Peter & Elaine & Crew

We Talk of Christ

2011-10-16T20:11:00.000-07:00

Recently a gentleman claimed to the media that members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints are not Christians. This doesn't really bother me too much. He has set up his parameters that qualify one to meet his definition of Christian. I hope my friends, acquaintances, and those in my circle of influence know that I worship Jesus Christ and I'm trying to live according to his teachings as far as I understand them. The gentleman's definition of Christianity disqualifies Mormons because of their belief in, among other things, The Book of Mormon in addition to the Bible. I'm Okay with this, also. However, the ironic thing is, all The Book of Mormon tries to do is persuade people to learn about, accept, and follow Jesus Christ. I did a little experiment and found a sample verse from each book in The Book of Mormon that invites the reader to learn about, accept, or follow Jesus Christ. There are 15 books in the Book of Mormon. Below are the examples I found. One from each book:

We talk of christ

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The Road to the MTC II

2011-07-25T18:07:00.000-07:00

At 1:45, on Tuesday, July 19, 2011, Mountain time, Peter started a countdown, "24 hours!", on the hour every hour.

On Wednesday, July 20, 2011, Talmage awoke early to be Elder Urmston's companion. He watched him wake up, then brush his teeth, and start his scripture study at 6:00am. At 6:10, Tamage fell asleep. We went for the traditional photo shoot with Aunt Leslie in Benjamin, Utah at 8:00. We had fun with the poses and no tears were shed.

We returned to the Provo and got the last minute packing done. Luggage was weighed, and the contents were prioritized into "items ditched first if the luggage is overweight". No tears were shed.

At 12:00 we had a family meeting. All family members were asked if they had any last words. A Father's blessing was received. A few tears were shed.

At 12:30 we went to JDawgs at 880 North 700 East Street Provo, UT 84606 with Aunt Emily and boys, and Grandma and Grandpa B. We met up with sarcastic cousins Candice, Cooper, and Kait at the previously mentioned JDawgs with the special sauce. No tears were shed. Several other missionaries were there with their families. "Hey, you're going to the MTC? What time? Where you going?" No shedding of the tears.

At 1:35 we ended up at the temple parking lot for pictures and drop-off strategy. We determined to put the Elder in the very back of the car to be the last one out, the photographer would be the first out, while the rest readied themselves for hugs. Garrett would only go for the luggage, in the trunk, when given the sign that everyone had given their farewells.

At 1:45 we arrived to a host of smiling missionaries welcoming us to the MTC. We were directed to drop-off #20 and everything went as planned. No tears were shed. We watched the boy/young man excitedly walk off with his host companion, striking up a conversation, "What's your name? Where are you from? Where are you going?"

As we drove out of the parking lot at 1:50 and turned the corner onto the main street, tears were shed. The cousins were instructed to say something sarcastic.

The Road to the MTC

2011-07-24T19:08:00.000-07:00

We had a good drive to the Utah on Monday, July 18, 2011. The trip went surprisingly fast considering we only listened to General Conference talks, Mormon Tabernacle Choir, and classical music. We were in Barstow close to lunch so we asked Porter what he would like to eat for lunch. Peter mentioned In&Out. Porter said yes. Elaine claimed that Peter was picking the place and not Porter. Porter said if they had a Chipotle, he would like to eat there. We ate at Chipotle. The trip to Las Vegas was uneventful and we stopped at St. George for gasoline. There is a San Jorge in Guatemala in Porter's mission. We may have veered from the mission rules and listened to "Throw Away Your TV and Get A Life!" by John Bytheway. From Cedar City to Fillmore we dodged orange cones like the Astroids video game. Excuse the language--rumproids video game(doesn't sound much better). The travels were interspersed with memories of Porter but mostly the stresses of having everything packed and getting everything on a plane in three weeks. We talked about the MTC and the great ladies in the travel office, meals and meetings, branches, districts, zones, and companions. We asked Porter if he believed people when they said he was going to be a great missionary. He modestly mumbled some things. As parents we assured him that people just didn't say such things. Over the past year, and when he determined for himself to serve a mission, we have seen his faith , his humility/dependence on the Lord, and his joy in obeying the commandments/doing the right thing all increase. For these reasons we know he will be successful--Faith, Humility, Obedience. We arrived at Provo and before we reached our destination, we had one last stop, a last supper, at In&Out. Everyone ate their favorite burger and got a shake for a Family Home Evening treat. It was Monday after all.

Happy Birthday Talmage

2011-07-03T18:21:00.000-07:00

Talmage is 12 years old.

Camp Keep

2011-05-01T17:28:00.000-07:00

Talmage and Elaine's Camp Keep experience was amazing. On the opening day they saw a bobcat. At first, Talmage couldn't believe it because it was in the bushes. He borrowed a friends pair of binoculaurs and saw his first bobcat. It looked like a large house cat with a short tail and pointy ears. They stopped and snapped some photos of the majestic beast. After a while a car came by and scared it away.

That same day they went to the tide pools. They said they were less exciting than the ones at Leo Carrillo but there was a giant slug called a Gombo Kitan. It was cool. The next day Talmage and Elaine went up Valencia Peak Jr. It is named Junior because it is only a stroll in the park compared to it's neighbor, Valencia Peak. Talmge and Elaine thought the hike was really easy and the view from the top was amazing. You could even see a golf course. On the way up they were allowed to stick rocks on themselves by licking them. " It was awesome," said Talmage.

