tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-74202678933315594052024-02-19T00:47:07.882-08:00The Huff HangoutThe Huffshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07462611569985014337noreply@blogger.comBlogger5125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7420267893331559405.post-10051441570557998502010-01-08T17:46:00.000-08:002010-01-08T18:25:17.572-08:00Our Wedding!<iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.blogger.com/video.g?token=AD6v5dyc6UKCPGedXLKa12197aT35mYSCHhXTUYX0UpST-pjigX5G-3WjOeepemj5LrEZo4mPcBkRBjFLCDWp4BtbQ' class='b-hbp-video b-uploaded' frameborder='0'></iframe>The Huffshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07462611569985014337noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7420267893331559405.post-9615967974600623172010-01-08T14:35:00.001-08:002010-01-08T15:38:48.552-08:00Our New Family<p class="MsoNormal">After much persistence from family and friends we are finally updatin<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNlQkkdoQ_GIo_O3u-SxVIPtjkWHQgYmuGcYXi-AbZE14-bfg4x880sgo1ped0fz0yT-tHKvSz12f_lZ8VysEuzG4Dxjo-2Tl3Du-Xzu6ElMzhPbsiqtzCtRM7gsmbI0FfRZg4nI3b021Y/s1600-h/Picture+1030.jpg"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 319px; FLOAT: right; HEIGHT: 204px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5424513578157393698" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNlQkkdoQ_GIo_O3u-SxVIPtjkWHQgYmuGcYXi-AbZE14-bfg4x880sgo1ped0fz0yT-tHKvSz12f_lZ8VysEuzG4Dxjo-2Tl3Du-Xzu6ElMzhPbsiqtzCtRM7gsmbI0FfRZg4nI3b021Y/s320/Picture+1030.jpg" /></a>g our blog.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>The year 2009 was extremely wonderful. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes"></span>Dreams came true for Evan and me. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes"></span>It all started May 28, 2009, although we had met prior to our first date through a singles activity, one in which I was convinced that Evan wanted nothing to do with me.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>I didn’t give up on him though, thank goodness.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>I don’t know who saw who first, but I was instantly attracted to him.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>We owe it all to Sis. Lewis, without her there might not have been a wedding on Oct. 23, 2009.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>She set us up. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes"></span>She called me saying that someone in the ward had been asking ab<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbnti7RtGw2CHJCt1_AJ4DcpdGbQ66Qg4TIOQRlP2UdK4lJeOnXOmq3UUARxbUnuWjqpGJo2LZWYhJzVQpMKCDO2JvxuD5-Otyog46rIZ5eOrk2A0eY-a0Fenv1QHwk0AoFNUCETw3gFny/s1600-h/S4300105.JPG"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 320px; FLOAT: right; HEIGHT: 233px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5424509539829062610" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbnti7RtGw2CHJCt1_AJ4DcpdGbQ66Qg4TIOQRlP2UdK4lJeOnXOmq3UUARxbUnuWjqpGJo2LZWYhJzVQpMKCDO2JvxuD5-Otyog46rIZ5eOrk2A0eY-a0Fenv1QHwk0AoFNUCETw3gFny/s320/S4300105.JPG" /></a>out me.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>When she said his name I was astonished, I was for sure he didn’t have any interest in me.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Weeks later, even after I attended his ward, and still he didn’t talk to me, he called me that night and asked me out.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>I was literally jumping for joy.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>I instantly called my mom, we screamed through the phone together.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Our first date was miniature golf.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>I was surprised at the comfortable atmosphere, it was like I was talking to someone I knew.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Evan felt the same; we are both convinced and know that we were very close in the preexistence.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Through the grace of God and His tender mercy, he has finally brought us together again.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>We were inseparable, always to<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvbWZL1xH5ZXI9uLeqY0_1NrPK09HtXv-5F3TcaIkCya41JXSrK0bctIxgtY9-oVx9zVIdFysBNpQTRTEMJ7bq2CSSYO7JwPnilO20FyVJYrXvdidGdWcpceivwkK9iUmVY0aYo1nSYp_g/s1600-h/S4300104.JPG"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 320px; FLOAT: right; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5424509528867456962" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvbWZL1xH5ZXI9uLeqY0_1NrPK09HtXv-5F3TcaIkCya41JXSrK0bctIxgtY9-oVx9zVIdFysBNpQTRTEMJ7bq2CSSYO7JwPnilO20FyVJYrXvdidGdWcpceivwkK9iUmVY0aYo1nSYp_g/s320/S4300104.JPG" /></a>gether from that point on.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span><br /></p><br /><p class="MsoNormal">Evan proposed July 29, 2009 in my apartment.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>I for sure thought I was going to know when it was coming, but wow did he surprise me.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>He proposed through a candy gram.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>The last sentence in the gram he said, “I thank God everyday for my good fortune (fortune cookie).”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>After reading it, he said “let’s read your fortune.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>I opened it up and inside on a piece of paper, it said “Brittney will you marry me”!!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>After all the tears, which were tears of JOY I said yes.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Just a side note of Evans good taste, he picked the ring out all by himself.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>It is BEAUTIFUL.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSD2BVR4d5Tc3eUpC7R5Vsav8rRdP6oAzfduJoiWaBznMoDxvf3RzRzZvGVFDomHkTmFIlt12PATDN0XGCdO9DEAEUMvZhIPwJXb8u_gIiMQ__41jwCipC8W7Tw_FZMTTCnVzjPpA9La97/s1600-h/DSC_0172.jpg"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 229px; FLOAT: right; HEIGHT: 320px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5424509502728015890" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSD2BVR4d5Tc3eUpC7R5Vsav8rRdP6oAzfduJoiWaBznMoDxvf3RzRzZvGVFDomHkTmFIlt12PATDN0XGCdO9DEAEUMvZhIPwJXb8u_gIiMQ__41jwCipC8W7Tw_FZMTTCnVzjPpA9La97/s320/DSC_0172.jpg" /></a></p><br /><p class="MsoNormal"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8lvSxDgZkn3FMGlWJi8sw1q_BLwSyn9tQ3dSWHqhm_7GmA3Y47ehyphenhyphenvA71yGKkel0Db42VL17p2sQg4gaHhoI1pGofnLkZXKgSE-HZRScM3gvOFdCBESeJLwubmMoawexDOh1mNomjSkTh/s1600-h/S4300078.JPG"></a></p><br /><p class="MsoNormal">We met with my Bishop to start the cancelation of sealing, which if you don’t know can take anywhere from 1 month to years.