Welcome to the Post Season!!!--AKA Summer

It's officially here!  And here is how we celebrate with our team!!

5/29/13-The sign Noah & Jonah made for Eli.

Happy Hour at Sonic

The whole team

Our Summer sun cake!

Now we are ready to tackle our Summer Play Book!  Bring on the fun!

~Kristee 

Most Valuable 2nd Grader

It's so hard to believe this year is over!  Eli had an amazing year.  This was due in part to a SUPER awesome teacher!  She really understood Eli and quirks (that's how she & I referred to them.)  His behavior improved dramatically!  He made great strides in reading & especially writing.  He has grown SO much.  I sure wish I'd thought to measure him at the beginning of the year.

July 23, 2012

May 29, 2013

2nd Grade Brought us:

Chapter Books
A Toothless Smile
Shoes with Laces
A big kid Bible (Thanks Rick & Bridget!)
VIP Award
Music Award
Principal's Award
2-Bobcat Character Awards
3 Seasons of Soccer (Favorite Team name of the year....Tornado Dragons)
Basketball Camp
Running Club
A continued love for all things Lego & especially Star Wars.
An introduction to Gangnam Style (much to my dismay).
Bible Trivia at Dinner
A part in the school musical (George Washington)
Many other things that this Momma is forgetting! :)


I'm so very proud of him!  He's growing into a very thoughtful young man!  He's also a cutie!  I can't wait to see how God will grow & use him in 3rd grade!

False Start

So I'm feeling a little sentimental tonight.  I'm not sure why.  Maybe it's because school will be out tomorrow.  Maybe it's because my baby is going to 3rd grade.  Maybe it's because my second baby will be starting kindergarten.  Or maybe it's just because, well because I'm a baby! :)

I'm watching Micah swing away blissfully in his swing knowing all too well that he will be in 3rd grade before I know it.  *Sigh*  So much to teach him before then!

I'll be the first to admit, I did a lot of things wrong with Eli.  I would say that most people can say that about their first child.  I mean I didn't do anything "bad" wrong.  Nothing that scarred him for life...I hope! :)  I would just do some things different.

I think it's pretty awesome that I've been blessed to have another chance to do things differently with Micah.  It's sometimes hard not to look back though.  It can be really easy to play the "Shoulda, Coulda, Woulda" game.  Not to mention depressing.  I confess, I play that game too often and when I do it's not always a pretty picture.  The truth is we can't go back in time to fix how we feel we've messed up.  All we can do is try again, start over.  We can't throw in the towel.  Isn't it amazing how God forgives us long before we can forgive ourselves?

One of my favorite "go to" Mommy Bible verses is:

Galatians 6:9 (NIV)

9 Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up.

There are not a lot of things that make me as weary as being a parent (well maybe laundry)!  It is so much harder than I ever could have imagined.  There have been many days I have wanted to run away, wanted to say, "Forget it! I can't possibly be the Mommy that these boys need!"  Can I get an AMEN? :)  But the truth is, "these boys" have been given to me by God.  He has blessed me by giving entrusting them to me.  They are not mine, they are His.  He is trusting me to raise them!  Ahhh...that makes the job even more scary!

 But let's take a minute to think forward to the harvest.  What if instead of looking back we looked forward?  We could play the "It should BE, it could BE, it WILL BE game"!  Oh how much better that sounds!  We can look to the future and God's promises!

Here are a few of my favorites.

Proverbs 22:6 (KJV)

6 Train up a child in the way he should go: and when he is old, he will not depart from it.

James 1:12 (NIV)

12 Blessed is the one who perseveres under trial because, having stood the test, that person will receive the crown of life that the Lord has promised to those who love him.

Jeremiah 24:7 (NIV)

7 I will give them a heart to know me, that I am the Lord. They will be my people, and I will be their God, for they will return to me with all their heart.

