VBS starts tomorrow!

I am getting up at the crack of stupid tomorrow morning. I'm in charge of snacks for VBS, and I forgot to go buy the juice yesterday. Since we don't shop on Sunday ever (unless there is an emergency of the medical kind!)... I have to get up and go to A&P before 7:30, in order to leave by 8 to get to church early too.

Our theme is Wildwood Forest. Michael is in charge of games, and I am doing registraton and snacks. The snacks are fun!! :) I will have photos later this week.

If you want to join us the details follow.

Location: Bethel Baptist Church, 10 Arlington Ave, St. Catharines
Time: 8:45-11:30am
Cost: FREE!

All about Awards

Bowling awards and Awana awards, all in the same week. April 29th saw Zachary and Sophia finishing their school year bowling league. After lunch duty I met up with Grampa, kids and Michael at the bowling alley. The kids got a snack of hotdogs, chips and a drink, oh and their two tim bits! LOL! Each team got a trophy for participating, and they had awards for high single for a girl and for a boy. I’ll have to go back and look at the pictures and trophy’s to see who won what! The kids have such a good time at bowling, and *I* love it b/c it gives me an hour or so after lunch duty to come home and rest or get things done that I can’t do while the kids are underfoot.







That same night we had our Awana awards potluck. It was extremely well attended!! We ended up having to set up extra tables, as more folks than we thought came! Lots of good food, and fellowship was had. Reid’s family came, Heather’s Family, Kendra’s family (all families we introduced to AWANA). Each group sang a song or two, and said some Scripture.

Here are the Cubbies and Sparks singing "Peter, James and John in A Sailboat" and "My God is So Big!"





Sophia graduated from Cubbies this year, getting her 2nd book award ribbon, attendance award, Sunday school award, and she was the Clubber of the Year!! Way to go Sophia! She is beyond excited to be moving on to Sparks in September!



Zachary finished his first year of Sparks. He got his first year book award, Sunday school, and attendance awards. I am SO impressed with my son this year!! He learned to read, and read well, in school (and at home!) and that helped immensely with the learning of his verses. He has a great memory, which was proven when he could remember verses from months previous! Way to go Zachary!! (sorry, no good photos of Zachary!)

JA finished her first year of T&T (Truth & Training). After much prodding, she also finished her book. I think she did the last 2 full discoveries in 3 weeks time!! Maybe she’ll remember that for next year and work a little every week... there is more in the 2nd year book, so I may start to remind her in September of that! LOL She got her first book award ribbon, Sunday School and attendance stickers. Way to go JA!!





JA’s friend Kendra also put the push on at the end of the year and got her book done! Way to go Kendra! Reid also worked hard this year, but did not complete his book. He can continue to work on it next year. HOWEVER... he did get two awards the other girls didn’t get – perfect attendance, and Clubber of the Year!! Way to go Reid!

We are so pleased to be involved in the Awana program. I did it as a child (Sparks on up to the end of grade 8). I have my awards still! LOL The club has changed quite a bit since my day, but it has only improved and stayed relevant to the kids. Michael and I are both Sparks leaders, and will continue in that roll next year.  It’s nice to have a break, and for the first time in YEARS we have NOTHING to do on Wednesday nights!! Since before we got married we have had youth, or Awana, or soccer or something going on Wed nights... it’s almost weird... almost. We are enjoying the midweek break.

On Saturday, May 2nd, JA had her bowling awards. I zipped in from the retreat to attend. I know that next year I will not come right away for 10am!! They bowled glow in the dark bowling for an hour or so before they moved on to eating and awards. It was loud. I hadn’t had much sleep the night before. LOL She enjoyed the glow bowling a lot! After that, they had pizza and then awards. JA’s team came in 4th place overall, which isn’t too bad considering two of her team were new to ten pin bowling this year. Julie-Anna was the bowler of the year for her division, as she bowled 106 pins over her average at the tournament! Way to go JA!! The girls all did well this year and had oodles of fun. However, we are also enjoying the break of NOTHING happening on Saturday mornings... leaving us free for camping and visits to Muskoka! 

Heading to the Great Wolf Lodge!!

WHOOHOOO!! Two exciting weekends in a row for me!! (the other being my scrappin' retreat next weekend)

A few weeks ago, Zachary won a trip to GWL on the radio. I'm so glad the day has FINALLY come, as I'm tired of them asking when we are going! LOL!

