Ok, I absolutely LOVE to watch Alyson play basketball. Wow, it is SOOO exciting!!! Last night they played Van Buren, and Alyson played so AWESOME!! She was so great out there on defense, and getting all the rebounds, and scoring. Our girls played so tough, we lost, but only by a few points. Go ALYSON!!!

Kara entered the Autumn Street Fair karaoke contest. She sang "When there was me and you" from High School Musical. She did so good, and then was picked for the call backs!! There was one other girl about 13, and then everyone else was adult age. Anyway, she sang "Independence Day" by Martina McBride, and placed third out of everyone!! I was so proud of her!! Watch out American Idol, her comes Kara!!

Alyson was really close to Grandpa Caten, and I know his death was really hard for her. But burying him at this beautiful spot at The Cove has been a special element for all of us. This is the view from his grave site.

Most of you know about the passing of Brian's Dad on Oct. 19. It has been an emotion of ups and downs since that time. We so appreciate everyones cards and phone calls and prayers. He is buried on Joey's farm out at The Cove, and that has turned out to be something very special for us. Brian and his brothers went out and worked so hard clearing the brush and cutting down trees, and then the kids and I and some of the brothers and cousins went and laid sod, and picked up sticks, and worked really hard to prepare it so he could be buried there. It looked completely different when we were done. I feel that was a spiritual and healing experience for us. What a blessing Grandpa Caten has been in our lives, and the special things he has done for us will continue on. We all miss him so much, but know that Heavenly Father has a special plan for Grandpa.

I was sad I never took a picture up close of him in his pads, but they always wore their jerseys to school on game day. That was fun to see the team at school all in their jerseys.

Football time in Tennessee

Bryce had such a fun season this year playing football for the middle school. He had several really exciting plays, and a few VERY exciting touchdowns. I was really nervous about him playing, especially after several broken arms and injured legs and colarbones by boys on the team, but it ended up being a great season with no medical bills for us!! Go WCMS!!!

Favorite Conference Quotes

"The Saints can accomplish any task when united in righteousness...." -Pres. Eyring

"The will to win means nothing without the will to prepare...." - Sis. Daulton

"Return to Virtue, cling to covenants, Stand ye in Holy Places.." -Sis. Daulton ( good talk!!)

"He isn't asking us to build a handcart, he is asking us to walk across the street and help a neighbor.." - M. Russell Ballard

"One day we will run out of tomorrows...." - Pres. Monson (I think this was my favorite talk about Change, and how to have joy in the journey!!)

Summer Fun!

Remembering fun from this summer...Alyson sure had fun tubbing with the Wade's and Riches. I miss summer already!!

Only 5 years left at home!!!

Bryce's 14th birthday was last week. He had a bonfire and several friends over. Ok, I am suddenly feeling lots of pressure. Reality is hitting me that I have 5 more years left to teach him everything he needs to know in life before he goes on his mission, that's it, just 5 years!! Yikes!! Anyway, Kara and I made his cake (a camping scene complete with tent, sleeping bags, and bonfire) and it turned out so cute!! Kara was the mastermind behind it, she really decorated it cute! Bryce came straight from football practice to his party, which explains his grubby appearance!!

Bradley's FHE was a hit!

Bradley was in charge of FHE last Sunday. He did it all on his own, and it was soooo cute!!! He first told us a story about Samuel the Lamanite, then he showed us different books, and then he hid them and we had to go find them. But the part that was so cute was that he had spent about 2 hours before FHE looking through all his books to find pictures in the books that matched his different animals. Then we had to find the book and the animal that matched. We all laughed and laughed and had a great time!!! The FHE's that the kids do are definitely the best!! He then made us a really yummy dessert!!!

Brian bought himself a swimsuit the other day, and Bryce happened to see the price tag, and he said, "You know Dad, I've noticed you seem to pay twice as much for the things you really do need, and Mom always seems to pay half as much for lots of things she doesn't need." Wow, he got that one right!!!

Alyson has had so much fun keeping in touch with everyone, she has convinced me to start a blog. My main purpose is actually to help me with my journal writing, since I haven't been very good at that this year! And I definitely don't want to forget the good times we have had this year.....!!!!!

Thanks to Brian's spontaneous personality (most of our family vacations are very spontaneous!) we took a fun trip to Universal Studios the week before school started. Mom was actually relaxed on this vacation and had a great time!! (the awesome pool at the Royal Pacific Resort was my favorite!) It was fun to leave everything behind and just be us!

New Blogger

It's official!! I have made a blog for my family!!!! I am so excited!!!!!!!!