Pictures from yesterday

We had a great time of crafts and games yesterday...I got very few pictures though, being the organizer, of course....sigh!  One day I'll get an extra set of arms to take my pictures :)

We had 5 girls over in the morning. Here is Lily, stringing beads. We did necklaces and friendship pins for their shoes :)

Layla stringing her necklace.

Abi and Grace working on theirs.  We also did a Nativity scene and talked about why we celebrate Christmas, drew a "girl" from the Draw, Write, Now books and decorated her with stickers.  Then we did Christmas Wreaths and made Rag Dolls and snow.

Some veggies that Melissa brought for our tea time.  I also made pesto pasta, cinnamon rolls, and gingerbread cookies.

The boys came at 3 in the afternoon.  We started with letting off air balloons, then a slime bucket, target shooting, and a couple of holes of golf.  I was able to grab the camera for the 3-legged races.  Here is Gavin and Ben.

Then, we did a group shot in the tree...wish I'd done something cute with the girls and their dolls...next time ;)!

Caleb Peterson, up in the tree.

Emmett

Gwangi and Gavin

Micah

Then, WATER BALLOONS!

Oh, no!  They're already gone....20 minutes of filling them by mom...gone in 2 minutes of fun!  Then, we went inside for water, snacks, art and science.  Everyone had so much fun!

My Secret Sister ornament arrived.  So excited!  It's very beautiful, thank you Cori.

Yes, we have presents this year!  Last year it was spread out through February because of mailing time...this year, everyone's got here before Christmas...we are amazingly blessed!  Happy Birthday, Jesus!

It's been a day...

Woohoo!  We had the HOPAC End of Term Assembly today...and then got two packages...read on!

Dhashrad and Krypto playing during the violin portion of the School Assembly

The whole violin group playing "Ding, Dong, Merrily on High" and "Little Donkey Boogie"

Sissi, she took a seat in the Kindergarten row.

Layla, one of Sissi's best friends here.

Grace, another best friend here...Sissi has so many good girl friends!

My sister's package!  Pretty beat up from the mail system.  The pillow was supposed to be a filler, but Indy was on Cloud Nine when he saw it...he loves Down pillows and we don't have one here.  There's chocolate, M&Ms, fruit rollups, spices, mascara and face stuff for me, gifts....paper towels :)...Megs, you're awesome!

Indy's Mom's package...oh, how well she knows her son....beef jerky, HUCKLEBERRY Pancake Mix and HUCKLEBERRY Honey, summer sausage, candy corn, gingerbread marshmallows, fudge, and gifts for everyone. One of the tightest and best packed boxes I've seen in awhile!

So, I just cannot stand surprises :)....no, really, I used to try and find my presents as a kid and I'm always asking Indy, "do you want to know what your gift is early..." He just laughs at me, he could wait forever it seems.  I let the kids open Aunt Meg's presents early.  I'm so glad I did, they are still sitting on my floor playing with them...SO HAPPY!

Krypto and some Star Wars Legos.

Gwangi and a Batman play set...it really shoots the orange chips too...oh yeah for me :)...thanks Megan!

Sissi and My Little Pony....what a hit, she's so happy, and playing "pony family" now.

Showing me which characters she has from the fold out papers.

The boys playing Batman and the Joker...So glad my kids are such good friends.  Thanks again Aunt Megan and Grandma Stamp!!!!

Sala Sala Christmas Party

Today was our Sala Sala Christmas Party...it was the day we invited all the older kids, that usually come on Monday, and the younger crowd (that we work with) that come on Tuesday, to a joint event.  It was the wrap up for a semester that we've spent telling them all the stories that point the way to Jesus!

There were 175 invites!

I'm pretty sure all of them showed up!

We had buckets of food, presents, entertainment, games....it was a blast!

The kids waiting to enter, through the back gate at HOPAC.

Shaun, checking them off the list.

Rose, talking to the kids and seeing their letters that they brought her.

The 12th graders did the final skit, the angels speaking to the shepherds about Jesus being born.

Grace and Megan.

Ali with some of the first ones to arrive.

Esther and some friends.

Laura with some of the kids, watching the entertainment.

A local dancing group.

Everyone was fascinated with the show.

Beautiful lady!

What a great personality when he was dancing.

Lucy and Benjamin

Rose with one of her friends.

Aries, one of the young ladies we work with from Changamoto...a ministry that works with local people dealing with alcohol and drug abuse.

Eva, she also is from the Changamoto ministry.

Yes, they are pretty amazing!

What incredible balance.

It started to rain and cooled things off a bit...Gwangi loved going out and standing in it!

Musical chairs.

What a sweetie..."piga picha" she said to me..."ok!"

Piga picha means "take a picture" in Swahili.

More musical chairs.

The boys got pretty competitive.

Christine, helping one of the little ones with her plate of food and juice.

Rose, helping an older sister that was trying to carry two plates and juices...you can see her little brother behind Rose's arm.

Handing out the food.

Karen, serving it up!

Michelle and Jane making some plates too.

Presents....they all received the book, that also had puzzle pieces inside.  Then, they got an age appropriate gift....cars, coloring books, etc.

What a blessed day!