UTES BEAT BYU!!!!

UTAH 48 - BYU 24

I know it is a little over a week since the game, but I still wanted to make an entry about it. Payton and I had a great time at the game. We arrived to the festivities around the stadium about 3 hours prior to kick off. The whole feeling around the stadium was full of excitement and confidence. We could not have asked for a better day then what we had on that Saturday. As the game moved on and entered the third quarter it appeared that the game may turn into a brawl down to the end like the last two years. But thanks to Max Hall's MVP performance for the UTEs with a total of 5 interceptions and 1 fumble we were able to pull away and double up the score on the Y. It was a fantastic day, one that me and Payton will remember for a very long time.

Payton with his buddy Josh after the game on the field with #90 Derrick Shelby.

Utah Beats TCU!!!!!!!!

Utah 13 TCU 10

I will use a classic line from a classic film....."You're Killing me Smalls!" The Utes are killing me, making us ride out another thriller ride, otherwise known as a UofU football game. The Utes pulled out a 13-10 victory. If you were a fair weather fan that can only be entertained by offensive football, this was not for you. But if you were a true football fan, you were able to witness an awesome performance by two outstanding defenses. As far as the offense goes, I think that they should apply the same type of offense that the Buffalo Bills did with Jim Kelly back in the early 90's. That is to let Brian Johnson run a 2 minute offense ALL game long. BJ can flat out drive a team the length of the field when he is out there directing traffic. It was a fantastic finish to an awesome game that had the flavor of two heavyweights trading punches all night long.

It was fun to see most of the fans supporting the "Black Out" attire. The football team played in a new black uniform and the fans wore mostly black.

Payton on the turf after the TCU game.


Payton and me on the turf after the TCU game with the winning score behind us. Payton is holding his terrible towel up. This was a good evening.

School Pics

Carter and Brinlee got their School pics this last week. They are both growing up too fast.



CHEEEEEEEEEEESE!

Brinlee sure takes after her mom.

Grandparents Day at Carter's School

Here is a pic of Grandma Di, Grandpa Will at Grandparent's Day at Carter's school. Carter was able to show them a fine time with some fine dinning.

Halloween

Man it was one of the best days for trick or treating that I can remember. The temp was perfect, no wind or rain. The kids had a great time this year and really got a lot of candy. As you can see Carter was dressed as a scary Dracula, Payton was a Star Wars Stormtrooper, and Brinlee decided not to wear her cute Dracula outfit and decided to go with the tried and true Eeyore. This year was the year that we went to Inger's house and went around their neighborhood in Roy. We enjoyed some Pizza, salad, and bread sticks for dinner before we headed out.

Here are some of the frightful pics of from our evening







There you have it, the scary pics of Carter, Payton, and Brinlee on Halloween 2008.

More Yellostone pics

More pics from our trip...


Yellowstone Lake at sunset...

Sorry I don't have a big enough zoom to get those big boys up closer...

Where the big boys roam...

Beautiful sunset behind the Tetons...

Some Hicks in front of some hot pots...

Some Hicks in front of some hot springs.

Beautiful colors of a hot spring pool.

Carter and Payton along the side of one of the pools, I wanted them in the pic so that you could tell how bright the algae was on the edge of the pool.


The kids in front of a hot pool...

This was cool to me, I have never seen a wolf in the wild. I hope this is a sign that the wolf is making a come back to Yellowstone.

Jackson Hole Trip

For the UEA weekend we loaded up the Durango and headed up to Jackson Hole for four days. We stayed in a place called Cowboy Village that had little cabins, which the kids thought were cool. For the price it really was pretty nice. The location was close to down town Jackson. On the way up to Jackson we stopped at the Star Valley Cheese Factory just north of Afton, WY. When I was younger I always loved stopping there to get a cheese burger and then grab some treats. Unfortunately, they are not the fun hospitable service company they used to be, and the food wasn't the best. This was the only downer of the whole trip.

