Brian Edwards

Ellie Jumps a horse

Brian Edwards — Sat, 03 Apr 2010 13:30:00 GMT

So Ellie is getting ready for her second horse show and has started jumping horses. Last show she placed 3rd and 4th in two different categories. This was amazing considering she was riding in a class with other riders that had 10+ years experience. She's definately a natural.

Here is a picture of Ellie after the horse show.

Pants on the Ground

Brian Edwards — Mon, 01 Feb 2010 17:31:00 GMT

Ethan WON the Science Fair!!!!

Brian Edwards — Wed, 16 Dec 2009 20:14:00 GMT

We built a hovercraft and tested the vertical speeds as they relate to the surface the hovercraft is traveling over. Ethan WON and we are headed to the next level. Hopefully we will make it all the way to state.

Ellie following in Daddy's footsteps and staring on the news

Brian Edwards — Tue, 29 Sep 2009 19:05:00 GMT

Touring Fort Fisher with Ethan

Brian Edwards — Wed, 12 Aug 2009 20:57:00 GMT

Ethan and I spent the day touring Fort Fisher. Here is our tour guide who spent most of the time explaining the part African Americans played in the Civil War. Very interesting.

Just so happened that day they were doing a demonstration on how they fired the cannons.

Going to Biltmore Estates with Ethan

Brian Edwards — Sun, 02 Aug 2009 21:36:00 GMT

What can I say other than WOW. Somehow this place gets bigger every time I go there. Ethan had a wonderful time and we spent about 6 hours touring the house and the grounds.

Got a picture inside until we were informed of their NO PHOTOGRAPHY policy.

How's this for a back yard?

I told Ethan we could buy the place if he would promise to mow the yard. He thought about it then decided it might be too much work.

Went to the farm

God forbid we see a chicken and Ethan not chase it down and pick it up

Another perfect trip. Ellie spent the whole time and her Grandmother's house preparing for and attending Courtney's baby shower. On the last day Ethan and I were so filthy and exhausted we cheated and headed back to Raleigh and took showers and spent the night with the Grandparents.

Backpacking Linville Falls with Ethan

Brian Edwards — Fri, 31 Jul 2009 21:12:00 GMT

Another backpacking trip with Ethan. Got rained on a lot and spent a night at a KOA campground but had a wonderful time as always. We got to the falls early one morning and they let Ethan raise the flag.

Headed to the falls. Ethan was in a wonderful mood as always so we snapped a quick picture on the bridge.

These are the upper falls.

Damn I'm a good photographer.

Ethan being Ethan.

Here is the crevice in the side of the mountain Ethan and I were hiking on. We were so high up and on such a small ledge I even started to get a few butterflies. Spent most of the time trying to keep Ethan alive without killing myself.

We got to the edge so I tried to take a picture while hanging on for dear life.

Here is where we hiked to.

Taking Ethan to the Shooting range for the first time

Brian Edwards — Wed, 01 Jul 2009 12:54:00 GMT

I decided it was time to start teaching Ethan a little about handgun safety and he had been begging to go to the shooting range so we gave it a shot, lol. Anyway, Ethan did incredible. I didn't care if he couldn't hit the side of the building, all I was working on with him was safety and how the gun works. He shot 50 rounds with a 9mm and hit 3 bulls eyes. We had a blast and Ethan learned some important safety information.

Kids go to Horseback Riding Camp for a week

Brian Edwards — Mon, 22 Jun 2009 12:23:00 GMT

So we sent the kids to horse back riding camp for a week this summer and it was a huge hit. Of course we had to go and buy Ethan and Ellie cowboy boots so they would fit in. Camp started at 8am and ran all day until around 4pm. By the time they got home they were black from head to toe and smelled much worse than any of the horses there. They both had an incredible time though.

Here are the stalls that they cleaned out every day. Can't get them to put their dishes in the sink but somehow shoveling horse crap all day was fascinating.

Ethan mounting up to show his horse.

Ellie getting ready to show.

Ethan and Ellie placed First and Second. What a team.

I am no longer a student pilot

Brian Edwards — Mon, 08 Jun 2009 12:58:00 GMT

As of today I am an official FAA licensed pilot. Flew up to Florence for my check ride and was handed my license two hours later. I think the FAA examiner felt bad for me because he got kind of carried away with doing "unusual attitude" testing. This is where you put your visor on so you can't see outside the plane then put your head in your lap and close your eyes while he flips the plane around to some weird attitude then you have to open your eyes and correct everything using only the instruments. The first 3 went fine but on the 4th one I think he was getting bored and wanted to play some. By the time he was done "adjusting" the plane this final time I was so sick I couldn't even see. I believe we were inverted in a dead spin doing about 2 negative G's. God knows how I got out of it but he could tell I wasn't doing well and I think felt kind of bad. I pulled it together, did a few more landings and he handed me my license. YEE HAW.

I'm still feeling a little "green" in these pictures.

Thanks to Kaleb and Red Sky Aviation for getting me trained.

Blowing Rock Trip with the family. May 20, 2009

Brian Edwards — Sat, 30 May 2009 12:24:00 GMT

So we traded out our Carolina Beach Condo for a week with a guy who had a cabin in Blowing Rock. Our first stop was a place called the Mystery House. You would have thought I was trying to get Ethan to base jump off of Niagara Falls but with a little persuasion he finally came inside with us and had so much fun he made us come back later in the day.

We had a tough time getting her out of the "out house" though

Playing with bubbles.

The next day we went on a two hour trail ride. This was by far the most fun day of the trip. Ethan and Ellie were naturals on their horses, I kept getting yelled at for running my horse and Angela did like she was supposed to and followed all the rules.

The next day we all went on about a 4 mile hike. Ethan and I backpack all the time so I wasn't so worried about him but I had some concerns with Ellie and Angela. Ellie surprised us all and not only kept up but kicked our buts on the hike out. Angela fell well behind but it wasn't so much her fault because she got overheated and sick because of some antibiotics she was on. Of course I have to show some of my amazing photography skills.

