Lads to Leaders 2010

I know....I know....I've been a terrible blogger AGAIN! After getting harassed on facebook about my lack of posts on here (WENDI!:)), I figured I'd better catch up on stuff! A couple of weeks ago, our family traveled to Nashville with an awesome group from church for the annual Lads to Leaders conference. Our family looks forward to this weekend every year! They work so hard to get there...it's the light at the end of the tunnel, for sure. This year was no exception! Like last year, Mark and I were in charge of the 4th grade puppet team - a GREAT group of kids. We had so much fun working with them. We placed 2nd in our age division, and the kids were SO excited! Way to go, guys!!
This year, Parker competed in Know the Books, Scripture reading, Speech, and puppets. We were so proud of him. He made it among the 6 (out of 15) finalists in speech. He was hoping for a higher placement, but handled it VERY well - made us even prouder of him. He is already gung-ho about his speech for next year - glad he didn't let it get him down.

Kinlee participated in Know the Books, puppets, scripture reading, drawing, and scrapbooking. Because of her age, her scrapbook was not judged, but we had a great time working on it together. It also gave us a chance to look at some of the others and get an idea of the competition for next year. She did awesome in her other events, as well.

Aside from the events (which took up a LOT of our weekend), we just had a great time hanging out and visiting with the people that came along in our group. Awesome group of people - the kind of people I want us and our children to be around for a LONG time!!!

Puppets, puppets, puppets.....

Like I mentioned in previous posts, Mark and I were in charge of one of the puppet teams for Lads to Leaders this year. We had 9 kids on our team (with another one being added at the last minute) ranging from 1st grade to 4th grade. I just wanted to say again what an AWESOME group of kiddos they were! We had the best time putting this show together and working with these guys! We had lots of support from their parents, and the kids themselves couldn't have worked harder. We definitely plan to do it again next year, and I hope we have them on our team again! We enjoyed it!!! Good job, guys!!

Lads to Leaders 2009

This past weekend, our family traveled to Nashville with about 65 others from our home congregation to attend the Lads to Leaders Convention. Let me give a little "aside" here, though, before I continue. Parker had been sick since Monday. He had gone to the dr., and she had said he had an ear infection and sinus infection. No problem. Got an antibiotic and felt like it would be cleared up in plenty of time for the weekend. WRONG! He continued to feel bad all week, and his fever just wouldn't go away and stay away. SO, back to the dr. we go on Thursday. She was baffled, saying he didn't seem to have anything more than a cold, but couldn't figure out where that fever was coming from. We decided to run a flu test JUST to rule it out so that we could tell people over the weekend that yes, he was running fever, but no, he wasn't contagious. WELL, it was positive!!!! That's right - he had the flu and we were leaving early the next morning. When the dr. told him he couldn't go, he was so upset. He just flopped over on the bed and cried!!! What were we going to do?? He had a big part in our puppet show, was signed up to do his scripture reading, and had worked super hard since Christmas on a speech! Needless to say, my mom came to stay with him, the rest of us headed out to Nashville on Friday, and we did some "quick fixin'" to our puppet show on the way. We were all so bummed that he couldn't come.

Well, the kids did a great job on their puppet show, especially considering the fact that one kid had to switch to Parker's part, and we grabbed another kid from our congregation who had never seen the script OR picked up a puppet to fill in, as well. We were so proud of them! Kinlee did very well on her part, and the others did just as we had practiced.
Shortly after puppets on Friday, Kinlee participated in her scripture reading. She did so well! She said she was a little nervous, but she marched right up there and read like a champ! I was very proud of her!!! She received an excellent rating.

We had kept in touch during the day on Friday with my mom who was taking care of Parker. Turns out that he did not run fever all day long!!! SO, Mark hopped in the car Friday afternoon (despite tornado watches and BAD storms) and drove back home to get him!!! They left early Saturday morning to head back to Nashville in time for Parker to do his speech. He was so excited! The competition was pretty strong this year in his age division, but he did an awesome job! He actually ended up doing his speech twice before they were able to decide the 6 finalists. He was one of them.
We had to wait until the awards ceremony on Sat. night to find out how his speech and our puppet show ranked. WELL, Parker won 3rd place in speech, and our puppet show won 3rd place, as well. All the kids were SO excited!! We were so happy and proud of them!!

