This year was a wild ride in Parry Rugby history, so I wanted to record some of the coolest moments . . .
1. Cody earning a starting spot at UVU for the Division IAA National Championship Game at Rio Tinto Stadium in Salt Lake City. He missed the fall season due to his LDS mission (and came home 30 pounds lighter due to the rice and beans only diet), so he needed to work hard all winter and spring to end up on the A squad. Wahoo!
2. "TRY!" on the big screen at Rio Tinto after Cody pushed aside defenders and used his long running legs to score, pulling UVU ahead in the second half.
3. "TRY!" again! Touche for Cody! Two tries in a row!
4. Cody on the television news that evening and on ksl.com. It's become our standard Parry casual remark: check out ksl.com/UVU rugby.
5. 3rd time is a charm. Cody has played twice before at Rio Tinto Stadium: in the high school national championship tournament (2011, Snow Canyon High School) and with UVU in 2012, but now he takes home a win.
6. This also has to tie for #1, just on the high school level . . . In the State Championship Game at the University of Utah, Snow Canyon and Herriman are tied at the end of regulation play, and Snow Canyon earns a penalty kick. In cold rain on a muddy and slippery field, at a very difficult angle . . . Sam Slivers delivers a miracle, curving the ball through the uprights for the State Title.
7. Watching Dylan move into the #10 spot for Snow Canyon, including the game against Cedar when he enabled just about every player to score, spreading the love (and winning by 100).
8. Watching little Snow Canyon stand up to and successfully maneuver around much larger teams. Seeing Polynesian-heavy East High come onto the field in the semi-final game was intimidating, but Snow Canyon used their speed game to score twice in the first five minutes and never looked back.
9. Traveling as UVU and Snow Canyon groupies (i.e. parents) to see games and tournaments from UCLA to Phoenix. Fun times.
10. Watching mighty mite and fearless Wyatt as #9 on Snow Canyon 9/10, hanging with players easily twice his size. They fought their way to the state semi-finals game (through 2 lightning delays). . . . Next year . . .
Sunday, June 28, 2015
Sunday, April 12, 2015
Top 10's of Brazil
Just got home yesterday from being "Tagalongs" with our stake president and his wife who had served as mission president and mission mom in Brazil. Awesome opportunity to see a new country (and set foot on Continent #5 for me, uh huh) so with a personal translator and personal travel coordinator, we had a great opportunity to tour and see some highlights :)
1. Beaches of Rio. Sugar white sand, check. Dramatic mountain views, check. Cool black and white wave-patterned sidewalks, check. Famous names: Copacabana and Ipanema (yes, I sang both the cheesy Barry Manilow song and "The Girl from Ipanema" while there), check. Beautiful people, kind of check (there were some, but also some pretty scary bathing suits). Yep, I could live totally live there :)
2. Running and walking on the beaches. The country is apparently in a fitness craze. Loved it! In the mornings, traffic lanes are even blocked for runners. On Copacabana, the sand was perfect for barefoot running. In Fortaleza, the whole town seemed to be running beachside with me. Sweaty humid, but fun. Even did some obligatory beach handwalking.
3. Corcovado, the famous Christus statue overlooking Rio. Tram ride up, wonderful 360-degree hilly, beachy, big-city views.
4. Fortaleza. It's a beach town on the Atlantic, and the water is mid-80s! Incredible! The beach area is totally fitness-crazed: beach volleyball and a kind of beach soccer-volleyball (kick serve, and players can hit with their head, chest, or legs only), 100-person zumba classes, running groups, and fitness trainers every hundred yards or so. The town is on the move :)
5. Iguazu Falls. I've been lucky enough to see Niagara Falls and Victoria Falls and now to EXPERIENCE Iguazu Falls. We rode in a little motor raft right into some drenching downpours, hiked along a mile-long, spray-soaked trail, took a helicopter tour from above, and got to see both the Brazilian and Argentinian sides. These falls are spectacular. The water just keeps on coming!
6. Tour of Rio. We went through the stadium for the upcoming Rio Olympics (recently renovated for the World Cup), saw press rooms and sat in team seats right next to the field, saw Pele and other cool memorabilia. We also enjoyed going up Sugar Loaf Mountain for more scenic views and saw toucans in the Botanical Gardens (rainforest beauty right inside a major city).
7. The Amazon. We stayed in a floating hotel (called the Floating Jungle Palace, though I'd probably delete the last word of the name if I were honest :). We were near Manaus on the Rio Negro (the water really does appear black) and saw the "meeting of the waters," where the Solomon River (brown) joins, and the two run side by side with a distinct line between them, apparently for over 100 kilometers. Scott got a cool snakeskin, and we saw cute monkeys and sloths. Piranhas kept sneaking his fishing bait, but we weren't able to reel one in. No alligator or anaconda near-death experiences this time . . .
8. The surprisingly impressive colonial Opera House and other buildings in the middle of nowhere, i.e., deep in the rainforest jungle, in Manaus. Imported European marble and glass. A funky air conditioning system built over 100 years ago.
9. The restaurants. Brazilians have Americans beat in fast food (though they do have some American fast food too). "Kilos" are a great invention, affordable buffet/salad bar/dessert bars named after the payment system (you weigh your plate). Also, pizza and barbecue places where servers are ready and circling with dining options.
10. The beautiful LDS temples in Sao Paulo and Manaus. Dramatic Brazilian granite. Impressive and sparkling. Fun for us to see touching missionary reunions in the different areas and conference in Rio as well.
1. Beaches of Rio. Sugar white sand, check. Dramatic mountain views, check. Cool black and white wave-patterned sidewalks, check. Famous names: Copacabana and Ipanema (yes, I sang both the cheesy Barry Manilow song and "The Girl from Ipanema" while there), check. Beautiful people, kind of check (there were some, but also some pretty scary bathing suits). Yep, I could live totally live there :)
2. Running and walking on the beaches. The country is apparently in a fitness craze. Loved it! In the mornings, traffic lanes are even blocked for runners. On Copacabana, the sand was perfect for barefoot running. In Fortaleza, the whole town seemed to be running beachside with me. Sweaty humid, but fun. Even did some obligatory beach handwalking.
3. Corcovado, the famous Christus statue overlooking Rio. Tram ride up, wonderful 360-degree hilly, beachy, big-city views.
