Progressive Dinner 2010

Meet at the church at 6:15 sharp on Wednesday, December 1st. We will split up into carpools and make the rounds through four seasonally decorated homes enjoying lots of delicious holiday foods as we go.

Bring a no cost gift for the gift grab. No Cost means grab something you've already got lying around the house that you want to get rid of and think someone else may enjoy. Gifts can be funny, silly, useful, nice, gag, whatever!

There will be a sign up list going around in Relief Society beginning this Sunday for desserts. If you have a specialty dessert that you'd like to share please get your name on the list. Bring desserts to the church the night of the Progressive dinner when we meet for carpools. All desserts will be collected and taken to the final home for set up.

It is going to be a great night be sure to get it on your calendar!

Mission Impossible update

A big thanks to Sisters Geneva Smith, Bobbie Castro and Dee Frender and Erin Klein for their blanket donations. Please remember to bring those blankets to church on Friday so we can we can meet our deadline!

Please remember that this Sunday is the last day to turn in gift donations for Bishop's Christmas. We have been assigned gifts for teens, boys and girls. Please, while you are out shopping this weekend pick up something extra that you could place into the donation bin this Sunday. Here are a few ideas for you:

• board games
• DVDs
• headphones
• handheld electronic games
• posters
• cologne/perfume
• toiletry sets
• make up
• blow dryers
• curling irons
• iTunes gift cards
• movie theater tickets
• balls (football, soccer, basketball)
• name brand socks (Adidas, Nike, Reebok, etc.)
• watches
• sweatshirts
• hats
• sports memorabilia
• clothing
• jewelry
• books

Remember all gifts are to be NEW and UNWRAPPED. No gift cards with the exception of I-tunes cards. Thank you for your service!

Work Party

Mission Impossible

(Que the "Mission Impossible" theme song)

Good evening Sisters. Your mission, should you choose to accept it, involves the production or purchase of three more quilts or blankets for Bishop's Christmas. You may select any size or color that you like, but it is essential that it be completed and returned to the RS Presidency no later than November 27th. You have 13 days, exactly 312 hours, to complete your assignment. As always, should any member of your team be in need of more fabric or technical sewing advice Sister Dooley may be of great assistance to you, please contact her. This message will self-destruct in five seconds but may reappear daily until our quota is filled.

RS Work Party

This Thursday, November 11th, is our monthly RS meeting. It is a project night. Bring your own project to finish up or choose one of the projects that will be there. We have a quilt that needs to be tied for the Bishops Christmas and Sister Pomai Taggart will be teaching felting.

Bring a snack to share if you'd like.

Nursery provided by the Dooley kids.

Charity Never Faileth

Super Saturday Greek Salad Recipe

Greek Salad Recipe

This is the delicious salad that was served at Super Saturday. Thank you Jennifer and Irene for a delicious lunch!

Ingredients -

1 large Cucumber, chopped
2 Roma (plum) Tomatoes, chopped
1 (5 ounces) jar pitted Kalamata Olives
1 (4 ounces) package Feta Cheese, crumbled
1 Red Onion, halved and thinly sliced
1/2 (10 ounces) package Romaine Lettuce Leaves
1/2 (10 ounces) package Baby Greens
Vinaigrette Dressing:
6 tablespoons Olive Oil
1 teaspoon Garlic Powder
1 teaspoon Dried Oregano
1 teaspoon Dried Basil
1 teaspoon Dijon Mustard
1 teaspoon Fresh Lemon Juice
1 1/2 cups Red Wine Vinegar

Preparation:

Add chopped cucumber, chopped tomato, Kalamata olives, feta cheese, sliced red onion, romaine lettuce, and baby greens to large serving bowl.
Vinaigrette Dressing:
In a small bowl, whisk olive oil, garlic powder, dried oregano, dried basil, Dijon mustard, fresh lemon juice, and red wine vinegar.

Deseret Industries Bishops' Christmas

Sisters, this year we have been asked to donate new items for teens ages 14-17 years, male and female. This can be items of clothing, books, games, electronics, journals, hobby items, etc.

We have also been asked to donate new handmade quilts (tied or other) to include fleece quilts. All sizes are needed.

