H-Town Down

It's a great time to be a Houston sports fan

The Astros have nowhere to go but up, and they're starting off fresh in a new League and with a new look



We've got some promising fun young guys to watch in Jose Altuve, Jed Lowrie, Justin Maxwell, Lucas Harrell and Bud Norris.



The Houston Texans are 7-1, widely commented as the best team in football, and J.J. Watt leads the league in sacks



And the ROCKETS made a deadline-blockbuster trade to bring JAMES HARDEN to town. This has been HUGE.

With Jeremy Lin and Chandler Parsons, we knew it would be fun to watch, but a rebuilding year and no shot at the playoffs. Now with Harden leading the team, dropping 40 points a night, we've suddenly become a force in the West and are looking at a 5 or 6 seed come playoff time.

And suddenly it's exciting to be a sports fan in Houston again.

Bachelor Week

Lacie wanted to spend this week up in Idaho for a few reasons - 

Our brother-in-laws birthday was Monday, our new neice's due date was Tuesday, and she wanted to show off Paris' Tinkerbell costume on Wednesday. So she drove up Monday afternoon and baby Scarlett still hasn't shown up - so she's still there... and hopefully will be back on Sunday. 

So while the girls have been away, Andrew has been at play -

He rented a bike from Outdoors Unlimited and rode up Provo Canyon along the Provo River Parkway Trail - it was absolutely gorgeous. I wish I had a bike so I could do it every weekend - but then I found out a decent road bike is at least $700. So that wish fell apart.

(No that's not me in the picture - I couldn't bring my phone on the trip - so I googled it)

A brand new Dick's Sportings Goods opened in Orem - so Andrew spent FHE by himself, touring it for hours.

He got to squeeze in yet another round of golf since the weather is cooperating and has been beautiful. Not as good as last time, but still decent -  63

Lacie's visiting teachers left some treats on the doorstep and since Lacie wasn't here to enjoy them - Andrew took care of them for her.

There's lots more time to spend at the gym - so he's been there every day

Great man movies with unmarried friends 

And there's also been flag football playoffs - two games this week and our team has won both of them. That's a big deal.

But even though he's been having lots of fun - Andrew really misses his girls...  

Fun-Filled Fall Halloween Weekend

We had a blast this past weekend -

Got to kick it off with some golf on a gorgeous Friday afternoon at Cedar Hills, compliments of Northwestern Mutual



It was beautiful weather and Andrew shot the best game of his life. 56 through 9 holes



Then we got to get all dressed up for two Halloween parties that night

Our sweet little Tinkerbell just loved sucking on her costume

Our first stop was our ward party where we had a chili cook-off and cornbread. It was some good food.

Then we drove up to Lehi for a work party and got more good food and pumpkin-carving fun.

Saturday morning our ward played another ward in the annual Skeleton Bowl - where we all dressed up in our Halloween costumes. Andrew was the only one in a legitimate costume - the other guys were pretty lame except for Joe Dirt who wore cutoff jean shorts.

But the Peter Pan outfit helped him fly all over the field and catch balls that seemed absolutely uncatchable. 

After watching Jamaal Williams run all over Georgia Tech, we got dressed up again and went down the the Shops at Riverwoods for another party - this time for little ones. We got to go on a hay ride and go trick-or-treating at all the stores, and pet llamas and saw a headless horseman. 

We ended the day at Wingers watching Notre Dame beat Oklahoma

It's been a fun-filled and beautiful fall in Provo

A Golden Birthday

Lacie turned 20 on Saturday October 20th - her once-in-a-lifetime Golden Birthday

So we decorated and had a party





She had a veil of streamers to walk through before she saw what the little golden elves left her for her big day

 She got to go shopping for hours - searching for halloween costume materials and stuff to make a fall wreath.

We were successful in both areas - Paris will be tinkerbell and dad will be Peter Pan and Lacie will be Wendy.

And she got to spend the afternoon creating this from scratch:

She did a great job and had lots and lots of fun making it. She already wants to go back to Hobby Lobby and buy more stuff for a Christmas wreath.

Preston Hadley

Went to the temple this mornin - and Preston Hadley sat down next me.

Oh the blessings of attending the temple.....


Turns out he's a way humble guy that's super friendly. He was excited that I knew who he was and just wanted to talk about the temple and high school football.

I also realized that I'm bigger than him.
But I'm sure he could outrun, and out tackle me easily.

Donaldo Cabezzas

While Andrew was in his second area - Apache Junction - he taught a great family - Donaldo & Nancy Cabezzas and their daughter Roxanne. He was full blood Italian and she was Mexican.

He had been raised a Jehovahs Witness and she had been baptized as a little girl, but gone less active before her teenage years. 

They were one of Andrews favorite families to teach - because Donaldo was such a fun-loving, happy, joking guy, and also because he had great questions and really wanted to learn what we were teaching him.  Nancy also loved missionaries because she remembered them playing with her when she was a little girl - so she loved to have us over and feed us.

Because Donaldo had quite of a bit of false doctrine pounded into his head by the j-dubs, he took a long time to take the first step of baptism.

Luckily, it was after Andrew was already back down in the valley in Scottsdale from Snowflake, so he was able to attend.

After his mission, there were a few phone calls, but because Donaldo wasn't on Facebook, it was difficult to keep in contact.

2 years later......

A member of the bishopric in their ward posted a picture of Donaldo and Nancy in front of the Mesa Temple, congratulating them and telling them how grateful he was to be a part of their sealing.

...On October 13th, 2012