Well, I'm super slow at recording, but RIGHT after the St. George Marathon (my 11th; cool weather made for a nice day and I was pretty happy with 4:04 time) my husband and I left for Albuquerque, New Mexico. We wanted to go this week because it was the week of their famous Balloon Festival, but we mainly went to visit our daughter and son-in-law. I pretty much Frankenstein walked to the two airplanes and the next morning, but things were good after that. My favorites were . . .
1. Spending time with Scott, Ashley, and Lyndon. Surprisingly, it was fun taking Ashley and Lyndon to Costco, where they could choose stock up items and were like kids in a candy store. (Well, we did get a giant bag of Halloween candy.)
2. Watching the awesome and massive balloon launch. 500 balloons in every shape, color, and size in an hour or so on "Mass Ascension" morning.
3. The buffet breakfast at the balloon launch, with Lyndon excited. "Hey, they have eggs!" "Hey, they have chocolate milk!" "Hey, they have ice cream!"
4. Watching General Conference together.
5. Seeing their cute apartment, her P.A. School, and the University area.
6. Hiking to see many ancient petroglyphs.
7. Checking out restaurants from "Diners, Drive-ins and Dives." We especially liked The Standard, with inventive dishes and delicious desserts.
8. Going to the Nuclear Science Museum. Interesting facts and history presented in enjoyable fashion.
9. The Thursday morning balloon launch of "Special Shapes." Some favorites we named Aquaman, the Wells Fargo Wagon, a Massive Cow, and a Pirate Parrot. The evening fireworks rocked as well.
10. Day tripping to Santa Fe for art and artisan shopping.
Not especially my favorite, taking last place in the bowling foursome. Also not a favorite, going to the famous cable car but not being able to ride: they said too windy (but I've been on the tram at Snowbird in massive wind lots of times :). Something to look forward to next time we're in town.
Sunday, November 10, 2013
Monday, September 30, 2013
10 Reasons to Run the St. George Marathon
I'm tired of writing about the Paleo Challenge, so I'll write about what's coming up this Saturday. 5 days to go, so definitely a taper week of only a couple easy runs. Ahhhh. So, why do I run the St. George Marathon? (This is my 11th year, and I actually ask myself that question in the middle of some long runs) . . .
1. It's a day for "ordinary people to do something extraordinary."
2. Nice volunteers cheer, give High 5s, and hand us drinks, fruit, Gu, ice chips, cool washcloths at mile 24, and Popsicles.
3. We get the road closed and don't need to dodge vehicles :)
4. Signing up gives us goals and plans, organizes our training, pretty much all summer long.
5. We get beautiful views of sunrise near Snow Canyon State Park, the volcano, and sunny St. George
6. After we finish Veyo Hill (mile 7) and the next few uphill miles, we get lots of fun downhill in the second half.
7. It's fun to be a part of a sea of runners and the running community (twice I've done it with kids, and thousands of other runners give kudos to the kids)
8. It's inspiring: for instance, to see a runner pushing a wheelchair "runner" up hills, to see one runner who carries a big American flag, to see runners assisting blind runners, and on and on.
9. The homemade signs make us laugh. My sister Jody and I always say that all the signs are for us, like the "Go Grandpa, Go" and "Run for Rabies" ones.
10. For the medal, for the chocolate milk, for the red, white and blue Popsicles, and, after 10 St. George Marathons, for the annual free pasta dinner :)
1. It's a day for "ordinary people to do something extraordinary."
2. Nice volunteers cheer, give High 5s, and hand us drinks, fruit, Gu, ice chips, cool washcloths at mile 24, and Popsicles.
3. We get the road closed and don't need to dodge vehicles :)
4. Signing up gives us goals and plans, organizes our training, pretty much all summer long.
5. We get beautiful views of sunrise near Snow Canyon State Park, the volcano, and sunny St. George
6. After we finish Veyo Hill (mile 7) and the next few uphill miles, we get lots of fun downhill in the second half.
7. It's fun to be a part of a sea of runners and the running community (twice I've done it with kids, and thousands of other runners give kudos to the kids)
8. It's inspiring: for instance, to see a runner pushing a wheelchair "runner" up hills, to see one runner who carries a big American flag, to see runners assisting blind runners, and on and on.
9. The homemade signs make us laugh. My sister Jody and I always say that all the signs are for us, like the "Go Grandpa, Go" and "Run for Rabies" ones.
10. For the medal, for the chocolate milk, for the red, white and blue Popsicles, and, after 10 St. George Marathons, for the annual free pasta dinner :)
Friday, September 20, 2013
Crossfit - Paleo Challenge, Review
Wa hoo! I actually waited up and ate half a Costco (read: massive) chocolate, chocolate chip muffin. Didn't make me throw up. Just liked it. Tired of only looking at refined carbs, but I am a little stronger and leaner. I'm five pounds less and according to my unofficial measurements one inch less around the waist and one inch less around the thighs. My arms have lots of blood vessels to trace, but they usually have those anyway.
