Ok, so I know I just posted yesterday and this is quite unlike me to post two days in a row, but I felt like I had to describe last night while it's effects are still wreaking havoc on my body. So, we get there and get our lift tickets, meet up with Pastor Jeff and Nathan (his son) and strap on the ole boards. (This was much more difficult than it sounds) When you get on the lift you have to unstrap on of your boots from your board, I'm not sure why this is, I just saw everyone else do it so I did it as well. Riding the lift for like 8 minutes getting to the top of the mountain was one of the coolest most relaxing moments ever. It was completely calm, the sun was just going down below the trees, there was snow in the trees and I felt almost as though I was looking at a painting. That was the hi-light of my evening because everything after that could be described much like an encounter between a 19 year old Mike Tyson and Webster (doesn't matter what age) in the octagon. I was Webster, the mountain was Mike Tyson. I should have known things were going to be bad when I bite it coming off the lift at the top of the mountain. Everything after that was down hill...literally and figuratively. I have to believe I set a mountain record because it took me just under 3 hours to get down one run (a run that was fittingly named "Spud.") When I finally got the bottom I was greeted by the entire group and I felt like I had just finished a marathon and was given the best news of the night: "so Joel, it turns out that the bunny slope IS open." When we first arrived, it was not...or so we thought. Anyway, I spent the last hour of the excursion conquering the bunny slope and actually went down it twice without wiping out. If anyone ever tells you that snowboarding is easier than skiing, punch them in the face. I couldn't even sleep last night because of the soreness in my body and the replays of wipping out going through my mind.
As I am writing this I looked down at my beverage can, its a Monster Energy Drink and there is a warning on it that says "consume responsibly - limit 3 cans a day." Wow...who can afford to drink 3 cans of this crap a day?
Currently listening to: David Cook

Tis the season...

Well, its official. The Christmas Season is over and now I must wait a whole 300 and some odd days till Thanksgiving comes back and thus propels me into the Christmas mode. Looking back over the last month I am very pleased with the way that things went with the transition to Idaho and mine and Mandy's first Christmas as a married couple. Tomorrow night we will celebrate the coming of a New Year together...joining in that celebration with us will be approximately 16 kids that will be staying at our house to help bring it in with a bang. This should be an interesting week. And tonight...oh tonight. I will be trying my hand at snowboarding for the first time ever. Next post I will give you the skinny on whether or not it's really easier than skiing.
Sometimes I would like to kill my dog...or wish that the chocolate would do it for me. If I recall correctly I mentioned the last episode that Manchu (the dog) had with the dark chocolate M&M's. Well it didn't kill him and apparently what doesn't kill dogs only makes them stronger. We come in from shopping the day after Christmas, low and behold, Manchu has somehow managed to get one of those massive 7 oz Hershey Kisses that Mandy's parents sent her and open it up and eat it. So this is the scene I walk into. I open the door, Manchu is sitting on the arm of the couch starring at me with crap all over his face. I look down at the floor to see the box that the Kiss came in torn to shreds. Then comes the search for the remainder of the chocolate kiss, I found it, hurled it across the room towards the trash can and then started yelling at the dog. Apparently for a while he treated the Kiss as he usually did one of his chew toys, slobbering on it, throwing it around the room, dragging it over the furniture, etc. There was chocolate on everything. Sometimes, I want to kill that dog. Oh yeah, and you know the foil that the kisses come wrapped in? We never found that. I guess he ate it too. Stupid dog.
Be sure to tune in next time for: "Joel pulls a Sonny Bono on the slopes."

Currently listening to: Ever Stays Red <---the are kinda punk/emoish but their lyrics are great.

Tarnation...

Well, it's been a while so I suppose I should update, lest I get lazy and stop doing this altogether. The last few weeks have been good, real good, and real busy...perhaps that's what I haven't updated. The youth kids have been busy with Christmas singing and plays and games and all that good stuff, so naturally I have been busy following those things. It has snowed a lot and been colder than a well-diggers rear end this past two weeks and I love it. Mandy loves the snow. And Manchu...well, Manchu doesn't really know what to think. At first he hated the snow, but I think now he likes it. Last night it kinda froze over so now he can walk on top of it but sometimes he will walk over a weak area and break through; I think this confuses him because he stops and looks at the door where I am standing as if searching for support. Stupid dog. Anyway, Fantasy Football ended up this past week and I finished 3rd in one league and 4th in another, not a bad season. On an even brighter note, the Chargers will have the chance this weekend to make up for the garbage call that led them to lose to the Broncos in week 2 as they will have a rematch this Sunday and it will determine which team makes it into the playoffs! So, they are still alive, which makes me very happy. Boise St. plays tonight against TCU, should be a real throw-down, I'm excited, hopefully Mandy will let me watch the whole game. Lastly, one week from today I will brave the slopes of Pomerelle Mtn on a snowboard for the first time ever, lets pray I don't die.
Ok bye.

Currently listening to: Toto <---I know thats not Christmas music, but still...come on.

P.S. I hate the Yankees even more now

Wow. So things have been incredibly busy here as of late, thus my excuse for not making a post in a while. I have been really busy doing activities with the youth, just in the last week went out for pizza, decorated houses for Christmas, had our regular meetings and attended some band concerts. The next two weeks are looking to be even busier. I love the Christmas season. As I was browsing through the channels last week I came across High School Musical again, it was on the Disney Channel and after about ten minutes I realized that I was still watching it. Maybe I enjoyed that movie more than I led on. I got to see the first half of Prince Caspian last night, watched it with the youth and man, that movie is pretty intense. I like it. Mandy and I have also recently started working out, doing the ole' Power 90 DVD...we realized something. We aren't as young as we once were (and I'm definitely not as light as I once was.) It's all good though. I have many things to do so that's about all for now. I would like some feedback on something though, if you read this then please comment and give me your opinion. If you were given the option of of creating two service times for Sunday morning church, what would they be and which one would you most likely go to? Thanks!

Currently listening to: Jeremy Riddle

Alright, well I watched High School Musical last week and it was a movie...and sometimes movies are good. Sometimes movies are not so good. This movie fell somewhere in between but in an ok sort of way. It was Disney at its finest, a movie that 8 year old kids can watch and enjoy without being bombarded with filth and a older people can watch and think, man, this is really cheesy yet I still find myself kind of enjoying it. I will say that I liked the Lizzie McGuire movie better, but this was not as bad as I thought it would be. Moving right along. Mandy and I ventured down into the South Hills this past weekend in search of the perfect Christmas tree and after about three hours of searching, we found a pretty good one. There are some pretty good sized little peaks in the south hills, nothing over 10,000 ft though. The location that we finally stumbled upon that had our tree was quite high and took us up a dirt road up the side of a mountain. Mandy said repeatedly, "Joel, drive to the right...drive to the right!" I think she was a little concerned that the road was going to crumble and we were going to plunge to our death. Needless to say, we did not. I have posted some pictures of the excursion for your viewing pleasure.