Tournament of Roses Parade and Football Game

Well, my Christmas surprise worked great! No one had any idea we were coming to the Rose Bowl Parade and football game until they were presented their rose ( had large name tags made that invited them to attend the 2013 Parade and football game in Pasadena) attached to the roses! And, so here we are in sunny (but not warm) Pasadena having an awesome time.

Yesterday was an early reveille with breakfast at 5:30 am! Then we were off to an amazing day of viewing! First stop was to see the Tournament of Roses antique parade cars which will be carrying officials. By the way, this years parade theme is: "Oh The Places You'll Go" from the Dr. Seuss book! What a perfect motto for our family!!! We are having such fun going places -- and the things we've seen-- and the friends we've made!!!

We were lucky enough to go behind the scenes of two different float builders. Let me tell you, you have a whole different view and appreciation of the parade after doing this viewing!! It just isn't like seeing it on tv. There are thousands of volunteers who work around the clock in very cold conditions to get their floats ready for judging. There're giant meat grinders used to grind different colored seeds and spices to achieve just the right colors. The only rule is that all material that goes on the float must have been living at some point.

I purchased several water vials and wrote friends names on them. They will hold a rose on the Cal Poly float --Tuxedo Air. It's theme is from the movie Madagascar -- teaching penguins to fly! It's a cute float!! Look for it. It is toward the end of the parade. It will be after The City of Hope float- the Journey to Cure. For those of you who know folks in South Dakota, the Sioux Falls Lincoln Patriot marching band will be right after the City of Los Angeles float. ( we have friends whose daughter is marching in that band!)

We also viewed the Fiesta float maker area. They are making several floats. It's an amazing production! We even met the "hero" dog who will be on a float dedicated to military service dogs. .This dog went on 200 missions in Afghanistan and never lost a soldier. Then he lost his front leg to an Explosive device and so has been retired. He's a beautiful dog.

After all that, we were off to Band Fest! It was a sample of 6 bands that will be in the parade. We were lucky enough to even see our friends from South Dakota since their daughters band was performing at our session. One of the bands had 400 students and did an amazing job. They were from Broken Arrow, Oklahoma. They had to raise over $400,000 to attend. The last band to perform was the Marine Corp Band! Well, what can I say except that they were spectacular! Not a dry eye in the house!!

After our KickOff luncheon with the football teams, I think we're going to the movies-- Parental Guidance. We have to be at breakfast at 5:00am tomorrow so no late night watching the New Years Clock. More information and photos later!! Off to football lunch!! Happy New Year everyone!

Bobsled Ride at Olympic Park

Wow! You think your speeding down the track so fast -- and then, you're going even faster!!! When you go around the turns you are pulling 5 G's! It is quite intense! I rode the 2nd position which is the easiest. Bill was next in the third seat with a wonderfully nice Aussie gentleman riding shotgun--- the most intense seat of all!!!

This is the actual Olympic track. They are still using it for training! Last week they had trials for World Cup with teams in from all over the world doing time trials. It lasts ( for us amateurs) about 50 seconds and you hit speeds of 80 mph! They give you instructions to hunch your shoulders ( do a turtle with your neck and shoulders) so you don't "bobble head"! Once the sled starts you can't move the G's are too intense. You brace yourself with your forearms against the side of the sled while holding on to a cable for dear life! It's a lot of fun, but you need to follow instructions, sit up super straight ( so its not so hard on your spine) and do the "turtle" with your neck and shoulders. You may be a little sore afterwards, but you can say you did the Olympic Bobsled run and that's a feat!! We continue to get a lot of snow today-- probably about 6" at our hotel! The Christmas lights in this resort town are some kind of spectacular!!

Fireside Dining and the Mormon Tabernacle Choir Christmas Concert

Last evening we had a really fun dining experience at Fireside Dining at Empire Canyon Lodge. It starts with raclettes of cheese melting onto a plate by the fire! Yum! And it only got better from there. It's a fun dining experience that you should try if you are in the area!


Tonight we had the MOST AMAZING Christmas concert at the Church of the Later Day Saints Conference Center. The center holds over 21,200 people and every seat was filled. We had a VERY early dinner (3:30 pm) in order to be in line when the doors opened at 6:30 pm. The Roof Restaurant is in a hotel in Temple Square and was the perfect spot to dine! We even enjoyed some local school choirs singing in the lobby of the hotel.

The Concert had two special guests ---the award winning tenor, Alfie Boe and Tom Brokaw. Th tenor sang beautifully, but Bill and I thought Tom Brokaw stole the show! He came out and told the story of Gail Halvorsen, a WWII bomber pilot whom, at Christmas time, ended up,organizing the dropping of chocolate rations to the children in Berlin by handkerchief parachutes. Brokaw relayed the story (I'm sure it's in his book , The Greatest Generation) of this wonderful man who really embodied the spirit of Christmas giving in war torn Berlin at the end of the war. It was a very moving story. The surprise was that the 92 year old Halvorsen appeared on stage and was briefly interviewed by Brokaw! He is quite spry for 92 and still fits in his original flight suit he wore when making those "candy drops"! This truly is a magnificent concert in a magnificent setting. If you ever get the opportunity to attend this glorious concert, you MUST do it! There can't be a better Christmas concert in the US!

While we had a beautiful evening, it was marred by the sadness of the tragedy at Sandy Hook Elementary. I know in the moment of silence that was called for in the temple, there were 21,200 people praying for all those that have been affected.....God bless them all....