Ryan and I (actually me) got to be in charge of assigning the meal/clean up crews. We ate well. Very well. There was plenty to eat. Ryan's brother-in-law, Glen (a doctor, for pete's sake), is a "serial feeder". If you are still at a table with or without a plate in front of you and there is food left, he will bring around the serving dish and forcefully put more food on your plate. There is just no saying no to him. Did I mention lots of food?
While 13 of the bigger people went on a long ATV ride, Ryan and I strapped on our backpacks and went on a practice hike. Grandma Gibby, Sabrina, Roderic, Matt, Ethan, Hailee, Jaron, Daniel, Micah Brown, Aidan Brown, and Grandma Brown went along also, but turned around when the path got less worn and more steep. It was a good practice, too, because Ryan discovered that he needed to turn the tent around in his pack so the poles wouldn't be right on his back.
Trever and Heather brought Rock Band for the 2nd annual competition. It was a hit for hours and hours. Most of the songs I've never heard of. When Melissa was helping me choose a song to sing, there were 2 that I recognized: "Roam" by the B52s and "More Than a Feeling" by Boston (thanks to Cortney). I was surprised to see my daughter sing songs that I'd never heard before; and that she'd only heard on Rock Band. In the competition, she won the trophy for the best "Little Gibby," beating out last year's champion, Ethan. Ryan is morally opposed to the computer graphics shown on Rock Band. He didn't participate in any of the practices or competition. After singing "Roam" in the preliminaries, I didn't join in the competition, for marital harmony -- and because he makes a strong point that I wouldn't allow my kids to go to a place where ladies are so scantily clad, so why will I let them watch it for hours and hours.
We went on several short rides on the ATVs that Uncle Brent and Glen & Genette brought up. Roderic didn't want to go at first. He is really scared about trying new things that aren't completely in his control. After we started going though, he had lots and lots of fun. Of course, I don't go very fast at all. I'm a scaredy-cat. Sabrina even got to drive the small one around the parking lot, with Uncle Glen as a passenger/helper (thanks to him, she didn't run into the bumper of Trever's car)!
While at the cabin, we were able to see most of Ryan's cousins on his Mom's side. Which is a rare treat. He got to play Memoir 44 with Trever and Daniel and he played Puerto Rico with Daniel, Scott, Cameron and Jeff. I worked on crocheting a baby blanket and had a great time visiting with people.And if ever we are invited to go again, I definitely want to sleep in "the bat cave" again. Meaning one of the three bedrooms downstairs where it is dark (no windows) and quiet.
If only the cabin had satellite TV, so we could have watched the opening ceremonies of the Olympics. Oh well.
After cleaning up from being at the cabin, I got to go with my sister-in-law Heather and mother-in-law to Bountiful to tour a house designed by Frank Lloyd Wright. He died before it was completed. I had no idea that he had designed any houses in Utah. They sure didn't mention it in my Interior Designs or Art History classes at WSU. It was open for public tours on Saturday only, and I was one of the lucky 1500 people who got to walk through it. Thank you Heather!
While we were touring this house, Ryan and the kids met Daniel and kids and Glen, Genette and Matt and launched Rockets at the infamous Rocket Park in Layton. I got to see the final launch. It was beautiful. Then the adults went out to eat at Golden Dynasty, Glen's favorite Chinese restaurant in Ogden, owned by one of his patients. Delicious.
When my mom learned we were coming into town, she organized a family dinner on Sunday, inviting Grandpa and Harriet, (uncle)Brennan & Tammy and girls, and Shanda and family. Once again, good food, good company. It was fun to sit and talk to my relatives! We played the Farming Game, a game my parents are addicted to playing. We weren't able to play to the bitter end, but I did win, with assets worth $63,000. We also took some cute pictures of the grand kids.
So now, I'm chronologically to the most exciting part of our trip, the backpacking trip into the Uinta Mountains to the infamous Gibby Lake (which is no longer listed on any maps and has no sign due to the Forest Service's desire to make it be more wilderness-like)! Unfortunately, I need to do the things I've been neglecting today, like laundry and making dinner, so I'm going to have to post about that later.
5 comments:
If they had a rock band for anything that Ryan loved to listen to (really loudly late at night) when he was a teen, he would be the first in line and the last to quit. But since his music tastes as a teen were quite eccentric, he will never participate. Too bad for him.
