This is the truck I dreamed about in high school. As I get closer to my midlife crisis I find myself spending more time searching the internets for a vintage Ford Bronco.

Client dinner at Wolfgang Puck’s WP24. Too much duck.

What better way to celebrate Marquette’s win over Syracuse than to subject ourselves to torture.

Boring.

Farmer’s market Sunday.

It was such a healthy day my body almost rejected it. Sonia, Brit and I attended our first pilates plus class. I got through the first thirty minutes before I saw stars and needed to lie down for a few.

Convinced Devin to try escargot, although I didn’t actually tell him it was escargot.

We were afraid we were going to have to re-sod, but it turns out all we needed was a little bull shit to get the job done.

Despite some horrible luck on the tables, we managed to win back half of what we lost in a quick thirty minute session of craps before leaving for the airport. We did however miss our flight. If it wasn’t for Guy Savoy, this trip would’ve have been subpar.

A bite to eat before dinner.

Proof that we’re on a “business trip”.

With predictable results.

Breakfast at Gordon Ramsey’s, Burgr. (That’s how he spells it Ona)

Guy Savoy has been regarded as one of the top chefs in the world for a long time now. He has a restaurant in Paris and Las Vegas. Always in the top 100 in the world. Sonia and I have been saving up to eat there and finally pulled the trigger. And although Guy Savoy is only in Las Vegas around four weeks a year, he just so happened to be there on the day we were. He even invited us into the kitchen for a picture. Chefs are my rock stars.

First time I bet with my head instead of my heart and Marquette teaches me a lesson. Still, I’d spend $200 for a win any day.

We’re back and already deep in the hole. Early bedtime to regroup.

Happy Valentine’s Day. Brought to you by Sonia’s heart shaped birthmark.

More tears as Brit’s High School team was eliminated from the California sectionals after losing 2-0. This officially marks the end of her high school soccer career.

Those American Idol contestants love them some Basically Me.

Just got this in the mail. Now this is a book.

Biggest client is in town on the same day of our photo shoot.

Celebrating my niece and nephew’s belated 7th birthdays.

Brittany got into her fourth school, Depaul University in Chicago. In addition to being accepted she was awarded a $30,000 academic scholarship. Only Marquette and bragging rights remain unknown.

Enjoyed.

It turns out you really can have too much bacon.

If it wasn’t for your devoted readership I may have closed this thing down years ago.

Keep shooting, Dylan.

More Glutin For Lunch.

Brit played her last regular season and home game of her high school career. Her team beat their rivals 1-0 and made the CIF playoffs in a very emotional game.

The four senior captains (also her club teammates) walk off their field for the last time.

The soccer story began when Brittany was around four years old. We were at the park waiting for Devin to finish baseball tryouts when we found an orphaned soccer ball. I kicked it to Brittany and she kicked it back with ease. Soon, a man approached and asked me how long she had been playing. Ten minutes, I said. He then told me that he was a club soccer coach and offered to work with her for free. I didn’t take him up on his offer, but enrolled Brittany in a “little kickers” class at the park the next day. She figured out everything the teacher had to offer in about two seconds, so we moved on for more of a challenge. That search continued for the next thirteen years. Clinics. Practices. Games. From Utah to Hawaii to everywhere in between. For 52 weeks a year, we drove, she played. Brittany loves the game. We all do. Watching Brittany play soccer is my greatest joy. But there have been plenty of sacrifices. Soccer has often taken the place of birthday parties, family get togethers, vacations and countless school functions, ceremonies and whatever else normal people do. But we all understood early on that if Brittany continued to excel and love the game, it would open up doors that would not otherwise be opened for her. Today is proof of that. Today is the day that a small percentage of high school athletes sign a national letter of intent to play a NCAA Division I sport for the university that successfully recruited them. At 7:10 a.m., with Hemingway offering his support, Brittany signed on the dotted line to play soccer for the University of California – Riverside Highlanders. To quote Anthony Hopkins in Legends of the Fall, “Am Happy”.

Sonia and I decided to go on a gluten free diet. For breakfast I had a fruit smoothie. For lunch I had a wild boar sloppy joe with extra gluten. Shortest. Diet. Ever.

We dropped off Brittany at UC Riverside for her official weekend visit and hit up the town in search of a nice hotel we could call home if Brittany ends up choosing UCR. The historic Mission Inn will do just fine.