Hutchins, Niednagels & the Titanic 100

I know it's been a while since my last post and as much has happened we will now move to the pictures...

I bought a new-to-me camera (ie a used camera from ebay) and am having fun figuring out the settings

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The Hutchins!! 

We were able to visit and celebrate with them in one of their quarterly birthday celebrations.

I remember when most of us were closer to Kyle's height
 

Fire makes things more epic

"Your word is a lamp to my feet
And a light to my path."

Don't worry... be happy!

Mr. Anti-social.

ok, so he was really being diligent, getting some studying done...

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Kyle their grandson/nephew was so much fun to play with and was a willing photo subject

Others let me practice my photography with them too... many thanks :-)

Some of the must focused, hard working boys I know

The darling mothers

Portrait pictures are becoming my favorite type of pictures

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Getting ready for his move to help with horse training.

Keeping him entertained...

... and helping him out

A very realistic shot showing what a fun time we have together.

This month marked our ten year anniversary of friendship. 

We love you guys!

"Did we really look like that when we first met?" 

In another ten years we'll probably look back to this picture and wonder the same thing

"On with the dance! Let joy be unconfind!" ~Lord Byron

I love how you can hear their laugh here... well maybe you can't literally, but I can in my head

"God be with you till we meet again,
By His counsels guide, uphold you,
With His sheep securely fold you,
God be with you till we meet again."

Home Sunday night and then off to the airport Monday morning for 2 1/2 weeks with Jordan, Melissa, and the little men

We found this is one of the most enjoyable ways to eat a pumpkin pie... spoons all around and dig in!

Counters are such handy places to feed children

You wouldn't believe how much this kid can eat. He told us he wanted to see what he would look like with a goatee. We thought he was trying to save it for later.

One of the reasons I was visiting, was to help with a film project. Melissa is making a two week menu, DVD how-to for healthy, tasty meals (yes, even us "health nuts" like our food to taste good!)

In between shots I saw Jordan trying to impersonate Brad Steele. You almost got it, Jordan... good try!

Film maker in training

Trying to come up with creative pictures of the completed meal.
The best part about filming a cooking DVD is having a fridge full of food

Accidents are inevitable making so many different meals back to back...

Having the same bag open twice in one night was so unexpected the only option worth taking was to laugh... so laugh we did. 

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Diaper changing time... one of the few times Philip is still. He often puts his hands behind his head like this

It worked out that the 100th anniversary of the sinking of the Titanic was over one of the weekends I was there.We were able to attend the commemorative event that Vision Forum was holding in Branson less then 2 hours away. Being a historical event sewing preparations began. Since I was able to finish mine before went I was also able to help Melissa with hers. She chose a lovely pattern based on an original 1912 evening gown... we didn't realize about 70% of it was hand sewn. It was fun learning new techniues, yet a bit nerve racking because the silk was so thin. We joked about how it was like sewing tissue paper. I am happy to say it was completed in time (though we did keep with Thomas tradition and were sewing it up until the hour before the event :-)

Trying on outfits for the boys to wear

William wasn't so enthusiastic about this one.

Set and ready to go

Quite the little man... in an outfit he liked

Meeting some first and third class passengers

Welcoming everyone.

We didn't get many pictures of the speakers, but that doesn't mean what they shared wasn't worth hearing. The lessons told were encouraging, challenging, and inspirational. I'd highly recommend listening to them if you can! I don't think they are available quite yet, but you can see past messages here

Always time for a family picture after dinner... apparently William didn't like the food as well as the rest.

Avec mon adorables

In the evening they had a children's play retelling that day almost 100 years ago with first hand accounts...

and music from the Third-Class boys. You can here clips of them singing Rocky Road to Dublin and an Irish tune

 Me: William, you're so adorable

William: You're aw-durable. ... Daddy, you're aw-durable too.

The next morning we were able to talk with different people reenacting, such as Second officer Lightoller (who is making sure people know how the life-preservers work in the above photo) who was actually sucked under the water, but providentially survived surfacing near an overturned lifeboat that he had been cutting free. Along with almost thirty other men they climbed on the boat and were rescued.

Off to grab a bite to eat

Picking the right meal can take some serious concentration

With the Renfros and Daniel Craig...

The fellowship to be had at these kind of events are some of the best you'll find.

The culmination of the event... a dinner aboard the Branson Belle (a showboat) leading up to the countdown of when the Titanic sank 100 years ago

A behind the scenes of what we look like getting ready for a picture

I do believe Jordan's patented "snob smile" is rubbing off on Melissa

A first class couple and children with their third class nanny

As you can see we can only be serious for so long

Photo credit of the previous picture goes to Emily Rose. She sure made it a fun time!

If you like photography be sure to check out Six Angles... life from six perspectives (linked directly to her post of the weekend)

Trying to get a picture of the boys without having Philip fall over

"See this one over here is me"

The Littles came as the "Titanic Orphans" Michel and Edmond Navratil.
As they were French we tried teaching William how to say some french phrases. He mastered "bonjour" wonderfully. The rest weren't quite as distinguishable 

Melissa came as first class passenger Margaret Hays. Margaret with her Pomeranian were loaded in the same boat as the Navratil boys and she offered to watch over them being able to speak French fluently. They stayed with her until their mother was found and able to go and get them.

Jordan came as Charles Easton, a Rhode Island physician who married Margaret Hays a year later

La, my dear, I love you too!

A first class couple to be sure!

I came as Miss Amy Stanley, a third class passenger who survived on the third to last lifeboat. We had a lot in common... She was a seamstress, was in domestic service, and was traveling to the USA to be a childrens maid and she was born 100 years before me (minus a few months).  You can read a letter she wrote to her parents of her experience shortly after being rescued here

" “And these words which I command you today shall be in your heart. You shall teach them diligently to your children, and shall talk of them when you sit in your house, when you walk by the way, when you lie down, and when you rise up."

A Picture of a friend taking pictures of friends

I think he was wondering when he'd actually see the boat.

I know I may say it a lot, but it's as true now as when I said it last time...I just love these two!

The Branson Belle

"Our days are numbered; treasure every moment." ~ quote from a first class passenger who survived

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Taking it all in while looking epic

Asking "Mr. Bruce Ismay" what it was like to be on board the Titanic and why he boarded a life boat

So many others were also dressed up, giving you the feeling that you really had stepped back in time

Isn't she stunning?

Anticipation mounts

Faith with her music ready to regale us with song

Delighted by the site

Little Locksley

"All aboard!" oh, wait... wrong saying for this kind of transportation.

If you thought organizing a family picture was tough, try organizing 550 people for a group shot!

Gathering together for instructions and the picture

Our "neighbor"in the picture

Priceless

 The stage is set

An exemplary couple for all!

The San Antonio Darlings singing popular songs of the day

"Take me out to the Ball game. Take me out to the park..."

Patty Boilermaker and the Third-Class boys playing Arthur McBride

They had speakers out on the deck so you could hear those singing. It really gave a glimpse of what it would have been like... especially as they sang Nearer my God to Thee, the same hymn that was played as the Titanic was sinking.

Simply smashing

A glimpse of how much Philip loves his food... trying to laugh as he eats

After any big events we always love looking at pictures. With Jordan and Melissa's new camera we also had fun viewing little video clips they took. William loved watching the Third-Class Boys over and over again and would ask for a pair of spoons to play along.

You can see his version of playing spoons here. 

Well that's all for now... I hope you enjoyed!