BIG BOYS AND THEIR TOYS

Grandpa's homemade launch pad.


Grandpa, Jamie and Brandon tried to fly their helicopters before our family dinner Sunday night. They didn't have alot of success due to technical difficulties, but they had fun trying !

The toys

The Boys

Elder Bolander

Blaine and I went with Brandon to the Seattle temple yesterday so he could receive his endowments. Grandpa, Grandma, Auntie Faye and Connie Soptich also went with us. I think he is now ready to go, except for being set apart as a missionary by the Stake President.


The count down is down to 3 days, he flies out early wednesday morning.

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Many of the family wanted to know the location of Brandon's mission and it's boundries, so we decided to post the map his mission sent us.

MTC Address Jan. 30th - March 30

Elder Brandon James Bolander
Mexico Tampico Mission

Provo Missionary Training Center

2005 N. 900E.

Provo, UT 84604

Summer Fun!

These are pictures from this past summer when Dad & Mom came down for a visit. We went to cool off in a lake near our house. The kids had fun playing in the sand & water with grandma and Mackenzie & grandpa went snorkeling together. Then grandpa buried Tate in the sand! We all had a great time with them!

Winter is here!

Winter is here and it is cold! The kids have been out of school for a few days because of the cold temperatures. Right now, at 10:45 a.m., it is -30 degrees with the wind chill. BRRRR! We have had a lot more snow this year than in past years. Just on Christmas Eve, we got 6-8 new inches, and it has snowed almost every day since then. Flying south for the winter sounds good about now!

a big "HELLO" from Gracie!

Gracie's anxious to meet her extended family, come visit! Gracie promises each of you a BIG, wet, sloppy kiss.

Temporary happiness

So I said to Cohen, "let's go look at the Hall family blog and see what's going on with everyone!"




Cohen's happy face.

...and this is his disapproving face.

We've moved!

No, we haven't physically moved, only our "space" (cyberspace) address had changed. You can click the Ross family link on the right side of the page to go to our family website. I may post on both still, we'll see. I've listed some great links to check out, that also have great links to check out if your interested in procrastinating laundry. Be warned! It is very addictive going from link to link. Keep posting!

Dye's Christmas 2007

Here are some pictures from our Christmas .... Tate got some drums from Santa ... (Santa's not on My good list now, he should have left a case of Tylenol also!). Mackenzie LOVES High School Musical things, so as you can see, she was thrilled with the book! Scot & I are just happy to have survived another Christmas! We have an awesome family and I love them all so much!!

The Dye's

Our kids at Halloween. Mackenzie was Elvis (she loves him) & Tate was Batman.

Scot & I went on a bike trip to Boise with my parents in May. Despite the wind & the snow, we had a GREAT time! We went to the Boise Temple while we were there, and just had a wonderful time!

Happy New Year!

We wish you all a Happy New Year! Our family had a wonderful Christmas, and are looking forward to a new year. Two days after Christmas, we went on a special tour of the new temple. The company Scot works for did work on the temple, so we got to go through before the open house started. It is so beautiful and it was so awesome being in the celestial room with our children! It was a great experience! We hope all of you had a great holiday season and are all doing well!

A COWBOY'S CHRISTMAS PRAYER

The following poem I was asked to give at our church Christmas party with a theme of "COWBOY CHRISTMAS ". The more I rehearsed the poem, the more joy it brought along with a feeling of actually being that cowboy. However in all honesty the part about a top-hand with a loyal happy crew didn't seem to fit. Between the time I was asked to read the poem and the day of the party I spent several days at a ranch in Dusty Wa. just outside of Colfax. Where I had the opportunity to ride horses and move cattle and buffalo. By party time I felt all the pieces fit, and above all this cowboys LOVE OF GOD.

A COWBOY'S CHRISTMAS PRAYER
The worn and wrinkled cowboy
slowly shaved and combed his hair.
He picked the finest clothes he had
and then he dressed with care.
He stomped into his new bought boots
and shrugged into his coat.
The others would have questioned him,
but his thoughts seemed quite remote.

He stepped out of the bunkhouse,
and pulled his hat down tight,
Then climbed aboard his private horse
and rode into the night.
The single footin' gelding
ate the miles without a pause
And seemed to know the rider
had a most important cause.

Twenty miles on through the night,
with the rider deep in thought,
The stars came out to guide his way
to the goal the ride had bought.
His horse stopped on a gentle rise,
tho' the rider pulled no rein,
And the cowboy raised his head to stare'
Cross the quiet and lonely plain

He crawled down off the weary horse,
loosed the cinch so it could blow,
Then walked a yard or two away
and knelt down in the snow.
He crushed his hat against his chest,
raised his face up to the sky,
And then he started talking
like a friend was standing by.

"Lord, you see I rode a piece tonight'
Cause I knowed that you'd be here.
Course you wuz at the bunkhouse too,
but on this hill ya' seems near.
As I look acrost this prairie
and see the things you¹ve made,
Why, comparin' things us men has done
really puts 'em in the shade."

"I thank you for the love you show
in everything you do,
And I'm proud to be a top-hand
with a loyal happy crew.
I've still got all my fingers,
my legs are bowed, but tough,
Rheumatiz' ain't touched my bones,
and my mind is sharp enough."

"Your spirit gives me comfort,
and I know that when I die,
You'll let me rest forever
at that bunkhouse in the sky.
Forgive me when I wander off,
like a wild jug-headed hoss,
And I pray You'll not give up on me'
fore I learn that you're the boss."

"I've rode out here to tell you
I'm thankful for a Savior's birth,
And to send you MERRY CHRISTMAS
from your folks down here on earth.
"Then he mounted up and rode away
with a casual good-bye nod.
A cowboy with his heart at peace
in the palm of the hand of God.

by Gail T. Burton

Love You All Dad