Bontrager Family Singers

January in Pictures

2012-01-26T00:00:00.000-06:00

During the first four weeks of our trip, we have been extremely busy...which has resulted in no posting.

Unfortunately I've not had my camera with me much so I just have a few photos to share. There are MANY other moments that I wish I would've captured on camera, but didn't, so this will have to do for now.

This week has been our busiest crusade week yet, in all of the seven years we've been doing crusades. I'm excited about sharing more on that tomorrow.

Stay tuned!

Cleaning windows with friends, for friends.....

We got to watch the Republican presidential debate

Carson getting a much-needed haircut

We loved getting to know the Welch's and the people at Fredricksburg Christian Fellowship

Allison & Rebecca making lunch in an Oklahoma church kitchen!

School and bookwork....

Physical exercise

Rides with Daddy!

Meeting beautiful babies....

....and enjoying an unexpected visit with a Journey friend

While in Arkansas, we got to meet Rebekah Swicegood and hear her recite Matt. 1-8 complete with drama. It was SO inspiring.

Taylors birthday party on the bus!

A highlight for all of us was the three days we spent in TX with our cousins.

Dutch Blitz!

Stories by cousin Alex

Continuing the "matching shirts" tradition.

::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::

Taylor

2012-01-13T21:42:00.001-06:00

Happy 10th Birthday, Taylor!

Christmas Weekend Recap

2012-01-04T17:46:00.001-06:00

On Saturday, the uncles, aunts, & grandma were invited to a brunch at my uncles' home.

That left 37 grandchildren to have our own party at grandmas. Here are a few of us enjoying brunch at the long table.

We had a delightful time!

Liz reading to Rebecca & Brooke

Dominoes with Liz, Jamie, Kenzie, & Ally

The game of choice...Dutch Blitz!

The guys enjoying a very lively football game

We were together @ Pizza Hut Christmas Eve.

The girls

Annika & Liz

Anticipating some yummy pizza!

Kierra, Leah, & Rebecca enjoy a story by Aunt Linda

Dutch Blitz with the guys

We had a very blessed church service together Christmas morning.

Above, Mitchell does a special presentation for the children.

Cousin Will preached a very convicting and challenging sermon about the love of God. He emphasized that the Christian life is not about what we can do to please God, but rather it is about all that God has DONE and GIVEN for us.

Eating yummy food!

Some of the girls

The adults side

Family/Food/Memories/Tradition/Noise/Laughter=A BONTRAGER CHRISTMAS

Victoria and Tiffany handing out gifts from Grandma

Uncle Merle handing out gifts to the younger grandchildren

The weather was chilly but definitely warmer than most Christmases. Here some of the ladies enjoy a walk.

More tradition....shooting clay pigeons in the field out behind Grandmas house.

Football in the basement...the younger boys were thrilled to have Mitchell & Will "supervising" the game. =)

Hudson & Brooke enjoy stories by cousin Danelle. This sight brought back memories for me, as one of my favorite and oldest memories of times with Danelle is her reading stories to me when I was younger.

heart-to-heart conversation, tea, and blankets with Hannah, Rhoda, Allison, Dorcas, & Teresa on Grandma's porch swing

Another favorite Bontrager game....SPOONS. I know we all look very calm and concentrated...but thats because no one had grabbed a spoon yet!

The joke is that in the next year, grandma will be finding spoons in odd places all over the living room. =)

Rebecca & Brooke enjoy some special story time with Grandma

worship time with the cousins late Christmas night

---------------

".....happy is that people, whose God is the LORD."

Psalm 144:15

Preparing....

2011-12-29T21:24:00.000-06:00

......to head south tomorrow!

(the random family picture is posted simply because I like posts with photos better than posts without )

We've all been flying around working...and I've been busy with some other projects, so my camera has not been with me to capture the action.

Imagine the typical American family preparing to leave for almost three months-packing clothes, food, instruments, linens, books, games, school, music, sale products-while at the same time doing chores, music practice, and cleaning......

Multiply that by three or four (our family size) and you'll have it about right.

*smile*

Your prayers are appreciated as we head out on the road once again to spread the message of HIS grace and salvation!

Christmas Eve Annual Dinner

2011-12-27T21:26:00.000-06:00

This year we continued our annual tradition of a gourmet, dress-up Christmas Eve dinner.

Due to activities that were planned with extended family for Christmas Eve, we had our family dinner one day early, on Friday.

All mid-morning/afternoon the kitchen was filled the many bustling cooks preparing their various appetizers.

I'll let pictures tell the story....

::Mexican Dip::

{Taylor}

::Pinwheels::

{Joshua}

::Chocolate Cream Puffs::

{Elizabeth & Chels}

::Garlic Pizza Wedges::

{Elizabeth & Chels}

::Chocolate Covered Goodness Balls::

{Mitchell-he made up this concoction so I'm just giving it a name that describes it =)}

::Chicken/Broccoli Cups::

{Mitchell&Hudson}

::Red Pepper Hummus::

{Denver}

::Bacon/Onion Stuffed Mushrooms::

{Chels}

Veggie Tray

::Onion Rings::

{Carson}

::Raw Chocolate Gelatin Cheesecake::

{Allison}

The table, laden with all things gourmet and scrumptious.

The guys....

...and the girls

{more posts coming soon with pictures and highlights from the weekend!}

Merry Christmas from the Bontragers!