I'm just packing up swim suits (got me two new ones that I LOVE!)... snacks, lunch stuff, etc. I will zip to school for lunch duty and bring JA home with me (she doesn't know she's checkin' out early from school, so that's gonna be a fun surprise!)... then we are off!!

Our pkg includes the hotel room, two days of swimming fun, a Pizza Hut Pizza party tonite, breakfast at the Antler room tomorrow, and FUN FUN FUN!!!! WHOOOHOOO!!

Here's a couple pics from our last trip there, that JA won on the same radio station! (Nov 07)














































...then yesterday...
So I took the kids to school, everyone looked and felt fine. I returned for lunch duty and JA has this bright red splotch under her right eye, like she got hit with something. Apparently not. She touched it and it hurt. Then it started to burn. Then over the course of recess, it spread down her cheek a bit, onto her upper eyelid, and then on to the other side under her left eye.

She walked home from school with her friend, and one of those swarmy bugs (you know the ones... ew, gag) landed on her face right on the red spot, and she came in freaking out and crying that her face was burning!! Oh great. I dosed her with some Motrin to help with the pain, which it did for a few hours... did a few errands, dropped off food for our friends, picked up other kids, pre-bowled, then home for supper. I zipped her to the walk in, and it's a 'touch' thing... she must've touched something or someone, or perfume in the air or something. Ugh. So she's got cortizone cream for it, twice a day. It sucks, as ANYTHING that touches it hurts, including water!!

We are going to the GWL today... so I got her some vaseline to put on the affected areas to help keep the water from touching it... Good grief, what else can go wrong?!

BUT we will have a great time :D

Wild Turkey!

...and no, I don't mean one of the children!! :D On our way to VBS this morning, we turned onto Lakeshore Rd., when I spotted a wild turkey on the side of the road (and NOT as road kill!). I slowed down a wee bit so that the kids could get a good look... and then it walked out in front of the van. So I sat. It sauntered. Slowly. I honked, and it didn't even flinch!! (at which point the children informed me that had it been a possum, he would have played dead because it was afraid!). It sauntered accross Lakeshore Rd., stopping traffic going East bound. Stupid bird. I looked for him in the way home, but he had found greener pastures by that point. It's probably the same turke we would see riding to school last fall, and last Spring. Apparently it waltzes down Croydon every day around 7pm and perches on top of some family's white van for the night! Crazy! That photo to the left is kinda like what we saw... busy road, lights, and.... wild turkey!!

The kids were quite excited about the whole thing. They were anxious to get to VBS to share their "God Sighting" with their crew leaders!! :D

Computer parental controls?

Do you have them on your computer for your kids? I trust my children, I trust everyone who uses our computer. I don't trust the internet! It's true. One day JA was at youtube because her friend told her how to get Hannah Montana episodes on it. I don't mind her watching there. So I sent her down to watch an episode. Mike came down to check on her success, and Holy Hannah! Oh, not so holy!!! It sent her to various things to do with Hannah Montana... in obviously photoshop altered situations!! YIKES!!! In all innocence she went to look for something wholesome, and came upon crud. She didn't know how to get out of it. It was awful!!

So I want to get some kind of parental controls on the computer. I don't even know where to start. How do you do it? Where do you get it from? What does it prevent?? I would rather not have the kids stumble on this crap, or the babysitter, or anyone who might use our computer!

So... any suggestions!?

Back to school!

Whoohoo!! I am always bitter sweet about heading back to school. I love getting back into a routine. I hate getting up early. This year was a bit harder, as the wee Sophia was starting JK!! Amazingly there were no tears (from ME, not her! LOL!).

We had a fabulous first day... The kids got to school early, we found their teachers without hassle, and they all got settled.

Here are some photos from the day!


Are they excited or what?! LOL!


JA started grade three today... where has the time gone?! Wasn't it only last year that I sent her off, tearfully to JK!?


SK bound!


JK bound!!


The JK/SK teacher... she's phenomanol! I'm sure today was not an easy day for her!


I arrived back at school to take a couple more photos, and to make sure that the kids all got on the bus like there were supposed to. Sophia turned to me and nearly shouted (while pointing accusingly at me!)... "YOU!!!! GO BACK HOME!!! I am taking the bus." And that was that. She did let me take some photos tho

They all reported having had a great first day back to school! JA had a wee bit of homework already, but I am SURE that is b/c she is so social.... LOL! It's going to be a good year... :D

Fast and Easy Super Hero Capes!

I stumbled on this blog quite some time ago. It's called TIP JUNKIE. She has some scrapping tips, some household tips, recipes, and whatnot. Well today, I found SuperHero Capes made from old t-shirts!! Here's a totally unknown to me kid modeling one :) She gives great instructions, and I may just try my hand at it! :D

Pre-School Graduate!

