Friday, May 28, 2010

Presbytery 2010!

What a weekend we had last week! The annual Presbytery meeting was chosen to be hosted by - you guessed it - our church this year. The last few months have been spent in planning... and replanning... and finally the real thing happened. Our family found ourselves in charge of food, which is quite a job - and we couldn't have done it without great friends like Anna, Beth & Dawn and Megan & Raeanne (and many others who so sweetly volunteered to help).

Thursday marked the beginning of Presbytery; most of the men were in meetings for a majority of the time (that is the reason everyone comes anyway!), but the families were kept busy with games and activities. I don't have any photos of the very amusing relay races that the Hirsts and Geaschels came up with, as we were busy in the kitchen packing lunches.

We were blessed to have the Kayser family from Nebraska stay with us, along with their friend Laura. Here are the girls in the car on the way to the church (excepting yours truly - someone has to take the picture!)

Here we are - the Thursday morning kitchen crew, packing lunches for Friday. Many hands make light work!

Thursday's dinner was a "Taste of Christ's Church," with different tables offering victuals from the different ethnicities within our church. The Hills & Webbs had the Chinese/Korean table, and here's Wendy and Mrs. Webb making...
Sushi!

One BIG bowl of garlic butter for garlic bread at the Erber's Italian table

Megan & Anna making a fun sign for the evening

Part of the Beatty's and Geaschel's farm table...
...with its very popular "squeaky cheese"

The Chinese/Korean table, which I personally think wins hands-down for the best decorations.

Would you LOOK at this adorable, sparkly-eyed little man!!

After the taste-of dinner, everyone gathered for "CPC's Got Talent!" - a talent show showcasing some real talent, and some... well, let's just say we laughed a lot that evening.


Here are our own string players, plus 3 Adams, performing a fun, pizzicato song called "Plink, Plank, Plunk!" You did a great job and brought the house down! Video below:

(sorry Josh - we cut off your clever intro :-)


Anna, Megan & Raeanne performing one of their famous parodies. There is a video for this, but maybe you girls can send us the words because it gets hard to hear when everyone starts clapping along...



Next "Jolly JoJo" takes the stage with some vulnerable volunteers, who had the privilege of eating 5 saltine crackers and then attempting to whistle afterwards. :-)

Another cute little man - we've got a lot of 'em at our church! :-)

Some more volunteers were roped into performing an impromptu synchronized swimming routine with a few set props (shower caps and goggles - and a blue sheet). Some call it embarrassing, but somehow I get the feeling that Mr. McDonald was having a little too much fun. :-)

I have basically no pictures from Friday - but the day was filled with choir practice, food, and most families packed up and went to a nearby park. The evening held an ordination service, pizza (Chicago style!) and an ice cream social, plus a concert with The Wintons AND a dance (yeah - we are crazy).

Tons of pizza... and this was only the first delivery!

Dawn caught me redhanded devouring a whole box of mini cheesecakes!
(just kidding - I was simply sampling one to make sure we didn't poison anyone)

Certain gentlemen decided to take a whole tub of ice cream to their table and eat it themselves. They only managed to eat part of it - thankfully.

We're almost through, folks, if you have managed to read this far. Sunday morning found our building packed to the gills as most families stayed for church. For the first time, we had a line out the door for lunch. :-)



Tara & Dawn serving Italian Beef Sandwiches
(which, if you are wondering, is Italian beef on a sandwich)

Food, glorious food!

Megan & Anna feeling slap-happy, Grant wanting to get in on the fun, and me smiling and not knowing I am in the picture (sorry girls, I couldn't resist!)

"One of these things is not like the others..."
"...one of these things just doesn't belong!"

We found it humorous that we ended up with a picture of Melinda surrounded by a bunch of boys and Jonathan surrounded by a bunch of girls. In Melinda's defense, Tara was sitting with her but got up to take the picture. I'm afraid Jonathan doesn't have an excuse. :-)

Here's the last picture and the end of the post -finally! :-) A wonderful time was had by all. It was great to "fellowsheep" (inside joke) with everyone, meet new friends and strengthen friendships with "old" friends. I think everyone is looking forward to Presbytery 2011 in California!