Luke 1:37 (NLT)

37 For nothing is impossible with God.

So tonight as I'm a sentimental ball of mush, I'm gonna focus on God's promises rather than the past.  As for tomorrow, well tomorrow I will:

Psalm 143:8 (NIV)

8 Let the morning bring me word of your unfailing love,  for I have put my trust in you.  Show me the way I should go,  for to you I entrust my life.

Why? Because it's the ONE for sure thing I'll get right tomorrow! :)

Summer Play Book

Well summer is almost here.  Eli only has 2 days of school left.  This is my first summer with 4 at home.  I will admit, I'm a little scared!  It's gets SO hot here in the desert.  These boys NEED to be active.  The heat really makes that difficult.  And now that we've added an infant to the mix, it's also tricky logistically.

So I MUST have a Summer Play Book!  Last year I made a "Summer Bucket List".  It was a great idea & I certainly had good intentions.  We didn't get to nearly as many of the activities as I would have liked.  I wasn't feeling the best.  Turns out it was because of that unannounced player that we didn't yet know about! :)

This year I KNEW I needed try again.  My boys excel when they know what the plan for the day is!  In fact, they are a little OCD about it (they get that from their father).  Chaos ensues when they are left to their own devices for entertainment.  In addition to keeping my sanity, I want these boys to have fun!  I want to make lasting memories for them and create special traditions.

Most of these activities/day trips are free or cost very little.  That is a must!  The boys absolutely love doing crafts and anything hands on.  Most of these activities I've found on Pinterest.  So I thought I should at least TRY some of the things I've pinned.  I'll admit I spend WAY too much time on Pinterest.  But I figure what else can I do while feeding a baby?  :)  I've also included several day trips around town. (I'd love to have a few more ideas if anyone has any suggestions.)

In addition to our Summer Play Book, we are signed up for our church's VBS and Harkins Summer Movie Passes.  We'll also take trips to the pool, splash pad, parks, and take advantage of our sprinkler system.

So check it out!  I hope you find something you'll want to add to your summer list!  I'd love to hear what you have planned for the summer!  So please share your ideas.

Disclaimer:  These are in no particular order & I am certainly not delusional enough to actually believe we will accomplish all of these! :) If you are unable to get any of the links to work, please let me know & I will update them!

Summer Play Book-2013

Glowing Mountain Dew
Glow Sticks in Bubbles
Monster Straw Painting
Monster Cookies
Scorpion Hunt
Foam Bookmarks
Fry an Egg Outside
Homemade Bread & Butter
Lava Lamps
Bottle Cap Stampers
Rock Candy
Slime
Fondue Party
Ice Cream in a Bag
Popsicle Stick Bracelets
Finger paint name print
Cement Stepping Stones
Water Transfer Experiment
Crayon Hot Rocks
Tempe Beach Park
Nature Scavenger Hunt
Bouncy Balls
Make it Rain
Organ Stop Pizza
Desert Breeze Park
Salt River
Homemade Bubbles
Simon Says Art
Make Popsicles
Dirt Pudding
McCormick-Stillman Railroad Park
Fountain Hills
Casa Grande Ruins
Write & Illustrate a book
Origami
Balloon Ping Pong
Disney Theme Movie Night
Make & take Treats to the church office
Watch Despicable Me 2
Watch Monster's University
Library Summer Reading Program
Toy Track Painting

All Mic'ed Up

Here's a phrase I NEVER thought I'd yell out loud:

"I EXPECT PRIVACY WHILE I'M GOING TO THE BATHROOM!"

Yep, I totally said that!

Training Field: The field is ready, let the planting begin!

Last night was Eli's 2nd Grade Musical!  Eli was chosen to play George Washington.  He was a pro.  He walked right up to the mic and said his lines loud and clear.  Jeff & I would have never done that when we were his age!  I'm so glad he has so much confidence!  It makes a Momma proud!

