tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-89173992024-03-13T04:18:40.437-06:00This is who I am...This is what I do...Tyler Roothttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10590087874758848506noreply@blogger.comBlogger565125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8917399.post-90617255463976159682014-02-08T14:48:00.001-07:002014-02-10T18:27:52.683-07:00Saying goodbye to Cade, the only way I know how<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/root_family/11069373283/" title="P1020319 by root_family, on Flickr"><img alt="P1020319" src="http://farm3.staticflickr.com/2823/11069373283_57132261ae_z.jpg" height="480" width="640" /></a></div>
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About this time today my wife Alene is
attending the funeral of a very special young man. His name is <a href="https://www.facebook.com/cade.snegirev?fref=ts">CadeSnegirev</a> and he is from Palmer, Alaska. Cade tragically passed away
last week and it's shaken hi s family and his community to the core,
as well as Alene, our son Caiden, myself, and many others that
understand his importance to us. I've tried to stay busy this past
week while she's been gone (she booked the next flight to Alaska she
could when she heard the news) to keep my mind off what is going on
because every time I look at a picture of Cade, I see Alene and all
she represents: A wonderful smile, kindness, accountability, a sense
of adventure, compassion.
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Alene is Cade's birth mother. 15
(almost 16) years ago she made the brave decision to give him up for
adoption when she was young and unable to provide him the life he
deserved. She was able to select the family he went to and she
selected the most wonderful parents you could possibly want, who
raised him in a wonderful place on this earth. Over the first few
years she was able to receive pictures, updates and letters on his
life and she too was able to send letters to his family about her
life and what she's doing. At about age 3 that communication ceased
due to the adoption agencies policy.
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Flash forward to 4 or so years ago and
Alene received a message from her younger brother that a woman had
contacted him via facebook asking if he had a sister that gave a
child up for adoption. We immediately knew it was Cade's mother and
had an insane sense of excitement. His mother, <a href="https://www.facebook.com/lori.snegirev?fref=ts">Lori Snegirev</a> happened
to have seen Alene's last name on a piece of paper somewhere in the
office that she was finalizing the adoption (she wasn't supposed to
see it) and remembered it all of these years, not really knowing if
it was actually her last name or not.
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Lori immediately gave us many updates
and through facebook, we were able to see pictures of him and his
life. It was such a great moment to connect for Alene and I was happy
to be a part of the experience. Lori had made a visit out here (she
is originally from Utah) to visit family and made it a point to visit
us and let us meet Cade. I've heard him described as “quiet”, but
always chuckling about something funny. He was polite, well-mannered,
easy to talk to. Just everything you would want in a son.
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Alene and I both knew that us meeting
him did not mean that we were suddenly going to be a huge part of his
life because he had parents and a huge family that loved him dearly.
Still, we were so grateful for the experience and the opportunity to
meet him and get to know him. Over the years we had been able to see
him another time on a visit they made here again, plus watch him grow
through the power of facebook.
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Last winter we received our tax return
and Alene immediately mentioned that she really wanted to use it to
go to Alaska and visit them (they had given us an open invite). I was
hesitant, only because of how expensive it was ($2500+ to fly there,
and that was if you were lucky enough to get tickets that cheap). I
had figured that Cade was going to be living here in a few years
anyway when he goes to school (he had planned to go to BYU) and we
would have plenty of time to visit him then. Eventually I caved and
said I was down with the plan and told her to start watching for the
cheapest fares. We booked for a trip last July and had a wonderful time.</div>
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When we arrived I was surprised how
much taller he had grown and how much older he had seemed from the
last time we had seen him (a year or so prior). He had a job working
on farm, he played recreation soccer, he was involved with activities
at church and scouts. He was just a great kid and we were so
fortunate to spend a week with the Snegirev family.</div>
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We got to know his family better
because they invited us to stay with them in their home. We were also
introduced to his extended family, all of whom were so warm and kind
to us on our visit and you could tell they provided so much love to
Cade over his years growing up there in Alaska. His grandparents took
him on a trip a year or so ago to Europe and the Holy lands, which
Alene was so excited for him as she had spent time in Israel while in
school.
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I personally have to say that I really
enjoyed spending time with his parents, Lori and <a href="http://william./">William.</a> They made
me feel completely welcome and almost like family, despite me really
not having any sort of physical connection to the situation. William
and I got a long great and had several of the same interests. William
and Cade did so many things together, including finishing their first
marathon last year. They were heavily involved in scouting and did a
bunch of high-adventure stuff. I really look up to William.</div>
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Lori is the sweetest person and you
could tell that Cade loved her so much. He never hesitated to flash a
smile her way (or anyone's way for that matter). I loved how she took
things in stride with the large family she had and for the most part
let Cade learn and grow and make decisions for himself.
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We spent our time there going to
various places, hiking and taking pictures. Cade was a great sport
tagging along with us and showing us a good time. I kept thinking
about how cool it was going to be to watch him grow up and to
possibly forge a bit of a relationship with him, without interfering
with the role his parents played (maybe more like an uncle).
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Then tragedy struck. On Thursday,
January 30<sup>th</sup> I was on my way to work and I missed a phone
call from William. I had his number in my phone from when we were
there last and I had not talked to him since the trip so I thought it
was odd. I listened to my voice mail and it was William in a shaky
voice saying, “Tyler, this is William. I need you to call me. It's
an Emergency.” My stomach cramped up and I could only think the
worst: Something happened to Cade. I called him back and he didn't
answer, but he called me back a minute or so later sobbing and trying
to tell me that Cade was on life support and was brain dead and he
had shot himself in the head. I started crying with him, it was the
only thing I could do. I could not believe what I was hearing, almost
like it was a bad dream. Cade was not the type of person that I would
ever think would do something like that intentionally, in fact I
never believed it. When we ended the call I immediately headed home
to give the news to Alene. I'm so grateful William thought to call me
first so I could get Alene in a situation where she could hear the
news.
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On my drive home I was in shock and
I thought about how I was going to tell her. I came in the house and
sat on the couch. When she came in the living room I asked her to sit
down and. I told her there has been an accident and Cade is on life
support. She immediately started crying un-controlably and all I
could do was hold her. Waylon was in the room and started to worry so
I grabbed him and ran downstairs to put a movie on for him. It seemed
like the longest time from me getting him set up and and being able
to run back up and console her again. She then asked how it happened
and I had to tell her. She couldn't believe it either and it made her
cry even harder. It was so confusing. I know there are kids that do
this that have deep, dark secrets, but Cade really was a
well-adjusted kid and just could not believe it. As of this time it is still being investigated and temporarily being ruled an accident.</div>
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Later that day Alene was able to talk
to Lori a bit more about it. Alene, with the help of her father and
his sky miles, was able to get a flight the next day and get to
Anchorage so she could see him before they took him off life support.
They ended up donating many of his organs to those in need including
his heart, his liver, his pancreas, as well as some tissues they
could use for testing. I've felt terrible that I could not be there
to mourn with them, but one of us had to be with the kids.</div>
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Every time I see a picture of Cade, I
break down. All I see is Alene and her holding him in her arms before
she gave him up, her hopes and dreams for him to have a better life
and at some point I'm comforted because he DID have a better life. He
lived such a great life and his parents did such a wonderful job of
providing everything she wanted for him.
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I want to thank William and Lori from
the bottom of my heart for allowing us in and especially making Alene
feel so loved and welcome. You are both amazing people that I'll
forever cherish our friendship.
