Summer Fun 2014

Fun things to do in the Owasso, OK area this summer...

* AMAZING ATHLETES
Website: http://www.amazingathletes.com/easternOK
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/AmazingAthletesEasternOK

* BASEBALL CAMP CANCER BENEFIT for Bella Leddy & Kiley Palmer
June 13th in Skiatook
http://www.owassoisms.com/baseball-camp-cancer-benefit-for-bella-leddy-kiley-palmer/

* CAMP COURAGE USA
http://www.campcourageusa.com

* ELITE GYMNASTICS, CHEER, & POWER TUMBLING
Website: http://www.owassoelite.com/oelite/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/OwassoElite

* COYOTE RIDGE RANCH - Coyote ridge summer horse camp is right around the corner. First two weeks in June are full. June 23-27 July 7-11 July 14-18 and July 21-25 have availability. Call for details 918-271-2450. Half day camps day camps and overnight camps. Horses hay rides cook outs crafts games swimming and more. Yee haw!
Website: http://www.coyoteridgehorse.com/home.html
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Coyote-Ridge-Summer-Camp/103973732978584

* MAD SCIENCE CAMP
http://madscienceowasso.blogspot.com
July 24 & 25
Discovery Bible Fellowship (116th & Garnett)
Ages 4 to going into 6th grade

* OWASSO COMMUNITY THEATRE COMPANY
Website: http://www.octok.org
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/OwassoCommunityTheaterCompany

* OWASSO FAMILY YMCA
Website: https://operations.daxko.com/programs/redirector.aspx?cid=8007&pid=37449&sid=1037419
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/OwassoYMCA

* OWASSO LIBRARY
Children’s Summer Reading Program
May 27, 2014 – August 2, 2014
http://kids.tulsalibrary.org/whatshappening/events/10_summer-reading.php

* OWASSO RAMS BASKETBALL HOOPS CAMP
http://www.owassoisms.com/basketball-hoops-camp-being-offered-during-summer-break-at-ohs/

* OWASSO SOCCER CAMP
http://www.owassoisms.com/owasso-soccer-camp-being-offered-june-2nd-5th-at-ohs/
June 2-5
9am-noon
Grades: K-8
$60

* SC MUSIC STUDIO
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pages/SC-Music-Studio/669078789815801

* STUDIO C DANCE STUDIO
Website: http://www.studiocdanceandarts.com/Summer-Camps.html
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/StudioCDanceAndArts

* THE STUDIO: ART ON MAIN
Website: http://www.studioartonmain.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TheStudioArtOnMain/photos/pb.253041151465047.-2207520000.1400294830./453356948100132/

* THE LANES AT COFFEE CREEK
Free summer bowling
https://www.kidsbowlfree.com/center.php?alley_id=3645

* THE UKELELE PATCH
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TheUkulelePatch
June 4th, 5th and 6th
From 9:00am to 12:00pm
First Presbyterian Church, Owasso


SWIM LESSONS:

* Claremore Rec Center - http://www.claremorecity.com/index.aspx?NID=233

* Miller Swim School - http://millerswimschool.com
Taught at the Owasso Golf and Athletic Club, aka "The Greens", during June and July. Two weeks, Mon - Thur for 40 min. $84/per student. 918.254.1988. In addition to teaching kids how to swim, they also teach water safety.

* Oologah - http://www.oologah.k12.ok.us/vnews/display.v/ART/515dbf005806c

* Owasso YMCA - http://ymcatulsa.org/programs-services/aquatics/swim-lessons

* Rick & Suzanne Dossett - Sperry, OK; 918-288-6391


OUTDOOR CONCERTS:

* Big Shiny Bass Quintet (http://www.owassoisms.com/ai1ec_event/the-big-shiny-brass-quintet-performing-at-gazebo/)
The Big Shiny Brass Quintet hosts Music in the Park every other Tuesday at the Gazebo in Rayola Park. Performances will start at 7:00pm and run until 8:15pm. Bring the family, bring a picnic and enjoy the evening under the stars with Owasso’s biggest little band, The Big Shiny Brass Quintet!
Performance dates are May 13 and 27, June 10 and 24 & July 8 and 22. Rayola Park is located at 8300 Owasso Expy, Owasso. For more information, visit their website at http://www.bigshinybrassquintet.com/

* Owasso Gathering on Main (https://www.facebook.com/OwassoGatheringOnMain/); First Thursday of each month. Fun and free entertainment for the entire family with a different theme each month.

