Arti & Holland are Going to Mexico for Christmas

Arti and Holland are going to Mexico for Christmas with the Tiny Tim Foundation. This is the same group Lori and I went with while in College. Arti has been before, but this will be Holland's first time with the group. The Thackers are great to take these two hard workers along.

If you want to help the cause let Arti or Holland know ASAP.

We can't wait to be able to take little one with us. We hope those 2 have a great time.

We have changed the pop-up player in honor of a Mexico Trip. If any of you have additional Mexico songs i should add leave me a comment with the song title.

Hawaii themed shirts

Here is a picture of the whole fam at the ward's summer party. We wore Hawaii themed shirts for the occasion. Thanks Goudy's for the good picture!

Golf Tournament

Today I played in my first Golf Tournament. I played with Matt D, Eric K, and Captain Collin W (he is a Captain in the National Guard and was in Iraq with 222 and lives in the next ward over).

The event was to benefit the ROTC at DSC and was held on the Wood bridge and black rock sections of Sunbrook golf course. We were poor and were not able to buy the necessary mulligans needed to really compete in this event, but I had a great time. I felt I pulled my weight (I played well enough), and I really enjoyed the company. Oh and Matt won a whole bunch of prizes from the raffle like a new camouflage golf bag.

Lori was great and watched baby right up until the curtain went up on her matinee. Thanks Lori Michelle!

Bret

Opening Night

Last night I went to the preview for Lori's show. It was great! Our friend Aaron Reap does a wonderful job as Archibald Craven. Lori is really enjoying her role as Mrs. Medlock come and watch her, check out show times: http://www.sgmt.org/

The Subway in ZNP

The older Boys did The Subway in ZNP while we did west rim here are some of thier pictures:

skim boarding activity

These are pictures of the youngmens activity we did in September.

fam letter 9/15/08

This Thursday is opening night for Lori in “The Secret Garden”. She plays Ms. Medlock, the angry and stuffy housekeeper. She has been doing rehearsals for about a month and is very excited about the quality of the show. She says that there are some very talented people.

VF is crawling everywhere. She sure is a lot of fun. She and I have been able to spend lots of time together while Lori is doing the play. We golf a little, or watch sports and eat wings or go to scouts. Everywhere we go she makes friends. She waves and grunts at people until she gets their attention. She is a hit in line at the store or with the primary girls at church. She has a big sweet personality.

I have been doing lots of scout stuff lately. We had great big hiking event in Zions NP planned for the boys. I have a district training class that I am teaching next weekend. We have a Court of Honor on Wednesday and without a Committee Chair, Advancement Chair, or Assistant Scoutmaster getting that all set up has been a little more work then normal. Work is good. I am having a blast as a new Dad. VF and I are best buds.

We all had a good time at the Olsen reunion. Steve and TD are great. We wanted to thank everybody that made it a great time for us. VF even did great in her laundry basket bed.

We are looking forward to Conference weekend. Grandma Lori will be in town and so will Party Arti. We plan on going to Lori’s show Saturday and sleeping in Sunday and watching conference over mounds of chips and salsa with Stan and Betty.

Floyd and Marylin are doing very well. They are in Salt Lake visiting Bruce and Susan and seeing the Doctor. They are both feeling good and look great. We are so glad to live so close to them. Last week I got beef jerky for changing some light bulbs, a great trade.

This weekend I went with the scouts on a 20 mile hike through Zions National Park. The boys needed to do a 20 miler to finish their hiking merit badge. The views were great and the sky was absolutely clear. Bishop Lance Greer attended with us and was a great support for the boys.

The hike took nearly 12 hours (average trail time from the trail guide was 10); we hiked from 9am to 9pm. We set up a shuttle by leaving a car at the visitor’s center near the park’s west entrance. Then we went with the older boys in our ward (Varsity and Ventures) to stay the night at Lava Point Campground. The Older boys went through the Subway.

