Road Trip....

I've wanted to see Odyssey's Thriller for years now. It just never works out that I can go. So this year I decided I'm making it work. Thriller is sorta like sitting down and having a haunted house perform around you. There are mummies, and vampires, and Frankenstein monsters and murderous scarecrows. There are hockey masked maniacs and plenty of witches. But it's mixed with great music, a tribute to Michael Jackson and amazing dancers. I invited a car load of friends, I cancelled drill team practice, abandoned my family (I left them with a warm dinner, their favorite desserts and a completely clean house) and headed out. We left Monday afternoon and drove to Boise. It rained the ENTIRE way. No trouble for Peggy our fearless chauffeur. First stop was Boise Town Centre and when they locked all the doors to the stores we went to 'Cheesecake Factory' for a delicious meal, and to go 'cheesecake' of course, which I finished for breakfast.





Tuesday morning we headed the rest of the way to Salt Lake City. Lots of us have kids going to school in Utah so we met up with them, took them to lunch, did a little shopping and sent the boys on their way.






All the girls headed to Thriller. It was a snow storm in Utah and we arrived just as the show was starting so we didn't get a good group picture. WE had great seats on the front row. Since I was only in Utah for a total of 8 hours I wasn't telling my family (except Jordan). Guess who was at the show? My sister and her daughters. Hope they'll forgive me for not telling them I was coming. After the show we all went to PF Chang's for a delicious meal. Do you know they fry green beans there?




Wednesday morning we jumped back in the car and headed the whole way home. With 22 hours in the car we had plenty of time to plan all our kids lives and discuss all our problems. We talked politics and health care and reality tv and grandchildren and religion and dance and drill team and everything in between. We all wish our kids lived closer, would hurry up and get married (Tyson and Jordan), have more grandkids, and that dieting was easier. Thanks for coming with me LADIES!!!

Fall is for Football......

I love fall. I really love football. And even more than that I love wonderful fall weather for football season. We have had all three. Easton is a freshman this year. After a two year break we have a son back at High School playing sports. (Middle School is just not the same). That makes me happy. Easton has been playing wide receiver. Not the most exciting position on a running offense but he does run alot of plays in. With a little talking from his brother Jordan and myself he has started playing some defense...and realized it is much better than offense. His team has done great. They are 7-1 with two games to go. I took on the project of feeding the freshman team the day before home games. I had some wonderful help from some of Easton's friends moms. I even had my drill team girls perform at their last home game, and we dedicated the performance to Easton.

The drill team girls love performing at the football games. We had five performances. Each year it's fun to see what choreography the captains and lieutenants come up with. I think the captains were pretty nervous for the first performance.


Even they were surprised how well the girls did.





The new uniforms this year looked amazing on the field under the lights.




Congratulations to Shelby Johnson, Kiersten Redal, Kendall Earl and Kendra Moberg---this year's football Individual Achievers.






The drill team has moved on and are working on our competition numbers. This year we plan to compete in kick, military and dance. Two first for me at State. Never before have we entered the dance category and I have never entered a team in kick at state.

Easton has two more football games and then goes straight into basketball season. Jordan made the Freshman 'B' team and QUinn made the Varsity. We have expectations for Easton somewhere in between.

Yep, it's over....

Another Harvest has come and gone.....It's a real milestone in the life of a farmer and the wife of a farmer. You start thinking about next year's harvest as soon as this year's harvest is over. The weather is never quite warm enough, there is never enough rain, the potatoe's are never big enough and next year's price is sure to be better!!! In my experience (20 years as a farmer's wife) good years come along every 10 years. Ours was last year which means only 8 more....I think I can hold on.
We definetly look forward to seeing Reid a little more around the house....(or church, whichever comes first.)

No News is Good News.....

Quinn in the mission office

Wednesday morning while in New York we heard there was a Tsunmai warning for many countries including Vanutatu where Quinn is serving. I decided to not panic---no news is good news right? I received texts and emails from family wondering if everything was okay, and I just kept telling them, I don't know, but if something was wrong we would of heard.

