Skittles

Yesterday was the final day of the ELCA Youth Gathering.  There have been lots of fabulous videos and articles posted on Facebook by my friends who went, and it's been great fun to stay connected even though I wasn't there this year.  One of the articles earlier in the week made a comment that later became hashtag for the event.  Many of the youth groups who attend the youth gathering wear matching t-shirts every day so it's a little easier to find your group in the mob, and this prompted one Detroit resident to say that it looked like a Skittles factory exploded.  You can kind of get the idea in this picture:

Even if the Skittles reference isn't obvious, you can at least see what 30,000 Lutherans in one place looks like.  Obviously tonight's shoes will be Skittles themed:

Recycled Skittles wrappers!  Cute AND environmentally friendly.

You know I love a brightly colored shoe.  These would be good for all of the walking that is done during a gathering. I wonder if anyone would get the reference if these were worn in Houston at the next gathering in 3 years?

I love the red, but I like the bright ones above better.

And these!  Rainbow stripes!

Those are Skittles, but the shoe color makes me think Reese's Pieces.  Does that make me a candy dork?

I'd rather these were bright instead of pastel, but I'm glad to see a heel represented.

Yikes.  I think those are actual Skittles glued to a wedge.  Not every DIY project needs to happen, people!

If you want to know a little more about what Detroit thinks of those crazy Lutherans, check out this article.

Youth Gathering

I've been enjoying all of the pictures that many of my Facebook friends have been posting from the ELCA Youth Gathering in Detroit this week.  The Gathering happens every 3 years, so I've also been thinking about my experience at the 2009 gathering in New Orleans with my Montana youth group.  There are somewhere around 30,000 Lutheran youth, chaperons, organizers, and volunteers who have descended up on Detroit for a week of fun, worship, learning, and service.  Just think of all the service projects that can be accomplished by that number of people!  I have a confession to make, though:  While I would love to be there experiencing the Gathering and hanging out with people, I'm not overly sad that I'm not responsible for 20+ teenagers for a week.  I know, I know, it's wrong of me.  But I am giving giant thanks this week for all of the amazing and hardworking chaperons who are there and doing their best to give those teens an amazing week they will never forget.  Now, on to shoes:

This is the gathering logo.

This is my way of saying it would be cool to have shoes with the logo on them.  If I were there, and if I had any kind of DIY creative ability, I would like to have a pair of these (but, you know, better).

 

Instead we'll just look at blue and orange shoes that go with the logo colors.

Obviously heels are not the answer for a week of running around with teens, but I do like these.

I really like these.  Again, not appropriate, though.

Ah, now here is what I would need, especially for service project day.

And these for general running around if they had good arch support.  If I remember correctly I only took one pair of shoes to NOLA with me and they were my Keens for exactly the arch support reason.

 

But how cute are these?  I'm sure there would be some occasion to wear them.

Or these.  Polka dots!

And, I couldn't resist finding a pair for the PB to wear in this whole fantasy world.

Thinking of all of my friend in Detroit this week.  Have fun, and wear comfortable shoes!