Shelly, you Hard Rocker. I'm sure you love the Red Hot Chilli Peppers for all of the right reasons. Yet I'm not so sure that having your kids stare at computer-generated views of them for hours at a time is an influence I'd like to endorse on them. I'm a little upset, in fact, that my 4 year old was just exposed to hours and hours of hardened Rock star images, and gyrating women in clothing you'd never let Amy wear...while all the room acted as though it was just perfectly great, and the best thing in the world that they could be playing at such a gathering.
Malauna originally misquoted me in her post. I don't oppose all of the "music" on Rock Band. I enjoyed much music like that, and still enjoy some artists in that category. But I almost completely oppose the "culture" expressed thereon, and I thought that you did, too. For I've long had a schizophrenic approach to the matter: the music that doesn't explicitly have evil in it is okay to enjoy; but I've steadfastly stayed away from the scene--the Music Videos, the concerts, the style of dress, etc.
A case-in-point: several of our now-grown-up, younger Brown cousins were startled when I pointed out that "Roxanne" by The Police is a song about a prostitute--they'd never stopped at all to put two-and-two together on the lyrics!!! I realize that Sting was hardly advocating for prostitution--but does that mean that I wanted my 9-year old to spend 20 minutes hearing the song played over and over--that she needs to be exposed to that influence? Actually, that track is one of many that I've always skipped on my Police CD, because I didn't like the influence on myself.
I appreciate that many really enjoy the semi-musical challenge of these types of games, and that some talent is allowed to be expressed...and there's the "redeeming value" of getting todays youth to spend quality time together.
And I fully appreciate that we can't just crawl into a cave and keep our children from experiencing these forms of entertaiment outright. They're so widely accepted--they play these games at Deacon's Quorum activities on occasion, for crying out loud. So they're going to be exposed at some level...and we'll have to counter in other ways...
Yet I do wonder how far we're willing to compromise our standards for these computer games. When the graphics become ever better, and the content doesn't improve--are you still going to endorse Rock Band? Would you allow your kids to go to concerts like those pictured? If you don't want them to, try explaining why it's OK to play the computer game for hours if it's not OK to act out what's there in reality. I guess that most people are rationalizing it in the same way that they rationalize that its it's okay to shoot eachother in cold blood on the screen--but not in reality. (Let me pause to remark at Roderic's absolute and instantaneous fascination to Halo, the one time that he was exposed to it. Scary, yet I know exactly where he's coming from.)
And how much time are we going to allow our youth to subject themselves to these things?
I think on a spiritual basis, the lines are much clearer than we rationalize. "...and the way to judge is as plain, that ye may know with a perfect knowledge, as the daylight is from the dark night." Doesn't sound like Mormon encourages us to equivocate with evil very much. "As for me and my house, we will serve the Lord."
Whew, Ryan! Long post. I have to say that I agree. I'm often shocked at what people deem to be "okay" for their kids, for various reasons.
Anyway, Malauna- Legos are the most well-loved toy at our house- to both my delight and disgust. I love the creativity they inspire (let's face it- boy toys include legos and action figures. That's it. And I hate action figures, for the most part.), but they are the world's biggest pain to organize or keep picked up, and they migrate all over- there's nothing like the sharp edge of a lego on the bottom of your bare feet!
We love the farming game, too. Dave grew up in south-central Washington, about a half hour away from where the game is "set"!
Actually Ryan you can pick your own characters in the game and dress them however you want- even changing their actions, which is how we play when at home. We're also selective on the songs that we sing and honestly, nothing can put me in better spirits when I'm down than singing a happy song and playing this game with Trever.
I've never encountered another game that gets more people involved and participating in a fun way (or one that involves kids, teenagers & adults all at the same time). So Rock Band is a definite keeper at our house.
We'll try to keep Rock Band out of the mix when you guys are back in town- but I have a feeling that Sabrina may want to defend her trophy... which, with some pre-made characters and pre-selected songs (like we had set up last year) I doubt it will offend you if you give it another chance.
Well I am very glad that you guys come to Utah so much. I think it is great that you spend so much of your vacation time down here. It is a treat to see so much of you!!
I also enjoy playing the farming game. Our neighbors down the street have Rock Band and I don't want to brag (please realize that I really do), but although I have only played it once, I posted high scores on the drums, guitar, and of course singing. Like Malauna I know very few of the songs on it because it isn't really my style of music. I wish there was a game of "Easy Listening Band" or "Barry Manilow Band." How about "Top 40 Band?" Any takers? "80's Songs Band?" I know, I'm just grasping at straws here.
Post a Comment