VBS Week

It has been a long week and I am tired.

We had a crazy fun-filled week of VBS with record numbers of kids attending. The weather was perfect and we really enjoyed the program that was purchased this year. (Last year we were quite disappointed with the kit, especially the music)

I won't go into all the details, but I was the "photographer" for VBS. Taking pictures of all the kids in the various activities and putting it into a Spotlight Drama slideshow, which summarized the bible story/lesson each day. It was a lot of fun to get the kids involved in the pictures, which called for specific poses to go with the slideshow. And it was a fun way to get to use my new camera too! (I only took about 700+ pictures)

I wasn't sure how Ella would be in her "own" group this year, since she often needs cuddles throughout the day. She was actually a little worried beforehand about it, but she did awesome! I hardly saw her at all. She was quite content in the little group of preschoolers and enjoyed the crafts the most. She would proudly show off her creations each day!

I was also surprised to see the competitive side in both of the girls in their games time. When I was growing up, it bothered me to see lots of girls sitting on the sidelines refusing to play games. That was never me. Even if I didn't feel like playing, I would do it anyways to help out my team.

This is Brie in a relay race. Most of the other girls her age were barely crawling along because they were SO worried about dropping the water balloon. Not my girl! She speed-walked the entire time. I was so proud!

***Okay so the pictures obviously aren't in this blog post right now. Blogger is having "issues" tonight. Will try to post pics tomorrow***

***I guess not. Sorry. I have tried uploading pictures about 4 times now with no success. We leave tomorrow so I will try to catch up when we return***

Compassion Columbia

Today my sister Kerrie leaves for a life-changing trip to Columbia.

She is travelling with Compassion Canada and will be able to meet both of the kids that she sponsors!

She has a long flight ahead of her today, and a very busy week full of visits to various Compassion projects and offices.

The group she is travelling with even has a blog so that we can stay updated.

Please pray for her as she begins this journey today.

Creatures and Critters

Here's a few more pictures of our trip last week. The girls have really gotten excited about seeing wildlife, of any size or shape.

This deer is one that Ella spotted. She was thrilled to be the first one to see it!

We saw many families of geese swimming nearby while the girls played at the beach on Sunday morning. The goslings are sure getting big already, but they are sure fun to watch. This group, along with a couple of others, went onto the shore for a bath and the goslings practiced their takeoff while charging each other.

We had smores our second night. The girls were busy playing in the tent to have some much needed down-time. John and I were just relaxing in front of the campfire when we discovered this visitor in the screenhouse. I guess he likes marshmallows too!

Just a few closeups of some small creatures that are some of the girls favorites! There were

many butterflies and dragonflies to be found. Actually the girls enjoyed catching them, which is

a new thing this year.

New Camera

As promised, here are some more pictures of our camping last week.

We got a new camera a little while ago, our very first SLR, and we are quite pleased with it. I love the crispness of the photos, in comparison with our old point and shoot.

It works great for action photos:

And quick at snapping pictures. (Usually Ella is determined to NEVER look towards the camera)
It makes my beautiful girls look even more gorgeous...as if that was possible!

Gotta say that I love the RCMP discount through Nikon! We are already dreaming of the day when we can purchase another lens for closeup pictures, but that will take some saving up even with a deal!

Coming up tomorrow...more wildlife!

Accepted and Registered

EEK!

I have received my acceptance letter from the U of R.

I just had a phone consultation with an academic advisor and have registered for 3 classes this fall.

Now I can start freaking out.

AGH!

What have I done?!?

This is very scary territory.

But I am pleased to tell you that I have been accepted to the U of R, with the intention of becoming a Social Worker.

Eventually.

I have had this exciting venture on my mind for quite some time. God has led me to it at a time where I can take televised classes in our small town, and dedicate some time and energy to some part-time schooling while being a mom and wife.

Where we will be in a year or two from now I cannot say. Probably not where we live now, but God is teaching me not to worry about those years right now.

But it still is stressful.

Balancing schoolwork with everything else?

Very scary.

And yet exciting too!

Camping, Cold and Closeness

We returned home yesterday from our 4 days of camping.

