blueberries, Temple trip, YC

Emma, Hannah, Grace, Ethan, Josh, Ben, Rachel and Nina

Another fun weekend :)  On Saturday I went to youth conference.  We had done a lot of planning and preparing and now the big day was here.  I really hoped that it would go well, that the kids would have  wonderful time and that they would strengthen their testimonies of service and the Savior (not in that order). 
We arrived at the Colonial Farm early and got set up then the rush began as we checked kids in and handed out shirts.  They congregated in little groups and it got noisy as friends greeted each other and more and more youth arrived.  We ended up with about 110 kids and 30ish adults. 
Soon we had everyone suited up and began some getting to know you games.  We divided the youth into "families" w/ a parent couple as ma and pa, they did a few more games and then headed out to work.  The Colonial people were so impressed, they kept telling us how organized we were, how good the kids were, how respectful.  And this was before we even put them to work.  The families were assigned different tasks and all of them did wonderful work.  Some built benches and picnic tables for the park.  Others moved fences and rebuilt them so that the animals could be moved from one grazing area to another, some were assigned to work in the various gardens or to clean brush from the trails and parking lots.  Everyone worked so cheerfully and hard.  Again we got many comments about the caliber of their efforts, some groups actually finished the whole days allotted work before lunch leaving the staff to find more work for them in the afternoon.  I was so proud of them.  I didn't hear a single grumble or see a grouchy face the whole day.
We had a lunch break and some free time followed by more work.  After all the working was done we had a wonderful fireside/testimony meeting under the trees while the smells of dinner cooking wafted our way.  Dinner was DELICIOUS!! and after cleaning up we had the best part (at least according to the youth) the dance!  The music was loud and the kids were full of energy despite, or maybe because of, their day of hard labor.  Everyone danced and had a wonderful time. 
I am giving the activity 5 stars! It was great. 

While I was gone R held down the fort.  Han went with the Martines' to VA to pick blueberries.  She said it was great fun and they had ice cream at the cutest shop.  Lu had a birthday party to go to and enjoyed celebrated with Izzy her special day. 

Hannah, Chelsea and Alexis picking blueberries

Late late Saturday night the Idiarts arrived at our home and Sunday we had lovely pancakes for breakfast then went to church.  After church we drove to the temple and had a picnic and went to a fireside given by Todd Thatcher.  It was good and the kids enjoyed it.  They really enjoyed having cousins to play with!

Now it's Monday morning and the Idiarts + Hannah went to DC.  Ethan is at soccer camp (he's been looking forward to that all summer) and Lu and I are home.  Tomorrow we will join the cousins on another DC day.