Ministry of Silly Walks

We came across this John Cleese video clip.



Needless to say, the kids enjoyed it...


...and have come up with their own versions of silly walks.


They kept coming up with better styles.


And for our most "reserved" of our bunch...


He was really rockin' this one, so we had to give him two sets.

A good indoor activity on a really hot summer day.

Are you involved with any ministries?

Maybe you'd like to try the Ministry of Silly Walks!

Artists' Statement

The three older kids finished art camp yesterday and brought home loads of new artwork. This year's camp was a drawing class.

It's great fun to watch something really click with the kids. Kathleen really seems to enjoy perspective drawing. Actually, that was one thing each of the kids came right home and went to work on each day after camp. Kathleen even produced a perspective drawing tutorial for me so I could jog my memory on the technique.


She even filled in the cover of her art file with a perspective drawing.


Still working on vertical lines and distinguishing different planes.


Sometime during the week, she was probably forced to vary her pieces from her preferred perspective drawings.

Diffuse Color and Texture Beach Scene


Mike finishing up his cityscape perspective drawing.


A texture scene


A portrait by Miss MK.


Miss MK loves color!


Kids and teacher


All artists' statements: "Art camp was really fun!"

At the Broken Spoke

The kids had a lot of fun last night at their final gig wrapping up summer fiddle camp.



One of many broken spokes.

Taking it all in after tuning.


Warming up.


At least we remembered all of the kids' violins. There was one fiddler who brought her case...but it was empty.


Scenery


The Blazing Bows


The teenagers were featured in the Seven Wicked Reels, so you can't see our kids in this clip...but they're in back playing.

Reel 4



The show finished up with a few dance tunes including "Cotton Eye Joe."





Jimmer said the best part was sliding on the dance floor with friends when they were finished! (Their performance was 1-1/2 hours, so they needed to get a little energy out of their systems when it was over!)



A fun night!

Dress Rehearsal

Lots of Irish fiddle tunes this time, hence the green ensemble.

Warming up at a retirement home today...



...for their Broken Spoke gig tomorrow night.

(Jimmer sat this one out, Mary Kate and Mikey are in front, Kathleen is behind the leader...in a denim jumper.)

Homebound Mass & Luncheon

One of the ministries our family is involved with is serving the homebound by providing a communion service at their residence. Once a year though, we gather all of our homebound residents and bring them to our church for a special Mass and luncheon. Today was the day!

Confession: We've somewhat selfishly gotten involved in this ministry because our kids don't have a grandparent within 1100 miles and they have no great grandparents, so they love the interaction and have learned so much from these fun folks! I love how the children are naturally comfortable interacting with them whether the people like to joke around, need assistance, want to share their wonderful stories of the past, or ask for prayers. They also understand everyone needs a hug...and boy, do they know how to deliver!

As we pulled in to the church parking lot behind one of the home's vans, our kids dashed up to the doors to greet our guests.

Arrival.


Jimmer was a greeter/door holder (schmoozer, ham bone, charmer, etc.).


After Mass, Jimmer was walking to the dining room holding my hand and said in his regular (louder than normal) voice, "Do you know that lady in the bright pink outfit? She's 79 years old."

All I asked was if he had asked her or if she offered the information herself. Lucky for me, it was as I had hoped. Whew!

During the luncheon, Jimmer was snatched up by the same lady who he sat next to at last year's luncheon.


Reunited!


I'm not sure what it is about this little guy, but he's a magnet of sorts. Even our new associate pastor (first Mass at our parish, in fact!) started in on him!


Schmoozin'


Hammin'


The girls sat next to a few ladies who only had grown boys for children. They asked me if they could take them home with them for a while.


This lady just looked at Mary Kate's braided pigtails and said with nostalgia, "Ohhh...I remember so well how my mother did my hair like that when I was a little girl."


Mike had a lengthy conversation with another lady who said that he was just delightful.


(Always nice for a mother to hear--especially since after she said that, she turned to me and asked where his mother was.)

The kids visited some more with them as they waited for their buses to return.


Sweetness.
All the way around!

From Thy Bounty

I just love dual-purpose trees. They shade us from the scorching sun. Yet, they're doubly dandy if they provide a perfect snack.

How much more perfect a snack can a child have than to climb a tree, sit atop a limb, and delight in a fruit they select and pluck freshly from a nearby branch?



Glorious figs!


Now in season in a neighbor's tree.

It's just not safe to have one family consume a whole tree's worth. Lucky for us, its owners like to spread them around!

Not only is the fruit sensational, but I also adore the fig's leaves. They are just so grand.

They can be used for fanning.


In a pinch, they may also be used as a cloaking device.


They make exquisitely detailed rubbings as well.


(I think we've been watching too many VeggieTales videos, because these figs remind me of the squash guys.)


More figs at home.


Our biggest fig lover.


We can hardly wait for the fall pecan gathering from our tree.

Is there anything bountiful in your (or your neighbor's) yard?

Unorthodox

How I might find Jimmer studying his math facts:


Hmmm...somewhat similar to the way Kathleen used to prefer doing her spelling tests--hanging upside down in her school chair (head on the floor under the table, feet over the back of the chair) while spelling orally.

There's a picture of that pose around here somewhere. Must find.

Happy Birthday, America!

Flags flying.

Bikes decked out in red, white, and blue.


Ready for the neighborhood parade.


Led by a squad car.



The lone uni rider.


Afterwards...

Popsicles at the park...

and a recitation of the Declaration of Independence
some monkeying around.



Mary Kate's festive lunch creation.

A flagwich:
Open face cream cheese sandwich with craisins and blueberries.


Happy 4th of July, y'all!

What are you eating, wearing, & doing today?