Hooray for Family! Part Duex(?)

Okay, lets get this Portland leg of the trip started off right.















I like to call this one the money maker, or it would be if Asher had his eyes on the camera. Nevertheless, it was a good couple a days in Portland with the Leaps and the Merills.














I drove out to the reunion with Lisa and Brian and it was a lot of fun to be able to mess around with them and their little kids. While Ollie's still a little young for farm animals, Asher was having a time and I think it's pretty clear that he liked the trucks. I guess Brian did too.









That trip was a lot of fun and the best part for everyone was definitely the family times. Just Kidding, it was the crabbing. Just Kidding, no, it was the crabbing, yeah. Anywho, it sure looks like everyone had a good time.















You better just simmer down Kimmercakes, you got one on the way.











Here's a couple with Nick, Lis (I didn't really get Craig or Brain before they left) and the Nuttals. I think it is interesting that Naomi failed to look at the camera twice, although she did manage to look a little worried in the one.
I don't think that anyone can forget that picture to the left, there we are in all our mighty Adamsoness. Just to alieve your fears a little, I think this was supposed to be the "rage" one, and if it wasn't I don't think I care to believe otherwise. For my sake. On that note, I'll let you all go. I just wanted to say that one of the reasons I wanted to post this blog was just that I realized what a great family we have (the originals and the supplements). It was really awesome to see everyone this summer, since it might have been my last opportunity to really take off and go everywhere. You all of course are welcome to visit me anytime (we are close on an apartment we looked at a couple this weekend and we will probably take one of them). But I seriously enjoyed seeing everyone. It was great to go see Karl and Conni and spend time with their boys, and I am looking forward to going East again as soon as I get the chance. We all loved visiting Kim and Byron and of course they went out of their way to make sure we had a good trip. Finally, going to Portland to see Lis and Nick and their families was awesome. It really is amazing to me how well we get along. I not only had fun this summer but I really felt welcome everywhere we went. I hope everyone understands what a great thing that is, as a family, to be able to feel that comfortable around one another. Twelve kids and there are only a couple that I could maybe say we could do without. Just kidding. I really love all of you guys and thanks again Dad and Mom for everything you've done. I for one am incredibly grateful and hope to see you soon.
hugs and more hugs, Hacksaw.














Did you really think that I would leave you guys with that bad taste in your mouth from that last picture? I may want to get rid of a couple of you but nobody is that cruel. The Olliemiester and I.

Extry! Extry! Birthday Post!!!! New Haircut and Beard photos too!!!

I know it's been over a week since my birthday and you are all still a little bummed you were not here to share it with me, so I'm posting it on the miraculous "inter-net" (no global warming isn't Al Gore's biggest contribution to the world).
So this is the year I passed the halfway mark in my twenties, I can't believe it either, people keep treating me like I'm a punk-faced high school kid, can't they understand that I'm not in high school anymore? No comment on the punk-face part of course. Anywho, back to the birthday. This was a good birthday all said. Everything arrived on time, and Uncle Denny, Aunt Jill, Kaley and Landon all pitched in to make me feel like a real birthday boy and not a deeply entrenched "menace to society".
Before I recount the events of the day, maybe I'll share some birthday memories with you. My first vivid birthday I must have been between five and seven, I was wearing my favorite outfit, a blue and white button-up shirt and shorts ensemble. I got up and got dressed and I remember feeling so good cause it was my birthday. I wandered out to the kitchen and shoved some smaller kid out of my way so I could look in the fridge (I can't recall the person, must have been Lance or Kendra or Renee though). I was immediately reprimanded, harshly as I recall. My birthday present that year was the realization that I cannot do whatever I want just because it's my birthday. Sure enough, when I shoved a small child out of my path on the way to school this birthday I was yelled at again, some things never change. Most of my birthday's have been happy affairs, but there are a few that stick out.
My first birthday on my mission my package didn't arrive, so I celebrated by working for ten hours, I think we also ate Chinese food for lunch. I was brand new in the area so the members didn't even know my name, no party that year. The next year was better though. We went to a member's house for dinner, and when we arrived the whole district jumped out and threw toilet paper at me. They had gotten permission from the Zone Leader to throw me a little party. The members (the Rosses), had prepared a whole batman themed party for me complete with a batman cake, and my district had had a competition to see who could get the coolest present for only a dollar. So I have some good Puerto Rican birthday memories as well. That's enough remenicing, on to the show!!! B-day 2008.

