VBS: Shake It Up Cafe

I got to help with Vacation Bible School again this year and I am so glad I did!  Our theme was Shake It Up Cafe, so we had a kitchen/cooking type theme.

Our group was the "carrots" and we hung around with the "lemons" for most of the stations.  Each day we had a "Secret Ingredient" that we learned about. They were:

• Monday--Be Ready for God
• Tuesday--Give Happily to God
• Wednesday--Believe Fully in Jesus
• Thursday--Remember Jesus Often
• Friday--Celebrate God Forever

Each day started out in Chef Basil's kitchen and then we were dismissed to our stations.  Each station had a project or activity that used the secret ingredient.

We got to go to science and do some fun cooking experiments, like a blindfolded, nose-plugged taste test.

And there were games inside and outside. Frances didn't last long in the water balloon toss. I wonder why??

She loved getting wet in the cup relay, though!

They had a cute cut-out by the front door for the kids to pose with.  I only took about 16 shots here and this is the best I could get! (Henry was downstairs in the pre-school session, so I didn't get many pictures of him.

Snack was fun. One of the sub-themes this year was about celebrations in the Bible and we talked a lot about unleavened bread.  Snack one day was tortilla faces. It seemed like an odd combination, but it was pretty good.

We had music every day and sang some really great songs.

During Bible time we learned about the different Jewish festivals that Jesus would have celebrated growing up.  The kids sorted pictures of the different items at each festival to display on posters around the room.

And the kids had arts & crafts time where they illustrated these cool chef hats, painted t-shirts, penned some evangelical fortune cookies, made coin banks to collect money for the poor, and decorated paper crosses.

One of the biggest hits of the week was Chef Basil.  We started and ended each day in his kitchen along with his sous chef, Scraps the Squirrel.  He led games for the kids, introduced the secret ingredient for each day, and led us in prayer. The kids loved him!

This is our favorite song from Bible School this year. I recorded the practice, so I could get out of the way when we recorded the second performance, but I think it turned out really well anyway!

All in all, it was a great week at VBS.  And the kids really had fun learning how to SHAKE IT UP!

Father's Day Weekend

Ken is taking a week of vacation this week and he scheduled himself off for the surrounding Saturdays.  That means we have two weekends in a row together!! Whatever will we do!?!?  Well for Father's Day weekend we decided to go visit his dad.
Ken downloaded a new game for his phone called "Ant Smasher" that we gave to Henry to play.  All you do is smash the ants with your finger. Henry loved it, but he kept messing it up and I had to reset it a thousand times for him.  He was concentrating very hard!

Ken's dad just got back from a 3-week hunting expedition in Zimbabwe.  It is a trip he has wanted to make his whole life and watching him tell the stories was too much fun. He was so excited! Like a little kid at Christmas. I am so glad he got to make this trip!

We spent a nice weekend there, hearing about his safari and just hanging around.  I managed to catch a few pictures with Ken and his dad. The first one is all the boys!

 And the second is a very proud Papa with three of his grandkids. (I am not sure why Benjamin has his mouth wide open!!)

There had been a big storm the night before we came up and there were leaves and such all over the back porch.  Benjamin took it upon himself to start collecting leaves and throwing them through the rails.  I finally have a kids who likes to clean up!! How do I nurture that skill??

Ken grilled some pork chops for dinner Saturday night (while Frances danced like a weirdo in the background).

She also lost another tooth while we were there.  She pulled this one out herself!  It was number 6 for her.  Now she can drink milkshakes with her teeth closed again.  :)

Luray Caverns

Massanutten Regional Library is hosting an A.M.A.Z.I.N.G. summer reading program this summer!  One way that they are encouraging kids to get into the library is by partnering with a bunch of local businesses and attractions to sponsor Free Fridays.  With a library card, kids can get free admission at:

• Massanutten Water Park (June 10th)  We missed this one because of the Retirement Party.
• Luray Caverns (June 17th)
• Turks Baseball Game (June 24th)
• Grand Caverns (July 1st)
• Valley Lanes (July 8th)
• Funky's Skate Center (July 15th)
• Luray Zoo (July 22nd)
• Children's Museum (July 29th)
• Ryan's Orchard (August 5th) Kids get a free 1/4 peck of apples

So this Friday Ken didn't have to be at work until 3:45 and we decided to go to Luray Caverns.  It makes me a little bit sad that we live in such a historical and environmentally rich area and we never take advantage of it!!  We checked it out online and found out that we could also save $5 off the adult admission by bringing our Martin's Card, so we had to go to Martin's and apply for one!

