Random Pictures

Try to guess which child cannot get on the computer without taking random pictures with the camera. Every time I dump the card reader, there mysteriously appears unknown pictures taken by an unknown source.

ELDER ODLE

Well, we have been told that Britton's mission call has been sent. It is amazing to think that my little boy is ready to go on a mission. I think he is uber-prepared. He sometimes is hard on himself since he is a perfectionist. We have the map out and have made guesses as to where he will be going. We expect it to be here probably on Wednesday. Let us know, if you want to be here for the opening. I figure we will do it about 5:30 or so. Where do YOU think he is going?

Football Weekend

I would not like to be the guy underneath!
I think the Ref better move, Colton is taking him down.

Surprise! We spent most of the weekend at football games. Thursday afternoon at Northridge for JV, Friday night at Layton along with most every person in Layton, and on Saturday at Ellison Park for Jackson. Lost, Won, Lost. The most intense was Friday night. I told Colton that I don't think that I can go to many more games like that. It hurts as a parent when you watch your son get hit, smashed, and screamed at. Colton played good. He definitely had the biggest fan club there. It makes Friday night fun. It was a tough game. It ended in OT. Colton is having a ball playing Varsity. I just keep telling myself, he will be fine, and won't get too hurt.
Jackson had his last game today. It was very hot and I think he got a little dehydrated. He has had a great season. He leaves for St. Louis with Grandma and Grandpa this week so he won't play for Octoberfest.
Britton, Colton, Dave and Jackson scored some great tickets to the Utah/Weber State game tonight. So off they went. I enjoy the quiet sometimes. I went to the Women's Conference with my mom. It was very nice.

CONVERSION

In my religion, when we talk about conversion, it is a wonderful thing. In the banking world, when we talk about conversion, it is very, very bad. This past week our debit cards that we offer at my bank went through a conversion. It has been very hard, time consuming and a tedious task. I have spent about 8 to 10 extra hours at work this week. Thanks to Dave, Mom and Dad, Jackson, Colton and Britton, my life has continued. Love you guys. We are not totally out of the woods, but maybe tonight I can sleep without dreaming of numbers and people yelling at me because their cards wont work.

HIGHLIGHTS

The week started out with the painting of the sidewalk at Layton High. It is appearent that most of the paint get on the people, car seats, showers, washing machine, etc. This is Colton.

This weekend was filled with highlights of football. Colton played Thursday afternoon at Davis. He then played at the biggest game so far of his life. It was Homecoming and he played Davis on Friday Night. There were probably 8000-10,000 people there. On the Deseret News site, it said that there were 8000 or so fans in the stands and about 2000 or so standing around the track. The bleachers were all saved with blankets before the game. In warm up's right before the game, the sprinklers some how turned on the Davis side. In the game the wet field hurt us somewhat.

My friend Dawn and I were talking in the stands about how when we were kids, Homecoming always started out with Sky-divers. Much to our surprise, we were so excited when the announcer said the football was going to be delivered by Sky-divers.

The game was so intense. Colton played well. He did his job. He did make a mistake that he felt really bad about. He jumped offsides close to the end of the game during a stressful moment. The coach pulled him out the next play. He also had as he called it a muscle pull. The trainer stretched him out and then he went back in for the final plays. He will be doing 50 pushups during practise next week. The final outcome was Layton 13, Davis 7.

NEXT WEEK NORTHRIDGE! The poll just put Northridge ahead of Layton.

Colton said the dance was fun. He took McKell Whallen. They ate at Mimi's. It was a great weekend.

Our Thoughts and Prayers

Amidst the hustle and bustle of the weekend, we have had a sad thing happen. John's wife Michelle stayed home in St Louis over the weekend while John and Ryan came out here to go to the sealing. They arrived late Thursday night. On Friday they spent the day with Tyler in Logan at Utah State. John got a call Friday night that Michelle had a seizure and they had taken her by Ambulance to the hospital. While in the hospital she had another seizure. John at that point decided to go back to St Louis. Tyler, Ryan and John left Saturday morning. After a few tests it has been determined that she has a tumor the size of a orange in her frontal left lobe of her brain. It is called Oligodendroglioma. The plan currently is to have surgery this week and remove about 75% of it and then chemo and radiation. Please add John and his family to your prayers. We are hoping for the best, and praying our hearts out.

