Mining the Obvious

Forty-Four

2012-01-12T22:24:00.003-07:00

I turned 44 yesterday.

The Iceman (George Gervin) also wore that number on his jersey when he played for the San Antonio Spurs.

This was during the time I really started tuning into basketball... somewhere in the early 80s. I'm mostly tuned out now, but in those days I would play or watch whenever I could. Because there was no ESPN and barely any cable, there wasn't all that much to see. While I would coincidentally catch a game here and there, my daily fix often meant checking the newspaper for the scores. To be a little more accurate, I would glance at the final score and then I would study the stats.

I don't follow the game closely enough to know what changed since then, but during this time you could usually count on most teams in the Western Division (especially the Spurs) scoring a colossal number of points. And when they played Denver with Alex English and Kiki Vandeweghe, the totals went up from there. The Spurs might put up 133 points only to lose by six. The Iceman, Artis Gilmore, Johnny Moore and Mike Mitchell... It was ridiculous... glorious.

I don't remember when I fell in love with the Gervin or the Spurs. Probably at the same moment. Watching him play made me just love the game, the same way Tarkenton did with the Vikings, the way Kellen Winslow did with the Chargers. Win or lose, my teams then are my teams now. I'm stubborn that way.

Wait... Where am I going with this? There's a point, I promise.

Gervin didn't really play defense. He played offense... putting big numbers on the board, all season long. Unsatisfied with my production in the past couple of years, I'm hoping a little of the number 44 magic rubs off on me in 2012. The plan is do to do more, be more, see more... and maybe weigh a little less. Working out, eating better, reading scriptures, taking pictures, calling family, writing notes, being grateful, less sitting, more hiking... it's all there in the game plan. Okay, there isn't really a game plan... just a desire to make a little more out of my forty-fourth season.

I can't promise I'll play any defense... but with Tracy's help, I plan on chucking up a lot of shots.

Freeze Tag

2011-12-31T17:47:00.002-07:00

Just in time for the new year!... Photos from Halloweeen. I may or may not have the will to post some sort of recap for 2011 in the next few hours, but I did want to take a moment to throw these photos in a place that might stick. As late as they are, the moment they represent was something of a highlight... maybe one of the better things I did all year. While that fact or thought may reflect badly on me, I think it will be nice to have it up here, rather than filed away on my computer.

Alfredo (first picture below) invited me to help him shoot photos for his stake Halloween party. A couple of things about the last sentence:

1) Alfredo didn't need my help. I'm pretty sure he had it covered. I think he mostly invited me along to teach me a little more about lighting (he's kind that way) and maybe to share in an experience he knew would be worthwhile (he's also kind that way).

2) His stake is more diverse than most... at least ours anyway. Among the four or five wards, there is at least one Spanish speaking ward and another that is special needs focused.

White it was just a few hours of pointing and shooting, it felt more like a gift.
The cast of characters... The costumes... An utter lack of sarcasm...
Meh... A more talented writer could explain why.

I just have these photos.

What the What?

2011-12-29T02:07:00.001-07:00

This is the sort of thing that happens at our house.

In fact, it happened tonight.

We have no explanation.

There is no explanation.

While I'm not sure we would say were proud.

We are not embarrassed.

Do normal people do this sort of thing?

Probably not.

Do we want it to stop?

Not yet.

Battenkill

2011-12-20T08:00:00.000-07:00

This is an old post that's been stuck in draft limbo for a long time. Rather than just kill it off, I thought I'd cripple it forever with some really surface level thinking. I won't write a novel. I couldn't even write an essay.

Maybe just bullet points?

- The upper Provo
- A bamboo rod that's been in the family for almost 50 years
- Very modest success (lost one on the line, a couple of strikes)
- Some of my favorite people ever
- Freddy looking wider than usual (sorry man... my bad)
- Jordan looking creepy (sorry man... it's you)
- Nate as his usual, hyper-generous, river-guide self
- A camera to fall back on when fishing was slow
- The lightest of rain

Called to Swerve

2011-12-20T00:03:00.000-07:00

I teach Sunday School every few weeks at church. It's also sometimes called Gospel Doctrine. I like the sound of that better. Sunday School? I mean, anyone can teach that, right? But the Gospel stuff... combined with the Doctrine part? You really have to know what you're doing to tackle that sort of thing. Wouldn't you? You would think so. And yet... they have me teach Sunday School every few weeks at church.

The image above is a remedial photo-finger-painting I made on my iPad while Anne (a fellow instructor) was teaching two weeks ago. Thinking she might enjoy the image, I emailed it to her after church. I almost emailed it during church, but thought she might think badly of me for sending her emails from the back row while she taught her lesson. I'm pretty sure she's impressed with my self control.

Invasive Species

2011-12-04T11:30:00.001-07:00

We've been to Pocatello twice in the past couple of months. Once in late October and again at Thanksgiving. I suppose eastern Idaho won't sound all that alluring to most... but for us it is. It's a short drive to a place that feels like having a country house (sorry Ken and Annie)... much in the same way that St. George (sorry Todd and Bill) feels like going to a beach house. Pathetic? Probably, but you have to make the best of things.

Hopefully we haven't quite worn out our welcome yet up there, but we'd have to be close. Inviting oneself somewhere frequently can have that effect. An important note: If you're going to impose on friends or family living in the country, fall is a great time to do it.

A few photos below of what one sees and does... and please don't drop off before the end. I wouldn't want you to miss one of the few fish I've caught in recent memory.

Falling Off

2011-11-12T15:20:00.001-07:00

Apparently I haven't posted since October 15th. Ugh. Not sure what's been holding me back. Guess I just haven't been feeling it lately. I suppose I put pressure on myself to be clever or insightful or something. Not a good idea... those moments are too few and far between to rely on for content.

We've been busy mostly. Fall was beautiful here and it actually lasted more than a week. Or maybe summer just ran long. Either way, it was something to be grateful for. It's only just now getting truly cold and the snow has yet to really fly. Those with season passes get uptight, the rest of us who only dabble in winter sports don't seem to mind.

I don't know that I have a million things to say about the last couple of months, but I do have a fair amount of photos. Everything I post may be way overdue, but still worthwhile I think. Guess I consider this a bit more time capsule than news report.

Lamb's Canyon

2011-10-15T11:52:00.000-06:00

Fall is my favorite season by far.

To be honest, I go a bit mental about seeing the leaves at their peak. Of course, I never actually see them during this time. I see them later... when I remember what month it is... and when they look more like they are diseased than autumnal. Fortunately, I also like this kind of thing too... (photos in a minute). Not sure the family feels the same way about all this as I do, but they graciously, briefly humor me anyway. This time we took a quick trip up to Lamb's Canyon to see what there was to see. See for yourself what we saw. Not pictured: The squirrel that assaulted Eden after she quite logically decided to straddle it's home. Pictured: Eden's semi-terrified reaction. Hailey couldn't make this little adventure so she went up later on her own initiative. Atta girl Hailey... I knew I liked you best.

And Yet...

2011-10-09T15:37:00.000-06:00

Another year of poor gardening comes to a close. The chile peppers didn't go anywhere. The basil was a bust. Even the tomatoes went down in flames. Who can't grow tomatoes? Apparently us.

And yet... Just when we were ready to completely write off the whole endeavor... hope has been ever so slightly restored.

While the strawberries didn't exactly yield a lot of fruit, they didn't die. And because they are perennials, they might have even established a firm footing with next season in mind.

The pumpkins pulled off a comeback in the nick of time. There won't be many of them and they won't win any prizes. They will however, make Tracy happy whenever she goes out to check on them. This is, for me, almost entirely the point.

And perhaps best of all... Blackberries. In an unexpected turn, the vines I hate have produced something I love. Will there be more? Enough to make a truce? Or better yet a pie? Stay tuned...

Ascent

2011-09-25T16:33:00.000-06:00

Tracy and I have taken up hiking!
Okay, not exactly.

We did, however, take the following three steps toward becoming hikers:
1) We bought a map of the hiking trails along the Wasatch Front.
2) We looked at (but didn't buy) hiking shoes at REI.
3) We actually went on a hike. (not our first, but not too far from it)

It's probably also worth noting that if you live in Utah and don't hike, you'll be viewed dimly... not unlike the way you'll be viewed if you say you don't really like dogs... or kids. We don't have anything against hiking... except the incessant climbing part. As it turns out, if you live in a valley, and decide to go somewhere... anywhere you go will be uphill. Drastically so if you live in the valley we do.

We looked at the map and picked out a trail to follow in Big Cottonwood Canyon... the name escapes me. What didn't escape me was the listed distance, difficulty rating and elevation gain. .8 Miles, "Easy" and about 500 feet. This looked promising. We agreed that the key to our hiking success was to start slow and work our way up from there.

Like most, or maybe even all, of our plans... it began to unravel quickly. We couldn't find the trailhead we were looking for, so we took an alternate instead. Lake Blanche, the sign read. One way distance: three miles. Now I'm no good at math, but I was pretty sure 3.0 miles is longer than .80 miles. It was. The sign didn't really say much else. Whatever... We were here. Let's do this!

How did it go? I'll just cover the high points:

Tracy is in better shape than I am... as apparently is everyone else. As toddlers and old folks made the return trip down, she was patient and waited while I frequently pulled over for a breather on the way up. I did do better than she on the downhill portion of the hike... maybe she does need those shoes afterall.
We never quite made it to Lake Blanche... Dinner Plans and low blood sugar cut the hike short. We were probably only about halfway in... later research revealed the hike to be a roughly five hour endeavor. Three hours and a half hours up, and hour and a half back. The internet also revealed the elevation gain... 2500 feet. Yikes. If you're unimpressed, keep in mind that the starting elevation for this hike is over 7000 feet. Don't worry, I'll always provide more reasons to be unimpressed.
Even though we didn't make it all the way up this time around. It was so worthwhile. Time together, doing something difficult and new. It was also a nice reminder of a simple truth. We live in an amazing place with even more amazing places a short drive away.

Rest assured... endless uphill trail to Lake Blanche... We'll be back.

