Mom Got after me about no posts... oops...

Would the 5 year old you look up to the person you have become?  Why yes, because I am now 6 foot 3....

What is going on you ask with the Cole Family? Well let me tell you... Wedding plans are in the works for Becca and Casey, we are very happy for them and the good smart heads on their shoulders as they work through the plans for cars, apartment, wedding costs, etc.  We all like Casey, he is quiet, but he laughs at my jokes so he's got that going for him and of course his future mother in law thinks he is a superstar, if anything gets messed up or we want to go out to dinner Becca and I just say "Casey did it" or "Casey wants ______" and there are no arguments or problems... Ha!

Rachel is a senior at UVU, I know right?  Wow, she will be graduating in December of this year if all the plans work out right (and with Rachel they always do).  

Jenna is contemplating what to do with her life, school, or beauty/esthetics (sp) school, and what to tell here Daddy now that she has wrecked both the truck and the neon in her driving career... but she is an excellent driver...

Aaron is working at another joint now as a barrista/waiter/cook which is what you call an Actor or Musician when they are getting paid to work....

We are all doing the big March family birthday party this weekend with Dinner and a Movie. the Irony being that we are going to pig out at the chick Fil-A and then go see the "Hunger Games"  

Christine has me going to the Gym with her now, and I feell great, but convince myself that I still look slightly less fat than you... whoever you are reading this...which is how I gauge myself to everyone...

4 Pals at Coral Canyons

All our money is tied up in Wedding plans, but we did get to break away with our friends the Wisers, Frenchs and Larsens and spend a long weekend in St. George. Stayed in the French/Larsen family condo (free) played golf at coral Canyons (free) thanks to one of my great vendors, and went to Las Vegas and the NASCAR Race which uncle Doug covered as he was checking it off his Bucket List... It was a great trip we had a blast and needed the break. 

Christine is working hard at Wasatch Shutters as a sales person for northern utah, so anyone out there looking for shutters give her a call.  She has been very busy collecting rocks into her windshield, one Monday which we had fixed on Tuesday and one this morning Thursday, after we already filed the claim, they wont believe it at the insurance place, but oh well that happens.

Work is good, we have a great team and get a lot done all the time, I like working with a group of guys that we are all good friends as well, makes the hard times easy and the good times great!  

I have been at the Jazz games lately with my Vendors and on the Company tickets, I am spoiled in that regard, here are some shots from different nights this year.   Aaron and Dad in the "good" seats!

Some fun at work, late nights make for twisted brains at work, someone will probably be offended and we will have to take it down...

 My Desk for March Madness opening weekend, I had 3 screens of basketball and one to check my email and the support tickets...

Well there you have it, a blog update, I will try to be more consistent, but it is difficult with all the stuff going on, no time to write about it...

ABC

Post or face the Wrath! I Choose to Post!

Okay Friends,

Do not attempt a blog and then not post regularly. If you do you face the wrath.  I will just leave it at that.

What is going on with Cole family:

This weekend was pretty busy, Christine was working at the home and garden show in Sandy, I had a golf tournament and we attended the Utah v. ASU game.  Rachel, Becca and Casey came up to go to the game.

This the shot from our seats that day, Thanks Rachel!!!
We went with one of our Vendors at EagleGate College.

Last week was family Birthdays for Chirstine's side of the Family,  we had a good discussion of camera people and not camera people. We decided we are not camera people, but are going to try harder to take more pictures.   Here is Hanna in her Princess outfit, this is her regular attire most days. This is a great kid and a funny little personality!  She makes me smile.

Grandpa Jim and Grandma Deanne. She would be mad at me that I took her picture...

What is happening in the Kitchen? Just Keri grabbing some more Soup.  We did a huge pot of Chile, Lissa did a huge pot of Cheese soup, and Deanne did a huge pot of Chicken Noodle, it was all gone!!! Hungry bunch!

 Hottie....

 The other side of the room

 Aaron contemplates his life, and what to do with his facial hair...

Preston is now the age where most of the gifts are flat and have cash in them...

 The Birthday kids, Rachel, Preston, and Hanna.

Okay here is a run down of what is going on:
Christine: work has been slow, she has been going on measures but sales are down, very competitive market. She is staying busy this week with crafts, doing some quilts, a really cute Halloween one that she finished from last year, and a new wreath made with glow in the dark eye balls, I can't wait to hang this on the front door!!! We are trying to go to St. George this week for a little trip Thursday through Saturday.

