Millarapalooza

Just realized I never blogged about the EPIC Millarapalooza this summer!

It all started nearly 4 years ago during the 2008 summer olympics when my family began joking about putting on our own Family Olympics. Except it wasn't really a joke. Because we really did it. It was like our own mini family reunion.

Just so you can get the full effect . . .

We had official judges sheets with my parents judging and keeping score. We made metals and had a podium where we had a special ceremony after each event. The day's events included your own country's flag making, costume contest, floor routine, shot-put, synchronized swimming, diving and ... did I forget anything?

It was quite the day to say the least. Our stomachs all hurt from laughing so hard all day long but more than that we were all dead tired from putting our heart and soul into every event---we are all a little competitive to say the least.

So this summer we were all going to be together again--but it wasn't 2012 so we couldn't have the next Millar Family Olympics yet. So what did my crazy creative brother come up with? Millarapalooza--a weekend full of fishing, games, eating and other fun activities. Pete and I were with his family in Midway for the first part of the weekend so we missed some of the fun but when we got to my parents' house Sunday night we laid down to go to bed on the floor in the basement, my brother (the self-appointed leader of Millarapalooza) came down to bounce ideas off us for the next day's events. He suggested doing some type of timed obstacle course.

Together Pete, my brother (Drew) and I concocted quite the plan. The obstacle course consisted of riding my mom's pink cruiser bike down the path on the side of the house to the swing set where you then had to climb up to the top level and slide down the slide, put on an oversized wet t-shirt, eat a cookie, drink 4 oz of water from a baby's bottle, plant an American flag in the garden, make a soccer goal, catch a football, hit a water balloon with a tennis racquet, take off the over sized shirt, slip-n-slide down the rest of the yard and find a string of beads in a 5 gallon bucket of mud. During all of this you are being timed, the sprinklers are on and everyone has 1 or 2 water balloons to throw at you. If you got hit, 10 seconds was added to your overall time. Whoever completed the course in the fasted time won.

Ash competing

Every one of my siblings competed their hearts out. My dad had a sound system set up in the back yard where he announced and gave a play-by-play during each contestant's turn. It was just too funny!

I am sure from an outsider's perspective it looked crazy and ridiculous, but we had a blast! And oh, did I mention Pete and I won? First and second place, respectively. Yeah! Millarapalooza champs, baby!

Best. Weekend. Ever.

Pete and I had such a fun weekend relaxing together and listening to the uplifting words of General Conference. We talked last night about what a fun weekend it was and yet it really wasn't like we did anything super special. But I concluded that it felt so fun because we had spent our time soaking up good, wholesome and uplifting words and music instead of wasting our time on other things.

I feel such a renewed sense of purpose and a great desire to try harder at being a better person.

Despite all that is going on in this crazy world, the messages taught in General Conference bring me hope for the future and happiness in my everyday life. I have so much to be happy about and so much to be thankful for!