Showing posts with label Music. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Music. Show all posts
Wednesday, November 22, 2017
Tuesday, March 14, 2017
Our Week in Review
This week in history we learned about the writing of the Constitution. Honestly, the fact that so many different delegates, from different states, with very different ideas about how to run a government, agreed on such a detailed, wide ranging set of rules for our new country, in only three months, is absolutely miraculous!
For eight years we had been governed by the Articles of Confederation, and it provided only for a rather powerless Congress (which could make laws but had no power to enforce them), with no executive or judicial branches. It made the federal government so weak, our founders were rightly concerned about a "hostile takeover" from any of the big European powers. So they convened the Constitutional Conventions to work on a replacement document.
They argued fiercely over the issue of states rights versus the power of the federal government. What issues would each body be allowed to manage? And they argued over whether new states added to the Union would enter as slave states or as free. The issue producing the greatest deadlock was over representation ~ would states be represented according to their population, or by a one-state one-vote rule? It was only after Benjamin Franklin suggested that prayer be offered every morning before deliberation began, that a breakthrough was made. Roger Sherman, a delegate from Connecticut, suggested that both forms of representation be used, and his suggestion saved the day!
Here is a part of Benjamin Franklin's resolution to add prayer to the daily agenda:
"I have lived, Sir, a long time, and the longer I live, the more convincing proofs I see of this truth- that God Governs in the affairs of men. And if a sparrow cannot fall to the ground without his notice, is it probable that an empire can rise without his aid?"
Isn't that marvelous?
We read and studied the Constitution in its entirety. It is an amazing document! It seems that our founding fathers thought of virtually everything in their quest to ensure checks and balances. Several delegates were concerned about individual liberties, but the Bill of Rights was intentionally tackled later, to make the ratification process go more smoothly. We will be studying the Bill of Rights next week!
In other subjects, son L did two physics experiments this week involving electricity.
One of them called for the making of an electroscope, which can detect the presence of electricity. When the balloon, rubbed on his hair to create static electricity, was held close to the blue glass, the strips of foil hanging on the inside would move, indicating the presence of electricity. He did it several times and it was pretty cool to watch!
Making some type of game that could actually be played was the challenge in Little Man's lego class at co-op this week. It warmed my heart to see son C voluntarily helping him! His original plan was to make a lego "bop it," but that proved rather challenging, so he changed it to hockey. He made a tiny little puck, two sticks, and two goals. It was enthusiastically played by several kids in his lego class.
The week ended with a wonderful date night - hubby and I went with some friends to a Matthew West concert!! It was fantastic!
For eight years we had been governed by the Articles of Confederation, and it provided only for a rather powerless Congress (which could make laws but had no power to enforce them), with no executive or judicial branches. It made the federal government so weak, our founders were rightly concerned about a "hostile takeover" from any of the big European powers. So they convened the Constitutional Conventions to work on a replacement document.
They argued fiercely over the issue of states rights versus the power of the federal government. What issues would each body be allowed to manage? And they argued over whether new states added to the Union would enter as slave states or as free. The issue producing the greatest deadlock was over representation ~ would states be represented according to their population, or by a one-state one-vote rule? It was only after Benjamin Franklin suggested that prayer be offered every morning before deliberation began, that a breakthrough was made. Roger Sherman, a delegate from Connecticut, suggested that both forms of representation be used, and his suggestion saved the day!
Here is a part of Benjamin Franklin's resolution to add prayer to the daily agenda:
"I have lived, Sir, a long time, and the longer I live, the more convincing proofs I see of this truth- that God Governs in the affairs of men. And if a sparrow cannot fall to the ground without his notice, is it probable that an empire can rise without his aid?"
Isn't that marvelous?
We read and studied the Constitution in its entirety. It is an amazing document! It seems that our founding fathers thought of virtually everything in their quest to ensure checks and balances. Several delegates were concerned about individual liberties, but the Bill of Rights was intentionally tackled later, to make the ratification process go more smoothly. We will be studying the Bill of Rights next week!
In other subjects, son L did two physics experiments this week involving electricity.
One of them called for the making of an electroscope, which can detect the presence of electricity. When the balloon, rubbed on his hair to create static electricity, was held close to the blue glass, the strips of foil hanging on the inside would move, indicating the presence of electricity. He did it several times and it was pretty cool to watch!
Making some type of game that could actually be played was the challenge in Little Man's lego class at co-op this week. It warmed my heart to see son C voluntarily helping him! His original plan was to make a lego "bop it," but that proved rather challenging, so he changed it to hockey. He made a tiny little puck, two sticks, and two goals. It was enthusiastically played by several kids in his lego class.
