Best Independence Day Week Ever

So I had a very busy and eventful fourth of July week. It was really fun. My girlfriend Kelsey invited Max Tracey (Max's girlfriend) and I to her family's house boat on Lake Oroville. Lake Oroville is located about 70 miles north of Roseville out past Marysville. So Max Tracey and I got up early on Tuesday and left for the lake. When we got there Kelsey and her Dad Brent were there to meet us at the dock with there boat. We then road out to where there house boat was parked on the beach. We were introduced to everyone and got ready. So at about 11 o'clock we hit the water and went out wake boarding. It was so much fun Kelsey absolutely rocks on the wake board. I got out there and did okay but could have done better. Max (who his first time got up right away) was having trouble getting up and when he got up he had more trouble staying up. Tracey decided that she didn't want to try it. Bryson Kelsey's little brother got on and did really good. Than Brent got on and absolutely rocked. He is really good. It was amazing to watch him. Than we decided to go back to the house boat and have lunch so I got to wake board the whole way back to the house boat. I did awesome the second time. I got a lot more air, jumped further across the wake and did some board grabs while in the air. It was really fun.

Me trying to catch some big air...

Kelsey catching some sick air.

Since Max didn't catch any air here is a picture of him catching some rays.

We got back to the house boat had lunch and Brent made some adjustments to the boat so we could do wake surfing. Wake surfing is where you get on a board that looks like a surfboard but is about the same size and shape as a skim board. So you hold your feet on the board and get up there are no holds to hold your feet on so you can move you feet around a little. Then you go outside the wake and pull yourself closer to the boat with the rope so your about six or seven feet away from the back of the boat. Then when you have steadied yourself you throw the rope to the people on the boat and surf on the wake the boat makes. It is really fun and feels like you are really surfing but the wave never ends. Kelsey went first and she totally rocks at it. I went second and got up my first time. After a while I was able to let go of the rope. Kelsey says that most people don't let go of the rope their first time so I think I did pretty good. It was so much fun. Max got up and had a little trouble staying up but he did really good. Kelsey's sister Riley went and she was really good as well. Then Brent went on and he totally rocks at it he was doing three sixty's all over the place he is really good at it all.

I couldn't look at the camera without crashing...

Brent Kelsey's Dad

Tracey Max's Girlfriend

After that we went back to the house boat and got cleaned up and went to the Kenny Chesney concert at the Sleep Train Amphitheatre. I don't like country music but Kelsey was there so I wanted to go. We were all feed a really good BBQ dinner at the concert. Than we went and took our seats and waited for the concert to start. Max and I decided that the only way we were going to have fun was to act like Kenny Chesney was our favorite singer in the whole world. It was hard but we all had a really good time trying to have a good time. The concert was really fun because Kelsey Max and Tracey were all there to enjoy it with me but when we left I was definitely ready to go. It was fun but the music sucked. We left and Max Tracey and I went home and Kelsey went back to the boat to finish off the week.

Wednesday came and I lounged around the house being very sore from all the wake boarding the day before. I changed the brakes on someones car before going to the Crawford's for a BBQ. It was so hot outside I couldn't wait to go swimming at the BBQ. I got to the BBQ and went swimming for a little while while Richard made Jonesie Burgers. Jonesie Burgers is 1/4 pound of meat with diced onions and provolone cheese laid on top than another 1/4 pound Patti on top of that. Than you cook the meat and melt another piece of cheese on top of it all. It is really good. You don't think you can eat the whole thing when you look at it but once you start you can't put it down. After dinner we swam a little more and than as it got dark we went back to the house and did fire works. We had our own to light and we also could see the fireworks from sunrise mall. It was a great night but it would have been awesome if Kelsey could have been there with me.

