A Challenge

I "got" to go to the Young Woman's General Broadcast Saturday Night and I wanted to share a challenge they gave us.

Many of u know that Virtue has been added to the list of Young Woman Values. In the latest Young Woman program, in order to get your medallion, you need to complete Value projects for each of the Values. They challenged ALL of us to complete the Virtue Value projects. Sister Cook (Second Counselor in the Young Woman's General Presidency) shared her experience of completing it with her 87 year old Mother.

I think it would be cool if all of us sisters (and Mother,Friends, Brothers and Father... if they feel so inclined) completed this value. It would certainly be an incentive for me if I had other people attempting at the same time.

They also continued the challenge to pray every day, read the scriptures for at least 5 minutes every day, and to smile.

We can do it! The projects can be found here.

As a side note, I rode my bike over to"Peggy's Attic" to help out Saturday Morning.. a 34 mile round trip. Man was I proud of myself! And of course, I told everyone I met so they would be impressed as well. Everyone in my ward reacts so well, telling me how wonderful I am. Ahh... so nice.

Funny story, I headed down Bonanza Road and trucked up the hill to the strip, but when I realized Bonanza doesn't go over the freeway, I headed north to the next cross over street (Washington) which took me back down the hill so once I turned West again, I had to head back up once again. I have to admit I didn't push it or anything, but the ride back was not as pleasant as the ride down. Downhill is fun.... except when u have to go back up! I also got a little pink, but if this is the only reminder sunburn I need this summer to start wearing Sunstop, I'll be grateful.

SASW Day 3 - and the rest

This is going to be a boring post cuz no pictures! I meant to take pictures of us all dolled up in our Sunday outfits, but I forgot. I blame it on my mother. (Yesterday I did service at place called Peggy's attic that allows foster kids to pick out donated clothes and games and there were two little shirts I liked best... One said "My sister Did it" and the other said "Its my brothers fault")

Sunday actually wasn't very exciting cuz we just all got ready, went to church where I was so excited to introduce everyone! We actually got there 15 minutes early. Never in my life have I been 15 minutes early to church. Going early for choir practice doesn't count because I was always late for those as well.

I was very sad Pat Hammond wasn't there in Sunday School so I could introduce everyone there, but I got to in RS. So fun! I heard one older lady (sister Spencer?) say "It's like they came from all over the country to meet here". Thank u Sister for expressing the exact sentiment I was trying to imply with my introductions!

I then stayed for choir so everyone else would have to go home and fix dinner :-). Mom and Jenny decided they didn't want to help fix dinner either so they stayed. Jenny played the piano for our normally Acapella choir. I have gotten compliments for that (thanks Jenny!). Mom held Sister Steeds new baby the whole time and didn't mind a bit.

We got home to a fine dinner cooked and ready! In my defence, I had put the corned beef in the crock pot before we left. Emily had made biscuits and there was a beautiful salad and cantaloupe and cooked squash from out of the freezer (made it kinda runny... note to self). Mom fixed up the mashed potatoes with sour cream and garlic since there wasn't going to be any gravy. It was so fun! I don't think I've cooked (well... had someone else cook) a complete meal like that since Emily was there after Thanksgiving and we tried the turkey (which I still have in my freezer). I'm gonna have to do that more often.

I informed my family that in my house Jane Austin Movies are Sunday Movies (in NM there is no TV at all) and Mom said "its your house". So we watched a couple of movies, played SET, and ate ice cream cuz Neita didn't want to go to bed and have it all end! I stayed up way too late....

I took Jenny to the airport early in the morning after seeing Mom and Angela off on their drive home. Neita and Emily were dropped off later on my way in to work (I got to work at 11am). I couldn't keep my eyes open even after going out to my car twice for power naps, so around 4:30pm I asked Arvid if I could just go home. He wasn't too impressed with my lack of dedication to work, but he let me go ("thanks for the guest appearance"). I slept, took Bethanie shopping, took a walk, watched "House", and we went to bed early. YA FOR US! I was pretty proud.

Of course, I had to get Bethanie to the airport by 6 am. We didn't leave that early cuz we figured she wouldn't have a hard time going through security. Unfortunately there was a HUGE accident on the 2-15 by the airport connector. After sitting still for 10 minutes, I told Bethanie there was no way we were going to get through that mess in 30 minutes (and by then she would have missed her plane), so I got on the shoulder and backed up to the nearest exit to the I-15. I was pretty sure I knew the way around the airport, but wasn't completely confident. Luckily, I took the correct way that led us right too it. There was NO traffic... Everyone was stuck on the freeway! I was a little stressed about her making it (she doesn't have a cell phone), but since I didn't get a frantic phone in the next hour, I figured she made her flight.

All in all, everyone got home safe with fairly minimal excitement. I was so glad cuz I didn't want Sisters Weekend to end in tears :-). Thank you all for such a wonderful time!

Confession: I was talking to my VT about Sisters Weekend and when I mentioned ghetto Bonnie Springs, she said "we told u it was ghetto!". Uh... really? Oops *Self Conscience Grin*. Apparently I have selective hearing... I now remember them saying it was OK and the kids liked it, but it was very ghetto. SORRY SISTERS!

