Vacation Bible School Wrapup

You actually don't need binoculars (even these cute homemade ones!) to see what a great time Abby and Tyler had at VBS last week. We've been involved (make that somewhat involved) at St. John's since Abby was a baby, but we really became invested in the children's programs this past year, when the kids started attending Sunday School. I'm so glad we all participated in Vacation Bible School, as the kids learned a TON, and we all finished the week with a great feeling about our involvement in the church and the sense of community we're establishing! As I've explained in previous posts, the theme last week was "Camp E.D.G.E." So, the whole church was transformed into campsites, mountain tops, etc. The kids and Dennis helped me make make the art room fit the theme, by papering the walls (thank goodness for hot glue!) and making mountains, waterfalls, etc! Abby is pointing to the mountain peaks, because she thought it was cool that we covered them with batting. But, Mom, Dad and Aaron, it sure does appear that she's saying, "Look ... there they are!" doesn't it? (a Janet and Judy reference from the 80s) I painted a mural on another wall (not shown) that we used as a backdrop for our photos later in the week. My favorite part was this sun, which I copied from the Camp E.D.G.E. logo. I couldn't find orange paint, but I did find this sponge in the resource room. Funny ... just about every kid called me out on that. "Do you know you have a sponge in the middle of the sun!?!" Um, YES ... I was being creative, ooooookkkkkay!Dennis fashioned this cool signpost out of cardboard, and we used plastic tablecloths for the snow below...Abby and Tyler both had great groups. Of course, Abby and Anabelle were joined at the hip. But Tyler surprised us by making a new friend. Oh, he enjoyed his little buddies (several from his regular Sunday School class), but he was enamored with Mary Margaret, one of the youth helpers assigned to help his group. She kind of adopted him for the week, which I think made Tyler feel pretty special!On Sunday, the kids joined about a dozen or so kids who had attended VBS (there were 85 or so in all last week, not even counting the youth helpers) ... and performed some of the songs for the congregation during our 10:00 service. This was so cute. We're really looking forward to participating again next summer! But I think I'll need that long before my hands recover from doctoring paper towel rolls and stapling them into binoculars!

Bathroom Broohaha

My bold little dude really threw me for a loop the other day. On Friday, I took he and Abby to a special dinner out at Red Elephant (a thank you for their patience during a busy week of VBS) and before dinner even arrived at the table, Tyler announced he had to use the potty. Well, as I started to get up, Tyler darted down the hallway leading to the restrooms (we were sitting pretty close to them) and right into the MEN'S bathroom! What do I do? He's at that age where he's too short to reach the toilet comfortably, so he has to completely manhandle it to get on to do his business! And that's JUST yucky! But I also couldn't run in after him, for obvious reasons. So, I loitered outside the men's bathroom for several minutes, before grabbing a pre-teen boy and asking him to go in after Tyler. He did, and out comes Tyler ... grinning like the cat that ate the canary! I asked, "did you wash your hands?" and he quickly turned around to head back to complete that task "by myself!" But, I figured we'd give them a REALLY good wash in the women's restroom! Fortunately, Abby was able to run into the bathroom herself (I'm okay with this ... she's been doing it for awhile), but as she informed me when she returned, she "couldn't reach the soap," so she, "just scrubbed hard!" These children!

A peek back in time...

I was looking at one of my favorite blogs tonight (trying to catch up). Anyway, the author of one blog did a fun thing - she posted pictures from a few years ago. I actually think she had one particular photo she wanted to share from a few years back (and a really crazy story to go with it) - what a great idea! I started this blog in December 2007, and we've only been digital since May 2007, so pictures before that would only have been shared in print form. It would be a pain to go back before we were using the digital camera (I'd have to dig out the CDs or for goodness sakes, the negatives (gasp!), which I'm not doing!) So I thought it would be fun to see some pictures from June/July of 2007 - almost exactly TWO YEARS AGO. It's amazing how much the kids have changed... and how much they've stayed the same!Abby still sits this way (maybe she always will) ... How about that baby face! (I mean on the one in the blue shirt! HA!) And those jeans that are SO cuffed so they would fit, are long outgrown!I still can't get over Abby's curls, and how much they've disappeared in two years.But even when he was a baby, or a little guy like this, Tyler has always made the same funny expressions!Okay ... the END for now. I remember taking this photo (and laughing myself silly as I did!) Abby was dressing up as a ballerina, and Tyler followed suit, but we were in the middle of a diaper change or something. So funny! I don't know what Tyler would say if he saw this! I've scheduled this to post while I'm at our last day of Vacation Bible School ... enjoy the pictures. Maybe we'll take another peek back in time a few months from now.