The week ended with a wonderful date night - hubby and I went with some friends to a Matthew West concert!! It was fantastic!
Sunday, March 27, 2016
The Piano Guys!
Our wonderful piano teacher arranged for any of her piano students who wished to attend a piano guys concert. The two piano boys in our family (plus myself!) went, and it was AMAZING!
A beautiful, ornate theater, for a funny and meaningful concert. Super fun evening!
They were joined on one of their songs by some local student violinists.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mOO5qRjVFLw#
Wednesday, December 23, 2015
Carol of the Bells
Please forgive the poor picture quality of this video. It is of son C playing the prelude music before our worship service at church last Sunday. We brought the nice video camera to record him, only to find that it was completely out of power. :( Parent fail! So I quickly got out my old point and shoot, whose flash hasn't worked in over a year, and in doing so missed the first minute or so of the song. Wish you all could have heard it in person! It was wonderful!! How I love his piano playing.....
Thursday, January 15, 2015
Fun with Family
A few days after Christmas, my sister in law and her three children came from out of state to celebrate a late Christmas with us. They stayed at our house so the cousins got a lot of great cousin time in, and we all had a great time. We played a lot of card games. This was the fast paced "spot it" I have mentioned before. I crashed and burned on this one, but had fun anyway!
This was our first Christmas without my father in law, and we all felt his absence pretty acutely, none more so than my mother in law. She is doing well adjusting to life without him, but it is HARD.
My sister in law with two of her kids.
Probably the most fun we had together was playing "Just Dance" on our new xbox. Even *I* danced!! And what good exercise, wow! I was panting and huffing and puffing like crazy. I should do that every day and I would soon be a skinny minny. ;)
Just after midnight on New Year's Eve. Happy New Year!! My mother in law was talking to her other son on the phone, so even though he was away at work he was in the picture too!
After sleeping in very late on New Year's Day, we later had a family sharing time where everyone gave an update on their lives and told us what we could be praying for them throughout this next year. Before sharing time, everyone's phones had to be relinquished. :)
Just as our little friend admires son C's piano playing, son C admires his older cousin's playing! Even though he is a sophomore in college, he wasn't too old or too cool to play with C. They played numerous duets together. Music to my ears. Literally!
Proof that my sister in law can dance!
This was our first Christmas without my father in law, and we all felt his absence pretty acutely, none more so than my mother in law. She is doing well adjusting to life without him, but it is HARD.
My sister in law with two of her kids.
Probably the most fun we had together was playing "Just Dance" on our new xbox. Even *I* danced!! And what good exercise, wow! I was panting and huffing and puffing like crazy. I should do that every day and I would soon be a skinny minny. ;)
Just after midnight on New Year's Eve. Happy New Year!! My mother in law was talking to her other son on the phone, so even though he was away at work he was in the picture too!
After sleeping in very late on New Year's Day, we later had a family sharing time where everyone gave an update on their lives and told us what we could be praying for them throughout this next year. Before sharing time, everyone's phones had to be relinquished. :)
Proof that my sister in law can dance!
Saturday, November 8, 2014
Room Makeover
Or, more accurately, room clean-up and re-arrange!
Our living room/dining room has needed a really deep clean for a very long time. But I had no physical or emotional energy to do it. Over the course of last school year, both of our desktop computers located in these rooms died, and there they sat. Carcasses of modern technology. Every horizontal surface was layered with stuff placed there by several of our children, who either didn't notice or seem to care about the clutter. Keepin' it real..... here is the proof....."before":
I had a dream to re-arrange the living room and turn it into more of a music room. Music is just a wonderful, wonderful thing. I am so thankful God created music! It is calming, motivating, praise-inspiring, and downright therapy for daughter H (probably for all of us!). Five of our six children play some kind of instrument on a daily basis and there is always much music in our home. I LOVE it. How to make the room more conducive to the making of music?
I "girded up my loins" as the Old Testament would say (I have always wondered exactly what that means, but I think a loose translation for my situation might be "I put on my big girl panties!") and cranked out the entire room in one afternoon/evening. The evening that everyone else in the family was at church for Stockade and youth groups. So I could toss things to my heart's content! ;) I went through every paper pile, and all the old computer games/discs, and cleaned and scrubbed every corner as I went.
Here is the "during"..... (antique desk already moved to the far right corner in this first pic)
I consolidated all our "office" things onto one desk. Moved that desk to a different corner. Took down a 6 foot long table we were (not) using as a two person desk, and removed two other pieces of furniture from the room. Boxed up all the broken computer parts and electronics. Cleaned, dusted, took pictures of toys and games as I found them and immediately posted them for sale online. I was a whirling dirvish I tell you! (again, what is that???) And speaking of music, I did all this while playing motown tunes on very high volume.
