This was the first time that Jonathan, Ben and I all got up and I handed the boys over to someone else all 5 days of the week. It felt a little weird. I missed them a bunch...even though, I taught Jonathan in one of my classes and Ben was only 5 doors down and I checked on him as much as I could. Not to mention that we were only there for a little over 4 hours each day. BUT still, not that I need it, because I am VERY thankful that I get to stay home with my boys, it was just a reminder to be a little bit MORE thankful.
My role in VBS was a little bit bigger than I had imagined, but looking back I wouldn't have had it any other way! I was Director of Preschool Music. That included Kindergarten, Pre-K and Preschool (Preschool was just the 3 year olds) which was right around 60 kids. All the younger kids went to the nursery. I liked this age group, since VBS is actually for Elementary kids, the Preschool kids are all the volunteers kids. So I knew like 75% of the kiddos in my classes, which of course, made it so much fun! I taught 4, 20 minute classes each day. I was given a lesson plan that was suggested by the "Operation Overboard" packet that the church purchased. So I had 4 songs that I "had to" teach the kids each day and then we could do a few fun songs if we had time afterward.
I did not know this until the Sunday night before VBS, but I was also teaching the kids 2 songs that they were to preform at the VBS Program to all the parents on Thursday night. I was like WHAT??? I have never prepared 60 kids to preform anything. But as usual, I worried for nothing. The kids did amazing preforming both songs and the parents were happy and that makes me happy.
Also on Sunday night before VBS started, I was asked to "read a few lines" at the general assembly for all the preschoolers the next morning. They said, well your going to be running the music for the assembly any...again, WHAT? No one said I was running the music for assembly. But with a little hesitation I said yes, I'll read a few lines. So on Monday morning I was handed the script and I LITERALLY HAD 3 PAGES OF LINES!!!! Yes, I was a character in the main skit. I was the CAPTAIN of the Submarine! And the Captain was the one who kind of taught the core purpose of the lessons each day and everything! I actually had to act! Oh my! I am sure it was horrible, even though my friends were nice and said I did a good job! But I guess at the end of it, I had a blast and met some really neat people! Not to mention, I still was leading the music in the assembly too!
I think the funniest thing was how un-impressed Jonathan seemed about me being up on stage and teaching his class. It was funny. I would say, "What did you think of assembly today?" And he would say, "Ocho the Octopus was so funny!!" ...Ocho the Octopus was the puppet that I exchanged lines with. I will admit, Ocho was pretty funny. But come on! I the mommy! And the nursery kids (including Ben) came to the last assembly. I thought for sure he would be excited to see me up on stage, but no, he was pointing at Ocho the whole time. I was upstaged by a puppet! :)
Jonathan had a blast. All he cared about it that he was with his friends. It's been a month since school let out and he has missed seeing them. He had Art, Science, Recess, Music, and Story Time. I really think he liked all of it. Ben did well too. I have issues dropping him off some times, he will cling to me and cry. But by Wednesday he was walking right in and going right to his favorite play area. It made me happy!
I tried my best to take pictures, but it was really crazy and I didn't get that many great ones, but the church got some really good ones. I was trying to copy some of my favorites so I could post them on here, but it wouldn't let me.
Here is a link if you would like to check it out! Click on the Program one and look at the second photo. It is me at the front of the church leading the kids at our grand finale "Operation Overboard".
http://www.fumchurst.org/whats-happening/photo-galleries/vbs-2012-program/36/
Here is a link to Monday's photo's. It includes a lot of the decorations that I helped with. Including the under the sea hallway. Which the photos did not do it justice. There were black lights and underwater music. The kids loved it! And my music room was the only class in this hall. So I thought that was pretty cool! I also helped decorate the Yellow Sub for the Elementary Assembly. You can find me in the 16th photo. Holly and I are in the Chapel, in "Ocho's Cove" for the Preschool Assembly. (There were 2 Ocho's, the puppet was for the Preschoolers and the costume was for Elementary).
http://www.fumchurst.org/whats-happening/photo-galleries/vbs-2012-monday/33/
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| I love this, because it is the first time they have held hands in public. Ben was trying to run in every direction and I was holding a bunch of decorating supplies. So I asked Jonathan if he would grab Ben's hand and lead him to the nursery. So of course, I drop everything and take I picture! This is the under the sea hallway! |
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| Ben was obsessed with this shark! Cracked me up! |
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| I love this shot. Its after the second day and the boys and I went exploring! This is in the Fellowship Hall where the Elementary Assembly met. I helped put together that yellow sub on stage. The boys just wanted to run around! |
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| This is my music room. The store was pretty pick over of blue things from all the church members. So I grabbed plastic table cloth and stapled it in a gather at the top and then cut slits. I thought it turned out pretty cool for a $5 curtain! :) |
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| They had an abundance of fish dye cuts. So I grabbed some and spelled Music and then just put them around the room. I love tissue pompoms so I made some of those too! THE WATERFALL: |
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| I knew from the lesson plan I was given that I would have "movement songs". A few of the music classes I have been to with Jonathan, they march around the room. So I thought it would be fun to put up a "Waterfall" for the kids to go through when we did our movements! I was a big hit and a big pain! :) |
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| Jonathan and his class going through. |
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| So many of my pictures are blurry because they were in CONSTANT MOTION, but I liked this one. |
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| One of the teachers told me that one of the little boys (not his one) only smiled when he came to music! That made it ALL worth it! |
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| A friend was able to get a few shots of me during a class. I wore a sailor hat and that said "Jingle Julie!". I wore a jingle bell bracelet! It was funny, so many kids asked me to sing Jingle Bells! |
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| At the end of one of the days...Jonathan showing Ben how to go through the waterfall!!! |
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| Ben says, hmm...no thanks. He wouldn't go under it! |
TEACHING:
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| So, I have never taught before...EVER! The first couple of days were a tad overwhelming, but I think I really liked it...to do for 1 week out of the year!!! HA! (Notice, the beautiful water color fish behind my head. Jonathan painted this for me. He said my room needed it. It was my favorite decoration!) |
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| When Jonathan was in my class, he was by my side. I loved it. He was the best helper I could ask for! |
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| The kids singing, "If your happy and you know it!" |
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The best part of my week! Spending time with this sweet boy!  General Assembly in Chapel: |
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| Jonathan is on the second row, third in. |
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| Last day when Ben joined us! You can see Jonathan on the row behind him! |
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| This is Ocho's Cove! And that is Ocho sticking his head up! The kids would go CRAZY when he would pop up like that! It was fun! |
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| My boys and me in Ocho's Cove! |
Such a ton of work, but oh so rewarding! Everything looks wonderful, you are sooo creative. I know you will be asked back for next year. :) I know what you mean about appreciating getting to stay home- I was just thinking this the other day.
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