M3YW

Boating trip

2009-09-21T10:28:00.000-07:00

Boating trip in July.

IT'S ABOUT TIME !!!

2009-09-20T15:42:00.000-07:00

Hi YW of Medford 3rd Ward - I'm finally getting my act together and learning how to BLOG! I am commited to helping each of you learn how to stay in touch through our own Young Women's Blogging Site. I feel like such a cluts trying to learn how to do this. I know that you guys are so much better at this than I am, but I WILL LEARN THIS! So please help me keep this going.

If you are new to blogging - we can learn together. I'm going to work on it every week. It would be great if everyone contributed and helped to keep things going on our blog.

Kalisha is going to help me post video's and pictures from YW's events. We have several from this summer that we will be featuring - so try this out! It really is FUN!

Please email me with you thoughts and ideas: bonnie@noltephotography.com or you can always give me a call - 890-3181.

HAPPY BLOGGING! Sister Bonnie

Passing the torch

2009-06-28T16:06:00.000-07:00

Well, hello YW once again! I know you're all thrilled to have the blog up and running again, and I'm happy to announce that Bonnie is officially taking over! So Sue Q is officially signing OFF!!! Your next post will be coming to you live from the Nolte Computer!

CIAO!

Ha, HA!!! The Quackster Strikes Again!

2009-01-16T23:36:00.000-08:00

I bet you all thought you were going to get rid of me...... (insert scary, evil laugh: bwa-ha-ha-ha!!!)

I just wanted to say hey and I really miss you guys!! Primary is...well, I hate to admit it, but I'm actually enjoying myself downstairs, and those CTR5 kids are a heckuva' lotta' fun, and guess what? They SING in Primary! Like, A LOT! Why don't we sing as much in YW?? Can someone please explain to me why there is a Primary Song Book, but not a YW song book??

Anyway, Sundays just aren't the same, and I miss coming to Mutual, and taking all kinds of goofy pictures of you all (okay, and myself), and thanks for all the great times, and no, I'm not dying or moving or anything, but sometimes I feel like it. (Moving, that is, not dying.... sheesh!)

In the meantime, would anybody like to learn how to manage this blog? I know Sister Ebert would love to share this more with all of you girls and leaders, and it's lots of fun, and there's all kinds of cool stuff you can do with it (notice the hip, new festive background, etc.), and you know you'd rather blog than do your homework.

Don't tell your parents I said that...

Wait... I'm a parent!

I love you guys.... I miss you guys.... but remember I'm really not that far away!

EXCITING ANNOUNCEMENT ALERT!!!!!

2008-12-09T23:51:00.000-08:00

Hey, gals, you'll never guess what I just found out!!!!

Remember our old friend Ashley Stahle? She was our Mia Maid advisor a while ago....anyway, she has some PRETTY EXCITING NEWS TO SHARE WITH THE WORLD!!!!! Check out her blog! Right now!! No, I'm not kidding! This is serious, people!!

Champs!!!

2008-10-21T22:27:00.000-07:00

Tonight I skipped out of YW to go and watch Amanda and Marissa play soccer. Huge game: Crater vs. Ashland for the conference title. It was a nail biter, double over time, shoot-out win for the Comets! Such an amazing game.

Then........after the game, I called Alex to get the update on NMHS vs. Sheldon (played in Eugene). JV (Alex's team) lost 2 to 1, and varsity (Kate's team) won which means they won their conference also!!!!

Way to go girls!!!! We are so proud of you and all of your hard work and dedication!!!!

Good luck in the play-offs.

Fear FAITH Factor!!

2008-10-19T16:05:00.000-07:00

Just for the record: Sister Howard always comes up with the funnest, creative, & most spiritual activities ever! (Thanks, sugardoodle!) We faced our fears and strengthened our faith at the same time, and enjoyed ourselves (mostly at the expense of the others!)

First of all, Sister Howard came up with ten or so activities. Each activity was linked to a scripture, and the first team to find the scripture got to read it and select which game to play. We had Creepy Crawlers, a Garish Wind (ask Sister Ebert what 'garish' means), and so forth. Each of them had a 'loose' connection to something that had to do with faith, and we had to read the scripture to figure out what the connection was.