Next stop, the actual Blowing Rock. I tried to convince Angela to jump off and see if the legend was true but she declined. LOL

Can't you see how excited Ethan was about posing for pictures.

Finally after a long few days it was time for some R & R

So after such a fun trip we get home Sunday evening to find our home had been robbed. Phone/alarm lines cut and we were completely wiped out. Over $200,000 worth of jewelry and other items. Everyone was devastated and needless to say Angela was a wreck since this jackass broke into two safes and took EVERYTHNG we owned. Just to throw some salt in the wound we find out that we are only covered for about 25% of the jewelry loss. I will say one positive thing about it all. We have all made a conscious effort to no longer let "things" define who we are. Don't get me wrong, if I find these guys before the detectives I will be laying out some good old fashioned vigilante justice but until then. . .

Brian managed to get on the news again

Brian Edwards — Wed, 06 May 2009 19:36:00 GMT

Taking Yogi to the Bank

Brian Edwards — Mon, 20 Apr 2009 17:10:00 GMT

African Safari with Ethan

Brian Edwards — Mon, 20 Apr 2009 16:52:00 GMT

We saw Zebras and Giraffes

Chimps and Gorillas

Wild Elephants and even Flamingos

Posionous Frogs were all over the place.

The only Polar Bear known to live in the African Plains

On the final day I saved Ethan from this ferocious Lion

Ok, so maybe we were really at the Asheboro Zoo but it sure felt like Africa to Ethan. LOL

Backpacking in Pisgah with Ethan. Morganton, NC

Brian Edwards — Mon, 20 Apr 2009 16:19:00 GMT

Ethan and I took another backpacking trip to a different part of Pisgah last weekend. We went to the Harper Creek trails in the Grandfather Mountain District of Pisgah which is near Morganton, NC. Great backpacking but I didn't get tons of good pictures because we had too much fun just playing around. Late Saturday nigh Ethan and I couldn't sleep so at around 10pm we got dressed and I took him on his first SNIPE hunt. LOL. Ethan finally started getting scared because the "snipes" started throwing rocks at us in the dark so I had to sit him down and give him the scoop on Snipe hunting.

Walker's Country Store. There is a sign out front that says Don't let the horses bite on trees.

After hiking in 5-6 miles we found a place to set up camp for the night.

We took Yogi on this trip. He was in dog heaven. There were branches everywhere for him to chew on so he was like a kid in a candy store.

Ethan climbing up the side of a mountain again.

Awesome Water Falls.

More of Ethan climbing.

And finally, Ethan's favorite, marshmallows.

Ethan turns 8 years old

Brian Edwards — Thu, 16 Apr 2009 17:00:00 GMT

As always we had dinner at his favorite restaurant. If Ethan was Japanese he would weigh 800 lbs.

Happy Birthday Ethan. Big birthday party comming next weekend.

Ok, here was the next weekends party. We hired these pirates who came and did an hour long magic show/skit and it was one of the funniest things we had ever seen.

Easter at the Edward's House

Brian Edwards — Sun, 12 Apr 2009 17:06:00 GMT

Who is this crazy bunny?

Oh, it's daddy in this rediculous costume that Angela makes me wear.

Brian Edwards on WWAY TV3.flv

Brian Edwards — Tue, 17 Mar 2009 13:52:00 GMT

Brian Edwards news cast on WWAY TV3 about how to avoid foreclosure and the produce the note strategy..

Perfect landing at ILM in Wilmington

Brian Edwards — Sat, 28 Feb 2009 19:09:00 GMT

Taking off from Myrtle Beach

Brian Edwards — Sat, 28 Feb 2009 18:59:00 GMT

Taking off from North Myrtle Beach

Brian landing his plane in Myrtle Beach

Brian Edwards — Sat, 28 Feb 2009 18:54:00 GMT

Ice Skating with Ethan

Brian Edwards — Fri, 27 Feb 2009 22:51:00 GMT

Just a little trip to the Ice Rink with Ethan

Ethan's Poor Wife

Brian Edwards — Fri, 27 Feb 2009 22:29:00 GMT

The funniest thing happened the other day. Angela calls me at work to tell me this story. Ethan had just come home from school and was tired and wanted to lay in our bed and watch tv. Angela had the bed full of clothes that she was folding. Ethan told her she didn't need to be in there because he couldn't get comfortable. Angela looked at him and said, "so where should I be?" With a straight face and without breaking stride Ethan looked at her and said, "how about in the kitchen making me something to eat."

Angela had a tough time yelling at him especially while trying to break through the tears of laughter.

I've been Tagged by Courtney

Brian Edwards — Sat, 07 Feb 2009 18:14:00 GMT

Well, I think i was tagged by my sister Courtney so here goes. . .

8 TV Shows I like to Watch

    1. American Idol (don't tell anyone)
    2. Man Vs. Wild (Mine and Ethan's Favorite)
    3. Criminal Minds
    4. CSI
    5. Seinfield
    6. Everybody Loves Raymond
    7. Anything on the History Chanel
    8. Grey's Anatomy

8 Favorite Restaurants

    1. I'Ricci (In Washington, DC)
    2. Le Jules Vernes (Eiffel Tower, Paris)
    3. Chop House
    4. Harry's Dolci (Beside Harry's Bar in Venice)
    5. Nobu (Malibu)
    6. Angus Barn (Raleigh)
    7. Red Barron (Greenville, SC)
    8. Wendy's (only fast food I can eat)

8 Things that happened today

    1. Started rebah on 2 houses
    2. Evicted 3 people from their homes
    3. Went ice skating with Ethan
    4. Had dinner yesterday with the family at the Japanese Steak House for Angela's Birthday
    5. Played with the dogs, bird and sugar gliders
    6. Went to the beach condo
    7. Worked on my blog
    8. Whittled wood with Ethan

8 Things I look Forward to

    1. Retirement (not happening any time soon)
    2. Traveling
    3. The warm weather to show back up
    4. Riding in the jeep with the top off
    5. Dinner with Angela on Valentines Day (our anniversary)
    6. The kids getting to college
    7. Poker night
    8. Flying my plane

8 Things on my Wish List

    1. Patience
    2. Wisdom
    3. Being young again
    4. A Jet
    5. Not having to work
    6. Not having invested in the stock market
    7. More time
    8. The 2009 Sweedish Bikini Team?

