BanClan Reunion 2010

I think a tradition is just something that happens, people have a great memory of it, and so they do it again and again. Before they know it, they wouldn't go without it. It would be breaking a tradition! No one really knows when they began, they just did. I think we started a tradition: a BanClan Reunion. When the kids start living far away and the times you get everyone (everyone possible) together seem less and less often, when you are together, it seems like a reunion. I hope it starts that way anyway. Even so, it was hard not to think something or someone was missing. He was. But Braden is much happier where he is, doing what he is doing. For right now, we are just practicing this reunion thing until he comes home and we know how. By then, maybe we will even have t-shirts!
Darci and Joe came up to check out a few PT schools, so we decided to pack as much in one week as possible: amusement park...check, water park...check, day on the river, complete with beach time...check, camping complete with s'mores, hiking and canoeing...check. Somehow between all of these, Darci and Joe visited University of Washington (and the "gum wall") in Seattleand Eastern Washington University in Spokane. They have more schools to see, and tests to take before they know where they will land, but we are glad they fit us, and our reunion, into their schedule.
We also registered Kolby and Cameron for Richland High and Melissa for Carmichael Middle School. We are done with elementary school! Wahooo!

Pioneering to Utah

July arrived with much anticipation in our home. Excitement, apprehension, nervousness, you name it, we were feeling it. Braden entered the MTC on July 21, 2010. He was set apart as a missionary for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints to serve in the Mexico, Mexico City East mission on Saturday evening. From that point on, he began to follow the mission rules: no tv, radio, newspaper, etc, and 10:30 lights out and 6:30 up for the day.
It was a great experience and we hope to repeat it at least 2 more times! One thing President Meyer counseled Braden to do was to find out why he was sent to this mission. He gave him a beautiful blessing and, yes, I cried. Then on Sunday, Braden gave his "last talk before he leaves on his mission" in sacrament meeting. We used to call these "Missionary Farewells". He gave a great talk and Kolby was the youth speaker. Both were great. Then we headed to Utah!
We stopped to visit Grandma and Grandpa Andy on Sunday night, as arrived in SLC on Monday. On Tuesday we met Darci at the Salt Lake Temple to do a session. It was really neat to see a live session. We had not been to the Salt Lake Temple for about 20 years. A lady in the temple even showed us the spiral staircases my grandfather had worked on and made a table from the leftover wooden chips!
Then we played like tourists, but stuck to Church related things, like Deseret Book and the Joseph Smith: the Restoration movie. We met my brother, Doug, who works in the Joseph Smith Memorial building in the Family Search department. No, he is not searching for his family, he is helping make the programs that help us search for our ancestors! When we went to dinner, we asked a valet for directions. He looked at Braden and said, "Missionary, huh? Where ya going?" When we told him, he told us his son was turning 19 in September and he really wished he would go. He was hoping he would, but wasn't sure. Tender Mercy #1-recognition of the blessing of a son worthy and ready to go on a mission.


Wednesday came very quickly. We headed down to Provo and took pictures before the crowd of missionaries were to be dropped off. Darci and Joe met ust before their work/classes began. Braden was tolerant of the pictures, but I think he was anxious to get into the MTC, not just stand agonizingly close.
We killed some time before his 1:30 entry time by going up to Sundance ski resort and going to the distribution center. Then the time had come. We were very anxious as we drove up. As we drove in, there were hundreds of missionaries in white shirts to greet us. They were happy and enthusiastic. It was an amazing feeling as we entered the MTC grounds. It was like walking through the doors of the temple and straight on into the Celestial room. It just wrapped its arms around us and buoyed us up. Braden had given hugs to his Cameron, Kolby and Melissa before we got in the car, so Cameron manned the camera while Kolby and Melissa peered over the back seat as we took out his luggage. We hugged him, told him how much (if you can in less than two minutes) we loved him and were proud of him, and he was off, waving with a big grin. We headed to somewhere we could change our clothes and cry. The RB. Brett and I had a good meltdown. You don't really run out of tears, you just take a deep breath and wait until they revisit you again.


