VBS Day ONE!

This week is crazy and exhausting and fun all at the same time.  I don't know what year this is for me to lead preschool VBS crafts, but I DO know that it is for over 300 4 and 5 year olds!  My craft days started as a safe haven when I was prego with this little toot.  I volunteered to work when VBS was in June.  That year, they decided to move it to August...when I was nine months pregnant with WHS.  SO...I inquired if there was a way to serve without being up and down with the little ones.  And so my craft team days began.

We had a great group of ladies then, and the team leader grew up with her kids and now leads crafts for the 1st-4th grade VBS upstairs and I took her crown...which I have shared with some REALLY wonderful friends and co-leaders!

JBS and JLS are both in the big kid VBS and I panicked when I thought that none of my kids were actually going to BE in PreK-K VBS.  But this little guy squeaked in by 6 days.  It is possible he is the youngest squirt in his class, but he is certainly not to be ignored or taken for granted!  He is the cutest kid around and having the TIME of his life FINALLY getting to do all the things the big boys get to do.  He is pretty cool stuff.

Words Cannot Express

Kanakuk Pick Up

We were SO excited to pick up WHS at the lake, scoop him up and whisk him away to the Ozarks where we picked up the boys the next day.  WHS could not WAIT to put his arms around JBS and JLS.  The videos we have are priceless.

We are all back together again! The moment of glory.  Later JLS told me he didn't think we would be there when they said the parents were there.  He thought I was still in Mexico...as thought I would miss!

JLS at his TeePee awards.  We all pegged JLS to be the all-around Kamper.  He just gets into the sports, the theme, the clothes...he always becomes "the part".  I was so proud of him when he received his Tee Pee award...."I'm Third."  Having been a camper myself, I have always talked to the boys about being "I'm Third"  (God first, others second, and yourself third.)  To receive I'm Third for the camp awards is a HUGE deal.  So proud of him for getting it in his Tee Pee.

JBS was no surprise for his award either.  Since he was an infant, JBS has had this contagious giggle.  If you weren't laughing when JBS starts laughing...you will be.  When the counselors gave JBS the "Spark" award, we knew they had him pegged.  They went on to say that when JBS started to giggle, the whole cabin started to giggle. If JBS was laughing...everyone was laughing.  It's so fun to see how I have prayed for these sweet boys...to be leaders among their peers and to be a light int he darkness.   Each of their qualities that 2 college counselors figured out in a week are just that.  Praise the Lord!  They may have a bit of polishing up to do, but I am so proud of both of them for who they are becoming.

Proud of their awards!

JBS's Tee Pee

His Bunk...

Happiness.  Da boys are back together!

Already signed up for next year!  Can't wait!

Kanakuk

This year both JBS and JLS went to Kanakuk for their first time.  I am certain I was more excited than they were!  We went to family camp 2 years ago and loved it.  My mission was to expose them to the fun of Kanakuk so JBS would go to kamp the next year.  They LOVED it!  However, JBS is my home body and we postponed one more year so that the boys could go together when JLS was old enough.

After we made our whirlwind drop off in Tulsa at the bus, we kept up via the website of all the fun they were having.  How times have changed since I was a kamper!  The digital world has arrived!  Even kamp isn't "remote" anymore.

Here is JBS, top right.

JLS with his buddies.  Second from right.

 While there they had a "Kuk Dynasty" party...JBS is in the blue tshirt behind Jase :)

JLS on the far right at the pool.

Cool Hand Luke....Far right at the Color Party!

JBS....cutie.

Sweet JLS...wondering if he EVER combed his hair while he was gone?

Hoopin' it up...

JBS on the left in the pool...

 Yes...JLS' counselor was a Sooner.  We will forgive him... He was so nice.

Robin Hood as an apprentice...

This one made me SO happy!  I didn't know if they got to see each other during the day.  Confirmed...Sitting together eating....candy?  We never had candy at camp!!

Behemoth strength at the Kuk Dynasty Party...

Bow Up!

The boys loved camp.  How could they not?  Warms my heart beyond belief to be able to share such a fun and important part of my life with my boys!

