Happy 50th, Frank!!!!

Wow…half a Century!!  The world is a better place because Frank Nolden was born!

 

He didn't want a fancy cake...as long as it was chocolate cake, with chocolate icing...and chocolate ice cream :-).

Opening presents...

 

A church music CD from Megan...

Megan explaining her gift...

Woohoo...the CampChef stove he had been wanting!!!

 

Yep...it's true!

A nice note from Mikayla...

That's me video-taping the whole event...and Liz looking on...

Megan...

Liz...

These are the beautiful roses that Frank gave to me for no reason right before his birthday...he's an amazing guy!

Frank in one of his new birthday shirts...

Frank and Sophie...

The Missionaries & Laurie Hale

Ok…so it’s a funny title!  We recently had a missionary go home from our ward…Elder Campbell…and we also had a visit from our Las Vegas friend, Laurie Hale…check out the pictures:

This is a group of missionaries that was recently serving in our ward. LtoR: Elders Campbell, Smith, Cleary, Del La Mare & Carter.

Donovan can't wait to be a missionary too!!! ;-)

The family with Elder Campbell, who was going home (to Utah) after his 2 year mission just a few days after this photo was taken.

We were so happy to get a visit from Laurie Hale, who is a friend from our Las Vegas ward. She was attending a Whole Foods Conference in Atlanta and we got to have her over for dinner one night.

Youth Temple Trip: South Carolina

We took another long-distance Youth Temple trip on August 7th. Until our Atlanta Temple opens back up (sometime in Feb 2011?)…we are still making trips to South Carolina to enjoy the temple there. This was a fun trip just for the youth…3.5 hour drive…

So, this was the first picture I took. I had just gotten my camera out and it was so humid that the lens was all fogged up. We got there before everyone else and started our lunch early.

The rest of the crew showed up and we all started eating before our session started.

Eating lunch before going into the temple...

More eating...

And more eating....wow, PJ!

The fearless leaders....and Patrick...

The group...looking back toward the temple...

Our Young Men/Young Women and their leaders...right before we went into the temple.

Our Young Men/Young Women and their leaders...right before we went into the temple.

Our Young Men/Young Women and their leaders...right before we went into the temple.

Our Young Men/Young Women and their leaders...right before we went into the temple.

“Mormon Night” at the Atlanta Braves Game

Frank and Kevin (a friend visiting from Las Vegas)...at the Braves game.

Kevin (back) with PJ, Ashley and Liz before they saw Dale Murphy at the Braves pre-game "Meet 'n Greet.".

Frank and Ashley with Dale Murphy!! Don't you hate it when you get a photo op like this and the shot is blurry!! There was some guy there taking the photos for them (with our camera) and he didn't know what he was doing...arggghhh!

Kevin and Dale Murphy...

PJ, Liz and Dale Murphy...

Liz getting her shirt (actually Frank's shirt) signed by Dale Murphy. He's such a nice guy! Poor guy though...he used to play in Atlanta, but has lived in arid Utah for many years (I believe) and his body isn't used to the humidity anymore :-(....

Ashley getting her hat signed by Dale Murphy.

Lining up the Mormons for a PARADE on Turner Field!!! They were invited from all around the area.

Waiting in line to be in the "Mormon Parade."

Cute Ashley waiting for the parade...

Kevin waiting to be in the parade...

Ashley, "Are we STILL waiting in line to be in the parade?"

Liz and PJ waiting in line to be in the "Mormon Parade."

Frank in all his giddiness. Can you imagine being a DIE HARD Braves fan and getting to do all of this??? I was so happy for him!

PJ, "I can't wait in this humidity!! My hair!!!"

Getting ready to come out of "The Tunnel" into the stadium.

Let the parade begin...Frank getting to walk Turner Field in the "Mormon Parade."

The Braves Dugout

Frank in front of the Braves Dugout

Braves Dugout

Braves Dugout

They work VERY hard on that field before the game starts.

The tomahawk...

Some sportscaster guy getting people ready for the game.

The JumboTron. Check out the Videos below to see the family on the JumboTron.

Kevin mocking the people that thought they had it good because they had front row seats! Suckers!!! ;-)

The Stadium...and the Chick-fil-a cow...

PJ, "My hair!" Frank, "Is this awesome, or what?!"

The Field...real grass...

Kevin making a catch...

Frank and Kevin making a dual catch...

The Players Warming Up

Braves players warming up...I think...

 

This is the view from our seats. There were a few times that we thought the ball might come our way...but no such luck...

The view of the JumboTron from our seats.

Beautiful Liz....being all sporty...

Watching the game (LtoR): Megan, Donovan, PJ, Kevin, Frank, my empty seat, Mikayla, Ashley & Liz.

Watching the game (LtoR): Megan, Donovan, PJ, Kevin, Frank, my empty seat, Mikayla, Ashley & Liz.

Watching the game (LtoR): Megan, Donovan, PJ, Kevin, Frank, my empty seat, Mikayla, Ashley & Liz.

Above:  This is Liz in line waiting to start the parade. It’s just silly, but you get a good look at her big, beautiful eyes!

Above:  Ever see a line of Mormons? Ok, me too. But this one is waiting to parade around Turner Field at a Braves Game…see, you’ve never see THAT, right?

Above:  In this video Frank is telling us that they are waiting for the “parade” to start and they are about to go out the tunnel onto the field.

Above:  This video was taken when they first entered Turner Field for the “Mormon Parade.” They got to see themselves on the JumboTron…which is way cool! The rest of us were very jealous!

Above:  This was taken while they were out on Turner Field for the “Mormon Parade.”

