Pinic on an Iceberg!

Look, I have made it to the Glacier. I love the SUNSHINE!

On Wednesday April 4th I went snowshoeing across Mendenhall Lake to Mendenhall Glacier. I went with my friends (former Echo Ranch Staff) Mishele and Chance Rhein. The Rhein family recently moved to Northern California, but Chance needed to return for 3rd grade home school testing. After we got out to the face of the Glacier we found a nice iceberg and had a picnic. Above you can see Chance and Mishele enjoying their meal with the glacier as a back drop.

Mishele and I are having a good time snowshoeing across the lake. We also enjoyed a snowball fight with Chance. It is possible to run on snow shoes! It was a wonderful day of adventure!

Tuesday Night Youth Group

This week at youth group I was in charge of the game. So I subjected the teens to "The Tarp Game." I used my sweet Echo Ranch skills to teach some team building concepts. Look at how good they are at flipping the tarp without using their hands. So fun.

Another fun part of youth group is our small group time. Here we are discussing things like cannonicity of the Bible. I know "light stuff." But the kids are excited to learn how we know the Bible is really God's word and how the early church decided what was to be included in the Bible.

Sunshine Time!!

This month I had the opportunity to go to Cabo San Lucas in Baja Mexico. It is on the very tip of the Baja peninsula, which is below the Tropic of Cancer! It is where the Sea of Cortez and the Pacific Ocean meet. It was nice & sunny with 80 degree weather. I went with my good friend Crystal and her mom (also a friend) Debbie. We had a great time. It was wonderful to get a little vitamin D from the sunshine. Below is a picture of Crystal and I on a "glass bottom boat tour." The glass bottom was a joke. It was some plexi glass and you couldn't really see anything. We did have fun though going around "Land's End" to see the Pacific Ocean.

We enjoyed getting out of Cabo and seeing some of the local towns like Toto Santos and La Paz. We were beach combing fools looking for sweet shells and such.

The coolest thing I had the opportunity to do was go para sailing. It was so sweet to be high above the the rock formations at "Land's End." It was so fun and it felt like I was in a giant rocking chair high above the sea. So cool and relaxing.

Update of the Last 2 Months

Well it has been a while...in fact it has been a ridiculous amount of time!! Almost two complete months. So I will give a brief update on the happenings of Bonnie's life:

I was able to be in Ohio for Christmas with the family. What a fun time. Especially for my nephew Julian. He was slightly overwhelmed at everything, but he had a great time.

As a gift for my parents, specifically my Mom, we (the kids) decided that we would re-do a room. It was sort of like "While You Were Out," except we sent my Mom to work...no where fancy. We painted and decorated the stairway, the room at the top of the stairs, and a hallway. Yikes...that might have been a bit more than we bargained for. Then we found old windows from the house (it is well over 100 years old) and thought that we should hang them (which still needs to be done) and use them as picture frames. So we had my brother Caleb's friend named Caleb take some sweet shots of the family.

This is my favorite picture of the 4 of us kids: Ann, Steve, Bonnie and we are holding Caleb. What a goof ball.

My family also had some sweet bonding time in Chicago. We enjoyed time in the Museum of Science and Industry. There we saw a Christmas tree from each country. That was a lot of Christmas Trees. We also had some good BBQ at the BeBop Cafe. Tasty!

Check out this crazy crew!

When I was home I was also able to be at my Grandma Stemen's 80th birthday on January 3rd. Pretty sweet to have such a good, long life. Grandma figured she only turns 80 once so she was going to have some fried ice cream for dessert! And she even shared!

One of the last things I did when I was "Down South" was go to Michigan for the annual Echo Ranch Reunion. What a great time. There were 28 people in the farm house of Mike Zook, a former camp counselor. Good times and great memories. I am excited to see who of this crew will return to work at Echo Ranch in 2007.

Since I have been back in Juneau, I have been busy working on various things for the camp...like emailing possible counselors, sending out emails to campers, sending out prayer letters, hanging out with teens, doing a girls Bible study, and planning for the summer of 2007 at Echo Ranch Bible Camp!! Sorry it took so long for me to update you!