Yesterday my running partner said my back looks like a fitness competitor. We plan to do our final group workout and take the ghastly "after" pictures today.
Final Thoughts:
Surprise: I do have a modicum of self-discipline, can make Homemade Oreos three times in one week and not eat any.
Surprise: No major withdrawals after a lifetime of sugar ingestion, but the treats still looked good to me.
It definitely helped me to know that I had the option of one cheat meal per week. That way, I could say that I COULD choose a cookie, etc. even though I CHOSE not to use them. It's a mind game.
Doing the Challenge made me think about food too much, but that evens out a life of rarely thinking about food except which dessert to order.
Biggest surprise: I never really craved chocolate but did look longingly at breads
Vow: I will now go to Chili's with my daughter for the promised and delayed molten chocolate cake birthday treat. I will also add in chocolate milk for a recovery drink, didn't feel like I could stomach a paleo-approved option for recovery after long runs.
Surprise: I did eat a lot (would have guessed that protein would have filled me up longer, but I'd get hungry again pretty quickly) but still lost weight
Not really a surprise: It is easier to keep doing something (get into patterns) than begin doing something (yep, week one was the hardest)
Doing the Challenge made me think about sleep. I'm not a happy person if I don't get enough sleep, and waking up early, especially on long run days, made the sleep hours difficult. I did look forward to afternoon naps when the alarm clock started ringing on a three or a four.
It is actually easier to make up the mind once and just say no (sugar, breads, chocolate, dairy) than have to weigh things out and decide every day. That will be the challenge now, since I don't intend to stay strictly paleo but should be more judicious with treat foods.
Happy Surprise: Did some stronger weights and had some faster Crossfit Workout times a few pounds lighter.
Sad surprise: 5 pounds less but no faster on timed runs
(Update on running times in next week's 5K run and then the St. George Marathon, but based on training runs.)
Yesterday my running partner said my back looks like a fitness competitor. We plan to do our final group workout and take the ghastly "after" pictures today.
Final Thoughts:
Surprise: I do have a modicum of self-discipline, can make Homemade Oreos three times in one week and not eat any.
Surprise: No major withdrawals after a lifetime of sugar ingestion, but the treats still looked good to me.
It definitely helped me to know that I had the option of one cheat meal per week. That way, I could say that I COULD choose a cookie, etc. even though I CHOSE not to use them. It's a mind game.
Doing the Challenge made me think about food too much, but that evens out a life of rarely thinking about food except which dessert to order.
Biggest surprise: I never really craved chocolate but did look longingly at breads
Vow: I will now go to Chili's with my daughter for the promised and delayed molten chocolate cake birthday treat. I will also add in chocolate milk for a recovery drink, didn't feel like I could stomach a paleo-approved option for recovery after long runs.
Surprise: I did eat a lot (would have guessed that protein would have filled me up longer, but I'd get hungry again pretty quickly) but still lost weight
Not really a surprise: It is easier to keep doing something (get into patterns) than begin doing something (yep, week one was the hardest)
Doing the Challenge made me think about sleep. I'm not a happy person if I don't get enough sleep, and waking up early, especially on long run days, made the sleep hours difficult. I did look forward to afternoon naps when the alarm clock started ringing on a three or a four.
It is actually easier to make up the mind once and just say no (sugar, breads, chocolate, dairy) than have to weigh things out and decide every day. That will be the challenge now, since I don't intend to stay strictly paleo but should be more judicious with treat foods.
Happy Surprise: Did some stronger weights and had some faster Crossfit Workout times a few pounds lighter.
Sad surprise: 5 pounds less but no faster on timed runs
(Update on running times in next week's 5K run and then the St. George Marathon, but based on training runs.)
Wednesday, August 28, 2013
Parry Family Update
It's been a year since I mentioned how the Scott and Robyn Parry family is doing, so I figured it's a good time to think and update. Hmmm, highlights since last year:
Scott: In October, Scott took me to London, then did some work operating in both Paris and Zurich. Awesome and beautiful. We enjoyed high adventure activities, but Scott was riding a horse which spooked and threw him (separated shoulder and broken ribs). In November he took the boys pheasant hunting in South Dakota, and they all loved it. In February, we went with his gigantic family (10 kids and spouses) on a cruise celebrating his parents' 50th Anniversary. In March, he was called as Bishop of our ward, which made an already BUSY person even BUSIER, but it's been good. In fact, he's seen more of our boys than ever on scout camps and such :) In June, he took a group of young men fishing in Alaska, and in August, he did his biggest hunt ever and killed an elephant in Botswana (tusks 62 pounds each, where will they go?).
Robyn: I ran my 10th St. George Marathon in October, then hobbled for a few days on the London trip but loved seeing Shakespeare on the Thames, The British Museum, and such. We had our smallest Christmas yet with only three kids at home but enjoyed Disney World (did the Half Marathon with my sister) with the family and my parents. I teach Relief Society, do our Relief Society book club, and was Young Women's Camp Director this year. I still don't like camping, and we got two days of solid rain, but it was more fun than I would have guessed. Mostly I drive kids around, clean and do laundry, watch football and rugby games, and enjoy morning workouts to get away for a bit.