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Every case is different, we had no idea how long it would take for us.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>After talking with the Bishop I knew that we were to plan a date and let the Lord handle the rest.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>It took a lot of faith and trust in the Lord for both of us, which turned out to be all that the Lord wanted.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>We received a phone call from my Bishop saying we got clearance.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>You can only imagine our joy.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>We were sealed for time and all eternity on October 23, 2009 in the Boise, Idaho Temple.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Automatically Evan be<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEickpJwqCcu4tbCgGCQt6oW8ifQMNZih2oCfrLXRyqvfBf1xMFduXc95t_QRS4v4ey3JQi_cZVSAx25DjuqRi1igJwybN6pG6TYFHY8VbDHCvLIcVHHV5C7rwSW2QNev4oMSpUKTEkkkzuK/s1600-h/S4300078.JPG"></a>came a dad to a beautiful 4 year old daughter Alia.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>She absolutely loves and adores Evan, and vice versa Evan loves her as well.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>We both finally have the family we have prayed many years for.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span></p><br /><p class="MsoNormal"></p><br /><p class="MsoNormal"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8Zi_WAB6QCAJEMdVOD6c0lDpS8zfXkwzMkC4Wp4LG1Y6iySbtgy_dy4eKK9SpphqC9_AZPNlctJeVgq0lqs7LNnU4nbowHAiYIIWHs6KH2I0Ijp-nv3u-Cv-TizNuG2H2WEHCUh5A24JO/s1600-h/S4300002.JPG"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 320px; FLOAT: right; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5424508340154833794" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8Zi_WAB6QCAJEMdVOD6c0lDpS8zfXkwzMkC4Wp4LG1Y6iySbtgy_dy4eKK9SpphqC9_AZPNlctJeVgq0lqs7LNnU4nbowHAiYIIWHs6KH2I0Ijp-nv3u-Cv-TizNuG2H2WEHCUh5A24JO/s320/S4300002.JPG" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8lvSxDgZkn3FMGlWJi8sw1q_BLwSyn9tQ3dSWHqhm_7GmA3Y47ehyphenhyphenvA71yGKkel0Db42VL17p2sQg4gaHhoI1pGofnLkZXKgSE-HZRScM3gvOFdCBESeJLwubmMoawexDOh1mNomjSkTh/s1600-h/S4300078.JPG"></a></p><br /><p class="MsoNormal"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8lvSxDgZkn3FMGlWJi8sw1q_BLwSyn9tQ3dSWHqhm_7GmA3Y47ehyphenhyphenvA71yGKkel0Db42VL17p2sQg4gaHhoI1pGofnLkZXKgSE-HZRScM3gvOFdCBESeJLwubmMoawexDOh1mNomjSkTh/s1600-h/S4300078.JPG"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 320px; FLOAT: right; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5424509521945453714" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8lvSxDgZkn3FMGlWJi8sw1q_BLwSyn9tQ3dSWHqhm_7GmA3Y47ehyphenhyphenvA71yGKkel0Db42VL17p2sQg4gaHhoI1pGofnLkZXKgSE-HZRScM3gvOFdCBESeJLwubmMoawexDOh1mNomjSkTh/s320/S4300078.JPG" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8lvSxDgZkn3FMGlWJi8sw1q_BLwSyn9tQ3dSWHqhm_7GmA3Y47ehyphenhyphenvA71yGKkel0Db42VL17p2sQg4gaHhoI1pGofnLkZXKgSE-HZRScM3gvOFdCBESeJLwubmMoawexDOh1mNomjSkTh/s1600-h/S4300078.JPG"></a></p><br /><p class="MsoNormal"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8Zi_WAB6QCAJEMdVOD6c0lDpS8zfXkwzMkC4Wp4LG1Y6iySbtgy_dy4eKK9SpphqC9_AZPNlctJeVgq0lqs7LNnU4nbowHAiYIIWHs6KH2I0Ijp-nv3u-Cv-TizNuG2H2WEHCUh5A24JO/s1600-h/S4300002.JPG"></a></p><br /><p class="MsoNormal"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8lvSxDgZkn3FMGlWJi8sw1q_BLwSyn9tQ3dSWHqhm_7GmA3Y47ehyphenhyphenvA71yGKkel0Db42VL17p2sQg4gaHhoI1pGofnLkZXKgSE-HZRScM3gvOFdCBESeJLwubmMoawexDOh1mNomjSkTh/s1600-h/S4300078.JPG"></a></p><br /><p class="MsoNormal"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8Zi_WAB6QCAJEMdVOD6c0lDpS8zfXkwzMkC4Wp4LG1Y6iySbtgy_dy4eKK9SpphqC9_AZPNlctJeVgq0lqs7LNnU4nbowHAiYIIWHs6KH2I0Ijp-nv3u-Cv-TizNuG2H2WEHCUh5A24JO/s1600-h/S4300002.JPG"></a></p><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifrsYGI8aEJPZXkOAiJSIOVO_dkvXn3wQOoaUH5aptVB8IR5Y0-qXe-SWhMkZaydMRkz3slSPLxFZQ5lPOzMlTorhOWQCbP5MQFrw1-rAszJOUxSMftE5PmnQU105oTDjjZ1HTPfPoWWw6/s1600-h/DSCF0052.JPG"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 320px; FLOAT: right; HEIGHT: 213px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5424508317677306882" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifrsYGI8aEJPZXkOAiJSIOVO_dkvXn3wQOoaUH5aptVB8IR5Y0-qXe-SWhMkZaydMRkz3slSPLxFZQ5lPOzMlTorhOWQCbP5MQFrw1-rAszJOUxSMftE5PmnQU105oTDjjZ1HTPfPoWWw6/s320/DSCF0052.JPG" /></a><br /><p class="MsoNormal"></p><p class="MsoNormal"></p><p class="MsoNormal">We had a wonderful Christmas, filled with love and happiness, despite Alia being with her dad in Chicago.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>We celebrated Christmas with all our loved ones.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>On December 27, 2009 we moved to Logan, Utah for school.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Evan was accepted into USU in the mechanical engineering program.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>We are both excited to be here in Logan.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Alia will return from her dads the end of January.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>We can’t wait to have her back in our home again.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>It is so hard on both of us to be without a member of our family whom we love and cherish.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span><br /></p><p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIK4c5mUEruAUdJKbo_FxbIOiqUUSaH5x9JhAbZLnm714a9ngYsgz41un5RB_U-67kt0-3GhA0xitJrANLymjT9POS-XQp6ZG0DCgrS821Re_TM4YcCiXI30cGMWQyDdTxgEB4gwaHxQ-X/s1600-h/DSCF0010.JPG"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 320px; FLOAT: right; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5424508326351389474" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIK4c5mUEruAUdJKbo_FxbIOiqUUSaH5x9JhAbZLnm714a9ngYsgz41un5RB_U-67kt0-3GhA0xitJrANLymjT9POS-XQp6ZG0DCgrS821Re_TM4YcCiXI30cGMWQyDdTxgEB4gwaHxQ-X/s320/DSCF0010.JPG" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6W3frfu6LyINnPYc0fYnmM5wnCafxdDP8vVwpyjIKUm22PGdPrjZ0zwb-C22E_CNLaaKKNKg2nBwHZkwvmw7do8Je9XTX0FIzJUcLyd_WZzxPkd4Yc0tG70fM_ksE1ivdHaygfAiZOw2k/s1600-h/DSCF0037.JPG"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 320px; FLOAT: right; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5424508336227822978" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6W3frfu6LyINnPYc0fYnmM5wnCafxdDP8vVwpyjIKUm22PGdPrjZ0zwb-C22E_CNLaaKKNKg2nBwHZkwvmw7do8Je9XTX0FIzJUcLyd_WZzxPkd4Yc0tG70fM_ksE1ivdHaygfAiZOw2k/s320/DSCF0037.JPG" /></a></p>The Huffshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07462611569985014337noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7420267893331559405.post-76379937797274505382009-05-18T21:39:00.000-07:002009-05-19T18:14:31.589-07:00Spring