Breanna & her dancing exploits

Here's a video of Breanna at a recent dance competiton - back at Provo High, but in the open competition. Video was taken February 2009. Enjoy.

WE ARE THE (STAKE) CHAMPIONS

Hello Everyone, this is Braden and I am sorry I haven't blogged in a really long time but I will be blogging a lot to day so get ready to be reading for a while.

Well the Sunset 11th Ward Deacons team was victorious in the Stake championship against the Spanish Ward and will now be progressing to the regional tournament in March. 

• During and after the game sweat shirts and t-shirts were thrown into the crowd of 50 (refer to picture below). Even though more than half of it was Spanish Ward fans they still kept them and even put them straight on. Even today at school I saw people wearing them they are getting even more popular game after game. Just wait you will be seeing them pretty soon in North Carolina.                                                                            
• Besides the fact that we won Stake I enjoyed whenever I stepped up to the Spanish Ward crowd would start to yell and do this weird "loo" sound.  What really made my day is it was started by the Spanish Ward woman (mostly moms). I can't imagine my Mom starting to scream and make weird sounds when the other team stepped up to the basket. I am just glad that we were able to come off with a win.                                                        
• There is some bad news for the team though. One of the better players turned 14 around the time I did so we were able to stay with the team, as long as we didn't play for the teachers/priests team. Well the dumbest thing happened right after our game the Teachers/Priests had a game, (I think you know what is coming) well he just had the urge to play in their game, so he could be suspended from the team for the remainder of the season.                                                                           
• What I would like to call to attention is that in my Jr. Jazz games the game Austin is gone (out of town) our team wins well it proved itself more than once this week. Wednesday, I had my first Jr. Jazz tournament game, well we won the game when Austin was gone, Laura was there though (I think she is the Good Luck charm) but then Austin came back and we lost the game we played in. Austin and Laura are both in California so it is time to see if Laura is the Good Luck charm and/or if Austin is a Jinx on the team. (Austin please do not hold this against me I do enjoy your booing, if I wasn't playing I would be booing along side with you on most of the calls. I really do enjoy you both coming) 
• Below: My favorite shirt to wear and see everyone else wear. Also there will be a movie clip being posted as soon as my Dad gets to it.                                                                                                                 
  
  

FROM SCOTT: Braden wants all to know that the video was taken by Austin going to the December 2006 BYU-Oregon Las Vegas Bowl. Scott wants all to know that Braden's voice still hasn't changed.

Spring Has Sprung

I saw my first crocus of spring today...and it is only February 27!  

I took a picture I was so excited!

  This winter has seemed so long and cold that it was a delight to see a flower already!

Here's hoping for an early start to SPRING!

Now, a little note about SPRING CLEANING...

something I do not really do.

The other day I had to change a couple of light bulbs in the chandelier in the kitchen and while I was up there, I did some dusting.  I was embarrassed to realize that the outer glass bowls of this particular chandelier that I had begun to think of as "frosted" glass, were in reality clear!  They were so dusty that we had forgotten how they were supposed to look.  Now they are so much more beautiful...let's hope that I do spring cleaning more than once a year!!

Victory is Sweet!

Braden's basketball teams prevailed this week on two separate occasions to win both at ward basketball and at Jr. Jazz(city league) ball. (Braden #22)

Thursday night Braden's deacon team played well against the other team and won.  This gives them the honor of playing in the championship game this coming Thursday! 

(Braden #34- in a previous game)

Saturday Braden's Jr. Jazz team played the best we have seen them play this year and they soundly beat the other team...I think it was the first game they won all season??  They have high hopes for tournament which starts this week as well.

We only hope that the two tournaments do not have conflicting games because that would be a real bummer!!  More details later on BASKETBALL!!

FROM SCOTT: I've added a few extra photos from Braden's game Saturday. I'll be putting another basketball image or two later on "Scott's Pot Shots."

The many faces of a 14-year-old

   It's Braden's birthday Monday (Feb. 9). He turns 14. He's a bona fide teenager.He entertains himself -- obviously.

   Also, if a picture's worth a thousand words - here's 15,000 words worth trying to describe Braden's many personalities.

   Warning: Click on the photo for a larger image -- if you dare!

Post Script: 

   Braden was disappointed that I didn't include his favorite of the 25 images he took. He says he's so happy with it that he wants it on the family Christmas card next year -- don't tempt us. 

  Here it is. Happy birthday, Braden . . . . . and don't get a big head -- ooops, too late!

The Constancy of Change

Just when you think you are comfortably enlisted in the Primary for another 10 years, the Bishop calls you in and rocks your boat!  I have had to rack my brain to remember the last time I was in Relief Society...a good reason in itself that I should be back there, but difficult nonetheless.

At the present moment, I am first counselor in both Primary and Relief Society which means a lot of presidency meetings.  Scott jokingly said that he thinks the Young Women need a new first counselor too...just to make it even more interesting.  

I did some research to figure out that I was RS president from 1991-1993 in our ward...there are only a handful of ladies left that would even remember that, our ward has changed so much.  I was primary president when the ward was formed in 1987 so that is even longer ago.  I have a great picture of me with my big, permed hair, (and I was very young) when I was RS president that I will have to dig out and scan.  But for now, here is one that Scott scanned for something else that would have been that same time period...my kids and many of you will recognize some pretty special people in this picture that are still part of our lives.  This was at Austin's baptism in 1991.

Austin's baptism, March 1991, Provo

Front: Megan Taylor, Jenna Taylor, Jessica Taylor

Middle: Austin Taylor, Ethan Holman, Robbie Stewart,

 Amanda Holman, Breanna Taylor, somebody's knee

Back: Austin Murphy, Jon Bronson, Katie Holman

Any ideas for Relief Society would be appreciated!  I only know how to do games, songs and stories and act out scripture stories...hope the sisters like it!  I really want ideas on how to make lessons fun for younger RS sisters...hint hint Megan, Jessica, Breanna, Jenna, Amanda...

Incidentally, the Primary room is right down the hall from RS so I got to hear the children singing all my favorite songs my first week in RS and I was an emotional basketcase!  I warned the sisters that they will have to be really patient with me while I go through "withdrawal."  

Thoroughly Modern Millie!

Breanna and I had the special treat of going to a play at BYU last week!  

We have always enjoyed the old movie with Julie Andrews and Mary Tyler Moore...and the stage version is a fun twist on that old flick!  We had seen it once before at Hale Center Theatre...but BYU had a lot of fun with it, and an incredible set.

  

Breanna laughed at the comments inside the program at BYU and all the analyzing of the plot and supposed desire for moral values etc. that the play was supposed to purport...her comment about the over-analyzation was "Why can't it just be for fun?"  Yup, that is pretty much the way we saw it!  Good times!!