2011-12-24T21:54:00.002-06:00

Note: our new bios are up on our family page!
~~~~~~~~~~~~
Photography by GehmanPhotography
Graphic Design by HannahSandersfeld

December Days

2011-12-22T21:26:00.000-06:00

Here at the Bontrager house, our lives have been busy with school, cooking, chores, and birthday parties.

One of the parties was a surprise weekend party, and one of the cooking adventures was a huge disaster. (more on those events to come later!)

"And whatsoever ye do, do it heartily, as to the Lord, and not unto men."

Colossians 3:23

Another Big Catch!

2011-12-16T23:17:00.000-06:00

Denver is becoming quite the trapper. This morning he came home with {possibly} the largest beaver of all beavers. This thing redefined huge-it was SO solid!

We are all quite proud of him. One spike buck, fifteen coon, one red fox, and one enormous beaver, all in just two months.

We're expecting an elephant next.

*smile*

It was all Denver and Joshua could do to hold this big guy so I could get a picture.

We really need to weigh him. (the beaver) I have a feeling he has Denver beat, pound for pound!

First Snow!

2011-12-13T17:10:00.002-06:00

"The MIGHTY God, even the Lord, hath spoken, and called the earth from the rising of the sun unto the going down thereof. Out of Zion, the perfection of beauty, God hath shined."

Psalm 50:1&2

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

This is the world we woke up to a couple of days ago.

The top picture was the view towards the west....

Boy tracks..and dog tracks

The calf huts covered with a layer of snow

the view towards the east

Later on in the afternoon, the boys had fun chasing each other on the round bales

Liz & Rebecca

Then and Now

2011-12-07T14:27:00.000-06:00

Twenty-two years ago.......

(Danelda, my mother, and Marilyn at my parents' wedding)

....to today.

They really haven't changed that much....=)

Although, how would I know? I wasn't there twenty-two years ago!

Treasure Life

2011-12-01T21:14:00.000-06:00

Canadian Trevor Baker in Concert!

2011-11-28T15:49:00.002-06:00

We are very excited to announce an upcoming concert here in Kalona by Canadian singer/songwriter Trevor Baker!

While we were on tour in Canada this past summer, several different people asked us if we had heard of him. Each person went on to say how powerful his songs are, and how we should sing some of his music. One night in Saskatchewan, someone gave us one of his cds. We listened to it and were SO encouraged and inspired by the very relevant message he writes and sings to America.

The last song on our latest cd is "Will America Pray". It was written by Mr. Baker and is sung (on our cd) by our new teenage boys' trio. It is my personal favorite song on our cd---loaded to the brim with truth. Plus it is sung by my favorite guys, and it doesn't get better than that.

{grin}

If you haven't already heard it, then you'll either need to attend the concert this Friday night to hear him sing it, or order the cd from our website and hear our guys sing it.

OR....you could always do both. =)

posted by chelsy

Thanksgiving Day Memories

2011-11-26T21:39:00.000-06:00

Thanksgiving~a time to remember all the blessings God has given us and all those ways He has worked in our lives.

We took time after dinner for everyone to share one thing he/she was thankful for.

Thanksgiving Dinner with our whole family and a friend, Ruth Hoppe

Getting into a good game of Risk

Dad & Hudson sharing an afternoon snooze

New Cd!

2011-11-24T20:20:00.003-06:00

We are excited to announce the completion and release of our latest recording project, Salt&Light!
Listen to the title track below, and then head on over to our online store to check into adding Salt&Light to your music library! =)

Here are the Bontragers.....

2011-11-24T15:03:00.000-06:00

...wishing you and yours a blessed Thanksgiving Day!

"Praise ye the Lord. O give THANKS unto the Lord; for He is good: for His mercy endureth forever. Blessed be the Lord God of Israel from everlasting to everlasting: and let all the people say, Amen. Praise ye the Lord."

Psalm 106:1&48

A Few Photos from the Week...

2011-11-19T20:21:00.001-06:00

As most of you know, our family has been somewhat scattered over the country this last week. With Mom & Elizabeth in NY the beginning of the week....and Mitchell & Carson gone from Monday til yesterday....and Dad, Joshua, & Taylor leaving Wednesday and meeting Mom & Elizabeth in Nashville for the National Bible Bee Competitions...this house has been a quiet place this week. The above photo was a "typical" breakfast scene-small & quiet.

In other words....NOT typical, compared to the normal.

{smile}

We had a wonderful time together with our "mini" family, but were thrilled to have Mitchell & Carson return home yesterday. We are preparing a celebration for tomorrow night when the rest of the family will arrive home from Nashville....and we will once more be the noisy, rowdy, and sizable Bontrager gang!

----------

What a week!

Hudson helping me make biscuits for breakfast this morning.

Denver with his catch of the year, a big, bushy, beautiful red fox. He was smiling all day. Way to go, Denver!!

THE FINAL NEWS IS IN!!!!!

2011-11-19T14:51:00.001-06:00

Congratulations, Joshua, on winning 4th place at the 2011 National Bible Bee Competition in Nashville, TN!!!!!

All of us remaining here at home are so proud of you, and wish we were there to give you our hugs and love! =)

Note: Joshua recited all of his verses in the final five rounds word perfectly. (each contestant recited one passage of up to sixteen verses, per round) After two of the seven contestants were knocked out for mistakes, the remaining five were judged by/according to their previous Sword Study written test scores)
To God be the glory, great things He has done!

Bible Bee Junior Finals Are Now Live!!

2011-11-19T13:07:00.001-06:00

Watch Joshua & six others compete here in the Junior Bible Bee Finals, now streaming live from Nashville!!

He's In, Again!!!

2011-11-19T09:02:00.001-06:00

Saturday morning, 7:30 am: A little girl floats around the house, brown hair bobbing, still wearing her long ruffly nightgown. She is saying, "I will remember to thank God tonight for answering my prayers." A minute later, she bubbles over with excitement, yelling, "Yippee-i-o!"

You guessed it..... it's the Bontrager house and my daring sis Rebecca I speak of above. For some reason we're all really excited right now. As in, r e a l l y e x c i t e d. You see, we got a call this morning. Actually, it was "THE CALL".........Joshua is advancing to the finals in the National Bible Bee! After hours and hours of suspense, we're so happy to be praying for our little "big" brother once again.

Go to the Bible Bee website (www.biblebee.org) to watch the contest live today around 1pm Central Time. Of course, keep watching the blog for news!

Thank you for all the prayers. Whether or not Joshua wins, our desire is that God be glorified! For it is all about Him.

Semi-Finals, Here He Comes!!!!!

2011-11-17T22:09:00.000-06:00

If you had been a mouse in our home just five minutes ago, you would have heard Allison & I screaming at the top of our lungs (into the phone),

"He's in?? Oh my word! He's in??Dad, are you serious?!? Oh my goodness!!!! HE'S IN!!"

Yes, that is right! After the beginning rounds today, Joshua placed in the top 15 out of the 100 in his division and is now advancing to the Bible Bee semi-finals. To say we are excited beyond measure is an understatement!

Thank-you all so much for your prayers! Please continue to pray for clearness of mind for Joshua as he enters the semi-finals round tomorrow. By tomorrow night, only 5 of the 15 semi-finalists will be left and those 5 will advance to the finals on Saturday. Excitement is high around here tonight. =) I don't think we'll be sleeping for awhile. =)

