This last week we took a family hike at Lone Pine State Park.  There are a few different trails that you can choose, and ours happened to be about a mile long.  There is a great lookout that gives  a great view to our new home the Flathead Valley.  I think you can see our house if you zoom in closely, just in the upper left corner.

We packed up a small lunch and headed out on the trail, the boys loved the hike and Isaac wants to come back and camp out.

The first part of the hike was pretty treacherous (as far as a 2 year old is concerned, or at least their parents).  Very steep inclines and a little bit of rock climbing.  As you can see though the boys conquered the trail and were very proud of themselves.

This past month I graduated from California State University of Fresno.  I still haven’t received my diploma in the mail, but I guess it takes awhile.  It was a long four years in Fresno, starting out at a Junior College then transferring into Fresno State.  I remember my first day going to register at Clovis Center, Isaac was a little over a year old, and Christina and Isaac waited in the car while I put in all the paper work.  It is hard for me to imagine how much has happened since that day.  There were many sacrifices to make in order to get to the finish line, not only by me but for my young family to be apart so often while I was at school and work. 

My good friends Mike Ingwell (middle), and Paul Vandersluis (Right) helped me out tremendously this past semester.  Coming home from Mike’s Funeral to school was one of the strangest experiences in my life.  I was numb, nothing mattered.  Writing papers and studying for tests felt pointless.  These guys came beside me and helped me finish this long journey.  God has a way of putting the right people in your life at the right time, I am convinced of this.

Many family and friends traveled to see my graduation ceremony which meant the world to me.  Grandpa got a great place for us to eat and hang out. 

Looking back at some of my favorite moments in college I can remember this time there was a class debate.  The debate was on foreign food assistance, and the person I was to debate was to speak first.  He gave a good speech, and the class was very impressed and even clapped.  When it was my turn I torched him, he never stood a chance.  I’ll never forget the guys face after I was done shredding everything he said, the look of defeat. 

My most precious memory of school though is of my Grandma Lilley.  As kids we spent many hours of home school at Grandma’s house.  One morning I woke up earlier than Mike, or Jo and Grandma had a jar of pennies and a game waiting for me.  The game was every multiplication I could remember I would receive a penny.  By afternoon I had memorized my multiplication, and had a couple dollars for the store. 

Graduating Magna Cum Laude I look back and give credit to my Grandmother and my Mom.  These two women taught me how to learn, not simply facts and figures, but a discipline for learning that has stayed with me over the years.  I’ve started the process of enrolling for law school, and have even tougher challenges ahead.  Yet, I’m excited to not end the journey, but to continue on to better things.

Tonight was Isaacs Award Ceremony for Awanas.  Isaac has been busting out his verses since last year, with some even making it to the web (videos: one and two).  He received his last badge for year one, and an award for finishing his book, and a participation certificate.  Watching Isaac perform the cubby song, and the classic “Father Abraham,” was truly a joy to my heart. 

I was clicking through blogs at random and came across this test that I thought was pretty interesting.  I won’t lie I didn’t do so well. . .  Click here to take test and see how you do.

On Friday the 22nd of May the graduation ceremony for the Craig School of Business will be held at 4PM.  I will be graduating this year and just wanted to extend an open invitation to my devoted blog readers.  Don’t feel any pressure to attend, cause you know I will be making a post on here anyways.  There are no limits to how many people can attend and their are no tickets, so come one come all.  Oh yeah, it is at the Save Mart Center.  There is also a main graduation on Saturday morning for the entire university, but I will not be attending due to the fact I would rather spend time with family who are traveling and the larger ceremony is not as personal.

I am super excited to graduate and will probably do a more in-depth post of my college experience after I graduate. 

I saw a headline on msn.com that seemed interesting.  After reading the article I had to see these kids in action to really grasp what the heck this sport was.  Now I just want to buy Isaac some cups so he can start stacking it like a champion.  The video is from a tournament between two teams, and apparently there are all kinds of variations of stacking competition.

About 4 months ago I decided it was time  for Isaac to ride his bike like a “big boy.”  Isaac didn’t agree and refused to ride his bike without the “two little wheels.”  On Tuesday Isaac told my lovely wife Christina that it was “time to ride his bike like a big boy.”  So, I got out my wrench and Isaac helped take off the training wheels, and Shazam he was a pro.