Saturday, March 15, 2014

YW Personal Progress Activity

This week in Young Women, our new Presidency wanted to work on getting all the girls signed up on LDS.org and put their personal progress on line. This way when we plan activities, we can make sure we focus on what needs to be completed in their Personal Progress books. 

All members of the presidency have access to view the Young Women in your ward personal progress if it is in-put on LDS.org. You can access it on LDS.org under "Youth" then "Personal Progress". Once on the Personal Progress page on the right hand side, there is a link to "Leader Summary", which shows were everyone is on their book.

As the Y/W secretary, I will be taking my laptop to enter and approve items in their books before and after Young Women each Sunday.  

We found this great idea on Pinterest for an IHOP activity from Sisters in Zion blog.

We did the activity just as they outlined and it was a blast! 

Our President received all of the Young Women's membership number. This let up set up a log in for each girl on LDS.org. Then we input the information from their books into LDS.org. 

The Young Women presidency helped the girls input their data, while all of the advisors cooked pancakes and crepes. We had lots of toppings, syrup, strawberries, whip cream, Nutella, Jams, blueberries etc. We also added blueberries, chocolate chips and cinnamon chips to pancake batter. We had a ton of food, juice and milk. The girls were able to visit and have such a fun time. We held the activity at our Young Women President's house. 

It was such a fun activity!!!

One thing that kind of disappointed me, was that some of the older girls were not very far on their Personal Progress and some didn't have the "vision" of how important Personal Progress is.

I spoke to our President, who has 2 boys who have completed their Eagle in scouts. I have asked her to bring their uniform and sash with all the merit badges these boys have completed with each rank. Getting an Eagle is a LOT of hard work. Plus, they have their Duty to God booklet to complete too. PLUS, each Sunday they arrive at church early to set up chairs or stay late to put chairs away.

Plus all the additional things these boys do:
 The Deacon's collect fast offerings once a month.
The Teachers and Priests are Home Teaching companions.

Our boys do a LOT as they prepare to serve a mission.

I have a hard time understanding the moaning and groaning about the Young Women working on Personal Progress. If they want one of these WONDERFUL young men who have accomplished all the items I have outlined above, they need to at LEAST have earned their YW medallion. They have to prepare themselves to be married to one of these awesome men and to be the mother with the great responsibility before them to raise and teach Heavenly Father's Children (along with getting a college degree and a career if needed). 

My challenge as I work in the Young Women Program is to motivate them to do their Personal Progress. To help them become the person they need to be in the world today. They have to be strong, they have to prepare - because it's getting so wicked each passing year.

I want so much for them. I want them to have the Happily Ever After they deserve. I don't want them to struggle with their testimony or fall away the gospel. Life is easier when you live your life firmly secured to the iron rod. 

I'm excited for this new calling. I love the girls and we have a wonderful bunch. I love our new Presidency and know that we will accomplish great things. 

Thursday, March 13, 2014

Autumn and Jaron's Wedding Part 4

Autumn and Jaron's wedding reception.
Autumn asked Brandon to make her wedding cake - Brandon my niece Zoey Michelle's husband has become our favorite cake decorator. Plus, the cakes are quite yummy too!
There was a snag on delivering the cake to the church. They set up a time to bring it to the church with someone who had keys. Unfortunately nobody came to let them in to the church. It was during the after wedding brunch with all the family - so they weren't available either.

They found some random neighbors near the church that were able to help them find someone to let them in. It was quite a hassle. 

But, they did get in the church and assembled the cake. 

Another thing that went wrong was that they live flowers that were suppose to be added to the cake were not there and didn't arrive until the reception started. So instead of artfully adding the flowers to the cake as planned, we quickly put them at the base of the cake. 
Autumn and Jaron getting ready to cut the cake. Brandon who made the beautiful wedding cake is at the side directing the process and taking off the ribbon on the first 2 layers of the cake. 

Autumn carefully cutting the cake. 

She splits the piece in two and hands one to Jaron. 
I thought they would be grown up about it and gently feed each other the cake. 
I was soooo wrong - they shoved the cake at each other like a bunch of teenagers. Well, I guess they kind of are. FunNY!


