TARGET!

ok so its OFFICAL!! ha i will be getting a HUGE paycheck!! i worked almost 40hrs this week!! i am stoked!

Thanksgiving... Osterreich Style

So this is a picture of our Thanksgiving Day football game. Hey, we had to do something American- after all, we are! It was about 3 degrees and raining the entire time. Of course it was tackle, BYU girls would want nothing less! For some reason some of the girls were surprised at my ability to tackle. I always thought that part of my personality was quite obvious. It was a rough game. I clobbered people though. There was no mercy. I can't even tell you how many times my head slammed on the ground and Daniel crushed me at one point in time. But the furry was reciprocated as well. I grabbed coats, would run and jump on people then just sit down. I even scored! Something that I am not too shabby at is catching (thanks to Brett) and so I was one of about 3 designated catchers:-) Thank you- thank you. Anyway- I am coming home soon, so I'll get to show these pictures in person. Peace out ya'll

Christmas gifts

Annalise and I just drew names for Christmas, here's how it broke down:
Mel & Joseph give to Brett
Steph gives to Mark
Afton gives to Steph
Brett gives to Annalise
Mark gives to John
John gives to Afton
Matt gives to Mel & Joseph
Annalise gives to Matt
Any questions take it up with the real boss. Can't wait to see you'll at Christmas. Any requests please let us know.

X-Mas

Um.... can we decide who is buying for who for Christmas. The shopping is getting a little out of control here and I just need to know what to get who. Thanks-
Melinda- what is your e-mail address? I need you to hook me up with a culinary arts school in Provo. Do you gots connections?
Happy Thanksgiving!

Failing Tests Stops Here!

On Saturday I was priveledged to have a roaring fan club present at my Junior Field Moves test in Magna. I arrived with plenty of time to warm-up and I was pretty calm. The day before I had a VERY bad fall and was blessed with a scratched, bruised hip along with a black, baseball size bruise on my knee; but after a few IB Profen and a couple deep breaths I was ready for action. Before the test I was calm, cool and collected, thats right - there was NO freaking out here! Not from the mature, soon to be married, sophisticated skater. It was the first test in my life where I had only good nerves. I was shocked! Did you know that it's actually EASIER to perform when you let little mistakes go, keep things into perspective and chill out!?! Who knew!?!? :) So, I had a very successful warm-up and there was one girl before me; I'm not sure if she past, but she did have to re-skate her powerpulls (my worst move). So... a runthrough of the test went something like this...
1. Forward Progressive Powerpulls - one of my strongest moves.
2. Backward Progressive Powerpulls - again one of my strongest moves.
3. Outside Counters - ok. a little shaky but no major mistakes.
4. Inside Counters- pretty good. not stellar but not bad either
5. Backward Powerpulls w/ rockers - my weakest move but no major mistakes.
6. Chawktaws - CAN be awesome, but weren't. ok. no major mistakes.
So, I waited to see if I had to re-do any moves that were weak. (If you ask me I would have had me re-do 5 and 6) But I waited and I didn't have to re-do anything. I knew then that I had failed. I thought for sure that there was no way I had passed. But, I thought, at least I held it together mentally. I really was quite proud of myself for the way I had kept everything under control. I sadly told my devoted fan club that I had failed. I changed and called mom and dad to tell them the news. As I did, my coach came up to me and said that I had passed! I was SHOCKED! After looking at the papers, I was super happy. All 3 judges had passed me (i only needed 2) and one of them was .3 over passing! I passed with flying colors and room to spare. So it begins folks - the passing trend! Next stop - Olympics!

Paris...:-)

I AM BACK. Sorry Mel and Joseph, I am going to have to steal your thunder... even though spending your days with middle school , hormone-raged adolecents ranks up there with the big dogs, I think Paris in the fall beats ya'll. My camera ran out of batteries so I don't have a ton of pictures, but I will put what I do have on asap. This was the funnest trip I have been on:0) I loved it more than anything. I will up date soon... hehe

Christmas is a comin'!

We are so excited (Mom's about to pee her pants! I would too, but I'm still dehydrated.) for Christmas this year! Everyone's home! Even Madison (dang! Now that he's made a significant financial investment in one of the Brady family children, I guess I'll have to spell his name right--MATSON-however, just a reminder that in order to be married to a Brady (Joseph agreed to this also) I need to clarify the generous "sharing time" of the two of you after you're married.

