9:21pm MST NYE in Salt Lake City

Randy and Carolyn have been the greatest Grandparents this trip.

Tyler and Sam sporting the NYE hats and smiles


My Josh

Jackson and Mom on Christmas morning opening presents



I did not want to loose the opportunity to write a few feeling down at such an epic time of life. 2009 is ending and such a vast amount of "new" can usher in 2010. I look forward to the years to come and feel that I am on more solid ground than I have ever been and at this writing I feel I still have so much up in the air.
We were hoping to finish our complete financial overhaul this year but have fallen a bit short. (We still have not found a home) We were able to payoff all debt we had made goals for, we have been able to live for 12 months on a budget that was 40% of what it was in 2007-2008 and stay happy. We have started a serious plan of working towards retirement and at this writing we have a very small nest egg. BOOO YAAAAA
Anne has decided that working on her family is more important then for others or money so Dwell Design will slow down in 2010. My Practical Coaching family has changed and this year I have taken a break and will work towards other goals. I have joined a cycling team called Rocky Mountain Spine and Sport and will ride for them in a few races this year. I will do a few triathlons this year but not like I have the past several years. I will continue to train because of what it means to me but I will cut my weekly hours by 50%. All of this change I hope will cause a huge void that I will be able to fill with FAMILY. I want to Camp, Travel, Color, draw, play, ride, climb, hike, run, swim, tube, wakeboard, ski, work, cry, smile, support, dance, build, create, guide, teach, encourage, pray, hope, and love my kids and wife this year and hopefully I have created a big enough hole that everything listed above can fit in it for the upcoming year and possibly many more after that.

12 years ago I said "Yes" in marriage to my best friend. She told me tonight at dinner that I am still her best friend so something is still working. I love you Anne, I always have and always will. You inspire, guide, and give me the strength to try it all and I thank you for that.

I will continue to write this year, it will have a lot more pictures, and even some video thanks to the coolest Christmas present from Anne.

I love my friends and family and wish you the best at the close of this year and hope for great success for you in the years to come.

T

Lexi and Josh at Keystone take 2

This past weekend we were able to take our second day in the mountains at Keystone. For the second time I took snow boots rather than Ski boots so I would be able to assist Lexi easier. After lunch all the family encouraged Lexi to show them how she had progressed. I helped her with her put each ski on and by the time everyone was watching she was headed down the slope. I was holding onto the "Wee Ski" ropes and was trotting to keep up and not slow Lexi down. The Magic Carpet run only was a few hundred feet and so the run was fast. After her cousins left she told me she really wanted to go down the big hill to where everyone else went. I felt she was doing a good job and what the heck I had not done a workout for the day so off we went.
The first hill was much steeper than anything near the Magic Carpet run and so my trot turned into a full run. Lexi was giggling and yelling "Weeeeeeeee" as she headed down the new hill. At the bottom we saw the first big yellow sign that said "Slow". To keep Lexi working on turns I told her to hit that big yellow sign and she responded and was pleased after she hit the pole holding up the sign. As we approached the second hill of many Lexi again went full speed, or as fast as I can run in snow boots on the ski slopes having the same joy as the first hill. Again at the bottom we saw the yellow sign that said "slow" and so off we went to hit it again.
Half way down she got tired and wanted to take a break and make snow angles. I enjoyed the break since I was not planning on doing this. About this time Becca, Andrew, Jackson, John, Anne, Josh, Liv, Parker showed up again. They encouraged Lexi to ski with them again and so off we went. At the bottom of the next hill about 20 feet below the yellow "slow" sign we stopped and took a break. John, Anne, and Josh were still at the top so we watched them come down the hill. Josh took off and was flying down the hill. Fast enough I thought to myself "he is going to hit the SLOW sign". He started to try to snowplow about 50 feet before the sign and realized to late the he could not. WACK....ROLL.....Cartwheels.....coming to a stop in a dead man position. Yep, Josh took out the SLOW sign at 90%. Yep the sign won and Josh took a very cool digger a few feet in front of me. I loved it and felt bad at the same time. I can see why people that know Josh say he is like me!!!!! I would have tried to show everyone how fast I could get down the hill without thinking about stopping until it was too late just like he did.
A few minutes later he was up and skiing again, Lexi was done and the day was pretty much over. We had a blast for our second day, next week I am planning on taking my skis and taking Lexi all over the Mountain.

Cheers,

T