Camp Quarternote

We had a fantastic and busy week during Camp Quarternote learning music and motions for "Fun in the SON!" In one week's time, the kids learned the entire play and did an amazing job bringin glory to God with their voices at the Sunday night performance.
We had a cast a crew party after the play.

I had THE BEST "motion mama's" and youth helpers to work with this week. There is NO WAY we could have pulled off putting together an entire musical in one week's time without all of their help.

The kids got to make their very own 'one of a kind' tie dyed camp t-shirts.

Didn't they turn out super cute?

Our speakers included

Hadley as Beamer the keeper of the Lighthouse

Aaron as Sheldon the Brainiac Nerd who knew nothing about the beach or God

Bizzy as Shelby the Southern Belle and sister of Sheldon

Micah as Cody the Surfer Dude who totally loves the Word of God

Savanna and Kayleigh played Gidget and Annette the beach beauties

who are students of Beamer

Kaylin as Sandy the Crab who's there to help when someone gets a little 'crabby'

Nautical girls and Captain Wyatt

Zac and Zoe were our 50's guy and gal

Hoola Dancers

Starfish 'Pointer Sisters' played by the Lathan Sisters

Cowboys and Cowgirls included Clint Driftwood, Sally the Squid, and Charlie Horse

Maraca boys!

Boogie Board Boys

Soloists did a fantabulous job!

Here's the gang during our daily lunch break.

Lord, Please shine"Shine Through Me" as we strive to live our life for you. Let the songs these sweet children learned resound in their heart for many years to come until the message of your love and grace penetrates their soul!

Sonic

One day after Music Camp, we took a group of the actors & actresses to Sonic for a little snack since they had stayed after for extra practice. We had a blast pretending like we were the Duggars Family with all those children. But I honestly don't know how they order everyone's food. I had to write down everyone's order like I was the waitress because I was afraid that it would be pure chaos to let everyone shout their order into the little speaker and we didn't even have half as many kids with us as they have all of the time. Brian thinks they probably don't give the kids any choices ~ He thinks the dad probably says something like, "Tonight we're all eating hamburgers and having Sprite. If you don't like it, you don't eat."
On another noe, I just love love love Sonic slushies!
Delish!
Somehow a Route 44 Coke Zero Slush as the magical power to turn a bad day into good!
Especially during 'happy hour' when they are half price.
The boys filled their bottomless pits with footlong chili, cheese coney dogs.
Ugh! I don't know how they got that monstrosity down and KEPT it down!

Blueberry Love

One of my favorite things about 'country life' is the gloriously delicious fresh produce. We moved here right smack in the middle of blueberry season. In fact, I remember the kids running inside with fists full of berries that they had found on some strange bush in our yard. This CITY girl did not know what to make of this and truthfully, I was afraid they were poison berries.

I didn't grow up just wandering around outside picking fresh fruit and vegetables from bushes!

Well, three years later, I am slowly but surely catching on to this whole country life thing and couldn't wait to initiate my nephew and sister in law and give them a TASTE of the 'sweet' life!

Tyson jumped right in there like he knew what he was doing.

He took off running the moment he got his bucket!

It was hard to keep his bucket full because he kept emptying it.

Needless to say, Tyson LOVED the fresh berries!

Seriously, do you think he could open his mouth ANY BIGGER?

Too funny!

When Tyson's belly FINALLY got full, he would take other people's berries and put them in HIS bucket.

Why are the biggest ones always out of reach?

Oh the possibilities.....blueberry cobbler, blueberry delight, blueberry parfaits, blueberry muffins, ... why do I feel a little like Forrest Gump?

Yummers!!!

It was hotter than hot this day, so we swung by the church to get some popsicles and let Tyson play on Uncle Brian's computer.

Wanted by God

We took pictures of all the kiddies with their head in the WANTED BY GOD poster. Then we enlarged the picture to an 8x10 on tan paper and burned the edges to give it an old and weathered look. They hung in the hallways on clotheslines as part of our Western VBS deco.

Is it just me, or does the church look especially sad and boring when all the fun decorations get taken down?

Family Night Ranch Round Up

I have a love/hate relationship with VBS Family Night.

You see, I love to meet all the families, hear the kids sing their songs, watch the slideshow, and hear the report of what the Lord has done during the week.

However, it turns out this is also the night that we end up doing the craziest stunts as a reward and incentive for the kids. Last year wasn't too bad. We promised them a 50 foot long banana split if our attendance hit 225. The year before that, Brian promised to KISS A PIG! Not only did he have to do it, but the attendance was good enough to make our entire team of ministers kiss the pig!

Well this year, we told the kids that whichever class had the largest number of 'cowpokes', they could "lasso" the ministers with Silly String during the Family Night Ranch Round Up.

We also had a boy vs. girl missions offering competition going on. If the boys raised the most money, I would get a pie in the face. If the girls raised the most money, Preacher would get the pie.

As you can see from the pictures, the GIRLS WON!!!

LOVE THOSE GIRLS!!!

I was thoughtful enough to buy Brian a poncho though!

We had a great night enjoying a petting zoo, cooking hot dogs & smores, listening to the youth sing camp fire style songs, panning for 'gold', tossing lassos, and playing horseshoes.

We even had a cow patty toss competition!

You know you're in the country when...

(actually they were fake patties)

It was a fabulous end to a fabulous week!