Aaron is still in Ogden, he comes down some weeks and helps Grandpa Lyle in his yard. he is cooking at Cafe Cafe in Ogden saving some money, looking to get back to school I think he said. He is in the cast at the Egyptian Theater for Jesus Chirst Superstar that will be opening soon.

Rachel is still going to school and working at Kohl's she wants a new job desperately and is looking. She is still dating Anthony, they are very cute together. As the Dad I don't know any details beyond that. She did have a date right after the game so I dropped her at the Gateway to Meet him.  Rachel Jenna and I went to dinner the other night when my work was in Provo for the day, we had a nice Daddy Daughter date and at at Terrra Mio?  Little Italian place, it was good, we had a good talk about things.

Becca is back and forth to Bountiful, something to do with some boy?  Casey Call and Becca are now facebook official.  She works at Deseret Book in Orem and goes to UVU with her sisters. She brought Casey to the Utah game, he is a huge BYU fan, so he just watched mostly, I did get him to give me a high five when the Utes scored, okay, it was a low, kind of hidden five, he really doesn't like Utes, he finished the game and went with his Family down to the BYU game.  This mixed relationship makes me laugh.

Jenna is crazy girl, working at Jamba juice, sleeping in through her classes, and sending out a boy on a mission that she just meet a few weeks ago.  Tanner is going to Chile I think this week. That relationship is on the down low, you probably didn't know about that one, so I am probably in trouble for even talking about it.  Sorry Jenna, the Blog Reading Family Demands information!

Adam, well busy with work, we have been doing some major rewiring of our networks in Murray and Layton.  I have been attempting to complete my application for my Project Management Professional certification, I had it all done and found out my application has randomly been selected for audit, this means I cannot take my class this week or the test until I complete the audit, it is extensive and a big waste of time, but I have to do it, now I cannot get this done until January 30th, I am not happy.  Her are the guts from the ceiling in Murray...

Golf tournament was the annual Ike Beasley for the Men's association, in his honor they put the pins in the hardest locations on the green, like on a side hill or too near the edge, since he used to complain about illegal pins etc, and then have a net and gross golf tournament. We took 4th good for $60 per player in pro-shop credit, and I had a closest to the pin on #14 for another $20 in pro-shop credit.  I ended up leaving early to make it to the game and my team boggied the last hole.  The group in front of us was so slooooow.  Teams were done and we still had 4 holes to play.  Sad.  It's just golf, shouldn't take that long.

There it is, another update, now I need to watch Sunday night football.

Fairways and Greens!!!

What is Happening at the Coles

I have got to be more regular... in my postings, get in the habit of writing again.  We have had a fun crazy summer, lots of events, good times.  Most recently we sat for family pictures, here are some of the results.  hard to believe that I could be the father of such a great looking bunch!!! 

Let's see if I can get an update going on our family.  Christine is working hard at Wasatch Shutters things are a little slow right now in the industry but she keeps pressing on. She has been under the weather this week but doing better now. We are going to be recovering for a while from the hospital visit, the bills are starting to come in, we are going to have some issues.  We love to go on walks with the dog and we need to sneak out and play a little golf.  

Aaron is working as a cook at the Caffe Cafe in Ogden, says he is learning a lot, just trying to be on his own and be his own man.  He is still playing a couple of gigs at night (guitar) with some friends they actually play in some of the local bars and places around Ogden.  He told me once he gets a bit more money put away he will be auditioning again for some shows.  

Rachel is turning 21!!!That's right this next month she will be 21.  Cant wrap my head around that one yet. She tells me that if all the classes fall in place that next year at this time she can graduate from UVU and she has plans after that (her secrets) on what comes next.  She is living in Orem with both sisters this fall and is looking for a new job.  Anyone know of some connections we can pull to get her a better position would be great.  She and Anthony are doing fine, no plans just yet. They are both just working and going to school.

Becca. Well who knows, she is always going 100 mph so things change from moment to moment, she is working at Deseret Book for now, and we will see how that goes, she is dating a boy and they are in the new  relationship stage that makes everyone want to puke (kidding)...She has planned family Lagoon day today and we will all be meeting at spending the afternoon evening at Lagoon. I appreciate that she plans stuff like this and makes us do it.  

