Mormon Night at the Padres

We have been looking forward to this night for a few weeks. Anytime we have an excuse to go see a Padres game as a family we are in. So tonight the Padres recognized Mormons before the game and most everyone had on their "Mormon Helping Hands", a service activity that we had done in the community a little while back. It was a great opportunity for the LDS community to be recognized in front of thousands of people. We were actually encouraged to go to this event from the First Presidency over the pulpit. I am sure that will be the only time we hear over the pulpit from the Brethren to go to a Padres game. Pretty Cool. So we went as a family and Slade tagged along. Everyone had a fun time. Brayden really was into the game and recognized foul balls, strikes, hits, and even a home run. It was fun to teach him some of the basics of the game. Connor was also really excited and even did the pitching motion for a good 30 minutes of the game. The video is below for all interested. He kept saying "ball", which is no different from when he is home. We had peanuts, saw and talked to a bunch of our Ward members, and sang "Take Me Out to the Ball Game" before we left. It was a lot of fun.

Garage Sale

Finally after 6 and a half years of marriage we were able to part with some presents we got from our reception. I will spare commenting on the specific items because I do not want to offend anyone that might have given them to us. And boy did it feel good. With each move we have had I have picked these said items up and asked my wife "so, is it time?" and the answer was always "let's wait just a little longer to throw it away." So now that we are in San Diego and are trying to de-clutter, it was a perfect time for a garage sale. It just so happened that our neighbors picked the same day so we were able to combine forces which made it even more fun. We all had our roles during the sale. I was the introduction guy, helping the buyer understand the significance of the item and the history behind it. Camille was the price nazi, who early on put higher prices on the items and then quickly learned that it really was junk, and lowered them down to market value. Logan was that guy that just sat on the chair and stared everyone down, making them anxious to purchase quick and without thought. Connor was the destroyer. Whatever was glass or easily breakable, Connor was heading for it. Slade (Camille's Brother) was our helper, with his experience from having garage sales at home. And then there was Brayden, oh Brayden, he was the closer. One particular example of this was after I had been talking to a lady for quite a while about a few items, Brayden came over and said, "so are you going to buy it or what?" He was no non-sense, no beating around the bush, and really helped people get off the fence. He sold us quite a few items with his bold sales ability. He taught me a thing or two about sales :)

Brayden Learns to Ride

As a Father, I feel I have a manly duty to my children to teach them how to ride a bike at a young age. I have been slacking over the past year thinking of doing it. Since we came to San Diego and the weather is beautiful all the time I have had no valid excuses. So this past week I took the training wheels off and we have gone out there every night practicing. Finally tonight HE DID IT!! I have to admit, I think I was just as relieved as he was excited to have him finally be able to ride a bike. Check out the footage below:

Homemade CD Players

For some reason, unbeknown to Camille and I, Brayden and Logan decided that they wanted to make a CD and a CD Holder out of paper. So they spent much of the night last night constructing these CD's out of paper and then made these holders that they could slide them in after they were done listening to the music. We both were pretty impressed at the creativity exemplified in these little minds and how they actually came out really good! So when I came home from work today I walked into homemade CD player heaven. Camille had taken a milk carton and a shoe box and made each of the boys a CD Player. She spray painted them both blue and drew knobs for sound and tuning on the front. Then she even wrote the songs that the boys wanted to be playing on the front of the player so they could jam out whenever they so felt the desire. Brayden's song choice was "Jack Johnson", which I guess would include all of him compilations, and Logan's was, of coarse, "The Rainbow Song". So I immediately started capturing the moment when I arrived. Enjoy!





How could Brayden possibly load a CD in his player without the tongue to help with concentration?



Paper CD's




Brayden showing off how he gets the CD from his nifty case. All paper by the way. And don't forget the tongue for concentration again hiding in the shadows.

Logan's Tribute

So, What Have I Chosen?

I am giving a lesson in High Priests today and came across this quote from C.S. Lewis that I had to write. He has always been an author who's words have had great influence on me and this quote is no different.

"If you have not chosen the Kingdom of God, it will make in the end no difference what you have chosen instead. Those are hard words to take. Will it really make no difference whether it was women or patriotism, cocaine or art, whisky or a seat in the Cabinet, money or science? Well, surely no difference that matters. We shall have missed the end for which we are formed and rejected the only thing that satisfies. Does it matter to a man dying in a desert by which choice of route he missed the only well?"

Shootin Some Hoops

At our community center by our house there is an adjustable basketball standard so we were able to go shoot tonight. Brayden, Logan, Connor and I had a blast. Pictures and video below.

A Great Memorial Weekend

This past weekend we were able to have a visit from my parents and it was a blast. They arrived on Thursday night just in time to say good night to the kids. Then Friday after the kids rode their bikes all around our street we went to Old Poway Park. We had fun on the playground, hitting the baseball, throwing football, and relaxing in the shade. After the park we went to Chuck E' Cheese's where the kids had a blast. They even got to meet Chuck E Cheese himself as you can see in the pictures below. Other than the fact that the pizza tasted exactly like cardboard with tomato sauce spread on top, it was fun to see the kids having so much fun. Saturday and Monday we chose to go to the beach, of coarse, had so much fun, and Sunday enjoyed the Sabbath day with Grandma and Grandad. My mom taught Brayden some songs on the piano and we have a little performance video below. At the end of the experience we were sad to see them go but truly got the most of our time together.

Connor enjoying his fantasy boogie board ride As you can see the mouse won him over Logan was afraid of the mouse so he had to lure him in with a free ticket. My parents with Logan and Brayden watching Tangled