Headed to Nationals!

2011-11-16T21:51:00.000-06:00

Early this morning, Joshua and a convoy from the Bontrager household left for Nashville, TN. Beginning tomorrow morning, Joshua will be competing at the National Bible Bee. Back in September, he competed in the local competitions and ranked 69th of the several thousand juniors who competed across the US. Now, along with the other 99 winners in the junior division, and 100 winners each in the senior and primary division, he is advancing to the finals!
You can read what he has to say about the Bible Bee and his experience on his bio here, or read the article printed in our local newspaper here.
Please join us in praying for Joshua tomorrow morning as he begins bright and early at 8:00am with the junior oral and written test rounds. Also please pray for our cousin, Thomas Youngman, and our friend from church, Marie Morris, who have also made it to Nationals and will be competing in the senior division.

We are SO excited for you, Joshua, and proud of all your hard work and love for God's Word! We're praying for you!

"Thy word have I hid in mine heart, that I might not sin against Thee."

Psalm 119:11

StoltzfusFamilyReunion2011

2011-11-16T15:39:00.000-06:00

These pictures are just a few from the Stoltzfus (mom's side) family reunion we attended in PA the second week of June this summer.

Thanks to all the other granddaughter photographers for contributing your photos!

We've said it before, so we wouldn't have to say it again, but.....we love our cousins, aunts, uncles, & grandparents. They are our best friends, and the memories we make with them every time we're together are priceless.

To the fourteen cousins/uncles/aunts who weren't able to make it-ya'll were missed!

The original Stotlzfus siblings sharing memories from their growing up years

Delicious meals planned by two of my dear aunts. They are such amazing cooks-we ate really well, as you can see by the caramel cheesecake pictured above. =)

kitchen cleanup crew

charming little Bryson getting a bath

You can only imagine the party with these eight little ladies! left to right: Courtney, Sarah, Elizabeth, Bekah, Breanna, Elise, Victoria, & Rebecca

As of eight years ago, the Stoltzfus grandsons outnumbered the grand-daughters....most of my uncles & aunts have more sons than daughters. So we were all so surpirsed and thrilled when the four youngest Stoltzfus daughters (mom and three of her sisters) got pregnant within 1/2 a year of each other and all had girls! They named them...Rebekah Elise, Elise Raquele, Elizabeth Caress, & Sarah Elizabeth. (see how they share names? sisters think alike =))

Love these women....what wild times we have when we're together! Talking til the wee hours, laughing our heads off at nothing in particular, and trashing the guy cousins' "dorm".... among other things. =)

Sunday morning service

Hudson & Marissa share a snuggle...

Everyone shared a blessing/prayer for grandpa & grandma

Brad & Jason catching up on sleep

treasure hunt for the younger ones

Aunt Barb holding with her precious little grand-daughter, Elianna Mercy.

Uncle John & cousin Lester grilling for supper

The retreat where we stayed was in the middle of the woods and had lots of beautiful hiking

Grandpa & grandma gave out pens to everyone.

Some of the boys were a little desperate to try them out right away. =)

smiles from the food line

proud new daddy. =)

Grandpa & Grandma with seven of their nine children and their children's spouses

In order of age....

The dearly loved ones who started it all....

Grandpa & Grandma with the grandchildren

after ???? minutes of standing patiently, everyone was getting a little hyper.

Even so, when I gave them the go-ahead to do whatever they felt inclined to do, I wasn't quite expecting this!

I realize more and more, the older I get, what a blessing it is to have such a godly heritage. I'm so thankful for grandparents who had a vision for their children and for the future....for aunts and uncles who believe in God's Word and follow it....and for cousins who love Jesus and desire to live for Him. Truly, there's nothing more precious than that.

And I love these people. =)

posted by chels

Matching

2011-11-16T15:14:00.001-06:00

Allison recently sewed matching dresses for Rebecca & her doll.

Rebecca was thrilled, to say the least.

Fall::Life with the Bontragers

2011-11-15T19:49:00.000-06:00

Leaves falling.....
---------------
Crop harvest is finally over, and we are all rejoicing to have that behind us, although it was a good season once again.

Hudson & Rebecca doing school

music practice

When you live on a farm....there is always something happening to keep life exciting. And...frustrating. =)
As you can see, there is something wrong with the above photo. Not the normal position for a tractor/wagon. There was hay on the wagon, prior to the crash....

stories..

A highlight for the younger ones this fall was getting a batch of seven cats from one of our cousins. Those cats have been loved nearly to death. =)

Mitchell & Carson have been working hard for our new family business, Bontrager Applicators. We miss them when they're gone all week and we're all excited to see them home again on the weekends.

Liz begged me to teach her how to iron, so I did. Fifteen seconds into her first try she burnt herself, but got right back to it again. This is one of her favorite jobs-ironing the boys' handkerchiefs.

We've been teaching our young men to be bachelors. Well, not really...but they're being prepared! Denver makes the most scrumptious pumpkin pancakes...

Fall tradition=homemade donuts

Birthday parties!

Learning to read....Allison & Rebecca do phonics together every morning. One morning Allison put phonics & cooking together and she and Rebecca made these adorable little cupcakes spelling the names of our cats.

lots of school...

Bible Bee practice (more to come on this!)

It's trapping season!

trapping party with cousins...

Carson's big buck

Denver went out hunting for the first time this year, and on his very first try....got a little buck, just his size. =) We were all thrilled for him.

"To everything there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven..." Ecclesiastes 3:1

Shipshewana

2011-10-27T09:19:00.002-05:00

Our last trip of the year was to the annual Crafters Fair and concert series at the Bluegate Theater in Shipshewana, IN. We were one of four groups that performed over the weekend.

This is a picture of part of the group.....it was taken at about 11:30pm and various family members had already left for bed. These were the few that were left from the Clark, Balos, and Bontrager families.

Taylor plays bass

As we were packing up the last night, "someone" stacked a tote on top of the mixer. The mixer took a tumble at the bottom of the stairs, and consequently everything in the tote (books, cds, pictures, etc) went flying all over the pavement. So here we are, at 12:00am on Sunday morning, cleaning up.

We were all on stage singing but as we sang we knew something was going on because all eyes in the audience were focused on "something" at the corner of the stage. Its very interesting to sing and watch people laughing at the same time, especially when you yourself can't look to see what they're laughing at, but you have a pretty good idea of what it is. =) One dear lady I was watching was laughing so hard she was wiping tears from her eyes. I was playing piano and thinking to myself, "I can only imagine what kind of an act little miss Curly is putting on right now." =)

Sure enough, this is what they were laughing at.

We were SO thankful that Danelda had her camera and was able to capture this moment.

The boys set up their chess game in the green room behind stage and then snuck in quick moves in between their songs. Leave it to boys to use those spare moments wisely!

