Orchestra Camp

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Since 2016, our children have been attending the Knoxville Youth Symphony Orchestra summer camps. We had to skip in 2021 because of the mask mandate and there was no camp in 2020.

Orchestra Camp

Our daughter on the first day of orchestra camp

This year, our daughter really enjoyed her time at orchestra. Our son, unfortunately, had a conflict. He attended a computing camp at Southern Adventist University and it happened on the same week. However, he was able to attend the concert on the last day of camp, to support his sister from the audience.

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Summer Camps 2022

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Now that summer camps have dropped mask mandates, we have decided to sign up for a few. Our daughter will attend Orchestra Camp, while our son will take an app-building Computer Camp. These two camps happen the same week, and our son chose computers over violin. He is 14 1/2 and we decided to respect his wishes.

Being silly

Silly moods allowed here

Then, they both will attend a summer youth camp in Georgia, through our church conference. It is called Cohutta Springs Summer Camp and it lasts a week. Our children have been there before and loved it. They have a lake and a pool, lots of arts and crafts, horses, paintball, BMX bikes, archery, ziplining, boating, and wilderness survival classes. The food is delicious, the counselors are selected carefully, and the worship services inspire the children to try to get to know God for themselves. Win-win-win. Continue reading »


Lessons from the 26th Week

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Last week felt very stressful. It was crunch time for several things and I felt overwhelmed. My husband helped me through it, so I am feeling better now, but I was pretty stressed out. I know not to make decisions when I am discouraged. I just floated through the stress and tension and made it a point to question our schedule, but that was all. Lesson #1: do not make decisions when you are discouraged.

Alicorn in the snow

Alicorn in the snow

We tested more boomilevers, or booms, as we affectionately call them. This event is hard to watch. So hard, it makes me want to go the opposite direction when our daughter tests her boom. But I have to stand there and film, so we know how it breaks and what its weak points are. Tough. Lesson #2: do not talk while your daughter is testing her boomilever. Continue reading »