Have You Seen My Frog?

Hi cute kids and beautiful wife!
I hope you enjoyed my last entry. Here is another picture of the campus here:


















After a looong day in class with practice emergencies, I decided to unwind by walking around the area. I heard about a creek and old log cabin somewhere in the woods so I started walking off the school property.
On my way out I was startled by a group of giant firemen (20 feet high!) messing around with a flag!














Whew! It was just a statue of giant fireman! Who were these Giant Heroes?

Next I found a strange rock cave with stone steps going right down into some swampy water. I'm not sure if this is a religious shrine or a passage to the underworld.














Oh well, off to the woods. Except I soon found my path was blocked by a tall security fence, stretching both ways as far as I could see. There were light posts mounted with security cameras. What could be on the other side of this protective barrier? (hmmm...something like Jurassic Park?)



















I peered through the gate. It was very quiet. I was all alone. SUDDENLY I was startled by a sudden movement...(gulp)...
















Just kidding. No dinosaurs. Just a cute little cottontail rabbit:

















(not the actual rabbit I saw)
"Hey", I said, "have you seen my frog, Fema?"
The rabbit just hopped away and crawled under the fence. So I named him "Rudy".
Because he was so rude.

Then it occurred to me. Maybe the fence was to keep me in! They've lured me here to keep me as a prisoner in a secret government base! NOOOOO!

Well, I decided to make the best of it and get some exercise by following the fence around the property. A healthy prisoner is a happy prisoner! So off I went. I found some little red berries that looked sort of like strawberries combined with raspberries. I ate one but it sure didn't taste like either of those berries so I spit it out. I'll have to find something else to survive on. Then I came across a strange archway leading into a circle of large trees.















Probably some sort of ceremonial ring. For the ancient Giant Firemen.

On I went, coming into an open field full of sweet smelling white flowers.
















This place sure is picturesque for a prison camp.

Next I saw two more rabbits and two fat groundhogs.
(Not the actual groundhog)



















Seeing the fat groundhogs reminded me of eating lots of food, so I went to the cafeteria for a dinner of lemon pepper cod, pork roast, potatoes and gravy, salad, banana cream pie, and an ice cream cone. Have I mentioned that I don't even bother eating breakfast here because I'm still full when I roll out of bed in the morning?
Wait a minute! Plenty of great food and internet access? This couldn't be a prison camp! (Especially since the fence ends at the front and you can walk out any time you want). What a relief! Looks like I'll see you all on Saturday after all. (I'm FREE!)

Still, all those rabbits, groundhogs, flowers, and giant firemen kind of freaked me out, so I'm a little scared tonight














And I forgot my teddy bear! Hold me, little Gatorade bottles!

Love,
-Dad/Pepe

Hi Kids (& Cricket)!

I thought you might like to know about my adventures so far:

I had to get up early Sunday morning in Las Vegas and take a shuttle to the airport where I caught a plane to Phoenix, Arizona. Not too bad: window seat, short flight. Then I caught the next plane to Baltimore, Maryland. Not too good. A large man took my seat and I didn't feel like arguing so I was stuck between him and a large woman for a few hours of agony.

In Baltimore I caught a bus to the National Emergency Training Center in Emmitsburg. After I checked in and was walking through the rain to my trailer, I saw a frog.










(Not the actual frog)

I named him Fema. I wonder if I'll ever see him again.

My trailer is one of FEMA's emergency shelter models that are set up at disaster sites for hurricane/fire/earthquake victims. Here it is:



















Just kidding. Here it is:














It is a comfy little place with a kitchen, TV, and two bedrooms (so if I get scared, I can just move to the other one).

I've already told you about the cafeteria. Mmmmm...all you can eat food heaven. I like pie.
















(Not the actual cafeteria)

Our classes are about how to get along with news reporters, make our boss look good, and how not to look stupid on TV. Last night I took a walk into Emmitsburg, a quaint little town full of old houses and Catholics.
This is main street:














Most of the buildings on main street are residences with just a few shops. I can't find a WalMart.
The weather is warm and humid (sticky) and everything is very green.

This is me writing this on my laptop.














I may look happy but I am crying inside because I miss you all very much. At dinner tonight (chicken cordon blue, pot pie, potatoes au gratin, veggies, salad, root-beer, peach pie and ice cream - do I look like I'm getting fatter?) some guy was showing off pictures of his baby, and I thought "Oh, yeah? That's nothing" and pulled out my cell phone with pictures of all of you and everyone went crazy over my cute family (and wife) and how many kids we have. They all said to tell you 'Hi'.

Well, now I have to watch TV and eat Reese's Pieces.
Love,
Dad/Pepe

Hello from the Heaton family! We hope you are all having a fun holiday season so far. This is a photo of the family gathered together just before family prayer for the night. It has to be from November because we do a cool December Christmas Devotional every night reading a few verses of the New Testament together with candles and Christmas carols etc.