Ashley: Started graduate school in January. She'll be a Physician's Assistant soon, wa hoo! She and her husband live in Albuquerque, New Mexico. Luckily, she comes to see us and play whenever she's on break.
Cody: is now a missionary for our church in Costa Rica. He's been in three small villages with no English speakers around, so it's been a great language and cultural experience. Once they discovered a six-foot long iguana in their apartment. He maintains his humor with quotes from Run, Fatboy, Run (a family favorite movie) in all of his emails.
Connor: now a high school senior. Big time! His successes have been on the rugby pitch. His team took 2nd in State, and he represented Utah in Rugby 7s in Las Vegas, Nevada; Seattle, Washington, and Vancouver, B.C. Now he's playing running back on our football team, and scored the first touchdown of the year. He's an all-around good guy who is grateful and kind. And he landed a backflip wakeboarding!
Dylan (15): went from football to wrestling to rugby in the school year, and is an aggressive dynamo in each. Hasn't grown taller yet, but his small stature probably helps in wrestling and definitely helps in snowboarding and wakeboarding. He's a flyer. He's also deceptively smart, and his Jedi braid is still going strong.
Wyatt (13): up to Middle School. He's charismatic and can out talk most everyone. He ran the St. George Marathon in October and finished with a string of 7-minute miles. He can also slip through a football or rugby line and tackles people twice his size, which scares his mom. He earned his Hunter Safety license this year, and he and Dylan got to enjoy the Alaska trip with their dad.
Scott: In October, Scott took me to London, then did some work operating in both Paris and Zurich. Awesome and beautiful. We enjoyed high adventure activities, but Scott was riding a horse which spooked and threw him (separated shoulder and broken ribs). In November he took the boys pheasant hunting in South Dakota, and they all loved it. In February, we went with his gigantic family (10 kids and spouses) on a cruise celebrating his parents' 50th Anniversary. In March, he was called as Bishop of our ward, which made an already BUSY person even BUSIER, but it's been good. In fact, he's seen more of our boys than ever on scout camps and such :) In June, he took a group of young men fishing in Alaska, and in August, he did his biggest hunt ever and killed an elephant in Botswana (tusks 62 pounds each, where will they go?).
Robyn: I ran my 10th St. George Marathon in October, then hobbled for a few days on the London trip but loved seeing Shakespeare on the Thames, The British Museum, and such. We had our smallest Christmas yet with only three kids at home but enjoyed Disney World (did the Half Marathon with my sister) with the family and my parents. I teach Relief Society, do our Relief Society book club, and was Young Women's Camp Director this year. I still don't like camping, and we got two days of solid rain, but it was more fun than I would have guessed. Mostly I drive kids around, clean and do laundry, watch football and rugby games, and enjoy morning workouts to get away for a bit.
Ashley: Started graduate school in January. She'll be a Physician's Assistant soon, wa hoo! She and her husband live in Albuquerque, New Mexico. Luckily, she comes to see us and play whenever she's on break.
Cody: is now a missionary for our church in Costa Rica. He's been in three small villages with no English speakers around, so it's been a great language and cultural experience. Once they discovered a six-foot long iguana in their apartment. He maintains his humor with quotes from Run, Fatboy, Run (a family favorite movie) in all of his emails.
Connor: now a high school senior. Big time! His successes have been on the rugby pitch. His team took 2nd in State, and he represented Utah in Rugby 7s in Las Vegas, Nevada; Seattle, Washington, and Vancouver, B.C. Now he's playing running back on our football team, and scored the first touchdown of the year. He's an all-around good guy who is grateful and kind. And he landed a backflip wakeboarding!
Dylan (15): went from football to wrestling to rugby in the school year, and is an aggressive dynamo in each. Hasn't grown taller yet, but his small stature probably helps in wrestling and definitely helps in snowboarding and wakeboarding. He's a flyer. He's also deceptively smart, and his Jedi braid is still going strong.
Wyatt (13): up to Middle School. He's charismatic and can out talk most everyone. He ran the St. George Marathon in October and finished with a string of 7-minute miles. He can also slip through a football or rugby line and tackles people twice his size, which scares his mom. He earned his Hunter Safety license this year, and he and Dylan got to enjoy the Alaska trip with their dad.
Crossfit Challenge--Halfway Point
Thoughts and conclusions halfway through the 45-day paleo challenge:
1. No hospitalizations for sugar withdrawal
2. Weight is down 5 pounds and clothes are loose
3. No sugar highs (seem kind of draggy)
4. In Crossfit workouts, maybe a little bit stronger
5. In running workouts, not faster (which surprises the me without the Oreo milkshakes)
6. Arms and stomach more toned
7. Self-discipline is working ("just saying no" not as bad as feared)
8. It's harder to get sleep points than the other points, but I'm counting hours such as the one last night trying to get back to sleep after the hospital called my husband :)
9. I sure eat a lot (or am hungry often)
10. I'm eating things I would have thought would turn to fat, like peanut butter and nuts, but haven't gotten fatter.
Well, another 22 days to go, so it will be interesting to see continued differences.