Ellie's First Basketball Game

Brian Edwards — Thu, 22 Jan 2009 22:23:00 GMT

Ok, so it is actually her second basketball game but Daddio forgot to bring the camera to her first game. She is doing awesome. She has never played before but takes direction very well and I can actually see her during the games doing the things that I tried to teach her the week before. Her first point went in with a big SWOOSH hitting nothing but net. There was only the small issue that she scored the point on the other teams goal. She was so embarrassed but luckily the next play down the floor another girl on her team did the exact same thing so she felt much better. Here is her team and some action shots of her.

God forbid our hair isn't perfect before the game starts. Such a GIRL

Ellie steals the Ball !!!!!!

She takes off down the court

Amazing defense. They don't call her "The Glove" for nothing

Her first basket (on her own goal)

She sinks it!!! Who's your daddy? Why in the world is anyone trying guard her. She is unstoppable and any attempt to defend her is FUTILE.

GAME OVER. To date we are undefeated (2-0). This game went down to the wire with one of her teammates sinking two free throws with no time on the clock to put them up by 1. Here is Ellie just being cute before the game.

SNOW DAY!!!!!

Brian Edwards — Tue, 20 Jan 2009 22:59:00 GMT

So the forecast finally called for snow so the kids woke up at 6am only to find not even a flake outside. So we figured we would go find the snow and all piled in the car and drove half way to Raleigh to play in it. By the time we finally got back home it had started snowing there so the kids got to play in the snow at home as well.

Ethan looks a little cold. This was the first time I can remember not having to make him put on shoes and a jacket.

Angela decided to build a snow man. If you get out your telescope and focus in at Ellie's feet you may be able to catch a glimps of it.

Ethan Vs. Wild

Brian Edwards — Thu, 15 Jan 2009 22:52:00 GMT

Ethan and I have obviouisly been watching too much Man Vs. Wild. He was bored on day so decided to build a lean to shelter in our front yard. Here is the beginings of it. He did this 100% on his own without anyone knowing.

Halloween 2008

Brian Edwards — Fri, 31 Oct 2008 22:57:00 GMT

Ethan, Ellie and Ellie's best friend Will heading out for some Trick or Treating

Ethan's first soccer game of the year

Brian Edwards — Sat, 13 Sep 2008 13:17:00 GMT

Ethan played his first soccer game of the 2008 season. I wasn't so sure how he was going to do in the heat but he was completely unconscious. He was all over the field. He was even taking shots on goal from the full back position and would be back on defense before they could get down the field. He was awesome, I was proud and the fans were cheering his name. So cool.

Some favorite quotes

Brian Edwards — Sat, 06 Sep 2008 17:56:00 GMT

"Chance favors the prepared mind"
                        -Me

"Death is nothing, but to live defeated and inglorious is to die daily"
                                                -Napoleon Bonaparte

"Don't seek the truth, just cease to cherish opinions"
                                                -Zen

"It's only by doing things others have not that one can advance"
                                                -George Patton

"Speak your mind, even if your voice shakes"
                                                -Saw it on a bumper sticker

Charles Schultz

Brian Edwards — Sat, 06 Sep 2008 17:32:00 GMT

The following is the philosophy of Charles Schultz, the creator of the "Peanuts" comic strip. You don't actually have to answer the questions, just read the through and you will get the point.

1. Name the 5 wealthiest people in the world
2. Name the last 5 Heisman trophy winners
3. Name the last 5 winners of the Miss America Pageant
4. Name 10 people who have won the Noble or Pulitzer Prize.
5. Name the last half dozen Academy Award winners for best actor or actress
6. Name the last decade's worth of World Series winners.

So how did you do?
The point is, none of us remember the headliners of yesterday. These are no second-rate achievers. They are the best in their fields but the applause dies, awards tarnish and achievements are forgotten.

Ok, here is another quiz.

1. List a few teachers who aided you on your journey through school
2. Name 3 friends who have helped you through a difficult time
3. Name 5 people who have taught you something worth wile
4. Think of a few people who have made you feel appreciated and special
5. Think of 5 people who you enjoy spending time with

Easier?

The Lesson:

The people who make a difference in your life are not the ones with the most credentials, the most money, or the most awards. They are the ones that CARE.

"Don't worry about the world coming to an end today. It's already tomorrow in Australia"
-Charles Schultz

Backpacking The Chatooga River with Ethan

Brian Edwards — Sat, 30 Aug 2008 16:19:00 GMT

What a trip this was. We have been to the Pisgah forest several times and love it but Ethan and I decided we wanted to try something different. I had hiked the Chatooga in college so I figured we would give it a try. We got there late Friday evening and finally found a trail we wanted to start out on. The only problem was that it was pitch black and all we had to see with were our headlamps. Ethan wanted to give it a go so off we went. About a mile in the trail ended and I didn't like hiking blind while at the same time making sure I was notifying all the bears and snakes that we were stomping around. No cell phone service didn't make things any more fun for me either. A few hours later I got us back to where we started and we found a little opening and set up camp and built a fire to get out of the dark. Ethan has been doing really well with his knife safety and was begging for a new knife so I gave him my new Gerber to keep and use for the trip. This also gave me an excuse to buy the new knife that Bear Grills uses on Man Vs. Wild. (FYI, it's a pretty sweet knife). Anyway, here is our first campsite and Ethan whittling early the next morning.

Day two we cross the river and head North. Our first stop along the trail was Spoonaker Falls. Here are some shots.

