BRIDGER HUNT

I am sure that most of you read the story on the boy who was injured by the homemade firework on Pioneer Day. Bridger actually lives a couple of houses up the street from us and is cool little kid. A day never went by that you didn't see Bridger outside riding his bike, skating or building something. All of the little kids in the neighborhood love him. He is one tough little kid, a fighter. It is a miracle that he survived the accident. He has had 6 surgeries so far and is fighting to keep his leg. I am sure that he would appreciate as many prayers as possible. So all of you out there please keep Bridger and his family in your prayers, so that he has the strength to keep on fighting!
If you are interested in keeping up on Bridger's progress you can go to this link
http://www.ksl.com/?nid=148&sid=3871980

Happy BIRF-DAY Raycer!

Rayce had his birthday and it was a blast. We were just going to have cake with Grandparents but the whole month Rayce kept saying, " are my friends going to be at my birthday". We decided to get together at the park for cake and ice-cream and maybe some dry ice and some water balloons too!

Here is Grandpa T with the Lanester.

I just loved this pic of Meg, it couldn't be cuter!

Here is one of Rayce's favorite people, uncle Scott! Rayce does wonders for Scott's ego!

Don't forget our solid gold ride on the Heber Creaper. And by solid gold, that is what we paid with! Rayce was in heaven.
(We owed Rayce a ride on Thomas for filling up a "nice word" chart. Little did we know that Thomas was just visiting for Memorial Day. We broke the news to Rayce that morning when we suprised him with a train ride on " Emily", that is what train he said that it was. He was just as excited to ride on Emily, Thomas who?)

MIKE LOVES HIS BIKE

July 12th Mike and his friend Ryan rode in the Porcupine Hill climb. The ride starts at the base of Big Cottonwood Canyon and ends up at Brighton ski resort. It is 14.7 miles and 3700 ft elevation. To say the least it is not an easy ride. This is the second year Mike has ridden it. He beat his last years time (1.53hr) by 13 min (this years time was 1.40). What a machine!! Ryan rode it for the first time and was only 5 min behind Mike. They both did an AWESOME job. Way to go boys!!

Here is Mike's big finish!

SEXY CHEST MIKEY

Ryan's big finish!!

CALVATIA GIGANTEA

Say hello to my little (I mean rather large) friend! We have had the pleasure of providing a home for some lovely FUNGI this summer. These softball sized fungi are called "puff-balls". We started to find them in the back yard after all of the rain we were getting in May. They are most commonly found in meadows, feilds, and deciduous forests. (Our back yard does not indead resemble any of the three, go figure). They are usually 10-70cm but occasionally they can grow up to 150cm and weigh 20 kg. I saw a picture of one online that was 12 inches in diameter! We thought that they would go away when it started to get warmer but we are picking up 3-6 weekly. I think that they like what Rosy feeds them! Apparently they are edible, when they are young and their flesh is white, before they start producing spores. They are said to taste like tofu. I have yet to grill one up, but if any of you are interested just come on over, we will save you some.

My Opinion.

If people were behind bars at the zoo the sign would read.

"Don't feed their egos".

Sometimes I feel like not complementing someone because I think that all it will do is make their head get that much bigger. That may be wrong of me and I may be passing judgment, but I don't really give a rats a**. To be fair there are times when I think pretty highly of myself. Yeah, it's true. I know hard to believe. I come across to so many as humble right? We all do it. For whatever reason. We think we look good in that pair of jeans, we make good money, we drive nice cars, we have nice toys, whatever it may be. But sometimes I meet people and I immediately go on red alert. JACKASS, JACKASS, JACKASS. The other day I saw a guy riding a bike that makes my list of top three greatest bikes. I complemented his ride and all I got was, "yeah it's a pretty nice bike" with a head cock as he just kept rolling by and couldn't even stop to say thanks. All I did was threw a huge slice of complement to his ego. Should have known better. Put that guy in the zoo.

So if your having a "me" day and you notice people giving you the "well he/she thinks he/she is the cat's pajama's" take a step back so you fall off that pedestal you call your ego and walk down here with the rest of us. Except for me. I of course get to stay on my pedestal for calling all of you out.

Jim Evertsen

Today my Uncle Jim died in a helicopter crash. He owned a company in Branson, MO that did helicopter tours and he also had contracts with the power company where he did line inspections. While doing a routine inspection his helicopter clipped a power line with 161,000 volts of electricity running through it and the helicopter crashed to the ground.

He was an amazing man. He loved kids and he loved to fly. I can only hope that when my time comes I get to go doing something I love.

A couple quick memories.

1. When I was 8 we were at a family reunion at Jim's parents cabin in Durango, CO. A lot of my cousins and uncles were going on a two or three day pack trip 10 miles into the Colorado backcoutry. Everyone would be riding their own horse. I wanted so bad to go. Everyone told me I was too young. While I was sitting on a rock heart broken I couldn't go and play cowboy, my Uncle Jim walked up and stood over me.
Jim: "What's wrong"?
Mike: "I want to go, but everyone says I am too young".
Jim: "How old are you now Michael"?
Mike: "8".
Jim: "Thats how old you have to be to go on this trip. Go tell your mom I said your going".

2. Watching my Uncle Jim and Uncle Greg ride their horses like cowboys through the aspens at full speed on that same pack trip.

3. The huge hard brick masons hands that even just two years ago made my own hands seem small in comparison.

4. He was one of very few who called me Michael my whole life.

5. The mustache that is not there in the picture above.

6. A great father figure in my life.

We miss you already Jim.

What did you say?

So I just had a hilarious conversation with Rayce. Here is how it went:

Rayce: Mom sometimes I don't want birds to have bum-holes...

Mom: What did you say?

Rayce: Sometimes I don't want birds to have bum-holes... so they don't poop on me!

Isn't that awesome!! I had to blog it for posterity's sake. I think that we would all be better off if birds couldn't poop, I know our truck wouldn't complain. (it would get a little messy when the birds ended up exploding though).

My Opinion.

This one is a couple days late, but better late then never.

As I pedaled my bike up the trail Friday morning with my two buddies on the anniversary of our great countries independence, I couldn't help but think of how lucky I was. I live in the greatest country in the world. I have every freedom any one could ever ask for. Here I am on a bike that proves American's innovations. I drove a truck that is reliable and has a/c. Something a lot of people in the world will never get to appreciate. I am with two good friends. I get to play in some of the greatest mountains on the planet that are minutes from my front door. I mean hell I get to wake up every morning and look at them and appreciate what they afford me. How blessed am I? Very. Beyond anything I can comprehend. I owe it all to those that sacrificed everything they had and in many instances their lives to make this country great. And still do it today. Now our country isn't perfect. None are. But I love being an American. I love America. It pisses me off that kids in some states don't stand and say the Pledge of Allegiance. It pissed me off that at a high school football game you can't offer a prayer for the safety of those kids on the field to ask God that no one gets hurt. I mean if you don't agree with it just pray to your god and ask for the same thing. That is what America is about. It's your right. Besides the more prayers the better. No matter what deity you believe in. I swear that the further we get from the principles the founding fathers built this country on the bigger pansies we become. I get so tired of a few special interest groups getting their feelings hurt so we all have to change our lives to accommodate them. I could go on and on about this, but will instead get to my point. So.

GOD BLESS AMERICA.

Screw anyone that doesn't feel that way. Go live in France.