At the end of each day the Keep counselors would have a big campfire and Talmage's cabin got the back row every time. "Most of the songs were funny but if you heard the 'other' lyrics to some of the songs, they weren't so funny," said Talmage. There was one song that touched Talmage's heart. It went like this:

            We will love the Earth wherever we roam
            For this big blue marble is our home
           And we know that everything in it
           And we know that everything in it
          Will always be a part of who we are

It was so beautiful, so Talmage and his close friends started to sway. Suddenly his whole cabin was swaying. Then the whole camp was swaying. It was a great experience.

submitted by Talmage Urmston

Called To Serve

2011-03-20T18:15:00.000-07:00

On March 10, 2011, Porter received his mission call to Guatamala City South, Guatemala mission. He will serve the people of Guatemala for 2 years beginning in July. We are all very proud that Porter has made this decision to serve a mission, to excersize his faith and serve others.

Phantom of the Opera

2011-03-20T17:57:00.000-07:00

Well, after months of rehearsals,and media attention, opening night of Frontier High school's production of The Phantom of the Opera arrived. We were all nervous except, maybe, the Phantom himself. We got there early to get the best seats in the house. We had to save seats for the VIP's--Grandma and Grandpa U, and the cousins, Cassidy and Kali all the way from Utah (those girls either really, really, really, love high school theater, or are really, really, supportive cousins.) We had the whole third row reserved for "family of the Phantom" and the show began. Everything about the production was top-notch. The performance was fantastic and entertaining. Of course, the Phantom was great. We were all so anxious for Tanner to first appear on stage, then nervous as his first solo approached--

Music of the Night. Somewhere in the middle of the song, the nerves subsided, we forgot Tanner was up there, and the Phantom took over our thoughts--that's great storytelling through music and acting. The remainder of the musical was great. It helped that the majority of the main cast were church friends: Josh Miller, Chloe Kesler, Brian Gardner, Zach Walker. Kristine and the Phantom are also co-rally commisioner, so they are used to working together. Well we are all pretty biased here, but reviews from others have been very positive also, some(pre-teen girls) have been more enthusiastic than this, so we are proud of Tanner.This is a great, great, personal accomplishment and an amazing culmination to a school career.

Pray Always

2011-01-30T14:09:00.000-08:00

If I prayed as much as I eat I could be spiritually obese. For months, this thought kept returning as I listened to this pop song about prayer, called "On the Floor" , that talks about spending time on your knees "facing the things I've done" and "where the rats all come away clean".

I wanted to spend more time praying. "What if I spent a half hour praying," I thought, " instead of watching a half hour of TV." But what would I say or do for that long? I came across a quote by President Gordon B. Hinckley he had given to a group of missionaries about ten gifts of serving a mission. He said, "Get on your knees and speak to the Lord as one man speaks to another. There is no substitute under the heavens for earnest prayer." I then determined that I would just have a conversation. "Here's what I did today," and "here's how I feel about it."
I've spent this month studying prayer and came across a talk by President James E. Faust called The Lifeline of Prayer. One thing he said really inspired me to feel comfortable with the frequency of my prayers,

No earthly authority can separate us from direct access to our Creator. There can never be a mechanical or electronic failure when we pray. There is no limit on the number of times or how long we can pray each day. There is no quota of how many needs we wish to pray for in each prayer. We do not need to go through secretaries or make an appointment to reach the throne of grace. He is reachable at any time and any place.

I also studied two talks by Elder David A. Bednar, given in succession, about prayer--Ask In Faith and Pray Always. His purpose for giving the talks was to help have more meaningful prayers.

In the two talks, Elder Bednar teaches several principles for meaningful prayer.

Ask in faith
Be willing to act
Prayer becomes more meaningful as we counsel with the Lord in all our doings
Prayer becomes more meaningful as we express heartfelt gratitude.
Prayer becomes more meaningful as we pray for others with real intent and a sincere heart.

I don't know that my diet of prayer this month has helped my grow in "spiritual fatness"(2 Nephi 9:51), but as I've tried to act on my prayers, expressed gratitude, counseled and prayed for others, I have felt greater peace and happiness.

My bible dictionary says that we must work to obtain blessings from God, and prayer is a form of work. I'll keep on doing my work "on the floor, that's where I'll be."

Feel free to leave links, quotes, or thoughts as comments.
Posted by Peter of the Peter & Elaine & Crew

New Year's Eve

2011-01-17T08:00:00.000-08:00

We had a fun New Year's Eve at the Matthew Urmston's home. The Coontz' were there. We ate a lot of food. We watched a few people play video games, which turned out to be more entertaining than it sounds. We played mafia, which was as entertaining as it sounds. We brought in the new year with Dick Clark and Ryan Secrest and then played an old favorite, "search for keys." All in all it was a great way to start off the new year 2011. We hope we can enjoy more fun nights like this throughout the year.