4. Fortaleza. It's a beach town on the Atlantic, and the water is mid-80s! Incredible! The beach area is totally fitness-crazed: beach volleyball and a kind of beach soccer-volleyball (kick serve, and players can hit with their head, chest, or legs only), 100-person zumba classes, running groups, and fitness trainers every hundred yards or so. The town is on the move :)
5. Iguazu Falls. I've been lucky enough to see Niagara Falls and Victoria Falls and now to EXPERIENCE Iguazu Falls. We rode in a little motor raft right into some drenching downpours, hiked along a mile-long, spray-soaked trail, took a helicopter tour from above, and got to see both the Brazilian and Argentinian sides. These falls are spectacular. The water just keeps on coming!
6. Tour of Rio. We went through the stadium for the upcoming Rio Olympics (recently renovated for the World Cup), saw press rooms and sat in team seats right next to the field, saw Pele and other cool memorabilia. We also enjoyed going up Sugar Loaf Mountain for more scenic views and saw toucans in the Botanical Gardens (rainforest beauty right inside a major city).
7. The Amazon. We stayed in a floating hotel (called the Floating Jungle Palace, though I'd probably delete the last word of the name if I were honest :). We were near Manaus on the Rio Negro (the water really does appear black) and saw the "meeting of the waters," where the Solomon River (brown) joins, and the two run side by side with a distinct line between them, apparently for over 100 kilometers. Scott got a cool snakeskin, and we saw cute monkeys and sloths. Piranhas kept sneaking his fishing bait, but we weren't able to reel one in. No alligator or anaconda near-death experiences this time . . .
8. The surprisingly impressive colonial Opera House and other buildings in the middle of nowhere, i.e., deep in the rainforest jungle, in Manaus. Imported European marble and glass. A funky air conditioning system built over 100 years ago.
9. The restaurants. Brazilians have Americans beat in fast food (though they do have some American fast food too). "Kilos" are a great invention, affordable buffet/salad bar/dessert bars named after the payment system (you weigh your plate). Also, pizza and barbecue places where servers are ready and circling with dining options.
10. The beautiful LDS temples in Sao Paulo and Manaus. Dramatic Brazilian granite. Impressive and sparkling. Fun for us to see touching missionary reunions in the different areas and conference in Rio as well.
Sunday, March 29, 2015
Top 10 (or so) LDS Church Callings
We're probably not supposed to rank volunteer "callings" we have . . . but still, I wanted to remember what my different callings have been. So this list is more "reverse chronological" than "preferred," but it should bring up some fun memories . . .
1. Gospel Doctrine Teacher. My present calling, and I have it easier than most, because our ward in little Santa Clara, Utah is overloaded with awesome people and not enough callings to go around (opposite of some wards we've lived in, when Scott and I have each held 5 callings at the same time). Anyway, with eight Gospel Doctrine Teachers for two classes, we each teach once a month and get to listen and learn the other weeks. Teaching makes me read, think, research, and delve into questions and topics much more than I would on my own. And I used to teach English, so it's a little like old times.
2. Visiting Teacher. Had that one since turning 18, I suppose. I do like getting to know sisters one on one, and we've had fun lunches and other activities as well. It's not always easy to coordinate schedules, but it's worth it to go and visit with friends and hopefully uplift each other.
3. Relief Society Teacher. I've said for years that this is my favorite calling--involved, learning, and appreciative of the other teachers and lessons too :) I taught Relief Society for three years here and taught in St. Louis years ago. Also in Relief Society, I've served as Visiting Teaching Coordinator (harder than it sounds, with lots of sisters moving in and out), Education Counselor (now called First Counselor) and President for a short time in Philadelphia. That was an eye opener. I now APPRECIATE all of my Relief Society Presidents!
4. Nursery. Must list this one because it's my old stand-by. I've had this calling five times. Maybe I'll get it right some time. Let's see: lots of kids 18 months to 3 years old, treats, toys, rests, two-minute lessons, songs, coloring, building with Duplos or doing puzzles. I'm learning.
5. Young Women's. I enjoy the girls, fun atmosphere, and abundance of treats in Young Women's. I've served as 2nd Counselor, Secretary, and Laurel Advisor. Two years ago I was Camp Director, and sleeping outdoors (i.e., not sleeping) and going natural totally isn't my thing, but the girls and other leaders were great. Our stake had impressive evening programs. We concentrated on the Young Women Values, which was nice. And I led yoga every day :) But it also rained for two days straight.
6. Primary. I've served as President, 2nd Counselor, and Secretary. The kids rock (love their prayers and talks plus the clever/innocent/crazy things they say). The best part there is the Primary Songs.
7. Cub Scouts. With four sons, this one was bound to happen. I've been Wolf, Bear, and Webelo Leader (and taught Webelo Leaders at training for a couple of years). The way I see it, Scout activities are fun and get the boys out doing things. Too many rules and details to be too much fun though. BUT, our youngest son has an Eagle Court of Honor this month, which means I'm officially finishing with 4 for 4 Eagles. Booyah.
8. Temple Patron. This one my husband and I made up ourselves soon after we were married. We were in was a gigantic family ward in Provo, Utah, where we lived for a year without receiving any callings (not even visiting teacher, now that I think about it, so correct the error under #2. Don't think anyone ever visited us either; though we were living in a scary basement apartment :). So once a week we went to the temple, and that was definitely a good thing for me. I was able to get some temple experience and a bit of understanding. After that, for the next 9 years, we were far from temples in Philly and St. Louis, and it became much more difficult to attend.
9. Here's a different one: Special Secretary to the Bishop. In our Philadelphia ward, our Bishop was also an Institute Teacher and needed administrative assistance, so I helped type lists, letters, and whatever else he needed.
10. Sunbeam Teacher. Had to put this one separately because it was my first calling after graduating from high school. I had a little room of 11 active 3-year-olds, and years of babysitting came in handy. It was fun to see their excited faces and have some friendly lap sitters among them.
1. Gospel Doctrine Teacher. My present calling, and I have it easier than most, because our ward in little Santa Clara, Utah is overloaded with awesome people and not enough callings to go around (opposite of some wards we've lived in, when Scott and I have each held 5 callings at the same time). Anyway, with eight Gospel Doctrine Teachers for two classes, we each teach once a month and get to listen and learn the other weeks. Teaching makes me read, think, research, and delve into questions and topics much more than I would on my own. And I used to teach English, so it's a little like old times.
