Boyne Weekend

This weekend Erin and I went skiing with Rob and Amy at Boyne Mountain. Erin and I realized how we both enjoy skiing but don't love it. We enjoy the skiing part but the cold, the expense, and the pains make it so once a twice a year is perfect. This was that one time, but it was a very good day. We had plenty of fresh snow as it was a blizzard for part of the day.
The funniest moment of the day was when Amy (a very experienced skier/snowboarder) "forgot" to get off the ski lift. All of the sudden she was yelling back at the ski lift operator to stop it. He did, and we along with everyone on the ski lift waited for more than 5 minutes while the ski patrol came and helped her down.

Watch Out

Which of the options below best describes this picture?

1) After 2.5 years of marraige we are starting to dress alike
2) We bought new matching long underwear because it was on sale at Target
3) Don't go to sleep, we may be breaking in to your house TONIGHT!

What a Stud

There has been a lifelong competition of superiority between me, Cindy, Carissa, and Derek. The best arguments are always ACT scores, being valedictorian, which high school we went to, which college program we went through, and many little things like the fact that Carissa couldn't find her way to church the first time she drove there (after riding there twice a week for 6 years).

Little Derek never got too involved in these discussions because he doesn't want to hurt anyone's feelings, and he hasn't finished high school so we can't compare yet. But at Christmas he pulled out a new one. In his most cocky tone (which was the opposite of forceful, convincing, or intimidating because he doesn't know how to be cocky) he announced that he had achieved something none of us had - getting voted to homecoming court.

If there is anyone that deserves to be recognized by his classmates as a model student and person, it is Derek. Friday night was the homecoming game held at Eastern Michigan and so all of us made the trip from GR to see Derek honored and then watch him play basketball.

Each person on homecoming court had written a short message to their friends and family which was read to everyone. Derek's went a little like this: "Thank you mom and dad, I love you...blah blah blah. Randy, you've been a great brother and friend and I was honored to be best man in your wedding...........o yeah, and I have two other sisters....I think their names both start with the letter C, but that's enough about them."

Derek got put into the game with about a minute left. He was immediately passed the ball a like a stud he drained it from 15 feet.




Nice work Derek, but you've got a long way to go to surpass me as #1 among the siblings, although you are now firmly at #2.

Free Food: Good or Bad?

No matter how hard I try, I just cannot pass up good free food. This week we've had a lot of training at work which means lunch is provided every day and donuts every morning. Every day I say I'm not going to have a donut and am only going to have a small lunch. Yeah right! Instead I'm wolfing down a donut within 2 minutes and end up eating more for lunch than just about everyone else. Vitale's pizza is my biggest pitfall. The pieces are huge and as greasy as you've ever seen but oh so good.

If I had to travel a lot for work I'd be in some serious trouble.

Downtown GR

It was another weekend in GR. Josh's friends from Milwaukee were in town so we hung out downtown both nights. Grand Rapids has a pretty fun downtown and we spent both nights at J Gardellas Tavern. Here are some picture highlights.

Jenny got creative and made an 8 foot straw to subtly steal from others

Neighborhood Pets

Several months ago Erin and I started noticing a pair of white ducks waddling around the yard of one of the houses on our street. As we paid closer attention we realized they hung out there all the time and shortly there after a 3rd joined them. Well the trio has grown on us and we get a kick out of them every time we see them.

Erin thought they needed names; so what do you name three ducks? Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego! The best is when they hang out with the dog from next door. It sure is a funny sight.

Happy New Year

Welcome to 2007!

Randy's goals for the year:
1. Learn to juggle 4 balls
2. Run 1,000 miles
3. Do 50,000 push-ups

Here are some pictures from a fun night at Tom and Lisa's to start the new year.