Vacation Bible School

One of our favorite times of the year happened this past week - - Vacation Bible School or more affectionately known as VBS.  We were on pins and needles a few months ago as to whether we would even be able to get in.  The best VBS around is at Markham Woods Church and you literally have to register the same day the registration opens online or you won't get in.  As soon as the clock struck on the Monday of registration, I was on my computer registering the three kids.  When I was done, I got this ominous message that said that they were holding the registration open an extra week to allow their church members (we are not members there) and the community a longer chance to register.  Oh no!  They only take 150 kids so we were worried what our chances would be.  We almost had to wait two weeks but finally we got the email that the kids were in.  Major sigh of relief!

Fast forward two months to Monday, June 15 and the time had come.  This year was a big year - - Brady's first year!  Thank goodness he was born June 8 so he turned four right in time to make it.  Poor Colby with an August birthday still has three years to go until he's eligible.  Anyway, the girls were talking it all up with their genuine excitement and I was curious if Brady really realized what was about to happen - - as in, I was going to be leaving him there for three hours.  I was hoping that if he got in with kids he knew, he would be fine.  As it turned out, he was put in a group with my friend Leslie as his leader and then her daughter Sarah and another girl from Sabbath School, Violet.  I was relieved because I knew Leslie would keep in touch with me and let me know if there were any problems.  Calleigh and Aubree were happy too.  Aubree was with Kaleb, Evan, Kolhden, and Maddie so she had all her friends.  I saw Calleigh's group and it looked like she was with Marley and Braelyn so everything seemed to work out perfectly.  Well, that wasn't exactly true as it turned out.  When I picked them up and we were in the van, I said, "Calleigh, I see you're with Marley and Braelyn.  How great!"  She says "No, I'm NOT with Braelyn.  I'm with all the SEVEN year olds."  She then proceeded to whine and cry the whole way home that it wasn't nearly as fun without Braelyn  and why did she have to be with all the little kids.  Marley is her friend so she was happy with that (even though she won't be eight for a few months) but apparently there were a couple other kids in the group that were "only seven."  I said, "Calleigh, you JUST turned eight like three weeks ago!"  It fell on deaf ears.  Fortunately she seemed to get over it by the next day and it turned out that one of the other kids was indeed eight as well.  Good grief.

Brady did fine the first day and then when I told him something about going to VBS the next day he says "There's another BVS?!!"  He didn't quite have the initials right but close enough.  I dropped them off the second day and met up with Jennifer, Ashley, Vasti, and Allen at Keke's to have breakfast.  Of course, I still had my sidekick Colby with me but it is indeed considerably easier to get things done when you only have one kid (although he is the most challenging of them).  After picking up the kids the second day, I asked Brady if he was being friendly to Sarah and Violet, was he talking to them?  "No," he says, "I don't talk to them.  But they talk to me."  Leslie said the girls kept trying to hug him too so I guess they were getting along.  I also found at this point that while he was enjoying VBS, he did not like the singing which, of course, is a big part of VBS.  He did like seeing the different animals they had each day and the mascot, Miles the Moose.  The theme this year was Everest and as we all know, there are a ton of moose around Everest, right??!

The only time we'll ever see snow in Central Florida.

Calleigh singing.

Aubree singing.

Brady, Violet, and Sarah

Wednesday was fine and the Thursday morning I got a text from Leslie saying that Brady started missing me soon after I dropped him off.  She looked at him and saw his lip quivering and she could tell he was crying on the inside so she held him for a little while.  A bit later he saw Calleigh and Leslie reported that he was very happy to get a hug from her and was doing much better.  When I picked them at noon, I asked Brady if he missed me and did he see Calleigh?  He says "Calleigh gave me a hug and it was disgusting."  Apparently it isn't cool to admit you like your sister hugging you.

Feeling a little down.

Working on his shirt helped.  Although he looks like he's in a trance...

Friday morning as I figured, Brady didn't want to go.  I didn't push anything because I figured he wouldn't be happy there and honestly, I missed him and didn't mind at all that he stuck with Colby and me for yard sale day.  The girls, meanwhile, loved the whole week and participated in all the games and activities to the full extent.  Thursday afternoon Kohlden had come over to our house to play with Brady while Calleigh and Aubree went over to the Isidros to be with Braelyn and Maddy.  Eventually they came back over to our place and they put the VBS music on and the kids were having a great time performing all the songs.

