Christmas Ornaments!

     Halfway through finals week I started to get an urge to make something creative. I managed to hold off my cravings a bit until finals were done, before pulling out all of the stops. In past years I have been quite successful at making beaded ornaments using beads from my paternal grandmother, so I started with that. Unfortunately, my efforts were not quite what I had hoped and I didn't make as many of the beaded ones as I had thought.

     I also made ornaments out of plastic canvas. We had some sets that were already pre-cut, so I used those up. Unfortunately, plastic canvas is a pain to cut, so once the pre-cut ones were finished I didn't make anymore out of plastic canvas. Here is a picture of one of the plastic canvas ornaments:

    The final type of ornaments I made was a bit of an experiment. I got the idea off of Pinterest and can say for certain that it works, but some modification would be helpful. First I took burned out Christmas light bulbs (about the size of a nightlight bulb) and coated half of the outside in a layer of Modge Podge.

This stuff is magic!

     After that I sprinkled glitter over the ornaments and left them to dry before going back for a coat on the other side. For some of the ornaments I painted over the outsides so they would match the glitter I was using. About halfway through I realized that I could use Elmer's glue to make a design of a different color on the bulb.

The finished product! They look great!

     The only thing I wasn't happy with how the turned out was that there wasn't a good way to fasten a hanging mechanism to the bulbs. I tried hot gluing some embroidery thread to the ends. That mostly worked, but it was a little tedious. I also tried wrapping wire around the end of the bulb and forming a hoop, but it was difficult to get the wire to stay. In the end I left most of the them unfinished. They look pretty good so I will probably save them to use as props in a Christmas photography project.

Dining Room Remodeling

     For the first time in my remembrance my immediate family hosted Thanksgiving at our home. This was not the first time we had hosted a large gathering of family members, however. So thankfully we knew what to do. The furniture in the living room was rearranged to fit two large folding tables. Thanksgiving was a success, but after the festivities things didn't go back to normal.

     For a long time my mother had wanted to repaint the dining room. This time she took action and chose a color. Our dining room would go from white with a yellow accent wall and popcorn ceiling to gray with a smooth ceiling. Also, the curtains would be replaced.

     Instead of moving the furniture back in the living room we moved the dining table and all of the furniture from the dining room into the living room. Tarps were put down so Dad could remove the popcorn ceiling and Mom could start painting.

All ready to go!

     A week later the room was done and the new curtains were hung up!

     Next on the decor to-do list: Put up the Christmas tree!

"I love it!" - Mom

The curtains are black, with a white sheer layer.

Firebird Anthology (Parts II and III)

     It has been a while since I have posted something about books. Part of this is because I have not had the time to read due to the combination of school and work (which I seem to be surviving so far). Recently, however, I was able to go to the library, my favorite place to get new books.

    I have a method that I often employ in searching for new titles. Starting at the section of authors whose last names start with 'A' I scan the titles and book bindings for something that catches my eye. If it looks interesting I will pull it out and read the summary to gather more information. You would be surprised how much you can tell about a book by it's cover! Usually I only cover one shelf of books per visit, so each time I come back I gradually progress through the library (usually the teen fiction section). The only hard part is remembering where I left off!

     On my most recent trip to the library I picked up a fantasy and sci-fi anthology of short stories called Firebird. I was very pleased with my discovery because fantasy/sci-fi is my favorite genre and the stories are the perfect length to read one or two (or three or four) before bed. Apparently there are three volumes in the anthology, though I was only able to check out the second and third.

     I very much enjoyed reading these anthologies. They were a refreshing break from my usual form of book matter, novels. Most of the stories were enjoyable and fun to read. There were a few, however, that were a bit strange. Still, I would recommend this series of anthologies to anyone who is looking for a good sci-fi/fantasy read!

Comedy and Confusion

     I had the honor and joy of seeing Shakespeare’s Comedy of Errors performed by a fortnight ago (I waited two weeks just so I could use that phrase). For those of you not familiar with the Comedy of Errors, here is a short synopsis to provide some clarity:

The city of Ephesus is at war with Syracuse. Anyone from Syracuse who illegally comes to Ephesus must either pay a fine or forfeit his life. Egeon, a merchant from Syracuse, faces this predicament. He tells Duke Solinus that he is in Ephesus searching for his son. When his twin sons and their twin servants were but babies Egeon and his wife were separated in a ship wreck, each with a set of twins. Supposing his wife and other son to be dead Egeon names his surviving son and the servant after the ones he lost. He is now looking for his remaining son, whom he has not seen for several years.

Unbeknownst to him both of his sons are alive and well and in the town of Ephesus. To make matters worse, neither knows that the other exists. Confusion ensues when the brothers and servants are repeatedly mistaken for the other. 

