Yes, As a Matter of Fact, We Are VBS Junkies.....

Oh, Vacation Bible School, how we love thee.....The matching shirts, the repetitive theme songs, and the crafts...oh, the crafts....That's right, we can't get enough around here. Just hand my kids a popsicle stick crucifix and slap a kool-aid mustache on 'em and they're happy! We are currently, simultaneously in Rounds 2 and 3 of our VBS-ing for this year and IT'S ONLY JUNE!!

The twins kicked things off last week with a Space themed VBS at Grace Baptist. Good Time. As a service project the Boys vs. Girls had to bring in T-shirts to donate to (as Abbey said "Some kids in a place called Turkey who don't have ANY clothes"). So we would rummage through the closets eveyday when they got home and pull out a couple shirts. I think it's funny how my children suddenly became very attached to their Library Summer Reading shirts from 3 years ago. "Are you kidding me? You've worn that like 1 time.....and that was for a photo-op..." Whatever. They also engaged in the usual "offering challenge". So, of course before we left every morning, I would send them off to the depths of the sofa to get some offering.....and no, apparently petrified french fries don't count....The week ended with a nice song and dance number and pizza for all!

Since we had so much fun, we thought that this week we would kick it up a notch and go for 2-a -day! Oh yes....We have Holy Cross (finally, something for Cole....) in the mornings and Hopevale in the evenings. The Hopevale Bible Camp has turned into a whole family affair...Rob and I are "Guides" for one of the 1st grade groups and all of the kids are campers. Even little Kasey has a matching T-shirt and a class. Our neighbor girl, Adison, has been coming with us to both VBS's too.

The car rides to and from have really been rockin'. We have dubbed my truck the VBS Party Bus, fully equipped with both snacks and a CD of all the VBS music!! So every morning, we crank it up and rock it out. I love the loud music and all the singing kids, the tricky part for me is doing all the hand motions (while driving). I have found though that if I put down my driver's side window, it makes it a bit easier.....there's more room for all the flailing....

As for the photo....I don't always let my kids out like this. Only on special occasions, like Wacky Hair Night!

P.S. In the days between the time that I started writing this post and actually posting it, Cole was kicked out of the Holy Cross VBS.......ugh, the disgrace.....

Things are always funnier the next day....when you're conscious....

So, I had a bit of an episode yesterday......

I got up early yesterday morning to begin the meal preparations for the day. As it was Father's Day I was going to bang open a tube of refrigerated cinnamon rolls for Rob's breakfast, but later redeem myself by presenting him with a full turkey dinner for lunch. (Rob's favorite food is "Thanksgiving"). Stop #1 the tea kettle. Gotta have the tea....So I fill it up and turn it on. Stop #2 the bathroom. As I was "bathrooming" I began to feel a little funny, I was certain that I was either going to throw up or faint, neither of which scare me, I just like to get "in position" for either occurrence. I quickly finish and decide, fainting, yes....definitely a fainting feeling. So I lay myself down on the nice cool bathroom floor (Just to give you a visual: I am taller than our upstairs bathroom is long or wide....so it was more of a curling around the toilet and the dog dishes position...) I lay there for a couple minutes and begin to feel better just in time for the kettle to start whistling. Now, it is imperative that I reach the tea kettle and silence it immediately because I DON'T WANT THE KIDS UP YET (I wanted to at least get my potatoes peeled for pete's sake....)
Well, I remember being in the kitchen and reaching for the stove, but turns out I didn't make it. When I "came to" there was both a horrible ringing in my ears from smacking the back of my head on the tile floor, coupled with the incessant whistling from that stupid kettle! Once I realized what had happened, my first thought (of course) is I DON'T WANT THE KIDS UP YET...MUST GET TO THE KETTLE......and I tried again.....and failed.....However, this time I managed to spin around and smack my face flat on the small carpeted step (thank God for small favors) Oh...and did I mention that Rob wasn't home. He had left earlier to round at the hospital.

All the thumping and the whistling must have finally woke the kids, because this time when I "came to" they were up (and the kettle was still whistling).

Now here's the funny part....

Cole and Blake were in the living room watching cartoons. In order for them to be in the living room, they would have had to step over my unconscious body......Abbey emerged from the bathroom and I had her turn off the kettle and get me the phone so I could call Rob. I then called for all the children to assemble around my sprawled and bruised body and proceeded to have the "911" or "Call Daddy" Lesson again. I told them that "THIS" is a perfect example of a time to do so....

So anyways, Rob came home and insisted that we go to the ER. By this time I was feeling OK, but he made me. Kimiko was kind enough to come over and watch the kids while I unwillingly went for my blood work, ekg, chest x-ray, and cat scan. Not that I really want something to be wrong with me, but when you do all of that and then they say "everything is fine", "just take it easy"(yeah right) it's kind of frustrating.....So yes, I am fine, some pain in the head/face/shoulders. If anything I am suffering from a severe case of Father's Day Food Guilt.....We got Arby's/Quizno's on the way home from the hospital and then rounded out the day with a frozen pizza around 9:30....Nicely done, Kyleen!

I can do a Tuesday at.., oh wait no, How about a Friday at..., nope, nope...

The last couple of weeks has found me slightly behind on the blogging, but with good reason. With summer upon us, I have been obsessed with setting up the activity calendar for the next few months. I tend to be rather organized (Rob would say "freakishly so..."), but with four kids and a husband, I find that my sanity demands it! There are so many great things that the kids (and I) want them to be a part of, it's just a matter of coordinating the times and days. So out come the calendars and the color coded pens and I'm off! Soccer Camp, Go! Y-Camp, Go! VBS x 4, Go! T-Ball, Swimming Lessons, Weddings, Go, Go, Go!!! I can't be stopped!

The calendars in the photo are my "on the go" set. There is a GIANT replica of these on the back of my kitchen door for everyone's viewing pleasure...Again, Rob has tried to help by suggesting some sort or electronic organizer/calendar thing, but I decline. I need to see the "whole" picture at the same time and in "human-size" font.

Anyhow, after endlessly pouring over schedules and calendars and assorted multi-colored fliers it all came together in the end. There were only a few "over-laps", one heated telephone exchange, a small monetary bribe and I still owe someone at the Saginaw Township Parks Office a pie......but it will be worth it, right??

And that's why I love him.....well, among other reasons...

Some of you may not know this, but Rob is a little bit psychic.....at least when it comes to me and my moods. You could chalk it up to 14 years of experience, but I prefer to see it as a "gift". To assist him in his "readings" he doesn't use the traditional crystal ball or magic eight ball for that matter. Instead, he gazes long and hard into the stainless steel tea kettle and just "knows" it's gonna be one of those days....

I confess, I'm a heavy drinker, tea drinker that is....and Rob knows that nothing starts my day off better than a molten mug of Lipton Tea. He also knows that I tend to get a little (ha!) stressed out from time to time and likes to leave me little notes to encourage me for the day to come. He has found that the best place to leave his messages is within arms reach of the tea kettle. Today's was especially cute and I thought I would share it with you. Not only did he leave me the "Have a wonderful day!" note, but instead of my usual teabag, he layed out "Great Day Tea", along with a dose of "Patience" to sweeten it. (You may have to enlarge the picture to read the packets)

**Please pay no attention to the fingerprinted teapot or the grimey looking stovetop...I'm only one person you know...oh, and you can thank me later for turning the mug upside down, to spare you from seeing the unsightly "tea-rings"....