After VBS was finished on Friday, Calleigh and Aubree went over to the Whitakers until the evening performance.  Ashley had invited them and Lindsey over to spend time with Macey and Marley.  They were thrilled!  It was nice of them to invite Aubree too since she's a little younger since Macey and Marley are nearly 10 and 8, respectively.  But Aubree really likes to hang with Calleigh and her friends so it's great when she gets included.  The Whitakers have a pool so they spent a good amount of time in there in the afternoon and then watched a movie.  The one downside is that their dog bit Calleigh!  He is not a friendly sort of dog and apparently Calleigh stepped backwards into his path and he didn't take kindly to it or something like that and nipped her.  Fortunately no blood was drawn but Calleigh was a bit traumatized and shed a few tears (which is unusual for her since she is not a crier).

Didn't stay Friday morning but did get a picture with Miles.

Lunch at the Whitakers.

The rain forced them inside.

Friday evening was the program where the kids get to sing the songs they practiced during the week and they show slides/video of the activities that went on.  The big question was whether Brady would go up front.  He was very happy about his t-shirt that he colored so we thought maybe that would motivate him to go up front so he could show it off.  He didn't want to sit with his group but when everyone went up on stage and he saw that he could stand in front of Aubree, he capitulated and went up.  As it turned out, he was standing right next to a little boy about his age who literally screamed the words to the song the entire time!  Brady was almost cowering completely behind him.  But I was just happy he made it up.  The girls did great with their groups, Aubree singing "I Sing the Mighty Power" and Calleigh "Everlasting God."  I was hoping to get Brady up there for his group song which was "Do Lord" but no such luck.  He did go up again for the final song but I don't think he really sang any part of any song.  Ah well.  At least he went up!  There is always next year.  

Final group shot.  The other little boy didn't start coming until Wednesday.

Braelyn, Calleigh, and Marley

Kolhden, Evan, Kaleb, Aubree, and Maddy.

What else happened last week?  Last Sunday we had several birthday parties.  The first was for my pseudo cousin Tiffany's boy, Greyson, who was turning one.  Since they live in our community, they had the party at the clubhouse which was obviously very convenient for us.  We also had built in entertainment with the pool although Duncan was on a bike ride which left it up to me at the pool.  It has it's challenges when you have to keep your eye on two kids that don't swim.  Actually, nobody did much swimming for awhile because there was a small snake swimming around in the pool that had everyone distracted.

Cake made by Jennifer.  

The birthday boy.

Assessing where the snake was.  Ran into Gabby and Alexa Ottati at the pool.

The second party was for the aforementioned Sarah who was in Brady's VBS group.  She had it at My Gym which has a bunch of fun kid's stuff to do.  I was thinking Calleigh was getting a bit too old for it but when she saw her friends were there, all was well.  Duncan stayed home with Colby for that one which made it considerably easier for me than the first party.

Also this past week, Calleigh is continuing with her swimming lessons and Aubree has started with hers again.  When Calleigh finishes with hers, we will then start Brady again (I think 1.5 hours of lessons in a row is too much especially if Duncan isn't home in time and I have to have Colby there).  The big news is that Brady is now swimming on his own!  I knew he was close and sure enough, Duncan had him jump in and swim to him.  He did it without a thought!  He's only swimming underwater but that's what Aubree was doing just a few weeks ago and has gotten much better at the above water part so I'm sure after another round of lessons, Brady will be in good shape.  It's always nice when you see the lessons pay off and obviously the first round did pay off even if he wasn't swimming immediately afterwards.

I stayed home with Colby while Duncan took the others to swimming lessons.  Colby pounced on the chance to wreck all their Lego stuff.

A few other pictures...

Colby was so happy when the others were home from VBS.

He keeps wanting more and more books in his crib and this is what happens.

Brady fell asleep on the girls bed one night.  Aubree was fake sleeping here.

I had gotten some clothes and shoes at a consignment store one of the days which then prompted them all to want their shoe bins from the garage (these are the shoes they are growing into) which then prompted a huge mess in the living room right before lunch.

Went to Grandma and Grandpas on Tuesday evening to see Derek and Tyler, Duncan's sister Kristin's boys visiting from PA.

Since Brady eats no vegetables, I've been trying to make more smoothies with kale thrown in and then using the extra smoothie leftover to make popsicles.  The only problem is the mess!

Have a great week!