VBS

The last week of July we had VBS at our church. We did the "Boomerang Express" which I think is the some one they did in Granite also. Zane invited a friend from school and they had a great time. They worked hard to learn the words and motions to the songs (one of which they performed as a class for the family fun night at the end of VBS). He loved the "recreation rock" where they did activities outside every day and they did really great crafts every day, although I worried a bit the day that they were all swinging hammers in a confined space (the dark haired girl in the hammer pic is his friend Maddie that came to his VBS and then he went to hers the next week). During Bible Study Outback they learned about Peter every day and I was amazed by how much he learned and retained. Every day when they came in they received boomerangs for doing their "homework" (which usually consisted of telling someone about what they had learned, helping around the house or with a sibling and praying for their daily missionary) which they hung on a wall in the "station" so that they could see by the end of the week what a bid difference doing a few good things can make. He also collected every spare coin from around the house and raided his John Deere bank so that he could take as many coins as possible for the Penny War (which the girls won). The next week the chruch took the money, over $300, to Maldova to buy groceries for some families there ($20 will feed a family of 4 there for about a month) But, being the growing boy that he is his favorite part of the day way the G'day Cafe where they had snacks and heard a mission story. The snacks were all themed and wonderful!!!! Logie also attended VBS and hung out in the nursery with Ms. Mary (most of the time when he was not escaping and running off). He had a good time playing on the climber slide, but needless to say his favorite part of the day was snacks also!!!!

Weekend with Friends

In early August we had some friends from college (John and Brianne Holcomb) come to visit. While they were here we did alot of catching up and took them to see some of the local-ish attractions. Saturday morning we went to Brugge (I've posted pics of it before) and strolled around. There is a pic of Zane waiting patiently near the canal while we shopped at the antiques street market. Brianne is a pharmacist and found a new mortar and pestle of her collection. We visited the Cathedral again and had lunch. From there we went to Ghent. We had never been there before, so it was new for all of us. St. Micheal's Cathedral was beautiful and was unbelievably used for a horse stable during the French Revolution. Our main goal was to see the Castle of the Counts, which we finally found after wandering aimlessly for a bit. The castle was amazing and Logan was soooo happy to be able to get out of his "trolley" to explore it on his own. Zane found the weapons exhibit very interesting, but I honestly do not see how anyone could possibly lift this sword, much less fight with it. Logan enjoyed the view from the battlements where the archers protected the castle from. This guillotine was just outside the torture museum, which I found fascinating. I just don't know how they came up with the ideas to do those things to people!!! Zane also found the dungeons very fascinating. What gets me is that they even made their dungeons architecturally interesting, where you would expect them to be a square box???? After thoroughly examining the castle we stopped in the Grand Place for a bit before heading home. The next day we traveled to Tongeren to a large antiques market. Brianne found some Christmas presents and I found a very cool old mirror. My only concern is the fact that it weighs a ton and I'm afraid to hang it on my wall. I guess it may just have to sit on the mantle. It was great to spend some time with good friends again. We haven't gotten to see much of them in the years since we all left Stillwater.