Karate boys

Saturday Joe and Ryan had their karate belt test.

Joe was testing for his orange belt,

and Ryan was testing for his Purple belt.

They both did a great job and passed.

Congratulations boys!

Tour of Utah

Before I married Ryan I had no idea that there was an actual pro sport called cycling. Where there are pros and sponsors and endorsements and everything that goes along with other pro sports. I knew there was biking in the Olympics, but beyond that, I thought riding bikes was just something you did for fun or exercise. I had never heard of the Tour de France.


For Ryan there is really no other sport that holds a candle to cycling. He raced in high school, and served his mission in Paris France, where he got to see The Tour de France in person.

So 13 years later I am becoming a little better versed in cycling. I am still not very good at remembering names and who is on what team, but I can tell you how it works, who won some of the major races, and also some of the scandals around the sport.

Four years ago one of Ryan's favorites came to ride in the Tour of Utah. So Ryan, Emily and his parents went to watch a stage. Every year after that more and more of the pros have been coming to race. This year was the best yet. There were quite a few names racing that I hear all the time during the big races. So Ryan tried to go to as many stages as he could.

I joined him on Friday for the time trail out at the Larry Miller Sports Park. We got pictures of all of the pros, and a few of the domestics. Here are a couple that I can recognize on my own now.

This is George Hincapie, He has been a favorite of Ryan's for a long time now. He came last year too, but only road the first stage. This year he stayed for the entire race.

This is Dave Zabriskie. Ryan thought the kids would like his Captain America gear, but we couldn't talk the kids into coming to the race. That was okay. It was a fun date.

This is Levi Leipheimer. He rides for team Radio Shack which used to be team Us Postal Service. He came last year without his team and ended up winning the Tour of Utah. This year he came with his team.

Ryan thought it was funny that one of the biggest teams at the race rented an RV instead of bringing their big tour bus.

Levi claimed the Yellow Jersey on Friday at the time trial. and he won the Tour of Utah for the second year in a row.

Ryan went to the Saturday stage with his mom and dad, and really debated going to watch the final stage on Sunday, but he ended up skipping it. I know he was a little sad that he did, because Cadel Evans, winner of the 2011 Tour de France, was at the finish line.

I always have fun going to the race with Ryan, but the fun part is not the race. It is watching Ryan at something he loves.

Daddy's Helper

For Valerie's birthday Aunt Tracy, and Uncle Gavin sent her a pink lawn mower.

She loves it. It makes all kinds of noises. The balls in it spin around and make noise, It plays music and talks, and it even makes the sounds of a real lawn mower. That is the setting Valerie likes most. I was not sure if she really knew what it was until.....................

Dad got out his lawn mower to mow the lawn, and Valerie ran and got hers to help.

The Karate Boys

The Karate Boys have done it again...............................

They worked very hard and passed their belt tests. Joe is now a low orange belt, and Ryan is a Green belt.

About a month before the test Sensei told Joe he did not think he would be able to test, because he did not seem focused and ready enough to do it. Joe showed Sensei how much he wanted his new belt, by working really hard the next month. I was really impressed with how hard he worked to get to test.

Ryan was also not too sure about this test. He has trained into the harder levels now, and he was not sure he had his technique down well enough to do this next test.

But they both did a great Job and I am really proud of them.

Joe is really excited about his new belt, and he was happy to get to show it off at the 1st Grade Talent show. I was a little worried when I saw how the stage was set up, but Joe did great at improvising his Kata to go up and down the different levels.

He was not sure about doing this in front of his class. I thought he did a great job, and his friends seemed to like it.

Karate Tests

Joe and Ryan Both tested for their next belt in Karate.

Joe was testing to become a full yellow belt. His group went first.

Joe loves taking Karate. He looks forward to going to class and he is always excited to learn the new techniques.



He has even learned to use his skills on the playground and has blocked a few punches headed his way. (This is another story, but we are hoping that said puncher has learned not to mess with Joe. Lucky for us Joe has just blocked and not punched back.)

When Sensei asked Joe what his goals are, he said he wants to be a black belt.

Sensei told him that he would have to work hard for about 5 years to earn that. Joe is fine with that.

Joe did really well on his test, and I could tell he was having a lot of fun.

Especially when they got to the sparring part of the test.

He did great and earned his yellow belt.

Ryan tested in the second group. He was testing for his orange belt.

Ryan is also really enjoying Karate. He and Joe both come home tired but happy.

He did really great too and received his orange belt. He hates it when I take pictures, but I think he looks great!

Karate is a lot of hard work. I didn't realize how much conditioning goes along with it.

Good job guys. I am proud of you. Keep up the good work.

Father's Day Ties

The "Two Tie" fashion statement returned to our ward on Father's day, because the primary kids had made special ties for their dads as a surprise a few weeks before.

When the kids gave Ryan their Father's Day gifts they told him he had to wear them.

BOTH OF THEM. (Joe and Josh made the feather tie and Emily made the other one)

He is a good dad and decided not to wear his suit that day so everyone would be able to see his beautiful ties. (I think he was relieved when we walked into church and there were other dads with two beautiful ties on.)

Valerie did not get to be in on the tie making, but she was happy to help dad eat his Father's Day Dessert.

We love you Ryan. You are a great Dad!

Just Like Dad

The boys have been waiting all winter to use their yellow shovels. Unfortunately for them it has been a very mild winter and there has not been much snow to shovel. (Ryan has not been sad at all that he has only had to shovel snow a couple of times this year.)

Friday morning we woke up to several inches of snow on the ground. As soon as the boys noticed their dad outside shoveling, they grabbed their coats, and headed out to help.

The boys love doing things with their dad, and try to be just like him.
They said that they did not need gloves, because dad wasn't wearing any.

Ryan assigned them a section of the driveway and they went to work.

When Ryan started down the sidewalk they followed. Cleaning up the snow dad left behind. They had a good time, and Ryan was happy to have the help.

Happy Birthday Ryan

You're The Best!!

Thanks for working so hard, and for being such a great husband and dad.

We love you.

Tour Of Utah

The Tour of Utah is going on this week and Ryan is very excited. Thursday morning the race was starting at Thanksgiving point. We decided it would be fun to go see the start of the race and then go visit the dinosaur museum after the bike riders had left.





We arrived about an hour before the race started, so we walked around to the different team cars and booths to see who we could see. Rock Racing is one of the bigger teams at the race.

There are a few riders who come to Utah for this race who also ride in the Tour de France. So when Ryan says their names I recognize them. Floyd Landis is one of them who is riding in this years tour. He hid in his trailer until right before the race started, but we were able to get this picture of him when he signed in.

Another big name at the tour this year was the commentator, Bob Roll. He use to ride for a team back when lamb chop side burns were big, but now he is one of the top commentators for the sport. If you have ever watched the Tour de France you have seen Bob. He likes to call it the Tour Day France to irritate the viewers. He was very nice and let us take a picture with him. When I told the kids to stand by dad for a picture the kids stood about three feet away from Ryan and Bob. So Bob said "I guess we will stand by them," and he moved over to where the kids were.

This was the starting line. It was in the middle of a parking lot.
With all of the people and photographers there we decided we would get a better view if we walked out towards the road away from the big crowds. When we got to the road we found all of these police motorcycles lined up and ready to go. Josh stood and watched them. When they started leaving Josh rang is cow bell, because that is what you do when the bikers ride past you.

After all of the motorcycles had left Josh told us that the bikers were gone so we could leave. When the real bike race came by Josh was done and did not ring his bell. Ryan was having a great time snapping pictures as fast as he could.

Ryan Started A Blog

Check it out here.