I was really sore the rest of the week so I didn't really do much. I just couldn't wait until I could see Kelsey on Saturday night. I was planning on asking her to be my girlfriend so of course it was that much harder to wait. On Friday I went swimming with Max and Tracey and than we went back to the house and made smores in the back yard. It was really good and really nice. Than on Saturday Kelsey got back from the lake and we went out to a movie. We saw Transformers. It was such an awesome movie I really enjoyed it and seeing Kelsey after such a long time was really nice. I missed here a lot. So to give you a little background on Kelsey and I since I haven't talked about her at all except to Gideon and he just knows about her from church, Kelsey and I meet in February at church. She had just got back from spending four months in Australia with a BYU group. We hung out every so often as we had a lot of the same mutual friends. Than we started hanging out a lot in March or April and started to like each other more and more (me liking her more than she liked me). So Saturday she got back late from the lake so she had to meet us at the movies. Before we left at home I had wrote on the ground in front of the house "Be my girl?" with Fourth of July Sparklers. And left one out with a lighter. After the movie we came back to the house and as we walked up I said "Oh whats this" as I picked up the sparkler and light it. I waved it around in front of what I had wrote on the asphalt earlier that night. "What does that say" and I had her read what was written on the ground. It was awesome. She said yes. It was the perfect ending to a perfect week.

So that is my Independence Day week and it was really fun and the best I have ever had. It was really hot as we were going through a heat wave but I had plenty of access to water to cool me down, get a tan and just have a wonderful time.

It's Been A Long Time

Well it has been a really long time since my last post. A lot has happened since then. I have moved back to California and I moved in with George. I lived with him Amy, Amy and Gideon (and of course both of the kids Kate and Sarah). I lived there from February to April. I than got a job working in construction for a painter and moved in with Max and his family. I have since quit working for the painter and am know looking for a job. I am making a little money here and there doing some work for Richard (Max's dad) whenever he needs it. I am so grateful for all the love and help that the Crawford's have shown me. I would not be able to make it through this tough time in my life if it weren't for them.




I have made tons of friends that are good influences in my life leaving those that are not behind. I have meet a few people that I know will be life long friends.


I am currently trying to become a police officer for the California Highway Patrol. My application to test for the police academy has been accepted. What I need to do to get into the police academy is pass a series of tests. The first test witch will be on July 21st is the written exam. I need to know basic knowledge of reading, writing, spelling and reading comprehension. I feel like I will do okay with it. Two of my friends have taken it and barely failed (but English is not there strongest subject) so I think I should do fine. There are books that I can buy that will help me study for the exam. Than a few weeks after that there will be the physical test. I have to do a series of strength tests witch I feel I will complete rather effortlessly. Than there is a background check and a voice stress analyzer test (lie detector) where they make sure you are telling the truth about all your information and that you are not with holding anything about your past that would disqualify you from the process. With the background check if you don't have any felonies the main thing they look for is that you are trying to do good and be responsible. So I am a little worried but I think that I will be okay. Than after I have completed the tests thus far I will go in front of a panel for a final interview and physiological test. Where they will interview me and make a final decision of whether they will let me into the academy or not. By this time it will be the middle or end of September for the interview. They will send me a letter if I am accepted approximately five weeks after the interview. In that letter will be the date of when I report to the academy. There are four times a year that they bring in new students so I figure based on the knowledge I have gathered I would probably be going around January some time.

The academy is six months long. They will teach me everything I need to know to be a police officer and than they will give me a job upon graduating. I will get paid 28,000 dollars for the time in the academy and a starting salary of at least 56,000 dollars a year after I graduate. The academy lasts for six months. During that time I will be working from 0800 hours to 1700 hours after that time I will have personal time to study and exercise. I will not be able to make or accept any phone calls. I will be able to recieve and write letters. On Wednesday I would be free to leave the academy from 1700 to 2359 and friday at 1700 to sunday at 2359. So I will still be able to have some freedom and I will still be able to go to church. The academy is located in West Sacramento so it is not too far from here. After getting into the academy by the time I need to report I will need to make sure that I can run three miles three times a week with an average of nine minutes a mile, be able to do 50 push ups, 75 sit ups, and four pull ups. If I do not meet the physical standards I will be put on a strict diet until I can do all those things. If I do not pass a writen test in the academy my leave privlages will be revoked and I get one chance to retake the test. If I fail on the retake I will be terminated from the academy. They are very serious about the testing. I am very excited and I hope that I can get in to the academy.

Well that is all I have to say for now. I had an awesome fourth of July week and once I get all the pictures I will post another and tell you all all about it. I hope I will be able to keep you all more updated on my life.

