Insta-Friday VBS Edition

Oh Nelly.

I'm tired.

Like could fall over any second and sleep for days tired.

I've been AWOL this week because I was teaching VBS in the mornings

and was pretty much worthless from exhaustion in the afternoons.

I forgot how high-energy teaching is.

Last Friday I set up my classroom.

I love setting up classrooms.

I loved the theme of Kingdom Rock this year.

I love mid-evil stuff.

Castles, knights, kings, queens, princesses, dungeons...

So fun and majestic.

Then Friday night Nana and Papa took the kiddos, so I could go on a date with this dapper fellow.

He brought me sunflowers.

We could have gone to The Melting Pot, but this girl loves her down-home country cookin'.

I picked The Cracker Barrel instead.

And it was awesome.

Chicken N' dumplings, mashed potatoes, fried okra, baked cinnamon apples, corn bread muffins, hash brown casserole...

And blackberry cobbler for dessert!

I was one happy, full chicka.

Then we sat out and rocked in the rocking chairs out front.

I so want to live in the country one day in an old farmhouse with a wrap around porch with rocking chairs...

And a tree swing and have chickens and a huge garden, and a wooden screen door that slams when the kids run in and out.

Saturday morning we had Nutella crepes with homemade coconut syrup.

It was divine.

I love food.

Love, love, l.o.v.e. food.

My Aunt Glennie once said, "There are two types of people. Ones that eat to live and ones that live to eat." Then she asked which one I was.

I said, "I live to eat. Hands down."

She said, "That's my girl."

And handed me a bowl of ice cream as big as my head.

By Tuesday afternoon I was too tired to even think about making lunch or supervising activities for my kids after 2 days of VBS.

So we headed to Chick-Fil-A.

Because that's how I roll.

They didn't seem to mind.

This little guy is such a snuggler.

And I can't get enough of it!

Wednesday we had bounce castles at VBS, and the volunteers had pizza and extra bounce time afterward. It was crazy fun.

It was also crazy hot.

And Latte keeps hogging the AC vents.

Funny dog.

Brody Bear loves his dinosaur.

I love his cute little, "roar."

I find this thing everywhere.

We play a little game around here called Diaper Head.

It's a pretty simple game.

Right before you change Brody's diaper, you put a clean diaper on your head and yell, "DIAPER HEAD!" Everyone does it.

It's really for Brody's benefit, but

it's impossible not to laugh when you have a diaper on your head.

And now you know what it's like to be raised in our house.

This boy loves his Oreos.

He will plow you down to get to them.

Not kidding.

It's vicious.

He is serious about this food.

He might get that from me.

Other random happy news:

Check out some of our tomatoes.

So in summary:

Living a fulfilling life means...

Eating good food, teaching VBS, snuggling, playing with dinosaurs, wearing diapers on your head, and growing a garden.

Word.

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Insta-Friday

Last Friday I took the boys to the pool while Andy took Ab to the dentist.

I love summer mornings lounging by the pool.

Especially with great kids as company.

Ab had oral surgery Friday morning.

They had to put her under.

I didn't sleep for 3 days leading up to this day.

I was a hot mess.

It was the most heart breaking experience to see her so groggy and out of it when she got home.

It was gut wrenching.

I would have given her the world if she asked for it that day.

But in true Abby style Girlfriend bounced back and we couldn't keep her resting by that evening.

She's a trooper.

The next few days were kinda rough as she refused to take her pain meds, but we made it.

I love that girl something fierce.

Love that I caught this moment.

Melts my heart.

And then there are moments like this.

Mother-of-the-year moments.

When your youngest walks into the living room drinking a cup of water...you didn't get for him.

So you follow him, clenched in fear, as the realization of the only water source at his level is confirmed.

Heaven help me.

This parenting thing is a trip.

He later discovered a much more sanitary water source.

He never gives up.

Determination and strong will seem to run in the family.

We celebrated Father's Day with the greatest dad I have ever met.

I'm not just saying that.

Andy loves those kids with his whole heart and soul and it shows in every thing he does. He makes them crazy fun kid breakfasts, takes them all over the place with him, plays like a big kid, lays down the law when needed, reads the bible to them, prays with them, and tucks them in multiple times every night.

He would stop the world in a heart beat to do anything for them.

His family is his world, and that to me makes a true honorable man.

We got him some Dad's root beer and our traditional daddy book.

And he humored me by posing for a pic.

Good man through and through.

I love it when beach towels and swim bags replace backpacks.

AJ rides his scooter everyday while I water my flowers out front.

It's our thing.

I grab my watering tin, he grabs his helmet.

It's great.

Brody is always right in the middle of the action, never missing a beat.

He wore my beanie from my freshman year of college all morning and played in the garage while I cleaned around him.

It made me smile seeing him just play like no big deal with that thing on his head. Silly kid.

Our anniversary pic from carnival night.

Love that man.

Half price shakes after 8pm at Sonic.

Holla!

The kids pick their shakes by color. So funny.

Abby said, "I want a pink one!"

AJ said, "I want the brightest yellow one!"

Brody screamed, "Nana!"

Strawberry, pineapple, and banana it was!

It was pure bliss.

And the quietest it had been all day.

I have a new cup design for Sonic.

Not sure if their advertising execs would go for it.

Thursday Andy took the day off to go on an adventure with me.

We woke up early, loaded up the kids, and drove three hours out to Buena Vista to a Young Life camp.

Coolest.place.ever!!!

I am overjoyed to be a new Capernaum leader!

Which is what brought us all the way to Buena Vista.

Capernaum is a branch of Young Life that gives young adults with disabilities the opportunity to experience fun and adventure, develop friendships, build self-esteem, and learn about Christ's love through club, camp, and outings.

Unconditional love truly made manifest.

People feeling happy and safe enough to just be who they are and know they are loved and accepted.

It's powerful.

I love these kids and love getting to experience being apart of people just being themselves and feeling secure enough to put themselves out there.

Truly awesome.

God's love is awesome and powerful.

And we are always ready for our next adventure.

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The Carnival

We love the carnival every year.

As soon as that farris wheel goes up, the carnival plans start.

I have fond memories of the carnival growing up,

so we always indulge the kids.

And go for the unlimited ride passes for each kid.

Brody wasn't big enough to go on a lot of the rides, but the few he could he rode over and over and over again.

AJ always talks Andy into the crazy rides.

And it is hilarious to watch.

I pretty much go for the junk food.

Summer would not be complete without a funnel cake.

And a gigantic bag of cotton candy.

Brody would not let go of that bag to save his life.

He was in awe every time we walked by the cotton candy booth.

They rode nearly every ride multiple times.

Brody and I rode the carousel together a lot.

He really wanted to play the games,

but we have a strict rides and food only policy.

Sorry kiddo.

Our anniversary pic.

We stayed till after it was dark and all the lights came on...

A good 3 hours after our arrival.

It was a total blast.

 

 

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