A better idea

The kids usually play a couple of times a week with dried beans, macaroni, and popcorn kernels. Oliver is pretty good about keeping his mix inside a shoebox, but Buttercup prefers a larger space (read: the table), which means that it almost always ends up on the floor.

Then last night I put her mix inside the lid of a cupcake keeper to see if she could keep it inside the container. And she did! She played happily (and mess-free) for almost 45 minutes. I'll definitely have to try that again. :-)

I survived VBS!

This year, I volunteered to help out with our church's Vacation Bible School (or, VBS for short). The class I was selected to teach? Kindergarten. Eek! I was a little apprehensive at first, but there was a more experienced teacher available to help in the class, and we had most of the lesson plans outlined for us, so it really was not as nerve wracking as I anticipated.

Then, for the last 2 days of VBS, the other teacher was absent. Which meant that I was in charge of a group of 8 kindergartners -- all girls. All very fun, outgoing, and g-i-g-g-l-y. And on one particular day, every single one of them had ants in their pants and could not sit (or stand!) still for any reason. Which is fine, if you're outside or in the classroom. But not when you're supposed to be waiting quietly in the hall for another class to finish up at the next station!!

Sigh.

But we got through it, and then before I knew it, VBS was over for another year. I had fun teaching, but wasn't sure if I was cut out to try it again. Especially since I was still recovering from Wednesday night's shenanigans. :-P So I was surprised this morning when the VBS director thanked me for helping out last week, and said that she had received several positive comments from the parents about the class that I had helped to teach! She even said that I did a great job and that I would be welcome to teach again next year. :-)

It's funny how you can think that you're not doing a good job, when it turns out that other people see it differently. I encourage my kids several times a day -- whether it's encouragement for trying new things, or encouragement to do things that they have already attempted and failed before -- and it's easy to forget that the adults around us need encouragement, too! So try to make it a point to encourage someone this week . . . and see what happens!

You Capture: Play

This week's You Capture assignment is: Play.

Both kids have been sick this week, so we've been laying low, but here are a couple of pictures of them playing in the rocks the other day.

Buttercup's favorites, and an Oliver video!

Buttercup has had many favorites over the past 21 months, but at least 2 have remained constant:

avocados, and . . .




























. . . animals (preferably cats)!









































Here's a video of Oliver singing a song that he learned in his Sunday school class at church. He started singing it to me about 4 months ago, but he only just recently was able to sing the entire tune, complete with hand motions. The video is cute, but trust me -- it's much cuter in person. :-)

My God is so great!

"For I know the plans I have for you," declares the LORD, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. Then you will call upon me and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you. You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart."
Jeremiah 29:11-13

Exploring at Bull Creek

You Capture: Black and white

This week's You Capture assignment: black and white photos. We went to a different creek earlier this week and that's where I took these pictures.

Oliver carefully carrying the fish that his aunt caught for him!










































This is Buttercup's "Oh no, you did NOT!" face. Ha ha!