VBS Family Night

Each year VBS culminates with Family Night on the Sunday night after VBS week. It's a night when the families of the students come to the church and see and hear for themselves what the kids have been learning throughout VBS. Sometimes there's a musical and/or drama and the kids never cease to amaze me. I always love watching them sing the songs and most of them really get into the hand motions that accompany the songs.





The photos I took tonight are a little grainy and some are out of focus because the sound room where I sat was far away from the stage in a low-lit auditorium. But I'm posting them anyway. I like the colors of all the decorations and lights. Every year someone comments how visual kids are and that's why we decorate so much in preparation for VBS. It's not just the kids who like all the visual effects! :0)

Pastor Mitch opened the service just before all the kids marched in.

Many of the kids are unable to return on Sunday night for Family Night, but we still usually have a pretty good crowd!

The kids explained to their families what they learned each day.
Maggie:

Abby:

Cheney:

The kids did a fabulous job! VBS is always a lot of fun, but I'm still always glad when it's over. :0)

Surf's Up!

It has been an incredibly long week! The painting is finished and delivered. VBS is over. I'm looking forward to doing as little as possible this weekend!

Today was the last day of VBS. At some point during the day I was inspired to grab a "surfboard" off my crafts classroom wall and head to the entry of the church to take some unique photos. They were FUN! The surfboard is one I printed on several sheets of cardstock on the color copier, and taped together. It's very flimsy but you can't tell it in most of the photos. You can tell by some of these photos that most of those I asked to come surfing with me were really getting into it! First I grabbed a couple of my 3rd and 4th grade students who had finished their projects and just said, "come on, let's go surfing." Then I grabbed the directors and the pastor.

Waverider Heather.

When I got the pastor to pose surfing, Angela made him do it again so she could be the shark chasing him. What a goofy bunch! The more tired we were, the goofier we all got all week long!

One of the funniest photos was when Angela grabbed the surfboard to carry it over her head in front of the beach scene on the wall. Of course it flopped over and did not make for a great photo op. Heather was passing through and grabbed the other end of the board and we laughed at how real it looks in that photo!

Surfer Joe.

Surfer Shannon.

I even grabbed a couple of the babies to come surf with me.

Waverider Joshua.

Waverider Chandler.

Don't these photos make you wish you really were headed to the beach this weekend??

Today the chairs in my office seemed to have the same effect on Chandler that they had on Heather yesterday.

VBS Day 4

Although the kids and the workers (especially the workers) are getting tired, there is still much excitement in the air at VBS!


Day 4 at Outrigger Island is when we take the big group photo with EVERYONE in it. We've done this for so many years that it goes smoother every time. I think today's picture is the best yet, and we think that every year!

The Worship Rally

Angela helping Chandler with her scrapbook in crafts.

Shannon helping Savanah with her scrapbook.

Me helping Katie in crafts.

Heather watched Riley carefully cut out items to glue in her scrapbook.

Emma and Heather. Emma's grandma Claudia worked in the kitchen to prepare VBS snacks this week.

Chandler LOVES to cut and glue. She takes her cutting very seriously!

Michele helped my nephew Logan with his project.

Heather with the 1st graders and the 1st grade teachers in the Worship Rally.

Is there anything cuter than a small child with her hand over her heart as she follows along to the pledges?

This little cutie is Thatcher. His mama Angela helped me all week in crafts.

Surf's Up, Jessica!!! Jessica also helped us in crafts all week. Thanks Jessica!!!!

The crafts crew:

Shannon, Mr. Joe, Jessica, me, Angela.

Angela left some cool graffiti on the crafts table. When Mr. Joe looked it over he said, "what's this???" and Angela quickly added "& Dude" just for Joe. What a fun bunch we were!!!

I told you VBS makes us tired. Heather fell asleep in my office right after VBS, waiting for me to take her home.

Day 1 on the "Island"

Today was the first day of VBS. Although it turned out to be a very long day for me, VBS itself was a lot of fun. I usually teach the crafts class and this year have 2 new helpers! Angela and Shannon are so much fun to work with, and Angela is even helping me take all the pictures for the kids' scrapbooks they are making in our class.

The craft ladies:

Shannon, myself, and Angela.

Angela helped Jake with his scrapbook page.

Even the workers' children who are in the nursery came to crafts.

Here I'm helping Chandler with her scrapbook.

Jessica (our youth helper) and I helping a group with their pages.

Shannon and me during the Worship Rally.

Our friend Bill is one of the VBS directors and he helps lead the music in the Worship Rally.

This picture of Angela is actually one of my favorite photos I took today!

The Worship Rally

One of the youth helpers, Michele, with my niece Olivia.

Our fearless leader (and my boss), Pastor Mitch.

Shannon helping her son Dawson with his scrapbook.

Heather with my niece Anna.

Heather is a youth helper in the 1st grade class.

Here she poses with the 1st grade teachers, Tara and Denise.

I'm so glad Angela is helping me take pictures this week!

This is how we look throughout the day!

My nephew Logan.

See you tomorrow for another great day on "Outrigger Island!"

Transforming the Church into Outrigger Island

Tomorrow is the first day of VBS so today is the day the church was transformed into a tropical island. During Worship service, the pastor used the VBS memory verse, Psalm 86:11, for his sermon. He even really got into the spirit of VBS as you can see from his attire:

The service was really awesome because a family we've all been praying for went forward to join our church family and my friend Shannon went forward to share her testimony that she's accepted Christ as her personal Savior and is ready to be baptised. It really was an exciting morning for all who were present.



After worship all VBS workers and teachers stayed after church to decorate classrooms and make last minute preparations. Every year the day before it begins is a big work day for everyone.

I was busy transforming 2 combined classrooms into one large one for the crafts so Erica grabbed my camera to take photos of the work done this afternoon. Thanks, E!!!

The 2nd grade class. Judy, her grandaughter Hannah, her daughter Susan, and her co-teacher Lorelei.

The craft ladies hard at work. From the left, Shannon, my sister in law Mari (who will be helping in the pre-K class but worked with us today to prepare our class), myself and our youth helper Jessica. Jessica is my friend Judy's granddaughter and has been a VBS student for years. This is her first year as a helper and I'm very excited to have her in our class.

1st Grade. Heather will be the youth helper in this class.

Heather (I have no idea WHAT she's doing...), Tara and Denise.

The ladies in the nursery: Edith and Pat.

5th grade. Paula helped Jim decorate. Jim will be teaching this class. He's the nut with the flowers on his head:

The Worship Center transformed into Outrigger Island for VBS Worship Rally each morning this week.

Pastor Mitch as he built a bridge from the atrium to the music class.

The snack ladies enjoying a pizza break with Mathew.

Barbara, Wanda, Doris, Mathew.

I think this is the Kindergarten class. I love what they've done here!

Emma (Jessica's twin), Frances, and Alma.

3rd Grade. Angela, Kevon, Danie (love the skirt, Danie!!!)

4th grade. Joyce and Rodney.

Katie was a huge help getting crafts ready. She cut papers until her fingers hurt so we gave her a job of sorting foamies. You worked really hard today, Katie. Thank you for being such a big girl!!!

1st grade. Tara, Maggie (Denise's daughter), Heather, Denise.

The craft ladies: Jessica, myself, Angela, and Shannon; and Mari, who helped us for today.