Evie Turns 6!

Evie had an awesome birthday party this year. She lost her 2 front teeth just in time. One at the swimming pool and a friend of her's dove to the bottom of the pool and found it ( you have to prove it to the tooth fairy) She had a breakfast swiming party with pancakes and toppings made and served by her dad and brother. She helped her mom make all the fun decorations.They gathered at her neighborhood pool.Her mom, big sister Chloe, and baby sister Gigi, helped pull off all the games and other activities. There was a big crowd and the party was a smashing success.

Then the next week she graduated from kindergarten. She is a smart, funny, and obedient little girl. We love her very much.

Top Off Your Sunday.....make it special.

I did a YW activity tonight for all the girls to teach them about making Sunday the best with conducting meetings, leading music, dressing appropriate and reaching out to others. We had a fun fake skit( Jami Black and I) where we did everything wrong. The girls thought it was real for a minute. Someone's cell phone even went off by accident right in the perfect spot :) Kalisi and her mom came to teach the girls how to read and lead music. They did a great job. After all the lessons, we had ice cream sundaes for dessert. I did a simple table and took a picture before class with a few of the girls. It was a fun night and I hope the girls learned alot. The girls got handout notes. The following were my notes:

Top Off You Sunday...Make it Special!

Leadership Skills for Young Women

Suzie Romans

June 2011

1. Dress your Sunday best- be appropriate and show respect. Put on your

finery that is clean, modest and becoming as a daughter of God.You set

an example and can inspire others.

2. Conduct your Sunday best- learn to use an agenda and conduct a

meeting that uplifts and brings the spirit into the room. Be prepared, organized,confident, poised and appropriate. It will help you now and

many times in the future...maybe even a future job.

3. Lead you Sunday best- learn how to lead music. Good music can bring

the spirit in like nothing else. Practice ahead of time so you are prepared.

Smile and sing out. Be joyful and happy.

4. Act your Sunday best- Be aware of your surroundings. Pay attention to

someone who may need a friend, speak to other young women and adults....

maybe someone new each week. Look for a way to include others and make

them feel welcome. Get outside yourself and reach out. People always

remember how you made them feel.

BE YOUR VERY BEST!

Using an Agenda

1. An agenda is a written plan showing the order of what is to be

discussed or is to take place.

2. An agenda encourages preplanning of each meeting, including

the appropriate amount of time

required for each agenda item. You are in control of the meeting.

3. Persons responsible for items on the agenda should be identified

and notified ahead of time.

4. A review of the previous meeting’s agenda can ensure continuity

and follow-up.

5. Review the agenda ahead of time so you are prepared and

clear on things.

6. A copy of the agenda can be given to the secretary to keep as a

record.

7. An agenda can help keep things on track and timely. It helps you

with your confidence.

8. An agenda makes a meeting more effective and special. It helps

you reach your goal

for the meeting.

Conducting a Meeting

1. Prepare an agenda. Schedule a room in which to meet and

start on time. The secretary can

help prepare the agenda

and keep minutes.

2. Contact those that will take part and make sure they know

the order of the meeting. Arrange

for the opening and

closing prayer. Before the meeting begins, invite all to

take their places

and be reverent.

3. Where appropriate, arrange for prelude music to be played

at least 5 minutes before the

meeting begins. Make sure

the chorister and pianist are prepared and know what songs

are to

be sung. Be sure to have song books available if

possible.

4. Arrive early and make sure that everything is ready and that

the room is set up correctly.

5. Know the names ( have them written down) of any guest and

introduce them to the group.

Welcome any bishopric members,

stake visitors or other visitors by name and introduce them

to the group.

6. Depending on the meeting, a prayer meeting could be held to

check last minute details and

have a prayer to invite the spirit

into the meeting.

Your greeting sets the tone of the whole

meeting and is a vital part.

Birthday Brunch at Heather's house

My super-talented friend Heather hosted a birthday brunch at her house.. I wanted to do

a blog post so I could remember how cute it looked. Heather is amazing. She did a paint theme......little paint buckects with skittles that she hand picked for each color( favors)

with the place cards done on paint chip sample cards folded vertically with our names writen on them. Everybody had a different color. Of course she has a super awesome giant island in her kitchen that made it look even more spectacular. She is my hero. So so cute and clever. She and Shelece ( another talented friend) made a wonderful brunch with a casserole, bluberry french toast, a homemde edible fruit arangement and chocolate and lemon cake for dessert. We were celebrating 3 birthdays. It is always so fun to hang out with the girls and chat. And go to the equivilant of a 5 star restaurant for brunch. I was so glad to be included.

Isn't this just fabulous? They may hire out :) or at least consult :)

Brad Wilcox Comes to Richmond!

