Netflix and Roaring Rivers

Summer nights are for staying up late and watching movies and making pallets and snuggling with your siblings.  There is a lot of fighting but I love how much they love each other.

It's SO hot.  At this point in the summer we just stay inside and watch a lot of TV if we aren't swimming.  And I don't feel bad about it.  We have just about worn out the Netflix kid's section.  I let the kids watch "Gremlins" the other night.  I was having 80's nostalgia and completely forgot it was kind of a scary movie. But they loved it.  We also watched ET.  I'm having to explain things like why people didn't have cell phones and why their TV's were so small.  ha ha ha ha ha! 

Anything else your kids like to watch on Netflix? Or 80's movies I should relive with them?

Susan spoke at a luncheon for Circle of Life Hospice volunteers Tuesday and invited me to come along.  It was really nice.  

Speaking of Susan - our ministry Tangible Truth Ministries is having a conference next month if you are local.  It's August 24th at FBC Bentonville.  6:30 - 8:30.  

We will have three therapists who will be talking on telling your kids about sex and then about technology and everything you need to know when it comes to your kids (especially preteens and teens).   

Tickets are HERE.  Hopefully we will be able to post online after the event for those who don't live in the area! 

Today I took the girls and we went to Roaring River with some friends.  We have never been and had SO much fun! It's a huge water slide built into a hill.  It's in Cassville, MO.  It costs $8 an hour per person.  We just did an hour and it was PLENTY.  The kids were worn out.  They have a great picnic area in the shade and we took lunch and ate afterwards.  It was such a fun day.  I highly recommend if you live local.  We plan to go again soon! 

Have I mentioned it's HOT? 

And we are headed to south Arkansas and Dallas this weekend on a very quick round trip.  So we are going where it's even hotter! But I'm excited! 

Sickness, Swimming and Slime

I somehow skipped blogging last week.  I was just busy having summer fun! 

We had dinner with friends and went for a night swim.   (How cute is the nexting box she is using as a planter? I love it!) 

We went to the splash park one night and had so much fun playing! 

Except for their crazy mom who forgot towels.  So we went for a long walk to dry off.  

It has been so horribly hot.  It's been a heat index of around 105 the last few days.  I sweat just trying to get in my car.  

Hollis had a stomach bug all night one night.  So we laid low at home the next day and watched a lot of movies while I did a LOT of laundry.  

We have gone to the gym several days.  I love how much these three love each other! 

Will Holden had his last day of summer MDO.  He went to a different church this summer and had such a great experience.  While he had his last day, Hollis had a play date with Joseph.  And Harper and I ran errands.  It was nice to have a little one on one time with Harper.  

The girls talked me into making slime.  It was actually easy and kind of neat! If you haven't made any - you just mix Elmer's glue, a drop of food coloring, 1 tsp of baking soda and several drops of contact solution.  That's it.  Then just work it with your hands.  

We also had swim team most of last week but I didn't take any pictures of that.  

Saturday I talked Scott into taking the kids to see Despicable Me 3.  Will Holden is OBSESSED with minions and he will sit so still at home watching them.  So I thought maybe if we went during nap time - he would sit and watch.  I am a little over eager about these things.  

His face says it all.  We walked the halls during the previews.  At one point, he ran into the wrong theatre and walked up to a woman and shouted "HI!".  While I scooped him up so mortified.  He lasted in the movie about 10 minutes before he started making a break for the front of the theatre and I finally took him out.  We drove around for the rest of the movie and he fell quickly asleep.  It was just a little too exciting for him.  We will try again when he's 3.  Maybe.  

The girls wanted to sleep in some of my long sleeved tees Saturday night.  You wouldn't know it was 105 outside by the fuzzy slippers.  I guess we keep it too cool in the house. ha! 

Will Holden took his turn of being sick all night Saturday night so Scott took the girls to church Sunday morning.  They LOVE to eat at this cheap Mexican place by our church for lunch so Scott took them afterwards.  I can't get over how grown up they look in this picture.  

We have three weeks left of summer.  It's rolling by quickly.  

