March 14 -Bracket Time!

Today is the day we start filling out our NCAA Brackets.  This is a family tradition and we have big stakes on the line.  Whoever wins the family contest gets bragging rights for the entire year.  This is a big deal, as some of our family members like to brag.

Everyone picks, even Bogey.  Bogey takes the favorites in every game (so he picks "chalk" for those that speak NCAA bracket language).

The dog won last year, so I hope I don't lose to the dog again.  It is hard to live with a dog that brags all year.

I have a rule on my team: when we talk to one another, we look each other right in the eye, because I think it's tough to lie to somebody. You give respect to somebody.
Coach K - Duke University Basketball Coach

March 13 - Lost an Hour of Sleep!

I love the extra daylight we get when we go to daylight savings time, but I hate the transition to it.  I would rather just keep the clocks at this time all year round.  In the winter I go to work and come home in the dark anyway, so why not just keep the clocks like this all year?

Anyway, today I really missed my extra hour of sleep.

I also get a little stressed out today, because I am conducting Sacrament meeting, and I always worry that my speakers will miss the meeting.  I remind them a could of days in advance, but I am never comfortable until I see them at church.  Today, my speakers arrived during the opening song ....... I was a little nervous.


Don't forget it's daylight savings time. You spring forward, then you fall back. It's like Robert Downey Jr. getting out of bed.
David Letterman

March 12 - Walmart Anyone?

Today is Saturday, so that usually means a trip to the store.  We visits lots of stores, but the one that we visit most often is Walmart.  I think we do this because it usually saves us from hitting several stores, however this is not always the case.

We are not big Walmart fans, but that does not stop us from going about every week.  Not sure what that says about us?

I would guess that any criticism about Wal-Mart could have some element of truth with 1,500,000 people. 
Lee Scott - American Businessman 

March 11 - Another visit to the dentist

Another visit to the dentist.  I think I was just there about six months ago.  Man how time flies.  I don't mind going to our dentist as he is a very good man, and one that we have known since we moved to Idaho Falls (Dr. Hoover).  As you can tell, he does a great job!  See before and after pictures below.

Happiness is your dentist telling you it won't hurt and then having him catch his hand in the drill.  
~Johnny Carson



Before

After

March 10 - Tyler and his Saxophone

Tonight was Tyler's band concert.  He did AWESOME!  He plays the baritone saxophone and you can hear him play.  He played in Jazz band and in Concert band.  He is very talented and loves to play in band.

He rocked the house tonight.

"Chicks dig the Baritone saxophone"
~ Scott Welch

March 9 - Nothing Happened?

I think this is the first day in a long time that our family did nothing.  I don't think we had any church visits, any school activities, any work activities, or anything!  It was kind of nice to just ..... do nothing.  About the only thing that I did was make my visit to our local comic book store, but I think I have posted one or two pictures of this store.

So, with a day of nothing exciting, I think that I will not post a picture or put a quote down.

Hope your day was fun!

March 8 - Communication Merit Badge

Tonight I worked with the Boy Scouts.  We worked on our Communication Merit badge.  This is one thing that I can teach (at least I think my Communication Degree qualifies me for this).  This one is required for the Eagle rank and is one of the more easier required merit badges.  There are nine requirements, and most of them deal with things that happen in school or church.


Lord Robert Baden-Powell of Gilwell (1857-1941) was a decorated soldier, talented artist, actor and free-thinker. Best known during his military career for his spirited defense of the small South African township of Mafeking during the Boer War, he was soon to be propelled to extraordinary fame as the Founder of Scouting.

March 7 - Movie for FHE

Tonight we went to see "Rango".  This is a new movie that just came out.  We had some free movie passes that expired this week so we needed to use them.  It was this movie or some movie called "Gnomeo and Juliet".

Rango is about a lizard that gets lost in the desert and takes over as the town sheriff.  Sounds kind of strange, but I had a great time.  This was a very funny movie and I laughed for most of the movie.  Kind of a different movie, but I can't wait to see it again.

So you want something to believe in?[points at the "Sheriff" sign]
Believe in that there sign. For as long as it hangs there we’ve got hope.

Rango

March 6 - More Snow - Are you kidding me?

You have got to be kidding me!  As I was heading to church I noticed that we have snow on the ground.  When is it going to end.  Just a couple of days ago, I was playing golf (but not in Idaho).

Come on Spring!

"Conversations about the weather is the last refuge of the unimaginative"
Oscar Wilde

March 5 - Self Portrait

Here is a picture that is inspired from a picture that Kendra took several months ago.  Call it a self portrait. Sorry for coping your idea.

Why are you trying so hard to fit in when you were born to stand out? 