Fly By

2011-09-23T22:02:00.001-06:00

Visitors to the front yard a little while back... Yet another reason to love having a camera with a shoe-mounted flash. I can't find the exact name of the first one... almost the length of your hand. The second one feeding in the flowers (shot after dark) is called a White Lined Sphinx Moth. At first we thought it was a Hummingbird. Dorky? Yes... yes it is. Guest photography by Eden.

Svenhardcore

2011-09-23T21:44:00.000-06:00

If you're going to buy a Svenhard's Danish Variety Pack (30 Count) from Costco... and I suggest you do. You should and (inevitably will) eat them in roughly this order. The Breakfast Claw is pretty much a guaranteed #1. It is nothing short of multi-textural cinnamon sandwich delight. Positions #2 (Cheese Horn) and #3 (Berry Horn) may vary by individual, depending on your level of fondness for faux fruit filling or simulated cream cheese. Actually, both fillings are probably legit... but I still like them just the same. Raisin-ette at the #4 spot may surprise you... I can't say I wasn't taken aback. If you detest raisins (some do), you'll agree to disagree. Unaffiliated others will, I think, find the Cinnamon Claw to be the lesser of the two. Hyphenation aside, the Raisin-ette is at least trying. To be honest, I think the Breakfast Claw might be to blame. When you see what can be done with cinnamon and frosting in the very same variety pack, it's just so hard to forgive.

Two additional notes... I'm not really sure why some of these are called claws and some are called horns. Maybe the shape? Sort off...? I could Google it, but honestly... it would probably take at least three clicks.

Also, as passionate as I am about anything you can buy in a 30-pack from Costco, this was mostly an excuse to mess around with my new studio lights. Thanks Amazon.

Oh Yeah...

2011-08-28T16:29:00.027-06:00

Eden is home. Two weeks now. I know. I know... It reflects poorly on me that I can write a 2000 word post on the weeds in my yard and it takes me this long to acknowledge her return from the other side of the planet. I'd feel bad about this, but I've also failed in a lot of other areas lately too... and so this particular failure doesn't feel all that unique. Sigh... Who am I?

Eden had an amazing time and made us all proud and jealous again. I'm trying to get her to send me some of her many pictures so I can post them here. I'm also almost past the desire to throw sanity to the wind and attempt to adopt one of the girls she worked with there. We teared up more than once see photos of and hearing about the beautiful kids who deserve better lives than they're on track to have.

Among the other things I've failed to do:

I forgot to tell you that Evan's weeklong scout ordeal went just fine. At least he briefly admitted as much as he walked in the house, covered in dirt, rambling about how he needed to get to GameStop ASAP. Apparently he and the other scouts had been comparing notes on a game he simply had to have. His favorite part of the canoe trip in the Tetons? The car rides in between campsites.

I also failed to mention that Evan is now 6' 3" and 150 pounds... 7 inches taller and 50% heavier than he was a year ago. Oh yeah, he also started school again. A sophomore. Yikes.

I omitted a mention Hailey's work trip to Las Vegas. The bridal shop she works at paid for a few of the girls to go to some seminars at the Magic Show. No, not Siegfried and Roy, fashion stuff. She was a little nervous, traveling with a bunch of new people, but I think she had a good time.

Lessons Learned - Eden Rabdau

2011-08-15T11:37:00.002-06:00

I could write more about the vines in our yard or how I can't handle ordering at drive throughs, but I thought you might get a little more out of this: A new post from Eden, again in her own words. You can read the original post along with others here.

Coming into India I had no clue what to expect. I had no clue if I would find that favorite girl that I would do anything for. If we would feel like we made a difference. If I felt like I helped someone at all. In one week I found that favorite girl I would do anything for. We made a difference. I feel like not only did I help one person, but 25.

These girls have the most spectacular souls. Souls filled with pure joy. Souls filled with the desire to give and to love. Souls that I’ve never seen before.

I think sometimes we come into an adventure like this expecting to change these girls lives and to help them so much. Which we do. But in return they do the same. The girls live the most simple life style, one with no excess, even one without the essentials. It’s honestly one of the most humbling experiences I’ve ever had. So many of the girls either have a single mom who cannot afford to keep them at home or no parents at all. 25 girls live in a crammed “house” hardly big enough to hold a family of 4. Ceilings sit two inches above my head and mud floors are beneath me, beds made of wood with a dirty rug over the top is what they call home. No one deserves to live like this, especially these girls.

These girls have taught me a few very important things.

-How to be selfless.

-How to truly love someone for all they are. Flaws and all.

-How to devote your whole heart to service.

-To pay attention to the girls who has just peed herself. Also to not pick her up while playing soccer.

-They’ve taught me to smile and to laugh just because you can.

We were going to say goodbye today but it got postponed until tomorrow so we could celebrate India’s Independence Day with the girls. When Raj told everyone we didn’t have to say goodbye today the girls cheered and hollered. I can’t even begin to imagine what tomorrow will bring. Either way, India and the people of India have changed me yet again.

Eden Rabdau

Melting

2011-08-14T07:48:00.009-06:00

Hailey in the back yard. Photos taken, I believe, by Eden. It's annoying that other people can capture such nice images with my camera. Really dispels the self-perpetuated rumor that I have "special photography powers". Although the fairly adorable subject matter didn't hurt either. I wasn't out there when they were taken, but I'm thinking the idea here was to show her hair before it changed... again... dark this time... girls...

Heartburn

2011-08-13T11:45:00.020-06:00

This is a picture of the bacon we had in our BLTs for Evan's birthday dinner. Mike, Hailey's boyfriend, ate three (we ran out of bacon). This post doesn't have anything to do with bacon.

Evan returns sometime today from a week long scout canoe trip. He and about 15 kids and leaders drove north to the Yellowstone area... Jackson Lake, Island Park, bays, islands... You get the idea.

He didn't really want to go. Actually, it was more complicated than that. He was dead set against going, then he seemed okay about it, then he was very reluctant, later somewhat excited, followed up by denial, anger, bargaining, acceptance and maybe even... enjoyment? It's important to note that we never actually see the enjoyment stage, we're kind of assuming it might happen. But he always waits till we're out of sight to show it. He also tucks it into his pack right before he gets home, depriving us of the parental satisfaction we understandably crave.

He wasn't the only one with mixed emotions about the whole affair. Tracy and I agonized before and after we sent him on his way. It's maybe not what you think: We weren't afraid of the canoeing (life jackets) or bears (he can run faster than at least some kids) or even pervy scout masters (I'd trust these guys with my life). He's just become a little distanced from the scout program and subsequently the people and things that go with it. It's possible that's entirely our fault, but I'd like to hope otherwise. Nevertheless, his attendance on the trip was not a foregone conclusion. A couple of primary reasons: 1) Tracy and I aren't really campers... and so we're reluctant to insist our kids do something for a week we usually won't do for a night. 2) He had been teased by some of the kids on previous trips and was dreading more of the same. We could get past the first reason, the second wasn't so easy.

Not sure about other parents, be we've always received a lot of joy from seeing our kids spend time with other kids in a way that makes them happy and keeps them busy. Not sure why... maybe we take it as a sign that they will eventually, in spite of our parental prowess, adjust okay to others and the outside world. It's like that when we visit family in Pocatello. We pull up, unload the car and they just disappear with their cousins. Riding horses, throwing knives, chasing chickens, texting boys. We see them at meal time but not much more... they seem completely content, completely independent of us. No, it's not just us being lazy parents... I think that's how it's supposed to work. It's never quite clicked that way for Ev with scouting. He has friends, but no close friends. And those closest to being close friends are fickle and and often interested in winning the favor of the older/others.. sometimes at Evan's expense.

We felt good about our reasons to have him go... get him out of the house and into the light, provide more exposure to the splendor of the American west (Tracy's idea...weird, right?), reconnect with scouting and the kids from church, make memories, eat hamburgers and have new stories to tell. And yet we were worried that we were setting him up for a rough week... surrounded by kids his own age, but possibly feeling isolated or worse. Might he overstate the problem, to avoid a lengthy camp out? Maybe. But it still felt a tiny bit like we were throwing him to the lions. Potential exaggeration aside, no parent ever wants a hand in that.

How did it all turn out? We'll find out soon enough. We did get a text from one of the leaders a couple of days ago (Thanks Ben) that said he seemed happy and was doing well. I think it probably, hopefully turned out fine... maybe even great. Will he admit that, knowing it will validate our decision and motivate us to send him back next time? Probably not.

Stay tuned.

Garden Park After Dark

2011-08-11T19:56:00.008-06:00

Locking up the building for a week does have its advantages. Couldn't take too many photos though... my building security companion (Evan), who was strictly in it for the money, didn't have too much patience for being artsy.

Azadi

2011-08-11T19:11:00.012-06:00

Eden is back in India.

She left about a week ago. We just started hearing from her just in the past couple of days... guess that's the type of delay you get traveling some 44 hours straight. If I've got this right: 2 hours to Chicago, 15 hours to Delhi, 11 hours on a train, 6 hours in a bus. Plus delays. Plus layovers.

She's essentially in the foothills of the Himalayas... near a town called Chamba, in an area called Himachal Pradesh. see it here or here. If you go a few hours west, you'll be in Pakistan.... a few hours east, either China or Tibet. She says it's the most beautiful place she's ever been, that we'd love the people, the curry, the mountains and the stars. I can almost see it.

I'm not sure we initially believed she'd ever go the first the first time. We were a little skeptical when she vowed to go back. Now, before she's even been there a week, she's telling us she'll return... next time for months and not just weeks. I have no doubt.

She said we should go as a family, back to northern India. Should we? Could we? It seems completely implausible and impractical. But still... something so far out of the ordinary... the concept feels magnetic.

I'm sure there will be more photos and posts... You can follow the official blog here. But for now, from India... in her own words, Eden. (and a few from Tracy in between)

Namaste.

