*Runnin and runnin

I woke up with a massive headache today. Massive. I got ready and headed for church anyway. I made it through sacrament and couldn't take any more. As I walked home I replayed the three talks that were given in the meeting. Our two full time Elders and a Sister who leaves this week spoke. I loved all the talks given but the one I can't stop thinking about was given by the sister. She spoke about preparing for the St. George marathon. Four months prior to the race, she couldn't run 2 miles let alone 26. A great friend of hers helped her train and get ready for the big day. With each new day she would run just a few miles more. When race day came she had last run 20 miles. She was ready and she was stoked. She hit mile 19 and hit a brick wall. She was sure she couldn't continue. Her mind went back to the first few days of training when she could barely run 5 miles. She thought about the basic things she had started with that had gotten her where she was in that moment. Just when she didn't think she could run anymore, she saw the city of St. George and the temple. The end was near and she could see it. Mentally she didn't think she could handle the rest of the race. Finally she let her brain shut off. Her mind completely backed out of the race and her legs took over. She finished.
She compared the first few miles she trained with to the Gospel. If we can get the basics down- Scripture study, prayer, tithing, church and temple attendance - those things will carry us through the rest of the journey. Once in the habit of these few things, our legs will be able to take over and do the rest.
I take this to heart in life. As Colby and I stress about the wedding planning, money, the drama that comes with life - we sometimes forget how we got to this point in our lives. We fell in love. Those first few miles were tough, really tough. I was struggling with the heartache of divorce and Colby was struggling as he watched me hurt. We were apart for a summer. (Which doesn't seem that bad now that he's home.) He watched from the sidelines while I fought tooth and nail to write a letter that will hopefully grant us permission to be sealed. We've been engaged for nearly eight months. The list could go on but it all goes back to those first few months. I remember distinctly the night we knew we were supposed to get married and be together for eternity. I also remember going home that night and praying to my heavenly father. Begging him to keep Colby in my life. Everything in my world was moving so fast and so much of it seemed out of my control but I promised myself that I would do everything in my power to keep this one in my own hands. Here we are. Almost a year later and we're just under two months shy of being married. Can't wait. I know we've had our ups and downs but we've learned so much about each other and where we want to go next in life.
Starting today I'm letting my mind back out of the race. I've put on my very favorite Nikes. My legs will be carrying me through the next little bit. I will turn my mind back on only when very important decisions need to be made. I hope Colby is up for the challenge of making all the decisions .. I know he can do it. Until April 24th .. Enjoy your vacation mind. Have a good time. Don't forget to come back ready and refreshed for whatever may be next.
*Ps .. her talk also gave me just a little bit more courage to run the half-marathon in Huntsville in September. It's going to be awesome. Get ready Legs. It's running time.

*Sneak Peak

Here you go. Just a few pictures from our engagement shoot. I'm in Heaven. I loved everything about this day and I can't stop looking at the fun pictures.
I feel guilty asking Marjean to take time out of her busy schedule to help us with the pictures. Her sweet daughter Natalie has been battling cancer for over two years now. Nat is currently is the hospital fighting for her life. I think about this gorgeous girl constantly. She's amazing. Adorable. Strong. Courageous. Inspiring. Happy. Fantastic. Beautiful. Tough. Smart. Loving.
I look up to her more than she will ever know. Keep Ms. Natalie in your thoughts and prayers. We love that pretty girl and we have faith in the Lord's plan.
Thanks again Marjean .. We're loving them!

Player Spotlight: Desman Ethridge

2011 Prospect, Desman Ethridge (6'1", 185lbs - TE/SS)

Desman was a 1st team All-District selection at receiver and linebacker in 2009, and put up serious numbers in the weight room last summer ( 245lb power clean, 315lb squat, and a 255lb bench).

Ethridge is looking to pursue engineering after high school.

#21 Desman Ethridge @ Yahoo! Video

Desman is about as easy-going and optimistic as they come and is a great competitor.

DASH & ZACK - Developments in Spread Run Game

As discussed previously by Smartfootball and TrojanFootballAnalysis, the advent of spread zone-read running has lead to responding with a counter-punch to defenses that heavily play their fronts away from the back's alignment. Additionally, the "Dash" (or fake Dart) play works great when your regular run game (stretch/zone) isn't working as well (because of smart reading defenders), especially if you don't have a tight end that can block, or you don't want your QB to run all the time.

The team (Oregon) who spearheaded this adaptation, lines the back up a bit further up than regular stretch to create a backward angle of attack. This allows him to widen a flat-footed (reading) playside defensive end.

The QB give-rules remain simple;

• If the DE flat foots at all (or wrong-arms the kick out), always give the ball
• If there is any doubt at all (if he comes up to feel / crash), pull the ball
• ** QB pulls the football if there is any blitz off the edge to the fake

The Dash play has become the perfect compliment to zone running but requires no different practice time. The QB reads remain identical, and no one has to do anything differently. With as little invested, the return becomes pronounced as the defense will be forced to adjust to how they not only defend dash, but also zone and stretch, as well.

This can be run off of regular stretch, and or off of Dart (tackle pull) action.

Running out of 3x1Another great way to utilize this concept is from the leverage of defenders with a 3x1 formation.

If a defense leaves a hole player away from the trips (respecting the common run away from trips), you end up with solid numbers on the perimeter into trips.

If the defense overplays the formation to the trips side, and cheats their hole player over, you end up with great numbers away from trips. A solid block by the single receiver leaves the back on a home run course to the end zone.

In addition to this key-breaker is the called zone cutback, "Zack".

Another 'cheap' (little time needed to rep this) play that attacks when defenses defeat your base run, this is a 3-step-then-cutback run for the back. This is especially effective when defenses overplay their fronts away from the back (antipating runs to them).

