Pioneer Day!!!

Sunday was July 24, Pioneer Day!  On Saturday we had a busy morning split between Derek's parents' stake activity and our own stake activity.  When Kristen was born, my friend Summer sent her a cute 12-month pioneer dress, and I asked my mom to make a bonnet to match.  Here are the results of the ensemble...she did NOT like wearing that bonnet.  I included the cutest just-so-mad picture and the least-angry picture.

My mom made bonnets for the other girls and me last summer, which we also donned for the pioneer festivities.  And Isaac...just got to be his cute self.

In the morning we headed to Nampa for a stake breakfast with Bonnie and Tyson.

After breakfast we came back to Kuna for our stake's Day of Service.  Each ward/branch had about 3 or 4 service projects planned for that morning.  There was also a clothing and food drive.  Some of the projects had been started a week or more earlier so everything would wrap up that morning, then there was a celebration luncheon at the stake center where everyone convened after all the hard work.

For people like me with small children (and a husband who works Saturday mornings) there were activities at the stake center to complete in the meantime.  One service project the kids could participate in were quilt blocks that were sewn together and will be sent to orphanages where there are no decorations for the walls.  Here are some iron-on quilt blocks the kids and I made.

Another activity was making shaving-cream art on cards to send to missionaries and soldiers.  This activity was a lot of fun--it'll probably get a repeat at my house some winter day.



They also had barrel rides for the kids.  We barely squeezed a ride in before they shut it down for the lunch.  I'll openly admit my annoyance with the teenagers who kept getting on for multiple rides.  Really, guys, this was for the KIDS!  You teens should've been doing manual labor at someone's house, doing some good.  There, I've said my peace.  :D

It was a busy and tiring but FUN morning with the kids!

I'll also express my gratitude for our pioneer ancestors who settled the west so the church could endure strong and make a beautiful future for their posterity.