Girls Camp and Youth Idea

Kiss Them Good-Bye....

(And I don't mean your parents)

Yes, that is what I told the Young Women today at our Parent/Daughter Pre-Camp Meeting regarding their Cell Phones, ipods, or any other electronic device....

Kiss Them Good-Bye...they are not coming to camp, not for the ride up or the ride home. No.....they are not attending camp, in fact, they are not invited.

As I discussed this "rule", I passed around a bowl of Hershey Kisses and told them to take one. As they ate the Kiss, I wanted it to remind them to leave their electronics home so they could "plug in" to The Spirit at Young Women Camp and be prepared for a SWEET EXPERIENCE.

I told the Girls that if they can't fall asleep without headphones and music in their ears, that NOW is a good time to start practicing how to go to sleep without them.

If you are competing with Cell Phones and other electronics at your Weekly Youth Activities or during your Sunday Lessons, TAKE CHARGE. Have a Basket for checking in Cell Phones at arrival time. Don't allow your Youth to be plugged in elsewhere and not tuned in to the Activity/Lesson.

They sit in the same room and Text Message each other over and over and over...DON'T ALLOW IT. REAL Communication is quickly disappearing. We have generation of Text Message, Face Book, Cell Phone, ipod addicts on our hands. It is out of control everywhere I turn.

Tell them to KISS their phones and electronics goodbye during formal Activities and Lessons. When you present this "rule", take the edge off with a few Hershey Kisses and a large dose of your love. My girls know that I totally love them like my own. Asking them to Kiss their electronics Good-Bye was not a problem (yes, there was some grumbles, but no challenging the issue)

How do you deal with Cell Phone and ipod use during

Youth Activities and/or Sunday Lessons?

Is this a problem in your area?

Are the Parents just as bad?

Because You Asked

Mother Daughter Dinner 2008...
With The LDS Young Women General Broadcast approaching, I have received numerous requests for The Mother Daughter Game we play each year at the Mother/Daughter Dinner prior to The Broadcast.

Click HERE for details and more photos.

This a wonderful tradition...

Enjoy!

One Week Challenge

Young Women Object Lesson...
At the end of our lesson on Showing Love and Support for Our Families (Lesson #10 in YW Manual 1),
I gave each of the Young Women a Bracelet, similar to this, only the beads are much smaller. I got a pack of bracelets at WM for $5. I asked each girl to place the Bracelet on her right wrist and gave the following challenge:

For One Week:
Speak uplifting, kind, positive words to everyone you come in contact with. For one week, refrain from speaking ill of anyone at anytime. If, for some reason you slip up, switch the bracelet to the left wrist and start over, and if you mess up again. switch the bracelet, etc.
I challenged the girls to keep the bracelet on one wrist all week. Of course, I am doing the challenge along with them and will check up with them mid-week. (I had to switch my bracelet last night when I was ranting about the FCAT testing....see below)
This challenge is based on one of my now very favorite quotes I shared a few days ago.

"Be one who nurtures and builds.

Be one who has an understanding and a forgiving heart,

who looks for the best in people.

Leave people better than you found them."

~Elder Marvin J Ashton~

We spent the majority of the lesson time yesterday discussing the counsel in this quote and how it applies to being a family member as well as the way it could change the world. I had already spent a few days practicing Leaving people better than I found them, so I was able to share some of my experiences with the girls about having the most positive experience with a WM Cashier ever, just because I was conscious of leaving the person better than I found them. (If you know me well, you are surprised about the positive WM experience)

One of my favorite places to practice lifting and building others is in the McDonalds Drive-thru..of course they are all shocked when I am understanding and pleasant....and of course....I have many, many friends at different McD's stores all over the area as a result of my attitude.

I plan on using this quote and giving out bracelets on the first day of Girls Camp with each of the girls from my Ward.

Could you do this for one week?

I thought it would be easy....

Try it and let me know...

Do you LOVE this quote by Elder Ashton?

God Knows You're Amazing

For All Young Women, Their Parents, and Their Leaders....

Talk on CD by Laurel Christensen

Click HERE to order your own copy.

My Katherine is turning 12 next week...Young Women's Program...Here We Come... Full Throttle!
For those who have known me for many years, you know that I have been a Young Women Leader for the daughters of everyone else while I was raising my three sons (yes, I know it sounds like a TV Show...trust me..we were far more entertaining at every turn!!!)
I LOVE the Young Women Program and especially the incredible 12-18 year old girls I get to know and hold dear in my heart and thoughts.
Back in the day, I am not sure I ever imagined I would have a daughter of my own, yet now I have TWO daughters and look forward to every minute they have waiting for them as they embrace The Young Women Program of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints.