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I want to thank my wife Alene, for
sharing her story about Cade on our first date. She trusted me enough
to share something so intimate and I think that was the time I
immediately fell in love with her. It was a sign to me that she was a
strong woman and an honest woman, and someone who was willing to make
the right decisions, even if they were hard decisions. She has been
such a great mother to our children and I'll forever be grateful for
the wonderful job she does. I'll also be grateful for how much she
loves me and how hard she always strives to be close. I love you Alene and can't wait to have you back home with us. </div>
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<a href="http://www.legacy.com/obituaries/adn/obituary.aspx?n=william-snegirev&pid=169546990&FBNF=ShareObitAt#.UvRzxd7b5Ck.facebook">Cade's obituary</a></div>
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<a href="https://www.facebook.com/pages/RIP-Cade/362733390536255">Cade's memorial page</a></div>
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Photos of our trip to Alaska</div>
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A farm, near where he grew up</div>
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/root_family/11069515306/" title="Butte Alaska Farm by root_family, on Flickr"><img alt="Butte Alaska Farm" src="http://farm4.staticflickr.com/3801/11069515306_4da0bb4b82_z.jpg" height="480" width="640" /></a></div>
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Hanging out on a boat at a local lake</div>
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11:30pm hike up at some old mines (it was still light out)</div>
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Hiking with him and his younger siblings to thunderbird falls</div>
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The boys, hanging with a grizzly bear</div>
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Hiking up "The Butte" with William, Alene, Cade, and Caiden</div>
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/root_family/11069433954/" title="IMG_0790 by root_family, on Flickr"><img alt="IMG_0790" src="http://farm4.staticflickr.com/3697/11069433954_396cc1ff1d_z.jpg" height="256" width="640" /></a></div>
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View of the place he lived from the Butte, Pioneer Peak in the center, and a glacier on the far left</div>
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/root_family/11069413036/" title="IMG_0796 by root_family, on Flickr"><img alt="IMG_0796" src="http://farm4.staticflickr.com/3803/11069413036_50f1dfde7b_z.jpg" height="228" width="640" /></a></div>
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Up at Alyeska ski resort</div>
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/root_family/11069474273/" title="P1020179 by root_family, on Flickr"><img alt="P1020179" src="http://farm4.staticflickr.com/3783/11069474273_a2a0b5b20a_z.jpg" height="480" width="640" /></a></div>
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Ever the dare devil, Cade jumped into this FREEZING glacier fed lake up at Hatcher Pass</div>
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Tyler Roothttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10590087874758848506noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8917399.post-4353003511129086922013-04-23T11:47:00.002-06:002013-04-23T13:16:05.908-06:00Zero posts in a year<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
I'm not sure if this personal blog will last. In a perfect world it would because I think the idea of "blogging" is more important than social networking, which I sadly spend most of my time "sharing" my life with. I intended to blog to share my thoughts/life with and hopefully create a type of journal that would go on forever for my family, children, grand children, great grand children, great-great grandchildren, great-great-great grandchildren, anthropologists (you get the picture) go back and see.<br />
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My blog has never been popular. Every now and then I would have a random one get an insane amount of hits because of the content, like <a href="http://tylerroot.blogspot.com/2010/01/we-got-new-keyboard-for-our-laptop.html">this one</a>, and that wasn't the intent of my blog anyway (to be popular), but I feel like I've failed myself.<br />
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I hope to get back into it, but I can't even promise myself that. Facebook is the easy way out because your history is technically stored and it's so much easier to share pictures, thoughts, etc.<br />
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I'm sad because I never even blogged about the new addition to our family (Waylon, born 10/10/11), but I shared it everywhere on Facebook. Crossing my fingers I can make this a more simple routine for me......</div>
Tyler Roothttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10590087874758848506noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8917399.post-10833485898045246472012-04-16T00:00:00.000-06:002012-04-21T10:44:11.362-06:00Spike Jonze music videos<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
I own the Spike Jonze collection of music videos he did back in the day and I love watching them. Some of my favorites from the collection:<br />
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Wax - California<br />
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I loved his use of the slow motion of the burning man running to catch his bus along with all the on-lookers in the video. What a great vision for this song. I also can't imagine how cheap it was to shoot this video. <br />
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The Pharcyde - Drop<br />
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I was a HUGE Pharcyde fan when this video came out. I was so "proud of myself" because not only did I live in a rural area where everyone only listened to either 80's hair bands, grunge, or country music, but even when I'd go into the "city" there were still people who had not heard of the greatness that is the Pharcyde. The video is pure genius with the members of the group performing everything in reverse in real-time, then the video was played backward with the lyrics over-dubbed. <br />
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The Beastie Boys - Sabotage<br />
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When this video came out I was a little confused because the Beastie Boys were playing it like rock (I wasn't much into rock at the time) when they were known as a hip hop group (at the time I had no idea their roots were based in punk rock). I loved the play on 70's cop shows.<br />
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Daft Punk - Da Funk<br />
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Again, an odd fixation with dogs (check out weezer's "say it ain't so" video and the feature of a dog suit in the "Drop" video above). I'm guessing Spike likes dogs. This was funny because even when people looked at the dog odd, it wasn't because he was a dog walking around with a cast, but because he looked so out of place in general to everyone. <br />
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Fatlip - What's up Fatlip<br />
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Fatlip was a former member of the hip hop group The Pharcyde and in this video it shows a true representation of all the bad things going on in his life. It was really filmed in his apartment, on the streets, etc. The song itself talks about the struggles in his life and how he has to try to keep a decent image of himself despite things not being so good. <br />
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Weezer - Undone (the sweater song)<br />
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This was Weezer's first music video and I had actually seen their "buddy holly" video before this one and loved the retro idea (even though I wasn't into their type of music at the time). I read somewhere that Spike approached the band with this idea "A blue screen, you guys playing, and dogs" (or something to that affect). Since Weezer went on to be one of my favorite bands, I learned the technique they used in this video was by playing the song twice as fast and the band having to emulate that, while it was filmed at a higher speed as well. Then they slowed it down and it looks like they're playing fast, but at regular speed at the same time. These types of things are what made Spike such a good music video director. <br />
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Fatboy Slim - Praise you<br />
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By far one of the most hilarious videos, yet genius at the same time. Spike actually appears in this video. It's great because you know they took some serious time to choreograph this thing, but at the same time, not enough to make it perfect. I love all the "characters" dancing; the dorky looking spike jonze, the dude with the parachute pants and a fanny pack (because you need a fanny pack when you're dancing), the heavier dude trying to look good, the chick in her aerobics gear, etc. This video ended up winning the video of the year from the MTV Music awards. They also performed at these awards and there is an awesome 34 minute documentary called "torrance rises" on the DVD that shows their preparation for the event. You can view it <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HJTpj0UoWpY">HERE</a> if you have 34 minutes.<br />
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Weezer - Buddy Holly<br />
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Probably one of the more recognized music videos. This had an awesome unique take on the TV show "Happy Days". Spike was able to make it look as if the band was actually on the show. I remember first seeing this video and being hooked by the song, but also impressed at how authentic it appeared (even if there were no bands playing music like weezer back then). <br />
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Bjork - It's oh so quiet<br />
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Another odd music video by Spike Jonze. Again, shot at double speed, then slowed down (except the dance parts I'm sure). One little known fact I found about this is the puppeteer that plays "ernie" from "Bert and Ernie" fame plays the dude in the blue mail box.</div>Tyler Roothttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10590087874758848506noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8917399.post-14881480197183314172011-05-15T09:28:00.000-06:002011-05-15T09:28:43.735-06:00Day at the parkLast week Alene and I decided to dust off the bikes and bike trailer and take Bailey for a little ride over to the park. It was nice to get out, although my head was burning like crazy (hot day). <br />
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/root_family/5722742904/" title="IMG_1429 by root_family, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2714/5722742904_1faf07ef41.jpg" width="500" height="374" alt="IMG_1429"></a><br />
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Bailey has been wearing her princess dress every day since her easter pictures (hope to have those up soon)<br />
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/root_family/5722188483/" title="IMG_1432 by root_family, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3585/5722188483_5a1a38fbe4.jpg" width="373" height="500" alt="IMG_1432"></a><br />
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She loves hanging and swinging from things<br />
