Welcome to the Main Event!

And that is pretty much how it was, an event! Don't get me wrong. I think our Relief Society Birthday Enrichment turned out really well. It was well attended, and both of the activities turned out great. It was just getting to the point that was one event after another. (When I say event, I don't necessarily mean it was pleasant!)

It all started on Monday, the day before Enrichment, when I went to pick up the pictures I had sent to Wal-Mart to be printed. (We were using baby pictures of some of the sisters in the ward, and then we were having everyone guess whose bay pictures was whose.) It had taken me a couple weeks to round them all up and get the all scanned so that we didn't have to use any originals. So I go to pick them up and the clerk tells me there was a problem with some of my pictures. She then proceeds to sort, them in front of me, into two piles. She said that HALF of them were "professional" photos and so she couldn't give them to me without a release form. I couldn't believe it. The youngest of all the photos is OVER 24 years old! I explained that most of the pictures were 30-40 years old and it would me impossible to track down where the photos where taken. She still said she couldn't give them to me. Then when I asked her what she was going to do with them she said she was going to shred them! For a brief moment I thought about quickly grabbing them from her hand and running for all I was worth for the front door. Then I pictured myself being asked, "Have you ever been arrested?" "Well yes, once. I stole pictures from Wal-Mart. In my defence I did pay for them first!" This didn't seem like the best thing to do so I let her know how very displeased I was to not have ALL the pictures I needed for the next day and left. I did get the pictures by going to a near by grocery store and printing them at a kiosk. They never questioned me once. From now on I will NEVER print any pictures at Wal-Mart again! (Yes, I am still a little bit bitter!)

The next snag came when I realized, Monday night, that the Leon Valley Young Women, who we share the building with, was planning to use the gym for their activity. AAAAAAAAAAH! We already had chairs and tables set up! I called their Y.W. Pres., I knew her from our old ward, and left her a message saying we really needed the gym. She called me back Tuesday morning as I was getting ready to go finish decorating the gym for our Enrichment that evening. She said two other activities had fallen through and she didn't know what else to do with the Y.W. She was the only leader that could be there, so as a last resort they were going to play scripture basketball. I could see her predicament and asked her if she was interested in playing a game called 'Are You Smarter Than A CTR5?' She thought that sounded perfect! So in the end it helped relief her stress to already have an activity planned and greatly relieved me to know I got the gym!

With the problem solved I was loading the car with 15 minutes to be at the church and suddenly I realize I didn't have a key to the building! I had forgotten to ask Andy to leave his key for me. I grab the kids and ran to the school where Andy was VERY surprised to see us, and got the key. Then I got caught by his schedulers, who think the boys are the cutest things, on my way out. It was the first time I was grateful Daniel has separation anxiety! I usually love to visit with them, but I was supposed to already be at the church. We were able to slip out quickly and arrived 15 minutes late. Fortunately I have great members on my enrichment board and Audrey waited with her two little boys for me. (Thank you, thank you, thank you!) The decorating went pretty well. Daniel only bailed out of his stroller once, but I caught him before he hit the floor; and he only got a small cut from the scissors when I was trying to use them. (For more details about the stroller you will have to call!)

Anyway, now that this has been a novel, we got everything decorated and set up. Andy skipped his meeting to come home and take over so I could get a couple more things set up at 6 pm. The slide projector worked for our game, thanks to John Wirthlin and the Dials! John was also good enough to be our game show host. He did a great job, although he may be a little hoarse today. Our cake also turned out really well. Linsay Jarvis of the Leon Valley Ward made it for us! She did awesome! I guess I just want to say "Thank You" to everyone who helped me get this activity organized and for those who listened while I vented my many frustrations! Without you I couldn't have done it!! Now for a few pictures.

This is our cake made by the lovely and oh so talented Linsay Jarvis!
She did a great job. Thanks again!
And we have the center piece for our serving table. Andy was so good to pack the camera for me so I could get pictures and then I find out the batteries were almost dead. I got all of 4 pictures! (Three were of the cake.) I promise the other decorations were better than the serving table. I just didn't get a picture of them. I have felt a little bit bad about it, but oh well! We had a great time and that is all the matters. Thanks again to everyone involved!