Festival

We got to go to the Renaissance fair! Yay! I loved it! The whole atmosphere was unique and the sense of humor was all its own. As long as you avoid the really strange people, it's all good. The joust was nice, the jugglers were hilarious, the music was cool and the sword fight was fantastic.

As for the really big event of the day, the picture I'm sure you're all wondering about. I'd seen this guy around and really loved his costume. I was fascinated and thought it would be a really great shot if he'd pose with me. I got up the courage to ask him for a picture.

"Absolutely, madam'" was his gracious reply. We stood together for the picture and at the precise moment mom captured it, he kissed me on the cheek! It was so sweet. Odd, yes. But it was somehow gentlemanly. I'm calling him Athos, because his dignified manner reminded me of that certain musketeer. (Thanks to the one who told me to read that book). Anyway, as you could guess, that was the highlight of the day!

See You At the Pole

For you daily news readers, you may already be aware that meet you at the pole was this week. It was a really great time of prayer. It's so neat to see so many age groups talking to God. My photos were for the yearbook, but a real reporter was there taking pictures. And my Reporter friend as there too! I hadn't seen her since last year. It was nice to catch up. Of course, when you're the friend of a reporter, they expect a good quote. :) I gave her one, it's in the paper!

Games

The volleyball team (and I) went on an excursion last week. We started by having an all day tournament. We then went home and came back together to go out for Chinese food. Afterwards we went to a CMU game together. They were really good! It was a lot of fun, and we all got free shirts in the process. On Monday everybody wore them. Everywhere you looked you were bound to see red and gold, CMU's colors.

Kokomos

Every Fall my school has a secondary field trip for bonding time. It's always fun to get some time off and build friendships with the newer students.

They had go karts. Andrew got a kick out of those, I liked them too. It was funniest to see the principal being competitive and racing around the track.

There was also mini golf and laser tag. My second game of laser tag was by far the best. The teachers decided to play on the girls side, and we versed the boys. It was so fun to see our teachers in the vests figuring out how to work the gun. They did pretty well. :)

Jaars fly-in

While Jaars (Jungle aviation and radio service) was having a fly in, Ike was raining. And raining. And raining. In short there was no flying in that weather. There was a nice talk at Church, but sadly, the fly in was flooded out.

Balloon at School

September is the month of the balloon festival, which was rained out. But it is also the time the balloon comes to my School. It is filled on the soccer field and we all get to go out and watch. As a member of the journalism staff, I was asked to cover the elementary experience while by co manager covered the secondary. I took over a hundred pictures. Here are a few of my favorites.

Andrew's birthday

Today was all about, you guessed it, Andrew! :) My brother's birthday was a good day. Dinner out, gifts, cake... speaking of cake, can you quickly step into a boy's mind and figure out why a kid would want a bunt cake?

The answer- three sides of frosting!!!

Happy birthday, brother.

Volleyball

This year I'm not on any of the teams, Per Se, but the volleyball team likes me enough to let me sit on the bench and keep stats. They're fantastic! Not just on the field but as friends. It's such a confidence booster when they all call your name and wave happily to see you when you walk into the room and your not even on the team. I've been needing more of those boosters recently, with Ashley gone. I mostly sat on the bench when I was on the team anyway, so now I get all the fun of cheering and watching and no practices. ;) That aside I'm on the journalism staff this year (head of photography, fancy that:) and so this is a great chance to get nice pictures for the yearbook. We won our most recent game.

Another Poem

This one I won a contest with, no money, but it will be published.

Pianist

Fingers thrusting
Dancing
Tickling the cold white keys
Breathing life
Into their forms
Like clay beneath the hands of the master potter
They are molded
Producing the perfect
Sound
What passion is in the eyes of the pianist
The true pianist
And now I see why

A Poem

Wink

Close one eye
To free a tear? You wish to cry?
To share a joke fun?
A private victory won?
To catch attention?
To be sly?
Why did you close
one eye?

The Last day before school

The last day before school, always a special day. We went Frisbee golfing for a little bit, roasted marshmallows over the grill and played fast scrabble (I got the word "quagmire" !) before setting up the tent. The crickets were loud and beautiful, as were the stars, minus the loud part. We had a good time. It's nice to spend a little time with the family before the rush of work starts.

Locker

School's coming, and that means I've been getting ready! My locker was a three day project this year, though scattered over several days when we made shopping trips, etc. I think it's a work of art! I've printed out black and whites of all my fave movies and my friends and blended them with stickers and scrapbook supplies to make a cool piece. Here it is, ready and waiting for me to come and fill it with books when school starts. I can't wait!

(And for those who wonder why there's a disco ball laying on my shelf, it's a conversation piece. I think it's a unique touch.)

Jewelry

Janelle took jewelry class this summer. She did a lot of nice work! She made a lot of bead mice, nine I believe, and made me a great necklace and mom a cool bracelet. My necklace was a red (It's my color this year) bead wrapped in copper wire. It looked expensive, but she made it herself. It was very cool. Thanks, sis!