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/root_family/5722189289/" title="IMG_1440 by root_family, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3365/5722189289_8442177bdd.jpg" width="500" height="500" alt="IMG_1440"></a><br />
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She likes climbing too<br />
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/root_family/5722746480/" title="IMG_1433 by root_family, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2128/5722746480_819e2356c2.jpg" width="373" height="500" alt="IMG_1433"></a><br />
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Ice cream truck came<br />
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/root_family/5722749154/" title="IMG_1436 by root_family, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3193/5722749154_6d183185d5.jpg" width="373" height="500" alt="IMG_1436"></a><br />
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Bailey and mommy were running away from the monster (Daddy)<br />
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/root_family/5722747412/" title="IMG_1447 by root_family, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2662/5722747412_4e438661bd.jpg" width="500" height="500" alt="IMG_1447"></a>Tyler Roothttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10590087874758848506noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8917399.post-38453164911349866362011-03-27T17:19:00.000-06:002011-03-27T17:19:17.492-06:00San Rafael Reef March 2011<a href="http://rootsoutdooradventures.blogspot.com/2011/03/san-rafael-reef-march-2011-day-1.html">Day 1</a><br />
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<a href="http://rootsoutdooradventures.blogspot.com/2011/03/san-rafael-reef-march-2011-day-2.html">Day 2</a>Tyler Roothttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10590087874758848506noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8917399.post-90065995952701501862011-03-27T10:26:00.000-06:002011-03-27T10:26:39.888-06:00Building a play houseI built a play house and swing set for Bailey (and Caiden, even though he may be growing too old for these things). I drew up the plans myself. It's not quite done (still need to paint, add some paneling inside to cover the bare studs, paint, and get some furniture for the inside), but it's usable. I'm also probably going to re-do the ramp leading up to the deck. <br />
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Started off by measuring out placement for the posts<br />
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/root_family/5530491789/" title="IMG_0223 by root_family, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5016/5530491789_413ba0d35c.jpg" width="373" height="500" alt="IMG_0223" /></a><br />
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Cemented in the post holders and mounted the posts and joists<br />
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/root_family/5531076726/" title="IMG_0228 by root_family, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5178/5531076726_f9f87bd69f.jpg" width="500" height="374" alt="IMG_0228" /></a><br />
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Started adding the sub floor<br />
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/root_family/5531077668/" title="IMG_0232 by root_family, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5134/5531077668_74eb51bfc1.jpg" width="500" height="374" alt="IMG_0232" /></a><br />
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Added some cross bracing on the bottom so Bailey could dance on the top<br />
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/root_family/5530496103/" title="IMG_0236 by root_family, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5178/5530496103_79f2319562.jpg" width="500" height="374" alt="IMG_0236" /></a><br />
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Framing (note, for all of you contractors out there, I realize this is not to building code :-), no king plates or proper framing for windows and door ways, but this is just a playhouse).<br />
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/root_family/5530497689/" title="IMG_0238 by root_family, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5096/5530497689_d9775a2286.jpg" width="500" height="374" alt="IMG_0238" /></a><br />
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/root_family/5531082532/" title="IMG_0239 by root_family, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5020/5531082532_7aa55afbf1.jpg" width="500" height="374" alt="IMG_0239" /></a><br />
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/root_family/5530500225/" title="IMG_0268 by root_family, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5297/5530500225_ee4ab3877d.jpg" width="500" height="374" alt="IMG_0268" /></a><br />
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Roof going on (I've never built my own pitched roof before)<br />
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/root_family/5530500947/" title="IMG_0274 by root_family, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5138/5530500947_ba1d254da4.jpg" width="500" height="374" alt="IMG_0274" /></a><br />
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/root_family/5530501955/" title="IMG_0275 by root_family, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5297/5530501955_abb37397e7.jpg" width="500" height="374" alt="IMG_0275" /></a><br />
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/root_family/5530503783/" title="IMG_0277 by root_family, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5173/5530503783_deb8fb4b4b.jpg" width="500" height="374" alt="IMG_0277" /></a><br />
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Added T1-11 to the front and decided to just eventually paint over the OSB on the other sides. Also added cedar to the framing and made a fancy front door<br />
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/root_family/5530507783/" title="IMG_0307 by root_family, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5180/5530507783_e016ee601c.jpg" width="500" height="374" alt="IMG_0307" /></a><br />
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/root_family/5531091096/" title="IMG_0305 by root_family, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5179/5531091096_66c1874ebb.jpg" width="500" height="374" alt="IMG_0305" /></a><br />
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Made sky lights on each side before I roofed it and covered the wood with galvanized metal<br />
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/root_family/5530509613/" title="IMG_0308 by root_family, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5058/5530509613_e89932a4a9.jpg" width="373" height="500" alt="IMG_0308" /></a><br />
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Started making the swing set (note the door I added to the play house in the background and the shutters)<br />
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/root_family/5530511355/" title="IMG_0595 by root_family, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5095/5530511355_f2b7c6c33a.jpg" width="500" height="374" alt="IMG_0595" /></a><br />
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/root_family/5530512889/" title="IMG_0597 by root_family, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5011/5530512889_549141d6ec.jpg" width="500" height="374" alt="IMG_0597" /></a><br />
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/root_family/5531096338/" title="IMG_0596 by root_family, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5100/5531096338_b97e72453e.jpg" width="500" height="374" alt="IMG_0596" /></a><br />
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Bailey loves her play house<br />
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/root_family/5530513757/" title="IMG_0601 by root_family, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5176/5530513757_a65beec28d.jpg" width="500" height="374" alt="IMG_0601" /></a><br />
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Side note: My neighbor is building a TALL playhouse behind us. We both started building at the same time (almost on the same day) without knowing what each of us were up to. We eventually started to help each other out. His has some SERIOUS creativity (he built that slide out of 50 gallon drums). He's still working on it (this picture shows it without the stairs or railing), but he's worked his tail off on this one. <br />
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/root_family/5531098700/" title="IMG_0610 by root_family, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5059/5531098700_4f89dfd432.jpg" width="373" height="500" alt="IMG_0610" /></a>Tyler Roothttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10590087874758848506noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8917399.post-26952698820029253522011-03-27T10:11:00.002-06:002011-03-27T10:11:29.745-06:00In case anyone missed itWe're expecting a Baby this Fall. So excited. <br />
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<iframe title="YouTube video player" width="480" height="390" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/RcQDcRyBVKs" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>Tyler Roothttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10590087874758848506noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8917399.post-41528835565325843482011-01-19T07:25:00.003-07:002011-01-19T07:29:44.720-07:00Music projecthttp://c.itunes.apple.com/WebObjects/MZConnections.woa/wa/viewIMixes?iMixesPageType=1&id=415108150<br />
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(You'll have to copy and paste the link since for whatever reason it doesn't show up when I add link brackets)<br />
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If anyone has iTunes and cares to follow, I'm working on creating a "favorites" playlist from every year, starting with the 1950's. Since there wasn't a TON of Rock and Roll in the 50's (compared to the 60's until the present), I created a "1950's" category, then starting with 1960, I did a category from every year. I've compiled a list up until 1998 so far. <br />
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I think it's fascinating to me to see what songs I like from certain years. It's my goal to really listen to each year and even thin out my lists more. It also makes me wonder what I'm missing from each of those years. <br />
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In order for a song to make the list, it has to be a song that I personally like, it's not on the list just because it was a "hit" during that era. <br />
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Let me know if the link works and if you have iTunes, become my "ping" friend and maybe we can share playlist ideas. <br />
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My list is comprised of Rock and Roll, Soul, Pop, R&B, and Hip Hop/Rap. I think all of these genres pretty much define what I listen to. I do like Country too, but not enough to create a favorites list for every year. I'll likely just create a Country favorites from each decade. <br />
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If the link does not work, go to iTunes, then "Ping" in the tool bar on the left hand, then search my name "John Root" and I'll come right up. On the upper right corner you can sort the music by "name" and it will put the playlists in order from 1950's to present.Tyler Roothttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10590087874758848506noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8917399.post-14646109959580149372010-12-14T21:18:00.001-07:002011-03-13T20:43:58.208-06:00Oh how the mighty have fallenI suck at blogging. I was just looking at my blogging history:<br />