     My main emotional response for this play was puzzlement. According to the director’s notes in the playbook they, “sought to be true to Shakespearean sensibilities, not by way of historical accuracy in costuming and such but rather with respect to the desire to be funny and relevant to our particular audience and the embracing of theatricality.” This meant that while they did change the costumes and add a few modern references, much of the language was still kept the same. This, combined with the content of the play itself (where two twin brothers and their twin servants repeatedly get mistaken for the other) left me in a state of mild confusion.

     Even though the meaning of the words were hard to make out, the actors did a good job of portraying what they meant through voice inflection and body language, so I was not completely lost. The play is a Shakespearean comedy, in that no one dies, but it was also a comedy in the modern sense. While tense at times the situations the twin brothers unknowingly put the other in were comical and much hilarity ensued through out the course of the play. I also felt relief, at the end of the play, when the two sets of twins were reunited and all the confusion was made clear.

Why I Am Going to Vote (And You Should Too)

     Election day is fast approaching and the decision of who to vote for (or to even vote at all) is a huge predicament for our country. People who do no side directly with a specific candidate wonder, "Who do I vote for?" and "Do I even vote?" I am a staunch believer in voting. Now that I am above the age limit I consider it a privilege, right, and honor-bound duty to help decide who stands as head over the United States of America.

     As of now,  I am having difficulty choosing a candidate to vote for. Some are so torn over this conflict that they have decided not to vote at all. However, I cannot do that. Not voting means that I don't have a say in who is in charge of our nation. It implies that I don't want to vote and that I don't care what happens. But, I do care what happens! Being of the younger generation especially, I will have to deal with whatever decisions the President makes that will affect our country for years to come. So I must vote!

     However, the issue escalates; who do I vote for? I mentioned that I am having a hard time choosing which candidate (among the main two) to vote for. This problem would be solved if I sided directly with either of them or with a third part candidate, but I don't. And I can't in good conscience vote for a third part candidate, because that vote would only hinder one of the main candidates and the third party candidate would have no chance to win the office (sorry Mr. Johnson, it ain't gonna happen this year). So, I believe that I should put my vote where it will do the most damage, as it were.

     I must vote for one of the two candidates, or the other, and vote I shall! As soon as I figure out who to vote for.....

     But the presidential election is no the only election being hashed out on the ballots. Voting for the state and city government representatives and leaders is just as important. So, when November 8 finally rolls around I will be voting not just for the president, but for every position I can.

     I would also encourage you to vote. I do not care what party you are from or which candidate you are going to vote for (or the other government officials). This is our right and duty as Americans and we should honor it!

#voterpride

Costume Creativity

     It is almost Halloween, so I thought I would post a little how-to on the costumes I am making this year. First up we have:

The Butterfly

     To make the wings for the butterfly I bought a yard of orange and black tule. To add to this I already had several yards of white tule at home. So, in total, I used about 6 yards of tule.

     Then I took the tule (still folded like it was on the bolt) and scrunched it up. I layered the bundles of tule on top of each other and tied them together in the middle with a piece of string. This formed my 'wings.'

     After that I could attach the tule bundle to the back of a black shirt. This costume is pretty simple. I plan to wear a black shirt, skirt, and shoes to go with my wings. All I needed was an antennae! To make this I took an old headband, some pipe cleaners, and a couple of pom poms. I wound the pipe cleaners around a pencil to get them to spiral and then attached them to the headband. I used hot glue to secure the antennae and add the pom poms.

     That's it for my butterfly costume!

The Minion

     For this costume my first preference was to get a pair of overalls at Goodwill and wear a yellow shirt underneath, along with a couple accessories. However, I was unable to find a pair of overalls and instead had to resort to wearing my mother's old jean jumper (so I was going for a 'female minion' look). In addition to that I bought a pair of black gloves and made a hat for my other accessory. To make the hat I used a knitting loom.

     If you have never used a knitting loom, I can assure you that they are quite easy. It's almost like cheating! They allow you to knit in the round with little to no actual knitting experience required (just so you know, I do have some knitting experience, I just find this way easier when I want to make  hats)!

     I made the hat out of a pale yellow yarn that I had on hand (I was going for quick and easy - I'm probably only going to wear this thing once or twice). For fun I added a black pom pom on top, to mimic a minion's hair.

     Next I glued on the eyes! I had bought sheets of black and white felt, and we had some brown felt in reserve that I could use for the irises. I made a circle template for myself, cut out the pieces and then layered them how I wanted. I also used strips of black felt for the straps for the goggles.

     The finished product:

     I hope you have enjoyed this! Not to worry, I will have pictures of the finished costumes all put together in the coming week!

