VBS

Mark is the deacon at church in charge of the kids 5th grade and under, and VBS is one of the things he's responsible for. Last summer it seemed like it was no big deal. Even late last Fall and early this year as we finalized the theme and started planning, it seemed like it wasn't too bad...WELL, WE WERE WRONG!!!!!!!!!!! We started many weeks ago having work nights up at church to start getting things drawn, cut, colored, painted, laminated, etc....then this past week we pretty much lived up at church getting everything decorated. Our theme this year is "Galactic Blast" and Mark put our dear friend Cathy (although she might not be our dear friend anymore after these past 2 weeks) in charge of decorations. She had an incredible vision and with lots of help we were able to pull off incredible decorations! Tonight was the first night. We had 92 kids and they all had such a great time! Everyone has done such an amazing job and we are blessed to have talented members that are willing to help and get their hands dirty! Beginning to hang all the black sheeting down the halls and getting the sun in place

Just a cute picture of my cutie patootie!

One of our members owns a steel company and Cathy went to him to ask him to make a world... he made this steel frame and 2 of our other talented members covered it in a tarp and cut out the land masses. This is the entrance to Great Oaks Galactic Blast! Pretty cool, huh?

Yet another talented member made this control panel. Everything turns off and on and the kids love playing on it!! Cathy just asked him to make something and this is what he came up with.

Ethan trying on Mark Baker's gorilla mask....he's part of the assembly team for VBS and last year he was Perry the Polar Bear. This year he's a green gorilla. Saturday when we were all up at the church working, Mark got his costume and put it on and we literally had several crying kids. Sooooooo, he cut the face out of the mask and put several coats of green spray paint on his costume. See pictures below - I don't think we had any crying kids tonight, except his daughter Gracie kept going around telling everyone that she didn't like her Daddy! Baker is always a huge hit at VBS!!

Karen hanging the last few planets in the usher hall.

Ethan playing with the control panel

The breezeway was completely blacked out as well and one wall had the sun and Cathy hung 3 bright lights with yellow bulbs.

Mrs. Pattye getting the glow in the dark tshirts ready for the kiddos

Inside the gym at the craft area looking out at the dining area. The lady that heads up the preschool at church was in charge of food for VBS. She and her crew cook dinner and serve it every night for everyone and it's just so nice not to have to worry about dinner! They do an amazing job and this year they went all out decorating the gym.

This is where the kids eat - and they put black lights inside the tent. It's so cool!

The hall from the sun to the gym was completely blacked out from floor to ceiling and we hung glow in the dark astronauts, planets, stars, etc....all the way down the hall and ceiling and replaced the bulbs with black lights. The kids love this!

Our moon and moon rover!

The rocket that Jeff made - while the kids were coming in and out of the auditorium, he put dry ice under it so it looked like it was about to blast off.

Ethan and his friends Charlie and Nathan at crafts

Nina's class ended up with 17 kids - it was a disaster getting them from the auditorium to the gym, so we got a rope for them to hold onto and it was much easier. They were so cute!

Les (our Involvement Minister) and Jason hanging out in the lobby

Mark the green gorilla Baker

Mark and Les reviewing their lines for the assembly time

Nina enjoying her first night of VBS!

The rocket that was constructed this afternoon in just a couple of hours for the front of the stage - many people pulled together at the last minute to make this! Whew....are we in charge next year too????

Oh, and I'll post more pictures later in the week, including the last night when Mark Noble will get hit with a pie, or multiple pies, from the kid that brings/invites the most visitors!!!!! (That was my idea)!