Venture 2012

This weekend Will and I co-hosted a group of 10th grade boys for Venture 2012! (It's similar to Disciple Now if you've heard of that.) Our friends and fellows hosts, Nicole and Brad, were the ones who actually opened up their home (we opened up our guest bathroom for showers!) and we spent the entire weekend with 7 tenth graders. And you know what? It was a blast! I don't know if it's because I'm outnumbered now, but I love boy time! I truly wonder if I'm destined to be a boys-only mom because I feel really comfortable around boys. Is that weird? I would absolutely love to have a daughter, but after spending 48 hours with boys and boy talk and doing boy things, I have to say I would be up for the challenge!

All the boys!

Liam representing Venture 2012 in his shirt Nicole made him!

We picked our group up Friday night and Will and Brad, along with the high school boys and their two college leaders, had a session at the church while Nicole and I loaded all the boys' stuff into our cars and hung out at Sonic with the babies until they were finished. Nicole and Brad have three kids, but Emma was the only one present for the weekend - she's 2.5 months old. We all went back to their home for a Bible study and hanging out after. Liam was such a trooper and stayed up until 10:30pm! The two of us left and Will stayed for video games until the wee hours of the morning.

Working hard and playing hard at the Boys and Girls Club!

Liam and Emma playing at the Boys and Girls Club, and then being driven all over kingdom come during the scavenger hunt!

Saturday we all went to the local Boys & Girls Club to clean/paint/etc. Nicole and I (and the babies) were the designated picture takers. All the hosts had their own Facebook page to upload pictures to throughout the weekend - don't you just love technology? After lunch and another session, it was time for the iHunt scavenger hunt. Each house was given a list of things to do, then someone takes a picture with their phone and uploads it to their Facebook page to collect points. These boys did some CRAZY things - one boy even shaved his head! The things you will do for 500 points :)

Then we had some down time before dinner at the church and another session. I actually took Liam home for a normal bedtime, but Will hung out at Brad and Nicole's until about midnight trampoline cage-fighting. Boys will be boys...

Scavenger hunt activities - fit as many people as you can in a bathtub and jumping rope on a trampoline! Sidenote: WHY won't boys smile for group pictures??!

The kids went home today, and us old people are still trying to recover, ha! We had to get up early every morning and going, going, going all day with a baby and a group of teenagers is exhausting, but I am already looking forward to next year! Not only were they sweet and fun boys, but it was really amazing listening to young men talk about God and their faith. It's really encouraging and makes me hopeful for the future. :)

Cade was really interested in Liam's chubby baby toes :)

Relaxing...for like 5 seconds.

P.S. I'm SO glad Will has the day off tomorrow - we are going to SLEEP IN! Well, as long as Liam will let us :)