Lake Powell and so much more...

Nothing is better than a week at the lake with the Hale clan.  We had one final hoorah for my bro Benny before he takes off on Tuesday to servir Dios in the beauty and danger that is Rio de Janiero, Brazil.  We packed a full Hale Family trip into a few days and enjoyed sun, ski, play, ride and the occasional air-soft gun war and bean bomb.  

Here are a few highlights from the awesomeness:

My one true love (besides Ben, I guess).  Skiing.

Ben shreds as well (old school style)

Keto's life jacket is starting to look a little on the small side, in my opinion

enjoying one of the many meals.  For some reason, food always tastes better down there

Shannon, Benny and myself on a sunset ski run

my still super hip padres

The stand up.  The boys did time trial races on this thing.  One word:  hilarious.

During our triathalon event.  This included three events, a race on the stand up jet ski, two laps around a rock in the channel on the big wave runner (or as Ben likes to call it "the wet bike") and then a final lap on the kayak.  The transitions from each event were the best.  nothing like watching my bro Cam leap from a jet ski going full speed into a tiny kayak wearing euro swimming trunks.  

This was of course my Ben's idea:  Air-soft wars.  They split up into two teams and played capture the flag with air-soft guns.  They look a little bit like terrorists to me...

I thought about playing and then realized I was smart.  Getting shot with an air-soft gun point blank doesn't exactly sound like my idea of fun...  They sure had a blast though.

They have no idea what is about to come there way (see next pic below for more details)

My Dad (the large child) shooting bottle rockets at them while they play.  He is using a table as cover and an aluminum foil tube to shoot bottle rockets directly into their game.  I'm still laughing...

Our whole relationship started right here

with my bros headed to dangling rope (and liddy)

"El Capitan"

Wow.

My two favorite Bens: Hale and Curtis

I saved the best for last ladies:  Cameron, with his euro mud flap haircut, his euro shorts, thinking he is the hottest thing alive.  I have to love him for his creativity...

And so ends another successful trip to Lake Powell, brought to you by Deb an Eric.  There is no doubt that my family rocks.  If you question such a claim, return to the pics above.  No one does it like the Hales do.  This will always be my favorite place on earth.  

We're on our way...

to my favorite place on earth!  

Birthday Bliss

Now,  I'm not much for birthdays, to be totally honest with you.  Not that it isn't great to celebrate the day you were brought into this world, I just think its a bit of an odd day and I am never quite sure what to expect out of it.  

I will say now, having just said I'm not a fan of the birthday scene, that this birthday far exceeded any birthday I have ever had, other than the birthday I spent in France, where an eighty year old french woman that I lived with brought over her three best circus freak friends and along with my korean roommate (who spoke neither English or French) we celebrated my birth in a language I didn't understand over a rice dish that had full shrimp heads in it (eyes and feelers included) and as my gift I received a singing birthday card and an old plate from one of Madame Cros' shelves.  THAT was a good birthday... 

Anywho, 

This birthday was much more relaxing, and Ben, who can only be described as "awesome" in this post took me for a day of zen at , an holistic japanese spa located in the heart of the avenues.  Our zen adventure began with the traditional ofuro bath, as explained below:

In Japan, the bath serves as the path to well-being for both body and soul.  It is a place in which to gather one's thoughts and seek refuge from the tensions and stress of everyday life.  So it has been for a thousand years in Japan, and so it is still today at the Kura Door.

Experience the tradition of the Japanese Ofuro Bath.  Our bath attendant will guide you through this ritual journey as you experience the healing pleasures of Japanese tea and infused bathing waters.  Choose from a selection of soothing and detoxifying essential oil, herb, and natural sea salt blends to create your own inspired retreat.  Relax into the sound of soft music, the subtle fragrance of cedar, and the water's embrace.

If you are wondering, yes, it was amazing.  

Following the bath we stepped in for massages, where I fell asleep and woke myself up when I snorted(a little on the loud side) and gave the massage therapist a good laugh...  

Then came a yin facial, complete with hot towels around my feet, an arm and neck massage, and a humidifier that blew steam on my organic cream covered face the whole of the facial.  Now that, is birthday bliss.  

To top the day off, I had sushi with my best girlfriends and went and got myself measured for a road bike that I plan to purchase with the money my parents and grandparents gave me as a gift.  

A special shout out to my hub for a killer b-day, my chicas for the rad dinner and good laughs (Annie)  and to mis padres and abuelos for the dinero with which I can hopefully someday purchase my bicicleta.  Gracias a todos. Loves to all.