Monday, February 28, 2011

CO Springs Balloon fair

Desiree's family goes to the Colorado Springs Annual Hot Air Balloon Fair almost every year. I explain to Desiree that I have never seen a hot air balloon up close and I would love to go and attend this year. We were staying down in the Springs that weekend at Desiree's grandparents house. It was so good to see them again. We had not made enough of an effort to make it down there, and Desiree and I were really missing our grandparents. They are really neat people and great friends to be with. On top of that they really do spoil us almost every time we are with them. We love you Grandma and Grandpa.

That weekend we also helped Desiree's brother Josh put together his new mother-in-law home. On Friday Night I helped with moving ladders while my father-in-law and Josh painted. On Saturday I assisted Josh with putting together the automated garage door opener. That was one of the easiest, but most difficult thing that I have ever done. It was very nice to be with Josh and working together on something. I felt liek we were a pretty good team. Desiree helped Kristen watch the kids, if I heard right, it allowed Kristen to take a nap. It was so good to be able to help the people that we love. Hoping that we were able to take just even a bit of stress, and difficult living off of the shoulders of Josh and Kristen. We love you guys.

Saturday night we heard that the balloon festival was having what they called a Balloon Glow. The balloons were all set up, and they would blow their lit gas up into their balloons to make them glow. We decided to go and Briana and Peter, Desiree's sister, and my facebook friend, came with us. It was pretty neat, but I had set in my mind that it was going to be a little different. There was just so many people that it was hard to relax while we were there. We were there only for a little while before we decided to leave for a coffee shop. We had left and gone to a shop that Briana has been going to since she has moved down to the Springs for college. The shop is call Jives and it is the cutes hipster coffee shop that I have seen. I finally cut loose and was having such a great time. I was just being crazy, and Peter and I went from facebook friends to face to face friends. It was a very nice time with family and friends, but with midnight arriving soon we had to put an end to the evening. Desiree and I had to get some sleep to wake up at 5am the following morning for the balloons.


There we were stumbling out of bed trying not to fall asleep while we were swaying back and forth to brush our teeth. Breakfast, getting dressed, eating cereal, and packing was all that went on while we were still trying to keep our eyes open. We drove down to the park where the balloons were set up. When we arrived I was shocked that the balloons were not set up. I guess we had to get there early to get a good parking space. The balloons did not start setting up until an hour later. It was really cold for the first hour and a half.



It was so awesome to see these balloons in front of my face. They were a lot bigger that I ever thought that they would be. Also their baskets are a lot smaller than I though that they would be. You could fit 2 people comfortable, and maybe 5 squished with a little as the fifth. I wanted to ride in one so bad. I thought that it would be one of the best things to experience being above the world, and escaping the caose of this crazy place. The peaceful thought intrigues me so much. I am willing to pay the money and ride in one of these balloons before I leave this world. Just think of yourself in a balloon floating, and traveling only by the soft swishing of the breeze. You can feel it gentle on your face. There is no other sound, and you are looking at all that God created. Do you feel it? The peace? Sign me up.

Josh, Kristen, Copland, and Riker met up with us, and we hug out with them for a while before we headed out. It was a good experience. I am glad that we went.

A side note. One of the main reasons that I wanted to go was to get some good pictures. Everyone had a camera, and some with cameras better than ours. I just feel like such a noob sometimes. I don't know why. Maybe it is because I have a nice camera, and I am afraid that my work is not up to par for the equipment that I have. I don't know. Maybe I am just to humble.

I Had Missed Fishing

  When I moved to Colorado I had thought that I would be able to ride my bike to a lake, or stream and fish for my dinner. Boy was I wrong. There just are not lakes in Colorado like there are in Michigan. Where there are lakes, in Colorado, they are man made and are not that pretty to the eye. Most of the lakes fourth side is a long continual cement wall. Not exactly a place to go for a vacation. Or for a picture perfect view. Then on top of that, they are not even called lakes. In Colorado they use the lakes for drinking water, so what is know as a lake in Michigan is called a reservoir in Colorado. Since the reservoirs are man made, the fish population is not naturally sustainable. I believe that the government stocks the reservoirs twice a year. Once in the Spring and Once in the Fall. When you want to catch fish you better plan on going on a day right after the stock date because if you go to late the fish are all fished out. It is a bad scenario.

