Newsies 2016

One would think that the Iversons would be over their Newsies obsession by now.  But one would be wrong.  Ellis and Sam spent approximately 6 hours of their Spring Break rehearsing for this production.  Ellis has memorized every step of choreography from the 1992 movie, and he has taken extreme measures to make sure he and Sam both duplicated it with exact precision.  Then they put careful thought into costumes, props, scenery, and which room of the house would be appropriate for each song (in the first song, they move rooms!).  This is a long clip - 12 minutes - but I couldn't cut too much out, because I know how much Ellis has fretted over every detail, and he will notice if something major is missing.  And there is so much here of my little boys here and now that I need to preserve.  I love the way each boy's personality comes out in this project, as well as the complex dynamics of their relationship.  :)  Enjoy!


Newsies 2016 from Ben and Jenn on Vimeo.

All I Want for Christmas (is my two front teeth)

I'm not sure what you were doing yesterday, but we certainly spent our time wisely.

Here is the product of our efforts, for your viewing pleasure:



All I Want for Christmas (Is My Two Front Teeth) from Ben and Jenn on Vimeo.

Your Personal Penguin

The boys made this music video for their cousin Morgan, based on their shared love for penguins.  I thought it was too cute not to share with everyone!  We can't get enough of this song, which is written by Sandra Boynton for one of her books and performed by Davey Jones of the Monkees.  Enjoy!



Your Personal Penguin from Ben and Jenn on Vimeo.

Sam's Birthday Video

For you hard-core Sam-o fans, here is the video you have been waiting for!  It covers the best video footage we have of him from the past year.  It's amazing how much he has grown!

If you have seven minutes to spend adoring one of the sweetest boys in the history of the world, then you are in for a treat.  If you have only a few minutes, skip ahead to 4:35 to see his to-die-for cuteness as he sings songs from Annie, which is the recent craze at our house.

Enjoy watching my baby who is now a "big boy!"



Sam 2 to 3 from Ben and Jenn on Vimeo.

The World Will Know

It has happened.  A new obsession has taken hold of the Iverson household, and it has taken hold something fierce.  We have put presidents, apostles, and Star Wars on the back burner in favor of a newer, bolder, more dramatic passion:

NEWSIES!

This one has become the life and breath of not one, not two, but all three Iverson boys.  They live for the chance to watch the full-length movie.  They request to hear the soundtrack every time they see a CD player.  And even if Mom and Dad choose to listen to another album, they sing Newsies anyway, and they sing it louder.  They practice singing different lines together, taking turns being David, Jack, and Crutchie.  They are mastering the New York accent and are working on achieving the delicate balance of toughness mixed with choreography.  They are trying out different versions of the charming Jack Kelly smile.

With no further ado, I bring you the all-new
Newsies (in under six minutes)
an Iverson production:



Newsies (in under six minutes) from Ben and Jenn on Vimeo.

Singing Onstage

Twice in the past year, I have taken the boys to see plays at our local children's theater.  They have LOVED it, and have been downright inspired.  Ellis and Henry still sing the songs from "Oliver" all the time, and whatever chance they get, they practice their own little performances.  If I had to predict, I would guess that if any of them turn out to be a real performer someday, it will be Ellis.  He seems to get such a quiet thrill from the very thought of getting on a stage to put on a show.

Enjoy these musical productions by Ellis,

Henry,

Sam,

and yes, me.  I guess I'm just as eager as the boys to get onstage and perform!  There is something exhilarating about it, I will say.

Two Videos

A few videos for those with a little too much time on their hands . . .

First of all, Sam's Words!  I absolutely can't get enough of this little guy's talking.  I wish we had captured more of them, but here's a sneak peak into his current vocabulary:

I have to mention that my favorite part is when he does the little hand wave when he says "I do!"  He normally does this with both hands at the same time, which just melts my heart.

Next up, the darker side of Ellis.  One day he got in one of his wild, crazy moods, and he asked me to film him doing this insane/scary dance/song production.  It went on for six minutes, and he would have done more.  I tried to trim it down to a tolerable length.  Just watch for a bit so you get the hang of it . . . or watch the whole thing, because I actually think it's hilarious toward the end.

This is a side of Ellis that very few people are privileged to see!

U.S. Presidents Choose the Right

Happy President's Day everyone!  We think that Ellis' U.S. Presidents obsession may be winding down, but he delivered this gem of a performance for us the other day and we thought we'd better post it for everyone's edification on this very special day.  If you haven't seen Jenn's Primary production "We Choose the Right," you might want to watch at least part of that first to understand what's going on in this one.  Enjoy!

We Choose the Right

Here is a little project I have been working on for our Primary. With the yearly theme of "Choose the Right," we are trying to find as many opportunities as possible for our kids, teachers, and leaders to share experiences when they have chosen to do what is right. I have found that hearing these experiences already makes ME want to be a better person, to be a little bit more careful about what I say and do.

Enjoy the show:

What have YOU done to choose the right?

When Joseph Went to Bethlehem

The boys wore their matching Scotland vests and bow ties today (thanks, Grandma and Grandpa!), and they sang as part of our Christmas Sacrament Meeting Program.  They were adorable!
This video is not their actual performance; it was taken after church in the Primary room.  They were a little extra silly for the video . . . but at least you can imagine it!  And no, Henry didn't sneeze during the actual performance :)