Carriage Factory Art Gallery

     A week ago I visited the Carriage Factory Art Gallery with my mother and grandmother. The gallery did indeed produce carriages at one point in time, but it has since been converted into a space where local professional artists can showcase their work. The main floor of the gallery featured a series of paintings by Joseph Longanbill of scenes around town. Having spent many a Friday in the adequately sized town the pictures depicted, I enjoyed seeing how he transferred familiar scenes onto canvas with pain and brush.

     In the upper portion of the gallery another piece caught my attention. It was a painting done by Ethan Patrick Harris called The Vibes. Most of Harris’ work displays grotesque fantastical creatures, but this one was of a tree with what looked like pink bubbles of bubble gum on its branches. This gave it a lively and joyful appearance. However, on closer inspection I realized that the tree was dead and the ground around it was barren. This greatly contrasted with the bubbly appearance of the tree’s foliage. I wondered what had inspired Harris to paint the pretty bubbles on a dead tree and what the piece meant to him personally.

     Unfortunately for me (and for all of you) the gallery prohibits photos of its artworks, so I don't have any pictures of the paintings to go along with this. I planned on getting a photo of the front of the gallery as we left, but I forgot. However, we stopped by an outdoor Stutsmans greenhouse to pick up some pansies and admire the multiple mums. And these I do have a picture of!

Operation Pumpkin Patch

     Recently I had the opportunity to go to a pumpkin patch with some of my friends. It was fall break and some of the gals who were out-of-state had come home for the weekend, so we decided to take advantage of our chance to get together.

     We decided to go to a pumpkin patch..... well, because it was fall! Also, some of us had never been to one. My personal pumpkin patch memories are scant. They weren't a huge part of my childhood, and I was okay with that. Mostly I remember picking out a pumpkin in Kindergarten and First Grade and getting lost in the corn maze in middle school. So, I was not overly excited at the prospect of exploring the pumpkin patch as a somewhat-adult.

     Despite my concerns, we had a great time! Most of the equipment had been designed for humans smaller than us, but that only aided us as we returned briefly to our childhood.  After squeezing up and down several slides (okay, one was compatible for adult-sized people) we ventured into the corn maze. I wouldn't consider it an actual maze, because there was only one entrance/exit, but it still got the job done.

Here we are, about to enter the corn maze!

     After the corn maze we discovered an attraction called, "Pumpkin Land." Think of a life-size version of the board game "Candy Land," except not as elaborate. We needed to backtrack to the concession stand for a spinner, so instead we contended ourselves with jumping from tile to tile. In the middle of "Pumpkin Land" was a small playground, with various child-sized wooden structures. We squirmed in and around them for a bit before moving on.

Why couldn't we have come here as kids?

     A couple of the attractions we were able to partake in without fear of bodily harm (to us or the equipment) were a giant tire swing that could fit all three of us and a giant jumping pillow. The pillow was like a big inflated trampoline and after a full afternoon of running around corn mazes it felt like the perfect place to take a nap. 

     Unfortunately, time continued to move on. We knew we would have to return to being responsible adults sooner or later. Even though it was only for a couple hours, it was nice to be a child again. I really enjoyed going to the pumpkin patch and getting an afternoon off to spend in the company of friends.

     

'Tis the Season for Fall!

     Fall is here! While not all of the leaves have started turning colors, the weather has definitely been getting crisper. To help mark the approaching holiday season my mother dug up our two strands of orange Christmas lights. Only half of one strand lights up, but the other strand makes up for it by being made in the good old days to last forever (thank goodness for thrift shops!). I helped out by twining the lights around our stair bannister, giving the entryway a festive look. We hope to have the lights up until they are replaced by a multi-colored strand at Christmas.

     Another sign of the arrival of fall is the approach of Halloween (this event has been long in coming - I work at a craft store and we had our Halloween stuff up in August).  Our family is not super big into Halloween, but this year I will be wearing a costume! This was prompted by one of my college professors, who promised us extra credit if we came to class with a costume on Halloween. I'm a sucker for extra credit, so I couldn't resist. Plus, it gave me an excuse to fire up my creative spirit!

     After much deliberation I decided to tackle two costumes. This year I will be dressing up as a butterfly and a minion (from Despicable Me). The butterfly will be the main costume, with the minion set on the back burner (it won't be completely useless; I can wear both costumes to work).

     Stay tuned for pictures of the process and final product!

Sunday School!

     As mentioned before, I am helping to teach Sunday School for the 1st graders at our church. This year they are learning about the attributes of God (so advanced for seven year olds)! I must admit, it isn't quite that complicated. The curriculum is called  The ABC's of God and each week we look at one of God's attributes. I am enjoying the curriculum; I wish I got to learn the word 'incomprehensible' in 1st grade! Here are some of the nuggets the kids have been learning:

Q is for Questions
1. Who is God?
2. What is God like?
3. How should I act towards God?
Each week we try to answer these three questions.