Joe had told us he could give us a tour of Now I Can, the place he works, so we went over there. It is an amazing place. They do physical therapy for children, mostly those with Cerebral Palsy. They have creative ways in intense therapy that help these children make great strides. It is a wonderful organization and a great place for Joe to work.
We couldn't leave Provo without a Jamba Juice. So we headed to the Jamba Juice next to Legends. While we sipped on our smoothies, (Strawberry Surfrider is the best by the way) we went next door to look at the sports memorabilia. A man said to us, "I'm just giving a tour, would you like to join us?" It was a real behind the scenes tour of BYU football. We saw the training room, the taping room, the videography rooms, the coaches meeting rooms, the team meeting rooms, where they overlook practices, the weight room, all connected with halls full of statistics and information on past and present Cougars. We saw the Heisman Trophy and the Cotton Bowl Trophy, as well as the National Championship Trophy. The only room we didn't see was the locker room! On one wall, there was a really neat display. It was a giant map that listed all the players who were serving missions all over the world. Their name was listed as well as the mission and the flag of the country. VERY COOL! No one was in the Mexico, Mexico City East Mission from the football team, though. Tender Mercy #2-the opportunity to see behind the scenes and know that many young men put their lives on hold for such a great cause.

When I was a kid, we went to the Days of 47 Rodeo in the Salt Palace. It was the biggest rodeo around and a highlight of the year. We got tickets for Wednesday's show and Darci and Joe met us in Salt Lake for some bull riding and dirt slinging fun. It was a great show and the cowboys and animals were all very good. The funniest part was the cow milking. Those cows did NOT want to be milked and the cowboys had a hard time catching them and getting any moo juice from them. It was insane!
On Thursday, we went up to Park City to see the Olympic Park. But before we got there, we decided to drive by my high school, middle school and the house I grew up in. When we pulled in front of 2370 East 6780 South, Salt Lake City, we stopped and I explained what was next door (a field) when I grew up there. A woman came out of (my) house and Brett rolled down his window and apologized, saying I was just showing the kids the house I grew up in. She said, "Are you an Anderson?" Surprised, we answered yes. It turns out that the man who bought the house from my mom and dad when they moved to Idaho married the daughter of their best friends! And her mom happened to be visiting that day. She invited us in and plied us with cookies and ice cream while we talked about the neighborhood and my parents. The house looked great and still had some of the custom touches my dad had made, like a cornice over the kitchen window and the custom mailbox out front. It was so cool to see the basketball court that we played for hours on and the Peonies my mom had planted so long ago. Tender Mercy #3- a reminder of a great childhood provided by loving parents who are still thought highly of after so many years. You take home with you wherever you go.
The Olympic Park was pretty cool. It was hard not to keep thinking that Braden would really love to see this! We watched the skiers in 90+ degrees ski down a carpet ramp and up into the sky before landing in a pool of water softened by bubbles just before they land. There was also a zip line and the Alpine Slide. We ended the day by doing some school shopping at the Outlets and then headed to our hotel. We stayed at the StayBridge Suites in West Valley City and it had a mini water park. It was nice to relax and cool ourselves down.
Friday was a super fun day: we headed to Lagoon. We spent the first few hours at Lagoon A Beach, their water park. There are several tube and body slides as well as a lazy river.
Then we headed for the rides! Melissa was particularly brave and rode most of the rides. Darci and Joe met us for a picnic and some rides as well. Darci was glad we were there to ride with Joe so she didn't have to go on Samarai or Wicked. I tried Wicked for the first time...and then went again! WOW, what a ride. Exhausted, we headed to the hotel to begin the journey home again.
Before leaving the Salt Lake Valley, we went to the Hill Air Force Air Museum. There are all kinds of planes and missiles on display there. We tried to find a B-52, like the Day's Pay, but there are very few left.
We headed to stay at my Mom and Dad's on Saturday night. We went to church with them on Sunday, and believe it or not it was a missionary homecoming. Oh how we look forward to that day for us. The missionary was great and talked about the importance of prayer in both missionary work and our daily lives. We found more tears. Tender Mercy #4-there is a light at the end of the tunnel and it is wonderful.
Every time we went a little further away from Provo, it made me think "this is as close as I will be to Braden for the next two years...." I think one of the hardest parts about him leaving is the influence he has on our family. He is such a peacemaker. He can tease and get away with it because we know he loves us. He can sooth over little misunderstandings between others. I think we all tried to be a little better around him. He wasn't always like that, something during his senior year in high school and during his freshman year in college taught him that. They are definitely Christlike qualities that will suit him well on his mission. We will watch and grow with him over these next two years.

