Wednesday, June 9, 2010

Kidz Blitz

Friday June 4th was our VBS kick off and we had Kidz Blitz as our kick off show. It was a Nickelodeon type game show where kids got involved and played games to help win points for their team. The whole show had a Christian theme and was lots of fun for kids and parents.
I was so excited when our 10 year old, Kaitlyn was called to go on stage. When she got there she found out she was going to play a game called Chicken Bone. It is the most difficult game of kidz blitz and not everyone wins. If she could complete three tasks in one minute she would win 2 points for her team and have her name posted on the Kidz Blitz website as one of the winners of Chicken Bone. Her first task was to step into a blue bag and put on an oversized t-shirt.
Then she had to go to a large jar of gunk (they called it alligator snot from deep in FL) pull out a whistle, get the gunk out and blow it. .
Then she had to step over to a circle and pick up a water bottle and spray water onto toilet paper that had a rubber chicken hanging from it, and wet the paper enough to make and chicken drop. She needed to do all this in one minute. And She Did!!! We were so proud of her. (Sorry no pic of her shooting at the chicken, my camera didn't process the previous pic fast enough to get the next pic I wanted).
We had a great time. We cheered and laughed and clapped and had a blast. It was a great kick off for VBS and I look forward to them coming again next year.

Tuesday, June 8, 2010

First Night of VBS

Beginning to decorate my VBS room

My kids enjoying the mats

Some color added to the room

City scape with a little added color


So yesterday was our first night of VBS and it all ended in a successful night and my head spinning in a whirlwind as the night seemed to fly by in a blur. I had 15 four year olds in my class. (There are two other four year old classes with just as many kids in them as well). The night did seem to fly by in a blur and as quickly as it started it seemed it was over.

Our theme this year is Hero Headquarters and we speak each night about ordinary people in the Bible being heroes for God and we want these kids to realize that they can be heroes for God, too.

With four more nights to go I'm looking forward to getting to know my class kids better and watching them grow in their knowledge of God. I'm honored to be a part of these kids lives and pray that I do my part in teaching and loving them as they deserve.

As an added note I did get home and get to bed last night and rest in this morning. I'm feeling better and ready for the day. God is good and He is our strength in our weakness. I'm so thankful to serve a living God who cares about me and the kids in this VBS.

Monday, June 7, 2010

VBS - Not Me Monday

I did Not wait until yesterday to make posters for my VBS class that starts today. I did Not go to Walmart after midnight because I was told that was the best time to get cardboard boxes. I did Not come home and stay up with my husband and three oldest kids until after 3 am. Once in bed I did Not bring my one year old to bed with me (because he woke up and I wanted everyone else to be able to sleep). He did Not keep me awake until 4:30 am and then get me up and 8:12 am. I am Not tired and praying for the energy to get through today :) (However, I know that God is my strength and He will help me make it with plenty of energy until I can get home and crash.) VBS is going to be great and believe it or not I'm really looking forward to tonight and meeting all those precious faces I get to spend the week with.
Christiana helping Jim with one of his posters

Jim showing how he wants it done

Me helping with one of Jim's posters

Josiah tracing

Kaitlyn and Jonathan helping

Friday, June 4, 2010

Busy, busy, busy


This is one of the craziest times of the year for our family. Next week is VBS week at our church. The kids and I have been going out two to three times a week helping sign-up kids for VBS and now it's time to start preparing ourselves for their arrival. For the next eight days straight we will be busy everyday. My husband and I are master teachers and two of our children are table teachers. Everyone is excited.

Although this is a crazy time of year, it is very rewarding. I look forward to all the new faces I will meet and the opportunity to share Jesus Christ with them in a fun way. Many of the children who come are not church children, so it's always a challenge, but isn't this what the Great Commission is all about. I feel honored to be able to be a part of this wonderful ministry.

So it starts tonight at 7 pm with Kids Blitz, which is a Nickelodeon style show with a Christian theme. (If you are interested in attending tickets are $5 at the door) Tomorrow morning we have a breakfast and meeting for all those helping with VBS. Sunday is church then starting Monday night we have VBS every night until Friday night.

Pray for us as we do this great work. Pray that we will all have the energy to keep up the pace necessary and that this will be a life changing week for many with tons of salvation testimonies. Thanks.

Thursday, June 3, 2010

Best Laid Plans...

Wolf spider with babies attatched

Ever have one of those days when you think you've got it all together only to find that nothing goes according to plan? We did last night.

After driving into our driveway after church at about 10 til 10 we stopped to instruct the kids how we wanted things to happen once we got into the house. Those kids that were hungry were to go to the table so I could serve them a quick supper of leftovers from our Victory Group (from which I prepared the meal) and the other kids were to go straight in and get ready for bed. All the kids were to get into their PJ's and brush their teeth and then wait and come all at one time to kiss Daddy goodnight. Then everyone was to go to bed. Sounds like an ok plan right?

I head into the house, turn off the alarm, and go to my room to put my Bible away when I hear Jim calling me rather urgently to come back into the kitchen quickly. When I arrive I find Jim standing in the doorway with one of the little ones in his arms staring at a huge spider on the kitchen floor just inside the house and tons of baby spiders covering the entryway. (Ended up finding out it was a wolf spider with babies attatched, yuck!) I immediately took care of the big spider then had to deal with the baby spiders so Jim could get in the house. So now we have kids everywhere and bug spray everywhere. What a mess.

Also, our three year old is crying loudly because his ear is hurting and I need to get some ear drops in his ear so he can calm down.

We finally get everything cleaned up, bring in the food and serve the kids dinner and it is way after 10 o'clock now. Our oldest daughter had spent the night with a friend and instead of getting dressed right away she sits and talks to Daddy (totally fine, I like that).

By the time everyone finally gets changed, and brushes their teeth (no one came in to kiss Daddy goodnight at the same time either) it is close to 11 o'clock and I still have kitchen dishes to clean and the dishwasher is of course full of clean dishes that I have to put away first.

I finally get to bed it at almost midnight and I'm exhausted. Oh well, so much for well thought out instructions and plans for a quick and easy bed time.

Wednesday, June 2, 2010

Ready for Summer

So either I'm on summer mode already or I'm just really tired all the time from my pregnancy. Either way, I find myself sleeping later each day. During the summer I let the children sleep until 8 am (sometimes 9 am if we were up late the night before, Yikes!). During school they are up by 7 or 7:30 am. But this last week or so I have been letting them sleep until 8 almost everyday.

We aren't quiet out of school yet. You see I'm a stickler for finishing curriculum. Most of my kids subjects are done but there are some that still have a few lessons to finish in just math. I expect them to finish their books. So that means no summer break for me yet as well. I'm ready to start going to the zoo, having picnics, going swimming, going camping, going on nature walks and all the other activities that come with summer. But I guess that will have to wait a couple more weeks.

In the meantime, I'm resting so that I can have the energy to do all these fun summer things I have planned and looking forward to a schedule that is more flexible.

How about you? Do you have special things you try to do each summer? Or maybe you have something special planned for this summer that's different from summer's past. What are your plans?

Tuesday, June 1, 2010

Pics from our Memorial Day

Ant cupcakes
(Got the idea from RaisingOlives.com)


Ant and Patriotic cupcakes

Kaitlyn and Josiah playing horseshoes

Christiana playing horseshoes

Me playing horseshoes


Matthew took a nap in a comfy spot


Playing cards


Playing cards

Just thought I would share a few pics from yesterday. Enjoy :)