Thursday, September 27, 2012

Comical Fellow-Dance

  I assume that being a “comical fellow” means that you may have a good sense of humor, but is it a good thing to be comical in reference to dancing?

Wednesday, September 26, 2012

Shooting Skeet

IMG_6271

  We’ve become friends with the men at our local butcher shop and one of them graciously invited us to shoot skeet with him at skeet and trap club.IMG_6262

Shooting near the high house

It was our first time officially shooting skeet, though we have shot trap.

IMG_6257

Shooting near the low house

In trap the target flies straight away from you; in skeet the the target flies past you from left to right and bottom to top and from right to left from bottom to the ground-sometimes both at the same time!

IMG_6266

Our host is quite an accomplished shooter in competition and taught us the basics of stance, aiming (technically “pointing” when referring to a shotgun), and showed us the stations for skeet shooting.

IMG_6264

IMG_6267

Music & Dance on Art Hill

IMG_0808

  Dancing under the shadow of the 100 year-old statue of King Louis IX

 kath's visit 010

kath's visit 011

Saturday, September 22, 2012

Noah-The Inner Tube?

IMG_0825 

We were tossing around a big ole’ tire that’s used as a workout tool for MMA…when someone got a bright idea:

IMG_0819

Little brothers can be so much fun…

IMG_0821

STL Symphony @ Art Hill

IMG_0807

Beautiful shot looking down on Art Hill

IMG_0808

We listened to the St Louis Symphony's annual concert in Saint Louis' Forest Park. Below are excerpts from the pieces they played. I was zoomed in pretty far, but you are able to see just a little of a live orchestra playing some of these pieces.

Theme from Pirates of the Caribbean

Hoe Down

Olympic Fanfare

Radetzky March

Monday, September 17, 2012

Homeschoolers and America’s Political Scene

  It’s always fun to interview someone who can speak very articulately.  I knew Sam was pretty quick, so I posed him with a fairly random question.

This is another video that Sam made for a scholarship competition through CollegePlus:

Happy Constitution Day!

con-intro

225th Anniversary of the signing of the US Constitution

View all photos>

Sunday, September 9, 2012

Victoria Glades

  This evening we took a quick hike through a glade in the Victoria Glades park.  The black-eyed susans were very abundant and the sun rising above the surrounding hills was quite a sight.

hike-5

hike-7

hike-8ike-9

hike-1

CHEF 2012: Scottish Ball

  Well, in this and the posts below you’ll find the much belated photos from this year’s
Christian Home Educators Fellowship of Missouri’s
2012 Conference & Scottish Ball
(Better late than never!?!)
The photos that look nice were taken by Kate Gamel
The dark photos were taken by Andrew Wong

 


 

IMG_4053
Just an odd picture with 3 guys looking to their left and one…whistling?
IMG_4061
IMG_0335-edit
IMG_0331
  A few of us boys who were not clothed in pleated garb decided to get our own group photo.  You would guess from their facial expressions you may guess some of them are concealing tommy guns.
IMG_4051
IMG_4069

Click “Read More” to see the full post…

CHEF 2012: Speakers

The lineup of speakers at this year’s conference was truly unprecedented.  They included Chuck Bentley, Douglas Bond, Dr. Marshall Foster, Col. John Eidsmoe, Wade Meyers, Dr. Joe Morecraft, Doug Phillips, Dr. Paul Jehle, and Kevin Swanson.

IMG_4002IMG_0206

Dr. Morecraft speaking on the legacy of the Scotch-Irish

IMG_0216

 

IMG_0245IMG_0236

Chuck Bentley helps us plan for future financial crisis-both nationally and internationally.

IMG_0234

Discussing how our own families can prepare and save.

 

IMG_0256IMG_0255

Dr. Paul Jehle discussed the the nature of Biblical Law and common confusions and heresies about the differences between the New and Old Covenants.  Dr. Jehle is one of my top 4 favorite speakers and his ability to speak to both the young and the old is extraordinary.  He teaches high school students on a regular basis and in his presentations he’s able to get a simple concept across to a 8 year-old, but in the context of a lecture about the nature of Biblical law! A truly gifted educator.

IMG_0261IMG_0265

IMG_6529

Mr. Note-Taker

IMG_4001

  Kevin Swanson’s passionate and engaging talks absolutely hit the ball out of the park.  He showed how America has been declining year after year because of the nation’s absolute disregard for God or His Law, but showed the hope of a “Second Mayflower” for our families.

  His lectures were very personally convicting and showed just how much of a statist I am and what a small vision I had compared to God’s plan for a family.  Would love to write more on this, but it’ll require a little more study on my part.

Article to be completed…

CHEF 2012: Day 2

I’m just too tired to wake u-did you say they have a “cooked to order” breakfast?

IMG_6535IMG_0250

IMG_0252

IMG_6538

Click “Read More” to see the full post…

Got Greenies?

IMG_0789-edit

  Yesterday, I heard Lydia barking in Kate's bedroom downstairs, so when I investigated I found she was trying to inform me it was time for me to bestow her favorite treat, a "Greenie!"

  She’s obviously spoiled, but she has had a rough week.

IMG_7065IMG_7066  On Thursday Lydia was in the car and got home as I was blowing off the driveway.  When she jumped out of the car some of the debris got in her right eye and the vet told us that the eye had been scratched.  She’s on both topical and oral pain medication and antibiotics and she’ll see the vet again next week to make sure her eye is healing.

Saturday, September 8, 2012

CHEF 2012: Day 1

 

(Technically Day –1; the day before the conference began)

IMG_0147

1/2 Food   1/2 Clothes

IMG_0153

  After checking in to the hotel and unpacking we ate snacks in the lobby and met a few familiar faces and began a conversation and concluded in a jump in the pool.

IMG_0154IMG_0158

IMG_0159IMG_0160IMG_0163IMG_0162

It was a great evening so I took a stroll outside the convention center.

IMG_0174

We spent the next morning helping vendors get their booths setup.  There was quite a crowd of fellows and many hands make light work!  However, it was still thirsty work so thank you again to Kate Whittington for picking up sodas Smile!

IMG_0198

IMG_0199IMG_0200

Yeah, it looks like we’re working hard.

What with all of the sessions and shopping and meals it’s hard to socialize too!  Why not kill two birds with one stone? 

I’m sure there’s a more complimentary way of phrasing that.

IMG_6531

IMG_6532IMG_6530

After the last lecture…that word sounds much too dull…we joined friends in the hotel lobby for some cards.

IMG_4003

Casual Skip-Bo…

IMG_4004

…and an intense game of Dutch Blitz-a CHEF Conference tradition.

IMG_4007IMG_4009IMG_4018IMG_4023

                                           “Are you looking at my cards?”

Now back to the casual Skip-Bo…

IMG_4011-editIMG_4012

 

IMG_4014IMG_4017

  Is that a “5” I seen in her hand?

IMG_4020

Look!  In the sky!  It’s a bird, it’s a plane, it’s…

IMG_4021

“Suermann!”  (No, that’s not a typo)

IMG_4031

1:20am