Here's Katrina and Katy trying to pick up quarters with chopsticks in order to experience the "change" of heart.

Bobbing for apples, WWF style. I think Jena and Alicia were out for blood, not Braeburns! Well..."by their fruits ye shall know them"!

Ever try buttoning a shirt with gloves on? Ask Sara and Kaitlin...it's not that easy! It's about as easy as trying to cover up a little lie...

Here's a tip: when searching for a gummy worm buried in a plate of flour, don't be shy.
JUST DIVE RIGHT IN!!
(So what if you get flour in your lungs, up your nose, down your shirt,
in your hair, ears, and tonsils--it's all for the game!)

And for the life of me, I can't remember what the spiritual connection to this game was supposed to be. I'll have to have Sister Howard remind me.

Katy proved her skill at ping-pong-tossing blindfolded -- or maybe it was Jena's ping-pong-catching skill. Either way, they make a pretty good team!

Again, with the powdery white stuff. This time, it was Katy and Alicia's turn to go after the donuts. Thankfully, Sister Ebert donated her clean, black shirt to help Alicia get a grip!

Ever try and take a wrapper off a Starburst without your hands? Hmmm...the wrapper probably has less calories. And Starbursts aren't chocolate. So why not eat it whole? In any case, this was supposed to be an exercise in controlling your tongue from gossip. But it's really hard to talk at all with a starburst in your mouth, let alone gossip...so either way, we achieved our goal!

You might have to click on these to enlarge them to truly appreciate the expressions on their faces. Can you tell whether they're eating something bitter or something sweet? And can you tell which girl likes bitter cocoa? By the SPOONFUL??!!

OPPOSITION IN ALL THINGS!!

Finally, we all got to sit around and discuss our feelings about faith. Bishop stepped in for a few minutes and shared his favorite story about the brother of Jared, and all in all, it was a memorable night.

PIE Night this Tuesday

2008-09-29T08:47:00.000-07:00

This Tuesday is PIE night at YW! We will be have 4 "stations" that we will rotate through
1. Personal Progress - update, set goals, review for YW in Excellence
2. Fabulous Reality Journals - we will have tape, glue, scissors, markers to update books
3. Missionary writing - Our fabulous M3 missionaries need mail NOW!
4. Care Packages for our troops - Helping the Primary put together care packages for John Morrills unit (10people) in Afghanistan.

Oh yeah.......There will be Pie also. Yummy.
So bring your beautiful self, your personal progress stuff, fabulous reality book and an appetite for pie.

See you Tuesday - 7pm sharp!!!

Three years and counting!!!

2008-09-15T20:09:00.000-07:00

Ann mocked me for taking all these pictures, but darn it, this is a big deal!!! After three years and then some, the Ebert family is less than two months away from finishing their house!!

CHECK IT OUT!!

Here's a shot of their new upstairs balcony hanging out over their kitchen. This is the part I'm most thrilled about -- I was always afraid of Sophie taking a nose dive off the edge. (And look -- she can't even fit her head through the bars! Good job, Dan!)

And here's the opposite shot of the kitchen from the balcony -- and no, that's not just dust on the lens... there was dust everywhere! (Sunday we're going to send around a sign-up for the November clean up party. It should only take us about, oh, three more months!)
Okay, I'm a total nerd, but this is one of the coolest things ever! This is there super-exciting pantry door -- here it is closed....

And when you open it, hey presto! The light AUTOMATICALLY COMES ON! iSN'T THAT THE COOLEST THING EVER??! Tell me that's the coolest thing you've ever seen in a house! Don't you wish your pantry lit up when you opened the door? (Okay, enough -- hose me down already!)Here's their super efficient dishwasher. Honestly, compared the rest of the house, it looks so small. They need three of these...

When you own an art store, I guess it's only fitting that you should have some sort of artwork befitting to your occupation to grace your walls. But I never thought it would be RIGHT ON THE WALL!

