Thanksgiving Trip!!

It was a great Thanksgiving holiday. I made a trip to Colorado Springs to spend a few days with some family. It was so much fun! Thanks Rachel and Brian for having us over for Thanksgiving dinner, and thanks Jessica for putting up her little bro!!

Preparing the food...

Marty, you would have been so proud of Jessica, the sweet potato pie came out perfect.

Heading over to the Egberts place, we find Brian busy carving the turkey, and Rachel playing a game with the kids.


Along with it being Thanksgiving, it was also Nathan's birthday. There was alot of fun with the balloons...

Just some randon movies that I took.

Then Friday I helped Jessica put up her Christmas tree with her boys.

SOMEONE liked their cheesestick...

And after that, I was so into the Christmas spirit, that I went out and got my first Christmas tree - ever. The past few years, I've lived in dorms, where there wasn't much room for anything. I put up lights, but never enough room for a tree.

Yes!! Bring on the Christmas Season!!!

Fun in San Antonio!!

Friday night I headed down to San Antonio to hang out with Shawn Yokoi. We were stationed in England together. It was pretty fun. The Spurs were playing the Jazz that night.

With where we were sitting I kept feeling like I was watching it backwards, it must have been the logo on the floor.

The tickets were pretty cheap. We were in the very top row. Talk about nose bleed section. But, we could actually see the game, so it wasn't that bad. The Spurs ended up winning 119-94. So along with the Spurs winning, I was just so amazed to actually be in the AT&T Center. I've seen so many games played there, only on TV. And to actually be there was amazing.

The next day I went around San Antonio, and found some great sites.

Most of the old base housing has been replaced, but I did get a shot of one of them. The housing at 102 Kellack has been replaced.

The school has a bunch of new buildings, but they are just added on to the old stuff.


Ah.... memories.

Before (1988)

Now (2008)

Before (1988)

Now (2008)

And I stopped by to see the San Antonio Temple. It is in a beautiful spot.

I am really excited to see family this week for Thanksgiving. I love you all very much.

Veterens Day 2008

Today we pay tribute to those who have and are serving our country. I got to participate in a Veterens Day Parade held last Saturday.

I marched with a bunch of people from my squadron. It was nice to hear the cheers, the clapping, and the waving of the flags. It makes me proud to serve this country.

The past week has been great. I passsed a pretty tough test in class. Josh called and let me know that he signed up for the Air Force, and is awaiting a job. I am looking forward to going to Colorado in a few weeks. I love you all!! Happy Vets Day!

Update....

My course has been going great. I am maintaining an average of over 90%, which I am very pleased with. I can't ask for much more.

I found out yesterday that I will eventually be leaving Texas, and heading for Vandenberg AFB, California.

A few pictures that I found online to know what I am heading for...

The dorms.....

The day room/coffee room around the dorms...

And the the dining facility....

It will be nice living on base again for a while. And the facilities look nice.

As for what is going on in the next few months. I am planning and looking forward to making a trip to The Springs for Thanksgiving. And then hopefully making it to Utah for Christmas.

I miss you all, and hope all is well.

And Layne(stepfather) you are in my prayers and thoughts as you recover from you heart surgery.

News from Texas!

It was a great day! I finally got to make it to Lubbock to go to the Temple there. It started being built while I was on my mission, here in Texas, back in 2001-03. So, the day started out pretty gray... I figured it was weather coming off of Huricane Ike. But.....

After we were done doing some baptisms for the dead, we walked outside, and it was a BEAUTIFUL day!

For lunch we stopped by Fazoli's.

(Left - Right) Sarah, Natalie, Me, Elder Schalg, Rudy, Sister Schlag, Alton, Bryce, and Kyle.

As for how things are going. I am doing very well in my class. I am maintaining higher than 90% on my tests. And I am REALLY enjoying everything I am learning. I am anticipating finding out where the Air Force wants to send me next. I really hope I find out within the next few weeks. As for church, I attend the Student branch here in San Angelo. And I am the Branch Mission Leader. Which was fun in itself... but when Elder & Sister Schlag(yes, these would be one in the same from Colorado Springs..at one point was in our Stake Presidency while I was growing up) showed up last week. It is amazing how you meet up with people again down the road.

Fun at the Beach.

Josh arrived in California on Tuesday for a little visit. We have spent most of our evenings playing Rockband. 8-song sets, 12-song sets, I don't think we did any higher than the 12.

Among the things we did - we went hiking.

We went to go see Hancock, while Camille took the kids to see Wall-e. Then that night Jacob took us boys to see The Incredible Hulk. The Incredible Hulk was fantastic. Hancock.... was.. well a little disappointing. Then today we went to the beach.

More fun in Utah!!

Yesterday we went to Temple Square and the Church History Museum - the little ones loved playing at the museum. But in my pictures at the "Hold to the Rod" exhibit... no one held to the rod, it was more of a try to keep your balance on the straight and narrow. Who's teaching these kids?? :)

And that night we all had fun spending it playing laser tag and go karting at a place in Ogden. Oh, and we played an unbelievably long game of mini golf too.

Then Today I left with Jacob and Camille and the kids when they left to go back home to California. So..... ROAD TRIP!!!

They were even kind enough to stop to let me try an In-N-Out Burger. Kind of a disappointment. But good fries. It wasn't such a bad trip, filled from all the kids talking at the same time from being sugared up on Skittles (and Justice always adding in - "Are we in Seaside, Califonia yet?") and waiting in lines of traffic through the mountains.