School's Out for the Summer!

School is out and the lazy days of summer are upon us. Whoever said summer days were lazy was nuts! Melissa does swim team Monday through Thursday at 8 am, Kolby is doing B.E.A.S.T. (Bomber Endurance And Strength Training)Monday, Wednesday and Fridays at 8 am, and Cameron is doing yard work for a friend every morning before it gets hot. Then there are trips to the library, friends houses, and soccer continues on in the evenings. At least there is not the pressure of homework due and lunches to make ahead every day. So, yeah, summer is a bit lazier than the school year. We are also spicing it up with Cameron and Kolby going on the Scout Encampment at Camp Fife for a week in June and EFY in July. Melissa is going to a Steel Drum Camp as well.

The biggest excitement of the summer comes smack in the middle: Braden enters the MTC on July 21st. We are planning a week trip in Utah to take him down so he can see Darci and Joe and Grandma and Grandpa Andy.

All these milestones: Melissa graduates elementary school, Kolby leaves Middle School, school's out for the summer, Encampment Week, one month til MTC.


The other day as I was taking Melissa to swim team, there was a lone jogger along the path on Keene Road. He didn't look like Braden, but I still got a lump in my throat. It kind of hit me all at once that he was leaving. I guess as long as school was in, his departure was a long way away. Then school let out. I had a "moment". My friends with missionaries out say I will have more. Just carry kleenex, they say. I will. I don't think it was even the thought of him being gone that made me sad. How can I be sad for him when he is doing the Lord's work, something he had looked forward to and prepared for all his life? No, it wasn't that he would be gone and far, far away. It was that this chapter in his life, running easily along paths he has run so often, for so long, is coming to a close. I know it will never be the same for him. It wasn't for me when I left home, it wasn't for Darci when she left. I just have to remember that it won't be the same...it will be better. And we will both have the memory of a young man with so much ahead of him running down the path.

Spring in the Tri-Cities

Like most weekends lately, we have been spending Saturday in Spokane attending either Melissa or Kolby's soccer games. This particular weekend, we had three games: Kolby had two, and Melissa had one. Since it was a half day on Friday, we decided to go up to Triple Play in Hayden and play on Friday night. The bowling was sweet and the the water slides left us deaf (from Melissa's screams) and hoarse (from our own screams)! It was fun to relax, get away from the school/work grind and play together.

The weather has really been unbelievable this spring. Rain like we rarely see in the Tri-Cities. Torrents of rain and then beautiful rainbows. We usually have lots of wind in the spring, but this year instead we have had down pours of inches at a time. Maybe we are just preparing Braden for monsoon season in Mexico! It has caused cancellations of softball and wet soccer practices, but I will still take it over the wind. Our grass has looked so green.

The weather took a break and let Cameron do his Eagle Scout project this morning. He placed bollards along Howard Amon park, replacing the old wooden ones to keep the cars off the grass. The city augered holes 5 feet apart and 2 feet deep. We placed 6 inch pvc pipe in the holes, lined them up and made sure they were straight. We then placed quick set cement at their bases and then filled them with gravel. After they were placed, we painted them. Cameron had about 15 people come and help. It took us about 5 hours and 2 dozen donuts. Now everytime we go to the "fingernail" at Howard Amon, we will see the fruits of our labors! Good job, Cameron!

















Melissa decided to try playing softball this spring. Her team is Rollerena and their colors are hot pink and black. She has enjoyed learning a new sport and has even pitched a few games. She is staying really busy between soccer and softball.

Seasons of Change

The seasons are changing and that means changes here, too. Braden said good-bye to the Stover's Gentlemen's Club and his freshman year. He boxed up, packed up and then unloaded at home. He had a great first year at BYU and made some great friends.









While I was in Provo to bring him home, Joe graduated from BYU with his BS in Exercise Science. It was really neat to watch him walk and earn Magna Cum Laude distinction.





That started a whirlwind weekend for our family. After graduation, Darci, Joe, Braden and I headed home to Washington. They watched Kolby play soccer and Melissa play softball.
