I was the program chairman again for the BYUMS Gala at the downtown Marriott again this year.We brought in Brad Wilcox ( and his daughter Whitney) to speak. He spoke to the BYUMS and also to a tri-stake youth conference here. He was awesome, as always. Kids and adults love him alike. He has been a friend for a long time and stayed with us for several days. I had arranged for him to have a car and go to Williamsburg and Charlottesville to see historical sights. They loved it all and wished they could have had more time. Then Lindsay Lansing Ricks ( who grew up in Richmond), came to get him to take him up to DC to speak to her stake. He was her mission president in Chili. They flew home from there.

The second picture is of Amy Fischer and I. We serve on the BYUMS board together. I just love her. She has been in charge of our scholarship program for the past 3 years and does a fabulous job.

It was a great week and we had a wonderful time. Brad is an amazing guy and does so much good in the world. We are excited that he is coming back for " Time Out for Women" in the fall. We loved Whitney too... she is a really neat girl.

I Love These Cakes

{rose cake tutorial}

Brown paper Pacjkages said : At a little birthday gathering last night, my friend showed

up with THE most beautiful cake.

It was covered with stunning pink roses, and I fell in love with it.

I love to make layer cakes, and do quite often. I usually just do the swirly-type-frosting look, because I don't really know what else to do, lol. My friend was kind enough to share the tutorial link with me, and I went to check it out right away.

I am Baker shares this fabulously easy rose cake tutorial, and I can't wait to try it. Seriously {love}.

Regan turns 8!

We got to go to Arizona for Reagan's birthday and baptism. It took us 24 hours to get there by plane..had to spend the night in New York...but we eventually made it...in time. Reagan had her grandparents and some great grandparents from both sides of the family there. It was a special time for all of us. Hopefully I will get some of those pictures soon to add.

Reagan is a sweet , kind girl who loves to read and swim in her pool. She is so delightful to be around. And so nice to her siblings. We love her so much and are so proud of her.

This is what her mom had to say about her: "Reagan just celebrated her 8th birthday. She has been looking forward to this birthday more than usual. Being 8 years old means she doesn't have to sit in a booster seat anymore. She is has been taller than most 8 year olds for a while, but we had to stick to the rule. The best thing about being 8 is, now she is old enough to be baptized. We are so proud of Reagan for praying and reading her scriptures and making the decision to be baptized. Its a big deal! She was baptized by Jordan. She had a ton of support. Grandpa Greg and Grandma Suzie came from Virginia. Grammy and Papa came from Utah and brought Great Grandma and Grandpa Grider. Great Grandpa and Grandma Romans and Marc and Maryanne Mason came. Plus friends from the ward. The Andrews family, the Kiene family, her primary teachers, her friends Grace and Olivia and a few more people. It was a special day. I forgot to mention a very important detail. Reagan's best friend here is Mesa was also baptized yesterday. We are so glad Ray and Abby are friends and that they could share this experience."

Fun Ideas for Summer

Ice Cream Scoop on a Stick

Make multiples of these scoops-on-a-stick and you won't have to spoon ice cream, one serving at a time, in the middle of a party. Using a small (1 1/2-inch) ice cream scoop, dole out balls onto a parchment-lined baking sheet. Insert a craft spoon into each, and place in the freezer. Chill until hardened. Roll scoops in sprinkles, toasted coconut, or crushed nuts or candies, and store them in the freezer on a freshly lined baking sheet.

Pre-Buttered Corn

Serve corn on the cob already buttered so guests can dig right in. Bring water to a boil in a stockpot (don't add any salt; it toughens kernels), and drop in six to eight ears. Return to a boil, then cook two to four minutes for crisp-tender corn. When ears are just about done, slice eight tablespoons of unsalted butter, and drop them into the cooking water; stir to melt. The butter will float, and each ear will get an even coating as you remove it from the pot with tongs.

Origami Napkin Rings

Playful patterned cuffs spiff up paper napkins and make it a breeze for guests to grab their flatware at a barbecue buffet.

Tools and Materials

5 1/8-inch square origami paper

Double-sided tape

1. Cut origami paper into thirds.

2. Wrap strips around bundles of flatware. Secure in back with double-sided tape.

Flash Freeze

Here's a great way to chill beverages in time for an impromptu backyard barbecue. Place wine or other bottles in a bucket; add a layer of ice, followed by a layer of salt (coarse or table); repeat until you almost reach the top. Fill the bucket with cold water to just below the ice line. The water in the ice bucket will be colder than normal, chilling the libations in less than 10 minutes. We'll drink to that!

Flowerpot Servers

Match the informality of a summer buffet with rustic serving dishes fashioned from clay flowerpots and saucers. Use brand-new terra-cotta, and wipe it with a damp cloth (doing the same for cleanup). Line flowerpots with tea towels to hold bread, buns, or biscuits; for saucers, use napkins or clean nontoxic leaves, and place cheeses or spreads on top. Firm and semifirm cheeses such as cheddar, chevre, and blue are good choices for outdoor entertaining -- they will keep a few hours and won't become runny in the sun.

Read more at Marthastewart.com: Outdoor Entertaining Ideas and Recipes