Amazing Racing: Under The Hyperdome

My current church calling means that I have stewardship over all the children within our congregational boundaries. At the moment it is around 100 children. And it's definitely all about the children.

However, sometimes we forget about the people who help do that. That part of my calling means that I also very blessed to serve alongside 20 adults. Taking care of the adults is just important as taking care of the children.

Last week we had an Amazing Race activity at the local mall. I had heaps of fun organising it and more fun watching them race around.

First up they had three tries trying to get through the 'Buzzer' without making it buzz. 










If you were unsuccessful, you had to get a jaffa out of pile of flour using only your mouth... 

Then it was off to the mall. Team Matthews started off terribly, and after coming first in the buzzer challenge, they took off to the mall without their clue, and had to come back. They came back and I stood on the side of the road and I thought I was in a scene of Fast & Furious as they came down the street. Their driver was clearly not happy! 

Their clues took from one end of the mall to the other. Literally. They played checkers, looked for a baby in Big W, did handstands or rollie pollies in the middle of the piaza, had to drink a large slushie in 2 minutes! Oh, and they had to walk around the mall with a smiling balloon tied to them the whole time. 

Ngapeka representing Team Nin-Southon with her handstand

They had to go to my neicey's store and sing the Australian Anthem to her. Thanks Shanell.

My most favourite clue was the re-enactment clue. Team Fuimaono won the best attempt award for their video effort. Credit to my nephew Dylan for his footage. 

Here's Team Matthews efforts. (Team Matthews ft. Lyrix) 

And when there's not bus around, you do a 'Titanic' re-enactment. 

Of course because I'm from #gigatownPorirua, the race wasn't enough. There was also a scavenger hunt that had to be completed. One of the items was to get a real flower. Team Taramai wins the 'Jack & the Beanstalk' award for those serious climbing skills. 

It was truly a case of The Hair & The Tortoise as Team Matthews came from behind to take out the win for the Amazing Race with Team Taramai, Team Nin-Southon & then Team Fuimaono. 

The Scavenger Hunt was won by Team Fuimaono, followed by Team Nin-Southon and Team Taramai. Team Matthews didn't even attempt the Scavenger Hunt, so with an empty envelope, they were a DNF (did not finish). 



Thanks to everyone that helped - family and friends. Looking forward to having heaps more fun with our Primary Board this year. 

The Kinda Ice Challenge

So I was nominated to do the Ice Challenge by my neice Deja (it will take a long time to forgive you dahahaha).

Normally you would post a video.. but I watched the video and that aint going to happen. 



It all started out pretty well - I shouted out to my nominees. Pretty confident. 

Then I sat down, put my feet in the ice water and oh my Lordy! 


The first tub of ice water got poured.....

.... and this sound escaped my lips which I had never heard before. It was like I was in the Mardi Gras parade and someone stole my peacock feathers before showtime. Speaking of peacocks, all of a sudden, I became a bird. My arms started flapping like I was going to take off into full flight. 

I tried to shake it off. Walked around and went to sit down again. 

And then I couldn't breathe. Literally. 

My heart was going to rip out of my chest and bounce around the car port to keep warm. 

It was time for the second tub. And that sound again. 

And no breath again, a brain freeze, and a racy heart (not the good one)

Then the thought ran through my head about how people should check with their doctors before doing this stuff. Oh yeah, I'm one of those people. 

It was time to walk away. This is not the way for me to go to the heavens, and getting a hiding in heaven from your father is not one of my eternal goals. Really. 

My support crew just looked at me, time to grab the towel and move on.  So that's why it's the Kinda Ice Challenge. 

So basically, I would rather go through childbirth than do that again. Like, seriously. Legit (as my teen would say). 






So, we donated what we could to Help Lindsay Beat His Brain Tumour
and encourage you all to do the same. 

That's what this is all about. Cancer sucks and we have to do what we can to help the researchers do their thing and stop it. 

Lindsay, I hope it helps a little and that one day you will be telling your great-grandchildren about your courageous story face to face, here on earth. 

Much love to the Carter family and all those other families battling to save their loved ones. 

Amen. 


PS: For a good ab work out - Watch my favourite Ice Challenge video Here 

Protecting Their Hearts: Beyond Resilience

WARNING: Some of my friends may recognise themselves described in this piece. No offense intended - apologies in advance. Of course no one is actually named.. but you know.. just getting that out of the way (with the utmost sincerity - truly!)... and I hope we continue to remain friends. Smiles!

Journal - 1988

I was 12 years old when I first began writing in a journal. As a Latter-Day Saint Young Women, it was the natural thing to do. Record your thoughts, feelings and just really write about your day. 

Even back then, one of the main reasons I wrote in a journal was so my children could get a gist of what it was like for me at their age. That somehow it would be a point of connection for us. 

My eldest daughter is going to be 15 yrs old soon. I cringe a bit about what she will think when she reads my adolescent words, but there are a few things I hope she learns.

She may find love letters from old boyfriends. She will read about the total elation over a first boyfirend, who was always a total gentleman. She will read about her mother's first real kiss. She will learn that fortunately her mother overcame some unhealthy (totally embarrassing) obsessions, and had some really complicated relationships. She may find old bubble gum sealed for the eternities (ewww) that was shared (yuck) with a boy. She will laugh out very loudly about old crushes.  She will learn that her mother's heart has been broken quite a few times. 

She will learn that there other reasons her mother loved seminary (EB, no telling!) 

She will learn the story behind favourite teen fragrances - Brute 33 and Kouros! 

She will learn that all of this experience lead to eventually her parents love story. 

She will be reminded of what we both know - and what she learned at an early age - that her mother is not perfect. 

She will learn that her mother learnt about true friendship. From a teen perspective, some of it can make for good drama. It's got the whole mix - close friends, betrayal, heartache (sob stories), clicks, teen pregnancy (not mine dahaha). She will recognise some of my Facebook friends who she's met once or twice in her lifetime, and when I tell her I've had those friends nearly all of my life. She'll be like WOW! That's ages. She will learn that true friendship is unconditional. 

She willl be reminded that her mother LOVES proving other people wrong. Where there were people who once thought she was not good enough, may think twice about that today. (NB: As a parent now, I totally get where they came from but back then it really sucked). 

Most of all she will learn about family. How our hearts broke when people we love were called to the heavens - including our beautiful baby neice and two beautiful baby nephews. How our lives changed when both my parents lost their beloved brothers. Between the lines, she will see how loved I have always felt by my family. 

I hope she learns that she can survive broken hearts. I hope it adds a chunk to her armour and that when there are moments she needs something, she can open my journals and as well as laughing at me, she will learn and it will bring us closer together all in the same time. 

Here's hoping anyway.