Peru: Music and Dance

Peru is a culture that is rich in music and dance. Much of Peru's music is derived from Andean, Andalusian Spanish and African roots. The Pre-Hispanic Andean musicians mostly used wind instruments such as the quena, the pinkillo, the erke, the antara or siku (also called zampoña), the pututo or pototo, etc. They also used diverse membranophone instruments such as the tinya (hand drum), the wankar and instrument of big dimensions, the pomatinyas - made of puma's skin. With the Spanish conquest, new instruments arrived like harps, guitars, vihuelas, bandurrias, lutes, etc.

Dance in Peru now has a Latin influence with dances like Salsa, Merengue, and Bachata.  Parts of Peru still hold on to traditional dances such as the Marinera, Huayno, and my personal favorite the Scissors Dance.   The Scissors Dance is a beautiful display of art and physical dexterity where dancers showcase their skills and "cut" into the unknown all around them.

Don't try this one at home, folks!

*Dear Hawaii

My cute family has decided to take yet another trip to Hawaii and how can you blame anyone? It's the most amazing place on earth. Logan and I talk about last years trip all the time. We had a blast. Colby and will have only been married about 10 days when they leave. We're incredibly bummed that we won't be able to take more time off and go but we're all planning to go again next year.
When the idea first came up, I was trying to describe Hawaii to Abby. She is the only one in the family (besides Linc who is just over a year old and has been everywhere else) who hasn't been. I was speechless. I kept saying it was amazing and what I imagine Heaven will be like.
I know my family is going to have an amazing time and I look forward to next year when we can all go together. I'm really excited to see all there pictures and to hear about the memories they've made.
Dear Sweet Hawaii, treat everyone well and help Abby have the time of her life. I don't want to be made into a fool or a liar.
Love: Libby

I LOVE this picture. Glass beach was one of my favorite places from the whole trip. Mom is the only one in this picture who will be going on the trip in May but I promise the rest of us will be thinking about the sunshine, the beach, the fancy drinks by the pool, and the salty ocean water.

Michigan Fire Zone

As discussed previously, here is just another look at the do-everything fire-zone concept of Sting and Bark. Heavy hat tip to coachhuey’s captmccrae and Aztec, whom I learned this package from years ago.

The basic premise is a hard 5-man slant with a safety walked down creating an 8-man front. This is a prepackaged pressure and can be called to or away from strength.

As the clips illustrate, you can run these against run and pass, and is a very good pressure package against both. These are perfect against 2-back sets and will force offenses to rely on their quick game or leave 7+ in for protection.

These pressures, largely accredited to Dick LeBeau in Pittsburgh/Cincinnati days, were a staple of the Monte Kiffin Viking/Buccanneer defenses. As you’ll see his use of explosively quick interior linemen (Warren Sapp, John Randle, Booger McFarland, etc) accentuated their talents for movement and aggressiveness.

BARK

Seen this before somewhere? Yes, you have....

This is a defensive line slant AWAY from the TE from an Under front, with linebackers playing back strong. The slant will always be run to the 3 technique side of the front and the safety TO walks down. This is a great run blitz, as the MLB aims for the B gap chasm created by the sticking End (inside) and the SLB outside the TE. The WLB slow plays the flow, looking for cutback.

This stunt is run to the 2 receiver side, not particularly strong or weak. The SLB will always run the blitz. The MLB has a key blitz, meaning he is reading flow, as he’ll abandon his blitz if the back flows away. This reaction actually helps the timing of the blitz, as it delays him for a second so the stunt of the defensive end helps clear his gap assignment.

On action to the perimeter, primary contain is handled by the “Bronco” defender who in this case was the Rover and backside end.

The “Bronco” is a seam to flat technique, and relies heavily on the ‘pattern-match’ principles discussed at length on here before. When you are in 3 deep - 3 under, your players just can't just spot drop with your seam players. The bronco player must rally to get on top and match #2, or the seams (of 1-high coverage) will be exposed.

• If #2 goes vertical, he should match and carry (vertically).
• If #2 flattens (heads outside), the Bronco player should drive through the curl to the flat.
• If #2 goes under, he cuts him and looks to rob #1 underneath.

All of this is nothing new to teams that already pattern-match, and the 'parts' become interchangeable. This methodology opens the door for ANY player to now become a Bronco defender, leaving pressure combinations limitless.

08UM_BARK @ Yahoo! Video

STING

You may have seen this concept before here.

Categorized by a defensive line slant TO the TE from an Over or Under front with the linebackers playing back weak. Strong Safety and MLB are blitzing – safety to callside A and MLB to the backside A, the Nose creates the space by sticking to callside B.

This is a particularly effective run blitz as you get immediate inside pressure, with edge defenders slow playing perimeter action, leaving the WLB in the hole (reading back flow) to clean up anything underneath.

08UM_STING @ Yahoo! Video

Where To Stay in Peru: Finding Your Perfect Luxury Hotel in Lima

Exploring Peru is a must-do, but a stop-off in Lima is essential for getting the best sense of the country’s history mixed in with vibrant city life. By day you can choose to hit the beach, explore the pre-Inca ruin Huaca Pucllana or wander the historic city starting from central square Plaza de Armas.


Lima is also home to some of the best luxury hotels in Peru, with the upscale San Isidro and Miraflores neighborhoods scoring particularly highly. So where should you go if you pitch up in Lima, looking for luxury? Here’s our pick of two of the very best places to stay in the capital, whether you’re looking for sleek modern design or a cultural landmark...

Historic grandeur: Country Club Lima Hotel in San Isidro

This is by far one of the country’s most renowned luxury hotels, definitively put on the map by its status as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Since opening in 1927 it’s been the venue of many a rip-roaring shindig for the well-to-do, and carries that stamp of class and sophistication today in antique-filled interiors, smooth green lawns and absolutely impeccable service. By which we mean, you’re treated with total friendliness and care in an unstuffy environment: there’s none of the hoity-toityness associated with some other high-end hotels.

