The Rest of June 2012

My TP Queen friend, Angi, who I don't get to see quite often enough, since she lives in Tennessee, decided to make a long road trip to drive out and see her family all over the US, including her parents here in Washington, where she grew up.  Well, I was lucky enough to be on the agenda!!  I feel very blessed, as I know how hard it is to see everyone you would like to see and still have enough time to visit with your family who you don't get to see very often either.  I really appreciated her sacrifices to come visit us!!  It meant a lot to me!!  :)  She is probably the most loyal friend I have ever had.  We have known each other since we were born, pretty much, and I feel extremely blessed to have her as a friend!!  We have seen each other every few years, our entire marriages.  Her husband, Steve, is a Choir teacher at a high school in TN, and loves to play the piano and sing, so he and Grant always enjoy doing that when we get together.  All 12 kids (our girls and Annica, Steven, Ruby, Claire, Jeremiah, and Juliana) had fun together, especially when we watched the new Kid History together!!  It was super fun to watch a new episode with someone who loves it as much as we do!  :)  My parents happened to stop by and were excited to see Angi and her family also.  We were thankful to have some time to spend with Angi and Steve and their silly, happy family.  And look forward to when we can see them again!

We took the girls up to their cousin Kaiti's birthday Party.  They all really enjoyed celebrating with Kaiti.  The four older girls each picked out a special birthday box and placed a candy, a toy, and a couple dollars in the box for her presents.  It was a hit!

Speaking of hit, every single one of them had the chance to hit the pinata.  What kid doesn't love a pinata?  It was really funny seeing Calyssa hit it.  She didn't hit it hard at all but she had fun.  Later, Uncle Tito almost made us all go deaf when he blasted the confetti blasters.  However, the kids all loved the confetti, especially Calyssa and Aurora.  Calyssa also loved playing on the trampoline, especially by herself.  She also loved hanging out with Kaiti (which Kaiti loved too) and she even fell asleep, while snuggling with her.  It was so cute!!    

Grant was involved in the Nashville Tribute Band in our Stake, who performed at the Stake Women's Conference.  It was a different kind of church program than I was used to.  However, they did a great job and were quite entertaining.  Grant was chosen for two solo songs, as well as singing background for a few numbers.  It wasn't the type of music I am used to hearing him sing, but he sounded great and was a great performer.  I especially loved his cute little dancing that he did while singing.  What a cutie!!  :)

The Women's Conference was excellent!  A lot of people put in a lot of hard work to make a very successful day.  They had informational booths all around the building.  They also had several great speakers, including Kitty de Ruyter-Bons.  (I heard her once at Ricks also but didn't hear all the same stories.)  Her talk was so sad, yet so inspirational!  Here is a clip from an article about her from the Deseret News...

"Born on the island of Java, Indonesia, Kitty grew up in a loving, well-to-do family. Her parentage was Dutch and Indonesian, and her early years on Java were lived in an idyllic paradise. But her life quickly became the opposite when the Japanese put her family, along with all Dutch people or Dutch sympathizers, in concentration camps.

Kitty's mother, sisters and little brother were interned together, and her father and other brothers were in separate camps. During the years of incarceration, Kitty witnessed many atrocities from their captors.

When Kitty's beloved nanny, a native Indonesian, came to the camp's barbed-wire fence to bring Kitty her precious rag doll, the nanny was killed while Kitty watched. Many years later, after the family had evacuated to Holland, Kitty discovered that the nanny had put many of the family's jewels inside the doll. The money that came from selling these jewels helped her and her siblings to get higher education.

Kitty's Christian mother had an enormous reservoir of faith in God and courage to stand up for the right, which was a great example to her and many others. Kitty learned from her mother to thank God in all circumstances.

Kitty survived her 3½-year ordeal in the camp by hoping always that the war would end and freedom would come."

http://www.deseretnews.com/article/705386519/Life-is-still-wonderful-after-concentration-camp.html?pg=all

 

It was so incredible to hear her stories.  One was about how her mother shaved the heads of all the teenage girls in the camp and rubbed mud on them and stinky plants to protect their virtue.  She was punished severely for this.  My friends and I just sat there, all in a row, and cried.  She also spoke of her love for this wonderful country and her forever "crush" on all American military men in uniform, because they rescued her.  It is just such a neat story.  I hope to one day read her book, "As I Have Loved You."

One of my last Young Women's activities as a leader was balloon games at the church.  First, we played a fun one with popping balloons and the young women's theme.  Then the girls played a, step on your balloon, game.  Lastly, we went outside to softly toss water balloons back and forth... well, sweet Teresa, our YW president, turned it into a water fight!  (She has learned a thing or two having 5 sons!)  It was so hilarious!!  Although, I got soaked... by my own daughter!!!  She nailed me twice in a row, before I could even grab a balloon!  We all laughed and had a great time. 

  

1-2) Riana chopped her hair off... quite a few inches.  Now it is so much easier for her to manage, by herself.  It was a nice change, right in time for the summer.

3) Rori's cute little picture

4) We stopped by to drop a treat off for Brynn on her birthday and were treated in return with the cutest little "Hello Kitty" cake pops.  They were too cute to eat.  However, I'm glad we did because they were SO yummy!!  (I totally need the recipe, Jen!)

5) Our backyard is always full of soccer balls!  :)

6-7) Me

8) Sariah wanted some ice for her water ball... too bad they were all stuck together... LOL!

9) The younger girls having some fun together.

10-11) Nina and Rori's pictures

12) Some sort of summer miracle-- Girl Scouts Cookies still not eaten in June?!?!?  Wow!

13) My idea of fast food-- a fresh berry salad and a strawberry shortcake frosty from Wendy's!  A little bit of heaven...  :)