Dan's Piece Of The Net

Run Like The Wind

2012-02-04T08:02:00.001-08:00

While I was at the Salt Lake Running Company buying these I ran into Elder Holland, and ended up talking about Puma's with him. It was a good time. And to top it all off, I got these baller shoes that look absolutely freaking fantastic! Gonna go break them in this morning!

Update on the JEEP!

2012-02-01T14:20:00.000-08:00

So after selling the Bimmer and buying the Jeep, I got busy selling left over parts from my previous cars, and random items that we had been meaning to sell but I hadn't gotten around to it yet. Why you ask? Well because the proceeds were to be used to lift the Jeep and get it ready for wheeling this upcoming spring. So I now have a 4"Teraflex Lift and I am running 37" Nitto Trail Grapplers. It looks MEAN! I'm seriously looking forward to hitting the trails this spring. Let me know what you think.

New Ride!

2011-10-05T13:27:00.000-07:00

So as many of you know, I loved my Bimmer.....but. It had some issues and the warranty was about to be up. I didn't want to be sitting there with the bill when something happened to that thing. So after almost a 1.5 year relationship, we have separated. I was able to make money on it and put that as a down payment for my next ride. My monthly payments went up about $20 but I have a brand new vehicle, and my insurance went down $5 a month!

I have bought a 2012 Jeep Wrangler Unlimited Rubicon. It's White, with a hardtop, cloth seats, and lots of goodies my previous Jeep's never had. I've taken it off road twice now and it only has 450 miles on it. Needless to say, the kids all love it especially with the top and doors off. I will post pics soon.

Welcome To The Shaklee Kiosk

2011-08-03T10:12:00.001-07:00

This is where when you visit you will here updates on what is going on with Madsen Associated and also this is where we will be posting Specials. So keep an eye on this blog and it could save you some money!

Celebrate Earth Day!!

2011-04-08T15:55:00.000-07:00

TOXIN FREE LIVING

KIND TO YOUR BODY, KIND TO OUR EARTH

Come and join us for a celebration!!

Demonstrations, Discussions, Giveaways and more...

Saturday April 16th, 2011

11am - 3pm

3300 South 970 East #5

Salt Lake City UT 84106

******KIDS ACTIVITIES WILL BE FUN, SO DON'T FORGET THEM!*********

This Watch Rocks!!! Literally!!

2011-03-28T15:34:00.000-07:00

So I went out and bought a new iPod Nano with two watch bands. This is by far the coolest iPod that I have had to date! The watch is sweet looking and is nice and light, plus you get the benefit of always having your tunes at your fingertips. Check it out!!

Emergency Preparedness

2011-03-14T18:43:00.000-07:00

Thought I would share. After the devastation that recently happened in Japan, I decided it was time to have a discussion on preparedness. For our family home evening tonight we had a talk with the kids about earthquakes. Then we went from room to room and had the kids act as though there was an earthquake and show us where they would go and what they would do. They seemed to catch on pretty quick, and now we have gone over every room in the house and what they should do. Next week we will go over it again, and talk about food storage and probably get involved in straightening the food storage up. I feel that it is important for the kids to understand that an earthquake is something we have been preparing for since I was a kid. I want them to know the seriousness of earthquakes and all I had to do was show them some pictures from the recent devastation in Japan. This is something that has been in the forefront of my mind for a long while, but now I have decided to act on it and get our family a little bit more prepared.

Here is something that I ordered today for our home. Water storage is something that I was having struggles with and I figure this should be good for our family for about 2 months of water. Lots of good stuff to be found online, it's our job to teach our family how to use that information to protect our lives.

A.I. "The Answer"

2011-03-08T14:10:00.000-08:00

Thought I'd give A.I. some love!! He is downright amazing. Hate on haters! Now I need to find somebody else to cheer for in the NBA, or coming into the NBA. Hmmmm, any thoughts out there?

Joy's Of Aging!

2011-03-07T10:23:00.000-08:00

I thought I would put something up that pretty much all of us can relate too....getting older! As most of you know I love basketball. Well, we took 1st in our Stake and made it to regions. The final game in stake play a guy lowered his shoulder and ran full speed into the center of my chest. I didn't notice anything until about an hour later when it felt like somebody was stabbing me in my chest. It is almost better, but it still hurts. So this last Saturday was our region game, and the injury wasn't gone but I had to play. I popped a couple of Ibuprophens, and went and played. Man I felt great, and played at 110% to come up short and our region play was over. Well yesterday once I had no pain pills in my system, it was a day of realization that I had over done it. Now my legs, chest, back and calfs are aching.
I guess what I am trying to get at, is that I kind of miss the olden days when I was in shape! When I could play basketball for hours and not be achy, but the harsh reality is it will only get worse as I age. Hmmm, time to get myself back in shape and try to fend off aging as quickly as I can.
Those are my thoughts today, enjoy another day of getting older everyone!!

My Sunday Talk!

2011-03-02T19:46:00.000-08:00

I thought I would post my talk that I gave in Church 2 weeks ago. It turned out to be one of the best talks I've ever given. Enjoy, and feel free to comment.

My Talk

Good afternoon brother’s and sisters. As much as I’d love to say that I am glad to be hear speaking to you today, I don’t won’t to tell a lie from the pulpit. Last week, I was sitting next to Brother Tolley and we had a little discussion about Sacrament Meeting talks. We came to the conclusion that as a speaker, you shouldn’t be nervous because the reality is most of us don’t remember the talks shortly after sacrament meeting anyway. Well I’m sorry to say, it doesn’t work I’m still nervous.

