Stake Primary Summer Stuff

Stake Activity Days Camp is a huge project which takes all hands on board. The prep was monumental and lasted for many months. 

 We made "fruit" for the girls to pluck off our "Tree of Life". I learned so MUCH about mod podging, glitter spray, and lots of other things I never really wanted to know.  Dan and Aubrey also got very involved with lettering and coloring in signs for our "gathering times."

The theme of Activity Day Camp this word was "Experiment Upon the Word" and we talked all about how to become spiritual scientists, discovering truth by testing it. The girls learned how discovering spiritual truth happens the same way we discover scientific truth. To explore these ideas the girls learned about planting a seed, nurturing a seed, and then harvesting the fruit of the experiment. We had two scientists lead them in this process, Professor "Andthuswesee" and Professor "Anditcametopass."  Three times each day the girls all met together and on the stage the professors would explain part of the concepts and then the girls watched it portrayed through either a scriptural (the story of Alma the Elder) or a real life (the story of my counselor Katie) story of conversion. The girls loved the gathering time vignettes, and they turned out pretty amazing.  In the class I taught the girls learned about the Tree of Life and the choices they get to make as they walk their own path toward the "tree." Then they went outside and actually walked the path (with blindfolds to simulate the mists of darkness and then people taunting them from a "great and spacious building") before making it to the tree and selecting one of the fruit. Then they had a short discussion about the process and how it related to their lives.  Other classes included learning to listen to the Spirit, science experiments, making wise media choices, learning a dance, learning a song about "planting a seed" (which was performed for the parents, using cool actions and a fun prop), journaling, and unity/team building. It all turned out so great. The weeks and months leading up to the camp were extremely busy, but the two days of the camp were just fun, fun, fun, and so gratifying. It felt good!

The girls gathering in the morning to sing songs/cheers together. The older girls in green are the teenagers who led each group. Aubrey was one of these YCLs.


 Prior to the camp, we had several rehearsals to get the gathering time vignettes right and to allow the YCLs to prepare things for their groups of girls. Below, we were able to get a great pair of missionaries to play Alma the Elder and Abinadi. They were awesome!

 Aubrey and Megan McDonnell were guards in King Noah's court. They took their guarding duties very seriously. 

 Preparing the day before camp. 

 Tree of Life

 Processing the experience at the tree

 "Alma the Elder" and "Abinadi" made personal visits to meet each of the groups of girls!

 This was Aubrey's group's homeroom.

And here are the two amazing professors!

The girls all thought the professors were so cool and wanted to talk to them afterward.

 One of my favorite things the girls did . . . after learning about planting a seed of faith,  nurturing it, and harvesting the fruit of their experiment, the girls talked about this process with their YCLs and then identified a seed they wanted to plant. They wrote their "seed" on a paper seed and then posted it on our big tree out in the gym. Here are a few of my favorites.  

 And then before the last gathering time the girls identified the "fruit" they hoped to receive and wrote and posted it as well. 
 

A few of my favorites:

And another of my favorite things: after talking about their what they had decided they wanted to learn or develop and then what result they hoped to receive with their YCLs, at the end of the day the girls had a chance to share their thoughts with the group.

Practicing their song before the program for parents

Look closely at the adorable shirts the girls wore. They were lab coat Tshirts, and the "nametag" on the shirt said "Professor" and then they wrote their names.

It was a great two day camp!

And then, a few weeks later it was 11 year old scout camp, which we host for the surrounding 5 stakes. It went very well again. I have to say that it is not as much of an exhilarating experience as Activity Day Camp, but the boys have a good time and the leaders who are in charge of the camp do an exceptional job. My counselor and I just support them!

 I was so glad to finish a busy summer of Primary events so I could focus on going to England with Dan!

This and that from Spring 2017

One Sunday in March I was at Ward Conferences all day, and Dan and Joseph took advantage of some sunshine and clear skies to go on a walk just before sunset. Joseph is quite the photographer and likes capturing fun shots.

Aubrey had a "black box" night for her Theater Focus in which she performed a dialogue with Emma and participated in a fundraiser to earn money for their trip to the Shakespeare festival. I got absolutely no good pictures, but still wanted to remember the night.

On March 17 Joseph attended a very rainy 11 year old Scout campout. He was especially invited to be part of the small group, even though he had officially "graduated" from the group.

In March celebrated when a franchise of our favorite pizza place opened nearby.

The end of March Joseph went on another Scout campout.

On April 4th Joseph and Dan attended the opening day of Star Wars Rogue One

Aubrey and I attended a fun ward Spring Tea Party before Women's Conference.

 In April our friend Carline Anthony surprised us by bringing Dan an entire pot of beef stew. He was super excited!

Aubrey celebrated color war day at VSAA.

Aubrey loved her Physics class this year. This is a picture of the Physics project she and Emma did.

 And for yet another project she used our big bathtub to time a boat powered by a candle or something like that.

Joseph was acknowledged for his good grades which put him on the Honor Roll at the middle school.

The rain finally stopped long enough for Dan and Joseph (and Hunter and Alex) to build the new trampoline we got for Christmas

Joseph worked hard in Middle School Track all during the spring and participated in high jump,

 shot put,

 and long jump. We loved cheering him on and he loved participating in the sport with his friends.

I finally updated the photos which sit on Dan's desk. On the bottom row are the pictures from 2010. On the top are more recent pictures.

We had the rainiest spring on record in the PNW. We just about floated away! In May my friend Kathy Kartchner and I ventured out to the Salmon Creek trail to see if it was passable yet. There were still multiple places for the Salmon Creek had flooded the trail.

On May 10th I chaperoned the 6th graders from Joseph's middle school on a trip to OMSI. It was fun to meet his peers and spend time with Joseph while checking out one of our favorite museums. OMSI had a cool Lego exhibit at the time we visited.

 The end of May Joseph went to a fun Scout Camporee at Battle Ground Lake Stake Park. It was a busy, fun, dirty weekend for him!

And, to round out May, we enjoyed a fun Memorial Day barbecue at the Williams' house. Hunter came with us. It was a bittersweet experience to enjoy so much spending time with Kartchners, who were moving soon.