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I finally finished Avery’s scrapbook of her first year! I was so excited last night about 12:30am when I finished it that I took it upstairs to show Thayer. He was asleep, but woke up as I was brushing my teeth. Since he was up, I asked him if he wanted to see it. “I’ll see it tomorrow” was his response. Well, after a total of almost 30 hours in the making, that wasn’t the response I wanted. After he noticed my “look,” he decided he really wanted to see it right then. After he looked at all thirty pages, we started talking about some of the events in the book and just about how quickly the time has gone by since all our girls were babies. I guess the joy of finally finishing the thing got me so excited that I didn’t fall asleep until 2 am.
Here are some pictures of the pages. I’m sure this won’t interest hardly any of you (except my mom!) and the pictures are small so you can’t see much of the detail. But, after all that work, I decided it deserves time on my blog. BTW – we were able to eat on my kitchen table tonight for the first time in well over two weeks!
One final thought — our friends, Scott and Nichole Springer had their first baby early today. Jack Alan Springer was born at 5:06am and was 8 lbs., 12 oz. and was 21 1/2 in. long. He has the most hair I have ever seen–his grandma even told me he has sideburns! We let them rest today because Nichole was in labor almost 24 hours but we can’t wait to go meet him tomorrow!
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Hey Gateway people…what’s purple, blue and orange? I know but I can’t tell you…its a surprise. Yeah, that’s mean, but its all part of building the excitement for our “Jump” series that starts this Sunday. Please, please be here this week!
Also, last night, we went shopping while Thayer was in a meeting. The girls’ favorite places to shop are Old Navy and Target. We found some great deals at both places. They got some really great stuff for back to school. We found some great shoes at Target for Madi and Avery for $1.98! Bailey’s and Julia’s shoes were a little more expensive because they are now wearing adult sizes. Bailey wears a ladies size 6 and for the first time, Julia now wears a size 8. My foot is an 8 1/2, so she can wear most of my shoes now. I knew that would happen eventually but not this soon. She’s only just turning 11 in three weeks!
Then, the day I’ve been dreading came. We had to buy real bras for her. Not just those training bras…real bras. She was so excited that she got home and put one on and ran around the house “modeling” them. Thayer had gotten home by this point and just looked at me and shook his head. I’ve really been starting to dread the start of school more and more because there will be no denying that she is a middle schooler. Today, she decided to go to Lowe’s with me to buy paint instead of going to the library with Billie Jean Rogers and the other girls. (She is usually the first one to ask to go to the library–she’s a big book worm!) But, she’s also becoming very interested in home decor. While we were there, we had some really cool conversations and she picked out paint samples for when I let her redecorate her room. She loves lime green so she picked a paint called avocado and paired it with a brown called chocolate truffle. Scrumptious combo! She has grown up so quickly and although she is becoming a beautiful, responsible person, I miss that little girl.
But, just as I’m starting to feel like all my girls are half grown, Avery reminded us last night that we still have a little one at home. For the first time in a while, we were awakened after midnight to her crying. When I walked in, I knew immediately what had happened…she had thrown up in the bed. So, both she and her doll Bridgette got baths before going back to sleep. Some things about having little ones I don’t miss!
Yesterday was another great day at GCC. Of course, I love every Sunday, no matter how busy they are. Our GCC family is great and I love being surrounded by such willing servants all working toward leading others to Jesus. Our drama team did an outstanding job in their skit and the music was great!! (Vernon, Bobby, Dave, David and Jeff–you guys rocked it out!)
After church, we enjoyed lunch at Torero’s (kids eat free every Sunday!) with Vernon and Anne, Jeffrey and Nicola Boyette and Jeff and Melanie Mansfield. Jeff played the drums yesterday and two weeks ago. They live in Kinston where Melanie has an incredible photography business. The picture at the top of my blog was done by her. We had a great time and laughed like we haven’t laughed in a long time listening to Jeffrey and Melanie recount some stories from their growing up years in Mississippi.
Last night, our new small group met at our house. We had 9 adults and 9 kids and had a great time eating and getting to know each other. I am always sad at the end of a Life Group cycle, but I’ve never been disappointed with my new group. I think we’ll have a wonderful year learning and growing together.
