Palm trees and Chick-fil-A... yep, we're in the South!Saturday, November 01, 2008
Wednesday, October 29, 2008
AMAZING Pianist
We stumbled on this video yesterday and this young Korean lady is absolutely AMAZING! Since I (Tara) am learning the first song that she plays, I know how hard it is - and it is NOT easy! Enjoy and be humbled and praise the Lord for the gift He has given this young lady.
Monday, October 27, 2008
The Scotland Reformation Faire
Well.... what a day! Saturday we headed down to Peoria for the Reformation Faire hosted by Providence Church. Lauren spent the night Friday and drove down with us since the rest of her family was unable to go.
In the car on the way there
After we arrived we were pretty much free to roam around the towne square area until the boffer war.
The "Saint Andrew's Towne Square"
A bagpiper
Then the young men and boys (and a few dads) were provided with arms (boffers, shields, spears, super-long boffers, and bows and arrows - all made of PVC pipe and padded) and were given instructions on how to fight.
The warriors receiving their orders
The march to the battlefield (a.k.a. the park down the street)
Tom bearing those heave plastic spears
The Scots charge!
Into the fray!
Emily and Tara looking stuck up (actually I think they were just straining to see!)
A 16th century bagpiper - on a cell phone??
Tara, Mom and me
After the battle, there were highland games and a Psalm sing happening simultaneously. Most of us girls wisely chose the more edifying route of the Psalm sing. :-) The highland games were still going on once we were done so we went back over to the battlefield, which had thankfully been cleared of the dead bodies. :-)
I didn't get any pictures of the boulder throwing contest for the men, but the next was a stick-throwing contest (excuse me, it should probably be called a log - stick doesn't sound very manly, does it?)
Mr. Geaschel gets ready to throw the log
The feminine camera crew with a few camera-less supporters :-)
The force of the toss throws Josh to his knees
Mr. Chidlow throws the log (don't you just love his authentic medieval Scottish costume!?)
Mom was cold so Dad generously shared his cape with her :-)
Despite not being exactly - ahem - average height, Tom threw the log pretty far! :-)
Sweet little Geneva Degenhart in the chapel - she's gotten so big since we saw her last!
We girls wanted to take a bow and arrow out to the field and take some pictures for fun, but the boys were playing with them - so Emily thought that if we just took the arrows as they came down, the boys would run out of ammunition and give up! :-) Here she is hiding one in her cape. It turned out that we didn't have to because the boys were told they couldn't shoot arrows so close to the church.
Bow & arrow photo op - Sokea
Tara
All the rest of us look so dramatic and Lauren looks so dainty!
That's a little better...
Emily
Me
Joanna - I think she posed the best!
Sokea took this picture of me walking back from retrieving the arrow and I think it is so funny because it looks like I must be weary from a long day of fruitless hunting or something!
Sorry, Wendy, I don't have any pictures of you because my card was full!
After the games there was "chapel" which included a performance by Nathan Clark George, singing one of the Psalms and a speech on John Knox by Mr. McDonald. Then after a little more time in the towne square, we headed inside for a spaghetti dinner and dance.
Justin and William McDonald playing cars (a very scottish pastime)
Then we piled back into the car for the 3 1/2 hour drive back home. Tara was so tired that she slept/rested the whole way, and Lauren and I were so tired that we yacked in subdued tones the whole way home about everything under the sun that was of no importance, from campaign signs to chocolate, and white or dark meat preferences to deep fried twinkies. Yeah. Oh the things we do when we are exhausted!
All in all, it was a wonderful day and a big, huge, GIGANTIC THANK YOU goes to the McDonald family (and the other families from Providence) who put this on and sacrificed their time and sleep to make this a fabulous event.
We got up EARLY on Saturday morning, dressed and ate a hurried breakfast, and then piled in the car for the 3 1/2 hour drive down.
In the car on the way thereAfter we arrived we were pretty much free to roam around the towne square area until the boffer war.
The "Saint Andrew's Towne Square"
A bagpiperThen the young men and boys (and a few dads) were provided with arms (boffers, shields, spears, super-long boffers, and bows and arrows - all made of PVC pipe and padded) and were given instructions on how to fight.
The warriors receiving their orders
The march to the battlefield (a.k.a. the park down the street)
Tom bearing those heave plastic spears
The Scots charge!
Into the fray!
Emily and Tara looking stuck up (actually I think they were just straining to see!)
A 16th century bagpiper - on a cell phone??
