My Wednesday nights = AWANA

8 years ago, Dianna F., Marli M., and Angie D. (all twin moms) introduced me to Bethany Baptist Church through a program/ministry called AWANA (Approved Workmen Are Not Ashamed). Noah was in Kindergarten and I wanted to get him involved at a church with a Wednesday night program. The church we were attending at the time did not have anything for kids on Wednesday night, and this ministry @ Bethany sounded great.

I trusted my friends. Praise the Lord I did!! A few years later, after much prayer, God led us to leave our old church and become members at Bethany. It was a top 5 decision in our lives. One of the best we have ever made. The impact on us from the teaching there is indescribable. And the friendships we have made are life long.

So, ever since, Wednesday nights during the school year are spent serving Him in the AWANA program there. I had my camera last night and I am glad I did. It was a special night for the older kids: they earned a pizza party by reaching their quota in donating to the local mission.

Here are some of the highlights.

Kevin is the human tree. Dianna F.'s twins and one of Angie D.'s twins are three of these "leaves". Kevin is probably the nicest, sweetest single boy in town. It is amazing he has not been snatched up yet!



Janelle is our Sparks director. I used to call her "boss", but she hated that. Maybe I will try coach next. She is so organized and great with the kids! Her friendship is such a blessing to me.


Here are our Sparks during story time. For some reason, alot of the kids were absent last night.


Here is Marli M.!! Together we are the secretaries for the Sparks program in AWANA. Sparks are the K-2 group. We have around 90 total in those 3 grades (if they all show up). Marli is my right hand girl. She helps me with about everything.


This is Angie D. and Joellyn D. I could write a whole blog on Angie. She has appeared in my blog before on my "cooking day" a month ago. We just had our latest "cooking day" on Tuesday. This time we made 14 meals, each one cost $1.37 per serving! Love it!!



Pizza Party!!
Here is Marilyn with Becky D. (left) and Bekah S. (right). Bekah is Marilyn's best friend. Becky D. is Angie's other twin. Angie's twins are boy/girl twins like Marilyn and Joel. So, yes, 2 of Marilyn's best friends have very similar names. It can be a bit confusing at times.





Thanks Dianna, Marli, and Angie! My family and I are indebted to you!!

Only by the grace of God,
Kendra

I am this dull?

It has been a whole week since I've updated my blog. Sorry to my faithful followers. I'm hoping to have some exciting news soon, so you will have to keep watching for big news.

As I look back upon my week, I realize that my life is pretty mundane. But, that is OK. School, kids activities, and church work are the highlights. I was able to watch alot of basketball though. This time of year is the best! The NCAA tournament started on Thursday and the boys high school tournament also finished this weekend. My Fighting Illini was supposed to play on Thursday night, but they chose not to show up!

My family is doing a bracket for the tournament and Joel is in the lead. It is amazing ~ the kid has no clue as to who should win, yet he has the best bracket so far. And Marilyn is a very close 2nd. She also has no clue. I am in 4th place, and I think I have a clue (key word: THINK).

School is plugging right along. I hope the kids will be wrapped up for the year by mid-May. We have testing during the 1st week in April, but otherwise, we are not taking any breaks until we are done. That's right ~ no Spring Break for my kids. If you see them and wonder why they seem unhappy, that could be the reason! Well, probably not. They don't get the fake holidays either. You know the fake holidays: President's Day, Veteran's Day, Count Pulaski Day (an IL holiday ~ I'm not kidding!), Arbor Day, etc. What they are really looking forward to is when they get a break from piano. Oh, the horror of practicing every day. I'm such a cruel mom.

Thursday night I spent the night at the twins club meeting. Here are a couple of pictures from it. Marsie is our President. She is alot of fun and has great energy!

These girls were at my table. Also alot of fun, as you can tell. I told them I was going to blog them ~ see, Sue, I am not a liar! :-}



Friday morning we helped in the Moppets ministry at church. This is a construction project by Joel. Maybe he will be an architect or an engineer. Pretty creative for 10 yrs. old.