My Little Rock Star

 JBS took guitar lessons this semester from School of Rock.  It was so much fun...he loved it!  (minus the practicing part).  The people that run it and teach there are so dynamic, great with the kids and really fun to be around.

Each week they had a private lesson and band practice.  The band practices were groups of kids at the same level on each instrument (drums, guitar, voice, piano, etc).  They were practicing toward their big Rock Concert at the end of the season.  Even better was that their concert was at Dosey Doe, the coolest venue where stars come to sing in a small local venue.  We love it there.  And JBS got to play on that stage.

The Band...

Doxie...his instructor.

The man on stage...

His groupies...

It was so cute.  They literally stood at the stage watching JBS play.  They were truly his groupies!  JBS didn't like practicing, but since the concert has played his guitar on his own multiple times.  He sure loved the attention at the concert!

Good-Bye Maroma!

This fabulous trip seems like eons ago!  Oh, how I want to go back!  Our trip was fabulous, food was amazing, traveling was a breeze....until we headed back to the states.  Our flight was smooth until we started our descent into DFW.  As the Checklist Man described it, we had thermal issues coming into the airport and were bouncing all over the place.  I never have issues with turbulence.  As I started to feel queazy and pull my barf bag out for safety, the woman in front of me threw up.  Then, another.  And another.  There is nothing worse than feeling sick and hearing others BE sick.  As luck would have it, we were coming in for landing and our pilot MISSED his approach and pulled up fast and we had to endure another 20 minutes of going around and trying again.  Gratefully, we landed safely, the passengers all squealed with delight and you could hear a huge sigh when we hit the ground.  Gratefully, I never got sick....UNTIL that night.  Yes, it's true. 

When we returned to DFW, we hopped in our car and headed to get WHS at the lake.  We had already missed lunch and I knew I couldn't miss dinner, too.  So we stopped, for what turned out to be, a DIRTY Braum's in Sherman, Texas.  Guess who acquired E-Coli? We had to drive from the lake to Branson, MO to pick up my 2 biggest babies from Kanakuk, all the while being so sick.  Then, a 2 day trip back to Houston with all 3 in the car.  Straight to the doctor on Monday for the good drugs!

NOW....lets look at the spa once more and reminisce.

The sweet lady making home made tortillas and quesadilla's for our breakfast the last morning.

This parrot started me when I turned around and saw him within arms reach!

Our messages to the boys at camp...

Good-Bye Maroma!  It was a wonderful time.  Can I come back for a vacation from the vacation?

Eating our Way Thru Vacation

Eating has become a little bit more difficult for me of late.  Gratefully I can still eat, right?  I was certain that while I was on vacation I would enjoy a few savory meals.  And boy did we ever have some savory meals! I only suffered once, but a massage did the trick!

Not only did we wake up each morning to the sound of waves and sea gulls right outside our door, but there was always a fresh tray with hot coffee and hot cocoa {Mexican chocolate!}.  A great way to rise and shine!

I tried to take pictures of our amazing meals each day, but I think I missed a few.

My Grouper dinner.  Aside from seeing him eye-to-eye, it was delicious!

Breakfast on the beach.  So serene....

Fish Tacos.  So fresh and tasty!

This is the guacamole platter Babe ordered.  (I love the dish!)

Yes....cooked bugs were in that pretty dish!

Babe had to be cool because I was disgusted.   He ate a couple bites, but that was it.  ICK!

Another fabulous fish dinner for me...

And another.  My word.  I am drooling just thinking about these meals.

Babe's breakfast enchiladas...

I absolutely LOVE a Mexican breakfast and these breakfast burritos won the prize.  SO very good.

The fabulous tray of breakfast breads.  {I had to steer clear... :( }

Fresh yogurt every morning...

Homemade Marmalades for the yummy breads...

Oh, the chips.  Before every meal, we received this platter of chips and a variety of salsas and dips.  I could make a meal on this.

My one sugary splurge the entire trip...homemade coconut ice cream.  Heavenly.

Everything about Maroma was fantastic...including every thing I put in my mouth.