...and so you see, we are a happy family!

I recently attended my family reunion in Payson, UT. It was soooo nice to see my parents and all my brothers and sisters and their kids all together. The only person who was missing was John, and I just heard that he was going around telling our friends that he was the only person in the family that wasn't invited! Goober.

We camped for a couple of nights up at the Payson Lakes, which was fun, then wrapped up with a picnic at a park in Payson. It was a great weekend. I wish I could have hung around for the Sunday feast.

Here are my photos from the reunion--enjoy!

With the number 1 pick in the 2008 NBA Draft, the Memphis Grizzlies select... SCO Student Intern JOHN KETCHER

I love optometry school. As third years we are required to participate in two vision health fairs throughout the year. When an email was send out asking for volunteers to help with the Grizzlies Academy basketball camp, I figured that was a no-brainer. Turns out, it was even better than I expected. We were supposed to see kids from 8:45-12:00, but there was a mix-up with some of the people running the camp and the kids that were supposed to come and we ended up only seeing kids from 9:00-10:00. For the next three hours I just hung out at the FedEx Forum (home stadium of the Memphis Grizzlies NBA team) playing basketball (I won a half-court shooting contest with the head coach from Illinois Central College against two of the kids playing in the camp) eating pizza, and hanging out with one of the Grizzlies VPs of Basketball Operations. He gave us a tour of the Forum, like where the refs hangout before and after the games. Then after we had eaten our pizza, he took us on a tour of all the Grizzlies facilities under the stands. We went through the weight room (he offered me a 10 day contract with the team if I could curl a 110# barbell 10 times, but alas, too much for me) the showers with 10 ft high shower heads, we went through the equipment room where they keep all the players jerseys and shoes, the players lounge where they hang out and watch tv, eat, play ping-ping or pool, we we went through the coaches offices, playing on the practice court, and my favorite, the Grizzlies locker room. It was pretty sweet. They had little fridges with Gatorade all over the place. What sweet Gatorade heaven... except that it wasn't Gatorade Tiger as I have become accustomed to drinking in my efforts to be a better golfer simply by drinking Tiger's brand of Gatorade. It was a pretty cool day. The first picture I posted is me in the Grizzlies locker room.The second picture is me in the media room where they do all the press conferences. It is me announcing that we just signed LeBron James to a 10 year $1,000,000,000 contract. Actually, the VP kept assuring me that there was no way LeBron James would ever come to Memphis no matter how much money we had.

Announcing a Contest!!!!!!!

Alright dudes, and dudettes! This is the opportunity of a lifetime! Due to the fact that Jen and I are having a hard time coming up with boy names, we would like to announce a fun little contest. The winner will receive A $10 gift card to the location of their choosing. Heres how you play: submit a comment to this entry giving two baby BOY names that you like. If it so happens that Jen and I decide to name our baby boy the name that you submitted, we will award you with the gift card. This is in an effort for us to come up with as many baby boy names as possible. Plus I thought it would be kind of fun. Now, there are no duplicates allowed. If someone has already suggested your name, TOO BAD. Also, you are only allowed to submit TWO names at a time per day. You can come back to our blog the next day and submit two more names if you would like, but only two a day. Jen has also informed me that she will be playing because she wants the gift card too. But don't worry, I won't let that bias me. Please do not go through a book and just start listing off names. We want names that you sincerely like. Thank you. And good luck.

Thank You

I would just like to take a minute this 4th of July weekend and express my gratitude to all of the men and women serving in our countries armed forces. I will never forget my first Sunday home from my mission. It was the Sunday before the 4th and consequently, all the hymns in sacrament meeting were patriotic. The closing hymn was The Star-Spangled Banner and Sister Marshall (our ward organist who is one of my favorite ladies in the whole world) really made it special. I made it through about 1/4 of the first verse before I started ballin' and it didn't stop until the song was over. Spending two years in Portugal made me appreciate all the freedoms that we enjoy here in this country and it was a very special experience for me to come home and on my first Sunday have a chance to reflect on my feelings. I am proud to say that that emotion and that experience are not forgotten and I still have to fight back tears any time I hear the national anthem. So, I again would like to thank all those serving to preserve those freedoms that we enjoy. I would also like to send a special shout-out to my best friend from high school, Jordan Darrington, who is on his second tour in Iraq right now, serving with the US Army. Thanks bud.

Chicken salad, fireworks, and (LOUD) christian rock

What a great Fourth of July! We are lucky to have such good friends here in Southaven, MS, to spend the holiday with. We went over to the Snowden Grove ampitheater with the Pratts, Collins', Allreds, Kents, Fishers, Brumleys and Pursers, then ran into the Bakers and the Ross' while there. John got his five seconds of fame when he was interviewed and actually made the news! (Unfortunately, we didn't get to see it.) The fireworks were impressive, and everyone had a fun time. Enjoy the photos!

Oh Baby!

I think there must be something about seeing a pregnant person that turns off the filter in people's brains--you know, the one that tells them what NOT to say out loud. I recently started showing to the general public, I guess you could say, and a woman I work with confronted me in the restroom and said that until recently she thought that the whole pregnancy was in my head. Nice, huh? How do you respond to that? 

But my favorite comment this month was from one of the vice presidents at work. Monday I was chatting with a friend and he walked by, then paused and turned. He said, "You know, over the last week or so you've actually started to look like you're carrying a baby in there--as opposed to just looking like you're letting yourself go, or that you overindulged at the Shoney's buffet." Again, response?

I know there are several other doozies out there--so I'd love it if you posted some of your personal favorites. I'm trying to keep track of the ones that I get. It does make me laugh! I'll try to attach a really good bit from Brian Regan on the subject soon.