It's hard to believe that Christmas has come and gone. So much goes into one day, and then it's over and done with. Of course, the ten days before were a bit of a blur with our new little one...
We had a wonderful Christmas, and we even braved the storm to visit the Nelson home for a little while. It was great to see everyone, and we came home for Stacie's family to visit us. Cindee flew in from California, and it was great to see her, too.
Here are a few more pictures to share. Happy holidays everyone!
Saturday, December 27, 2008
Saturday, December 20, 2008
More fun from the hospital
We're still here in the hospital...we had hoped to go home yesterday (Friday), but Stacie's blood pressure stayed high while they monkeyed around with her medication, so we got to spend another night here. Today we expect to be able to go home, and we're excited to have our little family together again. Our parents have been so wonderful to help us, and to let Lexie spend the night with them so that I could stay here with Stacie. Thanks to everyone for their love and support!
Thursday was my birthday, and I can honestly say that it was the most unique birthday that I have ever experienced. Sitting with our newborn son was the very best present that I could hope for; eating a McRib while I was in the hospital with our newborn son was a little slice of heaven!
We have some more pictures to show; hopefully the next round of photos will be of us taking care of JJ in our house!
Thursday was my birthday, and I can honestly say that it was the most unique birthday that I have ever experienced. Sitting with our newborn son was the very best present that I could hope for; eating a McRib while I was in the hospital with our newborn son was a little slice of heaven!
We have some more pictures to show; hopefully the next round of photos will be of us taking care of JJ in our house!
Wednesday, December 17, 2008
Baby boy is here!
We are proud to present our newest addition to the family: Jaden Joshua Nelson, born on December 16th, at 8:32 p.m. He weighed 7 lbs, 6 oz. at birth and was 20 inches in length.
Everything went extremely well. The first picture in the slide show was of Stacie sitting in the OR, getting ready for her epidural, when the anesthesiologist was called away for an emergency, so we had to trudge back to the room and wait a little bit longer. But he was worth the wait; he came out crying, and has been a docile little boy ever since. We haven't had to deal with the immediate concerns that we had with Lexie so far, and we both feel incredibly blessed to have our healthy little one with us.
Lexie came to see us last night and would hardly let anyone else hold him. She is VERY excited to be a big sister! Thanks for all of the thoughts and prayers from everyone. We are so lucky to have all of your support.
More to come...
Everything went extremely well. The first picture in the slide show was of Stacie sitting in the OR, getting ready for her epidural, when the anesthesiologist was called away for an emergency, so we had to trudge back to the room and wait a little bit longer. But he was worth the wait; he came out crying, and has been a docile little boy ever since. We haven't had to deal with the immediate concerns that we had with Lexie so far, and we both feel incredibly blessed to have our healthy little one with us.
Lexie came to see us last night and would hardly let anyone else hold him. She is VERY excited to be a big sister! Thanks for all of the thoughts and prayers from everyone. We are so lucky to have all of your support.
More to come...
Tuesday, December 16, 2008
Pregnancy Rollercoaster
What a couple of days! Stacie posted last night about the interesting day that we had, and today was no different. She monitored her blood pressure closely all morning, and found high numbers on par with yesterday's. After several consistent high readings, we decided to call the doctor and ask what to do. Just before noon they called us and told us to come to the Labor and Delivery floor to be monitored.
We made our way to the hospital, no thanks to the blizzard that essentially turned I-15 into a parking lot, and got admitted. By the time she got checked in and situated, her blood pressure was back to normal (of course!), and they decided to just monitor things for a while. She wasn't dilating, and everything looked fine, so we were just about 15 minutes away from getting her discharge papers. At this point, we hadn't eaten all day and were discussing various food options when the blood pressure monitor beeped, noting a high reading. Oh boy. The next several readings were equally high, and the nurse told us that we were going to have to stay around for a while longer. Our visions of chicken fingers vanished into the afternoon and we settled in for some more waiting.
Before long, the resident came in an told us that due to the elevated blood pressure readings, along with some consistent contractions, they were now going to proceed with the c-section! It's been such an up and down day, and while our plans have been altered slightly, we are now a "go for baby". It's about 5:30 right now, and the surgery is scheduled for 7:30, so we have a few hours to wait until it all happens.
Here's a picture of Stacie laying in her bed, getting her arms warmed up so that they can put in an IV:
We'll post again later!
We made our way to the hospital, no thanks to the blizzard that essentially turned I-15 into a parking lot, and got admitted. By the time she got checked in and situated, her blood pressure was back to normal (of course!), and they decided to just monitor things for a while. She wasn't dilating, and everything looked fine, so we were just about 15 minutes away from getting her discharge papers. At this point, we hadn't eaten all day and were discussing various food options when the blood pressure monitor beeped, noting a high reading. Oh boy. The next several readings were equally high, and the nurse told us that we were going to have to stay around for a while longer. Our visions of chicken fingers vanished into the afternoon and we settled in for some more waiting.
Before long, the resident came in an told us that due to the elevated blood pressure readings, along with some consistent contractions, they were now going to proceed with the c-section! It's been such an up and down day, and while our plans have been altered slightly, we are now a "go for baby". It's about 5:30 right now, and the surgery is scheduled for 7:30, so we have a few hours to wait until it all happens.
Here's a picture of Stacie laying in her bed, getting her arms warmed up so that they can put in an IV:
We'll post again later!
Monday, December 15, 2008
Pregnancy Update
Today I had my final doctors appointment scheduled in the AM hours. As usual one of the first things they always do is take my blood pressure. Today, it was a little high, even for me - 155/105. They asked me to leave a urine sample so they could test for protein in the urine and then took my blood pressure again, this time it had raised/dropped to 177/85. My dystolic number had dropped but the systolic increased. Josh and I were discussing what questions I wanted to make sure and ask the doctor when he came in and it was all thrown off when he came in and announced that quite possibly they would take the baby today to avoid preeclampsia - YIKES!!! He asked if I brought my bag just in case, to which I replied "NO". I had no thoughts that it might need to happen today. He sent me down the hall for a Non-stress Test and to have my blood pressure monitored. Fortunately for me my blood pressure decreased dramatically during my "resting" period. Most of the results were in the 139/79 arena, much better. Thanks to my body cooperating I was able to go home without having the baby today.
The good news was that my doctor canceled the Amnio scheduled for Thursday and decided definitely to perform the C-section on Friday as he is still unsure that I'll last until Friday. He told me I should stop working and stay off my feet as much as possible . . . bed rest, yuck! I was very excited to hear that I wouldn't have to have the amnio on Thursday and that we could for sure count on the baby arriving Friday morning. We're praying that the Lord will bless me and the baby to last throughout the week and to bless the baby to be ready for delivery as scheduled. I've been resting today, my blood pressure has been a little high but doable. So for now, I'm just taking it easy. A little bit of a scare to start off the week!
The good news was that my doctor canceled the Amnio scheduled for Thursday and decided definitely to perform the C-section on Friday as he is still unsure that I'll last until Friday. He told me I should stop working and stay off my feet as much as possible . . . bed rest, yuck! I was very excited to hear that I wouldn't have to have the amnio on Thursday and that we could for sure count on the baby arriving Friday morning. We're praying that the Lord will bless me and the baby to last throughout the week and to bless the baby to be ready for delivery as scheduled. I've been resting today, my blood pressure has been a little high but doable. So for now, I'm just taking it easy. A little bit of a scare to start off the week!
Hadley Christmas Party
Saturday we celebrated the Holidays at our annual Hadley Christmas Party. Due to the baby's arrival we celebrated early this year (thanks all). We had alot of fun doing a Breakfast/Brunch this year. We had TONS of food and then headed downstairs for our annual "Foosball Tournament". It was decided to break the competition into groups this year: Men, Women, and Jr's (kids). Josh won the Mens round (as he does every year), Dawnie was victorious for the Womens, and all the kids won a prize for competing. Grammie takes care of the kids!
A great time was had by all that attended. Even the weather couldn't stop the Hadleys from celebrating the Holidays.
A great time was had by all that attended. Even the weather couldn't stop the Hadleys from celebrating the Holidays.
Tuesday, December 9, 2008
Lexie meets the Man In Red
So, we finally got over to the mall yesterday so that Lexie could have a quick chat with Santa. She was VERY excited to see him, and had no problem telling him exactly what she'd like for Christmas (shocking, I know). I told Santa that we were working on the "good girl" part so that he could come to our house on Christmas Eve. It IS a work in progress, but she's trying!
Check out Santa's belt buckle! I didn't know he was a pimp in the off season.
We're in single digits tomorrow in the baby countdown. I just bought a gallon of milk whose expiration date is after his birth date. It's hard to believe that it's finally here!
Check out Santa's belt buckle! I didn't know he was a pimp in the off season.
We're in single digits tomorrow in the baby countdown. I just bought a gallon of milk whose expiration date is after his birth date. It's hard to believe that it's finally here!
Monday, December 8, 2008
Lexie's Clogging Performance
Lexie has been going to clogging class for several months now, and last Friday was her first performance. It was at the Kearns Skating Complex where the speed skating was held during the Olympics. And while it was a little bit chaotic (there was a huge winter carnival going on, and they had trouble getting the correct song to play), Lexie did a great job. Here's a short video:
Lexie Nelson: Feet of fire from Josh on Vimeo.
Christmas is almost here! Hope we're ready...Christmas effectively comes on December 19th when the new baby is here, so we have to be ready a little bit earlier than normal. Happy holidays, everyone!
Lexie Nelson: Feet of fire from Josh on Vimeo.
Christmas is almost here! Hope we're ready...Christmas effectively comes on December 19th when the new baby is here, so we have to be ready a little bit earlier than normal. Happy holidays, everyone!
Thursday, November 27, 2008
Gobble, Gobble
As I sit here at work, I have noticed some stiffness in my legs when I stand up, especially the inner thigh/groin region. I did a quick inventory of my last couple of days and realize that I can trace it back to Tuesday, when I raked and picked up all of the leaves in the back yard. Yikes. I mean, I DID fill up three large garbage bags full of leaves, but I must need to step up my activity levels when that produces a little random soreness. Good thing that I'm not a professional athlete; I'd hate to be watching ESPN and see an injury report listing me "Out(yard work)".
Today is a time for family, and for reflecting on what we are thankful for. Stacie's parents had the opportunity to go to California to spend the holiday with their daughter, Stacie and Lexie had the opportunity to go to my 93-year old grandfather's house for dinner, and I had the opportunity to work today. We are thankful for all of the above and more: our family, our friends, our faith, our jobs, our country and everything that we have in our lives. This is a special time of the year...one that will be even more special in a few weeks when we receive another member into our family, and we are truly thankful that he is continuing to develop and grow (although Stacie's not as keen about the growth part). We can't wait for him to arrive and watch him grow. Lexie is thankful for her new baby brother, Turkey Day, and Banana Pie, although not necessarily in that order.
Have a wonderful Thanksgiving, everyone!
Today is a time for family, and for reflecting on what we are thankful for. Stacie's parents had the opportunity to go to California to spend the holiday with their daughter, Stacie and Lexie had the opportunity to go to my 93-year old grandfather's house for dinner, and I had the opportunity to work today. We are thankful for all of the above and more: our family, our friends, our faith, our jobs, our country and everything that we have in our lives. This is a special time of the year...one that will be even more special in a few weeks when we receive another member into our family, and we are truly thankful that he is continuing to develop and grow (although Stacie's not as keen about the growth part). We can't wait for him to arrive and watch him grow. Lexie is thankful for her new baby brother, Turkey Day, and Banana Pie, although not necessarily in that order.
Have a wonderful Thanksgiving, everyone!
Tuesday, November 25, 2008
The Crib "Makeover"
With less than a month (heck, less than four weeks) until our little one is here, we are trying to get everything ready here at home. We decided to paint the crib black (does this really surprise anyone?) and so we took it over to my dad's office to paint it in their warehouse. Dad built something that would allow us to hang the pieces up and spray them, then let them dry. So, now we know where to go if we need to do some auto body work!
It worked great, and after a primer coat and three full black coats, it was done. Thanks, Dad, for doing the majority of the painting and for letting it hang in your warehouse for a week. It looks great!
We worked in the baby's room off and on for a few days (Stacie spent most of one Saturday in there when I was at work), and with the crib set up, and most of the "stuff" that had accumulated in there over the past couple of years out of there, we are mostly ready for the big day. The closet is still a work in progress, but everything fits in his new dresser, so it's not really necessary right now. We're pretty excited!
Here's a slide show with a few pictures of the crib makeover, and some of the finished nursery:
It worked great, and after a primer coat and three full black coats, it was done. Thanks, Dad, for doing the majority of the painting and for letting it hang in your warehouse for a week. It looks great!
We worked in the baby's room off and on for a few days (Stacie spent most of one Saturday in there when I was at work), and with the crib set up, and most of the "stuff" that had accumulated in there over the past couple of years out of there, we are mostly ready for the big day. The closet is still a work in progress, but everything fits in his new dresser, so it's not really necessary right now. We're pretty excited!
Here's a slide show with a few pictures of the crib makeover, and some of the finished nursery:
Friday, November 21, 2008
Mark your calendar . . .December 19th, 2008
I received final confirmation this morning, my c-section has been scheduled for 7:30am, December 19th. At my doctors appointment Monday it was recommended that we don't wait past 39 weeks for the delivery of this baby. Delivery of diabetic women can be performed anytime after 38 weeks but generally never past 39 weeks. 39 weeks would be Dec. 27th and since they don't schedule c-sections on the weekend he wanted to schedule Dec. 26th as the date for delivery. I put up a bit of fight since I didn't want to have to celebrate a lifetime of birthday's on the day after Christmas. The recommended date then became Dec. 22nd which meant that I would have to spend Christmas Eve and Christmas Day in the hospital. Not really what I wanted to do either. So, the doctor proposed an option to schedule the c-section on Dec. 19th and perform an amniocentesis the day before to make sure the fetus is mature enough for delivery. It's only 1 day before 38 weeks, which is Dec. 20th, but again because of the weekend issue we would have to perform the test in order to ensure the delivery on the 19th would be ok. I'm not that excited about the amnio but do want to put the baby's safe delivery as a priority since the last thing we want is another baby stay in the NICU. Currently he is measuring a little big (80th percentile for growth) so hopefully his lungs will be developed enough for delivery. If the results come back negative then the c-section will be moved to Dec. 22nd or possibly later depending on the test results. It's amazing that so much can occur within 7 days, especially with a major holiday. To add another log to the fire my doctor won't even be in the state during any of these dates, he's off for the Holidays.
After much thought and prayer we decided to move forward with the 19th. So, for now we're preparing and planning on December 19th for the delivery of our new little one. Only 4 weeks to the date . . . getting so close so fast!