Fun<div align="justify">This spring has been crazy busy for me, but it’s been fun as well. I’m in my last quarter at TVCC, thank goodness. It’s nice to finally feel like I’m making some progress in school. As excited as I am to go to USU I’m sure I’ll miss Ontario a little, haha I never thought I’d say that. Anywho, aside from work and school there’s been a lot of other things happening at the Huff mini-farm. My parents decided to do away with the 1960’s mint green tile in the main bathroom and remodel it. As usual I became the general contractor for the job. I’m not sure why that seems to happen every time, but I’m cool with it. I contracted Dad to do all the plumbing, Mike for the electrical, paint, and trim, Mom and Sis for the meals, and I stood around and watched. Haha just kidding I put a lot of time into the project, partly because I had the most time to give and because I like doing that type of work. I’m sure Lowes and Home Depot loved us because we were in there nearly every day. As you can see from the before and after pics our Extreme Bathroom Makeover turned out pretty well. <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0CBoO7o7-pnK0AUYlh3hgvLU_nN9QLuKi7AmEb7YE3NOlnBYN3yqGtCQwBHa9Ou4N85vvNZMl_fax3eCub872zRWeC0OMJ1VmqPYS1fIuubIZstSa0iXcMI9d25AMlkE1GoLTlaMZbtHF/s1600-h/SANY0123.JPG"><br /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFclequhgJWGVO9axfEqEJv3qxd8dp0IKdvoZ86yju4x1j4SW1tEwVcgUGlEsW9wP7guE9JjmrE68WPC8RoKGltcqggRWCoYSvvCcjCeqX7ei_Mo0q4UkUG3i7k6zL0hMgIiBC_1-6Fdur/s1600-h/SANY0101.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5337700085004594450" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 200px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 150px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFclequhgJWGVO9axfEqEJv3qxd8dp0IKdvoZ86yju4x1j4SW1tEwVcgUGlEsW9wP7guE9JjmrE68WPC8RoKGltcqggRWCoYSvvCcjCeqX7ei_Mo0q4UkUG3i7k6zL0hMgIiBC_1-6Fdur/s200/SANY0101.JPG" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQh36txU2PYXAXbZeX5o0WvpGK-A2KUJVZ5-DybrFWq4-yPPSAGKmBNEtdhodT74Ar0UoG9aL7eiNH4HPaJNFmE7fvfSxL3-whr4_m4PRH6MUyoLGQ96qf066TK8Cb7n4B3NnpE6D-Mnd3/s1600-h/SANY0123.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5337701290017280402" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 200px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 150px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQh36txU2PYXAXbZeX5o0WvpGK-A2KUJVZ5-DybrFWq4-yPPSAGKmBNEtdhodT74Ar0UoG9aL7eiNH4HPaJNFmE7fvfSxL3-whr4_m4PRH6MUyoLGQ96qf066TK8Cb7n4B3NnpE6D-Mnd3/s200/SANY0123.JPG" border="0" /></a><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAhEVetTgZp7_6fQOaIaoaVHuO3ClQadcKwzqU8Tuj8EBNEpSVUvfvZsDYagSAW7L5qOOp6PSy_TMctlD8xsJ1YTRgJ4ETKQn9CFUldue9F1ek6WSxXLALqeWleNDNLGkV0FmtEvb0KSOf/s1600-h/SANY0101.JPG"><br /></a><br /></div><div align="justify"><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIXGxLMOkwsVSSMz1jf2PBMlpKocJus-vu-o_4HKndCbwT7BTVtgKsz3AatpSY6hQTwZNisksGB88RJ5iEsjV9TGGYBePJRhRLGAVIxjN1sQpPM_g7_jSBzuyD5gn0AMfBWzMudJLi5HfS/s1600-h/SANY0102.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5337700480381319698" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 200px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 150px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIXGxLMOkwsVSSMz1jf2PBMlpKocJus-vu-o_4HKndCbwT7BTVtgKsz3AatpSY6hQTwZNisksGB88RJ5iEsjV9TGGYBePJRhRLGAVIxjN1sQpPM_g7_jSBzuyD5gn0AMfBWzMudJLi5HfS/s200/SANY0102.JPG" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgF8QwF6vbIBieqR8ohgFxlYD3D4Z8XQ-cn81bcsLZ0YD1OSOTZEj9s1JvyIl78JFfQaCVUhQL8JejgUDH-MkAOpgoQqe2uKiwKSiNQ0Ln_efJj0YZd5iSXNwZJ7Qdu_Wp7DvSnARuYQL7q/s1600-h/SANY0157.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5337701557989280370" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 150px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 200px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgF8QwF6vbIBieqR8ohgFxlYD3D4Z8XQ-cn81bcsLZ0YD1OSOTZEj9s1JvyIl78JFfQaCVUhQL8JejgUDH-MkAOpgoQqe2uKiwKSiNQ0Ln_efJj0YZd5iSXNwZJ7Qdu_Wp7DvSnARuYQL7q/s200/SANY0157.JPG" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="COLOR: rgb(0,0,238); TEXT-DECORATION: underline"><br /></span><br /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="COLOR: rgb(0,0,238); TEXT-DECORATION: underline"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMPKKMdFRYRqWcYTZP3H8dToe1gObYWoVKROdrATm2C80QgwFEN-RffXpkT3f7ftUff4kisKpNWBr6zofRntm2FcoWi0ay4PSQZuEn6qTmpti47kOzlNhUBQCPa0sekBX7YV_bKIJBe2_V/s1600-h/SANY0156.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5337701995877909746" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 200px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 150px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMPKKMdFRYRqWcYTZP3H8dToe1gObYWoVKROdrATm2C80QgwFEN-RffXpkT3f7ftUff4kisKpNWBr6zofRntm2FcoWi0ay4PSQZuEn6qTmpti47kOzlNhUBQCPa0sekBX7YV_bKIJBe2_V/s200/SANY0156.JPG" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6W1pwwIoXcvECNOFf6T1UgQOf6qxcFJzorhfpUrsqFyWwOtOq2-QKTndhsKIZTyPJESIUSO5F-_eHK46Pr8FYCQXjSqAos9G7U5pnjapaN9wDtQ7Q3tcIZQvHjlEz1_9dZQnaEV6OtSZ0/s1600-h/SANY0100.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5337700908159759570" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 200px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 150px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6W1pwwIoXcvECNOFf6T1UgQOf6qxcFJzorhfpUrsqFyWwOtOq2-QKTndhsKIZTyPJESIUSO5F-_eHK46Pr8FYCQXjSqAos9G7U5pnjapaN9wDtQ7Q3tcIZQvHjlEz1_9dZQnaEV6OtSZ0/s200/SANY0100.JPG" border="0" /></a><br /></span><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br />About this same time our cow Rosie was dew to drop a calf. I’m sure it was in the back of my dad’s mind for weeks, but I really didn’t care much. That is unt<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggVB6y-iM92O6VOq6WUKjLdWC44D4FiCZAWzNl0f8sGxIvywy4KFA-X_-XUs2VwD7vfITDOl6i_zbymf0h9nZUfm016GRWLT7RnCP1nBnOau9dIr8qlIPh7P65AI0zJbGdKYhTGC6O2-6Z/s1600-h/SANY0133.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5337619496349640562" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggVB6y-iM92O6VOq6WUKjLdWC44D4FiCZAWzNl0f8sGxIvywy4KFA-X_-XUs2VwD7vfITDOl6i_zbymf0h9nZUfm016GRWLT7RnCP1nBnOau9dIr8qlIPh7P65AI0zJbGdKYhTGC6O2-6Z/s320/SANY0133.JPG" border="0" /></a>il my dad woke me up at 4:30 in the morning and asked me to help him pull the calf. So I did. All he really needed me to do was hold the flashlight, so it was all good. Or so I thought. Now, I think I’m pretty tough guy. I hunt, I gut animals, I donate blood, and I shovel cow crap on occasion. But when that cow slid out and blood and fluid slopped all over my face, I gotta admit that was pretty freakin gross! I hope that’s not how it is when my kids are born. Anyways, the next day we discovered that the calf had some undeveloped front legs meaning he couldn’t straiten his legs out and therefore couldn’t stand or walk properly. On the range a calf like that would never survive and most <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgaOG7UTlJhb0dUm4qSOihhieSHk10FzHDH_CZVdFvVmTWJYYVTNlVzXm-I-JHx7-9cPUOnvG9yFYVsOYg7Bn8-HkT0oSJoHVrf0mlIgnM-X3Yar0ANURmsgWqNtvNbHGRO6rDDMR_xcVi9/s1600-h/SANY0147.