VBS: Take One

This week, Caroline had VBS at the church where she does Awana.  She was very happy that she got the same leader as last year.  Vivian is 17, energetic, kind, and overall very fun.  Caroline prefers teenage leaders because they are more fun and more lenient.  She says the older lady leaders are really strict.  Her good friend from Awana was put on another team, which was sad for Caroline.  They still did all the same things at the same time (craft time, snack time, game time), but they were at different tables.  During game time, however, whenever possible, they put themselves three apart in line so they were put on the same team.  The kids were told not to do that, but Caroline and Kelechi 'randomly' got put together once or twice.  Caroline was not a fan of the boys on her game time teams.  She played to win and she wanted others on her team to have the same ambition.  Those who did not take the games seriously were a daily source of frustration.  On Friday we drove away from that church for the last time.  It was a little sad.  We started Awana there when Josiah was in 1st grade and Henry was in pre-K.    

The kids and I have been playing cards or games in the evenings.  We brought back the game of Bull.  You have to lie in Bull.  That's part of the game.  When Josiah got 'bulled' and had to pick up a giant stack of cards, he had such a large portion of the deck, that he was able to call everyone's bluff.  By doing this, another child, who shall remain nameless, got quite frustrated.  The frustration was expressed in rude and snide remarks, so I shut down the game.  I told said child we would not play games with them if they could not be kind.  The next night, this same child introduced the rest of us to "Buffalo," a game eerily similar to Bull, except you say Buffalo when you think someone is lying.  We made it through Buffalo without too many mean words.  So now we play Buffalo, not Bull, to keep the peace and still have fun.  

We played Pictionary one evening.  We modernized it and drew on the computer, duplicating it on the TV so everyone could see the picture and guess while it was being drawn.  To close out the week, the kids played Blind Karaoke.  One child would sit with their back to the TV while the other two picked out a song.  It was karaoke style songs - instrumental with the words on the screen behind them.  They had to figure out the song.  Caroline was very much on cue for a few of her songs.  Josiah knew Let It Be and others.  Henry knew many of his songs, but was a quieter singer.    

This weekend Henry suggested we have a drawing contest.  We used the Random Country Generator and then he instructed us to draw something that represented that country.  Henry wanted us to fold our paper into four sections and use each for a different country.  Josiah drew his on a phone app instead.  Caroline used her white board, but no pictures were taken.  Henry got: Gabon, Jamaica, Cuba, & San Marino.  

Todd sent us a gift card to celebrate the end of the school year.  We finally got around to using it and enjoyed Tex-Mex at our favorite restaurant, Gringo's.  This is a local chain and we are going to miss it a lot.  They have excellent Tex-Mex.   Despite the hoodies, it is full summer weather around here with a feels-like temperature of 105° nearly every day.  The jackets sure look cool, though.  

Todd has had more adventures with wildlife.  While in the house, he heard a commotion outside.  He looked out on the screened-in porch only to discover a hawk walking across the floor.  He had busted through the screen.  Todd was able to shoo him to the door and once out, he flew off.  The screens kept the bugs out, but not the birds.  He also says the deer just shows up during the day with no fear.  

Henry has been working on headshots for his future modeling career.  

This week, Caroline is off doing VBS at our home church.  Kingsland lets you request a friend to be in your group, so hopefully her church friend will be with her all week.