fun (VBS!) friday, 6.14.13...

The first week after school was out we went right into VBS at our church.  I was a little disappointed that we didn't have a break between them, but actually it worked great because the kids were still used to getting up and getting ready to get out the door so mornings went very smoothly all week.  I took my camera along for Friday so we could share the fun that we had!

I helped in the nursery all week, so I got to hang out with my favorite little dude!  (Good thing too as he has been super clingy lately and even with me in the same room he would fuss if I was more than 2 feet away or if I was holding anyone else, sheesh!)

Music is one of the kids' favorite parts of VBS, and we took the littles up each day to listen to and help with the singing.  (No lie, H has "Praise Ye the Lord, Hallelujah" down pat!)

All three big kids had a blast singing and are constantly singing the songs at home too.

Another favorite part of VBS is recreation.  Soccer, Kickball, Water Games, Marshmallow Relays and Capture the Flag were some of the fun.  We even got the littles out with the parachute on Friday!

 There was one injury though.  G made a valiant leap to grab someone during Capture the Flag and landed on the asphalt - major road rash.

 Crafts!  Another favorite led by their favorite Anoka auntie!  (yes, I realize I have said everything is a favorite so far, but it is VBS and really everything IS a favorite for my bunch!)  These duct tape t-shirt bags were awesome. The braided hiking bracelets, books, and campfire were also awesome.  W said Auntie C and crafts were  "AWESOME!" everyday. 

Not pictured but also a favorite were snacks - seriously we have suberb snack ladies who set up a special room for the teachers and helpers to have breaks and enjoy goodies in and they also give the kids some pretty great snacks too.  My favorite was the individual bags of kettle-corn and glasses of chocolate milk. (Yeah, this teacher asked for the kids' snack that day!)

The best part of VBS on Fridays is seeing the program at the end.  We got to hear from all the fun characters that have been sharing the theme and gospel with the kids all week. ("they are SO funny Momma!")   Their theme this year was "Upward Bound" and had a lot of fun camping and hiking elements to it. 

 H wasn't too sure about everyone in costume up front, but he was happy that his "Ka-ta" snuck back to sit by him for a bit. =)

 All the kids singing their songs and reciting their memory verses.

Yay!  With everything finished it was time for ice cream sandwiches and a picnic on the lawn!

Everyone packed their own lunches and spread out.

cuties...

After clean-up it was time to head home.  Now our church is 25 minutes away so it was quite a bit to drive every single day.  The kids were troopers and kept themselves entertained with books, music, and this gem: "whenever you go under a bridge close your eyes hold your breath swim and do the chicken dance!"  (I made them re-create this for me.)

 We would eat lunch in the car everyday (except fun friday!) on the way home and H would fall asleep.  When we got home the big kids had down time watching "Fetch with Ruff Ruffman".  Here H had just woken up and asked for "Blues Clues" (he does the hand motions and everything!), so he got a bit of down time of his own while the big kids played in the backyard.

 And of COURSE they would have to ask at 4pm "What are we doing for fun friday?!"  Are you serious?!  So I threw in popsicles for good measure.  It was a fun week for VBS and definitely a fun friday.

fun friday 6.28.13...

(I know I have a few of these to catch up on!  soon, hopefully, soon!)

Last week was supposed to be a "slow" week with no plans, but then we had a dear lady from church pass away on Tuesday.  This was hard for our whole church family.  And S is a deacon and I am one of our Ladies' Circle leaders, so it was a very busy week helping our church prepare for the funeral on Saturday and the funeral lunch afterwards.  The kids really stepped up and were very good all week enduring a bazillion phone calls and meeting and errands.  Come Friday you could tell they had had it and although there were many things on the list to do yet, I needed to stop for the morning otherwise we would all go crazy.  But what to do for fun Friday?  Thankfully, Mrs. VA called earlier in the week and asked if G could come over and play at their house for the morning...

...so G went to K's house and had a blast playing with her school friend!

Then I asked the boys what they wanted to do and both W & C wanted friends over, "BOYS, momma!"  I called their friends from church and they were free and happy to come over to play

(and since their lovely mom came with too, I got to have a friend over as well! =)

And oh, did those boys play,

...and play,

...and play,

and play!

It was just what everyone needed:  G had some time away with her best friend from school, the boys had fun doing boy stuff with boys, B & I had a nice chat and walk around the yard looking at the blooming roses, and mac'n'cheese for lunch and brownies makes everyone happy.  We are blessed to have such good friends!

catching our breath on a summer evening...

(our yard, 7.1.13)

cousins...

Whenever our nieces come over, S and I are baffled at the phenomenon of subtraction by addition.  All of a sudden our children have someone else to play with and chat with and we are left to look at each other and wonder what to do.  We always enjoy listening to these beloved little people play and talk and laugh and imagine.  Not that there isn't any bickering and fussing and tears, but at the end of the day, they still all want to put on matching jammie pants. =)  We love these crazy kids of ours.  Happy 15th Anniversary J&C, we love you!  And thanks for wanting to go out to celebrate so we could share your girlies today...

(FULL!) fun friday, 6.7.13...

Kindergarten Graduation for W...

The cheering crowd!

Walking in his "cap and cape"

The class sang favorite songs from music through the year and also recited memory verses.  Which W put 110% into - such fun to see his enthusiasm and joy!

After Mrs. Bierma did a special slide show about their year and how they have grown and learned and had so much fun, W accepted his Kindergarten diploma from the principal, Mr. Shields (he was nervous about this part so he practically ran =).

Proud Dadda and Momma with our little graduate (can the year be done already, really?  it flew!)

Our dear neighbor Mrs. L with W

And finally W with his para Mrs. Pfeifer and his teacher Mrs. Bierma - he had such a good year with the both of them!

Last Day of School for G and a haircut...

G with her beloved teacher, Ms. Walstra - she will miss her next year!

After I donated my hair to Locks of Love last fall, G told us that she wanted to do that too.  We figured that by the end of the school year she would have enough, and she sure did - 11 inches!

We went to the same gal that has been cutting my hair for years, and she was so good with G.  This was her first real "hair-salon" haircut, and she giggled through the whole thing she was so excited!

Before and After - so cute!  We are so proud of her, although she is NOT allowed to look this old yet...

A lovely beginning of summer BBQ (if only the summer weather would get here sometime too!)...

Our friends M&A had a bunch of us over in the evening for grilled hamburgers and hotdogs and all the fixings and sides.  The adults enjoyed lovely conversation on the deck...

...while the kids ran and played and explored and had just a bit of fun,

H included!

The night ended with ice cream cones for the kiddos (what better picture of summer can you get than eating an ice cream cone on the swingset!)...

A's famous homemade brownies for the adults...

one last lawn game (by this time we all wished we had fleece pj's on!)...

and a beautiful sunset.  (Thanks M&A for a fun evening!)

fun friday, 5.31.13...

in which H invites his auntie and cousins over...

After getting me and my brothers and my sister and my cousins some snacks (the important stuff first!), I let Momma and Auntie C wrap a combined wedding shower gift for some love birds at church and talk about how the summer calendar seems to be full already before it even starts...

I had fun pretending to zoom with my "Ka-ta" on my brother's bike - won't be long before it is mine!...

Then we all went in the backyard to play and run around - running around is my favorite...

The big kids started drawing on the fence and making an "Art Wall"...

Well, I thought they needed my help too, so my "Ge-ta" helped me find the right color chalk...

And I added the finishing touches to the masterpiece wall...

Then Auntie C said it was time for them to go home, and I thought that it would be great to go with...

(Momma snatched me back though...no fun at all!)

I hope that they all come back soon!