3CA Convention

At the end of November I went to Phildelphia for a Christian Camping and Confrence Association (3CA) Convention. Rick, Pat, and Nanci Jo were also there from Echo Ranch. Nanci Jo and I shared a room in the nice Marriott Hotel. It was a great time to learn about camping, see the city of Philly-including the Liberty Bell, and just reconnecting with friends.

The Liberty Bell

Julian's First Birthday!

My nephew Julian just turned one this past weekend. There was a big party for him with a football theme. He received a lot of gifts and had fun opening them. I love spending as much time as I can with my little nephew. He is such a blessing. You may recall that Julian was born with a heart condition. He is doing great right now. He just has to go for check ups. We praise the Lord for that. Auntie Bonnie and Julian

Flying with Steve

My brother Steve took Caleb (my other brother) and myself up in a small aircraft. It was fun to fly over Valpraiso, Indiana. He even let me steer the plane for a short time. It was fun to be in the wide open sky. Now, he and Amy just need to fly up to Alaska!! That would be a long trip.

Deep Deep Snow!!

Snow...that is what hit Juneau. Just a few days ago we were living in a very normal fall. You know rain...lots of rain and cloudy weather. Then in the last 3 days we have been hit hard. You can see there is way more than a foot on the railing of my deck.

Perspective....me on my deck. Notice the snow covered mountains in the background. Soon I will be traveling to Seattle and then onto Chicago and then...eventually to Ohio....where, at this moment, there is no snow.


This is my roommate, LeAnn, and our neighbor digging out the neighbor's car. It has 3 days of snow on it! Crazy amounts of SNOW!!

High School Youth Group

At youth group this past week...on Halloween...we still had youth group. We all had the opportunity to reach deep in the the pumpkin brains to discover a treat. Above Richard and Daniel anticipate their turn to dig deep.


Youth leaders are no exception. You can see the "joy" on my face!

FTO!

What is FTO you ask? Well the high school students asked the same question. It is the "Frozen Turkey Olympics!" What else. The Auke Bay Youth Group put this activity on for the students in October. First we had to "decorate our turkeys." Each team was a different color. We see the Green Team was very creative. Daniel, Gavin, and Nick show off their sweet decorating skills.

Above Andrea is shot putting a Frozen Turkey!

Here we see the infamous Turkey Bowling...what a sport!

Here I am giving instructions on how to play Ultimate Turkey. Every heard of Ultimate Frisbee..well it is basically the same thing-except with a frozen turkey. Watch out for a turkey to the face...that will draw blood!

Ultimate Turkey will also do strange things to the frozen bird. Notice that we wore gloves as we played.

Another favortie activity was the Turkey Triathlelone. First the teens "wheelbarrowed the turkey down the runway and then two more teens skipped with it between their backs and finally they last two teens took it in a shopping cart! Above Jessica is stablizing the cart as Alexis pushes Kaitilyn down the hill with the turkey. It was a great time and a sweet way to share the Gospel message!

Senioritis

Andrea, Alexis, Katlin, Ellen, Katilyn, Annesha

These are some of the amazing senior girls I have the honor of working with. Many of these girls I have know since they were middle schoolers and soon, very soon they will be heading to college. How sad. I am glad that I get to co-lead a Bible Study with Amy, Katilyn's older sister, for these girls one last time.

Trashin Fashin Show!

The Juneau Douglas High School had and intersting idea for a fund raiser for the school publication called "The Ego." It was the "Trashin Fashin Show!" Students were encouraged to create fashin out of duct tape and trash bags. It was simply amazing to see what the teens came up with. Above is Rachel modeling her "gown" out of just trash bags and duct tape. Below is

Ellen, Rachel's older sister, the designer of this beautiful "gown." It was a fun Saturday evening filled with some amazing designs. The great thing about youth ministry is that it is never dull!

Roommate in a Bookbag!!

