Conference Saturday

We woke up early Saturday morning to get ready to go to Conference in Salt Lake City.  Bryan left early to get cereal and milk while I was going to get ready.  He came back quickly to tell me that the van wouldn't start.  It was cold and our little van likes the warmer weather.  Bryan called AAA and the tow truck guy came out and gave us a jump.  The van started fine after that, thank you!

We got ready and went to meet up at Andrew and Jessica's house.  Then we all went to Salt Lake to the Tabernacle to watch the morning session of Conference.  We parked in a parking tower where we had a pass and it took FOREVER to get in there!  But we were able to make it before the opening talk of the session.  The Tabernacle wasn't very full so it we didn't have to worry about finding a place to sit with everyone.

After the session, Grandma, Grandpa, Andrew, Jessica and us went to lunch and then went to Temple Square until it was time for the girls to go to the afternoon session of Conference.

 Andrew and Courtney playing around while we waited.

When it was time to go to the Conference Center, we had to split up because David and Jenny hadn't arrived yet and we had her ticket.  So Jessica waited outside for Jenny to get there so they could go in together.  Courtney was very excited for her first Conference session in the Conference Center!  We were sitting next to a couple of girls from Snow College and one was a recent convert.  They weren't afraid to ask me what things meant, why we were standing up before it began, and which "old guy" was President Monson.  It was fun to talk to them and see how excited they were to get tickets.

Jessica and Jenny made it before the first speaker and we were all able to listen together.  I enjoyed hearing the talk given in Spanish because I was able to hear the Spanish and read the translation that was on the screen.  There were a few times when it wasn't translated exactly right and it was funnier or made more sense in Spanish.

After the session, we met up with the guys, ate dinner together, and then they went off to the Priesthood session...Ethan's first one!  He was excited to be going with his dad, grandpa and uncles.  I was so happy for him.

The girls drove back to Provo, changed clothes and then went shopping at Deseret Book and Smith's.  When the boys got back, we had dessert then went to David and Jenny's to bed.  It was a great day!

BYU Football Game

The Friday before Conference we drove up to Provo for Conference Weekend.  In the past, we have gone to the BYU football game on Friday night then to Conference on Saturday and home on Sunday.  This year we were excited to do it again and Bryan was able to get Conference tickets.  We were excited to go to the BYU game...until we looked at ticket prices!  It was outrageous and made me so sad that we couldn't go to the game but we weren't paying $40 for the cheap tickets at the top of the stadium.

So we drove to Provo on Friday anyway.  We had time to walk around campus and Courtney had time to spend her allowance.

Then we went to Andrew and Jessica's house for dinner (yummy homemade pizza) and we watched the game there.  It was actually a good thing because BYU lost really badly to USU.  I would have been mad if we paid a ton to stand in the cold and watch BYU lose that badly.  Instead, we were in a warm house while the kids snoozed on the couch and we watched BYU lose.

We had to wake the kids up to take them to David and Jenny's house where we were staying.  Go Cougars...

Little Mermaid Date

Bryan took me on a date to see "The Little Mermaid" at Tuacahn after we finished the FHE at the Veterans Home.  I know Bryan really loves me because this was his 3rd time seeing the 1st half and his 2nd time seeing the second half.  He took Courtney as one of her birthday presents but they were rained out after the first half.  They were given tickets to go back and see it again so they saw the whole production another time.  So he really loves me. ;)

It was a great play and I liked it.  I liked it even better than the last time they had it at Tuacahn.  The mermaids last time were on wheelies and this time they were on personal segway things.  It was cool to watch them because it really did seem like they were floating.

It was a fun night!

FHE at the Veterans Home

Our Ward was in charge of doing FHE at the Veterans Home in Ivins.  The High Priest Group Leader sent us an email letting us know that we would be combined with another family (the Browns) and were in charge of the FHE.  We all wanted to keep it simple.  We were there early enough that we were asked to help bring all the residents that wanted to attend to the meeting room.  Ethan was a bit nervous because there are ramps everywhere and he was having to push a wheelchair but he did a great job.

After the opening prayer, Courtney played her violin and some piano songs, I played a piano song, Bryan told "The Cremation of Sam McGee," and then we played Pictionary.  The residents loved playing Pictionary.  One man wouldn't give up the marker.  We split into teams but came out even.

We finished up with one of the Brown's daughters playing a piano piece.  Then we got to help take everyone back to where they belonged.  It was a bit hard because they couldn't tell you their room number or even what wing they were in.  We got lost with some of them but eventually everyone was back where they needed to be.

We went out for ice cream afterward and then dropped the kids off.  It was a great experience for us all and makes us appreciate our family.

Our Story Goes On...

Tuacahn was having a special Sunday presentation of "Our Story Goes On.." which is a presentation given on Sundays during the Nauvoo Pageant.  Many members of the original cast were there to perform so I wanted to go to it.  I (and many of the other people there) thought it would be more about Nauvoo....but it wasn't so I was disappointed.  Courtney decided to go with me and we had fun just being together.

Courtney and her crown...

 There were a lot of people there and we ended up next to these obnoxious little boys who weren't sitting any where near their parents.  The old man behind us all told them he was going to string them up by their ears if they didn't "shut up now."  He told me he knew they weren't my kids and felt bad for us.  About halfway through the parents came and grabbed the boys and they all left. The second half was much easier to enjoy.  The performance was about showing how life goes on and on through birth and death.

RAIN!

It rained really hard on the night of September 26th!  The drum corp for the elementary school was supposed to ride in a truck in the Swiss Days parade Saturday morning but the parade ended up being cancelled.  It was crazy how much rain we got!

Bryan decided to take advantage of the situation.  He pulled out the cars and soaped them up while it was raining then left them to rinse off in the rain.  When there was a break in the rain, he went out and dried them off.  Then he pulled them into the garage all shiny and clean.  It was hilarious but very ingenious!

 Courtney even got in on the action since she wasn't going to be in the parade.

I was glad they cancelled everything because the rain was coming down hard and lightening was hitting very close to the house.

Snow Canyon Homecoming Game

After Courtney sang at the Opening Ceremonies, we drove to Snow Canyon for their Homecoming Game.  We had a tailgate party with people from our neighborhood and some friends then we went in to the game.  Snow Canyon lost but it was fun to be there anyway.