After much thought and prayer we decided to move forward with the 19th. So, for now we're preparing and planning on December 19th for the delivery of our new little one. Only 4 weeks to the date . . . getting so close so fast!
"The Holy War", a response
Warning: this post is length and graphic in nature.
Well, I got an early Christmas gift on Thursday. My brother Nate blew the dust off of his blog and posted a long entry entitled “A Few Reasons Why I Would Rather Be A Utah Fan” in anticipation of the big “Holy War” between BYU and Utah this Saturday. You can read his post here. He then proceeded to playfully throw down the gauntlet for BYU fans to respond, including a personal challenge to me in email form. Let's see...you're going to let me respond to your post and ratchet the intensity of this rivalry even higher, and at the same time increase the level of tension between me, my brother, and my father (who besides being my relatives are two of my very best friends)? Hey, Merry Christmas to you too, Nate!
But in the spirit of friendly rivalry, I decided to accept Nate's invitation to respond from a BYU fan's point of view. Let me point out one thing up front: Nate is an excellent writer; he is thorough, eloquent, and a true craftsman. I suspect that his post has undergone several drafts and much meditation and massaging. In turn, he has generously given me roughly 24 hours to respond to his masterpiece. I'm going to have to wing this one from the hip, so I can freely admit up front that my response will lack the polish and professionalism of Nate's. Fortunately, I have the truth on my side.
As he mentioned, Nate grew up a casual sports fan, and while he was always a Utah fan, he didn't become passionate about it until around junior high. In 2001, he approached me and our friend Rich about possibly “switching sides” before the first game of the Gary Crowton era (which seemed like a good idea at the time, especially after BYU thrashed Tulane 70-35). Who knew what turmoil the next several years would bring with the bottoming out of BYU's program? Nate has followed both programs closely, and tried to exist as a “sports bigamist”, to borrow a phrase from ESPN's Bill Simmons. But I know that he has remained a Utah fan deep down, and his place on the proverbial fence is now clearly on the crimson side. And I'm sorry for outing you Nate, about that whole switching sides thing. Not that there's anything wrong with that.
I'll address each one of Nate's points in rebuttal, and add anything left over at the end, time and space permitting.
Nate's point: Utah has been as nationally relevant as BYU over the past 17 years.
He argues this point by comparing records of the two teams since 1992, so I will address this first. The winning percentages are a near wash (.511 vs .500) although I would mention that this time frame includes Utah's magical two-year run and the worst 4-year stretch of BYU football in my lifetime. It also cuts off the ten years from 1982 to 1992 when BYU averaged 10 wins per season and established themselves nationally and Utah was abysmal. But within the time frame given, their overall records are very close. Although BYU managed 10 wins six times in that time frame, which was double that of Utah, including an NCAA record 14 wins in 1996, a record which probably cannot ever be broken.
Records cannot address national relevance, however. And in this aspect, BYU is clearly head and shoulders above Utah (and every Mountain West team). BYU's consistency for the past 30 years and their success on a national level makes them the conference's standard bearer. Back when they actually played on ESPN, their TV ratings were always consistent with the big boys. True, they have a built-in nationwide fan base, but that is also what makes them nationally relevant. The 1996 team didn't get to go to a bigger bowl, and they were constantly in the headlines. In 2002, the Bowl Coalition thumbed their noses at BYU, prompting a government investigation and the revamping of some of the criteria used for bowl qualification. Utah was certainly relevant during the Urban years, finally kicking down the BCS door that BYU had been beating in for ten years, but those were the only two years (along with this year) where their national cachet could match that of BYU.
Nate's point: Utah has a better bowl record since 1992.
It's hard to argue straight numbers, and Utah has been impressive in their bowls, winning their last seven in a row, while BYU's bowl efforts have almost always been substandard. Fortunately Nate started looking at bowl records since 1992, so we wouldn't have to worry about examining the 28 years before that when Utah didn't go to a bowl. Whew! A lesser man might mention the fact that the Pitt team Utah beat in the Fiesta Bowl is generally considered the worst team to ever appear in a BCS bowl game, or that the Georgia Tech team they played the next year (who were infuriated that they were snubbed by the BCS) turned in one of the least inspired performances that I have ever seen. But Utah can't pick who they play, and they have beaten whatever team lines up across from them year after year. Nate used this as his trump card for Utah's national prominence, but with like 30 bowls in December, a win in the Armed Forces Bowl (or the Las Vegas Bowl for that matter) gets lost in the shuffle, in my opinion.
Nate's point: Utah has won the Rivalry Game more often since 1992.
In using this as a reason why he would rather be a Ute fan, I suppose that I could accuse him of being a front running fan. But I understand that he is making a case for the Utes, so I see where he is coming from. Again, the time frame eliminates the 15-2 record BYU posted in the other 17 years of Nate's lifetime, but this game has become a true war in recent years. If I'm being truthful, I don't ever really enjoy watching this game. When BYU wins, I'm never really satisfied (I'll have to address BYU arrogance in a minute), and when they lose, it's a long year until they meet again. Utah always brings their A-game, and I don't feel like BYU reciprocates. Of course, Utah fans would argue that their team has something to do with that, and I would have to agree to an extent. Bottom line: this game is a battle, and Utah has more than held their own since Ronnie Mac was around.
Nate's point: Utah has the underdog vibe, BYU has the arrogance vibe.
I chuckled to read the line “That is not to say that Utah has more national interest...” when he spent seven previous paragraphs trying to prove that they had every bit as much national interest as BYU, but I understand his point about the underdog vibe. Nate has always liked to be a little bit against the grain. He liked music that other didn't like, read books that others didn't read, etc. So if he perceives Utah as an up-and-comer, then it would make sense that they appeal to him. Although I take umbrage with him classifying BYU as “the established former power that is perceived to trade on its slowly eroding tradition”. BYU has lost one conference game in three years, so they are certainly NOT a former power, and whatever tradition Gary Crowton tried to erode during his tenure has been brought back in spades by Bronco. And to answer the question about which team a casual observer would find interesting, I'd choose the higher profile team every time. For example, I love watching Stephen Curry and Davidson during March Madness because they are there each year and have had some success. Can't say which up-and-comer from the Southern Conference I like.
The rest of Nate's argument on this point addresses BYU's arrogance. I don't think that the moral argument is even relevant. BYU fans don't tell New Mexico fans that they are better than them because they don't drink coffee. Their arrogance is based on football, not how they live their lives. I've read plenty of message boards (Wyoming is a good example) where they constantly attack the LDS church. But they are anti-Mormon, and hate BYU fans for their association with the church, not because BYU fans are waving their “higher living” in their faces.
BYU fans have set pretty high standards for their program. Heck, I'm guilty of it. I haven't followed football this year with nearly as much fervor since they lost to TCU. But can you blame us? We have been blessed with a program that has been dominant for 30+ years. We have come to expect winning seasons every year, and consequently hold our heads high when it comes to the football team. We perceive slights, question everything that goes against us, and rub people the wrong way. I recognize this. And consequently, BYU is the the game that teams circle on their schedule year after year. TCU has been tackling a dummy in practice since January with a BYU helmet on it. Air Force players talked about how they were looked forward to this game all year. Wyoming despises BYU. Maybe this is my BYU arrogance talking, but I've seen plenty of teams tear down their goalposts after beating BYU (including Utah after they beat a BYU team with a losing record). Beating Utah is always a good win, but not a signature win.
I do want to mention one point to this: Utah fans have been banging this drum for years. They hate the arrogance of that “team down south”. But in the space of two years of success under Urban Meyer, Utah fans (and I'm painting with a broad brush here) became what they have always despised and equaled the arrogance that it took BYU decades to build. It was truly amazing to see such a transformation in such a short time. This has softened some over the past few years. But it is easy to see how success breeds overconfidence or arrogance.
Nate's point: Kyle Whittingham is more fun to have as a head coach than Bronco Mendenhall.
Kyle has learned from many years of sitting at the feet of the master, Ron McBride, about how to work the media. Ronnie Mac was very good at being the fun guy who wore his heart on his sleeve and was pals with everyone in the media. I really believe that this (along with some success against BYU) extended his career several years, as the media was hesitant to call for the head of their pal.
Bronco is stoic on the sidelines, and while he is generally cordial with the media (except for Tom Kirkland, who hosts the coach's show and who Bronco won't be in the same room with), he views the media as a necessary evil. LaVell Edwards was always like this. His scowl and even temper on the sidelines was legendary, and while he softened towards the media over his 34 years as head coach, he still never worked them like McBride.
It's pretty easy to see the effect of these different styles. Last year, when Utah was suffering through multiple injuries, it was plastered all over the newspapers and radio. Even when Brian Johnson came back, the media played up all of Utah's injuries. And on the defensive side of the ball, they were no worse off than BYU (the Cougars were starting four white walk-ons, for heaven's sake). But Bronco's philosophy is to downplay that to the media and not make it an issue. So, this year when Utah has been almost injury-free and BYU has been decimated by injury on the defensive side of the ball, how much have you heard about this? Not very much.
The end result of this is a congenial, happy-go-lucky coach on the hill, and a business-like, seemingly detached coach in Provo. To Nate, it seems like Kyle is the more fun coach. And I like Kyle, but Bronco is the perfect fit for the BYU program. He is an excellent coach, but he also embodies what the university represents. Gary Crowton sought to minimize (or eliminate) the church's effect on the football program, with disastrous results. The church is a part of what the football team is trying to do, like it or not. Bronco has embraced this, holding firesides and placing faith before even football. Plus, from everything that I have read, he has a great personality, and is very engaging. He just has no need to express this to the media, while Kyle embraces this.
Two more quick points on the coaches: Nate mentioned that Kyle's success has made him bulletproof. I disagree, as evidenced by the fallout after they lost to UNLV 27-0 last year. Kyle was VERY close to being sent packing, and most Utah fans were the ones lighting torches and carrying pitchforks. Utah has only lost one game since, so those issues have been quieted. Next year they graduate Brian Johnson, Louie Sakoda, and other key players. If they struggle a bit, we'll see how bulletproof he is. Lastly, Nate's point that BYU fans don't yell as much at Kyle because he played at BYU is laughable. Kyle is a Ute. His transformation is complete, and most BYU fans feel the exact same way. Can he come back? Sure, Steve Kafusi played at the Y, coached at Utah for several years, and now is back in Provo coaching the d-line. We didn't miss him when he was gone, but now we're happy to have him back.
I'm happy to call Kyle “Wolf”, however.
Nate's point: I would rather be nervous about the offense and confident in the defense than vice versa.
Nate didn't follow sports as closely in the 80's, when every WAC team tried to outscore each other, including Utah. This made for some wild games, and some fantastic finishes. Personally, I find this more entertaining to watch, plus having an offense that you can count on helps you get back into games. Utah's offense finding themselves for a couple of drives is the only reason that they beat Oregon State and TCU, and the reason that they aren't 9-2 right now. But I suppose that comes down to preference.
Nate's point: Red is a better uniform color for television than blue.
Red is the color of the devil. Of course it looks better on TV...the devil is full of pride.
Nate's point: Utah's mascot stinks, but at least it doesn't have Cosmo's terrifying face.
Look, I miss the old Cosmo face as much as anyone. But I've come to accept that all mascots nowadays look constipated animals. And if you don't think that this is terrifying, you're wrong.
The real issue here, is what a red-tailed hawk is doing on the sidelines of the Utah UTES. Where is the Indian on the sidelines? Why aren't the cheerleaders dressed up like Pocahontas? Florida State's mascot is the Seminoles and here is what they do in the pre-game. Plus, the crowd does the tomahawk chop and that whole “Ah...ah, ah, ah” chant. Imagine how confusing it must be for say, a German tourist on vacation in Salt Lake and watching a football game for the first time:
“Ah...American football. I've always wondered what it is like. What are these people in animal costumes doing? We don't have that in the Bundesliga. We only have beer, football, and riots. I suppose they are representatives of the teams. Apparently I am watching the Cougars in blue, and the Falcons in red. Or is that the Hawks? Or the Sparrows? Who are these Utes that they keep speaking of? (googles) Oh, the Utes are the mascot of this red team. So why do they have a big bird as their mascot? I am so confused. Perhaps they are wussing out by allowing the indigenous Ute tribe to select a native bird as their mascot and accepting yearly hush money in exchange for not making a stink about using their name in a politically correct time. I understand now.”
Nate's point: Singing “Utah Man” versus dancing the Haka.
I don't remember all of the hubbub about Urban Meyer trying to inject some long-overdue tradition into the program with the cutting-edge idea of singing the fight song after the game (wow...NOBODY does that), but I'll take Nate's word for it. Look, if you want to gather the team together after the game and sing a song set to the tune of the “Mickey Mouse Club March”, please be my guest.
Nate doesn't see the relevance of a BYU team performing the Haka before the game? Perhaps he should read the names on the roster. BYU was the first mainland team to set up a “Polynesian Pipeline” and farm the rich talent from Hawaii. Why do you think the Hawaii football fans hate BYU so much (hey another team that rips down the goalposts when they beat BYU)? Nowadays, most teams in the west, including all of the PAC-10 teams AND Utah fight for the island talent. The Haka comes from New Zealand, but all Polynesian, Tongans, any islander considers themselves blood brothers. Still not relevant enough? Bryce Mahuika, a player for BYU instituted the ritual a few years ago. Bryce's grandfather was a Maori tribal chief, and his father was a full-blooded Maori. When his father succumbed to cancer, he presented the Haka to the team as a tribute to his father as well as a way to prepare to go into battle. This made national headlines in New Zealand, and the BYU team was featured on television there as well. And yes, they still do the Haka before every game.
Now, sing after me: “Who's the leader of the club that's made for you and me...”
I've responded to Nate's arguments, and while this is quite long, I did want to throw in one of my own points.
Josh's point: BYU's stadium is a far superior venue to Utah's.
The most common thing I hear from Utah fans is that Lavell Edwards Stadium looks like it was it was made from an erector set, and that you could dismantle it with a socket set. It DOES have an industrial feel to it, due mostly to being built in the 1980's (it is ironic that my Utah fan father worked on the stadium during the expansion), but it is a huge 65,000 seat stadium that consistently fights with Husky Stadium in Washington as “Best setting for a college football game” when someone puts together a list. When it is filled to capacity (12 straight shutouts and counting), it is a loud, intimidating place to play.
Rice-Eccles Stadium is a different story. When you walk around the stadium, especially the north side, it feels like you're in the ghetto. There is a train that hurtles by only a few feet away, and the walkway is cramped. Trying to get something to eat during halftime is near impossible. Lines from the concession stand meld with the lines from the bathrooms, forming a gridlock that is stifling. I've never felt that in Provo, even with 20,000 more people in the stadium. Fortunately for Utah fans, Salt Lake got the Winter Olympic bid in 2002 and the deep pockets of the IOC dropped some major coin into renovating the stadium. Otherwise, it wouldn't have a huge new press box (which I've been inside, and it is very nice), probably still wouldn't have a Jumbotron, and the north end zone would still be a giant sloped asphalt hill with UTAH painted on it. Don't get me started on the mess that they make of getting people home AFTER the game, either. How they can make such a mess of things I'll never know.
