We just finished a birthday party with the family for the September birthdays. Everyone was here except the Texas bunch and we all had a good time comparing babies and having dinner and brownies with ice cream. It was Ashton's birthday on the 7th of September and Daniel's birthday will be on the 24th. It was fun to have everyone here and everyone seemed to have a good time.

Landon has a new job framing houses and seems to like it really well. They are doubly excited because it has benefits coming soon. Maren has been learning more about doing acrylic nails at school and Kirsten was her model yesterday for learning how to do forms, I think she said. Brinlie has been getting teeth and not sleeping very well. She has been congested in her throat. I tried to tend her on Friday but after about an hour I had to call Maren because she just didn't quit crying.

Ethan and Hailee had several perfromances for the Layton commemeration of 9-11 with their choir. They performed Monday night at the Kenley Ampitheatre and Saturday night at a program at Layton High. Larry and I were able to go see them on Monday. Hailee has started dance. Michelle and Daniel were not to excited about the rain we got on Thursday and Friday because their basement flooded again. They have a leak in the window well, but hopefully it is fixed now.

Jon has been sick for about a week. He has also be working on a lot of different cars for people plus working a lot of overtime. He thought he had their truck fixed and then something else had to be done that is costing more money so they were disappointed with that. Kirsten got her shoe boot off this week so she is walking normally again. Kyle and Kennedy and Brooke came over yesterday and played at our house while Kirsten had her nails done.

We all went to Jake and Nikki's house last weekend for a birthday party for Ashton. He is one year old. Nikki says that sometimes he holds up his finger and says a sound like one. He went in for his year checkup and got his shots this week. He has a bruise from the shots to prove it. He is in the 75-100 percentile for height. His hair is really growing lately and it is curly brown locks. So cute. Lexie played soccer yesterday in the cold. It really cooled off this weekend in Utah it was down in the 40's in the morning. Nikki may start babysitting for a girls that works with Jake. She is going to try it and see how it works.

Jeff and Misty have mostly been working this week with their hectic schedule. Leah started pre-school and says that they have a playground like at McDonald's. Misty said that she is learning her letters.

Erick found new respect for Daniel this week when he had to write a computer program for one of his classes and it took him seven hours. He was a frustrated man that day. He went out with one of the single teachers at my school last week and seemed to have a good time but he has been swamped with work this week. His best friend from the mission, Jason Merrell got married this last Saturday.

BJ is finding out that life can be hectic at school when you are working full time and going to school full time. His starter cylinder gave him a lot of grief two weeks ago but he was finally able to get a locksmith to look at it and he just lubricated it and it has run ever since. He didn't even charge him for the service call. He has also had a couple of girls competing for his attention. He has had them both put their pictures on his phone and he went out with one girl and the other one showed up at 2:00 a.m. and woke him up that night to tease him about the date.

Nikki said that Sara emailed her and she is out of the hospital and feeling somewhat better. She got dehydrated from throwing up too much from her pregancy. I wasn't able to get them tonight on the phone I will try again tomorrow.

Larry has been feeling better lately. His brother Tony called for his birthday last week. He has started a new postion at Discover that should pay him a little more so he is feeling good about that. He has found a lot of genealogy on one line lately when he works at the family history center. He spent all of Friday evening a week ago recording papers for me so I could get things organized for the Clothing class I am teaching this year. He is really good to help me. I know he is the reason I am more sane lately.

I started my ESL class last Monday. It wasn't too bad. I am also taking Introduction to Instructional Design at the U. They tell me by the end of the semester I should be able to explain to my family and friends what Instructional Design and Educational Technology is. I am teaching a Clothing class this year which is diffent for me. Usually I just have the TLC and Food and Nutrition that I teach. It requires that I trade rooms seventh period which is not making the girl I teach with happy.

Friday we wanted to go to the State Fair but it rained so much that day that we decided that we didn't care if we went. It snowed a skiff in our yard on Saturday morning and snowed in the mountains also so fall is on it's way.

Last night we went to a High Priest's party at the church. It was supposed to be an outside barbecue but was moved indoors due to inclement weather.

Today in church Brad Caldwell gave a very dynamic talk on the importance of prayer in combating the temptations of Satan. He pointed out that when Joseph Smith was confronted by Satan in the grove while he has praying he continued to pray to overcome the power and was helped by God the father and Jesus Christ to overcome the power that bound him. He related that to our lives and reminded us that the best way to overcome the power of Satan is to continue praying. I have found lately that what he says is true.

I got some good pictures of Ashton's party and the party tonight but I will post them later as it is getting late. I am editing this post and adding the pictures