I’m funny

Olivia is at a great age where pretty much anything I do is funny.  I’ll be pretty sad when I get that first eye roll and am no longer funny.

I have no problem taking the cheap laughs for now.

Winter Condo 2010

We had another eventful winter at the condo this year.   Olivia LOVES the condo and asks to go all the time…. apparently so she can wear Fargo hats and play football.

 

 

 

 

 

This is a great shot of Trey.  Every time I took his picture he made sure to pose as cool as he could.

 

 

Jase and I decided to try some back country snow boarding.  It makes us sound awesome and adventurous just like the picture shows:

 

Back country snowboarding was actually 45 minutes of hiking followed by two minutes of boarding in snow that was nearly too deep to get moving…. plus a lot of resting.

Olivia turns Two

Olivia turned two this year.  She had a great party with lots of kids, Dora the Explorer, and an indoor bounce house.  Did I jump on it after the kids left?  Yes I did.

 

I think we had just as many adults as we had kids.  Lots to eat and drink… The kids should be running around here somewhere…I think.

 

 

 

 

Thanksgiving 2010

Thanksgiving has been at my mom and dad’s house for as long as I can remember.   This is the first year that tradition was broken.

My grandfather was in a car accident a few weeks ago and was unable to travel.  So we had Thanksgiving in his hometown of Grays Lake, ID.

I have never seen my mom so relaxed on Thanksgiving!  She didn’t mind the change of venue at all.

 

 

Olivia has her dad’s running style

 

She has all of the footwork without the forward speed.

Shadow

Kind of a fun moment where Olivia discovers her shadow for the first time.

Halloween 2010

Olivia is just getting old enough to appreciate Halloween… aka, she loves candy.

 

Elaina puts on a great Halloween party for the cousins.  She always has great things to make out of candy. 

 

Wonder Woman!  (and Darth Vader)

 

Charlie makes the perfect sad clown

We had so much fun walking from house to house.  She was amazed that everyone was just giving out candy!  I love seeing this video where she still isn’t steady on her feet, and just getting the concept of what is going on.

Olivia Discovers a Ray of Sunlight

I’m so thankful to have a cell phone camera to catch quick moments like this.

Falling From The Sky

Elaina had a little surprise for my birthday this year.

The only thing she told me was to be ready first thing in the morning.  The babysitter showed up at 6:45 a.m. which immediately made me suspicious.  This was an adults only thing… sweet!

At 7:00 we headed west.  We were in a hurry so we wouldn’t be late.  Late for what?  No clue.

Heading west on the freeway we passed Post Falls, Liberty Lake, Spokane Valley, the airport…. and we were STILL on the road!  There is NOTHING west of the airport…. but we kept driving.

About an hour into our drive Elaina started to get funny… she would switch on the turn signal and would pull slightly off an exit before quickly returning back to the freeway.  Every time I thought we were getting off the freeway we just kept going.

Finally we pulled off at a rest stop where Elaina was driving around slowly looking for someone.  “He should be here somewhere” she said.   She parked the car and went into the bathroom while we waited to meet someone.  I have no idea what is going on, but was told to look out for  a red truck.

She soon came back with a smirk on her face, got in the car, and started driving again!  What the????   Elaina was pretty proud of herself for that little diversion.  Meanwhile I’m totally confused.

After nearly two hours of misdirection and and misinformation we finally pulled off the freeway…. in the middle of nowhere.  We drove down a desolate dirt road and then I saw the sign… West Plains Skydiving.

I didn’t hesitate at all (even after watching the mandatory 20 minute video about everything that can go wrong and how no one is at fault.)

My only brief hesitation came when we were climbing aboard the plane.  Holy $&#! this is really going to happen!  And then we were off… 12 of us crammed into a tiny airplane.

At 10,000 feet the door opened.  All I remember is how fast people disappeared after jumping from the plane.  They immediately turned into tiny specs in the sky.  One by one the single jumpers flew out of the plane … and then it was my turn.  I clipped uncomfortably close to another dude… and then we jumped.

Everyone asks if it was scary.  It is a little scary at first, but very quickly you lose the sense of falling.  You just feel like wind is blowing really hard against you.  I was smiling so big the entire time that my teeth started to dry out and hurt.