Our mother's dear friends from "olden days" didn't make it to IA this year for our yearly memorial day visit, so they spent the weekend in IN with us instead. They always add lots of life to the party and are a great addition to our already rowdy team. =)

Late one night, after the concerts were over, Allison & I got to spend some time with our friends Bonnie & Jenna, from the Balos Family.

We stayed at the "Preachers House" again. The little ones loved the unique stairway.

A sweet local family invited us over for breakfast and to ride their homemade ferris wheel. It was quite something.

new friends

getting a thrill!

There's a long story behind these shirts.....but basically Denver and his friend Javan were calling themselves professional DJ string cutters, so Javan and his parents went and got these matching shirts made for the boys. Denver was beyond thrilled. =)

Mitchell & Allison's Graduation Celebration

2011-10-26T18:36:00.000-05:00

::Senior Recital::

::Open House::

Congratulations, Mitchell & Allison! We love you both so much!

Daily Life on the Road

2011-10-14T20:56:00.002-05:00

Recently some of us were discussing our blog, and what we post here....and we realized that most of what we post is our "off time days", which include cousins, field trips, friends, etc.

Since all that is definitely not an accurate picture of a normal, typical "bus day"....we all agreed that it was time to show the world what daily life really looks like on the road. =)

These shots capture a few of our normal, daily routines....

Bible time with the littles

school....

puzzle time for Rebecca while school is in session for her playmates

The three littlest doing reading and phonics together

Every week or so we "move in" to an area landromat. =)

Rebecca inserting quarters to keep the dryers going!

more school!

cleaning time....

....and school again

our boys can come up with some crazy ideas. Here is Denver, trying a new hairstyle right before his haircut.

there it goes...!!

Laundry again....

practice time!

we practice whenever we get the chance to leave our sound equipment up and stay at a church a little longer.

Joy in the Garden and Kitchen

2011-10-05T17:28:00.002-05:00

This afternoon some of the children helped me make a batch of salsa-Oh! so yummy! Our favorite recipe is tomatoes, peppers, onions, garlic, cilantro, cumin, salt, and lime juice.

Chop! Chop! Chop!

~My diligent helpers~

We have some lovely cherry tomatoes still producing in our garden. The little ones love to pick as long as they can eat while they work. :)

Are you hungry yet?

"And God said, Let the earth bring forth grass, the herb yielding seed, and the fruit tree yielding fruit after his kind, whose seed is in itself, upon the earth: and it was so." Genesis 1:11

5th Annual Homeschool Family Camp

2011-09-27T20:39:00.000-05:00

Here are just a few of the many photos from family camp two weeks ago. It was without a doubt the best year yet, as well as the biggest.

Here are the pictures of mother/daughter & father/son time and activities, crafts, scripture memory, skits, special music, Mighty Mighty Scoop Noodle Challenge, Tug of War, mini group music lessons, family devotional times, happy volleyball players, young people discussion groups that lasted til 2:30am, little friends, pony rides, card tricks, special presentations by different attendees, carpetball, food, food, and more food, harness trampoline,sewing projects, "Deceptive Luncheon" (dessert presented as main dish and vice versa, babies, more friends.....and so much more.

10th Annual Turning Hearts Celebration

2011-09-27T12:57:00.002-05:00

The Annual Turning Hearts Celebration, held on our farm on Labor Day 2011, has once again come and gone. It was a wonderful day full of food, fun activities, music, and challenges from God's Word for the entire family!

Here is the day in pictures....

ice-cream

sweet young ladies who were such a blessing with their servants' hearts and cheerful smiles

more helpers cutting melons...

the Bates Family came all the way from TN to share in music and God's Word. What a blessing they were to everyone! We were encouraged by their love for the Lord and each other.

(visit their blog here to see additional pictures from Labor Day)

Katie, Carlin, & Josie singing the "Pouchy Lips" song.

football for the guys...

preparing to serve the multitudes.

*smile*

Mr. Bates shared two powerful messages, "Beware Where You Stare; It May Become a Snare" & "One Failure No Family Can Afford To Make"

Mrs. Bates with Judson

Throughout the day, we held drawings for various resources that would encourage families

"What a wonderful change in my life has been wrought, since Jesus came into my heart..."

attentiveness by even the young children was so sweet!

----------------

photos by wesley desaulniers & chelsy bontrager

posted by chelsy

Preparing....

2011-09-03T22:13:00.001-05:00

Lots has been happening around here since we got home on Wednesday morning! This farm has been an absolute hubbub of activity as everyone in our family (plus some sweet friends who came for a day to help) has been working fast and furiously to get this place ready to host around 500 people on Monday! I've been working most of the time and haven't taken many pictures, but I did capture a few "hard at work" moments that I'll share here....

You're Invited...

2011-08-31T22:14:00.000-05:00

....to join our family and a multitude of others on Labor Day, Sept. 5th, 2011, for the 10th Annual Turning Hearts Celebration!

Joining us this year, from Knoxville, TN, are Gil & Kelly Bates and their 18 children.

We are very excited at how all the details are coming together this year and we are anticipating a marvelous day of fellowship, music, food, and family activities. You won't want to miss it! No rsvp is needed; just show up with your family and enjoy a day on the farm!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"Gil and Kelly Bates, along with their 18 children, from Knoxville, TN, will be singing and speaking at the 10th Annual Turning Hearts Celebration on Labor Day, Sept. 5th, 2011. The annual event is hosted by the Marlin & Becky Bontrager Family and will be held at the Bontragers home, 1881 Johnson Washington Rd, Kalona, IA. The day begins at 12:00pm and will be filled with hayrides, food, and fellowship for young and old. Hard ice cream will also be served throughout the day. The event is open to the public. A freewill offering will be taken for the Bates Family. Download a brochure (with the complete schedule) here, or call 319-325-4529 for more information. To read more about the Bates Family, visit their website here"

In Studio 2011

2011-08-19T19:36:00.005-05:00

One of my favorite features about this studio was the amazing Starbucks coffee beans....yum! What incredible coffee! Italian sweet cream creamer made it pretty much heavenly. =)

Unfortunately I was only able to have it on the days we did instrument tracks. The rest of the time I had to be on a water-only diet. (as far as liquids-coffee dries out vocal cords)

Dad spending free moments (in between recording) on the phone scheduling our tours for 2012

We have our lovely cousin, Hannah, from MO, traveling with us on this trip. We are having such a wonderful time with her-she is a great addition to our family and has adjusted to our crazy life very well. =)

This studio is located in a very country corner of Alabama, where southern hospitality, four-wheelers, and ticks abound. It's a great place to be stuck recording.

{smile}

A treat came for us on Wednesday when our dear aunt and seven cousins from GA came over to hang out with us in the studio. They were a lovely distraction and we so enjoyed having them with us.

I'm guessing it was the first time this studio had ever seen a big Dutch Blitz game like this. =)