2. Visiting Teacher. Had that one since turning 18, I suppose. I do like getting to know sisters one on one, and we've had fun lunches and other activities as well. It's not always easy to coordinate schedules, but it's worth it to go and visit with friends and hopefully uplift each other.
3. Relief Society Teacher. I've said for years that this is my favorite calling--involved, learning, and appreciative of the other teachers and lessons too :) I taught Relief Society for three years here and taught in St. Louis years ago. Also in Relief Society, I've served as Visiting Teaching Coordinator (harder than it sounds, with lots of sisters moving in and out), Education Counselor (now called First Counselor) and President for a short time in Philadelphia. That was an eye opener. I now APPRECIATE all of my Relief Society Presidents!
4. Nursery. Must list this one because it's my old stand-by. I've had this calling five times. Maybe I'll get it right some time. Let's see: lots of kids 18 months to 3 years old, treats, toys, rests, two-minute lessons, songs, coloring, building with Duplos or doing puzzles. I'm learning.
5. Young Women's. I enjoy the girls, fun atmosphere, and abundance of treats in Young Women's. I've served as 2nd Counselor, Secretary, and Laurel Advisor. Two years ago I was Camp Director, and sleeping outdoors (i.e., not sleeping) and going natural totally isn't my thing, but the girls and other leaders were great. Our stake had impressive evening programs. We concentrated on the Young Women Values, which was nice. And I led yoga every day :) But it also rained for two days straight.
6. Primary. I've served as President, 2nd Counselor, and Secretary. The kids rock (love their prayers and talks plus the clever/innocent/crazy things they say). The best part there is the Primary Songs.
7. Cub Scouts. With four sons, this one was bound to happen. I've been Wolf, Bear, and Webelo Leader (and taught Webelo Leaders at training for a couple of years). The way I see it, Scout activities are fun and get the boys out doing things. Too many rules and details to be too much fun though. BUT, our youngest son has an Eagle Court of Honor this month, which means I'm officially finishing with 4 for 4 Eagles. Booyah.
8. Temple Patron. This one my husband and I made up ourselves soon after we were married. We were in was a gigantic family ward in Provo, Utah, where we lived for a year without receiving any callings (not even visiting teacher, now that I think about it, so correct the error under #2. Don't think anyone ever visited us either; though we were living in a scary basement apartment :). So once a week we went to the temple, and that was definitely a good thing for me. I was able to get some temple experience and a bit of understanding. After that, for the next 9 years, we were far from temples in Philly and St. Louis, and it became much more difficult to attend.
9. Here's a different one: Special Secretary to the Bishop. In our Philadelphia ward, our Bishop was also an Institute Teacher and needed administrative assistance, so I helped type lists, letters, and whatever else he needed.
10. Sunbeam Teacher. Had to put this one separately because it was my first calling after graduating from high school. I had a little room of 11 active 3-year-olds, and years of babysitting came in handy. It was fun to see their excited faces and have some friendly lap sitters among them.
Sunday, March 22, 2015
Top 10's of Costa Rica
Ok, waaaayyy too long without writing anything to remember some big events in the Parry household, so I'm going back to last October and remembering our favorite moments of picking up our missionary Cody, who served in the LDS Costa Rica San Jose Mission :)
1. Ok, here's a toughie, not. It's seeing Cody for the 1st time in two years at a sketchy bus station in the middle of San Jose. He was in a small town and said the bus ride in would take "2 to 4 hours depending on mudslides and stuff." Luckily, delays were few and he made it into the city pretty quickly. My first impression was, tall and SKINNY! Eating a steady diet of rice and beans, then walking for many hours every day, took some weight off him. But his smile was the same, and we had an awesome reunion!
2. Firsts for Elder Cody. He was most excited to have his first hot shower in years and loved a comfortable hotel bed. And it was fun to hear him try to remember English again. He had only worked with one English-speaking companion during his two years there. "What do you say--when someone sneeze?" "How do you say . . . .?" It was a half-Spanish half-English combination spoken in a quiet, soft tone for a few days.
3. Going to Guacimo. We drove to a small town in northern Costa Rica where Cody served for 6 months. We were able to visit with many people he worked with and even baptized. Ok, the ride there wasn't a favorite moment. We got delayed by rainy mudslides in the mountain area. But once we made it, just like in the US, kids would come running! "Elder Parry!! Otinorinco!" (Parry the Platypus from Phineas and Ferb). They'd call their friends who would also come running, and it made for fun reunions. One teenage boy probably summed it up well when he said, "The missionaries since you leave not as fun." Cody and his companions had set up church soccer games and activities :) One lady asked him to give her reading assignments. We even saw and were able to thank his "other grandma" who took care of him when he had dengue fever. "He lay on this floor for over a week." Things I learned: people love missionaries who've connected with them. People love their tvs (most homes had them on and loud the entire time we all visited). Also, the pre-tech days are long gone. At the first humble home we visited, a young boy pulled out an ipad, asked our address, went on Google Earth, and showed us our home. He even practiced his English and said, "nice house."
4. Going to the Mission President's Home for a last meeting. 20 missionaries were being released the next day, and President and Sister Wilkinson graciously invited us to join them for a final meal and meeting together. We learned that they still have young children at home, all of whom were doing homework and then practicing music when we arrived, so we learned that Sister Wilkinson had her hands full with family things. She served an American feast, smiled a lot, and reminded me of Mrs. Santa Claus. President Wilkinson gave Cody one of the best compliments we have ever heard when he said Cody was "one of the most Christlike missionaries" he had ever met. He could trust him anywhere, anytime, and with anyone. Most of what else was said, including testimonies of all the finishing missionaries, was in espagnol, so I got a headache trying to understand, with my background in gringo English and some French.
5. Traveling with Brent and Brenda Mangus. They have been to Costa Rica over 40 times, mostly with US Olympic Development Program soccer teams, and they led us around like true pros! We knew that Cody wouldn't be released from his mission and be able to do water activities, etc., so before we picked him up, we went with Brent and Brenda on a fun rafting adventure (got stuck on a rock and had to each swim at one point).
6. Enjoying the Arenal volcano-warmed water park with pools of varying temperatures and some pitch black and crazy water slides, plus a nice buffet meal.
