Dog-days of winter

It was a beautiful weekend for baseball.  Yes, when the sun went down and before it came up, it was chilly.

 We had a great time watching these two.  The kids improve more in four games than in ten practices.  They were sporting their new uniforms and won two out of 4 and missed playing for the championship by one run.

 Seth's sporting the eye-of-the-tiger.

I couldn't resist snapping this picture.  During baseball season, we set our dinner  table with plates and cups.
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 While we were playing baseball, Drew was enjoying some ice fishing on Panguitch lake with his scout troop. Drew is 2nd from the right watching over his pole.  It was a fun and successful trip.

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 House update

 Sorry I'm jumping around so much, but I needed to include this love letter from Jack to Shana.  Let me know if you need an interpretation, but in short - Shana is helpful, makes dinner, does laundry, and makes cereal.

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 And while we were baseballing and ice fishing, Laynee was at EFY Express listening to John Bytheway and Brad Wilcox.  Looks like her and her friends had a good time.

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 Finally, we ran into Neal Greeley at B-Dubs.  Always good to see friends out on the town.

January Continued

 Gluttons for punishment - that may be a good way to describe our team in relationship to this tournament down in Vegas each January against the best teams in the western United States; however, these boys are improving and giving these Academy teams a run for their money.  We've been used to being worked by these teams, but the games were all very close with final scores of 3-1 in their first game and 3-0 in both of the final two games.  The kids they play against go to full time soccer academies...like boarding schools for future professional soccer hopefuls.  Their parents pay good money for them to be there and their coaches are payed to coach.  Our coach volunteers his time and the kids...are kids.

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 Before heading down to Vegas to watch her bro play soccer, Laynee asked if I wanted to go on a trail run with her.  I said sure - afterall, I enjoy spending time with her and if there's any way I can support her in her quest to be better, faster, stronger, etc - I'll do it (or at least try).

 I'll be the first and proudest to admit that the apprentice has become the master.  I used to slow my pace and tolerate her complaining so I could keep my running partner running.  Not now - she waited for me and I tried not to complain.  She ran 7 and I managed 6.   I thoroughly enjoyed our run in the back country behind Desert Hills High.

This is the "electric rock" - it looks like wires are running through it but they're actually crystals.

January Happenings

 Kyle put this trip together at the request of George.  We left on Saturday afternoon for some night-skiing at Brian Head.  This is Drew just plain stoked to be able to go skiing for the first time in his life.  

 George, Josh Beckstrand, and Drew tore up the mountain for as many hours as the old men would tolerate, and by "old men" I mean me.  Even Kyle was on the slopes for most of the night. Not me. I learned something about myself and about my Dad and maybe Dads in general.  I learned that I'm a Dad - and with that comes responsibility.  I realized after my third run down the hill when I biffed it for the first time, "I could really get hurt doing this, and if I get hurt, I can't work. No work, no support my family - and I love my family."

 I  spent the rest of the night in the lodge.  Fell asleep on my arm and couldn't move it for 5 minutes when I finally came to.  Oh, and it was freezing cold - but it did NOT slow down these boys.  Enjoy it boys, some day you'll be a dad.

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 Mason and I had been talking for a few months about golfing at Red Hills golf course.  We were not raised as golfers.  Dad didn't golf, but in the dead of summer, Red Hills offered a special where kids under the age of 16 could golf for $1.  I'm sure they intended for fathers to bring their children golfing; however, I doubt that they intended for parents to drop their punk teenager kids off for summer afternoons in shorts and flip-flops and a couple clubs for a round of golf.  We spent more time looking through the bushes for other peoples' lost golf balls than actually golfing.  We always went home with pockets full of golf balls. 

 So I set aside Friday afternoon on January 10th, ordered some beautiful 60 degree weather, scheduled a tee-time, and got the brothers together.  Kyle brought the wings from B-dubs.

 There was still some business being conducted, but we had a ball.

There's a lot of baseball in that golf swing - which I'm okay with.

Happy birthday to me.

Ring in the new year

 No big hoopla around here for the New Year's Eve celebration - we went and played a little pickleball and then were *invited over to Temple View RV to swim with the McArthurs.  The night was finished up by Aaron and Tami jumping into the pool to save Lacy, their daughter - all's well that ends well.  It was actually quite humorous watching Aaron push Tami down into the pool to save his daughter.  He didn't even realize he had done it.

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 We were in bed early in preparation for our early awakening to go hike Angel's Landing.

We were on the trail by 7:15 am.

 I know this is hard to see, but just below and to the right of my hand holding the stocking cap it a rock climber's tent hanging on the  sheer face of Angel's Landing.  I was amazed.  Can you hear him saying yesterday, "This looks like a perfect place to set up camp."

 Drew on the beehive.

 Let it be known - Drew, Nate Wells, and I were the first people to the top of Angel's Landing in 2014. Didn't see anyone the whole hike til on the way back down.  So pretty to see the sun come up over the canyon.

 Grandpa Sullivan's birthday dinner at Chuck-a-rama.

Trying out our new bows and arrows and right back to school tomorrow.