Not Your Average Slip n Slide

 
 
 
 

From July 8 2010 1st Kids of Compassion Event @ Elaine's

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After we had finished with our letters and pictures, we all headed outside to the Prices' glorious backyard complete with a pool, playground, trampoline & 50 foot slip n slide. Yes, you read right, 50 foot! The average Wal-Mart slip n slide didn't quite cut it for the Prices', so they decided to make one of their own & it is nothing short of awesome. If you want to see how slip n slide is done, I highly recommend this. Daniel was in pure bliss. He would back way up, get a run & go, then hit the slide wide open. Like I said, bliss. Laura Ann watched him do it one time & then copied him exactly. Most of the girls were all sweet & reserved on the slip n slide, but Laura Ann hung right in there with the boys!We started out just letting the kids have free reign, but that didn't last long with Daniel & Joel running into the sweet girls at full speed, so then we had to take turns. The pool, plaground and trampoline were big hits too and it was a challenge to get them to stop long enough for our picnic lunch. Thanks to the Prices for such a fun day!!!!

Prayers for Jamsaeng, Noi & Bawin

 
 
 
 

Several of 'us' moms have been talking lately about how we want our children to grow up with compassionate hearts and decided that we needed to take some action to make that happen. We've been visiting the nursing & assisted living homes over the past couple of years and have participated in Operation Christmas Child which has been great, but we want them to have more of a world view, as well as ourselves. Since the beginning of summer, we've been brainstorming ways to do this and eventually, thanks to Melissa, our fearless leader, our little group was born, Kids of Compassion. I'm not sure where all of this will lead, but it's a start. Elaine hosted our first gathering- Cupcakes for a Cause at her house and each of us was assigned a new Christian family in Thailand. B.J. went to Thailand last summer with our church & has kept in touch with some of the people serving there. One missionary in particular, Greg, who recently told B.J. that some of the new Christians in the Palaung tribe could use some encouragement, so he put our group to work by assigning each of us a family. We wrote letters to our family and the kids drew pictures to go with our letters. Elaine explained a little bit to the kids about the country, the region & the culture. We finished up our gathering with red, white & blue cupcakes representing the colors of Thailand's flag. Our letters & pictures were faxed to Thailand, translated & then sent to our families. Most importantly, we all committed to pray for our assigned family. The James family was assigned the Khamlueang family- Jamsaeng, Noi & Bawin in the Mae Jon village. Daniel & Laura Ann are learning that although we are separated from them by culture & country, we are brothers & sisters in Christ.

Movie on the Mall

 
Enjoying some ice cream from the ice cream truck
 
Dance Party
 
Pausing from their football game for a quick pic...Daniel, Tyler, Brooks, David & Caleb
 
Movie time....Joel, Daniel & Taylor

We met up with lots of friends at church on Wednesday evening and enjoyed grilled burgers for supper. Then we headed over to Magnolia Mall for FBCT's showing of Ratatouille. Daniel & Laura Ann enjoyed dancing to the music and playing with friends while we waited for it to get dark. They also enjoyed a visit with two ever present fixtures in our community.......the chickfila cow & the ice cream truck! It was a super fun night, (although we didn't last the whole movie & called it quits a little after 9- more because of Dan than the kids...Ha!!)!

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Movies and Swimming......

 
Joel (sporting a super cool head band) & Daniel
 
We saw Charlotte's Web this week & Laura Ann was very upset by the ending!!! She has watched the cartoon version a jillion times & has never been bothered by it, but not so today! :(
 
In the BABY pool after swim lessons......and might I add that Laura Ann is coming up for air & Daniel is all over the deep end. Yay! They have also learned this week how to swim some, turn on their backs & float- a great survival technique that I pray they'll never need!!

.....no week is complete without a visit to the theater for the free movie & some swimming!

BUSTED!

 

Yep, caught Champ on the sofa one day. He got up as soon as he realized I'd seen him before I could snap the picture! Ha!