I is for Incomprehensible
We cannot fully understand God.

Y is for YHWH (Yahweh)
God has a personal name and he wants us to get to know him.

E is for Eternal
God has no beginning or end.

C is for Creator
God made all things.

G is for Glorious
God shows his greatness and worth.

W is for Wise
God causes everything to work out perfectly.

A is for Almighty
God is all-powerful.

S is for Sovereign
God has the right and wisdom and power to do all He pleases.

Mini Vacation: Branson

     Partly due to the trip my mother and I took to the Czech Republic, our family did not go on a family vacation this summer. So, we freed up a weekend in the middle of September to go have fun as a family. That just happened to be last weekend.

     We woke up deathly early (5 a.m. to be exact) Friday morning and hit the road at 6. We arrived at Silver Dollar City just in time for lunch. After eating we began to explore the amusement park. For some of the more wild rides, Mom and I stepped aside and let the boys have their fun. However, I did spark up the courage to ride Powder Keg at the very end of our trip.

     Something my mother was really looking forward to was seeing Marvel cave. I must say that it was quite marvelous. However, I have no pictures to record the event.

     The park closes at 6, but there is a free show to visitors after closing time. On a spur-of-the-moment decision, we ended up sitting in on half of the show before heading out to get supper. The show included dog tricks and multiple singing groups.

     The next day, instead of heading back to Silver Dollar City as originally planned, we ventured into the city of Branson. As we passed Silver Dollar City we were glad that we had made a change of plans; a long line of cars stretched out from the entrance!

     Our main goal in Branson was to visit the Titanic museum. At the beginning of the tour each person is given a 'boarding ticket' with the name and information of one of the people who were on board the Titanic. At the end of the museum you could see if your person had survived. I am pleased to say that all but one of our family lived!

     Unfortunately, I have no pictures. Due to copyright issues pictures are not allowed inside the museum.

     Despite all that, it was a very enjoyable weekend for our family!

Where I'm From

(Note of Explanation: This is a poem that I wrote for school. I am fairly proud of it, so I thought I would share it with you. It wasn't too hard to write because we used a template. Then again, that was what made it difficult as well. I hope you enjoy!)

I am from notebooks,
From tennis shoes and Microsoft.
I am from the stair rail banister
(brown, sturdy,
worn smooth from many hands)
I am from the rose bush,
The spruce tree,
Which tries to encompass the porch.

I am from signing grace and brown hair,
From Mary Beth and Ken.
I'm from the hard workers
And the domestic artists.
From Walk straight! and Sit down!
I'm from Amazing grace how sweet the sound of dusty piano keys.

I'm from Wichita and 213 Pine St.
Zwiebach and spaghetti.
From the cancer that took my grandmother's life, the hearing my brother lost when he was three.
My background is building the stage on which I live my life. From dust I came from and to dust I shall return, but during this spark in between I will live for the glory of my Creator.

Art Problems (instead of math problems)

     "What does it mean?" asked a professor walking by.
     I looked up from my sketch of a nearby sculpture.
     "That's what I am trying to figure out," I replied.

     I was working to complete an assignment - to draw 13 of the 70+ sculptures located on campus. In addition to drawing them from at least three angles, we also had to take notes on their formal qualities. Now, I am not talking about how the sculptures would look if we dressed them in a suit and tie (although that would be pretty funny!). Each artists takes certain factors into consideration when he (or she) is creating art. These factors are called Elements of Design. This includes things like line, shape, mass, texture, color, and scale. Think of these as the building blocks of design. How you implement these 'blocks' is through the Principles of Design (for example: balance, direction, harmony, proportion, and unity).

     By keeping these in mind the viewer (in this case me) can attempt to determine the meaning behind the artwork. Let me tell you, it is not always easy! However, this assignment gives us practice drawing and forces us to study the sculptures for long enough to get at least some idea of what they might be protraying.

Festivities

      I survived my first week of college! I feel so accomplished! Some of my worries have been refuted, which is nice, but I have the feeling that the worst is yet to come. So we shall see.

     Having recently completed another year of my life I feel obligated to relate to you some of the activities we did to celebrate. Unfortunately, I had to work on my birthday. So, instead of having the traditional birthday dinner we went out for lunch to a local diner that has been in the area since the 80's. After lunch was cake and presents, and then I relaxed before leaving for work.

     Another fun thing I did to celebrate was to have a couple friends over for a miniature party last night. Obviously, I wasn't able to celebrate on the exact date of my birthday because of work, but we got as close as we could. We finished off the rest of the cake and spent time talking and catching up. It was good to see them.