Well, that's about it. This is entirely too long already, but I'm a little long-winded myself. I hope this makes sense...I threw this together in a couple of hours and didn't have too much time to think things through, but it was fun to do a little good-natured trash talking and fun poking. Thanks to Nate for the friendly “challenge”. It's sparked my interest in the game and gotten me excited to watch the game tomorrow.
As far as a prediction, I can see this game being very close, which favors Utah. They are at home, and I can't count on BYU being able to win a close game for the third year in a row. Utah has proven this year that they can find a way to win games that are all but lost. Sadly, my gut tells me that this is how it will play out. BYU's only chance is to play very well, and pull away. Since nothing in my body will allow me to pick a Utah win, I'll call it BYU 24, Utah 13. Although I'd certainly settle for a Louie Sakoda “doink” sequel.
Utah football fever...grab it!
Well, I got an early Christmas gift on Thursday. My brother Nate blew the dust off of his blog and posted a long entry entitled “A Few Reasons Why I Would Rather Be A Utah Fan” in anticipation of the big “Holy War” between BYU and Utah this Saturday. You can read his post here. He then proceeded to playfully throw down the gauntlet for BYU fans to respond, including a personal challenge to me in email form. Let's see...you're going to let me respond to your post and ratchet the intensity of this rivalry even higher, and at the same time increase the level of tension between me, my brother, and my father (who besides being my relatives are two of my very best friends)? Hey, Merry Christmas to you too, Nate!
But in the spirit of friendly rivalry, I decided to accept Nate's invitation to respond from a BYU fan's point of view. Let me point out one thing up front: Nate is an excellent writer; he is thorough, eloquent, and a true craftsman. I suspect that his post has undergone several drafts and much meditation and massaging. In turn, he has generously given me roughly 24 hours to respond to his masterpiece. I'm going to have to wing this one from the hip, so I can freely admit up front that my response will lack the polish and professionalism of Nate's. Fortunately, I have the truth on my side.
As he mentioned, Nate grew up a casual sports fan, and while he was always a Utah fan, he didn't become passionate about it until around junior high. In 2001, he approached me and our friend Rich about possibly “switching sides” before the first game of the Gary Crowton era (which seemed like a good idea at the time, especially after BYU thrashed Tulane 70-35). Who knew what turmoil the next several years would bring with the bottoming out of BYU's program? Nate has followed both programs closely, and tried to exist as a “sports bigamist”, to borrow a phrase from ESPN's Bill Simmons. But I know that he has remained a Utah fan deep down, and his place on the proverbial fence is now clearly on the crimson side. And I'm sorry for outing you Nate, about that whole switching sides thing. Not that there's anything wrong with that.
I'll address each one of Nate's points in rebuttal, and add anything left over at the end, time and space permitting.
Nate's point: Utah has been as nationally relevant as BYU over the past 17 years.
He argues this point by comparing records of the two teams since 1992, so I will address this first. The winning percentages are a near wash (.511 vs .500) although I would mention that this time frame includes Utah's magical two-year run and the worst 4-year stretch of BYU football in my lifetime. It also cuts off the ten years from 1982 to 1992 when BYU averaged 10 wins per season and established themselves nationally and Utah was abysmal. But within the time frame given, their overall records are very close. Although BYU managed 10 wins six times in that time frame, which was double that of Utah, including an NCAA record 14 wins in 1996, a record which probably cannot ever be broken.
Records cannot address national relevance, however. And in this aspect, BYU is clearly head and shoulders above Utah (and every Mountain West team). BYU's consistency for the past 30 years and their success on a national level makes them the conference's standard bearer. Back when they actually played on ESPN, their TV ratings were always consistent with the big boys. True, they have a built-in nationwide fan base, but that is also what makes them nationally relevant. The 1996 team didn't get to go to a bigger bowl, and they were constantly in the headlines. In 2002, the Bowl Coalition thumbed their noses at BYU, prompting a government investigation and the revamping of some of the criteria used for bowl qualification. Utah was certainly relevant during the Urban years, finally kicking down the BCS door that BYU had been beating in for ten years, but those were the only two years (along with this year) where their national cachet could match that of BYU.
Nate's point: Utah has a better bowl record since 1992.
It's hard to argue straight numbers, and Utah has been impressive in their bowls, winning their last seven in a row, while BYU's bowl efforts have almost always been substandard. Fortunately Nate started looking at bowl records since 1992, so we wouldn't have to worry about examining the 28 years before that when Utah didn't go to a bowl. Whew! A lesser man might mention the fact that the Pitt team Utah beat in the Fiesta Bowl is generally considered the worst team to ever appear in a BCS bowl game, or that the Georgia Tech team they played the next year (who were infuriated that they were snubbed by the BCS) turned in one of the least inspired performances that I have ever seen. But Utah can't pick who they play, and they have beaten whatever team lines up across from them year after year. Nate used this as his trump card for Utah's national prominence, but with like 30 bowls in December, a win in the Armed Forces Bowl (or the Las Vegas Bowl for that matter) gets lost in the shuffle, in my opinion.
Nate's point: Utah has won the Rivalry Game more often since 1992.
In using this as a reason why he would rather be a Ute fan, I suppose that I could accuse him of being a front running fan. But I understand that he is making a case for the Utes, so I see where he is coming from. Again, the time frame eliminates the 15-2 record BYU posted in the other 17 years of Nate's lifetime, but this game has become a true war in recent years. If I'm being truthful, I don't ever really enjoy watching this game. When BYU wins, I'm never really satisfied (I'll have to address BYU arrogance in a minute), and when they lose, it's a long year until they meet again. Utah always brings their A-game, and I don't feel like BYU reciprocates. Of course, Utah fans would argue that their team has something to do with that, and I would have to agree to an extent. Bottom line: this game is a battle, and Utah has more than held their own since Ronnie Mac was around.
Nate's point: Utah has the underdog vibe, BYU has the arrogance vibe.
I chuckled to read the line “That is not to say that Utah has more national interest...” when he spent seven previous paragraphs trying to prove that they had every bit as much national interest as BYU, but I understand his point about the underdog vibe. Nate has always liked to be a little bit against the grain. He liked music that other didn't like, read books that others didn't read, etc. So if he perceives Utah as an up-and-comer, then it would make sense that they appeal to him. Although I take umbrage with him classifying BYU as “the established former power that is perceived to trade on its slowly eroding tradition”. BYU has lost one conference game in three years, so they are certainly NOT a former power, and whatever tradition Gary Crowton tried to erode during his tenure has been brought back in spades by Bronco. And to answer the question about which team a casual observer would find interesting, I'd choose the higher profile team every time. For example, I love watching Stephen Curry and Davidson during March Madness because they are there each year and have had some success. Can't say which up-and-comer from the Southern Conference I like.
The rest of Nate's argument on this point addresses BYU's arrogance. I don't think that the moral argument is even relevant. BYU fans don't tell New Mexico fans that they are better than them because they don't drink coffee. Their arrogance is based on football, not how they live their lives. I've read plenty of message boards (Wyoming is a good example) where they constantly attack the LDS church. But they are anti-Mormon, and hate BYU fans for their association with the church, not because BYU fans are waving their “higher living” in their faces.
BYU fans have set pretty high standards for their program. Heck, I'm guilty of it. I haven't followed football this year with nearly as much fervor since they lost to TCU. But can you blame us? We have been blessed with a program that has been dominant for 30+ years. We have come to expect winning seasons every year, and consequently hold our heads high when it comes to the football team. We perceive slights, question everything that goes against us, and rub people the wrong way. I recognize this. And consequently, BYU is the the game that teams circle on their schedule year after year. TCU has been tackling a dummy in practice since January with a BYU helmet on it. Air Force players talked about how they were looked forward to this game all year. Wyoming despises BYU. Maybe this is my BYU arrogance talking, but I've seen plenty of teams tear down their goalposts after beating BYU (including Utah after they beat a BYU team with a losing record). Beating Utah is always a good win, but not a signature win.
I do want to mention one point to this: Utah fans have been banging this drum for years. They hate the arrogance of that “team down south”. But in the space of two years of success under Urban Meyer, Utah fans (and I'm painting with a broad brush here) became what they have always despised and equaled the arrogance that it took BYU decades to build. It was truly amazing to see such a transformation in such a short time. This has softened some over the past few years. But it is easy to see how success breeds overconfidence or arrogance.
Nate's point: Kyle Whittingham is more fun to have as a head coach than Bronco Mendenhall.
Kyle has learned from many years of sitting at the feet of the master, Ron McBride, about how to work the media. Ronnie Mac was very good at being the fun guy who wore his heart on his sleeve and was pals with everyone in the media. I really believe that this (along with some success against BYU) extended his career several years, as the media was hesitant to call for the head of their pal.
Bronco is stoic on the sidelines, and while he is generally cordial with the media (except for Tom Kirkland, who hosts the coach's show and who Bronco won't be in the same room with), he views the media as a necessary evil. LaVell Edwards was always like this. His scowl and even temper on the sidelines was legendary, and while he softened towards the media over his 34 years as head coach, he still never worked them like McBride.
It's pretty easy to see the effect of these different styles. Last year, when Utah was suffering through multiple injuries, it was plastered all over the newspapers and radio. Even when Brian Johnson came back, the media played up all of Utah's injuries. And on the defensive side of the ball, they were no worse off than BYU (the Cougars were starting four white walk-ons, for heaven's sake). But Bronco's philosophy is to downplay that to the media and not make it an issue. So, this year when Utah has been almost injury-free and BYU has been decimated by injury on the defensive side of the ball, how much have you heard about this? Not very much.
The end result of this is a congenial, happy-go-lucky coach on the hill, and a business-like, seemingly detached coach in Provo. To Nate, it seems like Kyle is the more fun coach. And I like Kyle, but Bronco is the perfect fit for the BYU program. He is an excellent coach, but he also embodies what the university represents. Gary Crowton sought to minimize (or eliminate) the church's effect on the football program, with disastrous results. The church is a part of what the football team is trying to do, like it or not. Bronco has embraced this, holding firesides and placing faith before even football. Plus, from everything that I have read, he has a great personality, and is very engaging. He just has no need to express this to the media, while Kyle embraces this.
Two more quick points on the coaches: Nate mentioned that Kyle's success has made him bulletproof. I disagree, as evidenced by the fallout after they lost to UNLV 27-0 last year. Kyle was VERY close to being sent packing, and most Utah fans were the ones lighting torches and carrying pitchforks. Utah has only lost one game since, so those issues have been quieted. Next year they graduate Brian Johnson, Louie Sakoda, and other key players. If they struggle a bit, we'll see how bulletproof he is. Lastly, Nate's point that BYU fans don't yell as much at Kyle because he played at BYU is laughable. Kyle is a Ute. His transformation is complete, and most BYU fans feel the exact same way. Can he come back? Sure, Steve Kafusi played at the Y, coached at Utah for several years, and now is back in Provo coaching the d-line. We didn't miss him when he was gone, but now we're happy to have him back.
I'm happy to call Kyle “Wolf”, however.
Nate's point: I would rather be nervous about the offense and confident in the defense than vice versa.
Nate didn't follow sports as closely in the 80's, when every WAC team tried to outscore each other, including Utah. This made for some wild games, and some fantastic finishes. Personally, I find this more entertaining to watch, plus having an offense that you can count on helps you get back into games. Utah's offense finding themselves for a couple of drives is the only reason that they beat Oregon State and TCU, and the reason that they aren't 9-2 right now. But I suppose that comes down to preference.
Nate's point: Red is a better uniform color for television than blue.
Red is the color of the devil. Of course it looks better on TV...the devil is full of pride.
Nate's point: Utah's mascot stinks, but at least it doesn't have Cosmo's terrifying face.
Look, I miss the old Cosmo face as much as anyone. But I've come to accept that all mascots nowadays look constipated animals. And if you don't think that this is terrifying, you're wrong.
The real issue here, is what a red-tailed hawk is doing on the sidelines of the Utah UTES. Where is the Indian on the sidelines? Why aren't the cheerleaders dressed up like Pocahontas? Florida State's mascot is the Seminoles and here is what they do in the pre-game. Plus, the crowd does the tomahawk chop and that whole “Ah...ah, ah, ah” chant. Imagine how confusing it must be for say, a German tourist on vacation in Salt Lake and watching a football game for the first time:
“Ah...American football. I've always wondered what it is like. What are these people in animal costumes doing? We don't have that in the Bundesliga. We only have beer, football, and riots. I suppose they are representatives of the teams. Apparently I am watching the Cougars in blue, and the Falcons in red. Or is that the Hawks? Or the Sparrows? Who are these Utes that they keep speaking of? (googles) Oh, the Utes are the mascot of this red team. So why do they have a big bird as their mascot? I am so confused. Perhaps they are wussing out by allowing the indigenous Ute tribe to select a native bird as their mascot and accepting yearly hush money in exchange for not making a stink about using their name in a politically correct time. I understand now.”
Nate's point: Singing “Utah Man” versus dancing the Haka.
I don't remember all of the hubbub about Urban Meyer trying to inject some long-overdue tradition into the program with the cutting-edge idea of singing the fight song after the game (wow...NOBODY does that), but I'll take Nate's word for it. Look, if you want to gather the team together after the game and sing a song set to the tune of the “Mickey Mouse Club March”, please be my guest.
Nate doesn't see the relevance of a BYU team performing the Haka before the game? Perhaps he should read the names on the roster. BYU was the first mainland team to set up a “Polynesian Pipeline” and farm the rich talent from Hawaii. Why do you think the Hawaii football fans hate BYU so much (hey another team that rips down the goalposts when they beat BYU)? Nowadays, most teams in the west, including all of the PAC-10 teams AND Utah fight for the island talent. The Haka comes from New Zealand, but all Polynesian, Tongans, any islander considers themselves blood brothers. Still not relevant enough? Bryce Mahuika, a player for BYU instituted the ritual a few years ago. Bryce's grandfather was a Maori tribal chief, and his father was a full-blooded Maori. When his father succumbed to cancer, he presented the Haka to the team as a tribute to his father as well as a way to prepare to go into battle. This made national headlines in New Zealand, and the BYU team was featured on television there as well. And yes, they still do the Haka before every game.
Now, sing after me: “Who's the leader of the club that's made for you and me...”
I've responded to Nate's arguments, and while this is quite long, I did want to throw in one of my own points.
Josh's point: BYU's stadium is a far superior venue to Utah's.
