I want to be Martha Stewart

Today I spent a few hours shopping for, baking and decorating the most ridiculous cupcakes I've ever made: Creepcakes! I wanted to make something fun and Halloween-y for youth group tonight since we were dressing up and having a pre-Halloween party, so I looked up some ideas, jotted them down and ended up with some really fun, quite silly, but delicious cupcakes. I received many compliments, which felt nice, of course... but it was actually a lot more enjoyable just having time to myself to bake and decorate while the Food Network channel was on the TV in the background. I could totally do this for the rest of my life and be completely content. I took some photos of the silliness... please enjoy!

Go, Jonny, go!

We watched this tonight at youth group...

Weekend at Hume Lake

Well, Jessica and I went up to Hume this weekend to work... and boy, did we ever! They're in the middle of transitioning from the summer/fall season to the winter season, so lots of random things need to get done within the next few weeks. I think it's going to take a couple days for the both of us to fully recuperate... washing and driving golf carts; hauling huge barrels full of anti-freeze into the swimming pool; carrying canoes from the lake to the truck and from the truck to the pond; checking out the new tube run; making sure the Wagon Train pool was good to go; hauling bales of hay over to the back volleyball court and setting up horseshoe pits; preparing communion; painful but fun off-roading trip to see the Big Trees; driving around in a truck with only half of a seat; squishing five people onto a golf cart MULTIPLE times; organizing, cleaning, re-strapping and cataloging 68 pairs of broom hockey shin guards... it was an intense weekend! OH! Oh my GOSH! ANNNND this HUGE spider in our cabin that we're pretty sure was a Brown Recluse that I had to cover with a cup until it could be disposed of. Jessica wouldn't get off her bed until it was gone. She took a picture. Seriously, it was huge. We also met two fantastic girls, also named Jessica and Becca, who we got to room with and work with all weekend. They were so much fun and we really enjoyed making new friends. Fun fact: On the way to Hume on Friday, there was a sudden STOP in traffic... we didn't know what had caused it until we got to the bottom of the Grapevine and saw that a CARROT TRUCK had tipped over and there were CARROTS literally ALL over the freeway. Ridiculous! We had a less eventful drive back home, but it concluded with the last moments of a beautiful sunset as we drove into Simi Valley. Jess and I both decided we would definitely do a weekend like this again.

Quotes of the Weekend:

*Playing Cribbage*
Charlie: That's some GREAT pegging!

*Eating lunch Saturday*
Charlie: Hmm... that is NOT a jalapeno cheese cube at ALL!

*Putting my scarf on before leaving the chapel*
Me: Sometimes if it's off-center, it's too long and it gets caught between your legs when you walk.

So, yes. It was a fantastic weekend. Now, back to Real Life.


Jessica, Rebekah, Jessica, Becca

It's a Grim Day.

It was good, since we got to chat with Emily for awhile, and my mom was excited to hear she was actually reading a BOOK. A REAL book. We were so proud!

Until...

I found out she's reading TWILIGHT.

I'm so disappointed.

And upset.

And embarrassed.



Ohhh, Emily...

In awe.

I got home a little less than an hour ago from our Jr. High leaders meeting... I always love our meetings, even though we seem to talk about the same things every time. I'm not sure if Rory thinks we're not interacting with the kids enough or that we don't know how to have conversations with them, but just in case, he provided us with an entire packet of random conversation topics that we can use next time we find ourselves trying to chat with one of the kids. Kind of reminds me of Pride and Prejudice when Mr. Collins is at the dinner table, commenting on how he prides himself on the fact that he can practice giving compliments to women, and succeed in making it appear as if he had not rehearsed them whatsoever... "Hold on, what did my conversation topics packet say on page 5...?" Anyway, back to the meeting. We discussed the usual 'goods and bads' about our midweek meetings, Sunday mornings, and other activities while munching away on our delicious Chipotle burritos. It's been so much fun having Haendel join us, especially since he and Rory just feed off of each other and provide MANY humorous moments... never a dull moment. We've recently begun having what we call 'discussion groups' during our Wednesday midweek meetings, where the girls and guys split up and we get to have a small-group time of sorts; I personally love this time, since it gets the kids thinking a lot more deeply than they have to when Rory is just up front teaching the lesson. We might start implementing small groups as well, where each leader has his or her assigned group of students, just to create consistency and a group where trust and relationships can grow even more. I am SO excited to see where this ministry is headed... in the last nine months I've already seen it grow so much, and I love watching the kids interact with each other independently, without prompting from leaders. They even got together tonight to hang out since we didn't have youth group! I love it.
I cannot fathom how God uses us to do His work, despite our faults and ridiculousness. We're not any more 'holy' or 'righteous' than the next man or woman, yet God has instilled in us a passion to work with these kids... and actually uses us! It's such an incredible opportunity and I am so thankful that we live in a place where we are allowed to worship and do ministry freely. What a blessing. I honestly have so much fun hanging out with the kids, being crazy and playing ridiculous games and having silly conversations about dating boys for two weeks and then breaking up over AIM. How can people NOT love kids? I never understand people who say that.
I guess I just wanted to try to express how excited I am to be used by God in this way... and that I find it so rewarding to see young kids change their lives for Christ. When you get to play a mad game of dodgeball with a bunch of rambunctious kids one minute, and the next minute get to watch them raise their hands in worship, it's an amazing, beautiful, incredible thing.