It has been said that you should do something that scares you half to death everyday

This was mine yesterday:

These are pictures from our first annual Fitzgibbons Family Boat Trip on Lake Mead. I attempted to water ski for the second time in my life, and although I did much better than 12 years ago, I still have yet to feel like I have mastered this sport. It is hard! Jill did a smashing job despite her fears, and of course Ryan showed us all how it's done.

After conquering this feat, we all discovered how fun it can be to be pulled at 40 mph while laying on an inner tube. Hopefully you can sort of tell from the pictures that we all had a great time!

We are hangover today, however, from sore muscles and sunburns (yes Mom, we did reapply-a lot).

Stupified...

is how I feel right now...note the time. 3:40 am. I would not stay up this late for any reason other than to go to the midnight showing of...

Thanks, Anne for letting me steal your picture. Anyway, I won't give my thoughts because I don't want to ruin anything for any of you out there who will actually get some sleep tonight and see it tomorrow like a normal person. But as soon as you're ready I would love to discuss!

Good night!

The Best Two Years

It's official: Ryan turned in his badge last week. He is no longer an employee of America West/US Airways.

"Why?" you may ask. We can't begin to give an explanation that won't lead to the response of "you're crazy" so we will just simply say that we knew it was time. Ha-you can't argue with that.


Our very last free flight was coming home from Disneyland, of course. Despite our grand knowledge of this place, we still found plenty of new thrills-standing in line for 3 hours for the re-opened Submarine ride for instance. This year's Disney theme is the Year of a Million Dreams. We were privileged enough to take part of this by getting prime seating for the Fantasmic show-something we had never watched before. And it was great to have my mom with us to show her how to do Disney Fitz style. It was the perfect trip to end our own Year of a Million Dreams, and I do believe there were a few tears shed as we jumped ahead to the employee security line, ordered our First Class peanuts, and deplaned for the last time as important travelers.


These last two years have been spontaneous and unexpected and we have loved every minute of our traveling experiences-okay maybe not. Did we love getting stranded in Rome or praying that we would make the flight to Recife and then jumping through the door as the flight attendant closed it on us? Okay, yes we did. The highlight of our trips was probably our trip to Brasil to visit Ry's mission and spending a few days on the Amazon. I still like to lord over him the fact that his wife could catch 2 piranhas, and he- despite the fish jumping out of the water into the boat -could catch none.

Don't worry though-our adventures are not over. I'm sure that we will still have plenty of travels to add to our Christmas letter (that I'm stepping all over by keeping this blog). We will just have to pay for them instead.


We actually got a taste of that last night when we bought a plane ticket for me to go to Utah...on Southwest!

Gulp. I guess Ry and I are back to sponsoring the official airline of our family.

Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince

Well, after eagerly finishing this 6th book in anticipation of the last I have come to a few conclusions:

1. I still believe Snape is good despite all of the evidence against him. I also believe that he was following Dumbledore's orders to kill him.

2. I believe that the possible Horcrux's are:

1. The Diary- destroyed by Harry


2. The Ring-destroyed by Dumbledore


3. Hufflepuff's cup- see page 436


4. Syltherins' locket- see page 437- almost recovered by Harry and Dumbledore. RAB I believe to be Regulus Black-Sirius brother who was killed by Voldemort after refusing to return to his service.


5. Nagini-Voldemort's snake made into a Horcrux when he killed the Muggle caretaker-see page 506


6. Something of Ravenclaw's or Gryffindor's: I believe the goblin made tiara Mrs. Weasley is willing to let Fleur use for the wedding-see page 623. Or I believe it to be one of Sirius' possessions that Mundungus has stolen-see pages 345-6.


7. Voldemort himself of course

3. Kreacher has left Hogwarts and gone to Bellatrix to divulge the Order's secrets. Harry made a similar mistake as Sirius when he said, "Get out of it"-see page 453

4. Dumbledore is dead of his own accord-but he will still communicate with Harry somehow in the 7th book

5. Despite his friends all being there to help him (pg. 651) he will face Voldemort completely alone, and that more significant parental figures of Harry's will need to die (like Lupin?)

So there you go-feel free to disagree with me and we'll all see what happens in a few weeks!

Oh Say Can You See...

By the dawn's early light,
What so proudly we hail'd at the twilight's last gleaming?
Whose broad stripes and bright stars, thro' the perilous fight,
O'er the ramparts we watch'd, were so gallantly streaming?

And the rockets' red glare, the bombs bursting in air,

Gave proof thro' the night that our flag was still there. O say, does that star-spangled banner yet wave

O'er the land of the free and the home of the brave?

Happy 4th of July!

On Compliments

Ryan: "So I've been noticing all day that your dress really emphasizes your butt. It's probably supposed to be slimming, but something about the pattern makes it stand out. It's nice."

Oh, my sweet husband who was trying to give me a compliment. He, who actually likes my protruding buttocks, thought that this would make me feel great in my new ensemble. But me, who had worn it with pride all through church, dinner with old high school friends, and an evening with family, could only laugh hysterically at the thought of my "butt dress." Bless a good sense of humor. At least he didn't throw this new dress in the trash at the mall...no, I am not joking.

Book Club

Gifted Hands by Dr. Ben Carson

This is a great biography about a man that grew up in the projects of Detroit, but raised by a mother that pushed him to achieve greatness. He became the top neurosurgeon at Johns Hopkins hospital and did many break through surgeries including separating Siamese twins.

It is great because it is:

• an easy read- finished in about 3.5 hours
• a great history
• spiritual
• medically interesting
• it leaves you wanting to be a better person
• faith promoting big time

I borrowed a copy to read for my book club, but I think I'm going to buy it because it was so good and I'm sure I'll read it several more times. I wish I had the book to give you a sneak peak, but I guess you'll have to find it for yourself.

However, there is a WARNING: It will make you cry.