Busy Busy!

So my life has seemingly been spinning out of control. Between trying to make money at work, a demanding church calling and family responsibilities my plate has been awfully full lately. I love being busy at work because that means I'm making money, but it seems like it's been more than usual. Maybe it's just all of the self-imposed deadlines I get from all of the last second clients that need an ad yesterday. Oh well, I just appreciate the business.

Scout camp is right around the corner and I'm stressing. I hope I have my kids prepared enough to go. I'm still trying to find adults to help out and stay at the camp for a day and night. I'm already stretching myself pretty thin by taking 3 days off next week. I've got a pile of work to do and yet I'm running to Cedar Mountain for camp! I really hope I can get some support, otherwise we may be staying home because we can't get 2 deep leadership. Scouting is starting to be more rewarding to me and hopefully the kids, but dang if it isn't a ton of work!

I've got more to talk about, but I don't have the time! Imagine that. Even though it seems like I complained a lot in this post, my life is still pretty good. I'm sure you can all relate to busy stress. I'm usually a pretty chill guy, but every once in a while when everything reaches critical mass at the same time it gets to me. Here's to better days and a relaxing trip to Minersville this weekend for the 24th. My wife has never been to horse races so it should be fun. And I'm out.

The Real Story

I want to speak of something a little more serious tonight. It has occurred to me, or I'm just fed up of hearing and seeing it in the news, but there isn't a person alive that if given the chance wouldn't want to live in America.

I realize this is a pretty bold statement but it's true. Of course "everyone" may be a bit of an exaggeration but not as much as you might think. We are inundated every single day with quotes from foreigners claiming that they hate Americans and what we stand for. Tired of us policing the world. Truth be told, they would trade anyone of us just to have a crappy mortgage payment and a decade old vehicle or two. They would trade to be able to complain about inflated gas prices and being undervalued or underpaid at work. They would trade to complain about our health care system and government welfare. They would trade to live in our country full of racial violence and hate. Trade us to complain about only having a 32" television with crappy cable to watch.

The reality is that we live in the freest country in the known world. We have liberties granted us to live how we may without recourse. We have great wealth of both physical and mental capacities. The potential for wealth being almost limitless to those willing to take a shot at it. America is still the shining beacon to the world despite what those with an agenda would have you believe. The reason for all of the hate from peoples of other countries? Probably because the hate to hear us bitch and moan so much when we really have it so good. They've never experienced our way of life. They are only told what their countries officials want them to be told, much like our own. Free press? Not for most. Watch the news in North Korea or Iran ever day and see how you would feel about America.

In closing I want everyone to think of all of the complaints they have with our country at the moment. Is it welfare, gas prices, a slowed economy? Whatever it is just know that regardless of how bad off you feel that you are, you have it better than most of the world because you are American with American freedoms. Oh, and have a good day. (:

Back From the Dead I Come

Hello family, friends, and strangers. I have left my blogging post vacant for far too long. I really don't want that to happen again. My life has been like a milk-chocolate carousel ride in Willy Wonka's factory while being stuffed to the brim with Ho-Hos. Work is busy, family is busy, and I'm trying my best to make time for the things that are important to me like videogam.... err I mean family. In all honesty I haven't even been able to play games for more than a couple hours a week. I hate growing up! ):

I got back from my trip to Logan over the 4th of July. I rode the hog up and back and for the most part it was a good ride. My wife is staying up there with her sister for a couple of weeks so I was riding alone. I definitely put my bike through its paces on this trip. From badly overheating it in stop and go freeway traffic through Ogden (not to mention 100+ degree temperatures), to choking it for oxygen at 10,000 feet en route to Bear Lake, and finally riding into the teeth of a monster named thunderstorm/hurricane on a lonely stretch of road between Delta and Milford, it was definitely interesting to see how it performed. Overall I'd give it 4 stars out of 5. I'm getting it looked at this week. Something is definitely a little out of whack with the calibration.

There were some great moments captured on my trip to Logan. I will dispense them now:

Jessica's Niece Brooklyn at the parade. Popsicles were definitely in style.

Me looking rather dapper - kinda

Dad's pride and joy - Jaron

What a fox! Oh that's right, I married that girl.

Dad's little princess... pulling a face - Carmendee. I miss them all so much.

Comic Update!

