Heirs of the Magi News Flash!

***Heirs of the Magi News Flash!*** The first half of fall feels as though it is over as we move on from the annual fall festival, and that feels like a transition as some of our favorite grandparents head south for the winter; and Cassie and Michael head out on their fall work trip. Whether our adventures are at home or elsewhere, we are going to have a lot of fun through Halloween and on to Thanksgiving. We expect a few surprises to go along with everything we already have on our collective schedules, and hope that you will enjoy all of those stories; so... ...Visit Witch Falls often to keep up with all of our latest adventures; and happy reading!

Saturday, August 25, 2018

Ethan's and Ehlana's Journals - August 25, 2018


Ethan:

Ehlana and I haven’t been apart very often – especially when that isn’t even in the same town, but then we’re never really apart at all no matter the distance between us; so that isn’t a problem – just a bit different.

Tai Chi by the river with Mom, Dad, and Aiden was still fun; so was breakfast; and then I went to watch the Pixie’s ballgame to support Naomi while Aiden had to go to the bakery and then on to some work and play with his family for the rest of the day until after dinner.  I got razzed about being there for Naomi and the rest of Ehlana’s team mates while my twin was away – especially after I got a couple of hugs and a kiss from Naomi after she helped the Pixies to win the game, but that was fun too; and the adults around us just thought that we were cute.  While the Pixies won; they still ended up in second place; so they’ll be the away team for the championship game next Saturday on the holiday weekend.

I went home after the game; helped out around the house – including with some work on the third floor bedrooms; and that kept us busy for the rest of the day through until dinnertime except for food and cool-down breaks because it has been really hot out today.  Since Mom and Dad had their ballgame and some helpers for the work on the third floor; we had a small gang over for a barbeque dinner; we headed for the park when it was time for the Locusts to try and win their game over the Wasps despite having their best cheerleaders away at college or in Woodvale; and I kept busy with kid-cousin control with help from Aiden and others while the Wasps proved that their strategy for the game was brilliant and the won both the match and top spot in the co-ed championship game next weekend.

That’ll be good for another family joke to have fun with for a decade or two, but maybe Mom, Dad, and their team can avenge the loss by winning the championship; since they got into that game despite the loss.  You can be sure that Miranda and Cassie will have fun with a cheer squad battle for that game too; so that’ll be fun too.

This is the last weekend of the regular season for our baseball league, so the party at Sheldon’s is going on now for the adults; and a babysitting campout is being hosted at Uncle Adam and Aunt Leanne’s with lots of teen support led by Jessica, Patrick, and some of their best friends.  Aiden and I are in a tent with Zack and Eli – or will be when we get around to the camping.  I’m taking this break from the campfire because I can; and wanted to check in with Ehlana too in case she isn’t staying up late.  I’ll get to that in a minute, but wanted to do this first; and then maybe have that chat with Ehlana and Naomi – since she’s on her way to come looking for me anyway.

Try not to have too much fun with that.  Quite a few of our friends are here at this campout; so she probably won’t do anything to totally mess up my reputation.  That is all of the news I have for the day so far; and I’ll add in any of the rest of the camping and campfire news with the next report.

Ethan – out!

***
Ehlana:

I missed my ballgame this morning and from what Ethan and Naomi just told me; Brianna, Faith, and I are getting the blame for the Locusts’ loss tonight, but I’m okay with that; since I might have known that both teams would still be in the championship game next weekend whether we were there or not – and that was true for my team too.  I’m also missing out on the camping night that Ethan, Aiden, and Naomi are doing while the parents are at Sheldon’s and the end-of-season party for all of the adult players.

While they’re having fun at home; I’ve still had a lot of fun too.  Tai Chi by the pool for Brianna and me was followed by a swim before breakfast.  Even though we just went shopping yesterday, we went out to play at the mall here for a couple of hours; we picked up a picnic lunch; and then headed out to the airport to watch some planes take off and land while having that meal.  Dawn and her instructor then took us – Brianna, Faith, and me – up for a half-hour flight that included a loop that allowed us to see Dawn’s house from the air; and then we went home again to spend the rest of the afternoon playing in and around the pool until dinnertime.  There were a handful of members of the Rice family with us for the barbeque dinner; we had more swimming and some play time at the park after that; and now we’re heading for bed because we have church in the morning; a lunch with Violet and Dillon once they get here to pick us up; and then a long drive home again in time for the buffet at the Inn that Grandma and Grandpa will be home in time to share with us!

The highlight of our day was definitely going flying with Dawn, but we’ve had fun with everything we’re doing here; and I am so glad that Violet and Christina came up with the suggestion.  I want to be ready for all of the fun we’ll continue having tomorrow; so I’m out of here and heading off to sleep now.

This is Ehlana Proctor; coming to you live from what is now my past!

Friday, August 24, 2018

Ethan's and Ehlana's Journals - August 24, 2018


Ethan:

I am guy, seven years old, and bound by junior man-laws to hate shopping trips that are related to buying clothes.  That’s why I’m sorry to report that we had an awful day.

Oh, wait – the guys liked the breakfast buffet at the Inn; so we’re allowed to admit that we had fun with that.  We also had fun watching a movie on the drive to the city; so our day only started to go horribly-wrong after that.

