Monday, July 1, 2013

Muddy Matters

Last Friday I took the boys to the public library for International Mud Day.  Who knew there was such a thing right?  Needless to say the awesome library employees outdid themselves with this program - there was a pool of mud, tubs of dirt, bowls of mud...mud everywhere!  And I let Logan and Gavin dig in without any reservations!  (Hey, I came prepared:  clean clothes, underwear, diapers, and a bag for the dirty ones!)  The boys had so much fun...in fact, they shut the place down by being the last ones to leave!  Here's the high lights:

THE BIG POOL FULL OF MUD:
 




THE TUB OF DIRT FOR DIGGING OUT TREASURE:


 
MUD PAINTING:


 
A SMALLER POOL OF MUD...perfect for mud pies according to Logan:
 
CLEAN MUD...which ironically both boys declared "gross":
 
 
There was also a table for building clay sculptures, but niether Logan or Gavin made it past the pools and bowls of mud before all the clay was used up...  Mud wins over clay I guess - the messier the better!
 
They also had a hose and a bucket of water for cleaning up.  Gavin, being a big fan of water and hoses, considered this just another fun activity!
 
 
 
I took this last picture of Logan thinking we were done and that he couldn't get any muddier...
 
 
 
...I was WAY wrong on both counts!  Niether boy was done playing...and Logan DID get dirtier.  I wish I had a picture, but I'd already put the camera away and was working on cleaning up Gavin when Logan decided to dump a bucket of mud down the front of his shirt.  On purpose of course!  Vanessa, the librarian, and I had to tag team Logan's clean up.  She hosed out his clothes while I scrubbed him down with water from the bucket!
 
I never knew there was an International Mud Day, but I'm glad I do now!  I'd love to celebrate it again the next time it rolls around...but I'm not sure if our fearless librarians will ever be daring enough to tackle that project again!  And I wouldn't blame them!  So, I'm sending out a big thank you to everyone who pulled this fun experience off - what a perfect opportunity to let boys be boys!




God's Backyard Bible Camp

Last week our church teamed up with another church in town to put on a Vacation Bible School called God's Backyard Bible Camp. (Okay, actually, the other church really did most of the work, and we just dropped our kids off, but still, it counts! I stayed and helped run crafts, so it totally counts!)
 

The program ran for four days - Monday through Thursday - from 5:15 to 7:30.  We kicked each night off with dinner, of course!  On the first night they did cute little picnic lunches wrapped up in bandanas, and then there was camping classics like beans and weenies, mac 'n cheese, and spaghetti!





After dinner, the kids gathered together around the "camp fire" for music, videos, and the large group lesson.  It was quite a task to keep almost 40 kids from ages four to twelve focused, but somehow they managed to do a pretty darn good job!



After the large group lesson, the kids were divided into two groups:  the "preschool" group and the older kids.  Logan fell into the preschool group, and his "camp counselor" was Amy (who is actually another mother from our day care!).  Everyday they went from large group, to crafts, to Bible study, to the playground, and then back inside for a fun dessert.



Three of the four nights I volunteered to help with crafts (the other night I worked in the nursery), so I got to help Logan and his friends create different projects like "camp fire handprints", owls, lanterns, and "stained glass" crosses. 





I'm not sure how Bible study time went because I never got a chance to sneak in there and see what was going on, but I do know that Logan loved the room that they hung out in...especially getting to be the one weilding the flashlight!  On our last day I did make Logan go sit in his room and let me take his picture!




Logan's favorite part every day was doing the outside activities.  His favorite activity was glow in the dark bowling and ring toss - he couldn't stop talking about that one!  On the last day, I sneeked out of crafts with the older kids and popped my head outside to see what was going on.  They had already finished their activity, but they were still having a blast playing with the bubble machine!



Last on the agenda every night was "sugaring them up"!  (Officially known as "snack time".)  This included s'mores one night, chocolate pudding the second, dirt cake with gummy worms the third, and lastly...ice cream sundaes! 



And one last thing that I should note about VBS this year...they had a nursery program!  This was awesome for parents like me who had children too little for Bible school yet, but still really wanted to help out.  My friend Shelly from church took care of the little ones with the help of her two awesome kids!  Gavin got to make some new friends, hang out with an old pal from day care, and check out some new toys.  Oh, and he got to have dinner and dessert, too...I'm pretty sure "food time" was his favorite time!







Gods' Backyard Bible Camp was a blast, but as fun as it was...I'm glad it is over and only comes around once a year!  Phew - it was a busy and exhausting experience!  That being said, I loved getting to do VBS with Logan and Gavin this year! It was such a fun learning experience for all of us!  I'm sure next year will be even better!

starting july by remembering june

534.  Popsicles on the back patio
 
535.  Sunshine at Six Flags in St. Louis
 
536.  Squeezing into kid rides with my boys
 
537.  Logan grinning, excited to ride a few all by himself
 
538.  Ice cream served up in freshly baked waffle cones
 
539.  Car ride home, boys sleeping soundly in the backseat exhausted from a fun day

 
540.  Scrapbooking date with a good friend
541.  Fasting Attempting a fast in support of Justin
542.  Low fog draped across early morning ground
543.  Filling a water gun over and over and over for Gavin to shoot
544.  Chasing the boys through the backyard...squirt gun in hand!
545.  A Papa, Dad, and Logan fishing trip on Father's Day
 
546.  Justin...a great father to our boys
547.  A happy union between Sonic and homework
 
548.  A trick dog show at the library with Logan
549.  Boys meet power wheel...and SHARE!
 
550.  Justin taking a day off from work to spend with me
551.  Pecan waffles smothered in butter and sweet syrup...YUM!
552.  A seven mile hike in two hours and fifty-nine minutes!
553.  Watching father and sons play in the backyard sunshine
554.  Four generations on a Sunday afternoon fishing trip
 
557.  Monday matinee Pixar movie (Monster's University) with my boys
 
558.  Logan's quick recovery from a stomach virus
559.  Hugs all around on my birthday!
560.  Turning 30!
564.  Swimming at the "big pool" with Logan and Gavin
565.  A surprise birthday party for me at Whimsy!
 
566.  Chocolate caramel cheesecake and birthday wishes blown out on a candle
 
567.  Unexpected gifts!
568.  My Logan lost and then found!  (Bet he will stay in the car when told to from now on!)
569.  An Iron Man birthday cake made special from the Heaven Scent Bakery
 
570.  A big bunch of birthday balloons for the birthday boy
 
571.  Logan...six years old!
572.  Excitement and hugs for new books and a load of fishing tackle!
 
573.  A family party to celebrate a special boy
574.  Brats and hot dogs grilled up and eaten around the patio table
 
575.  Bashing a pinata full of treats...and beating the sudden storm that blew in and out quickly
 
576.  Six candles on the cake, lit and blown out by Logan
 
577.  Desnse choclate cake frosted sweet!
 
578.  Legos and more legos for the excited birthday boy
 
579.  A famiy game of catch the football in the backyard
 
580.  A new purse for me - a belated birthday gift!
581.  Curled up together for The Avengers
 
582.  Finishing our storybook Bible!
583.  Discovering Logan's first loose tooth!
584.  Sparklers to finish up the perfect birthday party
585.  Eight tiny kittens piled together
 
586.  Gentle touches against soft fur
587.  Tiny paws outstretched
 
588.  Tiny mouths forming tiny yawns
 
589.  Gavin "driving" the riding lawn mower
 
590.  "De ja vu" watching Gavin "mow" with the seeder...just like Logan once upon a time!