- From the movie "what a girl wants"

March 4 - Movie night with Tyler

Tonight Tyler and I went to see Tron Legacy tonight.

This is a movie that Tyler has wanted to see for some time.  Several months ago I rented the movie Tron and the kids watched it with me.  Tyler fell in love with the original movie and could not wait to see the new one.  I told him that I would take him (not sure why it took this long for me to take him - sorry Tyler).  We had a great time!


Alan Bradley: I promised you that if I ever got any information about your dad, I’d tell you first, right? I was paged last night; came from your dad’s office at the arcade.
Sam Flynn: So?
Alan Bradley: “So?” That number has been disconnected for twenty years! Two nights before he disappeared, he came to my house. He said he was about to change everything -- science, medicine, religion. He wouldn’t have left that, Sam. He wouldn’t have left you.
From Tron Legacy

March 3 - Sleep

I did not do much today, as I was dead tired from yesterday's trip.  I slept in and then took a nap, so not much happened today.  But I had a ball yesterday, so it was worth it.

"We all go a little mad sometimes."
- NORMAN BATES (Anthony Perkins) in Psycho

March 2 - Utah Trip

Today was the long awaited Golf and BYU Basketball trip.

We have 7 of us leave Idaho Falls early in the morning and headed down to Orem to golf 18 holes at Sleepy Ridge Golf.  I had one of the better rounds of golf in years.  I was able to get about 5 pars and did not get anything over a double bogey.  I basically played bogey golf, which is fairly good for me.

After the game we had dinner Tucanos Brazilian Grill and then headed to the BYU basketball game.  BYU got killed (it was a hard game to watch), as they have had to deal with the suspension of a key player.  It was one of the worst loses at BYU in a long time.

After the game we had some "brown cows", which is chocolate milk poured over some ice cream.  After the brown cows we headed home, so I got home about 3:00 AM.  It was a very long day, but one that I would do over tomorrow.  I had a great times with some great friends!

Below are pictures of the golf course (as you can see the grass is not green).  The link above shows pictures when the grass is green.  Very pretty course.

"Yesterday our troubles seemed so far away, I believe in yesterday"

The Beatles

March 1 - Flickr Account

I don't know if you have looked at my Flickr account, but I have been having issues with it.  So I had to create a new one.  I have posted some new pictures on this from our Alaska trip.  I plan on posting to Flickr, so you may want to check on it every couple of weeks (I won't be updating it more then twice a month).

Here is the new link:

Scott's Flickr Account

The good ole days weren't always good, and tomorrow ain't as bad as it seems
Billy Joel

Feb 28 - Haircut

Due to popular demand (or threats upon some of my positions), I will continue this blog.

Finally got a hair cut.  My hair was so long that it actually took a few minutes to dry.  I don't know how people dry their hair when it is long.

Micah took this picture after Wendy cut my hair.


“There are many things that I would like to say to you but I don't know how.”

from the song Wonderwall

Feb 27 - Wood Badge Beads

Tonight we had a court of honer for Troop 616.  Tyler got another 5 merit badges (I think he has got 34 now).

Durning the meeting I also got my Wood Badge Beads.  This was a long process for me, as they make you work to earn your "tickets".

There is a long story behind Wood Badge that I will spare you from (be happy to tell you, but I don't want to type it).  Part of finishing the training is "earning your ticket".  This goes back to British soldiers having to "earn their ticket" home after fighting in the war (the army did not pay for you to go home).  So in Wood Badge you have to "earn your ticket".  You have to complete 5 tasks (that have to be approved).

My ticket items included:
1.  Finishing a wood working project for Wendy (this is the manger scene posted in December)
2.  Read the New Testament
3.  Taught the diversity principle "Stereotyping" to Troop 616
4.  Read the biography of Lord Baden-Powell (who started scouting).  {Dad this is a very good book that I need to get to you.  It is called "Baden-Powell The two lives of a hero"}
5.  Start some kind of Journal - which turned in to this blog.

So as I have earned my tickets, I will no longer be posting on this blog.  I am finished, done, etc.

Below are some pictures of me getting by award.  Dr. Charile Call was my troop guide and he is presenting the award to me.

And one more question ........  Is there a beaver in the house?
(you have to have gone to Wood Badge to understand this question)

The trouble with, "A place for everything and everything in its place" is that there's always more everything than places.  
Robert Brault

Feb 26 - Mission Calls (and go BYU!)

Today we had a Bates Family Home Morning(?).  We got together and had a lesson on missions.  All of the grandkids got mission calls.  They also had to do door approaches to the adults (not sure this helped them go on a mission after what Wendy did ...)

We had a good time.  Had a good lesson, ate some pizza and then went home to watch BYU beat SDSU.  Can't wait for Wednesday night, as I will be at the BYU vs. New Mexico game!

