Spring Back? Way Back!

Here is another entry attempting to catch up.  Spring of 2019 in a few photos.

Utah is so beautiful in Spring.  

Easter Sunday

Leah's 4th grade character was Sacagawea.  She did a great job with her 
presentation as well as her class presentation.

Leah and Dax love spending time with their Grandma Leslie.
Almost as much as their Grandma Leslie likes spending time 
with them.

This Spring we painted our house.  We also painted our cabinets
and stair railing, but that part was a regret.  

Dax played Spring Soccer for the Champions in 
the North Utah County League.  Let me be clear,
they were not the champions of the league, their 
team name was The Champions.  They didn't win
a single game.  :(  I didn't coach this year, but had 
a fun time assisting Coach Ryan and learned a lot.

About 5 years ago, I set a goal to lose 100 lbs over a 5 year period. This Spring marked 5 years.  I didn't quite hit my goal, but I did lose 85.  Below is my before and after pic.  I still have a way to go.

Before

After

Dax is reading like a mad man.  He is such a smart dude.  Here he is 
in kindergarten reading my book about Lincoln.  He has to ask the 
meaning of some of the words, but he's reading them all. 

This Spring, Marley turned 4.  That is 28 years in
dog years.  28 years old and still no job and living
at home.  Sheesh!

Leah has been in karate now for a few months.  She loves it and seems to do well at it.  I love to watch her confidence grow and her excitement for something.  She earned her yellow belt this Spring and she was super stoked to advance.  Karate has become part of her identity. 

The same night that Leah had her belt advancement, Dax had his school presentation.  So, Sarah and I had to divide and conquer.  I went with Leah and Sarah went with Dax.  Then we joined up afterwards for frozen yogurt with Grandma Leslie.

How I look on a video conference call.  A different hat every time. 

On my Dad's birthday, we had our traditional dinner of Dad's favorites...
fried chicken, all the fixin's and cheesecake.  Afterwards, Leah made tags
for each of us to write a message to Grandpa Bud and we hung them on his 
rose bush.  She's such a sweet girl that has such a sweet love for her 
Grandpa Bud. 

Dax and I packed up the trailer and headed to the annual Father's and Son's campout of the Orchard Hills Ward.  We stopped along the way and got dinner at KFC at Dax's request.  We had a fun time at Soldier Summit.  

If there is mud to be found, Dax will find it.

Of course, within minutes of getting there, Dax 
had a collection of sticks and rocks.  

Backside of Mt. Timpanogos

One night when we were trying to figure out where to go eat 
as a family, we took votes and this was Dax's vote. 
"Breedose!!!" aka Burritos.

Leah is sweet.  She sometimes likes to wake up 
early and make us a pancake breakfast all by 
herself.  Thistime she left us sweet notes. 

Leah was so cute when she realized she could, 
for the first time in her life, put her arms around
me.  I think this was the combined result of me 
losing weight and Leah getting bigger.  

As I said, if there is mud, Dax will find it.  He 
found some mud somewhere by our house. 

On her own, Leah came up with the idea to draw some pictures,
some with motivational sayings, and take them around the 
neighborhood to sell.  She's a sweet girl with equally sweet 
neighbors. 

Late Spring means the Ice Shack is open.

Spring in Utah is perfect for a day on the pitch.

Leah and Dax made breakfast for their Mom on
Mother's Day.  

Mother's Day Dinner with the 4 most important Mother's and
future Mother in my life.   And Dax.

I'm grateful to live in a community that supports their police force.  Dax was excited to meet all the police officers on meet the police day.  

Dax explaining that his Uncool (Uncle) Scott 
is a motor patrol officer. 

He even brought his toy police car with him.

We have a couple families of Yellow Breasted
Warblers living in the trees of our front yard.  
They love the water fountain and have become
quite comfortable with us around.  

In 4th grade they study Utah State history.  One day in the year they do a handcart pull to get a small experience of what the pioneers of the 1840s experienced.  This was truly an experience.  It was super cold and rainy and snowy.  Most of the kids quit.  Even some of the parents.  One of the parents that was with Leah's handcart called Sarah and explained how impressed she was with Leah.  The woman's own son bailed out because it was too hard and too cold and too wet, but not Leah.  She pushed through to the end and I'm very proud of her.  Her teacher, Mrs. Jensen, had a theme this year of "You can do hard things", and Leah learned that this day.  I am proud of her. 

Leah's group at the beginning of the trek.

