Week in Review

It's a lovely Saturday morning...86 degreees already at 8:00. The humidity here keeps it from being a scorcher like we had in California. No, today will be a soaker. 10 minutes outside and my pants will be so damp from the humidity that they'll stick to me, and my upper half will be wet from sweat. Can we say GROSS? The three good things about it are: 1. My skin never gets dry like it did in CA. 2. Our fire danger is very low here. 3. Fireflies like humidity!

I thought since it has been a while since I blogged consistently, I'll recap the events of the last week. Here are the five most important events of our week, in no particular order.

1. Vacation Bible School. Our VBS theme this week was Crocodile Dock. OH MY GOSH...I just realized I didn't take any pictures! Stephanie, save me! Do you have some pictures you can email me? Arrrrgh... Anyhoo, we had a blast! I had five sweet girls in my group. Lauryn gave all the girls (and me) "Billy Bob" names. For example, she was the Original Billy Bob. I was Billy Bob Leader. The littlest girl in our group was Billy Bob Little. Pretty funny! 3rd grade girls are great! Snapper has a great time, too. Pepper enjoyed himself 3 of the 5 days. He's just not a people person.

2. Swimming. We got a membership to the community pool this year, and we have taken full advantage of it. A few times I've taken the kids down to swim in the afternoon. Usually though, we wait until after dinner and go with Matt when hardly anyone is at the pool. Pepper started out terrified of everything. He now motors around the pool independently, held up by the two, small, styrofoam blocks in his wetsuit. He even willingly puts his head under the water! Snapper has joined the swim team, and had her first meet on Tuesday. She has improved so dramatically in the last week! She even placed 2nd in one of her races!

3. Movie and a Dog. Every summer on the Thursday night of VBS week, our church does "Movie and a Dog." We set up a huge screen in the parking lot of the church and show a movie. We rent a bounce house and an inflatable slide. We also serve hot dogs, popcorn, and sno cones. All of it is free, and it is open to the community. This year the movie was "Bolt." It was such a fun evening for our family! The highlight of my evening was when Pepper, who was all cuddled up in my lap, put his head back and noticed the stars. He whispered in my ear, "Look at the 'tars, Mommy. God made the 'tars so beu-full!"

4. Nickname. Pepper has definitely developed a sense of humor. Matt's sister Debbie lives with us, and Pepper has given her a nickname. He calls her Stinky Skunk. Every time he calls her that, he busts up laughing. Thinks he's the funniest kid in the world. The best part is that he rarely says the s sound at the beginning of a word, so it comes out "Tinky Kunk or Tinky Tunk." So every time he says it, I bust up laughing, too. You know this will be a permanent addition to our family's dictionary!

5. Dr. Mario. My favorite childhood video game is now available for the Wii!!! Matt would groan if he told you how many hours I have sat like a lump on the couch this week playing that silly game! Hey...it has been a long week, and I'm wiped out! There's nothing wrong with an occassional Wii splurge!

Alrighty, swim team practice in 22 mintues and Snapper is still asleep. More another day!

Happy Day

Once a year LifeChange gives its staff a treat and sends us to the waterslides for the day. Today was that day! Here are the highlights.

5. Not feeling awful in my bathing suit (I'm 20 pounds lighter than last time I went to Wild River Country!)

4. Free wristbands entitling the wearer to unlimited free sodas, and a delicious barbeque dinner catered by Corky's

3. Spending six, quality hours with Matt, Snapper, and Deb Deb. We swam, went on most of the waterslides in the park, and laughed a lot.

2. Visiting with all my LifeChange friends that I don't see very often.

1. The number one highlight of today was watching Snapper come all by herself down the X-cellerator (steep, fast slide). Her tube hit the whitewater close to the end of the slide and stopped. Snapper, however, kept going. She flew about 8 feet, probably close to 4 feet above the water, and landed upside down with a huge splash. The lifeguard and I both ran for her to make sure she was okay. I expected tears and screaming and adament refusal ever to ride on a waterslide again. Instead, she stood up, shook her head a few times, looked at the lifeguard and me and said in typical, dramatic, Snapper fashion, "Like...WHOA!" And that was the end of it. Could she possibly be outgrowing some of the drama? Ha! I doubt it! =)

Thanks, LifeChange, for a wonderful day!

I'm Thankful For...

...Air conditioning
...Ceiling fans
...Iced tea
...Swimming pools
...Shorts, tank tops, flip flops
...Popsicles
...Air conditioning

Why?

Because it is 11 p.m. and it is still 90 degrees outside.