Our cousin Elise stayed at the studio with us after the rest of her family went back to Georgia. She'll be with us til tonight, when we head over to spend tomorrow with her family. Dad & Mitchell will stay here at the studio to complete the mixing.

Our very gifted engineer for this project, Randy Miller. Tonight we talked him into playing harmonica for us. Wow!!

This afternoon a {certain} individual was feeling rather discouraged as we were trying and trying to complete one of our songs, and this {certain} individual complained that he "needed" some chocolate to cheer him up, or something along those lines.

Unbeknowst to us, Randy overheard what had been said about chocolate. He evidently made a phone call, and about half an hour later, Randy's father (who lives nearby and has become a great friend of ours this week) stopped by with a bag full of all things sweet and chocolate. (like lollipops, above)

You can imagine the motivation to finish the song. =)

This is a typical Denver reading position. =)
Spare time at the studio was primarily spent doing school and reading, or being outdoors.
Life on the road (when we are parked in one place for awhile) is spent doing a lot of the normal things families do-school, cleaning, laundry, preparing meals, etc.

Randy's aunt offered us the use of her pool this afternoon, so we celebrated the completion of the tracks and vocals by several hours of swimming.

"Sing unto the Lord, bless His name; show forth His salvation from day to day."

Psalm 96:2

posted by chels

Home moments

2011-08-11T19:29:00.001-05:00

bringing in newborn twin baby calves from the pasture.....

Here are the gardens that were transformed from jungles back to gardens during our few shorts days at home.

Rebecca and Allison enjoying a bedtime story in the front yard.

Corn Sweet Corn!

2011-08-10T16:03:00.002-05:00

The first pressing project at home was getting the gardens under control. Second....was freezing 50 quarts of sweet corn!

The husking crew.....even dad joined the party for a little while!

husking....

husking.....

more husking....

ready to wash....

washing.....

cutting....

bagging and freezing.....

....and finally! EATING! =)

posted by chels

::Home Sweet....Jungle::

2011-08-08T19:41:00.002-05:00

Arrived home on Monday morning, Aug. 1st, @ 4:00am. I don't think it has ever been SO GOOD to be home. As we began to look around though, we realized that much had happened in those six weeks we were gone.

The gardens were.....hardly visible underneath the mountains of weeds.

Our farm resembled a jungle more than a farm.

On top of all that, we had just spent 6 weeks out west, where "hot" is 75 degrees, with no humidity.

On Monday, Iowa was 100 degrees, with, well, lots of Iowa humidity.

To us, it seemed like....the amazon?

BUT....it was home, and that was wonderful!!

The wilderness. Our poor farm looked so much like twelve people had completely neglected it for 6 weeks.

weeds, weeds, and more weeds...

Working hard

It usually gets worse...and then it gets better. Here's the worse....

....and here's the better!

This sight brings a smile to my face.

I was so excited to be home, that I woke up as soon as we drove in. (4:00am) There was no way I was gonna get back to sleep! So Allison & I got up and had three hours to tackle the work before the littles awoke. By 7:00am I had three loads of laundry on the line. SUCH a fulfilling feeling-this way to do laundry beats those western laundromats any day!

Fresh flowers...from OUR flowerbed....on OUR dining room table....and guess what? We don't have to worry about them falling over when we go around a curve!

Hurrah!! =)

posted by chels

So...who drives the bus????

2011-07-30T16:15:00.003-05:00

One of the most often asked questions we get is "So, who drives that big rig out there?"

Meet our six current drivers....

Dad in Nevada.....

Mom in Canada.....

Carson, in Idaho.....

Mitchell, in Wyoming....

Allison in Nebraska....

....and yours truly in Colorado!

(Driver #7 will be Joshua (14). He'll be driving too as soon as we have time to get him to Iowa City to get his permit)

-------------------

So now, when in 25 years, you hear that the Bontrager Family Singers is traveling in a fleet of 10 buses with the original 10 kids, their spouses, and about 100+ grandchildren, you won't be surprised.

*grin*

posted by chels

Of Bontragers & Blueberries in Oregon

2011-07-21T00:43:00.001-05:00

It is 7:15am on a bright Monday morning in Oregon. Eight of the twelve Bontrager gang take to the blueberry field.

One hour later, they are joined by the three littles and daddy.

This is a pretty intense berry picking party.

Three and a half hours and 200lb. of blueberries later.....the Bontragers leave the field with full tummies and a bus chest freezer full of blue! Our time in the field was made memorable by many family laughs, stories, and the hundreds of slugs that were found amongst the blueberry bushes. =)

Glacier Mountain Photographs

2011-07-19T16:21:00.001-05:00

To view some of the mountain photographs taken while we were at the Glacier Mountains, visit

my blog.

{posted by chels}

Contentment.....

2011-07-18T19:55:00.001-05:00

"Realizing that God has provided e v e r y t h i n g I need for my present happiness."

{posted by Allison}

Hudson visits Hudson Bay

2011-07-16T13:55:00.000-05:00

Of course we had to get a picture of him by the town sign!

{posted by chels}

Wednesday Night Jam in Montana

2011-07-16T12:46:00.000-05:00

The guys love meeting other musicians at random places as we travel.

"Make a joyful noise unto the Lord, all ye lands."

Psalm 100:1

{posted by chels}

Hiking in the Rockies

2011-07-16T12:37:00.001-05:00

{posted by chels}

Deer in the Audience

2011-07-15T12:21:00.001-05:00

On Tuesday night we sang outdoors in a tourist town at the foot of the Glacier Mountains. You won't believe who came out for the concert. =)

Yes, it was the first time we've ever had deer in the audience.

{posted by chels}

Wildlife in the Rockies

2011-07-15T09:00:00.000-05:00

Here are a few of God's incredible creations that we've seen in the rockies.

Obviously, the deer photos are much better than the ones of the bears. (if you look closely you can see the two little cubs also) You can imagine why....I got considerably closer to the deer than I did to the bear! Not that I didn't want to venture nearer, but we decided to keep our distance just in case!

{posted by chels}

At Windy Bay Hutterite Colony

2011-07-14T12:27:00.001-05:00

While we were in Manitoba, we had the opportunity to spend a day at a Hutterite colony.

Hutterites are a group of people who live together in a community. They do everything together-working, playing, & eating with the entire community. This community was a smaller one-about 75 people.

For quite some time now, our family has been praying for the opportunity to visit a colony as a whole family. (Dad & several of the boys had been to a colony in Montana last year, but the rest of us have never been)

Through an amazing set of circumstances, God providentially opened the doors for us to visit and sing at this colony. The people there were so welcoming and hospitable to us. They included us in everything they were doing and made us feel like part of the community.

Touring the colony

Rebecca loved the beautiful peonies

beautiful & immaculate flower beds

Part of the community garden

Enjoying a swing on one of their many homemade swings

Go-cart rides

Walking down to the river for the fishing derby and barbeque.

Denver fishing

Elizabeth with a new friend

After we got back from the barbeque at the lake, we set up our sound equipment/instruments in their community dining hall and gave a concert for the colony.

After we sang, their youth choir sang several songs for us. Their harmony was beautiful-it sent shivers down my spine just to listen to them!

