It has been a busy summer. Like every summer. I don't remember the last summer that I didn't go to youth conference and scout camp. Plus a couple of family reunions in the mix.
This summer was too busy to properly get all of the details into the weekly family letter. So I figured I'd better do what I can, and just blog the high points. First stop: Riverton 15th Ward Youth Conference.
We departed from church early Wednesday evening. Was it blood sugar? The heat? Anyway, enthusiasm was at a low ebb.
That quickly changed as we got involved in a road rally/scavenger hunt to find instructions on how to get to the ranch just outside of Pinedale, Wyoming. Our path took us through Kemmerer, where we posed in front of the James Cash Penney mother store.
No thanks to some aggressive driving, we made it to the ranch. It was raining, but because we were not camping on the ground, enthusiasm soared. Our theme for the conference was, "Oh ye that embark, the places you'll go."
I know, Doctor Seuss and the D&C are not the most intuitive of combinations, but think of it as a unique taste combination like artichoke hearts and jalapeno, or avocado and raspberry/mango salsa, or fruit loops and champagne (an ice cream flavor we found in Philly).
Sometimes enthusiasm fluttered more than soared.
Sleeping arrangements were great. The 12 boys had a bunkhouse built for about 8, but they squished in and made it work. The 12 girls had a bunkhouse built for about 12 boys, but they squished in and made it work. The 5 YM leaders each had a bedroom in the main house. They made it work, too. But the 4 YW leaders had a palace built for about 40, complete with hot and cold running servants and at least two hot tubs and a spa apiece. They worked it!
Terisa has a theory that when the food is good, the youth conference is a success. We had the best, with the Schoutens on full time KP detail.
Don't these look like happy campers?
Still a little drizzly the first day, but we had our 2nd counselors' activity. In most presidencies, the 2nd counselor never gets to do much, so we assigned all of them together the first activity, which turned out to be kickball in a pasture.
A good time was had by all.
Yes, this is an ATV. No we didn't ride them. That was left for the 8-year-old twins of our host family.
Have I said what great food we had?
It was truly great.
After lunch everyone wrote a letter to their future selves. We collected them and will mail them out next year at this time. What would you tell yourself a year from now?
In the middle of the trip we got a nice microburst that left a half an inch of hail, and took one of our EZ-ups in return. It flew over to the pasture where a couple of startled horses protested.
One afternoon we went to the local creek. It was cold. But even the most finicky got in and had fun. Backflips off the edge, a little swimming, and a lot of skipping rocks.
Everyone was quite adventurous.
And happy about it.
Who knew?
By this time, friendships were starting to cement.
One of the downtime activities was cards. About a half dozen new games kept everyone entertained.
Another downtime activity. No, this is not during a prayer...
One night we hung a white sheet in a barn and projected Ice Age for a movie night. We had popcorn and lots of fun.
The next day, we had an Amazing Race, based on standards in For the Strength of Youth. We had to adapt it to the weather, which was still inclement. Here we see a young bride-to-be in a gown fashioned by Charmin. Yes, the TP people.
Here is additional fashion, albeit modified by a walk in the drizzle.
Kazoos used to make hymns were popular at first. Then they got out of hand. Eventually we had to confiscate them. And bury them, like the swords in the Book of Mormon.
Another afternoon we went to the rec center in Pinedale, where we swam in warmer and cleaner waters. I'm pretty sure we didn't find a single leech here.
They had a swinging rope over the pool, so everyone tried to do backflips. Tried.
And tried.
The food remained excellent.
Here is Porter Meier, from the host family, holding--nay, cleaving--to the iron rod.
There was a little sleeping. Very little, actually.
But on the day of our return, Porter had made fast friends with Driscoll, and even Miss Riverton, Lindsey, couldn't coax him away.
And that turned out to be the theme of A lot friendships, a lot of togetherness, a lot of fun.
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