I bought this Talk on CD by Laurel Christensen last week and was too excited to wait until Katherine's Birthday to open it. As soon as I heard her first few thoughts, I was so happy I did not wait to listen to it. This was THE PERFECT message for my almost Young Women Age daughter. Actually this is THE PERFECT message for any Young Woman, Her Parents, and Her Leaders.
We are on DAY 6 of Katherine listening to this CD everywhere we go. She is quoting Laurel right and left.
As a Mother, I NEED voices like Laurel's to help my daughters make their way in this world. There are few places a Young Woman can have the reinforcement that she is, indeed, A Daughter of A Heavenly Father Who Loves Her. My deep gratitude to Laurel for her pure spirit, energy, and focus on The Gospel of Jesus Christ. LAUREL is AMAZING and God Knows It!

Now...here is a side story regarding Katherine. This morning she said, "I think Laurel should be introduced to John Bytheway" (trust me..they know each other). "They both love Heavenly Father and want to keep his commandments. They make ME want to keep the commandments" (Thank you, Thank You with my Loudest Mother Voice!)
If you have been reading my blog for awhile (bless you) you may remember these John Bytheway experiences that are unique to me and my family.
There are not enough positive voices like Laurel's and John's in this world.

Welcome To The Hive

The New Beehives on The Block...
With my Williams Sonoma Beehive Cake Pan and Wendy McGowans' over-the-top creativity and talent, the 2009 Young Women Beehives were welcomed. (In my opinion, every Young Women program should own or have access to these Beehive Cake Pans..they are perfect!) Wendy made these cakes look the best ever...even better than the Williams Sonoma sample.
Note...she even MADE the Bumble Bees out of pipe cleaners. Thank you, Wendy for making this a memorable evening..especially since I FINALLY have a Young Woman from my family entering the program. Yes, my own daughter, Katherine turns 12 in 7 weeks. If you think I am not excited...read below...

Let Them Eat Cake!

Above, Wendy is cutting the too-cute-to-cut cakes! I am glad she cut them as it would have made me cry to cut such beautiful work. And...they tasted as wonderful as they look. That doesn't happen very often!

Did I mention...Wendy will also be Katherine's teacher when she enters The Young Women Program as a Beehive. Hooray! Here are 4 of the 5 girls who enter the Young Women Program this year. Katherine is first of this group. Wow... I seriously don't know where 12 years have gone. (Now I sound old)

The Adventure aka The Young Women's Program, is just beginning for our family. I am excited to work on The Personal Progress Program with my own daughters after years of helping so many girls on their journey.

The Personal Progress Program is near and dear to my heart. In too many places, it is the most neglected, under-utilized, and misunderstood resource of the entire Young Women Program. All too often, it is treated like a separate program from the mainstream Young Women Lessons and Activities. When this happens, the Young Women are short-changed and never receive the full benefit of this inspired Program.

As Stake Young Women President, when I would visit the different Wards, there was a marked difference in the girls, their leaders, and the general feeling of love and support when The Personal Progress Program was integrated into every corner...The Lessons, The Activities, The Priesthood Interviews, The YW Leader Interviews, The YW Presidency Meetings, The Parent Orientations, etc.

A huge success factor is having every Young Women Leader working the Personal Progress Program herself, right along with the girls. Elaine Dalton, General Young Women President, said this was vital. (pat me on the back... I earned the YW Medallion as an adult leader) Sister Dalton also said that if you, as an adult, have earned the YW Recognition Award...START OVER and EARN IT AGAIN (I did this while I was serving recently and will continue to work on it with Katherine..I could earn this Award several times over with 2 daughters entering the program!)

I know when I was working on the Personal Progress Program myself, I knew exactly what to refer to in lessons, talks, etc. as I would teach, interview, and love the girls along.

In a world that constantly tears down Women of every age and stage, The Personal Progress Program should not be the best kept secret in The Church, it is the light that will bring Young Women through many seas of darkness.

Hooray.... I am beyond excited to enter this new stage with my daughters. I am beyond thankful for the Young Women Personal Progress Program to guide and support us as a family!

Welcome To the Hive...

Let The Journey Begin...

For Now...

Let Them Eat Cake!

Edible Lighthouse Centerpiece

Young Men Young Women Idea

"Stand Steadfast and Immovable"

Finally, straight from the mastermind behind this creation,

I have the details on this truly amazing

Edible Lighthouse Centerpiece

from our recent Youth Conference Dance.

