New Beginnings "Live Like You Believe" Marathon

We held our annual Young Women's New Beginnings last week. What a great event! My sweet friend, Jana, helped me put together the cutest activity! We chose to have a marathon theme and all the girls came in casual clothes and their running shoes. We started in the RS room and "introduced the runners" and the purpose of Young Womens. We had a special highlight on the girls turning 12 and entering YW, which happens to be my Natalie! It's crazy she's that old!





We then went to our 1st leg of the marathon and went down the hall to another room and had a lesson on our theme this year: the 13th article of faith. It was a darling lesson on the 13 different steps we need to take (along our marathon) through the 13th article of faith.





We then went to another room and had the 2nd leg of the race: endurance. We had a great talk about the importance of enduring and stretching and realizing our potentials and that we have to live like we believe to be able to reach our goals.




Then we went to another room and had leg 3: the aid station, The Savior. I had the opportunity to talk to the girls about how we all need help along our marathons and that's when we need to turn to our Savior.


We then wrapped back around the church to the finish line and the bishop spoke to the girls and wrapped up the evening.

We had water bottles, granola bars, and gogurts for dessert. It was such a great night and the spirit was really strong. I usually hate being in charge of big events like this, but it was so well put together that I was really excited to be a part of it! It was a wonderful experience and I hope it helped strengthen the girls' testimonies.

New Years Eve 2011

What a great New Years Eve party! Or should I say parties? James and his friends got dates and had a party upstairs while Phil and I and our friends did the same downstairs. Lauren was at a party with her friends and Natalie spent the evening with Mickey.
We enjoyed the evening with the Moores, Fujikawas, and Messers. We even had a surprise visit from Brian Messer and his girlfriend, Laura. There was lots of yummy food and great paninis, and LOTS of Rock Band! Rich brought over the rock band supplies and we had so much fun laughing and playing the different instruments and singing to the Beatles and great 80's bands. We finished out the night with Dick Clark's Rockin' Eve count down. It was a fun way to bring in the new year!