Kaley and Aunt Jill made me a birthday breakfast of french toast to start the day off right.

After breakfast I had to go to Law School, I was still the new kid so Ionly told one person it was my birthday, she said, "Happy Birthday". That's pretty much the only birthday news from school that day.
When I got home thought the Blodgies threw me a little birthday bash. Here's me with my eyes closed waiting for the suprise. Aunt Jill had hidden the presents that came in the mail so I didn't know that I had gotten anything. Needless to say, I was pretty surprised.
I guess we're not the only family that does this, this is all my loot. Thanks Mom and Dad for the glasses, and I'm gonna buy a new watch I think cause I broke my other one. Nicky sent me this awesome map of San Fran that I have already used quite a bit and a cookbook that teaches you how to cook, well, everything. It's called, How to Cook Everything. Aunt Jill and Uncle Denny got me some of my favorte soda, as well as some spicy mustard, and Kaley got me some candy. I ate the gummi bears in like ten minutes.
Someone also let slip that my favorite cake is German Chocolate, so my streak of always having it on my birthday is alive for one more year, thanks again Aunt Jill. One more picture with the presents, only this time it's sassy.
As promised I also have haricut and beard pitures as well. This was my first opportunity to try out the Flowbee. In the words of Wayne and Garth, "it sucks as it cuts". "It certainly does suck". Great job Aunt Jill. I'd been cutting my own hair with scissors, but Aunt Jill was cutting Landon's so I thought I would give it a try. Viola! A little more conservative Hacksaw, we cut off like two inches in the front. As you can see, beard season is also in full swing. This is about two weeks worth, with still a month and a half to go, so it will fill in a little a think. If it doesn't, there is always Just For Men (not for boys) to darken it up a little. That is all the news for now, the birthday was good and things are going well at school, just getting busier. No news on the apartment hunt either.

Who wants some good news?

So, to use a phrase from my England days, things are going swimmingly, old chap! I think my English accent is coming back! Just kidding, but that second line is actually something I heard from one of my sisters a few years ago, sorry ______, it isn't back. So on to the good news!
First of all, I'm going to see how many sentences I can end with an exclamation point! Just kidding, that would be lame! OK, seriously now. School is good and even though my writing class is starting to pile on the work, I've still got my head above water. The real news is that I decided to come out of my shell, I know, I know, I'm 26, I should live a little. Anyway, I thought it would be fun to be part of the Hastings student association or ASUCH as we call it over here. There are 1L, 2L, and 3L reps so I ran to be a section (5) rep, and I won! Which is cool.
I ran my campaign using the Hacksaw method, which is to say I mentioned in my bio that Hacksaw was my nickname, and I mentioned it again in my speech. I may have also let slip that the reason people call me that is solely for the fact that I'm cutting edge (no, not the movie, I wish!). Needless to say I was the only candidate (there were four) who got a laugh and I rode that rollicking wave of laughter right into office.
That is the real news, this really just gives me the opportunity to get involved on committees and do some Hastings and community service. It will also be neat to be a part of a student association that is really run by the students, no faculty at all, just aye or nay. So begins my public life, farewell to all who now must be hid from the public eye to avoid future embarrassment, you know who you are. !
p.s. Birthday pictures and post forthcoming! and we looked at some apartments today so I'll keep you posted.

Tribute to a little sis, you only turn 20 once, as far as I can figure.

Since it is Renee's B-DAY today and I did not really get her a present (I meant to but I've been really busy with school), I thought I would do a little Hacksaw-esque tribute to my little sister, cause gosh darn it we've had some good times.

I tried to upload a funny message Renee left me for my birthday, but that failed. The transcript would have read something like, "Hello Matt, this is Renee, and I know I called you yesterday, don't worry about calling me back I know you're busy but, I heard you talked to Jamie and Brooke yesterday and well, (breaking into a southern accent) it jealousy, just plain old jealousy I guess, as old as Cain an' Able, well then, bye, bye now, bye." Needless to say it was pretty funny. The rest of the tribute will be mostly picture oriented, add appropriate jokes where applicable.