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2004: 47 Posts<br />
2005: 115 Posts<br />
2006: 88 Posts<br />
2007: 89 Posts<br />
2008: 131 Posts<br />
2009: 74 Posts<br />
2010: 12 Posts<br />
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I blame that stupid website facebook. Now I think I'll link this blog post on facebook.....I suck.Tyler Roothttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10590087874758848506noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8917399.post-86776532460700301332010-12-01T23:01:00.001-07:002010-12-01T23:01:57.157-07:00The best Ginger Beer out there<p class="mobile-photo"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_LQsSsKtGp5c/TPc2Vrc5OOI/AAAAAAAAAUw/ktK9wrA_pMY/s1600/photo-717158.JPG"><img src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_LQsSsKtGp5c/TPc2Vrc5OOI/AAAAAAAAAUw/ktK9wrA_pMY/s320/photo-717158.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5545961212199123170" /></a></p>I've been drinking this "Bundaberg" Australian Ginger Beer. By far the best, but it's also expensive. It leaves an awesome ginger after-taste, almost a burning sensation (good burn, not bad). <p>My favorite part of all though is the old styled cap.Tyler Roothttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10590087874758848506noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8917399.post-26914923719685490232010-09-26T18:24:00.002-06:002010-09-26T18:29:34.360-06:00The Dirty DashAlene and I participated in a team 10k run this past weekend called The Dirty Dash. It consisted of us, her sister April, fellow running mate Kris, and our friend Matt. The last race I had run was the Salt Lake Marathon's 5k and after that race I had stopped running due to lack of time. <br />
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Alene told me about this race and asked if I would do it. At first I wasn't sure because I had started to get out of shape, but I really wanted to do something with Alene, so I committed to it. Alene was so good about keeping me on a training schedule and at times we were able to run together in order to keep to the schedule. <br />
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The day of the race came quicker than I thought it would. Saturday was hectic as it was because I had to be back home by noon to coach a football game. We all met up at Solider Hollow in Midway about an hour or so before our start time and just took in the atmosphere. <br />
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Group portrait before we started (Note: All pictures are credited to my brother in-law, <a href="http://summit42.com/wp/">William Church)</a><br />
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/summit42/5023923557/" title="Dirty Dash 9.25.2010 by Summit42, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4149/5023923557_5460e542cf_z.jpg" width="640" height="512" alt="Dirty Dash 9.25.2010" /></a><br />
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This race was not a relay, so we, as a team, were supposed to all run together and finish together. We started off going up a hill which was heavily watered, but really thick with weeds and mud. There had already been 3 heats that took off before us, so as you can imagine, it was pretty nasty by now. After that we worked our way mostly up hill into a back canyon, and then started working our way toward deer creek reservoir.<br />
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Our first major obstacle was various rows of hay bales that we had to either jump or climb over. Matt was pretty slick at being able to clear them completely with both legs tucked. I attempted a cartwheel, but it was more like a ball wheel as I wasn't really extending my legs. <br />
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After the hay bales, we hit the tough obstacles, which were 3 different sets of walls to climb over. Normally they would not be that difficult, but combined with being tired from having ran 3 miles, having a lot of people around, the wall being slick with mud, and the thick mud that existed 20' in front of the wall, it was much more difficult than it looked. <br />
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Tyler going over<br />
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/summit42/5024535952/" title="Dirty Dash 9.25.2010 by Summit42, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4124/5024535952_c57beb6976_z.jpg" width="640" height="512" alt="Dirty Dash 9.25.2010" /></a><br />
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Volunteers making sure it was plenty muddy<br />
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/summit42/5024534642/" title="Dirty Dash 9.25.2010 by Summit42, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4112/5024534642_c0026c857b_z.jpg" width="640" height="426" alt="Dirty Dash 9.25.2010" /></a><br />
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April going over<br />
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/summit42/5023924791/" title="Dirty Dash 9.25.2010 by Summit42, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4113/5023924791_ca7c6d7de8_z.jpg" width="512" height="640" alt="Dirty Dash 9.25.2010" /></a><br />
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After we made it over the last wall, I took the opportunity to give Alene a little present on her neck<br />
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/summit42/5024537388/" title="Dirty Dash 9.25.2010 by Summit42, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4088/5024537388_c96a26a960_z.jpg" width="512" height="640" alt="Dirty Dash 9.25.2010" /></a><br />
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Kris with his game face on<br />
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/summit42/5023926481/" title="Dirty Dash 9.25.2010 by Summit42, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4132/5023926481_6e4eec6440_z.jpg" width="640" height="512" alt="Dirty Dash 9.25.2010" /></a><br />
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From here we ventured down toward Deer Creek reservoir. On the 2nd half of the race we encountered about 100 various-sized tires to high-knee our way through. Everyone expected me to be able to teach proper form since I've coached football for so many years. What they didn't know is that I've never done the tires nor coached it in my life that that those drills are dramatized for movies and TV :-). After that we had a steep hill to slide down, then on through the swampy section of Deer Creek, which was disgusting. About a good 1/4 mile of swamp and black sludge to run through. <br />
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After that we hit our last mile and worked our way back to the water slides, which was a blast. There was 5 rows, so as a team we all ran and dove on, sliding down and dumping out into a big mud pit. <br />
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Alene and I getting out of the slide<br />
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/summit42/5025075196/" title="Dirty Dash 9.25.2010 by Summit42, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4091/5025075196_c718f7245d_z.jpg" width="640" height="512" alt="Dirty Dash 9.25.2010" /></a><br />
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April and Matt working their way up from the slide<br />
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/summit42/5024460409/" title="Dirty Dash 9.25.2010 by Summit42, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4132/5024460409_f29ff534aa_z.jpg" width="512" height="640" alt="Dirty Dash 9.25.2010" /></a><br />
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The end was by far the dirtiest and nastiest, but so much fun. They had a large mud pit with about 3' deep of water. We had to crawl through the pit (could not stand up as they placed low-lieing ropes across it) to the other side, which was about 30' long. Plenty of great pictures.<br />
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The water was really cold for April and Alene, but I think my adrenaline kicked in and I didn't even feel it. I was doing the back stroke during this picture<br />
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/summit42/5024465923/" title="Dirty Dash 9.25.2010 by Summit42, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4087/5024465923_50004dc613_z.jpg" width="640" height="512" alt="Dirty Dash 9.25.2010" /></a><br />
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Kris working his way through the mud<br />
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/summit42/5026446152/" title="The Dirty Dash 9.25.2010 by Summit42, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4130/5026446152_b8e079e876_z.jpg" width="640" height="427" alt="The Dirty Dash 9.25.2010" /></a><br />
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Alene and April half-way through<br />
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/summit42/5025837997/" title="The Dirty Dash 9.25.2010 by Summit42, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4112/5025837997_4240b3c67f_z.jpg" width="640" height="427" alt="The Dirty Dash 9.25.2010" /></a><br />
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Alene and I toward the end<br />
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/summit42/5026455916/" title="Alene and Tyler in the Pit by Summit42, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4133/5026455916_7a36af8cae_z.jpg" width="640" height="427" alt="Alene and Tyler in the Pit" /></a><br />
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Coming out of the pit about to cross the finish line<br />
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/summit42/5027361590/" title="Finish by Summit42, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4152/5027361590_6ce8ddb8ec_z.jpg" width="640" height="427" alt="Finish" /></a><br />
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Victory faces<br />
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/summit42/5025845169/" title="Alene by Summit42, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4132/5025845169_455e1c981e_z.jpg" width="640" height="427" alt="Alene" /></a><br />
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/summit42/5025848045/" title="Tyler by Summit42, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4086/5025848045_5fb8eb85a3_z.jpg" width="512" height="640" alt="Tyler" /></a><br />
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/summit42/5026465076/" title="Kris by Summit42, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4106/5026465076_68cf76b416_z.jpg" width="512" height="640" alt="Kris" /></a><br />
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/summit42/5026467902/" title="April by Summit42, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4092/5026467902_7e34247cba_z.jpg" width="512" height="640" alt="April" /></a><br />
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/summit42/5027359192/" title="Matt by Summit42, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4074/5027359192_fd5a252255_z.jpg" width="512" height="640" alt="Matt" /></a><br />
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Group shot<br />
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/summit42/5027359630/" title="Arms by Summit42, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4112/5027359630_6651aae05f_z.jpg" width="640" height="512" alt="Arms" /></a><br />
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/summit42/5026744193/" title="After by Summit42, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4113/5026744193_0efe710290_z.jpg" width="640" height="427" alt="After" /></a><br />