I was given a topic that is in my opinion, one of the most important topics there is. The topic is “Finding peace in the Savior.” In my studies and moments……I mean moments of deep thought I can’t think of many things more important than finding peace in the Savior. Obviously you need to have some sort of testimony of the gospel in order to do so, but as an everyday action it is of extreme importance to be able to have that peace and comfort. Why do I think that it is so important? Well here is an example of what I mean. For those of you that know me pretty well, sometimes I think that I am the center of the universe and that I am in my own words “Awesome.” Now before you start clapping or giving me thumbs up, let me tell you what conclusion I came to about my sheer awesomeness. I was sitting in my basement surrounded by my friends and family two weeks ago when I witnessed something that took my breath away….the Green Bay Packers had successfully beat my beloved Pittsburgh Steelers. But it wasn’t the loss that took my breath away, it was the realization that filled my mind while I sat there. I wasn’t overly upset, mad, or even dejected. I was at peace. Why? What was wrong with me? Well, it all came down to a moment of deep thought. I had been thinking about how many people have come before us, and how many are still too come. With that thought in my mind I started to think how really small we individually really are. I mean I might be something awesome in my house, maybe on my street, or possibly even neighborhood but in the spectrum of life…..I’m a speck in time. I started to think of some of the big names in our society right now after I came to this realization, and here are a few I thought of. Donald Trump, Bill Gates, & Jay-Z, and Oprah. These four people, are at the top of their games, but in 100-200 years will anyone even know who they were? What does this have to do with Finding peace you ask? It boils down to a few things.

First of all, when you look at life like that, it really humbles you quickly. This is what we need to begin the journey to having peace in our Savior. When we realize that life is a gift that has been given to us from our Heavenly Father, and that it isn’t just fun and games; but as one of the Primary Children put it last Sunday it’s a Test. We have an allotted amount of time in this test, but we don’t know how long we each have, so time is of the essence. We need to focus on why we are really here, and put our efforts into earning an A+ in this test. How do we keep from being overwhelmed by the task at hand? We need to study the scriptures, attend our meetings, attend the Temple, and do as we have been commanded. That will certainly help us find some peace. But I think there is more to it than just that. We need to find a way to have what I would consider a personal relationship with our Savior. Everyone will have a different way of accomplishing that, but for me it is during my moments of deep thought. While I am in deep thought, it might seem that I am “tuning out” the world, or day dreaming. But in reality I feel I am for a moment really in tune with the spirit. Now, don’t get me wrong it kind of freaks me out a little bit. I’m not used to being what I would call an extremely spiritual person, so having that kind of connection is a bit out of my comfort zone. It is also, why I remember these moments more so then something I experience on a regular basis. These are the experiences that help keep us on the straight and narrow, and act as a reminder of the reality of why we are here.

So first off we must be humble, in order to have peace in our Savior. Second of all, I feel we must understand the sheer magnitude of what our Savior has done and continues to do for each and every one of us. We all know the story about the war in heaven and how we have all followed Christ’s plan, in order to be here. So by following Christ in the initial test, we earned the opportunity to be here to prove ourselves worthy of all our Heavenly Father has for us. Now as I mentioned before this is a test where we don’t get a day off, or summer break, but day in and day out we are being tested. Satan bombards us on a consistent basis to try and sway us from righteousness and peace. This is why finding Peace in the Savior is so important. We will battle daily with Satan, and even the people that we see as extremely spiritual have battles too. In fact sometimes their battles are even more challenging then the battles that some of us that feel spiritually weak, will face. We are bound to fail and fall to temptation, because we have weaknesses and faults, that Satan knows and will exploit. But knowing that the Savior came to earth and endured all things, we can have peace. We hear that saying a lot, that he endured all things, but have we really thought deeply about what that carries in itself? When we think of what the Savior did for us, we usually think of him suffering for our sins, and allowing us to repent so we can return to our Heavenly family. But, it isn’t just sin that he endured. It is everything that any of us will encounter in life. Be it sorrow, pain, sadness, depression, love, happiness, hurt, insecurity, and the list goes on. When you look at it that way, how can we not have the peace that is offered to us from our Savior? If we have a testimony of the atonement, then we know that any challenge thrown our way is for our benefit and spiritual growth. We are bound to waiver sometimes, but through repentance we can become clean again. That knowledge is something each and every one of us has to come to understand and really truly have a testimony of in order for us to have peace in this life.

So with humility, and understanding of the atonement we can come closer to our Heavenly Father and have the peace that is offered to us by our Savior. This becomes even more important as you progress in life. What I mean by that is that once you get married and have children, you want to know that there is a plan in place that offers us the ability to be with them forever. Speaking of children, it is amazing the feeling that overcomes you when they finally arrive. They truly are blessings from our Heavenly Father, but even the process of having a child can have it’s ups and downs. A year and a half ago, we had some tests thrown our way in the form of a miscarriage, and a tubal pregnancy. It sometimes feels that we are thrown more challenges then we think we can handle. It is during those times, that we turn to our Savior for peace, and ask for his help in getting us through. We are all different, and the Savior knows how to comfort us in times of trial. Speaking of being different, our children are no exception, right from the beginning. For example, Kyler is daring and really into sports, Addie is Funny, and Wild, and Stella….well right now she is super cute, but also wants people around and if you’re not, she will let you know what she thinks. Our Heavenly Father has created us all with different likes, dislikes, and challenges. This is what makes life such an adventure, and keeps it fresh. Imagine if we were all alike, and we all were programmed to only do what is right. It would be a very stale and I’d imagine pretty boring life. So even though we are here with a small knowledge of where we came from and the plan for us, life is worth every challenge that it throws at us. I find happiness and peace in the fact that we are here to rise above adversity, and prove our eternal worth. It’s not only my job to accomplish that for myself, but it is important that we teach our children to grab hold of the iron rod and press forward in faith so we can be together as a family forever. I look at my parents/grandparents, and they are now in their 80’s. Their health seems to be staying pretty even, but both of them have memory loss and can’t think straight. It’s a struggle sometimes to go and visit them because they don’t always remember who we are, or what’s going on for that matter. But through the plan of salvation I know that they will be restored to their full capacity and I can find comfort in that knowledge. What greater gift is there then living eternally with our Heavenly Father, and our Heavenly Family.

