Women's Conference 2009

Women's Conference at BYU is a chance for all the Shipley girls to gather for a family reunion / retreat. My grandma Shipley, her daughters, and their daughters (as many as can make it) and all the female in-laws try to make it once a year to listen to speakers and take classes on all kinds of topics. We leave feeling refreshed, inspired, energetic & hopeful. There were 12 of us this year, and we had a blast!

I love the tulips on campus, but this is my favorite patch of them. That's me in the middle, the single misplaced red bulb in the middle of the purple and pink garden.

Sitting in the Marriott Center, getting ready to listen to L. Tom Perry.

Three generations of Shipleys! Me, my mom, and her mom.

Here's all 12 of us that came this year: (back) my mom, Aunt Melanie, Aunt Cindy (middle) Me, Aunt Sandy, cousin Jenny (front) cousin Rhonda, Aunt Barbara, Grandma Shipley, Aunt Lorraine. Don't let this picture fool you, we're a rowdy bunch.

Probably 20,000 women attended this year! This is just a snapshot of one part of the room, there's more than twice that many not pictured. It's so amazing to be a part of such a large gathering of sisters!

Here's mom filling up the Jeep. She was so suprised when all they had for us was a Jeep Wrangler! She was concerned, but said it was an adventure. It was either that, or a ginormous Ford truck.


Me and Aunt Cindy. She's married to John, my mom's younger brother.

Mom & I in front of the beautiful scenery on campus.

I thought this was so cute, it's Grandma Shipley walking with two of her daughters holding each arm.

Probably my FAVORITE thing about BYU this time of year is the tulips! If they grew for more than 15 seconds in Arizona, my entire yard would be covered with them. Who needs grass?

I had a blast girls, I can't wait until next year!!!