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5337619997644517058" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgaOG7UTlJhb0dUm4qSOihhieSHk10FzHDH_CZVdFvVmTWJYYVTNlVzXm-I-JHx7-9cPUOnvG9yFYVsOYg7Bn8-HkT0oSJoHVrf0mlIgnM-X3Yar0ANURmsgWqNtvNbHGRO6rDDMR_xcVi9/s320/SANY0147.JPG" border="0" /></a>cattlemen would just put it down because its not worth their time to try to help them, but dad and I knew that he could be helped so we determined to try. Dad got some suggestions from the vet and we brain stormed for a few days and finally decided to start by putting some braces on his ankles to help his hooves stay strait thus stretching his tendons while his muscles gained strength. After this we planned on putting braces on his knees to help straighten them, but after about a week and a half of wearing his ankle braces, he surprisingly looked really good. So we left well enough alone and now he runs and plays like a normal calf. Because he was a little handicapped and he had to wear braces for a while we named him Forrest, after <em>Forrest Gump</em>.<br /><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8WpIN2-UFp5kmSs74THtrmueFRLD3gHyduGdbUUSE8eAJyJ1kHRXoRWMneLIexismD4j-e_-7epcNahr3ckX6EtnA7CsbliO1euHG7zOTnTXDdsu1tGLVXHAn6bvj9BI8n7XfChPMvTBM/s1600-h/IMG_4213.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5337688069775255202" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 224px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8WpIN2-UFp5kmSs74THtrmueFRLD3gHyduGdbUUSE8eAJyJ1kHRXoRWMneLIexismD4j-e_-7epcNahr3ckX6EtnA7CsbliO1euHG7zOTnTXDdsu1tGLVXHAn6bvj9BI8n7XfChPMvTBM/s320/IMG_4213.JPG" border="0" /></a><br /><br />We got the bathroom done just before Easter weekend when we had a family Easter Egg Hunt which really should have been called The Stoddard Family Reunion 2009. We also refer to it as Redneck Weekend. There must have been 100 people here for the egg hunt and barbeque. It was crazy! We had about five times as many eggs as we did hiding places, so the kids were happy. And as it turned out there was a special egg for my cousin Renee which had and engagement ring in it. Congrats Barry and Renee! <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYm0V86c3us8EftVQIDoJYaoquOwNQXlYvNfe5z7KCAg4hyphenhyphenHbGr3XWVXsdvaCIz6CiT9XO2GSIpVWzluFGo4TKhrsaoE6kbtvz_r-QeDJrh-Z0Gv_4Y94Wop_mktjkcLbeKU-hDy11332o/s1600-h/271.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5337679636639004066" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 216px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYm0V86c3us8EftVQIDoJYaoquOwNQXlYvNfe5z7KCAg4hyphenhyphenHbGr3XWVXsdvaCIz6CiT9XO2GSIpVWzluFGo4TKhrsaoE6kbtvz_r-QeDJrh-Z0Gv_4Y94Wop_mktjkcLbeKU-hDy11332o/s320/271.JPG" border="0" /></a>After the barbeque things got down right redneck. We threw open the gate to the pasture and it became a dirt track for four wheelers, motorcycles, and anything else that had a motor. For hours it was non-stop motorized, hick fun, complete with kids wrecking into fences and riding lawn mower races.<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8YY7X9lKv4-yVToPt1IrtyAOHqtg07gDi01DqGDhz_4T9u2Ai-8B_PCL_VHjIgvvOC0Y1ZFsBNCF5lU2-n8ixIMUEjdLpYTX8e8Od0Dn_EPzRg-NeAj1f4NsFPtPixb_rpwemZBKrV5d0/s1600-h/IMG_4214.JPG"></a><br /><br /><br /><br /></div><div align="justify"><br /></div><div align="justify">As fun as all this was, the height of my excitement this spring has to be the <em>Eagles</em> concert I got to go to with Jake and Lara and my parents. The <em>Eagles</em> are my favorite band and the concert was off the hook awesome! </div>The Huffshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07462611569985014337noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7420267893331559405.post-55623389807335644272009-01-12T12:12:00.000-08:002009-01-12T15:53:12.829-08:00The Holidays<div align="justify"><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjChaUQCatUDBl41fWTF9IJikh79QBfRs54epiZzsyMngkpPkyUh1_ak7T3qt9UiPB7_xGJap949H4h09BOi90AHz3ly49430i8Kkd_dI-ZdH-e9cliplUlG8mTQiK_gqgYzuP4V0RwmDJq/s1600-h/Turkeybowl+3+2008+small+res.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5290505142796557138" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 214px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjChaUQCatUDBl41fWTF9IJikh79QBfRs54epiZzsyMngkpPkyUh1_ak7T3qt9UiPB7_xGJap949H4h09BOi90AHz3ly49430i8Kkd_dI-ZdH-e9cliplUlG8mTQiK_gqgYzuP4V0RwmDJq/s320/Turkeybowl+3+2008+small+res.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><span style="font-family:georgia;">Well I’ve finally gotten around to updating my blog. The holidays are over and I’m sure I gained a few pounds. In fact I’ll be disappointed if I haven’t. Haha just kidding. Anywho, Thanksgiving was awesome! In the morning I played in our annual Turkey </span><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnz2qQ1nkjvi6BWxFOVRkmltXJhPhBzHDT7S6ViCDu-mL7AA5V4DScqOvbOVpPCUDXIVXJlgHAmomTFCqj6fFfnrN4oVn6_qleRT_x9wC0uUsp1PK6CXHzmX8DELltt-som35Q438IW46y/s1600-h/Turkeybowl+1+2008+small+res.jpg"><span style="font-family:georgia;"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5290508486271354418" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 214px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnz2qQ1nkjvi6BWxFOVRkmltXJhPhBzHDT7S6ViCDu-mL7AA5V4DScqOvbOVpPCUDXIVXJlgHAmomTFCqj6fFfnrN4oVn6_qleRT_x9wC0uUsp1PK6CXHzmX8DELltt-som35Q438IW46y/s320/Turkeybowl+1+2008+small+res.jpg" border="0" /></span></a><span style="font-family:georgia;">Bowl. As you can see from the pics I was juki</span><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkyBP86lfvOYLHBtVsVGocy81xqIcA5vapk4ly4SkBUA0YPYFAAZqRqmu332wzvdSOcM1gQ_h4htUOTCA0hVX4oVXeDPvzjiDUs-FphgQAdmEafNMj7SU-ssE5GKi0xDzd-TE9IH_3nTVV/s1600-h/Turkeybowl+1+2008+small+res.jpg"></a><span style="font-family:georgia;">ng guys out of their under-armor. Ok maybe not, but it was a blast as it always is to get together with family and friends and play a freezing game of football. Wait, but the fun didn’t stop there. After the Turkey Bowl I went home and fried a turkey for our Thanksgiving feast. If you’ve never had fried turkey before I know what your thinking: “ooh greasy.” It’s not greasy though; it’s really good! I inject it with a Cajun marinade that’s full of flavor. I don’t fry turkey</span><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiScuw172O9AIW3BRCIJJSAIIbptkhKMsSthEWjeVejM7HVpaEaZyDu39BEeXrk5TgKkx7h5uuRKywksbP7DyJknE8of836MXHzUQkIT27pGkqLaO9902WSYwJx8PCVvUN055ZkchEGINdy/s1600-h/Turkeybowl+4+2008+small+res.jpg"><span style="font-family:georgia;"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5290505669403226146" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 214px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiScuw172O9AIW3BRCIJJSAIIbptkhKMsSthEWjeVejM7HVpaEaZyDu39BEeXrk5TgKkx7h5uuRKywksbP7DyJknE8of836MXHzUQkIT27pGkqLaO9902WSYwJx8PCVvUN055ZkchEGINdy/s320/Turkeybowl+4+2008+small+res.jpg" border="0" /></span></a><span style="font-family:georgia;">s very often so I get a little excited about it and it’s one of the few things I do well. Later that day I got to do something else I don’t do very often. My cousins and I got together and played <em>Ghost Recon</em> (an xbox game) till midnight. I don’t play video games that much but it’s a lot of fun to occasionally turn into a geek and play for hours.