Here is LeAnn. She is one of my roommates in Juneau. Her younger sister Annette was here working at Allen Marine, a whale watching tourist company, for the summer. As Annette was preparing to leave she bought this rather large duffel bag. LeAnn, sad to see her sister leave, quite litterally crawled into the bag. Maybe the agents at Alaska Air won't notice. Fat chance since LeAnn works at Alaska Air!

2 Minute Shopping Spree

Amazing friends of Echo Ranch, the Nash Family, donated a 2 min. shopping spree that they won at the A& P Grocery Store to Echo Ranch. So we had Michele Rhein map out the store. Since it was the end of our season...we had to think this through....what could we get that would last through the winter. So we checked with the cook, Pat, and got ideas like vegestable oil, speciality teas, charcoal, and canned goods. So Michele mapped it out. Asiles 4, 6, and 9 were the first stops. Then was had our own personal TV camera man to film the event. He ran behind Michele during the whole 2 minutes. I think he got a little tired of running after her. Michele almost mowed him over. But he was a great sport about it. Here is Michele with her one empty cart to begin the spree, but as you can see, she filled it up and another cart besides. The people at the grocery store said this was the first time anyone ever filled up 2 carts. As camp checked out our bill would have come to $349.56, but it was FREE. Then the Nash family gave us $200 worth in a gift certificate there. What a blessing they are. Echo Ranch is now stocked up in the food department for the season of 2007. God continues to provide in amazing ways for Echo Ranch Bible Camp.

ERBC Staff Kids

Look at these cute cowboys and cowgirls. The camp kids all sang us a few songs while we dinned on some crab and steak during a farwell dinner. It was a great time for all. On September 18 the
Echo Ranch Staff will begin to close down camp and then we will all move to our winter communities.

Hog Butcherin' Day

Today is "Hog Butcherin' Day!" All of the food and slop that the campers don't eat throughout the summer is fed to the pigs. They seem to enjoy the leftovers. Then in the fall it is time to butch the pigs. The staff gets involved in the butchering process. Here you can see Lee, Matt, Leah, and Bill at the begining of the process. Soon all of the staff will have some delicious dinners all winter long.

Amy in Alaska

Amy Basinger came to visit me in Alaska this past week. We had a great time here at camp. She was able to help out in the kitchen during one of our biggest retreat weekends with 111 people here. We were able to do some fun things here at camp like hike out to horse camp in
the muddy sludge on the trail. It was fun. Then we talked Mio into taking us on a horse ride where we were able to see a bald eagle up close. That is always a cool experience, even for us "seasoned Alaskans." Then Amy and I went into town where we checked out the Mendenhall Glacier, looked at the fish ladder at DIPAC (the fish hatchery), went to the Alaskan State Museum, and even did a bit of shopping. Of course we had to top off our time with a basket of tempra halibbit. Tasty!! We had a great time and it was nice to have a friend from Ohio come and visit even in the rain.

Cleaning the Incinerator!!

This afternoon Brynden, Ray, and I cleaned out the Echo Ranch Incinerator. What a dirty job!!! We had the joy of wearing face masks so that we could breath proberly as grey ash flew around us. Our hair and eyebrows turned a nice grey color as we shoveled out loads of ash and other non-burnable items....like number 10 cans, glass bottles, and even parts of a car!!! I did discover a cool little brown bottle that survived the fire. Which I am going to use to decorate my apartment. The incinerator is now "clean" and can be used to burn more items. It is an endless cyle of fun!!

Cowgirl Mishele

My friend Mishele is very awesome. Check out her sweet cowgirl gear. She is also my accountability partner. I can always count on her to be honest and truthful with me. Together we keep each other in line. The last time we met we went on a horse ride. This works nicely since her and her husband, Mio, are in charge of the Horse Program here at Echo Ranch. We were able to sneak upon a deer drinking water. As we were riding home a curious porcupine almost came nose to nose with the horse. This would have been a bit painful the the horse. It is always amazing to see the creatures God made in God's awesome creation.

Today I will get to go on yet another horse ride. But this time it will be with my parents and my brother. It would be amazing to see a nice bear!! It should be a great ride since it is not RAINING. This summer has been very, very rainy. Sunshine on your face is an amazing experience. Today is not what I could call sunny, but it is not raining, which is highly unusual! I'll take whatever weather I can get that has the absence of rain. But living in a rain forest, I should expect it to rain.