Jenna is Becca's side kick going on the double dates with the new boy etc. She is working hard cleaning houses and doing what she needs to do to be ready to move out. I know she is very nervous about this, so we will try and be nice and not joke too much about it. School for real at a university is a big deal and a big adjustment. She is also looking for work in UT County.   We will be sending one of the cars down with the girls and are trying to figure that all out. Which one to send etc. 

Adam I am working away at Eagle Gate College, things are good.  I am playing in some local vendor golf tournaments and have had a good summer, winning 2 and taking 3rd in another.  Still have 3 more scheduled for sure coming up.  I was recently released as the Ward Mission Leader and called in to the Young Mens Presidency as the 1st councilor.   All in all we are doing well as a family, we all could use more money but hey  everyone says that.  They say money can't buy happiness but I am pretty sure it is a lot more comfortable crying in your Mercedes than in your dodge neon....back to work, gotta get some things done before we take off for Lagoon!!!

Bear Lake Week a success!!!

We had a great week at the lake with the entire family. It is always so much fun to get together with our Cole family, I have great parents that have taught us how to get along and love each other not matter what.  Mom says Bear Lake week is like practice for the eternities, if we can't all live together and get along for a week how will we do it for eternity?  I am sure there will be more space in the eternities as some years we have packed like 28 people into 2 condos... So glad that we have 3 each year now instead (thank you Elizabeth and Mom and Dad for working that one out).  So here is a picture of everyone that was at the lake. Sorry that some of you missed it for various reasons, work, missions, etc. we all had a blast!!!

Rachel and I played golf every day it was great. I even drove down to Bountiful to play in my weekly mens association game on Thursday, too bad I left my golf game at bear lake.  It was great here are a couple of pictures from the golf course.

The full moon was out and it was beautiful all week.

Mom has had problems with her lung filling up with fluids, we finally think they have a handle on what is happening, she is spending the 24th in the hospital on blood thinners to clear some blood clots, and going through tests to figure out what is going on why she has the fluid on the lungs. We gave her a blessing at the lake and then Dad and I gave her another one Wednesday night. She has such great faith.

Okay so here is what we really do all week, sit on the beach read and eat.... It was a blast.

that's all for this post. More to come.  This weekend is pioneer day so we will have some additional shots and more comments!!!

Happy Pioneer Day!!!

4th of July Fun Part 2

I have been so busy with work and life that I didn't get part 2 of the 4th of July posted. So I can do that here and give you an update of what is happening with the Cole Family.

To start, some pictures and comments.

 Here are my sisters and my Mother who made fantastic scones to start the day, a little butter some sugar and maybe some raspberry jam on top, wow nothing better in the world.  They made 300 scones and they are all gone... no kidding.... Don't Let Melinda fool you, she did not eat that watermelon, just scones...

 This is the pool party of the year. My dear Cousins Mike and Kristen are so kind and open their home to the entire family for a swim party and BBQ. It is quite a place, like going to a Disney Theme Park, really it is.  We love it.

 The cousins at the pool, they are not happy this is posted on line....

Adam and Rachel take the leap... it is really high, and the splash down wedgie is legit.

So what have we been up to all week. Well lets see, Aaron came down and we cleaned out the back yard at the house. 2 heaping full truckloads to the dump later we are actually getting ahead of the back yard.  The new automated sprinklers are in and working well.  I am trying to over-seed and recover the grass back there, the birds keep eating all the seeds.

The Girls are getting everything set up for college this fall. All 3 daughters will be there living and going to school. We are empty nesters.  Really.  We are working on how to cook for just 2 but it is not working very well, we eat out a lot.

Aaron is working as a waiter, and playing gigs at night with a group in clubs and bars around Ogden, he is a pretty good musician on the guitar.

Rachel is working and did summer school, she is getting close to graduation maybe even in a year. She is still seeing Anthony and she is very happy that summer school is over and bear lake is finally here.

Becca, new job at Deseret Book, living in Orem saving money for school.  Dating boys and hanging out at home whenever she can get back to Bountiful.

Jenna, cleaning houses making money to go to school this fall.  Living at home and not cleaning here. :-)

Christine and I are both working hard, trying to keep ahead of the cash game. We are struggling with the Kia Sorrento, it is approaching 200K miles and as Christine says, we are slowly replacing the car 1 part at a time at 4 times the cost.  But it is paid for and we don't want to get into another car payment just yet.  It is now overheating a little, I had it pressure checked and there was a small hole in the radiator hose, it is repaired and we hope that was it!!!  We need to work out a plan to come up with another car this fall when we send one down with the daughters to college. Depressing I know.