Mafia Cheaters

cousins and cousins

Bronson and Ryan

Christmas Eve Program 2010

2011-01-09T21:16:00.000-08:00

Our Christmas Eve program was really fun and inspiring this year. Melanie sang a song about what we can give for Christmas. Grandma then told a story about "A Stocking for Jesus". We each wrote down, and shared, something we would give to Jesus this year. We (Purmstons) sang a song together called "How Many Kings" by Downhere. It was a dream come true to sing and play guitars together. Peter and Porter played guitars, Garrett and Tanner sang, and Talmage played keyboards. The Coontz all played Jingle Bells on their jingle bells. The young cousins performed "The Night Before Christmas"--some more enthusiastically than others. The older cousins performed an impromptu version of Jingle Bells on the jingle bells. It's hard to believe a few of them won't be home for Christmas next year(tear).

Parlez Vous France Christmas Eve

2010-12-25T21:18:00.000-08:00

Christmas Eve, the family gathered and a rousing game of Parlez Vous France ensued.

Adults and young children were quickly eliminated due to the slow mental reaction time and the slow hand eye coordination respectively.

After the large boots, and little flip-flops(who wears flip-flops on Christmas eve?) were removed, the teenagers and young adults heatedly passed the stinky shoes.

The final four were Mason Urmstom(18), Garrett Urmstron(14), Chad Coontz(13), and Mia Urmstrom(12). The final four round brought some controversy when Garrett accused Chad of a throw. "He was throwin' em all over the place!" Armstron said. Coontz remained and Urstom was out.

The final came down to M. Urmston(male) and M. Urmston(female). However through some unknown technicality, an elf official stepped in and did some strange southern ritual which resulted in M. Urmston(female) being declared the weiner. Congratulations Mia, or as they say in France, "le fromage est bon".

Graduations

2010-06-06T18:03:00.000-07:00

We've celebrated several milestones and graduations this week. Garrett graduated from middle school. He received a couple awards and they are letting him go on to high school. Who would have thought that the impossible workload of a sixth grader--"there is just too much work to do in sixth grade!!!!"-- would become possible? Garrett learned to thrive through middle school and was very successful. Garrett, WE ARE PROUD OF YOU!!

Talmage has come to the end of his elementary school experience. He will be moving on to middle school. We're sure that Norris elementary will never be the same without an (peter) Urmston there. We've warned the teachers and coaches at Norris Middle that one more is on his way. Talmage, WE ARE PROUD OF YOU!!!!

Porter, after years and years of school, has graduated from high school. (cue "good riddance" by green day. He has been a reluctant but super successful high school student. The end has finally come. It has been the time of his life. He is the future. He'll look back on these days as the best in his life. It's the first day of the rest of his life. To think just four short years ago he was a naive little freshman. As he enters the threshold of his life this is not the end but the beginning. So spread your wings and fly, the world is your oyster. Porter, WE ARE PROUD OF YOU!!!

A final note, Tanner will be graduating from driving school in August. Tanner, WE ARE PROUD OF YOU!!! (if you make it)

18th Birthday: A Family Tradition

2010-05-16T15:28:00.000-07:00

We celebrated the birth of this boy(see picture above) on Tuesday. It was a quiet celebration at home. It was our traditional birthday celebration started almost two decades past. A month before, the birthday boy says that he doesn't want a party with his friends-- he'd rather just stay home. A couple weeks before, he says he doesn't really care what gifts he gets for his birthday. A week before, his mom asks him what he would like for his birthday dinner. The menu: steak & shrimp(coconut with a pineapple sauce), baked potato, green salad, and rolls. Included is a cup of candy with assorted candies, at least one M& M brand. On the morning of the birthday one present is opened, the package always contains a new "outfit". That afternoon the front room is decorated with balloons and a Happy Birthday sign. We get the dinner ready and eat. At dinner everyone will say a memory they have, or something they like about the birthday boy. After dinner, gifts are opened, then come cake and ice cream after singing happy birthday (we've sung "and many more", and cha-cha-cha versions, but lately everybody sings the last happy birthday in a high operatic falsetto). We finish the evening off with a family prayer with sincere gratitude for the special member of our family. This tradition is so typical and simple, but we're glad we established it early-- its power to unite us as a family is indescribable.On this 18th birthday the power of family traditions have become much more evident to us. The early commitment and investment to this tradition, and others, has paid off and compounded in the form of blessings and family unity. Family Tradition--Just Do It.

These young teenage Americans spent an evening at a formal dance known in some circles as the "Mormal"

2010-03-14T19:30:00.000-07:00

Snowman Ute @ BYU

2010-01-24T17:04:00.000-08:00

One winter day on our vaction to Utah. We sledded a bit, and worked on this giant snowman. The snowman was about 7 feet tall, with blue eyes, red-dyed carrots for teeth, and twigs for hair. We also put a big red U on his belly. We built him on the BYU campus.

2010 Theme

2010-01-10T19:20:00.000-08:00

Give and Give Again in 2010

The theme we've chosen is "Give and Give Again". For us, the theme has a dual meaning. First, in an attempt to be less selfish, "give" means to give to others; to look for ways we can help other people. Second, the "give again" part means that when we think we've given our all, we give more." So whether your goals are spiritual, physical, career, educational, or social, you give everything in your power to reach that goal,

then give a little more.