The Toleman family gets to have the two of you for the following holidays. New Year's Day (not Eve), Birthday of Martin Luther King, National Freedom Day (signing of 13th Am.; pres. procl), Groundhog Day, Lincoln's Birthday, Valentine's Day, Washington's Birthday (Observed), St. Patrick's Day, April Fool's Day, Daylight Saving Time Day, Federal Income Taxes Day, Earth Day, Administrative Professionals' Day, Arbor Day, Mothers' Day (every other year), Armed Force Day, Memorial Day (unless celebrated in conjuction with Charlotte's Birthday), Flag Day, Fathers' Day (Although expensive gift and phone call is mandatory), Parents' Day, Labor Day, Grandparents Day, Citizenship Day, Columbus Day, United Nations Day, Halloween (of course!), Election Day, Veterans' Day, Pearl Harbor Day, Bill of Rights Day,

Before you thank me, I know I'm being overly generous, but I just want to try to make you feel welcome in the family.

The only days we require you to be at our home are Spring Break, July 1 (Canada Independence day), July 4th, July 11th, July 24th. Ah, heck. Might as well come the whole month of July. Thanksgiving and Christmas.

Now, back to Christmas this year. Let us know what you would like to do. We will be asking for a mid-term accounting of your "talents".

Love,
Dad

PS The Toleman's also get you for the following religious holidays for the year 2007. See below. Plus, you get all hunting holidays off.

JANUARY 2007

1
Mary, Mother of God - Catholic Christian, Feast of St Basil - Orthodox Christian, Gantan-sai (New Years) - Shinto
3
Mahayana Buddhist New Year ** - Buddhist
5
Twelfth Night - Christian, Guru Gobindh Singh birthday - Sikh
6
Epiphany - Christian, Feast of the Theophany - Orthodox Christian, Dia de los Reyes (Three Kings) - Christian
7
Feast of the Nativity - Orthodox Christian, Baptism of the Lord Jesus - Christian
13
Maghi - Sikh
18-25
Week of Prayer for Christian Unity - Christian
20
Hijra - New Year * - Islam
21
World Religion Day - Baha'i
23
Vasant Panchami ** - Hindu
25
Conversion of St. Paul - Christian
28
Triodion begins - Orthodox Christian
29
Ashura * - Islam

FEBRUARY 2007

2
Candlemas - Christian, Presentation of Christ in the Temple - Anglican Christian, Imbolc * - Wicca/Neo Pagan northern hemisphere, Lughnassad * - Wicca/Neo Pagan southern hemisphere
3
Tu B'shvat * - Jewish
4
Four Chaplains Sunday - Interfaith
8
Nirvana Day ** - Buddhism
11
Meatfare - Orthodox Christian
14
St. Valentines Day - Christian
15
Nirvana Day ** - Buddhist
16
Maha Shivaratri ** - Hindu
18
Transfiguration Sunday - Christian, Chinese New Year - Confucian/Daoist/Buddhist, Cheesefare Sunday - Orthodox Christian
19
Clean Monday (Lent begins) - Orthodox Christian
20
Shrove Tuesday - Christian
21
Ash Wednesday (Lent begins) - Christian
25
Sunday of Orthodoxy - Orthodox Christian
26-March 1
Intercalary Days * - Baha'i

MARCH 2007

1
St. David of Wales - Christian
3
Magha Puja Day ** - Buddhist
4-5
Purim * - Jewish
4
Holi ** - Hindu, Hola Maholla - Sikh
13
Birthday of L. Ron Hubbard - Scientology
17
St Patrick's Day - Christian
19
New Year ** - Hindu
19-27
Ramayana ** - Hindu
20
Mawlid an Nabi * - Islam
21
Norouz (New Year) - Persian/Zoroastrian, Naw Ruz (New Year) * - Baha'i, Ostara * - Wicca/Neo Pagan northern hemisphere
Mabon * - Wicca/Neo Pagan southern hemisphere
25
Annunciation of the Blessed Virgin Mary - Christian
26
Khordad Sal (Birth of Prophet Zaranhushtra) Zoroastrian
27
Ramanavami ** - Hindu
31
Mawlid an Nabi * - Islam, Lazarus Saturday - Orthodox Christian

APRIL 2007

1
Palm Sunday - Christian
2
Lord's Evening Meal ** - Jehovahs Witness Christian, Theravadin Buddhist New Year ** - Buddhist,
Hanuman Jayanti ** - Hindu
3-10 *
Pesach (Passover)* - Jewish
5
Maundy Thursday - Christian
6
Good Friday - Christian, Holy Friday - Orthodox Christian
8
Easter - Christian, Easter/Pascha - Orthodox Christian

