Minds at Work

Cindy and Sheri look like they are planning their escape. Debbie is helping the kids with their craft in the background.
This is Jim's bus ready to go home on Friday night. We missed Jim and Denise this week. Jim's sister died suddenly and they had to make a quick trip to Michigan.

Donnie is ready to drive these kids home. If you look real close you'll see someone standing on the steps just inside the bus. This is Travis Mull and I think he is contemplating making a quick exit should things become too hectic. Actually he is probably standing there because as we drop the children off they will just dart right out into traffic if you don't catch them and guide them to their front door. Some have to cross the street and Travis is needed to see that they make it safely.

This little fellow is really liking whatever it is Cindy is doing.
I think Bible School is starting to get to Cindy.
Nathan just adores his Nursery teacher, Brenda. He is moving up to the next class next Sunday. Brenda is so kind to keep him while I ride the bus taking the children home each week. Thank you Brenda!

Grandma has been a great help this week in the nursery. This is Grandma Sherman with Noelle. My mom has helped watch mine and Jonathan and Sheri's babies for a few years now so we can teach Bible School. Brenda is in the background with Gideon.

Grandma Arnold has helped us for several years now taking care of the babies while their mommies teach Bible School. She hasn't lost her touch as you can see by Noelle's face.

Jumping Kingdom

This was a big hit this year. Matt was so nice to buy this for the kids and he set it up each evening and took it down after the last group had a turn.

More Bible School Pics

We are so thankful for those that prepared meals each night making our days a little easier this week. Dorthy Umberger, Patty Clarke, Betty Kratz, and Janice Miller prepared a nice spread each evening.


This is Randy and Noelle Sherman posing as King and Queen with Kevin Sherman helping Noelle.

Lashandra Martzel enjoyed this puppet theater

Kidz of the King

I have been so busy with my group of Preschoolers that I haven't been over with the main group to see all the fun they are having. I hope to do that before Sunday and have some pictures of that side too but you can glance at the ones we have with the little guys for now.

VBS Pictures

Sr. Shuey has done a great job in the Kitchen of the castle. They had play food to "cook" and a checkerboard rug and a few other things to use in between their story and verse.
Karen and Cathy have had a great week with their group in the castle. We had stick horses and a horse dress up suit and a large horse to sit on. These kids used their swords and shields and rode off into battle.
We couldn't have done this without these precious ladies in the nursery. Brenda Habecker is such a natural with the babies. She has Nathan here and he is asleep. Sr. Arnold and Grace Shifflet and my mother have come every night to watch 3-4 babies. It gives us mothers a break and allows us to do something we really enjoy. Teaching!
This is the throne room and Susanna Shuey has been in charge of this room. They had a puppet theater and castles and blocks to play with. I noticed Susanna sitting in the "Queen" chair reading a story to the kids and they were either sitting on the pillows or on her lap. I didn't have my camera that night.

Sheri Sherman (my sister-in-law) and I have both been telling the Bible stories each night. We have 4 rooms and we each show up at 2 of them every night. We tell a story and then go over the verse. You can't see the poster too well in this picture but the one against the wall on the left is a picture of a christian boy and we have to "put on" his armor each night. This has helped the children to remember the 6 different parts of armor. When I think of all the work that has gone into this VBS I feel exhausted but just seeing the children this week and how much they have enjoyed themselves AND the high percentage of children that have already said Ephesians 6:11!!!!!!!!! Makes it all worth while. I feel this age group is so important. I want to teach them at a young age to live for Jesus. We have had maybe 5-10 children that have been to church for the first time this week. Some of those didn't even know what the Bible was or who Jesus was. I hope they not only learned but are able to go share what they have learned with others. Tomorrow will be a bitter sweet night in that it is the last night for this age group. We sit in with the older group on Sunday morning for the ending program. A HUGE thank you to all that have helped this week. Cindy has been my right and left hand it seems this year. I don't even need to tell her what I need. She just seems to know. She has been behind the scenes helping to keep things going smoothly. A BIG thank you to you Cindy!

More pictures of VBS. I really don't know how to turn that picture of Nathan on the spring horse. This first picture is Vicki Bubb in the courtyard with her group of children. She does a wonderful job with the kids. The next picture is Josiah England and Makayla Arnold putting on a puppet show.

