Checking in

Some random thoughts from Scott ...

• It seems like I haven't posted for a while - but it's not for a lack of trying. Several times during the past 4-5 days, I've tried to post a minute-long video of a Church commercial that's really clever. Even though it's well within the 100MB limit for video posts (only 4-plus MB), it would only play the first 8-10 seconds and then freeze up. So, instead, here's the link to the YouTube video - enjoy. I don't know what is more hilarious - the concise, choice dialogue or the use of hip-waders and wrapping-paper tubes.
• When you watch the above-linked video, can you tell the setting of the swordfights? Hint, these are not the Pirates of the Caribbean, but the Pirates of the Provo. If you're really sharp, you may see backgrounds similar to photo shoots for a) Tyrel and Jenna's engagement photos, b) Laura's bridal photos and c) Breanna's senior photos.
• Want a great read? Check out Breanna's "Happy Burn Day" post on her blog.
• I've joined Facebook (to quote a family-favorite VeggieTale music video: "I can be your friend"). I'll spend a minute or two a couple of times a day to scan the postings and messages. I find it a little too impersonal -- I can only imagine what Twitter is like (don't know if I'm going there). I'll keep the Facebook account for awhile, but I prefer the privacy of emails and the lengthier, meatier posts on a personal blog (like the family Blogspot pages).

Baby Braden

So, we helped Aaron and Michelle for a while Saturday and ended up taking some of their extra "stuff" to DI afterwards.  Well, there is a new policy that DI will not take baby items that they cannot wash...like this cute baby floor toy.  

I asked Michelle about it and she said we could take it to Jenna and Ty if it will fit into a suitcase.  We were trying to figure out what it does...it plays music and has lights and is just cute.  I dared Braden to climb inside and it was pretty funny!  

Maybe Jenna will have a bouncing baby boy like this one!!!

P.S It is snowing like crazy!!!  On my poor little crocuses!!!

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!!

Fun with "word verification"

   As I have posted comments on blogs the past few days, my attention has been drawn to the "word verification" codes needed to authorize and authenticate the posting. I think maybe this blog might require the same code. You know what I'm talking about, the scrambled letters that at first look like my tray of leftover letter tiles in a game of Scrabble. But if you start to look at them closely, they start to look like real words, funny expressions.

   And so, for the next little while, I'm going to end most of my comments with the "word verification" that I'll need to type in to post the comment. See if you don't think they look and read funny.

   LATE ADDITION (01.23.09): In addition to putting the "verification" at the end of my posted comments, I may add a suggested definition - kind of like a twist on the old "sniglets" game.

Guitar Hero: Grandma's World Tour

Grandma Carole wails on the XBox guitar, while Lori sings a rousing chorus of "Red! ... Green! ... Yellow! ... Green! ... Red! ... Blue!" No, wait, she's prompting the color for the guitar keys.

Oh, and please see Scott's Pot Shots for more "concert images."

Winter Wonderland

When I go outside in the mornings to jog...(I hate the treadmill unless it is just too slippery outside)...it has been Soooo cold lately that I come home sort of frozen!  But, it has also been Soooo pretty outside!  

When I got home today, I grabbed the camera and tried first to take a picture of my glove with the frost that built up on it while I was running.  It melted as I went inside though.  Sometimes I have to shake my gloves/mittens off several times during the run just to get the frost off.

Then I just started shooting random things around the yard that I thought were pretty...

...yes, even a chain link fence looks lacey and beautiful when it is coated with a frilly 

covering of frost!

Warm Winter Wishes to you!!

Scott's Pot Shots

   OK, I've created another family blog called Scott's Pot Shots - "Drive-By Shooting" was already taken and has worse connotations than "pot shots."

   I plan to average posting 1-2 photos a day - something else to do on my bus commutes to/from Salt Lake City. They'll be family-oriented photos or shots of individuals from the immediate and extended family.

   The object is to enjoy the photos and post "comments" about what the photo makes you think of - what you remember from the event, what the photo makes you think of, maybe even a funny caption for the photo. You might even be prompted by one of the comments to make another comments - and on and on.

   Also, if you've got a "blogspot" login, you can join as a "follower" (see right-side menu). And, if you've got photos to submit to be posted, email them to me. You can click on the photos on the blog to see a bigger image, too.

HAPPY NEW YEAR!!

We have not posted for a while because we really just took advantage of having family here for the 2 plus weeks of break from school...it was heaven!

Braden started out the holiday by being in the local Christmas parade with the rest of the "Hope Squad" at school.  They look out for fellow students and offer encouragement and help to those that need a lift.

Christmas morning was so fun!  We relaxed and took our time opening meaningful and crazy gifts to each other.  (We will add more photos from Jenna when we get them)

We loved having Ty and Jenna come for a visit...now we are counting the days until we get to see them in the spring!

One of our holiday outings was to the Mormon Tabernacle Choir holiday concert.  It was a wonderful night with Lori and our local kids!

Breanna got to participate in true service, carrying on the family tradition of being one of Santa's Elves at Franklin Elementary for...SANTA OF COURSE!!!

