VBS

one of the best times at church is vacation bible school. it is an awesome time of

kids, laughter, learning, and hanging out in the VIP room eating snacks... 

(what? i like snacks.. and the lady in charge of the snacks this year is a total healthy eating crazy woman--- which i LOVE!! :) so eating raw date cookies and reverse osmosis water is on my VBS highlights. that is so not weird. ;)

every year we have a theme and every year i get to dress up nate as the personification of said theme.
let me introduce cowboy carl...

that's right y'all... nate in wranglers. true story.

he really likes his outfit. ;)

the decoration team is hard core... these ladies rock it.

last year we actually built a train engine that blew dry ice out of the smoke stack.

 western theme--- ari style.....

yes i'm pretty sure pink boots and a leopard print velvet cowgirl hat is the official uniform of our local roping team. we are all about authenticity.

we even had horses outside of the church giving rides before VBS. so now every time we go to church grayson wants to know why we can't ride horses every day at church.... it's a big bummer. i told him he should talk to our pastor about it... you never know. ;)

the teachers are so great to the kids and make it a really special week for them. i am glad bubba is in the

2 and 3 year old class. even though he is one of the youngest he is also one of the roughest. he needs a couple of big 3 year olds to show him what's up. but he did pick to walk with the girl who had the prettiest shoes. good choice. ;)

 i really don't think boots were made for soccer...

but fashion before function right??

the kids were encouraged to bring their pennies and dimes to help send children in africa to their version of VBS. by the end of the week they had brought enough to send over 300 kids for a week of learning and being loved on. they were so excited -- it was so sweet. even our neighbor boy who came with us, at least in the beginning, for the free cookies came to our door multiple times just to hear what the 'final count' was.

 i love it.

cowgirl luci in training.... yeehaw!!

yeah like i know... do cow people even really say yeehaw?! i seriously doubt it.

and because no week during this potty training bonanza is complete without a good poop story.

here is a doozy....

so i am enjoying the super yummy snacks previously mentioned when i am grabbed by some mildly disturbed women saying i am needed in the restroom. yep this should be good.

so upon entering the stall i find grayson with poop in places it should never really be... what is going on here? so with the help of about 47 wet wipes and new shorts we emerge confused but clean.

when we get out in the hallway we hear cries of disgust. we see junior high helpers running away holding their noses. little children being carried at arm's length quickly to the bathroom.

complete mayhem. 

this looks like grayson's handiwork.

we had ourselves a serious poop problem. an entire corner of the nursery had been violated. his friends had been the recipients of his generosity. the walls told the story of a small boy a little too fascinated by excrement. it was time to call in the big guns...

cowboy carl --

time to get those lily white hands of yours in some real mess. cowboy up! ;)

yeah.. he was as excited about that as you think he was. 

oh good times. :)