<br /><br /><br /></span><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5Rfkn3CdR0ogkpyQxKGVx13HfEWou7g1Qh5-ul9Io4lmE4uhkyIKLxEWUbw8gIv_r1Mar8AvgSh6qIUkYo1vZxt4mmKud5BqHNnwDF5uD0negJ9qBHNLTXXsRqc3767FADHM1zIivxNn4/s1600-h/IMG_3284.JPG"><span style="font-family:georgia;"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5290515752828347842" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 242px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5Rfkn3CdR0ogkpyQxKGVx13HfEWou7g1Qh5-ul9Io4lmE4uhkyIKLxEWUbw8gIv_r1Mar8AvgSh6qIUkYo1vZxt4mmKud5BqHNnwDF5uD0negJ9qBHNLTXXsRqc3767FADHM1zIivxNn4/s320/IMG_3284.JPG" border="0" /></span></a><span style="font-family:georgia;"><br />A few weeks after Thanksgiving, Jake and his family came up to have Christmas with us a little early. Jake and I put up the tree and although we loved that tree—as you could tell from the picture—it was a bugger to put up. First off we couldn’t find a saw to cut the bottom off so we resorted to using my little drywall hand saw. It took us about half an <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhh1-1h0TEIJrwsXoU3J3G03nBxLOGOcfXy65i62ErzF3AzzuGKw3MG9L1US0Vec4Tn8LENowy1qpLUXYQzf2Yip4EWgYAR_5gSQfZHNaHM7i0imbrU5tRMAMzCvPzrNYtwVwPWhw9vSBTI/s1600-h/IMG_3295.JPG"><span style="font-family:georgia;"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5290516644163335122" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 242px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhh1-1h0TEIJrwsXoU3J3G03nBxLOGOcfXy65i62ErzF3AzzuGKw3MG9L1US0Vec4Tn8LENowy1qpLUXYQzf2Yip4EWgYAR_5gSQfZHNaHM7i0imbrU5tRMAMzCvPzrNYtwVwPWhw9vSBTI/s320/IMG_3295.JPG" border="0" /></span></a>hour to cut it off but we got it. Then the darn thing wouldn’t stay up straight despite our not so best efforts. We had a fa</span><span style="font-family:georgia;">mily white elephant gift exchange which was highlighted by Dad getting a framed picture of Barak Obama and Hilary Clinton, mike getting William Hung’s Christmas Album (the terrible singing Chinese guy from American Idol), and me getting a Christmas stocking that looks like the leg lamp from <em>Christmas Story</em>. I’ve never laughed so hard in my life! I also got to spend some quality time with my nieces and nephews watching <em>Frosty the Snowman</em> over and over and over. Haha it was fun though I love those kids.<br /></span><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkMbAweQhCTDGs7Ay1bDsdzGqcZooUvvWinmMNh6hMsLVHUlyblH-2uKX73vM9PS75ZWafMNYGnn4gFaTg6opk2Xv1Gr7BW4qVu0i_s_cIzxgnlgm_YJBkr0rCl_LXJOF56Y-zxVVW5ddP/s1600-h/WTbash.jpg"><span style="font-family:georgia;"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5290521897531130930" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 238px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 320px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkMbAweQhCTDGs7Ay1bDsdzGqcZooUvvWinmMNh6hMsLVHUlyblH-2uKX73vM9PS75ZWafMNYGnn4gFaTg6opk2Xv1Gr7BW4qVu0i_s_cIzxgnlgm_YJBkr0rCl_LXJOF56Y-zxVVW5ddP/s320/WTbash.jpg" border="0" /></span></a><span style="font-family:georgia;"><br /></span></div><div align="justify"><br /><span style="font-family:georgia;">The following weekend I was invited to a singles Christmas party. </span><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_YWMM3AioVUD9G3x4h7hsQEePutoLEXzUw2jUCIgrt6lw72MVwWyeK5mXwYsQVoqdBXNSMUIbu_gf2gQa58EStI3HkhPfGs1yZSgJzXAGfJZqceSoeEAmkrU_aHhCyvxsGK5O6oNiSflR/s1600-h/WTbash.jpg"></a><span style="font-family:georgia;">This was no ordinary Christmas party. My friends Vanessa, Alexis, and Melissa are so creative that they came up with and hosted the “White Trash Christmas Bash.” It was so freaking fun! Everyone came dressed up as white trash. It was a night full of mullets, wife-beaters, mustaches, fake smokes and long-necks, and anything else you might find in a trailer park. We even had a special guest appearance by Cousin Eddy from <em>Christmas Vacation</em>. Ok so it wasn’t really Cousin Eddy, it was just me dressed up as </span><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjjY8GalMBo5un71ByEGEFHmpSPjOpJSBB98xvtZyfEfsAWCPKyg2zcXkT8VDE0hHg6yd4-2HBw1vxR_tu4_DRE0OSC_8N_N8KGC3vLiXLX6-UwcB87zv-e69bHcXFOdgXNY5gfCWm85jV/s1600-h/wtbash2.jpg"><span style="font-family:georgia;"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5290521113453486354" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 356px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 262px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjjY8GalMBo5un71ByEGEFHmpSPjOpJSBB98xvtZyfEfsAWCPKyg2zcXkT8VDE0hHg6yd4-2HBw1vxR_tu4_DRE0OSC_8N_N8KGC3vLiXLX6-UwcB87zv-e69bHcXFOdgXNY5gfCWm85jV/s400/wtbash2.jpg" border="0" /></span></a><span style="font-family:georgia;">him. I was classy white trash that night. I had to look greasy so I slicked my hair down with Vaseline. Wow that wasn’t so smart; I had to wash it three times to get it out. Haha, anyways. We played games, watched movies, and had a white trash white elephant gift exchange and I ended up with a phone book. </span></div><div align="justify"><span style="font-family:georgia;"><br /><br /></span><span style="font-family:georgia;">Christmas was great as it always is. I love that time of year! Everyone is happier and looking out for one another. Even with the over commercialization of Christmas, people are talking about Christ more than at any other time of the year, and that’s what I try to focus on.<br />For New Years I went to my best friend Timmy’s house and played Rock Band till midnight. That was a blast!