Woodward Park, long time no see........

Last Sat. we went to Woodward Park with some very old friends of ours. They have been around so long we call them our family. We are more like cousins really. We hung out and ate lunch together. Then Ricky, CJ and I walked around the park....for hours. We were pretty much just catching up on stuff happening in each others lives. We have known the Shugerts for 13 years. It was really cool to get together with them! I hope it doesn't take so long to see them again. It probably will though because their schedule and ours are VERY opposite from each other.

Billy

Moonlight Madness!

I went to the Moonlight Madness this year with Riverparks high school youth group. We played CTF & we went down the zip line. We also played the all famous egg blow! This interesting game consists of putting a cracked egg into a short plastic tube & putting a person on either side. The person who stops blowing first........ well they get a little egg in their face! A lot of the people had glow sticks as necklaces , bracelets, head bands etc.. all over themselves. The youth leaders were giving them away. It was an awesome night! We had a ton of fun!
Billy

Chefa Bonfire

This years Bonfire was held at the Goosen Ranch. Hosted by CHEFA as it is every autumn. We hung out, played link tag. We tried to see who could go the farthest in the bungee run. We also had a bounce house. There was a time of teen lead worship etc..yet we mostly ate & generally hang out around the bonfires and food tables. This year I forgot to eat while I was standing right there with the forbidden world of junk food at my finger tips! I was so busy talking and taking pictures for the yearbook that I forgot about "food"!

Billy

Fun in Fresno

This week started out busy. The rest of the week is all about work work work! Monday Our homeschool group went to Color me Mine. There were so many people who signed up that we had to be split into two classes. Since I'm on the yearbook committee I had to be there for both classes. I had to take pictures of the first class. Then I painted a bowl in the second class. After that we went to Rubio's for lunch with our friends the Orazem's. We were glad to be going there because we have been hearing about how good the food is. Their Dad wanted to meet us at the restaurant and also to go see the movie. Yep, We went to Edwards next. We watched "where the wild things are" it was more depressing then I remember the book being, o well we got lots of popcorn and soda. After we refilled our popcorn and soda, you get a free refill, we went to hang just outside of the bookstore to visit with the Orazems some more. Mom say's I was on a soda high. Then I went to Boys Scouts and Billy went to Bembe. Tuesday I went to Choir and then we went to lunch at our favorite stand by Robertitos. I had an eye exam and got some new glasses ordered. See I'm special, so I need super special lenses. You know you are jealous of my awesomeness. We also had some houses we needed to check out. Before heading home we tried out this Chicago style pizza parlor that we have been wanting to try out for a LOOONG time. Man we never get to eat out this much. Yeah. Like I said now the rest of the week is work work work! Oh well it was fun while it lasted.

David

The Famous Schramm's Campout (well at least at our church)

With Riverpark Jr. High I went on this camp out that happens every year. This party always has a theme. This years theme was Mascot Mania. The person with the best costume won. People dressed up as a cheer leader, monkey eagle etc.. I don't really have a favorite mascot, so this was kinda hard for me. I ended up just wearing my Chitudo gee. My Dad and the other adults in the Black Belt club called me the Black Belt mascot because I was the only one sooo young in there fighting along with them. We got to ride on a giant zipline. We had a good time around the campfire. They had the guys in tents on one side of the property and girls way on the other side. We played some wild crazy games which resulted in some kids puking. Anyway it was awesome, too bad I will be in High School next fall.

Rickydave

Update on Boys Scouts

I have enjoyed Boy Scouts a LOT! Every Monday I go to the meeting from 7:00-8:30. We talk about different things each week. We also plan our next activities. These are the things that help us to earn badges. Then we play games and that changes every time too. We have played capture the flag. Sometimes we play infection. Other times we play ultimate tag, ultimate hide and seek or soccer. I really like Boy Scouts. One of the best parts is the things I get to be a part of. This last weekend we "volunteered" at the peoples church sports extravaganza. We had a booth of our own. When other people needed help at their booths we helped them too. I like helping people, so that was fun. Besides we get free food as Boys Scouts. One girl I know said "you and your stickin uniform" when she found out we didn't have to pay!!

Eric

The Five Browns

Last week we went to the five Browns concert at the philharmonic. These five siblings were home-schooled & all play the piano very well. They play classical music on five grand pianos. Most of the songs they play together, but they play some separately. I was very impressed by their skill, & would recommend them to anyone who appreciates the classics!

Billy :D

The Cornfield Maze

This year my family went with our cousins to the cornfield maze. It was a lot of fun! For the first time in ten years my mom actually won. So she was mas grande happy! I saw many people I knew while in the maze( mostly home- schoolers!). I hadn't seen my cousins for awhile so it was cool to see them again.

Billy :D

Graffiti Removal etc...

