to the 1980's

This week I got a call from an old friend, inviting me to go see the new Rambo movie. In his voicemail, he reminisced about how we were so into those movies as young teens. We all had our own "Rambo" survival knives with the compass in the handle, and pretended we were survival specialists on boy scout campouts. I laughed out loud as I listened to his message, and thought fondly of those times. Then, I began to feel veeeerrrryyyyy ooooolllldddd. I had to pinch myself when I thought about how 1980 was 28 years ago. How kids that were born in 1990 (the year I graduated high school) will be graduating from high school this year. How kids now when they "dress like the 80's" for school are really like us "dressing like the 50's and 60's" when we were in high school. I am like totally an 80's child, a stud, buffed, rad, totally awesome, and whatever other words we used to describe ourselves as cool. I don't have a mullet, wear a white glove, or acid washed shredded jeans, or have "tight buns in 501's" anymore. I don't listen to Van Halen and jump everytime the song says to, I don't use the words stoner or jock. I don't wish I had a black Firebird with a little sliding red light on the grill, or drive a Ferrari 308 GT like Thomas Sullivan Magnum, and I don't swing my head around and pretend I am playing a jamming guitar solo, but I am still a product of the 80's. What a great era! Come on everybody FEEL THE NOISE!

snowboarding with the kids

I took Rachel and Tanner snowboarding to Mission ridge ski area near Wenatchee. It was their 3rd time boarding, and they were able to use their very own boards for the first time. Tanner is doing GREAT at his carving and turns. He even rode a low rail at the end of the day! I was so proud of him. Rachel keeps a good attitude up, but is resistant to learning her carves. She is so funny, because she bruises her tailbone in the first 10 minutes of boarding each time we go, and then it bothers her the rest of the day. Solution? Stop falling down, Rachel! :)
It was great fun boarding with just me and the kids. I enjoy being with them, and now that they are growing up, they are really fun and interactive companions!

Daddy-daughter disaster day averted

My brother and I decided to climb Rattlesnake mountain yesterday. Short on time, we opted to mountain bike it. Rachel said she wanted to go. I tried to explain to her what she would need to take (it was cold, yet we'd be exerting lots of effort - generating heat) and she was starting to show her teenage know-it-all attitude. We managed to get to the car without choking each other, and drove to the mountain. We started to ride, but I was definitely not cool by telling her "how to ride a bike". We got about 1.5 miles up on the moderate grade, stopping every 50' or so because she'd fall off, get tired, get weeds in her derailleur, etc... Starting uphill is a technique as well. One she didn't want to know about and wouldn't listen. I felt like such a "parent" on this trip. We spent way too much time arguing while Darren waited up ahead. Headstrong and wrong don't mix well together. We opted for plan B, biked down the hill to the Yakima river and followed it for a while. We ended up having fun as long as we weren't trying to climb anything. All worked out well. Rachel's butt is so sore after the ride, but that's how it goes for the first ride in a long time. The day was good, but not without it's glitches! This picture of Darren and Rachel says it all!

Here she is

The first post on my blog has to be dedicated to the one thing in my life that matters most... my wife. I have been truly blessed to have such a wonderful companion. She is always there for me, and for our family. A fabulous mother, cook, companion, tennis player, and she has a go-anywhere-do-anything attitude. Sweet, empathetic, capable, athletic, gentle, humble, talented, and kind. There are many words which can describe her. As Tom Hanks said in "Sleepless in Seattle" when asked to describe his late wife... "Well, how long is your show?" That pretty much sums up how I feel about her. She is at the top of my list of good things in life!

All good things in life

Ok, a little late, but never lame. This, my first blog, is dedicated to postings of all things good in life. Good friends, good food, good family (even some bad if they are still family), and good activities. Life is so short, and we must enjoy all the things we have been blessed with. This world has much to offer us. Beautiful places, people, and experiences. I'll attempt to post the things I love in life, and the good things I find out there. Thanks to my wife for starting her own blog, and inspiring me to do the same!