We stopped at Potato Hollow for lunch and a water refill. The views from the scenic portion of the cabin springs loop were great. We finish refrigerator cabin just as it was getting dark. We did the last mile by moon light, it was full and absolutely gorgeous.

I am really pleased with the character and effort the boys showed. This was an incredible feat that they will always be able to say they accomplished. The way they each over came their own personal obstacles during the trip make them wonderful examples to me.

Austin's skit

Originally on 9/3/08



My cousin Austin made up this clever skit, based on http://askaninja.com Austin won his election! Great Job.

Bret

Our little one sure loves Cell phones

Our little one sure loves cell phones. This is the first night that she learned how to scoot. she would only do it for Dad's phone and for a potato chip wrapper/bag, but look at her move...

Bret

Jaycee Carroll

How do NBA teams let this guy go? You can't tell me CJ Miles or a rookie Ronnie Brewer are any better. He led the team in rebounding many games too. Ask Morris Almond to rebound or set a pick and see what he says.

Jaycee Carroll Signs With Italian Team - Sports


secretly-ish I wanted to name VF "Carroll"

no pictures of Bret Originally 8/13/08

Lori is convinced that everyone will think that she is married to her brother Rob, because he has the only picture of a man on the blog. So here is one of me on the Colorado in June. Lori wants family pictures from a pro soon... I can't blame her.

bret you got it go'in ohhnn

Originally 8/8/08

This is a good Flight of the Condors video I liked.
Thanks. Matt Dotson
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XMjgSkfQPSY

Originally 8/8/08

Last night while Lori was at her rehearsal, Villa and I stayed home. We were in a period of play time after her dinner when she started to do this weird tongue thing. She didn't want to do anything but lay there and stick out her tongue. She did this for about a half hour, and then for about 20 more minutes today. Check out the video it was pretty funny to me. Bret

originally 8/6/08

Faye and I just got back from Mt. Home, ID where we visited my brother Rob and his family. We had a great time. Faye loved to play with the boys and little doggy. Here are a couple photos and a great Beatles tribute.

I love the fan fare before the chorus...

While Lori was out of town I took the oppritunity to do some hiking/backpacking. I tried to do the Dan Springs loop. I did about 4 miles in and missed the turn off for the loop. I had to back track some and spent the night @ spirit springs. The springs seemed to be running very strong for this time of year.

I made the trip up to Dans spring from from 4pm to 8 and down from Spirit Spring from 6am to 8. It was about 2 miles into Spirit Spring. You can see it on the Map... Spirit is in the deepest ravine between Dan Spring and Oak Grove (the trial head). I also crossed a heavy flowing Colombine Spring .5 miles from Oak Grove Corral.

I think I will take the scouts on this one. It took a while to find a place free of scrub oak large enough for the troop to camp in, but there is a good palce .5 miles beyond Spirit Springs, on top of a ridge before Dan Springs (which was not wet at all).

I get pictures later.

Bret




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This summer has been great.

Lori has been busy with Primary, Cub scouts and now rehearsing for the musical "The Secret Garden". She is also the dialect coach for the show! She knows cockney from welsh!!!
Scoutmaster Bret took the scouts whitewater river rafting in Moab, UT on the Colorado River. He also has been teaching shotguns, canoeing, hiking and environmental science.

Villa loves to play with other kids, except when they steal her "busy bee" (Best in Show reference just for Uncle Bob) watch her tip her buddy over when he takes her toys...


We had a great time with the Snows and Jim Olsen family in Pine Valley for the 24th. Villa wore a pioneer outfit and cousin Parker was in the games. Grandma and Grandpa are such great hosts and Gpa Snow was a speaker at the festivities!Cody, Kim, Holland, Lori and Bret all went golfing while Jim and Lori babysat. Parker and Aiden are such handsome little guys, especially when they flex their muscles.



