A day of "firsts"

After 3 years of talk, work and waiting we were finally able to attend church in our new building. What a treat. Benches, real mother's lounges, and more. It was so nice, even if the air conditioning didn't work in the Relief Society Room. One of the perks of the new building is that when the weather is decent our ward is with in walking distance. Husbands and wives
Moms with their strollers,
Friends, it's all so wonderful.

Float part 2

The bishop took some picture along the float. Luckily it was a disposable camera as he dropped inside his tube at least twice. Some of the pictures are blurry and a bit scratched but what can you expect after the camera did some time in the water. A lazy float.
Stopping to play on a rope swing.
Brother Broulim making sure everyone makes it through the rapids. ( They are such tiny rapids it really wasn't a concern.)
Jared trying to keep everyone together.

Kinsley making sure
Rachel giving a thumbs up. At 8 months pregnant she is doing great.

Ward Float the Dry Bed

In Jefferson county there is a channel of the Snake River called the "dry beds." This channel was the main channel at one time but through the years it changed. A head gate was built where it breaks off into this channel so they can now control when there is was in it. During the winter they close the channel and it becomes dry, thus the name "dry beds." During the summer it is a favorite place to float. You put in at about 4200 E. and float to the Jefferson County Lake, a trip of about 2 1/2 miles that takes about 2 hours. The ward met at the Lake then car pooled up to the launching point.
The launching crew or those brave enough to attempt the chilly float. Jordan and Kristin, Jared, Bishop, Bro. Broulim, Albert & Rachel, Sean, Kinslee, Ashley and Brock

Brother Broulim lead the way, although he was the last one to arrive back to the lake.

At not quite 2, Kinslee wasn't sure about the float, but had a great time with her daddy.

Bye, Mom we hope we make it back. It's so cold.

Jenna and Cooper waiting for the group to come back.
Ashley, Jenna, Cooper, Veronica

Caitlyn, Kristine and Cole

Is there a boy scout in the group? Steven and Scott showing off their great fire building talent. The fire was greatly appreciated by those who floated. Not only were they wet but very cold. Just hanging out enjoying the fire.

It's always nice to have your best friend to get you warm.

After the float, we enjoyed a meal of hamburgers, hotdogs, chips, corn-on-the-cob, and salad. It was wonderful. Can you believe Jared ate 4 hamburgers, salad chips and more, how does he stay so thin?

A special thanks to the activities committee for the excellent job in planning a great activity. Also to Brother and Sister Broulim who helped so much.

Moving Day

Tuesday, August 26th was moving day. The bishopric, clerks, and other presidencies, met at the Austin, sorted through books, papers and drawers, filled boxes and cars and headed for the new church. Bishop, Jared, Jake hard at work.
Ethan and Jelinda deciding what to put in each closet.
The Relief Society, Jelinda, Andrea, Celeste are excited to have a real closet of their own. Luckily they didn't have a lot of stuff so it didn't take long to put it away.
Piano lessons

The new piano is electronic. This means that the pianist doesn't necessarily need to know how to play, just how to work the piano, which has 160 hymn programed into it.

Remember Sunday August 31st we have church in the new building, beginning at 9am.

The Bishop's office and RS \ PH \ classrooms can be found on the east side, and we use the south chapel.

We are looking forward to seeing everyone there.

Dishes and more dishes

You would never dream all the things it takes to put together a new church building. Boxes and boxes of stuff to be unloaded. Chalk and erasers, hymn books, sacrament trays and table clothes, piano's, chairs, clerks supplies, pictures, manuals, and TVs, I could go on and on. Today (Monday, August 25th), our ward had the opportunity of helping to set up the kitchen at the church. It was a lot of work but we all enjoyed it. We helped to wash, dry, and put away dishes for about 400 people. There were also mixing spoons, knives, spatulas, and ice cream scoops all needing to be taken care of.

The Bishop and Brother Jared busy unpacking boxes of plates and bowls.

It's a good thing there was someone tall who could stack the dishes on the highest shelves. Sister Broulim, Jared, Celeste and Cait.
Jared washed all 400 glasses under Sister Broulims strict supervision. Some of them got it twice, (usually because they were dropped). He did a great job. A rare photo of Sister Beazer (someone snuck her camera away from her). She kept Jared's sink full.
Sister Fillmore, Sister Broulim, Celest, Cait, Jared and Bishop (with the door to the fridge)

The shelves are all stocked, the counters are clear, the kitchens are ready for action.

