35 Year Tradition!

Our Labor Day weekends spent in Valliant are truly a time of refreshing!  We left MW after Sheila got off work and made it to Paris around 11:00 that night.  Ricky and Josh beat us there by about 30 minutes.  We visited for an hour or so before we all headed off to bed.  After a wonderful breakfast the next morning, we loaded up and headed out for Valliant.  The crowd was a bit smaller this year...around 50 all together...but the fun and fellowship were still up to par!  Stephen grilled hamburgers and hotdogs for lunch as folks were coming in and catching up on the latest with everyone.  There were the ubiquitious games of 42, Nerts and some washer tossing along with lots of visiting and laughter.  Then a new something was added:  Minute to WinIt competition.  Six "lucky" people were chosen to participate:  Kyle Y, Josh A, Ricky, Sheila, Mandy and me.  The first challenge was to sit on an upside down bathmat and scoot across the room, NOT using your hands, around an obstacle course of chairs.  This old woman didn't know if she would make it all the way, but I finished in 53 seconds.  Sheila was the winner in 28 seconds!  We also had to remove Kleenexes from their box using only one hand (Ricky cheated and won by holding the box between his legs!); move cotton balls from one plate to another using our Vaseline tipped noses; stack cups into a pyramid and collapse them into one stack; toss toilet paper rolls through hoola hoops by throwing them through our legs backwards, and finally trying to remove jingle bells from a Kleenex box tied to our backs without using our hands.  The audience got plenty of laughs from watching us!  The grand prize winner was Kyle.

I LOVE this bag!

Before the competition we had our annual fundraising auction.  Kyle did his usual super job as auctioneer.  About $500 was raised this year to send to a family in need.  Belinda (a newcomer this year) was our star contributor with all of her beautiful crocheted handiwork...and of course the famous "boo boo bunnies". 

Lovely hat, Kyle!

Sometimes you have to use any method you can to win a bid!

Leland won the "surprise" package:  2 gerbils!

The cookoff this year was anything chicken.  There were chicken enchiladas, chicken casseroles, chicken pasta, chicken salad, but the winner was a scrumptious Chicken Pot Pie, made by Nicole and Chelsey...3 time winners!  The competition entries provided our supper for the evening.  After the sun went down we headed over to the ballpark for the traditional softball game.  Fun times!

We enjoyed two wonderful assemblies Sunday!  Ken gave an excellent lesson that morning on "Life Happens"...assuring us that in spite of all the difficulties that we WILL face, God is faithful to see us through it all.  Then Dennis followed Sunday afternoon with a heartfelt lesson on prayer...content rather than mechanics.  Both were very emotional and inspiring!

The weekend ended with the much looked forward to ice cream supper at Kit and Ray's house.  The weather was perfect, the ice cream was delicious, and the company was great!  It is always sad to say goodbye to everyone, but we always look forward to next year!

From Ken's lesson:  Isa 46:4 And even to your old age I am he; and even to hoar hairs will I carry you: I have made, and I will bear; even I will carry, and will deliver you.
From Dennis' lesson:  Eph 3:16 That he would grant you, according to the riches of his glory, to be strengthened with might by his Spirit in the inner man;17 That Christ may dwell in your hearts by faith; that ye, being rooted and grounded in love,18 May be able to comprehend with all saints what is the breadth, and length, and depth, and height;19 And to know the love of Christ, which passeth knowledge, that ye might be filled with all the fulness of God.