Holden's Blog

My Latest Hobby

2011-04-03T15:15:00.000-07:00

Christmas in '09

2009-12-29T08:41:00.001-08:00

This is your good friend Holden. Sorry I haven't posted in a while. For Christmas, I got a pair of insulated coveralls, a toboggan, and a Swiss Army knife. I also got a mess kit, and a new watch. On Christmas day, we went sledding up in Moody in the road. The day after, my mom and dad went snowmobiling and I went to the Galer's house. Madi watched Elliott, Hazel, and Ruby. The next day, we had the Jensens over for dinner. It was fun! On Monday, me and my dad went to DI and bought a pair of ski boots. I skied for the first time at Lincoln elementary. I get baptized the second of January, the day after my birthday. My mom made me a blanket. Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year from Holden.

Wow!

2009-08-20T12:08:00.000-07:00

My sister is a computer-addict. Also, my dad is almost done with his dissertation. We're starting an off-road club after he graduates. We'll call it "The 4x4 Club," and I already have an expedition in mind. We are going to meet every other Saturday and go on a four-wheeling trip. We will have one big off-road camping trip per month. Also, every Christmas break--well, five days of Christmas break--we will go up to a place that is almost impassable. Every summer we'll have a competition the first week of July. I will pick a place and one person at a time will drive through it. I believe that's it.

Oh My Gosh

2009-08-04T14:02:00.000-07:00

My baby sister Ruby started standing up without holding onto anything! We're going to Oregon a week after we went to Utah. Anyone in Oregon who looks at my blog: we'll probably see you. My mom is a Coca Colaholic, as most of you know. It's almost time for school to start, and I kind of have mixed feelings. I'm kind of worried about the first day, but the rest I'm okay about. A few of my friends from first grade are going to be in my class, but not my best friend. I did most of my back-to-school shopping in Utah at Cal-Ranch. My parents just went on a cruise, so I went to Utah. Did I mention I am going into second grade? Oh, I did. My grandpa is a super-good draw-er. He draws about seventy-two million times better than I do. I aksed my little sister Ruby when she would start talking, and she replied "in a month." That's it.

Life is Interesting

2009-06-15T07:51:00.000-07:00

My interesting Grandpa gave me and my dad a small four wheeler, well, actually big. And then he wanted it back three years later. And I knew he was just going to sell it. But actually he had another four wheeler for us! It was smaller than the big one. And then he told my dad he didn't want the yellow one back and he wanted us to take it back to Rexburg. Our jeep is up in Rexburg now, and the first thing we're going to do to it--well, I'm going to do to it--is I'm going to put the new fuel pump in. We found this place and it's very interesting. It has a very old dam and a waterfall. Right next to the dam, actually touching the dam, is an island. We decided we're going to take someone camping there, and so we decided that we should call that place a trailhead for all sorts of hiking trails. We are going to name them all. Life is a little bit boring in the summer, but I've got plenty of work to do. I have to finish my carport, I have to weld, I have to get new metal. . . I'm going to build nesting boxes for my chickens and I'm going to build a work treehouse. I want to make a camper to go with my jeep. But we're gonna have to learn some sewing, a lot of sewing. The end.

Me Rototilling

2009-05-04T13:25:00.000-07:00

The Winters of Rexburg, and Other Harsh Times

2009-05-04T13:13:00.000-07:00

Everyone knows it: Rexburg is cold. It seems as though on January 23 the temperature was minus twenty. Yes, it's true. It was the first time since the 1990s. That day my sister, who is three years old--you might have heard of her in old posts I've put on my blog--, she had preschool that day. I bet half her class wasn't there. I only went out two or three times that day. The second time I went out I had just four coats on and some insulated overalls. And a pair of hiking boots I got at the beginning of the school year back in August. Now in 2009, it's that time of year again. Things are greening up, it's raining like crazy. Yes, it's May. It shouldn't be raining. The saying says "April showers bring May flowers." But I believe next year we'll have that ocassional seven feet of snow followed by five feet of ice. When I woke up on the minus twenty morning, I went upstairs at about 6:30 in the morning. My dad had just gotten out of the shower and he told me what the temperature was, and he said "you won't go to school." Then I went and sat on the couch for about an hour. Then I went downstairs and I got dressed--my usual morning except for no shower, no school. It was on a Tuesday. I remember the exact day of the week because we had school the day before.