I want to encourage you to sign up for the new e-newletter that Gateway will start sending out this week. Its a cool way to see what’s up at GCC each week, but we can’t send it to you without you subscribing to it. You can do that here. Also, you do not want to miss the next five weeks. We are doing a series called Jump. I know what’s coming and I can barely contain myself! It will be the most challenging and awesome series we’ve ever done. We say we want to lead people into a growing relationship with Jesus, but this series is going to make sure we are doing it! Be here this Sunday!!!
The girls have been excited about a special Hannah Montana show for weeks. They had heard on t.v. that there would be a special 3-D Hannah Montana show tonight and you had to get your glasses at Wal-Mart. We found the glasses two weeks ago and had them ready for the big night. At 7:58, the popcorn was popping and they were getting ready for the 8:00 show. By the time it came on, they were already complaining about the glasses not staying on. I had already told them they wouldn’t. But, being the handy mom that I am, I found some packing tape and taped them onto their foreheads. I thought about using duct tape, but Thayer wouldn’t let me. That seemed to be working o.k. until the part came on where you were supposed to take the glasses off. So, by about 15 mintues into it, Avery was upstairs playing and asking to see Dora and no one else was still wearing the glasses. I remember the same thing happening when I was younger–those glasses just don’t fit and it makes the whole show a lot less exciting than you had anticipated! Of well, at least the popcorn was good!
I am 16 pages into Avery’s scrapbook–only 14 more to go. But, our Life Group meets here tomorrow, so I’ll have to clean off the table tonight. Hopefully it won’t take me too much longer to get back into it next week. It looks great–maybe I can post a few pictures of it when I’m done.
Here’s the glasses 3 mintues into the movie:
I’m posting a few pictures of the girls and our GCC group from Camp Kidjam. They all had a great time, but were really tired. Julia and Bailey kept interrupting each other trying to tell us all about their week the first hour they were home. Both of them had almost lost their voices from screaming and singing. Speaking of screaming, the picture of Julia on stage with the two guys is from when she was chosen as the “Flyest Kid of the Day.” Out of 500 kids, we had 2 Gateway kids get this “award” over the four days. Julia received that honor for how well she could…scream. She got a free t-shirt! (The other GCC kid, Kennedy, won for being so nice.) Bailey is modeling one of the hats that every kid from our group sported all week. I guess it helped our leaders keep up with the kids–just look for the ones wearing bright, furry hats. Amazingly, all 15 of the kids came home with their hats. Julia said she lost her’s two or three times, but someone always found it for her.
Julia fell asleep on the couch last night right after 8 pm. I took her to bed about 8:30 and we didn’t see her until after 9:15 this morning. Bailey didn’t sleep quite as long, but she was asleep by 9:15 and got up about 8:45 this morning. I’m glad they had a great time, but I’m very glad to have them home again. Next year, I’ll be a little more nervous about Julia at camp–she’ll be with 6-12th graders next year!
(BTW – the scrapbook I was trying to finish for Avery while they were gone has a grand total of 3 pages done! Only 27 to go!)
Here are the pictures. Anne posted more on the Gateway Kids blog that you can access from here. (Wes posted some on his Facebook page. If you happen to be one of his Facebook friends, you can check them out there.)
Julia - The Flyest Kid of the Day
Bailey and Her Pink Hat!
The Whole GCC Gang
The girls will be getting home today from Camp Kidjam. I know they will be very excited to tell us all about what’s happened all week, but they will be very, very tired. I’m thinking they’ll have a fairly early bed time tonight and probably sleep in tomorrow morning too. I can’t wait to see them–I know they will look like they have grown a ton! Even though they won’t have physically grown in four days, I know they were challenged like crazy to grow spiritually while they were there and that’s really awesome! I’ll let you know about some of their adventures later…
Today has been a great day aside from missing my two girls. I know Julia and Bailey are having a great time at camp–because they’ve called us twice and told us. They actually woke us up this morning just before 8 am and then called again about 10 pm. Everyone from GCC seems to be doing great and having fun. Just wait, those kids and leaders will be back on Thursday fired up and ready to storm the city for God!
