Roots

I feel the need to explain our blog title as it has a little more significance than would probably be known without an explanation. When McKenzie was younger she picked up this phrase that she would so endearingly call you when you pulled a dumb move. Whenever you had one of those awkwardly less intelligent moments, to McKenzie, you were a "duck" or you had a "duck brain" or occasionally you were not using you "duck brain." (I know, a little inconsistent with the meaning there) Since growing up McKenzie had a tendency to live up to the many meanings of this loving phrase that she had coined. She quickly became not only the originator of the phrase but the mascot as well, as her family awarded her the title of Ducky. McKenzie embraced her appointed title and her nickname has since been the root of many a tease and a good time. Just before we were married I was informed by her brother-in-law Mike that I was officially the Mallard. At our wedding we embraced the duck theme and included a set of rubber love duckies in our decorations and have since enjoyed the subtitle to our marriage. The "love ducky" chapter began.

Here we go!

To get us started off on this blogging adventure I just want to post a few pics from some good memories this summer. Its our first summer together as a a couple of old married hags.

We were married on May 20th, 2011 in the Manti Temple. 

Honeymooning in the beautiful Midway, Utah. We stayed at the Kimbal in Salt Lake for a few nights and then spent some time in Midway / Park City area. 

Paintballing for Isac Hillman's birthday. I think McKenzie had a little too much fun shooting me. Evan tagged me with one in the neck that tore flesh and left me with a nice looking battle scar. 

Watching the Linden Fireworks in the bed of Mike Schow's truck. 

Gettin' a little boot scoot in our boogy at the Pleasant Grove Rodeo. 

Having a winny roast in the back yard of our little "bomb shelter" we like to call home. Mom, Dad, and the girls came over and joined us. 

Oh the joys of working the land! We were trying to get the brush cutter working on the vintage tractor at McKenzie's grandpa's house to cut down the grass for the cows but we had a some minor issues with the machinery and were there all night and didn't get a thing cut. 

On the first of our many fishing trips this summer we decided to gamble it and not buy licenses. Out of the 100 or so people fishing on that little pond, Fish and Game pulled up right behind me and decided to check licences starting with mine first. So after reeling in the biggest catch of the day they promptly awarded me with a 90 dollar ticket. Happy days!

After spending about a year of pouring every dime I had and countless hours of blood, sweat, and tears.  We said good bye to my almost completed restoration project. A 1969 VW beetle rat rod we affectionately name Lupita after the Virgin of Guadelupe. I did most of the work on her through some collision repair classes at UVU. Sure am gonna miss that hunk of tin. Everywhere I went she seemed to attract tons of attention and complements. 

We treated Mom and Dad to a night out at the Sundance outdoor theater when they tagged along with us to my company party for Central Bank. We saw The Sound of Music. 

It's been a fun and adventurous, albeit, short summer this year.