     One final item of importance to mention before I sign off: I sold my fish-tank! Well, I guess it is not THAT important. ;) But, it is an accomplishment, considering it has been sitting empty on my dresser for most of the summer. This accomplishment was mostly due to my wonderful father who took the time to clean it out and post an ad on Craigslist.

First Day of School

     Never having gone to college before I have nothing to compare the experience of my first day with. So my tale is totally one-sided.

     I did not have to leave the house until after I had eaten lunch, a big change from high school, or any school for that matter. All of my classes let out early because today was an introductory day where we only read the syllabus and introduced the class material.

     Unfortunately, instead of homework, I now have an extensive list of school supplies to purchase. Walmart is currently my best friend! (As well as all the people who helped me figure out what a T-square is. Thanks a bunch!)

Back to School

     The title of this post is 'Back to School,' but I still have a few more days before it happens to me. However, many of my friends and family have returned to their studies and have started a new school year. Being in college, school consumes a huge part of my life. It is the place where I have spent the most time over the course of my life.

     Think about it; aside from a few awkward years of learning to breathe, walk, and talk, and multiple summer vacations, winter breaks, and several sick days, I have spent every day in school. So, it makes sense that school would take up a lot of my thoughts, time and energy. It is also a major stress agent in my life.

     This year the biggest thing I am stressing over is whether or not I will be able to balance work and school. Originally I had not planned on work during the school year, but my job just kind of.... happened. So now, I'm stuck with balancing 20 hours of work and 15 credit hours of school per week. Yikes! It doesn't make sense to sacrifice my grades for more hours at a minimum-wage paying job, so if I feel the need to, I will ask for my hours to be reduced. I will do it if I have to, but getting to that point isn't going to be fun.

     So I hope it all turns out all right. I apologize for my rant, but there is something therapeutic about writing your anxieties down and then throwing them into the abyss that is the Internet. All that aside, I hope to post after my first day of school (which is this next Monday) to let you know how things went.

It's August!

     I apologize for not posting since we got back from the Czech Republic. To be honest, not much happened those first couple of days, so I didn't feel like there was anything to report. And after that nothing that I did seemed 'big enough' to be used for a blog post. So instead of a themed blog post I am going to give you a list (if you haven't figured it out by now, I like lists) to catch you up on what has been going on in my life.

1. The Olympics are going on!
     For my family, the Olympics are kind of a big deal. At least for me. :) Growing up we didn't watch much TV, but when the Olympics were on we were allowed to watch when we wanted. Not to worry, I am not wasting my days away in front of the TV, but my favorite events to watch are swimming, gymnastics, and diving.

2. I got a job!
     My job search has been going on all summer. I submitted the application at the end of May and I finally was able to start working! So far it is going well. It is my first time in retail, so there is a lot to learn and it can be overwhelming sometimes.

3. School starts soon.
     With the end of August approaching summer will soon be coming to an end. In preparation for school we have gone shopping for school supplies (which I enjoy) and I have started to order my books.

4. This year I am helping out with Sunday School.
    Yep. You heard me. If you know me (or rather, if you can read my mind) you will know just how weird this experience is. I like kids, I just don't know how to act around them. To help remedy this I think back to when I was a kid. I was pretty aware of the world around me. I mean, kids are just mini adults, right? Anyway, despite my weirdness over the subject I figured it was time to man up and contribute. And people kept asking me to do it. So I caved.

5. I voted!
     Personally, I think this is a great accomplishment no matter your age.

6. I am hoping to get a camera soon.
     I do have a camera already, but I would like a better one that I can use for school as well as my personal projects. I am still doing research on what make and model to get.

7. I went to Starbucks for the first time.
     Many will be surprised to learn that I have never been to Starbucks in all my time on this earth until this last week. It's not that weird, is it? Technically we did go a couple times in Prague, but one of them was in an airport. Either way, I am not counting them because they are not the 'quintessential white-girl Starbucks experience.'

8. I can't think of anything else...
     That is, unless you want to hear about the dead crayfish I found in my room upon returning from Prague. But I've told that story so many times everyone must be tired of hearing. Even though I still think it is pretty funny.

Back Home

      We have arrived home safely! The flight home was not totally without its bumps, but God provided us safe passage home.

     I would like to apologize for all of the format typos that have popped up on the blog these last two weeks. Most of those were because I was using a mobile app to update the blog. While the app allowed me to post updates using only my phone (which is pretty impressive) it did not let me have the full range of editing I am used to on the computer. So, I will now go back and tweak some of the posts so the blog looks it's best!

     Thanks to all of you who were supporting us financially and through your prayers! We really appreciate it! The Ichthys church generously paid for all of our expenses (like food and lodging) for the camp. So, we wanted to return our gratitude by donating our unused funds to their ministry. Thanks to you we were able to bless their church body with a financial gift that will continue to support them.