Give service, give support, give a smile, give time, give kindness, give love, give candy, give 100%, give it your all, give a little bit, give a little more, give friendship, give ideas, give a hug, give a kiss, give a gift, give way, give away, give a prayer, give a hand, give awards, forGIVE, don't GIVE up, give another chance, give your opinion, give a listening ear, give back, give energy, give courage, give strength, Give and Give Again in 2010.

Scripture: 1 Chronicles 28:20
"Be strong and of good courage, and do it: fear not, nor be dismayed: for the LORD God, even my God, will be with thee; he will not fail thee, nor forsake thee, until thou hast finished all the work for the service of the house of the LORD."
Motto: Be strong and do it

Be Kind in 2009

2009-12-25T20:56:00.000-08:00

Happy New Year!

2009 has been kind to the Peter Urmstons. We have had so many choice experiences with our family and friends. We set out this year to make a conscious effort to "Be Kind in 2009" It turns out that the scripture is true-- "Give and it shall be given unto you". We have had so many great experiences this year. So in the words of Inigo Montoya, "Let me explain. No, there's too much. Let me sum up."

January

Be kind in 2009
Sledding with Matthew Urmstons
Celebrated love with Courtney and Brigham

February

Heart dinner
Made and raced pinewood derby car.

March

Tanner was in Les Miserables
Spring Break @ Leo Carrillo
Talmage's basketball team went undefeated two seasons in a row

April

Easter Sunday. Garrett sang @ church.
Talmage earns bear award
Tanner ran track-1500m
Porter swam-50m

May

Porter turned 17
Tanner was elected ASB Publicity Chairman
Elaine retired as PTC treasurer without scandal
Peter rocks Big Rock Olympic Tri
Birthday visit to Grandpa S.-96 years old
Dodger game/ all-you-can-eat/ no emergency stops

June

Grandma and Grandpa Urmston returned from mission.
Garrett turns 13

July

Garrett went to Boy Scout camp
Talmage turned 10
Fourth of July at Nicole and Jacob's
McMurtrey Sea Monkeys(Garrett, Talmage, and cousins) win City swim meet second year in a row.
Elaine celebrates a birthday
Urmanium reunion @ Leo Carrillo (Urmanium Song)
Elaine lead the youth leaders @ Girl's Camp

August

Elaine turns in PTC financial books with minor scandal
Tanner and Porter went to YM camp
The Ironman Adventure
Peter is an ironman
Peter and Elaine celebrate 19 years of marriage
Tanner named cross country captain

September

Our car was stolen and found
Porter's blood drive Eagle scout project
Tanner turns 16
Garrett went to student body leadership conference

October

Talmage played first year of tackle football
Garrett entertained the student body while running for office
Halloween party @ Michael and Jaime's

November

Tanner raced in Valley Cross Country Championships @ Fresno
Peter turns 43
Thanksgiving with Marc Urmstons
Peter, Tanner, and Garrett were shepherds in Savior of the World production.

December

Talmage goes to regional oral language festival
Porter's Frontier Titans football went to Valley Championship
Christmas 2009

Whew!!!!! That was Great! Bring on 2010!!!

Frontier Football.

2009-12-13T21:09:00.000-08:00

Check out Porter at 0:49

Porter said he didn't want to hear any more about football for awhile, so this is the final word for awhile. Porter's football team played 13 football games this year and they won 11. One loss was a nail biter that went down to the final play. Their last game was for the division valley championship(defeated 20-7)We think this was a great accomplishment, and Porter played a quiet but important roll. Porter played center on his team. He played a leadership role for the offensive line. He was the only returning line member from last year. They did a great job. We are all proud of Porter for his accomplishments. We had lots of fun watching the games this year(never really predicted we would be a football family)- thanks Porter. Congratulations on a great season!!! Thanks everyone for your support.

Some Stuff

2009-11-02T17:53:00.000-08:00

We usually carve pumpkins on the monday evening before Halloween. We have been so busy that everyone was just happy to have a normal Family Home Evening. We did the normal song-prayer-lesson-activity-treat-family prayer. When everyone was going to bed we realized we had uncarved pumpkins on our porch. We thought we would do it Tuesday, but we had football practice, cross-country practice, basketball conditioning, football practice, Savior of the World practice, and a church meeting, so we pushed it to Wednesday. On Wednesday we had football, cross country, basketball, cub scouts, boy scouts, and church, so we pushed it to Thursday, then Friday. Finally, Saturday afternoon we carved the pumpkins.

Halloween costumes: Monopoly Man, Monkey boy, TJ Detwiler, Unabomber, and Brother Pauga.We had a fun time at the cousins, then some of us watched "The Lady in White", others were too scared, while others were too tired.

Friday was the last home game for the senior. They were honored at the start of the game by being allowed to give their mother a rose. The team is doing well.

Love For Garrett

2009-10-18T17:32:00.000-07:00

Garrett ran for school president. The bad news is he didn't get elected. The good news is he captured the attention of hundreds, and had them all laughing. He sang "you should vote for me" to the tune of "You Belong With Me" by Taylor Swift.

You’re not sure who to vote for, you’re upset
Here’s a list of votes that I can get
Cause no one here can lead like I do.

President Obama and the stimulus that he took
All 700 billion people on facebook
Cause no one here can lead like I do.

