Happy 'Dress Up & Get Candy' Day

Today is one of Frankie's favorite days of the year and to be honest, why wouldn't it be.  After all, when else is it appropriate to dress up and go up to complete strangers and they hand you candy!  

Usually Frankie would go out with her sister, but Abigail was out with friends tonight so I was the stand in.  Our church is having a fall festival event on Sunday so tonight we went to the Trunk or Treat event at the church by our house.  

The trunks were decorated and so were the grown ups handing out candy, everyone was very gracious.  There was a fire truck to tour and games to play.  She had a great time and when we came home she enjoyed handing out candy to the neighborhood kids. 

Jonathan said, “My father has made trouble for the country.

See how my eyes brightened when I tasted a little of this honey.  

I Samuel 14:29

Happy Francis Marie Day

This should be the warm, fuzzy tale of anther celebration of another year as the mom to the most wonderful young lady you can imagine.  But like most things, somewhere along the way, things went horribly wrong! But, I suppose I should start back at the beginning:

To celebrate Frankie’s special day, I pre-purchased tickets to a local pumpkin patch.  I specifically selected one we had never visited, to add to the excitement of the day.  I carefully made sure we attended during the early hours of operation and not after dark when they bring out the scary element.  The girls and I arrived, blissfully enjoying their wonderful petting zoo. Frankie and Abigail fed the goats and sheep.  There were cows and a Longhorn to pet.  

The family farm had a wonderful patch of gourds to peruse. I’m talking lots of giggling and fun.  Next we set out on the hayride.  To properly set up the scenario, I should mention we’ve had a lot of rain, it was muddy.  At one point the trailer tire got high centered in the mud tracks, clipping a tree, pulled the 16’ tree down on the trailer hitting the driver of the tractor in the head.  The driver gets untangled out of the tree limbs and off the tractor. But, the tractor keeps moving because of the weight on the seat from the tree did not allow the kill switch to disengage when the driver jumped off the tractor.  The driver was able to run around and get the tractor stopped.  The driver was cut up, bloody and had one heck of a headache but OK.  No one on the trailer was injured. 

We got off the trailer and walked back down the trail while the men helped move the tree and free the tractor and trailer.  As we were walking down the path Frankie said she did not want to try anything new again! 

Many are the plans in the mind of a man,

    but it is the purpose of the Lord that will stand.

Proverbs 19:21

Speaker's Club Motivation

I just love our PEACH Speaker's Club!  The kids are learning to purposefully organize their research and opinions and then to stand confidently present their material in a group setting.  Today Abigail presented a piece she wrote on the motivations to volunteer.  

Most adults would get nervous standing in a group and speaking, but with encouragement and training these young people stand comfortably before their peers.  This is Abigail's second year in Speaker's Club, Caleb also participated for two years before graduating.  It has been wonderful to see how well this has served him being able to at the college level stand before 2,000 in chapel.  Even if it just gives the youth confidence to speak in a job or college interview what a blessing!! 

Righteous lips are the delight of a king,

    and he loves him who speaks what is right.

Proverbs 16:13 

Back to the Future

If you haven't checked your clocks, today marks the 'future' for Marty McFly and Doc Brown!  Frankie has seen all the Back to the Future movies but Abigail had only seen portions of some of them.  

Notice not only is the date correct but the movie start time is 4:29 pm!  The girls were wildly amused at the fashion and hair from the 80's.  It was even more fun to show them what the stars of the movie look like now!  Funny that Doc Brown looks the same! 

Listen to advice and accept instruction,

    that you may gain wisdom in the future. Proverbs 19:20 

Lubbock Christian University Chapel

This morning the girls and I were volunteering at Metro Relief.  I generally shut my phone off while we're there because it is a huge distraction.  When we came home at lunch and I checked my phone I had texts with these great shots of Caleb reading scripture at Lubbock Christian University's chapel. His Honors professor was responsible for organizing chapel today and asked Caleb on the way to chapel if he would help lead!  How cool is that.  No, Caleb never mentioned it, nor would he.  But I'm so thankful for his friends who sent me the pictures, it makes me thrilled to see him feeling so comfortable in his new grown up world! 

Start children off on the way they should go,

    and even when they are old they will not turn from it.

Proverbs 22:6 

My Bible Bowl Superstars!

The college kids stuck around for a little bit Sunday afternoon to encourage my Bible Bowl kids!  Needless to say the kids were thrilled to have the big boys in class!  I gave them a little quiz over Joshua chapters 3 & 4 and the big boys helped them out with the answers.   I love the legacy the big boys have passed to the younger kids.  When Caleb and Richard began with Bible Bowl, Joshua, Judges and Ruth was their first year; and now many of the kids pictured are in their first and second year of Bible Bowl because of the encouragement they have received from the big kids. 

Don’t let anyone look down on you because you are young, but set an example for the believers in speech, in conduct, in love, in faith and in purity. I Timothy 4:12

Time with Friends

The kids spent the day and most of the evening with friends. They popped in on the PEACH drama club say hi to the younger kids.  Later in the evening they met up with their high school friends for dinner and to hang out.  They even made time for a board game or two with the family!  J.J. killed it at Monopoly, I'm still demanding a rematch!! 

The girls and I did our best to keep them fed load them up with snacks for the trip home on Sunday.  I've got to say, I love the energy of having a full house of kids again!  

Remember your Creator in the days of your youth, before the days of trouble come  Ecclesiastes 12:1 

PEACH Science Night

Each school year our home school group hosts a PEACH Science Night with Dr. Brian Reed of Thinking Reeds. Dr. Reed teaches math and science classes from a Christian world view.  Dr. Reed presented the kids with great ideas for the upcoming science fair.  

The boy's friends were thrilled to see them tonight.  They had a lot of catching up to do! 

 God gave wisdom and very great insight, and a breadth of understanding as measureless as the sand on the seashore.  I Kings 4:29 

Texas State Fair

If you're a Texas kid you know the awesome joy of attending the Texas State Fair!  It is massive and there is nothing like it.  We've attended the fair with the Gungans for the past decade.  The kids are well versed in where to find the free samples, butter sculptures, Fletcher's corn dogs and all the greatness of the fair.  

J.J., the Kansas kiddo got to experience everything for the first hand! I think he enjoyed the animals and the cars the best.  Caleb was all about the funnel cake and fried goodness! 

Now I commend you because you remember me in everything and maintain the traditions even as I delivered them to you.

I Corinthians 11:2

LCU Fall Break Has Began!

Hooray! LCU's Fall Break has began, they are out of school for Thursday and Friday and return to classes on Monday morning.  Caleb's friends Richard and J.J. got in before church tonight.  Caleb had a later class and got in after we came home from services.  It was energizing to have a houseful of kids.  They have plans to take in the last weekend of the Texas State Fair and to get together with friends.  I'm just thrilled to see their smiling faces and blissfully content to do laundry and feed them to their heart's content.    Be prepared, I'm sure there are more posts ahead of the next four days! 

Hear, my son, your father's instruction,

    and forsake not your mother's teaching

Proverbs 1:8