Czech Republic Update - Flying Home

     We had an early morning getting up at 3:30 to leave the hotel at 4:00. Our flight leaves at 6:30.

     Yesterday we went to the Jewish Quarter, the St. Nicholas church, an art gallery, and the museum of communism.

     Our plane should arrive home tomorrow evening, if all goes as planned.

Czech Republic Update - Almost Done

     Today we went to church (see the picture of the pink building below). It was really neat to see where all of the people we met at camp meet to worship God and to worship along side of him. They were very generous and showered us with gifts. Take note: No matter what you will always take home the same amount or more that you brought. Always.

     After an hour long drive we were back in Prague and checked in to our hotel. Then we shopped for souvenirs. Tomorrow we hope to see the Jewish quarter and a few museums.

Czech Republic Update - Terezin

     After arriving in Litomerice and dropping our luggage off at the pension we visited Terezin.

     Terezin was the site of a ghetto/concentration camp/prison run by the Nazi's in World War II. Most of the prisoners there died of disease and were not as badly treated compared to the more extreme camps for two reasons.

1. It was mostly used as a transfer camp, not an extermination camp.

2. The site was not built by the Germans. It was originally a fortress used by the
Hapsburgs to defend against the Prussians.

     The conditions at Terezin were still nowhere near ideal. It was a place of death and suffering for thousands of Jews and prisoners of war.

Czech Republic Update - Cesky Krumlov

     Shortly after an early supper we loaded up in the cars and headed out. Due to traffic it took longer than expected. First we headed to the town square and met up with part of our group that had gotten left behind. Then we climbed up to the castle.

     Because we were there after hours there were no more tours and parts of the castle had been closed off. After climbing a long set of stairs we entered the first castle building. The moat had been dried up and made into an enclosure to house a small colony of bears. We saw the habitat, but no bears. There was also an over-abundance of Asian tourists. We walked through several courtyards and then threw an open air walkway that had a beautiful view of the town.

    
     Small side-quest: The walls of the castle courtyards were decorated in what looked like an attempt at a more modern style of interior design. They were actually patterns from the Renaissance Age that were intended to mimic rare limestone blocks (note: picture shown below).

     On our way back down we stopped on a bridge that had a view of the castle. Apparently they were going to do a light and music show on the castle walls. So we waited and waited and then we listened to the announcer make a very long speech (plus he had to say everything again in English). Then finally the show began.

     Part of our view of the castle was obstructed by a large tree so our viewing experience was diminished. We watched the show for about two songs and moved to another spot for one more song before returning to the town square. On the way back to the cars we stopped at an outlook of the town and castle to catch the end of one more song. By the time we got back to the camp it was after 11:00. Still, it was a very nice night and the town was beautiful.

Czech Republic Update - EC Day 6

     Today's theme was clothing (if guessed right, good job!). At the end of the lesson our students surprised us with a shower of gifts. They were very generous.

      After lunch half our team went golfing with some of the Czechs while my mother and I and our other team member went to see a nearby castle/chateau. As you can see in the picture below it is a vivid pink (some would call it salmon). I can now check seeing a pink castle off my bucket list.

     Tonight we will eat an early supper before leaving for Cesky Krumlov, the biggest city in the area. Be looking for a post about it later. Tomorrow we will pack up and leave for Litomerice, where the church is based. We will spend a day or two in Lito before going back to Prague for another day. Then we will leave on Tuesday and fly back home.

Czech Republic Update - EC Day 5

     To be honest, I was kind of nervous about today's lesson. It was the one I had the least amount of ideas. However, we managed to strong arm our way through the morning, mostly due to a game we made up the night before. We also taught our group how to play Dutch Blitz. I think they really enjoyed it.

     Remember: when in doubt, play a game. Works every time.

     Tonight is the last evening program (we are in charge). Tomorrow the program was cancelled because we are going to tour a castle that evening. You know, just another castle. No big deal. ;) You can look forward to a post that will make you extremely jealous.

     Right now I am finalizing details for tomorrow's lesson. Here is a sneak peak: See if you can guess the theme!

Czech Republic Update - EC Day 4

     The theme for today's English lesson was taste, touch, and various parts of the body. We had a large array of different flavors for our group to taste, courtesy of the Nifty Nut House. The most memorable were the Tabasco flavored Jelly Bellies.

     After lunch we visited a nearby town called Ceske Budejovice. It was a nice town, one of the oldest in the country, I think.

     We climbed a tower (called the Black Tower) that was 70+ meters high (for you Americans, that is a very decent height. Think a little less then the 100 meter dash, but vertical). However we were only up 50 meters, or so. The entire town was laid out before us in a scenic view. The town square boasted an impressive fountain and several piano-esque statues that we thought might be a nod to the Czech composer Dvorak.