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Muddy lovers<br />
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/summit42/5027363170/" title="Alene and Tyler by Summit42, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4127/5027363170_8b0ae58701_z.jpg" width="640" height="494" alt="Alene and Tyler" /></a><br />
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/summit42/5023990284/" title="The Dirty Dash by Summit42, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4109/5023990284_daba3d1e25_z.jpg" width="640" height="512" alt="The Dirty Dash" /></a><br />
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The race is a lot of fun and I'm definitely considering doing the shorter version this spring and possibly the 10k again next fall. It was fun just running along with great people, seeing all the hilarious costumes people wore, and carrying on conversation while running a race. Plus, I love getting dirty.Tyler Roothttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10590087874758848506noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8917399.post-43602527514134114282010-06-24T08:11:00.000-06:002010-06-24T08:11:18.959-06:00My trip to CaliforniaCheck out my other blog, which has pictures of my trip to Nor Cal last week.<br />
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<a href="http://rootsoutdooradventures.blogspot.com/2010/06/california-trip-day-12.html">Day 1/2</a> <br />
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<a href="http://rootsoutdooradventures.blogspot.com/2010/06/california-trip-day-3.html">Day 3</a><br />
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<a href="http://rootsoutdooradventures.blogspot.com/2010/06/california-trip-day-45.html">Day 4/5</a>Tyler Roothttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10590087874758848506noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8917399.post-80236785190655260382010-05-25T13:10:00.003-06:002010-05-25T13:12:43.254-06:00Book Review: Into Thin AirIn last month's Outside magazine I read an article about a 13 year old boy from Southern California who was preparing to climb Mount Everest with his dad and step mother. I thought it was a fascinating article about a very motivated kid. His parents were heavily involved with his training, but they made it very clear that they were doing it to support him. Prior to his interest in summiting large mountains (which started at age 9), he was interested in being the next Steve Irwin, so they were fully supportive of him in that regard by surrounding him with opportunities to interact with all kinds of reptiles and animals. They said if tomorrow he wanted to be an NBA basketball player, they would be at the gym that day helping him train to attain that goal as well. <br />
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I'm getting off point, but I had to kind of give an idea of what prompted me to read this book. <br />
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I was talking to Alene about the article and how the author mentioned that Everest does so much damage to both your mind and body, that he wasn't sure it was a good idea for a kid to be doing it. Alene then started talking to me about reading "Into thin air" years ago and how she thought I would like it. She ordered it for me the next day and once I got it, I could not stop reading. <br />
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To summarize the book, it's about a group of 3 summit teams that got lost and stranded on the mountain during their descent in 1996. 8 people died and a few others suffered serious injuries. <br />
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The book took me on a journey that fascinated me and pulled me in much like the book "Lone Survivor" did. I don't read as much as I would like to, so when I read a book I make sure it's going to be a good book. I loved the accounts and history of those that had attempted to summit and those that did. I also felt like I gained more of an appreciation for anyone that attempts to summit Everest. The toll it takes on your body is so harsh. I thought we lived at a decent altitude, but knowing that the closest city from their basecamp was at the same level as the highest peak in Utah, it just blew me away.<br />
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I remember hiking to the summit of Timpanogos and while I was out of shape, I also noticed feeling a bit light-headed at the top at 11,749 feet. I wasn't sure if it was from being out of shape, or from the altitude. I can't imagine being almost twice as high in the air, which is where Everest is. I do remember the small joy of being up on that mountain and feeling like I had accomplished something against myself. Then I turned around and saw two younger kids and their parents and I didn't feel as special. It was still tough and I'm anxious to do Timp this year and maybe fit in Nebo, then attempt Kings Peak the next summer.<br />
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The author was very brutally honest about most of the situations that happened and about those he climbed with. He himself was a mountaineer and had spent a lot of his life on high mountain expeditions, but nothing close to the magnitude of Everest. <br />
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The book made me want to climb something higher. I'm not sure why though. Is it the macho man in me that wants to do it? Is it for bragging rights? I think ultimately its my competitive spirit. I've always been competitive in things I do, whether its arguing a point or playing a sport, but I've never been one of those that are so competitive that I whine or get in fights about things not going my way. Lately, with the running I've been doing, I've found a more challenging aspect of competition for me is competing against myself and I've been doing that with running. How scary and nuts it would be to see what you could do on a mountain like that. <br />
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I'm confident I would never do Everest because it costs a lot of money (about $40-$60k) and because it's too dangerous and I have people that depend on me. However, this book definitely motivated me to push myself a bit more and get out and see what I can do. It also taught me about not judging people for their actions in tough times. Some of the deaths could have easily been avoided, but it's not my place to point out faults and weaknesses of others. Nobody knows how they'll respond at that altitude (they say often times that your thought process diminishes to that of a 4-5 year old) and in those deathly circumstances. <br />
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It's a great book and a fast read and I'd recommend it to anyone.<br />
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Oh, by the way, I found out 2 days ago that the 13 year old boy made it to the summit and back safely.Tyler Roothttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10590087874758848506noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8917399.post-27439179268252080592010-04-19T08:06:00.001-06:002010-04-20T08:22:24.664-06:00I'm not a runnerBut I am a competitor (at least sometimes) and it felt good to compete in a race this past weekend. Alene has ran a few races in the past year and has really inspired me to give it a try. As I've documented here and there, I've been losing a lot more weight as of late (since November I've lost about 30 lbs). I've been able to maintain a somewhat regular work out plan and some of that included some running. So, I gave it a go and signed up for the 5k, worried that I would never be in shape enough to run a half marathon. I entered in the "clydesdale" division, which is for men over 200 lbs (my current weight fluctuates between 210 and 215 now).<br />
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Most of my training runs consisted of treadmill time. I've never been big on using the treadmill to really see how fast I can go; mostly just to burn fat by increasing the incline portion as high as it can go, then maintaining a brisk hiking pace. This typically helps burn fat. Once a week I'd give it a go and do a good 3 mile run. I had been disappointed as of late because my runs on the treadmill had resulted in HORRIBLE times and I was getting worried that I'd not be able to maintain the kind of pace I'd like to for the race. <br />
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As race day came closer, I just kind of gave it an "oh well" and didn't really worry about it too much. As the day approached, I got a little nervous, hoping I could run a better time than my earlier training times (initially when I'd run on the streets I could do 3 miles in a little over 26 minutes, but with my treadmill times slacking I kind of gave up hope on getting that). Alene had kept telling me that it won't matter come race day, you'll find something extra inside you that pushes you beyond what you think you can do. She was right. <br />
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She and I both arrived to the gateway (the finish line area) around 5:45am. I dropped her off at the trax station close by so she could get a ride up to her start line for the half marathon she was going to be doing. I hung around the gateway in the morning and just kind of took in the atmosphere and tried to psyche myself up and get my body stretched out enough to feel good about running. I have a really hard time getting my hips stretched out, so I was worried about that. <br />
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Here are a couple of pictures from the early morning start/finish line for us 5k runners.<br />
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/root_family/4534371745/" title="04.17.10 SLC Marathon by root_family, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4034/4534371745_8f9a12b6e7.jpg" width="500" height="281" alt="04.17.10 SLC Marathon" /></a><br />
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/root_family/4534374739/" title="04.17.10 SLC Marathon by root_family, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4048/4534374739_e4eaff2ac2.jpg" width="500" height="281" alt="04.17.10 SLC Marathon" /></a><br />
<br />
As the race time got closer, I found my mother in-law (Merlene), brother and sister in-law (Sam and Alysha). Sam and Alysha had signed up for the race as well, so I was glad I had someone to start off with. With about 15 minutes to starting time, we decided to get in the race line. We were back about 150 yards from the starting line; there were a TON of people. Just as the race gun went off, you could see far ahead, heads bobbing as they started to take off. It was also then that I had to pee REALLY badly, and noticed a restroom hall just to my left. I told Sam and Alysha "sorry" and I ran inside to relieve myself. It must have been last-second jitters or something. I came out and just walked to the starting line because they have sensors on our bibs that don't start timing us until we hit the starting line. I pressed play on my 26 minute playlist on my ipod and started the run.<br />
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At first it was a mad-house just trying to weave in and out of people. A lot of the people were just doing a fun walk and had huge jog strollers and stuff like that. I found myself spending the first 1-1.5 miles just weaving in, out, and around other groups. It was kind of an awesome feeling knowing that I was passing up all of these people, even if they were walking/jogging (that's the competitor in me). As I got to the first mile, all of a sudden the crowd in front of me started cheering because the dude that was going to take first place was on his way back (the course was an up and back, so we were passing other runners on our way back). It was WAY impressive to see this dude on what looked almost like a sprint, heading back the other way so quickly. I couldn't help but cheer for him as well. He ended up finishing it averaging less than 5 minutes per mile!<br />
