What a great Christmas!

We had a wonderful Christmas! Tad and Kasia came and spent a couple days. Cam and Adri were in and out quite a bit during the weekend. It was so fun to be together and play games. We went bowling on Saturday and discovered hidden talent in a couple of us...very entertaining.

Connor made new throwing tomahawks for both he and Cam for Christmas. They had a great time throwing them out back. The rest of us stayed safely away!!!

We tried our creativity on some gingerbread houses. It must be the great genes that come through Grandpa Bates!!

We spent Christmas Eve at Grandma Olsen's house in Heber. She does such a beautiful job with decorating and entertaining at Christmas!

We are so blessed this Christmas! Everyone is healthy and happy. The highlight of the holiday was talking to Brady and hearing about how he is doing. It was fun to hear him talk about all the crazy differences that he's finding there in Japan.

Leaves, Leaves, Everywhere!!!

Ah, fall... cooler evenings, football games, incredible color,...and yes, tons of leaves to rake!!!

Each fall we have to remind ourselves of how much we love and enjoy all the shade and beauty that our trees provide.

Thank goodness we still have a couple kids around for some great child labor!

Happy Halloween!

We had a great time carving pumpkins together as a family. Even Grandma joined in on the fun - something she hasn't done for well, a long time. Adri's jack-o-lantern won the 'one-that-took-the-most-time' award. Tad's was definately the most 'true blue, BYU' and Kaila's was the most intricate! It was tons of fun --tons of mess too, but fun, none the less!

Cam and Adri...the happy newlyweds!!

Okay, I'm a little behind and decided that I'd better at least make a post letting you know that it happened. They were on cloud nine on Sept. 25th, as they were married in the Timpanogos Temple. It was a beautiful day! We had the wedding brunch at the Northampton there in American Fork, then had the reception here in Salem that night. Everything was lovely. (Well, maybe with the exception of Cam's groom's cake---that's a whole other story). They've now been married over a month and are still as happy as can be! Congrats Cam and Adri!!

Celebrating 25 years!

On the 17th of August we celebrated 25 years together. Rand had a great weekend planned for us. We stayed in my brother's cabin in Wallsburg for a couple days, then traveled to Logan to go to the temple and then Odgen to do this crazy sky diving similator thing. It was so cool! We sure enjoyed a romantic and relaxing weekend right before starting school. I am sure lucky to have had these last 25 years of adventure, fun, growing together, kids, and true happiness. I love him more now than ever!

We made it!!!

We actually made it to the top of King's Peak, the highest peak in Utah. It's something like 13,400 feet high. I thought I would die...but even though we got rained on and caught in a lightening and thunder storm coming down what they tenderly call the "Toilet Bowel" I actually did it! I can't believe it! What a view! It's amazing what you can do when you really push yourself beyond what you 'think' are your limits!

Cam's engaged!!!

Well, it's official. Cameron gave AdriAnn Matthews a ring on May 10th and asked her to marry him. They're about as excited as two kids can be. They're getting married on Sept. 25th in the Timpanogos temple. He didn't waste any time did he. He was home for a total of 31/2 weeks before he was engaged! He had dated AdriAnn for a while before his mission and she was waiting for him when he returned. (They're story sounds a lot like ours). We're thrilled and very excited for them.

Elder Cameron Olsen back from Nebraska!

Last week we were able to pick Cam from his mission in Nebraska. We met him at the Winter Quarters Temple in Omaha, did a session with all the returning elders, then enjoyed hearing each of the 14 missionaries bear their testimony at the Trail Center nextdoor. It was wonderful! Cam has grown and learned a lot, but it still the same 'ole fun-loving crazy kid we said good-bye to 2 years ago.

He spoke in Sacrament Meeting on Sunday and did a wonderful job. It was so fun sharing the day with family and friends, even some of the missionaries from his mission were there! Now he's working hard to find a job and taking some time to enjoy all the things he's been missing for the last 24 months: hiking, camping, swimming in the pond, cycling, and, of course, seeing Adrianne, his girlfriend from before the mission. It's so fun to have him home. He sure spices things up around here!

Brady's in the MTC!