Fun with balloons

Kathy was so skilled at twisting these balloons into swords for the kids. We made 40 of them!
Debbie is hard at work stenciling in Armor of God on each of the kid's shields. All of the helpers this year are simply amazing! They come with great attitudes and are ready to jump right in and help. I am so thankful for all of the help this year. Especially in the Nursery where the ladies are keeping the ones to small for Bible School. I'll try to sneak up there tomorrow night and get a picture of them.

Kidz of the King

These are a few pictures of Bible School.

Bible School has begun!

The first night has come and gone with great success. I feel like the children were really learning something about this being a battle of good against evil. They really got into it when I showed them pictures of several different people all dressed in clothing that protected them against something like the snowsuit, the fireman, even a child in a seatbelt. I then went on to tell them that God knows all about the tricks of the devil and he created something that will protect us from this evil and that is the Spiritual Armor. I am pleased with how the first night went and am praying the next 4 days go as well. I was too busy for pictures last night but hopefully I will get some tonight to post. I wish my sister could be here to share this exciting week. Where are you sis?

Busy Days

I have been working hard getting ready for our Vacation Bible School. I have been trying to come up with ways to teach preschoolers the importance of having the Armor of God. I am going to try to use a tricycle and have the helmet and knee and elbow pads and try to relate that to protecting us against something harmful. Hopefully they will relate to that and will learn how the Armor of God will protect them against evil. This has been a challenging theme but I think we will be ready come Monday. My nephew, Jeremy, has been a great help this year. He has traced pictures, painted, run up and down the stairs for supplies, and even hung vines from the drop ceiling. He has been a tremendous help.

Is It Time For School To Start Yet?

When do they go back to school? We went to Canaan Grove Camp last week and Sunday we had a picnic lunch at Ken and Audrey's in their back yard. It was alot of fun but I'm sure their fish in the little fish pond will never be the same. Audrey gave Austin a bowl to catch the tadpoles in and he spent a good share of the afternoon doing just that. I didn't know until later that they were then put in the back of the suburban and we now have them at home. We may never get asked back! Phillip decided to use their mulch to make dirt paths on the stone path. Nathan was very intrigued with the fountain in the fish pond and wanted to get in to put his hand under it. I felt like we were constantly calling down one child or another.

1st Day out of School!

Canaan Grove Camp began last night with Bro. Plank as the speaker. It was a very good sermon and a good turn out of people as well. Today we are headed to run some errands and then maybe jump in Jonathan's pool for a swim before coming home. The kids are all packed with their swimming gear just in case.

Diet Weigh In

Ok. It has been one whole week since I started my diet and according to my scales I lost 11 pounds! I don't know that that is correct but hey. I am now gearing up for week 2 . I have a 20 week plan that I made myself and I hope to be able to keep with it. The biggest thing for me is to just not eat when I'm not hungry. That sounds so simple but these days there is always food around and events where tons of food is served and it all looks so good but I really don't need all of that. I'm excited and I keep stepping on the scales to see if they really say I lost 11 pounds and so far it has. I have postponed my next doctor appointment for a few weeks so he can see a change and hopefully my BP and Cholesterol tests will be better. I need someone to diet with me. Hint. Hint. Sharron.

Sunday

I am home from church today with Nathan. He had a little mishap and needs to be with his mommy today. I usually put him in the nursery so I can teach Sunday School and when it's time to take the kids home on the bus, he is usually sleeping so I can leave him with the nursery helpers. I don't think today is a day I can do that. I do want to come tonight because it is the children's day program and Austin is going to be playing his guitar with his friend Nick. He has been up and down with this guitar lesson bit. One week he is all for it and the next he doesn't want to spend the time practicing. I hope this will encourage him to keep practicing and learning. Katlyn is wanting to learn guitar now. I love it when children take an interest in music. I was too impatient when I was young and I learned to play by ear because they didn't teach me the other fast enough. Now I am not able to play a song unless I've heard it before or can follow someone else. I'm pushing for my kids to learn what I didn't.

The Diet Trials Begin (Again)

I have been 4 days now without diet coke. I really want to loose weight so that had to go. With the weather getting warmer, water is a welcome choice. I have tried to do some walking but that isn't always easy with 2 preschoolers in tow. Nathan is the slow toddler and Phillip is Mr. Speedy going along with his skateboard. Life is just about to get even more interesting with Austin and Katlyn getting out of school for the summer. Austin has already signed up for Soccor and Katlyn is planning play dates. It's hard for her to have a play date at our house when there are 3 boys to deal with. Life is Good. Have a great day.