Points: 5
Sleep: 7
Exercise: Crossfit, overhead squat, built to 80#, then 15 minutes of Cindy (5 pullups, 10 pushups, 15 squats), 22 2/3 rounds, baby. That's a workout made for gymnasts. Also water ran for 60 minutes, saving the Achilles' for the 20-miler later this week.
Food:
breakfast: apple and peanut butter
snack: raw cashews
lunch: chicken, corn, watermelon
later: more watermelon and corn, and more nuts
green salad with chicken
1. No hospitalizations for sugar withdrawal
2. Weight is down 5 pounds and clothes are loose
3. No sugar highs (seem kind of draggy)
4. In Crossfit workouts, maybe a little bit stronger
5. In running workouts, not faster (which surprises the me without the Oreo milkshakes)
6. Arms and stomach more toned
7. Self-discipline is working ("just saying no" not as bad as feared)
8. It's harder to get sleep points than the other points, but I'm counting hours such as the one last night trying to get back to sleep after the hospital called my husband :)
9. I sure eat a lot (or am hungry often)
10. I'm eating things I would have thought would turn to fat, like peanut butter and nuts, but haven't gotten fatter.
Well, another 22 days to go, so it will be interesting to see continued differences.
Points: 5
Sleep: 7
Exercise: Crossfit, overhead squat, built to 80#, then 15 minutes of Cindy (5 pullups, 10 pushups, 15 squats), 22 2/3 rounds, baby. That's a workout made for gymnasts. Also water ran for 60 minutes, saving the Achilles' for the 20-miler later this week.
Food:
breakfast: apple and peanut butter
snack: raw cashews
lunch: chicken, corn, watermelon
later: more watermelon and corn, and more nuts
green salad with chicken
Monday, August 5, 2013
Crossfit Challenge--Day 1
I congratulate myself for successfully surviving Day 1 of the Challenge. Only once when I drove by Dutchman's Market did I feel like turning right and getting a massive sugar cookie. Mostly (and surprisingly), I didn't think much about food. Can't say I feel stronger or anything, because, well, it's Day 1.
Points: 5
Spin class and Crossfit (back squats, weighted pull-ups, power cleans, toes to bar, and run 800 meters)
7 hours sleep, the requirement that rocks.
Paleo Food Journal:
Breakfast: hard boiled egg, apple
Lunch: tri tip, green beans, watermelon
Snack: pine nuts
Dinner: turkey avocado salad
lots of water and ice chips
Talk about 100%.
Points: 5
Spin class and Crossfit (back squats, weighted pull-ups, power cleans, toes to bar, and run 800 meters)
7 hours sleep, the requirement that rocks.
Paleo Food Journal:
Breakfast: hard boiled egg, apple
Lunch: tri tip, green beans, watermelon
Snack: pine nuts
Dinner: turkey avocado salad
lots of water and ice chips
Talk about 100%.
Sunday, August 4, 2013
Paleo Challenge Food Journal
Paleo Challenge Food Journal, or, What Exactly Are the M&Ms Withdrawal Symptoms?
Crossfit Dixie is doing a 45-day Challenge, and I've heard about eating healthy for years but have rarely ventured into that territory. This time I decided to join the Challenge and just see if anything changes in my body, mood, running times, strength, or fitness. Hmmm, I'm glad I don't need to report the food intake from yesterday: my last Frazil for a while (after a 13-mile run, which was awesome, refreshing and mouth-staining for hours), then a baby shower filled with treats. Actually today was Fast Sunday (no breakfast or lunch, it's a church thing), so I didn't eat a single unhealthy thing until evening, when I loaded up on Double Stuff Oreos just to say good-bye. The real food journal starts tomorrow.
Here's how it goes: We're teamed up with a partner (Hi Mandy, you rock!). We got initial measurements, which is a little weird, but hey. I got leg 19", hip 30", and arm 10.25" (and totally would have pulled the measuring tape tighter, but hey again). We do a timed partner workout to begin and end the challenge, to see if there is improvement. We also have to take totally unflattering before and after pictures for comparison. And there is a point system based on 3 categories: Eating 100% Paleo (that's fruit, vegetables, raw nuts and seeds, meats, seafood and NOTHING ELSE, but at least no measuring or limiting portions. Seriously, who is going to OD on celery anyway?) with one cheat meal allowed per week, Sleeping 7+ hours a night (AWESOME, I look forward to it!), and Working Out. Each partner tracks the three categories and records a score for each day: 5 points for doing all 3, 3 points for 2 out of 3, 1 point for 1 out of 3, and 0 points for terrible days. Only the LOW score of the two partners counts for each day.