This is how cool Ann is -- not only did she get her GRANITE COUNTERTOPS for considerably less than originally bid, she got her bathroom counters AND this lovely collecter's set of granite cleaner, accompanied by a personally engraved thank you card from the contractors. You gotta' love her kind of connections!

CAN YOU SAY....
SLUMBER PARTY??!!
This is their upstairs great room. This picture doesn't really do it justice, with all the tools and scaffolding in the way. It's really ~~great~~ ~~awesome~~ FABULOUS!

And last, but certainly not least, this is where all the bad little Eberts go...
Anne (Q, not Ebert) demonstrating the meaning of "down the laundry chute".
(I got dibs on this spot for our first inaugral round of Sardines...)

Think BLUE!

2008-09-07T17:02:00.000-07:00

When I look at this picture, here's what I think:

FAMILY.

We have a great group of gals, and even if some of us are literally related, we're ALL sisters and buddies and pals and kindred spirits. We go to different schools, and our ward boundaries are really all over the place, but we are united in purpose and function: to learn the gospel and strengthen our testimonies...and have some fun while we're at it.

(The other thing I think is that Marci looks good in a hat!)

So, this month as we focus on Divine Nature, think about this:

What do your "sisters" mean to you?
How does this ward family help you gain a testimony of the gospel?
More importantly, how can you help them?

We all want to hear what you have to say...think of this as an extended Ward Journal entry and leave a comment!

(By the way, if you don't know how to leave a comment, just click on the link below this post that says "Comments", then type what you want to say. Don't forget to do the "word verification" thingy. If you have a gmail account, click on the Google/Blogger identity and click "Publish your comment." If You don't have gmail, then select the Anonymous identity and publish. We'll make sure everybody gets on the blog!)

New! Stake Dance Dress Code

2008-08-21T11:56:00.000-07:00

Below is what I got from the stake regarding the change in dress code for Central Point Stake dances which are held on the 3rd Saturday of each month.

" Beginning in September we will be switching our casual Stake Dances to dressy Stake Dances. Please remind the girls this Sunday and for the next couple of Sunday's. Also, please ask them to tell their nonmember friends so that nobody will feel uncomfortable. We will be firm in upholding modest church dress, if they show up in casual clothing or immodest church clothing they will be asked to go home to change. Thank you for your cooperation. "

PEAR PICKING!!!

2008-08-17T21:44:00.000-07:00

Ode to the Mighty Pear

Medford is known for it's fruit without shape

It's not a banana and it's not for apes

It grows on trees with branches so scratchy

And we get to pick them in clothes that are patchy

From dawn until dusk, the members all gather

At the orchard where we all work up a lather

Dripping with sweat in the hot August heat

While meeting old friends that we love to greet

We pick them and size them and load up our sacks

While straining our muscles and breaking our backs

Then fill up the bins before it gets dark

Trust me, my friends -- it's no walk in the park!

But we love to do it, year after year

Picking the fruit for one reason that's clear

We work really hard, but it's really a pleasure

For the Lord has given us blessings unmeasured

The least we can do, for a few hours a week

Is give back what we can to get what we seek.

COME AND JOIN US FOR THE

REGIONAL YOUTH PEAR PICKING EXTRAVAGANZA

WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 20, 2008

AT THE PEAR ORCHARD!

(Last one there's a rotten pear!)

There's a new Bee in the Hive!

2008-08-05T18:09:00.000-07:00

WELCOME, KATRINA!

(July birthdays are the best!!)

Table Rock Expedition

2008-07-24T13:46:00.000-07:00

Venture forth, intrepid explorers (or, at least, a few brave Mia Maids) and conquer the mighty Upper Table Rock Trail! Here's a few shots of Sis. H, Sara, Kaylisha, and Katy as they took on the task of climbing up the cliff. What a beautiful view! (But don't look down...)

Hey, guess who's back?!

2008-07-18T10:17:00.000-07:00

You can take the girl out of Medford, but can you take Medford out of the girl?

Check out Odie's new blog and find out!

GUESS WHO HAD A BIRTHDAY?!