Last year the DI served 1,856 from 110 wards and 20 stakes. Donations will need to be taken to Deseret Industries by Monday, November 29, 2010 in order to be processed and sorted. Again, all gifts should be new. Our ward's pick up time will be Sunday, November 28th, 4-4:30 p.m. in the foyer.

Thank you for the blessings you so readily offer to others.

General Relief Society Broadcast

Sisters, we invite all of you to attend a very special event, the General Relief Society Broadcast, on Saturday, September 15, 2010 at 5 p.m. in the Lakewood Stake building. There will be a light supper after the broadcast. We have been asked to be seated no later than 4:50 p.m. All sisters 18 years and over are invited.

Candle Making Class - September 7, 2010

We had a wonderful time learning how to make candles under the tutelage of Traci Williams. Every sister got to take home a votive. Traci made it look so easy!

If you missed this class, there is another coming up next month on October 14th, 7 p.m. in the Stake Center kitchen featuring Filipino cooking, part 2. Irene Mills and Jenniffer Reyna will be our instructors again. The last class was truly yummy. Nursery provided.

"Let's Chat"

Come join us for our wonderful Relief Society Campout.

This Thursday,

June 10, at 6:30pm.

Come in your camping/hiking attire and ready to have some uplifting fun.

Dessert will be served!!

Garden Tour #2

Thursday evening 10 sisters braved the cold stormy evening to spend an evening in the gardens of Bro Bryce Meldrum and Pres. Rick Hjelm.

The Meldrum's Garden
Bro. Meldrum's garden was first.  He showed us his rows of lush raspberry bushes and strawberries that have been composted with plenty of Tagro.  He has offered both raspberry and strawberry starts to anyone who is interested. 

Bro Meldrum stressed the importance of digging your soil deep and using lots of amendments (such as Tagro and composted leaf mulch) to keep the soil fertile year after year.

He showed us his rows of vegetables that have been hiding under  a small hoop system greenhouse.  The greenhouse is easy to make using just PVC pipe and clear plastic purchased at any hardware store.  Under the hoop he has grown carrots, lettuce, spinach, broccoli and much more. He feeds his family fresh vegetables through the winter using this hoop system. 

Bryce also stressed the importance of purchasing varieties of plants and seeds that are suitable for our Northwest environment.  He warned that many of the big box stores such as Lowe's and Home Depot sell plants that do ok BUT if you want plants that do great get Ed Hume seeds or Territorial Seed company seeds.

These peas were planted in December under plastic milk and juice jugs (with the bottom cut out).  The jugs act like a tiny greenhouse and help the peas get a good early start.

He also suggested that the public library is a great source of information for new gardeners. We enjoyed visiting his garden.  He is a wealth of information and is willing to answer questions anytime.

(look at that great rainbow!!)

These snowball viburnum weren't an official part of the tour but they were so beautiful I couldn't resist taking a snapshot.

The Hjelm's garden

Pres. Hjelm welcomed us into his backyard to show us his garden.  he has been working the same garden for 20 years.  They eat everything they grow and enjoy using what they produce in their kitchen.

Like Bryce, Rick stressed the importance of adding good amendments to  your soil.  He adds sawdust and manure and tills it in really good every year.  He too has devised systems to keep his tomato plants warm during the early spring with mini greenhouses made out of wood frames and clear garbage sacks.

His carefully designed and planted garden looks very simple but yields great results every year.  He has strawberries, thyme, rosemary, onions, garlic, carrots, cucumber, beans, tomatoes, zucchini, and chard.  He always has plenty to share with his children and had garlic in storage from last year's harvest that he shared with all of us.  He also sent each of us home with a tomato plant or two.

Thank you brothers for your kindness and generosity with your time.  We thoroughly enjoyed your gardens.  I know that I came home inspired and will put to use what you taught us.

An Evening with the Elys

Seventeen Lake City sisters toured the home and gardens of our stake patriarch, James Ely and his wife, Rita, on Tuesday, May 11th. They graciously led us through their abode telling us the tales behind the beautiful treasures they brought back from China. The gardens were exquisitely maintained. I asked Brother Ely how much time it took them every day to keep their garden in such beautiful condition. He replied, "All of it." Thank you, Elys, for your willingness to share with us!

