Saturday, January 28, 2012

A Visit to the Apple Store...

...To get a Mac laptop!  We are so excited for God's blessing in providing us this equipment for Virtuous Women Magazine!

Here we are checking out Siri with the iPhone 4S!  
Great way to spend the day!

"Praise God from whom all blessings flow!"

Posted By:
~Bethany

Sunday, January 22, 2012

Sneak Peek!

For a friends Birthday Party I am dressing up as... well can you guess!?  :)







Hmmmmm!  What do you think?

Posted By:
~Bethany

Saturday, January 7, 2012

Henry Wadsworth Longfellow

Longfellow in 1868 by Julia Margaret Cameron
Henry Wadsworth Longfellow was born in 1807 in Portland Maine (back then part of Massachusetts) and died in 1864 at 75 years old.  He was an American poet and educator who's works included: "Paul Revere's Ride", "The Song of Hiawatha", "The Courtship of Miles Standish", "Evangeline", and many other titles. 

His very first major poems were collected together in 1839 and printed in "Voices of the Night" and once again in 1841, "Ballads and Other Poems".

Longfellow was a very popular poet in his day and wrote mostly lyric poems which are known for their legend and musicality.

Today, you can still read Henry Wadsworth Longfellow's poetry~ such as "Paul Revere's Ride" or "The Courtship of Miles Standish".


Posted By: Shiloh

A Music Blessing Night

Megan on the violin
This is a post that should have been posted looooooooooooong ago, but better late then never so here it is!  In honor of Bethany's 18th birthday we invited several friends over for a shared meal and Music Blessing Night.

Mahala C.
Eating & Talking
After dinner everyone headed out to the incredibly cold barn for the official Music Night where everyone had something to share!

Bethany & Kathrina on the violins
Durmaz children singing their ABC Scripture Songs
Bethany Janzen on the harp
Graham Desmond on the piano
Brie Ella singing and playing the piano
Maddie Desmond on the violin, playing her incredible classical piece!
Evan & Elanee Smythe~ piano duet
Noah C. on the piano playing his own hymn arrangements
Yvonne Smythe playing a lovely Christmas piece
Jordan on the piano
A song & hymn sung by: Eden, Mikell Desmond, & Mahala C.

Watching and keeping warm~ or trying to keep warm. :)
Sarah, Kathrina, & Noah Bisceglia with some jigs on the piano, violin, & guitar
"A Mighty Fortress" with Eden on the piano & myself on the harp.  I look very dramatic here, but in reality~ I'm only changing the note by lifting the lever. :)
The final hymn with nearly everyone (that could fit) on stage.
Piano: Noah & Jordan
Violins: Kathina, Bethany, & Maddie
Singing: Eden, Shiloh, & Mikell
 Well, a hope you've enjoyed this "long over due" post. :)

Posted By: Shiloh

Monday, January 2, 2012

What Was the "Bay Psalm Book"?

Picture From Wikipedia
Also known as the "Psalter", the "Bay Psalm Book" was the first book to be printed in North America and was first translated from Hebrew and then  in 1640, published in Cambridge, Massachusetts.

The title page of the first edition of 1640:


The Whole Booke of Psalmes
Faithfully
TRANSLATED into ENGLISH
Metre.
Whereunto is prefixed a discourse
declaring not only the lawfullnes, but also
the necessity of the heavenly Ordinance
of singing Scripture Psalmes in
the Churches of God.
Cambridge, Mass. Stephen Day
Imprinted, 1640
--
For over a century "The Bay Psalm Book" was used by families as well as churches.  Today you can still purchase America's very first book.

-
Posted By: Shiloh

Sunday, January 1, 2012

Happy New Year!

Wow!  This has been a crazy but blessed year.  God has added to our family, provided for us, guided us through difficult parts, and blessed us beyond belief.  Each one of us has had challenges; they were difficult and trying, but God saw us through!  Praise the Lord!
Us four older ones getting the Christmas tree.
If you remember this post, then you probably know that is coming.  This is our 3rd annual post dedicated to begging all our blog readers to comment!  Tell us who you are and how you found our blog.  We love hearing from people that we didn't even know existed no less looked at our blog!  :)  If you lurk on our blog and never have left a comment, please do!  Even if we already know you or you have commented in the past, we'd love to hear from you just the same!
Thanks!
On another note, Shiloh entered the "Scottevest: Trip of your Life Contest" with an essay... while Eden and I entered with a video! 
It is a movie from "The Vik & Nes Show"... a silly show that we do when we have extra time on our hands (which doesn't happen that often!).  I am Vikki (Vik) and Eden is Vanessa (Nes).
Here is our video:
Please "like" it and share it with your friends!

Thank you all for making our blog possible.  Without anyone viewing it, it wouldn't be here today!

"To God be the glory, great things he has done!"
Posted By:
~Bethany