When we arrived we settled into the cabin and got ready to go play. The weather was great, the highs were around 60 and the lows were around 30. After receiving the snow back home I thought that Jackson may be very cold and very wet, but we were happy to see the snow had melted and the temps were comfortable. The first day up there we walked around the shops and enjoyed some of the eating establishments up there. On our first full day the kids enjoyed going to the Ripley's Believe it or Not!

On our second full day we went to Yellowstone Park and visited Old Faithful and some of the sites in the Geyser Basin north of Old Faithful. We were able to see some elk, a bear, and a wolf on our travel as well as the many sites along the way.

It is amazing to see how the forest is healing itself after the massive Yellowstone fires of 1988. The mountain sides are now green with the new growth of young pine trees, but you can still tell where the fire was with the periodic dead tree that dots the mountain side standing 2-4 times taller then the new growth.

It always amazes me to think of what it was like for the early pioneers to have traveled into this amazing place. For them it would have been like any of us stepping on to the moon since most of what they were seeing was nothing like they had every imagined.

It kind of came full circle for me with this trip. When I was in Philadelphia last month I stopped by the house of the scientist that taught Lewis and Clark about geology and botany. Then to be in this area with all of the historical emphasis on the Lewis and Clark expedition was fun for me. Even tho the main L&C party bypassed the park, one of their members did travel into the are and returned to tell of the wonders there but was dismissed as a farce. Not until around the Civil War was there any real understanding of this natural wonder.

Here are some of our photos...


A Bunch of Hicks at Old Faithful...


Mr. Bear walking along the road


Brinlee sitting, waiting for Old Faithful to go off...


Old Faithful going off....


Carter, Brinlee and Payton in front of Old Faithful just as it is starting to wind down.


Steff and the kids standing under one of the Elk Horn arches in Jackson Hole.


The grand peaks of the Tetons!


The kids standing on a hill above a meadow in Teton National Park.


The view from the back of our cabin...

The kids on the front porch of the cabin...

I Can't Rember A Thing

Some days don't you feel like this? I seen this pic and just thought I would post it. Too Funny!

Utes beat OSU 31 - 28

It was a good time with Carter and my friends the Heilesons at the UofU vs. Oregon State Game.
Even though Brian Johnson had one of his worst performances we still sent the Beavers limping back to the Pac 10 with their tails between their legs. Start playing Utah Man, Gooooooooooo Utes!

End of the Season

Well Payton's first season of football is done. The team wrapped up the season with a 3-4 record. I couldn't be more proud of Payton and his team. To see those young men learn to play the greatest team sport in the world, and learn how to execute a play with 10 other players on the field is quite a joy. Payton had never played football other then a pick up game in the backyard or on the school yard, and ended the season as one of the best players, and by far the best hitter (I don't know where he got that from). By the last three games of the year he was starting at Left Guard on offense and starting at Inside Linebacker on defense. The head coach would call him a "Man-Child" after some of his tackles in practice and in the games. He would laugh at Payton because when he wasn't in a game or practice he was so mellow and relaxed and then when the pads went on he would turn a switch on(again, I don't know where he gets that). Here are some pics of Payton at the game.


Here is Payton warming up, he is in the middle running past coach.

In that distance you can see a tackle that Payton made (I'm sure you can see it but he did). Payton stuck the QB from the other team on 4th and 3 just shy of a first down to let his team have a chance at tying the game, but it was not to be.





Here is Payton after the game (not a happy camper).





Here comes coach.....

Payton's Bday and Brin's first day at Preschool

Payton getting hugs from Grandma Di

Payton excited about his new Star Wars Trooper

Payton can hardly contain himself about getting Simpson's Season 10 DVD

Brinlee posing with her new Dora outfit and her new backpack for her first day at Preschool

Brinlee is all smiles on her first day

End of August Update

Well it has been a couple of weeks since my last posting. We have had a few fun things happen since the last one....

Payton has had two more football games in that span. Unfortunately, the outcomes of these two games have not been in our favor, but Payton continues to perform great. He has been playing defensive end and offensive guard most of the time. He as actually played some at nose guard and some at offensive tackle. Payton said that he really enjoyed playing the nose tackle position (I don't know where he would get that mentality from).