7. Hiking to a beautiful rainforest waterfall and really enjoying all the green, green, green vegetation.
8.Hiking with Cody in Manuel Antonio National Park--seeing beautiful rocky and white sand beaches plus all kinds of animals, ending with an active family of monkeys!
9. The Marriott Los Suenos resort. We enjoyed the nice pool, good restaurants, and workout room comparable to a hotel stay in Hawaii for a fraction of the cost.
10. The waterfalls, scenery, and animals in La Paz Nature Park near the top of the Poas volcano. Loved the jungle cats and colorful birds, didn't especially love the snakes :) The employees charged us for two people and said our "tour guide" was free because Cody was wearing his (now old) white shirt, tie, and missionary name tag. It was his last freebie as a missionary . . . before we flew home and loved the neighborhood greetings at our little airport late at night.
(The bottom ten list would definitely include driving in Costa Rica. Adventures in crazy car rental, mudslides, rain, mountains, curves, impossibly short exit and entrance ramps, and people walking along the freeways day and night).
1. Ok, here's a toughie, not. It's seeing Cody for the 1st time in two years at a sketchy bus station in the middle of San Jose. He was in a small town and said the bus ride in would take "2 to 4 hours depending on mudslides and stuff." Luckily, delays were few and he made it into the city pretty quickly. My first impression was, tall and SKINNY! Eating a steady diet of rice and beans, then walking for many hours every day, took some weight off him. But his smile was the same, and we had an awesome reunion!
2. Firsts for Elder Cody. He was most excited to have his first hot shower in years and loved a comfortable hotel bed. And it was fun to hear him try to remember English again. He had only worked with one English-speaking companion during his two years there. "What do you say--when someone sneeze?" "How do you say . . . .?" It was a half-Spanish half-English combination spoken in a quiet, soft tone for a few days.
3. Going to Guacimo. We drove to a small town in northern Costa Rica where Cody served for 6 months. We were able to visit with many people he worked with and even baptized. Ok, the ride there wasn't a favorite moment. We got delayed by rainy mudslides in the mountain area. But once we made it, just like in the US, kids would come running! "Elder Parry!! Otinorinco!" (Parry the Platypus from Phineas and Ferb). They'd call their friends who would also come running, and it made for fun reunions. One teenage boy probably summed it up well when he said, "The missionaries since you leave not as fun." Cody and his companions had set up church soccer games and activities :) One lady asked him to give her reading assignments. We even saw and were able to thank his "other grandma" who took care of him when he had dengue fever. "He lay on this floor for over a week." Things I learned: people love missionaries who've connected with them. People love their tvs (most homes had them on and loud the entire time we all visited). Also, the pre-tech days are long gone. At the first humble home we visited, a young boy pulled out an ipad, asked our address, went on Google Earth, and showed us our home. He even practiced his English and said, "nice house."
4. Going to the Mission President's Home for a last meeting. 20 missionaries were being released the next day, and President and Sister Wilkinson graciously invited us to join them for a final meal and meeting together. We learned that they still have young children at home, all of whom were doing homework and then practicing music when we arrived, so we learned that Sister Wilkinson had her hands full with family things. She served an American feast, smiled a lot, and reminded me of Mrs. Santa Claus. President Wilkinson gave Cody one of the best compliments we have ever heard when he said Cody was "one of the most Christlike missionaries" he had ever met. He could trust him anywhere, anytime, and with anyone. Most of what else was said, including testimonies of all the finishing missionaries, was in espagnol, so I got a headache trying to understand, with my background in gringo English and some French.
5. Traveling with Brent and Brenda Mangus. They have been to Costa Rica over 40 times, mostly with US Olympic Development Program soccer teams, and they led us around like true pros! We knew that Cody wouldn't be released from his mission and be able to do water activities, etc., so before we picked him up, we went with Brent and Brenda on a fun rafting adventure (got stuck on a rock and had to each swim at one point).
6. Enjoying the Arenal volcano-warmed water park with pools of varying temperatures and some pitch black and crazy water slides, plus a nice buffet meal.
7. Hiking to a beautiful rainforest waterfall and really enjoying all the green, green, green vegetation.
8.Hiking with Cody in Manuel Antonio National Park--seeing beautiful rocky and white sand beaches plus all kinds of animals, ending with an active family of monkeys!
9. The Marriott Los Suenos resort. We enjoyed the nice pool, good restaurants, and workout room comparable to a hotel stay in Hawaii for a fraction of the cost.
10. The waterfalls, scenery, and animals in La Paz Nature Park near the top of the Poas volcano. Loved the jungle cats and colorful birds, didn't especially love the snakes :) The employees charged us for two people and said our "tour guide" was free because Cody was wearing his (now old) white shirt, tie, and missionary name tag. It was his last freebie as a missionary . . . before we flew home and loved the neighborhood greetings at our little airport late at night.
(The bottom ten list would definitely include driving in Costa Rica. Adventures in crazy car rental, mudslides, rain, mountains, curves, impossibly short exit and entrance ramps, and people walking along the freeways day and night).
Sunday, July 27, 2014
Top 10's from Lake Powell
When I was growing up, every year my family borrowed our grandpa's boat, cleaned out all gross remains from his fishing trips, filled it with water skis and lovely and extremely uncomfortable orange life jackets instead, and left for Lake Powell on the last day of school. As I got older, we progressed from camper stays to the AIR CONDITIONED (yeah!) early motel there, then to a houseboat, and life on the Lake got sweeter. My husband and I lived in Philadelphia for 4 years and St. Louis for 5 more, so we had little time for Lake Powell runs, but then we made our way back to Utah. And now with our own family, Lake Powell trips have become a Parry tradition. It's hard to choose just 10 favorite reasons we love it, but I'll try.
1. The night sky. Best star viewing of almost anywhere I've been. Ever.
2. Boating on blue water surrounded by staggeringly beautiful red cliffs. (The scenery is in plenty of movies. We've spotted Lake Powell as "Mars" in John Carter and its area in "Texas" in The Lone Ranger.
3. Water skiing. I'm from the old school, before wake boarding was even invented :). Early mornings and late evenings on Lake Powell we can still generally find a nook or canyon with perfectly smooth ski water. Ahhh. 4. Cliff jumping. Actually we like jumping off the houseboat too.
