La Gran Aventura Day 69: BYU Museum of Art, Rec Center, Provo Temple

Saturday, February 17, 2024

This morning Betty and I split up because her friends were doing a big get-together up north, and we had stuff going on down here.

I went and took the kids to BYU to look at the museum exhibition. It was awesome. They have works by El Greco, Goya, Fortuny, Rossinyol, and my all-time favorite: Velazquez. It was a good intro to Spanish culture. The kids will definitely get much more.

Then we went and got ice cream at the creamery, and then we headed to Lamon’s to watch BYU get trounced by Oklahoma State. That was super sad. But the homemade pizza was awesome. And the company was the best.

I ran a couple of errands and then brought the kids to the Provo rec center. They have been dying to come here since we got to Utah, and they are having a great time. River spent the whole time on a little kitty area just having a time of her life on the slides. Ian is living his best life, jumping off the cliff and climbing on the Rockwall and going down the slides. The girls are challenging themselves, and even Kimball is having fun. He played basketball and he’s shooting water guns and everybody’s just having so much fun and on ear pushing themselves to do fun things and everybody’s having a great time.

Update:

I left the kids at the pool, and I rushed over to get some photos of the Provo Temple. I haven’t processed them yet, but I think I caught the blue hour. Hopefully they will be good.

In the night Ian, Kimball, Dad, River, and I watched Jurassic Park. Ian absolutely LOVED it! It’s the perfect film for the age he is at. I thought his head was going to explode.

Betty spent the night with her friends up north because it was too late for her to drive home. I think she had a really good time. I feel bad about not being there with her, but the kids and I had a great day down here. But still, I just enjoy life better when I get to share it with Betty.

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La Gran Aventura Day 68: The Bybee’s

Friday, February 16, 2024

Last night I was up really late watching Seven Samurai and Magnificent Seven. Today has been a pretty good day. I went to BYU and visited with Rex for a bit. Then I got Jim Condon a BYU hat for golfing, and I saw BYU’s amazing exhibit on Spain and the Hispanic World, which included paintings by El Greco, Velazquez, Goya, and others. It was amazing.

After that I had lunch with Andrew and Dustin Bybee. They have been such good friends for so many years. I’m so grateful for them. Dustin is training for the Boston Marathon. And Andrew was so kind. Their whole family is amazing, and apparently they all live super close to each other in Highland. When we said goodbye they told me to be strong and be patient. It think it’s good advice.

I just got out of recording episode number 500 of The Protagonist Podcast with Joe and Andrew Darowski. They have also been such amazing friends for so long. We talked about those two films I watched last night. We had a great discussion. The more I study Kurosawa the more impressed I am with his skill. It’s unmatched.

I’m not sure what is on the docket for tonight. Should be good :)

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La Gran Aventura Day 67: Melancholy

Thursday, February 15, 2024

This morning Betty is feeling yucky in her tummy. Dinner last night did not sit well with her at all.

Today I’m going to lunch with my friends from the mission: Redd, Martin, and others. I think it will be a lot of fun.

Evening update:

Lunch was amazing. Red and Martin were so great. And it’s good to know that we are still brothers in Christ.

But the rest of the evening I’ve just been kind of in a mood. Some days I just feel melancholy.

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La Gran Aventura Day 66: Valentine’s Day

Wednesday, February 14, 2024

It’s Valentine’s Day. I’m so grateful for Betty and the Love that she gives me. It’s been so great to grow with her over the years.

This morning I woke up and did a bunch of work on the budget and email.

The plan for the day is to get some errands and things done in the morning, then I’ve got lunch with Rex Nielsen at 1pm, and then we’ll go for a hike.

I think it’s going to be a good day.

Evening Update:

It turned out to be a pretty good day. Although I wasn’t able to see Rex, our hike up the Murdoch Trail went pretty well. Importantly, we were able to try out having River ride right in my backpack, and it went perfectly.

Today I also received an email from Grant Neale, who lives just 1.5 miles from the temple in London. He said it’s just him and his wife, but we can stay with them in their beautiful country home. I’m overwhelmed by the generosity and kindness of strangers. Grant is also retired Royal Police from London, and he worked in the palaces. I’m sure he’s got great stories.

For dinner, Betty and I debated over whether to go Peruvian or Korean. I was pulling for Korean, and that’s where we went. It was a mistake. The food was just OK, and Betty got a big stomach ache. I feel like I’ve blown our anniversary and now Valentine’s Day. I’ll have to make it up to her somehow.

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La Gran Aventura Day 65: A New Hero

Tuesday, February 13, 2024

This morning we slept in a bit. I’m hoping to get out on a walk today. I guess we will see.

In the morning, we did some errands and shopping. The bishop in the London ward where the temple is let us know we can stay with him and his family when we are out there. It’s such a relief. We are so grateful.

In the afternoon, Tom Billings came over to offer his services in helping sell the granola. He and Betty and I ended up having beautiful conversation about a bunch of things. When we told him that we were going to Germany, he lit up, and told us that his father, a man I knew growing up as Grandpa Billings, had served as one of the church’s first missionaries in Germany after WWII. He was originally called to California, but the call was then changed to Germany because his father was a leader in the US army in Germany. He went to stay with his father and became one of the first post-war missionaries in Germany. He worked with Elder Ezra Taft Benson to distribute food to those who needed it. It’s an amazing story.

I only knew Grandpa Billings as a quiet old man who helped fix our bike chains when they came off. Now no know he is one of the heroes of church history.