I imagine I'll get all the points for sleeping and working out, which I love to do anyway. The eating part is the challenge for me. So, I apologize to Mandy in advance (and already offered to refund her Challenge entry fee) if I totally suck on the food points, but I'm going to try. I dutifully went to Costco and bought raw almonds, veggies, hardboiled and peeled eggs, and other such culinary delights. It's about 9 pm on Sunday, so, au revoir until Day 1.
Crossfit Dixie is doing a 45-day Challenge, and I've heard about eating healthy for years but have rarely ventured into that territory. This time I decided to join the Challenge and just see if anything changes in my body, mood, running times, strength, or fitness. Hmmm, I'm glad I don't need to report the food intake from yesterday: my last Frazil for a while (after a 13-mile run, which was awesome, refreshing and mouth-staining for hours), then a baby shower filled with treats. Actually today was Fast Sunday (no breakfast or lunch, it's a church thing), so I didn't eat a single unhealthy thing until evening, when I loaded up on Double Stuff Oreos just to say good-bye. The real food journal starts tomorrow.
Here's how it goes: We're teamed up with a partner (Hi Mandy, you rock!). We got initial measurements, which is a little weird, but hey. I got leg 19", hip 30", and arm 10.25" (and totally would have pulled the measuring tape tighter, but hey again). We do a timed partner workout to begin and end the challenge, to see if there is improvement. We also have to take totally unflattering before and after pictures for comparison. And there is a point system based on 3 categories: Eating 100% Paleo (that's fruit, vegetables, raw nuts and seeds, meats, seafood and NOTHING ELSE, but at least no measuring or limiting portions. Seriously, who is going to OD on celery anyway?) with one cheat meal allowed per week, Sleeping 7+ hours a night (AWESOME, I look forward to it!), and Working Out. Each partner tracks the three categories and records a score for each day: 5 points for doing all 3, 3 points for 2 out of 3, 1 point for 1 out of 3, and 0 points for terrible days. Only the LOW score of the two partners counts for each day.
I imagine I'll get all the points for sleeping and working out, which I love to do anyway. The eating part is the challenge for me. So, I apologize to Mandy in advance (and already offered to refund her Challenge entry fee) if I totally suck on the food points, but I'm going to try. I dutifully went to Costco and bought raw almonds, veggies, hardboiled and peeled eggs, and other such culinary delights. It's about 9 pm on Sunday, so, au revoir until Day 1.
Top 10 Memories with my Dad
Ok, so I've been totally inactive, but I wrote these for a father's day book our family put together. The post is better late than never . . . and it was fun to recall times with a true American hero. He served our country in Vietnam, served our family before and since, serves his neighbors and community, and has served generations of newcomers to skiing and snowboarding.
1. Learning how to ski. I remember feeling protected between his skis (age 3) and then going straight down the mountain from there.
2. Christmas mornings, 6:00 am. Dad would always go downstairs first and announce that Santa had missed our house so we should go back to bed. (Then he'd have the movie camera ready for the stampede.)
3. Annual trips to Lake Powell. Images include him spending hours underneath a car hood or working on a boat engine. "If you plan on something breaking down on every boat trip, you won't be disappointed."
4. Stopping at Circus Circus in Las Vegas and always "Fooling the Guesser." Top guesses: Dad was a mechanic (actually an anesthesiologist who had grease on his hands from fixing things) and I was five years younger than my actual age.
5. Disneyland and Disney World! The Matterhorn (only thrill ride when I was young)! Then Space Mountain! And now the Tower of Terror, Expedition Everest, and the Goofy Fun Runs!
6. Receiving a Father's Blessing the night before I was getting married.
7. Awesome family trips--Atlantis in the Bahamas, A Caribbean Cruise, and Thanksgiving in beautiful Kauai, Hawaii :)
8. Vietnam--working together (we built a school for a village there and had a medical clinic day), meeting his friends there from 40 years before, going to church in Saigon, and eating at PIZZA HUT (the rest of us about cried when we saw American food after unending rice, but dad enjoyed "pho." He learned to eat like the Vietnamese when he lived there and "had the best job in the war, stationed in a civilian hospital).
9. Watching together our kids/his grandkids play countless softball, soccer, baseball, football, basketball, and rugby, rugby, rugby games (snow, rain, wind, sun).
10. Sitting in dad's Gospel Doctrine class and hearing how his visit to the Christus on Temple Square strengthened his testimony of Christ and forgiveness.
1. Learning how to ski. I remember feeling protected between his skis (age 3) and then going straight down the mountain from there.
2. Christmas mornings, 6:00 am. Dad would always go downstairs first and announce that Santa had missed our house so we should go back to bed. (Then he'd have the movie camera ready for the stampede.)
3. Annual trips to Lake Powell. Images include him spending hours underneath a car hood or working on a boat engine. "If you plan on something breaking down on every boat trip, you won't be disappointed."
4. Stopping at Circus Circus in Las Vegas and always "Fooling the Guesser." Top guesses: Dad was a mechanic (actually an anesthesiologist who had grease on his hands from fixing things) and I was five years younger than my actual age.
