Back to School

School started again for both of us. Monday for Colt who will have a crazy schedule. Monday- Friday nights and Saturday's from 7:30 am to 5:00 pm. Saturday may finish sooner some weeks. He will also be taking an online math class through the University of Utah.

I started back on Wednesday. I have to take a research methods class. My awesome friend Quayle is in that class and I know he is going to be what keeps me sane this semester! All of my professors seem great. I am really excited about my contemporary issues class. I think it is going to be a lot of fun!

Missing the MAGIC already

I love Disneyland!!! Colt and I got back a couple weeks ago from an awesome trip with Jodie and my little brother Jonny. It was so fun to share the magic with him! We headed out the day before we were scheduled to arrive and spent the night in Prim, NV. The next morning we headed to Knotts Berry Farm for an awesome chicken dinner and a day of roller coasters. Brad and Mandi met up with us. It was so fun doing all the rides. It was my first trip to KBF. They had the coolest thing where they film you riding the roller coasters and then you can buy it instead of a picture. It was so funny to watch. I mean you could really see the panic on Mandi's face when we rode Ghostrider! I really recommend the front of that ride. The back really beats you hard core!

Water ride at Knotts Berry. Got WET!

The next day was pure MAGIC we went in the main gates so Jonny could experience that. If fact we barely rode the monorail at all this trip. The first ride was Space Mountain and after that Jonny was hooked. He loved Disneyland. He got to be the driver the first time he rode on Indy!!

He stalled on the bridge

He loved the Tikki room (I read this post to Jonny for his approval and he I did not feel I accurately conveyed the love he has for the tikki room)! We all pigged out at the restaurants. Brad and Mandy joined us for a day in the park so Jonny and Mandy could try to make the 1313 bobsled team. It was a close call but they did get admitted to the team in the end. Welcome I am honored to have such fine bobsledders on the team. They both had great enthusiasm I know they will an asset.

Team 1313 minus our awesome Manger (Jodie)

The fireworks were amazing as usual. Even Jonny loved them and he is normally not a fan of fireworks. Disney just does it right! On the last day Jonny and I managed to get our group to be the first in line for Indy it was awesome. We had to take out a couple of little kids but they had it coming I mean lets be honest they were big cheaters. So we won hahaha!


We met a bunch of characters! We had fun at the character breakfast and everyone we met around the park.

Meeting Mickey!

We were made Honorary Citizens of Disneyland (Quite the honor)

We tried to pose like fat humans from Wall-E!

The rest of Jonny's visit was spent being lazy, swimming, and watching West Wing and the Olympics. Jonny flew out of Las Vegas so we all went down for the day. We really chowed down at Margaritaville. The manger didn't think we could handle 3 appetizers and entrees boy was he surprised. I think the stomach stretching in Disneyland helped! We did some shopping but it was just so hot we were ready for a break from the sun. We decided to hit up a movie and on the way got distracted with more shopping. We never did find the movie theater. We went to Johnny Rockets to eat before Jonny flew home. He got a milkshake to drink and apple pie for his dessert (Man I love that kid). The apple pie was awesome Colt got his with cheddar cheese melted on top. Sounds weird but I recommend trying it.

Margaritaville with the manger who doubted us

I was sad to see Jonny go but I was so happy I got to spend so much time with him. It is fun to see a little sibling grow up into really cool people that you love hanging out with! I was also happy I got to share Disneyland with him. It was become something I really love ever since my first trip. It was great to share that with someone in my family!

Birthday Girl

Lovely isn't it. It was my birthday on the 22nd. As you can see I got all dolled up for the day. My awesome friend Ashley that I worked (sniff sniff) with got me the best crown with gorgeous earrings and a bling-a-ling ring! I only had to work 3 hours and then I was free! When I got home I opened my cards and gifts with Colt and we enjoyed yummy Schmidt's sugar cookies. I then took a nice 2 hour nap. First of all to all of you think that is a lame thing to do on your birthday I was sick and secondly I love naps. Colt and I had a great day! We went to the Broadway which a movie theater that generally shows art house/low budget type movies. We saw the new Woody Allen film. We liked it. We went to the Gateway (outdoor mall) for dinner and some window shopping.

On Saturday we met up with the aforementioned friend Ashley and her husband Peter. They gave me a wonderful purse. It is big and black and has a teal satin lining and I love it! They also got us tickets to go see Indian Bones with them. I thought it sounded like a dirty movie and was a little surprised at the gift, but it was theater parody. It was a dinner theater with the most amazing pizza I think I've had in Utah! The show was so funny we had a great time.

Peter, Ashley, Maggie and Colt at Desert Star

After The theater we went back to Ashley and Peters for some good old chilling. The night ended violently with a nose bleed. Then again it might have just been impromptu and for no good reason you decide what sounds more fun.