Baisakhi (Vaisakhi) - Sikh
15
Yom HaShoah * - Jewish
21
Ridvan begins * - Baha'i
23
St George's Day - Christian
30
St. James the Great Day - Orthodox Christian

MAY 2007

1
Beltane * - Wicca/Neo Pagan northern hemisphere, Samhain * - Wicca/Neo Pagan southern hemisphere
2
Buddha Day - Visakha Puja - Wesak ** - Buddhist
3
St. Phillip and St. James the Lesser - Christian
6
Lag B'Omer * - Jewish
17
Ascension of Christ - Christian
23-24
Shavuot * - Jewish
23
Declaration of the Bab * - Baha'i
27
Pentecost - Christian, Trinity - Orthodox Christian
29
Ascension of Baha'u'llah * - Baha'i

JUNE 2007

3
All Saints Day - Orthodox Christian, Trinity Sunday - Christian
7
Corpus Christi- Catholic Christian
9
St. Columba of Iona - Celtic Christian
11
Trinity - Christian
15
Sacred Heart of Jesus - Catholic Christian
16
Guru Arjan Dev martyrdom - Sikh
21
First Nations Day - Canadian Native People, Litha * - Wicca/Neo Pagan northern hemisphere,
Yule * - Wicca/Neo Pagan southern hemisphere
19
New Church Day - Swedenborgian Christian
24
Saint John the Baptist - Christian
29
Feast Day of Saints Peter and Paul - Christian
30
Guru Purnima ** - Hindu, Asala Puja Day ** - Buddhist, Definitions

JULY 2007

9
Martyrdom of the Bab * - Baha'i
11
St Benedict Day - Catholic Christian
13
Obon (Ulambana) ** - Buddhist
15
St. Vladimir Day - Orthodox Christian
24
Tisha B'Av * - Jewish
25
St. James the Great Day - Christian

AUGUST 2007

1
Lammas - Christian
2
Lughnassad * - Wicca/Neo Pagan northern hemisphere, Imbolc * - Wicca/Neo Pagan southern hemisphere
6
Transfiguration of The Lord - Orthodox Christian
11
Lailat al Miraj * - Islam
15
Assumption of Blessed Virgin Mary - Catholic Christian, Dormition of the Theotokos - Orthodox Christian
28
Lailat al Bara'ah * Islam, Raksha Bandhan **- Hindu, Paryushana begins ** - Jain
29
Beheading of John the Baptist - Christian

SEPTEMBER 2007

1
Church year begins - Orthodox Christian
4
Krishna Janmashtami ** - Hindu
8
Nativity of Mary - Christian
13-14
Rosh Hashanah * - Jewish
13
Ramadan begins * - Islam
14
Elevation of the Life Giving Cross/Holy Cross Day - Christian
15
Ganesa Chaturthi ** - Hindu
21
Fall Equinox * - Wicca/Neo Pagan northern hemisphere, Ostara * - Wicca/Neo Pagan southern hemisphere
22
Yom Kippur * - Jewish
27-Oct. 3 (26-27 Primary Obligation days), Sukkot * - Jewish
29
Michael and All Angels - Christian

OCTOBER 2007

4
St Francis Day - Catholic Chrisian, Shemini Atzeret * - Jewish
5
Simchat Torah * - Jewish
6
St. Thomas Day - Ortodox Christian
9
Laylat el Qadr * - Islam
12-20
Navaratri ** - Hindu
13
Eid al Fitr (Ramadan ends) ** - Islam
18
St. Luke's Day - Christian
20
Birth of the B'ab * - Baha'i, Installation of Scriptures as Guru Granth - Sikh
21
Dasera ** - Hindu
27
Reformation Day - Protestant Christian
28
Milvian Bridge Day - Christian
31
All Hallows Eve - Christian, Reformation Day - Protestant Christian

NOVEMBER 2007

1
All Saints' Day - Christian, Samhain * - Wicca/Neo Pagan northern hemisphere,
Beltane * - Wicca/Neo Pagan southern hemisphere
2
All Souls' Day - Christian
9
Diwali (Deepavali) ** - Hindu, Sikh, Jain
12
Birth of Baha'u'llah * - Baha'i
15
Nativity Fast begins - Orthodox Christian
22
Thanksgiving - Interfaith
24
Guru Tegh Bahadur martyrdom - Sikh, Birthday of Guru Nanak Dev Sahib - Sikh
25
Christ the King Christian
26
Day of Covenant * - Baha'i
30
St. Andrew's Day - Christian