Fresh Vegetables

 
 

Thanks to Papa, we have enjoyed fresh vegetables all week......tomatoes, cucumbers, okra, squash, corn and peppers. YUM!!!! Thank you, Papa!!

Trussville Freedom Celebration

 
 
 
 

After some rest time Sunday afternoon we all headed to the Freedom Celebration on the mall. Daniel & Laura Ann had a great time on all of the rides & inflatables. They even got Gran on a ride! One can only endure so much fun without food, so we headed over to our 'spot' after plenty of playtime & chowed down on ribs, pizza, ice cream & lemonade. All the while, enjoying the band, some dancing & socializing with friends. When it was good and dark, FBCT put on a fantastic firework show that both of my kids took in with no fear. Yay!!! It was a fun filled day with family and friends. We left completely exhausted, but so very thankful for our FREEDOM, not only in this great nation, but also in Christ.

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Check out these links about our country being founded on Christian principles and how to pray for our nation.......

Dr. Stanley's Independence Day Sermon

David Barton- love him.....he has written some great books too.....wish I had an ounce of his knowledge!!

Visit www.intouch.org for prayer guide

Happy Birthday, America!

 
Gran brought our favorite, John's BBQ for lunch
 
Liberty Jello for dessert
 

"We hold these truths to be self evident: that all men are created equal; that they are endowed by their creator with certain unalienable rights; that among these are life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness..........."
-Declaration of Independence


No 4th of July is complete without hearing David Phelps sing Battle Hymn of the Republic.......

We enjoyed a great patriotic service at church that recognized all of the branches of the military, of which we are so very thankful. Because of their sacrifice, we are able to live in this land of the free. Gran and Papa joined us after church for lunch to celebrate!

Fun in Douglasville

 
 
 
 

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We made a quick trip to Douglasville yesterday and came back today. Daniel and Laura Ann lived it up in the pool while we were there and I think Daniel has finally conquered his fear(which was a new thing this summer) of the deep end. Yay! Dan and Big Daddy also provided quite the entertainment in the pool. As always, Nanna & Granny put an enormous spread before us today for lunch, followed by homemade ice cream that Big Daddy made with an old fashioned crank machine. We all enjoyed visiting with Pop, Granny, Carrie, Derrek, PRECIOUS Hayes(who gave me a great baby fix today) & 'Miss' Leigh Anne.

On a side note, 'Miss' Leigh Anne has always been one of Daniel's favorite people & just a few days ago he asked if she has graduated yet. I said that she has graduated from high school, but not college & that she would be graduating from college next year. He said, "Awe man, I don't want her to be a grown up!". So Leigh Anne, you have Daniel's full support in stalling your graduation & becoming a grown up, if needed! Ha!

Swimming Lessons

 
 
 
 

I wasn't planning to do swim lessons this summer since both of my kiddos can swim, but we've had some unresolved issues that I finally decided needed more than just my help. So, both of them started lessons on Friday. They are doing a session together. The instructor said that they would have to work well together & I wasn't sure how that would go, but they both did great! The goal was to get Daniel to swim in the deep end & to teach Laura Ann how to come up for air. Well, after spending the past two days in Nanna's pool, the mission is accomplished for Daniel and Laura Ann is getting much better. I seriously worry sometimes that she is going to pass out underwater! She can swim fine, but she thinks she has to go the entire destination before getting air & scares me to death! She still isn't totally comfortable coming up, but she is making improvements. Hopefully she will be there by the end of next week!

Outside Fun

 
hula girl
 
 
football guy
 

Our outside play time has been limited to early in the morning and late in the evening these past few weeks in this blazing heat, but rested assured, we always manage to get it in! :)

Blackberries

 

Valley Way just keeps on surprising us! Daniel & Laura Ann found blackberries down the street one day & came home covered in them! :)

The Monkey Girls

 
Kaylyn & Laura Ann
 
Kaylyn, Abbie & Laura Ann

We met Laura Ann's two favorite friends from the Monkey class at Chickfila on Wednesday to play. It's been a month since they've seen each other & let's just say there hasn't been any love lost! They all three had a great time!