Awana workers appreciation dinner

On Friday J and I hosted a dinner for all the people who help on Monday nights at Awana and their spouses. Christy from church helped with the planning and did the decorating. It was a great evening of fellowship and time spent praying for our club followed by games. We played Pictionary and catch phrase. I hope everyone enjoyed themselves. We are thinking this must become a yearly event. Thanks to Christy Cindy and Jack for serving!

Fall color/crazy hat day

Molly has fall color/crazy hat day at school today and she had been planning for it all week. On Saturday she picked up this gold hat at St. Vincents and then on Tuesday night her and daddy decorated it. Then we came up with her fall colors. She was excited for school as they were also having build a Sunday in the afternoon and she chose to bring cherries as her topping.

Now that's a good daddy

Last night J played pet shop with the girls before bed and it was so cute to watch. Keely called every pet puppy no mater what it was. It's nice to see them all playing as a family and enjoying each other.

Monday evening at church after Awana Molly got sick, so she stayed home from school yesterday. It's amazing how resilient kids are. She seemed perfectly fine the whole day and really missed being at school. I know she likes school even more this year because last year she rejoiced to be sick and stay home.
I am working on our Awana leader appreciation dinner this Friday and have a list of things to do. I am excited because it seems like we will have a good attendance and a really nice evening. Jason and I are so appreciative of all the people who give of their time on Mondays for the Awana kids and this seems like a good way to show them our gratitude.

Catching up after almost a week without posting

Keely got sick Wednesday night, so I skipped moms group to be on the safe side - Keely is doing fine, must have been something she ate??? I stayed home and did some reading and finished the book 90 Minutes in Heaven a really good book about a man who was in a bad car accident and was dead for 90 minutes and his experience and recovery. I borrowed it from the library, I also finished up a book called cheap talk with frugal friends - lots of ideas on how to save money, picked up a few ideas, but nothing too exciting/

Thursday afternoon Papa watched Keely so Molly and I could attend a 4-H meeting. The kids painted gourds and mini pumpkins for an activity. Molly of course managed to get paint all over herself and ruin a perfectly good dress, while having a wonderful time. We may attend another club meeting before deciding to join, but Molly is excited about it.

On Friday my parents came to visit and brought little buckets of goodies for the kids - a pumpkin flash light, books, M&Ms, smarties and for Molly a nail kit. The Kids just love it when they visit. Keely even called dad "Gran pa pa". They babysat for us Friday night while J and I went to Bible study. The next day made liver for us for lunch (a favorite of Molly and I), Jason had to leave the house so he would not have to smell it lol. Saturday night my parent took us out to eat.

On Sunday after church we had a Baptism at a hotel and the kids could swim afterwards. Several people were baptised including Molly's young friend Zane. It was encouraging to see these people being obedient to the Lord and growing in their faith and relationship with Jesus.

pumpkin time

The girls and I carved a pumpkin on Monday for me to use at Awana for an object lesson with the kids. Molly even told me I was "the best mom in the world" because I let her carve one of the eyes out with a pumpkin cutter (then I finished the cutting as I got scared). I used the book The Pumpkin Patch Parable by Liz Curtis Higgs / Thomas Nelson and the help of this site http://www.creativebiblestudy.com/christianobjectlesson-pumpkin.html. I think the kids really enjoyed the lesson and then I gave out candy pumpkins (like candy corn), I just wanted an excuse to by them YUM.

It was also Pajama night at Awana which for some reason is one of the kids favorite theme nights.

childhood friends

Isn't it great to see these kids growing up together! This picture is from church on Sunday between Sunday school and Church. I was looking around for my girls and found them all in the preschool room playing school. No body told them to do this, they just all play so well together and love to see each other. I hope they all continue to be friends as they grow up and love coming together as a Church body.

scrapbooking!

Finally after about 10 months I was able to scrapbook. Linda, a friend from church and myself have started a scrapbooking fellowship that will meet every few months. We held our first one on Saturday and had 7 ladies total and a couple of visiting men lol. I was able to get 7 pages done. Nothing fancy, but just to get back into doing it. We are meeting at Ott's Garage (the youth center) in Merrill. I was able to share a short devotion with the ladies, you can find it here if you are interested http://www.creativeladiesministry.com/scrapbookdev.html

The pages are for Keely's scrapbook.

Yesterday was Thursday and I just love Thursdays! I have MOMS (mothers of many stages). We are a group of women all different ages who come together for fellowship and bible study once a week while the pre school age kids play and do a craft. We are currently doing a study called Captivating. It's all about the hurts we have as women and who we are as women made in the image of Christ. The thing that got me thinking yesterday was the lies we tell ourselves as women - I'm not this or that, I'm too this or that and how that is not of God - we need to stop believing these lies and start believe what God thinks about us, after all we are made in His image and he would not make something that was not good and wonderful!

Little Red School House

Molly had a field trip yesterday to the Little Red School House in Wausau. The kids all dressed up and spent the day learning the way kids learned in 1905. Molly said she got to wear the dunce hat and practice cursive writing and for recess they learned a game "a tisket a tasket" which she sang all evening long.

Last night we had Awana and it is my turn this month to give the Sparky council time message. I did an object lesson using a penny, sharing with the kids how even a penny can be a reminder of where our trust is. My message went a little short so I let the kids take turns sharing their memory verses for the night. It is fun to see how much these kids are learning and how excited they get to share with everyone. Molly shared her verse Hebrews 13:5 "Be content with what you have, because God has said never will I leave you never will I forsake you." I will now add that one to my list of teaching verses - the next time Molly is having a hard time being content.

Camping

Our last camping trip of the year. We camped at council grounds the state park in Merrill with the Wyland Family and the Skiff family. The weather was a little on the cool side, but we kept the campfire going! The kids built a fort in the woods and pretended they were lost.

Abby's baby shower

Friday evening Molly and I attended a baby shower for a woman at our church who recently had her first baby - baby Madeline. I almost didn't bring Molly with, but a friend said the kids were not only invited but would have a great time. Boy am I glad I brought her! The theme was Peter Rabbit and Abby's family went all out! There was a real rabbit in a garden in the center of the room and a tool shed, fantastic food and decorations.

Molly's field trip

On Friday Molly had a class field trip to the apple orchard and we tagged along as a family.

Last Friday before the weather turned so cool we went to Rib Mountain state park and climbed the tower to see the view, the colors weren't peak yet but it was a nice warm day and the kids loved it.