I have been playing in the Bountiful Ridge Mens association. We had our weekly event which I scored well and was in the money on both the front and back 9 for the day.  We also had the Randal Derby. This is a great event, it starts with 8 teams flighted by handicap. so there are like 3-4 tournament flights going on at once. It is alternate shot, and the high score at the end of each hole is eliminated until there is only one team left.  We started out on #4 which is the #1 handicap hole on the course (hardest) I was # 6 to tee off, the pressure is intense as you can imagine with 16 people watching you hoping secretly that you don't do well. I am not bragging here, just stating what happened at the event. That first tee shot I was shaking so hard I could hardly get the ball on the tee.  Well I just keep breathing and smashed my drive with a slight draw right down the middle about 305 yards.  My partner said 14 heads just dropped and the intimidation factor was in our favor. We played well together, and on number 8 we tied for the last spot and had to have a chip off against another team. I hit my chip to about 3 feet and we advanced!  The golf gods always pay you back, so on the #1 hole with 3 teams left I pulled my drive down the road out of bounds. I was sure we were sunk,  my partner had to re-tee for our team and hit 3, into the trees. I popped it up and out back on the fairway and the partner hit a killer 3 wood to about 12 feet but 4 inches in the rough. We were there in 5, one of the other teams struggled through the trees on the left, and a bad pitch and a sand trap later where just in front of us in the fringe, would you believe it, laying 5 as well.  I did a chop putt out of the rough and almost made it, running right over the edge of the hole stopping at 4 feet.  They putt on the same line, hit the hole hard and end up 3 feet left.  My partner stepped up and drilled the putt, and the other team pushed the 3 footer to the right. Remember the pressure is intense.  We lost on the final hole when the last team still in it with us made a great put to save par.  So out of 8 two man teams in our flight we took 2nd place and were very proud of ourselves for lasting to the final hole in the tournament.  Great fun.

I warned you about the golf, it is my competitive outlet.  I love to play and especially love to hit it in tournaments or with some pressure involved. I can tell you that golf under tournament conditions is a completely different game than a casual round on the weekends or vacation with family and friends.

We are getting ready to leave to Bear Lake for our summer vacation, so expect to see some great pictures next time and I will have a lot to write about then.

Until next time!

ABC and Family

Random Thoughts and then 4th of July Fun!

Random Thoughts:

It has been an emotional week. We have been to Viewings and Funerals this week along with the regular work and family stuff going on, Emotional roller coaster for sure.

 Lets Start with the Viewing. One of my very best friends growing up in the 8th ward and going through elementary school, Jr. high and High School was Stuart Christensen of the Mr. MAC family, he owns and operates the SLC store. His sweetheart wife Betsy Ann Wiscombe-Christensen passed away last week, succumbing to brain cancer after a valiant fight. It is so sad, they are such a great couple, and he is such a great friend.  Our hearts go out to him and his dear family.  I have known the Wiscombe family for along time too, Debbie, Becky and Peter all from BHS it was great to see them but sorrowful for the reason why.  It was good to see some of the old classmates there, some actually working for the funeral home (Mike Faucette) and others like David Ohlson, Benson Alder, Eddie Snow, and Steve Bearnson and their Wives.  I was really emotional about this, and shed more than a few tears.  I know the Lord has a plan for all of us, but it is very difficult to see His Celestial vision sometimes through our human eyes,  I don't have the writing skills to really do her justice in any sort of a tribute but she will always be remembered in our hearts.

We next had a Family Wedding for my Cousin Laurie Dreans' daughter, and got to see some of my Cole Family Cousins!  The bride was absolutely beautiful, it was one of the nicest little back yard receptions you ever saw.  I love to see my Cousin David Cole, and his family from St. George.  Now that I know he lives there he better be ready we are coming to visit and play golf...Congratulations to the new Bride and Groom.  For some reason I have started taking pictures of wedding cakes, including this one.  here are some samples...

Cool Huh? The others are from the Briggs Wedding and the Welch-Andrus Wedding.

Fourth of July 2011 Part 1.

We are so so blessed to have great Family around us.  We started this weekend with Christine's family coming up on Saturday for a nice picnic in the park followed by the famous Eaglewood (NSL City) fireworks show.  I am trying to do better taking pictures of things and activities so we have some things to write about.  Here are some "action" shots that Christine took of the event it was fun at the park, then a big family pit stop at our house then on to the fire works.....Rachel was working or we would have had the whole team there, we will get her on Monday!!!

