Photo of the Day - 4/30/2012 - Champ's Swimming Ppol

I've mentioned previously that I learned to swim in this pool and have many happy memories on Lima Street. In this shot, Dad and Uncle Steve are undoubtedly solving many of the issues of the day, along with serving as life guards. You can see the wet spots where kids had gone in and out of the pool.

I wonder whose footprints those are?

Photo of the Day 4/29/2012 - Packed In

Following our trip to California in the summer of 1996, Andy rode back to our home in Puyallup, WA in the backseat of our jeep. It is about 1100 miles and he was back there with no AC, hardly any room to move, but we did give him that bottle of water. I think the promise of meeting Julie's Uncle Art in Grants Pass gave him something to look forward to, although we did not get to see him on this particular trip. During Andy's visit we hit the zoo, Snoqualmie Falls, Mount Rainier and all the usual sites.

Thanks for being such a good sport.

Photo of the Day 4/28/2012 - Happy Anniversary

SiteCrafting met at the Pierce County courthouse in April of 2006 to witness the marriage of our co-workers Andy and Sarah. Today is their Anniversary. The I was a witness, even though the judge initially thought I was the one getting married due to my tie (he must know I rarely wear ties and get married even less often). Mike, who also shares a birthday with their Anniversary was married last night in Walla Walla, WA. The circle continues.

Here's to many more happy years to the happy couple and their two beautiful daughters. We miss you guys.



BONUS PIC! Mount Rainier Hiking

Photo of the Day 4/27/2012 - Skip

An all around great guy. I wonder if that Dodger hat still fits?

I'm not sure when or where this was taken, maybe my folks house in Georgia. Stephen is now in Southern California working alongside family at Optimus Construction. It has been great to see him on the last few trips down.

Thought this picture of a cute little boy would remind us what a great man Stephen has become.

Photo of the Day - 4/26/2012 The Arrival

There are a series of photos that will start showing up from the Boysen Family Reunion in 1997 (correct me if I'm wrong). I had pondered just posting a gallery of the images, but then some of the good shots just get lost along with the others. There are a few previous reunion posts here and here

Many of us out of towners stayed at the Super 8 I believe in Carpinteria.  This candid shot shows the arrival of family and friends from far and wide.  The parking lot was transformed into a reception area as everyone anticipated the time we would all be spending together.

Photo of the Day - Cricket

When it was finally time to grow up and get a real job. I traded my iguana for a kitten in Wenatchee, WA. The pet store owner wanted a shop iguana and I had recently gotten engaged and was moving to Western WA to start my job teaching at St. Charles Borromeo. I wanted a pet to keep me company and wasn't able to have a dog, so I got a cat who acted more like a dog. She was loyal, dedicated to me and pretty much liked no one else (sorry Mom). She tolerated Julie, Darby and eventually the kids, but I was her human.

We lost her too early after she had a run in with an Easter lily and was poisoned.

If you look close at my Gonzaga hat, you can see it signed by Steve Garvey - along with several other motivational symbols, quotes designed to get me through an inning.

Special points for anyone who can guess where her name "Cricket" came from.

Photo of the Day - 4/24/2012 Swing!

This is great shot of Dad at a small park in Northern Georgia (maybe even Tennessee). We stopped in this park after a drive for a nice picnic by a creek (watch out for cottonmouths). Dad took a few minutes from the driving duties to hop on a swing.

My Dad loves swings - even when I was little he would push me, but he always found his way onto one as well. I need to swing more with my kids. :)

Photo of the Day 4/23/2012 - Field of Dreams

This really is a "Field of Dreams". I suppose it is because it doesn't exist anymore. 

The baseball field I raked, tarped, mowed and nurtured is now the McCarthy Athletic Center. No more 21 Outs, running from foul line to foul line, and shut out baseball. Don't get me wrong, progress in this case is good - Go Zags!

Photo of the Day 4/22/2012 - Kern River

I'm guessing this is from a trip to the Kern River. Regardless, I love rivers.

If I'm staying anywhere near a river I wake up early or stay up late to just listen to it. There is nothing better than the first night staying near a river - the anticipation of the first cast. There is a peace that is found on the water that doesn't exist anywhere else.

