...Aunt's Weekend & a new look...

Sorry for the delay...here are some pics that tell the story of Aunt's Weekend 2008: Where Kids RULE!

First Stop: The pool at Kelly's apartment. They have tables in the pool! The kids thought it was the coolest thing ever that we could eat lunch IN the pool!

That night we headed to Medieval Times. Before we went, Kelly had made them capes, then they each got to make their own crown & scepter, so they could be a prince & princess!!





Brady & I before the show started! The kids LOVED every minute!



The next day at Six Flags! This was their first time to go to a theme park, ride a roller coaster, etc!!! To say they were excited is an understatement!

This is them screaming, "ONE MORE TIME!!" There was no line for this roller coaster so they got to ride it 3 times in a row!

Us with Elmer Fud & Yosimite Sam (sp?)

After a very long hot day at Six Flags we stopped for snowcones...and took silly pictures!

And now...my new look:

11 inches to Locks of Love!

Super Duper: Staying in town this weekend!
Super Pooper: I thought this week was going to be chill at work...but instead its been quite busy, and somewhat stressful - boooo!

...stay tuned...

for an Aunt's Weekend post & pictures...I promise, soon!

...Camp T-wood 08...

You deserve a Camp update...I don't have much in me. So, here's the abbreviated version:

camp was AWESOME!

God showed up!

Lives were changed!

At the last minuted the camp pastor couldn't make it, so Jerome asked some people that had been involved in the Camp planning to speak each night. It was amazing to see God use those people and show His power and His plan. It didn't matter who was preaching that night, God was going to speak through them. It gave Him all the more glory in the end!

My tribe (team) won 1st place over all!!! Not what it's all about...but still, pretty stinkin' awesome!

The sponsors regained our title in beating the Seniors in the traditional Saints vs. Sinners softball game!

I owned the field with the female sponsors were called out for Acquire the Tire!

My FAVE part of the day is cleaning up after rec & other sweaty activities in the late afternoon. Then being all cleaned up, sitting on the lawn in the shade, watching the kids throw the frisbee & football around...its totally chill, and is like my 1 hour of vacation each day!

Thursday afternoon was great, just chillin' in the river, cooling off, watching big guys blob the small 6th graders...hilarious!

15 youth were baptized!

We had major bus problems, had to unload all the kids off of one of the buses on a narrow dirt road, reload all of their luggage, and them onto the other remaining buses...and somehow, everyone had a great attitude about it. This made our arrival time so late that the kids started getting hungry, so we had to stop and get the kids something to tide them over, so Rebecca & I went in to a convenience store and got 60 packs of peanut butter crackers. Both of our arms were busting full of packs of crackers. The best part was when a man shopping in the store walked by us and said, "If you can't carry it, you shouldn't eat it." hahahaha....love the random comments from a stranger!

All in all I love camp, love seeing God show up, the relationships that are built are irreplaceable.

It was a hard decision for me to decide to go to Camp the week following VBS, but God gave me strength, and I don't regret it one bit.

Oh...I forgot to mention that I had a head cold on Sunday as we left for camp. I was fine, but was sneezing, coughing, blowing my nose most of the week. And of course I cheered my team on all week, so by Thursday night my voice was fading...Friday I had a limited manly voice left and really had no business talking at all...Saturday people told me it was painful to listen to me try and squeak! Each day I've gotten slightly better and should be back to normal soon.

Funny thing: this isn't much of an abbreviated version, huh?

Super Duper: The Aunt's Weekend shirts are gonna be cute!
Super Pooper: funky tan lines

...the last 8 days...

last weekend was awesome, celebrating Lillian & Josh's wedding with them!!! What a sweet time with such a happy couple! It was an honor and joy to be a part of their big day! Everything was beautiful!

Then this week was VBS! I can't believe it's over!!! So weird to plan something for so long, and then just like that, it's over. All in all it was a great week. Don't get me wrong, there were issues that cropped up that weren't fun to deal with, but on the whole, we had a great week with lots of children coming to church to learn about God. It was super fun to have my mom & nephews here for the week too! They loved getting to go to VBS! On top of that my mom cleaned out my storage closet, refrigerator, vacuumed, did all my laundry, cooked for me each night...yeah, it was pretty much awesome!

Now I'm switching gears and getting ready to leave for camp tomorrow! Yikes!

Super Duper: my apartment hasn't been this clean in a long time...probably since the last time my mom came!

Super Pooper: I woke up this morning with a sore throat!!!

...Thursday, June 5...

...exhausted...

...hoping it all got done...

...need to pack...

...need to clean...

...flying out in the morning...

...VBS...

...wedding...

...mom and nephews coming on Sunday...

...looooooooong VBS prep day on Sunday...

...youth camp...

...father's day...

...VBS...

...family birthdays (x3)...

...Aunt's Weekend...

Super Duper: bought new Chaco's on Monday!

Super Pooper: lame summer shows & reruns

...the first sleepless night...

I'm officially one week out from VBS and am apparently already not able to sleep. Note: it's 4am while I'm typing this.

I wouldn't say I'm stressed or nervous, just more anxious, and my mind is racing with things to do. Not that you care, and maybe more for my own sanity, but here's a list of the things running through my mind:

VBS related:

• email Melissa
• have Mallory (intern) gather VBS collection tubs
• have Mallory sort out the Resource Center
• have Mallory catch up on copies for teachers (like my delegation skills?)
• enroll one last child that signed up late
• un-enroll another child that I just found out isn't coming
• mail out room assignments to every child
• many many many other VBS items, that are already on a "to do" list at work

Non VBS related:

• get a pair of Chaco sandals* for camp
• get mani/pedi
• pack and be ready for Lillian's wedding...fly out of Friday which means have ALL of VBS wrapped up by the time I leave work on Thursday
• clean apartment since mom and 2 nephews get here next Sunday to stay the week of VBS
• prepare for camp, read Judges

Like I said...posts may be few and far between this month...sorry!

Back to trying to sleep...

Super Duper: all the summer interns are here which makes for fun hang out times, going to eat together, etc.

Super Pooper: I had just caught up on my sleep from the all night lock-in on Friday night, and now I'm up at 4am?