Merry Christmas 2010

Advent Greetings 2010 to family and friends, near and far!

We pray this finds your hearts preparing for the coming of our Savior, looking at this sometimes mixed-up world through the lens of God’s Word.

Join us for a photo tour of 2010!

As we reflect on another year of God’s grace, several highlights stand out:

• The Draper boys stayed busy this year with a community children’s theater production of A Midsummer Night’s Dream, German language camp, and fun at Camp Phillip where Stanley served as a Jr. Staff member for the first time.
• Speaking of Stanley, he’s enjoying the fact that he has his driving learner’s permit.
• Speaking of transportation, the boys experienced their first airplane trip this summer when they flew with Mom to Mississippi.  Sallie attended a fun reunion with her high school band friends.
• We said goodbye to Sallie’s father, Pete Wilson, in May and look forward to a heavenly reunion with him some day.
• At St. John’s we celebrated our schools 125th anniversary.  Kevin added new responsibilities this fall as he began serving as interim school principal.

You’re invited to worship with us at St. John’s via our live video stream (www.stjohnsse.com/live).

God’s blessings to you and those you hold dear, this Christmas and throughout 2011!

Flying Through 90 Years of History

I bet you always thought the Drapers were bird brains. Well, here’s proof! 🙂

In honor of Grandma Vivian Draper’s 90th birthday today we made 90 origami cranes and created a video tribute to the 90 years of history she has lived through. Enjoy!

Ben and Dad’s Line Rider Game

Teenager!

Today Luke passed an important milestone and became a teenager.  We celebrated with photos and a family dinner and lots and lots of Legos.  I don’t think he’ll ever outgrow Legos!!

Midsummer Night’s Dream

The Draper boys three have just wrapped up a week of rehearsals and two performances in Sleepy Eye’s Children’s Theatre production of an adaptation of Shakespear’s “A Midsummer Night’s Dream”.  It was a rousing success – full of song, dance, an amazing acting group and many corny jokes.  Check out the highlight videos below.

Feel free to clap along

Here’s a little video of the New Ulm Suzuki School Spring Concert.  Their finale is always Orange Blossom Special.  This year an adorable little girl in the front left stole the show!  Enjoy!

For Immediate Release

$7,500  IN ARTS SCHOLARSHIP GRANTS AWARDED TO BROWN COUNTY YOUTH

The Prairie Lakes Regional Arts Council is pleased to announce that grants of $25,500 from the Arts and Cultural Heritage Fund have been awarded to students in grades 7-12 throughout the region.  The Youth Scholarships and Mentorships of $500 will provide these students the opportunity to study their chosen art with a practicing professional artist, taking lessons, attending classes, or performing with a youth arts organization.  The Arts and Cultural Heritage fund was created by the people of Minnesota to support the arts and preserve our heritage.  The Clean Water, Land and Legacy Amendment, passed by the voters in November, 2008, created new resources for land conservation, water conservation, parks and the Arts.

The following students will be using their scholarship for piano or violin lessons in 2010 with the New Ulm Suzuki School of Music:  Lydia Balge, Emily Curtis, Stanley Draper, Ellen Goedtke, Mary Goedtke, Erin Hauth, Karlie Heiderscheidt, Luke Irmiter, Micayla Irmiter, Allison Rosenhamer, Kyrie Sellnow, Silas Sellnow and Noah Stocker. Anne Goedtke will take cello lessons and Katie Steffl will take harp lessons from independent instructors.

Anne Goedtke, Ellen Goedtke and Mary Goedtke are from Comfrey. New Ulm youth are: Lydia Balge, Luke Irmiter, Micayla Irmiter, Allison Rosenhamer, Kyrie Sellnow, Silas Sellnow and Noah Stocker. Sleepy Eye youth are: Emily Curtis, Stanley Draper, Karlie Heiderscheidt and Katie Steffl. Erin Hauth resides in Springfield.

Prairie Lakes provides grants for arts activities including dance, music, theater, literature, and visual art classes and exhibitions. March 1, 2010 is the next deadline for $500 Small Arts Projects by community groups and Arts-In-Education school residency grants.  Grant program information and applications are available at www.plrac.org or contact Brenda Flintrop, Executive Director, at the PLRAC office in Waseca, 1-800–298-1254 or plrac@hickorytech.net for information.  The PLRAC serves a nine county area in south central Minnesota.

Brown County Youth Scholarship Arts and Cultural Heritage Grantees

Row 1 (L to R): Allison Rosenhamer; Karlie Heiderscheidt; Kyrie Sellnow and Noah Stocker. Row 2 (L to R): Brenda Flintrop, PLRAC Executive Director; Judy Martens, PLRAC Board Member representing New Ulm; Stanley Draper and Denice Evers, Springfield, PLRAC Board Member representing Brown County.

Minus 24 … in the sunshine

Trying Out a Picnik Slide Show

Here’s some of our Christmas pictures put together in a Picnik slide show, just for fun.

Welcome 2010

The Draper boys enjoyed a fun game of Dungeons and Dragons to kick off the new year (Click to view large).