Gini's Latest Love

I am so proud of my wife. Today without any prompting she went into my hunting tote and came up with this fabulous outfit. Doesn't it just fit her?

Elk Hunt and other Awesome events

So the past week has truly been a spectacular one, and it should be considering I start my MBA program tonight and free weekends are about to become an endangered species. Let's start it off with last Thursday.

Gini's Dad gave us some REALLY good tickets to Mary Poppins so we went to with her sister, my sister-in-law and our two nephews. Gini's nephew loves movies and plays and is just so smart, he can memorize a play or movie from watching it one time and then wants to reenact it a billion times, it is really cute. My nephew loves Mary Poppins, whether he is watching the youtube video of Let's go Fly a kite for the 50th time at 11:30 PM while everyone is going to bed or he is doing stepping time everywhere he goes, he is truly a fan of Mary Poppins. Both of our

nephews were really into the play and it was really good to see that. We both really enjoyed spending the night with them, and I loved going to the play with my wife. Here we are

The next day we went to Logan, and watched Lori and Kassie play volleyball in the USU tournament. It was a lot of fun and I am starting to enjoy volleyball, I can't wait until Gini coaches our kids.

Sunday night I began my pilgrimage to the land of my forefathers, the Clear Creek area. For the past three years I have gone on the archery elk hunt with Greg down above Scofield. This year has been by far the most epic. I arrived up there Sunday night and setup my tent in the dark. I was really excited to sleep in a tent because I had bought this really nice tent like 3 years ago and never got a chance to use it. It performed like a champ.

Well so Monday morning we wake up and head down into a canyon. I took some zinc on the way down because I wasn't feeling too hot and was hoping to hold off a cold as long as I could. Well no one told me to take zinc with food or you'll get really sick. I got really sick, in the bottom of a canyon, like lost my lunch sick. We got close to the elk that morning but no shots. That night we rode the horses to the bottom of a different canyon and went for a hike, we got into the elk good. There was a herd of about 9 with a really big spike at like 70 yards I couldn't really see the whole herd so I stayed out of the fray but Greg got some shots off, but no hits. We then rode horses out of that canyon and were so glad that we had them, it was one steep son of a gun.

Side-note; to say I was out of shape would be an understatement. I have been working my nice cushy job in an office all day while Greg has been out on his feet, he was kicking my trash all over the mountain and I was glad he was there or I probably would have hiked half of what we did.

Tuesday: We wake up and go to check some feeding grounds, on the way Greg says hey let me borrow your range finder. I go to grab it from the belt on my bag and it is gone and I say ohhh crap. Right then I know that it is at the bottom of the canyon where we tied the horses up. I just had this feeling I was hoping it would be in camp but I knew it fell off when I was messing around with the horses last night in the dark. So we go look for it around camp. Finally we both realize we have to go back down into that steep canyon. We get on the horses and go and sure enough right where I got on the horse it was just sitting right there in the dirt. So we decide to hunt that area again. I see some elk at like 40 yards but they are through the trees and so I don't have any shots. It was so cool to just watch them move and interact. Finally they know something is up and they take off. So Greg and I are finishing up for the night when all the sudden we see this herd coming out of the trees at like 200 yards. I tell him and we hunker down, out walks this HUGE bull elk. We closed to 150 yards and then we couldn't get any closer because it was all open ground. We watched him and the cows for about 20 minutes before they decided to go the other way. Way cool. He was bugling at Greg and making sure we knew that was his place.

I know this is long but just bear with me.

Wednesday: We start off on a walk, I am tired and trying to take it easy and half way through the walk I realize you know taking it easy won't kill an elk I should just suck it up and hunt. So I just start heading to the bottom of this canyon. I can hear a bull bugling and so I make my way towards him. I am walking along a great trail when I see a cow coming my way at like 125 yards. I duck behind a tree and peak out and see she is on my same trail, so I range two turns one at 50 and one at 30 yards. I draw and lean out she hits the 50 yards turn and turns right towards me and is coming closer so I lean back behind the tree and lean out the other way she turns at 30 yards and I put right on her and let it fly. Direct hit, I can see the arrow sticking in her. She has no idea what just happened. She just turns and walks off like nothing is going on. I was like ohh crap I didn't hit her good so I am trying to nock another arrow when she just lays down like 10 yards away from where I shot her and die. I was so shocked and surprised. I look at my GPS, 8:15 AM.