In the evening we had dinner with Kim and Andrew Ning. I’ve known Kim since high school, and they were our dear friends when we were at Stanford. They have a beautiful family. It was awesome to spend time with them. After dinner, there was a massive amount of dishes to do, and our kids stepped up to the plate

Betty is now in full-on packing mode. She really wants out of here.

Tonight BYU squeaked by UCF in the Marriott Center. It wasn’t pretty, but any win in the Big 12 is a good one.

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La Gran Aventura Day 64: Super Bowl Monday

Monday, February 12, 2024

This morning we woke up right around 4am to watch the Super Bowl. The game did not disappoint. Before the game, I wasn’t totally sure who I wanted to win. I like Andy Reid and Patrick Mahomes, and my daughters are big Taylor Swift fans, but I also really love how Christian Mcaffrey plays, and he is a Stanford guy. The Niners also have Fred Warner, who is a BYU guy. So right as the game was starting I found myself pulling for San Francisco.

In the end the the Chiefs won, but it was just so much fun to be together enjoying the game. And I’m super happy for Andy Reid, my girls, and all the BYU fans who I know were also cheering for them.

When we got back from the Andreason’s house, we went up to Lehi to do some shopping, and then to REI. I think we should have some kind of platinum membership to that store. We have spent a lot of time there in the past six months. We keep going back because of their return policy.

Everyone was totally exhausted in the afternoon. We were up late and then up very very early for the game. The challenge is that when we get tired, we tend to get grumpy. And that worries me a bit because we are going to be really tired in Europe. So today was a good opportunity to practice being cheerful when we are tired.

Tonight as I was helping River prep for bed, I told her it was time to go potty. I can’t believe we are doing this whole trip and also potty training, but that’s where we are. If she is going to stay dry through the night, she’s got to go right before she goes to bed. So I said: “River, let’s get you to the potty.”

To which she replied: “No. I don’t need to go.”

“That’s Ok,” I told her. “Just go in and try.”

To which she replied: “No. I don’t need to go.”

The battle of wills had begun. We were like Wesley and Vizini, if one of them had been a 40 year old dad and the other had been a 3 year old girl.

I tried every piece of persuasion I could, but she just would not budge. She just cried and said she wouldn’t go. Eventually, I said: “River, are you having fun? Because I’m not having fun.” To which she replied, with big tears and a steely look in her eyes: “Yes.”

Finally, I told her that I would try and then Mommy would try and then she would try. Worn down, she agreed, sitting for about one second on the potty and declaring for the hundredth time that she didn’t need to go.

Exhausted, I took her back to the bedroom and she said her prayers and laid down in bed. And after about three minutes there, I heard her say: “Daddy, I need to go potty.”

Well played, River ... Well played.

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La Gran Aventura Day 63: Grandma’s 93rd Birthday

Sunday, February 11, 2024

This morning I finally was able to sit down and write a letter to the bishops in Paris and London, explaining our project and looking for a place to stay while we are visiting their temples. I’ve already tried temple housing, but I’m afraid those options will not be available to us. So we will try to make this work.

After that, Alicia let me know that she and Anahi were ready to come home from the Smith’s house. She woke up in the middle of the night with a strong desire to attend church again in the Spanish ward. Those sisters have done such a masterful job of helping the girls especially to feel welcome.

So I went and got them, and we had a good visit in the car. And then we went to church in the Spanish ward.

River did better with the primary, and I got to play the piano in there because their regular pianist was out. I can’t think of a better way to spend a second hour than playing the piano for the primary.

In the evening we had dinner with Spence and Jeanine and Andy and Marybeth. Oh how I love spending time with my siblings. The #1 toughest thing for me about Michigan is just being so far from family, and the thing I love lost about Utah is being able to spend time with them.

After that, we went to Nan’s house to celebrate Grandma Neubert’s 93rd birthday. She is an amazing lady, and assures me she will live to 100. I believe her.

It was also really great to visit with people like James and Diana and my Uncles Bryce and Reed -- who have both traveled quite extensively in Europe. Reed and Lisa do tandem bike adventures, and they have a great YouTube channel. They gave me some good ideas about how to share video and Reed showed me how to use the Relive app to make 3D video of our hikes and other adventures. I really want to start a little YouTube channel -- mostly just to have a record for myself of this trip.

It was also Super-Bowl Sunday, and another opportunity to share a great tradition with the kids.

When I was in high school, my young men’s leader at church was Mark Andreason, and one year -- I’m sure in an attempt to teach us about keeping the Sabbath Day holy -- he decided to have an early-Monday-morning Super-Bowl party at his house. His wife, Amy, made an awesome breakfast of cinnamon rolls, and all of the young men were invited and promised we would be done with the party before school started. But you could only go to the party if you didn’t know the outcome of the game. We were encouraged to spend the Lord’s day resting and honoring Him.

Mark and Amy have been doing this tradition ever since.

Now they live in Ephraim, not far from Spencer, so after Grandma’s party we drove down there and slept at the Andreason’s house. Tomorrow morning we will watch the big game.

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La Gran Aventura Day 62: Erika’s house

Saturday, February 10, 2024

This morning we all slept in. I got my scriptures read, but everyone is exhausted after yesterday’s hike.

We spent a good part of the day cleaning the house and doing laundry. Then in the afternoon we dropped the girls off at the Smith’s house for a sleepover with Amy, and then the rest of us (Kimball, River, Ian, and Betty) drove up to hang out with Erika in North Salt Lake.

We had a really pleasant visit. Erika made some excellent food, and we mostly just sat and visited. Jorge came home for just a bit, and it was good to see him as well.

On the way home we listened to the BYU vs Kansas State game. We played super well and then almost threw the game away in the last 90 seconds. But we held on. This team is getting better.

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