Winter Olympics 2014

 

Passion, devotion, and the motivation to push, push your body to the limits. To push, to endure, to  win: win and triumph!

The country’s weight upon your shoulders. The screams and chants of “USA, USA!” begins to fade into the icy cool  background as you line up.

Staring down the competition, you ready yourself for the adventure of a life time. This is the games, the Olympic games.

The Winter Olympic games took place this year of 2014 in Sochi, Russia.  As Utahns, we were lucky enough to have our own athletes participate in these games:

Ted Ligety, Alpine Skiing, Park City--6th

Steve Holcomb, Bobsled, Park City---Bronze

Joss Christensen, Freeskiing, Park City---Gold

Noelle Pikus-Pace, Skeleton, Orem---Silver

Lindsey Van, Ski Jumping, Park City--15th

Sarah Hendrickson, Ski Jumping, Park City--Gold

Jessica Jerome, Ski Jumping, Park City--12th

These athletes made all the more difference in helping with the games. Many triumphed, yet all  felt blessed, being honored to have represented  our country and to have participated in such a competition.

The nation supported them the whole way.  Emma Black, a junior here at Juab, said “I really liked the figure skating, and the couples skating. I thought it was cool, yeah, that's definitely something I’ll remember!”

When asking Brayden Elsmore his favorite part of the Sochi Games he responded “The half pipe was pretty cool,  because they do really awesome tricks.”

Yet there's more to these games than meets the eye, as when interviewing senior Jaimee Beard she said “I really loved watching behind the scenes of everything, and watching all the interviews, seeing what they had to do!”

Gold medalist Joss Christensen said on CNN how much he was thankful to the U.S ski team, thanking them and realizing  that their support was what made all the more difference.  Watching the rest of the interview, he said it was crazy how many people believed in him. Humble and submissive, our very own Park City Utahn placed overall.

According to source USSA, gold medalist Sarah Hendrickson, a ski jumper, said that every day and every time she was in the gym she envisioned what it would be like when she was back on the hills. She also told all viewers that she couldn't have done any of this without her coaches and supporters! Her training began from her very own hometown, Park City, Ut.

The joy and excitement of silver medalist Noelle Pikus was exciting to watch.  Bursting with energy, I watched her when they announced the winners, and she jumped the chairs to her family screaming “We did it!”

She had her loving family and husband at her side the whole time.  In a quote to NBC, Pikus said  “I came, I saw, I conquered, it wasn't just me crossing that finish line, it was we, WE did it!”

We also had these Utahns who represented team U.S.A in the Paralympic Games:

2014 U.S. Paralympic Team (unofficial team list)

Keith Gabel, Adaptive Snowboard X, Ogden

Nicole Roundy, Adaptive Snowboard X, Bountiful

Stephani Victor, Adaptive Alpine Skiing, Park City

Tyler Burdick, Adaptive Snowboard X, Salt Lake City

Danelle Umstead, Adaptive Alpine Skiing, Park City

Greg Shaw, Sled Hockey, Salt Lake City

Erik Bayindirli, Adaptive Alpine Skiing, Park City

Nicole Roundy, Adaptive Snowboard X, Park City

Cristina Albert, Adaptive Snowboard X, Holladay

Tyler Burdick, Adaptive Snowboard X, Salt Lake City

Megan Harmon, Adaptive Snowboard X, Heber City

Overall as a country, our athletes made us proud bringing home twenty-eight medals from the Sochi Games. Their dedication and devotion left an impression on all our hearts and spirits in a way we will never forget!

Picture source

http://www.nbcolympics.com/

Gaydean's Opening

The sweet smell of freshly baked goods begins to overwhelm all your senses. Looking on, you can see the soft warm glow of freshly raised bread with its golden brown tint of perfection.

Suddenly your attention is drawn to the  warm, vibrant pink sugar cookies that some how magically draw your money from your pockets, along with the other baked goods...

Who’s hungry now?!

Well, go fill your cravings at Gaydeans Sweet Art! It is this cute little sandwich and bakery shop. Not to mention they spotlight their BYU ice cream that should be in everyone's day to day meals. (Besides the fact that it's from BYU,  it is amazing!)