"I Am The Type Of Person My Heavanly Father Wants Me To Be"

After reading Amy's post "The Best, Worst Day Ever" (www.auntieamyandcounting.blogspot.com) It gave me an opportunity to reflect on the past six months of my life since I have in in Utah. I have been trying through Jethro's help to be a better person. I have great opportunities if front of me that the Lord has provided. While reading about Amy's generosity to someone who is going through a hard time made me think of who I am as a person, how I have changed and what I have become.

When I left Prosper a week later one hundred and eighty dollars was deposited into my account. I knew there was some mistake. I was happy to see an extra two hundred dollars in my account, but I had to make sure that it wasn't a mistake before I spent it. So I called Prosper and let them know what happened. They said they did make a mistake and they would reverse the funds. Yeah I was sad that it was a mistake and that they were taking the money back, but I felt good that I had done the right thing. No amount of money can buy the feeling the lord gives you when you do the right thing and he knows you are thinking of him and he is always watching. Now I could have easily kept the money and they would never had known. They could have even kept putting money in every pay day. But I felt good doing the right thing.

So a couple days go by and the money was reversed but I was charged a fifteen dollar over use fee for making more than six transfers a month. I was pretty upset. I juggled with the thought of just forgetting about it or trying to get Prosper to get me the money. I figured it would probably be a hassle. They would have to do a lot of paper work, get the owners to sign a check, on and on and on. I thought I did the right thing I don't need to hassle myself or anyone else. Than I thought well I shouldn't have to suffer this way for making the right choice. So I called and left a message explaining the situation. A few hours later Tim calls me back and says "Its no problem we will take care of it for you." "There is fifteen dollars cash sitting at the front desk for you and you can pick it up anytime." So it was nice that that worked out okay without hassle. Prosper really is a great company all in all.

So the other day I was talking to the guy I am renting the condo from and I was trying to get the deposit back. Now I paid two hundred dollars for the deposit and my roommate Ricky is the only one on the lease. I know not the smartest thing to do, but I thought there wouldn't be a problem. Well he says I only paid 160 and that the lease is for one year so the deposit is non-refundable. He said when we moved in that there would be no problems if we needed to leave early and that he just needed a contract so he would get approved for a loan for his new house. Well I could have told him I am not even on the lease but than he could say "well I guess I didn't get a deposit from you at all than." So expecting the worst I just said well can I have the 160 than. He accepted and I had the cash that night. So getting to the point I was pretty upset. I was thinking of ways that I could get back at him. Things like smashing his car windows or whatever. Well a few days earlier I spoke on the phone with Gideon. We were talking about how I am changing my life and moving back to California was going to be what I needed to clean up my past and start living life instead of worrying about it. So I started thinking about that conversation I had with Gideon and I realized something. How is getting back at Jake (my landlord) going to help me be in a better position? How is it going to help me improve my life? What will my Heavenly Father think of me if I did something to him? What if I got caught? How is that going to help me get out of the trouble I am already in? How is it going to help Jake realize what he is doing is wrong? The answer to all these questions is "IT'S NOT." It is not going to make anything better. It is not going to fix anything. And most of all it is not going to make me feel any better. So I got my money and I figured I will just leave it at that. That conversation with Gideon was perfectly timed by the Lord to help me to remember the type of person everyone and I want to be. He knew the problem that was going to arise and he knew the way that I would react. So I think that the Lord made Gideon not come to Utah to drive me back because my car is not registered. That issue sparked our conversation, and it was needed sorely because if it weren't for Gideon being the good person he is and for the love he and the lord has for me everything was able to be put in place to help me make the right decision.

Yesterday I went to the T-Mobile store to raise the amount of minutes I have and to renew my contract because my contract was over. Things didn't go well and I became very frustrated and angry because things were not going the right way and I knew I was right. Even after I got off the phone with customer service and got everything worked out the way I needed to things were still not going the right way and than I became furious. I got really upset at the guy in the store who was a know it all that has worked there for five years and is not even a manager. I knew he wasn't going to help me do what I needed so I left before I really lost it. I think I controlled my temper well but I was still out of line and I knew it. I had thought again of the conversation I had with Gideon and thinking of the type of person I want to be. So I called the store on my way out of the parking lot and I apologized to the man helping me for my bad behavior. He thanked me and was still being a know it all jerk but I felt better about myself. I instantly became calm headed and I was able to get everything worked out the way I wanted to and overall had a very pleasant processes and by today when I talked to the last person at T-Mobile I was very satisfied and actually had a nice little conversation with the girl on the phone. She sounded hot and young so what do you expect.

