Tiger Pride!!!!

Our Hurricane Tigers trounced the Desert Hills team to take the Utah State Basketball championship!!!! This has not been done by Hurricane since 1957. Not only were they amazing at basketball, but they also took State in Football this year!!! This double state championship has not been done since the 1930's, way to go Hurricane Tigers!!!!

Happy Birthday Dan

Today my little brother Dan turns 55. What a great life he has had. He has done more than anyone I know. He is such a great brother. He has a heart of gold, would do anything for anyone, and is johnny on the spot when you need him. I have grown to love this gentle giant over the years. When things got hard in his life, when it seemed almost impossible to go on, he pushed forward - never doubting. He is such a great man and I am proud to call him my brother, my friend, my mentor, my happiness. Happy Birthday Dan, I love you!

Daniel John Beardall



Karter Beardall gets his Eagle Scout

Proud dad Barry and his son Karter

On February 19, 2012 my nephew Karter was awarded his Boy Scouts of American Eagle Scout Rank. They had a really nice ceremony for Karter. Here Karter is pinning on the Mentor pin for his dad. The scout gets to pick one person who has mentored him more than anyone else on his path to Eagle. What a great tribute to Barry that Karter picked him as the most influential in getting him to Eagle.

Mom and dad have several Eagle scout grandsons. I am not sure who they all are but I suspect it is Ross, Andrew, Austin, and I know for sure it is Dustin & Cory...Pete almost made it just lacked his project. This is a great honor for Karter. Way to go big guy!

Proud Grandma and Grandpa Beardall

It takes a village to prepare a boy. Barry has been a scout leader for both his boys for many years. It also takes a great mom to prod the boy along, remind him of the things he needs to get done, to get him to meetings, camps, and projects. It isn't all done by one person, but by a village. Congrats to the whole family for all you do for your kids. We love you all, thanks for letting us be part of your celebration.

Barry, Teresa, Kenzie, Kalin, and Karter Beardall

Boulder City Nevada 2012

We have decided to make Boulder City one of our quick get-a-ways each year. We have come to love this little 'dam' town. It was founded when they were building Boulder Dam on Lake Mead in Nevada. In the beginning it was really not much at all. The men building the dam brought their wives and children with them. The women were not content to just let it be a mining.builders town so the set about making it a 'home' for all. They planted trees, bushes, and flowers in this desert. They made their home beautiful and the town thrived because of their efforts in the blazing desert sun. Today it is a picturesque little town with old and new. We always start our visit in the old town square at a wonderful antique shop called "Goat Feathers". It is the funnest shop to spend a few hours looking at the treasure trove of goodies. There are so many things to see that I always leave with a headache from searching, but it is a good thing. There used to be an older gentleman there known in these parts as The Chrystal Wizard. He has history on everything you can imagine, but this time we didn't see him in the shop. Upon checking out we asked the clerk and she happily told us they had expanded to a second store and the man was there., Are you kidding, a second store, whew hew more goodies to explore. We found the man and spent a delightful hour listening to more history and some about his crystal workings. He is actually a glass blower he makes cyrstal figureines and has expanded to doing birthdays, weddings and other events, really interesting, he gave Len a cyrstal eagle on the earth for being a vet. We bought a lighthouse with a dolphin and seagul, really neat. We spent most of the morning exploring a couple shops then decided we needed to get moving on since we only had this one day to do things.

Old Town Square

Town Park

The next adventure we love doing here is GeoCaching. We only got a few this time as our time was limited, we found a couple in the Town Park.

We love coming to see Lake Mead. We didn't get to go over to the dam this time or go over Tillman Bridge but next visit we will factor in enough time to make that happen. We understand you can even go kayaking on the lake, so we will definately check that out. Thinking it might be a great place to bring the family when they come to visit sometime.

Look in the background for Lake Mead

Sam's Town Atrium

The best treasure this trip was finding this great place to hang our hat at the end of a long day. We stayed at Sam's Town in Henderson. What a great place to stay. The hotel is built around an Atrium. There are birds, trees, plants, a stream and a wonderful waterfall. We asked for a room facing the Atrium and go on the 8th floor. This is the view from our room. What a great view, we even forgot we were in Nevada. It felt like we were in Europe again. The evenings were so wonderful to stroll around the Atrium and hear the waterfall, and feel the cool mist. You could hear birds chirping an people were milling about and having a wonderful time. The cool thing is that the restaurants are built so you can eat outdoors if you want and that makes for a great meal. I don't recommend their buffet though, that was a real diappointment. The mexican restaurant was great though.

Every afternoon starting at 2pm, 4pm, 6pm, 8pm, and 10pm they have a lazer light show with the waterfall and fountain. It is really neat to see we tried it from above in our room and one night from the restaurant below, both views were execellent. The best part, it's free!!! We had a great get-a-way and plan to do it again & again.

