I love VBS...

Tonight will be last night of VBS and that makes me a little sad.  Although it has been a very long and tiring week, I have had so much fun the last four nights.  There is something special about VBS.  It is a fun to meet new people and get to know them so well.  There is a certain commrodary you feel at the end of the week.  The kids have been singing bible songs all week.  I have been singing bible songs all week.  This week has been so special.  As a family, we have got to bond and have a lot of fun together.  All of the kids friends have come.  Tonight with Haley, Cassie and Rachel we should have 11 kids going with us.  The crafts have all gone well.  The kids have enjoyed them and they have worked out perfectly on time.  No huge disasters, just lots of fun....  I am so blessed to have been asked to do this.  I have definetly gotten more love back than the time I put into this...  Larry has really enjoyed it too.  As a parent and adult with responsibilities you want to go, Bible school again.. Im tired..  But then you just smile because no matter how tired you are you know you are going to have a great time and really enjoy your evening... 

VBS 2010

VBS 2010 started last night.  Sonquest rainforest is the theme.  I am in charge of crafts for VBS and am loving it.  There is a sense of pride I feel when I give back.  With five kids we don't always have a lot of money to give so I try to give my time.  It was so amazing to watch the kids having fun and enjoy the craft so much..  When I finally seperated Lincoln and Larry both of them had a great time too.  Larry helped me with the crafts and really seemed to enjoy hanging out and helping the kids.  We had 60 kids last night.  Hopefully we will  hit 80 today.  I had some amazing helpers.  Karen Faith and Kathy Poe were in there with me.  It got a little hectic with the first two classes.  We were cut short on time and it took some creative helping to get everyone done with their dirt buddies.  I had three extra kids come with me.  Hannah and Arianna with Callie and Elijah with Sebastian.  Looking forward to tonight.

The morning of VBS on way to church.  We looked so cute just had to take a pic.

Callie and her friends.

Being a frog.

Callie's craft time.

Lincoln doing crafts.  His is getting so big...

Super Day...

Fort Eustis sponsered a Super Day for families today.  There were free games, tattoos, carnival rides, bowling, and a concert.  The kids had a great time..  They played laser tag and got tattoes, rode the ponies, and won some prizes.  But the weather was so bad.  It was 102 degrees.  So we were not able to stay out there too long.  While we were standing in line for the tattoos a kid passed out.  You could hear his head his this black metal bar attached to a trailer and then the concrete.  The paramedics had to take him to the emergency room.  We decided shortly after that to go home. 

Laser Tag

It was so hot!

Following super day, the kids were picked up by Kathy and Danny Poe.  They babysat so that Larry and I could go on a date.  We decided to go out to eat and use my new coupon book.  We drove all the way to Newport News to a cute resturant out in the middle of nowhere on the water.  When we got there we realized that the resturant had changed owners.  I went in to see if they would honor the coupon and the lady that owns it told me the last people who owned it went out of business because their coupons were too generous.  I got so mad.  So we decided to go to the Vineyard.  It was amazing.  Authentic Italian with great atmosphere.  It reminded me of Larry and mine's wedding dinner.  We really needed the time together to reconnect.  The kids had a wonderful time with Kathy and Danny too so I didn't feel guilty for leaving them.

Theresa's 7th B-day

July 11th was Theresa's 7th.  She had a party on Saturday the 10th.  This was my first Spanish birthday.  Theresa's mom, Marie is from El Salvador.  There was so much food I ate till I burst.  Maria made two pinatas.  Spongebob and a heart.  Both were very beautiful..  After all the great birthday stuff..(pinata, cake, presents) we all sat around and hung out.  It was neat to talk to people who grew up in other countries and migrated here for a better life.  It was nice to hear someone from a Spanish country agree with Arizona's laws and rules.  America is such a wonderful country and is full of opportunties for legal immigrants..  We ended up partying all day.

PTA Conference...

On July 17th I went to Mechanicsville, outside of Richmond for a PTA leadership conference.  I went with Christine Aribelli-Smith, the president.  Neither of us have been involved in the pta ever before, so we were both learning all we can.  We visited fundraising booths.  Took the presidents basic class.  Then we had lunch and met the pta for Magruder.  I learned alot about the pta and some great leadership stuff.....  Christine and I got along so well.  It is going to be a great and exciting year. 

In the wind booth.  Won a great coupon book.

I won a coupon book and some wrapping paper.

Staying fit...

When the kids came home I really wanted to keep active and stay fit.  So, we got up really early last week and went walking before it got hot.  We walked to the school playground and played for a little while.  Then we walked to the park by the house and played there for a bit.  It was a great time.  By the time we got home I lost three pounds sweating.

Bella being gorgeous.

Lincoln being a monkey as usual.

Way too cute

Carolyn Ann Williams...

Today is the anniversary of my mom's death.  She passed away on 7-11-03.  Today was the first time I could really just spend the day remembering.  The last seven years have been very painful ones.  It was nice this year to let some of that go and remember the happy.  My mom was a gorgeous woman who worked hard and sacrificed it all for us.  Her children.  She taught me all I know about mothering.    I didn't know how on earth I was going to make it one day without her.  I have.  It wasn't easy or even halfway fun but she is always with me.  And the lessons she taught me will last forever.  I love you mom!!!!  I think back to the time I had with her. To losing her. To surviving.  I appreciate my family more and make a effort to enjoy everyday and to tell those I love you's freely and often. I thank my mom for my stregth and her love while raising me and she will always be missed.   Love you MIMI

Settling Down...

Things are getting back to normal around here..  The kids have been home for a few days and we are getting back into our routine.  We had a great holiday and are gearing up to do a couple of fun things this summer.  We have a few birthdayparties and an Ice cream social coming up this weekend.  Really looking forward to that.  Kalin starts his new job tomorrow.  He will be working at the 7-11.  I really hope this works out.  It is time for him to start learning how to live his own life.  I know that in the big scheme of things 2 weeks is not that long, but I am went crazy without my babies.  I am just so happy to have them back home.  We started working on Vacation bible school yesterday.  Getting our supplies in order, doing sample crafts to make sure that all are workable and gearing up to start cutting lots of foam.  Izabella started a new dance class yesterday.  Jazz and hip hop.  We are going to try the short 7 week summer program and see where it goes..

Fourth of July..

This 4th of July was a different one.  The kids were still in Delaware with their dad.  On Saturday the 3rd, we had some friends of Larry's from work over for dinner.  Annie, her husband Steven and their son Loui, and Miracle.  We had a wonderful time.  Grilled out chicken and just hung out.  We got in the pool for a little while.  Both young ladies are so much fun and great to hang out with.  On Sunday the fourth, we went to church.  Then we slipped out a little early to pick up Kalin and head to the beach.  We swam for awhile and then went and had dinner.  That night we went to the beach to watch the fireworks with Jennifer and Curt.  We were kinda far away from where the fireworks were being shot off.  They were small and you couldn't hear the boom.  But it was really nice to be on beach with a bunch of other families.  The atmosphere was very Norman Rockwell and lots of fun. 

Lincoln and Loui

Miracle

Annie and her husband Steven

Freezing at Aunt Jen's

Chillin on the beach

Love these pics!!

Playing Tag

Daddy got him.