GROSS!!!!!!!!!!!

I know there were other fun birthday moments but I am scatter brain and I obviously waited too long to write this blog! We had already celebrated in St George with Jodie. So I got several days of birthday fun which is just as it should be!

Jodie, Mike and Maggie's b-day cake

Fantasy Football

I am getting ready for football season and would love to play fantasy football with anyone interested. If you have a league and are looking for people to play let me know, I am going to start a league on the ESPN web page and would love to have some folks to play with. Just send me an email or text message and let me know. I will send you the league info.

-Colt

1 O'Glock, 2 O'Glock, 3 O'Glock Rock!

As some of you may know I am about to start my second module at the police academy. This is the block were we are going to get to do a lot of the hands on stuff, and a lot of shooting. I have been looking for the right firearm for quite some time. I have been told by most people to buy a Glock 22 which is a full sized .40 Caliber(Cal) handgun. The Glock is carried by more than 80% of police departments in the state of Utah, and most of them use the model 22. I have shot one these before and really did not like it. It felt large, and uncomfortable to me. I liked the Sig-Sauer and the HKs much better. I also really liked the 9mm handgun better.

Walther PPS the gun I almost got

On our recent trip to St George my mother agreed to buy my handgun as an early birthday gift; provided I do all of the leg work. While were in St George I took my brother in-law Jonny to shop for my new hand gun. We looked at most of the stores in town. I still had not really made up my mind, and to make matters worse there was a Walther gun that I just loved. I have a Walter PPK that I just love, and I liked the idea of sticking with a manufacturer I knew. When it came time for my mother and I to go shopping we went to place that had all of the models I had looked at seriously and the best prices. While we were there a St George City Police Officer told me to try the Glock model 19 which is a smaller 9mm Glock. It already had the night sites on, was brand new, and came with one extra magazine. It was the one that came home with me. We headed out that evening and tried it out. I was really pleased and think I will do well with it.

The gun I did get the Glock 19

Me shooting the new gun for the first time

Johnny looking like one mean hombre with my double barrel
shot gun, and six shooter strapped on him the wild west

Maggie taking her turn with new gun.

The BUZZ on Days of 47

Here in Utah we have a great holiday called Pioneer Day. This commemoration of the Mormon pioneers first entering the Salt Lake Valley on July 24th 1847. The state marks this day with a large rodeo, and an even larger parade.

For me the parade holds a special place in my life in part because my great-grandmother Kate B Carter is responsible for its creation. Kate B Carter was a founding member of the Utah Daughters of the Pioneers and its president for many many years. I have fond memories of going to watch the parade with my parents and the Eltons. We had reserved seats in the shade right in front of the Police Credit Union. I always tried to sit as close to the green line that ran the length of the parade route. The green line was there to remind we children to keep our toes away from the police motorcycles that patrolled the parade as well as performed. It was always fun to hear Dale and my dad talk about the people they knew in the parade and have the governor say hello to us.

Flash forward 20 years and I am living in Salt Lake City with my wife Maggie on the 24th of July. We have made no plans as to what we are going to do. The previous Sunday though I told Dale Elton I wanted to go the parade. Dale then told me I hope to high heaven you do get hired by the Salt Lake City Police Department so you have to work that @#$% parade!" I was then told what a pain in the butt the parade would be to me once I entered law enforcement. On the morning of the 24th I woke up and decided I was going to the parade, it might after all be the last time I enjoy it, if what Dale said was true. I then dragged Maggie to the parade in our 24th of July T-Shirts. We staked out a spot with a blanket(the only thing we brought by way of parade necessities ie no water, extra sunscreen, etc) that was just a few yards from where I watched the parade as a child. I sat with anticipation waiting for the Days of 47 magic to begin.

Maggie and I watched the parade and we both had a great time discussing our favorite floats, our least favorite, and applauding for our elected officials(or keeping our arms crossed and saying nothing for others). My favorite float depicted the Utah state bird(the California Gull) having a BBQ with crickets being the main item on the menu. We also got to cheer really loudly for my high schools marching band. GO PANTHERS!!!

As we were walking back to our car filled with pioneering spirit through Liberty Park I felt a prick on the underside of my right big toe...then it got worse...and worse. In seconds it was really painful and I began to yell OUCH!! We bent to to see that bee had flown under my big toe, between my sandal, and stung me. It still had its stinger lodged in my foot when we pulled it free. I then had to walk back to car with throbbing pain in my foot. I seemed to marvel the rest of the day at the irony of having my pioneer spirit zapped away by the very symbol of the "Beehive State."

We finished out the night by eating Costco pizza and watching a movie with some friends. I tried to get them to watch a western in hopes of renewing my wagon train enthusiasm, but we watched something else instead.

I also wonder if Dale had some how gotten word to the bees that I needed to have my zeal for the parade relaxed?