Hi everyone. I'm back with a couple pieces of artwork fresh from the Illustrator drawing board. I like them so far and they are built to where I should be able to move them around with minimal effort. I did mine first and Jess's second. It took about an hour to come up with the design on mine but it took longer on Jessica's. I used mine as a template and modified it from there. Some of you are going to see your cartoon selves in my upcoming blog comics. Hopefully they will be good enough that you will be able to tell it's you!

Jessica made me go back and "fix her hair."

Wii Fit update: The game is totally legit. if you work out using the yoga, strength and aerobics portions it will really make you sweat. The little mini-games are a good diversion as well. I really like the ski slalom one (even though I'm not that great at it.) I had no idea yoga was so intense! I've only scratched the surface but I'm really liking it. It's a way for couch potatoes like myself to get in shape while having fun so I'm all in. Work is going well. We've added several new clients in the past few weeks so it's really exciting. We've been very grateful for all of the support from everybody.

Let me know what you think of my comic characters so far. Could you tell who they were without me letting you know? I look forward to posting more characters shortly when I have time. Guess this movie quote, "Carpe Diem... Seize the... Carp!"

Tacos in the belly = feeling good

My wife made tacos tonight which I love. It's a mixture of classic Wendy Albrecht tacos (the meat and chili beans part) with our own little touch (Salsa con queso, white corn and sour cream are all different options to go with the meat, cheese and lettuce.) All of our friends love Jess's tacos and many of the wives (per request of the husbands) have started to prepare theirs this way. She also makes a killer pot roast, but that's a whole different topic for another time. I wanted to give Jess props on my blog for making sure I have a good dinner and the kids eat well. It's a full time job and she's great at it. In other news...

It seems that I am completely spent by the time I get home from work. My line of work isn't what you would call the most physically demanding job, but it is pretty mentally draining. The amount of focus and concentration it takes to do great work and be creative is actually pretty draining. I think Jess finally understands that sometimes when I get home and act like a zombie it's because of that reason. Couple that with trying to help out with the kids and cleaning the house and I've got a pretty full day. My brothers probably think I live an easy, nerf life but... well, actually they aren't far from the truth. The worst thing that could possibly happen to me on a day to day basis is I stub my toe on my computer desk! I'm not out rolling in horse crap all day like they are. God Bless You Guys! I couldn't do what you do without contemplating a self imposed early exit from this life.

Lastly I want to thank my brother Jed in advance for volunteering to help me get my yard ready for cement this weekend. I hope we can pour by the months end. I'll be sure to post some pics upon completion. Here's my movie plug for the day "This aint no etcha-sketch home skillet. This is one doodle you can't undid." or something along those lines. Anyone guess what the movie is? Post in the comments if you know.

Comic Idea

I have had an idea for quite some time to publish a comic on my blog. I've got some great ideas that (I think) are funny. This begs me to ask all of you. If I were to create a comic would you read? I've got an art style in mind that I could do in Adobe Illustrator fairly easily. I don't want to put the time into them if no one will read though. Thoughts?

Scouting at the Peach Farm

Hi Everybody. I'll get off of my soapbox for this post. Nothing but good clean family fun. That's because it's about service. Not just any service... but church farm service. I took the scouts out to do an orchard assignment for our ward. They need like 1000000 hrs of service for their Eagle awards so it was a great opportunity. We needed to thin the peaches out so that the remaining ones can get big and delicious. Of course if any of you have been around scouts or have been scouts know, they pretty much just had a peach fight. What was funnier was watching them throw the peaches at some girls that were picking beside us. Well, to be fair the girls opened fire first. Both sides were flirting and checking each other out, but when I asked Zach why he hadn't gone over to talk to them he replied "She's throwing peaches at me. Why would I want to do that." It's funny to see kids at that age. It took me back. I was just starting to discover girls and think they were kinda cute. The games we played back then are still the same today. Flirting must be a universal truth that is constant and unchanging. I never thought I'd be old enough to reminisce about "when I was young." So to Jed and Becca, and some of you others out there with older kids I say, good luck and I'll see you when I get there... In 10 years. Enjoy your kids while they are still kinda innocent because soon they will be little copies of you when you were in your teens! Oh, and go see Iron Man while it's still in theaters. You won't be disappointed.

If you don't like this movie please check your pulse