When I moved to Michigan I called up my good trusty friend Scott. We have been childhood friends, and we love to experience the joys of hobbies together. Scott even visited me in Colorado, and we really had a great time snowboarding and rock climbing. When we were young we would spend much of our weekends fishing when we were not snowboarding, skate boarding, or biking. After an evening of dinner and hanging out, I found out that Scott has been ice fishing. I never had been ice fishing before, but really wanted to get out.

Fishing is just different in Michigan. There are lakes almost every direction that I drive from my house. Lake Michigan is five minutes from my house, Muskegon lake is 3 minutes, and Mona lake is 4 minutes. It is so available, and if you are good at it why not go fishing. Scott and I heading out to Muskegon Lake for my first really ice fishing evening. He taught me a lot about fishing for pan fish, and perch. We ending up catching a total of 9 fish, a combination of sun fish and perch. For all that do not know what a perch is or have not had the joys of devouring a plate full, it is the most delicious fish I have ever had. I would rather eat a plate full of perch than have a year supply of candy for free.

Thank you so much Scott for teaching me the ways of ice fishing and lets go again.

About two weeks after Scott's and my fishing evening my sister, and soon to be brother-in-law, Caleb, came to visit and do some wedding planing. I really wanted to do a bonding type of activity with my "brother-in-law". We ending up making our own fishing poles, and heading down to Muskegon Lake with my father and doing some fishing. It was a good time. It was a little slow at first and I was a little afraid that we were not going to catch a single fish. I was watching closely at the sensitive tip of my pole to catch a bit while I called Scott to get some fishing advice, then down it went. I jerked up my pole stood up, and a nice size perch came out of my hole.

The place that we fish at is a little funny. I always see chanties out in the deep end of the lake, but when Scott took me we went in between the docks at the marinas. Five feet of water is all it takes to get a dinner plate of fish.

Watching my pole closer as the hope of catching more wells up in side of me. It is such a weird feeling. All it takes is one catch and you are convinced that you are going to catch more. I think that is why fisher man can fish all night. You can not leave because if you stay five more minutes you will catch another. It least this is the on going battle that happens in my head.  I caught a few more fish, but the other guys were not doing that great.  I started to pray that the LORD would bless my father's and my brother-in-law's fishing.  I really wanted them to have a good time.  I ended up moving and drilling a hole closer to the floating docks.  Why did I move.  I was not catching a thing.  My dad pulled in a small perch, and then so did Caleb.  I said another prayer,  "LORD I am ok with not catching another fish while I am out here today as long as you let Dad and Caleb catch some nice fish."  I second myself, "Unless you want to give me a big one that is ok too."  I waited for a bit, but the move did not seem like it was a good one.   I just sat waiting and watching.  Dad and Caleb each pulled another one up.

Then nibble, nibble, nibble I jerked my pole and stood up, but this time the fish did not just come flying out of the hole.  The tip stayed down in the hole and my pole started to bend more and more the more I stood up.  I bent my knees and started to fight this fish.  I looked at the boys and said, "I think that I have a big one."  I was not very smart, and was just trying to muscle this fish out of the hole.  I did not try to tire it out or anything.  Its head finally came up to the hole.  I tried to pull it out of the water, but my 2 pound test snapped in half.  "NO." I said in worry as the fish just bobbed its head in the hole.  I carefully tried to stick my finger in the gill and pull the fish out, but it jerked off my finger.  I got all excited and knew that if I did not do something in the next five minuets that I would for sure loose this fish.  I reached my hands down the sides of the hole as far as I could go.  I claps my hands and pulled them out as fast as I could.  Sure enough the fish flew out of the hole and onto the ice.  My adrenaline was pumping.  I was so excited.

The fish ended up being a 13 inch perch.  It was really nice to see a perch that large.

And this is my fishing story.

Friday, February 18, 2011

Landscapes

Here are some of my favorite landscape pictures that I have taken:





Friday, February 11, 2011

My Wife Is Where?

Today, February 11, 2011, has been a wonderful Friday. I woke up early at about 6 to my wife rustling around. She was packing her bags. Two cousins of mine were on their way to this house that was not even a thought of my mind yet, the house that is. On my mind was the beautiful gale that I shared this room with. She was present and absent as I drifted in and out of sleep. Also thinking about the warmth of my bed, and how I despised the cool air that was seeping into the slightest gap between the sheets and covers, and my neck. The last thought found enough space to squeeze in was the amount of time I would need to get up to feel prepared for the anatomy quiz that was going to come fast this morning.

