Life as Wayne

2010

2011-02-13T11:57:00.001-08:00

2010- A quick summary cause I'm a big slacker.

Went to Cancun.

Saw my little bro graduate AIT as an Apache mechanic with the National Guard.

Went to Tony's Grove lake with Family- nieces and nephews loved the water.

Met my newest (and plumpest) nephew Elijah in Florida.

Listened to bro in law (Chief Juancho) play some sweet tunes on his new Guitar.

Took the annual Flaming gorge trip and tried my best to grow a mustache.... total failure.

Ran the Wasatch Back Ragnar Relay- loved it!

Took a sweet trip to the gorgeous Oregon Coast..... someday I'll live there.

While a plethora of things happened in 2010 (both good and bad), I failed to capture most of the major events with my camera...... maybe this year will be better?

Update Post

2010-03-01T21:49:00.001-08:00

Been lazy for a few months..... or just really busy playing and un-motivated to post...... :) Here's some pics from a few trips I've taken over the last few months. Went to Jacksonville to see my sis and her family. Also went to Portland for a Strange Brew party at my friend Brian's house. Went snow shoeing at Mount Hood and ended up having a rally car race in the back yard before coming back home. Good times.....

92!

2009-12-02T19:54:00.000-08:00

Went to Arizona for my grandpa's 92 birthday and 70th wedding anniversary. Inspiring!

Undead Party In Portland

2009-11-01T11:19:00.001-08:00

We went to Portland to my friend Brian's annual 'Undead Party'. Good times...... :)

A few favorites...

2009-10-14T23:19:00.000-07:00

Realized I haven't posted in a while and thought I'd take a sec to upload a few of my favorites from over the summer....

family camping trip to Tony's Grove.

Buddy Nathan got married in Logan

Had a sweet trip to flaming Gorge.

Went fishing, didn't catch anything.

Took this cool picture:)

Yep- when I feel more motivated I'll post something more substantial.... lol.

Love my new camera!

2009-08-20T22:18:00.000-07:00

I recently upgraded my DSLR and could not be happier! I started with a Nikon D40 and, while I absolutely adored that camera, I decided I wanted more!.... Hence, I sold the 40 and upgraded to the D90. I haven't had as much time to take it out yet as I would have liked, but here's some examples of the fun I have had so far....

I take my camera with me just about everywhere I go. Most of the time, I use it to document all of my growing nieces and nephews, but every once in a while I catch a moment like the one above. There had been a lot of fires in across the state during the day and the air was very smoked filled the night I drove by the bountiful temple, creating this cool effect.

My family rocks

2009-06-30T19:23:00.001-07:00

One of my favorite things in the entire world is spending time with my fam. We all got together for my birthday at my parents house to barbeque in the backyard and play games. Freeze tag and kickball were the favorite of the nieces and nephews. The trampoline is always a big hit as well. I took a lot of pics (as usual) and thought I'd post of few up. Good times! :)

Weekend in Sin City

2009-06-30T19:17:00.000-07:00

We decided to go to Vegas for the weekend before my 27th birthday. Normally I am great about taking pictures while traveling, but I didn't even bring my camera along on this trip- I snapped a few from the cell phone camera (see below). I promise Dan and Lupe were there too, but I somehow missed getting any pics of them. We had a great time- I have the best friends and girlfriend!

Tour De Cure

2009-06-23T21:45:00.000-07:00

So Kris and I ride in the Tour De Cure benefit ride every year along with the rest of the team from work. This year his brother in law Tregaron came along as well. We rode just shy of 70 miles in 4 hours 4 minutes. Not the fastest time but not bad for only getting on a bike once a year. All I can say is thank goodness I still play soccer several times a week! My legs weren't sore at all..... I wish I cold say the same thing for my butt! Even with the special shorts (built in padding) I have some bruising! It's worth it though; we always have a good time and it is for a good cause.

catching up...

2009-04-28T18:28:00.000-07:00

So I've been so busy with travel that I haven't really taken the time to post anything. We had such a great time on both trips (portland and mexico cruise) that I figured I'd just intermingle some pictures from both trips.