Taylor Urmston and Harrison Smith
The Octomom and all of her kids
The Jonas Brothers, yeah well just Joe and Nick
Kevin just makes me feel like I am sick

If you could see that I’m the one who understands you
Been here all along so why can’t you see
You should vote for me, you should vote for me.

The wolf boy from Twilight, he’s a psycho
And there’s the money you could be saving with Gieco
Cause no one here can lead like I do.

Simon Cawell and Darth Vadar
Coby Byrant and Terry Fator
Mr Unfried we know he’s the best
Even Beyonce, but not Kanye West

Recently, Taylor Swift’s VMA award was cut short. Here is how it would have gone if she had finished…

Thank You! I’ve always dreamed about winning one of these but never thought I would. I sing country music so thank you for the chance to win one of these…oh and vote for Garrett Urmston for President!

If you could see that I’m the one who understands you
Been here all along so why can’t you see
You should vote for me, you should vote for me.

Vote Garrett Urmston For Your President!!!

Week in Review

2009-10-11T17:32:00.000-07:00

Titan Cross Country
Tanner had a great run this week. He came in third place to help lead his team to victory(we think the team won, there isn't a scoreboard or anything) in a tri-school meet against Centennial and West. A good portion of the race could be seen from the stands at West High. Tanner looked strong and fast throughout the race. He stayed up with the leaders and finished about 20 seconds behind. Tanner said he thought the course felt long, but he finished in 17:29.

Titan Football

The Titans played the West High Vikings. West had beaten one of Frontier's formidable foes in Ridgeview High. The game started with a touchdown pass on the first possession and continued on from there. Porter handled his opponents well as they took turns trying to get past him. The final score was 42-7. The Titans are 5-0 on the season, and play Ridgeview at home next week. The Principal of Frontier was heard to wonder out loud after the game, "I think we might have a good team here."

Boy Scout Beach Trip
Garrett went camping at the beach this weekend with his scout troop. They went to San Simeon. Garrett took his favorite foil pack- salmon and veggies. The boys had a campfire at night and spent the next day at the beach. Nobody got in the water, but a few scouts were buried in the sand. They saw some wildlife-seals, and it was good to get away from the routine.

Rampage
The Rampage were defeated in their football game this week. Talmage got three behind the line tackles and is trying to talk his coach into letting him play nose guard. They play at Liberty Park this Tuesday @7:30.

What Did You Do For Someone Today? (Be Kind in 2009)

2009-10-04T21:41:00.000-07:00

Today we heard this inspiring talk by Thomas S. Monson, President of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Last year he inspired us as a family to try to be kinder by finding "joy in the journey", so we decided to "be kind in 2009". (2009 theme) Back then he said,

"Stresses in our lives come regardless of our circumstances. We must deal with them the best we can. But we should not let them get in the way of what is most important—and what is most important almost always involves the people around us. Often we assume that they must know how much we love them. But we should never assume; we should let them know. Wrote William Shakespeare, “They do not love that do not show their love.”3 We will never regret the kind words spoken or the affection shown. Rather, our regrets will come if such things are omitted from our relationships with those who mean the most to us."Finding Joy in the Journey

Today, President Monson, once again emphasized the importance of loving, helping and serving others in a world that is plagued with anger, hate, and violence. We want to share his words with you. If you have 16 minutes, push play and listen to his counsel. It will inspire you to do some good.

What Did You Do For Someone Today?--President Thomas S. Monson

Have I Done Any Good in the World Today?--Mormon Tabernacle Choir

On Saturday night President Monson talked about anger.

Week in Review

2009-09-20T17:02:00.000-07:00

Rampage

Tuesday, September 15, 2009

The rampage had their first official game this week. The team didn't win but the Urmston defense played well. Talmage got a skull and crossbones sticker for a great defensive backfield sack. Next game is Tuesday.

Frontier Cross Country
Wednesday, September 16, 2009

Frontier cross country had a meet against stockdale. Tanner came in 7th after 6 Stockdale runners. He ran great and had a respectable 5K time for the first meet- 17:16. We're looking forward to some great meets this year.

Norris Constitution Test
Friday, September 18, 2009

Garrett took and passed the Norris constitution test as part of his bid for the Norris presidency. He passed with 100%. His campaign will be in full force this week with a poster on Monday, and a full force media blitz leading up to his speech to the student body on Friday. His campaign team is working on slogans and song selection for the speech. GARRETT for PRESIDENT!!!!

Frontier Football
Friday, September 17, 2009

The Titans demolished the Tehachapi Warriors Friday night 43-14. Defense was quick and on fire, causing several turnovers. The hometown refs couldn't even help their team. The Titan offense was working on all cylinders gaining positive yardage on almost every rushing play, and completing several pass plays. Porter dominated, once again, a nose guard who out sized him, but couldn't outwit or out-muscle him.

Blood Drive
Saturday, September 18, 2009

Porter sponsored a blood drive for his Eagle Scout project. It was very successful. He got 40 people to take appointments to donate blood. The Houchin mobile blood bank arrived at 8:00 and we got started. The blood was flowing consistently until 12:00. In addition to the appointments, several walk-ins showed up and he was able to work them in too. The Houchin people commented that it was very well organized. Breakfast burritos were provided for those who needed some protein, and muffins and juice for the palefaces after.