{posted by chels}

Church Family Day (from May)

2011-07-09T12:35:00.001-05:00

Just realized the other day that, due to computer issues at the time, I never posted these pictures of our [{fabulous} church family day back in May!

We love our little home church of 42 people. We are so close and just love spending time together. So in May, we planned a church family day....where everyone came to church and then stayed for the afternoon {games + fellowship} and the evening {popcorn + snacks + homemade ice-cream}

Above, we played an interesting "discussion" game where each family was given a piece of paper with a question on it. After that each family went off by themselves and discussed the question they had been given...and then met back together to share their answers why with the group. It was really really good....questions were things like:

1) if there was a draft, what would you do?

2) if the chip became mandatory, how would you react?

3) what would you do if your neighbor sued you?

4) what would you do if a homeless man showed up at your door and needed a place to stay the night?

5) what would you do if your elderly parents needed constant care?

6) what would you do if the state passed a law stating that it was mandatory for all children to be sent to public school?

Families took these questions to God's Word and then shared their answers---such a rich time of thinking, discussion, and growing in Biblical knowledge.

some little people were not content with the more *ahem* "refined" game of DareBase. =)

dear, dear....what a mess! But what happy smiles!

DareBase....the Christian Family Fellowship young people's favorite game of all time

Taking turns churning the ice-cream

the girls

the moms + older girls

Adorable little Rachel enjoying ice-cream with her daddy.

{posted by chels}

Manitoba

2011-07-08T22:56:00.003-05:00

While we were in Manitoba last week we were blessed to spend some time with the Penner family. Above, we enjoyed a cookout with them and their neighbors......unfortunately, the mosquitoes joined the party, too.

Liz, Lonita, & Bets

They offered to make tortillas with us (they are professionals!) and then sent a bunch of them with us. SO yummy....we've been loving wraps with homemade tortillas ever since!

Tania, Allison, Julia, myself, & Stephanie

{posted by chels}

Camping in Saskatchewan

2011-07-06T10:55:00.002-05:00

We had a much-needed day off on July 4th, and we spent part of it and the next day at a campground in Canada. It was short but very sweet and we had a wonderful time being "just us".

Yummy, yummy!

Taylor & Denver

Ice-cream for dessert, in honor of Mitchell's 19th birthday

Smiles!

Our three teenage boys, who currently consume large quantities of ice-cream, just the three of them. =) Actually, to be quite honest, they consume large quantities of ANYTHING at this stage in life! =)

hair cuts by Allison....

Carson made a rope swing and hung it from the tree we were parked under. The little girls loved it!

"But let all those that put their trust in Thee rejoice: let them ever shout for joy, because Thou defendest them: let them also that love Thy name be joyful in Thee."

Psalm 5:11

{posted by chels}

Happy July 4th!

2011-07-04T12:43:00.002-05:00

Here's all twelve of us wishing all of our blog readers a happy 4th of July!!
(photography by Gehman Photography 2011)

{posted by chels}

Someone's Lovesick....

2011-07-04T11:48:00.004-05:00

(conversation overheard between mom and Hudson)

Hudson (in his deep, rumbling little voice) : "I'm lovesick."

Mom (horrified tone): "WHAT?? And WHO are you lovesick for??"

Hudson: "Well, Rebeeca is homesick, cause she misses home.....and I'm lovesick, cause I love traveling!!"

(at which point mom breathes a HUGE sigh of relief and rejoices that she still has her baby =))

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

*photography by Gehman Photography)

(posted by Chels)

Minnesota/Canada 2011

2011-06-30T23:28:00.002-05:00

The first week of this 6-week northern/western tour was spent in Minnesota/Canada. In between concerts we were blessed to enjoy lots of scenery and God's beautiful creation!
Above we are having a picnic during the time we spent with the Schoenfelders....

Rebecca playing by the lake

Boat rides!!

Volleyball

Rope swing rides....fun, fun!!

Taylor preparing to jump

Denver flying through the air

Singing hymns together in the evening

Liz & Rebecca playing in the playhouse

Playing with the kittens at the Nisly's.

Kendra, Rebecca, Liz, Hudson, & Caitlyn

Katrina & Crystal showed Denver & Taylor the horses and goats

A highlight was spending time with our cousin Jordan at his home @ Northern Youth Programs where he is an airplane mechanic.

Before we left in the morning, Jordan took some of us on a canoe ride on the lake

the view over Beaver Lake

The mission where we stayed

{posted by chels}

Home for Five Days...

2011-06-18T14:44:00.001-05:00

This week we found ourselves at home for five short days, which we filled with music lessons, a piano/violin recital, strawberries (!!!), and hours upon hours of hard work in the gardens and on the farm. In the midst of all the work, Rebecca was delighted to get her turn to go on a "hot date" with daddy. =)

{posted by chels}

Ya'll Come....to Family Camp 2011!!

2011-06-16T20:00:00.003-05:00

What: 5th Annual Homeschool Family Camp

Where: Village Creek Bible Camp, Lansing, IA

When: September 11-15th, 2011

Watch the slideshow above from family camp 2010

Come and join us this year for another wonderful week of encouragement, like-minded fellowship, physical exercise, amazing food, family, family, & more family, music, and more! Sign up by calling the camp staff, or download a brochure on the homeschool family camp website.

{posted by chels}

New York City {Monday}

2011-06-11T11:41:00.001-05:00

We toured the oldest church in NYC. This church was used as the headquarters for all the volunteers, rescue people, and medical workers following 9/11

Anyone want to walk across that little bridge?!

A highlight was serving lunch to the homeless at Bowery Mission.

We took this ferry to see the Statue of Liberty

This little lady was exhausted after the long day of walking....here she caught a little nap while we were riding the ferry around the Statue of Liberty.

Riding the subway was definitely an experience. We had about 10 seconds to get all 50 of us loaded and then that train was bound for...wherever. If you weren't on in those 10 seconds....well, it wouldn't have been good. Amazingly enough, we didn't lose anyone on the subway!

On the subway...holding on for dear life. =)

Our group, minus a few....

Times Square....at 11:00pm. We sang several songs in the middle of T.S. and that was quite an amazing feeling to be singing in the middle of hundreds of thronging people and countless flashing lights and pictures.

Being in the city for these several days reminded us again of the lack of godliness in our country, and of the great need for revival in America.

******************

"For Thou art great, and doest wondrous things: Thou art God alone."

Psalm 86:10

(posted by chels)

New York City {Sunday}

2011-06-09T08:00:00.003-05:00

Sunday was a busy day. In the morning we attended Mr. Pollard's (our host) church. Unfortunately my camera was not along so I don't have many pictures of the day. Mr. & Mrs. Duggar and Dad & Mom spoke about family and biblical principles during the message time and there was also a time for Q/A. After a delicious meal by the Pollards, our whole group headed over to the Evangel Church where our families sang and shared in the evening.

During our many trips to and from various places over the weekend, we had fun switching up family members and getting a chance to talk with our friends as we drove through the crazy city streets. Above (L to R) are Jinger, Jill, Anna, Allison, myself, Brittany, Jana, & Jessa riding in our bus.