In this day and age, we are blessed with so many advances in our society. We have greater knowledge of medicine, that can help people overcome illness. We have the ability to keep in touch with our families regardless of where in the world they are. We also can buy just about anything and have it delivered to our door. The list of accomplishments that have been made in the last 100 years is amazing, and each achievement big or small affects our society in some way. One of the main things that has happened in my life is the internet. Back in the olden days when I was a youngster, we didn’t have internet. Now it has become a social lifeline for our society. I mean, now days even missionaries can send an email home instead of having to write on paper, put it in an envelope, lick the gross sticky goo and send it home, taking days or even weeks to get home to their families. Now it’s instant, regardless of where they are. An example of how powerful these things are, comes from a video I have posted on my blog. 80% of companies use some form of social media for recruitment. 24 of the 25 major newspapers are experiencing record declines in circulation. Here is a kicker, 1 out of 8 couples married in the U.S. met by social media. Facebook added over 200 million users in less than a year. iPod app downloads hit 1 billion in 9 months. These are just a few examples of how the internet has changed our lives. Now, as powerful as the internet is for allowing us to keep in contact with family and friends, get the news, or in my case order car parts, etc. there is also a danger involved. Satan knows how to use things to his benefit and the internet is no different. But we can also use this powerful tool to strengthen our testimonies and come closer to our Heavenly Father. There are so many spiritual resources to be found online, and the amount of information grows daily. I really enjoy being able to find information that I need by using the computer or my phone instead of reading a book. I’m not much of a bookworm, Christie would tell you that. But to my rescue, cell phones have become so integrated into our society and lives that grabbing my phone feels just as important as putting on a shirt. I’m sure you are asking yourselves right now, what does this have to do with anything? Well, with the amazing Scriptures App on my phone I now have my scriptures, hymn book, manuals for teaching, and General Conference talks all at my fingertips, and since my phone is pretty much always with me….so are my scriptures. Isn’t that amazing? Imagine me walking around all the time with all of those books in tow. That would be crazy; but with the advances in technology I can just carry my little phone and they’re all there. Now that I have gone off on a tangent, mainly to take up more time! On to the point I’m trying to make. We have so many options now days on how we choose to grow spiritually and I feel, that is a blessing that has been given to us. We have the tools to help us grow in the gospel, it’s just a matter of finding what ones work best for our own personalities.

The knowledge that we can gain through studying the scriptures, attending meetings, searching talks on LDS.ORG, talking in sacrament meeting, etc. will benefit us throughout our lives. Having moments of reflection and taking a personal inventory helps bring us back in line with what we should really be focusing on. It is so easy to get out of the habit of scripture reading, prayer, and even attending church, but these are necessities in our spiritual progression and we must strive to do all we can to keep us in top spiritual shape. Some of us go to the gym, run or bike to keep our physical bodies in shape, and our spirit is no different. We need to workout spiritually to keep ourselves in shape for the battles that we face on a regular basis. Scripture study is one of those things that I have always struggled with, and continue to struggle with. So is going to the gym or eating right. When I sit down and take a look at myself in my personal inventory, that is bound to come up. How do you think I feel when I am keeping up with my reading and feeding myself spiritually? Or how do I feel when I get a good workout in? I feel AWESOME! Also, I think we should be consistently striving to do a little bit better than we did the day before. I’m not just talking about scriptures, or working out but in general striving daily to be a better follower of Christ. Keeping life in perspective, and always having Christ in the center of it will help us stay on the path to happiness and peace. Our goal is eternal life with our Heavenly Father, Christ, and our Families. Let us keep these things in the forefront of our minds and our lives will be blessed.

Websites that Save U $$$$$$

2011-02-19T15:52:00.000-08:00

Hey, I am a member of 2 websites that can save you big money on items we enjoy. One of them is for high end clothing, which I haven't found a lot for me, but I love the stuff they have for kids on there. And the second is for outdoor gear, fantastic!! I love me some Mountain Hardware, Dakine, SOG, etc. If you would like to join them, let me know by shooting me your email address. If you put it as a comment, I have to edit them before they post so I would get your email and erase the post. For everyone that I get to sign up through me I get $10 towards the next purchase. You can do the same for your friends or fam too. Let me know.

Anomia, is Awesome!!

2011-02-12T22:37:00.000-08:00

So I bought a friend of mine a game, and while I was at it I decided to buy a new game myself. The game is named Anomia. It is a blast to play and is hilarious, because you never know what someone will shout out. If you are looking for a fun card game to play with some friends look it up, I don't think you will be disappointed.

Music To My Ears

2011-02-11T10:47:00.000-08:00

I have updated my music selections in the jukebox below. Some of the music contains "Swears" and may not be appropriate for all listeners. But to those of you who enjoy good new music and great old stuff take a listen. Thought I better post a disclaimer so I don't get in trouble with the non-swear croud. There is a pause button on the player so go hit that. But it is a true shame not to listen to the goodness I have posted!!

Social Media Revolution

2011-02-10T13:55:00.000-08:00

Dust Bunnies!

2011-02-10T13:49:00.000-08:00

Man, oh man. It has been a long time since I have been on here. Time to get out the duster and get this thing up and running again. Let's see how many times I can post something of worth in a month. I'm aiming really high......like 5 times. LOL. Well, I have to make it achievable right. Here is something that I find extremely interesting. This video was brought to my attention from a friend of mine in Shaklee. It is a peak into the culture shift that we have had and that will continue on and it is absolutely crazy! Take a look and let me know what you think. The video is posted above.