Another view from our room.

Happy Birthday Casey!!!

My how they grow up...it seems like yesterday that Casey was toddling around bringing sunshine everywhere he went. We missed a lot of his younger days as we were in Texas and they were in Germany. What a happy little man he was.

Casey Lee Owens

 Now he is all grown up with a bright future ahead of him. He will turn 13 this February 27th. Happy Birthday young man. Casey is such a great example to his friends. He is so funny and loves to have a great time. He is so good to his mom, with loves & hugs all the time. He has always been a champion big brother when it comes to Kyla, he has been patient, loving, and considerate of her. I have always been amazed at how much he cares for her and loves her as a big sister. They are very close - but he also knows when it is time to back off and give her some space. In my book he is a wonderful young man and we love him. Happy Birthday Casey, you are the best!

Blast from the Past

Well I just learned to use the scanner so we get to see some blasts from the past. This photo was taken when we lived in Texas on Karakawa Circle. It was our last time to live at Ft. Hood. The kids were getting older now and we were leaving to go to Germany. It sure is fun to look back at old photos and think to myself...why did I let myself look like that? The hair was big, the hips were big, and well I guess I am just glad that I had hair to be big back then. We lived 3 times in Texas so it probably is more home to my kids than anyother place we lived. I remember a funny memory...because of his age Dustin became the 'babysitter' for the two little boys. (Misty was old enough to work and had a job at KayBee Toys in the mall. Dusty has always been an organizer and wanted things neat and clean. Cory was just to opposite, the messier the happier he was. Pete was little and just went with the flow. When Dusty was left to 'babysit' he always made the boys organize their rooms and especially their toys. Matchbox cars had to be all together in one bin, legos in another etc. The boys hated being left with him because he made them work. Comes in handy now they are adults. We never knew what we would come home to, he also loved to organize us!!! He would enlist the help of the little boys and they would rearrange the furniture. The living room would be in the dining room and everything mixed around...was always a breath of fresh air LOL.

Dustin, Len, Karen, Misty (front) Peter & Cory

I couldn't not post pictures of myself in this blast from the past! Here I am at the ripe old age of 19. I was already married in this photo as we had gotten married in the Provo temple the day before the reception. Our reception was held in the yard of Ardella Duncan (my first grade school teacher). She had a very nice yard for those days. We were a little worried as we drove to Southern Utah that morning from Provo as we knew the reception was outdoors. There was rain most of the way down and then in the distance about right over Hurricane and LaVerkin the sky was clearing and there were rays coming through. I just knew it would be ok. It was a very nice reception and it was fun to have my family there. I was the first child of mom and dad's to get married. Look how skinny we all are.  Mom and dad you rock!

Dad, Me, & Mom

Happy Birthday Mom!!!

My mom celebrated her 76th birthday yesterday! What a life she has led. Mom is the epidemy of a successful, talented, loving woman. Though her growing up years were very hard, she was a fighter. She experienced things that would defeat most of us. Mom's parents worked her whole life so she pretty much grew up on her own (with some help from neighbors, friends and her brothers). She never had her own bedroom, she had very few clothes or material possesions, yet she recalls never feeling poor or unloved. She was survivor, a great woman of faith and love. Mom has always been there for each of her 7 children. She has a nurturing side of her that is endless and unconditional. If there is a need (and even if there isn't) mom stands ready to help, love, and nuture each of us kids. Mom is the most diverse and talented woman I know. There isn't anything she doesn't know something aboutt (including computers). There isn't a road, path, trail, or picnic place that mom hasn't been or knows about. Everytime I see a dirt road going somewhere and wonder where it might be going, I laughingly say, "I'll bet mom knows!". What an adventure life has been for her. She has such a thrist for knowledge in many venues. She is a reader. She loves to read and is very fast at it. She loves to travel anywhere, anytime. Mom is always up for a ride or a trip.

Carole Deanne Devenish Beardall

I work so much that it is hard to find the time to spend with mom like I would like to. We seem to squeak in a few Fridays of shopping, yard saleing, DI snooping, and just being together. Whether it is working on a project together, talking, walking, or working it is fun to be with mom. She is the most beautiful 76 year old I know. She doesn't look a day over 50 to me. I am thankful for good genes, for the inheritance she is leaving us kids. Did I mention a few years ago she recieved 4 Gold Medals in the Southern Utah Senior Olympic games for bicycling?! Well she did! She trained, sweated, and rode hunderds of miles on her bike to get ready for this goal she set for herself and I am so proud of her for that. Mom you are the best mom, friend, and gal pal a girl could have. Keep on living life to the fullest, you are my American Idol. Love you mom and Happy Birthday, February 2, 2012!!!