Most of the weather was COLD. It was rainy, windy or just plain cloudy for most of it.

Of course, yesterday was absolutely beautiful. No wind. No clouds. Warm.

How lovely.

But we did manage to pack up quickly and head to to the beach for a fun-filled hour with the girls before we returned home.

Actually our trip was fun, despite the lousy weather. This is the third year that we have gone to Madge Lake and every year it rains. (So I'm thinking that maybe we need to find a different lake for next year!)

We managed to set up everything before it rained this time, which is a first for us. Anyone remember our "emergency tent purchase" from Madge Lake 2008?

We enjoyed good food, games, hikes, campfires and visiting with each other.

Actually we had another visitor in our site too.

He wasn't a very big bear, but when I was getting something out of the back of the van and this guy was just in front of the van staring at me....

Well it's hard not to get a little alarmed.

Afterall, the girls were on the other side of the van in the "safety" of the screen house, finishing up their PB & J sandwiches. I was putting away some food into the van because we had been told that a bear was in the "area". I looked around and saw what at first looked like someone's dog. (As I said this bear wasn't very big. ) Then I realized that this was no dog. I yelled at John to get the girls in the van. My brave yelling helped to startle the young bear and he started to leave. Of course John quickly ran and got the camera to take this picture!

Unfortunately, we found out that a few sites down from us, stupid people were actually feeding this beautiful animal. The conservation officers came numerous times to scare the bear off, but it was too late...the bear wanted more food and wouldn't leave. They had to put this animal down. What a shame.

Stupid people.

So here's the annual shot that we take every year at Madge. Starting spot for one of the hiking trails. How my girls have grown in two years! John asked how long we will keep taking this same picture, but I would like to do it as long as he can keep holding them both at the same time. It might not be for too much longer!

2007

2009

2008

I will try to post more pictures later this week.

***The pictures are not cooperating with me today so I apologize if the years don't match up with the pics. I tried!!***

Summer Craziness

Sorry once again for the lacks of posts.

Although it seems that everyone lately has been lacking in the blog frequencies. So it's not just me!

Life has been busy around here. We are getting ready to leave in a few days for some camping so we have pulled out all the supplies to see what needs to be restocked, and to get everything packed up. Camping is always fun!

A dear friend of mine has a very ill husband. He has been in the city hospital for most of June (which is 2 hours away from home), although he has been released twice, this is the third time and we are hopeful that they can determine the cause of his illness. Currently they are just treating the symptoms, but not really sure what has started it all. The girls and I travelled to the city on Thursday to visit them, and to help lend a hand. It has been a very stressful time for them, with a dog that lost an eye, and the resignation of one of her husband's employees, and of course this mysterious illness. Plus on a recent trip home, her daughter threw up all over the van and everyone, and they had to make an unexpected overnight trip at a hotel as well as an expensive trip to Walmart to buy clothes/toothbrushes etc. So please feel free to pray for them....

As soon as we get back from camping next weekend, the girls start swimming lessons. Small town swimming lessons. This means twice a day for an entire week. So we will LIVE at the pool for that entire week and not really do much else.

Then my niece is coming to visit! We are all looking forward to having her here.

And then VBS.

Then the LION KING Musical!!

Then some more camping.

It's small little trips away, since John's work is short-staffed.

(Nothing new there!)

But we will enjoy it anyways.

I am off to get some groceries and to get some weeding in the sun accomplished but I knew that I haven't really checked in lately, other than to post some book reviews. (Which I am quite enjoying!! Reading books for free is never a bad thing!!)

Hope you are all enjoying your summer! Tell me what your plans are!

God's Little Princess Devotional Bible by Sheila Walsh

God's Little Princess Devotional Bible

By Sheila Walsh

Book Description

Girls long to be loved and adored, and give their heart to their hero. God is that hero! The characteristics focused on in this Bible storybook will help your little girl blossom into the princess she was created to be. Virtues to create beauty such as compassion, sharing, and truth are highlighted in fun and engaging ways. The perfect format for girls to learn about their destiny as a daughter of their King. Features included are: Beauty Secrets, Bible Princesses, My Hero (Scripture promises), Take a Bow (Easy plays that are Bible-focused), I Adore You (Put girls energy to use with songs, scripture and worship), Royal Truths, Down In My Heart (Scripture Memory), Princess Charming, Worthy of Love (Ideas to show how to love her royal subjects: family, siblings, friends and those in the community).