This Week's Fun

2009-09-13T21:19:00.000-07:00

Tanner's Birthday

Tanner celebrated his 16 birthday on 9-12-09. We love Tanner so much. He has so many good qualities and talents that he has developed. His birthday dinner was shrimp ravioli and pear salad. For his birthday cake he had apple pie and vanilla ice cream. We had twix, peanut m&m's, and mini snickers in the candy cups. Tanner got a new camera for recording all of the wonderful events that will happen in his 16th year. Tanner continues to run cross country, he is in the chamber singers at school, and is the publicity chairman. He is very friendly, funny, and outgoing. We are well pleased with this boy.

Toddler Fun

Our little toddler fun is gone. We all had a great time with little Lukas this week. Each of us had our own connection with him, and he brought a lot of life to our family. Talmage, who thought it would not be a good idea to add a toddler to the mix, was the saddest when his little friend left. We remembered all the joys of the toddler life: bath time, dinner time, prayer time, play time, little funny words and games, and messes and messy pants just when it's time to go some place. We all enjoyed our short week with the little guy.

Titan Football

The Frontier Titans had their first game at their home stadium. They played the Antelope Valley Antelopes. Porter was sick with a fever all day, but was able to lower his temp and fulfill his team duties at center. Luckily it was a blowout, so by the second quarter he was done for the night. He said that he felt fine and would like to have played more. At the end of the game coach put him in for one running play- put 9 rushing yards in the stats for Porter Urmston. Final score 68-0.

Rampage Football

The Rampage had a scrimmage. Talmage played receiver and safety. He had some good hard hits on defense.

Finger Prints
The person who "borrowed" our car has a fingerprint, a name, a face, and priors. The BPD says they are going after this guy. If you live in the greater oildale area and your initials are E.E., thanks for taking care of our vehicle while you used it. To thank you we'd like to provide free room and board for 5 to 10 years on the taxpayers dime. Hope to see you soon. Thanks again.
And that's those are the highlights of the week.

2009-08-29T06:19:00.001-07:00

This School Year I Hope

2009-08-23T18:40:00.000-07:00

This school year I hope:

to win in PE
I get good grades/ a 4.0 GPA
my students learn to be proficient reader
to win all my basketball games
I'll do well in basketball
to keep my classroom clean and organized
to be a good sport
to support my family in sports
to ride my bike to work often
to get straight A's
to be friendly
to make time for science
to have good conduct
I will be happy
to be kind in 2009-2010

The Ironman Adventure

2009-08-05T17:35:00.000-07:00

On July 31, we started out for a wonderful adventure known as The Ironman Adventure.
We drove North, for about 150 miles with a pair of pliers on the top of our van. Some guys kept slowing down and passing us. First a guy gave Peter the thumbs up. Peter gave him a chin nod in return. Then they slowed and passed on the other side. This time, the driver pointed up to the sky. Peter nodded reverently, then realized he had left the pliers up there after a quick repair earlier that morning.

We spent the afternoon in San Francisco. We walked around Fisherman's Wharf, ate some food from the sea, and went to The San Franciso Bay Aquarium. We saw sea wildlife including sharks. We most enjoyed the deep sea tunnel where we saw the fish swimming over us.

Friday we spent the day in Santa Rosa getting ready for the triathlon. We drove to the river where the swim would start, we went to the high school where the race would finish, then waited for Peter to get his race stuff; and waited, and waited. It was a good waiting warm up for Saturday. We went and rested a bit then went to Olive Garden to carbo load. Nathan and Jill came with us. We had a good time. Most of us ate pasta. We went to Target for poster board, sharpies, and Vaseline, then we went back to the room for some last minute preparations. Elaine made PB & J tortilla wraps, Talmage cut open the Clif bar wrappers, and Peter checked his bike, again
.

Saturday, August 1, was the Ironman. For Peter's account of this event go to: http://www.pedotries.blogspot.com/

Sunday, at the church we went to, all the testimonies were about people crashing in cars. This made us nervous for our travels. We headed out from Santa Rosa for a Sunday Drive. We spent a nice afternoon at the Golden Gate Park. We spent most of the time in the botanical garden. We all(Elaine) appreciated the beautiful sights and the fragrant aroma. We saw some cool turtles in a pond there.

Monday we stopped in Fresno and went to the waterpark in Clovis. We had fun slipping and sliding all day long. Then we headed home after a stop at In n Out to finish our Ironman adventure.

The trip was a fun family activity. The worst part was Porter wasn't able to come with us, but other than that it was a fun, wholesome family activity, never to be forgotten.

Porter's Birthday Suit

2009-05-16T19:25:00.000-07:00

We celebrated Porter's 17th birthday this week. No he didn't have two different cakes. For the past three years, Porter has requested the same dinner- steak and shrimp, and the same cake-chocolate cherry. He has also worn the same shirt-looks a little smaller this year. These are pictures from his 16th and 17th birthdays. The 15th pictures look the same. We had to put a 17 on this year's cake so we won't have to count candles to know which birthday it was.