BMW 130i tii BY FORMAT67.NET

2010-07-14T17:23:00.000-07:00

Make sure to put it on 720p resolution and turn up the volume on your speakers!! I LOVE THIS VIDEO!!

Great Car Vids!!

2010-07-14T17:16:00.000-07:00

I have fallen in love with Format 67 and their great car vids. I love the way the videos are shot and edited, they are brilliant!

The website is www.format67.net go and check it out. I will post my favorite video......if they sold the 130i here in the states I would've bought it!!

VIDEO ABOVE ROCKS!!!!

My New Ride!!

2010-05-26T21:20:00.000-07:00

So for those of you that didn't know, I have decided to sell the MINI......I know it is sad, and the MINI will be missed, but it's time to move on. So with that said, my new ride is a.....BMW 135i! Stock it has 300hp and 300ft/lbs of torque. It is a beast, and what a beautiful beast it is!! I found it online, and I ended up getting a killer deal on it. The only problem was that it was in Seattle. The solution....Christie, Kyler, Addie, and I fly up there and drive it back for a little trip. We had a BLAST!! Anyway here are a couple exterior pictures and I will post some interior pics tomorrow.

Bye Bye Rex!

2010-05-08T15:11:00.000-07:00

So we decided to sell our dog, Rex. It has been on our minds for a while and today we decided to find him a home where he will get more attention and not have Addie picking on him all the time. The family that bought him, had several older kids and another dog for Rex to hang out with. He will be happy, and we will be able to stop feeling like he spends too much time in his kennel. So goodbye to our little buddy Rex, and be good to your new family.

BABY GIRL IT IS!!

2010-04-17T14:30:00.001-07:00

Yesterday we went in for the ultrasound, and found that all is well and that we will be having another little GIRL!! I'm excited, but have decided that it is time to start having some guns on hand just for when they get older ya know. HAHA. I am extremely curious to see what she is going to look like. Will she look anything like Addie? Will she be a diva like Addie? And the name we have chosen for her is Stella Marie Madsen. 3 kids should be a whole bag of fun, for sure!!

New BLOG Site!!!

2010-04-03T10:45:00.001-07:00

I will be updating my NEW Site, but will keep this for now also. I'm still figuring out the other site, but go and check it out. It's www.masterd78.com ENJOY!

Can't Wait For This Game!!!!!!

2010-03-31T10:15:00.000-07:00

Splinter Cell: Conviction Video Game, Launch Trailer Game Trailers & Videos GameTrailers.com

AMVIV #8 Final!

2010-03-29T17:16:00.001-07:00

Gorgeous!!

Parked at the lookout

Two Ninja Warriors listening to their leader!

The "Crew" chillin at the Dam

AMVIV #7

2010-03-29T17:04:00.001-07:00

Cool pic of the bridge, so you can see just how huge it is!!

Get over here!

Look at my boy, such a classic pose!

The "Crew" looking over the Dam

AMVIV #6

2010-03-29T16:54:00.001-07:00

Well......Dam!!

Beautiful Fam, cause I'm not in the pic!! HAHA

The bridge is amazing!!

Addie and her bend-a-roos, they kept her busy for a while!

AMVIV #5

2010-03-29T16:48:00.000-07:00

I love to play with kids toys!!

Children's Museum, hard hat area for sure!

MMMore Classic Action

Me Love Classics!!

AMVIV #4

2010-03-29T16:43:00.001-07:00

Heinz Field on the Roof!!

Represent!!

My hottie at breakfast before Death Valley Run

Cool rock formation while exiting Death Valley

AMVIV #3

2010-03-29T16:14:00.001-07:00

Badwater Basin 282 feet BELOW sea level!! Easiest scuba dive ever!

They found the nasty water to be interesting...I found it to be NASTY!

Descent into Death Valley

Yo! I had to post this, mainly for Em but I thought it was cool you could see my car and me in her sunglasses!!

AMVIV #2

2010-03-29T16:06:00.001-07:00

The sign for Death Valley, it's not someplace you would want to be in the middle of summer...or at least I wouldn't!

I didn't know we had twins?!?

A friendly dusting, thanks Ryan!

More Sonic Pics and check out the servers Blue Hair!!

AMVIV #1

2010-03-29T15:59:00.001-07:00

Is this a MINI invasion of Sonic?

Sonic for lunch.

Check out the line of MINI's and a few other cars that try to be as cool.

We caught up to the group!! Woohoo!

New Kicks!

2010-03-29T15:38:00.000-07:00

White Puma's

Eco Friendly SIMPLE shoes

Another Set of SIMPLE shoes

Old School Black Puma's

I absolutely love Puma's!! And as far as the SIMPLE eco friendly shoes, they are comfy. They are made of recycled car tires, inner tubes, hemp, organic cotton, bamboo, latex, and water based glue. They are comfy and eco friendly. Woohoo. I LOVE SHOES!!

The Poll Says it All

2010-03-24T17:27:00.001-07:00

Though the other cars in the poll are all great vehicles, the M3 trumps them all. It is my next car, or at least I can dream that it will be. MMMM I love the M3!!

Waffle Party!!

2010-03-21T11:56:00.000-07:00

I am a teacher in Primary in our church. We have had a way for the kids to earn Parties, and the previous party was a Pizza Party. This time they wanted to switch it up and have a Waffle Party. So a week ago yesterday we had a party at my house. It started at 10am, when they started to show up to the smell of my homemade waffles and sausage. They demolished a double batch of my waffles and enjoyed milk and oj to drink. After they were satisfied, we all headed downstairs to play some Band Hero. They really enjoyed rockin' out, especially to "YMCA" when all of them would join in on singing and doing the moves. It was awesome. Here are the pics, and I'm sure I will be posting more of other parties that they are trying to earn now. One of them suggested we have a NERF Battle....sounds FUN!!