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The hardest part of the race was coming back up State Street. We ran down from south Temple to 300 south, kind of did a loop through the lower galivan center road, then back up 300 south to south temple again, so 3 blocks of up-hill running, which wasn't that bad. Again, it was liberating to be passing people going up hill and by this time we had thinned out from the walkers, to people that were mostly running. As I got to the top of State street, I knew it was all downhill from here and I really started to stride out. I had no idea how I was doing on time, but I could tell from my playlist I was doing pretty good. At this point not one person had passed me, but one dude began to kind of feel my presence and started to speed up. It kind of motivated me to speed up as well, and eventually I passed him too. <br />
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As we got closer to the gateway, I was so stoked. I rounded the corner to head up the main drive of the gateway and to the finish line. It was here that I had this burst of energy which was assisted by the following: The crescendo of the song "this too shall pass" by OK Go, the HUGE crowd of people lined up cheering you on, then off to the right I saw this sign with my name on it and I thought "hey, that's my name", then I saw my MIL, and my two nieces (Hanna and Abbey) holding a sign for me. It was an awesome feeling approaching that finish line and it was AMAZING to just feel all of your pain go away for that last 150 yard dash to the finish line. As soon as I crossed, all of a sudden all of the pain came back and I was hurting. They gave us water and sent us on our way to the racers hang-out area. Along that line they gave us stuff like bananas, chocolate milk, cookies, apples, etc. <br />
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I went back to find my family and ran into my mom, Caiden, and Bailey. I was happy to hear that they were able to see me finish as well (I didn't think they would be able to). It was at this point I had no idea where I had finished. They told me to just wait until the evening to find out on-line. I figured there were so many people out there, that I probably did good, but not good enough to place anywhere.<br />
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We waited around until it was time to watch for Alene. It was so cool to see her make that last dash down the main drag across the finish line as well. She was so focused and she SMASHED her previous time by about 10 minutes. So amazing and impressive to see that. She finished around 1:49.<br />
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Here is Alene and Bailey after her race. Bailey was not interested in wearing mommy's medal.<br />
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/root_family/4535010702/" title="04.17.10 SLC Marathon by root_family, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4005/4535010702_fdab49eefd.jpg" width="500" height="281" alt="04.17.10 SLC Marathon" /></a><br />
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Here's Alene and I after our race<br />
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/root_family/4534375545/" title="04.17.10 SLC Marathon by root_family, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4060/4534375545_15937f2173.jpg" width="500" height="281" alt="04.17.10 SLC Marathon" /></a><br />
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I was not able to hang around to see Alene's sister April finish the marathon because Caiden had a basketball game. April had overcome some serious obstacles in order to run this race and still did amazing (she did some serious damage to her leg about a month before the race after training for a LONG time). <br />
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Here are my total results:<br />
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5k (3.2 miles)<br />
24:39 (7:56 average for my mile)<br />
2/37 for my entrance division (clydesdale; men over 200 lbs); I was 4 seconds away from first<br />
15/97 for men my age group (30-34 years old)<br />
83/597 among all male runners<br />
103/1836 among all runners<br />
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I still don't consider myself a runner though. I think I'd like to do a half marathon, but I doubt I'd ever attempt a full marathon. The most satisfaction I get is knowing that I can push my body to do things that I thought were impossible and that I feel healthy as I do things.Tyler Roothttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10590087874758848506noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8917399.post-30438947741015761432010-02-17T14:00:00.001-07:002010-02-17T14:07:19.073-07:00Where I'm at.....Been a while since I've blogged. Since starting the diet back in early December, I'm feeling good. I've still got random flab here and there, but I'm feeling so much stronger and leaner. All of my pants don't fit, but I'm still not ready to go clothes shopping. It's kind of frustrating having to cinch the pants and kind of fold them over in order to put my belt on, but it's better than the alternative (getting fatter). <br />
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I'm down to about 220 now (I was as much as 245 at one point). I've still got another 20 lbs to go, then hoping to drop maybe even 10 more lbs after that. I've been able to consistently go to the gym, except for the past week.<br />
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I started getting this REALLY bad pain in my upper back/neck area. I've had it at times before, but then it would go away. This time it stayed. It's limited my ability to turn my head, to sit, stand, etc. It hurts so bad. I saw a chiropractor for a consultation on Friday of last week, but since he couldn't get the x-rays instantly developed (like most modern places can) he would have to wait until Monday to diagnose. He used an electrical stimulator on my back for about 10 minutes, which felt GREAT, but after about 5 minutes of being off it, the pain came back. I tried to tough out the pain, but I couldn't make it. On Saturday, at the last minute, I schedule a 1 hr massage and that too felt great as soon as I was done, but about 5 minutes later the pain came back again. I spent all day Sunday with an ice pack on my back and Monday I went into the Chiropractor to find I have a couple of pinched nerves in my neck.<br />
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I'm getting treatment with adjustments here and there. Some people say Chiropractors are more like witch doctors. I really don't know what to believe. I know they go to school for what they do and they seem to understand the body well. I really like to believe in the power of having strong mental focus on healing (or at least it being a part of your healing process). Chiropractors stress a lot of healthy living as a part of taking care of your back. I've had 3 adjustments so far and little by little it's feeling better, but I'm not 100% again. He said about 7 or so adjustments should help get rid of the pain. <br />
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This is the first time I've gone a week without working out. He said I can go back to working out, just stay away from high-impact stuff and any upper-body workouts. I can't wait to get back to the gym.<br />
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One thing that's kind of saved me more than my gym-going is my diet. I remember for the 4+ years we were married, seeing Alene track what she ate every day. I didn't think it was stupid, I just thought it was a pointless waste of time. Now I'm more maticulous than she is about it. My biggest gripe with it was the time it took to track everything. With the help of modern technology, it's really made it easier. My phone synchs with the web site I use, so I don't have to remember everything. I've tried to stay within a 2000 calorie diet and I think that is exactly what has helped me lose weight the most. When I think back, I used to consume at least 3000 calories a day, which is why I gained so much weight. The simple adage that if you eat less calories than you burn, you'll lose weight. I've been able to do it without starving myself, just watching more what I eat. Sodas are now Diet (but every now and then I'll have a regular one). I still eat ice cream in the evening (which I shouldn't either way), so I'm not 100% following the rules, but I'm still losing weight, which is good. <br />
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Life itself is moving along. I've now been at my current job for one year. I still feel like I have a ton to learn, but for the most part I have enough knowledge to get by. I rely on my boss for information on a weekly, if not daily basis at times. I'd like to get more independant enough so he can fully trust I can do my job. Work is funny because sometimes It's busy where it looks like a tornado hit my desk, then it's SLOW, but there is always something to be done, even when it's slow. <br />
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The family is doing well. Caiden has started seeing a counselor. We thought it would be good for him to have someone to talk to outside of the family, who could allow him to vent or talk about something without worrying about getting in trouble. We've also reluctantly started him on medication for ADHD treatment. I really don't like the idea of him being on medication and I've held out or plainly ignored the warning signs for years, but we felt it should be something we should try. So far he's showing pretty good improvement with being able to stay on task and for the most part is getting his work done in class, which is nice. I love my son so dearly and want so much for him to be happy and have a sense of where he belongs in this world and within our family. <br />
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Bailey is so sweet. I love her to DEATH. I've had the good fortune of having some days off (Federal holidays for bank employees) while Alene has worked and just spending time with her is a joy. She's really starting to become a little girl, with a preference for wearing her beaded necklaces. She used to just rip them off, but now she wears them a lot. Alene is still her number one person, as when she wakes up the first thing you hear is "MAMA!" She loves her mom so much. Alene does such a good job raising her and teaching her. There is no doubt in my mind that the wonderful little girl that Bailey is, is a direct result in the wonderful mothering Alene provides. Bailey also loves Caiden so much. The other day when we dropped him off at his mother's, she cried so badly because we left him there. She's really starting to notice and identify our family and that we belong together. <br />