     The outing was a pleasant change of scenery and God blessed us with a few hours of sunshine to brighten the mostly rainy day. It is hard to believe that we only have a couple days of camp left! Soon we will be back stateside, but I will never forget my experiences here.

Czech Republic Update - EC Day 3

     The weather cooled down over night and today was overcast and rainy.

     After lunch we took a trip to a local nuclear power plant. It was very interesting. I learned that the huge towers that our commonly associated with such plants actually have nothing to do with the fission reaction. They are pretty much giant water condensers. So, they are important to the process of nuclear fission, but not connected to the actual reaction. You learn something new everyday!

     Tonight the evening program will be put on by the American team. I will be giving my testimony.

Czech Republic Update - EC Day 2

     Yesterday was our first day of classes. I was kind of nervous for our first day, but it went very smoothly! Today's theme is Family and Animals.

     After lunch we took a trip to a nearby lake to swim. It was a very nice day and the water felt good. We also laid in the sun or in the shade.

     The evening program was put on by the Czech team. It was a time fun and fellowship, but also a time to highlight and honor our God's redeeming and healing capabilities and strength.

Czech Republic Update - English Camp Day 1

     Because our visit to the castle was today classes will not start until tomorrow. The theme for tomorrow is Introductions and Feelings.

     Tonight, at the evening program, my mother gave her testimony. We also sang a couple songs and played some games.

Czech Republic Update - Castle

     Today we got to see a castle in a nearby town (yes, a real castle).
      It was breathtaking! The castle was a mix of modern and medieval with everything you would expect from a medieval castle on the outside and an English inspired interior. The tour was in Czech, but we had an English translation.

Czech Republic Update - Camp

     Yesterday we arrived at camp. Due to traffic some people were late. However, we managed to get everyone registered and handed out the T shirts. In the evening the Czech team gave us T shirts as a gift.

Czech Republic Update - Quick

     Just a short one today. We arrived safely at camp. Yay!
     Tomorrow we will visit a local castle. Pictures then.

Czech Republic Update - Prague

     Today we went to see the Prague castle area. Tomorrow we will leave for the camp.

Czech Republic Update - We Have Arrived!

     After a long day of flying plus some sightseeing we are ready to call it a day. Here is what I learned today:

- Airplane food is okay, not great, but okay.

- When you are lost sometimes the best thing to do is to play the ignorant American tourist and ask for directions. Because you pretty much are an ignorant American tourist.

Czech Republic Update - Leaving Home

     We are waiting to board our first flight!

Czech Republic - Itinerary

     We are leaving in a couple days! Here is our itinerary so you can be praying for us! We will be partnering with a local church in the Czech Republic to put on an English camp. This camp will act as a vacation for the church members, but also an opportunity to invite friends who don't know Christ.

July 6th (Wednesday) - Getting on the plane!

July 7th - Arriving in the Czech Republic and trying to stay awake.

July 8th - Sightseeing in Prague and trying to get used to the time change.

July 9th - Traveling to the camp and getting set up to welcome 'campers' in the afternoon. This year the camp will be held at Cesky Krumlov.

July 10th  (Sunday) - First day of camp! We will have a short time of worship in the morning and then we will start classes. Classes run in the morning and after lunch there is free time. In the evening we will have a time of games and worship. My mother is sharing her testimony this night.

July 11th - Second day of camp.

July 12th (Tuesday) - Third day of camp. I will be sharing my testimony at the evening meeting.
July 13th - Fourth day of camp.

July 14th - Fifth day of camp.

July 15th (Friday) - Sixth day of camp (final day of classes).

July 16th - Final day of camp. We will be saying goodbye to everyone and then traveling to Litomerice to see the church. We plan to tour a nearby concentration camp.

July 17th (Sunday) - Attend church in Litomerice.

July 18th - Return to Prague

July 19th - Leave Prague and start heading home!

My Favorite Week

     I am privileged to live in a fairly close-knit neighborhood. I know the names of a large handful of my neighbors. Of course, it helps that a fair amount of families in my neighborhood go to the same church as my family.

     I enjoy going around to garage sales in the spring and summer and have helped to host more than a few. One of the highlights of each summer is the neighborhood garage sale. If you want, you can have a garage sale on a different day, but having it on the neighborhood garage sale day allows for more traffic.

     The neighborhood garage sale is like a big festival. It always coincides with the city-wide garage sale of a nearby suburb, so when you've picked clean the sales inside the neighborhood you can go out looking for more. Going around and looking at what each house has to offer is like going to different booths at the fair. Also, a lot of houses sell lemonade or cookies. One of my neighbors was cooking hotdogs. So that takes care of the food!