They were both covered in cake and frosting! Silly kids!
Throwing the wedding bouquet. It was super cute because a little girl 5 or 6 years old caught the bouquet. It was so darling and I'm sad I didn't get a photo of her and Autumn. You can see the little girl who caught the bouquet being held up in back - she's in pink. It was such a beautiful moment.

Autumn sent me the pictures of the little girl who caught the bouquet - She is so cute!
 She even was given a bouquet that she was able to take home.
What a great moment to remember throughout her life. Plus, it made an extra special moment for Autumn on her special day too. I love it!
The car was trashed. 
I have a tough time with things that ruin the car. There are ways to do it classy and nice. But, it was totally trashed. The first place to go is the car wash so that the paint doesn't get ruined. 
I remember doing that for my own wedding. I'm sitting in the car in my wedding dress while my husband in his suit was spraying off the car at a car wash. I guess it's what happens and is a tradition at weddings. I'm getting old because I just don't get it. A sign a few balloons are great - but things that damage a car is not cool. Shaking head. 

Links to Autumn and Jaron's wedding: 

Wednesday, March 12, 2014

Autumn's Wedding to Jaron Part 3


Here are a few pictures from Autumn and Jaron's wedding reception. 
Richard made the back drop for the wedding line. It turned out beautiful! He did a great job!
The gift table with beautiful pictures of Jaron and Autumn.

I didn't get a picture of the book everyone signed, plus they had a baseball bat for everyone to sign too. 
The best men.
The brides maids. 
Jaron and Autumn
Jason and Sharon - holding Autumn's beautiful bouquet.

Notice the baseball decorations with some beautiful orchids as the centerpiece for the tables.   
Zoey Michelle and Brandon (plus Faith who is hiding behind a book because she refuses to have her pictures taken - shaking head). 
My mom, Zoey and Kayla. 
Kevin and my oldest sister Christine and her husband Kurt. 
Kayla and Kevin. 
Richard the brides dad and my little brother.

Links to Autumn and Jaron's wedding: 

Tuesday, March 11, 2014

Autumn's Wedding to Jaron Part 2

After Jaron and Autumn's Temple marriage in the Rexburg Idaho Temple, they did a few wedding party pictures:
Tymber, Autumn and Hope
Sisters!
Jaron, Autum, Tymber and Hope
Now the girls have a brother!!!!!
The parents!
Jaron's parents, Jaron and Autumn and Autumn's parents: Rhonda and my brother Richard
Smooch!
Richard, Rhonda, Autumn and Jaron.
Richard and Rhonda adore Jaron. It's exciting for them to have a son in law that they absolutely love. Plus adding another male to the family is a huge bonus for Richard. 
The best men and the brides maids. 

Our cute Kate needed a huge hug from Autumn.
My niece Zoey Michelle's daughter ... Kate with Autumn and Jaron.

Links to Autumn and Jaron's wedding: 

Monday, March 10, 2014

Autumn's Wedding to Jaron Part 1

I was so blessed to be able to attend Autumn and Jaron's wedding in the Rexburg Idaho Temple. Autumn looked so beautiful!

Rhonda and Autumn let me go to the brides room and help dress Autumn in her wedding dress. It was such a beautiful moment that I will always treasure (since I didn't have a daughter of my own). Thanks for letting me be part of her special day, it's a memory I'll cherish forever. 
Stepping out of the temple, husband and wife - Jaron and Autumn.

Hope giving her big sister a big hug. 
She was a stunning bride. I loved her bouquet, tiara, jewelry and dress. Beautiful! 
Autumn's tiara fell off with all the hugs she received. 
Jaron putting it back on - what a good little husband. 
Another pose with a little girl (don't know her name) who couldn't wait to pose by a beautiful princess.

One funny note:
As we were driving to Rexburg, Autumn told her mom that she wanted to drive back after the wedding with Jaron. Rhonda laughed and said...well you should since you will be his wife now. 

Ahhhh the transition from daughter to wife .... and not having to ask for permission to do something anymore. Autumn is now an adult and in charge of her own life. Such transitions and it's kinda sad to let go. She'll do great because she is such a good and beautiful Daughter of God, always trying to do what is right.

Good luck to Jaron and Autumn - for their wonderful forever in front of them.

Links to Autumn and Jaron's wedding: 

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