from me

Last week my niece had the honor of playing with her high school band AND the Navy band at Pearl Harbor. This is especially touching for our family, as my uncle was in the Navy band and stationed at Pearl Harbor when it was bombed Dec. 7, 1941. Thankfully he was not wounded, although his ship was damaged.

Nixa and Navy Bands at Pearl Harbor

You can read a news article about my niece’s band and this honor here.

Congratulations, Kayleigh!

In memory of Uncle Bud, who just died a few months ago.

And our weekend is off! Friday we picked up 2 of dd’s friends (young adults, flying in to Denver from their home in Michegan,) that we’d met with their family at Family Reformation Camp 4 years ago. Friday night 2 other friends, that we’d met with their family at Little Bear Wheeler’s family camp 3 years ago, also drove in (from Denver.) For this week the boys REALLY outnumber the girls here. 8 to 4! That is REALLY strange still for me, even though our 4 older girls have been grown and gone for quite a while now. (Youngest of the 4 married nearly 5 years ago.)

The young people have a busy weekend planned, in addition to our family activities. All will culminate (mostly) in the annual Memorial Day cookout at our house, with hopefully at least most of our grown children and grands joining us. We will return the last of our visitors to Denver on Wed. (unless K goes good on her declaration that she’s staying here). We’d love to have her.

Looking forward to a fun but busy weekend/week.

Not my normal type post today. Not a normal day. Today’s our baby’s birthday. She was born 18 years ago.

Today’s a dreary snow flurry day, but no bitter cold blizzard like 18 years ago.

18 years ago I went to vote that night when I came home. Today we know the results of the election of 2 days ago. 18 years ago we lost our gubernatorial seat, and they also retained the senate seat. This year we kept our senate and house seats, but lost our Presidential seat.

18 years ago she would have come home to 4 older sisters. Today she’d be living with 4 younger brothers, plus 2 younger sisters. But she still wouldn’t have been able to vote yet - missing it by 2 days would have been a ‘bummer’ I’m sure.

18 years ago our baby was born - and died, 3 hours after she was born. Today I visited her grave, for the 18th time on this day.

We’d be taking her out for dinner for her 18th birthday tonight. It would be quite the celebration. The guys aren’t here tonight - off shopping at Cabela’s. I think we girls will go celebrate - her who has gone before us.

Happy Birthday Mykayah!

Here’s other’s posts from the Reformation Day Faire (link to my post and pics). Enjoy their pics. You’ll find us in the background of a few of them (unbeknownst to the photographers - we didn’t know anyone there.)

But, before I give the links I just want to note one more thing about the faire. I was thrilled to see so many babies in slings. They were all over the place. (Some of the slings in fabric matching the family’s outfits.) It reminded me of homeschool conferences.

On to the pics.

Tiffany’s at Reflecting on the Simple Things in Life and Picasa album here - Can you See Me? (It’s like Where’s Waldo?)

Emil’s pics

Jessica’s pics and Picasa Album - and links to others

Kids for Christ’s Picasa Album and Album 2

The Ryken Clan’s pics

Sierra Candler’s - from Life in the Country -  Picasa Album - includes the Boffer Armory, and even a few with our family in them.

Creath Family’s - Picasa Album (click the pic) - we’re in the background of a few of these

Dawn’s at From the Writer’s Camera

There may be more linked from these in the future, as most of them know each other.

For Me and My House ~ At Jesus’ feet,
Lisa @ Me and My House ~ Discipleship for Life!
1 Thessalonians 5:23
Order Christian & Home Ed Resources here

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After having a great time in the Boffer Wars at the Reformation Day Faire last weekend, our boys of course had to come home and make their own Boffer weapons. They were thrilled to have an opportunity to do it soon, as our 11 yos, had his last football game Tues. and dh is his coach and he planned a pizza party for Thur night. for the team. So perfect opportunity to engage again. The boys worked every free moment this week to get the weapons ready - mostly swords. They of course had a great time again, and were thrilled to introduce their friends to boffers.