5. Mid-day movies. When the sun is hot overhead, we tend to take a break inside. How spoiled we've become :)
6. Food. We usually invite people who come with tasty meals and treats to feed an army.
7. Jumping in the lake and not getting cold. Compared to those northern Utah mountain lakes, well, 80 degree water is just perfect.
8. The kids. Every year the wake boarding tricks and flips get more impressive, the rope burns from tube wars get a little scarier, and new competitions such as best falls on the wake skate impress.
9. Hiking around the area. People come from around the world to see the red rock formations, and hidden coves and canyons, even petroglyphs and other ancient finds, are treasures.
10. Time together with family and great friends. My older kids plan to come home when they hear it's Lake Powell time, and they spend days thinking of famous but easily forgotten names to win at the fabled "Name Game."
1. The night sky. Best star viewing of almost anywhere I've been. Ever.
2. Boating on blue water surrounded by staggeringly beautiful red cliffs. (The scenery is in plenty of movies. We've spotted Lake Powell as "Mars" in John Carter and its area in "Texas" in The Lone Ranger.
3. Water skiing. I'm from the old school, before wake boarding was even invented :). Early mornings and late evenings on Lake Powell we can still generally find a nook or canyon with perfectly smooth ski water. Ahhh. 4. Cliff jumping. Actually we like jumping off the houseboat too.
5. Mid-day movies. When the sun is hot overhead, we tend to take a break inside. How spoiled we've become :)
6. Food. We usually invite people who come with tasty meals and treats to feed an army.
7. Jumping in the lake and not getting cold. Compared to those northern Utah mountain lakes, well, 80 degree water is just perfect.
8. The kids. Every year the wake boarding tricks and flips get more impressive, the rope burns from tube wars get a little scarier, and new competitions such as best falls on the wake skate impress.
9. Hiking around the area. People come from around the world to see the red rock formations, and hidden coves and canyons, even petroglyphs and other ancient finds, are treasures.
10. Time together with family and great friends. My older kids plan to come home when they hear it's Lake Powell time, and they spend days thinking of famous but easily forgotten names to win at the fabled "Name Game."
Tuesday, July 22, 2014
Top 10's of Favorite Daughter Ashley
Happy Birthday to our favorite (and only) daughter Ashley! She's a doll and a great friend, and it's her first birthday on which she gets to wake up and go to work :). Party on! (Or, some parts of growing up aren't all that much fun, but it's life.) Some of my best memories with Ash--
1. Our mother-daughter cruise with Tracy and Lexie Parry. We might have set a Princess Cruise Line Record for movie viewing by the pool. We also might have set a record for sampling desserts, but having seen some people on cruises I might be overstating a bit there. We also enjoyed snorkeling with sea rays, beach time, dance time, sudoku (her) crossword puzzle (me) time, and and talk time.
2. Graduation trip to Africa. Quite a wild experience! Beautiful Capetown and safari adventures including being in the middle of a lion hunt (one lioness was an arm's length behind us, as we froze on the back row of the Land Rover). Up close and personal with hippos, rhinos, zebras, giraffes, elephants, you name it. We even had a glass enclosed exercise room and saw monkeys and beautifully colored birds while running on the treadmill.
3. "Groupie" touring with Ashley when she was chosen to represent the US on a softball trip to Italy. From Venice to Rome to Milan, we saw wonderful towns and wonderful sites. Also, she played great and shortstop and at the plate, capping off the end of her college softball years. Too bad she was on a sugar strike and didn't try the gelato at every stop with us though.
4. "Groupie" visiting Hawaii to watch Ashley play softball for four college years and for her and Lyndon's college graduation! Awesome accomplishments! We also got to meet her on Thanksgiving weekends in Hawaii. Waves, beaches, pools, hammocks, waterfalls, flowers . . . Hawaii really is a paradise.
5. Preschool and kindergarten moments. A headstrong and precocious girl, she provided some most entertaining scenes on both sides of the spectrum. On any given day she may insist she was a horse or be the ideal student. I didn't know if I would hear a bit of neighing or quotations like, "May I please have some beets," or, "Mrs. Schulte, someone is breaking a safety rule."
6. Her preschool dance performances with numbers (and cute costumes) from "The Lion King" to "Achy Breaky Heart" to "Les Miserables." She moved on from dance and through lots of violin years, often performing her best right in programs and competitions.
7. Horse lessons and rodeo/gymkhana competitions. Ashley became quite an accomplished rider and still claims she will buy a horse before she buys a car.
8. Soccer games. Watching her sprint past other players to get the ball. She and Ashley Timo as forwards at Snow Canyon were an unbeatable team.
9. Being together. When she visits, we tend to do everything together, from working out to eating out to going out. Otherwise, we have to settle for texts and emails.
10. Watching our awesome daughter get married to awesome Lyndon. Our family day at Disneyland and family beach day, complete with cheesy skits, were fun and adventurous. Then a beautiful ceremony in the Newport Beach LDS Temple couldn't ever be topped.
1. Our mother-daughter cruise with Tracy and Lexie Parry. We might have set a Princess Cruise Line Record for movie viewing by the pool. We also might have set a record for sampling desserts, but having seen some people on cruises I might be overstating a bit there. We also enjoyed snorkeling with sea rays, beach time, dance time, sudoku (her) crossword puzzle (me) time, and and talk time.
2. Graduation trip to Africa. Quite a wild experience! Beautiful Capetown and safari adventures including being in the middle of a lion hunt (one lioness was an arm's length behind us, as we froze on the back row of the Land Rover). Up close and personal with hippos, rhinos, zebras, giraffes, elephants, you name it. We even had a glass enclosed exercise room and saw monkeys and beautifully colored birds while running on the treadmill.
3. "Groupie" touring with Ashley when she was chosen to represent the US on a softball trip to Italy. From Venice to Rome to Milan, we saw wonderful towns and wonderful sites. Also, she played great and shortstop and at the plate, capping off the end of her college softball years. Too bad she was on a sugar strike and didn't try the gelato at every stop with us though.
4. "Groupie" visiting Hawaii to watch Ashley play softball for four college years and for her and Lyndon's college graduation! Awesome accomplishments! We also got to meet her on Thanksgiving weekends in Hawaii. Waves, beaches, pools, hammocks, waterfalls, flowers . . . Hawaii really is a paradise.
