Home

After being gone from Denver, my home, my bed since the 22ND of December I am headed home. Tonight I will get to sleep to familiar sounds and of course the familiar comfort of my bed and maybe I will be able to get the temperature where I like it.
Anne and I decided to combine two long trips into one and we left Denver on the 22ND headed for Salt Lake City to spend some time with her family. The second half of that trip included a quick overnight er to LA and then the Miche Bag 2ND annual Conference.
Anne and the kids left me and headed home a week ago and since then I have been working long hours, eating like crap and exercising in majestic hotel fitness rooms. My life in 2009 work wise changed and I am one of those that now travel often. 2010 will continue that way and I am getting better at finding ways to make travel work for me. The thing that I can't seem to figure out yet is how to stay connected with the ones I love most. I call and text often but my schedule does not over lap well with the home schedule. The kids love to tell me about the day but I feel not as connected as I would like and I have a tough time getting quality time with my wife while I am on the road. I will continue to work on this aspect but did not bring it up to complain but to explain why I get so excited on the travel day home. I packed my bags, left my hotel, returned my car and now I have only the flight before I am united with the ones that I love.
Today I am going home and today home is so much more than a place where I live. Home is where I breath the best, where I feel the happiest, where I function most normal (as normal as I CAN be). Home is where my girlfriend, coach, sweetheart and lover is. Home is where my Lexi, Jackson and Josh run and keep the heart beating to a rhythm that is most powerful to me. I get to go home where my soul gets charged and I am able to gain the confidence to do it again; stronger, better, giving it my all cause I can. Home to me is everything and today I arrive.
I love what I do and hope that I can connect with the heartbeat of the real traveler but until then I can operate knowing that I can plug in at home and charge for the next road trip.
I look forward to 2010. I hope that I can become a better person and have the decisions that I make become good ones. I hope I can reach my goals and connect to great people as I work to that end. I see where I want my journey finish and work every day to get there.

I love you Anne,

See you in hours,

T

Solitude Ski Resort....Need I say More!

I kissed Anne and the kids and watched them drive away from her parents home this morning after an Epic Christmas just as Joe and Christine drove up. I am staying here in Utah for another week for work and so I wanted to ski and Joe and Christine said they would take me to Solitude. We were introduced to each other in Moab, Utah and proudly are part of the FOB's. We had a great day, The weather rocked with blue skies and warm temps.

It was our first time skiing as a group and by the end of the first run I was all smiles because I knew it was going to be a great day. Joe is an awesome skier and host to the mountain. I have not been to Solitude in 15 years so the mountain look very different. We skied almost the entire mountain and made the best of what the conditions would offer. We even made it around to Honeycomb Canyon and worked our way into the back bowls.

I was most impressed with Christine for being such a great sport on terrain that she does not normally ski. Thanks for such a good time and being such great host's.

Tyler

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

Turkey as the Main Course

Flying home from Salt Lake City on Tuesday after working out a deal with my largest client for the next few years started the week off right. I was able to sit back and relax after a some what rocky start since the trouble of Sunday.(My car was broken into and my wallet and phone was stolen and used, $3,000 USED) I was really looking forward to the rest of the weeks activities and so I worked on staying focused on the Fun.



Over the past several years I have enjoyed doing a Turkey Trot 5K and have had my family join me in one way or the other. Some years I would run and Anne would watch with the kids and others Anne would run and I would watch the kids. Last year Jackson and Josh ran with me and I pushed Lexi in the Burley, it was beyond funny since during the race one or all kids were in the Burley. This year we tried to find a race that did not cost as much and had no luck so I offered to map and mark a 5K course on the trails of Highlands Ranch and invited my entire extended family and friends. As I finished my run setting up and marking the course we had almost everyone show up and for my family that was 30 people. I asked my parents to be our starters, work the aid station and record every ones time as they came across the finish line. The course was fun I had us go a mile out then come back the same route to finish mile 2 and our first aid station. Then we headed in an opposite direction for .55 and back to cross the finish line. My parents who started us and worked the aid station and the finish line did not have to move and the racers were able to see each other since we had 2 out and backs. Jackson was eager to do better than he did last year by 5 minutes and so we spent some time taking to him about running the race smart. Josh wanted to ride his bike and go as fast as he could and Lexi spent the time with Bella in the wagon with Rob. Anne and I were both able to run and so the gun went off and I had 3 kids take off running. Andrew is my 14 year old nephew and had a great first year in Cross country. He took off and I wanted to keep him in sight so I pushed to stay close. The first mile was mostly up hill and by the time we hit the turn that was the end of mile 1 I looked at my watch and we hit a 7:04 first mile. I hoped he would slow down a bit and as we headed down hill for mile 2 he relaxed a bit. At about 1.75 miles he ran out of gas and I was able to pass him and came through the aid station (mile 2) at 14:30 or a 7:26 2ND mile. I keep rolling and finished at 22:30 on a very hard course. Andrew can in at 23:30 and after a second season should take the crown next year. Josh rode himself into 3rd place and Anne was 4Th. Jackson never stopped and came across the finish line in just over 33 minutes. Jackson took 16 minutes off his last years time.
Having the 5K as a family saved us over $1,000 in entry fees and we decided that it was just as much fun as a real race. In fact, Anne said it was more fun since we were able to not worry about others so close. We handed out Finishers ribbons to all and this makes me look forward to next years event.

The next activity was at the Church Gym for Kickball and Volley Ball. For the next few hours we had a blast and really enjoyed playing with one another. We had a few hours to Chillax and so we went to my Parents apartment and took a break. Lexi took a nap and we hung out until it was time for the big Dinner at 3pm.

Thanksgiving was great, 3 Turkeys, tons of food and a table full of pies. We ended up staying at John and Jenn's until almost 9pm. The day started at 7am so we were all tired by the time we headed home. I was very thankful this year and loved being with my family. My parents were back from their last mission so it was fun to have them present.

Friday was Christmas tree hunting in the National Park. We went to Buffalo Creek about 1.5 hrs away from our home and took a fun lunch to enjoy with everyone. 5 Cars caravaned together and parked in the same grove. Anne and I with the kids took off and started to climb up the mountain. We looked at a few that were close but climbed up a litter further to find the perfect tree. We all took turns cutting it down and taking it back to the car. We are please with our tree this year.







The fun did not stop and on Saturday Morning it was time to make our way up to the ski resorts for our first time as a whole family skiing. Lexi is trying skiing and after putting the skis on she took off and headed down the hill. I took her over to the magic carpet for for the next hour she did great learning how to ski. Jackson, Josh and Anne took off and had a great day. The crowds were pretty low and so the day was just perfect. The weather was warm and everyone again had a great day. We headed home and by Idaho Springs decided that a Van is a must for our family.

Thanks for a great weekend Anne,

T

My Coffee table book

Anne strikes gold again this week as a present arrives for me. Anne took the time to format my blog from 07-08 into book form and it arrived today. I have a picture on the front of my three wonderful kids by our Christmas tree last year that I took and have loved. As I opened the pages for the first time and started to read what I had shared last year I was a bit taken back. I would frame up the last year as a very hard year with all the change that has gone on. As I turned from page to page I was reminded that we had a Awesome year. We did so many fun activities with friends and family. I loved seeing the pictures, reading some of the stories again and I am really thrilled with the present. Home run again for my wife taking care of her 4 children (cause we all know that she is the only real adult in our family).

Thanks Anne,

T

XC Moab 1109

Click here to view these pictures larger