Tubing

Saturday was spent in the most beautiful place ever. Honestly I can't think of a better place to go tubing.

We had the mountains, the reservoir, the snow and a whole lotta fun!

All just 20 minutes up the road.

 

It took a little bit of walking to get back around to the tubing "dish" as it is called but it was certainly well worth it! Here's Dad B and I where we parked the car and the arrow is where we tubed and sledded.

This is the view from the dish. Two freezing fishermen and the storm on the horizon.

Our 2 Aussies soaking it all in.

 

This is from the top of the tubing/sledding hill. Quite the trek to get up to the top but well worth it...especially for the trip down. :)

The hill or "dish" is behind and all around us. The photo makes the hill look less daunting but it was quite big!

We concluded that the tubes were great and added some good padding to the bumps in the snow...if you kept your bottom up that is. They also went at a quick speed but had enough surface area that you weren't zooming too fast.

The saucer on the other hand torpedoed us down the hill.

Chantel and I braved it.

See for yourself...

Such great day! All just 20 minutes up the road in the beautiful mountains.

Dad B.

We are lucky enough to have Dad B. visit with us this past weekend and this coming weekend. With freshly falling snow we couldn't pass up an opportunity to hit up Park City. While we didn't ski (the fresh powder came the following night) we definitely had some fun exploring. 

This massive moose greeted us on our way in. He was having fun prancing along in the snow white fields.

We went on a tour of Utah Olympic Park where they take you to the top of the luge and skeleton/bobsled courses as well as the top of the nordic jumps. I don't know how the athletes do the nordic jump. It was frightening just thinking of what they do...looking down and hoping for a good landing.

 

Here we are enjoying our non-athlete safety...

 

 Above is the beginning of the luge course. Solid ice my friends. Apparently the skeleton is much safer because the sled is so much heavier and provides a greater center of gravity, keeping you on the course.

The South Korean bobsled team was there training as well as some training skeleton...ers. skeletons? skelethletes?

Whatever.

It was just cool to see ok!?

I wouldn't mind doing a tourist skeleton run next time.

Dad was one page ahead of me though. He thought he'd give bobsledding a go this time around...non-athlete style. :)

They were even kind enough to give us Aussies a royal welcome and let Dad carry the Olympic torch.

How kind.

Doesn't he just look so thrilled?

 

Here's a snippet of live action.

Twas a good day and I think my Asian-eyed buddies would agree. :)

truest

There aren't many things I know for sure.

I don't know why my toes are always cold. Always.

I don't know why I'm still tired even after taking a 2 hour nap.

I don't know why I ignore the hub's prompts to bring a coat to school but then complain I'm cold and take his. 

I don't know why feta cheese (and broccoli too for that matter) must smell gross but taste oh so good.

I don't know why seeing a baby transforms me into one myself. Facials, cooing and all. Can't even help it.

I don't know why we pray for snow, then complain when it comes.

But I do know one thing.

I DO know why I miss Australia all the time.

I DO know why cadbury chocolate melts my heart.

I DO know why I randomly crave sweet thai chili chips.

I DO know why I learned to drive on the opposite side of the road.

I DO know why I was willing to live miles and miles away from my family.

I DO know why I chose all those things.

 because I chose him.

I do know why I can push through the hard times in life.

It's because of him.

I do know why not a day goes by that I don't smile.

It's because of him. 

I do know why everything I do turns into a game or competition.

It's because of him.

I do know why I say car-a-mel and moun-t-ains.

It's because of him. 

I do know why I get butterflies when 5pm comes each day.

It's because of him. 

I do know why I try my hardest every day to be a little bit better.

It's because of him.

I do know why I take just that little extra precaution to make sure I get home safe from school.

It's because of him.

I do know why I get up every morning.

It's because of him.

I do know why I couldn't ask for a better husband, entertainer and friend.

It's because of him.

I love you Phil. 

I am who I am because of you.

ah ha

Today has been one of those days where everything in my head just clicks. Like an "ah ha" moment.

Like, if I have something in my life that I really want to have changed, then it is up to me to fix it.

And fixing it takes action, not just words!

Crazy how simple that concept is but its like today my brain said, "Ah yes. That is truth."

And I realized I completely don't want to be a certain way or display certain characteristics as I tend to dislike people who do have those characteristics or engage in those behaviors.

So obviously, if I'm like that, people will dislike me and we can't have that.

Make sense?

Well today it certainly did to me. In my own little head. Like an epiphany and it was utterly refreshing.