It was recently opened on January 29, 2014 by Gaydean Okelberry, with her supporting husband at her side through the constant journey to bring this little joy to Mona. When speaking with Gaydean herself, I asked what made her want to get up and start this business.

Okelberry responded saying, “Well, we've lived here for about ten years, and we just watched this lot waiting for someone to do something with this property, and no one did. So I left being a graphic designer, I had done it for thirty years and we decided to open this up.”

You could feel the excitement in her words. Being a graphic designer with years of practice behind her, this project came with stunning results.   

I continued on to ask her how business was going and she said “The locals have been really supportive, they come get something to eat and are able to sit down and relax!” And relax they do, the shop is so cute and cozy that anyone could just sit in pure relaxation, taking a minute out of their busy lives to sit down and unwind.

The hot item that most customers get for their lunch is the Turkey Sandwich.  Sophomore Austin Hansen said it is “super good with the cranberry sauce.”  When polling the Sandwich bakery shop many also delighted in the chicken salad sandwich!

The best part in my opinion is the “freshly baked sandwich buns”.  They get up every morning to  bake their bread for the best experience and overwhelming sensation that bursts with flavor!

If we turn into the bakery side of the shop, you’ll find it’s a fight to the sugar cookies, but just not any sugar cookie, the pink sugar cookie. Most customers have their money out and laid down before they conscience has time to tell them NO!

Everyone adores the pink sugar cookies, and many customers will come out of their way just to get a few bites of joy! Many will purchase a drink alongside it. Many adore the fountain drinks with crushed ice.

Not to mention there is now breakfast meals for those early risers.   Gaydeans Sweet Art recently started to open its doors at 7am with a delightful breakfast that everyone should indulge, featuring a biscuit, but not just any biscuit.  Once you bite down into its warm moist center, your mouth is filled with fluffy eggs and bacon.

Go fill your cravings at Gaydean Sweet Art today! Located on 15 South Main (Mona, Ut.) Also like them on facebook!

The Art of Not Being a Spring Cleaner

After being cooped up in the house for four months, things tend to get a little dusty around the homestead. As the temperature begins to rise, so do blood pressure levels. Parents get this ridiculous thought in their head that the end of March is the perfect time to clean out every single room of the house, get all of the dead animals out of the garage, and weed the yard until there is only one blade of grass left

As teenagers, we do not see eye to eye with them at all. The only things we are interested in are going outside to practice up on our ball skills, getting that pre-summer tan, or enjoying the nice weather with our friends.

Getting caught in the spring cleaning trap that our parents set can mean social suicide for the rest of the summer.

But, how do we avoid the snare without getting grounded? These are some tips from students about how they get out

1-The first tip for sneaking out of cleaning responsibilities is to say you have homework. As soon as you get home, before your parents can ask how your day was, make a loud statement about the mountain of homework that has to be done by tomorrow, and then go into hiding

Then kindly tell your parents you won’t be able to help them trim the bushes today. “I will say I have homework and just get on the computer or take a nap. It works every time!” said the well rested sophomore, Lydia Bailey.

2- The second way to get out of cleanup assignments is to play spring sports. Softball, baseball, track, soccer, and girls golf are the sports offered at Juab that are perfect for this type of plan. Practice for these sports lasts from 3:00 to 5-5:30 pm every school day

So, you are out in the sun at the hottest time of the day getting tan, and by the time you get home, eat a snack, finish your math homework, pet the dog, and take a shower, it is too late for your parents to make you do chores. 

Danielle Lynn, a senior softball player said, “I’m always at practice or a game and by the time I am done it is time for dinner. So this leaves no time for dirty housework.”

3- The last tip explains how to get out of cleaning and get away with hanging out with friends. This is not an easy task and your parents can figure out your lie if isn’t a good one

One suggestion is to tell them you have a group assignment and it is top priority, even if it isn’t due until the end of the month. Lydia Bailey also said, “I tell them that I have to do a group project and then I hang out with my friends. We don’t get anything done, but I don’t ever have to do chores.”

These are just a few suggestions of how to slyly get out of the trap our parents have so evilly set for us. Use these excuses or even some of your own and your spring plans of tanning and friends are sure to be in full swing this year!