The girls went nuts popping balloons and finding prizes. One prize was a buy one get one free wrist band. So I was able to use it when we paid!!! The girls had fun riding rides and roller skating. Here are a few pictures.
They look like they are swimming rather than roller skating!!!
Here is Haylee posing for the camera.
Here are the girls on the Merry-Go-Round!For New Years Eve we went to my parents and played games, ate food and watched movies.
Here we are playing Yahtzee!
The girls love to play Lego's with dad. Although Dad has added to the Lego collection with new sets, many of these are one's Matt and I played with when we were the girls' age.
Autumn made a house and Haylee made a backyard with pool, lounge chair and garden. Dad built a church with pews and a pulpit. The next morning we were all upstairs (except the girls who were playing with the Lego's) and we could hear Haylee (I assume she had a Lego man in the church standing behind the pulpit) preaching. She was saying something like "You must accept Jesus, he came and died on the cross for your sins". She is so adorable and just loves Jesus.Some of you may recall that last year I made a New Years Resolution for our family to start volunteering somewhere. Well, I am sad to say we never really did last year . . . but I am happy to say that we have finally started this year! The first Friday of every month Jody, and I (and the girls when we have them) will join Jody's aunt and uncle to serve dinner at the Ronald McDonald house. We went this last Friday for our first time. It was such a blessing. I did not take my camera as I did not know if taking pictures would be appropriate, but now that I have been there, we have a game plan for next time which includes paper and crayons for the girls to color with the kids, a camera to take pictures, and a notebook and pen for prayer requests.
Haylee continues to grow leaps and bounds in her walk with Christ. She is craving more of Him . . . and I love to watch her absorb it all. One night when we did not have Autumn, we asked Haylee what she wanted to do. After thinking for a while she decided on a family Bible study. I thought that was neat.
I started a book on manners with the girls. Mostly because Autumn seemed to be lacking in many areas (chewed with her mouth open, belched VERY loudly at the table, rarely said thank you etc.) So I found a book that goes through numerous manners and has activities to help kids learn and have fun. A recent one was on prayer and we talked about how to pray, looking for God's answer etc. So we made a family prayer box and each put a prayer request in it . . . Haylee's was to learn more about God!!! Our "manner" the other night was on worship and how it is an attitude. So the girls had to prepare a service for us. We started off with an opening song "I'm in the Lord's Army", then a prayer, then Haylee "preached" about how we need to focus on God in all we do. We had a closing prayer and song. The girls were really cute. Autumn is much shyer with this stuff, so Haylee did most of the leading.
Haylee and I are starting "dates" this month. We are going out the first and third Tuesday of the month. On the first Tuesday we are going to get hot chocolate and do a Bible Study together. On the third Tuesday we are going to be doing activities out of a book I got called "8 Great Dates for You and Your Daughter". The dates are all centered on learning to glorify God with how you dress and look, and understanding that He created you beautiful in His sight, no matter what the media, your friends or the world says.
Well, after two weeks at home with the girls, I am back in the office and the girls are back at school. And I have to say I am glad. Haylee has been getting a bit of an attitude and yesterday she had a melt down. Her shoes didn't match her shirt for church. She was making such a deal of it that I had to have a little talk with her. I gave her the "you are lucky you have shoes to choose from talk" reminding her that millions of kids feel lucky to have one pair of shoes that were handed down and held together with duck tape. I have seen kids in Africa overwhelmed to receive $1 flip flops. She was crying, and later apologized for not being grateful for what she has. Autumn has a "careless" attitude that REALLY gets me. She has told me she doesn't care if all her clothes are stained and ratty (because she doesn't take care of them) and last night I asked her if she likes to waste my money and she said "yes". Jody and I have been trying so hard to get her to take care of things and it is a battle. She jumps on the furniture, climbs on the bunk beds, hangs on the railing and swings over the stairs, takes no pride in how she looks with her hair done or not and clothes clean or not. I have tried explaining it is good to take pride in how you look. Not to be obsessed with it, but to be put together and presentable. This is a concept she cannot grasp. So last night, I locked myself in the bedroom and started ready Joshua. I just needed to escape from it all.
Please pray for Jody and I to see ways to teach the girls different values and principles in ways that will reach them. I know kids respond to things different . . . and sometimes figuring out what will affect them the most is hard.
Serving Him,
Jess
1 comment:
when i was little i did not like to take showers - not that my mom let me get dirty but it was a struggle because i was old enough i to be doing it myself, but i just didn't think i was "dirty enough" to care. in church i remember learning a lot about how we and our bodies are God's greatest creation and i think some of that influenced me in feeling that taking care of myself was important - not so i could "look good" but to try and take care of God's creation. But also, i think you guys are doing great - most kids have a phase of not really understanding how to take care of things because they dont care how it looks and also don't always understand money well yet.
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