Thanks to all those who helped, Celeste and Blake, Anne, Jared, Cait and Cole, and also those from the 77th ward who helped with the other kitchen.

The Shovel: part 2

It's official "the shovel" is no longer taking up space in our bedroom. I personally took it up to the Bishop's office today. It currently sits in the corner, hidden by the credenza. This is not necessarily a permanent position and any suggestions as where it could go may be submitted to "the shovel placement committee." Please feel free to stop by, check it out, and make your opinion known.

PS. The committee has been known to take bribes.

The Shovel

After the Bishop reviewed the blogs and corrected a few grammatical errors, he pointed out that many of you readers may not understand what the shovel is. So I best explain and it is very simple. This shovel was used at the ground breaking for the stake center. Each of the Bishops in attendance received one to put in his office. For the last two years it has sat in our bedroom, moving from corner to corner, waiting for a Bishop's office to hang out in. We were tempted a few times to use it in our own yard, but were afraid it may get dirty. The Bishop doesn't know where in his office it will go but at least it will be out of our bedroom.

Sneak Preview

Tonight they gave the Bishop's and other stake people a tour of the new stake center. Wow, it is big, beautiful and just plain wonderful. The largest in the church (until they build one bigger), with 2 chapels with organs and pianos, 2 Relief Society rooms, 2 kitchens with dishes, 2 libraries, 5 women's restrooms, 2 mother's lounges, 2 primary and nursery with the cutest little sink and toilet, lots of closets, 8 Bishop and clerk offices, and a nice sized Stake office suite. It will be so nice for those who get to attend there. The south chapel, notice it has windows (the north does not).

This is the one we will meet in.
High Council room
Kitchen with 2 stoves, and lots of dishes waiting to be put away.
Relief Society room, boxes on table are sewing machines, there are 8 for the stake.
Mother's lounge with nice chairs, sink and changing table.

Main lobby just outside our chapel and stake offices. Pictures waiting to be hung, (Bishop and Sister Clark discussing primary).

Bishop trying out his new chair in his office. (yes, it is 67th's very own office, it can be found in the north east corner of the building.)
We can hardly wait to get the shovel out of our bedroom and into the office. Brother Hansen and Conover checking out clerks supplies. There were boxes in our clerks office labeled Bishop kit with all kinds of goodies inside, such as paper, stapler, hole punch, pens, scissors, paper clips, and stick pins. There was even a phone. We will now have an official phone # for the ward.
Sister Johnson, Clark, and Conover working out the logistics of the primary rooms which come complete with tiny chairs.
This is our bank of closets. Hopefully there will be room for everything.

We will begin meetings here on August 31st, same time.

A day of "LASTS"

Today was a bitter-sweet day filled with "Lasts." It was the last Sunday for the 67th ward to meet in the Austin, in a makeshift nursery, no organ, and the smell of automotive. The last Sunday for the 8th stake to have all the same wards, before the big split, the last time Sister Beazer would have to speak in the 51st Ward, (they are going to a different stake), the last time we as a Stake Relief Society had to find a room to meet in, the last time for Bishop Hansen of the 11th ward (he was released today), the last time to go up the hill to church. The sweet of the day was that is was last of many things and next time the ward meets it will be in our new stake center. A real nursery, an organ, benches, a real bishop and clerks office, a real Relief Society and Primary room, a kitchen and mother's lounge, closets to store stuff in, better parking, walking to church an option, knowing that it is our building. It will require that we take our turn at setting up chairs, cleaning, shoveling snow, setting up and taking down chairs, locking up and turning out the lights, small sacrifices for enjoying a new building.

Recipe Exchange

This is my idea of a great time, food and recipes. The Relief Society go together to share a favorite recipe, and of course a sample was suggested. There was a wide variety of delicious food. We had Maddy's Chicken Crescant Roll-ups, Christine's Soda Cracker Cookies, Amber's Bread Sticks, and Kaitlyn's Fried Raviolli. There just wasn't enough time to write down all the recipes. I have included a few in the recipes link. Each sister introduced herself and her recipe. Chelsey is explaining about her Goulash recipe.
Anxiously awaiting the tasting time.
Jotting down the recipes
Comparing notes (Chelsea, Maddy, Bethany, Cassie, Kaitlyn, Katie)
What is the recipe for making these? It looks tricky.