<br />I hope you had a wonderful holiday season and I hope 2009 is a blessed year for you! </span></div>The Huffshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07462611569985014337noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7420267893331559405.post-53240492912882981712008-10-07T14:12:00.000-07:002008-10-26T17:02:39.371-07:00My Summer in Utah<span style="font-family:georgia;">Well everyone’s been asking and I’m sure you’re wondering how my summer in Utah was and what I was up to. If you actually read this blog and not just look at the pictures like most people do (I’m guilty of it too) then you’ll have a good idea of what I was up to. And if you just want to look at the pictures then you’re a bum! Ha ha just kidding I’ll include as many pictures as I can for you, but if you actually read it you’re awesome. </span><br /><span style="font-family:georgia;"><br />I originally went to Utah for a few reasons. I felt like it was time for a little change in my life and after a lot of thought and prayer I felt like moving to Utah was the change I needed. There were other things that attracted me to Utah as well,… if you can say there’s anything attractive about Utah. And no, girls weren’t one of the attractions. Sorry to disappoint everyone. In fact I didn’t go on a single date the whole time I was down there, so I’m sure you’re all relieved to know that I’m still the same guy. While I'm on the subject of my pathetic social life, I got told by a 5 year old this summer that I should get married. No one told him to say it either he just came up with it. He was totally serious and sincere too. That was a bit awkward but pretty funny. Anywho, there were some good job opportunities there, specifically drafting jobs. So it was good for me to interview for those jobs and get that experience. Unfortunately they all pretty much told me the same thing, “we like you and would like to hire you but since you’re only going to be around for a few months, we can’t.” That was a little discouraging but I understood where they were coming from. Eventually I found did find a job. Jake hooked me up at the auto parts warehouse where he used to work. Although it wasn’t what I really wanted to do, it kept me busy and made me some money and I’m thankful I had it. Another huge perk that came along with Utah was that I got to lace up the cleats, strap on my “old trusty”, and get back on the diamond to play some fast pitch softball! Holy Crap that’s a tough game to get the hang of but freaking fun! Tom Hanks was so right in <em>A league of Their Own</em> when he said, “It’s supposed to be hard. If it wasn’t everyone would do it. The hard is what makes it great.” Just as I started to get the hang of it, the season ended so that stunk, but the fall league started up a month later and I even got to play catcher in my last game! I haven’t got behind the dish since little league and I think I broke my finger trying to catch Kalab’s nasty risers but it was so worth it! I love the game! That was possibly the biggest high light of my summer; sorry I don’t have any pics of that.<br /></span><br /><br /></span><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8boJc5sB2-tuyu6Pc9p72JHCJ3b4araFmal2G8rkk89j6Kj152APJaavHFTTiWjGT06BNsPDv5AafabppiE7KBRU3lSCr92th5j2qBXQqUM9DjM7lfZPBvpKi9umvdtMVPdQ_Kz5tztVV/s1600-h/IMG_2341b.JPG"><span style="font-family:georgia;"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5254524582744116706" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 223px" height="227" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8boJc5sB2-tuyu6Pc9p72JHCJ3b4araFmal2G8rkk89j6Kj152APJaavHFTTiWjGT06BNsPDv5AafabppiE7KBRU3lSCr92th5j2qBXQqUM9DjM7lfZPBvpKi9umvdtMVPdQ_Kz5tztVV/s320/IMG_2341b.JPG" width="320" border="0" /></span></a> <span style="font-family:georgia;">Aside from softball I got to do plenty of other fun stuff. Mike and Aurelia came down for the 4th and we got together with some </span><span style="font-family:georgia;">more family for a barbecue. The barbecue and corn on the cob were awesome as you can see from the expression on Lara’s face. I’m not sure what Sis and Mike were thinking though. Speaking of food I had a few of my occasional strokes of genius in the kitchen this summer and came up with some instant classics. So any time you want to try my Oreo waffles or marshmallow French toast, just give me a call. They’re really good I promise! Anyways I guess some one thought it was Sinco de Mayo because we smashed a piñata later. Gotta represent our Mexican heritage. Ha ha it was fun for the kids. And of course when it got dark my pyro side kicked in and we lit off a crap load of fireworks and it was one of </span><span style="font-family:georgia;">the few 4ths when I didn’t start anything on fire! <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9Su6J-QtwQvIHEDH9p5zZdn6jt1FCRUfHddI1bOKCh3H29fRU2drJeS1fiS7HM816ZfNUaIxl9FbKcL_0tLASW6oll7newzyrVOpOpsij3fxVKnlQ8gj_SUqD7t-MU8aZs7_uuokz_pYx/s1600-h/IMG_2350.JPG"><span style="font-family:georgia;"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5254560350622901282" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9Su6J-QtwQvIHEDH9p5zZdn6jt1FCRUfHddI1bOKCh3H29fRU2drJeS1fiS7HM816ZfNUaIxl9FbKcL_0tLASW6oll7newzyrVOpOpsij3fxVKnlQ8gj_SUqD7t-MU8aZs7_uuokz_pYx/s320/IMG_2350.JPG" border="0" /></span></a>Speaking of holidays, Utahans get one more holiday than everyone else in the country. They celebrate the 24th of July like it’s the 4th. I’m talking businesses closed, parades, fireworks and everything. The 24th of July was the day the Mormon pioneers entered the Salt Lake valley. I thought it was a little odd too but it’s a day off of work so it’s all good. I was camping the weekend of the 24th so we couldn’t light off any fireworks but camping was a blast. I must have eaten at least 20 smores while we were there. And one night we had a chubby bunny contest around the campfire. It was so funny. What you do is cram as many mallows in your pie hole as you can then try to say chubby bunny. I only got 6 before I gagged and ralphed them into the fire. As you can see Kyle couldn’t <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRbU8JejG-ebXjAi-Rg8pIOW9YjVaBkJxw1B4ja09GJPaeyWDuZOrj9juqTKg19npEr-hnUlwUozPt3QereIVdWIX-C37JFMUldz47e6iTAV124gpJPII93vCuEJA8ML4VJqkeqF9hGTbT/s1600-h/179c.JPG"></a>hold them in either. I went fishing up there and even caught a couple of fish...um...illegally because I didn’t want to buy a Uta<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidCcqtjEztbe-jNlJKyvzcIGas3wmh5Ra2uTkDuaILGdCVirAU54NwV5wJtNg-bs4Pdw2YM2YKEXLnaU0wfB4GCKKFkPa9Ytzmbo9KOsVxnBsYlYtQIJcQf-CMoqBeXe3Zy6Tp9VsymP5u/s1600-h/184.JPG"></a>h license…but I threw them back so that justifies it right? Ha ha </span><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8pLQ_Nc1cQmKNzRc1Hdvu8kK7cMKMPvU-7XF3aezMNq5IZcu1B7O9YnPkIKMM9ydJ8RDXW0JwyoLj2lIFyCKIzCCTvwq1MeI_IZC9ga2HKSwHW93YEg8VKZ7AedTEXfwVF1BrQ6TjF0iQ/s1600-h/161.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5254580629663168226" style="CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8pLQ_Nc1cQmKNzRc1Hdvu8kK7cMKMPvU-7XF3aezMNq5IZcu1B7O9YnPkIKMM9ydJ8RDXW0JwyoLj2lIFyCKIzCCTvwq1MeI_IZC9ga2HKSwHW93YEg8VKZ7AedTEXfwVF1BrQ6TjF0iQ/s200/161.JPG" border="0" /></a> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgeqN3VEmyAGWNOdycJIQSTaVw52ejtiAC_ne7xEGhdp91IH6OBUC-zO36Afk_VbmhhvAnP_YsdGASt9A2zOZ1lm5XdYsbmhtJhgcOGg4VFr3P8xG59JyDkH91gvscPoii38ssEVdi6WHjg/s1600-h/179c.