Madi, Avery and I did some work at church this morning and then we came home to clean up our house. It had gotten to that point where it still doesn’t look that bad, but it was to the end of where I’d let it get. Three hours later and it was done–just don’t examine Julia’s closet too closely! (I left that for her as a coming home gift.) I also finished up the last page in Bailey’s school scrapbook so tomorrow I start on Avery’s baby book. I’m dreading it because to do the whole book is a huge project, but it is long overdue and I need to get it finished while the kitchen table is still loaded down with scrapbooking supplies.
Madi has enjoyed being the oldest child at home. She slept in Julia’s bed last night and appears to be doing the same tonight. Of all four of the girls, Madi and Avery have the hardest time getting along, but have seemed to do better since there isn’t any other choice! Of course, Madi usually can manage to have Julia or Bailey clean up her messes, but today, she had to handle her’s and Avery’s by herself! Maybe she’ll be glad to see them get home after all! I know I will!
I know you’re wondering what do the three things in the title of this blog have to do with one another. They are all places our family went today. This morning, we packed up Julia and Bailey and sent them off with Anne to Camp Kidjam. They will be there until Thursday and I’m sure they will have an absolute blast. Julia and I went last year and it is a great camp put on by Reggie Joyner, a former Family Ministries pastor at Northpointe Community Church. The camp meets in different places all over the country and this one is at Wake Forest University in Winston-Salem, NC. It is Bailey’s first time going to camp, but she was ready!
Madi was a little sad that her older sisters left her, so we gave her a chance to plan an evening for the rest of us. She loves to go to Build-A-Bear, and since I had $55 dollars in coupons from having Bailey’s birthday party there, I told her that would be a great idea! Originally, I told her we’d only be able to buy a new outfit for one of her other bears, but since I had that much free, I figured, what the heck?! So, she and Avery both made a new friend, bought them a new outfit and I only had to pay $4. If you’ve never experienced Build-A-Bear, the pictures below give you an idea of how it works. You pick the animal you want (they have bears, dogs, bunnies, turtles, monkeys, elephants, dinosaurs, etc.), go to the stuffing machine. Then, you take an oath to take care of the bear, put in its satin heart, stuff it, sew it up, “wash” it, pick out clothes, enter its name and your personal info. into the computer for the birth certificate, then go to the register and prepare to have a heartattack when you see the bill. We’ve never made one for under $35. Tonight was different–I had a set amount of coupons and I was determined to not go over. So, no socks, no shoes, no purses, no sunglasses, no underwear, no extra anything! They only got to pick out a shirt and shorts. (The hairbows are “free.”)
Since we were right there in Crabtree Valley Mall, the most logical thing to do for supper was to eat at The Cheesecake Factory! We enjoyed our meal, but were there for dessert! It was a great night and we had a great time. Avery was exhausted, but didn’t want to give up–she talked, laughed, or sang the entire trip home. As we turned onto the Pikeville exit off of 795, we realized it was very quiet. She had fallen asleep five minutes from our house!
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The carrot cake cheesecake passed the test. It was delicious! It had more carrot cake in it than the one at The Cheesecake Factory, but was great nonetheless. Click here for the recipe if you’d like to try it!
We are about to “unleash” some really cool things at GCC–you’ll be hearing more very soon, but since our staff has been all over the place and will be here and there for two more weeks while the kids and students go to camp, we’re having a staff meeting tonight. It was the only day in about a three or four week period where we are all in town at the same time. For the meeting tonight, I tried out a new recipe. Most of you know about my love of cheesecake. One of my absolute favorite restaurants is the Cheesecake Factory. Usually when I go, I eat a salad–to save room for dessert, obviously! Thayer’s favorite cheesecake there is the carrot cake cheesecake. It is really, really good and since I know I can always have a bite or two or his, I can try all the other kinds when we go. (We’ll be going next week while Julia and Bailey are at camp. I let Madi pick something to do while they were gone and she decided she wanted to go to Raleigh for cheesecake–man, I love that girl’s mind!) Anyway, I found a recipe for the Cheesecake Factory’s carrot cake cheesecake and made it for tonight’s meeting. We were all challenged to lower our BMIs together as a staff, but we’ll have to take tonight off! I’ll let you know how it tasted later, but if what I licked on the beaters and from the bowls last night is any indication, it is going to be outstanding!