Another big plus point for Country Club Lima, besides the sense of unique history, is the award-winning restaurant Perroquet, a beautiful setting to tuck in to Peruvian and international cuisine. If you really want to amp up the luxe factor, High Tea in Vitrales lobby bar’s stained glass cupola is the ultimate treat, and a taste of the hotel’s world-famous Pisco Sour cocktail is almost a guest requirement.

See rates & availability at Country Club Lima Hotel
 

Sleek modern luxury: Miraflores Park Plaza in Miraflores

Perched on the ocean’s edge, Miraflores Park Plaza offers high-ceilinged, cool spaces and sparkling sea and sunset views to the horizon: you could find a better bolthole to take a breath of fresh air. It’s lauded as Lima’s top business destination, and indeed business folk are well taken care of with myriad meeting rooms and dedicated business services staff. However , Miraflores Park Plaza is also a marvellously modern all-rounder. Couples and leisure travelers keep just as happy sipping cocktails in the atmospheric Jekyll & Hyde bar and indulging in a few expert treatments at the Zest Spa.

Miraflores itself is a buzzy and accessible location, known for its stretches of manicured parkland and commercial centres. Quite simply, you can eat out, do your shopping and have a business meeting all within a short stroll from your luxury hotel: now that’s a winner.

See rates & availability at Miraflores Park Plaza

*Home

Colby and I have been forced to put off so many of the wedding plans because we can't plan anything specific until we get our letter back from the first presidency. It's been incredibly stressful to not have a time at the temple scheduled or to put off making invitations because we aren't sure which temple will have a time available. We can't book a luncheon because we have no idea what time we'll be done at the temple. Oh so stressful.
Although we've been thinking and talking about it a lot, the last thing on our list was finding a place to live. We figured as long as everything else was working out on it's own time, this huge important detail could wait and would get taken care of eventually. Secretly it was stressing both of us out but we didn't talk about it much, there are other things that are much further up the list than where we would call home.
I got a text message from one of my dearest friends just under a week ago. She's moving and in hopes of helping the landlady out, she asked if we would be interested in checking out her apartment. We were incredibly excited but along with everything else, we didn't get our hopes up to high. We finally had a chance to take a quick look on Sunday while we were in the area. Sierra was so sweet to let us in and even took us to see another one of the 4 apartments in the house so we could see the selection. We tried to keep our composure but as we walked through to two places we kept squeezing each other's hands in excitement. As we walked to the car grinning from ear to ear, we talked about how perfect it was for us. We were about a mile and a half down the road when I text her and told her we'd take it!
It's so funny to me still how much the Lord knows and loves us. This has lifted such a huge weight off of our shoulders. The timing has been nothing short of perfect for us. Right as Sierra and her sweet husband move out, we'll be ready to move it. We can have our whole house set up before we get married. With engagements and finding a home in 2 days .. things are finally starting to feel real. Two more months and we'll be The Carters.
Thanks Sierra, you are the sweetest. The Lord sent you as my angel and you will never know how much you helped us out. We owe you guys so big. BBQ this summer?? :)

*Engagements

Colby and I had our engagements taken on Saturday. So much fun! We asked one of our dear family friends to take them for us. She is just the sweetest lady. She was so excited to take our pictures and we were just excited to let her. I think Colb was a little nervous but she made it SO much fun and we were honestly sad when it was over. It was pretty chilly but the time flew. She took us to some really fun locations. When I called her about a month ago she told me she would start scouting out a location perfect for us. I smiled big when she told me she had found a junk yard that screamed Colby and Libby.
For months and months I thought about what we should wear. I'm sure Colby got sick of me bringing it up. It wasn't until Saturday afternoon (about 2 hrs before pictures) that I found something at the mall that I loved and I told Colby he could wear whatever he wanted. Although, he did opt for a sweater that I can't resist. ha ha! He was wearing it when our paths crossed for the first time in a while last year. I remember thinking how different he looked and how hot that sweater was on him. Turns out, it's his younger brother's sweater who is serving a mission. Thank Mitch, I owe you big time. Hopefully you won't miss it!
We're so excited to get our pictures back. We talked about how much fun we had and all the great ideas Marjean had all night long. We can't wait to see her great work. Oh I can't wait!

Pass Rush (IA Hawkeyes)

Continuing a theme from the Hawkeye Defensive Circuit, here are clips of fundamental DL work courtesy of Ron Aiken;

Be sure to check out previous DL entries here , here, and here.

Shuffle (leverage) Rip


IAPASSRUSH_SHUFFLE @ Yahoo! Video

Bull Rush



IAPASSRUSH_BULL @ Yahoo! Video

RIP



IAPASSRUSH_RIP @ Yahoo! Video

HAND/LEVERAGE



IAPASSRUSH_HANDS @ Yahoo! Video


and for extra measure, game film of sacks;

06IAHAWKEYE_SACK1 @ Yahoo! Video

06IAHAWKEYES_SACKS2 @ Yahoo! Video

Peru: How to Stay Connected

When dialing Peru from the US, dial US international access code (011) followed by the country code (51), followed by the regional code, followed by the phone number:
011 + 51 + area code + phone number

Most of Peru regional codes start with 0xx. When you dial your call, you don’t have to dial the initial 0.

See below for regional codes for the largest cities in Peru
01 Lima
084 Cusco
084 Machu Picchu (Aguas Calientes)
054 Arequipa
051 Puno
043 Huaraz
065 Iquitos
056 Nasca

Example: You may see the number of a hotel in Cusco as 231424. From the US dial 011 51 84 231424.