As everyone knows, I'm sure, Renee Lance and I bowled on a League at BYU last year, winning our tournament bracket winter semester, the last team we beat by over 200 pins, it was a solid, Mafia King-Pin (pun intended) type beatdown, here are some of those good times documented.

This video shows some of our signature victory moves, bowling is a mental game where you need to get into your opponents heads.

The fam part of the Dominant Fury!!!!!!


I don't know but it must be good.

Now on to some of the good memories that Renee and I have shared through the years.

Some soup for me,


Some soup for you!


Death by Elephant tusk electrocution!!!!


Snow-board-a-rama!!



Happy Birthday little sis, hope it's a good one.

The First Day - Fiasco.

Well, I was wondering how the real first day was going to go and now I can at least say that things can only get better. I guess I knew that there was reading for the first day, but I did not think it would start out so fast in the class. So I was not prepared, and guess who they call on in the old Socratic method. That's right, me. I have to stand up and stammer out what I think is the answer and then the teacher actually says, "you didn't read, did you"? I said no, so she made me stand in the corner and pull on a chain, just like I'm pulling yours! Ha ha ha. I hope that scared some of you, I just wanted to give Tracy a heart attack. The first day was really chill. I did all of my reading and it seems like they are going to ramp up the work gradually, which is good. The reading is pretty technical, but I know that it will get better. My teachers are cool and I have found all of my classes very interesting. I have four classes, Criminal Law, which is exactly like it sounds. Civil Procedure, which teaches you the procedure for going through all of the legal hoops when civil cases are tried (or mediated et. cetera). Torts, which is part of civil law, and it has alot to do with different types of crimes, suing people, a lot of it is trying crimes in the civil courts. I also have a legal writing and researching class. Law, here I come. Also, the apartment search is coming along, I looked at one in Berkley today where a couple of LDS guys live, I'll keep you all posted.

Just this thing to make everyone jealous

So I take the train into school from Walnut Creek I guess you all know, no big deal, I learned all about it when we visited Karl in D.C. Anywho, my school is downtown San Fran, and I get off at the Civic Center/U.N. Plaza stop. I usually go up Hyde street, and it's like a three minute walk to Hastings, but I decided to mix it up the other day. I walk by the U.N. Plaza on my way from the train to the school and I noticed on Friday that there is actually a set of stairs that go directly up to the plaza. So I decide to take them up, might be quicker I think to myself (two minutes instead of three or something). It was about the same distance actually, but the Plaza has something Hyde street doesn't, little shops set up in tents! Selling stuff!!!!!!!!! Everyday this goes on, and twice a week it's a farmers market. I'm sure you all have something like this on your way to school and or work, just wanted to let you all know I'm part of that cool crowd for the next three years. ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha. ha.

First Day Jitters!!!!!!!!!!!!

Well, it's been a little while since I've had a first day at a new school, but I think I still remember how its done. I picked out my clothes a week in advance and they are laid out on the floor of my room just like I'll have them on (except not so flat). I've doubled checked everything for tags and stickers, I don't want to go through the embarrassment of finding a 32x30 sticker on the back of my leg, right after recess when I just know all the other kids were staring and laughing at me behind my back. I think that is all I can do to make sure I'm ready in the morning.
I'm sure I'll wake up an hour before my alarm I'll be so excited. There are a few things that I will not be able to duplicate as I am starting school in a new state though. I won't have mom there to take pictures on my first day. There was no fashion show (but maybe soon, I'm wearing Aunt Jill down). I don't have a flat, empty backpack for the first day, it already has things I've been using. Last and not least, Dad won't be doling out pens, mechanical pencils, and notepaper just like it is back-to-school Christmas. Laugh if you want, these are cherished memories.
One thing I do have in spades, however, are the first day jitters. Will the other kids like me? Will I do well? Will I ever make back the money to repay these monster student loans? Funny, that one never came up in elementary school. I just wish old first-grade Matt could have had the same tools I do. A huge ego with extra confidence. Total commitment to my jokes. And last but not least, gosh darn it people like me, once they get to know me anyway.
Seriously though, while there is some anxiety on my part, I am excited to study something that genuinely interests me, and the competition is exciting as well. No matter what happens it will be a learning experience, hopefully one that pays off these loans.