Kelsey - Jason - Brad

I owe you three something of my own making.....this could be fun.

I promise to make sure that it smells good, is useful, and that I don't take a year to get it to you.

-Aaron

FRIDAY FRIDAY FRIDAY!!!!!

Can you hear me chanting?....you should be able to. Open a window and listen closely....


Today I am trying something different. (heaven help us all)

My wonderful wife always does a free giveaway on her blog every Friday (quick....go there now!!! did you see the link...its the funny word 'blog' that is a different color). Far be it for me to pass her up, but I am going to try something called Pay it forward.

Here's how it works....The first 5 people to respond to this post will get something made by me, especially for you.

This offer does have some restrictions and limitations:

1- I make no guarantees that you will like what I make but I hope you will.
2- What I create will be just for you.
3- I have a year to get it to you.
4- You have no clue what it's going to be. It’s a surprise to both of us at this point.

The catch? You must re-post this on your blog and offer the same to the first 5 people who do the same on your blog.


Ready....set.....GO!

Sniff......Sniff...

Am I the only one that wakes up every morning with 32 lbs of snot in my head?


....seriously.....


I blow and I blow and I am coughing and hacking until 7am every stinkin day. Granted, I have not been operating at 100% health over the last week or so, but still, even when things are all hunky dory.....I still wake up with the creeping unknown in my head every day.


...and what is up with the blue navel lint? I sleep in white cotton with brown sheets and yet every morning I wake up with a little blue ball of fuzzy waiting to say good morning.


...seriously....

Rockin R Ranch

Chris should love this one.....


Rockn R Ranch - Antimony Utah.


We were 14 and on a Stake Youth Conference trip (usually a Wednesday - Saturday trip with the youth all together for a 'religious' experience).

The second day on the ranch, they gathered all the kids together to see who was dumb enough to try to ride a bull....well a calf really, but still was about 400 - 500lbs....not very 'calf-like' if you ask me. Well of course, I was the only one who volunteered.

I remember getting up on top of the calf and getting roped in. I was in the stall and excited to give this a try. The guy holding the gate looked at me and said "You tell us when you are ready and we'll open the gate and he'll take off". My hand hurt because they roped me in really tight. I looked up and said "Ok, I'm readyyyyyyyyyyyy".................thud.

I don't remember what happened, but everyone watching said I was bucked off, cartwheeled through the air and landed on my back in the mud. I do remember thinking...."what happened?.....I gotta try that again and get it right this time."

So back up on the calf I went, strapped me in tight again and this time with a little more instruction. Through their laughter, the ranch hands told me to watch the hump on the back of the calf and to follow it wherever it went.

I looked down at the hump and said "Let her rip!"

I think I lasted one...maybe two jumps and then I was face first in the mud, heels in the air. I tried to lift my head when my eyes opened only to watch the rear hoof of the bull (calf) kick me in the temple......thud. My face hit the dirt hard. I didn't move because I thought if I did, I would make it mad and it would come after me.

What I didn't realize is everyone watching saw me get bucked off, land on my face, kicked in the head then lying still, face first on the ground....everyone thought I was dead. My Stake President was over the fence then I was in his arms while he was yelling my name. I didn't open my eyes, I just mumbled "Is it gone?".....he let out a big sigh, glad to know I was alive.

I got up and the ranch hands asked if I would like to regain some pride. (I think they just wanted to see if I was dumb enough to try something else.....I was) I said "sure". They put me on the back of the biggest sheep I have ever seen and told me to hold on.

I grabbed the sheep and said "Lets try this again...."! That sheep took off out of the chute so fast, I felt like Wile E. Coyote on the back of a lit rocket chasing after the roadrunner. He ran like a shot......right into the fence on the other side of the pen {KA-BLAM}. I was done.



(I don't look like this kid....it was just a funny picture.)

Later (when nobody else wanted to repeat what they saw me do) a bunch of us got together to go "beat-up" the calf that got me twice.....all 5 of us couldn't take him down.

That was a great trip....lots of memories from that one...like the time we shot the girl out of the bungee sling or I rode the horse clear to the top of the mountain.....maybe stories for another time.

Just thought I would give my cousin Kristy something funny to read on a Friday night.

An Apology...

Today I was confronted by a friend.....a real friend. His conversation with me was not in my favor, in fact it was quite the opposite, he took me aside and gave me some correction...and he was right.

In this world of offense (taken and given) I am glad that I have someone who can honestly put their arm around me and make me aware of my mistakes. Isn't that the mark of a true friend?

Wouldn't a true friend tell you when your zipper is down, you have toilet paper in your shoe, broccoli in your teeth or when you have made an ass of yourself?

This friend did.

His words were not loud and brash, but neither were they consoling. He was direct, frank and to the point. He spoke of a blog (Is it ever going to happen again?) I had written earlier this week, and expressed his disappointment in me because I had shared something so intimate with the world. He did note that he was sure I meant no malice toward anyone but made me view it in a different light. He was right, I was wrong. At first I tried to defend my post as good-natured and funny, but I knew he was right.

So the apology is two fold, one to my readers. I am sorry for sharing part of my life I shouldn't have. Even if what I wrote was meant as satire and humor, I should not have brought you into such an intimate part of my relationship with my spouse. She deserves my most highest regard and I should project that about her at all times. If at any time I have said, written or implied anything less than honorable, I need to correct myself. Which leads me to the second and most important apology.....that to my wife.

Catey, even though you were not upset (we love a good natured banter) I put that information out there without your permission and it was dishonorable. You put up with me so much and I sometimes forget where the boundaries *should* be in the name of humor. You, also, are my best friend. In my efforts to be funny and humorous, I threw part of you under the bus and whether or not it bothered you, whether or not you were OK with it, I should not have done it and I am sorry, I was wrong. I have deleted the post and ask for your forgiveness......again. (And it probably won't be the last no matter how hard I try not to do something dumb again.)

