Images of Christmas

We had a wonderful Christmas. I love having the kids home for 16 straight days. I love the excitement of Christmas morning. I love being around family. And I love the traditions. It's pretty sad that Evan will only be home for one more Christmas. At least this year, a good time was had by all.

The Good, The Bad & The Ugly, 2009 Edition

For those of you who don't get our Christmas card, here are the particulars for the Parrys this year:

The GOOD: Craig & Becky: Watching Game 1 of the World Series at new Yankee Stadium, 20th Anniversary in Paris and Normandy, Becky reading 52 books this year. Evan: Batting clean-up at the high school, finishing the football season 9-2, receiving acceptances to seven colleges including offers to play baseball at Lewis & Clark (Portland), Whitman College and Southern Virginia, kindly lifting his feet while watching TV on the couch so that someone else can vacuum under them. Jake: Playing BHS baseball as a freshman with Evan, starring at SAM linebacker and Captain of the sophomore football team, Sophomore Class VP, taking AP classes. Caroline: Making Honors Society in 7th grade, sitting by Hilary Duff on an airplane, New Moon and Jacob crazy, Disney World with Dad, Newport Beach with Parry relatives. Sam: Playing centerfield, pitcher and catcher in competitive baseball, getting a hit on a pitch meant to intentionally walk him, playing wing back and cornerback in football, being a BYU fan when they beat Oklahoma and Utah. Isaac: Sitting in First Class while Hilary Duff sat in Coach with his sister, playing on a 10-under baseball team and hitting a walk-off double in the championship game, playing center, tight end, fullback, defensive end, tackle, and middle linebacker in his first year of football. All: Welcoming Thomas as our All Poly-brother, together with a dozen other football players and BHS students who share our home, Kauai for Thanksgiving, seeing games at Camden Yards (Baltimore Orioles), CB Park (Philadelphia Phillies) & Nationals Stadium (Washington Nationals), 27 stadiums down, 3 to go.

The BAD: Craig: Using his Harvard Law education to fight Evan’s traffic tickets (2 for 2), spending his birthday at the hospital with Isaac. Becky: Feeding Isaac Craig’s German Chocolate birthday cake which contained walnuts, suggesting that she and Craig go on a tour of the sewers of Paris (and regretting it when she found out it was actually a sewer), getting out of the shower mid-school day and never knowing which of Evan’s friends (without Evan) has stopped by to “get something to eat”. Evan: Standing next to Jake and looking up to him, getting bit by a Copperhead snake while at a college baseball workout in Virginia, BHS football’s second loss of the season coming in the first round of the State playoffs, claiming to see a topless woman driving by while working at his part-time summer job (Evan wanted to include this in the “good” section). Jake: Asking to go to Hooters for his birthday, being called for 8 fouls in his first teachers basketball game, size 14 feet, his driving (Isaac wears a bicycle helmet, “Just in case,” whenever he drives with Jake). Caroline: A concussion at school when she sat down and missed her chair, painting her face at BHS football games with Evan’s friends’ numbers, but not Evan’s. Sam: The annual July diet to make football weight (lost 11 lbs. in three weeks), asking, “Why do I have to go to the maturation talk at school, I already know it all? Evan and Jake taught me.” Isaac: Having his favorite baseball bat taken away and hidden during a game by the opposing coach who thought he hit too well, walking into urgent care for the third time in 3 weeks and being greeted with, “Welcome back”, adding walnuts, salmon, shrimp, and crab to his list of deadly foods, giving up cookie dough for a month to make weight for football.

The UGLY: Craig: Being a Redskins fan, telling Isaac to go to bed and being told in reply, “You are my ex-Father!” Becky: Feeding Isaac not only a “poisonous birthday cake” but also Cream of Mushroom soup which apparently contained “packed soy protein,” feeling enabled by Sandra Bullock in The Blind Side and asking for all her sons’ coaches’ cell phone numbers . Evan: His left foot after being bit by the snake, having an infected blister the size of a silver dollar, being broken and having surgery, the annual defacing of his hair for football, telling the young woman who cleans the house, “My mom said that today you need to bake me cookies,” (which she did). Jake: Going from brunette to platinum blonde (football) but accidentally including his eyebrows in the bleaching, trying to repair the eyebrows with a Sharpie, his face after falling asleep on the team bus on the way to San Diego (Evan had a Sharpie), the smell of size 14 feet, organizing weekly shenanigans in choir like “juice box Tuesday, wife beater Wednesday and toilet paper roll Thursday”. Caroline: Bedroom walls covered with pirates and vampires, being the first Parry to be sent to detention. Sam: Attending the BYU-FSU game, being a bit OCD about neatness and having to live with Isaac, wishing Mom didn’t come to some of his ball games (or at least didn’t speak during them). Isaac: An ambulance ride, two stays at the hospital, wishing he had a Day of Amnesty at school where he could say all the mean things he could think of to people (“I could make at least 6 people cry”), asking Jake to write “I love the Red Sox” on his forehead and instead getting “I am a Dunce”, which he must truly be to make that request.