Dad & Mom are HERE!

My parents are up visiting from Ohio. So we have had a bit of fun here and there. My dad has been helping with various maintenance projects....including checking my car over. He has also spent some time woring on tractors. My mom has kept busy in the kitchen making yummy food for all of us to enjoy. Tasty. Today she made some chocolate cake. My mom has also been helping me make some sweet pillows for decoration. Way cool. Check out the picture of my mom & me. Some say I look like my Mom, while others say I look like my Dad. What do you think.

Dad and Mom are flying home with Caleb to the land of Ohio. We hope to get into the big town of Juneau and hike Perseverance Trail, check out the Mendenhall Glacier and just chill out together. It should be good fun exploring the state capital of Alaska.

The Challenge Course

One of my favorite things I have had the opportunity to do this summer is lead cabin groups through team building elements. For both the Sr. High and Maverick (middle school) campers I have been leading counselors and their campers through various activities. Such as the "TP Shuffle" (pictured above). The cabin needs to get in a specific order without touching the ground. At the end of each activity we circle up and talk. Was the cabin was successful or not? If not, why not? If they were successful, why were they successful? Then I ask my favorite question: Is there any symbolism in this activity that reminds you of the Lord or your walk with Him? One of my favorite answers for the "TP Shuffel" is that the log they have to balance on is like the Christian Life. It is a narrow path and you can't stray very far or you will fall off and you might even get hurt. If you don't get hurt, you will at least have to start over and make up what you have already done. Wow, out of the mouth of babes, I am taught to be faithful to the Lord.

This week was a Maverick week. I lead kids as they did the "Tire Traverse", where they have to swing on 5 diffrent tires and get to the other side without touching the ground. Another favorite is the "Meat Grinder". The whole cabin has to get over the giant spool (which is 6 feet off the ground) to get to the other side. I have seen campers become a "roll of tape" to get succed! This week one girl, Kate, had to face her fears of height. It was awesome to see her overcome this through the help of her cabinmates. I also had another girl, Clara, learn how to put her trust in others as they lifted her up so she was a Flying carpet. In another cabin, we spent quite a bit of time discussing how you sometimes have to put yourself out there so that others know who Christ is. That is a scary thing to do, especially when many of your friends don't believe in God. We also discussed how we have the amazing gift of Jesus Christ and how we need to share it with others so they can also enjoy the blessing of knowing the Lord personally. God continues to bless me as I work on the program staff at Echo Ranch Bible Camp.

The Crud War & Hillbilly Hoe Down All in ONE Day!

This past week was our Sr. High camp. We had 32 amazing teens from Southeast Alaska. Most were from Juneau, but we had 3 kids from Haines, one from Dutch Harbor, and two from Ketchikan. Our theme was "Hillbilly Hoe Down" and so we "Hillbillied Up" and had a sweet Hay Maze and played some serious Mission Impossible. Then to top off our week of fun we ended with the Crud War with consisted of getting wet in our "swimming pool" made out of visqueen and a dump truck. Then we busted out the flour, shaving cream and eggs. Oh to be wet and covered in flour with a touch of shaving cream and an egg or two....what a feeling. I will let you use your imagination.

We had a sweet Hillbilly Hoe Down in the Dining Hall. Complete with sawdust on the floor, peanuts in buckets and cowboy boots on the tables. It was a good time. Then the Zahasky Family played some amazing folk music for us to dine to. A good time was had by all!!

When we weren't running around playing games and being silly the campers enjoyed chapel. An old camp friend, Pete Bargas came to speak to us. He preached the Word from the Old Testiment (which I of course enjoyed a lot since I am a big OT fan). Pete challenged the kids in their lifestyles and their choices. I have talked to a couple of kids who said that they have left camp this week with a stronger relationship with the Lord. Their faith has come alive to them and they are begining to understand why it is so important to have a personal relationship with Jesus Christ. As a program staff person, I am constantly amazed how the Lord chooses to work in the lives of the campers. Please remember the campers in your prayers as they head back into the real world where they are no longer in the "Christian Bubble" that camp can provide. Pray that they would be bold witnesses for Christ in their homes, at school, and where they work. God can use these kids to have an amazing impact on their communities.

