Young Women in Excellence.”  This is where we celebrate the goals they have set and then completed in the “Personal Progress” Program over the past year.  This year we had theme of:  “The Oscars: A Night of Stars.”  The girls dressed up in formals and we did it like an awards show.  Liz and her friend Alex were the hosts.  They also were instrumental in putting on the program…it was one of the 10 hour projects they did for Personal Progress as well.

Liz all dressed up...

Megan all dressed up...

Mikayla all dressed up...

Ashley wasn't technically old enough to be there, but she didn't have her church activity that night, so she got to attend some of it too.

This is Liz and Alex (at the podium) acting as the hosts...

All of the girls won some kind of award for their efforts over the year. This is Liz asking them questions after they received their award.

More Questions...

More Questions...

Even the Bishop got an award! Kirstin is overcome with the honor of the award :-).

Liz interviewing Kirstin...

Liz interviewing Sariah...

Liz interviewing Laura Z...

Liz interviewing Laura W...our newest Beehive.

Liz, Mikayla and Megan sang a song for part of the program as well...they did a fabulous job!

Liz interviewing Daija and Dorian....

Our fearless leaders, Betsy and Julie, in a deep discussion...

This is such a cute picture (Liz took it)...Melissa (our Laurel advisor) with her little man, Sawyer.

Youth Conference 2009

Twice a year the youth (ages 14-18) from church get to go to a “Youth Conference” where they have fun (dances are involved), get a spiritual boost and also perform service for people in the community.  In November we had a 2 day event at our Stake Center.  The service projects included raking leaves/doing yardwork and visiting elderly people at a care facility. 

It was a great experience for Liz and Megan, who got to go, but also for me, as a leader attending.  I got to go to the nursing home and watch the girls sing to the elderly and infirm there.  The spirit was very strong.  Other kids played games with the patients and also gave them manicures.  They were all so appreciative and it made all of us feel good as well.

This is the T-shirt that they all got (that's Megan).

Megan decided to rake leaves for the service project instead of going to the nursing home with Liz and me. That's her, 4th from the Left.

This is a bunch of the kids watching a Karaoke/Dance competition they had between the wards.

That's Liz, on the Left, competing in the Karaoke competition.

Liz

That's Megan in the middle...with 2 of her friends: Kissa and Melissa.

Megan and Kissa

 

Some of the girls in our ward.

Liz (Right) with some of her friends from the ward and stake.

Megan (Left) with some of her friends.

Liz (Right) with some of her friends from the ward and stake.

Liz (Left) with some of her friends from the ward and stake.

VIDEO:  Here is a video of the Karaoke/Dance Competition where Liz is singing…

Youth Conference Competition from Shayne Nolden on Vimeo.

Teacher Appreciation Dinner

For 20 years now our Ward (or church group) has been doing an annual “Teacher Appreciation Dinner.” 

All of the youth (6th grade through high school) invited their favorite teacher to attend.  This year, even the 5th graders got to invite one, so Ashley got to come too…which meant we had 5 of our 7 kids there with a teacher. 

It was a really nice evening.  Dinner was served and we had speakers and musical numbers by the youth.

Liz got to bring 2 teachers: Ms. Hanahan & Mr. Young.

Megan with Ms. Szatkowski.

Mikayla shared Ms. Swain with her friend Kaley. Ms. Swain has been a fixture at the dinner for several years.

PJ and Ms. Lammie.

PJ and Ms. Lammie again.

Ashley with Ms. Simpson....who had a huge impact on Ashley in the 4th grade last year...and continues to influence her.

Liz with her friends Laura and Tyler.

PJ and Dane.

Dane and Liz.

Elders Lee and Kilpelainen...the missionaries got to serve dinner to us.

Elders Lee and Delgado.

We joke that Liz and Elder Delgado look like they could be brother and sister.

This one and the rest of the pictures below are photos of other youth in our ward and their teachers and parents.

 

 

 

 

Megan Turns 15!!!!

I can’t believe Megan is 15 now!!!  Megan’s birthday is on Halloween…and now she can get her driving permit…which means we will have two teenaged drivers in the house…now, that’s scary!!

Megan and her "cake." She wanted Pumpkin Bars instead of a regular cake. They are soooo good!!!

Above: I think Megan liked her gifts. (Hannah and Aunt Sandi in the background)

Above: Megan has decided that she wants to go to BYU for college...she got a few items of BYU clothing.

 

Above: Cute hat...

Megan Blowing out the Birthday Candles from Shayne Nolden on Vimeo.