VBS 2022 highlights

 We had a wonderful VBS this year at our church. My whole family served this year, no more kids in VBS! That was different... My oldest daughter and her husband were in town for 4-5 days and she even held workers' babies in the nursery at VBS! We had SO much fun hanging out with kids all day but we are exhausted! I'm thankful for the amazing week that we had, and for the time to relax this week. 

My husband played guitar and led the band again. We played live music, which is always a bit of work for him, but the kids really do enjoy seeing their helpers and leaders on stage. He had a bigger band this year, with an extra electric guitarist and a cellist, alongside the usual bass & electric guitar, keyboard, drums, and 4 singers/ dancers. The music was so great! The kids learned the daily song each day during snack/music time with the 4 singers/dancers.

My son served as the games' leader for the second year in a row. His friend from church was an assistant leader, as well as a crew of 8 other teenagers/ young adults. They did great and it was very organized outside!

My 15-year-old was a leader assistant in the 2nd-3rd grade group. She had lots of fun with them, knew their names, got to know them, and was sad at the end of the week because she will miss her new friends. She made them thread bracelets and gave them out to 35-40 kids! She was an asset to our crew, for sure! She was also in the VBS band as a singer/ dancer (pictured above ^^).

My youngest daughter (age 13) helped this year with our Pre-K group. She wasn't so sure that she would like it, but she did. She had a good time with the little guys. She led the games group outside. She also helped them learn the motions for the daily songs. She also worked in the sound room on the projector, posting the words at the correct time when the kids/ group was singing.

She is playing Red Light, Green Light with bags of clay (above), and Duck Duck Goose (below).

As the director, I had fun wearing different silly hats each day. I wanted to be easy to find in a crowd since we had about 350 people on our church campus every day! I had a good time wearing them, and the kids often commented on my different hats.

The kids LOVED the flamingo hat, so many said it was silly and "Why are you wearing a flamingo hat?" I said, "Why not?! It's fun!" It did get heavy and warm on my head after a while.

Here is a friend wearing my hat...

Another view of the flamingo hat...and of the red hat with a flower.

Here is the green golf-type hat, 

I also wore a cheeseburger hat...

...and my Disney Cinderella ears! 

I also did the skits with my daughter, Mallory. The pictures are all from the back of the room, but you can get the idea. (Sorry they're blurry!) I wore my oldest daughter's black graduation gown and a big, blue top hat with silver snowflakes on it. I was "Professor Spark" and we did mini science experiments. I had a good time doing them, it brought back my drama days in middle and high school.

One boy told me that he knew it was me on stage because of my shoes! So attentive to details!

We had 260 different kids come to VBS and had over 100 volunteers for the first time ever! Usually, we have about 75-85 volunteers! We had 8 children accept Christ, which is a total blessing that I (we) 

had a small part in it! I was the emcee on stage again and acted in the skits with my daughter. 

Here is a picture of our yummy-looking snacks...

This was called "glitter glue," and it had fun-fetti cake mix, whipped topping, and vanilla pudding mixed together. I never had a taste of it, but everyone said it was delicious!

Lastly, here is my oldest daughter holding a sweet babe in the nursery.

 Here is our theme verse...

Ephesians 2:10 

For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.

Psalm 104:24
How many are your works, Lord!
In wisdom you made them all;
the earth is full of your creatures.

Matthew 21:9

 The crowds that went ahead of Jesus and those that followed shouted,
“Hosanna to the Son of David!”
“Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord!”
“Hosanna in the highest heaven!”