So all in all I am happy for the way that I am dealing with things. I am so grateful for the opportunity to move to California and to invest in real estate full time. I know that I am the type of person that my heavenly father wants me to be. I know I will be blessed for my behavior as I have already many times. I know Amy will be blessed for who she is and the impression she is making on others and the many lives she is changing. I know that Gideon will be blessed for who he is and that he will be blessed for the example of good behavior he is leaving and for the love he has for his family. I am happy for all I have and I ask all of you that have read this to take a few minutes to look at your life and look at who you have become. Look at the changes you can make to be who your Heavenly Father wants you to be. Think of the good things you have done and how you have been blessed or how you have blessed others lives. Reward yourself for those things by reaping the benefits the Lord gives you by keeping on doing the good your doing. Create more blessing for yourself by making the necessary changes need to accomplish what we are all here to do. And most importantly don't forget to take the time to thank the Lord for all he has done and to recognize every good think in your life, and every bad thing in your life that you can learn and grow from those experiences.

"I Just Can't Take It Anymore"

So as most of you know by now I am moving to Sacramento on the 7th of February. I am really excited. The reason I am going is to help George with real estate investing until I go to Modesto for the summer. It is an amazing opportunity. I am really glad that it gave me a way out from working at Jiffy Lube. So I hope it all works out. Gideon will be flying into Salt Lake and will be driving back with me. I am looking forward to seeing everyone.

Well I quit my job today. It was the most relieving thing I have done in a while. I was going to hang on until Wednesday so I could have some extra cash. So I woke up this morning just as sick as I have been all week and though "today really is not a good day to go to work." I went anyway and gave it a shot. I told my boss Colton that I needed to talk to him. So as we kept working I could tell it was bugging him why I needed to talk to him. So he said casually "So why do you need to talk? Are you quitting?" I said "Yes I am actually." His eyes grew wide with shock. So we talk about what my plans were and he asked if I could stay until Wednesday. I said I would. Well about half an hour went by. I'm still not feeling any better and work is really slow and all I am doing is vacuuming cars and washing windows. So I thought to myself it is going to be a really long day and an even longer week. I went in to the lobby to Colton and said "I just can't take it anymore." So I decided to quit. I went to one of the other managers that were there and he was really shocked and surprised. He was really upset. I'm not going to lie it felt good to be such an asset that they didn't want me to leave. I didn't care though I just wanted to get the heck out of there. I am really excited to get to California. I just want to leave now. I still have to tell Chris from Pinnacle Security about whats going on but it shouldn't be a problem.

I Always Move Up Fast

Well this has been quiet a week. I have been working at Jiffy Lube and every day that goes by it gets harder and harder to make it to the end of the day. I do have a great manager that is very fun to work with. He is the only thing that helps me make it through the day. I wish he could have been my manager in a different circumstance. I have just come to the realization of why I dislike my job so much. All the people that work there are losers. Alcoholics, drug users, negative people, just losers that have no ambition or work ethics. I do not want to associate with those types of people. I am a successful person. I only want to surround myself with successful people. And the people that I work with are not successful. I hate to talk down about my co-workers like this, but there just not the type of people I want to associate myself with. Before when I worked there it wasn't a big deal. I didn't have the standards or the knowledge that I have now. It is important to surround yourself with people who are successful. I can't learn anything from these people and if I can I don't want to stick around long enough too learn from them. The cons outweigh the pros at this point. I know I can be all that I want to be and more, but I cant do it working at Jiffy Lube. It's like two months of my life I could be growing that I would miss out on. I know it is important to not be a quitter and to hang on so I am not quiting without a better plan.

