Becca as photographer

Pre Halloween photo shoot and yes I realize I'm not blogging very well here but I need to get these pics posted. If I wait for clever and fun it will be toooooo long before I get it done:)

New family photos

Ok here are some updated family pics, don't be too surprised if you see them around a lot--christmas gifts etc.

Halloween Pics

Nothing profound to say----just here are the pictures of Halloween. The big kids went to a movie and we didn't take a picture of that, sorry.

Bowling....

a safe sport,
you know, one of those boring ones you would never want to watch on TV
No contact...

REAL MEN

Play football, and get a concussion
Basketball and turn an ankle
Baseball and get hit by a pitch
Run track to pull a hamstring
Box...to melt their brain...

you know, MEN get hurt playing MANLY sports
because that's what we do...

but BOWLING, is safe,
Just you, a ball and the pins way down the lane
(if you can manage to keep the ball between the navigational beacons)

Some score high, some low
Some throw the ball
down
the
lane,
I've seen some throw
it
into
the seats....
OOPS
Some go for the strait shot
And the really DEDICATED ones do that funky spin thing...

So it was that I went bowling with my wife and the Elder's Quorum,
Just a fun, safe evening....

Not being particularly good at the navigational beacon thing,
I found another purpose...
I tried to see how FAST I could get the ball down the lane...
WHY NOT?
After all, why else would the scoreboard post the MPH
UNLESS THEY WANTED YOU TO TRY?
Its how to make the game A MAN'S GAME...

RIGHT...

Apparently it is also a way to get hurt...

BOWLING

Not football, baseball or RUGBY

BOWLING

How many people do you know who needed X-RAYs on their hand

AFTER BOWLING...

Yeah, welcome to my life....
Melanie said I've get hurt whenever I play active sports...
I said maybe there is a lesson there....

BOWLING

Not just a safe game anymore...
Maybe I can figure out how to make COUCH POTATO dangerous....

Free From Chicken Pox Prison, Again.....

OK, I admit it--even though I was stuck at home again with the same child having the chicken pox again. I did not take a single picture to prove it. Yep, I didn't think it could be true chicken pox twice in two months so I went to the DR to clear it all up for me. The DR said yes, that is classic chicken pox and yes, you can get it twice. Well, I'll be.

Today is the end of staying away from everyone so we aren't the cause of it spreading ---I'm pretty sure we spread it before we knew what it was though, whoops.

Water fun in Land Locked Lubbock

Family Home evening activity

Making boats





Floating boats, actually if you take a close look some aren't floating so well.

Alyssa wasn't sure she wanted to say good bye to her boat but she eventually gave in and then instantly regretted it. She was happy we have a picture.

Trying to work on my camera skills, I like this one.

Again practice with the camera.



And the last practice shot of the day.

GOT ARK?

(posted by D Ray in Leigh Ann format)

OK,

So, it started raining this morning...

NO BIG DEAL...but

I should have noticed the line of animals

LEAVING TOWN 2X2....

I work in a box with no windows, when I came outside

the city was floating away....

6.5 INCHES IN 6 HOURS...

totals still going up...

they are calling this the 100 year flood event that has never happened before in Lubbock...

We are fine, our house is not flooded...yet

BUT RIVERS IN THE STREETS AND LAKES IN THE FIELDS AND INTERSECTIONS...

It seems a frontal boundary is sitting just west of us, combined with an unstable airmass aloft (weather man speak for storm a brewin) and tropical moisture from the remains of pacific TS Lowell...and we have storms firing up in a line moving directly over us....

All schools closed...for the first time ever because of rain...

No work...we're closed too (cool, 3 day weekend, too bad the airport is jammed, I could steal back dad's UCLA tickets and fly to Provo again...)

It's all good though....

THE RAIN IS SUPPOSED TO STOP...

Sunday or Monday they say...anyone got any GOPHER WOOD?

The illness of the month is. . . . . .

Yep, we are on to the next illness of the month.....