The most common thing I hear from Utah fans is that Lavell Edwards Stadium looks like it was it was made from an erector set, and that you could dismantle it with a socket set. It DOES have an industrial feel to it, due mostly to being built in the 1980's (it is ironic that my Utah fan father worked on the stadium during the expansion), but it is a huge 65,000 seat stadium that consistently fights with Husky Stadium in Washington as “Best setting for a college football game” when someone puts together a list. When it is filled to capacity (12 straight shutouts and counting), it is a loud, intimidating place to play.
Rice-Eccles Stadium is a different story. When you walk around the stadium, especially the north side, it feels like you're in the ghetto. There is a train that hurtles by only a few feet away, and the walkway is cramped. Trying to get something to eat during halftime is near impossible. Lines from the concession stand meld with the lines from the bathrooms, forming a gridlock that is stifling. I've never felt that in Provo, even with 20,000 more people in the stadium. Fortunately for Utah fans, Salt Lake got the Winter Olympic bid in 2002 and the deep pockets of the IOC dropped some major coin into renovating the stadium. Otherwise, it wouldn't have a huge new press box (which I've been inside, and it is very nice), probably still wouldn't have a Jumbotron, and the north end zone would still be a giant sloped asphalt hill with UTAH painted on it. Don't get me started on the mess that they make of getting people home AFTER the game, either. How they can make such a mess of things I'll never know.
Well, that's about it. This is entirely too long already, but I'm a little long-winded myself. I hope this makes sense...I threw this together in a couple of hours and didn't have too much time to think things through, but it was fun to do a little good-natured trash talking and fun poking. Thanks to Nate for the friendly “challenge”. It's sparked my interest in the game and gotten me excited to watch the game tomorrow.
As far as a prediction, I can see this game being very close, which favors Utah. They are at home, and I can't count on BYU being able to win a close game for the third year in a row. Utah has proven this year that they can find a way to win games that are all but lost. Sadly, my gut tells me that this is how it will play out. BYU's only chance is to play very well, and pull away. Since nothing in my body will allow me to pick a Utah win, I'll call it BYU 24, Utah 13. Although I'd certainly settle for a Louie Sakoda “doink” sequel.
Utah football fever...grab it!
Sunday, November 16, 2008
Quick thoughts: Sunday edition
Wow! Time is surely flying by as we near the end of this calendar year and the beginning of our little one's life. We are busily preparing for our new arrival, as well as all of the holiday season's commitments; Stacie worked most of the day yesterday on the baby's room and it looks great! There are still a few things left to be done, but we could realistically bring our baby home now and have a place for him. The crib of death is nearly transformed and we will post some pictures once it is assembled in the nursery. Hooray!
For today's Top 3, I went with a list of quiet, mellow songs (not all of these will be songs, BTW) seeing how I have to work today and it is indeed quiet and mellow here. I grew up listening to Gordon Lightfoot, a Canadian-born singer who plays acoustic guitar and sings about the Great White North, traveling, and ship wrecks, and his music is the perfect soundtrack for one of those days where you sit in your house, watching the snow fall outside. It's not snowing here today, but it still seems just right. Here is Gord's best:
1. Easily my favorite Gordon Lightfoot song. I love how it starts with the strong guitar chords...this is the song that I would want to learn first if I ever took up the guitar. Can't say that I understand how a woman is "lookin' like a queen in a sailor's dream" and for the longest time I didn't know that the chorus said "If I find you've been creepin' 'round my back stair" (Huh?). Must be a Canuck thing; maybe he hides his back bacon and maple syrup in the back stairs.
2. A great road trip song. I can think of several songs in which he mentions "wanderlust", including this one. Maybe he and Mrs. Lightfoot needed their space.
3. (How do you misspell Gordon?) Easily the best song about a maritime tragedy, outdistancing "My Heart Will Go On" by Celine Dion and "Rock The Boat" by the Hues Corporation. I have been able to sing this song word for word for many years, now.
Missing the cut:
(awesome song), "Me And Bobby McGee" (allegedly the first recorded version of this song, and a good way to understand what Janis Joplin was wailing about), "Minstrel Of The Dawn", "Ribbon Of Darkness". They all sound similar, but they all sound good!
For today's Top 3, I went with a list of quiet, mellow songs (not all of these will be songs, BTW) seeing how I have to work today and it is indeed quiet and mellow here. I grew up listening to Gordon Lightfoot, a Canadian-born singer who plays acoustic guitar and sings about the Great White North, traveling, and ship wrecks, and his music is the perfect soundtrack for one of those days where you sit in your house, watching the snow fall outside. It's not snowing here today, but it still seems just right. Here is Gord's best:
1. Easily my favorite Gordon Lightfoot song. I love how it starts with the strong guitar chords...this is the song that I would want to learn first if I ever took up the guitar. Can't say that I understand how a woman is "lookin' like a queen in a sailor's dream" and for the longest time I didn't know that the chorus said "If I find you've been creepin' 'round my back stair" (Huh?). Must be a Canuck thing; maybe he hides his back bacon and maple syrup in the back stairs.
2. A great road trip song. I can think of several songs in which he mentions "wanderlust", including this one. Maybe he and Mrs. Lightfoot needed their space.
3. (How do you misspell Gordon?) Easily the best song about a maritime tragedy, outdistancing "My Heart Will Go On" by Celine Dion and "Rock The Boat" by the Hues Corporation. I have been able to sing this song word for word for many years, now.
Missing the cut:
(awesome song), "Me And Bobby McGee" (allegedly the first recorded version of this song, and a good way to understand what Janis Joplin was wailing about), "Minstrel Of The Dawn", "Ribbon Of Darkness". They all sound similar, but they all sound good!
Tuesday, November 4, 2008
Quick thoughts, Tuesday edition
This morning, after dropping Lexie off at preschool, I went to rock the vote, and when i turned on the radio in the car, I was greeted by Christmas music on FM 100. Sweet! I am a sucker for Christmas music, and I really do enjoy it. It puts me in the holiday spirit, and makes me realize just how close it is. I understand that this post coupled with the ABBA post from last week pretty much destroys the manly image that I have cultivated over the years, but that's life. If any of you want to join in, click here and click the "Listen Live" button.
In conjunction with this, I am going to unveil a new feature of our blog: Top 3 lists. I enjoy lists; I like reading them in magazines, on websites, wherever. They are usually informative, and because they are normally very subjective, they are highly debatable. Crafting a good Top 10, Top 25, whatever, takes a chunk of time to get just right. But a Top 3 list? Give me pretty much any topic, and I can fire a Top 3 list off the top of my head. For example: Top 3 Bounty Hunters? #1 Boba Fett, #2 Dog, #3 Ummm...okay bad example. Here then, is my Top 3 Christmas Songs On The Radio:
1. "It's The Most Wonderful Time Of The Year", Andy Williams version.
This song always makes me think of going Christmas shopping and seeing lights everywhere. It's a fun, upbeat Christmas song. Plus ESPN usually uses it for their Bowl Week commercials, so that makes it better. And I love the part when he says "...be of good cheer" and the backgrounds singers go "AH AH AH".
2. "O, Holy Night", Josh Groban version
There are a million versions of this song, and this one is one of the best. My criteria on this song: towards the end of the song (3:45 in, or so) the song hits it's crescendo with a "NOEL!!!" glory note. If this makes the hair on the back of my neck stand up, it's a keeper. The Il Divo version is awesome, and Nat King Cole's is a classic. The Jewel version? Not so much.
3. "White Christmas", Bing Crosby version
Pretty tough to go wrong with Der Bingle. Plus, with my family's obsession with this movie, this is a no-brainer.
Just missed the cut: "Mary, Did You Know?", Kenny Rogers version
Great "modern" Christmas song. Stay far away from the Donny Osmond version, another staple in heavy rotation on FM 100.
Our Halloween video will be up soon!
In conjunction with this, I am going to unveil a new feature of our blog: Top 3 lists. I enjoy lists; I like reading them in magazines, on websites, wherever. They are usually informative, and because they are normally very subjective, they are highly debatable. Crafting a good Top 10, Top 25, whatever, takes a chunk of time to get just right. But a Top 3 list? Give me pretty much any topic, and I can fire a Top 3 list off the top of my head. For example: Top 3 Bounty Hunters? #1 Boba Fett, #2 Dog, #3 Ummm...okay bad example. Here then, is my Top 3 Christmas Songs On The Radio:
1. "It's The Most Wonderful Time Of The Year", Andy Williams version.
This song always makes me think of going Christmas shopping and seeing lights everywhere. It's a fun, upbeat Christmas song. Plus ESPN usually uses it for their Bowl Week commercials, so that makes it better. And I love the part when he says "...be of good cheer" and the backgrounds singers go "AH AH AH".
2. "O, Holy Night", Josh Groban version
There are a million versions of this song, and this one is one of the best. My criteria on this song: towards the end of the song (3:45 in, or so) the song hits it's crescendo with a "NOEL!!!" glory note. If this makes the hair on the back of my neck stand up, it's a keeper. The Il Divo version is awesome, and Nat King Cole's is a classic. The Jewel version? Not so much.
3. "White Christmas", Bing Crosby version
Pretty tough to go wrong with Der Bingle. Plus, with my family's obsession with this movie, this is a no-brainer.
Just missed the cut: "Mary, Did You Know?", Kenny Rogers version
Great "modern" Christmas song. Stay far away from the Donny Osmond version, another staple in heavy rotation on FM 100.
Our Halloween video will be up soon!
Monday, November 3, 2008
Thursday, October 30, 2008
October Fun
We haven't posted any family pictures from our recent October activities. We've had a fairly busy October and wanted to share a tiny bit with our family and friends. Enjoy . . .
Nelson Family Deer Hunt Weekend
Lexie and her cousin Shelby LOVE to throw rocks in the little river and are entertained for hours collecting and throwing rocks and sticks. Their newest adventure is using the longer sticks to fish.
Kirin's Birthday Party
My friend and old mission companion invited Lexie to attend her son's 5th Birthday party at Bouncing Off The Walls. Lexie had a ball and would spend hours on the "Monster Slide" every day if it were possible. She loves to jump and slide so this party was right up her alley.
Nelson Family Deer Hunt Weekend
Lexie and her cousin Shelby LOVE to throw rocks in the little river and are entertained for hours collecting and throwing rocks and sticks. Their newest adventure is using the longer sticks to fish.
Kirin's Birthday Party
My friend and old mission companion invited Lexie to attend her son's 5th Birthday party at Bouncing Off The Walls. Lexie had a ball and would spend hours on the "Monster Slide" every day if it were possible. She loves to jump and slide so this party was right up her alley.
Thursday, October 23, 2008
Video Time!
Well, we haven't posted for a little while; things have been pretty busy and I picked up some extra shifts so I've kind of lived at the hospital for the past week and a half. We have some pictures to put up from the past week, but we haven't had a chance to upload them to the web just yet, so in the mean time, I decided to post another favorite video in the wildly successful "Video Time!" post series. I'm sure you've all been DYING for the next installment :)
First, a quick story: I was at my friend Dan's house the other night when I casually mentioned that I saw the movie version of "Mamma Mia" with Stacie on our anniversary. Dan proceeded to rip me up one side and down the other, threatening to revoke my man card among other physical threats after hearing such disturbing news. I tried to explain that I let Stacie choose the movie (it was even the sing-along version) because she took me to Skybox for dinner and tried to talk to me while I sat in front of 500 televisions showing sports, but he was truly disgusted with my news. Dan's dislike of musicals is legendary, and we had just finished watching a very poor football game, so I took his vitriol with a grain of salt. I also confessed that watching that movie made any James Bond movie starring Pierce Brosnan entirely unwatchable. Watching him belt out "S.O.S." with Meryl Streep was absolutely jarring. You can watch it here if you dare. The distorted view and German subtitles will only add more flavor to your nightmares. Fast forward to the 3:31 mark for the most heinous part. Yikes. But you have been warned; there are some things that you can't un-see.
That said, I enjoy ABBA's music. We grew up listening to ABBA; I remember being jealous when my cousin Missy's family got "Super Trooper" on 8-track, and we had a collection of ABBA videos on a videotape that got repeated watching. Music videos were in their infancy, so these were pretty cutting edge. I could never remember which girl was which, but I always remembered that Benny was the dude with full beard and fluffy hair, and Bjorn was the guy who looked like Vizzini in "The Princess Bride" (not the hair). They were the musical geniuses of the group, but in today's image-conscious market, they might have been left behind the scenes. Maybe not; it WAS the 70's after all. Today's video, then, comes from their enormous video vault. I didn't go with "Mamma Mia" or "Dancing Queen" or one of the songs that you hear on the radio frequently. I did, however, choose ABBA's best song HANDS DOWN. Please enjoy:
I understand that what little manhood I had left after admitting to being an ABBA fan is completely gone after proclaiming "Gimme Gimme Gimme A Man After Midnight" their best work, but it truly is. And as way of disclaimer, I never demand a man, either before or after midnight. Not that there's anything wrong with that.
What a great song! It's certainly straight from the disco era, with the synthesizer beat, and keyboard rise and fall. I love how it builds and builds up to the chorus, thumping faster and faster...then POW! "Gimme, gimme, gimme a man after midnight...won't somebody help me chase these shadows away?". The chorus and the beat are awesome. Can't say that I really understand the lyrics...maybe it's a Swedish thing. My brother Nate served his mission in Sweden, so he may have a little insight. The girl in the song might need a late night man to help her dig up some rotting fish to eat or something. The video itself is just alright; it's one of those "let's pretend we're recording the song and film it" videos that seems like a cop out. It has the requisite faux shots of the band sitting behind the mixing board, turning dials and debating production of the song. In reality, I'm guessing that Benny and Bjorn sent the girls out for cigarettes and more blue eyeliner while they tweaked the recordings. You can see them mailing it in; at the 2:41 mark Bjorn is singing/lipsnyching something...just not the music that is playing. It's like they ran out of video so they just shoe horned a shot of him in there to fill space. And at the very end, Anni (the brunette) keeps looking at someone to the right with her hands on her headphones, like she's saying "Did you get it? Now? Are we done? Did you get enough footage?" until she pulls off the headphones with relief. Hey, that lipsynching is a tough gig.
The worst part about the video is that this is the shorter version of the song. I found a longer version, but it is a fan video that is basically the song with still pictures spliced together. it kills me that the last 15 seconds or so is just blank, while the music plays out. I guess whomever put the video together couldn't find a couple more pictures of the gang, or they didn't know how to extend each picture to stretch it out to cover the length of the song.
The best part about the longer version comes at the 2:34mark when they sing the chorus one step higher then the synthesizer comes in and goes "AH AH AH AH AH AH AH". I usually sing that part as loud as possible (including the AHs), especially if I'm alone. I can tell you that my performance is positively Brosnon-esque, so I tend to keep that one to myself. Great tune, though.