The Toddlers Take The Beach

2009-04-12T15:58:00.000-07:00

We spent a wonderful week at the beach. This picture portrays the fabulous children preparing for an Easter egg hunt. They all got along so well. There was sharing and caring for each other that was impressive. What wasn't apparent was that this was a bond formed because of their common enemy: teenagers and adults.

It all started with a plot. Then the attack began.

A common form of attack was the surprise attack on sleepers unawares. Then a pull of the hair, yanking the head, and a flying-leap double knee to the back.

The Jedis moved in, used the force, and destroyed the remaining teenagers with lightsabors.

They dug a pit for their enemies,

claimed their thrones,

and to the victors go the spoils.

Les Miserables

2009-03-22T15:48:00.000-07:00

Over the past months, Tanner has been in rehearsals, after school, everyday for their production of Les Miserables. All of the practice paid off on March 11-13 when the production was presented to the public. All of the hard work was worth it. From the set, to the costumes, to the acting and singing, this was a first rate production. Tanner played several parts in the play. He was a chain gang prisoner with Jean Val Jean. He was the factory foreman. He was run over by a wagon and Jean Val Jean saved his life. He also played a revolutionary with a drinking problem. All of Tanner's characters were presented with devotion and motivation. There was no small part for Tanner. He put his all into each part. Of all Tanner's parts, my favorite was when he sang three or four solo lines. I was looking all over the stage to see who was singing the part. When I looked to Tanner, there he was singing. I didn't know he could sing so well. I have to admit I was surprised. Many of Tanner's friend were also in the musical. They all did a great job. We were all entertained and inspired by the school production.

Be Kind In 2009-March

2009-03-03T17:44:00.000-08:00

The benevolent bishop in Victor Hugo's Les Miserables wrote, in the margins, the thoughts he had as he read and meditated. At such a time he wrote the following:

"Oh, you who are!

"Ecclesiastes calls you the All-powerful; the Maccabees call you the Creator; the Epistle to the Ephesians calls you Liberty; Baruch calls you Immensity; the Psalms call you Wisdom and Truth; John calls you Light; the Books of Kings call you Lord; Exodus calls you Providence; Leviticus, Sanctity; Esdras, Justice; the creation calls you God; man calls you Father; but Solomon calls you Compassion, and that is the most beautiful of all your names."

In his talk, "Finding Joy in the Journey" http://lds.org/conference/talk/display/0,5232,23-1-947-26,00.html, President Monson said:

"Send that note to the friend you've been neglecting; give your child a hug; give your parents a hug; say "I love you" more; always exprss your thanks."

So you're invited to show some compassion. Go hug your children, hug your parents, and write that note. We love you, and thanks for everything you(family & friends) do for us.

Why the Les Mis theme? This month Tanner is in the Frontier High School production of "Les Miserables" It plays March 12-14. Mark your calendars. We will be attending the 13th.

My Handsome Men

2009-02-22T18:53:00.000-08:00

No joys on earth bring greater pleasure

Than little boys to love and treasure

Talmage and Kauner at Honor Roll Taco Fiesta!

2009-02-04T15:14:00.001-08:00

2009-02-04T14:56:00.000-08:00

Little Guys

2009-01-31T08:20:00.000-08:00

Although we love the teenage versions very much,

sometimes we miss these little guys.

SNOW FUN

2009-01-18T21:35:00.001-08:00

2009 Theme

2009-01-04T15:26:00.000-08:00

Every year our family makes a theme to live by for the year. We had a hard time coming up with one in 2008. Porter finally came up with one in November--Procrastinate in 2008. So this year we're going to try to start earlier.

Theme: Be Kind in 2009
Scripture: Luke 6:38

"Give, and it shall be given unto you; good measure, pressed down, and shaken together, and running over, shall men give into your bosom. For with the same measure that ye mete withal it shall be measured to you again."

Song: All These Things I've Done by The Killers (subject to change)

Garrett turns 12!

2008-11-16T20:30:00.000-08:00

Garrett's 12th birthday- We had steak and shrimp for dinner and a Reese's Peanut Butter Cake (Of Course!). He got a new long board and Mario Kart for Wii. Garrett wanted a night at home to perfect his Mario Kart skills! The best part of this birthday was that he got ordained a deacon and started going to mutual on Wednesdays with all the "men" in the family.

Mako Sharks

2008-11-16T20:24:00.001-08:00

Mako Sharks Swim Team

2008-11-16T20:05:00.000-08:00

For the second year the boys swam with lots of cousins on a city swim team. It was a blast to watch them all swim together. Garrett's favorite was the relays and he was a great back stroker. Talmage loves freestyle and breast stroke. Aunts and Uncles had fun cheering them on to a first place victory in the city meet!

Camp Keep for Garrett

2008-11-16T19:47:00.000-08:00

Garrett and Elaine got to go to Camp Keep just before Easter Break. We had an amazing week. Elaine got to baby-sit a trailer full of 6th grade girls at night, and then walk with Garrett and other cool boys during the day. We loved the tide pools and the "Belly Biology" which was touching all kinds of cool stuff off the Coast Guard dock. We also got to see some sea otters up close and they were our favorite thing all week! Morro Bay is beautiful. It was a blast!