Luau

Saturday was the day of the Luau It was a beautiful day. Here are some of our pictures.

AMY and PJ

Amy and PJ came up this weekend from Arizona. They came to be sealed in the Bountiful Temple. We had a very nice time. On Thursday night, all of my sisters and my parents went to the temple in Ogden. It was so nice. I just kept looking at Amy and thinking how natural it was for her to be there with us. I am so proud of her and the changes that she has made in her life. You can see it in her demeanor, her looks, and her personality. I love her.

I took off Friday from work and decorated Mom and Dad's backyard. We had a Luau in honor of them on Saturday. John and his son Ryan flew in on Thursday night. He wanted to go spend the day with his son Tyler in Logan. We worked outside most of the day getting ready for the party. We strung lights in the trees, stapled Hawaiian clothing to the deck and shed, put a fountain the pool, made candle holders with sea shells and sand inside, hung theses huge palm trees throughout the yard. We went and picked up the food, and set up table and chairs. We were beat. We then went to the football game.

We met at a park in Bountiful at 8:15 am for family pictures, before the temple sealing. It was hard to get up. Then off to the Temple. It was a wonderful ceremony. It was very emotional for all of us. It was so touching to see PJ openly weeping at the thought of being sealed to Amy for eternity. It was very nice to see them taking this next step in their progression on this earth.

PJ has brought so much happiness and joy to our family. It is amazing how our lives work out.

FOOTBALL WEEKEND

Well the weekend has come and gone. It was a very busy one. It started on Thursday. We went to Colton's JV game. He played good. He did get 2 holding calls on him though. On Friday night, we went and watched him play varsity football at Fremont High School. We had a fun time. Billy and his son Easton, Amy and PJ and their kids, Megan, Britton, Amber, Dan Horton, Makay, Ralph, Dave and I were all there. We had fun. Colton did well.

OUR VARSITY FOOTBALL PLAYER

COLTON PLAYED THE ENTIRE VARSITY GAME LAST NIGHT ON OFFENSE! He looked awesome. He had a week to learn a new position and he did it! He looked great on JV, Thursday afternoon. The team didn't do to well on Thursday, but he did great. On Friday, the Varsity was so good. They played Jordan Beetdiggers in Salt Lake on the new Jordan astro-turf. Lancers won 35 to 14. Colton's little cheering section (Dave, Maria, Britton, Dan Horton, Bryan Gray and Dawn Brandvold) couldn't have been more proud. We took pictures from Thursday's game. By the way, Colton earned enough quarters last night to letter in Football.

Dinners By Diana

I just thought that I should tell you all that Diana McDonald is our lifesaver. She owns a company in Layton that is called Dinners By Diana. She cooks homemade meals and sells them for you to bring home and heat up. Trying to be a Molly-Mormon, working mother, football mom and exercise nut, it gets really hard to fill all those shoes when you only have from 5:30-10:00pm with your family. That's where Diana comes in. We have found it so convenient and economical to have someone make your dinner for you. I come home from work, go to the gym, Dave goes to Jackson's football practice, while Colton is at football and Brittton is at work, we pop one of the dinners in the oven and when everyone finally comes home together at about 7:30, dinner is served.
Over the last few years, I have taken a little flack and teasing for using Diana for our dinners, but during football season, it really is worth it and I just have to say it's good for my mental and well being.
I highly recommend it.

MISSION PAPERS

Well, we turned the mission papers into the Bishop this week. Just a few short weeks and we will know where Britton will be for the next two years. It is an interesting feeling. I love how his personality has changed from teenager to young adult. He feels sort of lost in this new world of having his mom and dad be some of his best friends. Most of his friends have gone to school and have started going on missions. I remember feeling lost and unsure of myself the first few months of college. As his mother, it is a sweet and special time with him. I love having him around and talking to him like a friend. I am so proud of him.