Warming Up at the Hot Springs

The month was January.
We were tired of the cold and snow.
So ... on the last day of the month an anxious group of women
loaded up and headed north
to the Hot Springs in Garland.

In spite of the cold, it was a beautiful, sunny day!


Back: Wendy Killpack, Ewa Sundwall, Annette Lambson
Maureen Millar, Linda Evans
Front: Jessica Millar, Erin Newton, Kimber Kempton

The chilly air made our relaxation in the pools just
that much more enjoyable.
We would have liked to have time stand still
just long enough for another hour in the warm water.


We ate a yummy lunch before heading back to our
hectic lives and the reality of winter!

SOS!!!

In April Lois Park opened her home to the sisters for a
Preparedness Activity.
Joyce Morton, our Stake Cannery & Preparedness Specialist, gave a demonstration in making SOS (Soup or Sauce) Mixes.

This is the recipe, made from basic home storage:

She also shared with us a basic biscuit mix recipe, then prepared and served chicken ala king. Each sister went home with a recipe booklet, a sample bag of the mixes, and an appetite for more. Best of all, we're step closer to being self-reliant!

Colleen Larson, Georgene Duke, Lois Park, Ewa Sundwall, & Annette Lambson look over the variety of recipe possibilities with a few simple ingredients.

Catherine Findlay, Wendy Killpack, Peggy Long, & Denise Stoddard anxiously await a taste test!

Ellen Jensen, our Ward Preparedness Specialist; Ewa; Lois, "The Hostest With the Mostest."

LOVE ONE ANOTHER - Birthday Social 2008

In March of 2008 an impressive group of sisters gathered together

to celebrate the birthday of the Relief Society.

Desiring to bring about a spirit of sisterhood, our Enrichment Leader, Lois Park,

and her committee planned an evening of enlightenment and spirituality around the theme of

LOVE ONE ANOTHER.

The evening began in the Relief Society Room where we were privileged to hear from our keynote speaker, Carol Warburton. Musical numbers were sung by Betty Moosman and Linda Anderson. Sheryl Coe gathered the sisters together for a group photo shoot.

The cultural hall was beautifully decorated with statues and portraits of Christ, enhanced by the subdued lighting from lamps.
The tables were set in pink and mauve tones with hand-crocheted doilies made by Rene'e Combs. At the end of the evening one sister from each table was privileged to take the doily home, and each was given a small statue of the Savior, representing his arms encircled about each of us in love.

Cathryn & Catie Findlay; Gayle, Tara, & Debbie Young; Carol Arellano, Kellie Archibeque, Marilyn Morris, & Judy Beck; Maureen & Ema Millar

Linda Evans & Maxine Branigan; Marianne Reading & Rene'e Combs; Shayna Page & Marilyn Kenney; Melanne & Modell Lambson & Barbara Memmott

Aubrey Koecher, Kris Lambson & Kimber Kempton; Judy Hopkins & Joan Barker; Colleen Larson, Annette Lambson, & Joni Jensen; Kari Croft & Colleen Mons

Bishop & Louise Elison; Georgene Duke, Ginny White & Ewa Sundwall; Carol Warburton, Nancy, & Dolores George

Betty Moosman & Linda Anderson; LeiMomi Sampson & Dana Bentley; Dot Seely & Carolyn Allred; Lisa Baum, Gloria LeSueur, & Marge McGrath; Wendy & Kevin Killpack & Sheryl Coe

A group of priesthood brethren were our waiters for the evening, serving us a delicious dinner of baked chicken breast, baked potatoes, rolls, spinach salad, and birthday cake.

Our waiters included Dylan & Jordan Baum, Kevin Killpack, Brad Barker, Mike LeSueur, Dave Combs, and Walt Young.

A sisterhood of Relief Society.

THE GIFT & THE GIVER - Sub for Santa

As the culmination to 2007, the following postcard was mailed to the sisters of the Ward. We wanted to give each the opportunity of opening her heart and sharing with those who were unable to provide a Christmas for their families.

The sisters were so filled with the excitement of the season that it took no time at all
to fulfill the wish lists of the needy. Each arrived at the appointed time with her arms laden
with bags and boxes of gifts.

Shaundie (Hopkins), Kit Garcia, Corinne Hammond, & Judy Hopkins; Kimber Kempton, Mykel & Jill Morgensen, Denise Stoddard, & Dana Bentley.

We enjoyed a Christmas dinner of lasagna, breadsticks, and salad,
received the inspiration of a short Christmas program,
then organized ourselves into an assembly line ...
double-checking our lists, wrapping and tagging gifts, and filling bags and boxes for delivery.

_________

The room was filled to capacity with the excitement and chattering of women, but the busyness of the evening prevented me from taking many pictures. Sorry!

Dinner on the Orient Express

In September of 2007

we sisters entered the gate to Gloria LeSueur's backyard

and found ourselves paying a visit to the Orient.

Oriental centerpieces adorned the tables, a Chinese dragon hovered over us from a tree,

and Japanese lanterns lit the night as daytime turned to evening.

Activities included breaking a dragon pinata' and playing with Chinese yo-yos.

Sisters were invited to dress in Asian costume and each brought her favorite
Oriental dish to share for a potluck dinner.
Lois Park and Modell Lambson each won a set of ivory chopsticks for making
the best attempt at eating without a fork.