Whenever you need to call your loved ones in USA, simply dial:
00 (Peru’s International access code) + 1 (US country code) + Area Code + Tel #.
For example: Your friend’s US phone number is (410) 123 4567. From Peru dial 00 1 410 1234567.

Peru: Top 10 New Food Experiences

Here is a list of 10 items that Peru offers that you have probably never tried before.

(1). Cuy (guinea pig)  
(2). Ceviche   
(3). Pachamanca   
(4). Pisco  
(5). Recotto Relleno & Papa Rellena  
(6). Mate de Coca  
(7). Aji de Gallina  
(8). Lomo Saltado  
(9). Juanes 
(10). Lechon

What are you most looking forward to trying?  Have you had any if these items before?  Share your thoughts, good and bad!

Peru: Extending Your Stay

Tourists are allowed to receive visa extensions totaling three months. After this time the traveler must leave the country (to get an extension). This simply entails crossing the border and returning again (ask for the full 90 when you return). There is conflicting information whether 48-hours must pass before re-admittance.

One-month visa extensions cost US$20 per month, plus a fee of approximately 25 soles for processing. Extensions of the tourist visa can be purchased for up to three months. Extensions can be purchased on a monthly basis, or can be purchased all at once on your visit to the immigration office—depending on how nice the immigration is feeling at that particular moment.

If you are in Lima, go to the immigration office and show your passport to enter the building. Pick up the Visa Extension form at the information desk on the first floor. Visa extensions are handled on the third floor. They will want a copy of your passport front page (w/signature), the page with your latest entry stamp, and the Andean Migration Card.(you can use google to translate to English)

Go to the window that says "Prorrogas Residencia" and present your passport and tourist visa card. The official will give you a receipt for $20. At this time, you will need to go down to the first floor, make a copy of your visa and passport. You can then pay for the extension at the Banco de la Nacion, located down the corridor from the copy machine. There may be long lines for the bank. Fill out the form and return to the same teller on the third floor. Give the official your stamped receipt and your filled-out form. After this you will be asked to wait for your passport and extended visa, which shouldn't take longer than 20 minutes.

*Sweet Tooth madness

A few months ago Colby and I went and checked out the new 'Farr's Fresh' in Clinton. I loved it. It was delicious and I paid based upon the weight of my dessert not how many toppings I had put on. Best idea ever! I didn't finish all my ice cream, I never do. In fact, I never finish anything. Sometimes I get to the last bite and even though I'm sure it will fit, I can't bring myself to eat it. Paraguay is full of starving kids, just ask Colby. So, he eats it for me.
Yesterday I invited Colby to help me spend the gift card he had given me for my Birthday so we headed out to Farr's. I was slightly disappointed that white chocolate wasn't one of the current flavors but I decided to make the best of what they had. I settled for Cookie Dough with Butter Pecan Ice cream, strawberries, raspberries, black berries, almonds, and snickers with hot fudge drizzled on top. Sounds a little overwhelming but ... I was in heaven. I ate every last bite and when I was finished, I licked the bowl. The only person more surprised than me? Colby. He even went as far as to tell me he was impressed. yep. Impressed.

Peru: Getting There

The capital city of Lima has the Jorge Chavez International Airport with frequent flights all over the world.

Main airlines are
• American Airlines
• Delta
• Lan
• Lan Peru
• Continental
• Iberia
• Copa
• Taca
 

The high season for air travel to and within Peru is late May to early September, as well as around major holidays. Lower fares may sometimes be offered outside peak periods.

When leaving the country on an international flight you have to pay a departure tax. The amount changes, but expect it to be $25-$30 (US dollars).This has to be paid in cash before entering the departure area. There is also an internal flight tax, around $6 (US Dollars), same conditions as the international one.

Arriving in Peru is typically a straightforward process, as long as your passport is valid for at least six months beyond your departure date. When arriving by air, US citizens must show a return ticket (don’t show up with just a one-way ticket to South America.)!

'Crow'

Remember the story about the boy who talked my ear off? Colb and I went to High school with him. He is obsessed with dream catchers and boondoggle. Not kidding. In December he talked Colby into buying me a dream catcher for Christmas. Oh my. So Colby and his best friend Dallin went to his house to see the selection. I'm told it's unheard of. I laughed kind of hard when I unwrapped a dream catcher on Christmas morning. Dalling purchased one as well and gave it to Colb for Christmas. Like we needed two?
At the basketball game last Thursday, (we'll call him crow .. I'll explain later) Crow mentioned that I should buy Colby a dream catcher for Valentines because he had gotten me one for Christmas. I just laughed and told him it was a good idea. He insisted that I look at all the pictures he had taken with his phone of his projects. Some of them were insane. He's so creative. There was a baby blue one that I told him I liked and that he had done a good job. I left it at that.
We're sitting in Sunday School yesterday and Dallin taps me on the shoulder, I turn around and find Crow holding a note that says
'That dream catcher you wanted, see me after church.'
I turn bright red and lean over to Colby. I'm trying really hard not to laugh but I just can't help it. Colby looks over my shoulder and sees the dream catcher in a plastic grocery bag. His response made me lose it.
''Please tell me you did not order a dream catcher in our wedding colors because that is exactly what I just saw.''
I can't breathe, I'm red in the face, and tears start rolling down my face. I try to explain that I didn't order it, there must be an misunderstanding. I beg Colby to help me out of the situation and he refuses. He tells me I'm on my own.
I lean over to Dallin and say
"Dall, how much cash do you have?"
I don't have the heart to turn this kid down. He made a custom dream catcher for Colby and I'm supposed to tell him we don't want it?
Colby pulls me into the hall after class and attempts to treat me like a kid but we're both laughing too hard. Neither one of us could breathe.
This kid is like a used Car Salesman. He knows exactly what to do and say to pressure us in to buying something we really don't need. Oh my.
Long story short ... Dallin gave Crow $3 and we will give him the rest next week. We now have 3 dream catchers. See you later nightmares .. only good dreams are coming our way.
No one makes me laugh like Colby does .. yesterday was hilarious and I know we'll be laughing about for years and years and years.
Happy Valentines Day Babe ... Would you like to guess what you're getting for Easter? Flag Day? Cinco De Mayo?