5. Disneyland and Disney World! The Matterhorn (only thrill ride when I was young)! Then Space Mountain! And now the Tower of Terror, Expedition Everest, and the Goofy Fun Runs!
6. Receiving a Father's Blessing the night before I was getting married.
7. Awesome family trips--Atlantis in the Bahamas, A Caribbean Cruise, and Thanksgiving in beautiful Kauai, Hawaii :)
8. Vietnam--working together (we built a school for a village there and had a medical clinic day), meeting his friends there from 40 years before, going to church in Saigon, and eating at PIZZA HUT (the rest of us about cried when we saw American food after unending rice, but dad enjoyed "pho." He learned to eat like the Vietnamese when he lived there and "had the best job in the war, stationed in a civilian hospital).
9. Watching together our kids/his grandkids play countless softball, soccer, baseball, football, basketball, and rugby, rugby, rugby games (snow, rain, wind, sun).
10. Sitting in dad's Gospel Doctrine class and hearing how his visit to the Christus on Temple Square strengthened his testimony of Christ and forgiveness.
Wednesday, March 6, 2013
Top 10 Movies of 2012
Well, since the Academy of Motion Pictures had its say, I decided to write my own favorite movies of 2012, a sort of personal Academy Awards. And the Oscar goes to . . .
1. Lincoln good overall film, the old history-to-life thing
2. The Avengers an entertaining combination, and so much hunkiness in one film
3. Les Miserables bold effort; loved the scope and cinematography, thought the voices weren't very strong (the 25th anniversary concert version blows the listener away)
4. Moonrise Kingdom quirky and memorable
5. Skyfall I'm not necessarily a 007 fan, but I enjoyed the nostalgia and action in this one
6. Wreck-it Ralph imaginative, jumping video games and combining early-80s games and technology with new stuff--funny
7. The Dark Knight Rises good action, brooding superhero
8. The Hobbit a little long, but well-crafted, and may even lead to some teenagers (mine) reading more
9. Brave one for girl power; she's a fiery one :)
10. The Bourne Legacy not as intense as the other Bourne films, but a fun ride.
(Note: no Twilight on this list, ever.)
Have fun at the movies :)
1. Lincoln good overall film, the old history-to-life thing
2. The Avengers an entertaining combination, and so much hunkiness in one film
3. Les Miserables bold effort; loved the scope and cinematography, thought the voices weren't very strong (the 25th anniversary concert version blows the listener away)
4. Moonrise Kingdom quirky and memorable
5. Skyfall I'm not necessarily a 007 fan, but I enjoyed the nostalgia and action in this one
6. Wreck-it Ralph imaginative, jumping video games and combining early-80s games and technology with new stuff--funny
7. The Dark Knight Rises good action, brooding superhero
8. The Hobbit a little long, but well-crafted, and may even lead to some teenagers (mine) reading more
9. Brave one for girl power; she's a fiery one :)
10. The Bourne Legacy not as intense as the other Bourne films, but a fun ride.
(Note: no Twilight on this list, ever.)
Have fun at the movies :)
Wednesday, February 20, 2013
Top 10s from the Parry Cruise
Ok, we are actually home occasionally, and there I do lots of exciting things like laundry and vacuuming, but this will be the second post in a row about a cool vacation! We're glad my husband's parents have now been married 50 years, and all their surviving children and spouses were able to leave winter and celebrate together on a Caribbean cruise . . .
1. Being together. 21 made for quite a group, and we hadn't all been together in 6 years. It was nice to eat dinners and laugh together plus visit individually.
2. The Flowrider (minus points for my ungraceful falls and whiplash). A new activity--a cross between skim boarding and surfing. The 7 Parry brothers pretty much lived on it and worked on all kinds of tricks. Scott even did a handstand. Where did that come from?
3. The Superbowl. Hey, it was actually a good game this year (except for the power outage delay, during which I HAD to go upstairs and get ice cream) and included lots of good commercials ("Come back when you have a team," "Cookies/cream," the Coke race, but NOT the gross Go Daddy.com kiss)
4. Hanging at the pools when 5,000 people got off the ship at port. Let's see: a frozen yogurt machine, no crowds, good music, good books. I didn't even need to move all day :)
5. The diving and gymnastic show. Cool stuff, even 60-foot dives! And a nice, bouncy tramp next to the pool! Made me want to go back 20 years.
6. The rock climbing wall. 6 decks high, it was the highest one I've done.
7. Food, no cooking required. I liked our steakhouse dinner; Scott liked the Johnny Rockets' milkshakes.
8. Boot camp (it was a lot like CrossFit) and a cool running track.
9. The shows: Flowrider stunts, "Hairspray" with a good cast and elaborate costumes, gymnastic and acrobatic routines.
10. Dancing. Brother-in-law Mark won this one, solo and partnered! The rest of us enjoyed 80's night, but what was with the DJ on Michael Jackson night (not even his good hits) and the all-Brazil night? Oh well . . .
1. Being together. 21 made for quite a group, and we hadn't all been together in 6 years. It was nice to eat dinners and laugh together plus visit individually.