Last week I went to a volunteer graffiti removal. We went with BEST ( one of the homeschool support groups we're in). We finished a wall within an hour & a half!
Later that day I walked to my friend Justin's house & we hung out until we needed to leave. We were going to another friends house to play some football. We played for around four hours! After the game we had pizza & I taught Josh some self-defense "moves". After that we went to Cameron's house for a "sleep-less over"! That night we played 4 risk games! :D

Billy

BBQ @ The Goodbars

After church last Sunday we went to our friends the Goodbars house. Mr Goodbar and Brannen are in my Boy Scout troop and of course all of the go to church with us. Brannen and I had a nerf gun war. Brenna his sister and Billy ran into her room and slammed the door because we snuck up and attacked them. Then we went outside and played soccer. We aslo played with Brennas whip. Lastly we walked to a lake close to where they live and rode around in a paddle boat. First Brenna and Billy paddled. Then Brannen and I climed over them and they went into the back of the boat and we paddled. It was awesome.
Ricky Dave

Civil War Reenactment

I joined Boy Scouts about a month ago. Last week we went to Kearney Park for a camp-out. W hen we got there we put up tents and set up camp. Then we played games (assassin, flashlight tag and mafia) Apparently the group does something random on each camp out. This time it was taking our shirts off while playing the games. The next morning we went around Kearney park and picked up trash. After that we directed traffic and handed out programs. When we were done we grabbed some lunch and watched the battle. Then the parents arrived to pick us up. My family and I walked around and checked things out. We also toured Kearney Mansion.
Ricky V.

Choir Update

The Jr. High boys had the option, and I signed up for it, to sing in a program called "Real Men CAN Sing!" Yes we can sing, wow! Who would've guessed it? Well it's very hard to get guys my age to sing well because our voices are changing. I give credit to the people who have to run this program. Anyway we will sing at Fresno State later this month. We are practicing hard for this and also for the Christmas concert.

Rickydave

Riverpark Jr. High Youth Group

River Park Bible Church has an awesome Jr. High Youth Group. In it we play some crazy games. For example we play a wild game of dodge ball. In the Jr. high room we play ping pong, fooseball and air hockey. These are available if you come early or stay a little late. We have a lot of goofy fun but we also really get into studying God's word. I really like it all.

Eric David Vincent

The Annual all Church Picnic

We had a blast at the All Church Fall Picnic last weekend. They held it at Woodward Park on Sunday right after church. It was crazy hot and just the day before we were at the same park for our homeschool groups Kick-off. Anyway it was cool. We played volleyball, yes again, football, ultimate frisbee, and the extremely messy egg toss. We go to a huge church, so you can imagine what a mess that was. Dad teased that he didn't want me to ride in the car on the way home because I got egg junk thrown at my back. After the egg toss we got ice cream bars. We saw a lot of our friends that we got to church with, duh. But also friends that are in Boy Scouts and that we homeschool with.
Eric David Vincent

Art

We are in a art co-op with BEST. We have been drawing for the last few weeks. It was interesting seeing what my friends chose to draw. Some of them are really good. The co-op only meets twice a month for 2 hours each time. So we do other art stuff on our own at home. We also go to museums. Basically we are learning Art History and Art Appreciation in an Art Survey unit, well that's how it was explained to me anyway.

Dave

Yearbook Committee & Newspaper Staff

This year my brother and I joined the yearbook committee in one of the school groups we're in. We had our first meeting Monday, we discussed the plan for the year & decided who would do what. We signed up for quite a few different pages. We are also part of a community homeschool newspaper called Flame. We have regular columns we write for that. So we will have a busy schedule in that regard. :D
Billy

Beth David Messianic Congregation

For the last two weeks I have played at a messianic congregation! It has been really interesting, I got to see many different Jewish traditions. We played for the two feasts of Rosh Hasshanna & Yom Kippur! Otherwise known as the Feast of Trumpets & the Day of Atonement. I learned Hebrew songs and played Hebrew style music on world percussion instruments. As a bonus this synagogue has a "potluck" every night after service!
Billy

CHEFA Kickoff

Every year CHEFA has a back-to-school Kickoff. We sign yearbooks, play volleyball and badmitten, eat food, hang out, & race "rubber ducks" in the creek that runs through the park. (Woodward Park) Our ducks didn't do too well. This year was cool because I got a yearbook (because I'm in high school)so I could get people to sign it! CHEFA gives out yearbooks from the previous school year in the fall of the next school year. I got to see people I haven't seen all summer so that was also fun :D

Billy

Riverpark Bible Church

My family has started going to Riverpark again! We used to go but then we moved to Coarsegold. So now that we are trying to move to Fresno we decided to go back. This church has major ADD. I am in the high-school group & there are activities every week! They also teach a lot, its not watered down. I am enjoying the youth group & the sunday school. I plan to join the high school band called project 100 :D

Billy

Physics

This year I am taking a physics class. Its hard but its not crazy hard! The weird thing for me is it's like taking two math courses instead of a science & a math course. I like taking the class because I like doing the labs in a group setting.
Billy