First, a quick story: I was at my friend Dan's house the other night when I casually mentioned that I saw the movie version of "Mamma Mia" with Stacie on our anniversary. Dan proceeded to rip me up one side and down the other, threatening to revoke my man card among other physical threats after hearing such disturbing news. I tried to explain that I let Stacie choose the movie (it was even the sing-along version) because she took me to Skybox for dinner and tried to talk to me while I sat in front of 500 televisions showing sports, but he was truly disgusted with my news. Dan's dislike of musicals is legendary, and we had just finished watching a very poor football game, so I took his vitriol with a grain of salt. I also confessed that watching that movie made any James Bond movie starring Pierce Brosnan entirely unwatchable. Watching him belt out "S.O.S." with Meryl Streep was absolutely jarring. You can watch it here if you dare. The distorted view and German subtitles will only add more flavor to your nightmares. Fast forward to the 3:31 mark for the most heinous part. Yikes. But you have been warned; there are some things that you can't un-see.
That said, I enjoy ABBA's music. We grew up listening to ABBA; I remember being jealous when my cousin Missy's family got "Super Trooper" on 8-track, and we had a collection of ABBA videos on a videotape that got repeated watching. Music videos were in their infancy, so these were pretty cutting edge. I could never remember which girl was which, but I always remembered that Benny was the dude with full beard and fluffy hair, and Bjorn was the guy who looked like Vizzini in "The Princess Bride" (not the hair). They were the musical geniuses of the group, but in today's image-conscious market, they might have been left behind the scenes. Maybe not; it WAS the 70's after all. Today's video, then, comes from their enormous video vault. I didn't go with "Mamma Mia" or "Dancing Queen" or one of the songs that you hear on the radio frequently. I did, however, choose ABBA's best song HANDS DOWN. Please enjoy:
I understand that what little manhood I had left after admitting to being an ABBA fan is completely gone after proclaiming "Gimme Gimme Gimme A Man After Midnight" their best work, but it truly is. And as way of disclaimer, I never demand a man, either before or after midnight. Not that there's anything wrong with that.
What a great song! It's certainly straight from the disco era, with the synthesizer beat, and keyboard rise and fall. I love how it builds and builds up to the chorus, thumping faster and faster...then POW! "Gimme, gimme, gimme a man after midnight...won't somebody help me chase these shadows away?". The chorus and the beat are awesome. Can't say that I really understand the lyrics...maybe it's a Swedish thing. My brother Nate served his mission in Sweden, so he may have a little insight. The girl in the song might need a late night man to help her dig up some rotting fish to eat or something. The video itself is just alright; it's one of those "let's pretend we're recording the song and film it" videos that seems like a cop out. It has the requisite faux shots of the band sitting behind the mixing board, turning dials and debating production of the song. In reality, I'm guessing that Benny and Bjorn sent the girls out for cigarettes and more blue eyeliner while they tweaked the recordings. You can see them mailing it in; at the 2:41 mark Bjorn is singing/lipsnyching something...just not the music that is playing. It's like they ran out of video so they just shoe horned a shot of him in there to fill space. And at the very end, Anni (the brunette) keeps looking at someone to the right with her hands on her headphones, like she's saying "Did you get it? Now? Are we done? Did you get enough footage?" until she pulls off the headphones with relief. Hey, that lipsynching is a tough gig.
The worst part about the video is that this is the shorter version of the song. I found a longer version, but it is a fan video that is basically the song with still pictures spliced together. it kills me that the last 15 seconds or so is just blank, while the music plays out. I guess whomever put the video together couldn't find a couple more pictures of the gang, or they didn't know how to extend each picture to stretch it out to cover the length of the song.
The best part about the longer version comes at the 2:34mark when they sing the chorus one step higher then the synthesizer comes in and goes "AH AH AH AH AH AH AH". I usually sing that part as loud as possible (including the AHs), especially if I'm alone. I can tell you that my performance is positively Brosnon-esque, so I tend to keep that one to myself. Great tune, though.
Monday, October 6, 2008
Lexie's guys
It's very possible that you have been introduced to Lexie's guys (perhaps even multiple times!), but for those of you who haven't had the pleasure, please let me provide some background information.
"Guys" is a blanket term for any of the stuffed animals that Lexie transports/plays with/throws when she is mad. A comprehensive list of guys would probably have 25-30 entries. But for all intents and purposes, when you talk about her guys, you're talking about what I like to call "the fab four" (side note: I don't like the Beatles, so I'm actually referring to Mickey, Minnie, Donald, and Goofy).
1. Toby : Toby is a turtle who came to us via Build-A-Bear when her Aunt Cindee and Aunt Dawnie took her there shortly after her first birthday. Toby is Lexie's go-to guy. He has traveled many miles with her, and has a habit of saying "I love you" when you push his arm. Toby would be like Mickey in my analogy; he is the front man of the band. When we were watching Toby being "born", I had no idea how much Lexie would be attached to him. He has certainly been well loved...and shows signs of how well loved he is. Toby had to have some minor surgery with the Build-A-Bear plastic surgeon about a year ago, but he had a 100% recovery and is still going strong.
2. Bunny: Bunny is the original member of the entourage. Bunny was a shower gift from Auntie Missy and as I think about it, has been with Lexie since her first day at home. Bunny is one of those 12" square soft blankets with a bunny head attached to it, which made it perfect for Lexie to cuddle with from day one. When she got a little bit older, there was a certain way that she had to hold Bunny, with one finger tucked underneath just so. Bunny has actually been given to Toby, and sleeps with him always (I guess this shows how much Lexie adores Toby). Bunny is the Minnie of the group. She is attached at the hip to Toby, always at his side.
3. Doggy: Doggy is similar to Bunny, except he obviously has a dog head instead of a bunny head. Doggy came into our lives in a most curious way. One night, when Lexie was not quite a year old, her diaper leaked in the middle of the night, leaving us with a wet crib sheet and no options. For some reason, we didn't have another sheet to put on, so I had to race to Wal-Mart for a 3:00 a.m. visit (which, by the way, is the ONLY time that it isn't busy). Bunny, unfortunately, was a wet casualty as well, so Stacie instructed me to find not only a sheet, but a suitable (albeit temporary) replacement for Bunny while he was getting clean. Easier said than done...YOU try replacing an icon. Doggy was the answer, and when I returned home we put her back to bed with dry sheets and a new friend. Lexie found room in her crib and her heart for a new guy, and once Doggy was presentable, she latched on to both of them, and they became a formidable duo; akin to those memorable buddy movies with Mickey and Donald.
Last, but not least-
4. Whitey: Lest you think that we are encouraging racial stereotypes on Lexie at an early age, Whitey is actually a white alligator. We were visiting Hogle Zoo one day, and at the end of the white alligator exhibit was a stuffed white alligator with blue eyes. Lexie took a liking to him, and he came home with us. In a shocking turn of events, Whitey cracked into the guy triumvirate of Toby, Doggy, and Bunny, and has been a solid #4 ever since. If Whitey had to be named after his appearance today, it would likely be "Dusty" instead of Whitey, because he is showing the mileage on his tires, but he is still beloved. Whitey is like the Goofy of the group; he is a integral part of it, but is prone to going off on his own adventures. He was missing for a day, only to be found behind the bed. Then, we couldn't find him for several days, only to have him turn up in one of Lexie's bags. These adventures never cause the panic that a missing Toby would, but when he reappears, it is celebrated with all of the joy of the Prodigal Son coming home.
The main impetus for my posting this was what I found in our living room this morning when I was fixing breakfast for Lexie:
Lexie was getting a tea party ready, and in her words "didn't want her guys to get cold", so she carefully tucked them in while she fixed all of the dishes. I really think that she will be a good big sister; especially if she takes care of him as well as she takes care of her guys. As long as she doesn't throw her little brother when she's mad, we'll be alright!
"Guys" is a blanket term for any of the stuffed animals that Lexie transports/plays with/throws when she is mad. A comprehensive list of guys would probably have 25-30 entries. But for all intents and purposes, when you talk about her guys, you're talking about what I like to call "the fab four" (side note: I don't like the Beatles, so I'm actually referring to Mickey, Minnie, Donald, and Goofy).
1. Toby : Toby is a turtle who came to us via Build-A-Bear when her Aunt Cindee and Aunt Dawnie took her there shortly after her first birthday. Toby is Lexie's go-to guy. He has traveled many miles with her, and has a habit of saying "I love you" when you push his arm. Toby would be like Mickey in my analogy; he is the front man of the band. When we were watching Toby being "born", I had no idea how much Lexie would be attached to him. He has certainly been well loved...and shows signs of how well loved he is. Toby had to have some minor surgery with the Build-A-Bear plastic surgeon about a year ago, but he had a 100% recovery and is still going strong.
2. Bunny: Bunny is the original member of the entourage. Bunny was a shower gift from Auntie Missy and as I think about it, has been with Lexie since her first day at home. Bunny is one of those 12" square soft blankets with a bunny head attached to it, which made it perfect for Lexie to cuddle with from day one. When she got a little bit older, there was a certain way that she had to hold Bunny, with one finger tucked underneath just so. Bunny has actually been given to Toby, and sleeps with him always (I guess this shows how much Lexie adores Toby). Bunny is the Minnie of the group. She is attached at the hip to Toby, always at his side.
3. Doggy: Doggy is similar to Bunny, except he obviously has a dog head instead of a bunny head. Doggy came into our lives in a most curious way. One night, when Lexie was not quite a year old, her diaper leaked in the middle of the night, leaving us with a wet crib sheet and no options. For some reason, we didn't have another sheet to put on, so I had to race to Wal-Mart for a 3:00 a.m. visit (which, by the way, is the ONLY time that it isn't busy). Bunny, unfortunately, was a wet casualty as well, so Stacie instructed me to find not only a sheet, but a suitable (albeit temporary) replacement for Bunny while he was getting clean. Easier said than done...YOU try replacing an icon. Doggy was the answer, and when I returned home we put her back to bed with dry sheets and a new friend. Lexie found room in her crib and her heart for a new guy, and once Doggy was presentable, she latched on to both of them, and they became a formidable duo; akin to those memorable buddy movies with Mickey and Donald.
Last, but not least-
4. Whitey: Lest you think that we are encouraging racial stereotypes on Lexie at an early age, Whitey is actually a white alligator. We were visiting Hogle Zoo one day, and at the end of the white alligator exhibit was a stuffed white alligator with blue eyes. Lexie took a liking to him, and he came home with us. In a shocking turn of events, Whitey cracked into the guy triumvirate of Toby, Doggy, and Bunny, and has been a solid #4 ever since. If Whitey had to be named after his appearance today, it would likely be "Dusty" instead of Whitey, because he is showing the mileage on his tires, but he is still beloved. Whitey is like the Goofy of the group; he is a integral part of it, but is prone to going off on his own adventures. He was missing for a day, only to be found behind the bed. Then, we couldn't find him for several days, only to have him turn up in one of Lexie's bags. These adventures never cause the panic that a missing Toby would, but when he reappears, it is celebrated with all of the joy of the Prodigal Son coming home.
The main impetus for my posting this was what I found in our living room this morning when I was fixing breakfast for Lexie:
Lexie was getting a tea party ready, and in her words "didn't want her guys to get cold", so she carefully tucked them in while she fixed all of the dishes. I really think that she will be a good big sister; especially if she takes care of him as well as she takes care of her guys. As long as she doesn't throw her little brother when she's mad, we'll be alright!
Tuesday, September 30, 2008
Pump Victory
After a long month of pump trials I finally received my very own insulin pump. I've been using a loaner pump from my endocrinologist while waiting for an approval from my insurance company and the shipment of my very own pump. It's been a bit of a rough road calculating costs vs. benefits but in the end we have been blessed with the ability to order a pump of my own. Today I had a doctors appointment and was able to pick up my new pump. Wahoo!! I've really enjoyed having a pump, its made it extremely easy to get my insulin without giving myself up to 4 shots a day. The insurance company didn't approve the use of a Glucose Monitoring System so I'll still have to prick my finger before and after meals BUT I was given a new glucometer that wirelessly transmits my blood sugar levels to the pump for easy tracking. It's so cool! Technology is amazing, such fun tools that help with such a not so fun disease.
The baby seems to be growing on schedule and very active inside my tummy. All of my appointments seem to give reassurance that everything is going as planned. I (we) feel very blessed that the Lord is watching over our new little one and has blessed us with wonderful doctors and technologies that assist with the development of our baby. Thanks to all for your continued love and support!! We truly are blessed.
The baby seems to be growing on schedule and very active inside my tummy. All of my appointments seem to give reassurance that everything is going as planned. I (we) feel very blessed that the Lord is watching over our new little one and has blessed us with wonderful doctors and technologies that assist with the development of our baby. Thanks to all for your continued love and support!! We truly are blessed.
Thursday, September 25, 2008
Lagoon Time!
Last Saturday was Lagoon Day for Nelson Brothers Electric, and my parents invited us to go with them. Stacie and I hadn't been for several years, and Lexie had never gone, so it was a fun experience for all. Several micro burst storms blew through in the course of the day, but we survived! Here are some of the highlights:
Lagoon 2008 from Josh Nelson on Vimeo.
Lagoon 2008 from Josh Nelson on Vimeo.
Oh, the things you'll see...
...in the middle of the night.
Starting work at 3:00 in the morning is quite interesting. I always joke that the commute is great (which it is), but there are things that you see in the wee hours that you usually don't see during the day. When I work on the weekends, I will generally see tavern owners closing up their businesses, and lines of people waiting for taxi cabs to take them home. One night, I drove past a gas station on State Street as a couple of guys starting pushing each other and moving out into the street as one of them started swinging at the other one with a single jack sledgehammer. I put my head down and stepped on the gas pedal.
But this morning I saw something that really threw me for a loop. As I left my house, I realized that I was in desperate need of some liquid refreshment, so I pointed towards the nearest giant yellow "M". As I waited in line, I noticed that the vehicle in front of me was a new Ford pickup truck with a woman behind the wheel and several hunting window stickers (you know what I mean: a picture of a trophy deer that says "Shut the buck up" or something like that). As I waited an inordinate amount of time in line, I became curious about what she ordered that would cause such a delay. After several minutes, the window slid open, and my question was answered. She was handed FOUR HAPPY MEALS.
What?
That's all she got; just the four happy meal boxes, followed by one of those cardboard trays with four small drinks. After a minute of arrangement, she put her giant truck in gear and left. I couldn't stop thinking about how bizarre it was. What would she want with four happy meals at 2:30 on a Thursday morning? It's been on my mind ever since, and I have come up with a few theories, but they all leave something to be desired:
1. She was getting grub for her son/daughter's sleep-over. This is the first thing that came to my mind. But most kids are in school now, and when I was younger and had a sleepover, I might have been awake at 2:30 a.m., but my mom wasn't going on a food run for us, as cool as she is. Plus, most kids grow out of their happy meal stage long before sleepover age and order from the big boy menu. This doesn't seem right.