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5254580780467047650" style="CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgeqN3VEmyAGWNOdycJIQSTaVw52ejtiAC_ne7xEGhdp91IH6OBUC-zO36Afk_VbmhhvAnP_YsdGASt9A2zOZ1lm5XdYsbmhtJhgcOGg4VFr3P8xG59JyDkH91gvscPoii38ssEVdi6WHjg/s200/179c.JPG" border="0" /></a> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_xBVqvl4yP7zAQ0js1JcQm77IJzoR0SZgTTibKB-80_l14n4xqL4EWvLlCFDqvGl5Xk4871i0wYBoj9S8uuzDWgereCxmNS7NGniNEXSTZqEaqkurZVUavoNCPziO4ePqx8DvYJX_oEnp/s1600-h/184.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5254580873262770946" style="CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_xBVqvl4yP7zAQ0js1JcQm77IJzoR0SZgTTibKB-80_l14n4xqL4EWvLlCFDqvGl5Xk4871i0wYBoj9S8uuzDWgereCxmNS7NGniNEXSTZqEaqkurZVUavoNCPziO4ePqx8DvYJX_oEnp/s200/184.JPG" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjt6IPTX5CJ3DqGwVJF7TnjnLFdqBzN00flPYsI4tITSD3m52QmVKp2maYKCYhfJ6Ir__ib3eQCIqUzrwQy81IinIDGDg2Df0yu1Tu1WXnz-l3NZu5vEEBjxGakEmBxvIdot9N53erF0LiL/s1600-h/IMG_2386b.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5256405485550863970" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjt6IPTX5CJ3DqGwVJF7TnjnLFdqBzN00flPYsI4tITSD3m52QmVKp2maYKCYhfJ6Ir__ib3eQCIqUzrwQy81IinIDGDg2Df0yu1Tu1WXnz-l3NZu5vEEBjxGakEmBxvIdot9N53erF0LiL/s320/IMG_2386b.JPG" border="0" /></a> <span style="font-family:georgia;">It was awesome to get to spend a summer with Jake and his family. We did some way fun stuff lik<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4iQLA6DkMlsn-k0AuBFwedP7fMkXw0h4Pw3Iu-8HsxnWKX8fwvbm5O8UwpqsMbwvOPPbV3rdhwmp_odFykeoRMh8Kd_GntJrsjhAH5wmhXgd9EFqwqyzpJbbE7KsynH8BQfz6a1o6cQ54/s1600-h/IMG_2390.JPG"></a>e mountain biking, hiking, off-roading, and jet skiing. We took a drive up the canyon one Sunday and took a hike around a little lake that had fish jumping everywhere. I so wish I had my float tube and fishing pole with me! We look like we're ready for a hard core hike don't we. ha ha Actually if you look very closely at this picture you can notice something "unnatural" or fake. If you can pick it out then you're awesome. Ha ha look hard! </span><br /><br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXFauMH0lX27nVQL8wSUpnvTKoHCbPBvt32Q6fkPx801e1xjLsfkPe5yLHX3gFFwHP7nFgBBc6fgRu_KKNGfyc9XObYLyOXxYFVXpHOxWJhZnKb2reHJ2lisbVBCWkqgEwD8om5hKpAbVO/s1600-h/IMG_2054.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5254945823863719986" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 319px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 224px" height="234" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXFauMH0lX27nVQL8wSUpnvTKoHCbPBvt32Q6fkPx801e1xjLsfkPe5yLHX3gFFwHP7nFgBBc6fgRu_KKNGfyc9XObYLyOXxYFVXpHOxWJhZnKb2reHJ2lisbVBCWkqgEwD8om5hKpAbVO/s320/IMG_2054.JPG" width="320" border="0" /></a><span style="font-family:georgia;">Now, a guy can’t own a Toyota pickup without testing it on occasion. This time we tried to make it over the Wasatch mountains and drop down into Midway. Since it was June there were still snow drifts in places, big ones. We had to get a running start to bulldoze through some of them but eventually it got too deep so Clarkson, Hammond, and May (reference to Top Gear, inside joke) had to turn back but it was a heck of a lot of fun! Thinking of trucks, I made a few additions to the Black Pearl this summer. Ha that’s what I named my truck. After another tire bl<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZOXPZ_D9vwUQcmEfHsiqOcNgdnakwCNg-1S9xuBeCpI_c4SPnKBawuFnpAADica9CI1SGKVn8xi1Y1JeK4dHpBB_ULgB0IrrqVM6gRUsJFb4VBU_EhP2B7OlXubewxOtyJ0BMi7tjtRNO/s1600-h/Black+Pearl.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5254946326500599922" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 319px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 241px" height="240" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZOXPZ_D9vwUQcmEfHsiqOcNgdnakwCNg-1S9xuBeCpI_c4SPnKBawuFnpAADica9CI1SGKVn8xi1Y1JeK4dHpBB_ULgB0IrrqVM6gRUsJFb4VBU_EhP2B7OlXubewxOtyJ0BMi7tjtRNO/s320/Black+Pearl.JPG" width="313" border="0" /></a>ew out on the freeway I decided that I better not push the life of those old tires any longer. So I broke the bank a little and threw some 33’s on there which got it off the ground a little more. I added the running boards as well to make it a bit easier for the ladies to get in and out…… oh wait reality check, I never really have ladies ride in my truck……um…So I guess their just for looks, and they do make the Black Pearl look good. As Marty McF<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhG3AUrfjaTeKToI8dgOLvWM_Fv8OX0OvUeZ2F2b-Z0pcZHoSaz_xpmjoQcQvXMB222gvpdD6nZL0iBe11Yk9UD0myk8CB_TdEAKFk9EXHsvTeXZVpi9K_0vGbuLZvWQX-NKGcqgjd0Qhx5/s1600-h/martys+toyota.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5254949444398942882" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 169px" height="167" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhG3AUrfjaTeKToI8dgOLvWM_Fv8OX0OvUeZ2F2b-Z0pcZHoSaz_xpmjoQcQvXMB222gvpdD6nZL0iBe11Yk9UD0myk8CB_TdEAKFk9EXHsvTeXZVpi9K_0vGbuLZvWQX-NKGcqgjd0Qhx5/s320/martys+toyota.jpg" width="320" border="0" /></a>ly would say, “Check out that 4x4. Now that is hot!” Speaking of which, it does kind of look like Marty’s truck from <em>Back to the Future</em> doesn’t it. Except I really need the redneck roll bars with the KC lights. One of these days I'll have them...wait, but if I do that then I'll have to start wearing skin tight wranglers. I don't know about that. </span><br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkO9nn6Nl6tcuST6lKuURsBP4E3-3nUSwpyo4ZLBwqeAjHTR7xXtva91FVevVOG-JzLeMWqLFnrPjqmB1dq_qRTyvZmZhZaD75eMjBT4qfbrnVv14fOxl6efaPdkGbrUtdz3_6bHoaFmK9/s1600-h/evanglassflower2.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5255243859918290210" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkO9nn6Nl6tcuST6lKuURsBP4E3-3nUSwpyo4ZLBwqeAjHTR7xXtva91FVevVOG-JzLeMWqLFnrPjqmB1dq_qRTyvZmZhZaD75eMjBT4qfbrnVv14fOxl6efaPdkGbrUtdz3_6bHoaFmK9/s320/evanglassflower2.JPG" border="0" /></a> <span style="font-family:georgia;">My sister in law Lara is awesome. I went with her a few times down to The Art Institute at Thanksgiving Point in Lehi. At this art institute they make all kinds of glass art work. It is amazing to see what they can do with glass. I got to see them work on the stained glass windows that are now in the Draper Temple. Those were really cool! The real reason why we went to this art institute was to make some pulled glass flowers. They’re actually pretty easy to make and fun too. You just pick out two colors that you like and they mix it into a ball of molten g<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgA-ITucTjqOu-n0egdjLbVGiFwKB8AWx0oVeOdF25Fpv6qkG-7kgF7G2-HDDpAoDFjeI-SCmmsTq1PhP1fCOrQPbPA66HpkJ5dwwuumICnomROQbW1XLowfxoquhecJg9abuTNt0cPCGrf/s1600-h/evanglassflower3.