August Flew

This was "The Month."  So many things in such a short period of time! So much growth and clarity on the path and direction. Things are so much more clear and defined Spiritually, Emotionally, Mentally, Physically, Financially and Socially.  This month started off with a Family Trip to Lagoon which fell on Danny's Birthday. We rode on a bunch of rides and enjoyed the day. The weekend then followed, we did a Family Boating extravaganza with Danny, Nikki, My dad, Stermily (Emily + Sterling) Ammon and of course, Halli, Bailee and Kyler. That was a really cool experience. First time for the cousins on a boat and first time for my Dad as well. Nikki put Bailee in the water, she was scared of the deep water but handed her to me and we swam around for a second before she freaked out and Danny had to come grab her. Halli had a blast as she always does swimming around in the water. And Emily and Danny fished for a little while. This entire time I was wearing a green speedo and making everyone uncomfortable. Hahaha! I had to build up a good upper thigh tan because of the upcoming convention. Well, I got burnt on my upper thighs really bad by the end of the day and developed sort of a Neapolitan tan line of sorts. Hahaha! Pretty funny to me!

The next day we went to Famous Dave's as a family and what a wonderful meal that was!!!

As the RevvNRG convention loomed only days away I had to get my suits made and altered, coordinate the outfits, get my eyebrows done, my hair done, my nails manicured and buffed, my toes done and completely have one of "Those" days, while calling hundreds of people to make sure they were going and what not. On top of all of that it's "Leo Month!" I have so many dear friends that had birthdays this month. One of which was Michelle, she's like a mentor a friend and someone I genuinely enjoy their company so we went out for her birthday and got our Mani-Pedi on after some BBQ for lunch. Then we went to the parade of homes, what a neat experience, what great conversation and what a fine time that was. I have a better idea now of what my future home will look like when I go to build it with my future wife. But I really enjoyed getting to see the various designs and decorations. It pumps me up to decorate my house!

The RevvNRG convention was upon us! My Mom, Myself, Stermily and Ammon in my truck for 6 hours... Wonderful! We had a pit stop in St George. Got the oil changed and some cafe rio and the truck was running smooth and finished before we even got done eating. Talk about two birds with one stone, it's the little things like that that pump me up. it was like a legitimate pit stop. I made it to Las Vegas on 1 tank of gas and enjoyed the drive with everyone. Got into Vegas. checked into the hotel, started talking to everyone and had a nice time settling in for the evening. I had lunch with Roger Anthony and his Wife and swapped stories and enjoyed their company, following that we had a wonderful evening and then I was up at 5am the next day, hit the gym and worked out with some great people, showered and got ready for the day. At the event when I spoke, I felt that it went well. It was real and completely from my heart. Not the usual Uhhhh! With waving my arms like a monkey, this came from a peaceful place of love and sincerity. I was pumped! The convention meant a great deal to me, there were so many people that I love and care about all in one place. It was a good event. The comedian that was there that night was wonderful. He had my same birthday and he loved picking on me. It was a good time. The red carpet aspect and the photo's and the incredible formal dinner were phenomenal and The awards ceremony was amazing. I loved the part in my acceptance speech where I said "Next year at convention I will be Married." That's stating a bold intention. But I believe that is how it will be. I am excited for that step in life and very at peace with where that is presently for now, I will focus on being the dad I need to be. It's hard to think that the woman I marry will love my daughter as if she is her own daughter.  But that will come in time.

Post convention there was so much work, I had a very full plate with going to lunch like 3 times a day and counseling various leaders and gearing everything up for a massive 120 day push. Things shifted, the whole entire business changed, it wasn't what it once was, it was all quite different. The books I read and CD's I had just finished listening to added some immense clarity, it was time to define goals again and redo my notebook, sit down with everyone and set expectations and goals and then go to work, but all work and no play would make me a dull boy... As school was fast approaching for Halli we needed to end the summer out with something fun. So I found the time to go boating with Halli the Saturday before school started. We went from 8:00am to 9:00pm. Two lakes, one Malibu Wakesetter, we went with our friends Robby & Harmony, their kids and Chris Lengle and Lacie Whitney and her son Porter came. It was a blast! I learned a few new tricks and rode an incredible wakeboard. It was so much fun! SO MUCH FUN!