2. She was driving on a road trip and needed some late-night food for her and her family. Again, possible, although a road trip in that gas hog of a truck doesn't make much sense. Plus, you'd think that the kids would be asleep, and the McDonalds wasn't right off of the freeway or anything. I noticed her drive away and turn into a neighborhood, so this isn't the answer either.
3. She was on an eating binge and was going to get loose on some food like Meredith Baxter-Birney did in a Lifetime movie that I saw when she ate a whole cake in her car. With her hands. I like this reason most of all, and can picture her ravaging those kids' meals like a pack of wolves tearing into an elk. But if this were the case, why would she go with the happy meals? The box format and the smallish bags of fries would just slow you down (plus you'd have to be careful not to eat the prizes in your haste). Wouldn't you just order a sackful of cheeseburgers, a half dozen turnovers and an 84 oz. coke and go to work? I think this explanation has legs, but I can't be certain.
Alas, when it was my turn, I got my drink and .99 double cheeseburger (no pickle, no onion) and left, trying to catch up to the side of her at a traffic light and see what was going on. But I never could, and she vanished in a cloud of diesel smoke. Perhaps I'll never know. I don't work again tomorrow, but when I do, I'll keep a sharp lookout for a white pickup truck filled to the roof with happy meals.
Starting work at 3:00 in the morning is quite interesting. I always joke that the commute is great (which it is), but there are things that you see in the wee hours that you usually don't see during the day. When I work on the weekends, I will generally see tavern owners closing up their businesses, and lines of people waiting for taxi cabs to take them home. One night, I drove past a gas station on State Street as a couple of guys starting pushing each other and moving out into the street as one of them started swinging at the other one with a single jack sledgehammer. I put my head down and stepped on the gas pedal.
But this morning I saw something that really threw me for a loop. As I left my house, I realized that I was in desperate need of some liquid refreshment, so I pointed towards the nearest giant yellow "M". As I waited in line, I noticed that the vehicle in front of me was a new Ford pickup truck with a woman behind the wheel and several hunting window stickers (you know what I mean: a picture of a trophy deer that says "Shut the buck up" or something like that). As I waited an inordinate amount of time in line, I became curious about what she ordered that would cause such a delay. After several minutes, the window slid open, and my question was answered. She was handed FOUR HAPPY MEALS.
What?
That's all she got; just the four happy meal boxes, followed by one of those cardboard trays with four small drinks. After a minute of arrangement, she put her giant truck in gear and left. I couldn't stop thinking about how bizarre it was. What would she want with four happy meals at 2:30 on a Thursday morning? It's been on my mind ever since, and I have come up with a few theories, but they all leave something to be desired:
1. She was getting grub for her son/daughter's sleep-over. This is the first thing that came to my mind. But most kids are in school now, and when I was younger and had a sleepover, I might have been awake at 2:30 a.m., but my mom wasn't going on a food run for us, as cool as she is. Plus, most kids grow out of their happy meal stage long before sleepover age and order from the big boy menu. This doesn't seem right.
2. She was driving on a road trip and needed some late-night food for her and her family. Again, possible, although a road trip in that gas hog of a truck doesn't make much sense. Plus, you'd think that the kids would be asleep, and the McDonalds wasn't right off of the freeway or anything. I noticed her drive away and turn into a neighborhood, so this isn't the answer either.
3. She was on an eating binge and was going to get loose on some food like Meredith Baxter-Birney did in a Lifetime movie that I saw when she ate a whole cake in her car. With her hands. I like this reason most of all, and can picture her ravaging those kids' meals like a pack of wolves tearing into an elk. But if this were the case, why would she go with the happy meals? The box format and the smallish bags of fries would just slow you down (plus you'd have to be careful not to eat the prizes in your haste). Wouldn't you just order a sackful of cheeseburgers, a half dozen turnovers and an 84 oz. coke and go to work? I think this explanation has legs, but I can't be certain.
Alas, when it was my turn, I got my drink and .99 double cheeseburger (no pickle, no onion) and left, trying to catch up to the side of her at a traffic light and see what was going on. But I never could, and she vanished in a cloud of diesel smoke. Perhaps I'll never know. I don't work again tomorrow, but when I do, I'll keep a sharp lookout for a white pickup truck filled to the roof with happy meals.
Friday, September 12, 2008
Friday Update
We haven't posted in a couple of days, so I wanted to write about of couple of things that happened this week.
Stacie and I went to Primary Children's Hospital on Tuesday for a fetal echocardiogram. She has had several ultrasounds already, and we were always assured that everything looked normal. So when the doctor's office called to tell us that they made an appointment to have the fetal echo, it struck us as odd. Her OB told us more than once that it was a standard test for a pregnant woman who has diabetes, but anytime your doctor orders a test to examine the baby's heart closely, it is a little bit worrisome.
The test, which is just like an ultrasound except that it focuses strictly on the heart, took just about one hour. It was a little different; the other ultrasounds were more "show and tell". They would check out all of the baby, so you could see his legs, his arms moving, his face, etc. The fetal echo had none of that. And while it was still amazing, it was quite repetitious as they looked over and over. The good news is that everything looks fine; they had trouble getting a good look at the aortic arch and seeing everything that they needed to look at, because our little guy was as busy as ever, moving around and making himself difficult to capture on film. The specialist gave us a "thumbs up" and sent us on our way, which was a relief. I don't think I'll ever stop worrying...his health and development is on my mind constantly. But Stacie is doing everything that she can to keep him safe and is doing a great job. I can't believe it's less than four months away!
Lexie has had a busy couple of weeks as well. Two weeks ago she started going to preschool (twice weekly) with Miss Bonnie, a gal in our ward who runs the preschool in her basement. Lexie is loving it so far...the first day in class they measured everyone and found out that she is nearly three inches taller than anyone else (not all that surprising to me!). She got to be the weather girl one day, and is having a great time with her classmates. Here's a picture:
She also started taking a clogging class last week. It is a half-hour class every Monday, and we figured that she certainly has energy to burn! She enjoyed her first class, and is practicing her steps for next week. She certainly isn't shy about performing, and will demonstrate to anyone her new talents.
Last (but certainly not least), it was Stacie's birthday yesterday. It is an easy one for me to remember, what with the additional memories that we all have of 9/11. We had a nice party with our family; I'll post some pictures later. But Stacie had a fun day playing hookey from work. She even got her first experience at the cannery, making strawberry jam (her idea!). So now we have some yummy strawberry jam and a whole bunch of leftover cake. Drop on by if you're hungry tonight!
Stacie and I went to Primary Children's Hospital on Tuesday for a fetal echocardiogram. She has had several ultrasounds already, and we were always assured that everything looked normal. So when the doctor's office called to tell us that they made an appointment to have the fetal echo, it struck us as odd. Her OB told us more than once that it was a standard test for a pregnant woman who has diabetes, but anytime your doctor orders a test to examine the baby's heart closely, it is a little bit worrisome.
The test, which is just like an ultrasound except that it focuses strictly on the heart, took just about one hour. It was a little different; the other ultrasounds were more "show and tell". They would check out all of the baby, so you could see his legs, his arms moving, his face, etc. The fetal echo had none of that. And while it was still amazing, it was quite repetitious as they looked over and over. The good news is that everything looks fine; they had trouble getting a good look at the aortic arch and seeing everything that they needed to look at, because our little guy was as busy as ever, moving around and making himself difficult to capture on film. The specialist gave us a "thumbs up" and sent us on our way, which was a relief. I don't think I'll ever stop worrying...his health and development is on my mind constantly. But Stacie is doing everything that she can to keep him safe and is doing a great job. I can't believe it's less than four months away!
Lexie has had a busy couple of weeks as well. Two weeks ago she started going to preschool (twice weekly) with Miss Bonnie, a gal in our ward who runs the preschool in her basement. Lexie is loving it so far...the first day in class they measured everyone and found out that she is nearly three inches taller than anyone else (not all that surprising to me!). She got to be the weather girl one day, and is having a great time with her classmates. Here's a picture:
She also started taking a clogging class last week. It is a half-hour class every Monday, and we figured that she certainly has energy to burn! She enjoyed her first class, and is practicing her steps for next week. She certainly isn't shy about performing, and will demonstrate to anyone her new talents.
Last (but certainly not least), it was Stacie's birthday yesterday. It is an easy one for me to remember, what with the additional memories that we all have of 9/11. We had a nice party with our family; I'll post some pictures later. But Stacie had a fun day playing hookey from work. She even got her first experience at the cannery, making strawberry jam (her idea!). So now we have some yummy strawberry jam and a whole bunch of leftover cake. Drop on by if you're hungry tonight!
Thursday, September 4, 2008
Utah State Fair
Well, we went to the State Fair tonight; it was opening night, and the crowds were out in full force. We had a great time seeing the animals, riding on some rides, and eating delicious unhealthy carnival food (although we didn't try the deep fried peanut butter and jelly sandwich). Lexie loved all of it...we went on the big Ferris Wheel, which she loved. Plus, we tried a ride that is similar to the Tidal Wave at Lagoon. Lexie thought it was great, although her mother wasn't sure about her riding on it! Here are some highlights:
Wednesday, September 3, 2008
Labor Day Weekend Festivities
I hope that everyone had an enjoyable Labor Day weekend. Our weekend was packed full of activities for the whole family. Saturday we spend most of the day cleaning and organizing the master bedroom. In preparation for the baby, we are rearranging several parts of the house to make room for his nursery. We are turning the office into the baby's room but that means we now have to find room for all of the office stuff. We decided to start with our room and Lexie's room so we could move furniture out of the office into areas that were already organized and clean. It's been a big job, and even though we didn't get it all done it was nice to have some dedicated time with Josh to do some good cleaning.
Saturday was also the first BYU football game. Which at our house, is a MUST WATCH. Thanks to Josh's friends we were able to watch the game Saturday evening at their new home. (We don't get "The MTN" channel from Dish Network so we have to watch all the games elsewhere) Josh and Lexie went for a swim in the neighborhood pool, we had a nice Mexican dinner, and the boys watched the game while the little girls played and the big girls watched TV upstairs. We all had a great time!
Sunday morning Lexie woke up with a full blown cold. Her nose was running and she was coughing so I decided to keep her home from church while Josh went and substituted in Nursery. Lexie was sad she didn't get to go with her Dad but I didn't want the other kids getting sick. We had planned on heading up the canyon Sunday afternoon to join Josh's family at the cabin in Kamas for the remainder of the weekend. We knew that the weather wasn't going to be great so we debated long and hard before beginning our journey. We arrived at the cabin around 4pm Sunday afternoon. It had been a beautiful day, just a little windy. However, as the afternoon went on the clouds rolled in and so did the rain. It rained most of the evening, into the night, and the next day. Fortunately for us, we were blessed to get a comfy bed inside the cabin for the night and didn't have to worry about setting up or taking down a tent for the rainy evening. Lexie was excited because she got to stay in the trailer with Grandma and Grandpa. We had a yummy dutch oven dinner Sunday night that Grandpa had prepared in the rain (what a trooper). After dinner we laid Lexie down and watched "The Prestige" with Josh's parents. I love that show. The trailer had sprung a leek so Josh and Tom spent most of the movie standing with a towel soaking up the water as it dripped inside the trailer. Monday morning was a balmy 38 degrees. I think that everyone was ready to get out of the rain and head home for the day. Nate and Amy had already left around Midnight the night before because they had rain dripping inside their tent and didn't want to risk spending the night in cold misery (not that I blame them). We all packed up shortly after breakfast and headed for home. We went to Grandma and Grandpa's house for lunch where we could rest in comfort and warmth. We spent the afternoon relaxing and watching "Clean House" while Lexie took a nice long nap. Later that evening we headed for home and I did laundry for the next several hours. Sounds like fun huh? We certainly do know how to cram in as much stuff as we can into one weekend.
In the end the weekend was a success. Josh got to watch his football game, I accomplished some much needed cleaning and organizing, and Lexie got to go to the cabin and be with her grandparents, uncles, and aunts. A great weekend was had by all!
Saturday was also the first BYU football game. Which at our house, is a MUST WATCH. Thanks to Josh's friends we were able to watch the game Saturday evening at their new home. (We don't get "The MTN" channel from Dish Network so we have to watch all the games elsewhere) Josh and Lexie went for a swim in the neighborhood pool, we had a nice Mexican dinner, and the boys watched the game while the little girls played and the big girls watched TV upstairs. We all had a great time!Sunday morning Lexie woke up with a full blown cold. Her nose was running and she was coughing so I decided to keep her home from church while Josh went and substituted in Nursery. Lexie was sad she didn't get to go with her Dad but I didn't want the other kids getting sick. We had planned on heading up the canyon Sunday afternoon to join Josh's family at the cabin in Kamas for the remainder of the weekend. We knew that the weather wasn't going to be great so we debated long and hard before beginning our journey. We arrived at the cabin around 4pm Sunday afternoon. It had been a beautiful day, just a little windy. However, as the afternoon went on the clouds rolled in and so did the rain. It rained most of the evening, into the night, and the next day. Fortunately for us, we were blessed to get a comfy bed inside the cabin for the night and didn't have to worry about setting up or taking down a tent for the rainy evening. Lexie was excited because she got to stay in the trailer with Grandma and Grandpa. We had a yummy dutch oven dinner Sunday night that Grandpa had prepared in the rain (what a trooper). After dinner we laid Lexie down and watched "The Prestige" with Josh's parents. I love that show. The trailer had sprung a leek so Josh and Tom spent most of the movie standing with a towel soaking up the water as it dripped inside the trailer. Monday morning was a balmy 38 degrees. I think that everyone was ready to get out of the rain and head home for the day. Nate and Amy had already left around Midnight the night before because they had rain dripping inside their tent and didn't want to risk spending the night in cold misery (not that I blame them). We all packed up shortly after breakfast and headed for home. We went to Grandma and Grandpa's house for lunch where we could rest in comfort and warmth. We spent the afternoon relaxing and watching "Clean House" while Lexie took a nice long nap. Later that evening we headed for home and I did laundry for the next several hours. Sounds like fun huh? We certainly do know how to cram in as much stuff as we can into one weekend.
In the end the weekend was a success. Josh got to watch his football game, I accomplished some much needed cleaning and organizing, and Lexie got to go to the cabin and be with her grandparents, uncles, and aunts. A great weekend was had by all!
Tuesday, August 26, 2008
Pump Trials
Last Thursday I was given an insulin pump, by my endocrinologist office, to see if it will help better manage my diabetes (I've had type 2 diabetes since 2004). I've always been afraid of the word "pump", not really knowing much about what it does or really even how it works. After 2 hours of online tutorials presented by "pump school online" and then an additional 2.5 hours in the endocrinologists office with the medtronic educator I think I have all my initial concerns/questions resolved. Who knew it would take 4.5 hours to learn how to operate a pump correctly.