A stranded blowfish caught on the beach from a quick moving tide.

Me and Diddy drinking a Miami vice in Puerto Vallarta.

The Portland Palace.

Our friend John won a free cruise by winning the ship's Texas hold'em tourney.

Here's the whole group from the cruise on the zip line tour.

Gorgeous texture in the sand in Mazatlan.

Gregg, Me, and Matt.

My Dawg and Lucious Lupe.

Cool cathedral we visited in Mazatlan.

Mulnomah Falls.

A fury tree.

Our house we rented in Seaside.

Portland skyscape.

here's the whole group from our portland trip.

Me and Diddy kickin it in Cabo. Dani had a sign so she didn't have to try and speak spanish to all the vendors...

Pretty sign on the back of our house in seaside.

Finally, last but not least- Me and Diddy lookin hot.

Oregon Coast

2009-04-12T21:48:00.000-07:00

I spent the last week in Oregon; visiting Portland, Seaside, Astoria, and Tillamook. Most of the pictures I took still need to be sorted out- here's one of my favorites....

I love the Oregon coast; it is gorgeous!

Good times on the East Coast

2009-02-28T11:14:00.000-08:00

I recently took a trip with Dani to visit my sister and her family in Florida. We had a bit of a layover in the JFK airport and decided to use the time wisely and visit New York City. We only had a few hours so we took the subway into Central Park then walked a few blocks down to time square. We had some over priced hot dogs and enjoyed the hustle and bustle of the city, then jumped back on the subway and back to the airport to catch our plane to Jacksonville. I really enjoyed the short two hours we spent and, athough I wanted more, I was very happy to get out of the airport terminal.

We arrived in Jacksonville late that night and spent the next 4 days just hanging out with the Sanders family. We took the kids to a few parks and the beach, cooked lots of good food, played some Wii, enjoyed the musical talents of Shaunna and John, and soaked in all the warm weather. All in all, it was a very fun, very needed trip. Enjoy the pics!

New York Pics

2009-02-28T11:09:00.001-08:00

Jacksonville and the Sanders family

2009-02-28T10:58:00.001-08:00

The Sanders Fam!

Jacksonville is mostly forests of pines; if it weren't for the ferns, I might have forgotten we were in Florida!

Joe and Dani really got along well.

Pictures of Jacksonville and Sanders family continued...

2009-02-28T10:51:00.001-08:00

More Pictures of Jacksonville

2009-02-28T10:44:00.000-08:00

It's not that I can't commit....

2009-02-03T18:17:00.001-08:00

Lyla.... Last Friday evening I was unexpectedly offered a 9 week old german short hair pit bull mix.... for free! After the passing of Ringo, my 14 year old beagle, almost a year ago; I've been wanting another dog and when this opportunity arose, I didn't feel like I could pass it up. I took her home and named her Lyla. She was obedient, intelligent and very affectionate. She slept through the night and managed not to have a single 'accident' inside the house! She played well with other dogs, and with other people. Lyla just might have been the perfect pup! Alas; I began feeling guilty- knowing that she would be kenneled 9 hours a day while I worked. Anxiety crept in as I began to think about how big she would grow to be and realized just how tiny my living space is... the more I thought about it, the more I realized that I simply couldn't keep her.....(sigh).

You know- it's amazing how quickly a free puppy will get a response when posted online! My mac was still in my lap when I got the first call; she was gone within the hour.

And that's the story of my 21 hour puppy. lol Don't worry, I made sure she went to a good home. Here's some pics:

I lost seven dollars! Stupid Wendover....

2009-01-28T20:10:00.000-08:00

New Years, Nude Beaches, and more...

2009-01-06T23:13:00.000-08:00

Portland is beautiful.

Maybe this would have been better in the summer? Our girls just laughed as they stayed warm and dry while taking the picture.... lol.

We spent the majority of our vacation here, next to the fire enjoying some great literature.

Hope everyone had a great new years! Mine was wonderful; good food, beautiful views, and the best company. Here's looking forward to 2009!