Monday Halli Started school in our new neighborhood, her new school, riding the bus, eating clean, making new friends. It was a big step and she was so excited to take it. As a tradition the women of Halli's life showed up to her first day at school. It was really nice! Then Halli was off to school. The next day she rode the bus for her first time. She has made friends in our church which is comprised of most of our neighbors, then she has friends in the neighborhood on top of that, also she has family friends, like Bryan's & Mandy's children, etc, friends she rides the bus with and friends in her class, I made an effort to be friends with their parents so she has a very active and abundant social life, it's really cute. Halli's mom got her a cell phone as well so now I have a text message relationship with my daughter which puts a smile on my face, I do however feel she is too young for a phone. Halli has acclimated well to school, she sets her alarm, gets herself ready, I make her a big healthy breakfast, we talk, make sure all her homework is good and then she goes to the bus stop, following that... I go to the gym. Then I am working by 10am and I knock a bunch of stuff out before 3:30 and then pick her up from the bus stop and we do her homework then go to our respective activities, Halli & I both started voice lessons. It's time to conquer singing. It's a huge challenge for me. Halli is way better than I am for now, and she loves to rub it in.

I am training for the Utah Valley Marathon in June so I have taken up running lately, it's a mental and physical challenge. Halli will ride her bike along side of me and I will go run for miles while she gets competitive with me. She actually pushes me a great deal whenever there is a downhill of any kind. We are both getting fit together and we eat really well also. It pumps me up to have a healthy and active lifestyle as a family. Going to church together is the highlight of my week. I LOVE that Halli and I have that.

My friend Tyler Hutchinson came out from Florida to stay with me for a little while and that's been fun so far. He's a good kid and has a great deal of potential, Halli really likes him and we all get along pretty great. I like that he is here. It makes me feel good and I have seen him grow a great deal in just about a week.

Now, life wouldn't be life without some challenges so naturally there would be a few this month to deal with. My truck popped a tire and my house got flooded and we had to rip out the hardwood floors and molding.  Those things could have been bummers, but it was all a matter of attitude and perspective. I was positive and in a good mood and upbeat about it because I KNEW that in the end it would all work out the way it was supposed to work out. My truck needed 4 tires and one was popped, that would cost a great deal that I didn't want to spend. But I had 35's in my garage. So I put them on the truck for $85! Now my truck looks way better and I cannot wipe the cheesy grin off my face when I see my truck. It pumps me up and makes me feel good and feeling good is what it's all about. So that challenge played out really well!  The flood got me really connected to the people I bought my house from and they're awesome! Then the insurance is covering everything and since the floors are all ripped up I can paint the room however and make it look completely awesome and maybe do some fancy tile or something awesome like!

What I learned this month.

1. Don't focus on the "How." Focus on the "Why." do the "What" and be happy. I realize we cannot see to far ahead of us, I use the example of driving to Florida from Utah at night. You can only see maybe 100 feet in front of you at a time because that is all the headlights will allow you to see. However, you can make it all the way there focusing on the end goal or the "Why" (Florida) and doing the "What" which would be driving. Some people will focus on the bad, "Well what if there is a road closure in Kansas and we have to take a detour?!"  or "What if we can't find a gas station. Or God forbid we lose cell phone service!"  In life people are guilty of this whenever they set a goal. They think their way out of it ever happening. Most of the people that achieved anything had no way of knowing HOW they would do it, they just knew that they would. That is the way it needs to be. Do something, have the "Why" or the "Goal" in mind and do the "What." Long enough until you get the results that you wanted. The moment you doubt yourself, or don't feel good about it anymore is the moment that you are focusing too much on the how. If you feel happy it means you are aligned with your goal or your why, if you are not happy, chances are you psyched yourself out focusing on the "How"

2. Obstacles can be fun if you have fun with them and look long term at them. It's fun to play with them, have faith and KNOW that everything WILL work out and is for a reason. With the flood or the truck, I could have been negative and worried and gotten all stressed out but if life is a series of moments I don't have time to waste on negative stuff, too much good is going on for me to be down. It will all work out, it always does. And guess what?! IT DID work out! There will always be stuff that needs to get done, things we have to do and impending problems and challenges we will have to face, but in 5 or 10 years you may not even remember that challenge and if you do, you'll remember that it made you grow and become a better person for it, so you may as well go in it with that attitude.

3. Be Happy. Life is really short, we are only here a very short time. This month passed by so fast and it seems the older that we get the faster stuff passes us by, life is a series of moments that take your breath away. Why aren't we living more in the moment and appreciating the beauty around us, people think they have it so bad, well there is ALWAYS someone that has it worse. We have life, we have breath, we have health, eye sight, the ability to chew and walk and talk and so many blessings, we live here in the USA where we have freedom, we can work, we are not persecuted, imagine being born in the great depression or the to have been born a Jew in Poland in the early 1940's. We have it so good and lose sight of that. If life is just a series of moments we need to love the moment and everything and everyone in it. We don't know what is around the corner, we must live life like we are dying.