Here is the "after".....
Moved the piano to where the antique desk used to be. Now we have a music corner!
Our window seat is the perfect height for someone to sit on and play the keyboard!
When the family all got home from church and saw this room they were astonished and thrilled. Maybe the clutter did bother them a little bit. And the best part is......the next day our teen boys picked up their guitars spontaneously, daughter H went to the piano, son C to the keyboard, and they all began jamming together. LOVE!
Oh sweet music room, how I love thee!
(office corner not shown because it is the one surface not put away!)
Our living room/dining room has needed a really deep clean for a very long time. But I had no physical or emotional energy to do it. Over the course of last school year, both of our desktop computers located in these rooms died, and there they sat. Carcasses of modern technology. Every horizontal surface was layered with stuff placed there by several of our children, who either didn't notice or seem to care about the clutter. Keepin' it real..... here is the proof....."before":
I had a dream to re-arrange the living room and turn it into more of a music room. Music is just a wonderful, wonderful thing. I am so thankful God created music! It is calming, motivating, praise-inspiring, and downright therapy for daughter H (probably for all of us!). Five of our six children play some kind of instrument on a daily basis and there is always much music in our home. I LOVE it. How to make the room more conducive to the making of music?
I "girded up my loins" as the Old Testament would say (I have always wondered exactly what that means, but I think a loose translation for my situation might be "I put on my big girl panties!") and cranked out the entire room in one afternoon/evening. The evening that everyone else in the family was at church for Stockade and youth groups. So I could toss things to my heart's content! ;) I went through every paper pile, and all the old computer games/discs, and cleaned and scrubbed every corner as I went.
Here is the "during"..... (antique desk already moved to the far right corner in this first pic)
Here is the "after".....
Moved the piano to where the antique desk used to be. Now we have a music corner!
When the family all got home from church and saw this room they were astonished and thrilled. Maybe the clutter did bother them a little bit. And the best part is......the next day our teen boys picked up their guitars spontaneously, daughter H went to the piano, son C to the keyboard, and they all began jamming together. LOVE!
Oh sweet music room, how I love thee!
(office corner not shown because it is the one surface not put away!)
Wednesday, December 4, 2013
Thursday, October 24, 2013
Thursday's Thankful Things
Today I am thankful for our music teachers, who are so much more than music teachers! Miss Emma and Mr. Richie are mentors to our children, striving to pass on not only their musical expertise, but also their passion for worship, for service, and for God. They make regular deposits into the spiritual lives of our children. There is just no greater gift you can give a parent than investing in their children in a positive, godly way. I am beyond grateful for these amazing people in our children's lives!
(the picture below is from their June 2012 recital ~ the boys look exponentially different now!!)
Friday, April 26, 2013
Thursday, March 14, 2013
Thursday's Thankful Things
I am thankful for...
Our great God
Music
Worship
My children
My children worshiping God together through music!
Thursday, March 7, 2013
Our Week in Review
Last week wrapped up our study of the Civil War. The middle schoolers and high schooler learned about the final battles of the war, the surrender, and how Lincoln's assassination set a different stage for reconstruction. Our younger two boys finished reading in depth about Abraham Lincoln. We recorded a great docu-drama off the National Geographic channel called "Killing Lincoln" and watched that as a family. (Disclaimer: one rather violent stabbing scene, and another graphic barn fire and shoot out during which Booth is killed.) Very, very well done.
Son G (8th grade) is writing a 5 paragraph essay on the Battle of Gettysburg, Son L (7th grade) is writing a 5 paragraph essay on Robert E. Lee, and son C (fifth grade) is writing a 3 paragraph report on Abraham Lincoln. Those papers will all be finished and turned in this week.
New daughter H has been formally withdrawn from her public school and is officially a homeschooler now! She received her new Math U See Pre Algebra book in the mail this week and has been very excited to start that. As excited as I have ever seen her about math!! :-) I have been working on a school plan for her that will fill in the gaps she has, while allowing her to learn at her own pace and in the manner that best fits her style. It's a work in progress, but we are slowly getting there. It is quite a thing to take a middle schooler out of public school mid-year, unexpectedly, and plop her into a homeschooling family! By God's grace we are all doing pretty well with the adjustments, but the flow and rhythm of school is not yet what I would like it to be.
We took a fantastic field trip this past week to a special presentation by our symphony orchestra! It was specially designed for students, and was masterfully m.c.'d by the conductor. We all enjoyed it immensely, but probably me the most!! Symphony orchestra has always been one of my dearest loves....I do not think my sweet husband knows how deeply orchestra music resonates with me. If he gave me nothing but orchestra tickets every birthday and Christmas for the rest of my life, I would die a happy woman! (local friends, hint, hint)
(a note to Grandma...Little Man has since had a hair cut and looks quite snazzy now!)
