Rise and Shout

the Cougars are out!

Here are a few things I learned this weekend ...
*November football games are COLD!
*Drinking hot chocolate helps with the cold. If you look at Nixon and Easton, the more on your face, the better!
*Tailgating can be fun, even at BYU.
*Sitting through a cold game is totally worth it when it brings joy to my boys.
*17 is more than 10, and that makes 2 years in a row Utah - ha!






I thought we should let the boys rush the field after, but Geoffrey's dad was security right on our side of the field. Apparently, he's threatened his kids since birth about the evils of field-rushing. Maybe next time - doesn't it look fun, though?

Preview ...

Priesthood Preview that is. It was on Sunday and yes, Nixon is turning 12 next year, so we got to go! May I present the Deacon's Quorom of 2008:

One of the speakers told a story about a deacon jumping over something while he was passing the sacrament and spilling all the bread. He probably thought the story was funny, I thought he was just giving the boys ideas.

Not that you can tell from that photo, but Nixon is so serious about receiving the Priesthood next year. Looking at that boy just warms my heart.

I'm pretty sure that I'm not old enough to have a 12 year old son to go with that 18 year old daughter (not to mention the almost 10 year old youngest child!).

The Simmmmmmpsoooons ...

da da done done done done done done done dadadadone dadadadone. Yes, my family was a tribute to being inappropriate for Halloween. Except Sara, she had to dance until 10:00PM (really! 3 Musketeers opens this weekend!).

The Simpsons is a show we don't even watch in our house. But Geoffrey did wear me down eventually and we went to see the movie this summer. The boys laughed and laughed, and when I say boys, I mean all THREE of them. If you didn't see the movie, you had no idea who we were for Halloween, but here we are:

Spider Pig:

Harry Plopper:

Marge (yes, I made the wig - it is cardboard and cotton balls):

Geoffrey was a Silo of Pig Crap(photo coming soon):

It was a busy day with parties at school, the most amazing dinner at the Peers - check out how cute the Peers decorated the table for Halloween:

then it was trunk-or-treat and trick-or-treating. This was the first year that Geoffrey and I just stayed home and the boys went out with friends. It felt a little strange and a little sad that they really are growing up fast. I'm so grateful that they have good friends that we could be comfortable with them out going door to door with!

It worked out great for us because we got to snuggle Indy while Paul and Alisha took cute Cal out. Once the doorbell starts to be rung only by groups of middle schoolers, I'm ready to turn off the light though.

More pics on Smugmug, of course. Hope your Halloween was great!

Bodychecking, Goals, and Grizzlies

Bodychecking Definition: Using the body to slow or stop an opponent.

You know, shoving/slamming against the boards/taking the other guy down. Why the hockey lesson on the blog? Because this sweet boy:

is officially old enough that it is LEGAL to CHECK in his hockey league. Nothing takes a mom's breath away like the sight of your son's face mask pressed against the glass right in front of you (2nd game). Nixon is pretty much the smallest person on his team. So he needs to learn to play heads-up-hockey, and he needs to be fast, and he needs to strengthen his core which will help him absorb hits. He has had his bell rung a few times in practice, but the first game of the season, he scored a sweet breakaway goal, so we think he's going to be OK.

In other hockey news, Geoffrey is coaching Easton's team and on Friday all three boys got to skate out on the ice at the Utah Grizzlies home opener. One of the players came in the locker room and talked to them before the game,:

they were on the ice for the pre-game stuff and the National Anthem:

they played a scrimmage game in between the 1st and 2nd periods (Easton in the red helmet celebrating his goal with the Grizzlie Bear:

and they got to pick up the foam pucks that people threw on the ice in between the 2nd and 3rd periods!

Just because Nixon and Easton thought this was the funniest thing ever: The headless hockey players:

The Grizzlies tied the score with 14 seconds left in the game and won in overtime, so it was a great game! Feel the excitement:

As usual, more pictures then you have time to look at can be found here.

Sweet Deals!

The wonderful, amazing, full-of-great-stuff scrapbook store here in Park City, is - sadly-going out of business. RIP Gone Scrappin'.

Sad for those of us used to waiting until the last minute to do big projects, not having what we need, and running into the store to get just the right ribbon or paper or embellishment. Good for all the bargain hunters!

Everything in the store is 60% off! Don't think that means it is all picked over and the good stuff is gone. I am AMAZED at how much is still there - great Making Memories ribbons and trims and tons of brads and paper flowers and sooo much paper still. The store carries most brands of scrapbook supplies.

Oh, I almost forgot the best part - want to organize your scrap area? All fixtures for sale! Wire and Wood paper racks - 12x12 and 8 1/2x11 ...slat wall and all the hooks and baskets to go with it. Sooooo much stuff.

Sorry my California friends! Hurry on up my Utah friends - you can hit the outlet mall too, maybe we can have lunch!

Last day is Friday, November 2!

It's A Utah Thing ...

when your daughter gets asked out on dates by elaborate things. Here is Sara's Homecoming ask this year ...a perfect replica of Napoleon Dynamite's sketch-ask, (and the really good part!) a box of YUMMY cookie flowers wrapped all pretty and topped off with a pair of pink Skullcandy headphones:

Her answer? A big sign in his yard that said: YES, I'd be a Dum-Dum not to go with you; and a yard full of Dum-Dums stuck in the ground (harder to push into a lawn then you would think!)

And the cute couple on dance night:

Tyler is a darling boy in our ward, Sara said it was so fun to go with someone she is friends with and has hung out with a lot before - they had a great time!

I'm sure you're shocked to know I have more pictures here!

Sara's had a crazy schedule lately - she has a solo part in Ballet West's nutcracker - and as a result did all of her dress shopping on her own. I love that she knows modest is hottest!

Feel free to share any clever dance ask/answer ideas you have in the comments. Someday I'll be helping with the boy half of all of this!

Trekkin'

So I spent the weekend with some other stake leaders at Martin's Cove for trek training. We are taking our stake next summer and so we were REQUIRED to attend this training. We really had to trek with handcarts, cross the Sweetwater, see Martin's Cove, do a women's pull and camp out. We got a taste of wild Wyoming weather - a big rain/lightening/wind storm all night long!

I am sooo excited for trek! What a great experience to walk and camp and be right where the pioneers were. There was a special spirit about the place and the couple missionaries who are serving there were DARLING and having so much fun. What a great place to serve a mission!

We left with some strong feelings about what we want our trek to be like for our youth and some goals we have for them. It's going to be great!

So did you trek as a youth (or as an adult)? What do you remember as the most powerful parts? Any advice?