Happy Spring!
Kendra

Let the Madness begin!

My family is obsessed with March Madness. It is not just me, it is my whole family. Maybe I have brainwashed them?! We are all filling out a bracket for the NCAA tournament. Noah is the 1st one to get done. I hope to get mine started tonight. Noah and I are also doing the NIT bracket. Obsessed? Yeah, but it could be worse.


Every year for the past 15 years, Peoria has hosted the IHSA boys basketball championships at the Civic Center. This year we decided to volunteer at their Madness Experience. For those unfamiliar with it, the Civic Center exhibit hall is transformed into a basketball play-yard/heaven. Here are a few pics from it: ~


Marilyn and I were assigned to the "around the world" game. There are 5 spots on the floor from which you are to make a shot. There are various ways to play this game. I chose one in which all the kids shot around, whether they made every shot or not.

There was ALWAYS a line during my 3 hour shift. We didn't get a break, but that just made it go by very fast.

Noah won this by shooting 9 "pop-a-shots" in a row, and then 7 in a row. He was supposed to shoot 10 in a row, but the guy let him have the towel anyway.

To start our shift, Marilyn and I worked together and Noah and Joel worked together at a different game. Then, Marilyn traded with Joel 1/2 way through. At home, she is the BEST helper there is, but at this game, she was bored and not much of a help. Joel was a Godsend for me. He is a good rebounder, which is what you need to do for this game.

Here I am after my shift. I'm ready for a break!! It was alot of fun ~ I would do it again. Maybe next year.

Until the next tip-off,

Kendra

Tumble kids

I'm trying out something new. I hope it works!! (fingers are crossed :-}) I haven't uploaded videos from our DVD discs to the computer since last summer. I forgot how to do it, and I just wasted 3 hours relearning what I did back then. If it works, I will try to send out more video for your viewing entertainment.

Here is a video of the kids tumbling on March 10th, my grandma's 96th birthday.

See you on the flip side,

Kendra

Lazy, quiet weekend

2009 has been very busy, so far. But this past weekend, aside from 1 soccer game Friday night, was quiet. Yeah!

Joel in the goal ~ his favorite position.

I was able to do some much needed cleaning around the house. I probably should have tried to get more done, as the family calendar is now full, every weekend into May. There is at least 1 thing planned every weekend, and some have more. Maybe we need to slow down a bit!! My parents believe I need to anyway.

Our homeschooling is going well this year, too. The kids are ahead in their lessons from where we usually are at the start of March. Maybe we will actually finish by the middle of May this year, and complete all of their lessons, too!! That would be great, and a 1st.

I am working at this post very late (or very early, however you want to view it) because I am a night owl and also because my body still needs to adjust to daylight savings :-}

Short post = lazy, quiet weekend!!

Off to bed,
Kendra

Our own wildlife park

Monday morning I had to take Brian into work because the brakes on his car didn't work. "Of course I will take you to work, honey!! We don't want you crashing into something!!"

I usually do not get up with him because he is out the door around 6:30. However, maybe I should. It was at this time that the deer congregated in our backyard. We see them almost on a daily basis, one or two at a time. Sometimes 3. But on Monday morning there was a HERD of them, at least ten.







Brian had to get out the camera. Thanks, honey, for the blog material!! He also fixed the car Monday night, so I didn't have to drive him to work on Tuesday. Yeah! Sleep in!

Tuesday started out as a nice, quiet day here at home ~ until the evening. Our own wildlife (i.e. kids) were wound up for some reason. Very loud and not very helpful. I think they are getting cabin fever bad. And, I lost something that was VERY important. Now I'm loud (to be honest: yelling) and looking frantically for it. Never found it and I am mad at myself. Top that off with a church issue that I am dealing with ~ I'm ready to give up!

"For I know the plans I have for you," declares the LORD, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future." Jer 29:11

I have hope that tomorrow will be a great day! And, God will take care of it all. Yeah! I don't have to worry about a thing :-}

Good night!
Kendra