2008-07-15T14:51:00.000-07:00

Happy birthday, Sam! Hope you were...BOWLED OVER!

(hA, HA, ha!)

CAMP PICTURES ARE OUT!!!

2008-07-15T00:14:00.001-07:00

Hey, everybody! Click HERE for a link to an amazing collection of girls camp pictures! You can order prints from this site or just enjoy...

WE HAVE A FAN!!!

2008-07-03T20:48:00.001-07:00

Guess what, gals? We got an anonymous comment from a fellow young woman in Las Vegas! Here's what she had to say...

"i LOVE your guys' blog! it is awesome! your links are super helpful for personal progress and different mutual activities. so thanks for having such a fabulous blog! -fellow LDS Young Woman in Vegas!"

wOwZeRs!!! Thanks, friend, for visiting! Come again soon!

We Survived Camp!!!

2008-07-03T19:12:00.001-07:00

What a fantastic week!

Well, okay -- four days doesn't exactly constitute a week, but we had a great time nonetheless. We got back last Saturday, but it's taken me a few days to recover and collect a few priceless Kodak moments from various sources who shall remain nameless...

We had thirteen girls and five leaders represent our ward this year, and Medford Third Ward rocked the house with the best Dr. Sue-ss "Girls Camp Musical", complete with show tunes and and everything. (If anyone got pictures or video of that skit, let me know! I'd love to post it!)

HEY, WAIT A MINUTE!! IS THAT KATY BEHIND THOSE DARK GLASSES?! I CAN'T BELIEVE IT! I ACTUALLY GOT A PICTURE OF KATY ON THE BLOG!!!

Wow...okay, moving on...

In case you were wondering what all our husbands think of camp, here is a great example capturing the very essence of spousal support. Don't let Dan fool you -- have you noticed that he always volunteers to come up as our ward priesthood representative? Hmmmm....I'd like to see him shake his foot!

Here's a shot of our fabulous group of first years. See if you can count the heads -- there should be 32 of them, including leaders, but you never know how many of them actually survive all the pranks and ...well... primitive conditions.... (the poor babies have to sleep in CABINS, on their own bunks, with running hot showers and flushie toilets, after all!).

Alicia was our solitary, brave second year girl this year. I didn't actually get a group picture of the 2nd years girls en masse, but she came, she saw, and she conquered...with home-made flannel jammies and fuzzy slippers to boot.

Thank you very much...Alicia has left the building...

Third years were a riot! Babysitting eggs for 24 hours and blistering their hands with the old flint and steel, they really came through in certification. And even if we didn't get to canoe across the lake...or do the polar bear dip at polar bear hours...or do the compass treasure hunt because a tree conveniently decided to fall on the treasure spot...or anything else we planned on doing, we still had fun not doing it!

The fourth year girls, of course, are so well-adjusted to the environment, that we can hardly keep them from rolling in the dirt and underbrush -- they really know what it means to be one with nature! I can't wait until next year when these girls get to run the place as YCL'S!!

And speaking of next year, look at our future first years! The eleven year old girls came to camp for the day, and they nearly took over! Count them --this is a record-breaking group of girls! And this isn't even all of them!!

Okay, how did this picture get in here? I have no comment ... it must have been the bottle of Martinelli's my secret sister gave me that I guzzled down before lunch...

Wow!!! Here she is again! You may have to click on the picture to blow it up, but that really is Katy in the black cape...I caught her when she couldn't duck! And another shot of her better side...Katy, you're my hero!

June Bugs

2008-06-05T22:13:00.000-07:00

Is the school year really gone? Graduation is upon us, and we couldn't let

Brittney, Erin, Emily and Madeline go without one last hurrah. So...

HATS OFF TO OUR GRADUATES!

And Hats on to our new Laurel President! Here she is, hard at work ... (or is she hardly working? :) We are so jazzed to see Amanda in action! (And not just at McDonalds...)

Happy Mother's Day!