We switched so everyone got to play everything

Look guys, I can play drums with my eyes closed

Don't mess up MAN!!!

Future Rockstars were EVERYWHERE!!

Party Pics #2

2010-03-21T11:51:00.000-07:00

Kyler getting in on the mix

Look at the concentration

Rock On!!

Pure Hotness to Drool Over!!

2010-03-19T18:21:00.001-07:00

If there was ever a supercar that I absolutely wanted it would be the ZONDA!! I can't imagine trying to get that in my driveway though. HAHA Dream on Dream on Dream on!!

Carbon Fiber Goodness!!!

2010-03-19T18:01:00.001-07:00

I have had my car torn apart as you can see in my previous post, and it has been about a month since I took it apart. Well today was the grand day of reinstalling everything. My car is so absolutely gorgeous I can't even believe it. For those of you that don't know about the MINI interior here is what I have done. The dash piece that is Carbon Fiber (The Black Weave) the door halos (As far as I know I'm the first to do this mod) and all of the pillar pieces, and I almost forgot, the steering wheel pieces have all be custom done in Carbon Fiber for me. In my opinion (it's the only one that matters) it looks awesome!! Let me know what you all think of it.

TV at it's Best!!

2010-03-18T17:04:00.001-07:00

Thought I better give a shout out to a great TV show. TOP GEAR is one of those shows for all of us gear heads out there that enjoy anything and everything car related. But it's not just that!! This show can even be great entertainment for those that aren't into fast, fun to drive vehicles. Jeremy, James, & Richard are some really funny blokes!! Re-runs can be found on BBC America, or you can download them in torrent form from www.finalgear.com POWER!!!!!!

The Look That Never Made It!

2010-03-18T16:54:00.001-07:00

I was working on making my car have some "Euro" styling to it, and have decided to go back to my roots. The wheels look great, and the "Lip" on the wheels was pure hottness....but it just didn't allow me to drive like I enjoy driving. They are currently in the process of being sold, but I thought I'd post some pics of how it looked with the wheels.

New Website!!

2010-03-09T16:00:00.000-08:00

I am also giving you my loyal followers, an insiders heads up about my new website. This site is going to be amazing and it will help all of you understand what you should be doing to enjoy better health. I am not releasing the details at the moment, but I have gone through the program, and have found out some things I should be doing to have better overall health. I'm going to do the program for a month, just so that I have personal experience with it before showing it to all of you. This is honestly something that is going to change my business, and help a lot of people understand how to have better health. Get ready, and excited!!

New Wheels!!

2010-03-09T15:56:00.000-08:00

So I am not going to post any teaser pics of the new wheels. I'm just going to let you know that I will be running some new wheels by the weeks end. I am excited beyond belief with these wheels. They are very aggressive and the car is going to look completely different. Just thought I would give you all a heads up as to what is in the works at the moment.

Update: My car is still in the torn apart faze of life, but by this weekend I should have some of the Carbon Fiber pieces back from my guy. Then the installing and reassembling of the car begins. Just in time for our Mini Vacation in Vegas. Wish me luck on getting it all done in time.

Interior Update, and Deadening!!

2010-02-02T17:06:00.000-08:00

So I thought I would post some interior pics of my MINI as it sits right now. I am currently having some things wrapped in carbon fiber, and since the car needed to be torn apart for that project, I decided to do some sound deadening. I can't stand rattles and this should cure a lot of them, and help make the interior a little more civilized. Not much, but enough for a long drive. I will post pics of the new interior when it is finished.

Mac Update!!

2010-02-02T17:03:00.000-08:00

I absolutely am in love! I still work on my PC at work, but the mac is my toy at home for sure. Sorting photos was a piece of cake, and it is just fun. Not to mention the screen is HUGE! We got the 27" version and it is totally awesome. I will say that I do like certain things about both the PC and the Mac, so I will always have one of each. So there you have it, I like it...I mean love it, to all of those of you that thought it would never be!!

New Stripe!! New Attitude!!

2010-02-02T16:56:00.000-08:00

Here is my new stripe. It follows along the same principle as my old stripe. Alternating colors for the body and roof, but this time I have added in a metallic grey that is consistent throughout the entire car. It is a more subtle stripe than the old one, but adds a whole new attitude to the car. Now I need to sell my white wheels, and get some new ones that I will have painted metallic grey in the middles, and have the lip done in white to tie it all together. It will look sick!!!!

I'm going to be a Mac Daddy!!

2010-01-06T16:03:00.000-08:00

We have the 27" version on it's way. I know, I know I was the biggest anti-mac person around. But we are going to make the change and I am going to vow to learn all the in's and out's of the mac, before judging it. I will still have a PC at work and a laptop. I just feel like the Mac is going to give Christie more ability to do what she wants to on the computer instead of just what I want to do. Not to mention it has some cool stuff that I am looking forward to using. More updates on this at a later time too!!

New Mini Cooper S Parts Coming!!!

2010-01-06T15:54:00.000-08:00

So what you are looking at here are the new pieces I've got coming to my home soon!! Up top I have the M7 Oil Catch can. This will help improve long term engine life, and also prevent oil from gooing up my intake tract. I mean, why would I want oil to start making it's way into my sweet aftermarket intercooler? Plus it will just look so sweet in my engine bay. The lower piece is a Turbo inlet pipe, that will replace my current silicone piece. The silicone piece can collapse under full throttle and then you are faced with mucho problemos! So this new hard piece should make that never happen, plus it is a bigger diameter throughout so it should flow more air!!
Both pieces will be in black, because I like the more stealthy look! I will post before and after pics of this project.

NEW MOON!!

2009-11-21T15:54:00.000-08:00

We are heading out on a date tonight to go see "NEW MOON" wahooahohaohha! Looks to be good, and I am actually looking forward to it. I haven't read the books, but I have heard from my beautiful wife enough about them to know what to expect in this movie. Should be good, I will post thoughts later!! Oh man look at those abs, looks just like mine, except mine have a little more insulation! HAHAHA

The Atonement!!