Austin and Laura cut their California trip short so they could come back to spend a few days with all of us together.  I think one of my favorite moments was sitting in church the Sunday after Christmas with our entire family on the row next to us!  Can it get any better than that?  I have mentioned that being in the temple with family is the highlight of our lives, and this was the next best thing.  We are so thankful that our kids love the Gospel! (and each other!!)

We were able to spend time with Grandpa James and Carolyn and other James family members one day and spend time with Grandma Carole and John and Lori on another day...both wonderful and fun days of our vacation.  Braden was not a "lone child" during this entire break.  His passion for football and basketball and BYU were all fueled by great gifts like this BYU jersey and new basketball shorts from brother and sisters.

We treasure the times our family gets together to do anything!  We love game nights and football or basketball games, or eating a meal together or talking to a child on a cell phone while they are on a run or in the car...  It all means so much to us.

We look forward to this new year and the opportunities we all have to create more memories together!  Our love to you all! The Taylor Family

Santa's "other" little helpers - Part II

Another go-around with the "elf dances" -- didn't want Cheryl and Breanna to feel left out. And, yes, I tried to find some of the sillier faces for the kids -- but not for Cheryl, because I have to live with her for the next eternity or so, and I don't want her to get mad ... or to get even!

Click on the dance of your choice (or try all three!) ... Charleston ... Country ... Disco!

Santa's little helpers

Please click on the title above, or click here - Charleston. I promise ... it will be well worth your time.

After you're done and you've composed yourself, you'll want to click here - country.

And my favorite: disco (click on the video below).

New web site - new job

Since returning from the Beijing Olympics, my work at the Deseret News has gone from sports writing to writing for the Church News section. Several weeks ago, I was asked to accept a new position in Church News - that of assistant editor, with responsibility over online content.

We are in the process of creating a new Church News web site - one that will be available for free to anyone throughout the world. Previously, the Church News' printed section was available for subscription with the Deseret News in the state of Utah, mail subscription outside the state of Utah and online for a $20 annual fee.

The First Presidency recently approved our request to make the Church News available for free - one of my primary jobs will be to make sure we have fresh content every day - right now, we transfer the Saturday section from the printed edition online once a week.

Also, we're in the process of testing a Beta version of the Web site. We still making improvements and changes all the time, but feel free to visit ... feel free to tell your family and friends, too. There will be some bigger announcements right around the first of the year.

The Web site for the Beta version is ldschurchnews.com/home/ (you need both back-slashes).

Aren't You Glad We Like Each Other?

You know...I look at Michelle's blog and how often she writes and how many cute things her little kids do and sort of miss those days.

But then we have some of those days around here too...not the funny old days when Breanna used to lick the sidewalk just to see how it tasted, or when Jenna jumped on the bed yelling "When I grow up and get married, I'm living alone"...yeah Tyrel...see what happens?

No, we have the "older generation" of kids to relate to on a daily basis and it may not be so funny all the time, but I find it immensely satisfying.

Jenna calls all the time to check in and report on day to day events and wanting to know the details of each life away from hers.

Austin and Laura come over regularly to hang out with us and to help Braden feel like he is not an only child...oh yeah, and to play XBox with him too!

Breanna calls and comes over and shares all the fun details of life at BYU and in the apartment...and brings tasty recipes or some pomegranate 7-up..yum!  She also takes Braden to play D&D now so they have a weekly date as well. What good siblings!

A while back Braden commented just out of the blue..."I'm glad we like each other in our family."  I asked why he was thinking about that and he told me that he hears so many kids at school or church saying things about their families that are negative or rude.  I told him that hopefully, some are just trying to get attention or seem cool to talk that way, but that I as well have friends that just do not like each other in extended family situations, or that just have crazy, mixed-up families.

So, "Aren't you glad we like each other?"  I know that I am glad!!!  We just love all our family and all our extended family.  We love Tyrel and Laura's families that we have added to our own and cannot imagine not having them in our circle as well.  

We appreciate all the great examples from all of you and want to tell you THANKS at this time of year.  HAPPY THANKSGIVING to all of you!!

BYU Tailgate

We followed a tradition that we started a couple years ago to host a "tailgate party" when the BYU vs. Utah game was "away."

Addie checks out our "Cougar" in a suspicious way!

Laura and Amanda decorated the tailgate in "true blue" cougar fashion for the event!

Braden invited over a bunch of friends to play some football in the yard and eat tons of food and yell and scream during the game.

It was humerous to see the mass exodus of middle school age boys to the kitchen at each commercial break or time out!  Thank goodness for lots of nachos!

We were pretty excited for the BYU team chances to win the game until halftime...and then it was one interception after another to a sad defeat.

But any woe can be gladdened by another hour or so of football under the street lights on a nice November evening! So...GO BYU!  We can't wait for next year!!

Calling all jack-o-lanterns

Jenna sent me a text-message earlier this week that brought a smile to my face and bunch of warm feelings and nice memories:

"Carved pumpkins tonight and thought of all the cool ones you have made over the years, Dad"

So, if anyone has "cool" carvings this year, forward the image and we'll post them the next day or two ... and maybe I'll dig into some scrapbooks and scan some images of pumpkins gone by.

Click here for slideshow of 2007, 2006, 2005 and 2002 pumpkins and costumes!