My sister has gained a little more bigness, but there are some things she does a lot--daily, actually. She whines like a maniac. That's Hazel. But Ruby isn't annoying. Ruby can crawl now. That's the end.

Elmo Stinks

2009-03-21T08:13:00.000-07:00

You see Elmo has been on Sesame Street before, and three-year-olds just love the heck out of him. But Elmo is not very good at puppet shows. You see, if I was Elmo I would talk in a very mean voice like Oscar. But Sesame Street doesn't have anyone else who would do it. What should they do? Take Elmo off the show, then let Cookie Monster take over, eating cookies all day. And I also hate the song that's on Elmo. And poor old Mr. Noodle. If they took him off the show, that would be really good. Then he could go to grade school and learn how to put his shoes on. I think Elmo messes up three-year-old's brains. I think Cookie Monster should take the place of Elmo.

Holden's Wonder

2009-01-27T07:29:00.000-08:00

My baby sister is really big now. She likes to grunt and grab my face, which I don't like. I'm a very good balancer these days. I'm also a very good faller. In 1983, the most famous rock star in the world made the buildings collapse by singing so loud that he actually fell down. Right now it is -20 outside. This world is crazy. I have a crazy clock and for the first four weeks in December it snowed 16 inches. Crazy! Crazy, I mean. I'm about to eat a weird doughnut. My sister started preschool last week. Last night I had pot stickers for dinner because it was Chinese New Year. Happy in Chinese New Year!

Holden's Post

2008-11-21T13:16:00.000-08:00

I'm going to my grandma's for Thanksgiving. My sister is going to have my old red snow boots. And I am going to stay in a yurt for the eve of Christmas eve. I hope it's going to be fun. Mom says there are bunk beds! We are going to make a big breakfast at the yurt. My mom thinks it is going to be lots of fun. School is going good. My baby sister Ruby is lots of fun and we live in Rexburg now. I miss my grandma. I'm going to Oregon during Christmas break. My favorite food is pumpkin pie now. My dad is in Oregon right now. My mom is nuts. It's weird: Rexburg is cold in the winter, but it's hot in the summer. HOT HOT. My mom is addicted to getting my hair cut. We're going over to the Galers for dinner tonight. Lately my nose has been runny. And sometimes my teacher has this overhead projector and sometimes she turns it on before she puts down the screen. We all laugh when she does that. My mom is paranoid twenty four hours a day. My mom is totally nuts. It's really windy right now. It's like the trees are flying all over the place. I use license plates in all my big jobs in the back yard. My life is NUTS!

What We Have Been Doing

2008-09-15T16:08:00.000-07:00

I just had a new sister. Her name is Ruby Jane. I like her a lot. But sometimes she can just be a fuss-mick. But sometimes she's fun and cheerful. I like to hold her. My sister likes Ruby too.

We moved to Rexburg. We bought a house and have friends, and my favorite thing about the house is the back yard. My favorite food here in Rexburg is burgers at the Backyard. I also like the custard there. It is goooood. Also, I like to make cookies with my mom.

My new school is around the corner and up the street. I walk to school. I like to play at recess and have several different clubs. For example, jumping club: in jumping club we jump off the monkey bars into the gravel piles at school. They came and dumped a bunch of gravel piles at my school. There are some high monkey bars and some low monkey bars. Some kids jump off the high ones and some off the low ones. But sometimes I like to jump off the top of the little ones.

I like school. And one more thing: I like playing with Harry and Owen and camping (see my poll).