I just had a meeting last night with my manager at Pinnacle Security. It went awesome. After the meeting he pulled me aside and talked to me. He wanted me to be sort of the assistant manager to make sure everyone is going to the trainings and is doing what they need to do to prepare for the summer. He told me that he and the other manager Patrick saw that I was very ambitious and serious about this. They feel that I am going to be one of the most successful in the group. I am so thankful that I have such a strong work ethic and that others can see it as well. The great thing about it is that I wasn't even working towards having this new responsibility. I just wanted to work hard for myself because I knew it would benefit me. And look how it has benefited me, in ways I never thought of. I am so glad for the opportunities that I have had in my life. I know that I am just gong to rock house this summer selling security systems and I can not wait to get out there to do it. Also we are not going to San Diego any more we are going to be going to Modesto. I am pretty excited for that because now I will be closer to George, Amy, Amy, Gideon, and of course the girls. I am kind of bummed that we aren't going to San Diego but I am going out there to work and make money not to have fun. So I know where ever I go I will have lots of fun so the location is not that important to me. The thing that is important is that I will be close to my family, and that will be the biggest money maker of all.

Crazy? You Tell Me!!

Well I was sitting at home last night and was bored out of my mind. My roommate comes home and I tell him "You know I was thinking about if I would look good with my head shaved." so he said "Lets do it there is only going to be one way to find out." So I thought why not. It will probably be all grown back by the time we go to California. So I shaved my head. Yeah I know its crazy and Mom its okay I still look like a human being. Actually I don't look bad at all. I am actually quiet satisfied with the results. I don't know why I did it. I guess I was just looking for a change. I mean I have had my same hair style and side burns since I was like seventeen years old. So I must say it looks good but I am going to be growing it back.

It's Not Like Sitting at a Desk All Day

All I can say is WOW! I am really out of shape. I started my new job at Jiffy Lube on Monday. I'm not going to lie it was kinda nice to work on cars again. It has just reminded me on how much I love doing that kind of work, but man am I sore. It's not like sitting at a desk all day which is so easy to get used to and get in the groove of. I also have to wake up early unlike my job at Prosper where I didn't have to be at work until 11 am. My schedule does work out nicely to where I can make it to the weekly trainings for selling security systems. It is a lot harder to make it to the gym twice a day when I am so wiped out. I forgot how much energy it takes to run back and forth, up and down, and reach in so many awkward hard to reach places. My body is so sore all over. I know I will get back in shape but how long will it take?

I have been sick the whole time that I haven't been working. It was the perfect time to be sick because I was able to get the rest I needed. So I had been better last weekend and I thought perfect because I have to start work on Monday. Well I don't know what I did to get sick again but now I am sick again. Last time it was more like strep thought this time it is a full blown cold. It could be a few different things or a combination of reason how I could have gotten sick. I went to Jethro's the other night and everyone over there was sick so I could have caught the bug when I was there. I also went to our new hot tub and that was probably not a good idea because it was late and also very cold outside. So here I am sick again and I am worried about how I am going to do at work tomorrow. It is nice that I was just able to pick right back up knowing how to do everything still. I am sure everyone that I work with is happy that I can do everything I need to do and they don't have to keep an eye on me. That's always frustrating when you have to keep and eye over someones shoulder the whole time. I am glad though that it is only going to be for two months.

I am so excited to move back down to Southern California. I can't wait. Having this job where I already know what I am doing will make it go by really fast. We are a lot more busy than the other shop I worked at but we do sell as many extra services as I used to sell. I know though that if I had worked at a place where I had to learn everything time would not go by as fast. I cant believe it is Wednesday already. I am excited for this weekend. I get to do training for selling security systems. It is hands on training so my boss is going to take me out knocking on doors. It should be very helpful. I am glad that we are going to be going to an area where I used to live because I have been able to provide them with some helpful information as too where to go selling (even though I don't really know the area that well.) And also thank you everyone for all the support in me doing this. Every time I find something that I think is a really good opportunity I always am sceptical of telling everyone because I don't want everyone to think I am making a stupid decision. I mean you know me when I decide I am going to do something there is no talking me out of it. So its nice to make a decision where everyone is on my side rather than opposing it. Maybe that shows that I am finally growing up and making good decisions. And especially thank you George for believing that I will do good. I mean I know I am going to be the number one salesman but it is just good to hear someone else think I can do it cause it just lets me know that I am not the only crazy one. I know that I am going to do a good job. I just really think that I am a really good sales man. I learn the techniques quickly and it just feels so natural to me. I am always so comfortable when I talk to people about the product or service that I am selling. That's where good training and product knowledge makes all the difference. I feels so good to have a family that supports and believes in me. I am really glad that I did this blog because it has just opened my eyes even wider to all the love my family has for me.