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The Scene of the Wild Cats! :-)

When I came home from work yesterday afternoon, I discovered that apparently a wild cat slayer, AKA...my niece Sophia had been over to my place in my absence and "slayed" my life size stuffed wild cats.  I took a picture of the exact scene that I walked into.  The statistics look like this:  Sophia = victory/  Wild Cats = Defeated

LOL!  In reality, my mom said she was giving the wild cats hugs and loving playing with them, but the aftermath pic looks like it was battle.  :-)  The big sized cat is a pretty decent weight.  Anyone who thinks babies aren't strong are mistaken.  :-)!

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A Lovely Extended Family Dinner

 Here are a few photos and videos that I took at a lovely extended family dinner that Mr. and Mrs. Stephen Flurry so graciously hosted this past weekend for many of the AC Alumna gals and a few of the "ole timer" not "old timer" HQ gals.  :-)!  Reese Z. came to offer his support though I'm sure he wasn't too miserable being around such lovely ladies.  :-)  This was truly an evening to remember.  Everyone pitched in and contributed to the dinner in food and conversation.  It truly felt like a big family meal.  We are so blessed to know families like the Flurry's who set such a great example in service and many other areas in life, and to just be able to get together in building up the family.  It was truly a memorable evening.

Fun VIDEOS of such an extended family oriented evening.

Back to PHOTOS :-)

 Below:  Mrs. Flurry was my first PYC counselor back when I was a little teen camper in 1996.  Paulette C. was also a camper in her dorm that same year.  I know how much of an impact PYC and a teen's counselor can do for them.  I'm in my thirties now, and to this day, I have never forgotten what an amazing counselor she was.  I somehow ended up as camper of the session the year I was in her dorm, but it was from looking up to her example that camp that helped and really changed me. Even after PYC had ended she kept in touch with her campers via letters back in the day.  When I went on to be an assistant counselor and then a counselor going forward in years, I used her example in leading my dorms.  I don't see how counselors who were never campers jump in there and do so well.  Hats off to them for doing that without a prior example to reference.  My parents obviously raised me "right" and have had a lot to do with my life and me staying on the right track which I am and will be forever grateful for, but it's also something about PYC that really pushes a teen forward on the right track.  Campers will never forget their counselors and PYC experiences no matter how old they become.  Paulette and I, both in our thirties now, are friends to this day b/c of that amazing 1996 PYC experience.  I'm glad my parents encouraged and allowed me to attend.

THE FOOD!

 I have to say, Elise M.'s smoked trout has me wondering if I like it better than smoked salmon.  Delicious!

 Below:  Mrs. Flurry's chicken was so tasty.  It was Sarah Evans' recipe.  It had sherry in it.  Yummy!  I think I'll have to ask Sarah for this recipe if she doesn't mind sharing it.  I think Paulette C. made the potatoes shown above, and I lost track of who brought the other yummy edibles.  :-)

 Apparently, I made enough dessert to go around more than once w 2 cakes and 2 pies.  It was sure fun making blueberry lemon mint pies and tiramisu cheesecakes.  I hope they came out okay and were enjoyable to eat.

 The pies complimented Mrs. Flurry's homemade ice cream well.  Her ice cream tasted better than store bought.  I might be inspired to try my hand at homemade ice cream now.  :-)

A Few 2nd Sabbath PYC Pics

 A few 2nd Sabbath candid pics during PYC for the parents and friends.  :-)