Well, I have another Graduate!!
Last Tuesday, the Sweet Sophia graduated from Pre-School!! It was an amazing year with an absolutely amazing teacher! Mrs. Foley, we have known you for 2 years now, and have loved you more each day! Our children (even JA!) are all the better for having known you and having your wisdom imparted to them. I am pleased to call you my friend! We trust you to have a fabulous summer!

Without further ado, here are a few photos of the Big Girl and her class!


Waiting to start

The kids did a song - "When Sophia is a big girl, 20 years old, she will be a PRINCESS, so I'm told!" It's too cute, and a princess she is!

Getting her diploma from Mrs. Foley, then shouting out "I DID IT!!"

The cute Grad in the cap I made her :)

Looking up to Mrs. Foley... with lots of love!

Just 'Phia and Mrs. Foley!

Some words of wisdom from Mrs. Foley (but really, she's just telling her to look at me, but that is wise,right?!)

So we have just two more days of school with Mrs. Foley, and one of them is a field trip (which I will dutifully report on later!)

Ten Years?!

WOW, where did the time go!! Today is our tenth wedding anniversary!! I can hardly believe that so much has passed, and yet there is SO much more to come!!

The photo to the right was taken just two weeks ago in Florida. It's shadowy, but it has all the things I love in it - my family and sunshine! LOL!

God really knew what he was doing when he brought Michael and I back together! I remember the day that he came back to Bethel and I got the biggest hug ever! I fondly recall our first date - even tho my food was less than tasty ;) LOL I remember his proposal after our first date... I remember our one year of engagement full of ups and downs. I so remember how I felt the moment that the doors of the church opened and my Dad escorted me down the aisle... I saw no one but Michael... even though the church was full! I still have eyes only for him!

Things I'm thankful for in the last 10 years: (in no specific order!)

• having Michael as the love of my life
• Michael's unending patience
• Michael's goofy sense of humour
• our three amazing children
• a husband who loves God
• a house we can call a home (even tho it still needs to be finished rennovating!)
• the myriads of hugs I get every day from both Michael and the children
• saying "I love you" at least once a day (usually more!)
• hearing "I love you" at least once a day (usually more!)
• a steady job for Michael that makes him be a great provider for our family

The list could go on, and I may add to it over the day! :D

Florida Trip Day 1 on the road

It's our trip in review, with photos! I will share photos as I go, and detail the days we were gone :D It won't be all in one day tho!!


We left home on Friday March 7th at 4:30am, only 30 mins behind schedule, which for ME is really good!! The kids got up, hit the bathroom, and got buckled in. I gave them each their new cups with snack cups on the bottom, and away we went! They watched a movie right out of the gate, because, well, it was dark, so they might have slept, watched a movie!

We are blessed to have such excellent travellers in our children! Otherwise, we'd not be able to travel this way, ever.

We stopped a few hours into the trip for our first bathroom break. We were aiming to get to Rock Hill, SC, and we did make it!! We stopped at Subway for lunch, which put us behind about an hour or so. It was INCREDIBLY busy in there! We drove through the cool tunnels in the mountains of West Virginia, altho the first tunnel was down to one lane, and so we got stuck in traffic for AT LEAST an hour. Another minor slow down later caused us to lose about 3o more minutes. We stopped about 30 mins from Rock Hill and found a Pizza Hut. We got stuffed crust pizza, which the kids enjoyed, but I didn't! LOL! It just didn't taste like I thought it would! Then we piled back in the van, and made our way to Rock Hill. When we arrived, we tried to get a room at about 6 hotels, and nobody could take five of us without a big charge, or two double beds (and face it, Mike is too tall to share a double bed, I do like to have more than a corner to sleep on!). I was getting frustrated, and was ready to just say "go to sleep in the van, and we'll just drive all night!" Thankfully, we tried just one more hotel, and VOILA... 2 queen sized beds, non-smoking room, including breakfast... including taxes 55$. Can't go wrong there. It was 9:20pm. We got the kids settled, tidied up the van a little, had showers, and hit the sack.

It was incredibly foggy pretty much the entire way down. I think it was because we were crossing paths with the major blizzard that was hammering St. Catharines!! I have seen photos of the snow, and well, we didn't miss it!! There was still enough here when we got home!

Day 1. 1206 kms, 17 hours in the van, 3 movies, some traffic, and lots of fun!!