It was great to see Al, Nancy, Andee and Kelly (www.andeeandkellyhellstrom.blogspot.com) they are a lot of fun.

Work for Bret is good and Lori loves to be Villa's playmate.

God bless...

4th of July

We had a great fourth. We played at the park with Floyd and Marilyn, and watched fireworks with Bruce, Susan (lori's uncle and aunt), Floyd, Marilyn, Deaun (lori's aunt), and Rich at Bruce's house in LaVerikin. Lori and Bret went to the driving range, and Bret did flags with the scouts. Villa is beginning to roll everywhere. Clear across rooms, around corners and down hall ways.

We don't have lots of news, but we do have some good pictures.

Wilkinson visitors from Colorado

In June Marilyn and Floyd had four visitors from Colorado:
Amanda
Stephanie
Mitch and
Jake



We got to kidnap the kids a couple of times. Once we went camping and then to the Lake the next morning to cliff jump and snorkel. We got to feed our card game addiction while Jake took a nap in the hammock. We had allot of fun, especially Villa. She would laugh, show her two teeth and scream for joy whenever the cousins would be over to play. We really loved their visit and are grateful to Mike and Michelle for letting them come and hang-out.

First Ever Blog

Hello Everyone:

We have had a great Spring. St George got an In'n out burger. It's official, St. George is now a part of Southern California. We went and it was just as good as Barstow I suppose.

We spent Easter weekend with Family here in town. We went hiking with Arti, and Cody/Kim and family to the Red Cliffs Pools. There were a ton of people and the water was very cold. Then we had Sunday dinner with Floyd and Marylin Wilkinson. LM and I spoke in church for Easter, what a nerve racking experience. There are pictures attached of a sleepy VF and an Easter bunny, and hike pictures.

For conference we went to Pine Valley with Lori Snow and just relaxed. Bob and Sharon were there too, and we enjoyed their company.

For Mothers Day we refurbished the floor in Marylin's front room. The 2 day project quickly became a 4 day one, but we learned lot and they look alright. We then went to Pine Valley to spend the weekend with Grandparents Stan and Betty Snow. Holland came with and on Friday night we went to our ward's Fathers and Sons held west of town in a pasture, we were sure to be home for the Jazz game. Lori Snow arrived on Saturday and we all played Dominoes and watched golf. Sunday Jim arrived and we had dinner, chicken wings and some great salads and Crowshaw's pie. Everybody trickled out later that afternoon. We really are glad to have the Snows back for the Summer.

VF is beginning to teeth. She kicks and giggles most the time and is a very good baby. She loves shiny toys and Jazz games. She is about 15 pounds now (5 months in a week). She thinks her uncle Holland is hilarious, loves the vacuum cleaner and really enjoys bath time.

LM was recently called to be the 2nd councilor in the Primary. She is in charge of Cub Scouts and is learning to like it. She isn't working and is enjoying being a stay at home mom. He does watch another 5 month old, MX, for our friend Amy A. MX and VF usually have alternating eat, sleep, play schedules so she keeps ahead of them most of the time.

Bret was called to be the second councilor in the young-men's and the scoutmaster. He is excited about getting to do stuff with the older boys, but will miss primary, and blazer scouts. He has been planning a big river rafting trip to Moab this summer and is glad he didn't get released after he did lots of leg work to get it settled. He is contemplating graduate school, and took the LSAT (Law school entrance exam), but didn't get the score he wanted or needed. So there is still the GMAT (MBA school).

Summer plans are up in the air. Who knows how many vacation days Bret will have after scout camp, and youth conference. Memorial Day we will be in SLC to watch a Bees game (how about those Angels!?).

We hope everyone is doing well. We wish the best of luck to Andy, also to Bob! So many baby blessings, so little time congratulations Niki and Harmonie! Grandma Olsen, we hope you are feeling better! To all of you soon to be graduates or just graduated friends and family, we are proud of you!

Love Bret, LM and VF