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Alene and I are both ready for the spring to come. I wasn't too happy about ground hog day, but for now it appears that the prediction was just for the east-coasters. I'm dieing to get out and hike with Alene, especially now that I'm feeling in shape and know I can keep up with her. If we ever do something hard-core, she always kicks my trash and I feel bad that I have to ask her to slow down at times. I just wish we were able to work out more time together, as I'm sure most couples do. We are settled into a routine, which I know Alene hates, and I really don't mind, so it's hard to try to figure that out between the two of us. I still love Alene with all of my heart and I hope every day she knows it. I'm still not the best at showing it though. Something I need to keep working on. At times I day dream about quitting my job, moving somewhere far away and remote and being happy with her, then my phone rings and reminds me to get back to work. I've got to keep dreaming though.Tyler Roothttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10590087874758848506noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8917399.post-58543090219661031172010-01-25T20:26:00.000-07:002010-01-25T20:26:35.886-07:00We got a new keyboard for our laptopBailey had a habit of busting it out, then busting out the keys on the keyboard. About 10% of them were un-usable, so we ordered a new one. I was surprised at how easy it was to change out a laptop keyboard. <br />
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Anyway, I gave the old one to Bailey, and she finally was able to complete her masterpiece. I'm sure she had this intended all along.<br />
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/root_family/4304951825/" title="bailey's laptop keyboard by root_family, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4061/4304951825_00b034625d.jpg" width="500" height="281" alt="bailey's laptop keyboard" /></a><br />
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I've been fortunate to be able to spend a bit more time with Bailey with Alene working the Sundance film festival. I love her so much. She is such a joy to be around, even when she gets moody or sassy. Last Friday I met Alene at the Children's Discovery center (at the Gateway, downtown SLC) and I was able to play with Bailey for a while. We had a great time.<br />
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/root_family/4304948483/" title="Bailey in the fire truck at the Gateway by root_family, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4004/4304948483_5f39481531.jpg" width="500" height="375" alt="Bailey in the fire truck at the Gateway" /></a><br />
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/root_family/4305691282/" title="Bailey in the helicopter at the Gateway by root_family, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4058/4305691282_b4586afa07.jpg" width="375" height="500" alt="Bailey in the helicopter at the Gateway" /></a><br />
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/root_family/4304951563/" title="Daddy and Bailey at the Gateway by root_family, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2803/4304951563_2d3f3f04db.jpg" width="375" height="500" alt="Daddy and Bailey at the Gateway" /></a><br />
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/root_family/4305691386/" title="Daddy and Bailey at the Gateway by root_family, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2727/4305691386_0652db4632.jpg" width="375" height="500" alt="Daddy and Bailey at the Gateway" /></a><br />
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She has all kinds of great expressions too, like this:<br />
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/root_family/4300188223/" title="photo3 by root_family, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2679/4300188223_d4a5e5a6f0_o.jpg" width="600" height="800" alt="photo3" /></a>Tyler Roothttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10590087874758848506noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8917399.post-49450821298500981072010-01-19T10:17:00.001-07:002010-01-19T10:17:22.072-07:00Bailey is a climber!My little 17 month old Bailey is so adventurous. I had the good fortune to spend half the day with her by myself while Alene worked (I work for a bank, so we had MLK day off). I had a lot of fun just playing with her for the day. We were downstairs and I left her in her room to play for a bit while I picked up some things in the family room. When I came back into her room, I found she had crawled into her crib! She was laughing and jumping up and down. She was so happy to be in there. I was blown away that this tiny little girl (she is a little small for her age) somehow figured out a way to get into her crib. She has a book shelf next to her crib, so she must have climbed up that, then on top of it, then into her crib. <br />
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It's so amazing to see our children grow up and develop their own personalities and take on traits from us. Bailey's sense of adventure is no doubt a direct trait from her mommy. I'm so excited every day to see Bailey and see the progress she makes as she grows. I love her so much.Tyler Roothttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10590087874758848506noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8917399.post-48859031278202794392010-01-07T10:25:00.000-07:002010-01-07T10:25:51.988-07:00A day of sledding with Bailey<object width="425" height="344"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/uyi8yBYFKAY&hl=en&fs=1"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/uyi8yBYFKAY&hl=en&fs=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="425" height="344"></embed></object>Tyler Roothttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10590087874758848506noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8917399.post-23834059393771371142010-01-03T22:14:00.002-07:002010-01-07T10:25:16.385-07:00Desperation as a parentLast week I received a phone call on my cell phone that was coming from "Blocked". I answered it and there was a voice I did not recognize on the other end, but I knew who it was. He was the father of a kid I used to coach a few years ago. I didn't recognize his voice because I had never heard him speak before. I had never heard him speak before because he doesn't speak english very well. <br />
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He and his family, which consist of a wife, 3 boys and a girl, are immigrants from Croatia. They moved here about 14 years ago to get away from all the war that had ravished their country. When I coached his son (who, by the way was a STUD athlete and a lot of fun to coach), he told me that his father doesn't have a job, or can't keep a job because he doesn't speak english. He seemed kind of upset about his father not working and I too have passed judgement on him, thinking if he's lived here for over 10 years, why hasn't he taken the opportunity to improve himself by learning english so he can get a job? His parents rarely came to games because they didn't have a car. Alene once picked them up and gave them a ride to our championship game, which I'm sure they appreciated. <br />
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It's been about 3 years since I'd seen his parents. He started off with small talk of some sort (in broken english) but eventually I realized he was calling me asking for money. At first I had no idea what he was asking because his english was so broken. I remember his son saying that his dad was embarrassed to talk because of how bad his english is. I can't imagine how hard it was for his dad to call me to ask for money. He kept saying, "Tax refund you paying back, tell wife". I eventually realized he was saying he would pay me back with his tax refund and he wanted me to ask my wife if we could loan him money. I told him I'd call him back in a bit and hung up.<br />
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I got off the phone and talked with Alene about it. At first I was a bit put off, thinking it was kind of weird, and worrying about if we loaned him money, would he pay us back? The amount wasn't astounding, but it was still be considered "a lot" of money for us. We don't have a ton of liquid savings (anything I really save is either in a retirement account, or Caiden and Bailey's education savings), but we had enough to cover what he was needing. <br />
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Alene and I thought about it a bit and the more we thought about it, the more it seemed like a good idea to give it to him. In fact, we eventually came to the conclusion that if he didn't pay us back, we weren't going to worry about it. Eventually I started to think even more about telling him to NOT pay us back. I've been so blessed over the past year with a good job, my families health, my own health, and so many other things that there is no way I shouldn't pass up on an opportunity to show my appreciation for the blessings in my life. During a time when people are losing their jobs and lives are falling apart financially, mine is not and I should be thankful. I was determined to give him the money and tell him to not pay us back. I even pulled out an extra $20 to give to him.<br />
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I met him at my work the next day. He walked in and gave me a big hug and had a huge smile on his face. I put the cash in a sealed envelope with his name on it and gave it to him. I told him "don't pay us back" and repeated it in an many ways I could in order to get my point across to him. I told him to take care of his family and tell them hello for me. He smiled and nodded and said thank you. I still don't know if he understood what I was telling him, but I felt good about it and if he tries to pay us back, we won't accept it.<br />
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I have no idea what he needed the money for, but I kept thinking about how desperate he must have been. I remember him mentioning something about Christmas when he called me and I can only imagine that he was telling me they didn't have one. I've learned and realized that as a father you may not be a perfect one, but a real father would do anything he can for his family, including stepping out of his comfort zone. I look at it as paying him for teaching me a lesson about taking care of my family no matter how hard it is to step out of my comfort zone.<br />
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Thanks honey, for being willing to assist someone in need with me.Tyler Roothttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10590087874758848506noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8917399.post-33363958729946545112010-01-03T09:39:00.000-07:002010-01-03T09:39:08.386-07:00Caiden's football collage from 2009One our team parents, Mindy Tuikolovatu, is a photographer specializing in portraits. The past two years she has done these AMAZING collages of our kids at no charge (she even prints it up on a huge poster-sized photo for each kid). If anyone is looking for a person to do a great portraits, please visit her web site at: <a href="http://www.photographybymindyt.com/">http://www.photographybymindyt.com/</a><br />
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(Click <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/root_family/4240522779/sizes/l/">HERE</a> for large version)<br />
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/root_family/4240522779/" title="2009 Caiden Football by root_family, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2761/4240522779_e963ed64a6.jpg" width="500" height="333" alt="2009 Caiden Football" /></a><br />
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(Click <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/root_family/4240522789/sizes/l/">HERE</a> for large version)<br />