Sunday in his email Quinn gave this information on the Tsunmai warning. He was sitting in their mission office and and one of the missionaries on the island called and asked about the earthquakes. Quinn and his companion did not feel them but all the other missionaries had. The phone rang again and it was Quinn's Mission President, President Ostler...he asked to speak to Quinn and told him about the Tsunmai warning. He told Quinn to take the mission van and pick up all the missionaries and head to the mountains. So they stopped what they were doing and immediately went and picked up all the missionaries. (4 sisters and 2 elders). Funny side note---this is the first time I even knew there were sister missionaries serving on Vanutua. Everyone in the town of Port Vila was doing the same thing. Quinn described it as a circus....stores closing, people running, he thought it was funny. When they finally got to high ground they stayed for about an hour and a half, no sign of any trouble and headed back down and back to missionary work!!!




Beautiful Port Vila, Vanuatu

Saturday was Quinn's 21st Birthday. Soon he will be home and we will celebrate. He always jokes that he was adopted because we don't have a lot of baby pictures of him....but in my defense he is the middle child, and he slept ALOT!!!! We have missed him every day he has been gone, but loved the dedication and service he has given to the people of Vanuatu. We are grateful to have him as a son and are counting the days and minutes until he returns....

Happy Birthday QUINN!!!

She makes me laugh......

Kenzie has been looking at old videos of herself and looking through her old school work. She has ALWAYS made me laugh, and still does almost daily. I appreciate her sense of humor and the way she looks at life.
She found this cute story in her file....She was 6 years old.
'This is a fun night.
The Earls are coming to our home.
Kylie is funny. I like her.
I am funny too. I like myself.
The Earls have a big family.
I do too. I got 7 people.
The Earls have 9 people.
I like my family.
My family and I like the Earls Family.
Bryan is funny too.
Courtney is funny too.
But Kylie and Courtney and I are the funniest.
We are funny.
We play funny stuff.
I am the funny one.
I do like that I am funny."

I like that you are funny too Mackenzie!

Twenty Two Reasons I Love Danielle....

Happy Birthday Today Danielle....

Here are 22 reasons I love you....

1. Your eyes twinkle when you smile.
2. You listen when I talk.
3. You call me everyday, sometimes twice.
4. You have a strong testimony.
5. You always Choose The Right.
6. You love all the same things I love.
7. You love old movies, especially musicals.
8. You dance beautifully.
9. You sing beautifully.
10. Your motivated.
11. You care about other people.
12. Your sensitive to others feelings.
13. You made me a Grandma. (Thanks Tyler!)
14. You love to eat.
15. Your a great conversationalist.
16. Your always there for me.
17. You cry in movies, (and tv shows and sometimes just because....)
18. Your smart.
19. Your fun.
20. You are a great daughter
21. You are a great wife.
22. You are a wonderful mother.

I wish I could be there today with you to celebrate but know that I am thinking of you and hope your day is WONDERFUL!!!
Thanks for 22 years filled with wonderful memories. You make me so proud and I am so impressed with the person you are.

Quarter of a Century

That's right....Jordan turned 25 on Sunday. Jordan has been a joy from the moment he was born. He has an infectious smile and a charismatic personality. He is always happy and makes everyone around feel happy to be around him. He loves sports and has since the minute he could hold and throw a ball. He's competitive and driven and slightly injury prone....(knock on wood). He's adventurous and fun loving. He love's a crowd and the minute he meets a stranger they are a friend. He is accepting and non-judgemental and loves life.








Friday I couldn't stand the thought of not seeing him on his birthday so within a couple of hours I decided I was going to drive to Utah and spend the day with him. I'm so glad I did.... We had a great time. I went to his Single's ward---(oh yeah, they are all the same). We took a Sunday nap, watched a movie. I fixed a big dinner for 12 people. We drove the Alpine loop in his jeep. We went on a little hike. We stopped and visited Grandma, Aunt Pauline, Brittany, Cambree and Gage, had cake, and played some games. He makes me feel young. Thanks Jordan for letting me share your special day.