YP Winter Retreat

---This past weekend I got to go upstate with our youth group!---

Our youth group had a 2 day getaway (only those of us, which are 15+, got to go though). It was a blast…

It all started at 7:00am when we gathered in our church's sanctuary for Quiet Time. (Reading our Bibles and praying) Then we listened to ½ hour of a Message. At 8:45am, we had breakfast and loaded up the van and truck with all our belongings. (It was bitterly cold!) Then we joined hands and prayed for traveling mercies. Finally… we were on our way!

The van was full of excited teenagers, and we talked (and laughed) the entire 3 hours to our destination! After arriving, getting settled and eating lunch, we headed out for some fun in the snow!

(It had snowed the night before, so we had plenty of snow for sledding and snowball fights!)

We layered up got our sleds and scouted for a good sledding hill. Although our search was basically fruitless, we did find a moderately good sledding hill and a couple of us had fun rolling in the snow (a couple of us). Tromping though the snow, and sledding some, we made our back to the lodge.
Trying to warm up, us girls played a game of “ninja” and snuggled in blankets on the couch. The guys took shovels and went and rescued a snowbound latecomer and her vehicle :) (Us girls had such a blast playing "ninja" and I'm sure the guys had fun too!) After the "rescue", some of the guys decided to go shopping (thought that was a girl thing?) to Walmart for pop guns and balls (to play dodge ball).
We stayed at the lodge and played "detective" and more of "ninja".
Supper time came and went, (dessert was delicious)... Then we were divided into 4 teams for Bible Trivia. After our team won we listened to another part of the Message. Then we played more games, followed up by talking late into the night! ....By bed-time we were all so ready to sleep! (We were really tired after such a wild and crazily fun day)


----The alarm clock was set for 8:30 am...but (unfortunately) we were all already up by that time! (We were so excited to begin another day) After a yummy breakfast of omelets and muffins, we had our church service.
Then, lunch was eaten and (can't you guess?) we headed out into the winter wonderland for more fun in the snow! After having a *epic* but, crazy snowball fight, everyone hopped into the vehicles to go look for the perfect sledding hill. We drove around town, until we saw her.... right behind an apartment building/complex. After sending out a scout to check out the hill, (and getting a positive report) we all piled out and dragged our sleds up the hill. Some of us sledded (or tried to snowboard) and the rest of us watched and ate snow. (That snow tasted amazing) Then Zach decided to build a snow ramp and we all watched as the guys tried to ramp it! They put on an impressive show J Sadly, it was soon time to leave and we headed back to the lodge. After eating a quick supper and packing our bags we got back into the vehicles for the ride home.

We had such a wonderful time of fellowship and fun, a huge thanks to everyone who made our trip possible (Especially Will and Renee)!!!

Now for y'alls most favorite part of the post....Pictures! Even though I (ahem) didn't take as many pictures as I should have... Rosie and Joanna kindly let me have some of theirs  -I love you girls!-

note: click on picture to enlarge it!

almost there!

the kitchen 

living room 

eating area 

our bedroom :) 

unpacking! 

On the staircase (top to bottom) Joanna, Chantel, Me, Grace, Emily & Abigail 

The Lodge!

Some of us girls...(top to bottom): Elizabeth, Chantel, Emily, Grace, Me, Joanna & Abigail

Rescuing Rosie! 

"ninja"...

snack table...yummy! 

Game time...

 

{Laughing} 

Boys and their pop guns...  

Gracie, Emily and Abigail 

The Oreo Queens! (Chantel, Joanna, Me) 

Calebs' balancing act! 

 

Playing with the snow! 

Nathan  

 

Mr. Snowman 

"Snowboarding" 

Sledding (Travis, Nathan & Jason) 

...Watching... 

Emily & Grace 

 

Boys will be boys... 

Kaitlyn , Abigail, Grace & Emily

Well, doesn't it look we had fun???


Thanks for stopping by and.... Happy Valentine’s Day!