2009-11-07T09:04:00.000-08:00

I know this is totally not what I usually put on my blog, but it has been on my mind as of late. I have been into reading about what our brother Christ did for us by atoning for our sins. In my reading I have come across some very beautiful facts about the atonement that many of us probably really never even thought of, but they are of great importance. We know that when Christ was suffering in the Garden of Gethsemane, that was for our sins and his suffering was so great that he bled from every pore. This is what I would think of when someone would mention the Atonement to me. Did it ever cross my mind that he wasn't only atoning for our sins, but our sorrows, sickness, pain, etc. and also the sorrows, pain, sadness, etc. that we cause others when we sin. So in reality EVERYTHING we ever experience in this life he has felt. So when we struggle or fall from the path of righteousness, we need to remember that Christ DOES understand how we are feeling and can help us as long as we ask. Next time you are sick, sad, in pain, having a bad day, mad at the driver in front of you, just remember if you pray to be comforted, Christ will be there and will know how you feel.
One other thought on the Atonement, and then I will get back to my posting of worldly things!! HAHA! When Christ was fasting and Satan was tempting him, it seems that Satan was really trying to get Christ to fall into temptation, and it must have been very hard to resist. Never had I thought, that this was nothing in comparison to how hard Satan must have been trying to cause the Savior to sin in the Garden of Gethsemane. I mean he was suffering beyond our comprehension, and Satan I'm sure knew this was his best chance at succeeding in his mission to get the Savior to fail his eternal mission.
So with all of this in mind, let us not forget that when we think we can't overcome something in our lives, that Christ is there and he will listen and help us through. He want's all of us to feel his influence in our lives, we just need to let him in!!

New Desktop Toys!!

2009-11-05T09:02:00.000-08:00

So I needed a lamp for my desk at home and a pen holder, so I bought these beautiful pieces of car art for the desk since I am a car fanatic!! The lamp is made of aluminum and carbon fiber, and the up/down motion is controled by a coilover and the lamp is surrounded by what looks like a disk brake. The pen holder is made of an engine cylinder and it is beautiful!!

SAW VI WOOHOOO!!

2009-10-01T11:55:00.000-07:00

http://www.saw6film.com/

Oh yeah it is that time of year again!! I love SAW!! Go and check it out and get yourself prepared for the goodness.....or is it badness!?! Wahahaha!

Chicago Trip!!

2009-09-27T09:33:00.001-07:00

So we just returned from our annual trip to Chicago. It was a great time. We ate mucho pizza, had all kinds of great food and had Christie's favorite cake. We hit up the Sears Tower.....now called the Willis Tower (lame) and were able to go out on the new glass boxes at the top of the tower, where you look straight down!! It was awesome!! We also attended the Harry Potter exhibit that was in town and man the amount of work that goes into making the costumes and backgrounds and stuff is amazing. So needless to say we had a grrrrreat time!! If you want to see photos of some of the stuff we did go to http://www.madsenfam03.blogspot.com/ Christie will be posting pics tomorrow! I thought I would save the pics for her, since more people visit our family blog than mine......teardrop!

PEACE OUT

Tune Me Up!!!!

2009-09-18T20:38:00.000-07:00

As some of you know, I have been waiting and waiting to have my ride "tuned." Well that day came just the other day, and it was a beautiful thing to behold for sure. The stock Mini Cooper S comes with the stats of 172 hp and 177 ft/lbs of torque. Now as most of us know the numbers that you get from the manufacturer are never quite what they say they are. So I'd say that my car actually started probably with something like 160-165 hp. So here is what all of my mods and the "tune" have gained me. My numbers are up to 226 hp and 256 ft/lbs of torque.
So needless to say I am freakin excited. The car is a whole new animal, and it totally rips now. Thanks to my new buddy Jan, you are the man!!

U.S. Open!!!

2009-09-09T07:19:00.000-07:00

I have been way into tennis lately. Some of my neighbors and I have been getting up at 6 am to play doubles and sometimes we just play singles. It is extremely fun, and a great workout. Not only that, but it is US Open time. And even when I wasn't playing, I always watched the "Open." So now that my boy Roddick is out, here are the two players that I am cheering for.

Rafa Nadal, I want him to make it to the finals and take it to Federer!!
Melanie Oudin, she's 17 and has taken out 3 upper tier players. Today at 5pm Mountain Time she battles again and I will be watching!

Family Campout!! Vol. 4

2009-08-30T19:14:00.000-07:00

And in the final posting of the Campout pics, I saved the sleeping bag pics and some cool headlamp night shots for all y'all!! I will be posting again soon concerning some of the upgrades on my car since the last time I posted on here. Peace!!

Family Campout!! Vol. 3

2009-08-30T19:06:00.001-07:00

Roasting marshmallows was hillarious as you can see in the pic. The kids eating them was fun times too. We learned that you can't leave the chocolate bars in the car....because they melt!! Who would've thought? But I have to say the melted chocolate actually went onto the smores alot easier and ended up being even more awesome than full bar chunks!!

Family Campout!! Vol. 2

2009-08-30T18:54:00.000-07:00

Here are some more pictures. Top is the kids cleaning dishes with mom, and then some more pics of us out in the woods by the river and throwing rocks and such. As you can see Addie is checking on Elmo in the bottom picture and Kyler is preparing to throw a rock the size of his head!!

Family Campout!! Vol. 1

2009-08-30T18:37:00.000-07:00

We went camping up in the Uintah's on the weekend of the 22nd. It was our first campout with both of the kids and my first time with Addie, and Christie. It was a blast. Our campsite wasn't very far from the river pictured above and the kids absolutely loved throwing rocks into the water. They both did awesome....and Christie did too. As you can see even though we were camping Addie needed her purse and elmo.

