Montana

I flew out to Montana last Saturday morning with my best friend Marcus for the week, to visit his grandma’s ranch outside of a town called Roundup. I love the West and was so anxious to get back out there and experience the wild ruggedness that it has to offer. There is just something about it that puts a big smile on my face just thinking about it.  To quote myself on one of my solo road trips back in 2005, “my mouth is starting to hurt; I’ve been smiling for the last 23 hours on my drive out here”. To most people it is a vast part of the country that is desolate for a reason and its ruggedness has nothing to offer, much less be admired, but to me, it’s one gigantic slice of heaven far too great for me to comprehend.

Marcus and I had so much fun out there with his, my new, Grandma Payton. She is such a wonderful lady, who so graciously opened up her ranch to me as if I was her own. I couldn’t have asked for a better host for the week. Grandma never let our stomachs reach half full. She was always feeding us something, including her famous homemade bread and honey butter, which I dare say is the best I’ve ever had.

We spent the week doing all sorts of fun stuff that every man should be so gracious to encounter at least once in life. We helped her with lots of ranch work that she had been putting off, since her late husband passed away and ankle injury last year. We fed the horses each morning and evening, cleaned out the stalls, fixed a cattle guard, fixed the diesel truck, cleared out some debris and picked up a load of sawdust from town. These may have been work activities, but it sure didn’t feel like it. We were always ready to conquer the next work activity. Our fun activities, if you will, were shooting guns, riding horses, prairie dog/coyote hunting, visit to West Yellowstone, riding four wheelers & the big Ford 350 diesel around in the snow. In the evenings, after a big dinner made by grandma and my studly grill skills, we would watch classic western movies. It was such a wonderful trip and I can't wait to get back out there again!  

Unloading a load of Sawdust

Arabian Horses 

Driving the F-350 around

Montana Evening 

Prairie Dog Hunting

New Years in NYC

Once again, I had the great opportunity to spend New Year’s Eve in Times Square with some of my buddies. It was wonderful to be back in the great city of New York with all its hustle and bustle. I went with the same guys I did last year: Bo, Marcus and my brother Chris. This year we were able to stay a few extra days to hang out and enjoy more of the city's shopping and restaurants. And luckily, this year we did not break record cold temperatures like we did last year waiting on the ball to drop. That’s not to say we weren’t freezing, we were, especially the last couple days when it got windy. It just wasn’t as bad as last year, and we were more prepared.  

My brother and I on New Year's Eve

Marcus and I on New Year's Eve

Me in Times Square on New Years Day

Chris, Marcus and Bo on New Year's Eve

As for New Year’s Resolutions…

Out at Times Square with my buddies, I said my resolutions were to: 1) Get back in shape & eat healthier. Which I realize was on my list last year, and I actually did really well for the first 7 months or so while trying to get in shape for my sister’s wedding and beach/lake trips. But as soon as July hit…..wow, did I ever start slacking off! I don’t remember what it was, but I seriously just stopped even trying! I guess it was the summer coming to an end or feeling the need to get my winter coat growing for warmth this winter! But regardless of why, I ended the year right back where I started.  I will once again try again this year….even if it is just for wedding and beach season. 2) I want to get my career/business growing more successfully this year and/or make a change if need be, desired or feel called to.

Since then though, I’ve given it a little more thought and talked it out with a friend of mine and I need to add to that list. In 2010, I really want to get my life back on track both mentally and spiritually. Part of the year in 2009, I really just lost focus and just disengaged from life mentally, spiritually and socially. It was like I climbed up in my attic and just took a year off from life. I mean that’s not to say I didn’t have any fun or didn’t have a good year. I did, I had some really great times in 2009, some great trips, experiences and real fun times, but there were those weeks where I really struggled. It was a tough year struggling with my career at times, relationships, seeking direction, despair over circumstances in my past, and all those things together wrapped up in my relationship with the Lord. It was just a stale, distant and what felt like a non growing relationship for the most part. But looking back it was a great growing experience and I really have grown in so many ways. It was just a tough growth period, which made it feel stale and at times impossible. I know I had reasons behind my actions, and looking back I am glad I went through that, but now I’ve conquered it and I’m ready to get back out there and engage. I want it back. I want my smile, my happiness over the close relationship that I had with the Lord and get back on track and engage in life. 