Peru: Currency

The Peruvian currency is the nuevo sol, and its symbol is S/. This is issued in 10, 20, 50, 100 and 200 bills and in 5, 10, 20 and 50 cents of nuevo sol.

Peru is certainly a much cheaper place to visit than Europe or the US, but how much so will depend on where you are and when. A low budget traveler should be able to get by on around $10-20 per person per day. If you plan on staying in mid-range hotels, eating in reasonable restaurants and taking the taxi, $40, while $60 a day will allow you to stay more comfortably and sample some of Peru's best cuisine.

There are banks and exchange booths in the airports where you can convert your money into nuevos soles. When you receive your change make sure the transaction was done correctly. The dollar is widely accepted in Peru as well, but be careful with the variations of the dollar value throughout the country. Be sure to check the exchange rate before you travel so you can plan your finances.  Note that certain banks and exchanges may have a fee or a slightly different conversion, so you may want to check out a few places before you exchange.

When you receive cash, dollars or soles, make sure the bills are in good condition, in their entirety, and without any writing or marks on them. Also watch out for counterfeit bills that could be circulating within Peru!

Traveler's checks
The use of traveler's checks is not very common in the country's commercial establishments. It may even be a hassle to change them for cash in some banks. Expect a 2% to 5% loss from the total when exchanging traveler's checks.

Peru: Danger in the Andes!

So Let's talk about the elephant in the room.  Here we are blogging about all the awesome things to do in Peru and have mentioned the Inca Trail and Machu Picchu a few times already, but we did not talk about the dangerous mudslide conditions on the mountain happening RIGHT NOW!!

So let's talk about it. Five days of torrential rains in the Cuzco region have destroyed bridges, 250 houses and hundreds of acres (hectares) of crops, while blocking highways and the railway to Machu Picchu.

On 10 February in a press conference with the Peruvian Ministry of Tourism the minister Martin Perez stated the railway to Aguas Calientes will be open as from the beginning of April and access via road between Hidro-Electrica and Santa Maria would take at least 2 months to repair because of the need to construct two tunnels. This effectively means that there will be no way to get to and from Machu Picchu until the beginning of April. i.e. put in simple terms Machu Picchu and the Inca Trail will be closed during February and March 2010.  (The Inca Trail is closed every year in February anyway to allow cleaning of the campsites and other maintenance works to be undertaken.)

There have been at least 5 fatalities and about 2,000 tourists stranded due to the mudslides.  If you are planning your trip to Peru and had intended to visit Machu Picchu then you may need to reschedule.  Tour operators are still accepting booking for the Inca Trail starting in April, but be mindful of their deposit return policies in the event that the repairs take longer than expected.

Please take a few minutes to watch the video below from a Peruvian blogger.  He offers insight that is not shared as freely in the US and UK.



Thanks to the peruanista for your video.

Dykes in Ruston

Dykes in Ruston

by Jimmy Watson



excerpt;
Q: What type of offensive philosophy do you plan to employ?
A: "When you start a football program, the first thing you have to do is consider how the offense and defense works together. That's something that gets overlooked a lot in football where people might have an aggressive, attacking offense and an on-your-heels defense. So what you want to do is if you want to play aggressive, attacking football you have to do the same thing defensively. Then do the same thing on special teams. So that will be our philosophy "» to attack and try to play with speed on both sides of the ball and special teams as well.
"We walked into a fortunate situation here with (Phillip) Livas being such weapon in the return game. That will be a huge emphasis for us in trying to find ways to get him the ball. There's nothing that can change a game faster than a big special teams play. I know that's a strength of our football team already.
"We want to play disciplined football "» be assignment sound on both sides of the ball. Be smart and limit penalties. Be able to execute. At the end of the spring we need to be able to feel good about operating a base offense and base defense. Our challenge will be to get our kids on the same page and we need to do a lot of teaching in the spring, but we also need to spend a lot of time working on the fundamentals."



Q. As a BCS offensive coordinator, have you spoken with other coordinators about schools at Tech's level and positions that come open as possible landing sites?
A: "As a first-time head coach, you tend to gravitate toward people who share your philosophy. We used to call it the 'One-Back Clinic,' Which is archaic because now pretty much everyone is one-back. In 1997 we started this deal when I was at Kentucky, we went out and saw Mike Tice when he was at Washington State started the 'One-Back Clinic.' Hal Mumme was there. Gary Crowton was there. Kevin Sumlin was a young coach at the time. Chris Hatcher was there. Tony Franklin was there. Mike Leach was there. All these different guys sharing ideas with each other. At that time, we were kind of the outsiders of college football. The game has changed so much that a lot of us are now the norm. We've talked through the years."

Tony Franklin to join him soon as the Offensive Coordinator

*B-Ball Player

Sweaty and tired and still incredibly good looking.
I sure do love Colby Carter.

I went and watched my babe play church ball last night.
He loves it so I figured I might as well find a little love in it as well.
The boys rocked it, they did surprising well considering the other team had players who were well over six feet and played college ball.
About 4 minutes before the game started, I found myself sitting next to someone who needed a listening ear.
He talked and talked and talked and talked and talked and talked and talked.
Although I missed most of the conversation, every time I found myself looking for a way out, I would glance across the court and catch Colby's eye. He would always be smiling, waving, and of course laughing.
I made sure Colby bought me ice cream after the game. :)

I was so glad I was able to get off work a little early and finally see what all the hype was about. Colby loves church ball but more than that he loves the guys he gets to play with.
Such a great group of guys.
Can't wait til next season!