Merry Christmas from the Parrys!

Too Tired to ... Do Anything!

Grandma Davis had a sleep over the first Sunday night after Christmas vacation started. Caroline played with her girl cousins. They watched movies, made stuff, played games, chased each other, and got a little bit of sleep. Caroline pushed a red button on Grandma's smoke alarm in the play room when it began to chirp. Instead of quieting the smoke alarm, the button sent it into full alert mode. I believe this happened around 3:00 a.m. Glad I wasn't there.

The boys only wanted to play Halo on X-Box in the home theater all night long. Jake was skiing the next day, so he responsibly (?) went to sleep around 4:oo a.m. Sam had basketball practice the next morning, so he responsibily (?) went to sleep around 3:30 a.m. Isaac had nothing, so he just never went to sleep.

The next day he fell asleep in the car on the way home (while Grandma was looking at him asleep in the car she rear ended someone). Then he had a friend over and fell asleep while his friend was here (asking me later if his friend had even come over or if he had dreamed it). Then he fell asleep on his bed, walked in his sleep up to the mudroom and fell asleep on the bench.

I hesitated to include the photos of Isaac sacked out in the mudroom because of the absoluately filthy handprints and fingerprints all over the door behind him. I included it anyway, but in my defense I did have surgery this month. I'm not sure the surgery is really an excuse for my housekeeping, but I will use it anyway.

Cookie Houses and White Elephants, Oh My

This is my favorite perspective of the white elephant exchange at my mom's house. We're all together and it gets a little crazy. Usually people don't go home crying (this year Isaac had some sort of unfortunate breakdown though).Fun facts about this year's party:
1. Caroline was a big hit with all her cousins (as always).
2. Evan's cookie house had to be destroyed because of a pornographic, sunbathing, gingerbread woman.
3. Jake's house was definitely the best (don't have a picture of the finished product). The candle was a great finishing touch.
4. Sam cleaned up at the white elephant exchange. He had the last number and he picked an unopened tin that sounded like money when he shook it. It turned out to have $21 in change and a $50 bill in it. Grandma always likes to throw in a really, really good white elephant.
5. Isaac was in constant entertainment mode, making everyone laugh and sassing people. For some reason, he really, really wanted one of the "coloring packs" at the gift exchange, but didn't get it, had a complete emotional breakdown and then felt stupid when an elf brought him what he wanted the next day.

Ice & Lights

Ice: Note that only two Parrys (and dad, the photographer) braved the freezing temperatures to skate this year.

Lights: (Note that Craig looks even better than he did 20 years ago when we were married here.

Note: We can NEVER EVER take a picture without someone goofing off and note that Isaac, not one to hide his emotions, is ticked about having to go with us to see the lights (he wants to swim with his best friend, whose family was also staying at the Marriott).

Sam's 12th Birthday

Sam turned 12 today. I can hardly believe it. Sam was the cutest baby in our family. He was born with lots of beautiful black hair and has always had the cutest little face. It's a pleasure to be his mother. He's a great example to me and wants to make everyone around him happy.

Sam's birthday happened to fall on the night we stayed downtown at the Marriott before Christmas. We followed tradition by eating at Benihana's, seeing the lights at Temple Square, swimming and ice skating. This year we also added a matinee movie, The Blindside, on Friday. Along with the annual traditions, this year we also celebrated Sam's birthday.

It's always hard to find a great present for Sam's birthday because it's so close to Christmas, but this year he wanted an iTouch, which was a great idea. He's using it all the time, and loves to look at the scripture app (along with the golfing apps, the game apps, the iPod...)

A Little Pick-Me-Up

So, obviously I was feeling a little down about the high school. I even told the kids I wanted to move (which caused them to shun me). I'm still not delighted and might even entertain moving if someone would move with me, but then Craig and I went to parent teacher conference at the high school this week and I did not hear one negative thing about my children. In fact, I heard things like, "I love your son" and "you are great parents" and "I love having your child in my class". Anyway, I'm not tooting my own horn or anything, but when I was talking to Jake about it later he said, "that's just what you needed mom, a little pick-me-up". I just hope it sticks.