Then on Saturday night, we joined Brett in the temple when Braden recieved his endowments. It was beyond wonderful to have Braden, Darci and Joe in the temple with Brett and I. Talk about "joy in your posterity!" Darci was able to renew her driver's licence and her car license tabs so they could return legally to begin her spring term at BYU. I only get to enjoy Braden being home for a short while, and I will relish every day of it~

Viva La Mexico!

We have been anxiously waiting for Braden's mission call to arrive. He has had friends receive theirs, but his availability date to go was later. Finally, on Sunday February 28, the papers were sent to Salt Lake City. He began counting the approximately 10 days for them to arrive back in Provo with a mission assigment. During those 10 days, we signed up for Skype, a video conferencing channel on the internet so we could watch him open the papers. There will be many events take place in his life, especially over the next two years. I just couldn't watch this awesome moment happen on my laptop! So Brett and I secretly went down to Utah to watch him open it on Wednesday night. Tuesday night as we were traveling through Salt Lake, Braden called and said he was probably going to take a test Wednesday afternoon. I told him that might mess up his dinner plans with us...he was a little confused and then I said we were in Sandy and would be in Provo that night. "That's so cool!" He was surprised and happy to share it with us in person. Unfortunately, the mail from SLC didn't come all day Wednesday. Braden kept checking, but no calls came, and about 30 were expected. We had planned on going back home on Thursday, but since we had come 10 hours, we decided to stay for another day, hoping the envelope would come. Thursday morning it came and the Cannon center called Braden. He picked it up and kept it with him all day, not opening it until 9 p.m. He set up the computer so everyone at home could watch. "Elder Nelson, You are herby called to serve as a missionary of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. You are assigned to labor in the Mexico Mexico City East Mission. It is anticipated that you will serve for a period of 24 months. You should report to the Provo Missionary Training Center on Wednesday, July 21, 2010. You will prepare to preach the gospel in the Spanish language."

Braden's hand was shaking a little as he read the letter. A huge cheer went up from the 45-50 kids gathered around, and Darci and Joe started cheering in Spanish. So exciting and so happy for him! There were 3 other calls opened in Stover hall that night, and many others throughout BYU.
As soon as we were in WiFi range, we started researching and reading about Mexico City and the eastern part of the city and beyond. The more I read, the more I worry, but the more excited for Braden we get also. He wanted to learn a language, and Spanish is a very good one to know. He will make a wonderful missionary and we will enjoy learning and growing with him. The hardest part for me is that I won't get texts from him or hear his voice while he walks home from school. I have to remind myself that it is the Lord's turn to teach and watch over him. And he couldn't be in better hands!

Finally Found the Beach

When we were married, we said we wanted to go to Hawaii on our tenth anniversary. We thought by then we might have saved enough to go. Our tenth anniversary came and went, but life was busy and kids were young. Well, almost 23 years later, we finally found the beaches of Hawaii! Brett was excited to go back to where he went to school for a semester: BYU-Hawaii, and I wanted to go do the one thing I didn't do when I went briefly to Hawaii as a teenager: see Pearl Harbor. It was everything we hoped it would be: warm, relaxing, inspiring and fun! We found beaches to relax on, Luaus to marvel at, whales entertaining us off the shore, and time together.

We stayed in Waikiki for 5 days. We didn't really spend much time in the busy area, but enjoyed walking around at night when everyone seems to be doing the same thing. We learned quickly the highways and roads around the Island. Even after accidentally getting stuck in China Town, we found neat things to see. The statue of King Hamehameha and the ground of the state capitol were fun to walk around. There was a "Year of the Tiger" Cub day camp going on and we saw a pack from an LDS stake there as well as a Chinese Dragon leading a parade. Then we headed for the famous Waikiki beach to people watch. There were guys riding a thin body board along the surf and catamarans coming and going as the sun went down.
On our first full day, we went to Pearl Harbor in the morning. There are so many stories told there! It has a quiet peace about it. What an amazing history Pearl Harbor has. After looking at displays, se watched a short film about the history of Pearl Harbor and the December 7, 1941 attack. We rode a boat out to the USS Arizona Memorial where the ship and it 1100+ soldiers lie at the bottom of the harbor. As we got to the Memorial, my camera unfortunately decided to quit working. I had to stop taking photos and just enjoy the peace and spirit of the surroundings. It was very peaceful, and sad at the same time. There is a place over the sunken ship that oil still (60+ years later) surfaces. They call it "tears". People threw flowers in the water and left leis at the names of those lost there.
We left Pearl Harbor and drove up above Honolulu to look over the city and ocean, all the way to Diamond Head. It was a stunning view. From there we could see the Punchbowl. It is a war memorial to all those who have fought in wars but whose remains are known only to God. It is surrounded by a cemetary for veterans. There were panels and diagrams of each of the major conflicts: WW1, WW2, Korean Conflict, Vietnam War. It was amazing to learn the details of the great battles and events that swung the tide of each war.