After hiking to the top of this thing with Ethan we headed back down the trail and found our next campsite. The first thing we did was cut down a tree and start building our TeePee.

Here are a few cool things we found along the trail. Ethan's new pet and his favorite waterfall that we had to go back and visit several times. He was so proud of finding that leaf and water back in the woods.

Ok, here was the most dangerous part of the trip. I can't believe that I caved into Ethan wanting to climb to the top of this thing. We barely got to the top and once we were there the only way out was along this ledge that was the width of my foot with a 400 foot drop below us. The entire time I am trying to make sure Ethan doesn't fall while not killing myself at the same time. Here is a shot of the bottom half of the falls and one of Ethan's pouting face which he used to convince me that we would be ok climbing up the face of the rocks to the top.

After swinging down from this rock above Ethan we were stuck and the only way out was hugging the ridge behind him. Definately should have brought the rock climbing gear. After making it out alive we headed back to camp and started fishing. I finally got a fish on and screamed for Ethan to come over and real it in. He didn't move so I looked back and he was staring at the water in front of me and said, "uh, Dad, who cares about the fish, look in front of you." I turned around in the water and 3 feet in front of me was a 6' Water Moccasin. I droped the rod, grabbed Ethan behind me and litterally threw him up on shore (kids don't normally live through a Moccasin bite). Once I was sure Ethan was a safe distance away I went after the snake. I grabbed him by the tail and was about to pin his head down when he spun around ready to strike. I quit, snake wins, back to camp.

Segway fun with the Kids

Brian Edwards — Sat, 30 Aug 2008 15:45:00 GMT

So we are in Myrtle Beach and walk by this place where you can rent Segways. I had not ridden one in a while so I thought I would jump on one and play around for a few minutes. Well, all of a sudden Ellie wanted to try and since she was tall enough I got one for her. I told Ethan that he could ride with me because he wasn't tall enough and they were too difficult for him to handle. That went over about like I expected. I talked with the guy renting them and talked him into letting Ethan give it a try so he could realize that he wouldn't be able to do it. Once again, Ethan proved me wrong. Within 5 minutes he was better on that thing than any of us. He was doing full speed turns, sliding stops and almost beat me through an obstacle course. Ellie was great on hers as well but we were all surprised when Ethan turned out to be a natural. Here are some pics.

First Solo Cross Country Flight

Brian Edwards — Fri, 29 Aug 2008 15:32:00 GMT

Well I finally did it. My first solo cross country flight preparing for my license. I was initially scheduled to fly to Kinston and Clinton but had to change my plans after inclement weather. Because of the weather my flight had been delayed for over a week so we decided to change the route and go for it. I left ILM and headed to Myrtle Beach International. After a quick touch and go from MYR I scooted down the coast and up to Brunswick County Airport where I did a full stop and went inside for a coke. After leaving Brunswick I flew over Bald Head then back North to ILM. I was pretty nervous initially but once I got in the air everything went fine and the butterflies were gone. I've flown solo many times but this was the first going to multiple different airports away from my comfort zone at the ILM airport. Here are some pictures of the inside of the plane I am flying.

Skimboarding at the Beach Condo

Brian Edwards — Tue, 22 Jul 2008 15:28:00 GMT

We spent a few days at our condo last week and the kids really got into skim boarding. They both got really good by within a few hours. I managed to not kill myself but saw a broken bone in my future so decided to let the kids take it from there. Here are some pics.









It took most of the day to finally convince Ethan to stop boogie boarding. He's hooked, next step, surf camp. Ellie mastered the skim board and later in the day had people coming up to her and telling how good she was. Some adults even watched her making it look so easy so thought they would give it a try. Bad idea.

Later on in the day I caught a peak of some hot chick walking down the beach. I managed to get a few shots before she saw me. I even managed to take get a shot of her butt before she noticed me. Take a look below.

Dammit, I'm caught.

Last Few shots.

What happens in Vegas stays in Vegas

Brian Edwards — Tue, 01 Jul 2008 15:19:00 GMT

Vegas is one of our favorite places. This time we stayed at the Palms resort which is home to the Playboy Club. Wow do I have some stories, unfortunately for whoever is reading this the saying is true: What happens in Vegas, stays in Vegas. So I will show you a few pictures of us playing at the pool while your imagination runs wild.

Here is a picture of the entrance to the Palms Place hotel and spa. For more info go to www.Palmsplace.com and you can get the scoop on how awesome this place is.

Here is a shot I took of Angela at the pool making the Playboy bunnies jealous:

Playing in the World Series of Poker June 2008

Brian Edwards — Sat, 28 Jun 2008 16:19:00 GMT

So I won the Tileston poker tournament here in Wilmington and won a spot to play in the World Series of Poker in Las Vegas. There were 4500 people that were entered in the tournament I was playing in. I had a great time, played well but I guess not well enough to win. This was my first big tournament so I was sort of nervous when we started out and probably didn't play a few hands I should have. I got horrible cards the rest of the day and by the end of the first day, I was out. It didn't matter though, I had a blast and learned a lot. I'm definately going back next year to play in a few more tournaments.

Here I am before the tournament started and a picture of the final table that I never made it to. The tournament was televised but unfortunately I didn't make the cut.

One of the highlights was getting to see Doyle Brunson and Phil Ivey. Later that night I played craps with Phil Ivey for a few hours. It was just me and him at the table with all his body guards. I thought I was high rolling betting $25 chips until he stopped by and plunked down $80,000 and began betting $5000 a roll. He was down $100,000 when I was finally "paid off" by the head casino pit boss to let him have the table to himself. I played with him for about an hour and he never said one word and never looked up once.

Here is Scotty Nguyen and Marcel Luske playing in the tournament also. I also ran into Joseph Hachem (2005 WSOP main event winner) in the hall eating pizza but didn't take a picture. While I was playing, Angela almost knocked over Jesus Ferguson and saw almost every other professional poker that she recognized from TV.