How are you guys? India life is great. For the most part. A few things that suck hard core are 1. Humidity. I've never hated being sticky more in my LIFE! 2. (name withheld). Her and this girl (name withheld) are being absolutely horrible. They are so exclusive. I'm rooming with them and it absolutely sucks. They are just buddy buddy the whole time, I feel like I'm third wheeling it hard core. I spend as little time with them as possible. Besides them everyone else is awesome. The group works really well together and we are constantly laughing. Have to say I haven't laughed this much/this hard in months. It's been a blast. Today I spent a lot of time with this little girl names Ashu. She is 6 years old and we are pretty sure she has fetal alcohol syndrome and probably some sort of learning disability. She definitely isn't all there. But she is hilarious. She always is just talking to herself and laughing. She has a really deep and raspy voice that is adorable. She was constantly clinging to me today. At one point I was holding her and she kept on trying to lick my face but I got it so whenever she would try she would end up licking my shirt instead. She would just literally climb up my body until she was in my arms. She is a crazy little girl that's for sure. She also doesn't speak Hindi. She speaks Chambian so no one can really communicate with her. There is one translator that sorta understands her. She also has scabies covering her entire body. We are going to try to take her into the doctor while we are here to get some medication for the bites. She only knows one phrase in English, "VHAT IS VOUR NAME?" it is SOOO funny. I'll try to attach the video, either way I'll put a picture of her on here. Video didnt work. but the photo is here.. Today has been a REALLY long and tiring day. I'm ready for bed. This morning we left the NHPC at 6 to go over to this metal basket and ride it across the river. It was more like a really fast scary river. It was a blast. I'm already planning my next trip back here. I want to come back right when I graduate and live in either Kullu or Chamba. But I want to stay for at least 4-5 months next time. These two week trips are great, but not nearly enough time. I gotta head off to bed though, Can hardly keep my eyes open.

Goodnight! Love you guys. MISS YOU!
Eden

Ps. The shopping in Chamba absolutely SUCKS. Nothing. Hopefully there
is something good in New Dehli.

On Wed, Aug 10, 2011 at 10:37 AM, Rabdau wrote:

Sounds like you are having lots of fun. That little girl is so cute, it's too bad about her circumstances. She hangs onto you because she is starved for love. She's lucky to have this time with you, she'll remember it forever. Too bad about the shopping. No pressure tho, just have fun doing it. You're not going to bring home bed bugs are you? Yuck! Keep doing great work! We love you and miss you so much!

Love Mom
Sent from my iPhone

noo noo noo! i wont bring home any bed bugs. even though our beds are hard as ROCK. ashu is adorable. im excited to continue working with her, hopefully we can improve her english. shopping, well we will see how the rest of shopping goes. it's always rainy here in chamba. maybe it's just because it's monsoon season but we've only had two days of sunshine the rest have been torrential downpours, pretty cool to see though. the clouds just nestle right into the mountains. ive never seen anything like it. we think out mountains are cool in utah. no, THESE are cool mountains. i think we may need to
take a family humanitarian trip to chamba. you would loooove it. and dad would take so many pictures and eat soo much food. tell hailey that the sheet she helped me made has saved my life from cockroaches 3 inches long from a spider that was no lie as big as my hand. ill show you my picture when i get home. it's also saved me from picking up some sort of std on the train. i gotta run though, the day is about to start. love you guys!

Genetics

2011-08-11T18:32:00.008-06:00

Photos from Evan's birthday, courtesy of Casey's new camera. I love my Canon, but it definitely can't do this. Also, doesn't Hailey look British?

Lazy Sunday

2011-08-01T19:41:00.005-06:00

We were going to go on a hike. We didn't. Next time?
Tracy made macaroons (I told you she baked something every week).
I overslept and photographed things around or above the yard.
Eden stressed about fundraising for India.
Hailey dropped by for dinner.
Evan read comics online and watched Battle Los Angeles.
Not the best day, not the worst.

Overrun

2011-07-24T19:21:00.037-06:00

Have you ever seen the movie Aliens vs Predators?

I have, at least twice. It was on again the other night. Tracy, Evan and I were all sucked in even though the movie was at least half over. Don't get me wrong, I'm not really recommending the film, it's only awesome at best (kidding). I'm just trying help you understand how the plot is exactly like the situation happening, right this minute, on every side of our house.

The important thing to know about the movie... at least as it pertains to this post... is this: In the film, there is a war between the Aliens (insect-like things that have a smaller mouths inside their regular mouths and acid for blood) and the Predators.. (crab-faced humanoids with dreadlocks and a lot of fancy wristwatches). Both species are far more powerful than the humans and would ordinarily just eat the humans, but now they are fighting each other. The people in the film have only one thing to do... pick a side and try to offer something in the way of support. Was that two things?

In at least eight places in our yard, we are growing at least four types of vines. We didn't plant any of them. They were just there. Or maybe they saw us move in and then did the same. Actually, that scenario seems more likely. Have you ever dealt with an incessantly creeping vine? How about four? Unlike you and me, they don't go to Red Iguana or play Call of Duty. They never sell Free People blouses or watch The Voice. They don't go to Bear Lake or jog in the park. They don't tweet. They don't LOL. They never watch AVP. They just grow. All day. All night. Anywhere. Everywhere. Their power lies in that singular focus. Lacking that focus in any respect, we are pretty much screwed.

Like the people in the movie, all we can hope to do is pick a side and try to offer something in the way of support. The combatants are listed below...

Our Ally...

Is Vinca Minor really an ally? I guess it depends on your perspective. Some people would probably just tear it out... But with so many enemies, we had to choose a friend. Periwinkle, as it is also endearingly called, has no thorns, grows nice purple flowers and is doing a really respectable job covering the areas we're too lazy to landscape. We help Vinca wherever we can.

The Axis of Evil...

English Ivy sounds charming... right? I initially thought it was... right up until the moment I saw what it's doing to our fence out by the back door. The words "death grip" come to mind as it has somehow woven itself through almost every slat in a ten foot section. Maybe it could just become our fence? It already has a good start. I'm at least open to the idea. Meh... I suspect it has other plans.

The common name for this botanical nightmare is Wild Raspberry. Who knew that "Wild" actually meant "Not a single"? As in it won't grow a single raspberry. What it does grow, however, is thorns. Just cutting enough to snap this photo required a minor transfusion. My dislike for this plant simply cannot be overstated.

Wild Grape... Another fruitless contradiction. This isn't the most painful to handle or the hardest to cut, but I think it might be the most sinister. Why? It grows under the Vinca... up the apricot tree... along the fence and through the sidewalk... It's probably choked grandmother by now. The delicate tendrils you see in the picture are always grabbing for more. And yet... Unlike the English Ivy or Wild Raspberry, it pulls out as easy as pie. I was pleased by the notion until I thought it over. "Plants like this don't give up that easily. What's the strategy here?" I eventually came to clarity. Even if you pull up a twenty foot strand, the vine quietly whispers... "Take all you want friend, there's more where that came from."

Stay tuned... I may post an update some time down the road. I think we're going to escalate the conflict as neighborhood cleanup day draws nearer. But if you don't hear from us, send help. Also, have them bring some of this.

Lastly... this is a blog post, not a botany lesson. If any names or labels are wrong, what say we blame these guys?

All in OneDay

2011-07-23T19:24:00.012-06:00

A couple of photos I grabbed the other night at OneDay... a fundraising event Eden helped organize for YMAD. Did I mention she's going back to India again in about a week and a half? There were booths, bands and food carts and more... a really ambitious undertaking overall. We didn't stay too long though, just enough time to spend a hundred dollars on admission and several amazing coconut/dark chocolate gelato bars. I didn't get a photo, but they tasted something like this...

I also dropped by the silent auction on our way out to bid on a matching set of Technics turntables. Do I know how to DJ? Do I know how to scratch? Neither. I just knew I would be a different man with a sweet set of turntables eventually stored in my basement. I didn't get them though. I didn't even bid. Apparently there were others more financially committed to the dream than I. They looked something like this...

While mulling my loss, I did however, get to spend a few minutes listening to these guys... The Joshua Payne Orchestra. I only shot two of the trio... sorry drummer guy. They were doing an instrumental version of Radiohead's "Creep"... a longtime favorite of mine. Not sure what it was, but I just loved it. Joshua Payne himself, the guitarist, is super fun to watch. They play shows (instrumental covers) around Salt Lake quite a bit I guess... sometimes as a nine piece. You can also see a video they made doing Harder Better Faster by Daft Punk. They emailed me the link when I sent them these photos. Guess I'm in pretty tight with the band now. Wonder if they'd play for the Crawfish Boil I will someday get organized enough to have?

Holiday Recap

2011-07-23T15:22:00.020-06:00

Year four at Bear Lake... I think. Second year sans camping. Best idea ever. For those of you that think sleeping on the ground is fun... let's agree to disagree. Have we talked about this already? The cabin we stay in isn't exactly fancy... first impressions say "hillbilly hideout"... and yet, it's perfect. A kitchen, a bathroom, bunk beds and a big open room out front where you can watch Nicolas Cage movies before bed. The place wasn't quite big enough for everyone, so a condo was rented too. The cabin dwellers had many things, but a pool wasn't one of them.

The water at the lake was ridiculously high this year... a once-in-50-years kind of high. We worried about that. We worried for nothing. The only thing we missed: A long walk to the water and a choice opportunity to be mauled by eight species of biting insects. The beach was gone, but 10 minutes in, no one seemed to mind. The lake, usually a color likely called azure, lapped a retaining wall 25 feet from the cabin door. The dock was right there too. The water seemed coldest on the first day, ever more inviting after that.

Nineteen people. Four days. Just about the perfect amount of time. Almost the perfect number of people. Hailey wasn't there... A few of the Schoenfelds were missing. Maybe next time. There was something for everyone. At any given time someone was certain to be:

Spear-chucking...
Card-tricking...
Ka-bobbing...
Flu-shaking...
Snake-nabbing...
Star-shooting...
Cave-dwelling...
Boat-renting...
Thumbs-upping...
Tube-flipping...
Minnow-netting...
Brain-freezing...
Tot-scarfing...
Raft-floating...
Book-reading...
Sun-tanning...
Queso-horking...
Fart-smelling...
Worm-hooking...
Fun was had by all... You get the idea.

Now for some photo overload:

Also, contrary to the Higher Power's premonitions... no one drowned.

Drawing Conclusions

2011-07-11T00:45:00.011-06:00

A few drawings from a few of us. Eden draws in her room quite a bit, but I'm not brave enough to venture up there very often. Tracy can draw what she sees really well... A skill I so do not have. She won't do it much though. Her art these days is baking. Tonight, a four layer lemon cake.

