Ephraim Does Mr. Grinch

We just got our NEW Christmas CD "Straight No Chaser" It's so awesome. Ephraim has been listening to it for hours....He couldn't resist this one song especially.....

September happenings

Many fun things have happened in August/September It started with Andrea Perona's Wedding...what a lovely affair and a lovely feast. I really enjoyed meeting all my old CVIII friends.

Then Autumn had a birthday and invited a ton of kids over for a murder mystery dinner..they all came in 1930's hollywood garb and really got into it.

Then Autumn and Ephraim started their horse back riding lessons for homeschool

YEAH!!!

Horse back riding lessons

Autumn and Ephraim got to take horse back riding lessons! It's very fun for them. Except when Ephraim's horse decided to roll while Ephraim was still in the saddle. The teacher yelled and ran at the horse to keep it on it's feet. The horse bucked and bolted, Ephraim flew off, landed under the horse and the horse jumped over Ephraim's head. It took a while for Ephraim to be convinced to get back on...scary!!! But he did it. He also put in a call to Uncle Nathan, rodeo man, to share the experience. It's so cute when Ephraim is trotting in a circle, he loves the feeling and sings gleefully as he goes. Autumn looks "fancy" posting on her horse, she belongs on an English Saddle....

Civil war at Duncan Mills, CA

You know, it was so weird. The boys were drilling all morning to know how to march in formation, "fake" a hit and fall to the ground for the "show" (hundreds of people come to watch) and it was all fun and games, but when the actual battle started I was standing in the woods behind the cannons ( I wasn't in the battle but Autumn and Spring were out there somewhere as nurses) I saw Ben and Ephraim standing a few yards in front of me waiting and watching the big scene before us and Ephraim reached over and took Ben's hand and I just felt a sick wave rise up in my chest and I began to sob uncontrolably. As the cannons roared and the guns smoked and the men and women yelled and manuvered I wept. I was not expecting that reaction but it was horrible. I guess I was also thinking the the civil was happened because our country turned on the church of God and drove them out. And now our country is doing that again and we are ripe for another war on our own land and my children may very well be facing that battle for reals! It was an awesome and sobering event. The weight of that battle was lightened by the wonderful dance held that evening.. The girls were swirling in their hoop skirts and the boys were dashing in their uniforms!

Bugsy Malone Musical!

Well the Windsor Performing Arts Academy was a huge success. Autumn, Spring, Ben and Cousin Keenan had a great time and about 150 people attended the show and gave them a standing ovation. Ephraim had a little cameo part where he skips out on stage from the audience with a GIANT swirly lollipop during the bad guys dance and a gangster tries to grab it out of his hands but he yells and kicks the bad guy and runs off. HAHAHA!
Autumn played "Blousey", Spring played "Tallulah", Ben was "Bronx Charlie" and Keenan was "Dandy Dan".
The pictures speak for themselves!

trek

Autumn and Spring participated in a TREK where the Young Men and Women in their stake reinacted a portion of the Willie/Martin Handcart companies. They had such an amazing experience. The fireside was wonderful. Testimonies were really strengthened. It was amazing.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YWV1LklxtXM
See it on YouTUBE at the link above.
Love,
heather

Autumn sings at the talent show.

Autumn amazed the crowds with her confindence and poise and darn good singing and piano playing. Watch out Billy Joel.....April 2009

Easter in Hawaii with the Cleaver Cousins!

We had such a wonderful time getting to know Maralie, Mark, Melissa and Chris. Our extended family is SO awesome everywhere!

Even MORE HAWAII

More fun from the gang in Hawaii!!!

More Hawaii 2009

Hawaii 2009

Aloha! We just got back from a week in Hawaii. We spent time with cousin, Julia O'connor, Cousin Maralie Cleaver (and Mark, Melissa, and Chris), We spent time with Foeata Fetokai who is now Foeata Barclayon (husband, Keoki and three ADORABLE kids: Ke'ala, Anna Tela, and La'akea). I also got to see Barbara Elkington quickly (on a whim) as we were leaving BYU-H. I wasn't even sure she was still there....but she was and it was so wonderful to see her looking great. We mostly swam and body surfed the whole time. We did visit the Polynesian Cultural Center. Foeata put on a surprise B-day Beach/BBQ Partyfor Spring and La'akea. The older kids learned how to surf, Ephraim got very good at boogie boarding and body surfing and standing boarding he was bummed he was too little to surf. Ben ate a lot of shrimp (he has good taste). Autumn got some very cool clothes and convinced Spring to "go Hawaiian". They look good! We are grateful for the opportunity we had to go, the protection we enjoyed, and the blessings of doing some missionary work as well. Just can't resist that part...hee hee We've been saving for this trip for over three years...it was totally worth it.

love,

Heather

Ephraim was on the K-2 team for Odyssey of the mind. The judges said they were the best they had seen all day (and they performed last!) Their problem...create a set that looks like a candy factory, have a candy maker who explains five different kinds of candy that each have a HEALTHY ingredient, and have a humerous customer. It was completely kid made (points off for any outside help)

Spring was kidnapped for her birthday (last year when she went into young women's ) She'll be 13 next month now...whew time sure flys. Spring went to the 6th grade dance with her girl friends. I had such a fit after chaperoning the dance at the middle school two years ago that this dance was quite fantastic!

Then there's Autumn with her friend from Bellamore (their semi-professional string quartet) They are performing at the Wells Fargo Center next week.

Ben's Odyssey of the mind team won THIRD place in the region this year. They had to design and build a vehicle that could travel four different terrains and change appearance at each one using no man power and no batteries....it was COOL.

Farm Boy Ephraim milks a cow for the first time. He said it felt "squishy"