Girls Night @ The Grand Ol' Opry

To celebrate Emily's birthday (she's expecting baby boy #2!), we went to Nashville to celebrate with an awesome concert!  

Carrie, Martina, Lady A, Darius Rucker & the Oak Ridge Boys....need I say more? 

A.M.A.Z.I.N.G. 

Lady A

The Oak Ridge Boys

* I had seen the Oak Ridge Boys in concert when I was a child with my grandparents at the State Fair.  It brought back memories of being with my "Pa Pa", hearing Elvira and dancing in the isle of the stadium.  I couldn't help but smile even as tear welled up in my eye....thinking about him.  

Backyard Bible

For the past several years, our church as transformed the traditional Vacation Bible School into a Backyard Bible Club as an outreach to the community.  Many times Vacation Bible School will cater to the church members' children and a few of their friends.  This concept allows for a greater opportunity to bring the church to the people:)

I have volunteered and helped with VBS since before Layton was born, and continued to do so, but I am loving the new transition.

This year, our small group hosted a Backyard Bible Club at a local park in a (mostly) unreached neighborhood.  It is near a dog park and was a perfect place to attract many onlookers and possible participants.

Everyone signed up....

and we immediately began to play with our new found friends.

An intense game of volleyball,


ended with a gathering on blankets to listen to a Bible Story.



I taught the lesson of Moses and the Red Sea,

and all the children listened intently.

and then we all created a key chain for the craft. 

I loved watching families, children and couples stop and see what we were doing.  Most were curious enough to stay a little while, and listen to the story.  The intent is for seeds to be planted in the hearts of those who came.......if we did just that, we will feel blessed.

And our children were blessed by meeting new friends too!

At the end of the night, it was time for some fun!

Sliding....

relay races....

and LIMBO!

It was a great way to step out, reach out and grow a little ourselves.

 

*Sweet little girl who came, listened, played, prayed and had a blast!!

Her family doesn't attend church and probably wouldn't have attended a traditional VBS.
She was full of questions. 

SHE is the reason for Backyard Bible!  
*seed planted*

 "He said to them, 
“Go into all the world and preach the gospel to all creation."

Mark 16:15

Monkey Joe's

Swimmers' ear = a nice break from the pool this week.

So, what's a Momma to do with little energetic boys?

Can you guess?

Let them jump and bounce til their hearts' content!!

This place was awesome, it was like Chucky Cheese on crack!  *ha*  

Games with those silly tickets, but on a smaller scale so little guys could reach and play easily.

Luke LOVES basketball and had to play just like his big brother,

even if it meant sitting on the game table and doing it all by himself.

or stealing the balls.  *this face looks mischievous, no?*

*Mimi will like this picture!   Layton has inherited your love for SkeeBall!*

And they even had a 2 & under area for the littlest of sweeties;)

We loved it so much, Laurie had to see for herself how much fun it really was.....

The boys paused for a.....(semi-split second).....for a group photo.

3, 2, 1..........GO!

But, by the end of the day, this was the face I saw. 

One tired puppy.

Fun day.  

My boys slept all the way home. 

Which meant success. 

Built - In Buddy

Little brothers grow up learning to be tough:)

It's a necessity.

But they also begin life with a built - in buddy.