At the table beside me was Hevad Khan (Crazy Red Bull drinking guy who likes to scream a lot) and I also got to talk to Humberto Brenes in the hall (The guy who always brings his toy sharks to the tables)

However, this cat was probably the most famous player and definately the best looking.

Thought this picture was funny. I guess Doyle was getting a little sleepy.

Got to see my old roomate for the first time in 15 years

Brian Edwards — Tue, 17 Jun 2008 16:12:00 GMT

David Stamey and his family cam to Topsail for the week on vacation and I got to see him again for the first time in over 15 years. He hasn't changed a bit, has a wonderful family now and is doing well. It was good to talk to him again and hopefully we will keep in touch now.

Tileston Poker Tournament May 2008

Brian Edwards — Thu, 05 Jun 2008 14:50:00 GMT

I played in the local Tileston Poker Tournament last weekend. The winner got 2 free tickets to Las Vegas and a paid entry into a televised World Series of Poker event.

I WON!!!!!

Belize City, Placencia, Blue Hole, St. Herman's Cave, Maskall and hanging with the locals on May 27-30 2008

Brian Edwards — Fri, 30 May 2008 04:40:00 GMT

Angela agreed to let me take a 4 day backpacking trip through Belize on my own. I needed some time alone and wanted to live with the people of different areas of Belize. In some areas I feared for my life, in other areas I was welcomed into their homes. The trip began on Monday when I landed at 1:30 Belizian time. I had reserved the top of the line, best suv they had in the fleet. According to them, I got it. A 10 year old Mitsubishi with 90,000 miles on it, no shocks (you'll discover the importance of this later), and it was a manual transmission with the transmission needing a lot of work. So the adventure begins.

I head out with no idea where I'm going, how to get there, or where I'll stay if I find a place. I wanted to go in blind, to the places that only locals would go. I decided to head South, drove through Belize City and since I knew that area from a previous trip I continued South to Punta Gorda. I had to eat lunch so I stopped by one of the local fruit stands on the side of the road and had a bunch of fruit for lunch. I spent a little while hanging out with the family that owned the fruit stand and then realized that the two phones I brought with me didn't work and it was Monday so all the stores were closed. Brandon (who owned the fruit stand) was kind enough to give me his wife's phone to use while I was in town. I was kind enough to give her $150 American dollars because we both knew I wasn't coming back. So off I go to where the road takes me.

An hour down the road I see a sign for Placencia to the left or straight ahead to Punta Gorda. Went with my gut and turned down this pot filled dirt road. I figured I'm in a broken down suv with bald tires, this would be a great way to start an adventure. This dirt road turned out to be about 60 miles long with a max speed of 12mph and I was still pushing the car to its limits at that pace. So now night is falling and I'm driving down a dirt road in what I am imagining is a poppy field and I keep looking for the drug cartel to pop out guns drawn. An hour later I finally hit pavement, it was like taking a drink of water after having none for a day or so. It was short lived though, a mile down the road the holes and dirt showed back up. I finally get down to the very end at the middle of the night and find that I was on a peninsula that dead ends into the water. There is only one way out, the way I came. I wasn't doing that shit again at 11pm and get shot at so I found a little cafe that had internet access to determine my next move. All the hotels appeared to be rooms in these little shacks that people rented out. Ok, screw that, I've got a ton of cash strapped to me, I need to at least try and not get killed so I ate a sandwich and headed back out.

A mile up the road I found this place tucked in behind a great wall. Turned out to be the Chabil Mar Villas. It was 12 and I was exhausted from traveling all day. I didn't care what it cost, I just wanted my first night to be restful and safe. The security guard told me that they were closed already but told me to hold on a second. (is he getting his goons on the line to come attack me in this dark corner?). A few minutes later he came back with a lady who opened the reservation desk for me and asked if I had a reservation. Here we go again, strike out number two. I told her no and explained my situation. Regular rates were $420 a night she said. I didn't care, it would be worth it cause it looked clean and safe. She said she would give me a special rate of $250. I wanted to look at her and say, "you had me at $420".

Apparently there was no one else in the resort that night so she gave me the mack daddy, 2 story, 4 bedroom villa. She told me that the kitchen and bar were closed but if I would like something she would be happy to bring it up. I stepped into the shower and 5 minutes the guy who ran the kitchen knocked at my door with a rum punch, a plate full of fruit and cheeses and a beer. I drank the rum punch, devoured the fruit and cheese and went to bed.

I woke up at 5am the next morning, went out to my wrap around balcony and realized they had put me in heaven. Two infinity pools, jungle wildlife and flowers everywhere and somehow I was sitting 4 steps from the beach that I didn't even know was there. I spend a few hours taking shots, eating a wonderful breakfast they made for me, jumped in the pool for 5 minutes then I was on my way. This group of people went way above the call of duty for me so I'll need to make sure and right a review for them. I've never had treatment this good when I was expecting it much less when I just walked in off the street somewhere. Thanks guys.



Below are a few pictures I took of the people of Placencia Belize





The last picture is of two hitch hikers I picked up. Not the smartest move I've ever made but I figured I could take them if they decided to do something stupid. Neither one spoke a single word of English.

Ok, now it's Tuesday and I'm supposed to be on the way to Punta Gorda but I decided to go back and meet up with the guys who I met the day before at the fruit stand. On the way back I went to The Blue Hole which was amazing then hiked through the jungle and found an enormous cave called St. Herman's.

Luckily I had my pack with me because I had a headlight in there. This is a steep climb over and under rocks in the water. Once you're in a few hundred yards the lite is entirely gone and you can hear the bats and other monsters that want to kill you around every turn. I got back to the end and there was a sign that said not to go any further without a guide, they know good and well not to stick a sign like that in front of me. I pushed on. I see why you need a guide because there were lots of different ways to go but I figured with my sense of direction it wouldn't be a problem. What I didn't count on was the batteries in my head lamp going out. OK, now I'm freaking out. I am completely turned around now and can't see if there is a rock in front of me or a 300 foot drop off. I get to my hands and knees to try and avoid killing myself. I had my camera so I managed to get everything set to manual so I could make the flash go off. I managed to pop the flash a few times to get some idea of where I was. Was I going further in or headed back out? It actually crossed my mind that I might need to learn how to catch fish in the dark and find a way to build a fire with rocks cause I might be in there for a few days and no one knew I was there. Luckily I was going the right way and reached the front entrance to the cave an hour or so later.