Following our evening service, our group plus quite a few others met back at the hotel for pizza and fellowship. We went through about 25 pizzas. =)

New York City {Saturday}

2011-06-08T20:00:00.001-05:00

On Saturday morning some of us had the opportunity to work with an inner-city outreach to the project kids. We split up and rode the buses to pick up the children, and then got to talk and interact with them on the ride back to the outreach building. The staff did an amazing job of working with these kids and presenting Christ to them. We were so blessed to see the difference they are making in their part of the city.

Saturday night we participated in an outreach called "Praise in the Park", at a park in the city. Different church groups/worship bands took turns singing, along with our families. Many were able to hear the salvation message and see the power of Jesus at work.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"I will praise Thee, O Lord, with my whole heart; I will show forth all Thy marvelous works. I will be glad and rejoice in Thee: I will sing praise to Thy name, O Thou most high."

Psalm 9:1 & 2

{posted by chels}

Niagara Falls

2011-06-08T13:17:00.002-05:00

*Maid of the Mist*

*Trolley Rides*

*The Falls*

*Cave of the Winds*

Smiles from Johannah, Brittany, Jinger, Allison, Liz, Jana, Josie, Jill, Jennifer, Jessa, & Jordyn

Chatting with our wonderful tour guides

*Lunch at the Riverfront Restaurant*

The little girls colored while waiting for their lunch.

The adventurous girls of our group who decided to ride the Whirlpool Jet Ski Boat through the Niagara Rapids. We had to wear all this amazing gear, which was so big and bulky that it made us feel like penguins!

The ride....was quite something. =)I haven't ever experienced anything quite like it. By the end we were completely drenched!

[posted by chels]

Smiles from NY!

2011-06-08T12:56:00.000-05:00

Please Pray

2011-06-01T19:27:00.001-05:00

Lord willing, the bus will be departing in a few hours for yet another journey.

If you had been on our farm today, you would have found us....

packing::mowing lawn::cleaning the house::giving music lessons::baling hay::choring::raking hay::putting the hale bales away in the barn::running errands::organizing the bus::sewing::burning trash

This time, the destination is New York, followed by Pennsylvania. Please pray for us as we travel and minister these next ten days. We are so in need of wisdom and strength from the Lord. We can do nothing without Him. He is the One who changes people. May He be glorified.

Making Cheese

2011-05-26T17:17:00.004-05:00

Last week some friends, the Carden family, held a cheese-making demonstration. It was a very fun and informative afternoon. Hopefully, we will enjoy our very own fresh, home-made mozzarella cheese someday in the near future!

When the cheese was completed, we had bruschetta sandwiches- baguette slices with tomato, olive oil, seasoning, and fresh mozzarella. {absolutely scrumptious!}

Jonas did a wonderful job demonstrating and explaining the cheese making process.

Summer Tea with Friends

2011-05-23T11:35:00.001-05:00

~tea, lovely lady friends, good conversation, s w e e t times~

~little girls, frozen fruit bars, an afternoon of playing together~

~luscious lemon bars w/ blueberries~

~beauty~

~delicious crab cakes w/ dips~

Memories at the Campsite

2011-05-17T21:15:00.001-05:00

In the midst of a very busy farm season, our family took a much needed two-hour break and enjoyed a delicious brunch back at our campsite.

On the menu:

::sausage patties::

::pancakes::

::eggs::

::veggies::

::fresh RAW milk:

::roasted bananas w/ chocolate & peanut butter::

Memories!

Take time, even in the midst of the busy-ness of life, to savor those moments together!

Mother's Day 2011

2011-05-16T07:00:00.002-05:00

This year on Mother's Day, we drove the short distance to Grandma Bontrager's House to have dinner with the entire Bontrager clan (or at least all those who live nearby). The party totaled 37 people. It was a wonderful day of celebrating the gift of mothers.

There was time for some conversation in the Grandma's living room before dinner was served. The daughters, daughters-in-love, and granddaughters brought the food, so Grandma, who frequently cooks for large groups of people, was able to simply sit and relax.

The younger cousins had a grand time together outdoors.

Aunt Vesta and Aunt Linda planned a delicious menu of little meatloaves, cheesy potatoes, lettuce salad, jello salad, bread, and dessert. The children ate in the sun on Grandma's deck.

These little ladies are best buds! I'm afraid it took a little longer than usual for the to comsume their dinner, due to the jokes, playing, and general fun being enjoyed (when they should have been eating!;).

Dessert was banana pudding and cheesecakes:

a l m o n d

c h o c o l a t e

v a n i l l a with b l u e b e r r y topping

When Dad and his four brothers get together, there is no lack of lively conversation. As usual, there were plenty of crazy stories, jokes, and laughter!

Denver, Nicki, and Joshua played a "rousing" game of Rook, a Bontrager family favorite.

"Children have loved playing in that orchard for 40 years." ~Grandma Bontrager

It's true. My aunt remembers climbing the "Zaccheus tree" as a young girl (it's the one with branches that fork low in the tree as if they were designed to be climbed by small children.) On Sunday the tradition was carried on when some of the cousins spent part of the afternoon playing in the orchard.

in the carrot patch

2011-05-09T21:49:00.014-05:00

One day last week, some of the boys worked hard planting a big patch of carrots. Our family l o v e s carrots..... and there's just nothing quite like sweet, tender carrots fresh from the garden!

Spring Days

2011-05-09T17:09:00.000-05:00

freshly-washed laundry drying in the breeze

preparing the soil for planting

freshly-picked garden goodies

Big Sandy, TX

2011-05-07T16:10:00.002-05:00

We spent April 27th-29th at the ATI Regional Conference in Big Sandy, Texas. The messages and fellowship with other believers were so encouraging and challenging. We highly recommend this conference as a wonderful time to relax, refresh, and renew. We were so blessed!

..........................

Elizabeth and Hudson greatly enjoyed Children's Institute. Their sacrificial teachers invested in their lives in such a sweet way (thank you, Andrew and Janae!) by teaching them Biblical principles and making their time fun and character building.

......................

The ALERT Cadet program was a highly anticipated and much enjoyed experience for Joshua, Denver, and Taylor.

.......................

Chelsy with her COMMIT small group.

..................

I loved my time with these sweet girls!

.............................

One beautiful, sunny afternoon the young peoples' session was held outdoors on a grassy hillside. We were glad Mr Harmon's (pictured above) voice carried well! The old days (before microphones and auditoriums) must have been like this!

......................

One evening Dad's sister Karen and her children drove over to visit. (Unfortunately, Uncle Tim was unable to come) We had a great time talking, laughing, and eating in the bus.

..........................

The last evening, there was a big potluck/fellowship gathering. We enjoyed talking with old friends and meeting some new ones.

..................

A little later in the evening, some of us got out instruments and began to play. Others joined in singing on some of the songs, and for the next several hours, worship filled the air.

.........................

April at Our Home

2011-05-02T16:39:00.005-05:00