Sunday Dinner!!

2009-08-30T18:30:00.000-07:00

So this is my second time making this meal, and I have to say it is friggggggin awesome! I found it in one of my Men's Health magazines and I must say it is now a favorite of mine and of Christie's! It is seared steak topped with mushrooms and the side is tomatoes with goat cheese and balsamic vinegar. It is TTTTTASTY!! Here are a few pics for ya, and if any of you want the receipe just shoot me a note!!

WOWZERS!!

2009-08-30T18:28:00.000-07:00

So we have one of our friends staying with us for the next couple of days, and she reminded me that I have a blog. Yep, I had almost totally forgotten that I had this and it has been a long long time since it has been updated. So here is to a new start, and a hope for weekly updates. I will try not to let you down this time.....whoever you may be!!

Coming Out On Tuesday!!! WOOOHOOO!

2009-04-05T09:23:00.000-07:00

This game is going to be off the chain!! The first one was awesome, and I am freakin excited Tuesday morning here I come!

Updates On 007 Recovery!!

2009-03-31T12:18:00.000-07:00

This pic reminds me of the movie "Faceoff"

Kyle working hard, in both of these pics!

And these two, well all I can say is "naked!"

So here is where 007 stands now. Things are looking like possibly the end of the week we could see him back in action. This has been some kind of experience. Hopefully I can do something to get the AMVIV jinx off of my car, so that next year we can actually make it to Vegas and be able to enjoy driving with all of our friends. I had to make sure I said to enjoy driving, because my luck would have been we would make it to Vegas and something would happen, after all we made it a little bit further this year than last.......so I guess we made some progress. Thanks Kyle for working so diligently on my baby!!

AMVIV!!

2009-03-27T14:20:00.001-07:00

Well, here are some pics of our A MINI Vacation In Vegas. As you can see I have MINI in bold and italics. Not because it was a trip for our MINI, but as you will see in the pictures it was a MINI trip. On our way down, my car started to act a little funny. I shared my concern with Christie, and the group by using our marine radios. About 2 minutes later, my check engine light came on, and I decided I better pull over. Once pulled over, my water temp overheating light came on and of course billowing smoke from my hood. Come to find out, the snow had created a slush/ice barrier over my upper and lower grills on my car making it so that the radiator wasn't getting any air to cool the engine. I removed the ice, and then had a great couple that was driving with us get me some more coolant. Of the 9 that went with on the trip with us, 3 cars stayed back to help. Thanks Emily, Chris, Evan, Trisha, and Trisha's parents!! I was able to get the coolant pumped through the system, and then we had to jumpstart the car. We drove to the next exit about a mile and a half away. All seemed well, until we got back on the freeway and all of the lights started going berserk!! Called Mini Roadside, they towed my car back to Mini of Murray, and our good friend Michael came to Nephi from work to pick us up.

Come to find out the head is warped, and I need to harass Mini to see if they will cover it under warranty. If not, then I will try my insurance. If that fails, then to have a new head installed costs about 5 grand. I am fully convinced that AMVIV is a curse to my MINI. Last year it was the wheel falling off, so I couldn't go to Vegas, and this year this crap!! Well, now that I have talked all of your ears off.....good day!

One Of My Favorite Videos!

2009-03-03T18:51:00.000-08:00

This has to be one of the best videos ever! I love how Addie laughs her butt off, and then stops and looks around. Then patiently waits for Kyler to jump off the stairs towards her, and the cycle starts all over again. LOVE IT!

Woohoo

2009-02-27T21:47:00.001-08:00

Three Must Watch Shows!!

2009-02-20T22:18:00.001-08:00

I was sitting here thinking about my 3 favorite shows on TV right now! Psych on the USA Network is hillarious and I can't seem to get enough. And then Man Vs. Wild on Discovery Channel is off the hook! I love watching Bear Grylls eat all sorts of stuff, and showing us how to survive in the wilderness. I seriously got freakin ill watching him the other day. He found a bear crap, and showed that the bears body processes and expels food very quickly. So there were pieces of apple in the crap and he washed it off and ate it!! Are you freakin kidding me? But I guess if you had to survive.....ummm I'd find something else. And last but not least 24 on Fox! Jack Bauer is the man! He is unstopable, and just Hardcore! So there are my top 3 shows.

Oh The Joy!

2009-02-20T20:40:00.000-08:00

So today I thought I would get started on all of the projects that are lined up for my car. These include things like, suspension, short shifter, gauges, bushings, etc. So I figured I would start with the suspension, the most involved of all projects. I started by taking off the front passenger side strut and coil. When I got my new coilover to install it....the camber plate (top part) didn't fit. Come to find out it is the part for an R53 (older MINI). So that means I won't have the correct part until the middle of next week. To add to that I started on the rear suspension. I am drilling a hole to mount an adjuster inside of the car. The freakin drill bit breaks! So after all of that I said forget it. I will work on it tomorrow. And of course to add to the pain, we had a church basketball game tonight. We were leading the entire game, and at one point were up by 14. When in the 4th quarter it started off by me hitting a 3 pointer, and then followed by the opposing team going on a 19-0 run. We lost by 9 points!! So what a freakin day!!

Wowzers!!

2009-02-17T15:35:00.001-08:00

Ever since my mission, I have been rediculously allergic to cats. It came to my attention after we had met with someone we were teaching. She had 5 cats, and my eyes puffed up huge. The whites of my eyes when I would look to the side would fold over the colored part of the eye. It was disgusting. So here is what happened the other day. I picked up some tickets from a friend..you know who you are, and put them in my pocket. Later that night I reached in my pocket and soon after rubbed my eyes. This is the result. It was swollen for 2 days. Cats and I do not get along.

Addie!