Wow, safe from the cave, back into the jungle. Howler monkeys are all around me but that's no problem, I can take a monkey unfortunately my next step ran me into this:

Now I don't know much about Jaguars but I don't think he was as scared of me as I was of him. The camera shot scared him away and if it hadn't I would have had to beat him to death with my favorite camera. Camera VS. Jaguar, who do you think would have walked away from that one?

Bet you've never heard of a Tapir. I hadn't either until this 500lb mammoth came flying across my path. I found out later that they are called mountain cows.

So yeah, maybe not a man killer but if you've never seen one it will make you think for a second.

I saw and heard a lot of birds and lizards but couldn't identify any of them except for the Red Lored Amazon. There were a bunch of birds that kept making this knocking sound, not woodpeckers but they were making it with their throat. I'm still trying to figure out what those were



All in all the day in the rain forest was an exciting one. Next time I think i might go looking for a guide.

My final night in Belize I found a cool resort in the Jungle which I ran into about 1.5 hours down another dirt road. It was called Maruba Jungle Spa so I pulled in and got a tree house for the night. This place was awesome and even more so because I was the only one there. There was a full staff that did nothing but take care of me because they had nothing else to do.

I ended up hanging out with the guy who ran the place for the entire evening. Apparently this place is extremely famous and had been on numerous television shows but I had never heard of it before.

It was an incredible place in the jungle but definitely a place you want to share with your wife. Next time I go to Belize this is where I will take Angela. It would have been very relaxing and romantic but since I was alone it was just relaxing.



  Ok, great place and I particularly enjoyed having the resort to myself. Time to get back on the road and head to the airport. I stopped by a few more villages and helped some locals out and snapped some pictures.





This last picture sums up what it feels like going into these villages not knowing what to expect. All in all it was a wonderful trip and I got to help out a lot of people in these small villages.

Japanese Steak House.flv

Brian Edwards — Fri, 16 May 2008 18:40:00 GMT

The kids favorite place to eat, the Japanese Steak House

The House I grew up in on Forest Hills

Brian Edwards — Thu, 08 May 2008 20:21:00 GMT

Just driving by the home I grew up in and snapped a picture with my camera phone.

Taking the kids to Furman University

Brian Edwards — Tue, 06 May 2008 23:12:00 GMT

Hanging out in my old locker room which apparently now belongs to the womens softball team. At least the practive floor is still there even though it looks like it now belongs to the girls vollyball team.

Ethan wasn't so much into taking pictures today. Ellie was having a blast, Ethan, not so much.

Hanging out at the front entrance to campus and outside my old dorm room

It was nice going back to Furman and seeing everything again. It's been almost 15 years since I've been on campus. We stopped by the old gym and talked to my old trainers who were still there. After we left there we headed over to the new sports facility and talked to the current assistant coach. The Paladins are not doing so well anymore when it comes to men's basketball. For the last two years they went 15-16 and 7-23. I got a call from Joyce who is still the office manager for the basketball program. I also looked up a few of my old teammates and coaches and sent off some emails to them all. We'll see if I hear back from anyone.

Update, heard from David Stamey. He is headed to Topsail at the end of the month and we're all going to get together for old times sake.

Hiking the Pisgah Forest with the kids

Brian Edwards — Tue, 06 May 2008 19:00:00 GMT

View from the bottom portion of Connestee Falls.

Full view of Connestee Falls

The kids and I just got back from 4 days of hiking through the Pisgah National Forest. This was Ellie's first backpacking trip and Ethan's fourth. Both Ethan and Ellie carried their own packs and we hiked a good 8-10 miles each day. Amazingly neither one of them ever complained and we had a blast. We camped by a small waterfall with a crystal clear pool that was about 8 feet deep. I dove in first then realized too late that mountain water is COLD. No more swimming this trip.

Day one of the trip. Here we are at Looking Glass Falls. First and last picture of all of us together because there was no one in the woods to take our picture. We hiked to several waterfalls and here are some more of the pictures I took below.



Above right is a shot of falls opposite Connestee Falls. The falls on the right was taken at Looking Glass Falls.

Moore Cove Falls. The kids played under here for an hour. It doesn't look that big from the picture but it is about 50 feet tall.

Above is Sliding Rock Falls. It was a little to cold to give it a try but maybe next time.



Both of these pictures above were taken on the way to Moore's Falls



This is my favorite picture of the entire trip. Everything seemed to come together in this photo. The lighting was just right so I could increase the shutter speed to get the effect I wanted and the natural color of the rocks came out perfectly. I am having a poster made of this one.

Below is a small fall we saw along the highway along with the flower on the right.



Below are just some fun snapshots of the kids having a good time.  Most were in the middle of the day in the afternoon sun so they are not going to win any awards but I like them anyway.

Lessons learned and corrected from backpacking trip with Ethan (see older posting)

1. New lightweight tent
2. 15 degree sleeping bags
3. It is warmer in May however the water is the same temperature.  Second note to self, test the water before you jump in.
4. Kids can carry some of their own crap
5.  Ellie is not such a girlie girl. She's actually quite helpful on the trail
6. Kids expect me to cook for them when mom's not around.
7. Carrying a Nikon D300 on the trail is a lot harder than a pocket digital but well worth it
8. Somehow with waterproof boots and proper clothing Ethan still manages to soak all of his clothes before sunset.

