Wordless Wednesday

I love this picture my husband took with his iPhone of Devin walking to the Braves game last week.

Tie Dye Cards - an American Girl Doll Camp Craft

Here is one of our projects from my American Girl Doll Camp last week ... this project went along with the historical doll, Julie, whose era was the 1970's.

Tie Dyeing paper is not the same process as tie dyeing fabric. To give our paper that look we used shaving cream, alcohol inks and glossy cardstock.

It was a huge hit!!

To make your own tie dyed looking cardstock just follow these simple directions:

Spray shaving cream onto a plastic disposable plate (do not use gel shaving cream).

Add a few drops from each bottle of alcohol ink (we used three coordinating colors) to the shaving cream.

Using a plastic knife drag the knife through the drops of ink in the shaving cream. This should give your inks a more swirled look.

Place cardstock, glossy side down, into the shaving cream. Tap lightly then pick up the cardstock carefully, turn and repeat. The girls each did this about five times to get the appropriate amount of ink coverage on their cardstock.

Once you are satisfied with the way your cardstock looks remove from shaving cream and wipe with a paper towel.

We then stamped our cardstock with line image stamps.

All the girls just loved this technique and the way their cards turned out. It is a very easy craft to do with kids just make sure all the children are wearing either a crafting apron or tshirt as alcohol inks will stain.

Sun and Fun with Friends

Today we hosted 4 of Devin's baseball friends and their families at our Club for swimming and lunch. It ended up being a marathon 5 hour sun and fun fest.

We are thankful for these new friends Devin has made ... all four boys are from Devin's Spring baseball team and two of them were also on the All Star Team. All very sweet Christian boys with great parents, who we enjoy hanging out with. God is a great provider as I had prayed for Devin to find friendship with a boy his age, and with similar interests. Instead of giving Devin just one new friend he has provided four.
Of course, the girls had a great time too!!

American Girl Doll Stamp Camp

This is my second summer hosting an American Girl Doll Camp. This year I decided instead of offering several one day camps during the summer I would offer a 3 Day Camp for older girls and a 1 Day Camp for younger girls.

It was a lot of prep work but, I enjoyed so much spending time with these sweet girls! Each day we learned about a new period of history relating to the doll we were studying. This year I chose Rebecca, Kit, and Julie. We did two projects each day that coincided with the doll we were focusing on. For example, with Kit we made bottle cap necklaces - which had each girl's first initial stamped in the center. I chose that project because Kit loved to use a typewriter to write articles for her local newspaper and she also grew up in an era where everything had to be recycled and used - hence the bottle cap.

Each camp I also always choose a charity for us to work for. This year, for the American Girl Doll Camp, it was the Ronald McDonald House. The girls brought individually wrapped snacks for RMH and we made cards for the families staying there to use to send back home - (thank you cards, thinking of you cards, etc.). Next week I will deliver everything to the Ronald McDonald House along with a picture of all the girls who worked so hard on the cards.

One camp down and one to go next month!

Sometimes When You Lose - You Still Win

So proud of Devin's All Star baseball team ... tonight they were awarded Best Sportsmanship after the Pony State Championship Game. This award is voted on by the umpires and league director. Our boys had great attitudes through the whole tournament - that can be hard when you are losing.
We told Devin from the beginning of the tournament that win or lose it was all God's Plan and sometimes when you lose, you still win.

Father's Day

The kids made sure my husband had a really nice Father's Day ... it started with us running to get donuts from Krispy Kreme, early in the morning before my husband awoke. He did not get to sleep in as long as he probably would have liked because you have to eat Krispy Kreme donuts while they are HOT! :)

I think my husband's favorite gift was this picture:

... that we had printed on a canvas and gallery wrapped. He said it will look perfect in his office.

After church our afternoon was spent grocery shopping and decorating for our Father's Day dinner while my husband enjoyed some downtime.

Dinner was steak on the grill, baked potatoes, baby lima beans and a cookie cake that Lexi helped decorate.

3 Days - 4 Games

Over the past 3 days we have enjoyed watching Devin and his teammates play their hearts out in 4 games. We lost every game, the first one was a blowout but, the remaining 3 were close. Most of the teams we came up against were way out of our league, talent wise. Our team was comprised of players who, for the most part, have never played baseball outside of Upward (a non-competitive league). Devin was one of only two or three boys with more competitive baseball experience.
Losing though did not get Devin's spirits down ... he loved every minute of it. Devin's last up at bat during the tournament, was in the pouring down rain. Devin came up to bat with a wave to the stands and a little bow before hitting a double. When he made it back to home plate, it was with the biggest smile ever and that's what playing baseball is all about!

The Tournament Begins

Last night was Devin's first official tournament game ... though we did not win, Devin just enjoys playing the game any opportunity he gets.

He was so happy his "fans" (our good friends) showed up to cheer him on. Saying Devin loves baseball might be an understatement; when he is not playing baseball he is reading biographies on the great baseball players, or studying the latest stats for his favorite teams, or drafting teams of his own using his baseball cards.

Thankful Thursday

This week we are thankful for the extra time that summer brings ... time we can spend with friends, at a pool for the afternoon.

Wordless Wednesday

This is not the sight you want to wake up to in the morning ... a snake slithering around in your living room, while our wonderful cat watches on.

Summer Weekend Fun

This weekend we stayed busy with summer activities and attending the baptism of a very special baby ...

Devin received his All Star uniform on Friday night - the big tournament begins this week. Devin's team has been practicing non-stop and he is so ready for the first big game.

Saturday night my husband put on a small fireworks display for the kids in our driveway. I don't know what it is about summer but, fireworks just seem to be the perfect ending to a warm sticky day.
This morning we attended the baptism of Suzanna Paige, the daughter of one of my very best friends. Suzanna looked like an angel and was so perfectly sweet with all of her smiles for the pastor.
Sunday afternoon was spent at our club ... lunch and then lots of swimming!

Camp Winshape

Camp Winshape C3 has come to an end ... Devin and Lexi had a blast, once again! I don't know who is more disappointed that it is over the kids or I. Camp Winshape is 9 hours a day and my kids come home afterward and completely crash after talking non-stop about all the great things they learned that day. This is Devin's 3rd year and Lexi's 2nd. As always, the week long day camp did not disappoint ... this year's theme was Studio U. Devin was a Safari Village member this year and Lexi was in Ocean. I cannot say enough good things about this wonderful camp. If you live in the Southeast and this camp comes to your area I highly recommend it!!

Worshiping Jesus plays a huge part in camp each day there was plenty of time for worship through music and then a story in Studio U. In each story was what they call a "Call Time" truth about God with a "Role Call" response. For example today it was a Heroic Drama and the call time and roll call taught the kids that God calls, so let it loose or the text version - LiL. Based on Acts 4:18 - 20. I love how all the counselors have a great relationship with Jesus and are able to really share that with the kids on their level.

Devin's village (Safari) won triangulation which is the competition between all three villages that takes place each year. We had lots of fun decorating our car the day of competition - we were a house divided this year between Ocean and Safari. Our good friends helped us decorate the car by making posters for our windshield.

Camp Winshape gives campers many different tracks to choose from for their activity time. This year Devin chose - Drama, Secret Ops and Digital Photography. Lexi chose Drama, Crafts and Fast Food. Today we got a chance to see what they had learned or made during their track times.
Congrats Lexi for earning Camper of the Week for her Group ... she just loved her camp counselor, Ms. Bailey. We learned on Family Fun Day that Ms. Bailey is studying to be a teacher right now in college. She will make a great one!

So as another fun week of Camp Winshape comes to a close all we can say, once again, is ... thanks for the memories and see ya next year!!