FALL = FOOTBALL

I know it is not Fall quite yet, but still we love this time of year! It starts cooling down, the leaves start changing making the mountains amazing and of course, BYU FOOTBALL!!!

We headed down to Lavell Edwards Stadium on Saturday, along with 65,000 other BYU Fans for their season opener vs. Northern Iowa. You might be asking yourself, who is Northern Iowa . . .I had to ask myself the same question!! :)

Brendan, his brother Chris and myself were overly excited to head down south to "COUGAR-TOWN!!"

The game was fun and exciting. We had plenty of opportunities to stand and sing the BYU Fight Song as BYU cruised past the Northern Iowa Panthers 40 to 17!!

**A note from Brendan: While Northern Iowa is technically not a "real" team, we look forward to stomping better opponents soon!

DANCE FEVER

Recently, I contracted the fever, Dancer Fever. No, I’m not the one dancing, but it has been on my mind. Maybe it’s because I joined Nikki in watching ‘So You Think You Can Dance’ this season. Maybe it’s because I was asked to be a returning judge for the Jazz Dancer Auditions.

Who's to say how I got it, but allow me to share some of my favorite dancing:

Berries & Crème:
Very odd, very quirky, but it makes me laugh every time.


the commercial:



Hooked on a Feeling:
Impossible tobogganing, the gift of flight, the ability to create three-dimensional boxes from thin air… is there anything the Hoff cannot do? Throw in some Dachshunds and Angels in, say, the Amazon Rainforest, and you’ve got something special. Truly, truly Hoffrageous.



Aicha:
Gellie Man, you genius! Never mind the fact that your video failed to impress your prospective online girlfriend. Never mind the fact that she disrespected you by sending it to the entire world. Even if you can’t spell, “Aisha”, you’re still a creative mastermind in my book. Your teenage angst and cinematic use of Minnie Mouse bed sheets is unprecedented.

“She moves how???” That’s right, Gellie Man, like a briz… like a briz.

I anxiously await your next masterpiece.



Finnish Delight:
Forget Napoleon Dynamite, it’s obvious the Finns created the most entertaining dance sequence ever two decades earlier. BEST. MUSIC. VIDEO. EVER!

Summer Concerts

If any of you have spent a Summer night at Usana Amphitheater listening to great music and enjoying a wonderful Utah Evening, well then you will appreciate this post.

A few months ago, my friend Nikki (yes she has the same name and spells it the same too!!) and I were talking about going to a concert out at Usana. We looked up the schedule and saw that John Mayer was coming and Colbie Callet was opening for him. We both agreed that this would be a wonderful concert to go on a double date too. So we purchased tickets. Needless to say, both of our husbands had the same reaction . . .basically very unhappy about being dragged to a John Mayer concert.

The night finally arrived. Let's just say, Brendan had more fun people watching and making fun of things than actually listening to the music.

I on the other hand, really enjoyed it. Colbie and John Mayer were awesome. They both sounded exactly like the CDs, which says something about their level of talent.

Here are a few pictures from the event!!

If any of you ever get a chance to attend a concert out at Usana, you should totally do it!!

Here is: Clint, Nikki, Me & Brendan.

VIDS FROM THE BFR

Nikki and I recently bought a video camera, and I couldn't pass up the opportunity to try it out at the 2008 Burke Family Reunion last month in Jackson Hole. Those of you not at the reunion may find these videos a bit boring. But, some members of my family are... how should I put it, “digitally challenged.” Posting them online seemed like a good way of sharing them.

More “exciting” reunion videos can be found at: http://www.youtube.com/user/DoubleBBurke

THE GROOVY GIRLS PERFORM (THE SONG OF A MILLION INSIDE JOKES):


JULI & BRYNN SING (AND DODGE SMALL CHILDREN):


NO MOOSE:

LET'S GET GEEKY

For the record, I have never read a comic book (sorry, “graphic novel”), yet I find myself an avid fan of the Superhero Movie. Some would say that’s geeky. And I would say, “shut up.”

For you Superhero Movie novices or naysayers, I give you my travel guide to Superhero Movies:

MUST-SEE SUPERHERO MOVIES:

1. Batman Begins: Simply put, the best Superhero Movie ever made

2. Dark Knight (July 18, 2008): Let’s hope this is an ‘Empire Strikes Back’ and not another ‘Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom’. (Wow, that was a geeky statement.)

3. Spiderman: Toby McGuire as Spiderman, are you serious? Serious like a fox, and it works.

4. Iron Man: Who would have thought Robert Downey Jr. could play a decent superhero, and yet, here we are.

5. X-Men: It’s strange to think that Wolverine spends most of his time doing musical theatre.

6. Spiderman 2: The awesomeness continues, despite more Kirsten Dunst

7. The Incredibles: Odd that Pixar created a better 'Fantastic Four' than Marvel could

8. X2: X-Men United: What’s with the creepy guy in the wheelchair?

9. Superman Return: As Nikki says, “he’s perfect.” Silly Nikki, don’t you know that Batman is more perfecter?

10. The Incredible Hulk: A HUGE improvement from the previous incarnation. Plus, it opens in Brazil, which was total déjà vu for me, except, of course, the becoming a giant, green monster part.


SUPERHERO MOVIES TO AVOID LIKE THE PLAGUE:

1. Hulk (2003): To quote Michael Scott, “Can I just say that, of all the bad movies, in all the bad movie villages, in all the bad movie worlds, you stand alone, my friend.”

2. Daredevil: Two words, Ben Affleck

3. Batman & Robin: Things George Clooney shouldn’t do: spout off unfounded political views and participate in Batman movies

4. Superman IV: A chubby Superman fights a Fabio-esque villain named Nuclear Man – sounds awesome, right? Not so much.

5. Catwoman: A hot Halle Berry in a black, leather suit couldn’t save this train wreck

6. Fantastic Four: An even a hotter Jessica Alba in Spandex couldn’t save this train wreck

FOR A GOOD LAUGH:

1. Superman II: The funniest movie that never meant to be

2. Batman (1966): Featuring the handiest tool in Batman’s arsenal: the Bat Shark Repellent Spray.

3. Steel: And I thought 'Kazaam' was tops

A Little De-motivation

Who doesn’t love a good de-motivational poster? I’m sure Nikki won’t approve, but I’d like to share 10 of my favorites with you.

Enjoy:

Can you say Karate Kid??

This weekend I had the opportunity of taking my nephew, Liam, to his Kyu Test. For those of you that don't know the lingo of Karate, this is a test for Karate Students to go through the basics of their level and then do their individual "Kata." Basically a series of Karate moves. They do this in front of their instructor and then the Instructor decides how well they did and if they should move up a belt or not.

You might be asking yourself, why didn't his parents take him? Well, they were busy gallivanting all over Europe. But every other year they have been there 100% supportive.

Well can I just say my nephew did AWESOME!! I seriously felt like I was sitting in Mr. Miyagi's Dojo and watching Daniel-son. Maybe it is because he takes after his Dad, who is a second-degree Black Belt!!
Liam did so fantastic, that instead of getting moved up one belt Purple to Blue, his instructor moved him up 2 belts, from Purple to Green & White. I was just beaming in the audience!!