Last summer on The RFF

Before the new fall episodes begin, let's catch up on this summer in The OC: 

We spent a lot of great cousin time, both in Utah and in California

Jed (and the rest of us) could not get enough of Clara

Jack paid the piper at Temple Square 

While we walked around the new Salt Lake City Creek downtown
with Grandma Carol and Grandpa Bob

Harriet spent much of the summer in a wheelchair

due to an inflamed knee - a reaction to a never quite

diagnosed virus that struck her knee 

Saturday morning hike with CD in the Rocky mountains 

Found some ways to cool off in toasty warm St. George 

and wrapped up our Utah road trip with a good car cleaning 

Took a day trip with grandma, grandpa and the Coes out 

to beautiful Redlands to check out Pete's old stomping grounds 

Stopped by Pete's Redlands childhood home

and old elementary school 

(the boys got really good at the wheelchair)

visited Grant's grave 

ate a Cafe Rio and ChickFilA picnic on the lawn of the Redlands historic library

and amphitheater - we then enjoyed a lovely patriotic free concert 

Harriet & Abbie (her last summer before college!)

Jack has been in summer practice prep mode for the fall Marching

Band season - here he shows off his band blister/callouses

Jack's friend found a couple of orphaned baby possums 

in his back yard - super cute but they had fleas 

and eventually died without their mother despite best efforts to nourish them 

water fights in the front yard while workers worked in our backyard -

we had Andy Gump in our driveway for a week or so 

more cousin time in California 

(covered in the Balboa Island post) 

Harriet took on a summer room project - 

she bought some Whiteboard paint at Home Depot

and painted her giant closet doors all by herself,

turning them into two giant whiteboards 

beach time - a "good" pic of Harriet's swollen left knee 

Jed participated in the UK coaches soccer camp 

and earned the "inspire award" one day 

we fed a pelican on the pier 

And as summer started to come to a close, 

the twins head over to register for high school! 

oh I'm sure there is more than one Fresh Man at El Toro 

El Toro High School here they come!! 

Another fun end of summer activity was a beach 

bonfire hosted by the church youth 

Last beach day of the summer was Labor Day in Laguna 

we had a birthday celebration for the twins 

with Grammy Ann's traditional chocolate cake 

The kids received their traditional father's blessing from Pete

the night before the first day of school 

and the twins received a hug from dad while enjoying their

birthday donuts the next morning before heading off to HIGH SCHOOL! 

it's been a great summer! 

Back to school we go...

Another fun Friday night at the Football game (words I've never said before this season)

I promise we have a lot going on right now that isn't Jack and marching band, but it does seems

to be the theme of the family blog as of late.  Harriet is in Cross country but is still on the injured

list due to her knee issues this past summer, so she hasn't been able to compete in any races yet,

although she does run and work out with the team on a weekday basis.  Both she and Jack participated in their first Model United Nations conference a few weeks ago, and Harriet received a commendation at the awards ceremony.  Jed is playing on TWO soccer teams, which leads to a lot of soccer during the week and weekends.  Pete is coaching one of those teams.  Henry is now in 11 year old scouts, and takes gymnastics in which he excels at the climbing wall and is getting better and better on the climbing rope.  He has also started playing the violin in music this year.  I've yet to hear it, but he sure loves the class.  But for this post it will be more photo and video of Jack and the marching band for all of you,

his biggest fans at home who are unable to make it to any of his performances.  

Last Friday was another home game for El Toro and another opportunity for us to go 

and enjoy the game and see Jack in action playing with the El Toro Drumline and the Royal Blue Regiment Marching band. Grandma Ann and Grandpa John, as well as Porter came to the game,

and it was a perfect evening weather wise.  We all enjoyed the game, it was an exciting one,

and I enjoyed trying, much to Jack's chagrin, to videotape every single minute of his playing.

Here are some of the videos from my youtube channel.  Enjoy! 

Jack and the Drumline entering the field, along with the football players.  

Jack is fourth cymbal back, he is positioned between the two bass drums from this angle.

This is the first time we've seen them with their hats on!  

(p.s. if you click on the box to the right of

where it says youtube under the video it goes to full screen)

Continuation of the first video, as the Drumline

circles around to pass the audience then exit the field.

Jack is the second cymbal back on the far side. 

Jack in hat - third one back 

Just a quick clip of the band in the stands -

Jack's band teacher and music leader Mr. Fritz is

seen in the center of the frame with the glasses and goatee

signaling the band. 

Jack and the RBR performing at halftime -

Their competition piece For Whom the Bell Tolls 

has three parts, tonight they perform the first two.

This video is a close up of Jack for most of the show,

see if you can keep your eyes on him.  

You can also see the the only male member

of the Color Guard moving around in Jack's section,

and he is next to Jack when they exit the field.

Look for Jack's cymbal poses and fancy spinning work! 

Jack got a little practice time on the quads during the second half of the game 

The game was filmed for Cox tv's "High School Football game of the week" so there were cameras 

around - the crowd had a blast and the team played a great game, pulling what Pete called a "Flea Flicker" in the last quarter to come from behind and win the game! 

And lastly I don't think I posted this on the blog - this is a fun lip dub video that the El Toro 

students put on every year to showcase ASB, sports, clubs, activities and just the campus

and students in general.  Jack is seen in the Marching band section, for about two seconds

as the whole thing moves along quickly. It is a catchy, fun look at the El Toro campus, 

new home to my twins! 

El Toro vs. Tesoro

Tomorrow night is the next El Toro High School home football game - El Toro vs. Tesoro

kickoff time is 7 p.m.!

Here's a little bit of what we will be going to see...


GO CHARGERS!