We had a girls night out this week, and stamped home-made cards! Great fun, and lots of beautiful cards to show for our effort.
I'm not a huge fan of grades, as they are often an artificial representation of what the student actually knows, but if you will allow me a proud mom moment regarding grades...daughter G received an A as her mid term grade in chemistry! She worked HARD for that grade, and I am pleased that the letter grade shows how her hard work is paying off. Her chemistry teacher is fairly tough (and it's NOT me!), so it was definitely an earned grade. Great job G!! We are proud of your work ethic!
Son G (8th grade) is writing a 5 paragraph essay on the Battle of Gettysburg, Son L (7th grade) is writing a 5 paragraph essay on Robert E. Lee, and son C (fifth grade) is writing a 3 paragraph report on Abraham Lincoln. Those papers will all be finished and turned in this week.
New daughter H has been formally withdrawn from her public school and is officially a homeschooler now! She received her new Math U See Pre Algebra book in the mail this week and has been very excited to start that. As excited as I have ever seen her about math!! :-) I have been working on a school plan for her that will fill in the gaps she has, while allowing her to learn at her own pace and in the manner that best fits her style. It's a work in progress, but we are slowly getting there. It is quite a thing to take a middle schooler out of public school mid-year, unexpectedly, and plop her into a homeschooling family! By God's grace we are all doing pretty well with the adjustments, but the flow and rhythm of school is not yet what I would like it to be.
We took a fantastic field trip this past week to a special presentation by our symphony orchestra! It was specially designed for students, and was masterfully m.c.'d by the conductor. We all enjoyed it immensely, but probably me the most!! Symphony orchestra has always been one of my dearest loves....I do not think my sweet husband knows how deeply orchestra music resonates with me. If he gave me nothing but orchestra tickets every birthday and Christmas for the rest of my life, I would die a happy woman! (local friends, hint, hint)
(a note to Grandma...Little Man has since had a hair cut and looks quite snazzy now!)
We had a girls night out this week, and stamped home-made cards! Great fun, and lots of beautiful cards to show for our effort.
I'm not a huge fan of grades, as they are often an artificial representation of what the student actually knows, but if you will allow me a proud mom moment regarding grades...daughter G received an A as her mid term grade in chemistry! She worked HARD for that grade, and I am pleased that the letter grade shows how her hard work is paying off. Her chemistry teacher is fairly tough (and it's NOT me!), so it was definitely an earned grade. Great job G!! We are proud of your work ethic!
Saturday, January 26, 2013
Sunday, November 18, 2012
What Friends Do....
when the computer has been declared off limits. Cause I'm mean like that ;)
They make beautiful music together. :)
They make beautiful music together. :)
That we can sing along to!
Tuesday, June 5, 2012
Combined Piano/Guitar Recital!
Last night was a combined music recital of three different teachers/studios ~ including piano students, guitar students, and one drum student! It was amazing. So special to see and hear our boys playing together in praise to our great God. Several of the other students were friends from church, and the group songs they played were all worship songs, so in a way it felt like a praise and worship service!
Son L on left.
Son L on left again, along with two other boys he goes to youth group with. It is possible these boys could all be playing in the youth group worship band together!
Son C doing his piano solo "It's a Wonderful World."
Son G on the right. Listening to all three of my boys play one of the worship songs together (son C was on the keyboard, hiding behind a music stand!) was such a blessing and brought tears to my eyes.
Son L singing!
Sons G and L with their wonderful and funny guitar teacher.
And son C with his amazing and talented piano teacher.
We are so blessed to have such committed and godly music teachers for our children, who teach with excellence. Thank you, God, for the incredible gift of music!
(for some reason blogger isn't letting me upload the video I took of one of the songs, perhaps because the file is too big. I promise my parents I'll figure out a way to share it with them!)
Son L on left.
Son L on left again, along with two other boys he goes to youth group with. It is possible these boys could all be playing in the youth group worship band together!
Son C doing his piano solo "It's a Wonderful World."
Son G on the right. Listening to all three of my boys play one of the worship songs together (son C was on the keyboard, hiding behind a music stand!) was such a blessing and brought tears to my eyes.
Son L singing!
Sons G and L with their wonderful and funny guitar teacher.
And son C with his amazing and talented piano teacher.
We are so blessed to have such committed and godly music teachers for our children, who teach with excellence. Thank you, God, for the incredible gift of music!
(for some reason blogger isn't letting me upload the video I took of one of the songs, perhaps because the file is too big. I promise my parents I'll figure out a way to share it with them!)
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