Recently I received this girly bible in the mail and my girls couldn't open it fast enough! They have been thrilled to see a bible made just for girls, complete with the "real" jewel in the hardcover of the book. We have enjoyed re-enacting some of the bible stories with the "Take A Bow" sections of the book. It's not only entertaining, but educational as well. This book is geared exactly to the ages of my girls, which is 3 and 5. I think it would make a wonderful gift for any little girl!

Carefree Ultra Protection

Did you know that US residents can now apply for a chance to win $3,000, $5,000 or even $10,000 for a Fresh Start? Whether it is for a new career, new style or for some positive health changes, I think anyone could use that money! But you must hurry because entries are only being accepted until July 10th.

Also you can request a free sample of Carefree Ultra Protection.

I was recently given the opportunity to test out this product and I have to say that it works really well. Thin, but really absorbent. And it's small enough to take just about anywhere!

Thank you to Mom Central for the chance to review this product!

When The Good News Gets Even Better

Witness the Gospels Through the Eyes of a First-Century Hebrew

New Bible study from David C Cook gives readers a fresh new way to experience the Good News

How is it possible to make the Good News of the Gospel better? How can truth be enhanced? Can Jesus Christ be improved upon? In his new Bible study, author Neb Hayden emphatically answers, “Impossible! The Gospel gets even better only when it’s more clearly understood. The Good News gets even better only when we read the Gospels as they were communicated and in the way they were meant to be seen.”

That’s why in his new study, When the Good News Gets Even Better (David C Cook, June 2009), Hayden gives students of the New Testament the opportunity to walk through the Gospel narratives in Hebrew sandals. This unique Bible study allows readers to see these letters just as their original audience did and provides vital insights into the Jewish culture, customs, and perspectives, giving a fresh and thoroughly relevant context to the life of Christ.

“The Gospels are the foundation of our faith because our faith is built on a Person,” explains Hayden. “He was a Jew, living in a Jewish world, and communicating with Jewish people. This study offers readers the chance to walk the dusty roads with Him, to be there as a participant rather than simply as an observer.”

Using a three-month format, When the Good News Gets Even Better combines all four Gospels into one comprehensive and chronological narrative, allowing readers to focus on the overall themes and truths as they occurred. Among many other subjects, Hayden examines the births and childhoods of Jesus and John the Baptist, Jesus’ public ministry, the training of the twelve disciples, and Jesus’ death, resurrection, and ascension. Features also include days sectioned into key points of Jesus’ ministry, suggestions for when to skim or thoroughly read a selection, and interactive questions for individual study and group discussion.

“The Gospels are just the beginning of God’s continuing pursuit of intimacy with mankind,” says Hayden. “These biographies of Jesus are our stories too. Every move Jesus made and every word He spoke has direct implications for our lives in the twenty-first century. I pray that readers will be permanently transformed as they become first-hand witnesses to the Gospels’ miraculous events and times explored in this guide.”

Author Bio

Neb Hayden is director of International Student Development at The King’s College in New York City. A former quarterback for “Bear Bryant” at Alabama, Neb has been involved his adult life with the fellowship in Washington, D.C., which works behind the scenes to nurture and encourage the leadership in over 180 nations. The group also works behind the scenes of the National Prayer Breakfast. Neb speaks and teaches extensively at seminars, conferences, and retreats. He and his wife, Susan, live in New York City and are the parents of three grown sons and two daughters-in-law.

When the Good News Gets Even Better: Rediscovering the Gospels Through First-Century Jewish Eyes by Neb Hayden

David C Cook/June 2009/ISBN: 978-1-434767-00-4/240 pages/softcover/$16.99

My Review:

This bible study looks great! I really like the idea of studying the jewish culture so that we can better understand the context of the new testament. There is some good content in this book and I look forward to reading it more in depth soon. I'm hoping to recommend this to our church, I think it would work great for our adult sunday school class!