The 2nd grade at Eli's school is huge.  There are six different classes and I would estimate about 25 students in each class.  That's a lot.  The entire school is over 850 students.  To put things in perspective, my hometown had a population of 1,432 people while I was growing up.  My graduating class had 42 students I think!

As we were watching the kids sing their little hearts out, we were talking about how diverse the school is.  Especially when compared to my elementary school.  For instance, we were sitting next to a foreign couple, I'm not really sure about their ethnicity.  The gentleman made a random comment in the middle of the performance to Jeff, saying, "Are you curious about our language?"  To which Jeff replied, "uh, no?" It was so funny.  The culture in which my boys are growing up in is completely different from how I grew up.  I'm actually quite thankful for that!  Let me tell you why...

Eli's best buddy in his class is a Hindu from India.  We actually finally got to meet his mom last night.  Jeff told her how much Eli talks about her son at home and she said the same.  Eli's best girl friend in his class is from Vietnam.  He adores her!  She is a super sweet little girl and to my knowledge, she and her family are not believers.  The field is ready...

There are many people out there who are supporters of Christian schools or even homeschooling.  Let me tell you, I'm not really one of them.  That is, unless the public schools near you are dangerous or completely unsuitable.  That may surprise you, especially since I'm a Pastor's wife.  Don't get me wrong, it's not that I don't "like" them.   I think it's wonderful that teachers and parent's want to fill their children with God's word in a school setting.  I think that's great.  BUT...what happens when we as Christians all remove our kids from the public school system?  Aren't we just removing the SALT and the LIGHT from the "world"? Who is going to share God's love with these children and families if Christians are not in the public schools?  The field is ready...

Jesus himself address this concept in the most famous sermon ever preached, the Sermon on the Mount.

Matthew 5:13-16

¹³ “You are the salt of the earth. But if the salt loses its saltiness, how can it be made salty again? It is no longer good for anything, except to be thrown out and trampled underfoot.¹⁴ “You are the light of the world. A town built on a hill cannot be hidden. ¹⁵ Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house. ¹⁶ In the same way, let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven."

 Jesus says in John 17:15

 " My prayer is not that you take them out of the world but that you protect them from the evil one."

 Yes of course as parents, it's our job to protect our children from evil.  But we've become SO concerned with protecting our children, that our hearts don't see the "fields" before us. We can really only protect our children from the world for a little while.  Yes, this world is NOT our permanent home but it is our TEMPORARY home and like it or not we have to deal with living here.  They need to be "in the world" while they are in our care, while we have the opportunity to use each and every teachable moment that the world throws at them.We have to teach our children how to have conversations with their friends about their faith.  We have to teach them that Jesus is the ONLY way to salvation.  We have to teach them to stand up to those who criticize Christianity.  We have to teach them how to deal with persecution because of their faith.  We have to teach them to live.  If they are not "in the world" how can we do that?

Yes Bible knowledge is awesome!  I am all for plugging their little minds with as much Bible teaching as we can.  One of our boys favorite games to play is Bible trivia.  They like to play at dinner time.  Eli, at 7, already knows more than I did at 18...no lie!  But Bible knowledge alone can't prepare them for life.  We've got to put feet on their faith.

I have to wonder, are we setting up a generation of young Christians ill-equipped to handle the problems of this world, ill-equipped to handle real life "stuff" because we've chosen to shelter them from the world?  I would much rather have my boys come to me in 2nd grade telling me that "so & so" believes in thousands of gods.  (True story!)  Exposing them to these types of situations creates opportunities for me to share the TRUTH with them.  They in turn can share the truth with their friends.

I do realize that my oldest is JUST in 2nd grade and with 3 other little boys right behind him, we have a VERY LONG way to go!  At some point I may even eat my words! :)  But for us, for now, I see that public school is where the fields are and we are ready to plant!

I guess I'm just trying to say it's heart breaking to see so many Christians fleeing the "planting fields" for the already assembled AstroTurf.