Yes, I do realize that this blog has been completely silent for the past 20 days. Maybe we were trying to set a record for the longest time without posting. Or perhaps we've just been without our photographer and very, very busy. The last scenario definitely fits.

Our photographer is back, and this month looks not quite so crazy, so I am hoping you will be seeing frequent new posts in the coming days.

Here a recap of the past month at the Bontrager home:

Denver was thrilled to catch his very first mink.......in his rat trap! That was an exciting day, and the whole adventure just got more exciting when he decided to tan it himself. Don't even ask me what all is involved in that process- I remember hearing words like "stretcher and tanning solution".

The Kalona Coffee House has the sweetest little toy corner just for little people. Elizabeth and Grace enjoyed some play time together there while their big sisters talked nearby.

These days we eat so much. Let me clarify.....certain (Bontrager) young men eat, and eat, and eat some more! That's right, we are in the throes of the "hungry teenage boys" stage. {Those of you who are there, as well, know exactly what I mean!} Oh, but it's so much fun. I love making huge quantities of food and seeing it devoured with such appreciation!

scrumptious drinks + decadent b i s c o t t i + encouraging conversation = loveliness

and Chelsy.......the talented seamstress, hard at work!

........................................

"The Lord shall preserve thy going our and thy coming in from this time forth, and even forevermore." {Psalm 121:8}

Tennessee Visit

2011-04-12T14:30:00.002-05:00

While in Tennessee last month, see were delighted with the opportunity to spend a day with our friends, the Vincents. Our stay was short, but filled with sweet memories.

Our little ones enjoyed playing with the Vincent children. I believe there were a total of 13 children under the age of thirteen!

Jordan and I greatly enjoyed several hours working together in the kitchen. (We had the responsibility of making supper for all 23 of us.)

The boys helped Mr. Vincent plant pepper plants.

Thank you, Vincent family, for your hospitality and friendship!

"Now the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, that ye may abound in hope, through the power of the Holy Ghost." Romans 15:13

Happiness

2011-04-02T14:00:00.000-05:00

Not every day is smooth sailing. Sometimes there are tears, trials, and plain old hard times. Has happiness slipped from our grasp for a time? What, after all, is true happiness?

"Being HAPPY doesn't mean everything is perfect; it means you have decided to see beyond the imperfections." -Lisa Tatlock

A Day on the Road with the Bontrager Family

2011-04-01T18:13:00.003-05:00

One of the most asked questions is "what does a day on the road look like?" I will attempt to answer that question knowing full well that there is NO average day on the road. There are also some days that we hope will never be repeated. You ask why? Well, can you imagine a family of 12 in a 45 foot bus parked in a mechanic shop being worked on by mechanics which our boys described as "looking like pirates"? Unfortunately, the weather was cool and rainy, not a day for walking. And there were no shopping malls in sight! So we were stuck. Now that was not so bad until the battery power started running low which meant the lights were quite dim. No, we couldn't run the generator or the bus because we were in a closed building. As I remember it we took naps, talked, and read books in the little light we had. Okay, I'll get back to an average day. Actually, first I'll tell you what some of the weekly/monthly activities are: cutting hair, washing the bus, changing oil, grocery shopping, organizing the bays ( storage under the bus), doing laundry, changing sheets, changing instrument strings, and working up new music. Since there is no average day, I'll tell you what my ideal day looks like. Though they don't happen very often, I treasure each one. The highlights of an "ideal" day on the road are: staying in one spot for an entire day (it is so much easier to write!!), eating meals together as a family, accomplishing the feat of 4-5 hours of piano practice in one day (currently 4 of our children are taking piano lessons), and teaching Phonics to the little ones.

~ Our faithful dobro player, Joshua~

~Violin practice~

~ Beautiful pickin'~

~On this winter tour Marlin spent hours and hours on the phone with farm & ministry business~

~The little ones love exploring in the church nurserys~

~The guys "work out"-unloading equipment~

~Allison helps with the haircuts~

~At the end of March Elizabeth's teacher, Chelsy, announced a piano practice contest for her students so there is great motivation for practicing these days~

~Bible time with little ones includes Bible stories, songs, Bible Memory, and History stories~

~Set up for the evening concert with We Care~

~posted by Becky

You Know You've been Traveling for 3 Months When:

2011-03-31T20:58:00.019-05:00

*mother asks young daughter (Rebecca), "What country do we live in?" and daughter replies, "Georgia".
---------------------------------

*At the first dinner together as a family since arriving home, several family members don't remember where their spot around the table is.

----------------------------------

*You use someone else's toothbrush because you can't remember which one is yours.

---------------------------

Life at Home

2011-03-18T00:50:00.001-05:00

Yes, we are so glad to be home for a few short days! I say short, because short it is! This is my last night sleeping in my "home bed" before leaving again to travel for ten days. Actually, this is only the sixth night so far this year that I am sleeping in my top bunk in the room I share with my sisters. But after all the time in other states and away from home, I know that the Lord is faithful and that He gives grace and strength for whatever He calls us to.

............................

Stats:

Arrival- Tuesday morning, about 2 'o clock

Departure- Friday noon?

One of Rebecca's first comments upon arriving home was, "I've been wanting to see my other dolly". She has enjoyed playing with her toys again. The little children have also enjoyed hours of time outside. Maybe they are expending some of the energy that has been bottled up inside them during many days on the bus?(smile)

We enjoyed some family time in the living room the other evening.

Chels thought this was an appropriate phrase for our family. Working and living together is a joy. I am thankful for this season of life. I was recently reading in Ecclesiastes about how "to everything there is a season, and a time to every purpose under heaven." For us, this is the season when we are all still living at home. We are making so many memories together these days, and I want to treasure this season while it lasts, and embrace the next season when it comes.

Lists. My mother uses them quite frequently as she organizes and manages! So, even (or especially) for this short time at home, she made it a priority to write our lists detailing what needed to be accomplished.

Our fridge..........full of beautiful pictures on the outside, but very bare on the inside! Upon arriving home and looking into the fridge and cupboards, I began to make a grocery list.

We have been using the dishwasher a lot these days, especially now that our kitchen faucet gave up the ghost! That's right- it broke after having some "issues" for quite awhile.

LOTS of mail...........

and L O T S of laundry! Thanks to Chelsy, our faithful "laundry queen", the washer has been running pretty much nonstop and the bags of dirty laundry are gone!

"The Lord is good.........for His mercy endureth forever!"

Upcoming posts:
-an "Average" day
-You know you've been traveling for two months when........

so glad to be......

2011-03-15T21:09:00.001-05:00