'Tween Girls Night Out

Have I stated how much I love my daughter? She is fun and pretty cool. And absolutely, totally in love with the Jonas Brothers (I know, what 'tween girl isn't?) Last night, the Jonas Brother's movie premiered on the Disney Channel. Caroline has been counting down to this night for weeks now. She invited one of her close friends over to have a "Camp Rock" sleep over. Before the movie started we were getting a play-by-play of when the movie would start i.e: "high pitched scream 25 minutes till it starts........high pitched scream 15 minutes till it starts......high pitched scream high pitched scream high pitched scream 1 minute until it starts high pitched screamssssss.

They were allowed to have the bonus room as their 'party pad' (with promises to not let Jack up there to bug them) and all we heard down stairs were more of those extremely high pitched screams (over and over and over again).

Caroline picked out their menu for dinner and she decided they should have party food (ala JUNK food~ pizza rolls, mozzarella sticks, chips ~ you get the idea)



The girls gave the movie 'two thumbs up'. Caroline said, "It was fun and Joe was so cute in it and I loved the movie." Mary Chase stated, "The movie was cool and it had cool music and Joe was cute." (I guess Joe is cute????)

I loved seeing their excitement and it brought back memories of how I must have acted about Shaun Cassidy and Donnie Osmond (wow, am I dating myself). Hopefully we can just keep the crushes to TV stars and not to real boys for awhile....

Edited Sunday morning: I just heard on the news this morning that the Jonas Brothers not only have professed to be strong Christians but have also taken a stand of purity and to remain abstinent. In light of pregnancy packs and unwed TV/Movie stars being the very accepted norm, I thought this was incredible and wonderful! I guess my daughter does have good taste!

Serving Others - Backyard Bible Club

This week we had the awesome pleasure and honor of hosting Backyard Bible Club at the park across the street from our house. We had 30 children come each morning for three days to learn about Jesus, how to serve, show kindness and love to their families, friends and neighbors. I was also reminded that serving others is something that I should strive to do each day. It doesn't have to be anything huge or major. Just things that can help and bless others. I really want to make it a priority in my own life as that is where others will truly see Jesus. I want to be a model of servanthood for my own children, so it is also something they strive to do for others. Along with this reflection of my own life, we had a BLAST too. The weather couldn't have been more perfect and I had the most outstanding group of parents helping me with everything. I was so blessed by it all.

Some of the youth from our church came each day to tell the Bible story for the day, complete with costumes and engaging story-telling.

Each day we did a really neat craft based on the story we had learned that day.

Jack and his friend, Perry, making candles to remind us to be a "light" in the world.

Caroline and Ethan making frames to remind them of their time and what they learned at Backyard Bible Club.

Robin did an awesome job leading the kids in fun games each day!

Lisa and her great singing voice led our songs for the week and my kids LOVED them. They are still singing them.

We also completed some service projects. The children made bookmarks that will be delivered to a local nursing home and they made frisbees, some of which will be sent to some orphanages in El Salvador.

We had an awesome time and the park was such an ideal location. I can't wait to do it again next summer!

Old Rooms become New

We are slowly making our way through the house and repainting as we go. When we bought the house basically the whole house was a pale, not so attractive, yellow color. We wanted it jazzed up a bit more. We did Caroline's bedroom for her birthday last year. My parents did our living room, kitchen, and entrance way for my birthday last year. Well, Jack's birthday is coming up in a week, so we did his bedroom this weekend (and I got to throw in the downstairs half-a-bath as an extra bonus). My in-laws were in town and were a huge help to us. We couldn't have gotten it all done without them. Here are some before and after pictures.
Here is the Jack's room before

Caroline spent the morning sorting through all of Jack's toys. We put them in bins with labels (like school) to help him keep his toys organized.

Here is the after look. We painted his walls a nice brown to be reminiscent of a football or baseball glove. Daddy and Poppy spent their Father's Day building his new dresser~ complete with football and baseball pull-knobs (such an improvement over the white and yellow one that was Caroline's)

Here is our half-a-bath before

Here is my lovely "green" bathroom.

Anyone want to come help us paint our upstairs hallway and master bedroom now????

Caroline and Camp Invention

Caroline had the awesome opportunity to attend Camp Invention (a nation-wide program if you are interested http://www.invent.org/camp/default.aspx). This was a science based camp that really made the children think outside the box, employ critical thinking skills, problem solve, use their imaginations and work cooperatively with other students. Caroline had a blast and looked forward to going and learning, discovering and inventing each day!

Here are some of the cool things she did:
I can invent: In this module, Caroline took apart a tape player and a car light. From the parts of these devices she created a Fantasy and Fun Invention. Caroline's invention is a Controlling Drink machine that when you drink it, it zaps you and gives you super powers that lets you turn invisible and run super fast.


Imagination Point ~ Is an amusement park that had been hit by a hurricane. The students were employed to develop and make new rollercoasters and rides. All the rides had to employ one of Newtons three laws of motion. Caroline worked with a small group to develop a roller coaster that they named: The Froot Loop~~

Caroline also developed a ride by herself that spins around. It is called the Swirl Whirl:


Planet Zak ~~ Caroline and her friends were shipwrecked on Planet Zak. They had to build a hut to keep them safe from the acid rain which turned into goo after it dropped.
She also had to develop a 'shuttle suit' that protected her from outside forces that could harm her.


Spills and Chills ~ Caroline and her team mates had to build safety devices for skateboards and cars. She had to build a model of a car that had 6 safety surrounders.

What a fun time she had. And I loved that not only did she learn a tremondous amount (you should hear her quote Newton's Laws of motion) but she had a blast doing it!

Fun on a Friday Afternoon

While Caroline has been at camp all week (more on that later), Jack has been having to hang out with me and tag along as I ran errands, cleaned the house, got ready for the garage sale - you get the idea. So this afternoon before the end of Caroline's camp, we went to a great indoor playground.

As an added bonus, Jack enjoyed playing with his friend Perry.

We'll enjoy going back some more this summer. Nothing like wearing the kids out in a nice air-conditioned play ground~

The Book and the Ball

This afternoon Caroline and Jack were watching a movie (Eloise at the Plaza) and at the end of the movie there was a Ball. Caroline (thanks to her favorite obsession So You Think You Can Dance season just starting) decided to start 'dancing'. Next thing I knew they were dressed in their 'dance' clothes. Caroline quite appropriately. Jack ~ well....always the super hero.
Check out the TV screen for the 'Ball' portion of the movie.

Jack received a book in the mail today. Thanks to this awesome program that our school participates in for all kids who go to Pre-K there. (they get a free hardcover book each month - so cool!). He is really wanting to be able to read (not there yet, but the desire is!). He read us the story tonight (complete with showing the pictures ala "teacher" style.

My very own Indiana Jones Adventure

Did you know that Indiana Jones has taken up residence in our home. After watching Raiders of the Lost Ark (I forgot how much I liked that movie when I was younger), Indiana showed up, hat, whip and all.

This morning we woke up and discovered Indiana was still here and he was going on an "Indiana Jones Adventure". Today, he said he had to tie his whip (or whuppun as he often calls his whip) and go into the Bear cave. He said the Bear had stolen an "oval, golden treasure" and he had to get it back from the "mean ol' bear who is "huger and huger and black with claws". Indiana said he was going to have to get a bow and arrow to use to help him get the treasure back. Knowing Indiana Jones, I am sure he will be successful!


I wonder where his adventures will lead him tomorrow.