Goodbye 2010, Hello 2011!

First and foremost, please scroll down to see the much needed updates with pictures from our previous youth nights!

Secondly, I thought it'd be fun to start of 2011 with a new look! 

Thirdly, Shane and I are going to take some time during the next 2 weeks to make a bit of a plan for our youth nights - including youth "event" nights.  So please, if you have game ideas, or fun evening ideas, let me know by replying to this post!!!

Fourthly, we'll get schedules to you for 2011 as soon as we can.  We have to first wait for Shane's hockey schedule so we can work around that - so there might be a few more Tuesday nights...because let's face it - I can't handle all those boys on my own...and I don't think wrestling with me instead of Shane is as much fun...  But, as it stands now, expect the next youth night to be January 12th!

Fifthly, thank you all so much for making this first half of junior youth an awesome one!  We can't say enough how much fun it has been and how much we love you all! 

Sixthly, I hope you all had a great Christmas and will have a very HAPPY NEW YEAR!  See you in 2011!

RE-CAP!!!

I think it’s pretty fair to start this by saying, “long time – no post!”.  I really do apologize!  While this is a pretty typical excuse, I really can’t say enough – December has been BUSY!!!  Days at home were few and very, very far between!  Neil Schellenberg (our neighbor and Alyia and Q’s grandpa) actually asked us the other day if we were ever home….the answer is no….until this last week fell upon us!  As Christmas is now wrapped up (and our presents are unwrapped), it’s time to take some time to relax – my new favorite word in the English dictionary!  And while my dear husband takes some time to watch hockey on the couch (booooooorrrrriiinnnngggg), I will take some time on our computer!

Let’s do some re-cap of what all happened since my last post.  I’ll go from newest to oldest:

December 20, 2010 – Christmas Party

I loved our Christmas party!  As much as we love the hut (and we really do!) it was so great to get out and celebrate our Christmas party at Aaron’s house!  We watched Despicable Me – which is now one of my all time favorite movies and highly recommended, had some yummy snacks (if I do say so myself) like popcorn cake, chips, sour cream cookies, and pop, and then ended the evening off with some gifts, Dutch Blitz and Rock Band.

Sadly, I completely forgot to bring my camera along, so as soon as I get the pictures from Bernie and Cheryl I promise to put them in this post!!!  There are some good ones – even Shane singing!!!  Thank you so much to those who gave  us gifts and cards – definitely not needed or expected, but very appreciated - thanks!

December 15, 2010 – RFC & REMC Praise & Worship Night

I LOVED THIS NIGHT!!!  I had such a blast planning this evening with Debbie & Scott!  While Scott and Debbie organized the ice breakers, scripture and explanation parts of the evening, I took care of the praise and worship.  It was awesome to work with some friends of ours, Scott & Debbie and Alex & Melanie, since we do our youth on our own.  It was good to bounce ideas off of one another and work together – a lot of fun!

The whole evening was based around the topic of prayer.  It was split into 4 main sections – Adoration, Confession, Thanksgiving, and Supplication.  For each section we had a couple of songs, a special feature (giving an offering, putting our sins at the cross, a poem by Alison Rempel, and my favorite – a monologue read by Carly!), scripture reading, and an explanation of that part of prayer.  A bunch of the youth helped me out with singing and a few portions of scripture and did a great job!!!  I’m so proud of you guys! 

Here’s some pictures to re-cap the night!

Debbie getting the ice breakers started!  Who invited Elmo....?

Paige and Alyia licking ice cubes trying to figure out what it was that was frozen!

...By those faces it looks like it was either frozen pickle juice or ketchup...

The second ice breaker was getting marbles out of a container of jello...with your feet.  So hygenic.

Go James!

This is a small glimpse of the band - Joey on drums, Melanie and I on lead vocals, Alex on acoustic, Evan on electric, Ross on bass, and Alison on piano...and don't forget...

....the back up singers!  Alyia, Carly, Paige, Aaron, and James!

Sing it loud, sing it proud!

Everyone scattered throughout the sanctuary to write down their sins before bringing them to the cross.

Carly & Quinton doing some writing

They're just so cute!!!  hehehe....I guess Paige didn't like this song...ha!

Oh homemade goodness!!!  Lining up for some of Lorraine Loewen's famous cinnamon buns!!!

December 8, 2010 – Bible Study Night

We wrapped up our last mini-series about our Identity this week in our Bible Study.  I really liked this series because it’s so applicable to the stage in life that the Jr. Youth are in now.  Remember to be yourself – whoever God made you and remember to always treat others how God would treat them.  It’s not about fitting in to the in-crowd – it’s about being who God made you to be – and that is perfect in His eyes!

We had some yummy snack brought by Greg (who sadly couldn’t be there that night), and played the flashlight game again in the sanctuary.  Since we don’t take pictures of Bible studies and it’s hard to take pictures of games in the dark, there are only a couple of shots from this night – some fun times during snack while the evening is wrapped up!

Coming from a family of all girls, I don't understand how wrestling NEVER gets old!