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/root_family/4240522789/" title="2009 Kearns Gremlins by root_family, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2705/4240522789_4a0bcd81e7.jpg" width="500" height="405" alt="2009 Kearns Gremlins" /></a>Tyler Roothttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10590087874758848506noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8917399.post-50205802286230266362010-01-01T17:20:00.003-07:002010-01-01T17:20:47.594-07:00A day of sledding with Bailey<object width="425" height="344"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/uyi8yBYFKAY&hl=en&fs=1"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/uyi8yBYFKAY&hl=en&fs=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="425" height="344"></embed></object>Tyler Roothttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10590087874758848506noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8917399.post-39199750697609672172009-12-31T11:24:00.002-07:002010-01-07T10:23:26.751-07:00Losing weight, getting in shapeSorry I don't blog as much as I used to. Just busy I guess. <br />
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So, it's been about a month since I've been working out on a consistent basis. So far, I'm loving the results. I've lost roughly 10-12 lbs, I have more energy, and I feel healthier, even though I have a long way to go. <br />
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I think my biggest advantage has been the ability to track my diet and everything I eat. I'm much more aware of what is going into my body. I use the web site: <a href="http://dailyburn.com">http://dailyburn.com</a> which is a great, free option to track everything. I mainly focus on my daily intake of Calories (I try to stay between 1900-2300), Fat (45-75 grams a day), Protein (100-175 grams a day), and Carbs (200-275 per day). If I fall below any of those, I honestly don't care too much. Lately I've really been trying to get more Protein than anything because I feel a difference in my energy level through the day. My profile can be found here: <a href="http://dailyburn.com/locker_room/tai62">Profile</a><br />
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I'm somewhat shy about talking about losing weight for two reason. Number one, I don't want to come off as some dude that is WAY too much into his image and I'm trying to keep up with "The Joneses"; and number two, I'm embarassed at how much weight I've put on since getting married. I'll shamefully admit I was about 200 lbs and I've ballooned up to about 240. I'm down to 228 so far and feeling so good. <br />
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So far my workouts have consisted of aerobic stuff with Alene at home (I've done workouts like "Bridal sculpt and burn", which prepares me for looking good on my wedding day and having all of my brides maids jealous of me, you too should try it), a combination of Elliptical/Treadmill at the gym, some weigh lifting, and abdominal workouts. I've also been taking suppliments to help. I take a great pre-workout suppliment that gives me a ton of energy to get me through my workout. My body is SO worn out when it wears off, but I can definitely feel the difference. I also take protein shakes post-workout. Lastly, I subscribe to Men's Health magazine and I got this kick-ass workout called the Spartan workout. The only thing you need for it is a pair of dumbells. It's fast-paced so you get some good cardio burn, and it focuses on a total body workout. My first day of doing it (last Saturday) KILLED my body and I couldn't walk for two days. I've done it a second time (yesterday) and the only sore spot on my body today is my Abs, which makes me feel that my body is used to it.<br />
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I have many reasons for wanting to be in shape and I'll start first with my wife. Alene has always been the epitome of someone in shape. Since the day I met her I was always impressed with her consistency in going to the gym and wanting to take care of her body. She doesn't go to the gym to compete with other women and try to look good. She goes to the gym because she likes how it makes her feel physically. I've also admired her for her ability to watch what she eats (most of the time anyway, if you ask her she'll tell you she's only eats junk food). She's always been very conscious about striving to eat healthy things. I feel so guilty because she feels like she's stooped to my level by eating more fatty things since she's married me. I'm such a pig. <br />
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As I go through this phase, I hope to get back down to the weight I was at when we first married. If I can go any lower than that, that's fine, but I want to then focus on getting stronger. I also ponder other reasons I want to lose weight and get in shape. I'll list the positives, then the negatives:<br />
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<b><u>POSITIVES</u></b><br />
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I'll feel better physically<br />
I'll look better to Alene (even though she loves me for who I am)<br />
I'll be able to do more kick-ass hikes with Alene<br />
I'll set an example for my children that our health is important<br />
Hopefully I'll live longer as a result<br />
I'll have more energy and strength for doing things I love<br />
More overall confidence in myself<br />
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<b><u>NEGATIVES</u></b><br />
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I recently bought two pairs of jeans I LOVE and I'm already having to "cinch" them up; I'll have to buy a lot of new clothes<br />
I'll be more apt to take my shirt off in public, forcing everyone to put on their sunglasses and shout "SASQUACH!"<br />
No more "Thirds and Fourths" at the dinner table <br />
No more excuses asking Alene to slow down on evening walks and using the "because I'm out of shape" excuse<br />
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I think the positives outweigh the negatives. I'm really feeling good about my progress so far.<br />
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One more thing that has recently inspired me is a section in Men's Health called "the belly-off club". They feature a person who has recently lost a lot of weight and all of them have had consistent means of doing it: Watching their diet and getting at least 3 days of exercise. One person I recently saw was 268 lbs (at 5'9") and is now down to 165 lbs. He did it all in 13 months. Pretty amazing. <br />
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I have so many other goals I want to accomplish, most of them with Alene. I hope to be able to run a 5K, and eventually a 1/2 Marathon with her (even though she hates running them). I want to do a Triathalon. I want to be competitive athletically as I was when I was in high school. I know it's not for everyone to be competitive, but for whatever reason it's something that drives me to compete, even if it's against myself. So far I've been doing a good job (relatively) on the treadmill. I can consistenly run 3 miles with no problems. My only issue is I run out of time and have to stop. I'm hoping to be able to eventually run 5 miles in 50 minutes or less.<br />
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So, here's to the new year and me getting slimmer. I'm really excited for this coming year because I have somewhat of a grip on my job now, and also have a lot of vacation time to use. I'm going to plan some great hikes and camping trips with Alene and hope to get a lot accomplished this coming year. I hope you all are looking forward to the future as much as I am.Tyler Roothttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10590087874758848506noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8917399.post-91375138899023187232009-12-15T22:07:00.000-07:002009-12-15T22:07:23.265-07:002009 Root Family year in reviewHere is a direct link. Much better viewed in full screen.<br />
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<a href="http://www.scrapblog.com/viewer/viewer.aspx?sbid=2368575">2009 Root Family year in review</a><br />
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<object width="420" height="312" ><param name="movie" value="http://www.scrapblog.com/viewer/viewer_v2_embed.swf?scrapblogId=2368575&showShareButton=true&showShareInitially=true&showOnlyShare=false&partnerId=1" /></param><embed src="http://www.scrapblog.com/viewer/viewer_v2_embed.swf?scrapblogId=2368575&showShareButton=true&showShareInitially=true&showOnlyShare=false&partnerId=1" width="420" height="312"></embed></object>Tyler Roothttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10590087874758848506noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8917399.post-6378863925830805032009-12-10T08:04:00.000-07:002009-12-10T08:04:46.531-07:00Front yard<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/root_family/4171238466/" title="12.8.09 Front walkway by root_family, on Flickr"><img alt="12.8.09 Front walkway" height="358" src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2649/4171238466_ff7b6254a3_b.jpg" width="640" /></a>Tyler Roothttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10590087874758848506noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8917399.post-48540264292920878692009-12-10T08:01:00.000-07:002009-12-10T08:01:59.994-07:00I'm still aliveI've been busy, as you all know, during the Fall. With it now being over, I hope to blog a bit more. I've mostly just been blogging about my son's football season. We finished the season 11-0 and won our championship game 46-12. What a blast to pay one of our best games last. It was even more exciting because we played it in the worst possible conditions (white-out blizzard). <br />
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Here's my coaching blog in case you're interested in how our season went (highlight videos are from each game).<br />
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<a href="http://twopeasandtheirpod.com/">Coach Root</a><br />
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Just got a crazy snow storm here. I'm wanting a snow blower REALLY bad. <br />
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Work is going well. About 1.5 months and I'll have been on the job for a year now. I think I can hack this thing, I just wish my office was closer to home. Maybe someday.<br />
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I'm trying to get back in shape and have been working out with Alene for about 2 weeks so far now. I really hope we can keep it going. I've lost about 6 lbs so far. I honestly want to be down to about 185 lbs, but I know I need to take it in steps, so I'm wanting to lose 10 more lbs and get down to 220. Then 210, then 200, etc. I was 200 when I married Alene, so she at least deserves that :-). <br />
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I've got a few projects I want to work on during the winter (if I can find the time). I have a TON of my families old home movies that I want to get put onto a DVD for everyone. I also have a lot of footage from my friend <a href="http://www.mynameistim.com/">Tim's</a> film we did about 6 years ago that I want to upload and edit. My brother Russ had it all edited, then deleted it on his computer, thinking nobody cared about it. I still would like to get it finished to know we had it completed. Tim wasn't super happy with how it turned out, but I really think it's important for something like this to be finished regardless of quality, so I'm going to get it done. <br />
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Anyway, hoping to be able to enjoy the holidays and find time to get closer to my family. Caiden is having a hard time in the home, so I really want him to know we love him. Bailey is SO cute and I'm having fun watching her grow and learn. <br />
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That's about it for now.Tyler Roothttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10590087874758848506noreply@blogger.com2