30 Before 30 List - #1 Ride in a Hot Air Balloon

The #1 item on my "30 Things to do before I turn 30" list is ride in a hot air balloon. 

Well, guess what? 

CHECK!! 

When I saw two of my Facebook friends post pictures of hot air balloons last night, I knew that this was my chance! I gathered a group of friends, and today we set off for an adventure! It was the Alabama Jubilee and Hot Air Balloon Festival in Decatur, and we got there mid-afternoon. We bought giant snow-cones and walked around for a little bit. It was so hot I thought my feet were getting sunburned just from the reflection off of the asphalt!

The balloons were taking forever to show up, so some of our friends had to leave without even seeing them. Alisha and I said goodbye to Leah Kathryn, Jonathan and Brittny and continued to enjoy the people-watching paradise that is an Alabama festival. Finally the balloons were inflated and we walked around marveling at the bright colors. 

As we strolled, we ran into someone that I knew, if only from old reruns I have watched at my grandparents' house. It was Guy Penrod, my Granny Rachel's favorite singer from the Gaither Gospel Hour! He was playing on the Jubilee stage that night, and, after some prodding from Alisha, I finally asked if I could get a picture made with him. He was very nice, and when I called Granny to tell her, she actually squealed!

We got in line to go up for a ride in one of the balloons and met our balloon-mates, a little boy who was afraid of heights and his grandfather. They were very nice, and the boy did great once we got up in the air. It was a very long line, but we finally got to go up in the balloon right before dusk! I was so busy taking a picture of the inside of the balloon that I didn't even realize we had started rising! The balloons were beautiful as it got darker; the fire from the... mechanism... lit up the inside like a lantern. It was very peaceful, for the 60 seconds that we were in the air, then it was back to solid ground for us. What a fun adventure with my friend, and I get to check off one more thing on my list! 

Ok, maybe that kid wasn't doing so great with his fear of heights...

The Faith (and Humor!) of a Child

Tomorrow is my last day working at Latham Child Development Center. I am going to be doing mission work this summer through Trinity UMC's Intersect Huntsville Program, and I'm super excited about it! I'm not excited about leaving LCDC, however. I've been there for two years (minus last summer) and I've worked with almost every age group in the school. I've had kids call me everything from Ray Ray and Dodo to Daychel and Ray-Shoe! My coworkers are amazing, but the kids are the ones that have really spoken to my heart with their innocence and love. I have gotten more laughter out of those kids than any comedy movie or sitcom. I am reminded every day of Jesus' love for the little children around him and how my faith should reflect that of a child. I'm going to miss all of those sweet babies. I've been collecting funny things that my kids have said over the past two years, so I thought this would a good time to post some of my favorite kid quotes and pictures. Enjoy!  

These three sweeties have been in my class since they were babies!

Two year old quotes:


Dakota: Waychel... I like your...brown...big...eyes!
Me: Aw, thanks Dakota! I like your big brown eyes too!
Dakota: I not have big brown eyes! I have...tiny pink eyes!


Me: Who was born on Christmas?
Hudson: My friend Jesus!


A conversation between me and a friend in denial:
"Hey, what happened?"
"Nothing."
"Why is Dakota crying?"
"Because she isn't."
"I can hear her crying."
"...I didn't push her."


And later that day...
"Why did you push her again?"
"Because I didn't."
"Why are you being so mean today?"
"Because I am'nt."


Lacey: I love you, Moses. Say I love you.
Moses: I love you. Night night. Be good!


Isabella: Ms. Rachel, you're a nice big girl.
Me: Well thanks Isabella, but I'm not a girl. I'm a grown-up, like your mommy. 
Isabella: *gasp* My mommy's not a grown-up! She's just a mommy!


"SHOW ME THE MONEY!!! ...Ms. Rachel, what's money??"


Madalyn, while in the midst of singing Twinkle Twinkle Little Star for her classmates:
"Hey guys! You wanna watch my arabesque?"


Me: That was awesome, dude! High Five!
Moses: I not a dude!
Me: You're not? What are you?
Moses: I a big boy- Moses!


Me: You need to listen to Ms. Rachel!
Lacey: Hey, cool hair!!!


After I helped her blow her nose-
Gabrielle: I like your tissue!
Me: Um... thanks?

Is this the best picture or what? Pink skirt just dumped him.

Four year old quotes:


Patrick: Christopher is always mean to me!
Christopher: I'm not ALWAYS mean! ...Sometimes I sleep.


A four year old version of tattling: "Josh threw sand at me. So did Lana. I just made that up."


Zane is in love with me. He gives me a hug every day, that's why he's in love with me. He's pretty cute, but him and my brother are friends. Christopher is a liar and Zane is a liar, so they should get married because they are both liars.


(sniffing potpourri during a lesson on the five senses) "It smells... it smells like... ROCK AND ROLL!!!"


"Ms. Rachel, there's a beetle under there!"
"That's not a beetle, that's a crotch-roach!"
"Ohh..."


(while stroking my arm) "Ms Rachel, I like to pet you. You feel kind of fluffy and silky at the same time.


Trenton: My dad is a policeman.
McKinzie: Yeah, so your dad can do anything he wants. Except drugs.


"Ms. Rachel? Ms. Rachel? Ms. Rachel! MS. RACHEL!!"
"Yes, Mayu?"
"...I love you!!"


Trenton: I love hash browns. They are yummy in my tummy. I think there's a party in there!


Trenton: "I'm building something for Ms. Rachel, but don't let her look. She's pretty sneaky." (Who, me?)


Bella: Tell Ms. Rachel about when you went to Orange Beach.
Ari: I didn't go to Orange Beach, I went to the Blue Beach!


Miles, playing "teacher": If you talk, you will go to the office, and then... TO JAIL!!!


Other Kid Quotes:
Me: I want sparkly boots like yours! Do you think I'd look silly, or could I pull them off?
Ashlyn: You could pull them off. They're pretty easy to get off and on, if you wear socks.