Is it Monday already? (VBS Photos)

We started -- and altered -- VBS last night. Great start out of the gate, heh? I know. But it wasn't me this time. I had a plan of action. It just didn't work that way.

We had only half my own children -- that accounts for pretty much all of the regulars at church, barring 3 others. So, down by a sizable number right from the git-go. Then my other two teen VBS runners were missing. I knew they wouldn't be there that morning, so not a total surprise, but still...

We had 2 grandchildren from one family, I believe they are 2 and 3...maybe. They are active little ones. No 'story time' for them, little craft interest really, but they liked the snacks ;o) And 2 youngers from a couple regular families. Eight children. So much for prepping for 25.

Undaunted, we muddled along and made the best of things, unprepared for the youngest of the group plan as we were. Oh well...life is surprising at times, right?

We used my Rod & Staff story book and coloring book for some fun pages -- plus I printed off a few things online for middles and olders (which we didn't have...maybe Wednesday night). The story was a bit off...not just about Moses and The Burning Bush, but lit on into the plagues and all. Reminder to self -- next time don't just skim the selected story, read it all the way through.
The coloring page was good to have, though. And the sign language book -- we didn't even attempt it with the age group we had, and the attention span going on, but maybe later.


Here is our "jungle." Just one wall, about 14ft long, but it turned out pretty well I think. I'm definitely no Pioneer Woman, mind you, so taking photo's in a small room with not-the-best lighting, and tissue paper streamers blowing in the ceiling fan breeze proves to be difficult for me, but you can get the general idea of the decor I think.

Just a stock wallboard for The Ten Commandments. We laminated the critters and tablets and stuck them onto the wall with velcro dots. So fancy...

Are these not the cutest animal heads? Shelia at the feed store, and her daughter Nicole, drew these for us. I don't even want to think about what pathetic critters we might have had! I literally crawled, sad looking and all, and begged Sheila's daughter for help, clinging desperately to her leg.
Ok, it wasn't exactly like that...they are very generous and helpful and artsy artsy artsy. And, well, I am not. We would have gone without animals had I been the artist, that's for sure.


Now, give me a glue gun, some construction paper and a big hunk of cardboard...and some great little floral picks...and I can muster up a mean Burning Bush :o) Hey -- can't you just hear the booming voice of God coming from that awesome bush there? It's the artistic flare I have with turning construction paper into such realistic flames ::wink:: You probably feel just like Moses...just like you were there watching it all happen, don't you?

And the craft time...short and sweet. We made rain sticks and talked about letting people know about Jesus. Loud rainsticks...we put a handful of small rocks in those tubes. LOL...I imagine the other parents went ahead and removed the rocks and opted for a more serene and quiet rice filler instead.

Tomorrow, the jungle makes way for the Hawaiian island, complete with a burning bush necklace craft, a fun foam picture frame (hopefully I'll take better pictures of each child to add to their frame Sunday...) and some fun snacks...dirt and worms, of course, strawberry floats, and a blue lagoon treat. We'll keep the burning bush and Commandment tablets, because, well, that sort of is what this VBS is all about anyway. The rest will get packed away.

Then, VBS behind me, I will dive headlong into a serious relationship with my sewing machine!