• Mary Thorup & LeiMomi Sampson
• Judy Hopkins & Marianne Reading
• Gloria LeSueur & Barbara Memmott

• Linda Evans & Georgene Duke
• Maureen Millar & Lois Park
• Marilyn Kenney & Louise Elison
• Wendy Killpack & Dana Bentley

• Kit Garcia & Erin Newton
• Modell Lambson, Melanne Lambson, & Maxine Branigan
• Jill Morgensen & Wendy Reed
  

MAD HATTER'S TEA PARTY

WAY, way back in March of 2007 we celebrated the Birthday of the Relief Soceity

with an UN-Birthday party!

In the truest spirit of Alice's Wonderland, each sister donned her "maddest" hat

and spent the evening sharing answers to some "mad" questions about herself

(though they solicited a variety of funny, embarrassing, or happy anwers).

Each sister stood and shared one unique trait about herself or told about something that she thought no one else knew.

We sat down to a tea of finger sandwiches, crudites, and a slice of un-birthday cake.

Sisters enjoying the evening included Lois Park, Marge McGrath, Linda Evans, Carol Jones,

Catherine Findlay, Desirae Mattson, Georgene Duke, Marianne Reading, Joan Barker,

Stephanie Pitcher, Marlene Christensen, Maxine Branigan, Annette Lambson, Modell Lambson,

Chris Lambson, Kimber Kempton, Lisa Corbett, Kerri Guthrie, Lori & Michelle Orren,

Colleen Larson, Ellen Jensen, Wendy Killpack, Carol Lopez, Carol Arellano, Aubrey Koecher, Tammy Bailey, Gayle & Jill Young, Melanne Lambson, Erin Newton, and Barbara Memmott.

( I sincerely apologize to those sisters whose names were left off the list. My recall came from the few photos that were taken. If I missed you, it certainly wasn't intentional!)

The program was a skit of The 12 Hats of Womanhood,

narrated by Marlene Christensen & Tammy Bailey.

The hats that women wear include:

1. Maid - Chris Lambson - "organize yourselves..."

2. Seamstress - Ellen Jensen - "follow the pattern of the lord"

3. Gardener - Erin Newton - "sow thoughts & reap actions"

4. Graduation - Melanne Lambson - "seek learning"

5. Detective - Stephanie Pitcher - "seek me diligently & ye shall find me"
6. Helmet - Annette Lambson - "wear the helmet of salvation"
7. Athlete - Ellen Jensen - "it is not requisite that a man should run faster than he has strength"

8. Nurse - Chris Lambson - "...succor the weak, lift up the hands that hang down ..."
9. Chauffeur - Melanne Lambson - "serve others by helping them travel to higher places"
10. Party - Stephanie Pitcher - "a merry heart doeth good like a medicine"

11. - Cook - Erin Newton - "... receive health in their navel and marrow to their bones ..."
12. - Nightcap - Annette Lambson - "be still, and know that I am God"
*QUEEN - Barbara Memmott - "live worthy to wear the crown of eternal life on your head"

MemoRies, EterNitY, & LoVe

Last month each of the sisters of the Ward received an invitation

from the Relief Society presidency & enrichment committee

to attend a reception to celebrate

MemoRies, EterNitY, & LoVe.

As the sisters arrived, they were greeted by an array of wedding dresses decorating the hall.

The centerpieces consisted of photos of the sisters

either as a bride or a young woman.

Each was provided with pencil and paper to make their best guess

as to who was who.

Some weren't too difficult to figure out,

but others took quite a bit of detective work!

Gowns belonging to Wendy Killpack, Marianne Reading,

Modell Lambson, & Marisa Killpack Larsen.

Wedding dresses of Kimber Kempton, Ruthann Carter,
cape of Julie Reading,
and gowns of Lisa Houghtby & Annette Lambson

Marianne Reading was chairman for the event

& introduced us to the theme of the evening.

Erin Newton & Lisa Corbett shared some special,

as well as comical, moments from their wedding days.

Rich Reading directed us through a temple trivia quiz, then helped to

enlighten us with the correct answers to the questions.

Did you know that the St. George Temple was built from red rock & painted white???

As always, the brethren were ready & willing to entertain us. The Jordan Oakies, consisting of Ben Newton, Rich Reading, Clive Killpack, & Dave Combs harmonized in an original rendition of Let Me Call You Sweetheart & Dave serenaded us with a Spanish version of Al Di La. Clive sang If Ever I Would Leave You from Camelot, then shared his own composition of When I Look Into Your Eyes.

Among thoses who attended were Dana Bentley (Stake RS Counselor), Judy, Hopkins, Ewa Sundwall, Linda Evans, Maxine Branigan, Annette Lambson, Modell Lambson, Ruthann Carter, and Lisa Houghtby.

Also enjoying the evening were Michelle Hammond, Micah Warren, Peggy Long, Georgene Duke, Kimber Kempton, Bishop & Louise Elison, Erin Newton, Catherine Findlay, Denise Stoddard, & Lisa Corbett.

Joan Barker & Lois Park headed the decorating and food committees.

Enjoying the ambiance of the evening were Dave & Renee' Combs, Ellen Jensen, Lois Park, Joan Barker, Wendy Reed, Rich & Marianne Reading, Wendy Killpack, & Nycole & Kerri Guthrie.

The evening ended with a serving of delicious wedding cake (provided by Marilyn Morris), slush, fresh fruit, & nuts.

It was a delightful occasion and those of you who weren't with us were missed!