Don't wait.... Procrastinate now!

2008-11-18T19:20:00.000-08:00

So I know it has been a REALLY long time since I updated anything. I recently heard the philosophy of not waiting or putting off the chance to procrastinate and I sort of took it to heart..... Anyway, Here's a quick summary: we got a hot tub! We have been in it almost every night for the last month straight! Does it get any better than that?! :)....Seriously though, I've just been working hard and sticking to a schedule. Work, school, indoor soccer, church responsibilities, golfing, rooting on RSL as they completed their most successful season in club history!, and even recently have had a string of really good dates. I feel especially lucky right now, considering the economy and the state of the world we live in, to have such a stable employer. All in all, life is pretty great. Here's a pic of the last game we went to along with the last round of nine that Dan and I played...

Even More Pics.... Seattle and Victoria's Butchart Gardens

2008-09-25T18:12:00.001-07:00

Pikes Market early morning

Just in case you didn't believe the first picture.

My buddy Nathan is going to Law School in Seattle.

The rest of these pictures are from Butchart Gardens in Victoria, Canada. This must be what the Garden of Eden looked like.

More Pictures..

2008-09-24T19:53:00.001-07:00

Fred and Kathy: Their first cruise without children to watch in quite some time:)

Padres wanted a picture with the glacier, I was enjoying myself in the hot tub but happily obliged:)

Glaciers are cool.

K-9s kick it old school in Ketchikan.

River walk in Ketchikan. Peaceful....smelly.

Scenery from the ship.

Matching shirts allowed us to tell all the ships passengers that we were 'With the Band', there 'For a wedding', or my personal favorite 'A close friend died and for his funeral we were going to spread his ashes at sea'.

Matt and Gregg looking GQ as ever.

My Papa.... bustin a move on my mama!

Brian and Joe: Most Dapper gentlemen on the ship.

El Fresco (Doug) and my sis Chellene workin their slow groove on the dance floor.

Kris and Tristin. Wow! They were HAPPY!

Quick Pics

2008-09-18T21:51:00.000-07:00

Late night, not a lot of time but I wanted to post a few pics of my latest excursion.

Must be good genes.....

Whale tales are actually called flukes.... being that close is seriously a spiritual experience.

Me and my Pops.

Yes..... it is cold.

T minus eight days!

2008-08-29T21:35:00.000-07:00

Alaska is calling!... yet again. This time around we will have 13 people in our group. My mustache is ready, my bad sweater has been purchased, and my appetite grows daily! Alaska truly is one of the most beautiful places I've visited in my last few years of travel and I am ecstatic to be taking it all in again. This pics are just a small preview.....

Ode to the beard...

2008-07-30T22:48:00.000-07:00

While I confess that I am not a huge fan of body hair, I must admit that I secretly aspire to someday be able to wear a full and thick 'grizzly adams' style beard. I wouldn't call it an obsession, but definitely a top 20 goal. The sad part is that I'm 26 and my pops apparently forgot to pass on the right genes when he made me:(

Here's my Dad's one week of growth....
Oh, and here is my room mate's sweet moses beard during last year's hunting season....I find the black and white especially funny because it sort of looks like a mug shot!
So many of you may already know that I go on a cruise with friends and family every year; On this wonderful vacation, we enjoy several friendly competitions including karaoke, weight gain, smallest speedo, worst sweater, etc. Last year a mustache contest was started and I failed horribly. While my dad can just think about it and seemingly grow a full beard in 5 minutes, I have to really work at it and be patient for much of anything to show up in my 'upper lip' region. It doesn't help that my facial hair is just about as blonde as my head hair! Anyway, considering that our Alaskan excursion is just a little over a month away, I thought now would be a good time to get mine started.Not too shabby so far right? eh...eh? :) Yea... I know it's pathetic.
I find that my latest hair cut is really quite convenient in that my facial hair is about the same length and, therefore, looks even better than it would have with those long golden locks I had over the winter. LOL. This is a picture I used for a work directory, hence the cool shirt and 'loud' tie. The funniest part is whenever my nephew Owen and I are hanging out. He's 2 1/2 and consistently asks me what's on my face, then rubs it with his grubby little toddler hands and says, 'it's not coming off' with a puzzled look on his face. Thanks for the ego boost buddy.... (sigh) you're still my boy!
On a more serious note, things are going great with work. In less than three months my branch is already performing at levels of branches that have been established for two or three years. I have a wonderful staff who learn quickly, work hard, and always have a lot of fun. The community is very welcoming and the marketing couldn't be progressing any better.
I recently was called to be the Sunday School President in the West Bountiful Lakeside Ward. I am finding the calling to be much more involved than I anticipated, but I'm really enjoying it. I'm afforded the opportunity to teach again and I remember how rewarding that can be.
I start a new round of classes next week and I'm finally starting to see a light at the end of the proverbial 'school tunnel'. All in all, life is good and I feel very blessed.
Wish me luck with the stache! :)

