Sippin and Swingin

Logan and Madison came up a few weeks ago for an evening of fun. It seems like everytime they come it rains and this time was no different. I checked the weather before I left the house and the weather guy said slim chance of rain and it would only be a brief shower. Well we must have had 50 brief showers because it rained most of the evening!

I met them at my school and it was raining when they got there so we went inside for a tour and some inside playtime. I think you will agree my two new students are pretty cute. Logan kept asking where my kids were so I explained that they were home playing and I would be getting new kids in a few months.  So now Logan is always asking when those new kids are coming. As fast as this summer is going it won't be long.

So after some inside playtime, the rain stopped and we were able to go outside for a quick playtime on the playground. Logan always has lots of fun running around checking out all the equipment.  Madison had fun checking out some of the equipment and watching her crazy brother run around.  The rain returned so we decided to head to Dairy Queen for an ice cream treat before they headed home. Logan decided to take over my milkshake!

New Students

Typical Second Graders Not Paying Attention

Leaving His Mark On The Place

Ain't No Mountain High Enough

Round and Round

Just A Swingin

Can You Say Distracted Driver!

Wild Ride

His Cuteness Got Him Aunt Court's Milk Shake

Carnival

We ended our week of VBS with a carnival. The kids had a great time all week earning tickets to spend at the carnival.  It was so fun to see the kids excited everyday because they brought their bible or a new friend.  Logan had such a great time and it was so cute to hear him singing the songs from VBS in the back of my car today.  Enjoy the pictures. I hope everyones week is off to a wonderful start!

Spin the Wheel- Logan didn't care about the prize he just had fun spinning the wheel

After the picture was taken it looked like Logan had jumped in a pool. I guess he was checking for any ducks that had floated to the bottom. Good thing it was a hot day!

Trying his luck at the fishing pond.

Time out for a little hand holding with Emma

Madison is easy to entertain with a spoon

What do you mean I don't win a prize for spoon chewing!!!

VBS FUN

We have had a wonderful week for VBS. We have had little rain and have survived the warm temps. Thank goodness for AC ( I can remember a time that our church did not have AC). I had the 2-3 year old class which has kept me really busy. Bathroom breaks are an ordeal, in fact moving anywhere is an ordeal, which thankfully we did not have to do much of. We have had about 50 kids each day with about 20 helpers. This is a good crowd considering out church attendance is average 80 ( it is a small country chuch). Tomorrow concludes the week with a carnival. The kids have been earning tickets all week to play the games. Sunday will be the closing program, which hopefully a lot of families will attend.  Overall it has been a fun week and hopefully the kids have gained more knowledge of Jesus.

One of the activities was roping-this was a riot to watch the younger kids try to do

Tyler showing the kids how to rope ( he was the one of that I asked for prayers for on Thanksgiving due to a serious car wreck). God is good!

Making bandanas during craft time

A little play time with my three little ones

Helping the boys in the water relay

Snack time was one of our favorite times of the day!

Happy 9 Month Birthday Madison

Nine months have flown by! Madison is growing everyday thanks to the table food she is now eating. It is so funny when anyone gets a plate of food she will stare them down until she gets something.  There is not much that she will not eat. She loves Cheez-Its and will chew and slobber on them until they are soft enough to swallow. She is also able to pull herself up on things now so everything is up for grabs. She is jabbering a lot more but has not perfected saying Court!

Madison had her first trip to the ER on Sunday. She is fine. She just fell and knocked her head pretty hard so they wanted to check it out as a precaution. Head X-rays looked fine.

Flashback Friday-VBS

Our VBS kicks off on Monday. I had better rest all weekend because I am the leader of the 2 year old class. Logan and his friend Emma will be joining me along with some others so it should be an interesting week, I am sure they will keep me on my toes!

VBS is always a lot of work but always worth the reward. I remember as a child VBS was the highlight of the summer. I loved inviting all my friends to come to my church and then I spent the rest of the summer going around to my friends churches. I think it is a shame that a lot of churches have gone away from this because I think it is a wonderful opportunity for kids to get to know Jesus. I remember a few years ago, our minister's wife saying that if we touch one child then it is worth it.


I will leave you with pictures from last years VBS and then I should probably go and take a nap-two year olds have lots of energy!!!

Show Us Your Life- Dishes and China Pattern

Let's flash back to four years ago.  I decided the summer of 2006 I was going to get my own apartment. I spent a few weeks touring different ones and I finally found the one. It was a beautiful complex that was neatly manicured and looked like home everytime I pulled in. So I went home to tell my family that I had found the one. I was most nervous about telling my grandfather because I knew he wasn't ready for me to make this move. Much to my surprise he took it very well.

Now fast forward to a few weeks later when he made the announcement that we were going to Dayton to buy me a set of dishes. My grandmother had offered up a set of dishes that she had, but for him this was not good enough.  We went to a department store and began the search. He was thinking about China patterns, but I wanted something more casual and practical. After only a few minutes I found what I was looking for. I had decided I wanted my kitchen to be cobolt blue and yellow, so this pattern fit perfectly and it allows me to mix other colors in. I have so many wonderful memories of that day. Grandpa's girl came out with dishes, a bathroom set and pots and pans. Those are memories I hold close to my heart today and remember them everytime I sit down to a meal.

The ending of this story is that my grandpa helped move me in and get everything settled. He would often be overheard telling people about what nice apartment I lived in and how proud he was of me. I know that he is watching down from heaven and has a smile on his face. I always want to make him proud.

This set is by Pfaltzgraff- It is their Sedona line

Stop by Kelly's Korner to check out all the other china patterns.

Black and White Wednesday

Thought I would hop back into Black and White Wednesday this week. As mentioned in my previous post, we had a surprise birthday for my grandma. It was a nice day and they live near a beautiful pond. Logan had fun going on the paddle boat and watching the ducks.  The picture I chose for this week was one of Logan and his Great Aunt Weez(Louise). The were walking down the dock so Logan could catch another ride on the paddle boat.

I have had a good first week off and have been catching up on things around the house. Today I getting together with one of my friends to help her with her parent's 40th anniversary scrapbook. 

Stop by here to check out more great black and white photos.

Surprise

Two Saturday's ago, my Great-Aunt Kay threw a surprise birthday party for my grandma. She told the family this about two months ago, which means I have had to keep this secret for two months. TORTURE- since I don't keep anything from my grandma. We pulled it off! It was so funny because she thought we were all going to lunch with my Aunt Louise, but they had to drop off a cake pan to my Great Aunt Kay. When my grandma found this out, she called me ranting and raving about how they had to stop there first and they were never going to get to my Aunt Louise's house. She was so surprised when she walked in to return that cake pan.

Logan was so excited about the party and a chance to sing Happy Birthday! We worked on the word surprise on the way up and he was ready. We had a yummy bbq lunch and grilled hamburgers and hot dogs for dinner. My grandma kept saying how much she enjoyed the day. She deserved it after the past few months she has had.

On a side note-For all of you guys who have been jealous because I am out for the summer, know that I have been in class for the past two days. Teachers don't just sit by the pool all summer. I am learning some great new teaching strategies for math.

A little play time before the party started

The beautiful view from the deck

The guys hanging out before the guest of honor arrives

SURPRISE-My grandma is in the aqua shirt

Filling up our plates

Some after dinner fishing

and paddle boat rides

Time to open presents

and blow out the candles on the birthday cake

Happy Birthday Mamma!