So to my friend, I Thank you for your correction.

The world needs more of you.

-Aaron

Effort means being uncomfortable

Wow...what a week. Did anyone else feel like they were trapped in a pit that was getting deeper and deeper?



Taylor had another lesson in effort and tenacity this last week. Taylor made a catamaran sailboat for the Raingutter Regatta.(Cub Scout thing...its like the Pinewood Derby but with boats) I went online and found a design that would work, he approved it and and we got started. Like me, Taylor gets frustrated when he does not finish a project right away.

He didn't want to finish it, he just wanted to be done.

Taylor: Dad, this is taking too long....I just want to be done with this....

Dad: Son, trust me, if you follow through with this it may just win....it just takes some time and effort.

Taylor: I KNOW..... you ALWAYS SAY THAT.... I just want to be done.....

Dad: Keep going....quit whining.....

It paid off, he took first place. Some of the people there were grumbling that "Taylor ALWAYS wins....obviously his dad MUST be doing these projects for him."

Not true doubting people. I just start the project sooner than the day of or the day before. We put research into it for a couple weeks in advance and I make Taylor keep up with what needs to be done. I don't let him give up and it has continually paid off. Yes I do help him, but I help, I don't do it for him.

Anyone who thinks that I have to win through my son, dosen't know me. Anyone who has spent more than 20 min in my house knows that I expect a lot of my kids and I hold them to it. Dispite what others think, my kids are capable, intelligent and learning to be efficent and self sufficent.

There is something that is lost in our generation and is being passed onto our kids everywhere, its called tenacity or sticking to it, even when it is difficult or takes longer than expected. Things in life take time and a lot of effort. Effort means it will be uncomfortable, and that is ok. Being uncomfortable should makes us want to do better, dig our heels in, work through the struggle, however, it seems many in my generation and their kids just give up with a "sour grapes" attitude.

Life is going to be a struggle and at times painful. That is ok.

"Life is what you make of it, if it doesn't fit, make alterations" - Stella (Silverado)

"That which does not kill you makes you stronger" - Conan (Conan the Barbarian)

Wise words from some movie writer.

Effort folks, it is going to be uncomfortable but worth it.

Town Hall meetings

I have two thoughts today on these town hall meetings on health care.

#1 - It is nice to finally see people getting involved. I don't think it is necessary to yell and scream the way a lot of people are doing. The democratic process can be done without all the vitriol and anger, however, when people feel they are being represented poorly, or not heard, or ignored, they tend to get upset. I don't blame them for being agitated.

#2 - The arguments I am hearing is that everyone has the "right" to health care. Can I define something for everyone reading (all 3 of you)? A 'right' will never be defined as something you are owed. You DON'T have a 'right' to drive, a 'right' to wealth, a 'right' to a house, a 'right' to health care or a 'right' to an education. You do have the 'right' to pursue those endeavors without guarantee of return.

A 'right' guarantees nothing other than your option to pursue a desired course of action. The option is your 'right', not a freebie. And on that note of 'freebie', there is nothing free. Everything has a price....even your freedom to choose cost dear lives of men and women through the ages who fought for your right to options. If you think you are owed something, you are sorely mistaken.

I get that people have health care issues for which they cannot pay and I DO believe that something needs to be done with the health care system. However, government is not the solution. It has not been successful in the history of the world. Let history talk to us....don't make us repeat it. If you want real reform, start with the attorneys. They can be blamed in large part of the mess our health care is in now. Change insurance and Doctors fees so people can pay for their simple doctor and ER visits themselves and not use insurance. Drug Companies should lower their costs for insulin and other life sustaining medications. I am fine for the companies making a killing on elective medicine, however, for those who will die without the drugs they need, cut them a break.

I don't like what appears to be happening and I am all for reform, but this is the ugly head of more government intrusion into my life.

People are smarter than government gives us credit. Stand up and be heard.

12 years (three more and we get a set of steak knives!)

To Catey:

An anniversary rhyme:

I didn't know what to get you, on this anniversary day.
So I thought to write this rhyme, in a cheesy kind of way.

You came into my life so full of happiness and joy
Still so very young, I had to help you with your toys.

Its been Twelve years, 7 kids, 5 dogs and countless breeds of fish,
But you always make me happy and you always fill my wish.

All my life I wanted someone who would look at me and care
No matter how I looked if fat or thin or even without hair.

You gave me all I've wanted, and often some to spare.
You never beg, complain or whine, and rarely give your glare.

So beautiful and gorgeous, always happy and so smart,
I want to be with you so much, it hurts to be apart.

This rhyme is kind of silly, I would like to give you more,
Maybe next year you and I will make it to the island shore?

It's nice to dream of things to come and places we might go,
No matter where we find ourselves your presence makes me glow.

I loved you then, I love you now and sure I always will,
I'll tell you what I want next year, you can get me a new grill.


(Really Aaron, THAT is how you end that rhyme?)

Bah....

I couldn't think of a better ending. When I proposed to Catey (I am not posting just to Catey anymore, everyone can read this part) I wrote a third verse to a song and played and sang it to her. Then I got down on one knee, fell off balance and landed on the keyboard of the piano {CRASH!!!}. It was a very fitting beginning to our relationship. Catey sitting pretty, quiet and humble and me crashing all over the place.....opposites attract.

Today marks 12 years with Catey....I don't remember life without her......ok, I DO remember life without her, but when I didn't know her, I wish I did.

I have said it before and I will say it again......if God let me design a wife, I couldn't have done that well.

Catey - You are my life. Everything I do, I do for you.....(that sounds like a Bryan Adams song.)

-Aaron