2008 Vacation Bible School

Tonight was the first night of four for VBS (Vacation Bible School). This is a community event that is sponsored by the area churches. It is the next four nights M-TH from 5:30 – 8:45. They serve a light supper; have wonderful music and many exciting activities for the kids to take part in while learning about Christ. What could be more fun that that? :)

In previous years, my husband and I have used this time to get some things done. We usually would plan shopping or a household "to do" while the kids were at the event. Last year, I dropped my kids off at the camp and returned to work until 8:30. (How foolish!) In the past, we used the event as free childcare which always left me feeling guilty. I always thought I should help out but never did. Well this year, I was directly approached and asked to help. My time was due so I more than willing agreed!

This year’s theme is based upon a science lab. I am assisting Bonnie in the memory room where we give out the nightly characters. Pictured is the little figurines each student gets each night. They made a key chain tonight in order to keep them all together. They help to remember the learned bible verse for each night.

The kids are broke up into crews. Five crews of kids rotate through and spend 25 minutes in our room learning the bible verse for the day. The time flew by so fast and it is just great to see all the children laughing, smiling and learning about Jesus! And God's children said "Amen"!

Note to kids: Have a fun week at VBS and remember “use your manners”!

Gardening in small spaces

We spent the day revising our current raised flower garden bed. We built the plot last year for just ornamental flowers and a place to feed the birds. There was also enough space for a couple of tomato plants and some lettuce. Well this year, I have more time to spend gardening and caretaking for plants so we wanted more fresh garden vegetables. Gardening is also one of Kirk’s previous passions; he really enjoys spending the evenings in the garden. Our problem was the yard area or lack there of. It is not very large and we didn’t want to give up a lot of space because the child and hyper hounds need a place to move and run around.

First we expanded the existing bed by adding more to the east with some bricks that we still had from last year. The addition reduced some of the walking space between the bed and the clothes line pole. However, there is still plenty of room to walk through without getting clothes-lined!  The dirt in the bed was terribly hard, lumpy and difficult to work with so we mixed in sand, peat moss, and some new topsoil. The kids mixed, turned, pulled and pushed mixing the new additions with the existing dirt that Kirk had previously tilled. Once it was full, Kirk came back through and tilled again. The new mixture was a tremendous improvement to the quality of the soil.



Next, we mixed up equal parts of new topsoil, sand and peat moss in the yard wagon to fill large pots and other containers. We will be trying some container garden this year. Containers will help up utilize the limited space that we have. And since we got a late start at this, I am hoping we will be able to bring container pots in and keeping them going late into the fall.

We also planted green beans around the fence posts and peas in a small wasted space between the property line and the other clothes line pole. Urban gardening on small ground does create some challenges however I was amazed that amount of wasted space we did find once we started looking. Oh sure, I won’t have enough produce to do much canning or freezing but we will have some fresh organic vegetables and the kids are learning a new skill. And that absolute best part is…we did it together!

Thanks for all your help today, kids!

4-H NS Flower Planting

We planted flowers today with the Dana and Chase’s 4-H club. Even though it was cool weather, it was nice to get outside and pretty up the community. We planted flowers in the big pots along the main drag here in town. Kirk was even done work by 6:00 so he was able to join the family. That doesn’t happen very often during construction season.




The kids all did a great job working together and with the others in the group. Jaden planted the spike with a teenage member, Dana planted the petunias with a leader and Chase was on the clean up crew sweeping up the spilled dirt. There was plenty of help so we were home shortly after 7:00.




The best part was there were some extra plants so we were given some flowers to take home. The frugal me really loves that part! I will have plenty for my hanging baskets to pretty up the outside of my house. That just goes to show little volunteer work can benefit families in more than one way!

Not Enough Sugar...

First I must say this - I love my hardworking husband with all my heart but sometimes...sheesh!

After hearing the freezer lid slam shut, I walked downstairs to see what the clatter is about. Only to find my dear husband scouring through "our grocery store". This is a shelf where I store extra dry goods, staples and paper products. He turns around to see me and plops down on the bed. His facial expressions and body movements clearly display his frustration.

"What are you looking for?" I question gingerly.

"Something to eat, maybe some chocolate" he quickly responds.

We don't have any chocolate in the house so I offer molasses cookies or this morning's Blueberry Muffins. That is clearly not an acceptable substitute since his next words attack our breakfast and lunch menu for the day.

"meatless spaghetti with little sauce"

"next time put some sugar in the muffins"

And so in conclusion, his "sugar" slept on the couch.

Note to husband: Don't insult the cook!