Another illustration that turned out a bit different than intended. Was going to be an Asian warlord wizard guy... turned out to be a pimp. Don't know that I love it, but I had to stop somewhere. Mostly messing around with grain textures and stuff. One day I will draw someone smiling... honestly I will.

Here's a robot guy that Evan made in Photoshop. He's not like me. When he sets out to draw a robot, he stays on task.

Here's the original sketch of Hailey's Fashion Stroll dress. She gets a touch annoyed with me when I swipe her drawings and post them without... you know... permission. Still, I thought it was cool. Love the spatters too.

Ephemera

2011-06-30T09:24:00.000-06:00

A writer friend in Atlanta once gave me a whole tub of old magazines... some dating back to the early 1900s. As I was flipping through them, I found this raffle ticket tucked inside an old issue of LIFE. What did the second place winner get, two tons of coal?

The Best Things

2011-06-20T21:53:00.024-06:00

Naps...

Tracy not looking a day older...

A brief tour of Millcreek Canyon...

Tracy's obsession with making the perfect mousse...

Evan's obsession with Tracy's obsession

Getting this close...

Occasionally being referred to as "dashing"...

Shrimp Po' Boy Sandwiches...

Father's Day presents...

Father's Day Gifts...

Not pictured:
- Eden pulling Rickshaws for YMAD...
- Finally learning how to adjust our sprinklers...
- Running with Tracy and Nike+...
- Mazza with the Southwicks...
- Riding my scooter to work...
- Banbury Cross Maple Bars...
- Barbara's Visit...
- The time when I told a room full of people at church that Tracy's birthday was on Tuesday. (It was on Wednesday)

Just a few moments from a really decent week. I promise I'll try to write something more soon. Maybe a poem? I don't think I've ever written a poem.

Fashion Stroll: A Family Affair

2011-06-20T21:50:00.017-06:00

In spite of her blood-oath to the contrary, Hailey signed for yet another fashion show; this one a competition sponsored by VitaminWater.

To one degree or another, everyone got involved:
Hailey meticulously designed and sewed the dress.
Eden nervously agreed to be her model.
Mom proudly led the cheering section.
I barely took the photos.
Evan... Well he played Minecraft in the basement.

Hailey did an amazing job. The dress was beautiful, the construction flawless. She has come so far, so fast. She didn't win this time around, but felt justifiably good about her showing. We were proud parents.

The event also gave me an opportunity to play fashion photographer. For the same reason no one should hire me to photograph their wedding, no one should hire me to do this. Why? There's no shortage of reasons, but I'll give you two for comfort. 1) I can only intermittently operate my camera. 2) I am easily distracted. If the primary objective is one thing, I will almost certainly accomplish another. Use the photos below as an example... When a full body photo would best serve to show the designers work, I might inexplicably create a portrait. Meh...

Also, this happened....

Reverence

2011-06-20T21:25:00.006-06:00

Sunday at church...
Father's Day...
No, you probably shouldn't take photos during Sacrament Meeting...
I've done worse...
Evan listening intently to the hymns...
Or at least the hymn book...
The couple behind us... fast asleep...

Flower Power

2011-06-12T14:16:00.021-06:00

Have you ever met someone you were magnetized by? Someone you instantly liked and wanted to be connected to? Karen is one of those people... a friend of Tracy's, she is a tiny, creative, force of nature. Tracy, Eden and a couple of other friends spent Saturday morning at her house making handmade flowers. Karen had recently bought 500 lbs. of wool sweaters and wanted to put them to good use. You can buy sweaters by the pound?

Before the photos, few things about the host:
- She is (on her tallest day) only about 5' 1".
- She has five or six gigantic looms in her home studio... she can weave almost anything.
- She used to work on movies, among them The Bluebird with Elizabeth Taylor.
- Her son Mike was Bobby in The Brady Bunch
- She keeps a pellet gun handy for shooting magpies. (she prefers the pointed pellets, the round ones just bounce off)
- Her house is a joy to behold... not because it's expensive or large, but because it has an energy that is contagious. You just feel good when you're there.

I wanted to go along... not so much for the flowers, but for Karen. I would have wanted to document her and the whole thing. But I think she would have had none of that... I'd be flower-crafting just like everyone else. So, the photos you see below were shot by Eden and Tracy. I insisted they at least take the camera.

Accidental Spaceman

2011-06-11T01:43:00.009-06:00

I had intended to draw a robot. Who doesn't love a good robot? Unintentionally, I made a jet-pack spaceman or something. Not sure why he has a number. I just found this typeface and wanted to try and find a way to use it. I've always wanted to have an edgy or somehow sophisticated style... Instead, I produce stuff like this. Or birds... I like to draw birds. To my knowledge, no one has ever said... "Dude, that is one bad-ass finch."

Facade

2011-06-06T21:04:00.006-06:00

- New roof.
- New windows.
- New porch.
- New paint.

An improvement to be sure. Although it does feel like we're building one of those western towns you see in the movies... all front and no back. Either way, it feels better to see less peeling paint and rotting wood. For a time... Maybe just a short time... Our curb might have some appeal.

Were there shenanigans? Of course there were.

The painters were nice, but didn't know a ton about painting. While chatting in depth about Legos, they filled all of the nail holes in our new porch with caulk, not putty. So now the newest thing on our house, on day one, has problems that we'll get to lovingly fix. We could have pushed harder on our guy, but he was just a nice kid in over his head. We could both sense he was about to be at the end of our rope.

Our windows guys brought their A-game when it came to installing and clean up. They also brought the wrong windows... which had to be used anyway. Not quite logically, they removed our old windows before confirming the new ones were correct. Opting not to leave gaping holes in the side of our house, we had them go forward with a pinky promise to make things right at a later date.

Also, Tracy notes... The yellow door was her idea. A nice touch, I'll admit.

Everything isn't perfect. It never is. But for us it's visible progress... And that, my friends, is something.

Meeting Notes

2011-06-06T17:04:00.007-06:00

My "notes" from a recent meeting with one of our clients. They do stuff with planes, oceans and satellites. All through school, I used pen and paper to draw while I listened to my teachers lecture. Now I use an iPad to do the same. Apparently some things improve over time... and some don't.

St. George 2011

2011-06-04T10:02:00.011-06:00

I know you're thinking I rely too much on photos these days... that I'm not giving you enough of my witty prose. (okay, you never thought that) But I have to be honest. I think this pretty much captures Memorial Day weekend in St. George. Everything but maybe the last five minutes...

High Rollers

2011-06-04T09:39:00.008-06:00

Early last month we went to Las Vegas with my Mom and Dad. Yes, I know... another extra late post. Don't know that Tracy and I are really Vegas people... don't drink... don't smoke... incredibly timid gamblers, but it seemed like a fairly easy place to spend a few days. The draw was mostly being able to spend some time together with Jim and Marge... something we get to do too little of.

We stayed here... Pretty place, expensive restaurants, great pools, located way down at one end of the strip. Don't even get me started on the monorail. Also... At the Mandalay, if you see a "Relaxation in Progress" sign on someone's door, that means they're smoking a pungent kind of weed in their room.

Our travel companions: Great sports about everything... even when they had to walk the 900 yards from the hallway where the Lion King wasn't playing to the the actual theater where it was.

Tracy and I spent some quality time at H&M. No, it isn't a casino. Yes, we lost money. While shopping is like kryptonite to me, the store is visually amazing.... A million things to want to shoot. I eventually discovered photography is not permitted. Meh... I got what I came for.

I didn't actually take that many pictures. You'd think otherwise, but Vegas isn't that photogenic. Inside, the casinos are really all the same. And the other stuff... all imitation... like crab with a K. Although, I could have photographed people all day... it's amusing to see someone stumble through a shopping mall clutching a three foot margarita.

The aquarium at Mandalay wasn't bad... Not exactly Monterrey Bay, but storing live sharks in the basement of a desert casino is still something to be proud of.

All in all, a good time. We enjoyed the show, the swim and getting the stink eye for ordering the cheapest thing on the menu... a ten dollar bowl of soup. Most of all, we enjoyed the time together.

Mother's Day 2011

2011-05-22T14:50:00.009-06:00

On the day before Mother's Day, Tracy "invited" the whole family to go to the Tulip Festival at Thanksgiving Point. Everyone was actually pretty down with the whole concept... everyone but Evan. Surprisingly, a flower show... or going outdoors, isn't his idea of a good time. After we clarified exactly which Tulips were included in the festival, (Not those three flowerbeds, just behind the Dinosaur Museum) we set about making a day of it.

There was family togetherness in abundance...

Not sure why every group photo with these three ends up in a wrestling match.

There was this. Eden always has some of this on hand...

There were plenty of these...

The best part of the Tulip Festival? Besides that other stuff?
Maybe this... doughnuts and corn dogs.

Fifty dollars to get in + Forty dollars on lunch = One of the best days out together in a long time.

Business As Usual

2011-05-21T17:45:00.017-06:00

It's a Saturday. The phone rings.

Hailey: "Mom, can I store my couch at your house?
There's no room at my new place."

Mom: "No. We don't have room for it at our house.
Are you sure it won't fit at Mike's?"

Hailey: "I guess we can try."

One hour later...

Hailey: "It didn't fit. We donated it to D.I. "
(Desert Industries... Like Goodwill)

Tracy (to Me): "Hailey took the couch to D.I."

Me: "What?!?!? We paid over $200 for that couch less than a year ago. Are we gonna have to go buy another one when she moves somewhere else? We could have stored it here.

Tracy (on the phone to D.I.): "Hi, my daughter accidentally dropped off the wrong couch just a few minutes ago. Can my husband come by and pick it up?"

Guy at D.I.: "Uh, I think it sold. Hang on..."
Guy at D.I.: "Yeah, we have it still but I had to go take it back from someone who just bought it."

Tracy: "Okay. My husband will come right away to pick it up."
Tracy (to Me): "Okay, they still have it. Will you go pick it up?"

Me: "Sigh...

Ten minutes later....

Me (talking to Guy at D.I.): "I'm here to pick up that couch that was accidentally dropped off.