     This year I got a new laptop bag, a new glasses case, a life-time supply of matches (don't ask), some placemats, a devotional, and a free coffee maker.

     Not only was the neighborhood garage sale this past week, but our church also had it's annual Missions Weekend. Like the neighborhood garage sale, Missions Weekend occurs annually in the summer. On Saturday morning the church hosted a panel on Race and the Church, as issues of race have been a hot topic recently. Unfortunately, I was unable to go to the panel because I was still helping out with the garage sale.

     On Sunday morning we had a guest speaker, Pastor Brandon Redic, preach. He spoke on what our motivation for missions should be and gave a little 'color' to the morning (Note: I do not mean this offensively. Pastor Redic is indeed black, but his preaching style is a bit higher energy than most sermons spoken at my church. So, he spiced things up in that aspect as well.).

     We came back to church that evening for the 5th annual Trip Around the World. It is an opportunity to hear from some of the church's mission partners and short term teams. The evening starts out with a meal provided by our Chinese congregation (yup, we've got a Chinese congregation, try wrapping your heads around that one). Needless to say, it was delicious.

     After supper we 'traveled' around different 'countries' and got our 'passport' stamped. (we really did have passports - fake ones!). What actually happened was that five classrooms had been set aside for five different missions partners, both local and international. We visited each room and listened to the missionaries give presentations about what God had been doing in their ministries. By rotating we were able to get to each room in a timely manner. Last year I helped give a presentation for the short term team that went to Moldova.

     I really enjoyed this week. It was cool that two of my favorite summer events lined up so that they happened at the same time.

     Mini Missions Update: Less than two weeks until we leave! We are literally counting down the days!

Remember: Bald is Beautiful

     On Fridays I often go to the library. The books I pick out are either old favorites or new possibilities.

     This Friday when I went to the library a series of retold fairy tales caught my eye. I enjoy the fantasy genre immensely and I like to read different versions of old stories. So I checked them out.
   
     One of the books was a retelling of Rapunzel. Except this one had a catch - Rapunzel was bald! You must be wondering, 'How does that work?' Well, the main character, Rapunzel, was taken from her parents at birth because her father stole from a sorceress's garden. However, there is another girl who has long golden hair and is trapped in a tower.

     Rapunzel is bald because she has a condition called alopecia areata. This is an autoimmune disease that results in hair loss on the scalp and other areas of the body. In spite of this condition Rapunzel is a fun character with lots of spunk and a quick wit. She is not afraid to speak her mind!

     I thoroughly enjoyed reading this retelling about different kinds of beauty and the power of love. At 200 pages I found it to be a quick read. I also enjoyed how the author wove together the tales of the original Rapunzel and the girl we know her to be. It is easy to believe that this is the true telling of Rapunzel, and that we have been getting it wrong all along.

B.A.K - What is this?!

     The BAK, or Bike Across Kansas is a 500-mile bicycle ride that spans the state of Kansas and has been happening for over 40 years. It can be a grueling challenge as well as a time to make new friends and enjoy yourself. However, the fun is juxtaposed by the hard work and effort needed to complete the task. This is not a vacation for the faint of heart.

     "Wind is the worst thing. Hills aren't that bad. It takes a certain mindset; say to yourself, 'Yes, I can do this." says experienced rider, Mary G. When asked why he does BAK her husband responded, "That's a good question. One to say that I've done it. It's a fun time to spend with family." Both Mary and her husband have completed the BAK multiple times. They enjoy doing it with their friends and family.

     The BAK is also an event that allows small Kansas towns a night to shine. Over 850 people participate in the BAK each year. Some provide support, but most are cyclists who have given up a week of their time to bike across Kansas.

     While the route for the Bike Across Kansas changes each year it always includes stopping for lunch and the night at several small towns as the cyclists make their way across the state. Museums and other attractions are opened to entertain the town's large number of guests. For the town's citizens the BAK provides a city-wide festival and a break from their daily lives.

Cyclists and citizens alike enjoy an open-air concert.

     Food is sold as a fundraiser for the town's various social organizations, but the cyclists can also choose to eat at a local restaurant. Often the BAK will double a town's population for the day; this is a great boon for the town's economy.

     The BAK is a time of celebration. It celebrates a love of biking, as well as the culture of the small towns it passes through.        
   

Update on Preparations (#1)

     The theme for the English camp this year is "Cars." This includes not just cars, but racing and road signs and highways. My mother has taken on the job of making two car-themed frames for photo opportunities. She is very proud of them.

Angel was an unwilling participant.

     Besides making these frames we have been working on the English and Bible lessons that we will be using for the camp. My mother and I will be teaching the beginners English class together.  Each day we plan to have a theme. Some of these themes include Transportation or Colors and Number. We also plan to have a day for action verbs, since most of our other lessons are noun-heavy.