For Me and My House ~ At Jesus’ feet,
Lisa @ Me and My House ~ Discipleship for Life!
1 Thessalonians 5:23
Order Christian & Home Ed Resources here

Get future posts to this blog by email:

Our family just returned this week from vacation in Peoria, IL, where we attended a Reformation Day Faire, put on by Providence Church. The reformer they focused on this year was John Knox. So the theme was Scottish.

bagpipers

We all had a great time - and learned more about not only John Knox, but also an overview of the Reformation, particularly of Scotland. We had studied the Reformation last year, but didn’t focus on Scotland, so we learned a few new things about it.

family pic - bad scan, I’ll try to get a better posted

Costumes were optional (and certainly didn’t have to be Scottish) but since dh and I had a medieval theme for our 25th Anniversary wedding renewal (7 years ago), we already had several costumes. We (dd and I) spent the 2 weeks prior chained to the sewing machines. Our little boys wore their big brother’s old costumes and dh wore his, but I wasn’t too thrilled with dragging my train through mud and mire, with all the rain we’d been getting. So that meant 2 big boy costumes and 2 girls costumes, plus one for me - if time remained.

Shekynah & I

They all came together pretty good, but Mari rushed ahead on hers and had to rip out and re-do twice. That put me at midnight 2 days before we left, in Walmart looking for fabric for mine. They didn’t have enough of anything appropriate. I ended up taking all of what I liked best and reworking the pattern to fit on the fabric, staying up until 4:30 a.m. the day before we left to get my chemise, over-dress, and cape done. But I love the final product! (The rain ended up stopping. There was no mud. And the day was beautiful. Thank you, God!)

checkers in the Town Square - (Josh,) Jed, Isaiah, Levi, Mark

Mari & (Kayla)

The Faire had something for everyone in our family to love. Friday night we had a concert by Nathan Clark George, and short opening overview of the reformation by Pastor James McDonald. Saturday morning began in the Town Square, with the bagpipers. There were giant checkerboards set up, with tree trunk stools to sit on, so the bigger boys played checkers while the other children and I meandered through the Square.

leather shop

The market booths were mostly crafts the children could do - the leather shop had bookmarks they could lace and stamp with their initials, a fabric shop had pouch purses they could hand sew together, at the tin smith they could make their own tin cup, with plastic cups and tin foil, they also had a booth with coloring pages on the Scottish Reformation, and the blacksmith had all the weapons for the Boffer wars. There was a candler, hand-dipping beeswax candles, and I think I’m forgetting a couple others. This was all the younger children’s favorite part of the Faire.

Boffer wars - Levi in the green

After the Town Square was the Boffer Wars. Boffers are weapons made of pvc pipe and insulation and duct tape to make a soft weapon. There were swords, daggers, shields, bows and arrows, spears/pikes - I think that was it. The “Scots” and “Anglish” had several battles. Everyone was ready for lunch by the time it ended.

Eli & Jed - private Boffer war

Mark - Cabor toss

After lunch, we had a Psalm sing time, learning 4 part harmony to a Psalm. Meanwhile, the Highland games started with races, boulder throws, and cabor tosses (those huge, long branches - like telephone poles.) The little boys had their own Boffer war, since they had missed out earlier. Then we gathered in the sanctuary for the story of John Knox and a reenactment before Mary Queen of Scots. After supper we had lively historic dancing. We were all pretty tired at the end of the day.

the dance floor - none of us in this pic, but most of our dance pics are blurry since they were taken by little boys.

We returned Sun. a.m. for church service and lunch before heading home (- half way anyhow.) then got home Mon. in time for dance class and football practice. A GREAT VACATION! The children want to go back for it next year.

For Me and My House ~ At Jesus’ feet,
Lisa @ Me and My House ~ Discipleship for Life!
1 Thessalonians 5:23
Order Christian & Home Ed Resources here

Get future posts to this blog by email:

5 new birds have come into our home this weekend! It’s not as bad as it sounds. We weren’t invaded by wild birds. Nor by a ton of pets to care for.

The first is a cockatiel. A guy dh works with was getting rid of it, so we got cage, food, everything - for FREE! Dh just had to do it. He is a very gentle bird, hand fed since a baby, so very tame and great with the kids. They are having a lot of fun playing with him.

The other 4 birds, don’t require any care - not anymore anyhow. The boys went turkey hunting and brought home 4 on their first day out. So they did require a bit of care when they got home, but I didn’t have to do it. They are now are nicely waiting in my fridge for a few nice meals.  When I will have to do their final “care” - most likely in the crock pot.

Time for a new pic of our new grandgirl, born Aug. 27th. This pic at 3 days old.