Porter is Sweet Sixteen On May 11th

2008-11-16T19:28:00.000-08:00

Porter's 16th birthday was very low key. He refused to have a party and threatened my life if I gave him a surprise one! He got a nice pair of football cleats and some nice smelling cologne for the ladies. Also some new clothes which I guess he needed because he was wearing this same shirt in his 15th birthday picture. He also had the exact same kind of cake-chocolate and cherries. After I took a few pictures I realized I forgot one candle so the picture looked just like last year. I made him hold up one more candle so we would know it was 16 in the picture and made him promise not to wear that shirt next birthday!

Talmage's Undefeated Norris Basketball Team

2008-11-16T19:05:00.000-08:00

It was a great season with Coach Andrew. He had favorite friends on his team including Cousin Kauner, Dillin, Greg, Noah, and Andrew.

CALIFORNIA ADVENTURE IN FEBRUARY

2008-11-16T18:46:00.001-08:00

We returned to California Adventure in March and had a great day. Lines were fast and there was no rain but we managed to still get soaked on the Roarin Rapids. We all loved Tower of Terror, except Talmage whose favorite was California Sceamin. The best part of the day is that we didn't lose the car keys!!

2008-11-16T15:19:00.000-08:00

Finally I have uploaded my 400+ pictures for the year and will be going waaaay back to fill in the year! So here we go down memory lane for the Urmston Crew for 2008. By the way we finally decided on a family theme for the year and it fits my blogging skills perfectly! It took a while for us to decide but here it is "Procrastinate in 2008!"

Easter 2009

2008-09-21T18:30:00.000-07:00

Mark Your Calendars.

Coming April 2009.
Stay Tuned For A New Easter Egg Hunt Blog!

Egg Hunting

2008-04-22T23:46:00.001-07:00

Easter at the Beach

2008-04-22T23:45:00.001-07:00

Disneyland

2008-04-22T23:43:00.001-07:00

Sledding Fun With Matthew and Leslie and Kids

2008-01-30T20:00:00.001-08:00

Baby James Gets Blessed In Utah

2008-01-29T13:46:00.001-08:00

Christmas in Bakersfield

2008-01-29T12:16:00.001-08:00

We had a great Christmas staying in Bakersfield. Christmas Eve was a blast at Nathan and Jill's house. We had great food and Santa even came to visit. (I didn't get my new camera until the next day so I will try to get pictures of this from Jill!) Christmas morning was so fun. Peter got a new video camera and the boys all got lots of fun stuff. We are very blessed. Garrett loved his Reeses shirt and hat the most. That is probably all I needed to buy him! Guitar hero and Maden football for the wii were also big hits. Tanner got a long board and he has already ruined his shoes. Christmas day the boys went with Uncle Marc, Jacob, Jordan, Mason and Logan to the Stake Center for an intense basketball game. They said it was the best thing they did all day! Then dinner at our house with Marc and Linda and family (except Nichole and Jacob) It was good to see Courtney. We played games and hung out. Great fun.

2007-11-28T20:57:00.000-08:00

Random Little Known Facts About Peter Urmston

1. I used to pretend I was in Olympic competetions for Paperboys when I was delivering papers.
"Urmston's got to get this last block in 3 minutes to get the gold. He's really got to hurry. Oh my gosh not only did he beat the record, but his last paper was porched. This guy is incredible!"

2. I would like to go to Antarctica someday.

3. I once won a rocket derby against all the cub scouts in the city.

4. I will never refuse In and Out, or Reese's.

5. I like to sleep with the light on.

6. In my adult life, I have pooped my pants 4 times. Twice in one day.
(Cooper this email is just between the two of us. Don't let anyone else know. It's personal)

I tag Erman . . .

FALL HIGH SCHOOL SPORTS

2007-11-28T08:29:00.001-08:00

Tanner ran on the Cross Country team for the Frontier Titans this year. He did so well they put him on the varsity team. He ended up really improving his time. I think he ended up with 18:38 on the 3 mile. He got to go to valley and lettered this year. His team got the award for the hightest GPA for all fall sport teams. Tanner helped with his 4.0. He got athlete of the month in October and his coach nicknamed him the "beast". Tanner has always loved to run.

Go Titans!

2007-11-28T06:55:00.001-08:00

Porter played on the JV Fronier Titan Football team this fall. He played right guard and started every game. They had a great season 9-1. The only game they lost was after a 9 hour bus ride to San Diego because of an accident on the freeway. He loves football so much he goes to early morning seminary at 5:20 am every morning so he can have a zero period weight lifting class with his coach and football buddies. He got player of the month this week for the end of the season! He also recieved an academic award for his 4.2 GPA which he held all season. Isn't he so cute in his unform?

HAPPY BIRTHDAY PETER!

2007-11-26T16:00:00.000-08:00

Here is what Peter's Mom had to say about this great day 41 years ago...
"Peter's complexion is fair ahd hair light brown. His little face is so fat that his eyes didn't open for a few days after birth. They appear to be blue. Peter is an excellent baby. He sleeps well and is very content. He weighed 9 lbs 10 oz and was 22 inches long."

2007-11-25T23:39:00.000-08:00

Happy Birthday Peter!!! 41 years old this Wednesday November 28th. I started this blogspot for Peter so you could all post Peter Memory Comments to share at his birthday dinner (sort of a birthday tradition for us) so please send in a favorite memory you share with Peter.