Kent & Sharon's Echo Acres Excerpts

Saturday, October 31, 2009

2009 HAPPY HALLOWEEN!

They say a picture is worth a thousand words....

"The happy tourists!"

Dad & Joan

Brent & Johanna

Paxton

Shelley

(Brad's malfunctioned... so no costume!)

Ellie & Ava

Friday, October 30, 2009

We went to the elementary school this PM to watch the kindergarteners and 1st graders march with their teachers and classes in their Halloween parade. Lots of cute costumes! Paxton, Braden, & Brody were all in the parade. The band lined up on the playground playing while the kids marched all around the playground a couple of times showing off their costumes. Cute! It has been a tradition in Milford for years & years, although when grades 1-5 were all together they marched behind the band all around the oval in the center of town.

The band playing

Paxton with his class

Braden with his class

Grampa & Shaelyn watching the parade

Brody with his class

Mr. Paxton the magician

Sunday, October 25, 2009

2009 OCTOBER -- APPLE PIES!!!

Dad, Joan, and I made 10 apple pies Thursday AM to take to Chappell Tractor for the employees. Dad & Mom started that a few years ago, and Dad & I continued it last year. This year Joan joined in the fun, and we made enough pies for both the Milford and Brentwood dealerships. Dad used the corer/peeler/slicer tool and prepared all the apples in jig time. Joan mixed up the apples, sugar, & spices, and I did the pie crusts and filled the pies. We had quite an assembly line going. Had great fun! All the pies fit in my two ovens, so that was great. And what a delicious aroma floated through the house as they were baking! Took the warm pies along with some vanilla ice cream to the shop for their afternoon break, and the pies were gobbled right down. Brad took the ones for Brentwood over with him Friday AM. We didn't have any problem getting rid of the 10 pies...

Dad & Joan at work.

8 done and 2 to go!

All baked! Smells so good!

Ready to serve!

2009 OCTOBER -- MUSICIANS!

Ellie & Ava both continue taking piano lessons and do well. They have a very enthusiastic Russian piano teacher who is great with kids. Now Ellie has started flute in 4th grade and is in the band. She is quite excited! She has just had two lessons so far. Ava has started trying to learn to play some hymns on her own on the piano besides her lessons and has 3 mastered now with one hand. She is thrilled! Gramma sometimes plays the bottom hand along with her.

Ellie with her very own flute. "Now I don't have to rent one!"

"I like There is Rest, There is Peace in the Fold the best!"

2009 OCTOBER -- ELLIE GOT BRACES!

Wednesday, October 21, 2009

WELCOME FALL!

Fall at our house...

Friday, September 25, 2009

2009 SEPTEMBER -- TRIP TO RUSSIA

Glenn & Shirley Spunnaugle

Kent & Sharon

Dennis & Cherry Good

Warren & Sue Wainwright

Don & Eve Strassburg

Jack & Leona Koefoed

Arnie & Marion Lyon

We had a wonderful 13 day river cruise in Russia from St. Petersburg to Moscow with 6 other couples -- Arnie & Marion Lyon, Warren & Sue Wainwright, Don & Eve Strassburg (all from CA), Glenn & Shirley Spunnaugle (OK), Dennis & Cherry Good and Jack & Leona Koefoed (both from British Columbia).

Had a great time together! It was special to be with the workers and friends in both St. Petersburg and Moscow. Both cities were so beautiful and interesting. We toured St. Petersburg and all its sites and beauty, including the famous and gorgeous Hermitage, Winter Palace, beautiful churches, a canal cruise, Russian performance of Swan Lake ballet, a Russian folklore ensemble performance, and much more. Then we cruised on Lake Ldoga & Svir River with a stop in the quaint village of Mandrogy. We ladies participated in a Nesting Doll painting class there and decorated our own nesting dolls. Fun! Cruised on through Lake Onega with a stop in Kizhi Island, which is a UNESCO World Heritage Site with an amazing wooden structures and the Transfiguration Church built completely of wood without a single nail and has 22 timbered onion domes! Continued on through the Volga-Baltic Waterway and its pastoral country-side with a stop in Goritzy to visit some old churches filled with beautiful frescoes and icons. Continued on with a stop the next day in the picturesque city of Yaroslavl with its ancient monuments and beautiful churches. Had time to explore the market and shop. Gorgeous painted boxes, etc!!! Our last stop before Moscow was a walking tour in Uglich and tours of some beautiful and unique churches. Cruised on along the Volga and through Muscovy territory and along the Moscow Canal, and docked in Moscow. Loved the city of Moscow!!! We were there for 3 days and saw so much -- their amazing Metro with elegant stations, famed Bolshoi Theater, Red Square, the Kremlin, St. Basil's Cathedral with its colorful onion domes, and enjoyed a classical folklore concert (fantastic!) on their traditional folk instruments, the famous Armory Museum, the famed GUM department store ( a gorgeous store and mall!), etc. Enjoyed being with Enid & Lyle Dean in their apartment for yummy supper and visit and fellowship. Even met up with Ken & Kathy Newman (TX) for a day together, as they were there the same few days as us on business. Hated to leave and say good-bye to all after our grand time together for two weeks

in Russia!!!

ST. PETERSBURG