Guy at D.I.: "Okay, let me go get my supervisor."

D.I. Supervisor: "Is this your couch?"

Me: "Yes."

D.I. Supervisor: "You know, we pretty much had to go take this back from the family that bought it. Actually, they had already paid. I had to give them their money back."

Me: "I understand. I'm really sorry. We're mentally unstable."

I load the couch back into the car and take it home. I lug the first piece around back and squeeze it through the door. While it barely fits through the back door, it doesn't even come close to fitting through the hall. The spare bedroom at the end of that deficient, dog-leg hallway is the only place it will possibly fit in our smaller-than-advertised house.

Me: "$#&%!"

Evan (on the couch, oblivious to my struggle): "....."

I load it back into the car, go inside and start watching TV. There's no way I'm going back there right now. The same people are definitely still working. The next day, Tracy and I leave for Las Vegas with my parents. The car and couch stay put.

Four days later... We're back in town.

Tracy: "You really need to do something with that couch. I need to go grocery shopping soon and there's no room in the back."

Me: "Sigh."
Me: "Maybe I'll take it to work."
Tracy: "That's a good idea."
Me: "Or it could sell it on KSL. At least we'd make some money back."
Tracy: "That's a good idea."
Me: Meh... I'll just take it back to D.I."
Tracy: "Sigh"

Two days later... It's Saturday again.

Tracy: "You really need to do something with that couch.
Me: "Uhhhhh!"..."Okay, I'll just take it back to D.I."

Ten minutes later... Driving to D.I...

Me (to myself): "This is ridiculous. Giving away a perfectly good couch. We'll just have to buy another one later."

30 Seconds later... Now driving toward my office.

10 minutes later, at my office, carrying the second piece down the stairs.

Nearby construction worker: "Hey, do you need a hand with that?"
Me: "No, I think I've got it. It's not that heavy, just kind of bulky."

15 Seconds later... I think I've gone down all the steps. I haven't. I roll my ankle and nearly shatter both kneecaps. Thank goodness they went with the cork flooring.

Me: &%#@!

The End...Or is it?
(I still have the couch)

Tracking Time

2011-05-14T15:07:00.006-06:00

Last week, from an "hours-worked" standpoint, had to be in the top five all-time.

- On Monday, I went to bed at 2am.
- On Tuesday, I went to bed at 5am.
- On Wednesday, I didn't go to bed at all.

My days were full of meetings, my nights were spent trying to make headway on the presentations due the following day, three days in a row. A perfect storm or something...

I'm glad it's over now, and I sometimes really question my career choices. I'm 43 after all... and still pulling all-nighters. Not smart. And yet, in an odd way, it was a slightly satisfying experience. The particular variety of work I was missing sleep for is a kind that I'm good at. Do I want to be? Not sure... but it is what it is. Each project miraculously came together in time for the meeting and the clients were happy. Perhaps more unbelievable... I managed to keep my internal whining to a minimum. See, people can change.

Or can they?

Concurrent with my personal work-a-thon, I also waited for my iPad 2 to finally arrive. While I barely slept, my "magical" gizmo took it's sweet time seeing the world. I tracked every step. It took a six day, three city tour of China.. then Korea... next Alaska and finally... Louisville. Yes Louisville. Apparently they flew the device directly over my head some 1500 miles east where it sat for an extra day. Apparently it had tickets to the Kentucky Derby or something. All in all, my iPad had a much better ten days than I did. Did I cry about it? Sort of.

Late Night Stupid

2011-04-28T01:21:00.005-06:00

Utah is weather-tarded around this time of year... pretty much every year. It's almost May and we're still getting snow at least twice a week. Above, a photo from a few nights ago. Coming upstairs from a late night's work... I figured I'd document the spring storm with my still new flash. Standing on the edge of the deck in my pajamas and bare feet, I click off a few largely uninteresting images. The fun began when our cat... a strictly inside cat... ran through my legs, out the back door and and into the darkness. Ugh... I know it's my fault, but really? It's 3am.

Knowing I have to retrieve the family furball, I try to quietly extract my shoes from our closet, all without waking Tracy. Needless worry... she wears earplugs to bed these days. I could have run a band-saw by the bed and she'd be none the wiser.

Still swearing under (and over) my breath, I stepped onto the snow, and then... immediately thought better of the plan. If I go after her, she'll just run under the deck. So I waited. I also called to her in my best "you're-not-in-any-trouble" voice. Then I made that clicking sound with my tongue... similar to the one that sowboys use to make their horses go faster. Unsurprisingly, nothing worked. What did work was the cold. Apparently, cats that are used to laying on the couch, or the shirt you just ironed, don't really like snow. As soon as I backed off and stopped with the shenanigans, she came right in. Do these things only happen to me?

Missing Moments

2011-04-21T19:04:00.019-06:00

A few modestly notable items from the recent past...

Eden and Hailey jumping for joy... or because I asked them to. It kind of looks like they're in a Toyota commercial or something. There was no TV spot, but Eden did pick up a bargain on a sweet PT Cruiser from Grandma. Who knew we'd find a 10 year old car with only 8 miles on it.

The tasteful lettering lovingly applied to my car by a couple of co-workers. In spite of the meticulous kerning and graceful arc, I think it went on easier than it came off.

The Mexican meatballs we made once and probably wouldn't make again. We love allrecipes.com but this one was frito blandito. I suspect the author of this "south of the border" treat is actually a 47 year old hockey mom in central Wisconsin. I'd like to think she carefully scans the labels for mild cheddar because the sharp stuff is just too spicy.

Note: Okay... I just looked up the actual recipe and author. Profile page below. I had never actually seen this before... I promise. Now I feel bad for being mean (and omniscient).

This is Evan brushing his teeth before bed in the bathroom while simultaneously programming in C++. He's also been teaching himself Russian.

Evan and I just before our semi-annual ski excursion at the Canyons. As you can see from the photo, he's way outgrown his bibs... and his arms. We really need to ski more, or less. The once a year plan is not the way to go.

Extreme Home Combover

2011-04-18T21:25:00.002-06:00

Q: How do you make a 109 year old house look brand new?
A: Not Pictured

This is an in-progress photo of our recently re-roofed house. Okay... Not our favorite way to spend 10k... but at least it's something that's new... and fixed. Next up, paint... And maybe windows. Is vinyl the wrong idea? I worry yes... Our budget disagrees. We'll see. One more bid on Wednesday. Who doesn't enjoy a good high pressure home demo?

A Family of Hair

2011-04-15T02:04:00.012-06:00

Eden just finished a three day hair styling competition at school. (her first ever) For a rookie, she did so well... placing fourth out of about 15 students. Hailey graciously offered to be her model. I selfishly offered to take photos. So for the past three nights she's stopped by the house afterward... hair still intact... for an impromptu shoot. Armed with a sliver of knowledge, a willing subject and my new Canon Speedlite 430EX II , we set about faking it. A few of the results below. Are they good? No idea. As it turns out, enthusiasm obscures objectivity like nobody's business. Not sure it matters though... we both loved the process.

Day One -

Day 2

Day 3

Loving Life

2011-04-09T10:16:00.009-06:00

A photo of Tracy and Ev just after he passed off the requirements for Life Scout... one step below Eagle. As you can tell, he's beaming with excitement. (a stark contrast from his genuine enthusiasm as a 12 year old... What a world of difference testosterone and two years makes) That said, I get it, I really do. As a kid, much younger than he is now, I shrugged off a friend's invitation to join Cub Scouts.. Even then I knew I didn't want to become a Weeblo... whatever that is.

And yet.... we hope he hangs with it just a little longer. The Troop he's in is pretty engaged in the business of camping, merit badges and other miscellaneous whatnot. Thank you Dan, Ben and Co.. And while sleeping in a snow cave closely matches my idea of torture, Scouting does seem to give the boys interesting things to experience and something to work towards... a blessing in the time of texting and Call of Duty. On the horizon... A week long canoe trip in August and hopefully an Eagle project. Stay tuned.

Two other items of note. See how much taller Evan is than Tracy? That's a recent development. Also, a special thanks to Mom for getting his merit badge patches affixed to his sash... looking so legit.

Passing Through

2011-04-09T09:59:00.010-06:00

I'd probably rather photograph people than places, but because I lug my camera around pretty much wherever I go... I just shoot what I can. I don't think any of this is too exceptional... I'm assuming shooting landscapes is analogous to playing the bass guitar. An instructor I had once told me that the bass was an easy instrument to pick up and play, but incredibly difficult to play well. Ladies and Gentlemen... Smoke on the Water.

Just So We're Being Clear

2011-04-09T09:03:00.009-06:00

If you're not sure what kind of people you're dealing with here... If you haven't been paying attention. Two very recent stories that should help.

Example 1.
Tracy is pulling out of the underground parking at the Gateway when she feels something in her hair. Panicked and still navigating the tight space in a not-so-nimble SUV, she attempts to shake whatever it is. As she approaches the attendant's booth and rolls down her window, a tiny beetle flies from her hair onto her left wrist. Continuing to multitask her way through the situation, she simultaneously hands the woman her ticket and flicks the offending insect from her person... right into the attendant's eye. If you're asking... "What are the chances of that happening?", I'm telling you... 100 percent. The girl let's out a groan and covers her freshly bugged eye. Profuse apologies and awkwardness ensue. No words are spoken, no forgiveness is offered. The gate lifts and Tracy reluctantly drives away. Somalis don't practice witchcraft do they?

Example 2.
Just yesterday... Evan had minor oral surgery to make way for a tooth that hadn't come in. In the weeks leading to yesterdays operation a decision had to be made on anesthesia.

Option 1: A local anesthetic and laughing gas.
Cost: A decent amount money out of pocket.

Option 2: General anesthesia.
Cost: A lot of money out of pocket.

What kind of parents would offer a cash incentive to their son to choose the less expensive option? This kind.

Sounds horrible right? Relax... everything turned out fine. With the tooth so near the surface, the surgeon recommended the local. The boy pocketed a cool $75, felt fine and had a two milkshake day. The parents saved a couple hundred dollars to spend on something more enjoyable... like drywall... or the fence that's falling down again.

Sigh... We'll try harder tomorrow.