We took Brady to the MTC last Wednesday, the 6th of May. It was a hard, but wonderful day! What an incredible place that is! We've gotten a couple letters from him and he loves it! He's emersed into the Japanese Language and really is enjoying the whole experience there. (Of course the all-you-can-eat food for every meal is a big plus too, after living the life of a starving college student!) We miss him a lot! Connor and Tad are really in 'Brady withdrawl', but we're so proud of him and are confident that he's going to be great!

Brady's ready!!!

Elder Brady Olsen

Is leaving for the Tokyo Japan Mission

He will be speaking in his ward

on Sunday, April 26th, 9:00 a.m.

785 S. 300 W. Salem, Utah

(a light brunch will be served afterward)

We'd love to see you there!!!!!

Tour de St. George

On Saturday March 28th I rode in the Tour de St George with my brother Gordon, some of his friends and my cycling buddy Mark. It was a georgous day, a bit cool in the morining, but great weather throughout the day. Mark and I rode together for about the first 50 miles then he lost me on a long climb. I waited for Gord and Sharron at a rest stop then rode the rest of the way with them. All in all, a great 100 mile ride. I suffered from some cramping in my quads, which was a first, and I hope a last, for me! Shellie, Kaila and I had a nice but quick trip down in Utah's Dixie. Our next event is the Salem Spring Triathlon, Connor and I are doing that one together. There is a little imp in the back of my head trying to get me to sign up for the Utah Half Ironman.....We'll see.

Temple Trip

I spent Friday night and Saturday with the Young Women in Salt Lake for a 'temple trip'. We stayed in a condo close to Temple Square, then enjoyed dinner at the Lion House Restaurant, toured the Beehive House and watched the Joseph Smith movie. The next morning we did baptisms for the dead in the Jordan River Temple. Then Dad and I took Connor and Kaila, and a couple of their friends, back to Salt Lake that night and did baptisms for the dead in the Salt Lake Temple! I even did baptisms too! (Wow, it's been a few years since I did that!) It was
such an incredible night!
Today I got to go listen to Tad and Kasia speak in Sacrament Meeting in their ward, then we had a birthday dinner for Kaila and Connor. Afterwhich we quickly went to the Jordan River Temple dedication. It's been quite a weekend for building testimony of temples! What a wonderful experience! I feel so blessed to be part of this!

Brady received his endowments!

On Wednesday Brady was able to go to the temple for the first time and receive his endowments. What a wonderful experience that was! We had Aunt Chrys and Dave, Uncle Les and Aunt Kitty, Grandma, Tad and Kasia, Krissy and Bishop Carrick and his wife with us. It was a perfect evening. He was so ready! I'm so proud of him and the decisions he's made along the way that have brought him to this place in his life, clean and worthy to attend the temple! As I stood there in the prayer circle with Brady on one side of me and Tad and Kasia on the other side, then Randon and Mom next to them, I thought to myself...it just doesn't get any better than this! It would have been nice to have had Cam with us there as well, but he was where he needs to be and will be able to go to the temple with us soon!

Brady and Dad had spent the afternoon at the Missionary Mall making the big "elder purchases." They had a blast choosing shirts, shoes and a nice charcoal suit. Wow, he does look nice all dressed up! He's spent the last week home because of Spring Break, so we were able to get 'some' of his missionary stuff done. The rest we'll have to fit in whenever we can. He leaves in less than 2 months!!!

New Wheels for Rand

Just in case anyone read the bit about my toenails being painted, I had to put this macho photo in to show that I have not turned to the elegant side! No I am not trading in Giant OCR1 for this, I could never give up my "pedal bike". The photo class at Provo High was promoting their trade to the incoming 8th graders and they had this set up at the orientation.....I couldn't resist jumping in

Brady got his call!!!!!

Brady's call came today!!!! We knew that it was a possibility, but we really expected it next week. We called him and he and his roommates drove up, then this evening after Tad and Kasia came over and everyone had placed their 'bet' he opened it !!!!.........Japan, Tokyo mission! He is so stoked! The real crazy part is that he leaves on May 6th, only 2 days after school gets out for him! That's in, like, 2 months or something! Yikes!!! Lots to do and so little time to do it!!! He'll miss Cam by a month, which is kind of a bummer, but he's too excited to let anything bring him down at this point! Wow!!!

Who's Toes are Those???

Kaila conned Dad into letting her polish his toenails. (He has some great specimen - nice and big for some great artistic detailing). So she gave him a pedicure and she did one foot while I did the other. He was a great sport and left them on for a day and a half. For some reason he didn't feel like he could keep them painted when he went to the pool to swim laps!!! Imagine!