I've fished many days in my life where I've left without getting a single bite. I can honestly say I've never had a bad day on a river.

Photo of the Day 4/21/2012 - MG B

It was a head turner, a dream car, and "chick magnet". All true, unless you were paying for the repairs. In that case it was a nightmare headache, all rolled into an irresistible package. Grandpa Cy would work on it, but every time he did he managed to have a bag of leftover parts. Jeff and I drove it to Loyola Marymount only to be stranded in in Hollywood. It overheated, its windshield wipers flew off intermittently, the top worked "most of the time",  in other words, it was perfect.

I loved this car and I will always remember the day I saw it "For Sale". Even more present is the memory of the day that my Dad said, "Let's go get it".

Photo of the Day 4/20/2012 - Grandma and Tammy

I have many memories of growing up, but most are from later days. Memories of Grandmas and Grandpas, Uncles, Aunts and Cousins.

There are fleeting impressions of my early days and I can't be certain if they are real or imagined. I do recall fragments of Grandma Joan and days surrounding my early childhood. I remember sugar cubes snuck from a cupboard, the smell of my Grandpa Forth's pipe, of Tammy, a kind and gentle dog. This photo and more to come, prove I was indeed there and since I was, I believe I was surrounded by love.

Photo of the Day 4/19/2012 - Ready for Take off

Would you fly with these guys? Well, Tim Paul was good enough to fly Jeff and I up to Santa Barbara for a lunch. Tim Paul was ultra-thorough on safety checks, other than letting us steer for a few minutes.
"Don't worry, we've got this!"

 It was a beautiful day and a great memory.

Photo of the Day 4/18/2012 - 3rd Birthday

I'm really working hard to blow out these candles. If it's anything like it was watching my own three year olds blow out candles, I'd have put my money on the candles burning themselves out.

Cousins Jeff and John are flanking me as are neighborhood friends and family. Does anyone remember being there that day? If so, I'd love to hear about it...

Photo of the Day 4/17/20112 - Hunters

Uncle Sandy loads the rig while Patrick and Zach discuss strategy.

We packed up the Explorer and took a road trip in December of 1993 (I think) to Arkansas for a visit with Aunt Jean, Uncle Sandy, Zach and Jessica. I believe Jeff was living in Sacramento at the time. Anyway, one of the adventures was an early morning trip to the woods for a hunt. We were fully outfitted and ended up coming home with a few squirrels (tastes like chicken).

There was a lot of WIN on this trip including meeting a friend of Sandy's and his trusty dog, "BLUE"!

Photo of the Day 4/16/20112 - Under Construction

Cousins Tom and Catherine and their two beautiful daughters Joanna and Olivia live about an hour and a half north of us in Bellevue, WA. While we don't see each other as often as we'd like, we do get some quality time together, as will be witnessed in future Photos of the Day. In this shot, Tom invited Alec to tour a job site in Olympia. Despite the subfreezing temperatures, Alec donned his construction gear and hopped into a front loader to help. The Wheeler Data Center is now open and operational.

Photo of the Day 4/15/2012 - Snoqualmie Falls

At the top of those falls (out of the picture) is the Salish Lodge a gorgeous hotel where the show Twin Peaks was filmed. We did not run into Special Agent Dale Cooper on this hike to the bottom of the falls.

This picture was taken shortly after Julie and I were married on one of our weekend day-trips around our new home in the Pacific Northwest.

Photo of the Day - 4/14/2012 - Let's Eat

Charlotte 2004

Charlotte asks, "Where's the ice cream?"

Photo of the Day - 4/13/2012 - Wedding Reception

We had a small wedding reception at the church following our wedding and then headed to Aunt Francie and Uncle Steve's house on Lima for a bigger celebration. I know even after we left for our honeymoon, my family and groomsmen (who'd traveled from WA) enjoyed many more days of parties and swimming at this house. I learned to swim in the pool at Aunt Francie and Uncle Steve's house and have nothing but fond memories of this house. Aunt Francie and Uncle Steve always were welcoming and Julie and I are grateful for their love and generosity.