* Owasso’s Stone Canyon Summer Concert Series (http://www.stonecanyonliving.com/news/)
Bring your blanket, lawn chairs, picnic & enjoy the sights & sounds while the sun goes down over the lake & Tulsa skyline. Events are Free & Open to the Public...

June 5 – Cold Heart Band (country)

June 12 – Just Us Band (r&b/pop)

June 19 – Something Steel (island&pop)

July 3 – Freedom Festival: 7 – 10pm. The Fabulous Mid-Life Crisis Band belting out the oldies with a Patriotic Salute to kick off the Holiday Weekend


* KXOJ Summer Concert Series at the Riverwalk in Jenks (http://kxoj.com/featured/free-concert-series-at-riverwalk-crossing/)
Schedule will be posted soon!


* Free Starlight Concert Performances at Guthrie Green (http://www.starlightbands.net/)
All concerts begin at 8:00 p.m...

Tue, June 24 - Americana Night (Concert Band)

Tue, July 01 - Let's Dance! (Concert Band)

Tue, July 08 - Jazz Under the Stars (Jazz Orchestra)

Fri, July 11 - That's Entertainment! (Concert Band)

Tue, July 15 - Night at the Movies (Concert Band)

Tue, July 22 - At Your Request (Concert Band)

Fri, August 01 - Jazz Under the Stars (Jazz Orchestra)


* SUMMER'S FIFTH NIGHT at Utica Square (http://www.uticasquare.com/events/summers-fifth-night/)
Live music, every Thursday night from 7-9pm, all summer long. Utica Square's summer concert series serves up everything from jazz to rock to country. There's something different every Thursday
and best of all, it's free! Pack a picnic or dine at one of our great restaurants as you unwind
to your favorite local bands. Put on your dancing shoes, catch up with family and friends
and win great prizes like Utica Square gift certificates and merchandise from Utica Square
merchants. Celebrate summer every Thursday at Utica Square...

2014 Summer's Fifth Night Schedule:

May 29 – Mid-Life Crisis, Classic Rock

June 5 – Zodiac, Pop/Rock

June 12 – Light Opera Oklahoma, Musical Theater

June 19 – Bop Cats, Rock & Roll

June 26 – Admiral Twin, Pop/Rock

July 3 – Mary Cogan, Country Rock

July 10 – Starr Fisher Ensemble, R&B

July 17 – Luxtones, Classic Rock

July 24 – Usual Suspects, Rock & Roll

July 31 – Red Dirt Rangers, Red Dirt Country

August 7 – Traveler, Rock

August 14 – Jeff Shadley’s Mad Men of Swing, Rat Pack Music

August 21 – Jessica Hunt Band, Blues/Soul


SUMMER MOVIES:

* Admiral Twin Drive-In Movie Theater

* Collinsville Chamber of Commerce Outdoor Movies

* Guthrie Green

* Owasso Movie Theater

* Tulsa Summer Movies


MORE IDEAS:


* Owasso Area Vacation Bible Schools
http://www.owassoisms.com/2014-owasso-area-vacation-bible-schools/

* Tulsa Kids Magazine
http://www.tulsakids.com/Tulsa-Kids/Guides-Directories/Summer-Camps-Activities/

Mackenzie's 2014 Dance Pics

 Studio C Dance and Arts

Photography by Simons Photography

Teen Ballet III...

Competition Dance Team...

 

Awards given to Mackenzie on the last day of class (cute ;-) )...

So proud of all those girls and their hard work & we're so thankful for the awesome teachers at Studio C. They have taken the girls to new heights with their dancing skills & has instilled a deep love of dance in each one of them.

Giving New Life to Old "Junk"

I have two new products to share that my friend, Andrea with Paint So Pretty, introduced me to. Andrea has discovered Poppies Paint Powder and loved it so much she is now a sales rep for them in our area. It's a powder that you simply mix with regular latex or acrylic paint & it turns it into chalk paint - super fun and easy.

I recently took a chalk painting class from Andrea and we made these super cute chalkboards from old picture frames we found at Goodwill. She showed us how to mix the paint and the best ways to apply it to our frames...

My girls also took a class from her & had so much fun painting some pieces for their bedrooms...