Peru: Documents Needed for Entry

Citizens of North America including Canada only require a valid passport to enter Peru. You need to ensure that your passport has at least 6 months left to run after the date that you enter the country.

On arrival you will be given a tourist card which you fill out in duplicate. At the immigration office you will normally get a 90 day stay in Peru; both your passport and the tourist card are stamped and you will be given one copy of the tourist card to keep. Do not lose it since you need to hand it back when leaving the country. Losing the card will incur plenty of hassle in replacing it.

Below are the more details on what you need to prepare before entering the country:

Tourist
• U.S. Passport, must be valid six months beyond intended stay
• Tickets and Documents for return or onward travel
• No Visa required for stay up to 90 days
• Vaccinations - International Certificate of Vaccination for Yellow Fever required if arriving from an infected area

Business Travel
• U.S. Passport, must be valid six months beyond intended stay
• Tickets and Documents for return or onward travel
• Visa Required
• Vaccinations - International Certificate of Vaccination for Yellow Fever required if arriving from an infected area


Diplomatic/ Official Travel
• U.S. Passport, must be valid six months beyond intended stay
• Tickets and Documents for return or onward travel
• Visa Required
• Vaccinations - International Certificate of Vaccination for Yellow Fever required if arriving from an infected area

Employment or Study Travel
Contact the nearest Embassy or Consulate as documents my differ depending upon occupation or area of study.

If you are traveling to Peru from a country other than the United States of America check with your country's embassy for entry requirements.

*Heart

Just when I think that Life is perfect and can't get any better.
Colby Smiles at me.
He tells me he Loves me.
Reminds me we're almost there.
Kisses me.
Makes me laugh.
Lets me be me.
Holds me when I cry.
Smiles when I sing with Miley Cyrus at the top of my lungs in the car.
Supports me.
Listens to my crazy ideas.
Talks about our future.
Holds my hand.
Tells me I look cute.
Takes me for Chinese.
Pumps my Gas.
Lets me Vent.
Tugs at my heart.
Loves my family.
Reads my blog.
Answers my silly questions about the Gospel.
Pulls me in for a hug.
Comes to my Soccer games.
Laughs at my Jokes.
And then I remember that my life continues to get better every single day.
Not only is Colby Carter apart of it, he's there for all of it and he's enjoying it with me.
Together, we're starting 'our' life.
The love that continues to grow between us is unlike anything I've ever experienced.
It constantly amazes me.
I'm so glad we've come so far but more than that, I'm glad we still have a long ways to go with each other.
I never want any of this to end.
He's incredible.
He loves me more than peanut butter.
That's a really big deal.
I promise.

Peru: Where to Stay

Since hotels in Peru are fairly cheap you could choose to stay primarily in cheap hostels for the bulk of your stay, and every once and a while upgrade to a more luxurious experience. (Depending on your budget of course.)

For example, El Albergue, in Ollantaytambo, is an American-owned hostel right next to the railroad tracks (but much quieter than imagined).This comfortable little place has just a few rooms and shared bathrooms. Beds are exceptional, and the ambiance, with serene gardens and Labrador retrievers running around, is great. There’s also a cool wood-fired Sauna, which in addition to the traditional, gives off an aromatic woodsy fragrance!

 Garden at El Albergue

 Room at El Albergue

If you are traveling for work, the MiraFlores Park Hotel is the top business traveler’s hotel located in Lima. The Park Hotel is the height of style with spacious rooms,huge bathrooms, and a chic restaurant and bar.There's also a small pool and a gym/sauna on the top floor.

Second Home Peru in Lima takes Bed and Breakfast’s to whole new level. This small inn occupies the home of one of Peru's best-known artists, Victor Delfín. The rooms are elegant and airy, and the entire house is a small museum of Delfín's work.

 

Room in Second Home Peru

*Deep Breath ...

Met with the Stake President last night. We went over my letter, he interviewed me, and the he met with both Colby and I. Perfect isn't the word to describe how last night went. The whole thing turned out amazing.
As we walked out hand in hand, we got half way to the car and Colby stopped. He pulled me in for a hug and he held me as I cried. The relief I've been waiting for finally came. I'm so grateful for this whole experience, I really am. But I'm so glad it's all out of my hands.
President Jensen informed me that the whole packet should be in the mail today.
Cross your fingers and keep us in your prayers! Hopefully in 30 days, we'll have our ok!

Arrington on Leadership

I'm not even sure what is going on in DC (with this feud between LaVar Arrington and Clinton Portis), but you've GOT to check out this audio of the former linebacker leading an impassioned plea about player responsibility and what really matters in the game;

http://cstvpodcast.cstv.com.edgesuite.net/lavar/020810_lavaranddukes_seg13.mp3


HT Dan Steinberg

Peru: How to Get Around

Inside the cities, there is usually no problem getting around on city taxis or buses. Buses cost between 0.70 and 1.50 Soles (US$ 0.20 - 0.40), taxis between 7 and 8 soles (US$ 2.00 - 2.40) in Lima, normally less in other cities. "Taxi" does not necessarily mean a car; the term also refers to bicycles, motor rickshaws, and motor bikes for hire.

Several Peruvians get around the country by bus. However, wherever possible, visitors tend to use one of the country's trains - an experience in itself - despite being considerably slower than the equivalent bus journey. With the distances in Peru being so vast, many Peruvians and travelers are increasingly flying to their destinations, as all Peruvian cities are within a two-hour flight from Lima.