Seriously?

2011-03-14T13:33:00.016-06:00

Today I was alerted to the presence of two sets of pictures on the interwebs.

This first one is me, posted on Chad Hurst's Blog. He's a photographer friend of mine working through a self-imposed project called 30 Portraits, 30 Days. Here he successfully shows my hair loss and the plate of ribs I never got to eat. Unsurprisingly, I hate him now. Not really. I sort of knew what I was in for. Although, I am hoping there's a more flattering photo somewhere in the bunch.

And then there are these photos of Tracy from the Lifestyle section of the Salt Lake Tribune. Here her complete cuteness and fashion sense are on display. Bald spot? Nope. Plate of greasy ribs? Not really. Just her being adorable.

And lastly... not online... until now: this photo of her in the dining room. I think she looks amazing, she thinks it just shows her wrinkles. If she even has wrinkles, I can't see them. I'll never see them.

I can only assume from the length of our marriage and the disparity in these photos that she looks past my "wrinkles" too.

Number 19

2011-03-10T13:49:00.005-07:00

We celebrated Eden's nineteenth birthday on the first of March. I use the word "celebrated" with some reserve as she was incredibly sick for most of the surrounding week. She had hand, foot and mouth disease as it turns out... No, that's not the thing that livestock get. Eden doesn't have any hooves.

She was a good sport though. And presents apparently have the power to heal. She got the kind of clothing she really likes... you know... the kind she'll step over as she heads downstairs to raid Tracy's closet.

For dinner, we canceled the curry and fed her milkshakes instead. She did have cake though... although none of us would let her blow out the candles. See for yourself.

Also... Evan isn't wearing a burkha... he's wearing his blanket... named Sheldon.

Year 14

2011-01-26T11:48:00.011-07:00

Here's a comic strip I drew up a few years back about a certain, special someone. What is it (besides everything) about this age that plays havoc on one's personality? Eden didn't get one of these... she was inexplicably cheerful. We're collecting material for Evan's version right now. Click to enlarge.

Holidaze

2011-01-10T01:05:00.007-07:00

A few photos from the holidays... which were nice, but mostly uneventful. I suppose that's what happens when you don't leave the house for days at a time. Hailey had her 21st birthday– We celebrated at home. This year, as opposed to most, we had her celebration right on Christmas Day instead of making her do the moving over. Tempura for Christmas dinner is a bit unexpected, but not half bad. Eden might dispute this... she's the one kid who hasn't looked kindly on our recent disregard for culinary holiday traditions. Prime rib for Thanksgiving, Fried shrimp for Christmas. What's the problem? Maybe it will just make next year all the better... I think we were overdue for a shake-up.

I never thought I'd say this... at least not in my 40s, but I'm actually looking a bit forward to being a grandparent someday. I suspect it might re-inject some life back into these events. Our kids are great, but they're not full of the same enthusiasm they once were. It's not their fault, they're just older now. They know what they want, they know what they're getting and they know where it comes from. Ignorance or whatever it was, is bliss. It was also contagious... for everyone.

There were plenty of good moments... but maybe my favorite was on Christmas morning... watching Tracy laugh at the way Hailey was wearing her new hat. (both pictured below) Tracy laughs easily, but she only really laughs like this once in a while. The last time might have involved a video that included dancing and an ill conceived hot-dog suit. Ask any of the kids about it. Anyway, these moments are one of our absolute favorite things to see.

January has acted a lot like January. Endlessly cold with a glorious bright spot right around my birthday. Not really. I had planned to take the day off and completely enjoy spending time with Tracy. Instead I worked till six. At least I just put in a half day. It was still nice. Tracy has a way of making things that way.

Flora Meets Fauna

2011-01-05T15:25:00.003-07:00

This is one of the four silk-screened posters I received for Christmas. Just bought frames today. I also bought a couple at IKEA. One of them didn't really fit, but I made it work. I broke the other within five minutes of being home. I know their furniture isn't exactly heirloom quality, but seriously? Somehow they've managed to make even glass less durable.

This is that time, right after my colonoscopy, when John Stockton and I sort of had waffles. Didn't really notice until now, but what's up with the way he's sitting? I'm wondering if he's about to spring that "here's the church, here's the steeple" thing on his lunch mate. I like to think he's rehearsing things under the table before the big reveal.

These are the Flip Video Cameras I designed for the company Holiday party.

This is Hailey's car on the street by Hailey's apartment that I dug out of the snow while Hailey slept in Hailey's bed. I may not be the best dad out there, but I think this proves that I'm not the worst.

Not 100% sure this fortune panned out. I'm even less sure how the bee ties in. I'm pretty sure bees are never involved in pleasant surprises.

Le Nom Jeu

2010-12-21T08:01:00.022-07:00

Our family heritage contains a cheerful mess of nationalities. Our last name, however, is French... or at least it was. Originally Robidoux or Rabideaux, it was eventually Americanized and allegedly simplified by one of our southbound Quebecois relatives. It's now just Rabdau (pronounced intermittently rab-daw or rab-dow). But as you can see from my (partial) collection, we answer to just about anything.

Note: If you're one of us, you've also probably been called one or more of the following: Rab, Rabbi, Rabdelicious, Rabadoobie, Ramjet, Ragmop or Ragdoll.

Thanks

2010-12-13T21:32:00.002-07:00

I wrote this a while back. The date is out of date, the sentiment isn't.

It's Thanksgiving... Well yesterday was anyway. It came and went a little faster than usual I guess. We stayed here... just us. No extended family. Almost not even all of us. Eden worked most of the day and half of the night. Black Friday. Ugh. I don't get it.

We took it easy... had snacks, played a few games and watched three episodes of The Walking Dead. A Zombie shows on Thanksgiving... pretty entertaining, but I'm not sure I'd recommend it. Kind of puts you on edge a little—makes you feel oddly vulnerable. Although the prime rib and pecan sweet potatoes did seem to soothe the nerves.

I had this activity planned, but we never quite got around to doing it. Tracy and I picked out some cards at Target with the idea that everyone would select three people to write notes to... preferably someone we were grateful for. Like most of my good intentions... the moment passed without capture. Lame.

In lieu of writing the cards tonight, I thought I'd just say why I'm grateful for Tracy. (An incomplete list)

She seems to genuinely love me, understand me and perhaps even thinks I'm handsome. I have no explanation for any of this, but she is hands-down the very best thing I have going in my life.
She works so hard.
She complains so little.
She is completely herself. (I've mistakenly, unsuccessfully tried to change this)
People love her for it.
She secretly throws everyone's things away.
She never really reads the labels.
She worries about driving when it snows.
Or rains.
She worries (just a little) about everything.

She just listens.

She helps where I can't.
She has a sweet tooth.
She bakes well.
She bakes weekly.
She has nicknames.
She looks fantastic.
She wrinkles her nose when I describe something I like that she doesn't.

She speaks her mind.

I'm also grateful for:
Hailey, Eden and Evan. (I owe her for them too)
My Mom and Dad

The brothers and sisters I see too little of
That guy who invented cameras
That guy who invented chocolate milk
The people at Adobe and Apple
Second Chances: I need as many as I can get.
Just being home: Our place could be nicer and cooler... and it's all my fault. But still, I'm just as happy not going anywhere.

The Story of Our Christmas Tree

2010-12-11T19:01:00.011-07:00

This is the part where everyone was mad.

This is the part where they avoided the camera.

This is the part where we thought that guy would steal the camera.

This is the part where we all agreed on a tree.

This is the part where Evan didn't.

This is the part where we decorated.

This is the star ceremony.

This is the thing with the things.

This is the part where I apologize for having you read this. The End.

Thanksgiving Photo FAIL

2010-12-02T15:49:00.012-07:00

Remember how I said how much I love taking pictures? Based on that statement, it would be logical to assume that I would come away from a four day Thanksgiving weekend with a big batch of heartwarming photos.That's where you'd be wrong.

I only grabbed these pictures of Eden channeling Jerry Lewis. (She's never heard of Jerry Lewis.) Also, when she finished this spontaneous burst of goofball, she took a deep breath and said "Hold on a minute, I need to reload".

Okay, I also took this cute picture of the girls together.

And finally, this picture of our Boggle-disrupting cat.

Otherwise, I missed everything else. Not pictured: Tracy, Evan, James, prime rib, pecan sweet potatoes, balsamic asparagus, store-bought pie, touching family moments, naps, XboX, Sims and Walking Dead marathons, stolen snow boots, returned snow boots, the great bread maker standoff, cheesesteaks, a new Tagine recipe, a talk on gratitude, forgetting to thank the person who prepared the talk on gratitude and the actual, belated blizzard of 2010.

Optimized

2010-11-20T19:00:00.005-07:00

Under ideal conditions, I look something like this.

Camping Out

2010-11-20T18:15:00.003-07:00

To prove I could simultaneously be the best and worst father ever, I recently camped out with Evan until 1am (on a school night) to pick up the brand new Call of Duty. How was it? Kind of fun as a father and son thing, but let's just say the Marlboro/Mountain Dew/Nacho Cheese Dorito crowd was out in force. Unless our next war is hosted on an XBOX server, America is screwed.

To avoid cleaning his room, Evan recently camped out in this makeshift fort.

Pocatello: Novemeber 2010

2010-11-16T21:27:00.026-07:00

We spent time last weekend in Pocatello for Zach's mission homecoming. We came up from Salt Lake. Others came over from Boise. It was actually pretty great. We were all together, but did a variety of different things. Remember, photos can be enlarged to show detail or weirdness. You can also right-click an enlarged photo to save it to your own computer.

Some of us spoke about missionary work.

Some of us had our eyes opened.

Some of us were even Bourne again.

Some of us engineered.

Some of us "engineered".

All of us ate pork.

Some of us said cheese.

Some of us pained.

Some of us ponged.

Some of us styled.

Some of us ducked out for pictures.

Some of us leaned in for pictures.