I guess u'll just have to come back so I can make it up to u!

SASW Day 2

Now I'm pining after my family.... I didn't do anything the last 2 nights (meant to get this finished last night but had to put the finishing touches on it this morning). Sat and pined. I was a tinsy weensy itty bitty bit relieved when it was over, but now I'm pining. Pine Pine Pine!

Perhaps writing about DAY 2 will help :-)

We got a bit of a late start because I had to go pick up my keys (kinda negated the whole "picking up the tickets the night before so we wouldn't have to go back onto the strip until the show" trick) and I think we had breakfast burritos.... or was that Sunday Morning?

Anyway, first the Jehovah's witnesses showed up (Neita, answer the door! Ur the only one dressed!) and then our lunch from Jimmy Johns came (YA for Jimmy Johns!) and we could head out to Bonnie Springs ie Old Nevada.

Lets just say Bonnie Spring had a lot of photo ops. It was pretty ghetto. I had never been there before and I think if we had some kids they woulda really enjoyed it, but for hungry adults... not so much! After wandering around, a long discussion on whether or not to get one of those black and white photographs (The discussion ended when Emily said she didn't want to put those clothes on... who knew where they had been?), shooting random pictures, and trying to figure out what would posess ONE person to think it was a good place to get married let along TWO..... we walked back to the car 2 eat lunch. Thank heavens for Jimmy Johns!

With higher blood sugar, we could appreciate the melodrama and hanging. (Notice that the day before I wore my Kokapelli triathlon shirt and today I wore my other Kokapelli triathlon shirt... I'm pretty proud of my shirts!)

Definition of Melodrama (by Bonnie Springs):

1 young cowboy dressed up as "Penelope" and the other as "Evil Lord Half Nelson" or "Pops" as needed in the story. Explanation of cards telling us when to boo, hiss, laugh, sob, cheer, and clap. Story ensues which was obviously written by said young cowboys. Full of jokes like, "U are Evil and you are Uuuugly! Uh huh, you heard me.. Uuugly!"; (sound of a revving car coming from behind the curtain until Evil Lord Half Nelson appears) "what was that?" "You jealous of my mustang?"; "Pops, can I get a house with 4 walls?" "U have 4 walls! 1... 2... 3... Whoa! What are all these people doing here?" "I don't know, but they're always peeping at me" (flips skirt as he crosses his legs).... etc.

Story synopsis... Evil Lord Half Nelson will make Penelope's mortgage go away if she marries him (I can't pay the rent! You must pay the rent!). Pops comes back with gold to pay mortgage... Evil Lord Half Nelson foiled again (I'll pay the rent.. drat foiled again).

Definition of Hanging (by Bonnie Springs):

Synopsis: Mad Dog (old man with handlebar mustache) tells us all he's going to rob the bank while we are sitting outside watching at Picnic Tables. We hear gunshots in the bank... Marshall comes up and tells him to come out.. Mad Dog says "Go Away". Gunshots... (Marshall has trouble with his blanks).
Marshal gets some dynamite lit from a lighter from the audience and throws it into the bank. Stands with his back to the bank and puts his fingers in his ears.. Mad Dog opens the door and sticks the dynamite on the ground under the Marshall... Marshall jumps up and throws the dynamite into the outhouse which then "blows up" with his Deputy in it. The Deputy has to pull his gun out of the hole... They finally get Mad Dog out and with a prosecutor, judge, and defence attorney pulled from the audience, they have a mock trial (The Marshal points his gun down at the attorney and says he has the power to turn this rooster into a hen... so is he guilty?) and many jokes (Everyone is looking at Mad Dog... he says he has that effect on the woman folk), they hang him. He obviously has a harness under his shirt attached to the rope... My favorite part was Mad Dog slowly flapping his long coat as he swings...

All in all, the funniest part was the little kids reaction to the whole thing... and some of the fathers (who happened to be mostly Hispanic... just saying).

Emily and I spent some time in the "petting zoo" (haphazardly placed cages with 2 or 3 goats roaming around and 1 pig) while the others road the little train. The mice had taken over the cage with cockatiels in it. Spree should be grateful for his situation!

Apparently it has always been Angela's dream to see a wild burro so nature obligingly showed us a couple running around on our way out of "Old Nevada". Unfortunately we didn't get the camera's out in time so this is as close a picture as u get.

Then we headed over to Red Rock to see the Red rocks! I had never been to the visitors center so we stopped there to see the tarantula, evil spiders, cool looking lizards and the first settlers. We were surprised there wasn't more information about the Indians, but perhaps that's because they tell u all about the indigenous people over at the Springs Preserve. They are also currently adding to the Center and it looks like it will be WAY cool once they are done.

The clothing on that rock climber was donated by REI in case u were wondering.

As you can see.. Neita learned a lot. She soaked it in from the side.

Then it was home for a change of clothes and off to watch the Steve Wyrick Magic Show!