Church Camp Adventures

When I was a kid, my parents never let me go to camp, even though I desperately wanted to. I went to VBS, but that doesn't count. My first camp experience was Horsemanship Camp at Monte Vista Christian School when I was 13. But that was day camp, so it doesn't really count, either. Granted, I did get to do some cool stuff, like travel by myself to Colorado and Wyoming to visit friend when I was 12, and to Spokane to visit the Bertholics with my sister when I was 14. My first real, overnight camp experience wasn't until I went to 4-H camp when I was 16. I still look back on that week as one of the best weeks of my life. I packed in every possible activity I could. I hiked, swam, hung out with friends, did arts and crafts, helped lead the evening campfire times, played capture the flag, flirted with the cute boys, and played pranks to my heart's content. Ah, what a great week! It was with those fond memories in mind that I joined the 3rd-6th graders from our church for 5 days at church camp. The week definitely had its low points: high heat and thick humidity; mediochre cafeteria food; gigantic bugs; a cranky Pepper in the afternoons; no childcare at naptime; homesick kiddos; flu-sick kiddos; a basketball to the back of the head; and worst of all, the camp director getting run over by his minivan, breaking his foot and seriously damaging the ligaments in his hip. But the low points were few and far between. For the most part, camp lived up to my expectations, and my kids and I had a fantastic time! I'll resort to my old favorite--a top 10 list--to share my favorite moments of my few days at camp.

10. Watching Snapper and Pepper light up with excitement over our "cannon" (cabin). While it reeked of mildew, at least it was air conditioned, had a clean bath/shower, and comfy beds. The setting was beautiful, too.




9. Eating giant dill pickes and snow cones from the snack shack

8. Sharing a great conversation with a group of 6th grade girls about boys, dating, and the value of waiting to start dating until you are old enough for dating to not be pointless.




7. Walking with Snapper in the dark, watching the fireflies, and talking about what she learned in her classes. If you ever get a chance, ask Snapper about the children of Israel.




6. Playing water games in the rec field with a group of our girls. I got soaked from head to toe, got all hot, sweaty, and sticky, laughed until I hurt, and totally connected with my girls.

5. Helping Matt teach the lessons to 24 kids every morning. This included setting up our pavillion, assisting him with games, answering questions, and hanging with the kids. I love to work with my very gifted and wonderful husband. We make a fantastic team!




4. Eating peanut butter sandwiches in the cafeteria without thinking twice about the nutritional flaws of peanut butter and white bread.

3. Dancing, laughing, and singing like crazy during the chapel times...and watching the kids get into it because I was! Then watching them dig into the Word of God, discovering new things about His love for them.




2. Spending extended periods of time with Sydney and John Wesley, two of the coolest kids in the world ever! (Sorry, JW, I didn't get a great picture of you this week!)




1. By far the #1 moment for me at camp was getting to pray with a 4th grader named Rachel as she asked Jesus to be her forever friend. I walked her through God's plan of salvation in the Bible, and then shared with her Romans 8:38-39: "For I am convinced the neither death nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor things present nor things to come, nor height, nor depth, nor any other created thing shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord." I wrote that verse on the back of her nametag, and her face lit up when I substituted her name into that verse and told her it was God's promise just for her. That is what it's all about! It was a great 3 days.

A-Camping We Shall Go

Tomorrow morning our family is embarking on a great adventure--we're going to church camp with the 3rd-6th graders from our church. Matt is packing his suitcase with everything he will need to be the boys' counselor in a cabin full of stinky, little boys. Lucky Matt! The kids and I will be staying in a family cabin. Ours will have air conditioning! Lucky us! Snapper keeps flipping out with excitement (in true Snapper style), even though she hasn't a clue in the world what goes on at camp. Pepper could care less. He's too little to know. So we are off, very much looking forward to the time we get to hang out with the seriously awesome kids from our church. We are looking forward to swimming, playing games, singing, Bible study, and just chillin'. So adios friends, I'll be back to the world of blogging next weekend.

I Found A Bargain!

To all you friends out there who are fellow coupon clippers and bargain hunters, I found a deal for you! Yesterday Sears put all of their freshly loaded clearance racks on an additional 40% off! That means take 40% off of items that are already anywhere from 30-75% off! I got a 3-piece Spiderman pajama set for Pepper for $4, regular price $24! I got a Carter's dress for Snapper for $2.79, regular price $19! When I left the store yesterday, I had bought 2 jammie sets, a dress, a skirt, and a shirt for a grand total of $17! You can't beat that by shopping at the Goodwill! I'm going back up there this morning to stock up on summer clothes for the kids for next summer while the prices are so good. I thought I'd get the word out before everything is picked over. Happy bargain hunting!