Only a month late....

2008-07-21T22:31:00.000-07:00

Ata boy! My little bro got married last month and I'm just now getting around to posting the pics... He dated his wife all through high school; she waited for him during his mission; and they didn't waste anytime once he got home. We're all stoked to have Shari as part of the family! Oh ya, and Stephen is pretty cool too:) lol

Random Pictures

2008-07-15T19:19:00.000-07:00

Here's the mo-hawk I sported for about a day and a half.....

I decided that once the weekend was over, it probably wouldn't be very professional for work so..... I called my friend Megan who just so happens to be very talented with an old school straight blade razor and she went to work:)

Here's the final result!

Lastly, I realized that I wrote about my new car like two months ago, but never posted any pics... well, here she is just right after getting washed and waxed:)

Quarter century plus 1....

2008-06-29T18:52:00.000-07:00

Here's to the rest of you Menaces to Society out there. Today I officially join your ranks:)

Tour De Cure

2008-06-22T21:52:00.001-07:00

Kris and I do a bike race every summer; this year team MACU participated in the diabetes benefit race up in Brigham city. I have to admit, as stupid as those tight shorts look, they really save your unmentionables:)

Finally open!

2008-06-04T11:47:00.001-07:00

I know the scissor picture is cheesy, but they made us hold that pose for like 5 minutes while everyone took pictures. The mustached cowboy holding the scissors with me is actually the Mayor! He's really charismatic, super intelligent, and very loved by the community. I just love the mustache! Anyway, It feels good to have the grand opening cermonies behind me now and the branch is finally starting to feel like home. It's kept me very busy, hence the long time in between posts:)

Moving sucks, let's go to the beach

2008-04-28T00:37:00.001-07:00

Oh ya... this is Ben and Wayne totally stoked for the red eye flight to JFK.

So my sis ran into some complications with her buyers and we did not end up moving them to Jacksonville. The house is all packed up into a plethora of cardboard boxes that line the walls; alas, they'll stay that way for another few weeks.... We took advantage of the situation as best we could and just hung out. We watched kung fu, went to the beach, listened to Juancho and Shaunna jam, and had lots of fun playing with Joe, Priya, and Auralee. Here's some pics:)

Being a cute bald female will only work when you're this age:)

Good times, good trip.

Haircuts and more travel plans

2008-04-23T12:14:00.000-07:00

I got a haircut a while ago and realized I hadn't shown it off yet..... sigh, I miss my long golden locks....

Anyway, it looks like I'll be in Florida for the rest of this week with my older bro and my pops. My sis and her family are moving from Fort Lauderdale to Jacksonville for my bro in law's residency program. Aside from the heavy lifting and navigating of couches, tables, and pianos, it should be good times as usual with the Sanders Family! I'll post pictures upon my return.

