Taylor Swift

This week I missed the radio show that Kyle does due to the Taylor Swift concert.  Kylie and Melissa love her and wanted to go so Kyle bought a bunch of ticket when they went on sale last May.  I like her songs too and she puts on a pretty good show.  In 2009 we went as a family in Las Vegas when Uncle Brady had a lot of tickets and we were at Lake Mead with their family for Memorial weekend.  We made Kyle, Tyler, and Alex with us and I would say they barely lasted through the whole concert.

Taylor Swift Concert 2009

Kyle at Taylor Swift Concert 2009

This year Melissa and Dawson came and then Melissa brought 2 friends, Kylie brought a friend, Aunt Julie and her 3 girls Kali, Taya, Mylie, and I brought Helen who graciously sat through it next to me.  Melissa and Kylie really love it along with 14,000 other girls in the audience who were quite loud!

Kali, Taya, and Mylie

Caitlyn, Jenn, Melissa, and Dawson

I guess this is "I heart Taylor Swift"

Morganne and Kylie

Bye Week

This past weekend was a Bye Week for Utah Football, that does not mean that anyone has a week off.  Except me, from bringing candy bars and going to the radio show.  Kyle went and taped his show for The Red Zone that is on Sunday nights.  Alex went with him just for fun.

Two very handsome guys!

Assistant coaches went out recruiting and Kyle went on Friday night to some in-state games to watch.  (He took me along, I think, so he could drive in the commuter lane.)  We went to the Lone Peak/American Fork game and the Lehi game.  It is different being at a high school game if you are not watching your own son play or your daughter cheer and it is not your high school so you don't know anyone.  The drill team was selling freshly made scones with maple frosting dripping from them.  They must sell a lot because they were walking in front of me with a new batch every few minutes, smelled heavenly and they tasted delicious (Kyle bought me one to make up for me being in the stands while he was on the sidelines). 

High School Game

Kyle flew out on Saturday morning to go see to see a couple high school games in California.  So I took him to the airport and he came home Sunday morning.  He is spoiled and likes to not have to park the car and take the shuttle in, so I drop him off and pick him up at the doors.

Utah at BYU

Utah 54    BYU 10 

Well, I don't know where to begin......... Usually this is the last game of the year and the build up to it is usually huge.  I really think since I have been trying to live in the moment to enjoy life, and not look ahead at everything and be soooo stressed, that it has helped.  I did not think about the game until going into the stadium.  I don't listen to sports radio, watch TV or read the Newspaper.  
Kylie and I drove down to Provo to the team hotel to stay overnight with Kyle.  Alex rode the bus with Kyle and Tyler was on the traveling squad so he was there too.  Melissa and Dawson came down Saturday morning.  The team arrived late so they came in and had their hamburger "snack" then went to bed.  Fred, Sam, Cary, Trevor, Jason, Brady, and Alex were eating hamburgers.  Kylie and I went in to talk and had a bite of ice cream.

Kylie, Alex, Sam, Fred, Jason, Cary, and Brady.  Texting something important?

Saturday morning I went and took tickets to my Dad, Julie and Nancy, then I went to the mall with Helen.  I did not think too much about what I was wearing since most of my clothes are red or black, but walking around the mall I felt weird in my red with Utah on it and people were looking at me.  Helen remembered and just had on a black shirt.  I went to Shirley's Bakery and bought some Raspberry rolls to take home-yum, yum!
We got to the game pretty early and just watched the warm-ups on the field.  We had great corner end zone seats.

Pre-Game

Dawson and Melissa

My personal body guard for the game, Jack.  Sad to think I was afraid at BYU but I was.

Melissa, Grandpa Phil, and Matt

Whittingham's seats, 22 in 17-you will understand those numbers if you are Whittingham

Tyler is #36

Fred, Tyler and Alex in the last few minutes of the game.  BYU fans gone!

The game is over!!

Kyle doing his post-game radio after midnight, longest game ever!

Enough said!

You would be surprised at 1:00 am how many BYU fans lingered at the In-and-Out Restaurant.  When Kyle arrived over half a dozen asked for their pictures to be taken with Kyle.  He would only do it if they flashed the "U" sign with their hands.  They all did, even some cheerleaders, who shall remain nameless to protect their identities.  I would not want them to get in trouble.

 Whittingham gathering and In-and-Out in Orem at 1:00 AM.

Candy Bars/Radio Show Day

The giving out of Candy Bars after the Thursday practice is something the players really look forward to and count on.  I found this out when I pulled up a few minutes late today and I heard Helen telling the players there was no Candy Bars today (she had not see me yet).  I could hear all the moans and groans of disappointment.  Then they came off the practice field and saw me carrying the huge basket out of the car so they ran over.  I have taken to buying the candy in bulk unless there is a good sale at the grocery store.  I used to get candy bars 4 for a $1 but that is no more.  There are a 100+ players and then the coaches and equipment guys like to take one too.  Some players have their favorites so I try to remember to have some specific items.