Over the E.D.G.E.

As you may have noticed (if you're one of my few regular readers!), I haven't been blogging much this week. In addition to a bunch of work deadlines, I've been inundated with Camp E.D.G.E. (our church's Vacation Bible School). While it is relatively easy (one craft per day, the groups all come to me, about 50 kids total) - it is tiring. But that's mostly getting me, my craft supplies, and the kids ... all there by 8:30 a.m. And might I add, along with the stuff we need for our afternoon activities. Yesterday this was lunch, bathing suits and such for an outing to the lake/mini-beach at Maclay, tomorrow it's gymnastics, etc.

At this point in the week, I think we should change the name to "Camp - I'm over the - E.D.G.E." In the craft room, I've helped the kids make camp bags, paper stars, binoculars (love those paper towel rolls! But did I like staying up until 2:00 a.m. cutting them and stapling them together? NO!)

Friendship bracelets. We did this today, a very easy craft ...

But don't ask me to help you make a yarn star! I completely failed on this craft on Tuesday ... didn't prepare! So, I quickly changed it to stars of Bethlehem, made from paper plates/coffee filters. Here's what the yarn starts are supposed to look like! (I stole this picture ... and the others above from the Internet. Didn't take the camera much this week)Tomorrow is the last day - picture frames to hold the kids' camp pictures. I was to have made these from popsicle sticks, then the kids were going to decorate them. But I hit the $1 aisle at Michael's and bought the frames instead. I figured it would be our monetary donation to St. John's! My creativity is tapped and I'm ready for a week away with my hubby! I even skipped Bunco tonight because I just needed some time at home to clean up some of the messes I've made over the past two weeks. I come home each day with a bag of leftover craft materials, storytime props, or dirty clothes and artwork! And there's no magical bag fairy that empties these out and distributes the goods (can you believe it!)

Okay folks ... check back mid-morning tomorrow. I've scheduled a post that should give you a giggle. It's a peek back in time!

We're SUCH Nerds!

Dennis and I MAY be in the live audience during Big Brother's eviction night next Thursday. As you know, we will be in California for a wedding, and we arrive that afternoon. So, we signed up for tickets just to see if we would get them ... well, we did. But it's going to be VERY tight getting there from the airport. We probably won't get to Studio City in time. And if we don't, we'll just tour around and see other things. We're flexible ... and we're SUCH nerds. But how fun would that be?

Circus Week Wrap-up

Hi everyone! Vacation Bible School has begun here, which means we've shifted gears ... it's no longer circus and clowns. Instead we're all about Camp E.D.G.E. (Explore + Discover God Everywhere). I am teaching Arts and Crafts in the "Art Apex!" Fun, fun! Actually, it is ... and it's pretty easy compared to last week. But, I DID get to play with balloons last week! Here's a little wrap up of Friday at Clown Camp. I taught science ... balloons and static electricity. I'm sure you know a balloon rubbed on the top of your head will make your hair stand on end like Albert Einstein. And a negatively charged balloon will stick to the wall too. But did you know it will "bend" water? So cool. It will also repell another balloon (hanging in a doorway), and it will pull an aluminum can toward you. The kids thought these experiments were cool! But they really liked seeing us stick a skewer through the middle of a balloon. Martha and Bill - I learned this one from the Iowa Science Center, remember? I DID pop a few in the process (putting some kids on edge) but overall this experiment worked great. I also did another "trick" with pins and balloons ... they won't pop if you put a pin in a piece of invisible tape. The kids had a bunch of fun on Friday (and the whole week long really!). They made clown cookies in cooking ... And they got to enjoy them at snack time with snowcones ... I thought this shot of Tyler's buddy, George, was too cute not to share.Oh, and another activity from Friday was a whole discussion on circus sideshow acts. Ms. Katie had the kids pretend to be human pretzels, by shaping letters from their bodies. Wish I had gotten to see Tyler's group do this too, but I did get a shot of Abby.The may have made a "B," but we gave Advent Camp and "A!" A fun experience! (but hard work too!)

Dennis Turns 39!

Happy Birthday Dennis ... a day late! Dennis' 39th (sorry to call you out honey ... but this is the last year you can say you're in your 3os!) birthday was on Saturday. But since his flight got back at 8:00 p.m. that night, there was no time for a party on his actual birthday. So, we made a cake on Saturday ... Decorated it Sunday morning ...

