Peonies and Personal Progress

The other day, I was wandering through my yard with a clipboard, listing all of the things that needed to be done in preparation for the wedding. The clematis on my little arbor going back to the dog run is in beautiful shape right now. Hopefully it is still blooming in a week. We only have one week from tomorrow til the big day!

Clematis on the dog-run arbor

Tell me I'm not the only one who can be walking through a garden and actually catch my breath at a light pink peony. Oh my. And I always seem to say something aloud, in a sort of whisper. Something like, "Ooooh, you are gorgeous, aren't you?" Most of my peonies are spent, but I still have a couple of plants that are blooming beautifully. I had to cut them and bring them in the house so I could stare at them and smell them all throughout the coming days.

So lovely.

Now I have my three page list of things that need to be done before the wedding... and that's just for the yard prep. I plan on doing some planting today, and we will spend all day Saturday out there getting things all spruced up.

On a completely different subject, for Young Women Mutual last week, we did a really fun activity based on Personal Progress Individual Worth Value Experience #7. First, we looked up all the scriptures, read them aloud, and discussed what they each said. We talked about the special gifts we have been given -- some really obvious, and some that aren't. Then, we had each girl (one at a time) sit in a chair with her back to a large dry-erase board, and the other girls wrote some of the positive traits on the board about that particular girl.

Then, when they were all done writing, the girl in the chair was able to get up and turn around and view all of the wonderful things that were written about her. It was fun to watch her face as she read the board. Every one of the girls just lit up as they looked at what the other girls had written.

Before we erased it and started all over for the next girl, we took a photo of each girl in front of the board, so they would have that to keep. I'll be emailing it to the girls and their moms. Fun activity, and I think the girls loved it! We were able to pass off all of #7, except for the journal writing. They will be able to complete that at home and have their moms sign it all off!

Well, off to my day of wedding lists. I'll be working outside, and also doing some more preparation for the reception. Should be fun!