Valentine Swim Party

Intensive water basketball competition had the hearts of many of our Young Families Group members pumping up a storm at the Valentine's Swim Party at Sam-O-Swim on February 10 th . Amazing dunk shots, not-a-chance shots, and swishers filled the air over the pool for almost 2 hours. Floating in inner tubes and playing in the warmer little pool was also very popular. A delightful Valentine snack fest followed in the lobby with goodies to suit every taste.

Sledding Extravaganza

Snow up the nose, in your ears and mouth, and down your neck. How do you gracefully remove it? How do you maintain your dignity when you face plant in the snow halfway down the hill and your sled continues on without you? These were the “cool” questions pondered by the 27 sledders at the Young Family Group's sledding party on January 27.

Spectacular acrobatics with flailing arms and legs accompanied nearly every run. Entire toboggan loads of people were airborne over rough spots in the trail that were strategically located to send you flying just when you were mentally celebrating missing the trees at the top of the run. Then there were the daredevil snowboarders that perfected their cartwheel techniques on the way down. Helmets came out for them after the snow got slick and fast. Lucky for all of us the snow was very deep and no injuries were incurred, though next year's organizer for this event should consider hiring a masseuse for the adults in the group.

Hot chocolate, great snacks and a fire for roasting marshmallows (and combining them with graham crackers and chocolate!) finished off the event quite satisfactorily.

Christmas Program

It was everyone's privilege to watch and enjoy the Children's Christmas Program “Our Family Memories of Christmas” on December 16! The kids put on a great show with readings from a book of “Our Christmas Memories” filled with Christmas stories which they gathered from interviews with 14 members of our church family. There were 3 skits presented to tell us the story of Jesus' birth and songs sung by the children and the congregation as well. The children worked hard to collect the interview information, practice the readings and skit parts, and learn the songs. Four of the children were first time readers too. We have some very talented and fun kids in our congregation!

The Presbyterian Youth Group (PYGs) prepared a fantastic coffee hour spread containing the edible parts of the Christmas memories that were shared during the interviews. There was fruitcake, plum pudding, lemon meringue pie, “old fashioned” hard candy, decorated gingerbread and sugar cookies, oranges, nuts, and other Christmas related delicacies.

Advent Craft Event

November 18 was an industrious day in Rogers Hall with 12 busy crafters creating festive works of art for Thanksgiving and Christmas. Thanksgiving tables this year could be graced with turkey snack holders or colorful “Thanksgiving jars” for holding slips of paper listing our blessings. Lucky people will receive gifts with handmade wrapping paper that is literally “hand” made with lots of red and green hand prints. Fancy candle holders and decorated glass ornaments will also be gracing our Christmas homes this year. And Susan helped the kids create new chrismons for the church tree out of gold pipe cleaners sewed to small white pillows. After 3 years of sewing at this event, some of the kids are better at it than the adults in the group! We finished up with a tasty assortment of snacks washed down with lemonade.

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Harvest Party

The sheer volume of energy and excitement at the PYGs annual Harvest Party on Sunday, October 28 was scarier than any witches or goblins that will roam the streets this Halloween! In true PYG fashion, the event was a super-charged extravaganza and well attended by all PYGs and Young Family Group members plus several visitors. The church was one hopping place! Where else in Baker City could you decorate a potato, bob for apples, win candy prizes for Boo Bingo, try to capture and eat donuts dangling from strings without using your hands, or find and eat a gummy worm in a pile of whipped cream using only your mouth??

And then there was the calming tour of the furnace room which was often punctuated with frantic, high-pitched screams and featured terrifying Halloween-appropriate characters and scenes. For the less brave at heart, there was the maze in the Ingram Room, though there were some white faces coming out of there as well! Luckily a friendly clown was making balloon mice, dogs, and hats to calm everyone down in the main room—calming at least until they popped! Wonderful pizzas were also created by all participants (and hungry onlookers) and consumed with witches brew punch. There was no shortage of the sugar and chocolate items either.

Blue Valley Trail Ride

It was an overcast, blustery day but we braved the elements to enjoy horseback riding and hiking up French Gulch Road to a lovely overlook of Blue Valley. The horses were all on their best behavior with only two trying to rub their riders off on low-hanging tree branches. After our expedition we replenished our energy supplies with haystack and cowboy cookies, apple crisp, and lemonade.

We then planned our activities for the coming year. Look forward to our old favorite events and a few new ones. We are looking forward to another fun year with lots of laughs and good fellowship. Make sure to come join us!