2. The Flowrider (minus points for my ungraceful falls and whiplash). A new activity--a cross between skim boarding and surfing. The 7 Parry brothers pretty much lived on it and worked on all kinds of tricks. Scott even did a handstand. Where did that come from?
3. The Superbowl. Hey, it was actually a good game this year (except for the power outage delay, during which I HAD to go upstairs and get ice cream) and included lots of good commercials ("Come back when you have a team," "Cookies/cream," the Coke race, but NOT the gross Go Daddy.com kiss)
4. Hanging at the pools when 5,000 people got off the ship at port. Let's see: a frozen yogurt machine, no crowds, good music, good books. I didn't even need to move all day :)
5. The diving and gymnastic show. Cool stuff, even 60-foot dives! And a nice, bouncy tramp next to the pool! Made me want to go back 20 years.
6. The rock climbing wall. 6 decks high, it was the highest one I've done.
7. Food, no cooking required. I liked our steakhouse dinner; Scott liked the Johnny Rockets' milkshakes.
8. Boot camp (it was a lot like CrossFit) and a cool running track.
9. The shows: Flowrider stunts, "Hairspray" with a good cast and elaborate costumes, gymnastic and acrobatic routines.
10. Dancing. Brother-in-law Mark won this one, solo and partnered! The rest of us enjoyed 80's night, but what was with the DJ on Michael Jackson night (not even his good hits) and the all-Brazil night? Oh well . . .
Thursday, January 24, 2013
Top 10s of Disney World
Our family was fortunate to travel to Florida--leaving 20 degree Utah temperatures for a few perfect 80-degree days! My sister Jody was amazing and completed her 2nd "Goofy" (39.3 miles baby), our dad ran the Disney 5K, and I did the Half Marathon. The downer of the trip was sickness: flu ran through the family, and even with codeine and cough medicine, I had some killer coughs throughout the run. Still, the good far outweighed the bad, and these are my top picks of the trip:
1. A day at Epcot virtually without crowds and lines, enjoying gorgeous blue skies, shorts in January and sunshine.
2. Watching my kids eat their first jacket-required 7-course gourmet meal at Victoria and Albert's. (Wyatt said he looked like James Bond , the service was superb, and white chocolate gelato was the PRE-dessert, followed by chocolate souffle).
3. A Tie: The new Mt. Everest Roller Coaster and the Rock 'n' Roller Coaster
4. The African safari animals at Animal Kingdom.
5. Tower of Terror, always a favorite
6. Eating a funny lunch at Prime Time Cafe at Hollywood Studios.
7. Running through kingdoms and enjoying Disney characters and scenes in the Half Marathon.
8. Lounging by the pool.
9. Seeing friends and touring the ginormous Deseret Citrus and Cattle Ranch, complete with alligators in the swimming hole and a rodeo-grounds picnic lunch.
10. Spending time with my husband, parents, sister, and three youngest children :)
1. A day at Epcot virtually without crowds and lines, enjoying gorgeous blue skies, shorts in January and sunshine.
2. Watching my kids eat their first jacket-required 7-course gourmet meal at Victoria and Albert's. (Wyatt said he looked like James Bond , the service was superb, and white chocolate gelato was the PRE-dessert, followed by chocolate souffle).
3. A Tie: The new Mt. Everest Roller Coaster and the Rock 'n' Roller Coaster
4. The African safari animals at Animal Kingdom.
5. Tower of Terror, always a favorite
6. Eating a funny lunch at Prime Time Cafe at Hollywood Studios.
7. Running through kingdoms and enjoying Disney characters and scenes in the Half Marathon.
8. Lounging by the pool.
9. Seeing friends and touring the ginormous Deseret Citrus and Cattle Ranch, complete with alligators in the swimming hole and a rodeo-grounds picnic lunch.
10. Spending time with my husband, parents, sister, and three youngest children :)
Tuesday, January 8, 2013
Top 10 Exotic Runs
We have been soooo fortunate to travel, and I thought of recording some of the most exotic places I've gone for a run. Remarkably absent is the hunting camp in South Africa where (pre-travel) I pictured myself running with a cheetah, but in real life the humans stayed in an enclosed compound, and cheetahs and all other animals were more interested in catching dinner than joining up with a slow running partner, so I got terribly antsy running around inside the enclosure. . . .
That disappointment aside, I'll pick:
1. Also in South Africa, inside a glass-enclosed workout room at the Royal Malawan Resort. Treadmills aren't usually exotic, but while I was on this one monkeys came up to the window and several colorful birds flew by. The view was incredible.
2. Tahiti. While my husband went scuba diving (not my thing, telling myself to breathe in, breathe out through a gigantic and uncomfortable mask while under water), I forced my butt off my personal overwater bungalow porch one day and did a personal mini-triathlon. I can't think of a prettier place on this planet to swim (calm, striking blue water), bike, and run.