Tara, Mom and meAfter the battle, there were highland games and a Psalm sing happening simultaneously. Most of us girls wisely chose the more edifying route of the Psalm sing. :-) The highland games were still going on once we were done so we went back over to the battlefield, which had thankfully been cleared of the dead bodies. :-)
I didn't get any pictures of the boulder throwing contest for the men, but the next was a stick-throwing contest (excuse me, it should probably be called a log - stick doesn't sound very manly, does it?)
Mr. Geaschel gets ready to throw the log
The feminine camera crew with a few camera-less supporters :-)
The force of the toss throws Josh to his knees
Mr. Chidlow throws the log (don't you just love his authentic medieval Scottish costume!?)
Mom was cold so Dad generously shared his cape with her :-)
Despite not being exactly - ahem - average height, Tom threw the log pretty far! :-)
Sweet little Geneva Degenhart in the chapel - she's gotten so big since we saw her last!
We girls wanted to take a bow and arrow out to the field and take some pictures for fun, but the boys were playing with them - so Emily thought that if we just took the arrows as they came down, the boys would run out of ammunition and give up! :-) Here she is hiding one in her cape. It turned out that we didn't have to because the boys were told they couldn't shoot arrows so close to the church.
Bow & arrow photo op - Sokea
Tara
All the rest of us look so dramatic and Lauren looks so dainty!
That's a little better...
Emily
Me
Joanna - I think she posed the best!
Sokea took this picture of me walking back from retrieving the arrow and I think it is so funny because it looks like I must be weary from a long day of fruitless hunting or something!Sorry, Wendy, I don't have any pictures of you because my card was full!
After the games there was "chapel" which included a performance by Nathan Clark George, singing one of the Psalms and a speech on John Knox by Mr. McDonald. Then after a little more time in the towne square, we headed inside for a spaghetti dinner and dance.
Justin and William McDonald playing cars (a very scottish pastime)Then we piled back into the car for the 3 1/2 hour drive back home. Tara was so tired that she slept/rested the whole way, and Lauren and I were so tired that we yacked in subdued tones the whole way home about everything under the sun that was of no importance, from campaign signs to chocolate, and white or dark meat preferences to deep fried twinkies. Yeah. Oh the things we do when we are exhausted!
All in all, it was a wonderful day and a big, huge, GIGANTIC THANK YOU goes to the McDonald family (and the other families from Providence) who put this on and sacrificed their time and sleep to make this a fabulous event.
Wednesday, October 22, 2008
Pleasantly surprised...
Well, I have to disagree with Tara that "not much has been going on." I got a little dose of excitement last week which was far from "not much," (at least in my opinion).
The final winner has not been announced yet, but I was very happy to finally have written something that was good enough to make it into the "finals." Another interesting thing was that it was the story of Lady Jane Grey, which has a very Christian theme, and I don't know if these judges were Christians or not - not all homeschoolers are! All the finalists' pieces are being judged by professionals - eek!! :-)
Last month I entered a short story in a writing contest for homeschoolers. I've entered many different contests before and have never placed, so I was VERY pleasantly surprised when I checked the website and saw my name as one of the finalists!
The final winner has not been announced yet, but I was very happy to finally have written something that was good enough to make it into the "finals." Another interesting thing was that it was the story of Lady Jane Grey, which has a very Christian theme, and I don't know if these judges were Christians or not - not all homeschoolers are! All the finalists' pieces are being judged by professionals - eek!! :-)
Friday, October 17, 2008
Update
Not much has been going on at the Yen household. Dad and Kathryn went to a "Serenade for Strings" concert by the Lake Forest Symphony on Saturday, which I hear was very good. On Sunday all the "older kids" started learning a choral piece which is REALLY pretty while the parents were at the Erber's house watching the "Love and Respect" video. Wednesday we were at the Hirst's helping out along with Beth Beatty...that's a post in and of itself! Thursday we went over to our friends the Chidlow's house and practiced some songs together, chatted about our sewing stuff (we always do), and laughed, and laughed, and laughed some more. Tonight two families from church are coming over to watch part 2 of Love and Respect which they missed when it was played at church. Other than that, we have just been busy with life, getting ready for the Reformation Faire next weekend (*smile*) and enjoying the fall weather! Here are some random photos for your enjoyment!
Dad and Kathryn ready for the concert
Summer is gone...
Fall is here!
Mrs. Carlson and Megan doing one of the games at Mrs. Hill's baby shower
This is what happens when Kathryn forgets to velcro the harp cover closed
Our family at the Reformation Fair last year
Dad and Kathryn ready for the concert
Summer is gone...