Tyler got called to the Uganda Kampala mission.

Mariah got her call to Minnesota Minneapolis mission

Micah got her call to Missouri St. Louis mission

Hard to believe that this will be happening in our family sooner then I will be ready for.


People who want to share their religious views with you almost never want you to share yours with them.  
Dave Barry

Feb 25 - Missing Hockey

I miss watching hockey.  They took off the Colorado Avs games from the Fox Sports Network a couple of years ago and I have missed watching their games.  I know they are having a bad year, but I still would not mind watching them play.  If you get the chance, watch a game for me.

Dad - still love the picture frame you made for the signed Sakic Avs jersey.  

People who snore always fall asleep first.  

Author Unknown

Feb 24 - Blue and Gold

Tonight we had our Blue and Gold banquette.  For those who have not been in Cub Scouts, it is the birthday celebration for Scouts.  We do a dinner and have pack meeting.  It is our most formal pack meeting of the year.  It was a good night.

This is a picture of the center piece we had to make out of stuff on our table.  Micah is the one on the left (or is it right).


Never do anything that you wouldn't want to explain to the paramedics.  
Author Unknown

Feb 23 - SLEEP!

Tonight we moved from the downstairs to our new bed.  It has warmed up and I got a good night sleep.  It felt great to get into a warm bed and sleep in the same room where my clothes are.

It was also great to talk to Jody and Grandpa Welch today, as they celebrated their birthday.

Everything is funny as long as it is happening to somebody else.  
Will Rogers

Feb 22 - Mr. Jack Game!

Micah and I have been wanting to play a game for several days, and tonight we found a few minutes to play.  We played a game called Mr. Jack.  It is a two player game where one is Jack the Ripper and the other one is trying to find out who he is (now that I type this I am not sure if this is a good game....).  Anyway, the object is (1) to escape (if you are Jack) or (2) find out who Jack is.  It is a fun game and one that we enjoy playing.

Thanks Becky for letting us know about this game.


The odds of going to the store for a loaf of bread and coming out with only a loaf of bread are three billion to one.  
Erma Bombeck

Feb 21 - New Bed - not quite yet

We got our water bed mattress on Saturday and we filled it up.  This is a picture of the process.  It filled up quickly, but it is taking forever to heat up.  We have had it filled for two days, and it is just above 66 degrees.  I am not sleeping in it until it hits at least 80!  I laid down on it and could only last a minute or two.  Like sleeping on ice!

Tell a man there are 300 billion stars in the universe and he'll believe you.  Tell him a bench has wet paint on it and he'll have to touch it to be sure.  
Murphy's Law

Feb 20 - Elder Clark

Today we had Elder Clark come to our Ward Council meeting.  It was great having him come, but a little scary, as he is the President of BYU-Idaho and our Area Authority.  But it was a wonderful experience.   He did not say much during the meeting, just watched and listened.  At the end he shared three scriptures with us on the purpose of Ward Council meetings.  It was a great learning experience and he had great things to say about our meeting.  These are the scriptures he shared ...

Jacob 5:60, 70-72
D&c 43:8-9
D&C 29:4-7

It was the second time we have had Elder Clark come to our ward.  The first time he came to a sacrament meeting (that I happened to be conducting).  It was great sacrament meeting.  We went through our normal program, and at the end I asked him to share a few words, but he wanted to first hear from the Stake President and then he shared his testimony.  I had a few days notice, so I gave warning to our speakers to not take up too much time.  They at first were very happy, but when they found out the reason why they need to take less time, they wanted to know if it was too late to get new speakers.

Anyway, below is a picture of him from the LDS web site.  This will have to be the picture for today.  

Feb 19 - Tyler still hurting ....

On Tuesday Tyler and I went to shoot some arrows at a local archery range.  Tyler has a bruise on his are from where the string hit his arm.

The Teacher's quorum has been working on archery for several weeks, but Tyler missed a lot of that (as he was still a Deacon).  So he did not get the "training" on how to shoot.  As you can see he has a good reminder of how to hold the bow.

He and I did have a good time at it.

I used to eat a lot of natural foods until I learned that most people die of natural causes. 
~ Anonymous

Feb 18 - Micah's Birthday Party - again?

I think that Micah has been celebrating her birthday for the last week.  Today she had a party with some of her friends.  

Below is a picture of her cake.  It has a golf tee on it and it says "Hole in One".  She really likes this cake.

I didn't make it all the way through third grade for nothing

From The Rescuers Down Under movie

Feb 17 - Wendy fixes Dinner

Wendy fixed dinner tonight!