Payton and Carter have already started school. Carter started 1st grade and Payton started 6th, and Brinlee starts her second year of preschool tomorrow.

Steff had her 23rd birthday (NOT) on Aug. 22. Steff and I went to Park City to have some fun shopping and riding the mountain roller coaster.

I went to Philadelphia for a work conference Aug. 25-28. It was fun to see some of the historic sites that are all over the place in the old section of Philly.

And the Utes beat Michigan!!!!!!!!!!

Payton's First Football Game!

Payton got the big payoff for his three weeks of football conditioning with a 32-00 win over Morgan. This is Payton's first year playing organized pigskin. He starts at Defensive End and Offensive Guard. On defense he had three solo sacks and 2-3 half sacks, he also had multiple tackles and disrupted the plays that Morgan was trying to run. His containment on the end was quite impressive for his first game. His blocking as the guard on the left side helped open holes for the running backs, and when they needed 3 yards on a 4 and 3 the QB ran right behind Payton to get the first down. The coaches love Payton's "Eye of the Tiger" and love looking into his eyes to see his intensity.

Payton is playing for the Roy A Pee Wee team in the Wasatch Front Football League.

Here is Payton's Schedule.

I will try to get some pics out there soon...

End of July

Well since our last blog we have done a few thing...

Payton started football for Roy Rec. This is his first year of organized football, and so far he is enjoying the practices. He really enjoyed getting his pads and trying them on for size.



Carter and Brin have enjoyed going to Lagoon with Steff a few times with their season passes. Carter loves the Colossus and the Wicked rides.




Steff and I have been to a couple more concerts since the last blog. We went to the Police concert on July 19th with Elvis Costello opening for them. Then on July 30th we went to Joe Cocker and The Steve Miller Band. Both concerts were at the Usana Amphitheater.



I'll take some pics of Payton in all his football prowess and get them on the blog as soon as I can.

Boston Concert

Hey all,

Well this weekend Steff and I were able to go see Boston in Wendover, NV. It was kind of a whirlwind trip but it was fun for the two of us to get away for a little bit. Steff's parents watched Carter and Brinlee for us while we spent Saturday night in Wendover (Thank You, Thank You, Thank You!).

The concert was awsome! I remember getting Boston's first record back in 1976 for a birthday gift from my parents and have been hooked on them ever since. Since me and Steff are all about Classic Rock we enjoy getting out to live performances by some of our favorite bands. It was sad that Brad Delp wasn't there to sing his classic songs but the guy they picked up from Home Depot did an outstanding job. He is living the dream that I am sure all cover band performers someday dream about.

The Montego Bay Casino & Hotel wasn't that bad. I actually thought the rooms there were nicer then comparable priced rooms in Las Vegas. I hadn't been to Wendover in over a decade and all I could remember was the cloud of smoke in the casinos. But this time was better, they have obviously updated their air systems there to do a much better job in cleaning the air inside.

Steff actually won some money this time in the casino. Every time we go to Vegas or somewhere that has casinos she usually has to play something. This time she indulged herself into the fine art of electronic poker bliss instead of the beautiful Wheel of Fortune slot machine. Most times she puts $20 into Wheel of Fortune and five minutes later we are $20 poorer. This time she put her $20 into the poker machine and about 20 minutes later she had more then tripled her money. You would have thought she had just won the Powerball.

Even tho we were both very tired come Sunday night it was a very fun time for Steff and myself. Thank you again to Connie and Greg for watching our little rugrats while we had a weekend away.

r

Some Pics of the kids...

Here is Brinlee on her Pony Ride..... 3/2008

Brinlee again on her Pony Ride (I'm not sure if she is having fun)... 3/2008

Carter and Brin trying to take Dad with force... 1/2008

Carter taking a ride on the Elephant... 3/2008

Payton acting cool on the top of the mountain overlooking Bear Lake... 6/2008

Here is Carter at his Kindergarten Graduation... 6/2008

Here are the kids during our Christmas shoot. How do you like that fireplace behind them? Did that myself... 12/2007