Back to School Night at the Centre

Last Friday night we held Back to School Night at the Centre. Everyone wore their "old" school uniforms or a variation of a uniform....Some were pretty cute and some were pretty funny!

Robyn and Erin were the school masters and had some great activities planned. First there were get to know you games.....Then a few quizzes.........

All the YSA were good sports and joined in the fun! We had invited the 17 year olds so they could get a taste of what the centre was like and they seemed to really enjoy it....

Everyone got in a circle and played the package game....

Robyn showing off her school pins....

The highlight was the group skits. Each group was given a set of props and had to come up with a skit about going back to school. It was hilarious! They all did a great job!!

We ended the night with "Happy Birthday to Catherine". We had over 40 there and everyone had a good time being together!

Summer is gone.....

It's hard to believe summer is over. The YSA are returning from their holidays and enjoying the CFYA (centre for young adults) more than ever! They love hanging out and we love hanging out with them!!

Thomas and Peter put together a song to sing at the national convention....they were practicing for us and it was AMAZING! I guess they stole the show when they performed in Nottingham.

Miss Susan......

More performing.......

more hanging out......

One day we had Chris and Christy over for lunch and then took them to Carrick Fergus Castle. Chris is being taught by the missionaries at church. He works as a viking in Dublina so he always has a beard! He is a silversmith and they are fun to be around......

Saturday we had a BBQ with our dear friends Gill, Bill and Caragh. We love visiting with them and appreciate all they have done for us.

Last day of the Lisburn district. Elders Hawkins and Drewery from England. Sisters Wooley and Steele from America. We are now in the Bangor district.

We had a fun day helping Brother Wills from the church media department. He was filming Dave and Jordan, two of the YSA who just got married. They have a wonderful story and it was fun to be a part of the filming. Elder Holt held the microphone and I got to hold the reflecting disk....pretty important stuff! We also went to the centre and took pictures there.

Every day brings a new adventure in the land of leprechauns and rainbows! This is looking out our front window. Fall is in the air, the temperatures are dropping, the leaves are changing and the kids are back in uniforms! Two months left.....

Silent Valley

On August 8th we went on an outing with Julie McNally and Lynda Ross. They wanted to take us to see Silent Valley in the Mourne Mountains.

It was the perfect day as we headed to Newcastle and started up the mountainside. I just love the stone fences and these are the best we have seen in Ireland.

Mountains on one side, the Irish Sea on the other!

The Mourne Wall took 18 years to build and goes for twenty two miles through the mountains.

Lynda was having fun exploring and taking photos for her photography class.....

We started up the trail to the reservoir............

It was very beautiful once we arrived deep in the valley....

We went to the little museum that was there and had a bowl of soup for lunch at the wee cafe.....

The first reservoir.....

We drove three miles to the second reservoir....Elder Holt decided to walk......

We arrived at the dam........massive!

The heather was just starting to bloom. It covered the mountain! Beautiful!!!

We started up the many steps to the top!

We made it!!! Second reservior.....

Beautiful view from the top! If you look really close you can see Birch walking up the road.....

Now he is starting up the stairs....(orange shirt!)

United at the top!

Julie, Lynda and Birch

Wee waterfall............

Lynda made me this heather and fern bouquet...

More rock walls on our way out....

Beautiful valleys in beautiful Ireland!

We had a delightful day with good friends! We will miss them when we go.........

European Bagpipe Festival

Saturday we went to the European pipe competition. It was held at Stormont, where the government building is. We went with the McBrides and Sisters Joines and Nolen.

It was a bit windy, but other than that it was a really nice day.

Everywhere you looked there were kilts and bagpipes.

It was interesting to watch the competition, although I didn't have any idea what they were judging.....

Lots of marching.......

It all sounded pretty much the same....I did notice several people with earplugs.......

The baton competition was pretty interesting.....

I enjoyed the junior highland dance competition....same hair, makeup.....nervous mums......

It was fun watching these girls dance through the swords on the ground.

Belfast police band....

Baton competition......there were people from all over the world. Most were from Scotland, Ireland and a few from the USA!

They start pretty young. Cute little girls......we had a fun day being outside, listening to the music, eating ice cream and watching the performers!