Until next season...

Last weekend was the end of the snow season at our local resort. Rig, Livi and I had season passes this year and we had a blast. Especially me, as I snowboarded more this season than the last 10 combined.

I hate to admit that when we moved here 11 years ago I was a bit of a snow snob. I only snowboarded on rare occasions in Utah. After 8 years in SoCal I finally gave the local resorts a chance and was surprised how much fun I had. Though they couldn't offer what Utah could, they could offer a lot of things Utah couldn't.

A shot of Rig and Livi. Rig's board is from a garage sale and Livi's skis, boots and bindings are circa 1979 and were a total of 7 dollars at the DI.

Rig got a helmet at DI. Livi got a giant fur ball at the Gap.

I had to teach Livi to ski even though I never had. It wasn't very hard. I told her to make her skis a pizza if you want to go slow and french fries if you want to go fast. She was a natural and did a lot more french fry than pizza.

Here is a picture of Rig about to throw a big spray on one of his famous heal-side turns. Rig looks like a pro unless you watch him close and realize he rarely does a toe-side turn. I guess that will come eventually.

I always try to keep some candy on me to share with the kids on the lift. This is Livi contemplating the best way to eat a Mike and Ike.

Livi had to get comfortable in the board park if she was going to ride with me and Rig.

Mom got to spend two days with us on the mountain. She was there for Livi's first day and actually deserves most of the credit for teaching her to ski.

Livi skied one day of SoCal powder and it was not to her liking. She ended up having to sit and rest here in the snow while me and Rig tracked out as much powder as we could without her. The next powder day we let her go to school.

If you are noticing a common theme with all of these pictures, it is the blue sky. It is like spring skiing all winter in California.

Rig and I did sneak in one epic powder day at Sundance with uncle Roman. Don't be fooled by the blue sky it was freezing and snowing most of the day, but definitely worth it.

That Utah powder is pretty special. Rig thought he had died and gone to snowboarding heaven.

Heck so did me and Roman.

Riding the lift in Utah you mainly think about how cold you are.

Riding the lift in SoCal you wonder if you should apply some more sunscreen.

Eating lunch in Utah you have to fight for a seat to huddle in the lodge.

Eating lunch in SoCal you kick back and listen to the music and wonder where you can stash your jacket for the second half of the day.
(I know I have officially turned soft because I started buying lunch at the resort.)

The SoCal mountains can't touch the Utah mountains but our terrain parks definitely hold their own. Plenty of obstacles to tear an ACL on.

This is Rig coming off a box.

Dad learned his lesson for at least one season.

Rig, more heal-side.

But the number one thing SoCal resorts have on Utah is their proximity to the beach. I managed to surf and snowboard in the same weekend twice this season. Thank goodness for furlough days.

Roman snuck down for two surf sessions this winter, and Rocky made one although he didn't make the picture.

The sun has set on my first year as a season pass holder in SoCal. I admit it's not Utah but I can think of a lot worse places to live.

Spring Break in Death Valley!

This Spring Break we were going to head up to Big Sur for the week but the forecast was for rain all week so we outsmarted old mother nature and headed for the desert. It was our first trip to Death Valley.

I knew we had made a good choice when the first car I saw when we got inside the park was an AMC Eagle. You could title this pic

'The One Roman Let Get Away.'

We were greeted by blue skies and a chocolate lake, I tried to go swimming in it but it was only three inches deep all the way across.

That's a big three inch deep lake.

Death Valley's biggest claim to fame is the lowest point in North America, Badwater Basin, -282 ft below sea level. It also might be the brightest place in North America with that desert sun bouncing off the white salt. I'm not sure if Rigdon or Jillian ever even saw Badwater Basin.

Family picture. Jillian still trying to cover up.

Slot canyon 1 of 3.

The kids were troopers as we averaged two or three hikes a day.

We told the kids it was a race to the natural bridge. Caroline was the first one there. She is going to be an athlete someday. Rig and I climbed up on top of it but I had the camera in my pocket so Sara couldn't take a picture of us from the bottom.

Fodder for the next Smart Girls video.

Caroline was not as fortunate on the race back down the canyon to the car. She tripped and belly planted on the dirt and rocks. She did that at least once a day for the remainder of the trip.

This is the called Devil's Golf Course, and yes I told them to line up like that for the picture.

Sara going cowgirl.

(Wrangler Bum, where you from?)

Jillian was a little under the weather. That made her less than agreeable for most of the trip. She tested mine and Sara's patience as well as the single guy camping next to us.

