Monday 27 July 2015

Sing by the Sea

Right after Holiday Bible Club in Scotland we invited all parents, participants, workers, and dogs to a fun event called Sing by the Sea.
Sing by the Sea is held the Sunday evening following Holiday Bible Club at Roseisle Beach. 
There are pine trees all around and the dunes have spread into the trees making for an almost ethereal,  Lord of the Rings type landscape.
I loved it.
I felt my inner Arwen come out.
Quick someone get me a bow and arrows.


Saturday 25 July 2015

Club of the Bible for the Holiday

Well I'm not entirely sure why I can't do a normal title. It's not that hard.
I suppose I like to live my life in the creative fast lane. 
This just comes through into my title writing. 
Wow. What a fast lane Jordan, more like Yoda wanna-be.

Anyhow, I think we all know this post is about our recent 12th annual Holiday Bible Club.
Holiday Bible Club is a Scottish version of Vacation Bible School.
Now my most poignant memories of VBS are of watered down Kool-Aid and  one-cookie per kid rations.
Apparently food was a big deal for me even at a tender age.

If your memories of VBS are similar I want you to take your preconceived notions and throw them right out the window. 
HBC is fun. 
HBC is loud. 
HBC has awesome music. 
HBC has powerful messages of Jesus each day.
HBC even has decent snacks. 
Kool-Aid is not a UK thing so there's no danger of some well-to-do older lady in the church RUINING it with too much water. 
Yes, I should probably seek counseling for regressed feelings of animosity over the ruination of a drink.

This years theme was "Everest" and the message was daily learning aspects of God's power. 
This was a fun theme
even if I did have to paint the Himalayans on 38 billion cubic feet of cardboard.

Prep day.
Lots of fun to decorate.

Marianne, you'll ruin your teeth!

Ness testing the stage for performance purposes.

Caedmon is always a super helper.
We had a BBQ with face-painting early that morning, so pardon his face.

We decorate walls, yo.

Sorting of the mountains.
I will say the mountains look better from a distance.
So vacate your seat, step away from your computer, and squint.
Thank you for your assistance.


These look like Jordan got ahold of some paint and slapped it on cardboard haphazardly,
which I would NEVER do.
I have a real problem with artistic endeavors that take longer than 42 minutes of my life.
We hit 43 minutes and I start slopping through like jungle native with a machete.


Finished product!


And even though my husband pointed out the error that we were obviously above tree line with trees hanging out all around.
I say anytime you can use artificial Christmas trees beyond December to decorate DO IT!



Cutie pie kids.


Just say no to bird feeders and burned matchstick crosses;
no over-used VBS crafts here.
Experiments in Imagination Station all the way!

My newest BFF, Kara, and her dad, Bill ran the experiments.
I love Kara to the flag. 
Unfortunately I had to move 5,000 miles away for us to figure out we would like to be friends. 

Fun story called Bill is known to us as Dr. W because he delivered our older children.
Bless the man for knowing me in labor and still talking to me today.

Fun bubble experiments!

All loved it.

Singing and dancing, look at all those kids!

Willie and Airby being besties.

Up on stage.
Ellie and Kaitlin have some mad moves.

Taylor Devin/Devy Taylor made BFF's with ALL small children there.

My mom and the creepy Trek Rockrambler doing a sketch.
People think they can put coffee grounds on their face for an imitation beard 
and get away with anything...
including wearing their husbands clothing and acting like a man.


Airdrie Bear approximately 34 minutes before being sick in front of the crowded gym.
Awesome.
Extra mommy points when you've cleaned up Oreo throw up from in front of a crowd of a couple of hundred kids and workers.


Sharon and Nancy did the Bible time.
Sharon is a Buckie quine (queen, or girl) and Nancy is from Nigeria.


My oldest and youngest dancing together.
Be still my heart.


It was great week!
Even when grandma OK'd the playing with camp cook pots
resulting in this look for the 1 year old.

We love HBC and the revamping of Bible Schools across the world!



Saturday 18 July 2015

Highland Gaming

So I have been absent from social media, this blog, and most of my cognitive functions these past few weeks. This is all for good reason. 
Namely: 
1. my mom coming to Scotland 
Read: GOOD GOLLY I GOTTA CLEAN MY HOUSE!
Sorry I shouted that, but it's a real concern of mine. Because I don't want my mom to think we live the way that we live. She says she lived with me for 18 years, she already knows, but still, I like to do "fake house" for when she comes.
2. Holiday Bible Club all week long
Read: guys I love hanging out with the kids, but it leaves little time for anything else
3. Americans were visiting
The teams from Missouri and Florida were more fun than a barrel of monkeys to hang around. So yes, I choose real people over the virtual ones. Don't get me wrong though, I looovvveee our blog readers.
4. Holiday Bible Camp
Read: Planning a church camp takes a lot of work, and attention to detail. Hint: Jordan's not a detail person.
5. Moving a family of 6 over 5,000 miles away
Read: Help.

So may I please get an excused absence?
Thanks in advance.
Or "tia," like they say online nowadays. Which bothers me because I think people are going rogue speaking in EspaƱol at the end of their sentence....and then I never find out what they want to say about their dear auntie.


Monday 6 July 2015

HOW TO Series: How to Cut a Pancake

This is a new feature on the blog called, "HOW TO Series."
Which basically means Mr. Anderson had a great idea a while back and told me I should put it on Pinterest. 
I'm not trying to knock his idea, but I just wasn't feelin' it. Until he mentioned it repeatedly every time we had pancakes the past year and a half. 
So finally I relented and got my camera out to make a tutorial.

So, without further ado:
How to Cut a Pancake
In a multi-step tutorial with way more photos than you'd ever need for comprehension.


In learning how to cut a pancake, it is helpful to start with a pancake.
I prefer to use The Pioneer Woman's recipe for perfect pancakes but any 'ol griddle cake will suffice.