As crazy as it was, we ended up having an awesome weekend! The kids are already talking about what they want to compete in next year. We are so glad that we are involved in this program. The real excitement isn't even in the winning or not winning, it is in the fact that our kids enjoy it and it is helping prepare them for service in the future. Way to go guys!!!!

It is OVER!!!!

Yes, that is right - I have survived the consignment sale. I am not complaining by ANY means, but it dawned on me about half way through this thing that almost twice as many consignors means twice as much work!! I was one busy chic! That's okay, though, because all the hard work definitely paid off! The sale this time did quite a bit better than my last one, and I am so thankful! I couldn't have done it, though, without the help and patience of my hubby and kiddos.

Now that all the "stuff" is pretty much out of the house and things are back in place, it's time to change hats and focus on Lads to Leaders this weekend. We will leave EARLY Friday morning and return home Sunday afternoon. We are so looking forward to this trip! The kids have worked so hard to prepare for it and I know it will prove to be a great weekend. I hope to have lots of pictures to post when we get back. Say a little prayer, if you don't mind - Parker has been home the last 2 1/2 days from school with sinus and ear infections. His voice is almost gone - not good considering he has a puppet show, speech, and scripture reading to do this weekend! I have had him whispering when he does talk, so hopefully he will be fixed and ready to go by Friday. Pray that he gets better in time and that none of the rest of us get it! Thanks!!!

Puppet Practice Party

As I have stated in past posts, Mark and I are in charge of our Grades 1-4 Puppet Team for Lads to Leaders this year. We have had a great time, and we have had the privilege of working with an awesome group of kiddos. This past Saturday after soccer, we had all the kids over for a "Puppet Practice Party". We met from 1-4 and had a great time. The kids played outside (the weather was wonderful!) and did some actual practicing, too.....Next, the girls (it was offered to the boys, too, but they had better things to do) created paper bag puppets out of paper bags, scrapbooking paper, and markers. I thought their puppets turned out really cute, and they had a great time making them...

After the creations were done, it was time for some more artistic projects. We worked together to make the backdrop for our puppet program. The kids had fun painting that....
What is a party without food??!! For our snack, the kids were given various "finger foods" to use to make their own "puppet". I thought it was neat how each one turned out so different. Here are our "puppet people"...

Before the kids left, each one was given their own "Paper Bag Scrapbook" with pictures in it of our past practices, etc... I thought they turned out pretty good for my first attempt. The kids really liked them, too.
We had a great day and the kids all got along great. They are doing an awesome job on their puppet script, too. Way to go, guys!!!

Mini Lesson Monday - Let the Little Children Come Unto Me....

Last night, we had the honor and privilege of hearing both of our kiddos give speeches and read scripture in preparation for Lads to Leaders. This is our second year to participate in Lads to Leaders, and we couldn't be more proud of Parker and Kinlee. For them to have the courage to get up and speak/read in front of that many people - we can't ask for more than that. The theme of this year's Lads to Leaders convention comes from a passage in Joshua where the children of Israel say that they will "go wherever God sends them, and do what He wants them to do".

In Parker's speech, he talks about something he loves - football - and how it can be compared to our Christian walk. You must listen to your "coach" (God), you must follow the playbook (the Bible), and you must have the courage to face your opponents (Satan) and get back up when you get knocked down. His scripture reading comes from the passage where Abram is asked to leave his homeland, possessions, and everything he knows and move to a new land. Kinlee reads from the book of Ruth where Ruth tells Naomi that she will "go where she goes, die where she dies, etc...". They both did such a good job!!!

What can I learn from this??? The innocence of a child, the willingness of a child, and the enthusiasm of a child. Although they were both nervous (Parker said he had butterflies, and Kinlee said she read a little fast because she was just ready to get it over with!), they still had the courage to get up there and do it! How do we do?? Do we sit on the sidelines and watch, or do we get in there with it all??

Join me in these challenges this week:

1. Have the courage to "get in there" and do what you can do - even if you're nervous.
2. Follow our coach and our guidebook, in all aspects of our lives.
3. Learn from the innocence and enthusiasm of our kiddos

Have a great week!!!