Rigdon and Livi are constantly messing around with each other and always appear to be having way too much fun. Most the time I am grateful that they are such good friends but sometimes it can test your patience as well.

More messing around. I think they are pinching each others necks for this picture.

After being tuckered out from a long day of hiking, they would always get a second wind when we got back to camp to ride bikes.

Caroline actually rides her own two wheeler very confidently and for the most part keeps up with Rig and Livi, but for longer rides she comes on the tag-a-long with Dad.

Jilli resists bike rides always siting the same reason, "I too scared." Mom is a pretty crazy driver. Eventually she warms up and smiles a bit.

If you ever camp in Death Valley make sure it is at Texas Springs. This was one of the coolest hikes we did and it was right in our campground.

Caroline climbing on all fours to keep up with Rig and Livi.

Up on top surrounded by cliffs 100 ft above the ground.

Everything in Death Valley seems like it has the word Devil somewhere in it's name. Rig and I named this part of the hike Devil's Backbone.

Livi held my hand for part of it, Caroline did for all of it.

Cool scenery.

Ridgon is always excited to show off for his sisters.

Ready to hike the Badlands.

Ready to ride a horse through the Badlands.

Jillian refuses to wear her sunglasses unless they are upside down.

Rig led Mom and Livi up a treacherous ridge.

Two sisters still hiking the Badlands with one on strike.

One of the favorite sites was the historic Scotty's Castle.

Inside the Castle courtyard.

The kids got recruited to the Jr. Ranger program. They all took it very serious. This is Jillian looking extra studious with her Jr. Ranger workbook.

This is Ubehebe Crater. I begged anyone to hike down in it with me but it was raining and pretty cold. For what it was worth Rigdon said he would have done it with me if he had his skinny jeans. I am not quite sure what to make of that comment and am just going to leave it at that.

Livi slept out with me one night under the incredible desert stars. Taking to Livi and sharing my ipod to listen to Beach Boys music until we fell asleep was one of the highlights of my spring break.

Jillian finally at least warmed up to Caroline.

Pillow pets and mummy bags. Pretty darn cute. The next night I got to share the bed with these two. Getting to listen to Caroline and Jilli's pillow talk was one of my other highlights of spring break.

The kids were looking forward to nothing more than our trip to the sand dunes. They wanted to climb to the tallest dune. We saved it for the last day of the trip.

This is the way the blondes go up the dunes.

This is the way the redheads go up.

The tallest dune was a only a one mile hike, but through the sand I didn't figure the kids would make it half way before they wanted to turn around. I was wrong.

They bounded up dune after dune just to roll down the other side. Sara even got caught up in the excitement and couldn't resist rolling down a giant dune. She complained of sand in every orifice of her body for the rest of the day but the kids didn't complain once.

What a whiner.

As we finally neared the summit of the tallest dune. The wind became very intense and the sand was stinging like it came out of a sand blaster.

Once we could no longer hide below the ridge 3 of the 4 redheads started crying in unison. I pleaded with them.

"We've come all this way. We are only minutes from the summit you guys have to make it."

"No they don't, I am getting them out of here. Give me the backpack."

Within minutes Sara and the girls were reduced to tiny dots in Death Valley's version of the Sahara Desert.

Even though I was only kidding about the whiner comment I have to officially take it back because Sara carried Jillian all the way back to the car and never complained once.

Rig and I were left to summit.

Overall Dad gives the trip an E rating for Epic.

We can't all be Jimmer!

Rig just started his first season of organized basketball, and if you are coming from this gene pool and you want to contribute to your team's success you might have to find some ways other than scoring. So I have been lecturing Rigdon lately on the value of defense and so far I think he is buying into it. Below are some clips of Rig's suffocating defense from his first game.

The guy he guarded never scored but he did get a few shots off. In his second game I told Rig the only thing better than holding someone scoreless is denying them the ball all together. Rig heard that, and the guy Rigdon guarded his second game only touched the ball once the whole game and when he tried to shoot, Rig blocked it.

After the game Sara asked me, "Do you feel bad at all that the kid that Rigdon guarded the whole game never even got to do anything?"

"Heck no! Rigdon never scored either and if you can't score then the only thing you can do to level the playing field is play tenacious D. I am simply teaching him how to compete with what God has given him."

And for a Smart on a basketball court that ain't much.

Smart Girls by Weezer

I heard this song for the first time last night and immediately couldn't wait to make the video below. My favorite band wrote a song about the girls that make Rigdon and I luckiest men alive. Come on, it doesn't get much better than that.

Enjoy. I do everyday.

I never get enough of those Smart Girls!!!

Thanks Weezer!