Chocolate Ice Cream and Sun--It's truly Summer!!!

We have had a nice week with beautiful sunshiny days! Sounds like a song huh? One day we had dinner and then took out the chocolate ice cream and cones...I haven't had cones for years! Kaelyn loved it as you can see by the chocolate face...and then went into a grand photo shoot...she cracks me up sometimes!

Reflections on V.B.S.

After the whirlwind week, I spent today in winddown mode pondering Vacation Bible School...I know some of you are thinking I have way too much time on my hands, but I guess when you're involved with something from the "grass roots" level, to see it playout is pretty exciting. Here are a few of my favorite memories:

1. Watching Kathryn and Kaelyn singing the great songs we had been playing on c.d. for a month. I LOVE the motions, and hearing our girls full of joy and loving the Lord is a blessing.

2. On Thursday night, the kids were each given a burned out Christmas tree light bulb. Pastor Kari asked them to think of something they were sorry for, some kind of sin. Then, after they confessed, the burned out lights were brought to the altar, where they were replaced with a working bulb. When all of the bulbs were exchanged, we saw a brightly lit cross! I loved the image of the burned out sin being traded for forgiveness at the foot of the cross. It was a powerful moment for me, and the song they played during the time is now one of Kathryn's favorites...pretty amazing messages for little kids to learn!

3. I think it's amazing that even our youngest kids, at three, could tell the Bible point each day, and many learned the words to the treasure verses as well! God is real. God is with us. God is awesome. God is in charge. Great life lessons for all of us!

4. One day after V.B.S., I was watching my kids in the cul de sac. I suddenly heard the V.B.S. music playing. Our neighbor kids had the music playing on their deck while they were making up motions to Awesome God. They finished off with a mini cul de sac worship time...it was so great! It was great to see the gift of music being shared in our neighborhood! I love the idea that all of the kids who came to V.B.S. took the music home to learn, to sing, and to share!

5. We had many children give their heart to Jesus...A true gift!

Vacation Bible School

We had a fantastic week at Vacation Bible School. We went to Avalanche Ranch. The girls had a blast, and Kathryn even faced her fears, and watched the whole Chadder Video! I loved the music, and watching 100 kids praising God all week is beautiful. The kids learned a Bible point and Bible verse each day. They rotated to five different stations where the message was taught in a dynamic and exciting way! I am exhausted, but I feel like the week was truly incredible! We will finalize the week by having the kids sing on Sunday morning.

Can we give her away?

Tonight on the way home from V.B.S., we drove past our rental house. Kathryn commented on the fact that the gal living there has two dogs and a cat. She said, "I guess she's not allergic to cats like you mom. She's lucky she has those." "I wish we had a dog."

Then she said," Do you think we can give her Kaelyn? That way we won't fight anymore." "And anyway, she didn't get any kids yet, so maybe we can give her Kaelyn so she can have a kid like you!"

I guess maybe some days she'd rather have a dog than a sister...I keep telling her what a gift God has given her, a built in best friend! She doesn't always see it like that, although they really can be the best of friends too!

I am so thankful for the mind of a five year old...she really cracks me up sometimes!

New Wheels

Camping in the backyard

We love our new home...the mud in the backyard is fine...it makes you feel like you're camping! Tonight we had a campfire in the rain with the neighbors. MMMM Smores! It's amazing how the smell of a fire brings me right back to my childhood memories of camping at Kalaloch. Such a great memory! Kaelyn roasted her own marhsmallow, and was helped to make it into a Smore...which she promptly took one bite out of gave it to our neighbor and proceeded to grab a new marshmallow right from the bag! Apparently making the smores was the fun part! Kathryn and I on the other hand LOVE the smores!

Trying a picture!

I'm going to try and add a picture, I'm enjoying playing around with all of these features...I hope to figure out how to put in a slide show...is it possible? Here's a picture of the bikin' girls!

Bikin' Girls!

Kathryn is having a blast on her new bike! She is now trying to ride with one hand, no feet, and looking back over her shoulders. Luckily she hasn't crashed too badly yet. She is on her bike for a few hours a day now in the cul de sac. Kaelyn tries to keep up on her little trike which she actually maneuvers rather well. Our daily routine is, "Kaelyn, where are your shoes? Where is your helmet?" Often she is up the street in bare feet, and then happily returns to put on her shoes and helmet. Whenever she sees someone else on the street, she always asks them, "Where is your helmet?" She can be such a cute little boss. Hopefully she'll start to follow her own rules!

Getting Started

I have been reading my friends' blogs lately, and decided it is a great way to cherish each day. I'm going to give it a whirl...wish me luck!