Chicken POX! What?? You thought they had shots for that? They do, and Lindsey received the shot. She happens to fall in the percentage that can still get the pox. Fun for everyone. So, we are home and trying to think up things to do.

The Secret to Fabulous Hair

These photos were taken 4-5 days before she broke out in the chicken pox.

STREP and School

OK, maybe it's just me but it doesn't seem right that anyone should be sick on the second day of school. Yep, when I picked up Alyssa yesterday she wasn't acting like the happy "I just had my first day of third grade" person that she is. I inquired what was wrong and she said " my teeth feel funny and my ears are plugged." OK, well I wasn't too worried at this point. I still had to pick up middle school and high school children plus run to the orthodontist. Once all that was done it was after 5pm. I started to investigate further due to Alyssa's behavior, you know the sick behavior laying around looking miserable. She definitely had a fever, 101, and after asking more about the mouth I decided that I should look in the mouth. I know I don't really qualify but it looked like white dots to me---suspiciously like strep. Of course, at this point the best I can do is wait for morning and dose her up on motrin. Went to the Dr this morning, nurse said throat doesn't look red or swollen. Could it be that motrin would help with that? Took strep culture and yep I knew it positive for strep. So they tested Lindsey too and she is positive as well. Well, at least they caught Linsey's really quick. Hope the rest of us have a chance at not getting it.

Knitting Knack

For our Personal Progress Night we learned how to knit. Now I'm "hooked". Lots and lots of photos. I think this one will be a scarf...... now who wants it??? Just kidding. If I do make it a scarf I'll give it to someone who I know won't wear it. Now who could that be..... DANIEL!!! He is so exited about his new scarf. Can't you tell?? Due to strong objections the photo of Daniel has been deleted.

Becca

APPLES

We drove out 30 min or so from our house to pick apples. This was a very sweaty adventure. Yes, the apples are good, not fantastic like I hoped but good. Lindsey felt is was way too hot and thought she should be carried. I felt it was way too hot too--let's just say everyone walked on their own two feet. We picked ozark gold apples and gala.

BIRTHDAY BIRTHDAY BIRTHDAY and BIRTHDAY

We Celebrated 4 Birthdays in June.
Rebecca turned 14.
Alyssa turned 8 and
Daniel 12.
Plus, Aunt Jami was here on her birthday so we were able to celebrate with her too.

Rebecca actually had her birthday at Girl's camp. I neglected to snap a picture of the cake we made as a surprise for her. So here is a picture after "hollywood hair" night at girls camp.

RIDE HOME from the DANCE

Rebecca attended her first Youth Conference recently. She really had an amazing time. D Ray's favorite night had to be the first night after a dance when Rebecca called to get a ride home. D Ray and I were getting in the car to go get her and he said we need to bring Alyssa's bike. He felt it was a brilliant idea, just the thing to embarrass your teenage daughter. I dropped him off a block from the church and waited a few minutes so it would appear that the bike was her ride home.

Rebecca reports to us that her first thought was

"I don't know him"
her second thought was
" Why would he do this to me?"

We mocked up these photos for you, no Rebecca didn't wear pajamas to the dance--you will have to use a little imagination add evening hues and realize that at the time she wouldn't go near the bike let alone sit on the handlebars.



So is anyone surprised that the next day when she called for a ride she said "please leave daddy home."

BAPTISM

June 28, 08 Alyssa was baptized. It was a good day. We had both sets of Grandparents and an Aunt present. Of course, her immediate family sisters, brother, parents were there too. Alyssa did a great job and kept her toes under the water. The program was touching. Alyssa asked her grandparents to be speakers and they did a good job(Grandma Gifford and Grandpa Cottle). D Ray performed the baptism and confirmation. I'm thankful Alyssa wanted to get baptized and I'm thankful D Ray holds the priesthood able to use it.





We needed a photographer for the group photo, so we rotated the grandpa's. We are in front of the Lubbock Temple.