By Train: Even when going by train, it's best to buy the ticket in advance. Buy 1st class or buffet class (still higher), or you risk getting completely covered by luggage. People will put their luggage under your seat, in front of your feet, beside you and everywhere where some little place is left.

By Boat: There are no coastal boat services in Peru. However in many areas - Lake Titicaca and jungle regions - water is the obvious means of getting around. There are plenty of small boats that will take visitors to the various islands throughout the lake. In jungle areas, most of boat transportation is a motorized-canoe. These aren't expensive and the price can usually be negotiated down at the port.

By Bus: Buses start from fixed points, either the central bus terminal or appropriate bus stop terminal. It's a good idea to buy your ticket one day before so that you can be relatively sure of finding a seat. If you come directly before the bus leaves, you risk finding that there are no more seats available. In most bus terminals you need to pay a separate departure tax of 1 or 1.5 soles.

By Plane: Some places in the jungle can only be visited via plane; Tickets can be bought from travel agents or airline offices in all major towns. The most popular routes, Lima-Cusco cost about $60 and usually need to be booked at least a few days in advance (more during the run-up to and including major fiestas). Other less busy routes tend to be less expensive.

Notes On The Recruiting Process

care of Dave Peloquin (Notre Dame Recruiting Assistant)

THE PROSPECT

A) Academics are important and can really help in the long run – Don’t wait until Senior year.
Identify schools you are most interested in

• Narrow down to manageable number
• Research each school
• List pro/cons of each with and without football

B) Should approach decision like any other student; sit with parent and decide where YOU want to go.
C) Summer camps

• 2 way street for colleges and prospects
• Different level coaches are in attendance

D) Combines

• Make sure you are prepared to perform

E) Tape

• Highlights are good for skill players. Linemen tape is better

ACADEMICS
A) Develop a protocol with the counseling office to monitor grades.
B) Understand the difference between NCAA eligibility and University admission requirements
C) NCAA requires 16 core courses.
D) Encourage all student athletes to take ACT/SAT in fall of Junior Year

• Encourage taking some sort of class in preparation of the test
• Take as many times as needed.
• There are ways around the cost of the test.

RECRUITING PERIOD

A) Understand when it’s a contact period and when its an evaluation period.
B) Spring recruiting – Colleges are allowed to visit your school twice during a 4 week period from the last 2 weeks in April through the end of May
C) During this time, coaches can view video, watch practice, and gather information. Coaches may not talk with prospects at this time.

RECRUITING IN GENERAL

A) Encourage your players to attend college, there is a level for everyone
B) Internet services have no rules – don’t allow them to dictate or interfere in the process
C) Understand NCAA rules

• If you think there is a small chance that it is illegal, it probably is

D) Coaches and prospects need to take control of the process

• Set ground rules

E) If possible establish an assistant coach as the liaison for all general recruiting issues

• Let schools know when the best time to contact you and your staff
• Establish a protocol for video tape requests / transcripts / phone calls
• Understand who on your team wants to be recruited and what level do they think they are

F) Be proactive not reactive with recruiting;

• In the long run it will help your program
• Athletes will want to play in your program

G) Establish relationships with college coaches at all levels

• You never know (coaches move, their prospect database moves with them)

H) Meet with your prospects and their families to go over the recruiting process.

*Art Project

Colby and I have been challenged to start and get in the habit of family night. Yippee. I'm a procrastinator. Major. Colby however, is not. Last night I want over for a visit after work and he was all ready for our first Family Home Evening.
We've been joking about making a paper chain counting down the days until the wedding for sometime but of course with everything else that has been going on, it never got done. So our first Family night was spent doing just that. Each link representing a week day was Blue and the weekend (Saturday and Sunday count as one link to make it shorter) was Red. You didn't see that one coming did you. Ha! Wedding colors galore. I wrote the Date on each piece of paper and how many days were remaining while Colby constructed the lovely piece of work. I'm not going to lie, I was slightly dessappointed with it's length but hey, we've already been engaged for just over 7 months, what is 74 more days?
Maybe next week we can Bedazzle what is left of our art project?

Temple... Uncheck.

I called the Bountiful Temple today to see how many weddings they had scheduled for April 24th. 17. I told them I understood that I couldn't make an appt until I had my letter of confirmation from The First Presidency. NOPE! is what I was told. I wasn't expecting sympathy or for someone to break the rules for me but I also wasn't ready for what I got. That phone call was quite depressing. I've pretty much set in stone decided I don't want to get married in the Ogden Temple for a few reasons but the most important is that I'm marrying Colby Carter this time and I want all of it to be different.
My big brother Taft got married in the Jordan River Temple and it was gorgeous! Oh I loved it! I gave them a call just for kicks and got a completely different response. The lady who helped me was incredibly nice and so helpful. She made sure all my questions were answered and even wished me good luck with my letter.
A few minutes after I hung up I recieved a phone call from the Bountiful Temple. Apparently they have caller ID. They saw that I had called earlier and wasn't sure that all my questions had been answered. Weird. This lady was so sweet and even gave me a few words of encouragement with my letter. I was told that if I was willing to be flexible, they would have a time and a room available no matter what. awesome. However, I imagine the room they will have open at 7:00 am will only hold #25 people. We'll be keeping our options open.
Normally I wouldn't be stressing about booking the Temple but my sweet sister Abby (who thankfully hasn't let me throw in the towel on planning with all the stress) has been watching out for me. Along with all the fun emails and ideas she has sent my way, she also discovered that Saturday April 24, 2010 is the first weekend after Weber State gets out of school. AHHH!
I'm trying to stay calm. Worst case scenario, we all drive somewhere totally crazy with a temple and do it there. For now
I'm just glad that time is flying.
Have I mentioned lately that I can't wait to marry Colby Carter and have OUR wedding? I just wished it was all planned and there was nothing holding us back. I guess we can't have everything we want though right? I'll take what I can get!