This was far from "Cookies And Punch" as usual!

This is one of the best Young Men Young Women Ideas I

have come across in quite some time.

Actually, it is one of the best ideas I have come across....period.

It is a perfect reinforcement

of the 2008 Young Men and Young Women Theme....

"Stand Steadfast and Immovable"

yet this can be adapted for an multitude of occasions

See below for directions and input from Liz Roberts, the creative

dynamo. This Lighthouse Centerpiece can be adapted to

many themes and occasions. I am sure your creative wheels

can think of how to use this for the next event you host!!

(Think Nautical Themed Party!)

Liz Roberts shared the following with me. She has given me

permission to share this with the world!

(She was assigned to organize the food for the Youth Conference Dance.)

The original idea to use a Lighthouse theme was our Stake Young Women Secretary, Julie D. She created blue T-shirts with Tan Lighthouses on them and suggested to Liz, 'hey, you should do a Lighthouse out of Rice Krispies'.

Liz said she could not resist. After all "Dance Cookies and Punch are so......predictable." (Don't you just know you love Liz already!)

Liz took her cue from Food Network where making sculptures out of Rice Krispies is a common cake-decorating trick.

So.......How did this all come together?

Liz used a 10 piece circle cookie cutter set and cut the Rice Krispies into circles, each one graduating to a smaller size. The last three circles were slightly larger and then a pointed circle was the topper. Cover the pointed circle with Chocolate Frosting and pipe some icing around the top for details such as windows and a balcony.

A wooden shishkabob skewer was used to stabilize the uneven layers. Liz gives this tip: "Next time I would make the Rice Krispies ultra level by overfilling a cookie sheet and pressing down with another cookie sheet."

When Liz received this assignment, Frances, our Stake Young Women President, gave her some marshmallows and Graham Crackers left over from the last youth activity. The Marshmallows were used for the Rice Krispies and the Graham Crackers were used to make the houses around the Lighthouse. The houses were assembled with some frosting and she also used some sugar wafer cookies to add some variety.

The "Island" is made up of random platters turned upside down and covered with brown paper.

The Lighthouse Centerpiece was built on a Blue Plastic Tablecloth, which was perfect for Liz to pipe chocolate icing directly on the Tablecloth in the words "Stand Steadfast and Immovable"

The "Island" was outlined in Donut Holes (sooooooo cute) depicting rocks along the shore.

When it was time to eat the Lighthouse Centerpiece, the Donuts, Cookies, Graham Crackers, and Rice Krispies were dipped into the Chocolate Words.

How is that for Totally, Totally functional and AMAZING?!!!!!

Now.....Here is Liz's input for what she would do next time.....(I think this was already over-the-top amazing, but I understand Liz completely. I am always critiquing my own work and observing how can make changes and/or improvements.

• Brown Sugar or Graham Cracker Crumbs around the houses for Sand
• Chocolate Cake Donut Holes and Whoppers/ Chocolate Covered Raisins for making Boulders and rocks of various sizes and colors.
• Little Candy People
• Miniature Pineapple Palm Trees
• Rope Lighting

Liz was quick to tell me that she had a lot of help and that this was a group effort. Way to go, Liz, for pulling this all together, using the resources presented to you, and coming up with an end result so amazing!

Don't you just love this idea? Thank you, Thank you Liz for sharing!!!! You made that dance an unforgettable experience for all who attended!

Olympics Celebration

More Olympics Celebration Ideas

In keeping with the Chinese Theme for our Olympics Celebration,

I remember these Felt Fortune Cookies featured in

Martha Stewart Magazine for Valentines Day.

Oh the fun you can have with these on so many occasions!

These Felt Fortune Cookies were featured on the

Craftzine Blog...

If you are not planning a party to celebrate The Olympics

Opening Ceremony...you have several days of Olympic

Broadcasts to celebrate.

See my next post for other 2008 Olympic Celebration Ideas.

Now.... all the other occasions these Felt Fortune Cookies

can be used....Favors for Baby Showers and Birthday

Parties, Gifts for those you Visit Teach, Young Women or

Relief Society Handouts, Table Decorations (great conversation

starters for a dinner party!)

Examples: If you are hosting a Dinner Birthday Party,

the Felt Fortune Cookies could be filled with questions or

funny stories about the guest of honor.

For a Baby or Bridal Shower,

fill the Felt Fortune Cookies with advice to the new mother or bride.

Use them for a game

where every one's cookie has a question about the guest of honor.

Just creating personal messages for the fillers will be fun!

Enjoy!

Happy 2008 Olympics Viewing and Celebrating!

