BYU vs. Virginia Tech Basketball

While we were together with my family just after Christmas, a group of us went to watch a BYU basketball game. The first half was really exciting as Tyler Haws scored 29 points. (He went on to score 42 total.) The second half put most of us to sleep, but it was some fun, quality family time! And those of us who are BYU fans were glad to see BYU win. :)

Adam, Isaac and Brynne (in a later picture) thought the game was a cover up for getting some Lindsey-time! She flew home from Maryland and was greeted by some very adoring nieces and nephews.

Lee, Brynne, and me at the game. Brynne really enjoyed watching the first half. She also really enjoyed the yummy goodies our nice extended family kept providing - popcorn, ice cream, pizza. Score!

I took a couple of pictures of the next crew: my dad, Zane, Brandon, and Alyson. This was my favorite picture of everyone except that my dad wasn't looking at the camera. I said, "Dad, you were watching the game!" He replied with, "Well what do you think I came here to do?" Quite funny. :)

Adam laid (is that the right word?) on Lindsey's lap the whole second half of the game. Then in the van on the way home, Isaac snuggled up to Lindsey for the whole drive. Brynne was happy to get one side of Lindsey's two sides any chance she could.

Brynne, Lindsey, and Adam walking back to the car after the game:

I must say I really enjoyed the game. Reminded me of the MWC game my dad and I went to in Las Vegas where Jimmer Ferdette scored 52 points. I so love being part of a family that loves sports!

BYU Football

This year we signed Brynne up for Cougar Club, mostly because the membership came with four free tickets to BYU football and eight free tickets to BYU basketball! Notice we didn't sign up Morgan (poor girl hates sports, with the one exception of soccer). So anyway, my sister Alyson also signed up a few of her kids and we made plans to attend a football game together. Melissa decided to get sick for the very first time the day before the game, so Lee stayed home to watch her; and Morgan was more than willing to stay home too. So in the end Brynne and I joined my sister and her kids for a great game of BYU football; although, admittedly, Aly's boys look a little less than excited in this picture. :)

 (Above: Isaac, Adam, Alyson, Brynne, Hilary)

I think the most fun part of the game for Adam might have been the walk home. Adam, Isaac, and Brynne were too tired to walk back to the car. Aly gave Isaac a piggy-back ride and I found a way to carry both Adam and Brynne:

Can I just say that I love getting together with my sisters! Alyson and I are the only BYU alum of the kids in our family. (Both my parents also graduated from BYU, but the three youngest Ross kids graduated from the University of Wyoming.) Thankfully, Aly is as big a BYU sports fan as I am - you taught us well, Dad!!

Next up: BYU basketball! :)

I Love BYU Football!!

Can I just tell you all how much I love BYU football! It doesn't seem to matter that tonight's game might not be a close one. There is just something in the air when football season starts. Hooray!! Go Cougars!!! :)

[I wrote that just before going to watch the BYU(20)/Oklahoma(3) game. I was prepared to lose and just hoped it wouldn't be by too much; well, BYU won! Like I said...I love BYU football!!!!!]

BYU Game with An Apostle

Despite the broken toe, I was determined to make it to the BYU vs. UCLA football game. My sister Alyson and her husband, Brad, had a wedding and weren't able to go to yesterday's game, so they kindly gave their tickets to Denise and me. I called my dad and expressed a bit of a concern about having to walk from where we would park to the stadium. My dad suggested that if I didn't think I could walk that far, I could just drive my car to a nearby corner instead and probably make a whole bunch of money scalping my tickets. Tempting, but no. Morgan and Brynne were so excited that Denise and I had matching shirts (thanks Mom and Dad), so they took this picture of us before we left.
Denise was kind enough to offer to drop me off right at the stadium, but I wanted to enjoy the whole experience. Back in "the day", I always had to walk to the game with my roommates. It was fun to walk with all the people and feel the excitement of game day as you walked toward the stadium. In the end, we ended up parking a good half mile or more away from the stadium and I just walked on the side of my foot so as to not put pressure on the pinkie toe. (A load of Ibuprofen helped too.)

We took a picture of my dad, mom, me and Denise all together before everyone got there and filled up all the seats. It was fun to be there together, but we figured out in the first half that if we started to talk and quit paying attention to the game we'd miss something. BYU won the game 59-0, so you can imagine that there was always something happening.
We waited a while to leave after the game hoping to avoid some of the foot traffic (more people to accidentally step on someone's hurt toe). When Denise and I were leaving the stadium, we looked over and noticed Elder L. Tom Perry (an apostle from The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints). He was shaking hands and taking a picture with a little boy. I shook his hand and Denise snapped this photo for me. He was very polite and cordial to those who wanted to greet him. Denise pointed out that if you look over and see someone dressed in a suit at a BYU game, then you know you want to take a moment to say hello. :)
After the game, we went to Denise's house for pizza. (Her neice Becca had watched my girls for me -- thanks Becca!) What a fun day! With the exception of a hurt toe, I felt young again! :)

BYU Basketball Complete with Cosmo

I took the girls to their first BYU basketball game. They had Spanish Fork night where residents could get tickets for only $1. My friend Denise and I decided that it would be a good chance to find out whether or not our kids would enjoy the game (as opposed to paying full price for a ticket, only to find out the kids want to leave at half time). The girls and I got there about 35 minutes early, so we went down close to the court and watched the players warm up. It turns out the most exciting thing, however, is really when the cheerleaders come out to warm up! The girls really enjoyed watching all the cheering and dancing.

Just after half time, a guy sitting next to us saw Cosmo (the BYU mascot) at a nearby portal. He went and asked him to come to our portal. Brynne wasn't interested in seeing him, but I snapped the picture below of Morgan next to him. (Denise's son Zachary is the little face you see between Cosmo and Morgan, and her son Tyler is in the green shirt.) And notice Cosmo pointing at me?? I can't decide if he's trying to tell me my hair is sticking up or if he's saying "You are the woman!"

Morgan had some pretty memorable quotes during the game...
Just after BYU sunk a 3-pointer: "Wow! Did you see that cheerleader do a flip?"
As the players came out to warm up after half time: "Oh man! Are they going to play another game?" I guess I hadn't adequately described the idea of half-time.

We ended up leaving not quite half way through the second half. I thought they'd at least enjoyed it, but Morgan told me she wouldn't care to go to any more games. Brynne said she would like to, but that's probably because she had me hold her the whole time and that perk doesn't necessarily come free with every game! I had invited them to a football game a few months back also, but neither of them wanted to come. I'm beginning to get a bit worried. Where did I get girls that are actually girls? And who's going to get season tickets with me for all the sporting events? Lee, one more reason I can't wait for you to get home!!! :)