It was great to see all who came. A special thanks to all of the Southwicks. Zach for giving us a great reason to get together... and a talk well given. Ken and Annie for the beds, meals and counter space for all my stuff. Chelsea, Sydni and River for being the cousins and kids you are. One piece of advice though... I'd get rid of that creepy picture on your fridge with the pink frame. (see first photo above)

Clutch Play

2010-11-11T10:49:00.006-07:00

As part of a recruitment effort, Hailey was asked to submit 15 designs to a purse company looking to add to their stable of designers. While she had never done any accessory design, she went right to work sketching. She did all of the design and color... I added the sweet Charlie Harper style straps. She even had a brief interview yesterday when she dropped off the work. Who knows where it will all end up. But ither way, not bad for a rookie. A few samples...

Chile Verde

2010-11-06T13:14:00.006-06:00

A nice recipe for chile verde I found on the interweb. We've made it twice so far and have already fine tuned a little. It's not quite Red Iguana, but getting close.

I like things a fairly spicy, Tracy less so. In fact, she often accuses me of intentionally making things too hot for the rest of the family to eat... leaving more for me. A plausible theory, but mostly untrue. If you like things mild, follow the recipe exactly. For a little more heat, we use 3 poblanos and 3 jalapenos, leaving some of the seeds in. A pinch of red pepper flakes would also have the same effect. (not that I've ever done that...) Yes, everyone in the family could still eat it... some just reached for their glasses a little more often.

A couple of other minor notes...

We just use the pork tenderloins from Costco... I think they come two in a package.
I also add a large yellow bell pepper as well... an add from another recipe.
A full bunch of cilantro can be a little overwhelming... I might do about two-thirds. Although letting it cook longer probably mellows the flavor sufficiently as well.
I just place all of the tomatillos, peppers and garlic on a cookie sheet and blacken together... not sure why they add an extra step.
You can serve over rice or with tortillas. We choose the latter, wrapped like burritos and smothered with more of the verde, enchilada-style.

Sorry I failed to capture any final photos... by the time it was ready, I forgot all about photography. Trust me, it looked good enough to eat.

In case you missed the earlier link... get the original recipe here.

Fall at 50mm

2010-11-05T20:01:00.008-06:00

Okay, I promise... This will be the last gratuitous photo barrage for at least a week or so. I'm not saying anyone loves my writing and is counting the days until I do more, I'm just feeling a little guilty about taking the "easy way out". As much as I like to write, it takes me a lot of effort to string together a few clumsy sentences. Clumsy photography comes much easier. A note for my very few readers... please click on the photos you like. They get bigger.

Berries behind the house. Probably not edible...

Eden's new autumn hair color. Also not edible...

The leaves on our favorite tree turned just in the last couple of days.

When obscured by said tree, our house seems almost quaint.

This is me, perpetually in need of a shave.

This fall has been a gift... blue and gold.

Eden patiently poses. Man, I love this lens.

Halloween 2010

2010-11-05T17:59:00.012-06:00

A big thanks goes to Tracy for carving pumpkins, making cupcakes and answering the door... mostly while Hailey and I obliviouly played LIMBO downstairs. She just makes thing nice for everyone. Is it any wonder we all prefer to stay home?

Work in Progress

2010-10-25T21:10:00.005-06:00

The first in a new series of spots we just finished for Subway and the Utah Jazz. As projects go, this one was better than most... Turns out it's hard to complain about being paid to be strategically ridiculous. The cast, crew and players were also all pretty great... making a lot of work seem only like a fair amount of work.

Boomerang

2010-10-24T11:26:00.009-06:00

If you remember, I posted recently about Eden's move up to Logan and into Utah State. Tears were shed, deposits were made and roommates were... Armenian. Well that was so August. Eden is now back home, in a new school and headed a new direction. In fact, she just started last week at a Paul Mitchell to pursue cosmetology. She just felt that a four year college wasn't "her thing". Hard to argue with that, but we did nonetheless. As a parent, you feel conflicted. You want the best for your kids and you want them to be happy. But what if what makes them happy doesn't fit your idea of what's best? And what if the thing you think is best doesn't at all make them happy? You question every motivation... on both sides. In the end, the call was hers to make. And so she's here, she's happy and we are as proud as ever.

Treeline

2010-10-19T17:27:00.006-06:00

October 17, 2010
Near Wendell, Idaho... along I-84

Test for Echo

2010-10-11T10:30:00.005-06:00

Evan doesn't say much these days... he's all about the one-word answer. "How was school? we ask." "Good." "Are you hungry?" Tracy offers. "Kinda." In spite of the new teenage minimalism, we suspect he's still the same one-of-a-kind kid underneath. How do we know? (click the image to enlarge)

Exhibit A: On the left is a scan of our Sacrament Program. When his iPod Touch is frowned back into his pocket during church, he'll typically grab a program and go to work counting every vowel and consonant. So is he a codebreaker or just a little OCD? We don't know. We do think he might also be listening to the speakers, but haven't had the energy to try and drill him for details.

Exhibit B: On the right is Evan's iTouch. Possibly inspired by the movie "The Fantastic Mr. Fox", he's been learning the Latin names of as many animals as he can think of. He's up to 74. I asked him today whether he knew all of them. "Most" he says from the other room. "Ferret?" I ask randomly. "Mustela Putorius Furo". "Hey, that was three words," I say to myself. We're making progress.

Patch Work

2010-10-10T19:50:00.009-06:00

Maybe this lousy garden thing is actually turning out for the best. For the second year in a row (that counts as a tradition, right?) we all hit Mabey's Pumpkin Farm to overdo things as only we can.

Scout Math

2010-10-09T11:40:00.004-06:00

This is me. (I'm conflicted)

A few weeks back, we marched our scout troop into the Uintahs. Destination: Ibantik Lake. Objective: The Fishing Merit Badge. For those unfamiliar with the area, the Uintahs are mountains, but the place is really all about the lakes. There are at least 43,000 of them. Some large, some just glorified ponds.

Inevitably, we got a late start leaving town, getting us off the trail and into camp well after dark. It was a fairly arduous hike... at least by "city" standards... some four miles each way, punctuated by a fairly steep climb over "The Notch". The youngest scouts didn't complain too much. The older ones did. "I'm never coming on another one of these" one would say. "Why can't we stop at this perfectly good lake?" another would logically offer. "This sucks" said Evan. While I harbored some of the same sentiments, I'm a leader and an adult... So I had to put on a better face.

A nearly full moon allowed us to sent up camp sans flashlight.... in what appeared to be a sandy spot right on the shore. Next came the campfire and foil dinners, always the highpoint. After inhaling sufficient smoke and molten cheddar, we turned in. (several hours too early). A piece of advice: When camping, resist the temptation to go to be before midnight. What seemed like exhaustion and soft sand turned out to be neither. I slept like crap. Turns out I like to sleep on my side. Apparently the folks who make Thermarest Pads have never met someone like me. I should send them an email. The only unexpected solace was the constantly looping "Stand by Me" coming from somewhere inside Evan's sleeping bag.

We rose early to a crystalline sunrise and the promise of fly fishing on a remote mountain lake. Early fall when the bugs have gone? On a lake everyone else is too lazy to hike in to? Paydirt. Unsurprisingly, the trout-stravaganza we'd hope to hit never quite materialized, leaving my string of fishing trips without fish completely in tact. To be fair, a few small fish were taken by others less eternally damned than ourselves.

11am: Back on the trail.
2pm: Gone Burgers at Hi-Mountain Drug in Kamas.
4pm: Throwing our backpacks on the living room floor.

It wasn't a bad time, the Uintahs are fairly breathtaking and I feel like we earned what we took. But in spite of all we told the kids, I'm not sure the ROI really works. Three hours driving + six hours hiking + zero hours sleeping = approximately zero fish. But his isn't a conversation we adults can have. Can we?

Not Ibantik

Ibantik

Evan at the top of The Notch

West Desert

2010-10-07T15:48:00.004-06:00

Last Rays

2010-10-07T15:21:00.001-06:00

Project Hallway

2010-09-20T17:45:00.014-06:00

Hailey is making a dress/cape/shawl thing for an upcoming fashion show. She asked me to document the progress during a preliminary fitting. This 26 second clip, shot in the hallway of Hailey's apartment building, is me masquerading as a cinematographer. Don't worry, I still have my day job.

The American

2010-09-14T10:56:00.018-06:00

So the other Saturday Tracy and I decide to ditch the boy and go catch an afternoon movie. We were almost giddy. We had both seen the trailers for The American and thought it was a no-lose proposition. George Clooney. In Europe. With the sniper rifle.

In hindsight, we should have done a little more detective work. The movie consisted of 103 minutes of advanced gunsmithing, punctuated by two minutes of violence and nudity.

Now I don't really know the origin of the word matinee... I'm guessing it's French. And based on our experience with this one, I'm guessing the translation is something akin to "what grandma and grandpa do just after lunch". Unexpectedly, we (along with one other couple) were the youngest people in the theater by a good thirty years... which turns out to be a problem for only two reasons:

1) Watching romantical scenes in a theater is awkward. Watching them in a theater thick with old-timers is not an improvement. We didn't do our homework before choosing the film... I still can't sleep at night thinking that they had.

2) Hearing aids make a particularly high pitched sound when they need adjusting... or batteries... or crushing. If we were watching anything but this sleepy turd, this wouldn't have been a problem. As it was, the entire movie was scored with something akin to a dog whistle... a painful wail only two couples seemed to hear.

Worst movie ever.

After the movie, I ducked in the bathroom to rid myself of the diet coke I had been nursing for two straight hours. While washing up, I notice (perhaps erroneously) that I might look just the tiniest bit like George Clooney. Walking through the lobby, I have the audacity to mention this this imaginary resemblance to Tracy. The best part? She says without a hint of sarcasm, "I was just thinking the same thing".

Best movie ever.

Not in Kansas Anymore

2010-09-01T08:40:00.004-06:00

A recent text conversation between Tracy and Eden. Ah dorm life...

Up Up and Away

2010-08-30T10:17:00.002-06:00

So Eden is away at school now and she's started a blog.
Will she keep it up to date? Not if she's genetically anything like me.

What We Learned in August

2010-08-24T21:46:00.017-06:00

We learned that some people do better in the shade.

And some people prefer the sun.

We learned that "our parenting" is an officially an oxymoron.

We learned that our bird feeder is a better gardener than we are.

We learned that it's possible to be proud of and worried by the exact same pictures.

