Tumble Tots

A friend told me about a tumble tots program that was going to be starting today at Gymnastics North.  We will meet every other Friday for an hour and the kids will get to play and learn about gymnastics.  So I thought it would be fun for Caleb to go to since Micah is in preschool on Friday mornings.

We went this morning, and Caleb had a blast!  Since today was the first day, they had it set up so the kids could have free play.  They got to go on the long trampoline.  There was a little obstacle course set up, and the kids could also go in the Monkey Maze, which I’ve said before is kind of like the play area at McDonalds. 

 

Caleb really enjoyed himself.  So much, that he didn’t even care about going in the Super Swing.  That’s the swing that is kind of like a swing on a bungee cord.  I kept asking if he wanted to swing, and he would say yes, but on the way over, he would get distracted by some other cool thing. 

There were about 10 kids ages 1-3 there.  Since they were so little, the parents were allowed to come in and assist their kiddos.  Normally, the parents stay in the front of the building and watch from there if they want.  It was fun to watch Caleb interact with the other kids and it was also nice to meet the other moms. 

The timing also worked out great since we will be meeting every other Friday.  We are heading to Texas for my sister’s wedding next Saturday, so we won’t have to worry about missing one of the days.

Bike Ride to the Park

When John got home from work he asked Micah if he wanted to ride his bike to the Briar Creek Park and then play baseball once we got there. Micah took all of one nanosecond to say yes. So John and Micah got their bikes and got Micah’s gear on and started off to the park. Caleb and I followed (or stalked, depending on your perspective) in my car. Hey, I had to take pictures, didn’t I?

Micah and John have ridden around the block before, but this is the longest bike ride Micah has ever been on before. It’s about 3/4 mile to 1 mile to get to the park at Briar Creek. Micah did really well.

Here’s some video I took of them riding past us.

I’m really amazed that Caleb wasn’t crying while I took the video since he REALLY didn’t like that he couldn’t go on the bikes too. But once he saw Micah and John ride past, he started crying again. Oh, the injustice of it all! We should get one of those bike trailers.

They made it all the way to the park, and we started batting practice. I didn’t get any pictures since Micah told me I had to be the catcher. I was taking my job seriously, so there was no time for lollygagging and photo ops. Micah is a really good hitter. He’s got great coordination and hit the ball almost every time.

After batting practice was over, we headed over to the little playground. The boys had fun climbing around and sliding on the slides. We didn’t really see what happened, but we hear a “clunk” and then Caleb started crying. He had hit his head on the wrought iron fence surrounding the playground. He came over and we kissed his forehead and made it better.

It was time to go home a few minutes later since it was getting cold. John happened to look at Caleb and we noticed that he had a GIANT goose egg on his forehead where he hit the fence.

We’re heading to Texas next week for my sister’s wedding, so I’m really hoping that the bruise he is sure to get clears up by then. I don’t think my sister will be happy if he’s got this big bruise on his forehead when we take family pictures.

Back to the story…

Caleb and I got into the car, and John and Micah took off on their bikes to head home. I’m just so proud of Micah, because he made it the entire way back home riding his bike. So he rode his bike almost 2 miles today. I’m hoping he sleeps really good and late tonight!

The Super Swing

Here’s one more picture.  A friend took this picture of Micah on the Super Swing at gymnastics.  He really loved it.

Gymnastics Camp

         

We sent Micah to a gymnastics day camp at Gymnastics North this week.  He went every day from 9 until noon.  He really enjoyed himself. 

They had a fun Monkey Maze which is kind of like the play structure they have at McDonald’s but much cooler.  They also have this really long trampoline that Micah really liked.  There was also this swing that 3 people could fit on, and the instructor would spin them around really fast.  The kids all loved that one.  And of course there was all the regular gymnastics thing you would think about.  There were the parallel bars, the rings, and the balance beam.

Every day Micah got to take a turn on the Super Swing, which is a bucket chair hooked up to giant bungee cords.  The teacher would then pull the chair back and let go like a giant slingshot.  The chair would shoot forward and then bounce all over the place.  It was cute because every time he would let out this squeal when he would shoot forward. 

The teachers said that Micah did really well in the camp.  He followed directions well (which makes Mama happy), and I’m guessing he learned how to do some basic gymnastics skills. 

It makes a mama proud!

Micah has been going to regular church with us, and then the kids are dismissed to Children’s Church usually after the offering.  He has really enjoyed being able to go. 

Once he turned 4, he was able to start going to the evening Children’s Church as well instead of being in the nursery.  A few weeks ago he was able to tell us his first scripture that he had memorized.  It was the Golden Rule.  He learned this after only 2 times attending the evening Children’s Church.  (Thanks Miss Angie!!!)  I just about started to cry when I heard him say it for the first time. 

