VBS- Journey Off the Map

A couple weeks ago, our church hosted their summer VBS program.  It was called Journey Off the Map and the kids were treated to rooms decorated like the jungle.

My mother in love and I were in charge of the meals each night.  Using the *jungle* theme, we came up with some creative options.

Chicken nuggets, mac and cheese and graham crackers with chocolate frosting and mini marshmallows

Taco salad using Fritos instead of shells, chips and salsa, cookies and juice

We also had Knapsack bites (pizza rolls) and firewood (french fries), butterfly wings (sandwiches cut to look like butterflies) and survival sacks (bags of chips).

The last night was the program and we had snacks.  I ended up decorating 5 dozen cupcakes with sharks (Squish really wanted sharks), spiders, snakes and flowers.

All in all, it was a lot of fun.  I'm already looking forward to next year and the crazy meals we can plan =)

Farm Camp

While Junior was at Camp Invention, Girly and Squish were having fun at Farm Camp.

They learned all sorts of interesting things this week.  And I actually know what they did, because I've read their farm journals =)

They learned about what makes good soil, planted seeds and made seed tape.

They learned about good bugs and bad bugs.  They even got to try on a bee keepers suit- everyone declared Squish the cutest, most adorable little thing =)

They learned about basic animal care, got to feed different animals and shear a sheep.

They made stepping stones, strawberry jam and painted birdhouse gourds.

The last day was Parent's Day and they got to show off everything they did with the Farm Olympics.

While we were waiting for them to show up...

Oh look, there they are riding on the cows...

Every farm girl needs to look fashionable in her Hello Kitty shirt and muck boots.

And the start of the Olympics.  Squish had to help load bales of hay onto the wagon.

Girly had to *muck* out a stall.  It was just hay, but now I have proof she can help me with the chicken coop ;)

And then they had to look for (fake) eggs in the hay.  Because we all know chickens don't always lay their eggs in the nest boxes.

There were other events- catching a pig, chasing a goat, milking a cow, pumping water...  But these were the events my kids had to do =)

And then somehow Squish got the farm hand to carry him around on his shoulders and steal his sunglasses...  Must have something to do with being the cutest most adorable thing ever =)

Camp Invention

Last week was crazy around here.  The three older kids had week long camps that required me to be in 2 places at once.  Add in Sweet Pea's therapy, and I needed to be in 3 places at once.  So thankful for my niece who was willing to help drive =)

Junior spent the week at Camp Invention.  This was the perfect camp for him, because he got to take things apart and then use the pieces to make other things.

The first two days were spent taking items apart the correct way- that's right, smashing them with a hammer is NOT the right way to take things apart.  

Then the next couple days were spent learning all sorts of scientific stuff (getting Junior to talk about it was like trying to pull teeth lol!).

The last day I finally got to see what he was working on...  

As part of a team, they had to build a pinball, er pinbug, machine.  The requirements for this were pretty simple.  Two flippers, one plunger, six targets and it had to work.  I think the multiple rolls of duct tape were optional =)

Then they got to build a motorized car.  The car had to make it over/ through two of three obstacles.  A ramp that would launch the car into the air- it had to fly, an incline to climb up and underwater.  Junior's car only made it through one of the three obstacles- up the incline.  He decided not to run it in the water, because it would ruin the motor =)

He had a lot of fun and is looking forward to going back next year...  When he's determined that his pinbug machine will work without all the duct tape and his car will make it through the obstacles.

Camp Berger

What happens when you half jokingly say "Bring the boys here.  I'll watch them for you."?  You end up with 3 extra kids for a week.

Excuse the photo bomb, but there is too much fun stuff to share!

The face of one happy boy- his twins were here to play!

 Can you see the boys hiding in the woods?  This was their climbing wall and (hopefully) eventual zip line. 

Lunch time! 

Fun at the Splash Park before the storms moved in.

Movie and snack time the first day. 

Heading down to the main house for breakfast.

There was lots of water to play in because of the storms.

Lunch at the park.

Sweet Pea really does love to swing. 

Break time in the shade. 

I know!  Let's bury the baby!

Thanks for rescuing me mom! 

At the top of Cavanal- The World's Highest Hill.

It was a very tiring day. 

Don't worry mom.  Mr Berger said it was perfectly safe.

Nighttime swinging and catching lightening bugs.

R caught a couple new friends.  Two lizards that we released after mom and dad saw them. 

Girly made dessert for us (recipe coming up on Friday!). 

Kid 4ce.

Waiting for breakfast the last morning.

Being goofy at Heavner Runestone Park.

Quick stop at the playground to make sure they were completely exhausted and would sleep all the way home.

Thanks for hanging with me through all the photos.  Kid 4ce had so much fun being able to hang out together again.  There are even plans for a Camp Freese (life in the urban jungle) and another Camp Berger next year =)