We went to a rodeo.  We had a fun time, but my camera was almost dead, so I didn't get any pictures, which is a bummer.  I rarely feel more American pride than at rodeos, so I like to take pictures to remind me of those things.  I had to save my battery to take video of Dax mutton busting and Leah in the cash cow contest.  Dax didn't last too long and he was disappointed as you can see below.  I couldn't post Leah's contest because the video file was too large, but she did great.  She ran hard and won a few bucks.

We finished off the Spring soccer season with our usual picnic,
and soccer with the family activity, then we handed out the 
trophies.  

We are so grateful for our family and friends nearby.  Grandma 
Leslie, Jim, Sam and Mady Trosper, Chris and Hailey Jennings,
Molly, Duane, Elijah, Cole, Jake and Emerson Reed and Brenda 
and Candace Ashby.  Their support means a lot to the kids. 

I wanted to coach this year, but felt it was too hard on Dax, so
I played a supportive role.  We didn't win any games, which was 
hard, but I learned a lot coaching with Ryan and Ted.  They are 
both good coaches.  Ryan's enthusiasm and postitive energy was
perfect for Dax and Dax enjoyed the season.  

Dax is my little helper buddy.  He loves to spend
time with his Dad.  I love to spend time with him.

Winter is hard on the garage, which is hard on me.  With all the Winter snow, slush, salt and mud finding it's final resting point on the floor of my garage.  I look forward to mid-April when the pressurized irrigation is turned on again and I can muck out the mess.  Dax was kind enough to help me this year and we had a fun time doing so.  

Dax was proud of his hard work.

Make your own pizza night with Mad-Dawg, Mady.

Unexpectedly, Sarah and I hit the road with Mom on a trip South to honor our good friends, the Kezos'.  Gloria passes away recently, so we drove to Santa Clara for her funeral.  I can't remember the circumstances, but it was a turn around trip.  4 hours down and then 4 hours back the same day.  It was super inconvenient and difficult, but when you're blessed with such amazing people in your life, you do what you can to let them know they're important.  It was good to see Ted, Kyle and Shauna and share our love for Gloria and them.  We saw so many other good friends too.  Funerals are always such sad, but deeply inspiring and wonderful reunions.  RIP, Gloria.  

Good friendships never end.  Mike Obrey and Kyle Kezos.

Grandma Leslie loves to spoil the kids.  She doesn't need to, and we tell her all the time not to, but she does it anyway and tells us it is more for her than them.  This day she took them on a picnic and to Build a Bear to buy them their own buddy.  

For Daddy Daughter Date, we went to this dessert
restaurant called Last Course.  Leah had been 
wanting to go there for sometime.  I'm glad we 
went when we did because it closed a few weeks 
after.  

I know you, my lone reader, is probably thinking, "Isn't Father's Day in Summer?"  It is in June, but it is in early June, therefore, it is officially Spring still.  Regardless of season, as usual, I got spoiled on Father's Day with food, gifts, affection, videos and more.  I don't refer to myself as the most blessed man for no reason.  These two kids and their Mother are what make me so.

We got to celebrate Kaydian's first birthday with her and her 
family.  We are so blessed to have Caitlin and Kaydian in our 
lives.  Leah loves Little Miss Kay so much. 

Leah completed her time at The Sharing Place.  What a wonderful 
experience this was.  It is such an awesome concept that helps so many.  
Here is Leah saying goodbye to her counselor.

Leah having a spa day with her friends in the neighborhood.

It wasn't all good.  My good friend, Randy, moved across the pond for a 
new job in Merry Ole' England. 

Sarah and the kids, along with the Reeds and Wilsons spent some time in Arizona visiting Grandpa Dave and Grandma Tine.  They had a fun time swimming and playing.  I wasn't there, so I only have a few photos to share that Sarah sent me. 

To cap off Spring and usher in Summer, we de-Winterized the trailer and headed to Dixie.  We camped at the KOA in Leeds, UT.  We enjoyed some swimming, visiting the old ghost town of Silver Reef, swam at Sand Hollow and took in a live Disney show at Tuacahn.  It was a fun trip.  

There are certainly worse places in the world than
Sand Hollow.  

This is about as far in the water as Sarah got this time.  It was 
still early in the season so it the water hadn't quite warmed yet.

When my Brother worked for the Huntington
Beach PD, he made sure to get me t-shirts from 
every Surf competition.  I loved going to the OP
Pro contest when I was an adolescent, so I 
always cherished these shirts.  There was only 
one problem.  The largest size they made them 
in was 2XL.  Now that I've lost weight, I can 
finally wear them.  Thanks, Scooter!

Spring in Utah, 2019.  Does it get any better?