If you look closely, cousin Courtney is in the background of this shot.

Photo of the Day - 4/12/2012 - Cousins

Three of my "older" cousins - though not by much. Dawn, Tom, and John. This looks like a picture that was taken during a family get together at Uncle Jeff's house in Glendale. I'm not sure of the occasion. Lots of life and possibilities lay ahead - just like they do today.

The Unknown

Sometimes you work on something because it fills a gap between what exists and what you think *should* exist. In fact, I think most of the great innovations were things people saw as "missing" from day to day life. When you choose to fill that gap you take a risk. You risk a wasting of your time, you risk rejection, you risk losing control to those who would copy, slightly improve and then claim as their own. What you don't risk however is settling. You elected to act - to bring your idea, your gift to others. As Seth Godin says, "you shipped".

Instead of pining about what could've, what should've, what would've, you simply did. You delivered.

You haven't waited for a focus group or a risk assessment - you've just put it out there.

Thank you for stepping into the unknown. I wish more of us would.

Photo of the Day 4/11/2012 - A New Baby

That's me! I can only be a few days/weeks old here. Mom is looking beautiful as always!

Photo of the Day - 4/10/2012 Steve Yeager

Steve Yeager was the Dodger catcher of my youth, he was also Julie Hansen's (my babysitter) favorite player. Now I'm not going to say we stalked him, but we did manage to meet him a lot. I have a few different items autographed including this photo. I'm sporting my Burbank Bantam jersey - probably from t-ball or the Pepsi Baseball Challenge.

Photo of the Day - 4/9/2012 Family Photo

This is photo of Mom and Dad, My Great-Grandfather Ernest Rock (Baba), and cousin Matt Stryker. I think this picture was taken at Grandma Joan and Grandpa Carl's house on Virginia St. in Burbank. Probably late 1971.

Photo of the Day - 4/8/2012 - Easter 2003

Happy Easter! This was a shot taken nine years or so ago (give or take a few days) of Ian and some of our bulbs in front of the log house. May your day be filled with joy!

Photo of the Day - 4/7/2012 - Cowboy Classic

I've always loved this photo of me as a kid. I am having such a great time dressed up in my cowboy gear. This time I think I am actually on a horse. I'm not certain but I believe this shot was taken shortly after my open-heart surgery (though I'd need some clarification from those who may remember). If so, I can see the joy and the gift of energy those doctors gave me. I wasn't sick anymore and was going to be a cowboy.

Photo of the Day - 4/6/2012 - Murder Most Foul SCB Style

School auctions are always a lot of fun. It's fun to buy things, but often more fun to gift experiences. In this case, some of the staff at St. Charles gifted a Murder Mystery in the Library. In this shot, Mr. Senko, Mrs. Pollock, Mrs. Stocks, Julie and I get into character prior to the event.

Photo of the Day - 4/5/2012 - The Good Guys

Click photo to zoom

The title says it all.

Photo of the Day 4/4/12 - Reunion Flag

Click photo to zoom

Basecamp for the Boysen Family Reunion at Carpinteria State Park was marked by the American Flag. There have been lots of memories created under this flag, whether Fourth of July fireworks extravaganzas or the loss and burial of beloved family who have served us and our country proud.

This shot, taken as long shadows began to make their way at the end of the day features cousins playing one last game of horseshoes before being called to pack it in.

Photo of the Day 4/3/12 - A Lockheed Star

Click image to zoom in.

This article appeared in the Lockheed employee newspaper shortly after my birth. While I didn't end up working for Lockheed, I know a lot of people who did. I tried to capture the text as best I could, but you may want to zoom in if you want to read it.

Photo of the Day 4/2/12 - SLC Wedding

This was a big day for Patrick, Arainna, and our entire family. We converged on Salt Lake City (stayed in Park City) for the celebration.

What a blessing their marriage has been to each other and their four beautiful daughters.

Photo of the Day 4/1/12 - April Fools' Day

Some of you already saw this shot on Facebook - but thought I'd post it here since it is April Fools' Day. Luckily the semi was being towed. It just didn't look like it at first.