Hyrum and Kaprena hanging out . Hyrum is eight months old and such a easy going baby. He is crawling and walking around with the help of chairs etc. and getting into everything!!! We can't even put the presents out under the tree yet because he rips and eats everything under the tree-as well as on the tree. I'm not exactly sure how he gets them, but he has pulled off and gummed the ornaments on the bottom third of our tree. Hyrum is all smiles....except when he sees the flash of a camera!!! He always has a look like "What in the world was that!!!" on his face in our family pictures. How blessed we are to have our sweet Hyrum!!!!
This is Lorenzo who is now 12 years old. He is an avid swimmer and spends most of his free time in the pool doing laps. He is on the Cedar Aquatic Swim Team or C.A.S.T. He loves school this year and has an incredible teacher who really pushes him. He plays drums in the beginning band and is always tapping rhythms on everything in the house. He loves to read and just this week went through three books, most of the reading being done after midnight on the living room couch after everyone else is sleeping- so I don't know if this is a good or bad thing!!! Renzo has enjoyed being a Deacon and passing the sacrament and helping with fast offerings and at the care center. He always come home in good spirits after serving with his quorum.


This is Victoria. She will be 11 this February. She is such a joy to have in our home. She is doing well at her new school this year( we moved all of our elementary school kids to a new school this year) and surviving 5th grade. She has decided she wants to be an Olympic track star and is well on her way as the second fastest in her school!!! She is still playing the violin and is in the school orchestra (of about 8 girls all on violin!!!) and because she is the only one who has played before, her music teacher lets her help teach the others. She has been such a wonderful help to me with her little sisters. I don't know what we would do with out her. She always has such creative ideas and loves to teach them new things. Victoria has had what I call a "creative burst" she is interested in anything that allows her to express her creative side. Painting, drawing, crochet, sewing, making jewelry etc. it is so fun to watch!!!



Our William will be 9 years old in February and is doing great. He is a sweet boy with a big heart. He is learning how to play the cello this year and his teacher is very impressed with him and his progress. I just love the nice deep and rich sounds of the cello. It is really fun to hear Tori on the violin, William on the cello, and Renzo on the drums or bells playing together. (The younger kids play various other instruments for as long as their attention lasts.) William is our family comedian. He loves making others laugh. If you get the chance ask him to do "magic magic pants" and "Earnst and Younger" for you. You won't regret it!!! William is also a fierce defender of those getting picked on as well as siblings getting punished by their parents!!! He is a wonderful boy.This is Joseph. He is 6 years old and is in first grade this year. Joseph is wise and thoughtful and likes to stand back and take the world in on his own terms. However, when he is interested in something he really gets into it. He wouldn't let a ball get even close to his teams' goal in soccer this year, and when the older kids are showing off their push-ups, he does one handed ones!!! Definitely a fourth child!!! He loves money, not spending it, but saving it. He and William like to pretend that they are twins and often wear matching shirts to school and matching jammies to bed at night!!! He is just starting to get used to being at school all day and often comes home and says "I missed you today Mom!" and gives me a big hug...the kind that melt your heart.

Natalia turned 5 December 22nd 2008. She is a spunky little lady with quite the personality. She loves princesses and dress ups and tea parties and jewelry etc. but can play rough and tumble with the boys as well. Most of her friends went to kindergarten this year, so she is more than ready to join them at school next year. She knows all of her letters and sounds and loves to write. She is Miss i
Independent. She loves to put her own outfits together and who cares if they match. The world is her oyster. You can hear her singing along with her older sister's CD's in her bedroom. She loves to be part of the action. (she is the only younger child that will stay and play music with the older kids as they practice together until it is over!!!) Talia is ...Talia!!!







Alyssa is 2 years old and a sweet heart. She loves her daddy and has him wrapped around her finger. She loves to play "baby bear" where she is the baby bear and dad is the daddy bear and mom is the mommy bear. She will do anything if you ask her to do it as baby bear. If you ask her to put her dish in the sink as Alyssa...maybe, but if you talk in a bear voice and ask baby bear to do it... it's like magic!!! She loves dress up and will ask me to put on "dancing music"(classical music) to dance around to. Lately she has taken to cracking my eggs in the refrigerator to make cake and using my make up in the most creative ways!!! She is also very fond of mud pies which she and Natalia make in the backyard!!!

Dave is...well I won't tell you how old he is!!! He is working for the Health Department as a PIO or a public information officer. That means he sends out press releases about public health issues and deals with the media (click here for the report he sends out). He loves his new job and still works weekends for University of Utah.







Kaprena is Mom. People ask me what I do and I go blank. All I know is that I work from morning to night being the domestic goddess of my home. I am the chef, the doctor, the maid, the chauffeur, the laundry lady, the child care provider, the pre-school teacher, the tutor, the music teacher, the activities director, and...William just added...the best mom in the world. Although that last statement is sometimes dependant on the feeling of the moment. Along with these other tasks I also teach Gospel Doctrine in our ward and love it. I am also learning, with William, to play the cello(with all my spare time I think I have played mine 5 times total!!!!) I also get my violin out every once in a while. I love playing!!! I wish I had more time. I love playing card games with my kids- especially when THEY win!!! I told them it's so cool when your a mom because your happy when you win and when your children win it's just like you won too!!! They still think that is kinda weird... but I have noticed that they cheer pretty hard when I win too!!! I love being a mom. I can't imagine anything better (or harder for that matter!!!) I love date night with Dave and the rare night when Hyrum sleeps through the night.