It was my sisters wedding shower this same day, and this is why Desiree was packing. The two cousins were on their way to pick her up, so they could drive around Michigan lake to Wisconsin Dells, Wisconsin.

The cousins must have arrived because I was hearing the joy of laugher coming through the uninsulated floor boards of the room next over. I started to roll out of bed, and Desiree said, "what are you doing? Why are you getting up so yearly?"
A complete unthought out piece of morning logic spilled out of my mouth as I said, "there is just too much fun happing up stairs for me to be sleeping." The truth that I should have said is that I needed to get up any ways to start studying for my test.

I hugged my cousin Katelyn, and they Liana, and sat down at the dinner table to wake up. I watched what to seem to be a whirl wind happening around me until I heard goodbye. I walked over to my wife and kissed her good bye.

The mid part of the day happened. Nothing really special. School was good. The quiz was alright. I then met my parents at McDonnell's so we could car pool to a winter sports event that a Lutheran Financial company could try to make their clients feel like they are in a cub. I really do not understand it past that. It was very nice though. I really did not want to go, but I had nothing better to do. Plus my parents were paying my way for selling something on Craigslist for them. For some reason I was bitter cold all day, and the last thing that I wanted to do was be out in the snow all night. I was trying to keep a good attitude.

There we were at the both paying for our wrist band. The guy behind the table asked if I wanted to go luging. I was not really in the mood of doing anything, but since my dad said that he was going, I decided to go with him. I did not know it at the time, but I think that I was a little scared. I just kept thinking about that Olympian that went head first into that column and saw his last. The reason why I kept thinking about it was because the first time my dad had gone luging it was the day after that exact event. I don't know what was going on in his head. Maybe he was thinking, wow that is really a dangerous sport, I need something exciting in my life, so lets give it a try?

I was standing there and shivering as I was taking my lesson to go down this frozen water side on a sled. I learned that one of the most important parts is that on the turns you want to come out of them a little early and even out your sled before the track goes into the strait shoot. I also learned that you never want to let go of your sled, because rolling around with a sled with sharp metal edges, is not the way to go. We geared up with a sled, helmet, and elbow pads and started up the slipper stairs to the top. Our top was only half way up. That is were you start and only the pros do the whole track. My dad went first and down he went. I put my sled on the ice, and got into position. Waiting to hear the voice over the intercom that the track was cleared, I did not hear a thing. This is when I heard behind me that this is the part where they are picking up the body parts of my dad. That was a nice thing hear right before I was voluntarily giving my life over to this frozen water park ride. Starring at the curve ahead of me I was trying to decide how I would take the turn. Then I heard the voice. "The track is cleared the male voice projected down at me. The moment had come. I took a practice pull, and shoot my self down into the shoot. I hit the first brim, shoot down the second, hit the third, I braked, and kicked the stopper. The same man's voice announced a score in the 16 seconds and that it was the best time for the day so far. It was such a rush. It was so quick, and you only have a couple of seconds to think about each turn. I felt pretty good about it, but felt like I did not do to much to steer the sled and wanted a another try to smash the score. I headed up for the top again. This time I pumped the bars like the pros. I shoot down into the first turn. Oh boy I was smooth. I hit the second, but was going a lot faster this time. I tried to get out of the turn, and came across the track almost hitting the one side. I headed into the third turn, and felt myself turning this time, but maybe feeling myself turn the sled is not what I wanted. I came too low too early and at the end I rode high. I came down into the last shoot, hit the side, and lost the sled. I grabbed my sled with all I had, but ended up turning side ways, and almost barrel rolled. Oh boy. I pulled out of it safe, but it was a close one. I am not hooked to luging.

I headed with the parents to eat some food, and go cross country skiing. We were really having a great time. I was feeling warmer, and I was really glad that I had come. It was such a beautiful night, and the snow was coming down ever so softly. There was only one regret that I had, and it was that my wife was not there to experience it with me, and have such a great time with my parents.

After the fun we headed home and rented a movie. I sat with the folks, and relaxed watching the movie RED. When it was finished, my parents went upstairs and went to bed.

There I was. Alone. I was missing Desiree. I was taking the pillows off the bed and putting them in the place where my organized and routine wife tells me to put them time after time, when I don't listen. I laid the first blanket down and the second, just like she likes them. I pulled the covers down, slid in, and pulled them up and tight over me. I said, " Good night Desiree. I love you."