Then decked the house on Sunday morning too for a little BREAKFAST BIRTHDAY PARTY!Pizza is Dennis' favorite, so I whipped up an Apple Coffee Cake Breakfast Pizza!

Don't you love Tyler's gift to Daddy? Aquafresh toothpaste! Well, it's what Tyler consistently said he wanted to get for Dennis, so I took him to the dental care aisle in Walgreen's and let him go crazy! It was actually a very appropriate gift, since Dennis' presents were a bunch of junk food. We gave him a couple items of substance, but we had really gone overboard for Father's Day a few weeks back ... giving him a gift that was to have covered the two holidays. These were mostly to be some of his favorites to open as birthday gifts! Anyway ... Tyler's toothpaste was actually a welcome addition to the mix!Then last night, we FINALLY got to the cake ... after a LONG day of cleaning house and preparing for Vacation Bible School (the kids were at the church "helping me" for five hours!). I'm happy to report ... Dennis loved his cake, and I think he had a nice pseudo-birthday!

Tyler-isms

Tyler is one funny dude. He says all kinds of cute things that I intend to share, but once we get home they are temporarily gone from memory. Here's a few that I remembered from last week:

We were sitting at the light at Centerville Road and Capital Circle when Tyler saw a sign similar to this one and got all excited. "What," I asked. "What's so exciting?" Apparently, while I saw the state of Florida, Tyler saw an alligator. Guess it's all in the eye of the beholder!

Then, the other day in the car ... Tyler starts talking about The Weather Channel and how he and Dennis watched it one day. Since this was totally out of the blue, I asked what made him think of The Weather Channel. Well, apparently, it was the music I had on the radio ... my favorite relaxing station: 97.9 Easy Listening. Nice! I must be getting old. I listen to elevator music! Come to think of it, I haven't heard music in an elevator in a long time, but I DO sing along with the music in Publix too. Is that bad!?!

Circus Week Continues

On Thursday, I got to teach Science at Advent Circus Camp. You'd be surprised, but there are actually tons of fun things you can do for this area, because the circus is all about science and physics: balance, centrifugal force and defying gravity! So that's what I taught them ... on a preschool level of course. On one table, I had a balance with lots of marble and counting bears, so they could get the two side to balance correctly. I also had some spinning tops, and Tyler's Zimbos game (so they could practice stacking a pyramid of "acrobats" and get them to balance). On the floor, I taped a "tightrope" of masking tape, and let them walk across it while balancing books on their heads, stepping over beanbags, and balancing a bar. Then we talked gravity. Everyone agreed that water from this measuring cup SHOULD have fallen down to the cookie tray when poured, but I showed them that it could run along the string into the glass. We go more for wow factor ... mixed in with a bit of terminology in preschool, but I shared that this "defied gravity" because the water molecules were sticking together along the wet piece of yarn. Then, to illustrate "centifugal force" - the principle the circus performers use when riding motorcycles in a closed ring - I spun a bucket of water over my head. You should have seen their faces. And they really did seem to grasp what I was saying: even though gravity is a very strong force, centrifugal force takes over when the bucket spins fast ... working against gravity - and keeping the water in the bucket. And here are a few more fun pictures from yesterday. Ms. Jan transformed herself into a clown and painted faces. The kids also got to dress up like clowns (that's a friend of Abby's in the clown wig) and play in the circus-themed obstacle course Jan created. More pictures of Abby today, as I was in charge of her group during the rotation today!In circle time, they learned all about elephants and played some fun games. Then in craft, they got to make a cute elephant puppet. We took these pictures last night after dinner, and as you can see, Abby REALLY wanted to use a sock on her elephant's trunk. But I think it looks cuter with just her hand!On the way out of Advent, we made a cool discovery. Our family brick was recently installed in the walkway. The kids were so tickled to see their names! And YES, when it's all said and done, we will have been at Advent from 2005-2011. It's Tyler's September birthday that extends our years there ... but that's okay by me ... preschool is fun!Lastly, we finally had time to let Tyler make his lion craft from Wednesday. This was the other one I was in charge of ... and would you believe, I had forgotten to take a picture of MY son (got the other 38 kids!). But Tyler was a good sport, and said he would do it at home.
One more day of camp today (whew!) then we move on to plans for St. John's Vacation Bible School next week. I teach science again today ... and we're doing all kinds of cool balloon tricks. I'll take my camera again!