Above: In this video you get to see the pre-game preparations for a Braves game. You also get to see Frank’s perma-grin as he gets to walk the field of his beloved Braves.

Above:  The first section you see in this video is where our seats were. That is Ashley asking if it is real grass. This is still during pre-game events.

Above:  In this video you can see Frank “catching” a “fly ball” right at the wall in the outfield at a Braves game. Ok, it was pre-game, and there was no ball…but still…how cool is that???

First Day of School 2010

School started in late July…CRAZY!! It was nice to get back to a routine, have some peace and quiet in the house…but none of us was ready to start getting up super early again. But love it or hate it, the first day of school always comes around and at least everyone looked Fabulous!

Liz (Senior!), Megan (Sophomore) & Mikayla (Freshman)...they are all attending "Early Morning Seminary" together now too.

Donovan is the last one in Elementary School! I feel old! I actually took this one at the end of the day because I forgot in all the confusion at the beginning of the day.

Donovan playing with Sophie after school...

Ashley started 6th Grade this year...her first year in Middle School! PJ is a "BIG" 7th grader this year. He's almost 6 feet tall already. I took this one at the end of the day as well...mornings are crazy.

This wasn't the first day of school...but soon after. Both PJ and Donovan picked the same shirt this year, so I had to get a picture of my "twins," and a brief moment when they were being nice to one another :-).

 

2010 Ward Pioneer Party

Each year, on July 24th, our church commemorates the day the Mormon Pioneers, with Brigham Young as the leader, got to the Salt Lake Valley.  They had traveled across the plains looking for a place to settle where they could practice their religion without fear and persecution.  It was on July 24th, 1847, that they pulled their wagons into the Salt Lake Valley and Brigham Young said, “This is the right place.”

These pictures are from our small local celebration. There are huge celebrations in Utah each year and smaller ones like ours around the world.

Elders: Cleary, Smith and Del a Mare.

Elders: Campbell, Carter, Smith, Del a Mare & Cleary.

Elders Campbell, Smith & Carter

Ferree & Sariah

Mikayla, Megan, Diana & Liz

Frank, Liz & PJ

Elders Carter and Campbell getting ready to do a three-legged race.

"Let's win this race!"

PJ with Bro. Sanderson

Bro. Sanderson with two of his Scouts!

Ferree

Stick pull between Katie and Mikayla. Stick-pulling was a favorite game back in the Pioneer Days...before they had Wii's.

Elder Carter taking on PJ in a stick-pull.

 

Bro. Mitchell explaining the game...

 

 

 

Elder Carter and Campbell...fight to the end...

 

Sister Kimble and her cute puppy!!

Elder Carter taking on Frank in a Stick-Pull!

Frank at Work

Frank is really enjoying his position as Area Director.  These are some pictures from an “All Manager’s Conference” that he recently held in Cincinnati, Ohio, for all of the manager’s that are under him.  They did their annual awards at this meeting, hence the photos with people standing around holding certificates .

Frank (center) and all of the manager from Area 2, plus Leslye, his boss.

Frank and the Customer Service Award Winners.

Frank with his immediate boss, Leslye.

Frank conferring with another Area Director...

 

Frank a co-worker who was MC-ing the event.

Frank giving his "212 Degrees: Step it up a Notch" presentation.

During the week of the "All-Manager's Conference," Frank's group was able to do some community service as well. This is he and a co-worker at a soup kitchen in Cincinnati.

One of the events of the week took place on a Riverboat.

Most Recent Entries (July 2010)

Here are the Blog Entries that were added most recently:

1. Donovan Turns 10!
2. Cody is AMAZING!
3. Summer 2010 Misc.
4. 2010 Young Women Camp
5. Temple Trip – South Carolina
6. 2010 Trip to Washington DC – 1
7. 2010 Trip to Washington DC – 2
8. 2010 Trip to Washington DC – 3
9. 4^th of July BBQ & Fireworks!!
10. Another Six Flags Trip
11. Cody & Whitney Engagement Photos
12. Pioneer Trek 2010
13. Veronica Visits from Vegas

REMINDER:  You can click on a photo to see a larger version of it…and that also allows you to scroll through the photos as a slideshow.  For the videos, you can click on the video itself before you play it to get a larger version and/or you can make it FULL SCREEN.

Donovan Turns 10!

My baby is 10!?!?  Where does the time go?

Donovan, his presents and his "cake." He didn't want a traditional cake this year...he just wanted a cake of donuts...so that's what he got.

The traditional mirror decorating...

 

Donovan opening presents....

More opening of presents....

Frank and Liz...

Donovan reading a card from Grandparents...

And more presents...(with Ashley)

Liz, Megan and PJ

Mikayla with Donovan

 

ABOVE:  Donovan Turns 10 in 2010 – Opening Presents

This is Donovan opening a pack of toys from the dollar store…I wish they were all still that easy to please .

ABOVE:  Donovan Turns 10 in 2010 – Opening Presents 2 

…more present opening…

ABOVE:  Donovan Turns 10 in 2010 – Opening Presents 3

Donovan got his brothers old iPod for his birthday (PJ bought himself an iTouch). He loves that thing! He mostly plays games on it and listens to David Cook – his favorite singer.

Cody is AMAZING!

Cody is so amazing!  During the school year he takes full-time graduate classes and still manages to have his own business, have fun, be engaged and plan a wedding all at the same time…during the summer he didn’t have classes, but he did have a full-time internship (at LDS church headquarters)…plus all the other stuff.

So, we were pleased, but not surprised, when he hit the online and print version of the BYU School Newspaper because of his entrepreneurial ventures.  Check out the article:

CODY IN THE BYU NEWSPAPER!!