Wednesday, December 1

It's December already!  I can't believe it!  Last night was yet another good youth night!  Sadly, I forgot to bring my camera along...so no pictures to post this week!  I'm very disappointed in myself!  But, let me try to recap it for you without pictures!

Since Shane had to take off early because he had a hockey game in the city, I called my dear sister Tracy in for back up!  We started the evening off playing "Visit to the Nurse" (since Tracy is a nurse!).  This game consisted of different quirks or problems with all the youth which Tracy had to guess by asking the youth questions.  Lloyd - thought he was a dolphin, Quinton - acted like it was always Christmas morning, Carly - was the Google search engine, Paige - started bawling after the word "so" was said, Joseph - stuck in a night terror, James - thought he was an alien, Aaron - the best, cockiest, hockey player to walk the planet, and Alyia was a celebrity on the red carpet.  So between Lloyds flopping and diving all over the floor, Paige crying, and Alyia's constant hair flipping and posing, it was quite a funny game!

After that Tracy led a Bible study that included her stories about choosing to go to YWAM in Hawaii and missions in India. 

We then played a game (I know there's an official name but I don't know it) which I call, "The Flashlight Game".  While my ears are still bleeding from all the screaming, I quite enjoyed watching this game!  I took apart a flashlight into 3 parts.  Then I hid them all over the sanctuary.  Then we turned all the lights off and let the kids try to find all the parts of the flashlight and put it together and turn it on - all without getting tagged by the person who was "it". 

Finally, to cap it off we ate puffed wheat cake and played 20 questions.

Another great evening in the books!  Our next youth will be a Bible Study at the church as usual next wednesday from 7:30 - 9:15.  Greg Dueck is on snack!

Tuesday, November 23

This week we survived with only 3 youth plus Shane and I!  

We had tons of fun doing a couple of short skits for the seniors as well as play games with them and eat snack!  After we left, Shane asked Aaron, Carly and Alyia in the backseat of our car if they had fun with the seniors.  They responded..."YAHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!"...very...loudly!

The men playing...flitzing (I decided not to attemp to spell the actual name of the game!)

4 lovely ladies...

2 more lovely ladies!

My pops and Carly after a good game of "Sorry!"

Alyia...you're supposed to keep your cards hidden!!!

Aaron....preparing for snack???

Me chatting with the girls while eating some snack!

November 17 - Guys/Girls Night!

Hello again!!!  This is yet another post that's a little late!  The early morning after our guys/girls night we took off on a little road trip to Minneapolis!  But, better late than never!  Here's a look at last week!  I didn't get any pictures of the guys, but that might be a good thing, because according to Shane, after leaving the room for a few minutes he came back to a room of bareback boys playing rock band!  Hahah....

Us girls spent the night at our house where we ate pizza, watched a movie and made cards led by Lisa Friesen!  The boys were at Shane's parent's place and they also had a pizza supper, then followed that by capture the flag outside and video games inside!

Before you check out the pictures, PLEASE remember that youth is TOMORROW!  We're playing games with the seniors at the Rosewood apartments (NOT HERITAGE as some have thought!).  Meet at the youth hut BY 7:15 - preferably a little earlier so we can go through the skits before we head over there!  Pick up is as usual - 9:15 back at the hut!

Check out the newest post below!  On another note, I just wanted to remind everyone about Guys/Girls night!  I know the bulletin said the usual youth time, but remember that it's at 6:00 - 9:30 starting with pizza supper!  If there are further questions, give me a call, 712-6272.

On yet another note, please pray for Shane and I as we head down to Minneapolis this weekend.  We're leaving bright and early Thursday morning.  Please pray for our safety as we drive!  Thanks!

Wednesday, November 10

This last wednesday was one of my personal favorites.  After the tragedy that happened last week, the girls especially were quite effected.  I had a great time talking with the girls and discussing the never ending and unanswered "why" question and spent a long time in prayer.  I am still praying for these girls, along with the family and friends that were effected by the accident.  My heart goes out to everyone that is hurting.

Once everyone was collected back together we had a great Bible study lead by Shane about who we should NOT be.  It's easy to list off the things that we should be, but it's fun to look at the other side of the spectrum.  Afterwards, we played a new game Shane made up called "Tag!  Pay Up".  Everyone got a secret occupation and played tag.  When you tag someone else, they either have to pay you money or you have to pay them - according to your and their occupation....make sense?  Well, if it doesn't, trust me, it was fun!

We also practised our skits one last time before performing them on the 23rd.  We then headed back to the hut for a yummy snack from Tria...who couldn't be there : (.

Here's some pictures from the game!

Paige and Taysia exchanging money!

Remington chasing Q!

Carly doing a dance while Alyia pays up!  Very funny...this needs video!

Suprise surprise, James and Aaron hid their money in attempt to win the game...not so smart!

Looks like Aaron is paying up!

Counting up the cash!  Aarons tactic didn't work out so well...he ended up with $0!

...If only it were real money...

Alyia in the middle won the whole thing!  Good job!!!  Aren't they all just so cute....he he he!