Construction Update

2008-04-10T09:13:00.000-07:00

After last week's meeting with the planning comittee and a walk through with the general contractor, our slated opening date is may 12th. I am really looking forward to the challenge of opening a new branch. It's been fun to see the building take shape; all that is left is interior fascia work and exterior landscaping. All my staff is hired and trained, supply orders are all but complete; however I still need to make sure everything is stocked. Once hardware is installed, we'll make sure the delivery systems are up and running, and be ready to go! This new location will require a lot more marketing and community involvment. I intend to be an active member of the chamber of commerce, as that has helped me greatly in previous assigments.

This location is one third of the drive I'm used to; comine that with the great new gas mileage I'm getting and life is good!

The new AA, and other semi-deep thoughts...

2008-04-09T15:02:00.000-07:00

I'm going to create a new help goup: Autoholics Anonymous. It would be a real help for people like me; I get bored with my vehicles quickly and usually end up with a new one every two years or so. Let's see, license at sixteen.... I'm twenty six now.... carry the 2....yup, ten years and I've owned 8 cars and a motorcycle! I've had a Chevy Cavalier, Oldsmobile Calai, GMC jimmy, Honda Prelude, Honda Accord, Audi A4, Honda Shadow, Nissan Xterra, and a Honda Civic si. Don't get me wrong, I love my new 8000 rpm redline 200 horsepower Civic Sedan si- the touch screen DVD system makes road trips super nice, the micro-fiber seats are comfy, and the gas mileage is much better than my last vehicle.... I just hope that in two years, I still love it as much as I do right now. My friend Matt really gave me a great deal on it, which makes it extra special.... comparable to a vintage T-shirt that everyone compliments you on and then becomes twice as cool when they find out you only paid two dollars for it!
Special thanks to Matt for hookin a brotha up!
On a side note, I'm working at one of our branches in Vernal, of all places, this week and I've been up tight all week because the locals insist on driving huge diesel trucks and have no clue how to park OR back them up... I have no problem with people driving large vehicles, but Please, Please, Please learn how to drive your truck before taking it into a public parking lot.
So far, I have never regretted any of the vehicles I've purchased. My Audi would have been a regret if not for the bumper to bumper warranty it came with; she spent a lot of time in the shop:( That gets me thinking.... what if warranties were available for other aspects of life? Like relationship warranties? Better yet, a Mental/Emotional/Spiritual Health warranties?!:) I suppose that life has no warranties because human beings are more resilient than cars. Instead of just breaking down after a proverbial crash in life, we generally recover and learn from what we did wrong. Sometimes, the lesson learned is the easy part; it's fixing the mess we made that's hard...... such experience builds Character; Character is motivation from the soul.
Wow! What a tangent that was:)

Red Cliffes Lodge Work Retreat

2008-04-06T12:36:00.001-07:00

Red Cliffes Lodge, 20 minutes outside of Moab. This was the view out our back window.

My little bro Stephen let me borrow his boots and oversized buckle for the 'cowboy' dinner.
Hey Everyone, come see how good I look!

Beautiful red rock, decent golf, great company!

Click on this photo to see Kris and Tristin just finishing their four mile stroll up the canyon and back! :) ....The canyon name isn't exactly PC for today's standards, but it was gorgeous!

Kris, Brian, and Joe. Joe was a champ and 'hid' under the golf clubs in the back while we drove to the golf course. Brian, my 'date', took a turn as well:)

More Hawaii Pics...

2008-04-03T22:59:00.000-07:00

Yup, that's real:)

Our killer rental car, go Zuki!

Sweet bamboo forest on the hike to the seven sacred pools.(I did not count seven pools, but whatever...)

Caught the sunset just a little late.

Super cool hut in on one of our hikes in the Iao Valley.

This sign lied.... i didn't see anything falling but water! :)

I had such a blast on this trip. I went with three other guys; two of whom I really didn't know at all. They were all really chill and made the trip even more fun. I spent a lot of time just chillin on the beach (didn't think to take any pictures for some reason...) and getting lost in my own thoughts. We also went snorkeling, saw sea turtles, whales, and dolphins. The food was excellent! I've never had such delectable mahi mahi. While time passed too quickly, I cherished my stay and vow to return as soon as possible.