Air Show April 2008

Brian Edwards — Thu, 17 Apr 2008 16:04:00 GMT

Ellie's Catillion March 2008

Brian Edwards — Thu, 13 Mar 2008 22:53:00 GMT

Unfortunately she isn't a little girl anymore. I didn't see her getting ready but met her and Angela before the dance. She looked so beautiful all I could was stare at her. She was so proud and excited. I wish I had my new camera then but unfortunately all I had was a point and shoot so these pictures don't do her justice.

Ellie's good friend who took Catillion with her.

Some of the kids heading off in the Limo to the dance.

The Paparazzi and me and Ellie after the dance. Second time I've worn this suit.

I think I scared this kid when I yelled, "Hey punk, get you're hands off her". Finally she is dancing with someone I approve of.

I've always seen Ellie as my little girl and acted like she was still 6. This is the first time where I realized she was growing up. I think she should just stay a little girl the rest of her life.

Portfolio in Progress

Brian Edwards — Sat, 08 Mar 2008 20:33:00 GMT

I call this one, "Old homeless man sitting on a park bench"

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One of our neighbors. I just thought the lighting came out good on this one. I'm still in practice mode.

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Took this one at the National Cemetary in Wilmington

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Taken in Pisgah National Forest

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Cool Cousin Arives to town

Brian Edwards — Sat, 08 Mar 2008 20:30:00 GMT

So my cousin Laura who I barely knew even existed came to town with her husband and little boy. They came by the house and we all went out to dinner at Wild Wing. We hit it off like we were long lost brother and sister and they ended up staying the night with us. Thank God I finally got to meet her because she and I are like two peas in a pod. We keep in touch every week now I just wish I had met her 20 years ago. We still have a lot of catching up to do but it's nice to know I have her as part of my family.

Ethan getting into his coloring.flv

Brian Edwards — Thu, 31 Jan 2008 17:35:00 GMT

Ethan really gets into coloring

Video of Ellie and Beth dancing.flv

Brian Edwards — Sun, 13 Jan 2008 22:13:00 GMT

Ellie and Beth Dancing

Our Foot Collection

Brian Edwards — Tue, 08 Jan 2008 20:49:00 GMT

New York with the kids Janurary 2008

Brian Edwards — Tue, 08 Jan 2008 14:18:00 GMT

Our second home and I'm pretty sure where Ellie will end up living one day.  This time we took the subway to the National Museum of History.  The first thing we did was run to find the things that were in the movie Night at the Museum. The middle is me and Ellie at Dum-Dum the Easter Island Head and the Capuchin monkey. We looked for Sacagua but couldn't find her.



Ellie and Ethan went to their first Broadway Show and we say Grease the Musical. The winners of the TV show "You're the one that I want" were still performing and signed autographs and took pictures with Ethan and Ellie. Laura Osnes played Sandy and Danny was played by Max Crumm.

Hanging out it Times Square. We spent the evening at the massive Toys-R-Us and then went to the ESPN Zone for dinner.

Here is Ethan and Ellie hanging out with New York's Finest

They NYC policemen were so nice to the kids last trip that every time they saw some this time they would walk up and talk to them like they knew them.



Times Square at about 2am. Ellie doesn't sleep when we are in the city. Ethan and Angela usually end up asleep in the room and Ellie and I are roaming the streets until late.

Jack Hanna's partner Dan brings an ape by the office for me to play with

Brian Edwards — Tue, 16 Oct 2007 03:44:00 GMT

Andi who used to work with me has a best friend who works with Jack Hanna doing talk shows all over the country. She had him stop by today to let me play with some of his animals. This is a Gibson Ape named LuLu. I'm hooked, she and I ran around and played for hours at the office. If they were not illegal and I wasn't positive Angela would divorce me I would have one. Here are some pictures.

I had to pull Ellie out of school so she could come play with the animals too. Dan also brought an alligator, an owl and a huge porcupine but we spend the entire time playing with LuLU. Playing with this ape is one of the greatest things I've ever done. They are fun to look at when you're at the zoo but you can't imagine what it's like to get to actually play with one and have him run around with you and play back. Can't explain it, just an amazing experience.

Puerto Rico, St. Thomas and Turks and Caicos (again) with the kids October 2007

Brian Edwards — Fri, 12 Oct 2007 05:06:50 GMT

   I feel bad for poor Ellie's husband one day. She is so used to traveling in limos and first class hotels already at this age. She's not going to let some man stuff her in the back of a honda and drive 16 hours to go on vacation. She knows how to rough it too but she's going to expect to be spoiled some too which she deserves.

Getting ready to land in Puerto Rico. Mommy got flowers, perfume and jewelry because on the way there Daddy won a few thousand dollars at the tables.



Typical evening at the Edward's dinner table except Ethan is usually naked and Ellie is eating a piece of lettuce and screaming that she is stuffed.

Getting together after dinner and running into this guy. Kids thought he was fun though.

Ok, we just landed this beast in Puerto Rico.

These two monkeys are already exhausted

El Morro

El Morro Fortress

Opposite view of
El Morro Fortress

An old San Juan street

We walked around the city for a wile then found this great restaurant with Mojitos that have no equal in this world. Kids are exhausted so we're heading to St. Thomas.

So forget this tourist thing. We rented a jeep and drove the entire island of St. Thomas.

We found this great little place on top of one of the mountains. Check out the views.

We found this great little cove on the other side of a different mountain and spend some of the day splashing in the water.

While we were playing in the water, Angela did what she does best when it comes to swimming in the ocean

We had some great experiences driving through St. Thomas. Obviously they drive on the other side of the road but I had that mastered pretty quick. My cell phone worked in Puerto Rico and St. Thomas so I was flying through the hills talking to someone when I got pulled over and told that it was against the law. I also learned that it wasn't just a slap on the wrist, they take your phone, no questions asked. No more talking and driving for me.

On the way back we stopped by a jewelery store and Ellie got to buy a very nice ring for herself. She looked at several different stores, had the stones graded, then picked out the one she liked the most. I think she picked the best one I just wish she had looked at the price first. Like mother like daughter.

