We have a problem, Houston

It's not a HUGE problem, but could cause a little tension at the wedding "dinner", which is actually now going to be more of a wedding "reception" with dinner. The "Bungalow" where Lindsey is having her dinner informed her this weekend that they could not possibly accommodate all the people that will be coming to her reception all at once. So all that worry over the proper way to say "please be prompt" was irrelevant. They are now asking that people come "between 6:30 and 8:30" in typical "Utah reception" fashion. This should be interesting.

Congratulations, Brianna!

Congratulations to Brianna, who was accepted to the highly competitive Occupational Therapy Program at Texas Women's Hospital. We're very proud of you!

Grandma and Grandpa in Mexico

Believe it or not, my parents visited Mexico this past week. We had a great time. Here are some of the highlights:

We took a tour of the archaeological zone Teotihuacán, the highlight of which was grandpa buying bow and arrows "for the grandkids" and then shooting arrows as we walked along the avenue from Pirámide de la Luna to Pirámide del Sol.


Grandma, however, had a little trouble with
the stairs.







They enjoyed a ride on the Turibus, surveying many of Mexico
city's beautiful parks, monuments, and neighborhoods.







We also had a picnic up in the mountains -
and took a boat ride (trajinera) around
Xochimilco, the only remnants of the lake on which
Mexico City was built.

Grandpa learned a few spanish terms, including "gracias", "muy bien," and his personal favorite, "quien pega paga", (referring to the rule in traffic that the person who hits pays.) He got such a kick out of it he made our driver laugh. He practiced the phrases, especially the last until he perfected them.

And, in spite of what you might think, he even made a few Mexican friends.
The last night they were here a cute toothless Mexican talked him
into a shoe shine for 13 pesos ($1.30) and made his old dirty shoes
look almost new.





We had a great time and enjoyed having them here in Mexico City!

Five Days in Costa Rica

I made some astute observations during my five days in Costa Rica. If you are interested, read on.

Most beautiful country on earth: Costa Rica. Not that I've seen them all, but it beats out all I have, even Hawaii.


Country with the most species of insects: Again, Costa Rica. This is not an opinion, just a fact. And I have some pretty convincing evidence for proof.

Hands down greatest adventure, aka "fear factor" activity: Ride in a small 12 seater plane across Costa Rica. I discovered during the flight why people actually jump out of the plane when they go sky diving. It beat out the zip line adventure (across the jungle, over a canyon, straight down a canyon upside down), tubing exhibition, cliff climbing trip, and hanging bridges

Favorite beverage of most Mexicans (especially during long bus rides): Beer

Favorite song of Mexican males (while consuming said beverage on long bus rides): "Llorar y Llorar"

My favorite drink on long trips with a bus full of Mexicans, an unlimited supply of their favorite beverage, and only one bathroom on the bus: Water, and very little of it.

Animals that can be easily spotted by the untrained eye in Costa Rica: Monkeys, tiny red frogs, oslos, toucans, and many more.

Most common question asked of us (me and dad-the-bad) during our trip to Costa Rica: "Are you with this group?" Apparently, although dad-the-bad thinks he's Mexican, he doesn't look very Mexican.

Best word to describe Mexicans: Divertidisimo! (The most fun!)

A few more cool pics:

This volcano is the most active in Costa Rica and one
of the most active in the world. At times you could actually see
lava flowing down the mountain.











Hanging bridges - this one was approximately 150 feet above the ground and 200 feet long.









We stayed at an amazing hotel/spa with natural spring warm water pools with waterfalls, winding trails, hot tubs. Wonderful!

Congratulations!

Congratulations to Bethy, Brandon and Mabel on another beautiful girl! She looks just like her mother, so she's gorgeous!