The Eagle Project

Braeburn's 18th birthday was happening this summer, and so, not wanting to rush into anything, he started his eagle project in May.  After jumping through lots of hoops he came up with the perfect project:  Build and install a flag pole and a sign for the Iona Historical Society.  Figuring out how to build a flag pole for low cost (he provided all the materials) was the trickiest part.  We went to steel shops, and called custom places and everything was way too expensive.  Luckily Grandpa helped him figure that out.  They got a 20 'length of 1 1/2 " galvanized plumbing pipe and an 8' length of 2" pipe.  The idea was to set the short, larger piece in cement, and then slide the smaller, taller piece in as the flagpole. 

 He also found a cabinet shop that would carve the letters into the sign he built. After he got final approval, the actual construction part took only two days.  

Early Saturday morning Mannie Sanchez brought his tractor over and dug Braeburn three holes;  one for the flagpole and two for the sign.

Here is Braeburn finishing digging the holes.

Figuring out how deep to set the first pipe.  I think they put at least 4' underground.

Braeburn's best buddy, Spencer, helping with the cement.  Spencer is an absolute gem.  

And the mother's contribution:  Donuts.

Bear Lake

For the 4th of July we went down to Bear Lake with some friends.  We went to the little community parade , and then had a cookout at their cabin on the lake.  They had a huge water trampoline you could jump off of into the lake which was a blast.  Braeburn got very sunburned and we all had a great time.

I don't have any fun pictures of that.  Only boring family pictures.  Sorry!

Random Reunion Tidbits

Gravenstein making a Perfect Cobbler.

(It was done perfectly, not burnt, and had none of that "icky cast iron taste" Grandma doesn't like.

Grandpa with the child who has two names.

Baby Check-Up

and just to keep it realistic:

Mr. Bechtel, attached to his phone

Family Reunion Hike

Grandpa came up with the perfect hike for all of us - even the little kids could trek along.  Cousin B. brought his bike to coast down the hills.  

Prairie Spy, Loaded for Bear. 

 Well, not really.  It's just a coolness factor thing and for target shooting.

Stopping for Lunch along the Trail.

The Patriarch and Matriarch of the Clan.  

(Ma and Pa Sackett)

 The Scenery.

(We were right on the Idaho-Montana border)

Keep on Hiking.

(Only 5 more "norms" to go!)

Family Reunion 2011

We have family reunion every other year, and this was my year to plan the event.  Our cabin in Island Park is right next door to a huge lodge.  Last year the lodge owner called to see if he could borrow our cabin when he had his family reunion.  (even though it's a huge lodge he still needed more room).  In probably my only bit of brilliant negotiating ever, I arranged to swap him time for time.  When I found out he charges over $900 a night I was even happier.

We had a great time.  The food was especially good - as you can see from the Spy Twins here.  The only inconvenient part was that the water was not safe for drinking because of all the snow melt so we had to use bottled water.

The lodge also has this very strange picture of the prophet Joseph.  I just had to include it too.

More on Rolf

Just for posterity, I think I'd better write down what Braeburn wrote for his biography in

The Sound of Music. 

This is where he is supposed to write lovely things about himself, how skillful he is as an actor, and the names of all the other productions he has been in.  Then bored theater goers can flip through their program and read about the cast while they're waiting for the play to finally start.

I quote:

"Braeburn has lived the majority of his life in Idaho Falls.  After a relatively uneventful childhood, he was bullied by his female friends and relations into musical theater.

Although he has forgiven them, most audiences never will.

When he is not busy, he participates in his school choir and mows lawns.  Although he is a rather poor actor, he has won several awards as an amateur filmmaker. 

He has no ties with the Nazi Party." 

.

Braeburn as Rolf

The Hills are Alive.... with the Sound of Music!

This summer Braeburn was bitten by the acting bug.  We did not know this bug existed for Braeburn, who is normally extremely taciturn.  We suspect there was a girl involved somehow... but since he's so taciturn, we still don't know for sure.

Anyway, he decided to go try out for the community musical.  He was only going to be a member of the chorus.  He came home and described the whole process for us while making himself an enormous snack of some kind.  (At one point he was going to write a best seller about teenage cooking using only things like tortillas and cheese as ingredients - sort of a "survival because there is never any food around here" kind of a book, but I digress.)  He said he was slightly nervous, because as he was singing his tryout song he heard a bit of the "mellow richness" coming through.  Then they asked him to read the part for Rolf.  

Sure enough, several weeks later, when the parts were posted, Braeburn was listed as Rolf.  

The Spy Twins got a big kick out of this whole event because it involved dancing and singing with a girl on stage - something none of them was ever, ever going to do.

When opening night came I didn't know what to expect.  Braeburn told us not to even come.  Right!  My brother, Winesap,  even came up from Utah to support the budding star. 

Well, he was fantastic!  Mr. Bechtel and I just kept looking at each other the whole night with our mouths wide open.   We only missed 1 night of the 4 night run, and Rolf was a huge hit.  Braeburn actually had a great time - not to mention that he had all these girls suddenly wildly in love with him.  

This year the musical is Seven Brides for Seven Brothers.... We'll have to see what happens.