Kids lead the church service

To mark the end of Sunday School for the year, this morning Audrey and Kate and the other kids at Augustana helped out with the 8:30 church service. Kate was a greeter and helped bring up the gifts -- she carried the wine jug -- and Audrey read the First Reading. They also sang some songs they had been practicing.

First Communion

Audrey and Kate had their First Communion this morning. They got to use the chalices and bread they made in their communion classes. Grandpa Dave and Honey and GPa came to watch. They were asked to say a few words at the 8:30 and 11:00 services, and were treated to cake during the Sunday School time. Afterwards, they went to brunch at Lucca.

Another communion class

Audrey and Kate had one more First Communion class this evening. This time, they practiced the two ways of receiving the bread and wine, and also painted clay chalices.

Communion class

Audrey and Kate are taking First Communion classes at their church. Tonight they helped make the bread that will be used at their First Communion on May 3.

Easter 2015

Audrey and Kate had a full day of Easter today. It began with Easter baskets and an egg hunt at their house, followed by church, a rushed pancake breakfast, and another egg hunt on the church lawn with cousins Lily and Cora. Then everyone headed back to Lily and Cora's house for an Easter brunch with GG and Michael and Grandpa Dave and Judy. After a little recreation and follow-up mission for the Beanie Boo Rescue Team at Archbishop Howard, Audrey and Kate headed to Honey and Gpa's for another egg hunt, dinner, and gifts from the Easter Bunny. (Click here if the slide show below doesn't appear or doesn't work.

Christmas 2015

Audrey and Kate had a busy couple of days of Christmas celebrations. It started on Christmas Eve at Grandpa Dave and Judy's house, after which the girls and cousins Lily and Elsa went bowling at Big Al's. They then went to GG's house for dinner and more gifts, followed by Christmas Eve church services at GG's church. They came home, made preparations for Santa's arrival, and then went to bed. On Christmas morning, they opened some gifts and then packed up themselves (and their American Girl dolls) and headed over to Honey and GPa's house. (If the slideshow below doesn't work or doesn't appear, click here.)

Church pageant

The final act of Audrey and Kate's festive Sunday was performing in the church Christmas pageant. As with last year (and the year before that), the girls chose to dress as angels. While skipping down the aisle, Audrey lost her shoe and had to wade back though the multitude of other angels to retrieve it, but made it to the sanctuary in time for the singing. Grandpa Dave and Honey Grandpa came to watch.

Cookie tour

Audrey and Kate met their cousin Lily and some friends from church for a tour of the Bluebird Bakers cookie bakery in Northwest Portland this morning. They had to put on hair nets, which they found strange and fun at the same time. After washing their hands, they got a tour of the baking facilities and equipment; saw the large amount of ingredients (lots of butter!) that went into each batch of cookies; helped make chocolate-caramel cookies, which the tour guide claimed would be sold in the shop later in the day; make a sandwich cookie for themselves to take home; and try a "flight" of cookie samples.

Garden volunteering

Audrey and Kate helped out at the Oregon Food Bank's Learning Garden today as part of a family volunteer outing organized by their church. They picked tomatoes (what few were ripe enough, anyway), beans, and a couple of eggplants; plucked some weeds; and helped box up and label the vegetables for storage in the walk-in refrigerator, which they got to tour.

Vacation Bible School 2013

It was time for another round of Vacation Bible School this week, this time at Westminster Presbyterian. Kate got to go for the first time. The girls enjoyed the activities and songs, and especially the refreshments and recreation in the church courtyard after the family night performance. The girls got to see their friends from church, and Audrey's school friend Amelia was there, as were the kids of her kindergarten teacher, Mrs. Davidson.

Easter egg-stravaganza

Audrey and Kate celebrated Easter with family and friends today. The fun began with Easter baskets and an indoor Easter-egg hunt at home. Then it was off to church for an Easter service (they managed to sit through most of the long service without getting too antsy), a pancake breakfast, and then an outdoor egg hunt on the church lawn with their friends Caroline and Lucas. Afterwards, they headed over to GG's house for brunch and another egg hunt. They got to see Nana, Michael, and Aunt Pam and Uncle Steve while they were there. Finally, they headed over to Milwaukie for dessert with Honey and Honey Grandpa and one more egg hunt.

(If the slideshow below doesn't appear or doesn't work, click here.)

Bowling

Audrey and Kate went bowling today at Interstate Lanes. It was an outing for families from their church. There were bumpers set up in the gutters for them, but they still needed some assistance from Mama and Dada to get the balls rolling. They insisted on using Dada's ball, even though it was too heavy for them to lift, because it was pink.

Angels we have heard on high

After much preparation, the girls were ready for the live performance of the church Christmas pageant this evening. Kate finally agreed to wear the full costume, and the two bounded down the aisle and sang with spirit. "Feliz Navidad" seems to have been Kate's favorite song; both in rehearsal and in the live performance she got really animated while singing it. Grandpa Dave and Honey and Honey Grandpa came to watch the show.

Angels in training

Audrey and Kate are going to be angels in the church Christmas pageant again this year. They had a rehearsal yesterday morning and another one this morning in costume (the church takes the Christmas pageant very seriously, apparently). Kate had to warm up to the idea, saying at first she just wanted to be "an angel sitting down (in the pews)," then that she didn't want to wear the costume, then that she would wear the gown but not the decorative collar. After the rehearsal yesterday morning, the girls joined the other kids for a "birthday party for Jesus."

Christmas prep

Audrey and Kate had lots of Christmas activities to keep them busy this weekend. It began on Saturday with a special holiday gathering at Heartwood Preschool for current students and graduates. The girls had a special music class with teacher Adam, made lots of crafts, and decorated gingerbread houses. On the way home, they stopped at a tree sale at Archbishop Howard to pick out a Christmas tree, which they helped Mama and Dada start setting up (there was a debate about who should get to put on the tree topper, so they both had a turn).

This morning was the advent festival at church. The girls did some more crafts, including making an advent log and ornaments. Audrey got to take a couple of whacks at a piñata. When they got home, they helped finish decorating the Christmas tree.

Crafty day

Audrey and Kate kept busy today with lots of fall-themed crafts. When they went to Sunday school this morning, instead of going to their classes the kids were treated to a fall celebration. The girls got to paint mini-pumpkins, make wax-paper "stained glass" with leaves and crayon pieces, and help create a mural of the Bible's creation story.

They then decided to capitalize on a break in the rain and headed over to Portland Nursery on Stark Street for the last day of the annual Apple Festival. They didn't have a lot of time, as Audrey had a playdate with a kindergarten friend to go to, and in the end other than tasting some apple cider the girls didn't do any apple-related activities at the Apple Festival. They did paint another couple of mini-pumpkins, tried out some hula-hoops, went on a scavenger hunt, colored, ate some pizza, and got their face (Audrey) or Arm (Kate) painted.