Fall is here!
Mrs. Carlson and Megan doing one of the games at Mrs. Hill's baby shower
This is what happens when Kathryn forgets to velcro the harp cover closed
Our family at the Reformation Fair last yearTuesday, October 07, 2008
We were tagged
The Del Sisters tagged us to tell 6 things about ourselves, so here goes...btw, this is just Kathryn and Tara
1. People often ask us if we are twins, even though we don't think we look alike
2. We have both been playing the piano since we were 6
3. We both like sewing historical costumes
4. We both firmly believe that chocolate is essential to staying alive
5. We love music
6. We both hate blood in movies
We tag anyone who wants to do it
Here's what to do!
1. Link to the person who tagged you.
2. Post the rules on your blog.
3. Write six random things about yourself.
4. Tag sixish people at the end of your post.
5. Let each person know he or she has been tagged.
6. Let the tagger know when your entry is up.
1. People often ask us if we are twins, even though we don't think we look alike
2. We have both been playing the piano since we were 6
3. We both like sewing historical costumes
4. We both firmly believe that chocolate is essential to staying alive
5. We love music
6. We both hate blood in movies
We tag anyone who wants to do it
Here's what to do!
1. Link to the person who tagged you.
2. Post the rules on your blog.
3. Write six random things about yourself.
4. Tag sixish people at the end of your post.
5. Let each person know he or she has been tagged.
6. Let the tagger know when your entry is up.
Monday, September 29, 2008
10th Anniversary Videos
Well... here are the long-awaited videos from the church anniversary celebration variety show! Please note that we videoed on our mini camcorder, therefore video quality is not that great. Due to a *LOT* of laughter and no mics, some of the skits couldn't be heard and so I will only post the ones that are fairly understandable (so if you don't see your act, don't take it personally :-).
Drum roll please....
The show begins with "Women in Black" singing their celebration song!
Here are the youngest Geaschel and Hirst kids (accompanied by "Miss Anna") singing "Keep My Commandments." Notice that suddenly one voice gets louder - that's Samantha Hirst getting REALLY into this singing into the microphone thing... SO CUTE!
And ALL the Hirst & Geaschel kids reciting the 10 commandments and then singing them.
And now it gets funny. Here's Tom and Aaron - I must say they did a marvelous job with the accents. :-)
(I heard that Miss Eleanor S. asked her mother that night, "Mom... who is Alibaba?" Hmmm...)
And the following video is posted at the request of Mrs. Strand - Lauren, I sincerely apologize. It is a bit hard to hear from the laughter.
Behind the scenes note: When Daniel tries to hand Lauren the toy, you will notice that she starts putting Cheerios in her mouth instead (Wendy is being her arms) and suddenly appears to be choking - the reason being, that Wendy is unknowingly putting Cheerios in Lauren's mouth that had just fallen out of Tom's mouth! Grosssssss! :-)
This one we missed the beginning - everyone is laughing because Joseph is getting in the elevator from "Level 2: Women's Clothing." :-) It's hard to hear, but as each person gets on they are saying "C'mon, Ten..."
Well, hope you all enjoyed... :-)
Drum roll please....
The show begins with "Women in Black" singing their celebration song!
Here are the youngest Geaschel and Hirst kids (accompanied by "Miss Anna") singing "Keep My Commandments." Notice that suddenly one voice gets louder - that's Samantha Hirst getting REALLY into this singing into the microphone thing... SO CUTE!
And ALL the Hirst & Geaschel kids reciting the 10 commandments and then singing them.
And now it gets funny. Here's Tom and Aaron - I must say they did a marvelous job with the accents. :-)
(I heard that Miss Eleanor S. asked her mother that night, "Mom... who is Alibaba?" Hmmm...)
And the following video is posted at the request of Mrs. Strand - Lauren, I sincerely apologize. It is a bit hard to hear from the laughter.
Behind the scenes note: When Daniel tries to hand Lauren the toy, you will notice that she starts putting Cheerios in her mouth instead (Wendy is being her arms) and suddenly appears to be choking - the reason being, that Wendy is unknowingly putting Cheerios in Lauren's mouth that had just fallen out of Tom's mouth! Grosssssss! :-)
This one we missed the beginning - everyone is laughing because Joseph is getting in the elevator from "Level 2: Women's Clothing." :-) It's hard to hear, but as each person gets on they are saying "C'mon, Ten..."
Well, hope you all enjoyed... :-)
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