VBS Pandomania!

Last summer the kids went to vacation bible school at Shiloh United Methodist church, where our friends the Hartman's attend. And they loved it. So I didn't hesitate to sign them up again this summer. And they got to go this past week...
What did make me stop and hesitate was when Brandi presented the idea that she and I volunteer to work at it for the week. But she is ever so convincing - and I'm not quite sure how it all went down - but the next thing you know we were put in charge of Bible Adventures... where the kids came to experience stories from the Bible each day. And I'm thankful to her for peer pressuring me into this ;) because it was a wonderful time. And I think we really had fun with the kids and taught them a few things. Wish I had gotten more pictures of our elaborate schemes each day. But take this as an example...
...that is the whale that ate Jonah (and me, and Brandi, and Lauren...and all the kids) :) It only took us like an hour to turn a 75 foot tarp, 3 rolls of duck tape, 1 roll of gorilla tape, an incredibly large air blower thingy, spray bottles of water, and 2 cans of opened sardines into the beast you see above. Yes, we are very cool.
One day we had to hide from the Romans and had a secret meeting where Peter (aka Brandi's dad who was in town visiting) came and talked to the kids about his actions and feelings...

They 'created' when we talked about the creation. Tyler was a very convincing alligator.
We brought in, and worked together, to build an alter out of gravel, stones, sticks, and whatnot when teaching them what happened when, and how, the prophets of Baal learned they were wrong.
And they heard the story of Elkanah and his two wives and effectively learned what Hannah went through, in comparison to Penninah, when they were denied candy that others got.
Maybe I learned a little something too...

Dylan was sad he wasn't big enough to stay with Brynn and Tyler and Ally and Anya. But he and Kate got to go to their own "class"... aka the nursery. But it was mostly just them in there and they got a lot of attention and love and had tons of fun too. They even got to join everyone at the beginning and end for music and such. A mother and daughter were in charge of the day care and they were precious with the kids. The daughter loved Kate and I found them snuggling one day...

Good times!


Then Sunday the Hartmans also invited us to join them at their service because not only were the VBS kiddos going to get up and sing some of the songs they learned (pictured above) to the congregation, but they were also baptizing Max and Macy (their 6 month old twins). Preston was on call (24 hour OB shift) and couldn't come but I took the kids.
And we followed it up with a lovely Sunday afternoon of lunch and relaxation at their house.
I'm so glad we could go and be part of everything. And it also turned out to be an amazing teaching moment between me and my children - most especially Brynn and some for Tyler. She is trying hard to understand the concept of believing in Jesus but belonging/going to a certain church. We were able to discuss, and reiterate, the differences in what we (as members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints) believe and what makes us special. Also, why we do things certain ways that other people don't - like the difference in our baptism procedures, or Sabbath Day practices. Good conversations. But we also had a little moment at the end of the hour long service when we walked out the door and Tyler looked up at me and said, "Wait, we done already!!! We leaving?! That's short church. I like short church!!" Ah come on...primary is so fun it makes three hours go by fast right??!?! He'll learn to love and appreciate "long church" ;) I have no doubt about that.

Playplace on PCP

So we've done a lot of exploring since we've moved to the St. Louis area. But one place we've never been, that everyone always talks about, is the City Museum. It just seemed rather pricey to us so we've always gone somewhere else. But this past Saturday we had a fun visit from the Thomas'... and so we splurged ;) and went with them.
Neither PJ or I could figure out why it is called a museum. PJ described it as a play place on PCP. He thinks they took an engineer and an abstract artist, gave them a little something, and then told them to get to work and to go big or go home. And that is exactly what they must have done. It was a big building just full of tunnels and caves and mazes and holes and slides and pits and climbing things. The kids would enter one end of something and there was no telling where they would come out or if they would reappear. Dylan was a little shy at first but then decided it was all ok and disappeared with the others, scaling the heights like a pro. There was even a 10 story slide that they all went down (after climbing a 10 story spiral staircase to get to the top of it) - apparently Dylan started doing somersaults a little ways down it and hit his head so that obviously wasn't his favorite part. But there certainly was plenty to explore...





The kids had a blast.
The dads wore themselves out chasing behind the kiddos.
And the moms, well, we had stiff necks and sore eyes from looking up (and around and down and backwards) and trying to keep track of everyone.

It made us all a little hungry...
So we took them to one of our new favorite pizza joints (Johnny's Pizza) for some Chicago style pizza before they had to head for home.
Glad we had a good reason to venture out!

10 Months!

Not much to report this month! She's still wobbly but has been working on her balance for walking. She tries to "talk" more. And her hair, as it is filling in, is getting little curls in the back. She got her first top tooth a few weeks ago (which was a long painful process for her) and then recently her second top tooth poked through. It appears that teething has caused her to not like her pacifiers anymore (??!!?) so she has weaned herself from them. PJ says I should be thankful and go with it... I'm trying - they are just so handy and useful.
Speaking of getting around and being wobbly...

It should be noted that while I was pausing (rather quickly) to snap these shots Brynn was hollering at me to put the camera down and help her...

Fathers Day and Get Away

Fathers Day 2011...

"The most important thing a father can do
for his children is to love their mother."
-David O. McKay

Preston understands and lives this counsel. And this past week he and I were able to let the kids have a much anticipated two night sleepover with our Shumway friends and we left them behind to have a little mommy and daddy vacation. We actually didn't take advantage of this opportunity to travel or explore or be adventurous. Instead, we opted to stay nearby and do all the things we love to do but are sometimes not able to when or how we'd like to. We stayed up late (cleaning carpets, oops!), we tried to sleep in (hard when you're so use to being woken up all the time), we casually shopped, we visited our temple, we ate out peacefully, and we golfed!... or at least PJ golfed and I enjoyed a relaxing golf cart ride on a beautiful course on a beautiful day ;) But we were together.

It was all so lovely. And what is that saying?!...
When the parents are away, the children will play!...


I don't know... do you think they missed us at all??!? Or even noticed we were gone...

**So... Kates nose. Yes, she got a big owie on it. And it was my fault :( One very rainy morning I laid her on the living room floor with a bottle while I made a mad dash out to the car to load the older three. And as I came rushing back in to come get her I flung the screen door open and out she tumbled... apparently nose first. Very sad, I know.