Tuesday, May 11, 2010

If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land.

2 Chronicles 7:14

Tuesday, May 04, 2010

Our week with the Strands!

***EDIT: Video added***

This post is waaaaayyyy over due, but better late than never! :-) And I figure that if I don't do it now, I never will!

Back at the beginning of April the Strand kids spent a week at our house because their parents were out of town. I can't even begin to tell you what a fun time we had! So many card games were played, tons of golf balls were found and so much laughter rang in our home! :-)

So instead of trying to tell you all about the week (because that could end up being a novel-length post), I'll just let the pictures speak for themselves!



They arrived Monday night...


"Rent-A-Brother" begins with cleaning up all the willow sticks in the yard!


Mrs. C was giving a talk on Liberty at the retirement home we visit, so we all dressed up in our costumes. The folks loved it!

Dad broke out his bow and arrow since there were actually some people who could pull it (none of us girls can use it) and they had a fun time sighting it in. Still haven't found one of the arrows in the yard though...


Love ya, Lauren!!!


:-) Thanks, Stuart.


Maggie and Eleanor using flowers to decorate their hair


Awww! Two lovely ladies!


Artsy arrow shot


Mmmmmm, breakfast!


Erik making something neat with the legos

We got a balloon making kit and managed to make a couple knives and swords..... oh, and a bow and arrow that popped!


Dad and Maggie right before church (yes, Dad is using a cane in this picture - he hurt his ankle)


Hey!


So, is this a picture of Grant, or of Stuart?

Off we go to the hymn sing at Orchard Church!
"VICTORY!!!!"
(inside joke)
Photo Credit: Grant

Sittin' in the truck with Tchaikovsky's Serenade for Strings blaring and eatin' grilled chicken
-you can't get much better than that!
Photo Credit: Grant

Here is a picture for the O.P.A!!! The organist was AMAZING!
Photo Credit: Grant

Emily was asked last year to sing at the Orchard Church's annual hymn sing and they found out that she sings in a trio. So this year we were asked to come and sing with her. It was the biggest thing we've done yet, but, surprisingly, we weren't very nervous and it came off really nicely!

Here we are waiting to go on stage.
Photo Credit: Grant

Our trio, 3/4Hymn, singing "The Power of the Cross"
Photo Credit: Grant

Here's a video of our performance. Perfect? No... but we hope you enjoy it anyway... we enjoyed singing it!





Emily singing her solo - "Fill My Cup, Lord/The Wonder of it All"
Great job, Em!!!
Photo Credit: Grant

PHEW! It's over!!
Photo Credit: Grant

Yes, I know this photo is blurry, but you can see that we're just a little happy to be finished and maybe slightly hyper!
Photo Credit: Grant

As I said before, the boys found a TON of golf balls in our backyard as well as two clubs! (someone must have been really mad or something to throw their golf club into our yard!) Here Stuart is trying to hit a ball across the pond
Photo Credit: ?

Make that ball fly!!
Photo Credit: ?

We all sat down to do a little art
Photo Credit: Mom

Loo and Kay!
Photo Credit: Stuart

LOL! Love Erik's face!
Photo Credit: Stuart


Having fun?
Photo Credit: Stuart


Let's go for a row on the boat!
Photo Credit: Stuart


And here's where it all started... we began having a little too much fun!
Photo Credit: Stuart

We got SOAKED! And no, we didn't fall in the pond, we splashed the pond into the boat! Look at Erik's face in this photo! HAHA!
Photo Credit: Stuart


Here we all look a little guilty and a little wet.
Photo Credit: Stuart


An artsy shot of the white birch tree
Photo Credit: Stuart


"VICTORY!!!"

We miss you all and enjoyed our week with you soooo much!
Come back soon, adopted sisters and brothers! :-)
 

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