So I decided to try my hand at it and refinished some stools I had for Asher's bedroom & for his side of the sink in the bathroom. I also used Frog Shape Tape - the 2nd product I wanted to share. It's so simple to use and currently comes in a chevron or wavy pattern...

What I didn't show in the pictures is that you do need to finish off your piece either with polyurethane or a wax unless you want to use your piece as a chalk board. Poppies Paint Powder and Frog Shape Tape - check them out!!!

Our Annual Homeschool Co-Op Field Day

Our homeschool co-op recently had our annual Field Day and it was so much fun! We met at the park & ate lunch, played lots of games, and ate Popsicles. A great time had by all!

Abby's Recital with SC Music Studio

Abby recently had her end-of-the-year recital with SC Music Studio. The theme was "A Night of Praise" and all the kids did so great! We're so appreciative of Miss Sarah and all the hard work she puts into teaching our kids and into doing the final performance. It's been such a blessing to so many families in our area.

"Heaven is for Real": My Review of the Movie

I took our 12 year-old daughter, Abby, for a date night out last night to see "Heaven is for Real" and here's my take on the movie, for what it's worth...

1. I liked the book better. It was an interesting surprise to me to see Greg Kinnear play the dad - I had no idea he was in the movie since I hadn't seen any of the trailers prior to watching the movie. I think he did a good job but the "acting" of the other characters was a little lacking.

2. The movie gets a lot of criticism because people say it talks about a kid dying, going to heaven, and coming back to life which is not really "biblical". However, they say several times in the movie that the boy did not die - he was just very close to dying. Maybe God did give him a quick glance into heaven to come back & share his story. It got lots of people talking about God & their faith, right? What's the harm in that? He was only 4 years old and for a 4 year-old to speak of the things he saw - it's just unheard of. I'm not saying it happened, but I'm sure not saying it didn't. Having said that, I also don't think we should let popular movies and books shape our spiritual beliefs. As Christians, our beliefs in heaven and hell, the "afterlife", angels, etc. should be based solely on what the Bible says because Scripture is the only source of truth. Here is an interesting take by David Platt, a video my husband recently shared with me...

3. In the movie, the "bitter" woman asks the dad if he believes her already deceased son went to heaven or not. The dad just talks about how much God loves us and that is all well and good but even His great love for us will not get us to heaven. It is our choice whether we accept His love or not. And that's a totally personal relationship thing with Jesus. We can't see into anyone's heart - that's God's judgement call.

4. I wasn't going to mention this, but since it bothered me, I am.  I think they "oversexualized" the wife and the relationship between the parents in the movie. Now I'm not against an "appropriate" amount of display of affection amongst a married couple but I think they went a tad bit overboard to the point where it made me a little uncomfortable watching a couple of the scenes with my 12 year-old. And to be honest, it just seemed fake and unnatural for the couple. And the wife was always wearing little short dresses with low necklines & tiny little nighties to bed. I just think it's sad that Hollywood thinks they have to throw that kind of stuff in to have a good storyline - even in a "Christian" movie.

5. I think we're missing the big picture of the point of this film. To me, it's not about whether a child actually got to go to heaven and retell what he saw after being given the chance to live again. It's not even about if there's really a heaven or a hell. (We already know there is because it's in the Bible. We don't need a movie to tell us that.) It's more about how are we living our lives intentionally on earth and are we loving "big"? Life is so short and we're not guaranteed another breath, so how will others remember us when we are gone? If we say we are "Believers", did our lives point people to Jesus or are we just one more reminder about how big of hypocrites "Christians" are?

6. The most positive thing to me about the movie is that it gets conversations going about people's faith. As Abby and I were driving home, we saw a beautiful sunset & had to pull over to take pics of it. I told her, "You know, Abby. This is a beautiful sunset isn't it? Just look at all the colors in the sky & the shape of the clouds. But can you even imagine what heaven will be like? It will be a gazillion times prettier than this sunset and life in heaven will be a gazillion times better than it could ever be on earth." A great ending to a pretty thought-provoking night.

Here's a few other resources to consider on this topic...

* Heaven: When Does the Journey Begin?

* "How Real is the Book 'Heaven is for Real'?" - audio by Pastor John Piper

* "Is 'Heaven is for Real' for Real? An Exercise in Discernment

* View from CP Entertainment

A Trip to the Zoo

Asher took this pic ;-)http://www.tulsazoo.org/