Relief Society Board Meeting

For all sisters called to work within the Lake City Relief Society, please add June 13th to your calendar of events to attend. We will be having a board meeting at Jean Andrus's home (9831 121st St SW) at 7 p.m. A light dessert will be served at 6:45 p.m. and the meeting will begin promptly at 7 p.m., concluding no later than 8 p.m. We will be meeting together first as an entire board and then separating into departments. Your input/ideas are invaluable to the success of our Relief Society. Please RSVP to either Jean Andrus (588-7213) or Irene Coco (983-8679) no later than May 30th.

Annual Visiting Teaching Conference

Hat's Off to Visiting Teaching!

Thursday, May 13th
6:30 p.m.
Dinner and program

Hosted by our lovely visiting teaching supervisors: Kathy Warczak and Deb Bennett

It was a MAD night!

We really enjoyed the evening of our Mad Hatter's Tea Party. It was a fabulous night thanks to all the sisters that came out. Everyone brought their greatest, most creative and craziest hat to the event that just completed the night in Wonderland! We started the night off with a mixer game, trying to find one person with a birthday for every month of the year. Then we moved off into our wonderland tea party where we enjoyed food, crafts, a game of Relief Society Jeopardy, and a wonderful, inspiring message from Geneva Smith. All in all it was an amazing night!

Our Amazing kitchen help, Moncia and Sandy Behm! And others who helped pull off the night, Tessa Ross, Irene Coco, Dani Dooley.

Just some of the fun, crazy hats of the evening!

Enjoying the Meal. Gloria Grow, Paula Grow, Erin Grow, Deb Bennett, Lisa Tomlinson, Jennifer Farley.

I will admit, there are too many to name. But they are enjoying themselves!

Relief Society Jeopardy

Delilah Badger, Andrea Mathison, Larissa Smith, Sasha Mathison

Kelly Darrell, Laurel McGiffin, Bobbie Castro
Thanks again to all who came out to play! We hope to see you all in June for our next marvelous enrichment!

Don't be late for this very important date!

Mad Hatter's Tea Party

Relief Society Birthday Party

Wednesday, March 17th, 6:30pm
Lakewood Stake Center
Food, Game, Craft, etc, etc. . . .

Wear a crazy mad hat!!!

BYU Theatre Ballet coming to Lakewood!

Fairy Tales and Fantasies

What a great time to select a child or grandchild or neighbor or friend to accompany you to a lovely, magical evening with the Brigham Young University Theatre Ballet. Perhaps introduce someone to the wholesome entertainment of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. . . a first step!

Brigham Young University Theatre Ballet
Fairy Tales and Fantasy
7:30 pm, March 19, 2010
Lakes High School Performing Arts Center
Lakewood, Washington
(Approximately 1/4 of a block from the Lakewood Stake Center, same side of the road)

Tickets are $14.00 each
Reserved seating

Order tickets now! Send a self-addressed stamped envelope and make checks payable to:

BYU Theatre Ballet
PO Box 97273
Lakewood, WA 98497

Gearing up for some great activities and events

I hope all have had a great Holiday season! With Valentine's day quickly approaching it's time to get back in full gear here and let you know about some of the great events coming soon to our Relief Society.

• This Saturday the Stake is hosting their annual Valentines dinner and dance. Grab your Valentine and swing on in for an evening of fun beginning at 6:30pm at the Stake Center.
• Sample and learn how to cook Egg Rolls and other Philippine goodies with Sisters Irene Mills and Jennifer Reyna on Wednesday, March 3rd. The class will begin at 7pm and the place will be announced soon. Please RSVP in the comments or by emailing danidooley@yahoo.com so there are plenty of supplies to go around.
• Don't be late for this very important date. Come celebrate the Relief Society's birthday at our Mad Hatter's Tea Party. Wear your craziest tea party hat and enjoy an evening of food, fun and friends. Wednesday, March 17th, 6:30pm at the Stake Center.
  
• Find out how you can help make your home, neighborhood and our community a safer place. Barbara Nelson from Pierce County Emergency Management will tell us about the incredible programs the county has set up to prepare for disasters. This will be a meeting you won't want to miss. Wednesday, April 14th, 7pm, place to be announced.