5. Preschool and kindergarten moments. A headstrong and precocious girl, she provided some most entertaining scenes on both sides of the spectrum. On any given day she may insist she was a horse or be the ideal student. I didn't know if I would hear a bit of neighing or quotations like, "May I please have some beets," or, "Mrs. Schulte, someone is breaking a safety rule."
6. Her preschool dance performances with numbers (and cute costumes) from "The Lion King" to "Achy Breaky Heart" to "Les Miserables." She moved on from dance and through lots of violin years, often performing her best right in programs and competitions.
7. Horse lessons and rodeo/gymkhana competitions. Ashley became quite an accomplished rider and still claims she will buy a horse before she buys a car.
8. Soccer games. Watching her sprint past other players to get the ball. She and Ashley Timo as forwards at Snow Canyon were an unbeatable team.
9. Being together. When she visits, we tend to do everything together, from working out to eating out to going out. Otherwise, we have to settle for texts and emails.
10. Watching our awesome daughter get married to awesome Lyndon. Our family day at Disneyland and family beach day, complete with cheesy skits, were fun and adventurous. Then a beautiful ceremony in the Newport Beach LDS Temple couldn't ever be topped.
Tuesday, July 15, 2014
Top 10's with Connor in 2014
This has been a great and exciting year for Connor, our third child, and I thought I'd record some of the best memories surrounding him as he leaves to be a missionary for the next two years . . .
1. State Rugby Championship. Senior Year, and he was Team Captain, helping with team strategy on the pitch as our player #10. Two heart-palpitating, nail-biting games in the semi finals against Olympus and the finals against East High School, and Snow Canyon pulled out the win :). Our local newspaper called it a "Dynasty in the Desert." We're a small team physically, but we're well coached and play with a lot of heart.
2. Mission Call to Iquitos, Peru. Connor and his friend Warner Rigby received mission calls the same day and opened them together, with lots of friends at our house (Warner's was to Honduras). Connor was hoping for a German-speaking mission, after taking three years of it in school, but, hey, Spanish is the new challenge :) Actually, a couple of years ago a friend their age drowned while at Scout Camp, which made Connor and a bunch of his friends think seriously. They decided that their friend, K.J. Harrison, was needed on a mission in Heaven, and they signed a pact that the rest of them would be worthy and serve missions when they were old enough. A youtube video of Snow Canyon Class of 2014 Missionaries shows all of these friends fulfilling their promises, and they are now going all around the world sharing the message of Jesus Christ.
3. Graduation trip to New Zealand. What a great group of boys (20 from Snow Canyon), a great group of coaches, a great group of relatives and friends who hosted us, and great rugby too.
4. High School Graduation. Wahoo! Connor received High Honors and received an award from the school Principal, Warren Brooks, for "Outstanding Young Man." He was accepted to BYU (go Cougars!) and plans to play rugby there after his mission. Both sets of grandparents were able to come and share in the happy event.
5. 18th birthday--and the Parry Sky Dive! We now have 3 crazy children who have chosen to go Sky Diving when they were old enough. Connor went the day before he left for Peru and loved his experience with SkyDive Zion, overlooking beautiful Zion National Park. 20 minute ascent, barrel roll take off, and a safe landing made for a fun and memorable day.
6. Connor landing wakeboarding back flips. Wahoo :)
7. Connor, Dylan, and Wyatt all playing together. Our youngest sons were able to play at the same time for a few minutes on the rugby pitch in New Zealand, played together on our Ward Basketball Team, and played against each other in the friendly end-of-year Snow Canyon barefoot rugby match. Fun memories to see them all back each other up, or hit each other down and then help each other up . . .
8. Mission Farewell weekend. We enjoyed gathering with family and friends and hearing Connor bear his testimony and give an excellent talk. Connor has a nice spirit about him. His farewell happened to be on Father's Day, and he chose to use examples of how his dad and two grandpas help others. He also recognized his younger brother Dylan as a "never give up" kind of guy--the time he was recovering from an appendectomy, took a mountain bike spill which resulted in head staples and road rash over much of his body, then suffered a broken nose (yes, it was sideways until his doctor dad pushed it into place) yet ran right back into a rugby game.
9. Small moments together. Shopping for mission clothes. Eating at In and Out Burger and Honolulu Grill. Yucky mounds of vaccinations before going to South America. Singing in the Hummer (and being chauffeured; I don't much like driving but all my kids do)!
10. Mission Setting Apart and saying Good-bye at the St. George Airport. Actually I like getting weekly emails better than saying good-bye, but he's off to Peru and sounds excited to be there.
1. State Rugby Championship. Senior Year, and he was Team Captain, helping with team strategy on the pitch as our player #10. Two heart-palpitating, nail-biting games in the semi finals against Olympus and the finals against East High School, and Snow Canyon pulled out the win :). Our local newspaper called it a "Dynasty in the Desert." We're a small team physically, but we're well coached and play with a lot of heart.
2. Mission Call to Iquitos, Peru. Connor and his friend Warner Rigby received mission calls the same day and opened them together, with lots of friends at our house (Warner's was to Honduras). Connor was hoping for a German-speaking mission, after taking three years of it in school, but, hey, Spanish is the new challenge :) Actually, a couple of years ago a friend their age drowned while at Scout Camp, which made Connor and a bunch of his friends think seriously. They decided that their friend, K.J. Harrison, was needed on a mission in Heaven, and they signed a pact that the rest of them would be worthy and serve missions when they were old enough. A youtube video of Snow Canyon Class of 2014 Missionaries shows all of these friends fulfilling their promises, and they are now going all around the world sharing the message of Jesus Christ.
3. Graduation trip to New Zealand. What a great group of boys (20 from Snow Canyon), a great group of coaches, a great group of relatives and friends who hosted us, and great rugby too.
4. High School Graduation. Wahoo! Connor received High Honors and received an award from the school Principal, Warren Brooks, for "Outstanding Young Man." He was accepted to BYU (go Cougars!) and plans to play rugby there after his mission. Both sets of grandparents were able to come and share in the happy event.
5. 18th birthday--and the Parry Sky Dive! We now have 3 crazy children who have chosen to go Sky Diving when they were old enough. Connor went the day before he left for Peru and loved his experience with SkyDive Zion, overlooking beautiful Zion National Park. 20 minute ascent, barrel roll take off, and a safe landing made for a fun and memorable day.