Wendy had her PAT meetings tonight so she was gone all evening.  Mariah had a school event and went to dinner with her friends.  So that left Dad, Micah and Tyler to fend for themselves.  The kids did not want my "Mac and Tomato" special, so we went to Wendy's for dinner. (get it?  - Wendy fixes dinner - it is funny because it is a play on words).


Scarecrow: ‘I haven't got a brain... only straw.’
Dorothy: ‘How can you talk if you haven't got a brain?’
Scarecrow: ‘I don't know... But some people without brains do an awful lot of talking... don't they?’
Dorothy: ‘Yes, I guess you're right.’
Wizard of Oz

Feb 16 - More snow?

The weather has been playing tricks this week.  We had a couple of nice days this week, I think we even got over 40 degrees on one day.  Felt like summer!

Today that ended, as it got cold and, as you can tell, it even snowed a little.  When is spring coming?

Bed update .... Wendy is still on the air bed, she is getting a little sleep.  I am still in the hide-a-way.  When will we get our bed?

"Sometimes you win, sometimes you lose, sometimes it rains"
Nuke in Bull Durham (baseball movie)

Feb 15 - Mom gave up

It has been over a week without our bed.  We have tried a hide-a-way bed, but that did not last long.  Wendy gave up and went to one of our air beds.  Hopefully she will get better sleep on this.  The hide-a-way is not very comfortable.

Below we see Tyler on the air bed playing the Playstation.

When are we getting our bed back?

"Husbands should be like Kleenex: soft, strong, and disposable"
Mrs. White in the movie Clue

Feb 14 - Micah's Birthday

Happy birthday Micah,

It is hard to believe that 10 years ago Micah was born.  She has been a joy everyday.  She has a great smile and a hugh heart (maybe being born on Valentine's day had something to do with that).

Below are some pictures of her opening up gifts.

"Inside every older person is a younger person - wondering what the heck happened."
Unknown

Feb 13 - Gift from Primary

Today the bishopric got a Valentines day gift from the primary.  Nothing like a big cookie to make your day!

"My Mama always said, 'Life was like a box of chocolates; you never know what you're gonna get'"
Forrest Gump

Feb 12 - Mariah and Micah

Today was a big day for Mariah and Micah.

Micah had a visit from the Sugar City Bates family and they dropped off some birthday gifts.  Below is a picture of Micah with one of her gifts.

Mariah also had a date tonight for the Sweetheart Dance.  A group of her friends asked some boys to the dance.  We had about 8 youth at our house and they ate lunch (they served breakfast) and played games for several hours.  Everyone went home about 4:00 to get ready for the dance.  Mariah left about 6:00 and she says she had a good time.  I know there is not pictures of the group below, I was given orders not to take pictures and embarrass Mariah in any way.  I did get a picture of her as she was heading out the door for the dance.

"Oh, no.  It wasn't the airplanes.   It was Beauty killed the Beast"
King Kong screenplay

Feb 11 - Flowers for Mom!

Today, Wendy got flowers in the mail.  I guess I need to find out who is sending her flowers.

"To create a little flower is the labor of ages."
William Blake

Feb 10 - Getting ready for Mariah's Date

Mariah has a date on Saturday.  It is a dance at school.  Wendy is helping make some of the flower arraignments (I can't remember the name of the flower that guys wear .... and if I could I know I would not be able to spell it).

Sleep update .... things are not going well, we are still in the hide-a-way, but I think Wendy will not last long.  She is ready to get out the air mattress.

"Of all the gin joints in all the towns in all the world, she walks into mine"
Rick Blain in Casablanca (played by Humphrey Bogart)

Feb 9 - Another Frosty Day

Another cold and frosty day in Idaho.  Got a couple of close up pictures of the frost on a bush.  If you look close, you can see the flakes of the frozen frost.

I felt a great disturbance in the Force, as if millions of voices suddenly cried out in terror and were suddenly silenced.  I fear something terrible has happened."

Obi-Wan - Star Wars

Feb 8 -Netflix Fan

I feel like I need to let everyone know that I am a fan of Netflix.  I love the fact that I can stream movies or TV shows from my Play Station 3.  It also works on my iPad and iPod.  We also get movies mailed to us (when we mail one back).

Big Fan of Netflix!

"Ten percent of nuthin' is ... let me do the math here .... nuthin' into nuthin .... carry the nuthin' ..."

Jayne from Firefly

(This is a shout out to the Firefly / Serenity fans)

Feb 7 - Leak in the Water bed!

Last night we found a leak in the water bed.  We tried to patch it, but it ended up being a good size hole.  We ordered a new mattress, and it will take 10 - 14 days to get.  This means that we are sleeping on our hide-a-way beds.  We will see how long that lasts until we get out the air mattress.

"We ain't got no wall"
Lavern and Shirley TV Show
(mom, this one is for you)