Brett wanted to go up to the North Shore of Oahu and watch the surfers. The tide was high and they were out in force. We sat on Sunset beach and watched as they waited and then rode as long as they could the huge waves. Whiloe we were watching, I noticed further out two spouts of water occasionally going into the air: whales! It was really addicting to watch for them, not knowing when they might surface again. Brett saw a fin go up and over and I saw a tail and a complete breach out of the water! We found throughout our trip, if we looked over at the ocean for very long, we could find whales passing through!
We walked around the temple in Laiae, and the school. It hasn't changed too much from when Brett was there as far as he could tell. Of course we had to eat some shrimp from a shrimp truck (all we have at home are taco trucks, but same kind of thing) and the best they say is Giovannis Shrimp truck. It was slathered in garlic and butter. Probably not great for the heart, but really good!

Then it was on to Halaewa and some Matsomoto's shave ice. That hadn't changed much either! Just a little store with a line up of people to get shave ice served on top of beans (yuck) of ice cream. Raspberry, Strawberry, Sour lemonade!
We spent a day at the Polynesian Cultural Center and thoroughly enjoyed the culture, beauty and humor of it all. We ate at the Luau, including trying poi, and really enjoyed the evening show: Ha the Breath of Life. The dancers were so professional and the story was compelling. It included all the different dances of the islands and unique costumes for each.
We also walked around the temple which is under renovation and closed. But the visitors center was open and had recently been remodeled and updated. I really liked Laie and there was a lookout that we walked out to where the waves just pounded in. The sound of the waves hurling themselves against the rocks was awesome.











On Oahu, we found a new development at Ko Olina that was really beautiful. The developers had made 4 lagoons and surrounded them with sand and a grassy area. Right next to the cars, there was grass and palm tree, overlooking a calm swimming area with water sooo clear. We actually went there twice while on Oahu because it was the ideal beach to sit and relax. We saw several wedding parties taking pictures on this area of beach.
The wildlife was abundant on both islands, where we watched not only whales, but huge turtles and seals play.






Kauai is a much slower and relaxed island than Oahu. It is known as the Garden Island and it really is lush. Steep cliffs on one side and beaches on the other, there was a lot to explore on Kauai. Waimea Canyon is the Grand Canyon of the Pacific, complete with red dirt and waterfalls. Our condo overlooked the beach and the garden area swimming pool water fall. We walked down the street about a mile to see Sprouting Horn blow hole, where the water from the ocean comes up from under the rocks and shoots about 25-30 feet consistently. We drove up the island to the North shore and the little area of Waimea. Along the way we saw the gorgeous coastline that included Princeville resort. It was begun by Russians and sits atop a cliff overlooking the ocean. We also saw this amazing lighthouse, Kauelea. From atop of it we watched more whales, turtles and a Hawaiian monk seal on the beach below. We traveled inland and found many one lane bridges where you waited until it was clear to go across! The valleys on Kauai are so green, there seems to be a mist hanging over them all the time. There are valleys we overlooked that were a patchwork of Taro fields.
We found the beach from the TV show Lost on Oahu, and on Kauai we found the beach from the pilot episode from Gilligans Island! Brett recognized it right away! They told us that it was just announced that Pirates of the Caribbean would be filming in Kauai this summer. I can see why movies like that and Jurassic Park are filmed there: it is so green and seems pre-historic. I couldn't stop taking pictures of all the flowers, sunsets and waves!
Our last night on the islands, we ate at a really beautiful restaurant, outside next to a pool of water with torches for light. What a perfect way to end a perfect vacation!