Maui Sunsets

2008-03-22T01:18:00.000-07:00

Wow! I had my expectations set high for Hawaii and I must admit that I was NOT disappointed!
I got back earlier today and find myself quite exhausted. I need to sift through all the photos I took and pick some of the best to post. For now, enjoy a beautiful sunset and some lush scenery.

Not too shabby...

2008-03-13T23:40:00.000-07:00

Well... after almost two weeks, this was the best I could do! :) Still pretty patchy, but I'm proud to sport it anyway. Three days until Hawaii!!!

Mustache March!

2008-03-04T16:35:00.000-08:00

I'm doing my best to participate in this time honored tradition and I promise to post pictures once my 'stache' is more respectable. During the next month, I will be traveling to Hawaii, Moab, and attending the first RSL game of the season.
Although Real Salt Lake's first three seasons have been sore disappointments; I am optimistic with our new acquisitions and improved fitness that we will see a playoff birth. I firmly believe in staying loyal to your home teams, whether successful or not. I will admit that I've made plenty of jokes about the team over the years, I continue to renew my season tickets, and enjoy supporting my team and yelling until I lose my voice. My friends and I sit right behind the opposing teams bench, and do our best to get in their heads before and during each match. Last year, we successfully got Taylor Twellmane to flip us off, had assistant D.C. coach John Harkes tell us to shut up, and Former USMNT and NYRB Head coach Bruce Arena drop a couple of 4 letter words when he got fed up with our taunting. I love having a professional soccer team in Utah and will support them through good and bad seasons as a dedicated fan. This year, I see a lot more depth in our squad, especially in the midfield and defense, and I'm quite excited about the improved play of our Strikers. The aquisition of a certain scottish import player, nicknamed Dr. goals, has me closer to Cocky about our scoring power than any previous year. I can hardly wait until opening day!
This month has me stoked and I promise to post many pics of my adventures as they happen.
7 working days left and then my biggest concern will be SPF 5 or 10 :)

Pops

2008-02-19T20:02:00.000-08:00

Papa and his Papa....
I have no clue what they are so excited about, but who cares!? This picture is awesome. My dad was looking oh so cool with his 'neck tied' sweater and my grandpa was old school cool. You don't mess with a guy who looks that tough. :)
And here he is with his big sister... the resemblance is uncanny right?
My Dad is better than your dad! You name it, he can build it.

Passing of a friend...

2008-02-10T17:10:00.000-08:00

Ringo Rosco Riggs
November 14 1994-February 9 2008
A loyal companion and best friend who will be greatly missed.

Fort Laud with the Sanders

2008-01-20T10:36:00.001-08:00

So I'm currently in Fort Lauderdale, Florida for the weekend. Sis had her third child, which makes 10 nieces and nephews for me overall. It's just a short trip, Friday to Monday. Today is Sunday and I thought I'd post a few pics of the Sanders clan.

Juancho... need I say more?

Joe and Priya. They get along really well 62% of the time:)

Mira que chula! This is Diez, aka Auralee.

I went to church with the cutest girl in the ward!

Shaunna- the glue that holds it all together! :)

On a side note, I'd like to go on record stating just how much I loathe US Airways. I had credit from a canceled trip last year that finally used to get myself here this weekend. Without going into great detail, I am pleased to know that after tomorrow I will never fly with such a horrible company ever again.
It's been a fun trip and I'm looking forward to bass fishing with Joe and Juancho tomorrow before I leave. Shaunna and I have had a great time just hanging out. We went to dinner last night at the Grand Lux Cafe...mmmm! We brought Auralee along and I'm sure many people thought my sister was my wife... even better than that was the trip to the grocery store that I took with just Joseph and Priya. People kept telling me how cute MY kids were! Must have been the family resemblence they saw, cause I certainly don't feel old enough to have a 4 and 2 year old!
Tomorrow I also plan to visit the Havanna shirt company.... it's time I picked up another guayavera:)
And that's about it for this post. I'm having a great time in this warm weather, but I'm also looking forward to returning home to the cold. Freezing temperatures mixed with warm blankets and good company can't be beat. As I close, I can't help but wonder.... Is it Tuesday yet?

