VBS Week

This week I'm leading games at our church where over 350 kids are coming every day. The first day I met my "assistant" who is entering seventh grade. Can you say baby face? He was late the first day and so I told him if he was late again I would make him run wind sprints. His eyes bugged out of his head and he said, "Oh no. I'll be on time from now."

Every time I picture his face, I laugh out loud. I love middle schoolers. They're so gullible.

Confessions of a Tomboy

1. I hate to paint my toenails. Really I do. It's uncomfortable, time-consuming, tedious work.
2. I spit when I run. My mom once told me that I wouldn't appeal to the opposite sex if I spit while I played college softball. Hmmmm, as I recall, I had a few dates in college.
3. I say the s*word that rhymes with spit while playing co-ed softball at the Christian Reformed Rec. Center. Usually quietly & just to myself when someone botches a play. I even yelled at my nephew when he cut off the ball when I was trying to throw someone out at 3rd base. Sorry Ross. Love ya - but get the rock out of the way.
4. I love to mow the grass. My husband will often be cooking dinner inside while I'm out mowing. I still remember my neighbor telling me that when her boys saw me out mowing for the first time they shouted, "Look. There's a mom mowing the grass!"

Long Jump Contests

Camping means joining in an impromptu long jump contest at the bottom of the sand dune called, "Old Baldy" (not kidding about that name & yes, I can think of other things that could be called that), talking about deep and not so deep stuff around the fire or around the picnic table as you battle it out gender vs. gender in cards, letting your kids stay up too late playing charades, putting your bathing suit on right when you wake up and leaving it on until after dinner, it's many moments ... sandy, sticky, silly, unforgettable moments.

If you get a chance, read this book, "Cold Tangerines" by Shauna Niequist. Her words are bursting off of every page encouraging you to celebrate everything in your life. She writes, "Today is your big moment. Moments, really. The life you've been waiting for is happening all around you. The scene unfolding right outside your window is worth more than the most beautiful painting, and the crackers and peanut butter that you're having for lunch on the coffee table are as profound, in their own way, as the Last Supper. This is it. This is life in all its glory, swirling and unfolding around us, disguised as pedantic, pedestrian non-events. Your life, right now, today is exploding with energy and power and detail and dimension, better than the best movie you have ever seen. You and your family and your friends and your house and your dinner table and your garage all have the making of a life of epic proportions, a story for the ages. Because they all are. Every life is."

Camping Part Deux

Wrapped up the camping adventure with my sister & her family. The cousins had so much fun together that Paige said we should live closer to each other. Cindy came back by saying we should move because we turbo through home improvement projects! Ha! I would love to bulldoze my house and build my dream home right on the same lot. Our neighborhood is just too great. Take today for instance; I asked my neighbor if we could borrow his chain saw to cut up a fallen branch and he said he would take care of it for me. Nice. Then I sit outside on my porch and watch my neighbor across the street chat it up with my kids and then hand them a bag of fresh picked cherries. Too nice. I love it here. (Don't worry Patti, I haven't forgotten about your late night contributions to my baking extravaganzas. Love ya too. And Tara, if you actually read my blog - I miss ya girl.)

Thanks Groots! We had a blast with your family and we love you lots. And thanks Te Slaas for letting them borrow your camper for the weekend.

Time to Reload

This post is dedicated to my neighbor & friend Patti who for some reason finds my life interesting. :) We are home for a day and a half from camping to re-load on food, clean clothes, and for the girls & I (their coach) to get to their softball game tonight. Today is picture day and we thought we shouldn't miss it. Later ...

Mr. Twisty in his sleeping bag.

Camping causes craziness.

The nine year olds; Maddie & Paige.

The 7 & 8 year olds; Zoey & Ellie. Dough boys are so good you want to lick the paper plate.

The hot mamas; Steph, me, Kim

The hot papas; Mark & Jeff playing corn hole. Could this game have a stranger name? :)

The crew (minus Jeff who was snapping this photo.)

Mark & Steph & their four kids

Us & our three

The Hoekstras & their two boys who came to visit for a day.

The Clampetts go Camping!

A pick-up truck is like cheating when going camping.

So easy to pack - love it.

Have I mentioned that I'm not afraid to be a little cheesy? :)

Fruit pizza flag for the 4th. Oh baby, it was good.

Dear Fellow Bloggers,
Hope y'all had a great 4th. Here's some pics of our fun day and a pic of my friend Kim & I who keep getting asked if we are sisters. Thanks to the Hoekstras for grilling up a mean steak & for paying their East Grand Rapids taxes so we could enjoy the fireworks display! I will be unavailable for the next two weeks because I will be working on my tan. Please try not to abuse my comment section by having miscellaneous conversations and musings. Actually, go ahead. I get more comments when I'm gone then when I'm around. ;)

Sulphur smell - yum!

Sisters? If only she had red hair and more freckles.

Boys are pyromaniacs.

Snakes, aka poops. The kids absolute favorite of all time.

Eight IS Enough & We Be Jammin'

(o.k. that's only 7 - where's Mikayla?)

I thought I'd share a shot of our kids & the cousins (all five of them) that we babysat while their mom & dad interviewed for a new pastor job in Green Bay, Wisconsin. They really are the sweetest kids and they were so cute when I told them I got some good ideas for their next birthdays by watching them play with our toys (remote control car and MP3 player). Until two of them told me they would like a trampoline and a Wii instead. LOL! Pastor's kids with expensive tastes - I love it! Thanks to Patti for having a tramp and always letting our kids jump on it. To wrap up our busy day we decided to make eight batches of homemade strawberry jam. The girls did a great job helping and 45 minutes later we were done.