Young Men Young Women Idea

Stand Steadfast and Immovable

Snack and Centerpiece at Youth Conference

This is amazing....

Seriously, an Amazing Young Men Young Women Idea

An Edible Centerpiece....

Study this photo closely.This is an edible Centerpiece which

reinforces the Young Men Young Women 2008 Theme,

Stand Steadfast and Immovable. I got this photo from Caroline R

who told me that the chocolate words eventually spelled out

"Stand Steadfast and Immovable". The chocolate icing was

piped on to a plastic table covering so the cookies and donut

holes in the center could be dipped in the chocolate.

This is a brilliant idea. Caroline was not sure who did this or

where the idea came from. As I get more information, I will

share it. It looks like houses made of Graham Crackers and Sugar

Wafer Cookies. The base looks like large Sugar Cookies with a Palm

Tree or Lighthouse made of Rice Krispie Treats.

This is one of the best Young Men Young Women ideas I have

seen in a long time!

Stand Steadfast and Immovable!

AND

Send me any additional information on this. I would love to

give due credit to the creative minds behind this amazing

Young Men Young Women Idea.

This is one of those incredibly cleaver ideas that can be adapted

to so many other Young Men or Young Women themes; such as

Building your House on Firm Foundation, etc.

Young Women Lesson Handout

Young Women Lesson Idea

"Forgiveness of Self and Others Is A Gift"

I love teaching, especially Children and Teens.

I have Three Areas of Focus when preparing and presenting

a lesson.

Touch the HEART, MIND, and HAND

Touching the Hand means two things:

1) Providing a Hands On Object lesson, and

2) Sending home a tangible reminder of the feelings and

spirit felt while the lesson was being presented.

It is a way to send a piece of the lesson home.

A Handout should not be the focus of the lesson,

yet a reinforcement and a reminder for the student

to apply the lesson in daily life.

When I concentrate on touching the Heart first,

touching the Mind and Hand flow in a natural way.

Usually, there is a quote or story in the lesson that

gives me an idea for a perfect reinforcement Handout.

Here is the way I touched the HAND after the lesson on

Forgiving Yourself....

(Which, by the way, was an AWESOME

lesson and so needed in our culture!)

This is a box of Movie Candy

( I used candy because Forgivness is SWEET!)

wrapped in this adorable paper from Target.

I loved this Pink and White polka-dot wrapping

paper the moment I saw it. When I got it home and realized that

it is reversible, with Blue and White Polka Dots on back...

I was so excited. Two for the price of one!!!

Some of the Young Women I have taught over the years

recently told me that they keep all the ribbon I have

used on various handouts, gifts, and projects.

They have a special box for the pieces of ribbon from me.

From time to time,I see them wearing the ribbons from me

in their hair. their purses, or around their ankles or wrists.

Wow!

Hopefully, the ribbons are another reinforcement of the

feelings felt during a lesson.

Youth Dance

Young Men Young Women Activity Ideas..

See Hula Costume Contest in The Middle of This Post

End Of School Year Dance

Enjoy these photos from The Wellington Ward

Young Men Young Women Dance...

You will see photos of some of the most incredible

youth I have ever known.

Key elements of a great dance are

1) Great Music and/or DJ

2)Lots of Mixer Dances, Games, Activities

This Dance had all of the above...note the activities in

many of the photos.

Warning... this post is heavy on photos

On a side note...this is the end of the Youth Photos.

With recent changes in the YW Presidency, I was released.

I will still publish ideas from time to time, but these are the

last of the photos with this group of youth.

We used a tropical theme, yet rather than have everyone

dress too casually, it was still...Wear Church Dress...Tropical Colors

Even I was captured on my own camera participating in

The Casper Cha Cha Slide
This is proof that our Bishop's knee injury is healing..

Morgan and Caroline....

Caroline is gong to High School this school year..that should just

not happen....how did she grow up so quickly!

The next few photos show the result of a

"HULA COSTUME CONTEST"

I divided the youth up in to teams of 5

Each team had the following supplies:

3 Brown Paper Grocery Bags

1 Roll Masking Tape

1 Pair Of Scissors

1 Hawaiian Lei

Each team was to use these items to outfit one of their

team members in a Hula Costume...

The results were creative and impressive...

You could say we were being "green" with this Hula Costume

Activity...recycling paper bags!

Here they are modeling some of the team designs

Mariah...in her team's design. Mariah turned 16 yesterday!

A Round of Musical Chairs....

For Musical Chairs, we always do a Girls Event and a

Boys Event seperately. It makes for some hot competition.