The Red Rock Approaches....

2008-01-13T19:35:00.001-08:00

I have officially booked our lodging for the annual May Moab Trip. We've rented the same house that sleeps 30 people from Wednesday May 7th to Sunday the 11th. This is a great trip that we've been taking since high school. First it was just the boys, then it was boys and girlfriends, then the boys started getting married and bringing wives along, and lately the Husbands, Wives, and children have all partaken of the superb desert vacation. Oh, and the few of us single people left still enjoy ourselves as well:) For those of you that are interested in what kind of fun we'll be having, I've attached some pictures:

Just call me Mr Nanny

2008-01-12T17:21:00.000-08:00

I have ten nieces and nephews and I'm pretty good with all of them. They usually love when uncle Wayne comes around to play. In general, I find that I'm pretty good with children. Kris and Tristin's daughter, Avery, is the exception. She's almost a year old, and still cries everytime I make eye contact with her! Talk about a blow to my ego on so many levels! Anyway, I babysat for a few hours today and for the first time, she not only allowed me to hold and feed her, but she did not cry once! Victory! :)

Steal of a deal!

2008-01-06T12:31:00.000-08:00

67% off! It's gonna be a good winter:)

I miss mexico....

2008-01-06T01:36:00.001-08:00

I don't love everything about Utah, but one thing I DO really love is the ability to enjoy all the seasons. Winter is generally a great time for me, however up until today I have not had the means to enjoy this winter season. During a 'four wheeler accident' coming home from backside of the Wasatch in Bountiful last year, I shattered my skis:( A few weeks ago I found a killer deal on some K2 public enemies (skis) and today I purchased some boots and bindings to be mounted. They will be ready to ride by early next week. Until then, I am dreaming of those precious few days in November that I spent on a cruise to the mexican riviera. My mental meanderings will probably continue along those lines until I drop in on my first line of the 08 season. Until then, here's to warmer times.....

This is la isla de chivo (goat island). I'm very proud of my tan line...

This is El Fresco (my bro in law Doug)

And here's my sis and I during a formal dinner.

These guys ran a zip line tour company in Puerto Vallarta. Yes, the mustache is real, just like Doug's.

This one was outside the zip line tour starting point. The property in the jungle doubled as a tequileria.

saving some green and saluting the pink

2008-01-03T17:50:00.000-08:00

My buddy Showen aka Shawn Ames and his wife Kailey just moved to centerville, which means we get to carpool up Parley's everyday! Essentially, instead of filling up with gas every week, we now fill up every other week. What a beautiful thing:)

Anyway, here's a picture of my carpool partner:

Oh ya... he likes to do a little bouldering in his free time:)

Aside from a little problem with drifting, I can't complain. Besides, we're helping each other save about 100 dollars a month!

Here he is at work.... I hired him because of his professionalism.

As an added bonus, here's proof that real men wear pink:

Dawg.... you my dawg.

2007: well, that sucked.... 2008, what are the chances?...

2008-01-02T21:56:00.000-08:00

I'll cut the introductions. If you're reading this, chances are.... you already know me well enough that I don't have to explain the title. I plan to use this blog to post pictures and updates on my travels, adventures, and life experiences in the year 2008 (just in case it surprises me and turns out better than 2007 did). I'm not saying all of 07 sucked, I had some cool things happen and I took several trips that were a quite enjoyable. So far, 2008 has been a good year... all two days of it! I've attached a few pictures of a trip I took to Portland with my brothers from another mother, Kris and Brian King. We shot a lot of guns, hosted a bad sweater party and played nine holes of golf at the local course. The sun shined the entire game!

Gentlemen, I'll be emailing you the rest of the pics shortly.
As one of the few remaining faith RSL fans, I plan to post comments and opinions from time to time about the team and their progress. I'll also post pictures of my family and friends whenever we do something cool or interesting:)
Feel free to leave comments whenever you feel like it. Have a lovely new year and I hope your 08 surpasses my failed 07. Late