Thanks!

Thanksgiving is an American holiday that is very much centered on family and friends gathering around the dinner table and enjoying each other's company. Other than groceries it is the most non-commercial of all the holidays. For the Taggarts it was awesome.

Tim took the week off work and helped around the house. The family caught a movie mid-week and prepared for Thursday. Gloria went up to Logan on Wednesday to help prepare the food etc. Even helped the grandkids make a little Christmas tree.

On Thursday, Thanksgiving Day, we gathered in the afternoon at an LDS chapel in Logan with the whole family. It worked out great. The building was accessable for Joseph, there was lots of room for games and food tables etc. All of Gloria's side of the family (the Shaffers) gathered together for food fun and frolic. Joseph's friend Jaclyn Johnson from Houston went up with us. His friend Mike who comes to the house and does physical therapy twice a week met us there with his two sisters and enjoyed the day as well. We all had a great time.

After dinner we enjoyed bingo with M&Ms and little prizes as well as video games, basketball in the gym and boardgames. It was a great holiday.

The weekend was spent getting the house ready for Christmas, getting the tree up etc. What can one say but THANKS.

Spanish Training and Cougar Blue (Black and)

Spanish Training in AV

Tim had a busy and successfful week in the AV Department. The Language Production team, especially Omar Canals and David Morris had a training seminar at the Conference Center on Language Translation and Production for all Spanish language translators, language coaches and language producers. It was great training and a very positive experience. Translation for dubbing is some of the most challenging and creative there is! The training, when put into practice, will save thousands of dollars in production costs over the next few years. We had Juanita Gomez our producer as well as Translation's language coach here from Colombia (Photo above right), along with Euro-Spanish translators from Spain (photo above left). The final photo is of Omar, Juanita, David and Tim.

Cougar Black and Blue

The University of Utah was victorious in perhaps the biggest of all the historical rivalry games between the two. BYU's 6 turnovers cost them the game. Joseph was mourning for BYU and celebrating for the U as well. The loss will bring BYU over $1/2 million from the BCS, little comfort . . . (well, not SO little). Joseph and Tim watched the game in the COB 22nd floor conference room. They were unexpectedly joined by Julie Merrill (AV's HR director) and her friends, and delighted when they shared their popcorn.

Big Boy's B-day's a Blast

Dad's Birthday Bash

The patriarch's birthday was celebrated over several days of fun, frolic and festivities (okay maybe that's an exaggeration, blowing leaves of the roof in the dark on Saturday wasn't all that fun). Tim's birthday was on Saturday. On Friday Elizabeth, Denny and the Grandkids came down for the weekend. Friday night the grownups went to the new James Bond Movie to celebrate, while the kids climbed the walls . . . (okay that's a lie, they were in bed Fri. night-- but Saturday Ethan did climb the door! see photo above left). On Saturday everyone went to Sears to have a family portrait taken. Sunday after Church and dinner we opened cards and presents. Ah the joys of getting older. To celebrate let's post a few photos of Tim in yesteryear. We liked Gloria's desktop calendar for the weekend (above).

Rain, Repairs, Renovation, Rad Rig, Rugby, and Real SL

Rain

The Autumn season is here with rain mixed with the first snow of the season. It is beautiful. The skiers are excited about Utah snow. Utah has done some new ads.

Repairs

Tim's '96 Camry had to be towed to the shop this week. New starter, CV boot covers, ABS repairs. . . but it will last a few more years with a little love and $.

Renovation

Tim and the gang used to eat lunch everyday at the ZCMI Center Food Court. Here's what it looked like on Friday.

Rad Rig

The Church has a new HD broadcast truck. It allows for broadcasts away from HQs such as the one last week from the Marriott Center in Provo, as well as an additional studio when we have multiple uses at HQs. It is sweet. We've had it a week and have used it three times. It will get a workout.

Rugby

On Saturday Joseph took his Dad to see the USA vs Uraguay Rugby match at the Rio Tinto stadium. The weather was beautiful (if crisp) and the game was awesome. USA won the game 43 to 9. Joseph used to love playing on the school team in England, he never let Mom watch his games (afraid she would make him quit playing). It is a real man's sport. It was really fun watching this level of play in Salt Lake.

Real Salt Lake

Later on Saturday evening the Real SL clinched their win over the first round opponents in their first ever playoffs. They play the New York Red Bulls next week, here in Salt Lake, for the Western Conference Championship. Go Real. The Jazz won Friday, BYU won Saturday. . . life is good.

October Creeps Into November

Panel Discussion with Joseph
Joseph was invited by the advisor at the UofU disability center to participate in a Panel discussion on disabilities for the UofU Gay and Lesbian Coalition last week. One of our former Sister Missionaries, Jenny Jones, who lost most of her eyesight after the mission, was on the panel as well. Joseph did great and everyone learned a lot.

Halloween
Halloween isn't one of the Taggart's favorite holidays, but now Elizabeth's kids are getting older it is getting more fun. They went with the family to the Ward Halloween activity here and had a blast.


Real Salt Lake Wins Their First Ever Playoff Game
Joseph and Tim went to the first ever playoff game for Real Salt Lake. It was a great game, held in the new Rio Tinto Stadium, with Real scoring in the last minute of play to win 1-0. The event was competing with BYU football (Tim listened on the radio), UofU football and the Jazz playing at home as well. All the Utah teams won including the USU Aggies, and Weber State.

It was Tim's first time in the new stadium and as always he enjoyed taking photos (note the player on the ground above right holding onto the referee's leg). It was a beautiful fall afternoon, the view of the Jordan River Temple from the stadium is impressive, especially with the fall colors.

After the game Tim and Joseph came home and watched the Jazz beat the Clippers on TV. Gloria enjoyed a little peace and quiet finishing the second book of the Twilight series.