Friday, July 31, 2009

PICTURES FROM 2008 (from my draft folder)

If you go to the link below, it'll take you to Dec. 20. 2008 where I had started to highlight the year in pictures from 2008. I found it in my "draft" folder, so I thought I'd post it with pictures from New Years to my birthday. It's just a bonus, since I highly doubt I'll finish that project. I hope you enjoy them.

blessings, joie

http://just1joie.blogspot.com/2008/12/july-30-2009-2008-highlights.html

Wednesday, July 29, 2009

Please add yourself as a "follower" of my blog! Feel free to leave a comment! It's fun to know who reads my blog!
Try as I might, I can't get videos on here! I'll attempt it, it takes forever to "upload", and when it's "done", the video isn't there! I didn't take many stills of the VBS musical, because I took several videos. Oh well! First is a picture from VBS week with Sandra teaching the kids the hand motions to the worship songs. When you register for VBS, they give you a cd with all the songs for the week. My older boys thought that the songs were babyish when they first got the cd, but once Sandra got ahold of them VBS week, I couldn't have stopped them singing and doing the hand motions even in public if I tried!! They really love VBS week!

The musical on Friday night was wonderful!! After seeing alot of the last week's rehearsals, I was concerned that they might not be able to pull it off. But the kids did great! I could see and hear some small mistakes because I knew what was supposed to happen, but none of the kids faltered, and they just went on like nothing happened. Nobody knew the difference. That really impressed me! I was so proud of my boys. Nathan had a pretty long speaking part, and he did a great job! Jared sang a solo for the first verse and half of the second verse of a song. He even had to stroll across the stage (platform of the sanctuary). He looked so natural, and he sounded so good! Jim's mom came down for a few days so that she could see the show. Jim made it for part of the show, but I have video, so it wasn't so bad that he missed some of it. I was able to upload some videos on my facebook page, so some of you can see them there.

I love seeing this view of all the kids, leaders, teen helpers, and other adults participating!





Owen, front-and-center, singing worship songs with other kids from VBS on Fri. night before the musical






Jared is far left (in blue), Nathan is center (in red), their cousin Rebecca is far right (w/apron --camp cook)




Jared really got into things! He's very animated! And he keeps a great beat (its naturally in his head all the time)! He played the part of a camper.


There were hand motions for every song. I can't believe they memorized them all!



Nathan played a junior counselor


There IS life after the VBS musical! The kids had been practicing since early March! Here are just a few more pictures.







The boys and Nana just before she went home





Just playing in water -- with a really big bowl, a cup, a piece of wood and a straw! What could be more fun when you're a little boy of almost 5?! (especially since your mother doesn't let you blow bubbles in your drink!)
Until next time...
blessings, joie










Tuesday, July 21, 2009

SATURDAY, JULY 25, 2009

Please add yourself as a "follower" of my blog! Feel free to leave a comment! It's fun to know who reads my blog!

We've been pretty busy the last couple of weeks! I put this post together several days ago and have been trying to get videos from the boys' VBS musical posted on my blog. But it is taking forever for each video to upload. So for now, I'm just going to post this one.

It's all about hanging out with our friends Don and Ellen. They live right here in town--well just outside of the village; but they have a piece undeveloped property about 15 minutes away. Most of it is wooded and there were tons of mosquitoes, but once the fire got going, they weren't so bad. Off spray helped too! We had a wonderful time! After lunch, we headed down to the creek. It wasn't that hot, but the boys just had to go in! Its a beautiful spot and can't wait to go again. Jared and Nathan were invited to a birthday pool party the same day, but I let them decide which one they wanted to do. THIS is what they wanted to do. They'd been waiting for a few months for this outing. Don & Ellen and fabulous people!! We just adore them!





Mr. Vosburgh with the boys




Mrs. V's hammock



Jared in the hammock




The guys just hanging out by the fire
(Nathan very content after starting the fire!)





Heading off to the creek




In the creek (aka Rootbeer Creek) the water has a look of rootbeer color--its clean!







Beautiful spider web!













Relaxing again with dessert
















Mmm...S'mores!
Wait! Is that an Oreo cookie about to go in his mouth?!!
(I don't think I knew that at the time!)






Wrapping up the day

Until next time... hopefully soon.
blessings, joie

Posted by Picasa

Saturday, July 4, 2009

INDEPENDENCE DAY GREETINGS!

Please add yourself as a "follower" of my blog! Feel free to leave a comment!
Today is a quiet holiday. Jim's worked all day-- a usual Saturday. 6-days in a row, and he's exhausted. He's up to at least 74 hours now, and he's a few hours away from being done! Yes, I know: cha-ching! But I'm concerned with him being so tired and run down... and being disconnected from us! The company he works for is planning to hire a 3rd driver, so that'll make it better. But until then, it's a busy, busy time! He'll have tomorrow off, but if he has to work Monday, he'll be in bed by 7pm tomorrow!

We thought there was a local parade this morning, but we couldn't find it! We went to the park where we watched it last year, but there was nobody around! The boys want to watch fireworks tonight, but I really don't want to go out without Jim at night on the fourth of July! I can't expect him to take us -- we wouldn't be home until 10:00! HOWEVER, there's a local summer festival next weekend, so we can see fireworks then!

Reading, reading, reading! I have 3 books going at once right now! I'm reading The Joshua Generation by Michael Farris, 30 Ways in 30 Days to Save Your Family by Rebecca Hagelin, and Home Sweet Home-School, by Sue Maakestad, and I just got The 4:8 Principal by Tommy Newberry (about Biblical positive thinking from Philippians 4:8). A couple of books are from the library and are only signed out for 2 weeks, so I read them during the day when I have free time. The other books are mine, so I read them at my leisure at bedtime.
Been thinking about starting a book-share with friends, family, and acquaintences -- its so costly to buy all the books I want to read (I borrow what I can from the library). I have books about conservatism, homeschooling, faith, money management, etc. Anyone interested, let me know.
Now to some pictures!

Here's an example of the many mismatched shoe days that Owen has. He's always misplacing his shoes, so he grabs whatever he can find. He's gotten to the point where he doesn't like me taking his picture. So I told him he needs for keep track of his shoes then! Today is was 2 different sizes of different colored flip flops (one that fit, one a size too big) PLUS they were for the same foot -- TWO LEFT FEET! He played like that for a quite a while!

my mismatched monkey!
playing airport with Jared


We went to my sister Brenda's house last weekend for my nieces birthday gathering. At the end of the party, we all took a walk down Brenda's road to a railroad bridge where the road is now closed.

l-r: Rebecca, Owen, Jared, & Leighanna





Sister, Terri, with one of Brenda's kittens.
He laid there for a long time while we chatted!



Brenda wanted to weigh the kittens, so she put each of them in a bowl that was on top of a scale. I wouldn't have believed it--that they would stay there in the bowl...

...but each of them did!

blessings, joie




Posted by Picasa