The Olympics

Everyone else seems to have blogs on the Olympics, which I feel like I have mostly missed this time around. I'm usually a die-hard when it comes to gymnastics and swimming events, but every time I try to watch I get stuck with boxing, wrestling, basketball, or volleyball. So, today I discovered cable has the Olympics on other channels, too. Yeeeaaahhh! After searching for hours just so I could meet my own patriotic Olympics quota, I found something that sounded interesting: Synchronized Swimming. All I can say is I found it quite creepy. Robotic movements of legs (and crotches) in the air with no heads or bodies. It was weird. I didn't like. Now, since I served in the Ukraine, I typically root for the Ukrainians after the U.S. But not to be rude, the Ukrainian swimmers were very manly looking. Whoever designed their head pieces (still talking about synchronized swimming here) must not have liked the girls much, because it made them both look like balding (in the Fryer Tuck sort of balding sense) old men, which made it even creepier. Sad, sad, sad. Not a good start for my Olympics viewing time.

I did catch some reruns of yesterday's gymnastics wins by some of the U.S. girl's team and one U.S. guy. Good save for today. Now that I know the strategy of finding the better events, maybe I can catch some of the better stuff or at least record it on the DVR. Too bad I've missed Michael Phelps wins.

Anything for a smile

I don't know why, but this video makes me smile, so I decided to share. Enjoy!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zlfKdbWwruY

Roughing It

Well, I just got home from the Sego "Camp Trip". Now, we Sego's use the term "camping" very loosely when we talk about this annual trip. My mom started this annual event two years ago, perhaps for my benefit (because prior to that my family really did go camping and had a tough time convincing me to come along).

It's not that I'm a snob; I just can't cut it (the whole camping thing I mean). I just simply don't like to be dirty or feel dirty. And I don't like to sleep on hard things, even if there is a ever deflating mattress separating me from that hard thing called Earth. Then add the prospect of getting bit by bugs, smelling like camp fire, and having to fish for your dinner. No thanks! So usually, I just stick to day trips in the beatiful outdoors, which I can truly appreciate while I'm clean.

So, the family has upgraded to "roughing it" in a cabin. Now, even here, the term "roughing it" is used loosely, because my mom seems to find the luxury cabins, which I am not at all opposed to. This year, we "camped" in Timberlakes (above Heber). We "roughed it" in a 4500 sq ft, 3- story cabin, where each couple had their own room with a comfortable queen bed and fluffy couch. We could have watched movies in our own rooms, but come on, you don't watch TV when you're "Camping". Instead my nieces and nephews did their annual pajama fashions show one night and a, I fear new tradition, of a play. My niece Amy wrote a play of her own version of Peter Pan, which turned out cute because of the kids, who played 2-4 roles each in the play except Amy who was Peter Pan. Very entertaining!

Anyway, we loved it. Tyler walked around the place like he was in Candy Land, like he owned the place. He loved it! He loved having other kids around, which sometimes makes me feel pressured to have more very quickly just so he can have playmates all the time. Oh, the pressure. But he loved being around all the kids and getting so much attention from my mom, Becca, Jen & Craig, and the others. I honestly feared he might not want to go home. But, it was nice for me, too, because I got to relax for a couple of days.

So, now we're home and back to the daily humdrum. No more "roughing it" for at least another year.

Yeah, and, as usual, I forgot my camera, so I'm left to try to beg pictures off my more responsible family members. Thanks a ton, Becca!

This is Becca with Tyler and Greta (Julie's daughter, who is 2 1/2 months younger than Tyler). Some people say they definitely look related. What do you think?

Fishies

Today, Chris and I decided that since we had nothing better to do and since Las Vegas is so close ( less than 1 1/2 hours away) to drive out to see the Bass Pro Shop. My sister had seen one in Missouri and had told me they were very cool, even cooler than Cabela's. Now, I personally do not think Cabela's is that great of a place to visit, but Chris looks at it like it's his little Disneyland (well not quite that great, but you get the point). But my sister truly thought the Bass Pro Shop was cool, so it must be.


Honestly, it just reminded me of Cabela's. They do have a couple of small waterfalls, sharks, swordfish, and other large fish hanging from the ceiling, and a really huge, cool aquarium. (If you're in the area, it's nice to visit; but don't make a special trip to see this place).

Tyler loved the aquarium. He also learned a new word, "fishies." All I did was point to the fish once and told him what they were. After that he would just stare bewildered into the glass tank and say, "fishies", over and over and over. We must have stood there for over an hour just staring into the tank while he pointed and called to the "fishies". Even after we walked away, all he could talk about was the "fishies". I am truly a proud parent; I love all the new words Tyler is learning.

My only regret: I FORGOT MY CAMERA TO CATCH THE MOMENT!

Here are some pictures from the Bass Pro Shops' website. Unfortunately, they didn't have a picture of the aquarium, but this second one is of all the sharks, swordfish, and other large fish hanging from the ceiling.











(As a side note, I have heard the one in Missouri is twice the size and twice as cool).