Forrest is dancing with the coveted Pink Flamingo

The Pink Flamingo was used like a broom is usually used

for the "Broom Dance" Mixer.

Our DJ...Hooray for Brother Aravena!!!

Even our DJ finds time to dance!!

Thank you to all for a wonderful evening and for

being the great Young Men and Young Women you are.

I will miss each of you.

Senior Star Night

Young Men Young Women Combined Activity Idea...

The Newest High School Graduates

of Wellington Ward

Star B, Jacquie G, Meaghan S

Class of 2008

Our Ward has a wonderful tradition that honors The Graduating

High School Seniors each year. A "Senior Stars Night" honoring

each Graduate is held each May. A DVD with photos of each

grad's life accompanied by their favorite music is shown.

After the DVD's are shown...

As part of the program, each Senior bequeaths something to

one of the Young Men or Young Men who is still in school

This year was very emotional. Star B, an amazing Young Woman

was voted the MVP for Wellington High's State Champion

Soccer Team. She carried the team to victory with all her

heart and soul while being an incredible Christ-like example.

When it was time to bequeath an item,

she gave her Freshman-Sophomore

Soccer jersey to a 13 year old, Gigi G ,who is an up and coming

Soccer Star!

If anyone can fill this jersey, Gigi is well on the way.

Here is Gigi wearing Star's jersey shortly after receiving it.

Jacquie G and her parents. They have raised the most amazing

children.
Star and Mom, Stephanie
Star and Meaghan are heading to BYU for college. Jacquie will
attend college locally for this year.
What a true honor it is for me to know these amazing
Young Ladies.
May you have the best life has to offer...you deserve it!
Thank you to Cindy Jump who started The Senior Star Night
Tradition many moons ago!
If you do not have a tradition to Honor your graduating Seniors..
I recommend this as a
Monthly Young Men Young Women Combined
Activity. Get it on your calendar!

To See The Refreshment Idea...

Click HERE

Young Women Mother/Daughter Dinner

Young Women

Mother Daughter Dinner

Saturday, March 29 (This was such a busy weekend!)

This Annual event is held prior to the Young Women LDS General Conference Satellite Broadcast .

By establishing this tradition, the attendance at the all important Broadcast has easily doubled.

One fun tradition is we play a game for Mothers and Daughters to test how much they know about each other. Without asking each other, the Mothers and Daughters each have a list of questions to answer about the each other. Those with the most correct answers receive prizes.

I will post the questions below. It has become a lot of fun. Last year, I was a substitute mother for one of the girls and we, surprisingly, got several correct. Be sensitive to those who do not have mothers at this event and make sure they are assigned a mom for the evening.

This is the event we used the Young Women Value Rocks. The Young Women Value Rocks were a hit! I would suggest using them in some way at Girls Camp this summer.

The Water Bottle Labels Say.... Remain Steadfast and Immovable with The Young Women Values. I used a Young Women Torch at the seam just to polish the look.
With some decorations I already had and some recycling from the wedding the night before, the tables were beautiful. I was so excited that I had lavendar bags for the
Young Women Value Rocks
that would match all of the decorations we recycled and combined.
As everyone arrived, they got busy answering questions about each other. This is a great ice-breaker and conversation piece for the evening. I always, always believe in having some sort of mixer game or activity when gathering people together. Not everyone is comfortable in a crowd or carrying on conversations.

More of the Table Decor

Mother Daughter Quiz (Adapt For Your Use and Enjoy!)

About My Mom (For Daughters to Answer)

Without Asking, See How Much You Know About Your Mom

Shoe Size

Year She was Born

Name of Her High School

Where she met your dad

All-Time Favorite Snack Food

How Many States in the USA has She LIVED in? Can You name them?

Which Foreign Countries has hse visited or lived it?

How Many Children did she say she was going to have when she grew up?

If she had one day all to her self, what would she do?

Her dream Car

Her Favorite Book

Her Favortie Season

Her Favorite Color

Her Favorite Temple

Her Favorite Scripture verse or story

About My Daughter (For the moms to answer)

Without Asking, see how much you know about your daughter...

Favorite Holiday

Favorite Meal You Cook

Favorite Activity With You

A place she wants to travel to

The Temple she wants to get married in

Favorite place to shop

Something she likes to or would like to collect

The name of her favorite teacher this year

A Talent or skill she would like to develop

What she wore to school yesterday

Favorite Music or Musical Artist

Favorite Movie when she was under 10

What her ideal day off from school would include

Her favorite subject in school

Her E-mail address or IM Name (if applies)