Tag Archive | summer

VBS on a Larger Scale

June 21-26

What to do on a sunny Saturday, the first one of SUMMER? Operation Geocache in a new location was less than successful, though we did find a bird’s nest…101_7999

A rather anxious turtle they corralled back to the safety of the marshy bits…101_8001

And a glider being flown from the parking lot.

You can just see it off in the distance. The guy had two and did some rather impressive maneuvers

You can just see it off in the distance. The guy had two and did some rather impressive maneuvers

101_7997101_7996After that nature filled adventure it was time to hop into our bathing suits and back into the pool in the front yard.101_8006

101_8008On Sunday we buzzed the twins’ hair nice and short.101_8012

Even with rain the kids got some time in the yard on the scooters.101_8014

Monday was a bit of a wash what with Nana and Baba getting home from Mexico and all. But Echo is one determined student and got in her workpage fun.101_8016

Additionally we have signed up 4 of the 5 kids (Echo is not fully potty trained so can’t) in the same VBS as Renee and Chris’ kids are in. They go to a daycare that is in a church and that church has a massive 4 day FREE daycare! Quite the amazing church – Living Faith Church HERE. They are there from 9 am to noon with us just dropping them off. It has made for quiet mornings and afternoons of light schooling.20140623_085641

Trinity is working on completing one of her review workbooks. We have given ourselves the summer to get these books done.101_8020

Back into the pool…101_8018

With a butterfly for company.101_8019

I swear the twins can play AND understand Agricola way better than I ever will! Somehow… not that upsetting! But it is neat to see them stretch their reasoning, problem solving and reading skills. In fact, one of the boys’ 10 top Summer To Do items is a boardgame day (probably on one of the extremely common rainy days!).101_8021

Miss Echo caught up on her well tanned Baba snuggles. Apparently Mexico was a very relaxing vacation for everyone!101_8022

Tuesday once again began just me and my baby… with ICE CREAM on the way home from VBS in celebration of Mommy’s 35th birthday.101_8025

And then a continuation of the pattern… into the pool. Splish Splash, this thing has paid for itself in entertainment value already!101_8026

Ken took me out for my birthday just us two to a wonderful Japanese place that cooks your food (private chef!) right in front of you! We tried chicken liver and green tea sherbet! the liver was… odd… the sherbet good! The chef was amazing as well, so personable. (Thanks to Shandai for the recommendation) 

Yup I took a pic in the car

Yup I took a pic in the car

Main  course of dinner with other bits and bobs

Main course of dinner with other bits and bobs

The green tea with green tea sherbet

The green tea with green tea sherbet

lovely ambiance

lovely ambiance

By Wednesday Echo was REALLY missing her siblings… lay around and watch tv sort of missing.101_8028

I am so proud of the kids for agreeing to continue with light schooling even after a busy VBS filled morning. Gammie’s mailed worksheets are a HUGE help.101_8029

101_8030This time I had two more garage sale finds! Gotta stop when you are driving home from wherever and see a sign… right?101_8031

Thursday was the final day of VBS and a busy morning. Not only did Ken have to drop the kids but then he had an appointment for Echo. So it was Baba that drove me to pick the kids up in the pandemonium that is a large VBS. We did enjoy watching the neighbourhood bunny in the front yard. Before they left for Echo’s hearing exam. Turns out she is just fine with wax buildup. So baby girl is a bit of a lazy talker with dirty ears that SHOULD have decreased her hearing abilities!101_8033

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Packed with a snack on the way to her hearing test

Packed with a snack on the way to her hearing test

It's always an adventure with these two... there was some sort of a fire somewhere in the hospital so their entire wing got evacuated!! Everything was fine in the end though.

It’s always an adventure with these two… there was some sort of a fire somewhere in the hospital so their entire wing got evacuated!! Everything was fine in the end though.

Gavin actually made his first Pokemon trade with a kid from there (name unknown).101_8038

And the final craft was rather cool! We gave our information to one of the boys the twins met. His mom had asked if we could do so on Wednesday. Sadly the rush to leave and Ken waiting when he dropped off as long as he could meant we had to give one of our little half business cards we gave as Christmas cards post move for address change had to be handed to the boy himself. So it is a bit of a crap shoot as to whether or not we will ever hear from them. We could not go to the evening program as we had other commitments.101_8039

4 days of 9 until noon and I can honestly say… our family is not hard wired for that sort of life. I think we really do enjoy and maybe now appreciate a little more, the flexibility that is homeschooling. BUT the experience of a large VBS has been great and really got us excited about our own church’s much smaller version. That one Echo is enrolled in too as I am helping her age group.

She really was a card this week :)

She really was a card this week 🙂

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Sunshine… Lollipops… Moonbeams…

Ok maybe just adorable babes in the sunshine.101_2607

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Oh... and me!

Oh… and me!

Flowers from the garden

Flowers from the garden

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And thus begins the Lily Bean Babysitting photo spread!

And thus begins the Lily Bean Babysitting photo spread!

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That dragon always returns to the photo shoots!

That dragon always returns to the photo shoots!

Both of my babies

Both of my babies

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With her Mommy

With her Mommy

photo (82three)

photo (82eee)

Waiting for Summer’s Return… a Book Review

I could not resist the combination of a free download AND a  recommendation on the front cover by the very first author I ever met in person as a teenager… Janette Oke. Waiting for Summer’s Return by Kim Vogel Sawyer is a historical Christian romance based in Kansas at the time of covered wagons and small towns.

Summer is a newly widowed woman from Boston who lost her family (husband and children) to illness on their way out west to find their own farming land. Feeling abandoned and having lost her faith in God and the people around her Summer is at a loss as to what to do. Return to Boston and her inlaws who disowned her husband when they chose to leave it all and head east or her brother and his wife who saw her as a burden or stay and try and make a life where she could visit the graves of her beloved children.

Peter and his son Thomas live with Peter’s deceased wife’s grandmother on their settlement just out of town. Alone but for the 3 of them, Thomas had fallen and injured himself badly enough that he could not make the ride to school. This leads to a change in Summer’s circumstances as this traditional Mennonite man is in need of a learned woman to teach his son until he can return to school.

Having dealt with his own questions in regards to faith and God’s will Peter and his family are the perfect catalyst for healing and restoring of faith and perhaps a little love along the way? The town’s own insecurities are examined as we learn more about how persecuted people were coming from Russia and Germany. German Mennonites came to the United States to find the freedom to express their faith, and in turn feared outsiders and persecution. With a mix of English and Low German this is a lovely romantic journey of faith and growth.

If you enjoy a sweet Christian message and characters you can truly fall in love with and care about Waiting for Summer’s Return is the book for you! As a fan of Janette Oke as a younger reader this brings me right back to my original faith based reading!

Waiting for Summer’s Return