Middle Earth Crud Wars

This week camp was filled with high energy as 12-14 year old campers ran around camp playing crazy games that I got to help prepare. This week our theme was "Middle Earth" as in "Lord of the Rings." We had Hobbits, Elves, Dwarfs, and Men battling eachother all week long. The campers favorite game we played was the "Crude Wars." One day we had our Hobbit campers, Elf cameprs, Dwarf campers, and our Men campers create some amazing forts. The next day each fort was stocked with water, flour, shaving cream, and oats. Suddenly battles were erupting everywhere as campers...and counselors were covering everyone with "crud." We were also able to play the camp favorite, Mission Impossible. There were even rangers on horses helping to patrol the borders. One night black riders rode around camp as the campers scrambled into their cabins. It was an amzing week. Jon-Michael, the camp speaker and a long term Echo Ranch Staff person, really grabbed the kids attention in chapel. It was amazing to see the Holy Spirit move in the hearts of middle school campers. The kids heard the TRUTH and had a great time.

Stealing the Bacon

Stealing the Bacon was a favorite game the Bronco campers (10-12 year olds) loved playing. I took these photos of some of the campers enjoying the game. This is Caleb's cabin. Khan is the one with the hot dog in his mouth. He was quite an entertaining camper.

Another cool camper was Tamera. We hung out at the begining of the week because she came early. She is from a local community. She had an awesome time at camp and didn't want to go home. She had to stay an extra day in order to catch her plane to her town. While she was hanging out with her counselor, she accepted Christ as her personal Savior. It is so cool to see how God is working in the lives of these kids. Right before she left for home she told me of her decision to follow Jesus for the rest of her life!! Isn't God so awesome!!!

Our theme for this bronco camp was "Under the Big Top." We had a real circus with cotton candy, popcorn, a bounce house, and even a clown. Our speaker, Mookie, was from Arizona. He brought a team of high school students with him. They were Junior Counselors, or they worked on work staff. They were and excellent group and I know God worked in their lives in amazing ways. One of the high school girls said that she was able to see how she could help others for the first time. She was able to see beyond her own selfish desires because she had to help take care of the campers. God continues to work in the lives of the campers, work team members, and the staff. God is Good.

Orientation in June

At the begining of June all of the summer camp counselor come out to Echo Ranch for orientation. Part of my job is training those counselors so they are ready for the summer. We are not well into the summer as we near the end of the second summer camp. Obviously I have been too busy to even blog....and the wireless internet here at camp has been a bit sketchy. But we had an excellent time at orientation even though they sat though a lot of CPR, First Aid, how to be an awesome counsleor, and even canoe safety. One of the highlights is when we go out to our Sourdough camp and spend the night. This year we weren't away for just one night...no we camped out for two night. The first night was at Sourdough camp in cabin where we slept on matresses on the floor. The high living. Then we hiked to Campers Cove and stayed at the Alaska State Park Cabin. Well at least the guys slept in the cabins and the girls slept in the tent. In the end....I was glad for the tent. Can you imagine 12 stinky guys in a cabin that comfortablly sleeps five. Yep, gross man gross. Many of the guys were wishing they were in a tent. I slept okay on the rugged Alaskan forrest floor...in my tent. We had a good time. My knees were getting a bit sore so Mishele Rhein and I iced then in the ocean water. Camp Director/Coach Rick Shaner was happy to see we were following his advice to ICE our knees....and our calfs, shins, ankles, feet, and toes. Brrrrrrr....after 20 minutes your feet are NUMB! But it was a great time and we enjoyed eating large amounts of Bacon. We might have succeded in setting a record of eating at least 5...maybe 6 consecutive meals with BACON! Oh the things that bond the staff. Overall, it was an amazing time. We have an EXCELLENT summer staff and I am excited to see how the Lord will work this summer.