Providence Prairie's Homeschool Family Pioneer Prairie Fest

Thursday saw loads of final preparation for our Prairie Fest. The day was spent painting, cutting, sewing, cleaning, organizing, preparing the barnyard and last minute prep. Rhonda spent much of her time making a stick-your-face-through-the-hole painting of a pioneer family. She is an excellent artist and did a superb job on this work of art.

Of course we had to try it out that evening!

The funny pictures soon followed!

Friday, much the same happened. Rhonda, Amanda, and Rachel worked and worked on sewing the last pieces on the bonnets of which there were eighty to ninety finished! Trey finished organizing the barnyard, while Rhonda painted a few last minute signs. Having rained off and on all day, we were hoping and praying for dry weather on the day of the event.

Bed felt good that night!

Saturday morning arrived with a beautiful sunrise! The weather was perfect and stayed that way all day long. Mark and Trey worked hard finalizing the barnyard preparations. After the games and decorations were put up, everything was in its place. Shortly before three o'clock we donned our pioneer outfits, and lit the kerosene lanterns that were hanging around the barnyard and up and down the lane.

Soon, the folks began to roll in.

After signing the guest book, each received a Scavenger Hunt bag and list to begin the fun!

People arrived from all over Southern Illinois- Chester, Marion, Thompsonville, Ellis Grove, Mt. Vernon, Centralia, Belle Rive, Harrisburg, and Hamilton County were all represented. We totalled over 100 that evening! We were thrilled with such a good turnout and so many in pioneer costume!

Pioneer games and activities galore were available for everyone to play, with such variety as Rolling the Hoop, the game of Graces,

Building a Split Rail Fence, Wheelbarrow Rides,

the Stick Pull, using the Cross Cut Two Man Saw,

and Jumping Rope,

just to name a few. What fun they were!

Sack races in the straw bale maze were eventually replaced with homemade fun of a different sort- developed by the children themselves!

Available close by was the Prairie Peddler Shop, (a horse trailer converted into a covered wagon) with Straw Hats, Bonnets, and the like available for purchase. Amanda performed a spinning demonstration at the front of the shop. Hay rides went on all evening long. Each one was packed to capacity.Trey took the participants on the historic Old Goshen Road. They even passed the place where Jessie James hid in a barn long since gone. What fun! As new rock was recently added to the driveway, the men obligingly got out and helped to push the fully loaded wagon up the hill. It just added to the enjoyment of it all!

The wiener roast was eagerly embraced by hungry guests, which was followed by singing and then a read-aloud of The Princess and the Kiss. Mark led us in prayer and devotion.

The crackling fire warmed us on the somewhat chilly night. The evening was complete after an old fashioned hoe-down with live music.

We had a splendid time, well spent with homeschoolers from all over Southern Illinois! The Pioneer Prairie Fest was a successful event, full of fun for everyone! It shall prove to be an annual event on Providence Prairie.

Friends and Family Banquet

Thursday evening we travelled to Carmi to sing for the Wabash Area Retirement Home Friends and Family Banquet. The catered meal was delicious, and we had a wonderful time singing for the audience. There were many people there that we knew and we visited with good company all evening.

The Vegetable Stand

Saturday, we received a call that Maddi Jo and Adrianna were having a vegetable stand, so we traveled to the Macedonia area to purchase some tasty homegrown garden vegetables. Adrianna and Maddi (sisters) were having loads of fun with their vegetable stand that Saturday. We arrived and after perusing the wares, we purchased several bags of vegetables from the young entrepreneurs. Mmmm, did the goodies ever taste good!

Sunday, Dale Christian church was delighted with a visit from the Delaughter family-missionaries in Tanzania, Africa. After the service, they came to our home for dinner. It was great catching up with their progress and having time to visit. It had been several years since we had seen them in person.

A Singing Birthday

Saturday, October 13, Mark celebrated his birthday. After a hearty country breakfast, we were surprised with a birthday visit from Jack. After singing for a while and enjoying each other's company, it was time for dinner (the country word for lunch), and we all sat down to a hurried meal. We had to leave as soon as dinner was over in order to reach Toledo Christian church for our evening's singing engagement. Our meal was finished off by Mark's annual favorite Old-fashioned Chocolate Cake- a recipe that his grandmother and mother always used to prepare. We all cleared the table and prepared ourselves for the north bound trip.

Reaching our destination, we arrived at Toledo Christian church where they were hosting an area women's banquet. The meal was delicious and the company was great as we visited with Bill and Bonnie.

The ladies were a wonderful audience and we were blessed by the smiling faces in the crowd.

Christopher Christian church Homecoming

October seems be Homecoming time for many churches and Christopher Christian church was no exception as they celebrated their 116th Homecoming anniversary. Darren Perryman, the day’s speaker, challenged us with a message about Abraham's covenant with God- and how this applied to us today as Christians.

We were scheduled to be the homecoming entertainment, so after the service was over, we presented around thirty minutes of a capella as well as accompanied music for the congregation. They were a superb audience! Our prayer is that the Lord was praised through our voices and that the congregation was brought closer to Him.

As Providence Prairie's Autumn Homeschool Family Pioneer Prairie-fest draws near, we are all staying busy working and preparing for the much anticipated day! For more details about the event, visit : http://www.providenceprairie.com/events.html

October 27th will be here before we know it ~Busy, Busy, Busy!

The Midget Singer

Sunday evening, being a fifth Sunday we gathered with other area Christian churches at Enfield Christian church for the Fifth Sunday Rally. We had met Lowell Mason about a year ago when we were visiting Elton and Edna in Indiana, although we had never heard him sing. So with much anticipation, we arrived ready to be blessed by this big fellow packed into a 46 inch body.

After enjoying a delicious meal before the service, we headed upstairs and joined in a congregational song, "What a Mighty God we Serve." With the highest visiting attendance Dale CC came home with the trophy!

Soon afterward our singer walked onto the stage, and Lowell turned our hearts to the Lord with his strong baritone voice. He explained about the work he and his wife are doing in Russia, sharing a moving video about all that is being done. If you would like to see their work and his ministry, you can find that here.

We visited with him afterward and he remembered the evening we met at Elton's. We enjoyed the night worshiping and praising God with those of like precious faith!