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5255245031175789474" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgA-ITucTjqOu-n0egdjLbVGiFwKB8AWx0oVeOdF25Fpv6qkG-7kgF7G2-HDDpAoDFjeI-SCmmsTq1PhP1fCOrQPbPA66HpkJ5dwwuumICnomROQbW1XLowfxoquhecJg9abuTNt0cPCGrf/s320/evanglassflower3.JPG" border="0" /></a>lass and melt it in. Then you basically just use some tongs to pull it and shape it into a flower. It only takes about five minutes and it comes out looking really cool! Now I know your all thinking I’m girly for making glass flowers. Don’t make fun of me! Ha ha. At least I’m man enough to do something a little girly every now and then.<br /></span><br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJ-LI_3osfZM_Gz-Jndb-qXifQ2F1KLfHieEt9L2WL6RF77CuQxsYl9C6zw2micN3HTgxPLYLAshs22GB30yAjIhSWX_MtVEbnaBTWodgpzs-P-Czvj4Rf5wlqg6egJeAuHMKE93oUHWjW/s1600-h/IMG_2803.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5256379460978484098" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJ-LI_3osfZM_Gz-Jndb-qXifQ2F1KLfHieEt9L2WL6RF77CuQxsYl9C6zw2micN3HTgxPLYLAshs22GB30yAjIhSWX_MtVEbnaBTWodgpzs-P-Czvj4Rf5wlqg6egJeAuHMKE93oUHWjW/s320/IMG_2803.JPG" border="0" /></a> <span style="font-family:georgia;">My weekend at Bear Lake was so awesome! Jake and his family took me up there for a few days. We rode 4wheelers, went for a bike ride, and of course went nuts on the jet skis. I tell you what, 60mph on a jet ski is crazy and when I say crazy I mean it’s freaking awesome! As fun as that was the coolest thing about Bear Lake was that they have all the tools and equipment to make a baseball bat and I made one. This ha<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnuRCUVah69kbZhJko1b0nkUo16QDkR9BA5WfYmkxtw1BLulSR_zZpuQRL9_5jRfeuvIxF-vS5eJwTij2jID4U2Fgr9tZ8opP-B4mFZWoTJALPvZVIn18JIo5Gc_GGhYj7bOCMPQy8akJK/s1600-h/IMG_2814.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5256382095405455698" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnuRCUVah69kbZhJko1b0nkUo16QDkR9BA5WfYmkxtw1BLulSR_zZpuQRL9_5jRfeuvIxF-vS5eJwTij2jID4U2Fgr9tZ8opP-B4mFZWoTJALPvZVIn18JIo5Gc_GGhYj7bOCMPQy8akJK/s320/IMG_2814.JPG" border="0" /></a>d to have been the coolest thing I did all summer. I went to a hardwood supply store in Salt Lake and picked up a couple of bat blanks, Jake got some measurements from the Rawlings website, and we went to work on it. Jake had made a few bats before this so he guided me on what to do. I started with the bar<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiK5wE8akXUSrciKRyi01Qo6j2URLP8-oEZm57nVNhFP9KqFz8-8zqaKJw7N6NE5UyrxS7UwmRQ1J_fbjeqZflBwQ4NWkc2TTYM6nrEW3KSiSSO7wF5rsqV0AUkwdev7unItI2J1R-eFPeT/s1600-h/IMG_2816.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5256388806492311106" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiK5wE8akXUSrciKRyi01Qo6j2URLP8-oEZm57nVNhFP9KqFz8-8zqaKJw7N6NE5UyrxS7UwmRQ1J_fbjeqZflBwQ4NWkc2TTYM6nrEW3KSiSSO7wF5rsqV0AUkwdev7unItI2J1R-eFPeT/s320/IMG_2816.JPG" border="0" /></a>rel then worked my way down the handle and finished by shaping the knob and the cap. Every 4 inches I gouged down to a specified diameter then took a larger chisel and chipped away the wood in between joining the grooves to make the handle flow smoothly into the barrel. Eventually I worked <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiddUsuSDozglX-3lx8l2a1WWRHOO16emKQ2J8IqSMpv93rmuQzgvqPsdWT3EW1VnqpW7ecO2e2Y9mH6iEqOmBtI3x2VmEPIw8MMINgl51pkk6A-JgEA7D5sZHGkn22nYQ7s-N3FOITk0TQ/s1600-h/IMG_2819.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5256415064545770354" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiddUsuSDozglX-3lx8l2a1WWRHOO16emKQ2J8IqSMpv93rmuQzgvqPsdWT3EW1VnqpW7ecO2e2Y9mH6iEqOmBtI3x2VmEPIw8MMINgl51pkk6A-JgEA7D5sZHGkn22nYQ7s-N3FOITk0TQ/s320/IMG_2819.JPG" border="0" /></a>my way down to the knob which is fairly tough but I took my time on it and it I think it turned out well. After I got it shaped, there was a ton of sanding to do to get it smooth. So Jak<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCiNBMUOUjj4VYtLXvkMui30i_IsJFhzl6ozSG6sey0aqjpKWxg2fsL4Gg9__iTSlMW0uwFMC7Lk1pmPS4n4HBz4073EU50lYTDuQTeV6KkWG7ir_knWm7Q-fM_QpZsnNgzJji1g2sli5c/s1600-h/IMG_2823.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5256393582049569090" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCiNBMUOUjj4VYtLXvkMui30i_IsJFhzl6ozSG6sey0aqjpKWxg2fsL4Gg9__iTSlMW0uwFMC7Lk1pmPS4n4HBz4073EU50lYTDuQTeV6KkWG7ir_knWm7Q-fM_QpZsnNgzJji1g2sli5c/s320/IMG_2823.JPG" border="0" /></a>e helped me sand it down starting with very coarse sand paper then working our way down to the finest grain available for a very smooth finish. After 2 ½ hours of shaping and sanding I took some cuts with my first hand made bat! I was picking saw dust out of my pockets for the<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipf8PT84t7M3gy-oKHspRrtqmcuXxIcPRdkumnUJEzoYJLHmxRPjufUl3NtzI8_kiq6ePaEmVI4dMx9gkeiHpbvXLhjCbj_9C17rQrVxxwGe8pl9u13oh8CEY-tGeCxfKiT2CPZ1RqGBcY/s1600-h/IMG_2825.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5256413435470440626" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipf8PT84t7M3gy-oKHspRrtqmcuXxIcPRdkumnUJEzoYJLHmxRPjufUl3NtzI8_kiq6ePaEmVI4dMx9gkeiHpbvXLhjCbj_9C17rQrVxxwGe8pl9u13oh8CEY-tGeCxfKiT2CPZ1RqGBcY/s320/IMG_2825.JPG" border="0" /></a> next week, but it was so fun making it! Then a few days later I got Jake’s wood burner and put the “WonderBoy” and lightening bolt on there which is, of course, from <em>The Natural</em>. The only thing I have left to do is to take a ha<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_TKrbcsK7LGaL0sPNqBcBsBMaQNHC_Eykv7J3iuQH4gTm2p19nXVDnROV4TIINi8IDNPQ86OwnODZT9xUkbVYH2KuHdXfPef3ACGKEWOPINtObr2QdMpxncB8mMMEvG5nVbHbuM7MT62B/s1600-h/IMG_2855b.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5256411640623685314" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_TKrbcsK7LGaL0sPNqBcBsBMaQNHC_Eykv7J3iuQH4gTm2p19nXVDnROV4TIINi8IDNPQ86OwnODZT9xUkbVYH2KuHdXfPef3ACGKEWOPINtObr2QdMpxncB8mMMEvG5nVbHbuM7MT62B/s320/IMG_2855b.JPG" border="0" /></a>m bone and bone it so it doesn't chip, then maybe I’ll put it in a trombone case and carry it around with me. Ha ha just kidding. </span><span style="font-family:georgia;"><br /></span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:georgia;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:georgia;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:georgia;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:georgia;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:georgia;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:georgia;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:georgia;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:georgia;">Over all, I guess it was worth going down there for the summer. I am very glad that I got to know Kalab and his family better, and am very fortunate to become friends with his in-laws Roger and Sharon Cook. And it was great to spend more time with Jake and his family. </span><br /><br />Ok if you've read this far I'm sure I've bored you to death so I'll shut up now. Ha ha <span style="font-family:georgia;">-OUT-</span>The Huffshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07462611569985014337noreply@blogger.com3