Elaina bought the video/photography package to document the adventure.  I’m so glad she did!  I can relive moments like when I made a rookie mistake of tensing up as we fell from the plane.  Tensing up basically makes you cartwheel through the sky until the instructor regains control.

 

The instructor let me steer for a few seconds… and only a few seconds.  I was surprised at how fast we were descending.

I can’t believe how fast we came down.  After 7 or 8 minutes we slid right into the LZ (that’s Landing Zone for all of you non awesome skydivers).

This is probably the greatest gift I have ever received.  I got to fulfill a lifelong dream and it was exhilarating.  I have these wild dreams of going back for a full weekend of single jumping certification…. maybe when the kids get older and my life insurance is beefed up.

Cousin Dance Party

Apparently I like to use the word ‘nice’ when commenting.  I really need to work on that.

Tri Girl

Many people have been warned about Elaina …  be careful or she will make you do a Triathlon.

Elaina has poked and prodded several new comers into their first Triathlons.  She even brought a few competitors back who were sitting dormant for a while.

One of her targets ended up in the emergency room.. Another target swore as he jumped into the river at 7am while it was 37 degrees outside.  I was even a target in St. George.

Elaina is good at pressuring you to do things you don’t want to do.  Not bad things or illegal things, but things you will be glad you did.  She is great at making people (me especially) do things out of our comfort zones.
I’ll gripe, moan, beg, and swear, but in the end I’m always glad she gave me that little push to do something I would have never done on my own.

She even pushed herself this year and competed in her first Olympic Triathlon:  .94 Mile Swim, 26 mile Bike, 6 mile run.  You so crazy….

Here are a few pictures of Elaina and her friends in various races this year...

Salt Lake City Trip–Summer 2010

We spent a great couple of weeks visiting family in Utah.  We saw pretty much everyone in both of our families….
I’ll try to knock these out quick.
Lunch with my family in Park City.  Dad, Mom, Brent and Emily, Elaina, Me, Brad.

We went to Park City with Jase, Jane, and the kids for a little Alpine Slide and Roller coaster action:
 
Thanks for carrying two sleds (Elaina) while I take pictures.






This is Trey and I on the coaster.  All the way up he was telling me to go slow.  He continuously wanted reassurance that we wouldn’t go fast.

I couldn't even joke about going fast.... he was serious!

About 20 seconds into the ride he tells me to go a little faster…. then a little faster… until we were using no breaks at all.  He later told me he wished we would have gone fast the entire time.  I told him we will next time.. he can count on it.

Olivia’s ride wasn’t quite as exciting.

Katie, Val, Olivia

Olivia loves cousin time.  Katie love’s texting time.

A few days after the Gutsman I thought it would be a good idea to go mountain biking with my brothers.  We had a great time in Park City.  My legs didn’t quite have as good of a time, but they got me through.


Brent, Brad, and I
Brent and Brad

Olivia on her first sleepover.


Kids at the zoo… Jettie, Trey, Olivia, Daisy, Brendan, Lily.

Staring contest.  The statue won, but Trey came in a close second.

Jase, Jane, and the kids.

Kaite and Brendan

Lily, Olivia, and Miranda who came all the way from North Carolina to see everyone.


Olivia and some kid at Lagoon.. Keep your hands to yourself little Mister!

Elaina, Grandma Sandy, Olivia

Miranda, Olivia, Daisy, Lily


You may be wondering why I am sitting with a headless child.  That would be Trey sitting next to me in the ultimate thrill ride at Lagoon…. the catapult.
Trey was the only person in our entire group (adults and children) who would go with me.  He didn’t hesitate for a second when I asked him. 
The ride shoots you like a slingshot about 200 feet in the air and then you free-fall until the bungee catches and bounces you back up.  For about 5.2 seconds it honestly feels like you are going to die.  I’m not sure why I love this stuff, but I do.  And apparently Trey does too.  It must have been the coaster encouragement in Park City.  You’re welcome Jase.


All of Elaina’s family gathered for a group shot.


All of the cousins gathered for a final shot.  And by final, I mean final.  The kids were grouchy and and wanted no more picture taking.  Except for Miranda and Daisy who are always up for a picture!