*Red?

I drive a Honda Civic. I've blogged about Bandit before. We're super close. We share an intense Bond and she takes me where ever I need to go. There is only one thing I don't like about her .. Josh and I purchased her together. This didn't used to bother me but .. now it does. The memories there are incredibly overwhelming sometimes. Usually I can deal with it. On Fridays when I'm driving home from a very long week of work on my feet, I'm stuck in traffic, and I'm totally exhausted, it bothers me. I can't erase my past and I can't take it back. I'm fine with having a past but I feel the need to do the things that help me move on. Today buying a new car is one of those things. I've kind of decided what I want and Colby and I have set a price range and we have promised to stick to it. I'm excited for something different and I'm anxious to embark on a new adventure with Colby Carter. It feels so good to make new memories. I'm loving every second.

SBXLIV - Final Drives

Serving up some drive-thru Daquiri Who Dat,

New Orleans finally gets it DONE!

As expected, the Super Bowl featured a matchup of two teams that were about as evenly-matched as you could hope for. The Indianapolis Colts played a fine game and took advantage of the many weaknesses of the Saints defense.

I was actually pretty surprised to see Gregg Williams live in a 3-man front for the majority of the game, replacing some of their better defenders (Ayodele and McCray) in favor of Jeff Charleston (leaving me screaming WTF with seeing Mitchell and Young in the game). Obviously, Williams was going to treat 11 personnel as a dime matchup, instead of nickel, counting Dallas Clark as a receiver. Point being, it was remarkable to see a defense come out in the biggest game of the season in a look they rarely relied upon all year.

With that, it would appear that Williams (B.Ryan protege) took a page out of Rex Ryan's NY Jets game plan from last week, and threw some double-eagle ("46") Cover 1 on the Colts. Again, rather uncharacteristic of what they've done all season.

Saints

SBXLIVNOFINAL @ Yahoo! Video

Colts

SBXLIVFINAL @ Yahoo! Video

...and of course, the Balls Deluxe call of the evening (onside and ensuing drive);

ghug @ Yahoo! Video

I did some experimenting of my own for this game, relying on a steady dose of Guinness and Strongbow (known as a 'Black Velvet' or 'Velvetene') to create an amazingly smooth taste ala a Black and Tan.

* for some perspective here (impact on the state), up here in "East Texas, Louisiana" (Shreveport-Bossier), at about 9:00 pm CST, AT&T cell towers were overloaded and remained crippled until 5 am this morning.

Mango Mango on Bourbon St. last night (after Porter INT)

The Porter pick

Porter @ Yahoo! Video

The deflating stalled goalline drive for the Colts

FinalDrive @ Yahoo! Video

Peru: Language Barriers

The people of Peru speak three different languages: Spanish, Quechua (both of these are considered official languages) and Aymara, which although it is spoken widely in Peru, is not considered an official language yet.

Spanish is spoken in practically every city and town in the country, while Quechua is mainly spoken in a few places of the Andes.In the highland plains, called Altiplano, Aymara is also spoken.

A few important phrases to get you started!
Yes - Sí
No - No
Hello - Hola
Goodbye - Adiós
Please - Por favor
Thank you - Gracias
My name is ... - Me llamo ...
How are you?(informal) - ¿Qué tal estás?
I'm very well - Estoy muy bien
I feel ill - Me encuentro mal
How much does it cost? - ¿Cuánto es?
Do you speak English? - ¿Hablas inglés?
I don't understand - No entiendo

Peru: Food!

Peru is famous throughout South America for its food. As a major fishing nation, fish is abundant, and prepared with imagination.

The primary ingredients found in nearly every Peruvian dish are rice, potatoes, chicken, pork, lamb, and fish. Most of these meals include one of the different kinds of "aji", or Peruvian hot pepper, which mainly are: yellow aji pepper, red aji pepper, red rocoto pepper.
Chicken, pork and lamb were introduced to Peru 500 years ago, when Spaniards came to America. Other ingredients, like potatoes, were already being grow in the Peruvian Andes and were taken by the Spaniards back to Europe.

Today more than 200 varieties of potato can be found in the Lake Titicaca area. They range in color from purple to blue, from yellow to brown. Sizes and textures vary as well. Some are smalls as nuts; others can be as large as oranges.  They may soon be grown in space to feed astronauts!

Following are some of the dishes and foods that can be found in Peru:
Pescado y Mariscos (Fish and Seafood) – Anything with fish is a great bet. Ceviche is the most famous. Peruvians "cook" fine white cod in lemon juice, serve it chunky with onions and spices. In the mountains, you can find "trucha," the local fresh Andean trout, generally farm raised; Comida Criolla – This is the term for the traditional Peruvian dishes. Aji de gallina (spicy chicken stew), lomo saltado (stir-fry beef), chupe (fish stew) anticuchos (marinated beef heart). Vegetables play a major role in these dishes.

Aji de gallina

Chifa – This is the term for Chinese restaurants in Peru. From very elegant to simple, all seem to serve excellent food in and around Lima. Peruvians love to celebrate events at the Chifas;

Inca Kola – The color of this soft drink is bright yellow and it smells like bubble gum;

Adobo de cerdo: Pork sauce, served with white rice;

Arroz con Pollo: Boiled chicken seasoned with a green sauce. Served with rice (rice usually cooked with albahaca);

Anticuchos: marinated grilled beef heart;

Carapulca: It is made from dried and diced potatoes with pork, steak and rice;

CauCau: Consists of tripe and diced potatoes;

Ceviche: Fish or mixed shrimp with lemon. The seafood is cut into small pieces and then mixed with lemon juice and left to sit for 1hr. Next, it is mixed with onions, celery, cilantro, salt and black pepper. The dish is served cold.