We drove up the road (a beautiful drive!!) and then packed Benjamin up into his backpack carrier.

We waited in line for a bit and then head down the 70 steps into the cavern.

The guide taught us about stalactites (they hang TIGHT to the ceiling) and stalagmites (they MIGHT meet the ceiling someday).

The cave has some really interesting formations and features.  The following two pictures are of Dream Lake, an area with an underground pond. The water is very still and reflects the ceiling perfectly.

 There is also a formation known as Pluto's Ghost. The story goes that as the original discoverers of the cave were exploring it by candlelight they saw this formation in the distance. They saw it three more times as the went further into the cave and felt as if it were following them and haunting them like a ghost. It is Pluto's Ghost because Pluto is the god of the underworld. 

 Henry wasn't real sure about the caverns for most of our trip. He asked me several times how we were going to get out.  :)  When we got back in the car though, he asked if we could go back and visit again!

We had the opportunity to listen to the Stalacpipe Organ. I took a picture of the sign and one of the clappers, but of course forgot a picture of the organ itself!

There was also a wishing well that we threw a few coins into.  I told Ken to give me a quarter because I had a big wish to go for!  :)

This formation is called "fried eggs" because it looks like...fried eggs!!

 Our guide told us a story that if you get dripped on in the caverns that you will receive one year of good luck. I had already been dripped on once and thrown a quarter in the wishing well, but I decided to wait next to this  stalactite anyway.  And then Ken came along and told me I was being a dork and made me leave!!

We had a picnic out by the lake and ate grapes,

and PBJs,

and (very serious) Doritos.

 Then we went to the Luray Valley Museum to look around.

The coolest part of the museum was the reproduction of a gem sluice. You can buy a bag of of sand and gems, take it over to the sluice and pan for gems!  The kids thought it was pretty cool (and so did the parents)!

Children's Museum

Today Ken went to his dad's house to help catch up on some yard work from while he was gone to Africa.  The kids and I headed out to the Children's Museum to play.  We ended up seeing some OLD friends-like way back from HIGH SCHOOL!!  I saw my friend's dad and thought he looked familiar. But I couldn't figure out who he was because he was in the wrong place.  Like my brain couldn't figure out which drawer to open up to find the name!  After I figured it out, I went to say hi.  Then I had to remember my maiden name so I could introduce myself!!  I remember how hard I had to work when I first got married to remember what my name was, and now ten years later, my maiden name fails me!!
So it turns out that my friend's wife is doing some stuff at JMU and his whole family (brother, sister, parents, inlaws, kids, nieces and nephews) are staying at Massanutten for the week.  They had a one-to-one ratio of adults to kids, and I was out numbered three-to-one, so I didn't get to do a lot of visiting, but it was nice to say hi and meet his kids.
My kids settled in at the theater for a while playing dress up and dancing around on stage.  I got a few pictures with my phone, so when I find the cord maybe I will come back and upload them...

Picnic at the Park

Julie texted me this morning about her plans to go to the library for story time with Laura.  Since we had just been the night before we told her we could go to the museum and then meet up afterwards and have a picnic together.  We ended up being later than I wanted to, so Julie and Laura came over to the Museum for a bit to play beforehand.  Frances hung out in the ambulance. When I saw her she had two broken legs, her arm in a sling and a neck brace on.  POOR GIRL!!  Henry switched between the ambulance and the Farmer's Market/Kitchen area.  Benjamin was just happy to carry a tomato around and WALK BY HIMSELF the whole time.
After the mommies got hungry and rounded up the kids, we headed out to Westover Park for a picnic.  The kids ate (a little bit) and then played on the equipment for a while.  Benjamin has discovered the JOY of climbing up all the stairs and sitting at the top of the slide and scaring his poor mommy to death!!  He also LOVES the swings. When it is time to get out, he turns himself around and won't look at me.  I think he thinks that if he can't see me, then I can't see him and get him out.  Silly boy, your mommy is (slightly) smarter than that!
The kids played hard enough to earn some good naptime and for dinner we ate quesadillas and watched a movie.

