Ready to head home (to Utah)

Today is finally the day.  Literally since Carol and I stepped off the plane a week and 2 days ago, Payson has wanted to go see his Grandpas in Utah (every day/multiple times).  Well in about 24 hours and after flying to Japan, then Los Angelos, and finally UTAH - we will be home.  Kacey and the kids are coming with us. 

Family pic at the airport.

Finally - this is ONE HAPPY BOY (and grandpa)

See was super tired, super serious - but she didn't have a freakout, and that's good.  It's good to be home, what a wonderful trip we had !  Thanks to Landon and Kacey for being such great hosts.  We love you all. 

Manila Throwdown - Day 2

After breakfast at the hotel, laying out on the patio by the pool............ready for another tough day at the games.

Payson met a little dog named Harper in the lobby.  He was TOTALLY enthralled. 

Aubry loved him too !

Back for another day.  Today we brought the kids all day, and they were great. 

Go Mommy and Daddy !

Playing with the animals.  That little girl in the middle came over and hung out with us all day.  

Love my family !

Ice Cream - do you know they have a flavor of CHEESE here?  I didn't try it :)

Later in the day - just resting.  (All of the action pictures for both days were on the previous post)

Headed back to the hotel I got this great shot.

At the mall next to our hotel 

The Grindbox Crew - Justin, Santee, Landon, Kacey, Mariel

Bye bye to Edna the next morning.  See you in a couple of months......

Manila Throwdown - Day 1

The Grindbox Gang - Kacey, Santee, Landon, Justin (photo bomber Carol;)

The games were held at Makati University soccer field.

Edna was probably their biggest cheerleader.  The kids loved it too. 

Alot of these closeup pics were taken by WOD Chaser - there was rowing.....

The bar muscle up that wasn't :(

Wall balls

Chest to bar

Box jumps - 30 inches high

More of the Grindbox Crew

Running..............

Pull ups

Push ups

Push press

10 meter hand stand walk

dead lift

Tired Girl

Tired boy

Cute pic :)

Clean............

and jerk...............

We all felt like this I think by the end :)

Later we went back to the hotel and Aubrey swam in the freezing cold water.  Crazy kid :)

Friday - headed out to Manila !

Edna and her kids slept over on Thursday night so we could head out first thing on Friday morning.  Here are Payson and Aubrey.  Aubrey is 8 years old.  She is a pretty, quiet little thing.  So sweet and kind, well-mannered, helpful, and a smile that melts your heart. 

Here is Gabriel (Gabe for short) with Payson.  They had a great time playing ball with sticks (see video).  Gabe is even more quiet than Aubrey if you can believe it.  He is 12 years old, and a total non-complainer, and a BIG eater.  Boy that kid can eat !  And he's totally smart on the "smart" phone, hooking his mom up with an email and Facebook.  

Here we are at the Bacolod airport, at the beginning of a LONG LONG LONG day.   

Our beautiful view

Edna and Aubrey and Gabe have never been on an airplane before.  They were excited and NERVOUS (Edna :)

Here you can see us, and Landon and Kacey with Payson, and Santee and Mariel behind them, and Justin (waving).

These two are excited to participate in the regional Crossfit games - or the Manila Throwdown :)

This was taken just as we were taking off !

Bye Bye Bacolod !

We stayed at the Best Western Antel Hotel, in Makati City.  Carol kept saying the area reminded her of Hong Kong, with all of the high rises.  It was great !

There was beauty........and there was garbage.......... Opposites everywhere you looked.

We walked to Wendy's for lunch

That's a Jeepney folks - they are EVERYWHERE !  

Me and Landon and Edna and her kids took a taxi to the Manila temple.  It was the first time they had ever seen an LDS temple.  They were very interested, and humbled, and grateful to be here. 

See the Angel Moroni on top?

As we were leaving the temple grounds, a nice sister, Sister Dial met us.  She was just going to her apartment, and asked us if we'd like to come down for a drink of water.  We did, and she shared some snacks with the kids, and even gave Edna a pretty light blue umbrella that a Sister Missionary had left when she went home earlier.  The Dials have been out 16 months on their mission to the Manila Philippins Temple. 

On the way back to our hotel, we saw a bunch of pigs being transported to market.

If Manila had another name, I think it would be "Billboard City" - they are simply EVERYWHERE !   On the sides of buildings..........bridges.......... and all over everwhere you look. 

Later that night on our way to eat, Payson accidently let go of his airplane balloon.  The Hotel staff took their life in their hands, and scaled a tall tall ladder to rescue it for him.  They were all so very nice. 

We went to a mall (Greenbelt 5) and ate at Chili's.  It was a long hard day, especially for Payson and Brightyn.....we were all glad to get back to the hotel and go to bed.