Football mania!

We live right on top of the BYU campus. We are a few minutes walk to the football stadium, so we can hear the cheers when BYU scores a touchdown. The university football stadium seats 65,000 people and is pretty amazing! When there is a home game, roads around us are blocked off and we have to avoid all the crazy traffic. We get to enjoy the festivities that come with it and even get free pizza at the 'tail gate' party, just for students.

For the first home game of the season, BYU was ranked in the top 10 and were facing Florida State, a team who traditionally have a very strong football program. It brought a lot of attention to Provo for the weekend and there was a lot of exitement around the place leading into the game.

Savannah and David got the footballs in and won BYU prizes!

This area was designated for students. All this free entertainment was lots of fun. I must be an evil mum because I got a kick out of smashing Hyrum. In my mind I was thinking, 'this blow is for teasing your little sister', this one is for.....

Isaac enjoyed a piece of the action too!

Hyrum was incredible here. He did 12 chinups and the Marines were so impressed he won a football.

In this shot the guys asked Hyum if he wanted them to smile or look mean. This is Hyurm trying to look mean.

Uncle Chad, cousin Trent and Hyrum at the game.

Unfortunately the game was a big disappointment. The Cougars lost their first home game in about 18 starts and they lost ugly. Lets hope they can turn it around the rest of the season.

"LITTLE" BROTHER!!!!

A family joke that my little brother's like to taunt me about is what a "shortie" I am. Growing up, Eli and I were about the same height for a a number of years. It reminds me of Savannah and Hyrum who are the same height at the moment. (Remember Eli and Silas, I am still the superior second oldest sister!)

It was fantastic to see my brother, Kara and little William. William is a real cutie! Beth was rather smothering him with love and it was nice to hang out with them. Unfortunately Dave had the camera with him in New Orleans while he was away and I couldn't be as happy snappy as I would have liked to have been.

Aunty Kara and Savannah.

Handsome William.

We got to do a few things over the weekend with them. Cafe Rio was the first thing. (We got our priorities right!) A stroll on campus and a peek at the BYU Bookstore. A look at bridalveil falls (I would say hike but it lasted all of 15 minutes.) A BYU football game, Sunday together, stroll to Provo temple and a drive in the canyons past Sundance and around the Alpine Loop.

It was a perfect time of year to see all the beautfiul autumn colours on the mountains before all the leaves fall off.

On the Monday we drove up to Salt Lake to look at the LDS humanitairan centre with them as well as welfare square which was really interesting.

They showed us packs of powerded milk that are specifically designed for undernourished children. This is a before and after shot of a girl in Africa who used this milk for 6 months. It only costs $5 for 6 months! I was amazed!! I have a new appreciation for fast offerings and tithing that we give to the church!

The children got to see milk, cheese, bread, canned spaghetti etc being made or canned. These products are stored in the bishops store house and when there is a different crisis throughout the world, they can act within hours! Amazing!

The best thing the children liked was the "taste testing". Chocolate milk and fresh bread and butter. It was what we could smell the whole time we were on the tour.

In the car on the hour drive home the children mentioned they were "hungry". After just going to the humanitarian centre they must have regretted making such a comment. I went into a whole spill about the picture of the little girl, and the incredible film on starving people throughout the world and the different crisis countries were experiencing and they knew I had a good argument! I didn't hear any "I'm hungry" comments after that.

Thanks for visiting Pollards!

Bryce Canyon

This trip was organised WAY in advance and when we got home from California I was a little worried that we had too much to do, let alone go camping. However, it became a wonderful distraction after having a heavy week at doctors appointments that it was a great ESCAPE with fun and crazy friends and time to spend on all the children, not just Isaac.

Fortunately, about a month later, Isaac is on new meds and it seems to be doing really well, thus far! I am stoked at his progress.

We went camping with the Baers and the Woodruff family and had a blast. Savannah is starting to hang with the big girls and I am amazed now just how quickly she is growing up!

Our funky accommodation.

Across the road from our camp was shops and we had to have a little peek. I was disappointed once again with the lack of wild bears on the loose.

The whole gang.

Mike, Tyson, Dave and Isaac.

Some like the water COLD.

Each family had a trusty hiking chair for the the baby of the family. A very worthwhile investment.

She puts on the cutest smile, but moments before she was whining that she was 'tired'.

I would love to have known what this little 5 year old was thinking about! The whole world at her finger tips.

Best dad in the world.

I have 10 similar shots of Hyrum posing. We don't need any male models in this household thanks! (He is the next Derek Zoolander)

"Cheese."

Isaac looks adorable!

This hike was just so fun and incredible. We hiked just before dusk. We had eaten an early dinner and it was definitely the way to go.

These little monkeys had to be continually 'encouraged' to keep 'walking'.

Savannah just looooovvvvves Diana.

For cubs, Hyrum had to start his own fire. Wow was this a highlight of his little experience. It is always so much fun when you have a camp fire. As well as marshmallows to toast (or burn, in my case!)

Hyrum was always disappointed when the fire actually got going because it meant that his job was done.

Yes......we had to hold Isaac down, when it came to the fire.

Burnt one for mum please Savannah!

To distract the children on Sunday, we got them to create something for a table decoration.

I wish I could braid like my friends.......looks so cute. Bethany actually looks loved when her hair isn't messy!

Woodruff family.

My two personal trainers. Alex, in the middle kills me at the gym with the weights and Diana is my running freak of a friend who got me into the marathons in the first place and pushes me to another extreme. Love to hate it!

Looking for that wild bear!!! However, I find out later that bears don't like noise. When you are hiking with 8 rather noisy children I don't think it is going to happen for some reason.

Another hike. Diana has a cheeky grin becase she is teaching my children some rather interesting songs!!!

Where did Beth go???

Hyrum was up top here trying to dance like Michael Jackson in Thriller. A little scary to watch in every sense. I seem to recall him breaking his arm once when he was climbing up to show off.