summer fun

Enjoying some time together.

VBS

 VBS at our church was this past week.  The organizers attempt to make the gym feel like ancient Jerusalem.  The kids and leaders all wear tunics, or costumes.  The kids get paid two pennies for doing a good job in doing their craft.  Then they are allowed to 'spend' their money.  They are expected to tithe one penny, they could buy extra bread and give some of their money to the beggar and there is a tax collector that comes through occasionally and can close a tent until the kids pay their taxes and they can continue with their craft.  Our beggar this year was a pretty convincing character.  My kids were all kindergarten and first graders and they felt very sorry for the beggar.  They kept giving him pennies, some of their snack and some of them wrote 'get well' notes for him.  One little girl gave all her money to the beggar and then her friends had to pay for her tithe and her bread.

 We did the 'big picture' for VBS from Adam and Eve to Revelations.  By the end the kids could put in order the prophets, judges, kings, disciples, etc.

The preschoolers even got a tent to themselves.

Fire

We came home a couple of weeks ago to several fire trucks on our street.  The family had gone on vacation and some workers were putting a sealant on the floors.  I guess it wasn't ventilated enough and the off-gasses were ignited by the pilot light in a hot water heater.  Nobody was hurt so that is the good news but the fire raged for a at least two hours before the fire-fighters could get it under control.  Even two weeks later you can still smell it from the road, especially after a rain.
It is a reminder to me to hold lightly to worldly possessions which mold and mildew and burn.  And hug my kids a little longer.

Backyard patio

Well, we had to try out our new patio even though it was really hot.  The mosquitoes were still a bit thick but I'm hoping that the patio will help reduce their numbers. 

Loosing teeth

 After much wiggling this front tooth finally came out.  Two of our kids have lost teeth in the last week and there are more that are loose. 

Here is Steve working hard on a project that I started.  This is a piece just outside of the sliding door.  We'd had a tree there that Katrina took down and then used it as a rubble pile/compost pile during and after our addition four years ago and now I finally have the energy to go at it.  Maybe not so smart to start this now in the middle of the heat.  Maybe I should have waited to start it in November or December when it cools off.   But maybe this way we will be able to enjoy it in November.