Summer Family Fun~

What a FUN day we had on Tuesday with friends at the waterpark! Thanks to them we had FREE fun once again! We've known the Powells over 8 years now. Tiffany & Logan were babies when we met. Then when they were 2 years old, they moved away from the San Antonio area. It's great that we've stayed in touch and we are always glad to have them visit! And it's enjoyable to see our kids interact & get along so well! And us parents get along great too! Great to see you, Steve & Lisa & kids! (And meet Abigail too!) Let's do it again next year!  

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Gotta love their energy & smiles!  

10 hours in the sun & water though sure wears you out! 

But the kids slept in this morning, so that was nice.

My Monday

means: 

.....recuperating from a busy weekend 

.....itching because I am working up a sweat cleaning & cooking! Rise in body temp. or heat induces my itching. Talk about annoying!  

.....5 loads of laundry which was washed, dried, & folded (thanks to my 8yo daughter for helping me w/this one!) 

.....cleaning up each room in the house, only to be followed by my 3yo making his little trail (i.e. MESS!) behind me 

.....meditating on Scripture. HOPE of God's Word helps me get through a day! 

.....vacuming carpets, baseboards, and tile floors. 

Man, how does so much dirt get tracked in everywhere? 

.....continually reminding kids to "think of others as more important than yourself" 

.....breaking up arguments amidst brothers, in the 1 foot deep tiny pool outside 

.....helping my son make his newest project, a homemade bow & arrow set he's created 

.....chatting with dear friends online in between all this

....always encouraged by friends, some who are even far away 

.....helped my two oldest type/send emails & pictures to their friends in Tennessee. One of them typed themselves & needed constant spelling help, the other one dictated his to me, which he'd say something, then change it, then change how he said it, etc.....so FUN to hear what they want to say to their friends far away.  

.....making 2 meals, one for my sis & family of 8, who is sick & the other for us and out of town company joining us tonight! 

.....cutting up 2 bowls of watermelon, making cookies & 2 banana puddings, 2 salads, and more 

.....doing dishes from all the above 

.....cleaning the floors & kitchen because of the above 

.....somewhere in there getting lunch made for the kids 

.....and cleaning up their drips & stickiness from eating watermelon 

.....sitting down with my daughter for 5 minutes of "photo booth" FUN!  

.....cleaning bathroom sinks, toilets, & tubs 

.....thinking about how tomorrow at Schlitterbahn with my family & friends coming into town will be a wonderful break after today! And that it's FREE!  .....picking up cars & "race tracks" made throughout the house. I guess the kids could have picked them up, but they were playing so sweetly outside (finally!) during that time! 

.....listening to praise music that is playing on my iTunes every time I walk through my bedroom 

.....being reminded of what Christ did at the cross, that he alone is HOLY and good and righteous. That HE is a shelter in my storm, and His LOVE is deeper than I can fathom. That even in the mundane, daily jobs of a mom HE is worthy to be praised!  

Now, the question is: How am I going to fit in SCHOOL time amidst all this starting a few weeks from now? Now that.......I DON'T want to think about today!  

And here's my hard working 3 year old! He spent at least 20 minutes vacuming (the same rug!) for me!

 

Watcha doing, Chan?

 

A serious job

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

What FUN this little guy is!  

(I've filled in this post for the past few hours, when I walk by the computer, but now I'm finally done I think!) And I think I'm done "working" for the day. But a mom's work is really never done!

Track time!

The kids really enjoy track time on Monday nights. We are sad that it's over for the summer. They get to see their cousins, which is a highlight of their week!. They all challenge each other and have the biggest cheering fan section out there!  

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

What a week!

There were 4 classes that we rotated through at the arts & crafts station at VBS this past week. It was fun to have each one of my kids in those different classes, and see them work so intently on their project. It's in these kinds of things that their personality really comes out. I talked to the kids before we did the craft about how it related to the Bible story and/or Scripture of the day. CRAFT time!  

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

SNACK time! Chandler's teacher came and asked me on the 2nd day if it was normal for Chandler not to want a snack? It's not normal for him to not want a snack, but it is normal for him to not want something that doesn't look familiar to him and if it's not in a familiar setting. He's such a funny, particular kid. So, one day I went out to see how he was and I found him just happy & content to sit there while everyone around him was enjoying eating.  

Shepherd & Bryan, two funny 5 year olds! GAME time!  

Large Group! Grace & Christian (two kids who we've known the last 8 years or so & whose mom organized the VBS) did skits for the children every morning during the large group time. PRESENTATION for the parents on Friday!  

Look at my sweet little Chandler's face! He was so proud of himself up there! And so was I! This was HUGE for him to go every morning and be totally out of his comfort zone! He didn't sing a word up there, but I teared up just seeing my "baby" up on stage!  

It's like finding Waldo. Can you see my kids in these three pics?