Happy Birthday, Jamison.

My littlest dude turns three today. He's potty trained. He sleeps in a big boy bed. He's just all grown up now. One of my favorite things about Jamison is how tender he is. Sure, he spends the majority of his days hitting the neighborhood girls with his plastic shovel, but he's so quick to hug them afterward and say sorry.

My other favorite thing is that he can't say his C/K sounds. He replaces them with T sounds. Just like Tweety Bird. "I taught I taw a puddy tat." It's exceptionally funny when it makes him accidentally swear.

Our favorite activity together is to go on Bug Hunts. We get a jar and head out into the field across the way in search of rolly pollies, ladybugs, grasshoppers and whatever else we can find.

Happy Birthday dude. Love you!

There certainly is no shortage of Michael Jackson talk going on right now.

But I realized something yesterday as I got caught up emotionally in all of this. Michael Jackson was not only the best entertainer/king of pop, but he represents a very strong sense of nostalgia for all of us. When we think of Michael Jackson, we undoubtedly go back in time in our minds. And that gets us emotional. To go back and think about all that this man has accomplished and created during his life and where we have been during those many cases of impact.

For example, I vividly remember the night my family gathered around our living room TV in Jerome, Idaho to see Michael Jackson moonwalk across the stage for the first time. It blew us away. Instantly my older brothers began trying to figure out how to do it. All of us. Moonwalking across the living room.

I remember the first time I saw the Thriller video. I'd never seen anything like it. It was so big. So beyond. Literally contagious.

I remember when Michael Jackson rode the log ride right behind us at Knotts Berry Farm. We were so excited because he almost decided to actually ride in the back seat of our log. So close. We concluded our family vacation with a single photo of him in his crimson uniform and silver glove among the excited crowd. I took that picture to my third grade show and tell.

I remember seeing his movie in 3D at Epcot Center with my big sister.

Michael Jackson puts me back in the 80s. Back when I was the youngest of four older siblings. I didn't have any cares. Life was always an adventure and full of fun. No stress. No pressure. And Michael literally is the soundtrack of these better days. The soundtrack of memory lane.

So as I watched the memorial service all I could think of were all of these moments in my past. And it hurt because it felt like, somehow, those memories were being erased.

There is much awe in the story of one man having such a profound impact on the world like he did. And such tragedy in seeing the adversaries in life slowly decay and eventually dethrone him.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY, BERLIN!

I can't believe my littlest angel is already five. She promised me this morning that she would still live with me after she gets married. Incidentally, she's planning on getting married when she's 11.

Happy Birthday, Berlin. I can't wait to meet you at iHop tonight for Birthday breakfast for dinner. Love you!

Why is it a miracle that Hailey married me?

EXHIBIT A: Just look at this dude. Hunkster McHunk. He's all handsome. Confident. And you know he probably drove a jeep.


EXHIBIT B: It's just a miracle this guy didn't seek me out and kill me.

EXHIBIT C: A Ferrari? Seriously? I was no match for this. I drove a Honda CT-70 scooter.

EXHIBIT D: While I considered myself quite the rock star, clearly my rock status could not rival that of Ed Roland from Collective Soul. This fact manifested itself bright and early one morning as I confronted Hailey whilst she was sneaking out to her car.

ME: Hey, how was the concert last night? And where are you going?

HAILEY: Uhh, we won a sweepstakes.

ME: A sweepstakes?

HAILEY: Yeah, we won a sweepstakes to go see them again tonight in Denver.

ME: A sweepstakes to see a show you already saw?

HAILEY: Yeah, a sweepstakes. Gotta go.

EXHIBIT E: I made a card for Hailey that featured pictures of me wearing shirts with different days of the week on them. The card said, "I love you every day of the week." Yes, seriously. I would've broken up with myself right there.

EXHIBIT F: My hair had serious issues.

EXHIBIT G: Apparently I was completely comfortable with dressing like a total wiener.

EXHIBIT H: Even after I proposed, Hailey was hesitant. Just see our wedding announcement photograph.

But somehow I did it. Somehow I emerged from the dust victorious. Despite problematic hair. Despite a mode of transportation commonly associated with the word "dorkus." Despite a schizophrenic wardrobe. Despite all these things, she said yes.

And, as with every miracle, the people celebrated.


Hailey, Happy Anniversary. It's been nine years and I still can't believe you actually married me. I love, love, love, love, love, love, love, love, love you. (Yes, that's nine loves. I still got it!)

LOVE SONG.

The Annual Memorial Day Weekend Pig Roast.

Nothing says honoring the nation's fallen like a giant roasted pig. This Memorial Day weekend we headed up into the mountains to pay our respects.



To the pig.


Berlin was a good sport about the whole thing. I was surprised. I thought the whole ordeal would be a bit more traumatic for her. As it turned out, I was the one who couldn't stand to eat directly from the carcass. But I wasn't the only one with a sour stomach for the concept. Check out the kid in the background of this image. He clearly did not sign up for this.

Hello 32.

Appreciating the handy work.

It's been over two years since I packed up the family and moved us all to Colorado. And in those two years, I have constantly found myself mesmerized at just how beautiful this area really is. Hailey always jokes with me for pointing it out so much. But I've never experienced anything quite like it.

The other day as I was driving home, the setting sun lit the sky ablaze. I tried to capture the moment.