Well this morning, we get home from church and were getting ready to go meet our friends the Websters for a picnic.  Micah started reciting the fruits of the Spirit, which is what he had learned in Children’s Church today.  He needed a little prompting from John, but he was able to do it mostly by himself.  And he didn’t stop there.  He has been repeating the verse all day!  The great thing was that after the first few times with prompting, he was able to name all the fruits, IN ORDER, without any prompting at all!  My heart has been overflowing all day!  I am just so proud of  my boy!

What makes this even more special is that Micah used to not talk all that much just a year ago.  Most of you know the trouble Micah had learning how to talk.  He had started talking a little at a pretty early age, and then one day just stopped.  It had worried me, even though most people just said he would talk when he was ready.

John and I really attribute the change in Micah to be an affirmation from God that we are now at the church where he wants us to be.  Because, you see, we had been attending a church with very few kids, and other troubles on top of that.  In fact, Micah was the only child in his Sunday school class.  He wasn’t getting much of a lesson. 

We had no sooner found our new church, when Micah started talking after just a couple of weeks.  Now, some people might see this as a coincidence, but John and I don’t.  We had been praying for months and months about whether or not to leave our former church, and really felt like God was leading us to North Avenue Baptist Church.  About a month or so after we had been attending North Avenue, Micah told us about what he had been learning in Miss Vickie’s class.  The lesson they had been going over week after week was “God with us.”  He told us that exact phrase.  When we figured out that was what he was saying the waterworks started for me.  When I told Miss Vickie about him telling us about the lesson, she told me that Micah was the first child she had that had actually verbalized what they had been learning.  Now to hear that about my son who had had trouble even talking was wonderful!

This may seem like a lot of babbling, but my heart is just so full, that I wanted to get it all out and share my joy!  My eyes are watering again just remembering it all.  I must sound like a crybaby, but I’m not ashamed to admit it.

Above all, I know that God has His hand on my little family, and especially my two little boys.  And that is the best place for us to be!

Olde Towne Market

Well, I did it!  I got my tables set up at the Olde Towne Market yesterday evening.  I was nervous, but everyone was very friendly, and I had some friends and family come by to wish me luck. 

If you don’t know, the Olde Towne Market runs for 8 weeks.  The farmer’s market runs year round on I Street by the Chamber building.  But when it’s time for Olde Towne, they move the farmer’s market and add the food booths, entertainment, and other booths and have it on H Street in the heart of Old Town Lompoc.

All in all, I think I did pretty well.  I sold some of everything that I had.  I won’t get rich, but I did make a profit!  So woo hoo for me!!! 

Here are some pictures of my tables:

I have reserved a spot for the rest of the time the Olde Towne Market is running with the exception of the Friday when we will be in Texas for my sister’s wedding.  Luckily, I only have to pay for the spot on a weekly basis.  I have also booked a table at a Christmas in July craft fair that will be held on base on July 25th.   The nice thing about that craft fair is that it is free.  I only have to donate a door prize. 

I had fun last night.  The ladies who had tables on either side of me were very friendly.  And it was fun to people watch.  So I’m excited about next week and the other opportunities that are coming my way.

An un-blurry Scrabble tile picture

I finally got an un-blurry picture of the Scrabble tile pendants I have made.  And don’t tell Disney about me using their pictures.  I don’t want them to send people out to break my kneecaps!

Will they sell…Or won’t they sell???

That is the question. 

I’ve been making some crafts.  And I got the crazy idea that I might be able to sell them.  So I’m going to try to sell them.  Every summer, the Chamber of Commerce puts on the Olde Towne Market fair on South H Street next to the Farmer’s Market. 

The price to rent a space was pretty reasonable, so I bit the bullet and rented a table for tonight.  I have been making Scrabble tile pendants…(I’m going to call them vintage, since I got the Scrabble tiles from my grandma who has had her particular Scrabble game since the dark ages!).  I am having trouble getting a picture that isn’t blurry.  I also made some glass tile pendants.

I am selling them with and without the cords, mainly because I wasn’t able to find enough of the black satin cord.  So the rest of the pendants are going to be displayed on a board.  The Scrabble tiles are on the top 4 rows, and the glass tiles are on the bottom 2 rows.  I thought that had made a ton more, but I guess it just seemed like I had. =)

I also made a couple different types of hair clippie holders for girls.  I started out making holders out of picture frames.  I also made them with cute little wooden shapes that I got from the craft store.

                          

And I have been making fleece tie blankets as baby shower gifts for a couple of years now.  I thought I would make a few of them and see if they sell.

              

So we’ll see how I do.  I used to sell PartyLite, and I have a ton of votive candles left over.  So I’m going to see if I can sell those too.  This is the first outing for Ragamuffin Express, so wish me luck!