Cali is where the friends are :)

Mandi and I have sadly returned to Utah after a week in California. We had a great time with our friends James and Colin. I hope we can see you guys again soon and until next time. Let's go Surfin

I found a way to save money and look cool :)

My new niece

Check it out. I'm an uncle, again!

Canyon Lands

Last month Mandi and I took our first camping trip of the year along with Tyler, Alene, Caiden, Ryan, and Brady. It was so nice to get outside after a long winter. We took two ten plus mile hikes. One to Paul Buyon's Potty and another to Druid Arch. Getting to Paul Bunyon's potty was not easy. Most of the hike was through a wash. We were dragging our feet through the sand. We were amazed enough with the landscape that the hike didn't discourage us. We had a chance to look at some ruins from the Anasazi Indians. It's amazing how this stuff still stands.

I was most impressed with the Druid Arch hike. It was through this canyon. The Landscape seamed to change dramatically so there was always something to look at. The arch itself was huge. It was much bigger in real life than the pictures that I have. we were lucky to go when we did. There weren't a lot of people on these particular hikes. Just remember to bring some rope if you plan on getting to the top of Paul Buyon's potty. Especially if you have kids with you. Otherwise you might have to form a chain in order to get everyone down.

You can't play Rock Band unless you rock out like this. Otherwise, you are just a Gigantic Nerd playing a piece of plastic!

http://tylerroot.blogspot.com/

Book Report: Return of the King

What a way to finish a story. Once again I know many of you have seen the movie but if you think you have seen it all you are missing out on one last battle. The battle of the Shire! After all the crap they had to go through with Minas Tirith and Mount Doom they return to there own home and it is taken over with servants of the enemy. Little do they know these four Hobbits can kick some serious butt.

Friendship is such an important role in these books. Frodo wouldn't have made it very far without Sam. He is truly the ordinary hero. A gardener turned warrior turned Father. In the end Frodo leaves Sam to his new life and sails off into the west. To say goodbye to this fellowship is sad but there are always new adventures.

Every time I finish a series I think that there is nothing else interesting to read in life. It sounds dumb and I know it isn't true but I get too attached and I always want more. Lucky for me there are more books of Middle Earth I can read. I've already started the Silmarillion.

BOOK REPORT: TWO TOWERS

After I finished Fellowship of the Ring I started reading the Two Towers. I also went out and bought 7 books of middle earth that I plan on reading after I am done with The return of the king which I am reading now.

The Two towers is a perfect example of why I chose to read the Lord of the rings. There are so many differences from book to movie adaptations and it's always nice to know how much a director will change and for what reasons.

In the book Sam Wise and Frodo only have small disagreements over Smeagol. Sam never left Frodo and they went on to Shelobs layer together. In the movie Gollum separates Sam and Frodo by accusing Sam of eating all of their lembas bread. Sam turns back to go home when he finds the bread on the stairs down below. He gets angry and returns to save his master from Shelob the spider. I think this was a wise choice on Peter Jackson's part. It really set up a story for loyalty and unselfishness. It made Sam all the more ordinary hero.

We also have a character like Faramir. In the movie he is once tempted by the ring. He decides to take Frodo and Sam to Minas Tririth to see his Father. He has a change in heart when he hears Frodo pull his sword on his friend Sam who is trying to save him. Faramir realizes the ring can be held by no one and sends Sam and Frodo on their quest. In the book Faramir has the chance to see the ring yet he never desires to take it to his father. The book shows him as a smart and understanding person. His brother may have been the great warrior but Faramir shows his true qualities.

My birthday

Yesterday was my birthday. I am actually not surprised to be any age any more. 26 is a good age. I went out and bought $50.00 worth of Tolkien books with the money Mandi's parents gave me. I'm sort of on a Tolkien craze right now. I'm sure it will end when I finish them all. Kind of like my Harry Potter craze. Once those books ended I had to find something new to go to.

Mandi made me some dinner last night. It was really good and she did a little experimenting with spinach, chicken, and Parmesan. I've been wanting something with spinach for a long time. We then watched Munich. It was good but probably the most different Speilburg movie I have seen. It's amazing how terrorism starts, and builds.

Adding on to this list I also got some money from my parents to put towards my vacation fund which puts me above my goal for the month. woo hoo

Book Report

Fellowship of the Ring...Many people have told me if you want to read any of Tolkiens books good luck. Most people who have read The Hobbit told me it was good but the Lord of the Rings trilogy was a little too descriptive and slow. I decided to take the challenge after reading the Hobbit to finish reading the books of Middle Earth because I love Tolkiens writing style.

Fellowship of the Ring is an amazing book filled with characters that I care about and some of the most descriptive history of the world they live in. The story moves forward very well and branches off with so many tales I want to look into. I really thought the movies were some of the best movies ever made but if you really want to know the whole story pick up the books. I am now in the middle of The Two Towers.

I plan on making a visit to the bookstore this week to buy some more books on the history of middle earth. Never has a book series swept me off to far away lands that seam like a long lost home to me...

I know many of you do not agree with my views but I believe that we need someone running this country that does not run away from questions, people who they have been affiliated with and their own past. Someone who can explain himself. In this speech Barack Obama lets everyone know what his goal is for this country. Pretend it is your favorite person running for office and then choose weather you liked this speech. It is 36 minutes long but if you listen from beginning to end you will fully appreciate and understand what he means.