Vacation Bible School

One of our biggest weeks each year is Vacation Bible School.  Our church does it BIG! We have leaders who work all year long and it's so well run and organized.  Kids come from all over our community and we LOVE it! 

They way ours works is kids are put in "crews".  Groups of 6-8 kids of the same age.  Girls are together and boys are together.  Hollis got to be with one of her best friends Campbell and she and Joseph sat on the same pew every day.  

We rotate from snacks to games to Bible Story to a video to crafts.  It's so much fun.  

Harper and two of her friends from church.  They weren't in her group but they sat on her pew! 

This was my 8th year to work at VBS at our church.  (I ran games for our church growing up when I was in high school! On a MUCH smaller scale).  This was 4 years ago and last week.  I miss the days of matching outfits and little cheeks but I LOVE the people that my girls have become.  And we still have braids and bows.  

I worked preschool crafts.  I've done that the last few years and I love it.  We get a break every day so I was able to go find my girls and say hi.  

The stage was SO fun this year.  It was a great theme! 

Every day after VBS, my girls talked me into play dates.  On Tuesday, I had a sitter come over right after lunch to stay with Will Holden and I took the girls and one friend each to swim for the afternoon.  They had the BEST time.  I can't help but love that their best buddies just happen to be the daughters of two of my best friends.  

My friends all over the church who were working would take pictures of my kids and send them to me all week long and I did the same for any kids who came in my craft room.  I love how we all love each others' kids.  

I got to work with these sweet friends all week.  I love getting to spend time with people while we serve.  And these orange shirts.  Oh my.  

Will Holden's hair and face by Thursday morning sum up his feelings on me dropping him off.  ha! He actually LOVED VBS.  The room I was in looked out on the playground he would play on so I got to watch him every day play and eat popsicles.  He was so happy.  I would take him to the sanctuary every day at the end to hear the music and he LOVED it.  

One of Harper's friends from school went with us every day.  They had 2 play dates after VBS and Hollis got to go play at Kampbell's house one day.  It was the BEST week for them.  I was worn out by Friday night.  

We had 800 kids this year at VBS and about 200 volunteers.  It was worth all the work and energy that goes into it because so many kids come and hear about Jesus - some for the very first time.  And many kids asked Jesus into their hearts.  Harper got saved at VBS two years ago! 

We can't wait for next year! 

Friday Favorites

I'm linking up with my blog friends today for Friday favorites! 

I have been wanting a letter board for a while.  I think they are SO fun and they are everywhere.  We have also been watching a ton of Office reruns around our house.  Michael Scott is just the best.  So of course we had to have a quote from him.  

Have you heard of Agnes and Dora??? They have the softest, cutest, most comfortable clothes! Cute ruffle shirts and the best dresses! You would LOVE them! If you are interested - check out this Instagram -

Agnes and Dora by Carly Secrest! 

I'm also OBSESSING over these cute bracelets!!! Not only are they so cute and have the names of my four favorite people but they are made to be intentional prayer reminders.  They are inexpensive and I just love them.  Check out this instagram account to order! 

(The owner has a very sick child right now so if you order be patient - but put it on your to do list for the future!) 

https://www.instagram.com/new.every.morning.shop/

We have had a great week of VBS.  We are tired but so happy.  The girls have both had great friends with them in their groups and have had a week full of play dates in addition to VBS.  It's been a good summer week! 

Have ya'll ever had this? We refer to it as our house as crack and I can no longer buy it because we can not be held responsible for what happens when it is in our pantry.  It's so good but I need it to go far far away from all stores in my areas.  

Babies in your 40's

I had someone message me last week and ask if I had ever blogged about having a baby in my 40's.  She felt like her family wasn't complete but she is close to 40 and her doctor wasn't encouraging.  I know I have inadvertently blogged about being pregnant in my 40's but I thought I would make a specific post.  

NOW - I'm starting this by saying that I can't give any medical advice or encouragement on this subject.  Getting pregnant in your 40's can be difficult and there are a lot of risks involved.  But it is done.  And it's done a lot.  I'm imagining a lot of you have had babies later in life.  If you have - I think you can chime in! If you had babies in your 20's and you think how different can it really be? I'm telling you right now - it's not a cake walk to be an old mom.  But there are things that come with it - more wisdom, more patience, a reason to stay young! 