As it turns out, insulin pumps have been clinically proven to reduce complications in pregnancy for diabetic women. My OB has been asking me for months to switch endocrinologists because he wanted me to give the pump a try, or at least find out more information about it. I finally scheduled an appointment with the new Dr. to make the switch. The N.P. I met with during my initial visit immediately scheduled me for an education session and a trial/loaner pump. Surprisingly it hasn't been as bad as I expected, its been kind of fun to see what abilities/benefits the pump has to offer. Instead of giving myself 4 shots a day I only have to change my pump site every three days. In addition to the pump I have a blood glucose sensor that I insert near the pump site every 6 days. The sensor constantly monitors my glucose levels and allows me and my physicians to see patterns/trends in my glucose levels constantly throughout the day. Prior to the pump I was pricking my finger 6-8 times a day, now I only test 3-4 times a day to calibrate the sensor readings during my trial. Hopefully in the future I'll only have to do 1-2 finger pricks a day. I was so nervous that the two site inserts would be extremely painful but to date I have experienced no pain. I'll agree to trade my two site inserts for all the shots and testing I've done in the past. The pump is actually the same size as a pager/cell phone so it doesn't really cause me much grief to wear. And, surprisingly, the tubing doesn't get in the way as much as I had feared. I really thought I'd feel like I was "tied" to the pump. So, for now, I'll give my pump trial two thumbs up. Now, if only my insurance will approve an insulin pump purchase of my own. More to come later . . .
As it turns out, insulin pumps have been clinically proven to reduce complications in pregnancy for diabetic women. My OB has been asking me for months to switch endocrinologists because he wanted me to give the pump a try, or at least find out more information about it. I finally scheduled an appointment with the new Dr. to make the switch. The N.P. I met with during my initial visit immediately scheduled me for an education session and a trial/loaner pump. Surprisingly it hasn't been as bad as I expected, its been kind of fun to see what abilities/benefits the pump has to offer. Instead of giving myself 4 shots a day I only have to change my pump site every three days. In addition to the pump I have a blood glucose sensor that I insert near the pump site every 6 days. The sensor constantly monitors my glucose levels and allows me and my physicians to see patterns/trends in my glucose levels constantly throughout the day. Prior to the pump I was pricking my finger 6-8 times a day, now I only test 3-4 times a day to calibrate the sensor readings during my trial. Hopefully in the future I'll only have to do 1-2 finger pricks a day. I was so nervous that the two site inserts would be extremely painful but to date I have experienced no pain. I'll agree to trade my two site inserts for all the shots and testing I've done in the past. The pump is actually the same size as a pager/cell phone so it doesn't really cause me much grief to wear. And, surprisingly, the tubing doesn't get in the way as much as I had feared. I really thought I'd feel like I was "tied" to the pump. So, for now, I'll give my pump trial two thumbs up. Now, if only my insurance will approve an insulin pump purchase of my own. More to come later . . .
Sunday, August 24, 2008
Quick thoughts: Sunday edition
I was at work yesterday, and as I was talking to Stacie, she mentioned that Lexie had found a TV guide downstairs, looked at the cover, and told her, "That's Daddy!". This is the aforementioned cover. Stacie said, "That's not Daddy" (probably excluding the word "unfortunately" when she relayed the story to me), and Lexie said, "Well, it looks like him." Ah...my angel, my beautiful little girl.
So when I got home, I picked up the magazine and asked Lexie, "Who is this?". She looked at it and said, "I don't know". "C'mon" I asked "Who is it?". Again, "I don't know"...this time a little more insistent, as if to tell me that I shouldn't interrupt her from watching "Handy Manny" again. I suppose that I could chalk it up to her not remembering what she said earlier, but her memory is far too good to use that as an excuse!
So, my moment in the sun is gone. I'm back to normal status. McDreamy McDaddy has left the building.
So when I got home, I picked up the magazine and asked Lexie, "Who is this?". She looked at it and said, "I don't know". "C'mon" I asked "Who is it?". Again, "I don't know"...this time a little more insistent, as if to tell me that I shouldn't interrupt her from watching "Handy Manny" again. I suppose that I could chalk it up to her not remembering what she said earlier, but her memory is far too good to use that as an excuse!
So, my moment in the sun is gone. I'm back to normal status. McDreamy McDaddy has left the building.
The Blogs Of The XXIX Olympiad, #3
Getting up at 2:00 a.m. to come to work can be a little bit difficult some days, but it has been okay during the Olympics, because the 14 hour time change allowed me to follow the events that happened in prime time in Beijing. I missed some of the swimming and gymnastics that were on in the evenings here because I was in bed, but it was a decent trade-off. Until, of course, we were watching that evening's events, and I'd say "Yep, I know what happens here" prompting Stacie to tell me to stay away from nbcolympics.com and espn.com during the day (Yeah, sure!)
Today was no exception...and as I got ready for work, I was able to catch the fourth quarter of the US men's basketball game as they battled Spain for the gold. First, let me say that I really dislike the Spanish team. They're Euros, which means that they generally look to be in need of a shower, they play WAAAYY over their heads in international competitions (shades of the Ryder Cup in golf), and I hate that some of them have their first names on their jerseys (Raul, Ricky) and some have their last names. Mostly, I dislike Pau Gasol, his constant whining, and the fact that he looks like a llama:
(That's Pau on the left, by the way)
His brother, Marc Gasol, also plays for the team (curiously, they DON'T use their first names on the back of the jersey, which would actually make sense for them) and he is a scruffier, thicker version of this handsome devil. I couldn't find pictures of Marc on the internet...most people are probably afraid to upload them because they assume that it contains some type of hideous virus. But I digress...
I picked up the game in the fourth quarter. The US led all of the game, but their three-point shooting went cold in the fourth, and Spain came back to make it a close game. With just a few minutes left, the US had a four point lead; Kobe Bryant takes a three, makes it, and gets fouled. I gave a fist pump, and let out a "YES!!", then stopped in my tracks. That was the first time that I had ever cheered when Kobe did something good in a game. I wanted to play the "It's 2:10 in the morning and I'm really sleepy" card, but I couldn't. I was actually cheering for Kobe to succeed. It reminded me of Jim Halpert on "The Office" when he said "Congratulations universe, you win."
It was great to see the US make things right, and claim the gold medal that they should win every year. I enjoyed the Carlos Boozer cameo at the end, which, considering his matador defense and the fact that they were playing Spain, seemed appropriate. Ole!
Fortunately, I was able to reel in my Kobe man crush on the way to work as I listened to his post-game interview. He was asked about how he came alive in the fourth quarter to thwart the Spanish comeback and said that he decided to "let the mamba loose". Considering his previous problem in Colorado, I'd think he'd want to keep the mamba on a pretty tight leash.
And yes, I know that "Mamba" is his nickname...one that HE glossed onto himself a couple of off-seasons ago. This is an almost unpardonable act, unless nobody can stand you and you don't have buddies to give you a nickname. See? Man crush gone.
Now that the Olympics are coming to an end, it is a bittersweet feeling. I love the Olympics, and I love the constant sports. Many times I was watching the TV, toggling between two or even three Olympic channels, while I followed a crucial handball match or the team archery event online. But it takes a toll on you. I was pretty good about going to bed early when I had to work that morning, but when I didn't, it was easy to stay up in the wee hours of the night. Our evenings were usually devoted to going through several hours of recorded events, so it will be nice to have them back as well. I'll be compiling my eagerly anticipated Olympic wrap-up and posting it in the next couple of days (I can actually HEAR Stacie's eyes roll as she reads this), but I wanted to mention a couple of the other "fringe" events that I have enjoyed over the past couple of weeks:
Field Hockey - I watched at least a dozen men's and women's matches over the course of the Olympics. It's a great sport; the players use sticks that look like shepherds crooks, except that they're only about three feet long. After watching them run around, hunched over, it seems like a longer stick would be an easy solution, but maybe that's not allowed. They are not allowed to shield the other person from the ball, so stickhandling is at a premium. Plus, they can only use one side of the stick (the other side is round), so they're constantly flipping it back and forth. I also like when they call a penalty; the defending team has to stand inside the goal until they other team fires it to the front of the goal. Then they run out at the ball while the other team smashes it at them. It kind of reminds me of this (go to the 2:44 mark of the clip):
Whenever the women got ready for a penalty, they would all run behind the goal and put on big gloves, elbow pads, sometimes even helmets. And the official would hold up the game while they geared up for it. It was like a baseball player trading his glove for a fishing net when there was a high fly ball that he couldn't reach. Or a football player putting flubber on his cleats to block a crucial field goal. Anyway, I enjoyed field hockey, but I think that the men should have to wear skirts just like the girls do.
Table Tennis - Another sport that hasn't made it out of America's basements yet. China dominated this event (shocking, I know), but the US had a women get to the quarterfinals for the first time ever. Of course, her name is Chen Wang, so we probably got a little bit of "naturalized" help there. The speed of the points is incredible, but while I watch it, I keep telling myself that this is something that I could do, given the coaches and all of the training that they go through. I mean, I'm kidding, but this seems like something that you could excel in if you gave it the proper amount of practice. London 2012, anyone?
Today was no exception...and as I got ready for work, I was able to catch the fourth quarter of the US men's basketball game as they battled Spain for the gold. First, let me say that I really dislike the Spanish team. They're Euros, which means that they generally look to be in need of a shower, they play WAAAYY over their heads in international competitions (shades of the Ryder Cup in golf), and I hate that some of them have their first names on their jerseys (Raul, Ricky) and some have their last names. Mostly, I dislike Pau Gasol, his constant whining, and the fact that he looks like a llama:
(That's Pau on the left, by the way)
His brother, Marc Gasol, also plays for the team (curiously, they DON'T use their first names on the back of the jersey, which would actually make sense for them) and he is a scruffier, thicker version of this handsome devil. I couldn't find pictures of Marc on the internet...most people are probably afraid to upload them because they assume that it contains some type of hideous virus. But I digress...
I picked up the game in the fourth quarter. The US led all of the game, but their three-point shooting went cold in the fourth, and Spain came back to make it a close game. With just a few minutes left, the US had a four point lead; Kobe Bryant takes a three, makes it, and gets fouled. I gave a fist pump, and let out a "YES!!", then stopped in my tracks. That was the first time that I had ever cheered when Kobe did something good in a game. I wanted to play the "It's 2:10 in the morning and I'm really sleepy" card, but I couldn't. I was actually cheering for Kobe to succeed. It reminded me of Jim Halpert on "The Office" when he said "Congratulations universe, you win."
It was great to see the US make things right, and claim the gold medal that they should win every year. I enjoyed the Carlos Boozer cameo at the end, which, considering his matador defense and the fact that they were playing Spain, seemed appropriate. Ole!
Fortunately, I was able to reel in my Kobe man crush on the way to work as I listened to his post-game interview. He was asked about how he came alive in the fourth quarter to thwart the Spanish comeback and said that he decided to "let the mamba loose". Considering his previous problem in Colorado, I'd think he'd want to keep the mamba on a pretty tight leash.
And yes, I know that "Mamba" is his nickname...one that HE glossed onto himself a couple of off-seasons ago. This is an almost unpardonable act, unless nobody can stand you and you don't have buddies to give you a nickname. See? Man crush gone.
Now that the Olympics are coming to an end, it is a bittersweet feeling. I love the Olympics, and I love the constant sports. Many times I was watching the TV, toggling between two or even three Olympic channels, while I followed a crucial handball match or the team archery event online. But it takes a toll on you. I was pretty good about going to bed early when I had to work that morning, but when I didn't, it was easy to stay up in the wee hours of the night. Our evenings were usually devoted to going through several hours of recorded events, so it will be nice to have them back as well. I'll be compiling my eagerly anticipated Olympic wrap-up and posting it in the next couple of days (I can actually HEAR Stacie's eyes roll as she reads this), but I wanted to mention a couple of the other "fringe" events that I have enjoyed over the past couple of weeks:
Field Hockey - I watched at least a dozen men's and women's matches over the course of the Olympics. It's a great sport; the players use sticks that look like shepherds crooks, except that they're only about three feet long. After watching them run around, hunched over, it seems like a longer stick would be an easy solution, but maybe that's not allowed. They are not allowed to shield the other person from the ball, so stickhandling is at a premium. Plus, they can only use one side of the stick (the other side is round), so they're constantly flipping it back and forth. I also like when they call a penalty; the defending team has to stand inside the goal until they other team fires it to the front of the goal. Then they run out at the ball while the other team smashes it at them. It kind of reminds me of this (go to the 2:44 mark of the clip):
Whenever the women got ready for a penalty, they would all run behind the goal and put on big gloves, elbow pads, sometimes even helmets. And the official would hold up the game while they geared up for it. It was like a baseball player trading his glove for a fishing net when there was a high fly ball that he couldn't reach. Or a football player putting flubber on his cleats to block a crucial field goal. Anyway, I enjoyed field hockey, but I think that the men should have to wear skirts just like the girls do.
Table Tennis - Another sport that hasn't made it out of America's basements yet. China dominated this event (shocking, I know), but the US had a women get to the quarterfinals for the first time ever. Of course, her name is Chen Wang, so we probably got a little bit of "naturalized" help there. The speed of the points is incredible, but while I watch it, I keep telling myself that this is something that I could do, given the coaches and all of the training that they go through. I mean, I'm kidding, but this seems like something that you could excel in if you gave it the proper amount of practice. London 2012, anyone?
Wednesday, August 20, 2008
Quick thoughts: Wednesday edition
Hard to believe that it's almost September! And while I look forward to more mild temperatures, it also means that time is fast approaching for our little one to come to us. I can't belive it's only about four months away; we are definitely in "nesting" mode, trying to shuffle things around to turn our office back into a bedroom/nursery. We're keeping the classic Mickey theme, and will add things to it. Stacie wants to paint our crib black, which would match the chair rail and curtains, but I am hesitant. What say you? Please vote on the poll to the left!
Lexie is very excited for her baby brother. We can't walk through the store without her seeing something that is "really cute" and that she wants to buy for the baby. She is constantly giving her mom's belly loves and kisses, and keeps telling me that all three of us can hold the baby together. She certainly doesn't comprehend everything, and probably has no idea how much things are going to change when she has to share Mommy and Daddy, grandparents, etc. with someone, but I am excited to see her interact with the baby. When she says her prayers at night, she always remembers to bless the baby, and loves to tell people that "we are having a baby". I've seen a lot of change from her lately...I think that the "terrible twos" are starting to diminish a bit, and Lexie is starting to mature. We still have our moments (she left Wal-Mart on less than favorable terms the other night), but all in all, I think that she's getting ready for our family to expand, and to be a good big sister. I just hope that Stacie and I are ready!