Christmas

I had a wonderful Christmas this year at my parent’s home in Chattanooga. Chris came up from Birmingham and spent a few days with us. Kate & Johnny also spent Christmas Eve & Day with us before heading over to Memphis to see Johnny’s family. We all had a wonderful time Christmas Eve at the Candlelight service, Christmas Eve dinner, checking out the Christmas window displays downtown and ending the night with our kid tradition of watching/falling asleep to Home Alone. Sadly, it was just Chris and I this year; Kate has left the tradition and decided she just had to go home with Johnny this year, being married and all...sad day. But the two of us are keeping the tradition alive, for now.  Christmas day was wonderful as well. We started the morning off with a wonderful breakfast made by my dad. He makes the best country ham, with red eye gravy and biscuits this side of the Mississippi. The rest of the day we spent opening presents and hanging out around the house. In the evening, after my brother’s wonderful girlfriend, Lauren arrived; my whole family went to the movies to watch Sherlock Holmes on opening day. It was a great movie. And we ended the night at Big River with some friends. It was a wonderful day. The only pictures I have are of house decorations…etc.  I am waiting on my sis to send me the Christmas pictures she took of the family, but until then, the ones I took will have to do!

I hope everyone had a very Merry Christmas & I wish everyone a Happy New Year! 

Cozy Fire Place

gift quantity may appear larger than it actually was

December Snow

Thanksgiving

My family (minus Kate & Johnny) had a wonderful Thanksgiving this year up at the Manley’s farm in Louisville, Ky. The Manley’s are some real close family friends of ours. It was so much fun being back up in Louisville for Thanksgiving just like the good ol’ days growing up as kids when we would spend Thanksgiving at the Corrie’s on Floyd’s Knob, Indiana.

Manley's Guest House and Barn

Chris and I stayed at our buddy, Clay Manley’s condo in town. We enjoyed having a little break from the grownups so we could hang with some friends and make it out on the town at night. During the day, we would head out to Clay’s parents farm to hang with everyone. We had a great time shooting guns, shooting skeet, eating WAY too much food, using dixie cups and getting to see everyone including the Corrie’s who came over the day after Thanksgiving.  

Shooting Skeet

Shooting Skeet

Val & Wheatley

Chris & Wheatley

Shooting a Century .45-70   

Arguably, the most powerful revolver ever made.

Fly Fishing Trip

I was able to go fly fishing for the first time this past month with some buddies on a private creek located just outside of Sherwood, Tennessee. The creek was located on a gorgeous piece of property located just north of the Alabama/Tennessee line at a private hunting/fishing club where my friend is a member. You can close your eyes on the drive in and then open them up and you swear you’re on some stream out in wild Montana. It is breathtaking. And the trout are huge! I’ve been fishing many times for trout using just spinner rods out in Colorado and down south, but this was my first experience using a fly rod. It was a great experience and I can’t wait to get back out in a stream and do it all over again. The experience of just going would have been enough, but actually catching my first trout on a fly rod made it even better!!   

Me

Rainbow Trout 

Blue Ridge Parkway & Dad's Homestead

My family visited North Carolina this week to visit with family from my dad's side. We had a great time catching up with everyone attending birthday parties, dinners, and enjoying some homemade ice cream. On our way back, we drove through the beautiful Blue Ridge Parkway in North Carolina. 

Gorgeous View Along the Parkway

Dad playing on the Blue Ridge Parkway

It's Teamwork Picking Blueberries

Wild Blueberries

Dad Enjoying Some Wild Blueberries

The Family Along the Parkway

Childress Vineyard in North Carolina

House my Great Grandfather Built

Grandpa's Famous Cedar Trees

My Grandparents

Baptism My Dad Painted When He Was a Teenager

Orange Beach Fishing Trip

I spent this past week down at Orange Beach fishing with my brother and a couple of buddies. We spent almost every day out on the boat or hanging out on the island beach soaking up some rays. It was an incredible week full of adventure, great fishing and on occasion some relaxation. We spent a couple of days fishing in the bay and then a few days out in the Gulf after the weather calmed down. Here are some pictures from the week:

Skipjack

on the island 

stud

Spanish Mackerel

King Mackerel

Red Fish/soon to be dinner

Eating our Red Fish at a nearby restaurant, where they cooked it up for us both blackened and fried.  It was so good! Also, we officially became the first guys to clean their fish in their front parking lot. Keeping it classy.