Holden's "I Wish We Could Post 20,000 Times on My Blog" Post

2008-04-13T23:31:00.000-07:00

Here are the things that I like about Taiwan:

1. Taroko Gorge

2. Fried rice

3. Taipei 101

4. Maokong Gondola

5. Having my own MRT card

6. Riding the Metro with my own MRT card

7. Playing on the first floor of my apartment building

8. Crazy kids at church

9. Going to Danshui and building up my rock collection

10. Going to the Jade Market

Here are things I DON'T like about Taiwan:

1. Having to travel far to go anywhere fun

2. Searching high and low for rootbeer

Holden's Many Writes

2008-04-10T23:05:00.000-07:00

So, when I come back to Utah--you all know that, don't you?--I'm going to, let's see......start an off road club. You all know that exactly. So, I told you I was going to start an off road club, right? I'm going to tell you the places I want to go in my off road club. I'm going to go to rattlesnake wash, lambs canyon, nine mile canyon, teton damn, mt. lemon, the sand dunes in Rexburg. Do you want to know anything else about what's going on with us in Taiwan? You do! Well, come on, and I'll tell ya.

Me and my sister have ear infections right now. We're going home in one week. Our flight leaves April 21st at 12:00 noon. That's all I want to write for now.

Holden's Posting World

2008-03-27T20:29:00.000-07:00

Right now me and my crazy mind maniac sister are playing in the balls and she seems to be yelling every time I go near her. Next Halloween I want to make this machine that makes mummies and trolls seem real. Vampires, the Headless Dude, Frankenstein, and other scary stuff will seem real when I use my machine. We are leaving Taiwan in 3 weeks. I am relieved that we are leaving in 3 weeks because I really, really, really want to start my first off road club. And for the big meeting we will invite all the members in my club to Grandma George's house and we'll make up a chant and all that stuff and then what we'll do is say the chant and then I'll tell everybody what we're going to be doing in our off road club. Then we'll go outside to our rigs and go through everything we have and stuff and then what we'll do is go on our first camping trip.

We went on the Maokong Gondola. I plan to build something like that in "Holden World." I'll build two very tall towers in Holden World, one on the top of the mountain and one at the bottom. A cable will be welded to a metal bar at both stations. This machine sets down a gondola, then it takes the gondola up the cable. It makes its way up the mountain. At the top the same thing will be happening. You see, it will be very cool. My sister is throwing blocks at us and we're hiding under a table. I'm excited to have another mind-blowing sister. And when Hazel and whatever our new baby's name is going to be get older, I'll teach them how to go in a motorboat. It will be awesome. Awesome, I say. When we go to Rexburg I will start a snow diving club, where we will jump off my playset into the snow.
That's all for today!

Holden's Post

2008-03-18T20:20:00.000-07:00

Right now me and my sister are playing in the ball pool. And guess what? There is nothing to describe about this. It's just a plain old ball pool that's not very deep, with a slide, and some giant rubber balls to bounce around. Also, Homer Simpson's finger is in here. Only it's massive. I love the element of sur--PRI....... and want to see the new Get Smart movie. That was just a joke to make you laugh your heads off. Right now my leg was on top of my sister in the slide. She is climbing over me trying to get in the tunnel to the slide. I am trying to talk my mom into lunch at McDonalds. For dessert, I want Dunkin Donuts. That's all for today.

Holden's Writing Town

2008-03-17T04:04:00.000-07:00

My dad's brother is visiting us in Taiwan, and he seems to be a little crazy about the food here. We found a grocery store that carries root beer, thank heavens. We just polished off the 6 pack that we bought. I believe it took 4 days to finish it. So now we're going to go buy some more. Last week we went to the Palace Museum that has all this stuff about history and other nonsense. And I decided to invent a machine and it will cost $4000. And also I have made some other side-details and plans about it. It will be attached to my B-2 system. This machine is going to help there be more energy in the world, and it sways a lot when there is a lightening storm in order to capture the lightening and the wind and get power from it somehow. And it will also be attached to my A-1 system. That's all I want to write. We are going home on April 21st, so keep your hopes barely above ground-level, because it will still be awhile.

Holden's Blog Post Feb 21

2008-02-20T18:43:00.000-08:00

In Taiwan, the weather changes very fast. While the weather changes very fast from cold and rainy to warm, Hazel and I are playing outside. Mom needs some time to herself, but she is typing while I dictate. In Taiwan I can't seem to put slideshows on my blog. I don't know why. Right now my sister is yelling at us and she's stomping her foot on the concrete floor. I don't like Taiwan so far, and to make matters worse, there's a stinky tofu place right near our house. That's what I really hate about Taiwan: STINKY TOFU!!!