6. Connor landing wakeboarding back flips. Wahoo :)
7. Connor, Dylan, and Wyatt all playing together. Our youngest sons were able to play at the same time for a few minutes on the rugby pitch in New Zealand, played together on our Ward Basketball Team, and played against each other in the friendly end-of-year Snow Canyon barefoot rugby match. Fun memories to see them all back each other up, or hit each other down and then help each other up . . .
8. Mission Farewell weekend. We enjoyed gathering with family and friends and hearing Connor bear his testimony and give an excellent talk. Connor has a nice spirit about him. His farewell happened to be on Father's Day, and he chose to use examples of how his dad and two grandpas help others. He also recognized his younger brother Dylan as a "never give up" kind of guy--the time he was recovering from an appendectomy, took a mountain bike spill which resulted in head staples and road rash over much of his body, then suffered a broken nose (yes, it was sideways until his doctor dad pushed it into place) yet ran right back into a rugby game.
9. Small moments together. Shopping for mission clothes. Eating at In and Out Burger and Honolulu Grill. Yucky mounds of vaccinations before going to South America. Singing in the Hummer (and being chauffeured; I don't much like driving but all my kids do)!
10. Mission Setting Apart and saying Good-bye at the St. George Airport. Actually I like getting weekly emails better than saying good-bye, but he's off to Peru and sounds excited to be there.
Wednesday, June 11, 2014
Top 10's from New Zealand
After years of planning and a great rugby season, we were able to travel to New Zealand with the Snow Canyon High School Rugby Club. The experience was rugby filled, and the country was gorgeous, green, hilly, chilly (Southern Hemisphere, so winter during our summer), sheepy (made that one up), Lord of the Rings Hobbity (that one too), and kia ora welcoming. We were especially lucky because our youngest three sons were all able to travel and even play. Connor had just graduated from high school (awesome kid, High Honors Graduate, Captain of the State Championship Rugby Team . . . I know, it's bragging, but hey), and we were able to experience one great trip together before he leaves for an LDS mission to Peru. The one thing I want to forget is the jet lag (it's 3 or 4 am and I'm wide awake, for the third night in a row). But other than that, some of the highlights I want to always remember are below:
1. Being welcomed into the Maori culture. Our head coach, Michael Pururi, was born in New Zealand and has many relatives who actually welcomed us as family. Coach Steve Howard also lived in New Zealand for eight years, and his friends and former neighbors kindly hosted boys as well. The boys were able to stay in two different maraes, and we enjoyed traditional welcome ceremonies, singing, and massive and delicious meals. I have traveled many places but never experienced this level of cultural sharing before.
2. Going to the New Zealand LDS temple where Coach Pururi was able to perform baptisms for all 23 team members who traveled with us. Rare, spiritual, and amazing. The adults were able to attend an early temple session and then observe. We learned that Coach P's parents met while both were on "temple building missions" in that exact place, his mother from Samoa, and his father from New Zealand. We also were privileged to meet the Temple President, Sid Going, a former All Black (New Zealand's World Championship All Star Rugby Team) who refused to play on Sundays and influenced the team to play on Saturdays (which they still do, decades later).
3. Seeing "Hobbiton," where outside scenes from both The Lord of the Rings and The Hobbit trilogies were filmed. It was as gorgeous as it appears on the big screen! 44 Hobbit structures remain, and the area is set up for Bilbo Baggin's Eleventy First Birthday Bash. The details were fun (fake $1.5 million tree over Bilbo's home with 280,000 leaves, each wired on, then repainted and rewired per Peter Jackson's specific directive). We got to eat in the Golden Dragon and see the 12,000 sheep on the actual property (who weren't "pretty" enough, so different breeds were brought in during filming. Seriously, sheep extras).
Makes us want to watch a Hobbit-based movie marathon!
4. Rugby. We attended a fun professional game, three Junior World Championship Games, and played against some of the best junior rugby teams in the world. Hamilton Boys High School (2,200 boys, 30 rugby teams among them, players from all over the rugby world. Seriously, I never even knew rugby boarding schools exist). Every small town we drove through had a rugby pitch (or two or more). Rugby games are broadcast 24/7 there. It was fun to experience New Zealand rugby. Boy are they good. And BIG. And fast.
5. Running. Every place we went, I spent a day or so learning my way around, and then enjoyed some fun runs. The chilly temperatures actually made for perfect running weather. I got a calf workout barefoot on the beach in Raglan, ran along the waterfront in Auckland, and ran with the horses, cows, and sheep in tiny North Havelock.
6. The Maori hangi (I think I spelled it correctly). It's similar to a Hawaiian luau. The boys helped prepare a pig, dug the pit for it in the morning, and in the evening we had what our youngest son Wyatt called a second Thanksgiving! The Pururi family and local members of our church sang, danced, and fed us so graciously.
7. Church and the Single Adult Fireside concentrating on Rugby, or sport, helping to shape strong, valiant young men. Connor and a couple of his teammates spoke, and Coach Pururi's message was touching as well. And boy, do they put our typical Utah Ward singing to shame! They sing beautifully and with wonderful spirit and harmony!
8. Ascending the Sky Tower to see all of Auckland and the surrounding area.
9. Watching Dylan bungee jump, riding a jet boat race course and a giant catapulting swing with Wyatt. A fun bit of adventure never hurts :)
10. Spending an awesome two weeks (capped off with a 5 hour layover in Honolulu complete with a quick trip to Waikiki Beach--returning wet and sandy and happy) with Scott, the boys, and friends. It was truly a trip to remember.
1. Being welcomed into the Maori culture. Our head coach, Michael Pururi, was born in New Zealand and has many relatives who actually welcomed us as family. Coach Steve Howard also lived in New Zealand for eight years, and his friends and former neighbors kindly hosted boys as well. The boys were able to stay in two different maraes, and we enjoyed traditional welcome ceremonies, singing, and massive and delicious meals. I have traveled many places but never experienced this level of cultural sharing before.
2. Going to the New Zealand LDS temple where Coach Pururi was able to perform baptisms for all 23 team members who traveled with us. Rare, spiritual, and amazing. The adults were able to attend an early temple session and then observe. We learned that Coach P's parents met while both were on "temple building missions" in that exact place, his mother from Samoa, and his father from New Zealand. We also were privileged to meet the Temple President, Sid Going, a former All Black (New Zealand's World Championship All Star Rugby Team) who refused to play on Sundays and influenced the team to play on Saturdays (which they still do, decades later).