My candy supply

Last week Alex opened his mission call so I did not come to the radio show, we just waited forever for Kyle at home.  This week we are all back to support Kyle, listen to the show live, and get some good eats.

Kyle at the Radio Show with Bill Riley

The same dedicated fans come every week plus a few new ones

The Spaghetti Factory is there with some of their best items.  Fred and Kyle with Drew Johnson in the back.

Utah at USC

Utah 14    USC 23

The best way for me to handle the stress of the season is to go day by day, moment by moment.  So I really did not think too much about this game until we got to the stadium.  Some of the wives were able to come on this trip for their wives trip so that made it really fun.  Our immediate family all came too, no high school games or important activities at home, so that always makes it a great family experience.

Charter flight with football team

Most people on the flight try to snooze so it is pretty quiet.  Dawson sleeping, Melissa reading.

After we arrived in LA the wives went right to dinner while the team was at their dinner and meetings.  There was a California Pizza Kitchen right on the next block.

Melissa, Sara Hill, Suzie Silvestri, Timberly Sitake, Helen Buchanan, Me, Ashley Chapman, Kylie

The next morning Helen, Ashley, and I (other wives all had babies with them) went on a walk, we did not go to far from the hotel but we did stop by the Staples Center and had our picture taken on the red carpet that was being set up for the upcoming Emmy Awards.

Helen and Ashley

Me, Helen, and Ashley on the red carpet just a couple weeks early

5 Whittingham's on the TV screen at one time.  Brady, Tyler, Kyle, Alex, and Fred

Our seats were kind of the outer end zone. I did not know you could go that far. 

I forgot my glasses so they looked like ants to me.

The game was my favorite kind, nail biter to the last seconds (Ha!).  If we had made the field goal with 11 seconds left it would have gone into overtime.  I kicking game is not the best this year-yet.  Instead the kick was blocked and USC ran it back for a touch down.  It was 17-14 when we left the stadium and 24-14 when we woke up the next morning.  I guess the touchdown was official from the blocked kick.

Kylie and I on the plane ride home

The Mission Call

It seems like we have been waiting a long time for this time to come.  Almost all of Alex's friends have already gone on their missions so he has been a little bored without them.  With his mission papers in we were excited to get his call in the mail to see where he would be spending the next 2 years.  We decided to wait until Kyle could be home from work so it was 8:30 pm when he finally open the papers.  He invited friends over and the parents of some of his friends who are serving already.  He is called to serve in the Auckland, New Zealand Mission.  He leaves October 26th and it is an English speaking mission.  He will stay 3 weeks in the MTC in Provo and then fly to Auckland.  He was really excited to see that it was New Zealand.  He has some great Polynesian friends and loves the people.  This is such a great place for him to go!  I cannot tell you how very proud we are of him and his hard work!  Thanks for everyone's love and prayers on his behalf.

Pre-party for Mission Call Opening;

Linda Query, Tyler, Kaela, Alex, Brady, Jason, Kylie, and Trevor

Kaela, Brady, and Alex's friends

Skye, Sheri Olsen, Toba Essig, Tyler, and Alex

Jaclyn, Thomas Thorup,

Kaela, Dawson, Helen, and Terri

Family waiting for Kyle to arrive

More texting and more waiting

  

Kyle finally arrived and we are gathering for the moment.......

Kyle the only one missing-Hurry!

Reading out loud his mission call

Alex and Melissa pointing to his official mission call!

Utah vs Montana State Victory and FollowingTradegy

Utah 27  Montana State 10

The first game of the year always makes me nervous.  They look great at practice against each other, you don't know yet how the team will be against other teams.  This first game I also knew that President Uchtdorf of the 1st Presidency in the LDS church was coming with his wife to sit by me at the game.  I was nervous because I wonder what I would talk about or say for 3 hours or so.  So I was a bit distracted during the game until they left after the 3rd quarter.  We did win and it was a great experience!

Me, Sister Uchtdorf, President Uchtdorf, Melissa, Kylie, Dawson, and Helen

                                        President Uchtdorf, Me, Sister Uchtdorf

After the game we were home relaxing and Kyle got a phone call telling him the wife of one of his players, Ron Tongaonevai, had just been killed in an auto accident on the way home from the game, her name was Janelle Tongaonevai.  Coach Sitaki lives near where it happened and so he was on the scene helping Ron along with Chad Kauhaahaa who was the last person Ron had talked to on his phone.  Ron was in one car and Janelle and her little sister were following, police were chasing a car so they heard the sirens and Ron went through the intersection and pulled to the side while Janelle and her sister stayed at the light.  The driver turned at high speed and hit right into her car, killing her instantly and injuring her sister.  So, so sad, and such a tragedy for this beautiful couple who had just celebrated the 1 year wedding anniversary.  The whole staff, team, and community has felt sadness and have so much love for Ron.  I cannot even imagine how hard this must be for him.  Below is a picture of Janelle with some of the wives at the dinner at my home just 2 weeks before.