Lexie is very excited for her baby brother. We can't walk through the store without her seeing something that is "really cute" and that she wants to buy for the baby. She is constantly giving her mom's belly loves and kisses, and keeps telling me that all three of us can hold the baby together. She certainly doesn't comprehend everything, and probably has no idea how much things are going to change when she has to share Mommy and Daddy, grandparents, etc. with someone, but I am excited to see her interact with the baby. When she says her prayers at night, she always remembers to bless the baby, and loves to tell people that "we are having a baby". I've seen a lot of change from her lately...I think that the "terrible twos" are starting to diminish a bit, and Lexie is starting to mature. We still have our moments (she left Wal-Mart on less than favorable terms the other night), but all in all, I think that she's getting ready for our family to expand, and to be a good big sister. I just hope that Stacie and I are ready!
Thursday, August 14, 2008
Quick thoughts: Thursday Edition
I went into Lexie's room this morning to get her up...she was already awake and as soon as I opened the door, she froze in her bed. I started to ask out loud where Lexie had gone, and how I thought that she was in here. She started giggling as quietly as she could, thinking it was SOOOO funny that she was hiding. Of course, I started tickling her, and she couldn't take it anymore, so she sat up and I "found" her.
Something else I always do is ask her how she slept. Normally she says, "Good", but today when I asked her, she said "Not good", with her sad face on. "How come?", I asked. She proceeded to tell me that the dinosaur had eaten the gum and turned into a cow. Ah...that makes sense! I immediately thought two things:
1. If you could just mix a vampire or a werewolf into that dream, you could sell a LOT of books.
2. Three-year olds aren't immune to bizarre dreams either.
Something else I always do is ask her how she slept. Normally she says, "Good", but today when I asked her, she said "Not good", with her sad face on. "How come?", I asked. She proceeded to tell me that the dinosaur had eaten the gum and turned into a cow. Ah...that makes sense! I immediately thought two things:
1. If you could just mix a vampire or a werewolf into that dream, you could sell a LOT of books.
2. Three-year olds aren't immune to bizarre dreams either.
Wednesday, August 13, 2008
Tree Trimmin' Time
In our backyard we have the most beautiful Willow tree that provides such nice shade in the summer time. However, each summer we are confronted with the task of trimmin' the tree. Neither mine nor Josh's favorite task. This year we put off the task longer than usual but we finally made time to head outside last night and get 'er done. I have been harping on Josh for the last several weeks that we need to get it done so I was really happy when the task was complete. Lexie and I watched as Josh cut off branch after branch. The branches get so big and heavy that it hangs over into all of our neighbors yards (which makes it that much harder to trim). My job was to observe and identify the branches that needed to be eliminated. When we were all done and I was finally happy with the tree Lexie chimed in and started telling her Dad what else needed to be removed/fixed. Boy, kids really pay attention, too bad she was watching me, the bossy one, and not her Dad who was doing all the work. I don't remember exactly what she said but it was something like "it looks good Daddy but I think those few branches there need to come off still". Ah, what an example I am . . . LOL.
Thanks to Josh (aka Daddy), the tree looks beautiful. Next year I think we'll hire a tree trimmer. The thing is just getting too big!!
Monday, August 11, 2008
Baby boy update
Well, we went to the doctor again last Friday for another ultrasound, this one being a bit more extensive and time-consuming. They look for birth defects, check out how everything is developing, and take measurements. I believe that for most women, this is the one and only ultrasound that they have during their pregnancies. Because Stacie is considered a "high risk" pregnancy, she has ultrasounds every few weeks...it's pretty neat. We're a little bit spoiled by it, to be sure!
The first thing that they did was confirm that it is, indeed, a boy. We were told a few weeks ago that it would be a boy, but there is always a little doubt left in the back of your head, especially being so early. But he was VERY cooperative and left no doubt as to his gender (That's my boy!). Everything is developing correctly, and he weighs right around 10 oz. Stacie's official due date is now January 1, but the doctor tells us that she won't go that long. We're still thinking it will be the week between Christmas and New Year's Day.
It's still a little bit surreal, and sometimes it doesn't seem like it is going to happen. We only know about little girls, and so it will be an entirely different experience for us. We're very excited, and Lexie told me today that she is excited to "hold her little brother on the couch". Time is certainly going to fly...Stacie's and my birthdays, Halloween, Thanksgiving, Christmas are all sandwiched into the next 140 days before the little one is here. We can't wait!
The first thing that they did was confirm that it is, indeed, a boy. We were told a few weeks ago that it would be a boy, but there is always a little doubt left in the back of your head, especially being so early. But he was VERY cooperative and left no doubt as to his gender (That's my boy!). Everything is developing correctly, and he weighs right around 10 oz. Stacie's official due date is now January 1, but the doctor tells us that she won't go that long. We're still thinking it will be the week between Christmas and New Year's Day.
It's still a little bit surreal, and sometimes it doesn't seem like it is going to happen. We only know about little girls, and so it will be an entirely different experience for us. We're very excited, and Lexie told me today that she is excited to "hold her little brother on the couch". Time is certainly going to fly...Stacie's and my birthdays, Halloween, Thanksgiving, Christmas are all sandwiched into the next 140 days before the little one is here. We can't wait!
Sunday, August 10, 2008
The Blogs Of The XXIX Olympiad, #2
Another day, another gold medal for Michael Phelps. In a real nailbiter, he picked up his second gold in the 4X100 freestyle relay by .08 seconds. Pretty amazing, and he's got the two most difficult events finished. He's still got a lot of work to do, but should be the favorite in each of the other six events that are to come. Eight gold medals are a distinct possibility.
I'm really enjoying all of the coverage on the internet. It's so much fun to bounce between several events and see things that you don't always get to see. To watch live video, go here.
I've seen all of the big events so far: the US taking care of China in basketball, the Dutch men stealing a draw against the US side in the final minute, lots of swimming, and some other cool sports:
Water Polo- This might take first place in the "Sport that you never see unless the Olympics are on". I've stumbled across a couple of college matches on the dish, but a Pac-10 clash doesn't really bring the same intensity of an Olympic match. And unlike handball, another Olympic favorite of mine, the US is generally in the mix for a medal. They are second only to Hungary in total Olympic medals won, and they could make some noise in Beijing. They beat China in their opening match, and I am just amazed at how physical this game is. Besides swimming about one mile during the match, they are constantly getting dunked by the opposing players. It's almost encouraged. And from what I understand, most of the contact happens UNDER the water. Repeated blasts to the nether regions from your opponent's gargantuan legs can't be good. In fact, the only part of this sport that I can't be in awe of is the fact that they all wear headgear like this:
I recognize the need for some type of protection, but what's up with that sassy bow tied under the chin? How about some snaps? Or elastic? Even velcro would be better than looking like a newborn. But these guys are amazing athletes, so I can overlook that one thing.
Badminton- This is another great spectator sport: lots of action, amazing rallies, and generally quick points. Another sport in the "No USA" zone, it's usually won by someone from Thailand or Singapore with a name like Pradaaraag Hykdrshyk. This sport has never made it out of our backyards here at home, and my dad and I decided that it might help to park a barbecue courtside to cook some burgers and dogs. And because we're speaking about these eastern countries, I feel it necessary to clarify that I mean HOT DOGS, not actual dogs.
Weightlifting - Not a ton of action, and I really prefer the heavyweight lifters, but the little guys are the ones who end up lifting almost three times their body weight over their head. It's pretty amazing to see a 140 lb. guy lifting one and a half of me up into the air. Watching a guy try to lift the weight only to have his groin explode is definitely below average, especially when they haul him back to the training room and pile his lap full of ice bags. The weightlifting venue is known as the BUAA, which, conincidentally, is the sound he made when he had his problem.
Plus, the ladies get their turn at lifting unfathomable weights, and that means Jang Mi-Ran, the Korean woman who is the three-time defending world champion.
And yes, that's 183kg, or just over 400 lbs. Yikes. I wondered what Oddjob was up to. Hope his groin holds out.
That's all for tonight...will post some more tomorrow. USA! USA! USA!
I'm really enjoying all of the coverage on the internet. It's so much fun to bounce between several events and see things that you don't always get to see. To watch live video, go here.
I've seen all of the big events so far: the US taking care of China in basketball, the Dutch men stealing a draw against the US side in the final minute, lots of swimming, and some other cool sports:
Water Polo- This might take first place in the "Sport that you never see unless the Olympics are on". I've stumbled across a couple of college matches on the dish, but a Pac-10 clash doesn't really bring the same intensity of an Olympic match. And unlike handball, another Olympic favorite of mine, the US is generally in the mix for a medal. They are second only to Hungary in total Olympic medals won, and they could make some noise in Beijing. They beat China in their opening match, and I am just amazed at how physical this game is. Besides swimming about one mile during the match, they are constantly getting dunked by the opposing players. It's almost encouraged. And from what I understand, most of the contact happens UNDER the water. Repeated blasts to the nether regions from your opponent's gargantuan legs can't be good. In fact, the only part of this sport that I can't be in awe of is the fact that they all wear headgear like this:
I recognize the need for some type of protection, but what's up with that sassy bow tied under the chin? How about some snaps? Or elastic? Even velcro would be better than looking like a newborn. But these guys are amazing athletes, so I can overlook that one thing.
Badminton- This is another great spectator sport: lots of action, amazing rallies, and generally quick points. Another sport in the "No USA" zone, it's usually won by someone from Thailand or Singapore with a name like Pradaaraag Hykdrshyk. This sport has never made it out of our backyards here at home, and my dad and I decided that it might help to park a barbecue courtside to cook some burgers and dogs. And because we're speaking about these eastern countries, I feel it necessary to clarify that I mean HOT DOGS, not actual dogs.
Weightlifting - Not a ton of action, and I really prefer the heavyweight lifters, but the little guys are the ones who end up lifting almost three times their body weight over their head. It's pretty amazing to see a 140 lb. guy lifting one and a half of me up into the air. Watching a guy try to lift the weight only to have his groin explode is definitely below average, especially when they haul him back to the training room and pile his lap full of ice bags. The weightlifting venue is known as the BUAA, which, conincidentally, is the sound he made when he had his problem.
Plus, the ladies get their turn at lifting unfathomable weights, and that means Jang Mi-Ran, the Korean woman who is the three-time defending world champion.
And yes, that's 183kg, or just over 400 lbs. Yikes. I wondered what Oddjob was up to. Hope his groin holds out.
That's all for tonight...will post some more tomorrow. USA! USA! USA!
Saturday, August 9, 2008
The Blogs Of The XXIX Olympiad
I love the Olympics. I love the competition, and I really enjoy watching the events. Plus, if the US is involved, I can become emotionally invested in just about anything (I remember actually yelling at the TV during the last Winter Olympics while watching the USA-Canada women's curling match). So when NBC announced that part of their coverage would total several thousand hours, most of those on the internet where you can pick and choose what to watch, I was as happy as a pig in slop. Now that the Olympics have officially started (although the soccer started a few days ago), I figured that I would post about the things that I watch and things that happen during this wonderful 17 days.
Team Handball - I caught a couple of preliminary women's matches this morning. I love me some team handball; it may be my favorite "sport that is never on TV unless it's the Olympics" with water polo a close second. Although now they just call it "Handball"...I guess the IOC decided that people weren't going to get this confused with two guys hitting a ball against a wall, so I guess that I'll follow suit and refer to it as handball, and let the "team" be implied.
Handball looks like a game that you make up in a gym when a group of guys gets together to play baskeball and nobody brings a ball. You find a red rubber ball on the stage, and divide up into two teams, making up the rules as you go along. But it really is a fun sport to watch. Teams generally score in the twenties, it's always moving, and just about every minute someone is scraping themself off the floor after getting knocked down. I saw a Brazilian girl steal the ball and dribble down for a breakaway only to have a big German girl come out of nowhere and hip check her so that she slid across the floor for about fifteen feet. You'll never see an American team in the Olympics; it's dominated by European countries. But it looks like a game that would be a blast to play. Of course, in my current pathetic physical condition, I'd probably have to play goalie.
Fencing - I saw the women's sabre gold medal match between two US women this morning (USA! USA!). The sabre is the discipline where you can score with the edge AND the tip of the sword (WOOHOO!). Not to be confused with the epee (which is a clue in about 75% of the crosswords that I do) or the foil (which you use to wrap food in to keep warm). This is obviously a very technical sport, and the amount of energy and strength it takes to compete is very deceiving, from what I've read. I'd just like it more if they all dressed like this:
Peg leg would be optional, parrot would not.
Equestrian - I saw a little bit of the individual eventing dressage, but didn't care too much because it was just the preliminaries. Like I always say, "A little dressage goes a long ways". This too, could stand some help in the costume department. Something like this perhaps:
Oh...that IS what they wear. My bad.
That's all for today...I'll be keeping track of which commercial drives me crazy after repeated showings. The early front runner: the one where the former USA fencer uses his sword as a rotisserie on the BBQ. Genius.
Team Handball - I caught a couple of preliminary women's matches this morning. I love me some team handball; it may be my favorite "sport that is never on TV unless it's the Olympics" with water polo a close second. Although now they just call it "Handball"...I guess the IOC decided that people weren't going to get this confused with two guys hitting a ball against a wall, so I guess that I'll follow suit and refer to it as handball, and let the "team" be implied.
Handball looks like a game that you make up in a gym when a group of guys gets together to play baskeball and nobody brings a ball. You find a red rubber ball on the stage, and divide up into two teams, making up the rules as you go along. But it really is a fun sport to watch. Teams generally score in the twenties, it's always moving, and just about every minute someone is scraping themself off the floor after getting knocked down. I saw a Brazilian girl steal the ball and dribble down for a breakaway only to have a big German girl come out of nowhere and hip check her so that she slid across the floor for about fifteen feet. You'll never see an American team in the Olympics; it's dominated by European countries. But it looks like a game that would be a blast to play. Of course, in my current pathetic physical condition, I'd probably have to play goalie.
Fencing - I saw the women's sabre gold medal match between two US women this morning (USA! USA!). The sabre is the discipline where you can score with the edge AND the tip of the sword (WOOHOO!). Not to be confused with the epee (which is a clue in about 75% of the crosswords that I do) or the foil (which you use to wrap food in to keep warm). This is obviously a very technical sport, and the amount of energy and strength it takes to compete is very deceiving, from what I've read. I'd just like it more if they all dressed like this:
Peg leg would be optional, parrot would not.
Equestrian - I saw a little bit of the individual eventing dressage, but didn't care too much because it was just the preliminaries. Like I always say, "A little dressage goes a long ways". This too, could stand some help in the costume department. Something like this perhaps:
Oh...that IS what they wear. My bad.
That's all for today...I'll be keeping track of which commercial drives me crazy after repeated showings. The early front runner: the one where the former USA fencer uses his sword as a rotisserie on the BBQ. Genius.
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