Happy Valentine's Day!

We had a wonderful Valentine's Day yesterday. Kaila and Connor did an 'attempt' to make chocolate covered strawberries for us. As you can see, their best effort was, well...memorable. We laughed so hard!!! After they finally got them sort of covered in chocolate, they put them in the freezer to speed up the hardening process. That would have been great had they not forgotten them for a couple hours. It froze the berries and now they're all wilty and squishy. But at least the chocolate holds them together! It was great!!! Thanks kids!

That night we went to Tocanos with our friends that we cruised the Carribbean with last Valentine's Day! We went over to the Blackett's home afterward for Strawberry Daquiris and rum cake as we watched the video that Marti McKee had put together with all our photos and footage. It was a blast reliving our memories of last year. It did get us so trunky to pack our bags and head out on another cruise, however. Thanks for all the fun, guys!!!

My Valentine never ceases to amaze me. He's very romantic and always makes sure that each Valentine's Day is special and memorable. I'm lucky to be married to such a sweet, thoughtful guy!

Life after being Bishop

Well tomorrow will make my one month anniversary of civilian life since being released as bishop of our ward after 5 years and 7 months. I was released on a Sunday and the next day at about 10:00 am I got a call from the Stake Exec Sec. telling me that President Silcox wanted to meet with Shellie and I. I tried to convince her that it would be for her, but nothing doing. I was called to be the Stake Young Men's President! I kept the same counselors that were serving before because I knew they were both diehard scouters and we were sustained and set apart the following week at Stake Conference. The coolest part is that I am still working with the Priest age boys and I get to keep wearing my green Venturing Scout shirt!
I have really enjoyed going to Sunday School, and High Priest group meetings. Ironically though, now Shell, Connor and Kaila all got to Mutual, and I am the one that stays home! But I think that I will be out and about visiting the other ward soon.

Cam's been transfered

Cameron was transfered last week and now has a new address. He's actually working in the mission office now, which he was not all that thrilled about to begin with because he wanted to work and teach. But now the mission president is letting him and his new companion do their office responsibilities as well as proselyting. He's extremely busy, which is just the way he likes it. He loves his new companion and the new ward he's working with. So he's a happy camper!

Just before he moved he had a water main break and cause a big flood in his apartment complex. He was helping the firefighters keep out the water and thought it was way cool. We're so proud of him and all he's doing in Omaha...only 4 months left!

This is his new address.

11930 Arbor Street

Suite 203

Omaha NE 69144

A Fresh Start

I'm now finally learning a little about doing a blog and I'm hoping to keep it up a little better now. We've talked Mom into changing the format of the Family Newsletter to a blog so she and I are trying to learn how to actually do it! Thanks to Casey Carrick and her hours of patience last night, we've gotten hooked!

Just after the new year, Randon got released as bishop of our ward and our great friend, (and his cycling buddy) Joe Carrick was sustained as the new bishop. We were thrilled on both accounts! Rand only had 1 day off before they called him back into the stake president's office and extended a call to be the Stake YM President. He's excited and I know he's just what they need in that position. He has such a passion for the scouting program and the youth that he'll do great things there! I'm very proud of him! -Plus...now I get to sit with him in church, and see him a little more too. Bonus!

Rand got me a nice SLR camera for Christmas and I'm taking a photography class for the next few weeks to learn a little about the art of photography. It's so fun! I'm also taking some math classes...in my spare time...to get a math endorcement and further my education toward a mastser's equivelency. It's a two year course with 18 credit hours and some pretty intense studying, but it's kind of exciting too.

Tad got married last October to Kasia Hanks who 'used' to live just up the street here in Salem. They are so cute together and we're thrilled to have her in the family. They now live in Provo where she works at Utah Valley Reg. Med Center in Pediatrics, and he's going to school at UVU and working at Hedgehog Printing Solutions as the Accounts Manager there. They're doing great and we love being close enough to have them come home every so often.

I'm a blogger now!

We're starting a family blog now for the Bates Family, so I've had good motivation to learn how to actually do something with this blog. Casey's been trying to teach this old dog a new trick. This is really fun. I can see how it could be kind of addictive. We'll see if I can remember anything after she leaves me.