We learned that maybe we should get out more.

Or in more.

We learned that Tracy rules.

We learned that nothing lasts forever.

Sadly, my posting had an inverse relationship to the amount of things that happened this month. Evan had a 14th birthday. We went to Bear Lake with the youth from church. We went to scout camp in the Uintahs. Hailey made and modeled more dresses. And lastly, but not leastly. We dropped Eden off at Utah State to begin her college thing.

We are tired, grateful and proud. We could have done more this summer, but we did some things nonetheless. School is here. Fall is next. Winter waits.

Our house is a little more empty than it was. The dinner table a little quieter. We're mostly okay with it... although now that the stairs to Eden's room aren't covered with clothes, books and lacrosse gear, I sort of wish they were.

Direct Hit. Near Miss.

2010-08-01T02:40:00.007-06:00

This was Friday morning around 11:15. Tracy and Hailey running errands... hit broadside by a nice family who ran the light. No brakes. No skid. Unbelievably, no one was hurt. Mostly just shaken up and sore. I picked them up here and they dropped me back at the office less than an hour later. Back to work... Focused on other stuff. It was only later that I really thought about how different things might have been.

Bear Lake 2010

2010-07-25T11:17:00.013-06:00

It's late July already... the time when summer seems to peak for us. It's actually just panic setting in. We've blown through June and can sense fall stepping forward. There have been things... I could tell you about the Ragnar Relay I ran, or the tooth I had removed... Or the concert... Or the campout... Or the anniversary that never happened. All in due time.

While it's fresh on my mind... Bear Lake. And because it's so painful for me to string together transitional sentences... a list.

THE 2010 BEAR LAKE TOP FIVE

Trading camping for cabins
Question the judgment of anyone who says they love to camp. Now don't get me wrong... I don't hate it. It's not terrible. I would just invariably choose to sleep well. And contrary to what many believe, there is no law against enjoying the outdoors during the day and actually resting at night. The last two years at Bear Lake were spent camping. This year we rented a cabin. Cabin=better.

Milkshakes
Besides waffles, burritos and curry, maybe the best thing ever. And while some may disagree with me on this (everyone did) I think berry-centric shakes are the only way to go during the summer at the lake. Mint Oreo? Mocha Fudge? Last time I checked, this is America.

Funny Family
Cousins. Sisters. Brother-in-laws that are more the former than the latter. There's nothing quite like family. If you have a job or go to church, "just being yourself" is probably not always a good idea. Last week it was all okay.

Dutch Oven Redemption
To be honest, I've felt for some time that dutch oven cooking doesn't deserve the reverence it enjoys. I know so many people who speak in hushed tones when describing undercooked chicken and overcooked carrots. So it was with some trepidation that I approached Barb's all dutch oven dinner. Hold on... Super thin potatoes, near molten barbecue chicken and dutch oven rolls... I officially stand corrected.

Private Beaches.
For just a day, we had the beach, the dock and what felt like the whole lake to ourselves. It was brief but perfect. It may have been the polarized glasses, but the water and sky couldn't have been a more benevolent shade of blue.

Bear Lake 2010 Bottom Three (I couldn't come up with five)
Missing Family... not everyone could be there.
Scaring Kids... sorry River and Evan.
Scaring Moms ... sorry Tracy and Annie.

A few photos below. A lot more here.

Swim. Eat. Sleep. Repeat.

2010-07-12T01:03:00.008-06:00

St. George, June 2010...

Mother's Day Highlights

2010-07-11T08:35:00.004-06:00

Granted, Mother's day was two months ago... but who's calling the shots around here? Don't worry, it will be brief and somewhat painless.

Mom's favorite gift... 8 sets of Fiesta flatware, inexplicably wrapped.

My favorite gift... Mom, still putting up with us.

The Boy

2010-07-03T10:18:00.010-06:00

Evan has many nicknames.

Being our only only child born in the south and tipping the scales at just over 9 pounds, we naturally, initially called him Bubba. When he grew up a little, had blond hair and got playfully into everything. We called him the Cougar Cub or just Cougar for short. I think this was around the time we had to call poison control twice in the same week. (He didn't drink the bug spray afterall. He did eat the nickels)

At some point, for no good reason at all, we started calling him Kevin.

Lately, we just call him "The Boy". "What's the boy been up to today?" I'll ask after work. "Time to get the boy off the computer" she's say as bedtime approaches. While I'm not sure that qualifies as a nickname and it certainly isn't very creative, it seems to fit perfectly. Evan is our one and only boy. And while he is certainly at the beginning of that teenage-boy-everythings-a-one-word-answer phase, he's still the same funny, sweet (talked-us-into-watching-Alvin-and-the-Chipmunks-the-Squeakquel-last-night) kid.

He's just wrapped up middle school where he mostly looked like this.

He'll start high school looking something like this.

He can make pretty much anything out of anything. Paper, cardboard, legos... "Anything" these days is mostly full scale firearms... in this case an M249 SAW.

He's some kind of evil genius at Rummikub. (emphasis on the evil) There are three things you should know about playing this game with the boy. 1)He will take his sweet, exasperating time on every turn. 2) He will win almost every time, usually while multi-tasking with at least two other interests. 3) He will rub it in... usually by loudly encouraging you to "Munch it"!

He's also the perfect size 4... making him fantastic, albeit reluctant model for Hailey's dressmaking.

I just have one question: Based on everything you've read here, should I have not let him get the throwing knives?

Tracy Turns... Older.

2010-06-23T02:48:00.004-06:00

In spite of appearances, Tracy does age. Well, she has birthdays. Today was one them. After she opened presents I took a few photos... man I miss my real camera. Do you really have to have an expensive dSLR to have shots in focus? I didn't think so before. As is turns out, cameras also have this self-timer feature... allowing the photographer a full 10 seconds to get in frame with the rest of the group... thus you'll see below, rare photos of the whole family together. More than ever, I love these guys. Happy Birthday Tracy, you deserve better... Or at the very least, I deserve worse.

And just in case you wondered if our singing had improved...

Graduation Elation

2010-06-22T00:53:00.008-06:00

This event happened weeks ago, but I've been in denial about the whole thing. Fine. Yes, it's true. We have another kid out of high school. Eden and about 1800 Samoans graduated on the 9th of June. We sat in the cheap seats and watched the whole affair unfold. It went as they all do... long. We are super proud of her though, she made the most of high school... something many don't do. The grandparents came down in support. Tracy put on another cooking demonstration. I think they may be getting the wrong idea about us. I'm certain they don't appreciate the significant role Wendy's dollar menu and Golden Grahams play in our diet. Alas, I digress. We love you Eden... Way to go.

Gone

2010-06-08T00:55:00.006-06:00

I appear to have lost my camera. I say "appear" because I'm not 100% sure it's 100% gone. I suspect that this is the case, but the fact just hasn't sunk in. I'm getting close... and that reality, for me, is heartbreaking. Was it stolen? Did I leave it somewhere? Will it turn up? No idea. So, a few final pics. Not the best ones or anything, just the last ones I managed to get.

To and Fro

2010-06-04T10:47:00.002-06:00

I've only written about it a little, but in the last while, we've been able to see more family than usual. In spite of how that might initially sound, it turned out great. My mom and dad were able to come down for Hailey's show and we got to stay at their place when we were in Boise for Barb's homecoming extravaganza.

Granted... We eat a lot, make a racket, take up all of the couches, and want to watch completely different stuff on TV. (gasp... even movies). That said, they're good sports about it all and always seem to be willing to sign up for another visit. But wait... they always stay at a hotel when they come here. I'll try not to read too much into that...

See you next week folks!

Big (H)air

2010-05-30T02:21:00.004-06:00

A few shots of Ev skating during our time in Boise. Not sure he's the next Tony Hawk, but you've got to give him points for style.

Season's End

2010-05-30T01:55:00.002-06:00

Eden's Lacrosse is finally over. So... A few last photos before I forget. We'll miss going to the games. She had a great year... scored 40ish goals, made all-state and won team MVP. Not bad Eddy.

Neighbors

2010-05-30T01:47:00.007-06:00

Where's Weirdo?

2010-05-22T17:17:00.005-06:00

If you can't find Tracy but you know she's home, look here first. No, she's not hiding from me and the kids, she's standing in front of the vent, trying to get warm. Okay, maybe it's a two birds, one stone kind of thing.

Homecoming

2010-05-22T16:37:00.010-06:00

Barb recently returned from a mission in Birmingham, Alabama where she braved bugs, bad weather and a batch of crazy companions. (alliteration completed). We were in Boise to hear her homecoming address... a talk in church where missionaries report on their experiences. To be honest, she did even better than I had expected. Fear and uncertainty had been replaced by hard won courage and conviction. We were all proud.

Almost everyone came out for the talk and the lunch that followed. I think a dinner followed that. And maybe a breakfast. Apparently families really can be together forever. :) Thanks again Jodi and Pete.

I've posted some photos on Flickr... Click the image to see them all.

Post Church

2010-05-22T01:55:00.004-06:00

We get out of church at 12:00 and out of our church clothes at 12:03. Is it so wrong to wear pajamas to lunch?

I am the obvious odd man out here... I have a new gig at church and a whole lot more meetings than I used to.

Runaway Project

2010-05-22T01:06:00.010-06:00

More late news... yeah, yeah... I already know...

You might remember a post back in January where I told you about an advanced fashion class Hailey was taking. She was to design a collection of 3-5 pieces and ultimately have it shown on the runway along with a dozen or so other students.

I told you it might be more than she was ready for. I said it might be too hard. I thought it might get ugly. And in many ways, it was and it did. She went through a lot of fabric. She went through a couple of meltdowns. She did not, however, ever give up.

The result? The kind of win we all agreed was possible, but uncertain. I don't have nearly the photos I'd like to have... of the process, or the show. But suffice it to say... as family moments go, it was one of the good ones. Siblings, family and friends all came and were not disappointed. It was a beautiful thing to see. She even won an award for her illustration.

She has worked so hard... and come so far. See a little here for yourself.
A special, significant note of thanks goes to Tracy. Part-time counselor, assitant seamstress, full time fabric taxi. Without her steady hand... well I shudder to think...