So here's to action. Here's to being non-materialistic. Here's to being unconditionally loving, including not being judgmental. At all.

Perhaps some new years resolutions, simply just a month and half late but who gives?

Because I get it.

"Ah ha!"

A couple weeks back Phil and I used our coupon we bought about a year back

yes, a year.

to go to the Murder Mystery Theatre in Taylorsville. 

When we first got there, it was sketchy. We had to practically dance in front of the door just to get it to open.

Good thing we're awesome dancers.

Even though I'd reserved our spots, they ran out of female characters so we were both males. 

Deopholis and Lakhesis.

Did you know those were both male names. Yeah, no-one else did either. No worries!

The pre-show entertainment was lame. Some kind of improv jokes/games. It left a lot to be desired.

Or nothing to be desired as I was ready to hightail it out of there. 

But I'm super glad we stuck it out because once everyone was seated we were thrown into the world of the gods, Zeus and all. Suddenly, there was a murder!  Hades' three headed dog was no more.

 Then it was up to us to figure out who the culprit was.

We went from god to god, room to room, actor to actor, back and forth, putting together the clues to unravel the mystery.

Kevin and Heather and little Henry too joined us and it was our teamwork that lead us to the top.

We were the first to find Hades a new dog.

Candybar reward, thank you very  much.

And even narrowed the suspects down to the very exact .one.

Time passed by really fast and we had a lot of fun. I would definitely recommend it. Certainly entertaining!

In the end I asked for a photo with some of the cast and they asked, "like who?" and I said "anyone? everyone?" and by-golly that's what I got.

Everyone.

Top row left to right: Artemis, Hermes, Ares' servant, Zeus, Hercules & Aphrodite
Middle row left to right: The two fates, Athena, Poseidon, Hades, the dog, Kevin, Henry & Heather
Bottom row left to right: me, the fates eye, Phil, & Ares

Such a super time. 

And what's better than an out-of-the-norm date night with your friends?

that also increases your mystery solving self-esteem?

Great!

sweet satisfaction

So I love this. And experienced it today so I needed to share.

I don't love it love when you're driving and the person behind you for some reason needs to get somewhere so superly speedily fast and they're like riding your tail. 

Then they finally decide to go around you, switch lanes and zoom off.

"Fine"

But I do love it when you get the next set of lights and who is next to you?

"Voila"

Mr./Mrs. speed demon. That is the best thing! I am certainly glad that they were so frustrated with my 'slow' driving and had to leave me in the dust to get to their destination that much quicker.

Then they're just right next to me at the light. Yesir your speeding around me didn't do a darn thing.

Muahahaha.

So glad I can gain happiness from the small things in life.

Skates

So I've watched my fair share of US Figure Skating Championships this weekend and re-lived my child ambition.

When I was young, for a good year or two when you asked me what I wanted to be when I grew up, it was "a figure skater". They're just the best.

I grew up watching begging my mom to let me stay up late to watch the competitions with her, loving Michelle Kwan and Scott Hamilton's back flips.

 

In fact I remember watching that exact performance when she wore the above red outfit. Yesir.

I didn't realize I was missing my fix so much until I earlier this month when just happened to turn on the TV and saw the US Champtionship on. (thank you karma!)

It has been great. But what is even better?,

Phil. Figure skating in his BYU pjs and bed head. Triple lutz-ing it up in the front room.

Welcome to our home. Professional and....not so professional skating consuming our weekends.

Love it.

rude...or just normal?

So I was thinking the other day

(or today after such related event transpired...more on that later)

about why we hug each other.

I mean, I understand the basics. My mom taught me those. 

You love someone, you hug them.

You say sorry, you hug them.

You see someone you know is sad, you hug them.

Easy.

But I never learned the "I see you on campus now, I never see you otherwise, so I should hug you" rule.

I'll be honest. I've even been guilty myself of this one.

But why? I don't know.

I mean, I'm not touchy feel-y. And, I know that. Jeez, my poor husband knows that.

But I do enjoy a snuggle or two. Or a good hug that is needed from someone I know.

But today, when that random reached in for the hug as they said the cheery "heeeeeey!" I knew I was not a fan.

And then, it was the double hug with the "see ya later  hug" at the end.

No bueno.

I don't really think I'm rude. I just think I'm normal.

When did it become normal to hug anyone and everyone when you see them?

Not my cup of tea.

No to "heeeey hugs"

No to "see ya later hugs"

No to "I knew you in high school and randomly just ran into you hugs"

No thanks.

(and to all those I do love, I will still hug you. Yes I will)