The rest of that day was spent getting her out of the canyon and by rest of the day I mean I didn't leave the bottom of that canyon until 7:17 PM when I got in the truck to head back to camp.

It was sooooo much fun and I loved every minute of it. Here are some pictures and a video I made to keep myself occupied as I sat at the bottom while Greg made trips with the horses packing my cow out.

If you can't tell from the pictures this isn't very friendly country.

As if this all wasn't exciting enough, I hit a really nice 4-point buck just past the dam in Scofield, he didn't do more than a dent even though he rolled up my hood. I was really blessed.

The past week has been an amazing time for my memory banks. I can't wait to feed Gini and Emily good elk steaks.

Denver

I don't really know what to write. Other than this trip wasn't planned as efficiently as possible. I could have probably caught an earlier flight home instead I have been working from the Denver Hampton Inn for the past 5 hours because my review finished up a bit early. Sucky. Anyways, Denver is really pretty it is really flat and green I was really surprised with how much I enjoyed the country.

Things couldn't be better for my family right now. Gini and I just got back from an epic weekend, complete with slumber party at our apartment. I'll let her tell the story because it was her idea and she was so excited about it. Needless to say we watched quite a bit of tv this past weekend and really enjoyed watching movies from our childhood.

There really hasn't been much on my mind other than the fact I need to get in shape and elk/deer tags go on sale tomorrow at 7 AM. just in case anyone was wondering.

The summer is flying by. Today is actually 3 months since I started working for Savage, feels like only one month. It feels really good though. I love being in control of my career and having time to really dissect problems and situations.

Props to my wife for taking me to the airport this morning at 5:15 since my car is in the shop. She is definitely a keeper, definitely. I just love her to death and kinda miss her, after such a fun weekend in Newton and in Salt Lake it felt like last summer leaving her. Like we were two college kids head over heels in love. Who would have thought vacays were so good for a marriage? I guess I better start using my vacation days for more than just hunting...

Houston

I promised myself I would write every night on the road to keep people up to date. Yesterday, my boss asked me if I would go to Houston to help with a new operation we had just acquired. It would be a short trip so I called Gini to see what she would think. This is how the conversation went:

M: Gini, how are you?
G: Good
M: Work asked me to go to Houston
G: (CONCERNED) Umm OK

M: I leave tomorrow but come back Friday
G: Ok


So then I get home and we talk about the trip and the reason behind it and she goes ohh phew I thought you were saying we were moving to Houston. Ooops, I will be more clear about why I am leaving town next time.


Houston is a very special place for Gini and I, more for me than her because it was here that she first texted me and we started getting to know each other last summer. I will tell you all the story because it is kind of cute. However if you are my brother please stop reading there is nothing for you after this point, just know that Gini and I met here.


I took a job with Savage last Feb, Gini and I met in March and I told her about my sweet job but we were just really casual friends. I started my job and was really excited to be traveling and seeing the world, on my first solo trip I came to Houston. I remember Monday getting here and going to work and just loving it and then coming back to the room and being so lonely and bored. I cried myself to sleep Monday night because I wasn't sure I made the right choice to take this job. Earlier that day I had facebooked Gini and told her to text me so we could hang out that weekend. I had totally forgotten about it. Anyways, Tuesday was the same; work was great but that night I was so lonely in the hotel room with nothing to do. It wasn't fun at all. Late Tuesday night as I was really sad and second guessing my decision I decided to pray and ask for help with the loneliness. As I laid in bed Tuesday night shortly after that prayer, Gini texted me. I totally forgot about facebooking her and it was like a lifesaver. It wasn't anything serious and neither of us thought anything of it just that we now had a friend to talk to at nights.


Little did I know that the next year would change my life so much.


This is us at the Draper Rodeo before







and after I got hurt.





Gini took such good care of me and got me ice for my hand and was there for me when I needed it, just like a year ago in Houston, she has always been there for me when I need it.


I am the luckiest man alive. On the plane ride down I just thought about her and I and everything that has happened since that night over a year ago.


