Women's Weekend

The last two years in the fall we have had a weekend away for all the women 12 and up that are decendants of my grandmother. We had our second annual gathering last week. It was so neat. There are some really awesome women in my family. Every year I learn new things from them and come to appriciate who I am more fully.

The Girls Retreat officially kicked off November 14, 2008 at 3:30pm in the Idaho Falls Temple Parking Lot. My cousins Dannyel, Chaunntel, NaTasha and Monique, my aunts Joyce, and Diane and my grandma all went to the temple. I forgot how beautiful that Temple is. I have not been there since we lived in Rexburg 8 years ago. It was really neat to be there with these wonderful women that I am related to.
My Aunt Vicki, and my cousins Kwinnae, Kayloni and Taryn went to the Mall to shop for last minute items in anticipation of the birth of Kwinnae's baby next week.
Aunt Patty put on a wonderful Mexican Style supper for everyone. Refried Beans and Spanish Rice, Shredded Pork and Chicken on homemade tortilla's and a absolutely amazing Caramel Flan for dessert.

We had a sharing time that started after supper and continued until everyone had a chance to share something important to them. This is one of my favorite parts so I took notes this year here are the highlights.

Our theme was favorite Christmas traditions

Chauntell
All the children sleep together in the same room on Christmas Eve.
Menu of 10 meals from food storage.

Diane
Get up very, very early, 3am early.
Treasure hunt for presents, usually a big family present.
Set up video and record everyone opening gifts.

Monica
Putting together a box of gifts, food and goodies and leaving it for a family that may be in need.
This year I am really excited to make my own digital Christmas card using photoshop.

MaryJo
Filling Christmas stockings. Put an Orange in the toe, this was always done by grandma. An orange was a special treat for her children at Christmas time.
Likes to sneak a little some thing special into every ones stocking. She did this one year when we were at Grandma's for Christmas. I remember getting something in my stocking that did not come from Santa. She must have been the one that snuck it in there. It was something simple like chapstick but it left a lasting memory for me. A little extra Christmas magic!

Patrice
Eating was Christmas, it's all about the food. Traditional foods, candies, cookies, orange chocolate sticks, special dinners.

Grandma
Mincemeat pie came from Great Grandma Peterson
Carrot Pudding from Great Grandma Hyer
Christmas dinner with a stranger. Grandma and grandpa were going to spend Christmas dinner alone so Grandpa stopped a man on the highway to join them and baby Vicki for dinner.
Grandma would stay up decorating the tree Christmas eve, the children were many times surprised to see a Christmas tree in the morning.
Grandma used to make a Christmas Goose.

Vicki
Take turns opening gifts… teaches self control and gives everyone a chance to watch each other open gifts.
Vicki always says, "If you don't believe in Santa he will not come." This has always kept a little magic alive for her children.

Joyce
Stocking is the item to open on Christmas Eve
Visit a family and take a treat…pick someone who has inspired or touched your life this year.
Favorite Christmas books, Little Red Bucket, Christmas Orange.
Santa only brings one present

Monique
Share one special gift the Savior has given us. (talent, blessing)
Family Prayer then open gifts.
Treasure Hunt for last big family gift.
Implementing continuing memories of childhood


NaTasha
Three Gifts are from parents The gift of Want, Need and Love
Want…wrap in gold represents gold(biggest exciting thing)
Need…wrap in green represents mere
Love…wrap in red represents frankincense(example…temple picture-- )
12 days of Christmas Nativity pick a family and give a piece each night… a little message with each piece.

Taryn
It’s not just Christmas Day it’s a Holiday Season
Puts tree up day after Halloween
Make treats, fudge, divinity, cookies gingerbread, sugar
give treats to neighbors
Open new pj's on Christmas eve

Kwinnae
Scrap books on snapfish give as a gift of Love
Cook Turkey all night and then Dad gets to eat a plate of turkey before kids open gifts.