I was never a young mom.  I had Harper at 35.  And Will Holden at 41.  That's not how I saw my life going.  I never expected to have kids that late.  I also NEVER dreamed I would have a baby at 41 and it wasn't planned but if you know how crazy I am about Will Holden - you know what a gift he is.  So I don't know the difference but I do know that I have a lot less energy at almost 44 than I did at 24.  It's so tiring.  And I will be nearly 60 when Will Holden graduates.  So I am praying I can stay active and healthy.  

I DO feel like he keeps me young.  They all do.  I'm very busy and active with them.  Yesterday we did VBS all morning and then I took the girls swimming all afternoon.  I feel much younger than I am and I love that many of WH's friends' moms are young and I get to have two groups of friends - all my older friends and a new wave that will come with him.  So may of my friends I grew up with are grandparents.  And I have kids younger than their grandchildren.  So that's a weird feeling but it's where life has taken me. 

There are many risks with older pregnancies.  Higher chances of birth defects and things going wrong.  But when I see people in their mid 30's giving up on being moms - I want to encourage them that they can do this ....... that they have years ahead of them! So if you feel your family isn't complete- I say don't give up.  

My hair is gray, I have wrinkles under my eyes and I'm fairly certain I'm in pre-menopause.  And I have a two year old. 

I mean - hey - Janet Jackson had a baby at 50 last year! :-) 

I would love to hear from other moms of babies in your 40's and your tips, advice, or anything you would add! 

I Love Tractors

Years ago I had kind of decided that 10 would be a good age for the girls to get their ears pierced.  But then when Harper was turning 8, she decided she really wanted to so we went with it and she did SO great.  She took responsibility for taking care of them and she changes them every day.  So of course little sister is going to do it even earlier.  Hollis tends to be scared of most things so she started asking me if she could please get her ears pierced this summer and I thought we better do it while her mind was made up.  

They all needed summer trims so we went to Pigtails and Crewcuts and got all their hair cut and then Hollis got her ears pierced.  

She didn't even flinch! I was very pleased with P&C.  And it cost less to get 3 hair cuts and an ear piercing than it did to have one ear piercing at Claire's.  So that's my two cents on that! 

And she was SOOOOOO proud! She looks so cute.  

I took them to lunch afterwards.  This boy slays me.  

Saturday morning we drove over to Flippin to celebrate my mom's birthday! 

Look! He's smiling so sweet! 

It was a beautiful day.  SO SO SO hot but pretty.  We had a nice day just hanging out at my parent's house.  Will Holden loved wandering around.  

No one is more scared of 4 wheelers than me.  I do not love them.  But my kids LOVE them.  So Scott gave them short rides at the pace of a sloth.  Just around the house.  

My Aunt Linda came over and my dad cooked us hamburgers.  Linda gave the girls a harmonica and Will Holden got ahold of it and was obsessed with it.  He played it constantly.  

He's such a boy after his dad's heart.  He was SO in love with my dad's tractor.  He woke up Sunday morning saying "Holden loves tractors".  ha! 

We saw so many deer.  This one was right up next to the house.  

This morning we went to my parent's church with them.  When my dad retired, my parents left the church they had been at for 30 years.  They sought a lot of advice and prayer on that and knew it was the right thing for the church he pastored for 30 years.  A new pastor would have a hard time coming in to a church where the former pastor was still there.  Especially one who had been there so long.  It was a tough transition for them to leave the church they loved but after two years, they are very settled in to a church in the next town.  They have become very active in their new church and made a lot of friends.  It's a nice church and we enjoyed visiting but it was the first time in 32 years that I have been to church with my parents where my dad wasn't the pastor.  It was very strange.  Scott ran into one of his good friends he grew up with at church.  His family goes there.  So it was nice to visit with them.  We came back home this afternoon and we have VBS starting in the morning.  It's going to be a busy and fun week.