Holden's Write-Up for the Day

2008-02-14T22:45:00.000-08:00

For Christmas me and my dad got my sister a battery powered four wheeler. This winter I've been hearing that there's lots of snow in Utah. Right now we are playing in the balls. I'm reading this book called The Witches right now. It's by Roald Dahl. He's my favorite author. Maybe I'll start allowing my mom to read Harry Potter to me. I started this business. I have meetings and I call them "kid business meetings." For my off-road club I decided I would have a long weekend trip. We'll go to Moab, Rattlesnake Wash, Lamb's Canyon, Hobble Creek, Diamond Fork, and I guess that's it. We will do this over several long weekends. That's it for now.

Taiwan Update

2008-02-12T23:32:00.000-08:00

Right now my dad is on an airplane flight back to the US for his interview at BYU-Idaho. Right now my sister is yelling "I'm not poopy!" at me and my mom. We went to Danshui and ate at McDonalds. I went from always eating chicken nuggets with BBQ sauce to now eating a Big Mac with cheese. I have enjoyed going to Chiang Kai Shek Memorial Hall. I also had fun going south to Ci Shan where my dad served part of his mission. It's a 4 hour train ride.

Right now we are playing in the ball pool. Hazel is trying to kill me with a toy car. It is very cold here and the buildings are made of concrete and none of them have heat in them. I get big bites every night. Taiwan is okay, but hard sometimes.

Off Road Clubs and Me

2008-01-30T00:42:00.000-08:00

I really like Off Road Club movies, like Ultimate Adventure. But I, as a kid, am starting a real Off Road Club. We've already had one meeting, and then after a period of time, we are going to have another meeting. And then, we will start our Off Road Club journey. We will have a big meeting on the day before our trip. And we will have to pack a lot.

I am so happy that Jackson B turns 6 today! Happy Birthday, Jackson!

What the Heck!? Taiwan is Awesome!

2008-01-10T22:15:00.001-08:00

I went to Taipei 101 for my birthday on January 1st. I got ice cream and saw the big ball in the middle of the building. The ball keeps the building from falling down. It's hanging by giant ropes. I ate a steak at Chilis and kept falling asleep and Dad had to keep waking me up to eat. That's the crazy life I have now.

I live in an apartment that has a ball pool, playground, air hockey table, movie theater, and lots of karaoke. My favorite thing about our apartment is either the movie theater (where we can watch our own dvds) or the air hockey.

I've eaten lots of weird food. My favorite food so far is called shui jiao. It's like pot stickers, only boiled, not fried. Right now I see my mom's feet. My dad eats all kinds of disgusting foods here. The grossest food I have eaten is a fried egg sitting underneath a really thin steak, all on top of fried noodles. And I got a dart gun at the Shilin night market as a prize for one of the games I played.

The hardest thing about living here is that there is only one bathroom in our apartment.

The best thing about living here is that it's dangerous. There are lots of scary cars on the road when we walk down the street. There are so many foods that look disgusting to me. I believe that will be all for today.

Welcome to my Blog!

2007-12-07T18:07:00.000-08:00

Hello. This is Holden's blog. I like Jeeps and I'm five. I go to Kindergarten and somehow everybody drives me crazy, and last month I almost drove all of them insane. My parents think I'm going to Taiwan, but I'm really not. I have a best friend at school and his name is Kyle. And I have a best friend in Arizona, whose name is Jackson. I have a bunch of other friends, too.

Today for, some reason, when we went four wheeling in my dad's CJ 7 where we weren't supposed to go, we ran out of gas. My dad and his friend had to push the Jeep down the hill. It was fun, but a little scary. We had to call my grandpa to bring us a gas can. That's about it!

One more thing: has your son ever driven off a cliff? I hope not!

Here I am pulling my little sister with my four wheeler:

Here I am on the big four wheeler with my dad:

Here's my dad's CJ-7 (which is for sale, much to my dismay):

Stay tuned for more information!