DECEMBER 2007

2,9,16,23
Sundays of Advent - Christian
5-12
Hanukkah * - Jewish
8
Bodhi Day (Rohatsu) ** - Buddhist, Immaculate Conception - Catholic Christian
12
Feast day - Our Lady of Guadalupe - Catholic Christian
16
Posadas Navidenas begins - Christian
18
Hajj begins * - Islam
20
Eid al Adha * - Islam

FCCLA - Phoenix

We just got back Sunday from our latest of FCCLA trips. Last time we had to worry about the boys who were "playing the field" like they were all-American. This time we had angel boys and had to worry about a couple of the girls. It was fun, though and our marriage survived. Unlike Tennessee, we worked very well together because both of us had a better understanding of each other's expectations. (Incidentally, we've found that not understanding expectations is usually the culprit of marital disharmony).

Staying in the Hyatt in downtown Phoenix, we decided to live it up the first night and stopped for dinner at one of my favorite pizza chains: Pizzeria Uno! Ever since Anna and Tommy introduced me to the pizza with flaky-like-it's-from-a-pie crust, I've been in love. Melinda ordered a Spinach, Gorgonzola, and Walnut salad and I had a Primo Pepperoni deep dish pizza. Awesome. For dessert we picked up a deep dish brownie with ice cream. We got it to go because we thought we were to stuffed to eat it and wanted to share it with Melinda's students.
Nope. It was gone within minutes.
It was gooey and warm and chocolatey and chewy. Amazing. Seriously.

Later on the trip we visited the largest mall in the southwest and went into a Christmas store. The picture shows Joseph-heaven: Christmas everywhere, hugging Melinda, and I have a big Cold Stone ice cream cone!

No pictures of the Saturday night dance, but Melinda was cutting the rug with the best of them. She gets pretty crazy out there! All-in-all a fun weekend and a nice getaway.

Splash Mountain...More like Soak Mountain

So, we were in line at Splash Mountain for around 45 minutes a couple of weeks ago and I started to tell my brother Preston about an interesting TV show I've started to watch. Well, we got to the front of the line and I was still talking, so I had Melinda sit in the first spot so I could finish my conversation with Preston who was behind me. Melinda climbed into the first seat of the log we were riding in and I assured her she'd be okay. No one really gets that wet on Splash Mountain.

And we were off! It quickly became clear that something was different this time. On every bump and dip water splashed over the front and onto Melinda's legs. By half way through, she was already crying, "Joooooseph!" But, there was nothing we could do. We just had to wait. It was like nothing I'd ever seen. No one ever gets that wet. She was already somehow soaked even before we got to the famous drop at the end. The tidal wave at the big drop was completely absorbed by Melinda and she went from "soaked" to "drenched". I think I got a little wet but everyone behind me was bone-dry. Not Melinda. Here's what she looked like before we got her changed into a sweater. It looks like she's been standing under a shower or something:




She's still sick, and has been coughing like it's her job ever since! Sad.

Exercise Pillows?

Dad has found a new way to stay fit - removing the pillows from our bed!! He now can exercise twice a day - once when he takes the pillows off at night and again putting them back on in the morning. Right now he has to stop half way through to get a drink but as time goes on I'm sure he'll be in better shape and will be able to remove all 13 pillows without a break. Let's cheer him on!

Never a dull moment with the Brady"s

CONGRATULATIONS !!! Afton and Matson. Now you need to come and show me your ring.
You are a great couple and we will add another plate in Waterton in July. You will love it Matson. Could that be why you decided to marry Afton???

Melinda you looked stunning as an elderly grandma. I think I am that grandma, it reminded me of the little stick grandma you made for me when you were pretty small. You made those costumes look great. And the cake turned out great.

Stephanie, I am still jealous of your trip, maybe someday I can go again. We will get busy looking for you a job. The bank is still there and the manager is still my neighbor.

Mark, check out box size before entering!!

John, Matt, Analise, your costumes looked wonderful, wish you could have come to my house.

Brett, where are y ou, what did you do on Halloween. I hope you studied??

A (seriously) Happy Halloween

I'll leave the honors to Afton, but just to whet the appetite, here's a slideshow of pictures from last night (sorry, we were using my camera phone).

And, here's a preview of what I've got to look forward to in the Golden Years!!