3. Seeing "Hobbiton," where outside scenes from both The Lord of the Rings and The Hobbit trilogies were filmed. It was as gorgeous as it appears on the big screen! 44 Hobbit structures remain, and the area is set up for Bilbo Baggin's Eleventy First Birthday Bash. The details were fun (fake $1.5 million tree over Bilbo's home with 280,000 leaves, each wired on, then repainted and rewired per Peter Jackson's specific directive). We got to eat in the Golden Dragon and see the 12,000 sheep on the actual property (who weren't "pretty" enough, so different breeds were brought in during filming. Seriously, sheep extras).
Makes us want to watch a Hobbit-based movie marathon!
4. Rugby. We attended a fun professional game, three Junior World Championship Games, and played against some of the best junior rugby teams in the world. Hamilton Boys High School (2,200 boys, 30 rugby teams among them, players from all over the rugby world. Seriously, I never even knew rugby boarding schools exist). Every small town we drove through had a rugby pitch (or two or more). Rugby games are broadcast 24/7 there. It was fun to experience New Zealand rugby. Boy are they good. And BIG. And fast.
5. Running. Every place we went, I spent a day or so learning my way around, and then enjoyed some fun runs. The chilly temperatures actually made for perfect running weather. I got a calf workout barefoot on the beach in Raglan, ran along the waterfront in Auckland, and ran with the horses, cows, and sheep in tiny North Havelock.
6. The Maori hangi (I think I spelled it correctly). It's similar to a Hawaiian luau. The boys helped prepare a pig, dug the pit for it in the morning, and in the evening we had what our youngest son Wyatt called a second Thanksgiving! The Pururi family and local members of our church sang, danced, and fed us so graciously.
7. Church and the Single Adult Fireside concentrating on Rugby, or sport, helping to shape strong, valiant young men. Connor and a couple of his teammates spoke, and Coach Pururi's message was touching as well. And boy, do they put our typical Utah Ward singing to shame! They sing beautifully and with wonderful spirit and harmony!
8. Ascending the Sky Tower to see all of Auckland and the surrounding area.
9. Watching Dylan bungee jump, riding a jet boat race course and a giant catapulting swing with Wyatt. A fun bit of adventure never hurts :)
10. Spending an awesome two weeks (capped off with a 5 hour layover in Honolulu complete with a quick trip to Waikiki Beach--returning wet and sandy and happy) with Scott, the boys, and friends. It was truly a trip to remember.
Monday, January 13, 2014
Top 10's from our Thanksgiving Cruise
After waiting WWAAYY too long, I'll catch up a little of the Scott Parry family happenings. Over Thanksgiving, we had a fun if short Royal Caribbean cruise from Ft. Lauderdale, Florida to Cozumel, Mexico and back. Along with just being together, these were some of our favorites:
1. The Flowrider. Scott and the kids rocked on this one (it's actually the reason why we chose this ship). We rented the Flowrider out in the evenings, and they surfed and boogie boarded and had a lot of fun.
2. X-Terra Park in Cozumel. It was impressive (and we are not usually Mexico fans). We did 2 well-organized courses of zip lines (12 zip lines each), got muddy in crazy amphibious vehicles, swam through underground caves, and hit our heads (mostly Lyndon, who is 6'5") and each others' boats on cool stalagtite formations :)
3. Teen dodge ball. This cruise had fun activities for teenage boys who enjoy hitting other people--and it was legal! When one boy complimented Connor with: "You're a f---ing bomb!," we realized we weren't in Kansas, I mean Utah, anymore.
4. Eating. We got on the boat hungry and went straight to the buffet. Really, we may have set some kind of record here (the boys with at least 3 trips back for more food--just about every meal)!
5. Watching football games in the hot tubs. It was Thanksgiving weekend, after all.
6. Treats!!! My favorite foods include the word chocolate and come after the meals, and the cruise didn't disappoint. Scott liked the strawberry shakes from Johnny Rockets best, he and I tried some of the gourmet cupcakes, and even our boys who aren't eating sugar desserts this year found a selection of sugar-free treats every day!
7. Warm weather = reading by the pool. 80 degrees on the 1st of December = NICE.
8. Movies and shows. Any time we wanted a bit of down time, there was something funny to watch.
9. One dress up dinner. The boys ordered just about everything on the menu when they learned it was possible.
10. After the cruise, we had some extra time so went to an Alligator Farm outside of Ft. Lauderdale. Our little air boat and the not-shy alligators next to us didn't disappoint.
1. The Flowrider. Scott and the kids rocked on this one (it's actually the reason why we chose this ship). We rented the Flowrider out in the evenings, and they surfed and boogie boarded and had a lot of fun.
2. X-Terra Park in Cozumel. It was impressive (and we are not usually Mexico fans). We did 2 well-organized courses of zip lines (12 zip lines each), got muddy in crazy amphibious vehicles, swam through underground caves, and hit our heads (mostly Lyndon, who is 6'5") and each others' boats on cool stalagtite formations :)
3. Teen dodge ball. This cruise had fun activities for teenage boys who enjoy hitting other people--and it was legal! When one boy complimented Connor with: "You're a f---ing bomb!," we realized we weren't in Kansas, I mean Utah, anymore.
4. Eating. We got on the boat hungry and went straight to the buffet. Really, we may have set some kind of record here (the boys with at least 3 trips back for more food--just about every meal)!
5. Watching football games in the hot tubs. It was Thanksgiving weekend, after all.
6. Treats!!! My favorite foods include the word chocolate and come after the meals, and the cruise didn't disappoint. Scott liked the strawberry shakes from Johnny Rockets best, he and I tried some of the gourmet cupcakes, and even our boys who aren't eating sugar desserts this year found a selection of sugar-free treats every day!
7. Warm weather = reading by the pool. 80 degrees on the 1st of December = NICE.
8. Movies and shows. Any time we wanted a bit of down time, there was something funny to watch.
9. One dress up dinner. The boys ordered just about everything on the menu when they learned it was possible.
10. After the cruise, we had some extra time so went to an Alligator Farm outside of Ft. Lauderdale. Our little air boat and the not-shy alligators next to us didn't disappoint.
Sunday, November 10, 2013
Top 10's from Visiting Ashley in Albuquerque
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.
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.
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 :)
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