Kayloni
Her mother's Christmas Village
Her mom did not like to get up early so she would drug the children with Dramamine in some juice and change the clocks.
Gratitude means more than thanks.
Take Christ as your best friend…..text 100 times day,

Dannyel
Has a book full of Christmas stories and they read one every night until Christmas.

Other tips and ideas that came up

Dannyel
Book: Remembering Wholeness by Carol Tuttle LDS Author
Amazon.com is cheapest place to buy one.

Chaunntel
Search your Patriarchal blessings for your mission statement, warnings, personality traits

MaryJo
Quote “The object of prayer is not to change the will of God, but to secure for ourselves and for others, blessings that God is already willing to grant, but that we must ask for in order to obtain.” Bible Dictionary
Great resource for scripture study

Vicki
Food Storage…. Find a good deal...if you can afford 3 buy them and use 1 store 2.
Always have a commodity.
Food storage ideas.

Joyce
Mineral Oil… great for moisturizing your face, works for constipation as well.
Continuously think of 5 things a day that you are grateful….changes your brain chemistry

Monique
Personality Profiling….individual personality and makeup helps you understand and appreciate other people's differences.
The D.I.S.C. Learning Model
The DISC Personality test is a nonjudgmental survey for understanding behavioral and personality styles. It helps people explore behavior across four primary dimensions:

Dominance: Direct, Driving, Decisive. These people tend to be independent and results driven. They are strong-willed people who enjoy challenges, taking action, and immediate results. The bottom line is their focus tends to be on the bottom line and results.
Influence: Optimistic & Outgoing. These individuals tend to be very social and out going. They prefer participating on teams, sharing thoughts, and entertaining and energizing others.
Steadiness: Sympathetic & Cooperative. These people tend to be your team players and are supportive and helpful to others. They prefer being behind the scene, working in consistent and predictable ways. They are often good listeners and avoid change and conflict
Conscientiousness: Concerned, Cautious & Correct. These people are often focused on details and quality. They plan ahead, constantly check for accuracy, and what to know "how" and "why".

NaTasha
Favorite quote from Grandma, "Never learn how to do something you don’t want to keep doing." (ie gut a fish, or pluck a bird)

Saturday Morning

We all came out to Sid’s for breakfast. Vicki and her girls were in charge. She helped us make omelette's in a bag. You put all ingredients in a big zip lock bag and put in boiling water until it was done. It is fast and hardly any mess.

Next at Diane's she taught us to make homemade soap. You can buy soap base here, plus the scents. Shred soap base, add scents, and scrubs, etc. and melt in microwave. Pour into mold and spray immediately with alcohol to keep bubbles off the top.




We made Grandma’s Salve. Here is the story of the salve. 80 some years ago Grandma Hyer was making tomato juice and Uncle Gary her brother was about 18 months old and got under the bread board and a bottle of hot tomato juice burst and the juice landed on him. Grandma talked to her grandma Peterson Johanna Maria Mouritsen. Born 1846. This was Grandma Hyer’s Dad, Lorenzo Petersen’s Mother. She brought the recipe for this salve with her crossing the plains. They got the ingredients and made the salve and he only has 2 small scars after healing. He had burns over 80-90 percent of his body, and 3rd degree burns.
The Salve has mutton tallow in it which from what I gathered is lamb fat it smells really bad, we added lavender oil to the salve to give it a little better smell. We also learned that adding a little oil to the salve helps if it gets dry and clumpy.

We also made coconut cups, peanut butter cups, and caramel. Dannyel shared with us her talents and recipes.


Grandma gave away some of her things. The hot item's were the spoon rings that our Uncle Sid made to earn money to pay for college. He made them out of fancy old souvenir spoons and then sold them to a shop in SLC for $12 each. This was in the early 70's. My grandma had kept a box of about 10 all these years. My Uncle Sid is always the entrepreneur. Grandma also brought over to show us her father's army coat from World War I. I tried it on and it barely fit me, I could not believe he could have been my size.




The gathering was wonderful. Thank you ladies for taking the time and sharing a piece of yourself. Also thank you to our wonderful husbands who took care of things at home so that we could unite.