3. Florence, Italy. Florence is just one of the prettiest cities there is, and our hotel was outside the city limits, alongside the Arno River. I ran through some fields here, next to the River, and had no idea where I was or how long I'd been gone, which made for an awesome experience
4. Lake Como, Italy. Views of the Italian Alps and the beautiful lake make running here picturesque. I've done some memorable marathon training runs here.
5. Washington, D.C. I felt historic running on the Mall, past the wonderful Monuments, and around the White House.
6. San Francisco, California. Yep, the hills are killer, but I once ran from the Oakton Bay Bridge, to and across the Golden Gate Bridge, then back. The breeze, ocean air, and views were killer too.
7. Disney World, Florida. Maybe it's not "exotic," but 39.3 miles of Disney property were "Goofy" indeed (and a lot of fun). At the end of this marathon, when I entered Epcot Resort and ran by the countries, it was the only time I can remember being hungry right in a race. Near France, I thought of eating the French food; near Mexico, I started craving Mexican food; and so on, to the finish!
8. Hawaii. I've run through lava fields on the Big Island, from the North Shore to Laie on Oahu, through beautiful parks and on the beaches of Maui and Kauai. Take me on a run in Hawaii any time.
9. Sea of Galilee, Israel. That run offered some beautiful views, not to mention the history and spirit of the place.
10. Got to pick my own home state, Utah. Lots of runs here in the beautiful red rock country of St. George, through Zion National Park or Snow Canyon State Park. I've also enjoyed scenic runs at Lake Powell, outside Moab, around Park City, and through Wheeler Historic Farm :)
That disappointment aside, I'll pick:
1. Also in South Africa, inside a glass-enclosed workout room at the Royal Malawan Resort. Treadmills aren't usually exotic, but while I was on this one monkeys came up to the window and several colorful birds flew by. The view was incredible.
2. Tahiti. While my husband went scuba diving (not my thing, telling myself to breathe in, breathe out through a gigantic and uncomfortable mask while under water), I forced my butt off my personal overwater bungalow porch one day and did a personal mini-triathlon. I can't think of a prettier place on this planet to swim (calm, striking blue water), bike, and run.
3. Florence, Italy. Florence is just one of the prettiest cities there is, and our hotel was outside the city limits, alongside the Arno River. I ran through some fields here, next to the River, and had no idea where I was or how long I'd been gone, which made for an awesome experience
4. Lake Como, Italy. Views of the Italian Alps and the beautiful lake make running here picturesque. I've done some memorable marathon training runs here.
5. Washington, D.C. I felt historic running on the Mall, past the wonderful Monuments, and around the White House.
6. San Francisco, California. Yep, the hills are killer, but I once ran from the Oakton Bay Bridge, to and across the Golden Gate Bridge, then back. The breeze, ocean air, and views were killer too.
7. Disney World, Florida. Maybe it's not "exotic," but 39.3 miles of Disney property were "Goofy" indeed (and a lot of fun). At the end of this marathon, when I entered Epcot Resort and ran by the countries, it was the only time I can remember being hungry right in a race. Near France, I thought of eating the French food; near Mexico, I started craving Mexican food; and so on, to the finish!
8. Hawaii. I've run through lava fields on the Big Island, from the North Shore to Laie on Oahu, through beautiful parks and on the beaches of Maui and Kauai. Take me on a run in Hawaii any time.
9. Sea of Galilee, Israel. That run offered some beautiful views, not to mention the history and spirit of the place.
10. Got to pick my own home state, Utah. Lots of runs here in the beautiful red rock country of St. George, through Zion National Park or Snow Canyon State Park. I've also enjoyed scenic runs at Lake Powell, outside Moab, around Park City, and through Wheeler Historic Farm :)
Monday, January 7, 2013
Top 10 M&Ms
When someone recently told me he only likes peanut m&ms, my unthinking OCD response was that peanut is probably my 6th favorite. Well, it did get me to thinking, tasting, and rating. Therefore, on this most serious subject, these are my official favorite flavors of my all-time favorite foods: (drum roll)
1. Mint m&ms
2. Dark chocolate m&ms
3. White chocolate peppermint m&ms (od'd on these at Christmas, confession since I ate my son's bag)
4. Coconut m&ms (taste like Hawaii)
5. Milk chocolate (original) m&ms
6. ok, Peanut m&ms (the peanuts make these a health food)
7. Almond m&ms (getting so healthy they're practically organic)
8. Dark chocolate peanut m&m
9. Pretzel m&ms, and
10. Peanut butter m&ms (they are 10th, but somehow I still enjoy eating them :)
Anyone else?
1. Mint m&ms
2. Dark chocolate m&ms
3. White chocolate peppermint m&ms (od'd on these at Christmas, confession since I ate my son's bag)
4. Coconut m&ms (taste like Hawaii)
5. Milk chocolate (original) m&ms
6. ok, Peanut m&ms (the peanuts make these a health food)
7. Almond m&ms (getting so healthy they're practically organic)
8. Dark chocolate peanut m&m
9. Pretzel m&ms, and
10. Peanut butter m&ms (they are 10th, but somehow I still enjoy eating them :)
Anyone else?
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