Addendum: I Love Summer in the South

A few days back I was feeling so thankful for so many things that I love about living in Arkansas in the summer. I got a few raised eyebrows at that sentiment I'm sure...but anyhoo, I really do like it here. And today added to that sense of "like."
First of all, we enjoyed a beautiful thunderstorm this afternoon. I stood out on the porch and watched the clouds roll and billow to the west as an amazing thunderhead grew out of nothing. It reminded me of those little capsules I used to put in the tub when I was little, you know, the ones that magically turned into sponges shaped like animals. Yeah. Anyway, I watched those spectacular clouds and thanked God for the opportunity to live here. I never saw anything like that in my 26 years of life in California. Then as I was standing there in the 96 degree afternoon, I was met with a sudden blast of cool air which preceded the storm, and by the time I had walked inside and up the stairs, the temperature had dropped 16 degrees. In 3 minutes. Wild!
By dinnertime the storm had blown over and disappeared to the east. Debbie came home from work and announced that she had received an invitation to go downtown for a movie in the park. She invited us to go along. So we finished up our taco casserole (yummy!), packed up some cookies and the bug spray (not to be eaten together...) and headed downtown.
While much of downtown is old and, well, ugly, the River Market District is beautiful. Besides all the great restaurants, museums, and Farmer's Market, there is an amphitheater by the Arkansas River, two pedestrian briges, and a wonderful new park with fountains for the kids to play in.
The big, blue tent in this picture is covering the amphitheater.


Tonight we saw "The Wizard of Oz" in the amphitheater. There were at least 2,000 people there strecthed out on blankets on the lawn, or seated in the theater-style chairs. There is something so charming about watching the sun setting over the river, and waiting for the movie to start. It was a bit muggy (my glasses kept steaming up from the humidity in the air), but we didn't care. The occasional firefly passing by only added to the ambience. Snapper was spellbound. Even Pepper sat enraptured through the entire movie, a first for him. The movie ended at 10:30 with an enthusiastic round of applause from the crowd. Now it is 11:40. The kids both crawled straight into bed when we got home and closed their eyes without protest. I'm wiped out myself, but thankful for another sweet, family evening to tuck into my treasure box of memories.

I Love...

One of the blogs I follow is the FamilyLife Mom Blog today (check my blogroll) and was encouraged by Barbara Rainey's post on Summer in the South. Since I also live in the South, it was easy to relate to this blog! While I'm often tempted to gripe about the heat and humidity, there are things that I truly love about living in Arkansas in the summer. Just for fun, I'll list those things.

6. I can wear shorts and tank tops on the porch at midnight and not get cold.

5. Swimming is VERY refreshing when it is so hot outside.

4. The Little Rock Farmer's Market is in full swing, with lots of wonderful local produce. We love to drive in on weekends and load up on fresh produce and flowers.

3. I can get the perfect, most refreshing drink--sweet tea--just about anywhere!

2. Spectacular thunderstorms frequently roll through, providing amazing entertainment and cooling the air.

1. Fireflies add sparkle to every evening. They are my favorite part of living in Arkansas in the summer.

The Coolest Evening

Summer here in Arkansas is typically too hot for outdoor activities. This year has been the exception to that rule. The summer Pepper was born, we had a heat spell that began in late June and lasted all the way into early August where we broke 98 degrees every day. 20 days in a row it was over 102 every day. This year we haven't even hit 100 yet! Our high today was 91, so we packed up a picnic dinner (egg salad sandwiches, potato chips, and cherries), and made the drive to Burns Park for a picnic and some disc golf. It was warm and pretty humid, but it wasn't hot. We enjoyed a round of disc golf with Grandma, Deb-Deb, and the kids before heading home at bedtime. As if that wasn't cool enough...

Way back in my freshman year of college (12 years ago...wow I feel old!), I met this really great guy, Brian, in my Algebra class. We ended up having Music Appreciation together that semester, too. We studied together a lot, and had fun just hanging out. The next year we worked together at Staples. Then we both transferred to San Jose State. We didn't see each other as often, but still met up from time to time for coffee or lunch. He and his fiancee came to our wedding. That was the last time I saw Brian. We were supposed to go to his wedding, but I was on bed rest, pregnant Snapper. And after that we completely lost touch with Brian and Allison. I haven't talked to him at all in 7 years. Then my BFF Noel was at a housewarming party, and who should she meet but Brian! Somehow they made the connection that they both knew me, and awesome Noel got us back in contact. I just spent an hour of most satisfying conversation on the phone with Brian! We had a lot to talk about after 7 years. I told him about our kiddos, and he told me he's going to be a first-time daddy next week! How cool is that?!? So thanks Noel! And Brian, I'm very glad to revive this friendship.

Yup, this was the coolest evening!

Congrats to Matt!

This is the third year Matt has played on our church's softball team. Today was the last day of his season. I am proud to report that the team finished the season with a record of 16 wins and 2 losses! Way to go, Parkway Place, and congrats to my amazing third baseman husband!

I Think You Meant "Swimmin'"

What would a child's summer be without a swimming lesson or two? Snapper and Pepper got to take two weeks of swimming lessons at our community pool. For Snapper it was instant water love. For Pepper, not so much. He cried pitifully at each "Ready-Ready-Under," but obediently did every task the teacher asked of him. And he was proud of himself at the conclusion of each lesson. So after the third day of swimming lessons, I asked Pepper a question: Do you like swimming lessons?

His classic reply: "Yup, I can do 'wimmin'!"

I think you meant "swimmin'."