I was a little worried at first when it started out with loud music and scantily clad ladies doing a dance. The guy at the Visitors Bureau told me it was a family show! But as the evening went on, they got more and more clothed and Mom and I just plugged our ears when it got to loud.

My favorite part of the show was the sleigh of hand tricks he did rather than the big disappearing acts he did on stage. With those black curtains as background I could think of a lot of ways he could do those tricks. But with his sleeves rolled up, how could he take those 3 rings he had borrowed from the audience and link them all together? I'll never figure that one out!

At the end he did a little set of tricks about his Grandma with an older lady and a little boy (Apparently his Grandmother inspired his magic). On the way down in the elevator after the show with Angela, an older lady asked us how we liked it and mentioned that the grandmother part made her cry. I thought that was kinda funny cuz I shore didn't feel it.

Perhaps the lady would have felt better if she knew like I did that someday Steve would be with his Grandmother again.

They told us Steve would be outside to sign tickets and take pictures. Neita used Angela's wheelchair status to get them to the front of the line for his signature and a photo.

As you can see, Steve liked Jenny and Neita best... They raved all evening about how he put his arms around them! And they called him Steve. Apparently because of this photo they were on a first name basis.

We wandered around the Miracle Mile shops for a little bit cuz Jenny was looking for a new watch, but with it being so late and low blood sugar, everyone was a little on edge (OK, I was on edge). On the way home we stopped at Panda Express 15 minutes before they closed. So they gave us a lot of food for free.

Once home, we ate and crashed. Man was I TIRED! Good thing church the next morning wasn't until 1pm and I didn't have to teach!

SASW! (Second Annual Sisters Weekend).. Day 1

Last Wednesday at a meeting Ken asked me if I was ready for SASW... I was very confused until he told me what it stood for. Apparently I talked about it a lot!!

This is going to be a long post of pictures... perhaps other posts will explain each activity even more later... I don't know. I haven't decided. I'm actually very sad that everyone is gone so perhaps now is not the time to blog about it :-) I had so much fun and miss them all so much!

On the FIRST day:

After a breakfast of Bagels that Bethanie and I "ran" to pick up (its only a block away).. it was off to Ross's and Target to get some new duds for the strip.

Of course Neita looked good in everything she tried on... And everyone had fun trying on strange outfits. Unfortunately a lot of things didn't cover up like they were supposed to so there aren't any pictures of that. U all can be very grateful for that.

I had done a bunch of research on buffet's by the strip... talk about EXPENSIVE. So we went over to the buffet at Red Rock. It was better than some ghetto buffet's I'd been to and reasonably priced. YA!

Then it was off to the Mirage to see the "Secret Garden" with Dolphins and Lions and Tiger oh my! On our way, we almost took the path to the "Bare" adult swimming pool but luckily the signs were there to show us the way and a long covering hung over the walkway so we wouldn't have to see any BARE people.

PHEW.

Please don't eat the flowers.
Cute Mom and Sisters!

Neita is the one that got all the good pictures here at the . I just took pictures of my family... so fun to have them with me!

The Dolphins. Apparently this is a preservation and research place so every once in a while people would come out and do something random with the them, ie making them jump or checking their teeth. One of the dolphins had a Frisbee it was playing with.

See all the tigers and lions? No.. not the people... the TIGERS!

I thought it was funny that they warned us about the male tigers "spray" which they use to mark their territory. Apparently they can spray up to 20ft. Bethanie also pointed out that they can spray up! Couldn't quite figure out how they did this, although I have to admit our research was kinda sketchy.








Don't be scared Bethanie... Angela will show u how it's done.

And of course after the big cats came the Lamas... wait... Lamas? Oh right. Food storage.

Oh yes, and don't forget the random rooster!

Then it was off to across the street to the Venetian. Jenny, Bethanie, and Angela all got stuck in the middle of the street. This is Vegas Baby!! U just GO!

Don't look up!! U never know what u might see!

Then it was over to the Belagio to see their garden display...

eat dinner (They put us right out where we could look into their garden as we ate. It was so nice!)...

the beautiful fountains of the Belagio...

(while I ran over to the Miracle Mile shops to pick up the tickets for the show the next night. FYI, don't go into the Planet Hollywood casino.. they have ladies dancing at poles in the "pleasure pit"... RIGHT out in the OPEN! ICK)

Then it was home to bed.

Wait. Um... Anybody know where the keys to the car are?

I ran back down to the restaurant to see if I had left them there. No keys.

Yes, this is the same restaurant I left them at when Mom and Dad were here. Sigh.

We used Angela's spare key to drive home.

I was very sad until my phone woke me up at 2:30am. It was the restaurant calling to tell me one of the busboys had found the lost keys and forgotten to turn them in until the end of her shift.

I don't think I have to explain how strange that was. Don't get me wrong, I was SO grateful the keys had been found, but a phone call at 2:30am?!?!

Emily said they just didn't think. I guess it really is hard to tell what time it is in a Casino :-)

Stay tuned for the next days happenings.