I realized just how loyal and honorable my wife is. She is also hardworking. Who else would start their master's degree when they had just finished their undergrad and finally have a summer to themselves? My wife is also so fashionable, I have never met a better dresser. I love her outfits and she always looks so good. My wife isn't just these things she is also the most beautiful woman I know. I say beautiful not just in looks (she is extremely good looking) but beautiful as in something so much deeper. Like if I were blind and never had the opportunity to look at her I would know she is beautiful just by hearing her voice. She is the beauty that will never change and will always be beautiful because her beauty is on the inside.


Anyways, sorry for those of you not wanting something as sappy as this is, but I just have been thinking about it as I sit here in the hotel where it all started.


Houston is still hot, humid but has really good food.

Wild, and I mean REALLY wild cow milking

This year we chalked up another W. Three-peat. This one wasn't as glamorous as the last two. We didnt have a professional videographer. It was still fun. So I will give you all a recap. My team consisted of Gold, Johnson, and myself.

Gold is first on the rope and leads the cow out of the chutes. She clears and I run for her head and incapacitate her by covering her eyes and just making being upright hard on her. As i got to her she started bucking, tossed her horns and stepped into me and I lost my balance I knew I wasnt going down and i wasnt about to let her get the best of me so on my way down i grabbed the rope. I am now face down in arena dirt getting drug around by her. she is standing right over me and i just can hear her bellowing in my ear and am waiting for some lane frost stuff to happen or her to roll over me. All the sudden the rope starts pulling through my hand and I can't figure out why. it is because she is taking the rope and half my palm with her. By now I think that is it we lost, people who lose their cows dont win. but i get up and see my teammates chasing her. So we chase her down. Get her milked and win. so awesome. On the way back to the exit gate someone lets a mad brahma bull out on accident and it decides to use me as target practice. He got me good in the side.

k maybe it wasn't a bull, might have been one really angry cow. I would be too if strangers were grabbing and trying to milk me all night. anyways, no serious injuries, some rope burn, a couple bruises from where she stepped on me and a cut on my belly.

It was well worth the W though. I get to tell everyone in the office that I am a rodeo star.

What happened to my hand? I hurt it in a rodeo this weekend, nbd.

Own the night, like the 4th of July

This quote really touched my heart when Chad Lewis used it to close out Stadium of Fire on Saturday night, after B Paisley rocked the house. Nothing I love more than country music, summer nights, fireworks, and this country. I love the month of July. For a couple reasons.

1. The fourth of July is always a fun holiday. Nothing can top celebrating the USA. Nothing. I love this country and I love going to celebrations that focus on it and everything that has gone on with this country. One of my favorite memories was the second summer I was back from my mission we did the framing for Greg's shed on the 4th. It was a lot of hot work but awesome to see things come together. I look forward to 4th of July projects every year now. What better way to celebrate and honor the hard work that people before me have done than to do some of my own.

2. Rodeos. I tried to find the perfect Chris Ledoux lyric to show my joy but I couldn't. It is a toss up between 4th of July Rodeos and Mighty Lucky Man. I just love them. The Draper Days rodeo has become a tradition for me and two good friends from college where we get together every year and attend. It is this Friday and I am so excited. Not as excited as Gini is because this year we have health insurance...bring on the wild cows!

3. The 24th of July. Basically in Utah July is a month long firework fest. This year they decided to put it on steroids by making most fireworks legal here. No more trips to Wyoming for most folks. If this had happened 10 years ago I would be in heaven. I would be blowing stuff up all summer long. Well they aren't as fun as they use to be when they are being set off all dang night. Gini and I went to a movie last night because we were sick of fireworks and knew if we went to bed before midnight we wouldn't be able to fall asleep because it would sound like we were living in downtown Baghdad. (not only was it the best time to go to a movie but it was a really good movie, go see Larry Crowne when you can, I have never not wanted a movie to end so bad in my whole life.) But more importantly this celebrates the pioneers in my life. It is awesome time to think of all my ancestors who crossed the plains and spread out all up and down this state. Craziness.

4. The number one thing about July is that my countdown to bow hunting begins. This year is going to be awesome. Greg is healthy, I got a new rest, and I can focus on what I am doing without worrying about what I missing in school. Oh baby I am sooooooooo excited.

So here is to the month of July, she started off good, lets just ride this wave to an awesome August.

BORED

So I started this new job. All the other accountants are so busy with the KPMG auditors here no one has time to really give me any work....so bored.