Summer Reading Program

We came home from Radford on Tuesday so that we could go to a program at the local library.  Our library is hosting an awesome summer reading program for kids, youth and adults.  I signed the kids up for the program last week and they have been especially excited readers since then.  For every five books they read (or activities they complete) they get a prize:

• 5 books = Harrisonburg Turks baseball tickets
• 10 books = Free ice cream cone from Dairy Queen
• 15 books = Chick-fil-A Kid's Meal
• 20 books = Funky's Skate Center Pass
• 25 books = Rockingham County Fair Entrance Pass

Tuesday also happened to be the "kick-off" event for the Summer Reading Program.  They had a concert by Kim & Jimbo Cary, local folk musicians.  This couple played a variety of different musical styles and had lots of instruments for the kids to try out.  The kids loved it!  Benjamin shook his little maraca like nobody's business!!  Frances and Henry got to try out some drums, bells, and other percussion instruments from around the world.  They even got to go up and dance during a song about animals.

I am consistently impressed with the amazing programs that our library puts on for kids.

There's No Place Like Home

The kids and I went to Radford for my dad's retirement party and were fortunate to be able to stay a few extra days to visit.  We did almost all of the summer pre-requisites.

We watched Uncle Alan go fishing. He got a fish on his first cast and then lost two lures in a row!!

We went to the park and blew bubbles with new birthday bubble wands from Jean and Clare.  Thanks guys!!

Played in the swings,

went down the slide

a few hundred times,

caught lightning bugs,

and spent some good quality time with family!

Happy Retirement, Daddy

24 years ago my family moved to Radford and my father started a new job as a Reference Librarian at Radford University. At the end of June he is retiring. Friday evening the library hosted a retirement party at my mom's church. My brothers and I were all able to come along with my sister-in-law Jessica and my three kids.  Ken had to work (Surprise, surprise!) so we had to leave him at home.

It was a nice place to have a party, and I for one enjoyed the venue, as it is where Ken and I had our wedding reception 10 years ago!  But back to my father...

I suppose parties have to have a theme.  It makes planning and decorating a bit simpler.  Radford University's mascot is a Highlander, so typically there is a Scottish piece to things.  However, my father's party had another theme as well...

Sponge Bob Square Pants!

One of my father's legacies at the library might well be the Halloween costuming that goes on every year. For as long as I can remember, he and several of his friends and colleagues have dressed up for Halloween. One year he and a friend dressed up as Hanz and Franz from the Saturday Night Live skit. He has also been Joe the Plumber, Tinky Winky, Jack Sparrow, a clown, the Indian from the Village People, a wizard, and apparently everybody's favorite: Sponge Bob!

Somehow Sponge Bob became my dad's personal mascot. His office at home and at work have all kinds of Sponge Bob knick knacks, so the party would not have been complete with a few Sponge Bob touches.

The other thing required at a party for my dad would be a belly dancer!  My mom hired one for his 50th birthday and then decided to do it again for his retirement party.  I think it might have something to do with all the time they spent in the Middle East early in their relationship, but maybe they just like belly dancers!

After the entertainment, my dad had presents to open (most of which were apparently re-gifted things that my dad had given out at the library's ice cream socials) and several toasts were given.  The speeches were very touching because it was obvious that my dad's co-workers knew him very well and truly love and care for him.   There were lots of inside jokes and stories, a few of which I had forgotten about.  

When everyone had their turn, my dad stood up to give his toast, which consisted of him passing a piece of toast around the room. I mentioned that it was a pretty crummy joke and sadly realized that my dad's sense of humor is genetic and I inherited it.

It was a wonderful night of family and friends that have become family.  I know that my dad will enjoy retirement, but he is going to miss those people and they are going to miss him!