A Trip to Die For

It all started with a bribe. While in Disneyland last February, we were trying to get Caleb to ride California Screamin'. We knew he'd love the roller coaster if he could just get past his irrational fear of dying on the loop-the-loop.  He was absolutely convinced that he would fall out when the coaster went upside down and therefore, in his rigid mind, stepping aboard was the equivalent of certain death.

We tried everything.  We showed him videos of what it would be like and talked him through the option of closing his eyes for the two upside down seconds of the ride.  When those efforts were unsuccessful, we resorted to bribery.  First it was ice cream, then it was bottomless Sprite for the duration of our week-long Disney vacation, followed by several other offers all of which were vehemently turned down.

Finally Jon said, "Caleb, if you ride this roller coaster, I'll take you to a BYU football home game."  That did it.  Though still petrified and shaking with a fear of imminent death, Caleb boarded the roller coaster.  So we can draw this conclusion: Caleb was willing to die for BYU football.

Thankfully, the coaster's safety restraints functioned properly and saved him from suffering death by loop-the-loop that day.  And he went on to love that ride with all of his heart, just like we knew he would.

The time came for Jon to make good on his promise and since there was no way on earth anyone in my family was going to a BYU football game without me, we made a family vacation out of it.  It was a ridiculous amount of fun.  So much fun that it won't fit in just one blog post.  I'll start with all things BYU--since that was the reason for the trip, after all.

The first item on our BYU agenda?  Hike Y mountain.

It doesn't look like it should be that hard.  Driving to the trailhead almost makes you feel like you're already there.  But you're definitely not there.  You're still 1 mile of steep switchbacks from being there.  While climbing, I decided on this adjective: relentless.  The trail just never gives.  It's a straight-up, shade-less, calf-burning, back-aching climb.

Caleb was first to the top.  Speedy boy.  He couldn't wait to look out over his beloved Provo.  He still hasn't forgiven us for moving ten years ago.

We did some victory poses.  While Caleb favors the Usain Bolt, Jon and I chose to do some Felixing.

Prior to leaving for Utah, Jon got an email about a party at the stadium on Tuesday night.  What?!  A party at the stadium?  Are you kidding me? Count us in!

The new scoreboards are awesome!  They were showing game highlights all night long.

It was amazing just to be in the stadium again.  It'd been way too long.

I gazed at the field and remembered what it was like to stand on the grass and get the whole crowd chanting.  And I remembered how I loved to stand at the end of the tunnel and say, "Hi Coach" as Lavell came in for the day's game.

"There's nothing like being down on that field, Lys."  Then I told her about running out in front of the players and doing back handsprings all the way to the endzone.  Those are some mighty fun memories.

The party consisted of athletes from all different sports, games for kids to play, balloon artists and the funnest photo booths for us to pose in.  Did I mention it was all free?

Joe Sampson (DB) and Richard Wilson (TE).

Riley was only there in cardboard form:

We toured the locker room and the kids tried on Kyle's gear.

Here's Caleb intercepting a pass:

Then who should we see when we left the locker room?  Kyle Van Noy himself!  He claimed to remember meeting Caleb at the Oregon State game last year when Caleb asked him at the Friday night fireside to get a pick the next day.  He did get a pick that day and told Caleb it was for him.

We spent much of Wednesday on campus.  We got lost in the bookstore for quite some time.  It's always impossible to decide what fan gear to buy.  We came out with shirts, posters, stickers, a wallet and the cutest  jigsaw puzzle of the stadium.

All that shopping worked up an appetite so we headed through campus to Legend's Grille, located in the student athlete building.  We watched lots of athletes come and go--including Kyle Van Noy--while we ate our burgers, fries, chicken and pizza.  

Then we wandered Legacy Hall to see things like Detmer's Heisman and Jimmer's Naismith.

And this room where they keep the National Championship trophy:

And of course, this cougar:

We measured Lys' progress against the shortest athlete in BYU history--a gymnast, of course--and then took the girls to see the gymnastics gym.  (It also happens to be one of the places where my cheer squad used to practice.)

We ended our visit with more walking around campus--which really means reminiscing for mom and dad--and some BYU bowling for the kids.  We were all together too tired to take any pictures of it, though.

Thursday was game day.  We dressed for the white-out.  We couldn't have been more excited.

When our cousins heard we were going to the game, they decided to get in on the fun.  What could be better than going to a BYU football game?  Going with cousins!  It was just so much fun seeing Caleb greet his favorite buddies at the game.

A thunderstorm rolled in just before game time.  Thankfully we were all dried out by kick-off.

The kids loved the free white pom-poms and they used them to cheer the Cougars on to victory!  I don't remember the last time I sang the fight song that many times but I never got tired of singing it.

Maureen, Emily, Jen, Jon and Sarah

The Hatch siblings minus Lucy who had already gone back to her hotel.

The boys--Ian, Brendan, Sam, Connor, Jonas, Caleb, Ansel and Seth--celebrating the win!

We loved it so much we want to make it a yearly tradition.

Thanks for riding that roller coaster, Caleb.  It sure was worth it, wasn't it?