 Here are my Cute Nieces!!!

 Steve has fallen and he can't get up....

 yeah, that's me...

 Becca and Jenna....(nice face).

Aaron Cole and His Mommy!!!

 At the Eaglewood Fireworks.

 People Everywhere!!!

Yeah Fireworks!!!.

The highlight of the night was trying to drive home, waiting for our turn to get out of the parking lot with the music on and the entire car singing at the top of their lungs for everyone to hear... good times.

Part 2 will be on the Fourth, we will be at our Cousin Kristen Morley's palace for swimming and a BBQ. I will try and take some pictures.

Until next time, I am proud to be an American and have the blessings that come from living in this great country!

ABC

Father's Day Fun

This is me and my Dad!  Many of you know Lyle. He is extremely well known in this town. We can't take him anywhere without planning extra time to stop and talk to... well, everyone on the way.  Growing up it was more than a little bit of pressure when you realize that everyone knows your Mom and Dad, and you are held to a pretty high standard of behavior.  You can't get away with anything...  

Dad is turning 80 this year, for Fathers Day he made a list of things he wanted, and then proceeded to tell us that it was just a list to get Mom to stop asking what he wanted. So who does that punish?  Well he ended up getting the items on his list.  Serves him right.

Here he is with his Crocks and Knee Shorts (inflicting whitest legs on planet earth to the unsuspecting). I am pretty sure you can see his white legs from space.  ( white legs pictures in the future, if the camera can capture it, we may need to make one of those eclipse boxes to take the photo).

And the Knee Shorts: ( yes, as a matter of fact that is my sorry fat carcass in the chair, post Hot Dog Bar, I haven't "leaned out" yet... the doctor says it's gonna happen... I could still grow into my weight, might have to be about 7'2").

I thought I would bust a gut when both my younger sisters picked out and wrapped and gifted the exact same book!!! Ha!!!

Well it was a great day! Many thanks to my Sisters, they really know how to throw a party and put out the spread. the Hot Dog bar was like nothing you could ever imagine, it had every possible topping you could think of and instructions for combinations from around the world... only at the Call's.
Picture of the spread:

Okay now the serious stuff, My Dad is the best example I know of how to live and love, find the joy and peace in everything and the positive in everyone. He always has time for me, and listens to my life. I know he truly cares about me and my family, and takes care of us every way he knows how. We have had a rough couple of years and I cannot tell you how great and supporting he has been, taking care of me and especially taking care of my dear Wife.  I love to tell him jokes and make him laugh, he then repeats them and messes up the punch line which makes it even funnier, and tells the jokes all over town.  I have to keep him supplied so he has new material.  Recently he wanted to buy a new string trimmer but was worried about getting one that would last,(he is so finicky about this stuff), I said "Dad, I am pretty sure at this point(80 yrs old) anything you buy is going to last you a lifetime..." He laughs and laughs...

He genuinely loves each one of us, and I never doubted he has always loved and respected my Mother, they are a team am an example of how two can really become one and transcend that to be better together. You lift me and I'll lift thee and we'll accend together...  and well, look at this picture, need I say more, this is what it is all about:

Thank you to my entire family, I am grateful that you put up with me as a son, husband, brother, father and all around goofball.  Here is the entire Clan in two photos, Grand kids, and then the Sibs and spouses:

And my Sisters and Our Spouses:

So what about me?  My Fathers Day was top notch, my kids were all here and happy, they contributed to my Guitar fund (a topic for another week) and my dear wife allowed me to play in the dirt all day Saturday automating the backyard sprinklers.  There was blood, and sweat and tears, and at least two trips to Lowe's so that makes it a real project.  I had a ball, still working to have the rain-birds go all the way left to right and return properly, but I will figure it out... 

This blogging thing I can see is going to require me to take more pictures and write a little more.  I will put in joke or two in the future to share with everyone, I know about 2000 on all types of subjects depending on the conversation, I will share some of my favorites...and be ready for the golf, oh yes.  

So there you have it, my first real post on the blog. Thank you Melinda for the great pictures, Marcie for the great setting and Food! and Liz and Angela for the comedy... Now I won't have to wait to read Dad's new book... I will just read the other one!  

ABC