Except for the shopping in the ‘fun’ stores; the toys and video games that were picked up as blatant bribes to get us to do as we were told for the clothes-shopping horror that we had to endure; and the fast food lunch in the food court was a highlight in our otherwise-traumatic day!

The toy store visit for fall birthday gifts was exciting – or at least I think that the guys would agree on that; and then the supply shopping that we wrapped the day up with wasn’t too-awful for the guys since we were allowed to wander around and pick up a few treats for the weekend instead of helping with the ‘boring’ shopping.  Returning home with three-fewer girls was apparently a good start – according to Zack, Eli, and my friends; and the fast-food dinner-to-go worked for the guys in our minivan.  Another movie for the drive home wasn’t a horror either – though it did have a couple of scary moments; and then it was time for our friends to be cool when they were dropped off at their homes and had to insist that we’d all just endured the worst day of our short lives.

Aiden’s staying here with me tonight since Ehlana’s away; we’re in my new room because Dad got some help after work and took care of moving out the furniture we’re not keeping or that was going to other rooms in the house; and we’re about to start playing video games on our portables because our new games are for them – and I don’t feel like setting one of them up to work with the television in the lounge tonight.

I do need to wrap this up and get to that – or risk another hit to my reputation; so that’s all I have for tonight.

Ethan – out!

***
Ehlana:

We – Brianna, Faith, and I – are in Woodvale tonight.  Our back-to-school shopping trip was amazing; Aunt Melissa and Dawn brought us back to Woodvale in time for dinner because they live in a city and didn’t need to do the toy store or Wal-Mart stops with the rest of our shopping group.  That meal was out at a Chinese restaurant; we went to see Christopher Robin at the movie theater; and now we’re getting ready for bed – or those of us who are still awake are doing that.  Faith crashed into nap mode a while ago, but Brianna and I went for a bedtime swim with Dawn first; and now Dawn is having some hair-drying fun with Brianna while I’m doing this and getting changed.

This has been an awesome start to our weekend away, but that’s all the time I have for this report because I need to get back to the bedtime fun with my cousins – especially since this might be one of the last chances we’ll get to do this with Dawn before she’s too-grown-up for sleepovers with her youngest cousins.  We are going to have an amazing weekend, though, so stay tuned for more from here in Woodvale!

This is Ehlana Proctor; coming to you live from what is now my past!

Thursday, August 23, 2018

Ethan's and Ehlana's Journals - August 23, 2018


Ethan:

Day three of the decorating challenge – four, if you include the furniture moves on Monday – and the painting and borders are done!

The highlight of our day, though, was the telepathic meeting that we had tonight with Cassie, Michael, Rowen, and Tim.  At our end, we had Mom, Dad, Miranda, Tracey, and Rowen’s grandmother; we talked about what Cassie will be doing with new training for her friends; we discussed the dangers that they might face while away from home; and had a bit of fun here and there too.  That isn’t a very detailed recap, but Mom and Cassie are keeping track of those details and training; so I don’t want to repeat information that they’ll be responsible for anyway.

That meeting took more than an hour; we had a bit more fun at our end before our guests went home; and then Ehlana and I were sent up to bed because we have the back-to-school shopping trip tomorrow.

I’m also wrapping up this report now for the same reason.  The girls might be more-excited about the shopping trip – and Ehlana’s weekend away, but I will need to be rested-enough to keep up with them while we’re in the city; so I’m going to get the sleep while I can.

Ethan – out!

***
Ehlana:

Ethan’s covered the highlights of the day; you can read the details of that meeting in Mom’s or Cassie’s archives; and I’m going to move on without adding my two cents worth because I do have a big weekend ahead of me; and might not get much sleep after tonight.  I’ll let you know how that goes for me – starting with the next update that will be coming to you live from Woodvale!

This is Ehlana Proctor; coming to you live from what is now my past!

Wednesday, August 22, 2018

Ethan's and Ehlana's Journals - August 22, 2018


Ethan:

The fun and excitement has worn off for the twin brother on day two of the room decorating adventure, but we helped out all day; and I’m pretty sure that I did enough stairs today to get to the top of at least a moderately-tall skyscraper.  Maybe Coach Robinson should just have the football team come to our house for conditioning training!

We worked for most of the day; had a barbeque dinner with some of Mom’s volunteers and their families; and then it was co-ed baseball practice night ahead of the game on the weekend that Ehlana and Brianna will be out of town for as part of Violet and Christina’s master plan to help their team with that last game of the regular season.  Mom and Dad wouldn’t intentionally lose a ball game, but if they do; that’ll be another family joke that’ll be future entertainment for all of us for years or decades.

I’ve had my bath, and the only entertainment I want right now is a nap for the rest of the night; so that’s all I have for today.

Ethan – out!

***
Ehlana:

The painting is done!  Tomorrow we do the borders and some other decorating; and then we have the shopping trip on Friday and I’ll be in Woodvale for the weekend while Mom and Dad finish my room so that I can be in it again by Sunday night!

We also had Tai Chi by the river; three meals; and the usual Wednesday evening of baseball and play time at the park with the cousins and our friends.  I’ve been spending some quality time in my Jacuzzi – including while jotting down this update; and want to get back to enjoying the hot, bubbly fun; so that’s all I have for this report!

This is Ehlana Proctor; coming to you live from what is now my past!