Ok, time to get to The Turks

It was great, Ellie and I got off the boat and a friend of mine was waiting there for me with a car. We drove to the other side of the Island where only the locals go and had a blast.

Ellie did some snorkeling and Ethan started feeling better so I drove back and picked him up from the ship. Angela was still out of commission.

I spend most of my day in the water with them taking pictures but I did take a few minutes to chill out and feed the poor things

So sad, we had to go. Our host Cindy was wonderful but I wish Angela could have made it out of bed to see how much fun the kids had. She was too sick to move and we have been here before but it would have been nice to have her out there with us as well.

Pisgah with Ethan September 2007

Brian Edwards — Fri, 07 Sep 2007 02:29:00 GMT

Real men backpack with hammocks. I learned a few things on this backpacking trip:

1. Ethan cannot bring tennis shoes. Soaking wet in an hour. Hiking boots from now on
2. Ethan needs waterproof clothes, 3 pairs soaking wet before nightfall.
3. No matter how hard I try, I cannot trap a wild animal with my bare hands.
4. Ethan cannot be left alone with matches, he has his dad's fire issues
5. Ethan cannot be left alone with knives, same dad issues.
6. When you're 20 miles deep in the woods with Ethan make sure you bring Mylanta
7. It is cold in the mountains in September. Need heavier bags
8. The water is colder than it looks, check before you jump
9. Edit number 7 to read, It's DAMN cold in the mountains in September
10. A 15 lb tent is too heavy to carry when you're packing for two

This tent is way to heavy to carry 8 miles into the woods. Plenty of room but I'll never take it again.

This pack weighed well over 100 lbs. I thought I was tough enough to handle it but never again. You can't imagine how difficult it was carrying this thing across streams, over rocks, and climbing hills. Next trip I will be better prepared with lighter equipment.

Hanging out around our campsite. The water below is an 8 foot deep, crystal clear pond. Ethan is now a master of starting a fire with a flint. Next time we're rubbing sticks together.

Washing clothes with environmentally save soap.

Immortalized forever in a tree

Trip to Washington DC in August 2007

Brian Edwards — Thu, 02 Aug 2007 01:21:00 GMT

Took the kids to IRicci in downtown DC. It was rated one of the top 5 restaurants by Zagats and rightly so. They gave the kids a private tour of the kitchen and were surprisingly accommodating considering we were in one of the top restaurants in the world with two kids. Every time Ethan would drop his napkin they would run over, pick it up, and replace it with a new clean one. Ethan was up to about 8 napkins until we realized what he was doing. The food and service were incredible. Angela and I each got an entrée, we had 2 appetizers, a bottle of wine and the kids shared some pasta. Total price after tip: $850. Gotta hate it when they don't put prices on the menu. Pretty expensive dinner but it was well worth the experience.

Not too sure what the big white building is but everyone else seemed to think it was important so we figured we should take a picture of it. After touring downtown we spent a day at the zoo and hung with the pandas. Also as part of the trip we went to Kings Dominion for a day and Mt. Vernon. As soon as we started touring Mt. Vernon I got a call from the Attorney General wanting information on a foreclosure I had worked so I spent the entire time sitting on the back porch looking over the Potomic river talking with them while the wife and kids enjoyed touring everything. We toured the Smithsonian which was the kids favorite part. I guess we're lucky in that our kids would rather travel and tour museums than go to an amusement park. Obviously they get that from their Mom.

Indroducing Ellie and Ethan to teen idol Chad Michael Murray

Brian Edwards — Mon, 25 Jun 2007 01:15:00 GMT

Chad Michael Murray currently is a star on the tv show One Tree Hill which is filmed here in Wilmington and was previously on the tv show Dawson's Creek. His movie credits include Home of the Brave and House of Wax but he is most famous for Freaky Friday and A Cinderella Story. It just so happens that I am friends with his manager and my landscape company takes care of his personal home. I met Chad in the gym one day and it took me 4 more times of hanging out with him until I knew who he was. When I told Ellie she almost lost her mind, I didn't realize what a big deal he was to kids. After I realized he was this teenage heart throb I asked him if he would be ok with meeting Ellie and Ethan. Chad was more than happy to meet with her and Ethan and was wonderful with both of them. Here a few pictures when they first met.

A few weeks later he sent them some autographed pictures of himself and the cast and then invited them both to come with him to Toys-R-Us and help him shop for needy kids in Wilmington. He let them both pick out a good portion of all the toys purchased and when the local news crews showed up both Ethan and Ellie were on the newscast that night shown shopping with Chad. That day Chad spend several thousand dollars of his own money on toys that he donated to Toys for Tots. I've had the advantage, or maybe disadvantage, of meeting and spending time with a lot of "celebrities" but I have to say, Chad Michael Murray is a definite class act and I truly appreciate the time he has taken with my kids. Spending time with a 10 year old and a 7 year old I'm sure are not on his top 10 things to do but he does it with grace and has given them both experiences that they will never forget. Ellie watched his movies all the time before they met but now they have and extra special meaning.

I spoke with Dan, Chad's manager, last week and he told me that they are working out a way for Ellie to come to a taping next season and have lunch with Chad and the cast. Here are a few pictures of the shopping trip with Chad at Christmas.

Shopping with the kids and playing soccer with Ethan in the isles

Thanking Ellie for "helping". Ellie will never forget this trip.

Opening of Carolina Mortgage Solutions of Wilmington, LLC

Brian Edwards — Sat, 14 Apr 2007 00:49:00 GMT

I opened another real estate holding company with Kirk Pugh. Kirk was formally the manager of the Yacht Club at Figure 8 and has decided to put his full attention into real estate and begin acquiring properties with me. Usually it's difficult to mix friendship and business but Kirk and I are a good mix and the partnership is working great. I am forever optimistic while Kirk is the ultimate pessimist. Together we meet in the middle somewhere and are both great at separating business from friendship. The unconditional trust between us is also extremely helpful.