2009-02-10T21:27:00.000-08:00

While organizing pics, I also wanted to post some of Addie, and how far she has come along. She is a beautiful little pill. She is a Diva for sure, and likes what she likes and if she doesn't she has no problem telling you...or headbutting you, hitting you, etc. She is a cute little monster too, and once again I am glad to have pictures.

Kyler!

2009-02-10T21:04:00.000-08:00

I was working on organizing photos on the computer, and thought I would share a trip down memory lane. It blows my mind to look at the picture of Kyler when he was so "little" and then see him now. He was a baldy, and a chub for sure. He is growing up wayy to fast, and I am just greatful for pictures. Without pictures I think I would have forgotten alot about this little monster when he was young.

Sports Illustrated!?!?

2009-02-10T19:01:00.000-08:00

So I was kind of blah today, and sort of funky. I was working on organizing our pictures on the computer downstairs, when Christie comes downstairs. She says "Hey, I have something that should cheer you up!" Then she tosses the newest swimsuit issue on the desk. All I could do was laugh and tell her she is a freakin goof. My wife is awesome, and hillarious too. I haven't looked through the magazine yet(believe it or not), but the comment she made, brightened my spirits! Love ya babe, you rock!

P.S. Christie wants me to post that I have a subscription to Sports Illustrated, and that she didn't just go and buy it for me.

Comment Away People!

2009-02-09T09:32:00.000-08:00

So today I received an email from my good buddy Dan, who stated that he was bummed that he couldn't comment on how lame I was for liking High School Musical. I also got a comment on our family blog relating the same problem. I was relieved to find this out, because I was starting to get a little bit bummed out that nobody was commenting on my freakin awesome blog. So I have fixed the problem and all are welcome to share feelings of love, kindness, and all things evil with me too. And before I say goodbye, I would like to mention the Grammy's were awesome last night. And seeing Neil Diamond brought back memories from my childhood. I was able to attend a Neil Diamond concert at the Salt Palace. It was one of the best concerts I have ever been too. No Joke! Hate on haters, but Neil Diamond ROCKS!!

Temple Night, Dinner, and Taken!!

2009-02-07T17:36:00.000-08:00

Yesterday we had an Elder's Quorum Temple Night, and we attended the Salt Lake Temple. It was a good time. Little did we know that we would end up going out to dinner at Red Robin.....Royal Red Robin Burger Yummmmm! After that we decided to go and hit this show up. I enjoyed it quite a bit! I'm a sucker for action flicks, so this is right in that area if ya know what I mean. Needless to say we had to pay the babysitter for 7 hours, and didn't get home until 12:30 in the morning. It was awesome, I felt young again...like I had no worries in life! What a feeling. I didn't end up falling asleep until about 3 am, and then had Basketball this morning at 7:45. What a couple of days!! If you like action flicks you will probably like this show, so go and see it! WOOT!

Prepare For AMVIV 6

2009-02-05T22:15:00.000-08:00

It is getting down to crunch time. On March 26-29 we will be attending the annual A MINI VACATION IN VEGAS. We will be among 150+ other MINI's and Mini's. The part I am really excited for is when we actually drag the strip all of us! Should be fun. So here are some pics of my car in it's current state. Some mods need to be put on before I will feel prepared. Waahaahaahaa!

STEELERS #1!!!!

2009-02-05T22:02:00.000-08:00

Wow is about all I can say concerning the Pittsburgh Steelers win over the Arizona Cardinals! There were so many good plays for both teams in that Super Bowl that I think it will go down as one of the best so far. I am a huge Steelers fan!! The basement of our home is considered the "Sports Room." We have Steelers, Jazz, Iverson, Cubs, and even the Bears memrobilia down there. The picture shows a tiny bit of how awesome my collection in the basement is. The two jersey's shown were both Kyler's when he was younger. The mini helmet is signed by Willie Parker, and there is so much more down there you would have to come and see for yourself.

San Francisco #2

2009-02-05T20:57:00.000-08:00

I had to post some pics from the helicopter ride I booked for the fam. The top pic is of our chariot. Next pic down shows a white house on the right, and the pilot said that sold for 68 million. And just to walk through it, you had to show you had a net worth of 85+ million. WOW! Some good ones of the Golden gate bridge, and a once in a lifetime chance to fly under the bridge. When under the bridge you are going 150mph and only 50 ft off of the water! SCHWEET!

San Francisco #1

2009-02-05T20:45:00.000-08:00

A little bit of fun in San Francisco. Top is Addie after our Alcatraz trip...isn't she adorable? Kyler eating some ice cream...he is a freakin awesome kid! And last but not least the kids and I on the cable car..Rock on!!

Family Vacation = FUN #2

2009-02-05T20:31:00.001-08:00

So here is the second post of Disneyland. Of course you have to have the pic of Mickey. The next pic is something new to DL. You actually go up in the castle and it's kind of a self guided tour of Sleeping Beauties castle. Pretty cool. Once again the next pic is how Addie enjoyed most of the walking. The High School Musical 3 show was pretty sweet. If you haven't seen the movies, you should check them out. A tad on the cheesy side, but catchy songs none the less. Next is Addie studying the park map. She really wanted to be part of the planning. And of course a shot of my hottie wife! Love ya babe!

Family Vacation = FUN #1

2009-02-05T19:58:00.000-08:00

Here are some great pics from Disneyland. The top pic is of the two women in my life....gorgeous aren't they? The next pic is of my buddy K-Dog. He's a total stud. Next is a pic of how Addie enjoyed walking around DL. She was roasting me out with that blanket of hers. The following pic is of our kiddos, who really love eachother. They really don't fight, and I catch them all the time holding hands. So precious, it touches me every time I see it. And finally the kids following in my footsteps. I literally was the Lego Maniac when I was little and I am so looking forward to "playing" legos with the kids.