2008-05-11T15:19:00.001-07:00

"Few of us will reach our full potential without the nurturing of both
the mother who bore us
and
the mothers who bear with us."
-- Sheri Dew

Thank goodness it takes a village! I am so grateful for the myriad of women that have helped me raise my children - Ann, Mindy, Marci, Tamara, Becky and Rita, among others -- I love you women more than I can say, and I know I'm speaking for at least twenty other individuals when I say that!

So here's what the girls have to say about they gleaned from their own mothers...

My mom was really good at using her imagination and being creative. - Mindy

My mama has taught me a lot! Something particular would be on how to take care of things so they last long. - Marissa

My madre has taught me everything I know! Anything to do with love, cleaning, cooking, sacrifices and more! I love my mommy! Mi madre es bonita y amazing! -- Amanda

Controlling a CHAOTIC household and not losing her mind. She has taught me how to love and she has shown me her personal love for the Savior! - Madeline

My testimony. She has taught me the scriptures and to read them and study them. If I have a question about the gospel, I can ask her anything. -- Sara

My mother has taught me how to serve others and love everyone. Even when life gets really hard. - Alex

My mom has taught me how to learn to be a mother and be compassionate. -- Anne

My mom taught me to respect and love one another and serve others but sometimes I don't feel like that but I have to deal with it. -- Alicia

My mom has taught me how to deal with stressful/difficult situations. Which as helped me a lot lately. She also helps me realize what my priorities should be. Most of all, she has taught me to serve and love others and I really appreciate it! -- Kathryn

My mom serves everyone ALL OUT! If her visiting teacher is sick, she's willing to bring meal after meal...not just once! She serves with all her heart very selflessly. -- Becky

My mother taught me that family is one of the most important things! And how your family are your best friends. --Kaylisha

My mom taught me how to sew! She taught me to stand up for myself and not settle for anything lower than my standards would allow. She was and still is one of my best friends! Sue

Sooooo....what did YOU learn from your mother?

Question of the Week...

2008-04-20T15:28:00.001-07:00

Okay, girls, you know how we usually send the ward journal around every Sunday for everyone to sign? Well, I keep forgetting to DO that! So, I thought to myself, and I said, 'Self -- we have this amazing blog already in place, and I've been wondering how many people are actually reading it anyway, so why don't we post the journal questions every week and see what kinds of possibilities open up?'

So here's the question: oh, and by the way, the first one to respond gets a prize! (Because you know how much I love giving prizes!) Either e-mail me, or--hey, even easier!--click on the 'comments' link right below this post and just type in your answer.

Okay, so NOW here's the question....and this week's journal entry is dedicated to the Mia Maids. They know why.

WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE CAR?

Describe the color, size, special features and

whatever else you want in the car of your dreams.

Hello, Girls!

2008-03-28T09:31:00.000-07:00

Here we are in sunny (foggy) California, just wanting to say hello. Here's a picture of my parents, the wonderful people putting us up (or putting up with us) for the week. Say hi to Grandma and Grandpa Wasden!

We'll see you all in two days! Love, the Quacks

Oh Johnny, oh johnny, oh!

2008-03-13T09:11:00.000-07:00

I took about twenty videos on square dancing night, and since most of them were too good to miss, I'm going to post a few more so you can prolong the agony--I mean, enjoyment--and not miss a single, hysterical moment.

Here's the professional demonstration of "Oh, Johnny"
Looks easy, right?

These guys got it down!

The Virginia Reel was a piece of cake...well, except fro Brother Nistler...
Kate and Spencer had to show Bro. Nistler how it's done!

IT'S HIP TO BE SQUARE...Dancing?

2008-03-12T09:15:00.000-07:00

Getting ready for the trek means learning how to square dance. Nothing but some good, old fashioned, high-stepping, heel-kicking FUN!

Here's how the professionals do it...

And here's how WE do it!

WELCOME TO THE NEW AND IMPROVED BLOG!

2008-03-11T10:50:00.000-07:00

Due to technical difficulties, the Medford Third Ward Young Women now have a new blog! It is currently under construction, and we hope that you will be patient as it takes time to take shape. Stay tuned for new and exciting posts!