An Atypical Thanksgiving

A luau is not a typical Thanksgiving dinner. Having said that, I think we would all enjoy a luau every single Thanksgiving day. We spent the morning golfing, spa-ing and swimming. We then headed over to the famous Kauai Smith Family Luau. We had a glorious evening. Before dinner we toured the beautiful grounds, admired the local chickens, took pictures and took in the luau ceremonies.

We loved having Grandma and Helam along. We enjoyed a delicious Hawaiian dinner (which included turkey and mashed potatoes). Jake ate A LOT. He ate plates and plates of food. He cleaned his plates and plates of food. After dinner he had a problem... But then he was hungry again.

Following dinner, we were treated to a traditional Hawaiian luau. It must have been a little long though because Isaac said, "School is better than this and I hate school." Also, "Remember when you used to spank me? Being spanked was more fun than this." {drama queen}.

I wish I could spend every Thanksgiving in Hawaii. It was a perfect day and we had a lot to be thankful for.

Good Choices

Evan has a lot of good choices for college next year. Sometimes that makes it harder. He has applied to eight schools and gotten into six so far, with the other two applications outstanding. This process has taken so much for Craig and Evan. They whittled down a long list to eight schools. We had to divide his list into two groups, schools that have showed interest in Evan's baseball abilities and schools chosen for academics. So far he has gotten into BYU-Idaho, BYU-Hawaii, SUU, Weber, Utah State and Lewis & Clark College in Portland, Oregon. He's waiting to hear from BYU and Whitman College in Walla Walla, Washington.

This week Evan and Craig visited Whitman and Lewis & Clark and talked with the coaches. Both schools have been pursuing Evan pretty aggressively. The coach from Whitman calls him every week to see how Bountiful's football team is doing and how school is going. The campuses were beautiful. They are both DIII colleges with small student bodies. And far from home. {Sigh}

Whitman College:
Whitman has brand new, beautiful basball facilities, including a 24-hour private weight room and they have a great looking field. The coaches at Whitman think Evan can play as a freshman.The Lewis & Clark campus was also beautiful, with a great view of Mt. Ranier. L&C is near Portland. These coaches are also excited about Evan's abilities.He is waiting to hear from Whitman's admissions, but was told by the coaches that it shouldn't be a problem. We are also waiting to hear about financial aid at the two (expensive) baseball schools.

So, lots of great choices, but sometimes that makes it harder. Pray for him to do what's best! BYU is closer to home, but I don't want to influence his decision.

Disenchanted

So. Ever since we moved back to the Salt Lake City area after Craig finished law school, I have been sure that my kids would go to Bountiful High. I knew that they would thrive and survive and accomplish and excel. Some of this has happened. For the most part, they are each happy to be a Brave in some way. Academics are pretty good. Grades are inflated, but look good on report cards. Friends are loyal and loving and plentiful. Bountiful is a happy place to live.

Sports. I was never an athlete. Ever. But when I saw that my kids were talented (thanks to their father) I knew that they would work and work and then when they got to high school, it would be a culmination of all that hard work. After nearly three years of parenting athletes at the high school, I have become completely disenchanted. That's not to say that wonderful things haven't been accomplished and that there haven't been amazing moments. Towering home runs. Amazing tackles. Touchdowns. But for me, there isn't one single completely positive experience. I often feel anguish. And I don't see improvement in the future. There isn't one single sporting situation there that has lived up to my expectations.

So. Move? Accept? Grow? I don't know, but status quo isn't working for me.

A-Wassailing!

I had a lovely evening tonight enjoying Christmas songs at Caroline's violin recital. She played "Here We Come A'Wassailing" and it was wonderful. She got a little off in the middle, and felt really bad about it, but I tried to tell her that nobody cares if you make mistakes. In fact, most people want you to succeed. She got right back on her feet and kept playing. She has worked so hard and it was fun to hear the fruits of the many hours she has spent practicing. My other favorite song was played by Cate Clegg, my cute niece. She rocked "Go Tell It On the Mountain", I love those gospel songs! Good work girls.

Preview of Coming Attractions

Probably anyone out there who is reading this is already on my Christmas card list, so for you this would be a preview of coming attractions:I'm pretty happy with my card this year. Craig has e-mailed me a draft of "The Good, The Bad & The Ugly" so we're working on it. Since I'll be laid up for awhile in December I want to get them on their way.

Definitely Thankful

I am definitely thankful this week. A week in Hawaii with all me peeps in the sun without a care in the world pretty much filled my heart with gratitude. After all that relaxing, we even thought about adopting the Hawaiian work ethic: I'm going to have to post picture from our trip in waves because we did so many amazing things. One of our favorite things was to head to the beach with our boogie boards and ride those waves. We had to pull Isaac out of the ocean on Saturday to catch our plane. These are some happy faces on these boogie boards. I wanted it to never end.