Family & Home

Out of all the accomplishments and major events in our marriage, becoming parents has been the most remarkable. We truly love being parents and Cecilia and Calvin have already taught us so much about parenting. Though both of our current children are biologically ours, we have had to parent them quite differently to meet their individual needs. What works for one doesn't always work for the other. That variety makes things lively and makes each milestone in life exciting as it's so different for each kid. It makes us excited for what's to come.

A little about our current kiddos... Calvin is 8 years old, a bike riding machine that loves anything with wheels or an engine. He has also found a love for skiing and his only goal, when on the slopes, is to go as fast as possible. At this time, his career goal is to become a helicopter pilot with a puppy co-pilot.

Cecilia is 10, loves animals, and animals love her. Eventually, she wants to go to Utah State University to become a Veterinarian. She is an avid reader and is working her way through Harry Potter and a number of other series. Cecilia also loves to ski and would be on the slopes from dawn until far past dusk if we let her.

We live in an adorable rambler that isn’t too big, but not too small either. With five bedrooms, each kid has their own room and Brian has his own office. Our favorite room is the basement living room/theater. We have slowly built it up to be a kid oasis with movies, video games, books, legos, endless cozy snoopy blankets, and board games. Aside from the home itself, we love that we sit on a one-acre fenced lot with endless possibilities. The yard houses our flock of ducks and chickens, our kid loving dogs, and fire pit for late night marshmallow roasting.

One of the biggest draws to our home was the neighborhood. It is a rural, close-knit community with lots of history. It has a small town feel. Everyone knows and supports one another through thick and thin. We have neighborhood parties, fireworks, Holiday events, bonfires, rodeo, and activities. What makes it even more convenient is having the elementary and middle school less than two blocks away. The kids can walk or bike to school, after school activities are a breeze to get to, and lots of kids for play dates.

The best part about where we live is all of the outdoor activities that come from living by a mountain lake. In the summer, we spend most of our time at the lake kayaking, paddle boarding, fishing, swimming, and boating with friends. There are endless camping spots nearby and hiking trails to explore. The local theater also puts on amazing musicals during the summer and fall months that are truly a treat. During the winter months we love to sled and go skiing at the ski resort only 25 minutes from our house.

We were each raised in big families that did a lot together. Religion and family activities were integral to each of our families. Though Brian’s family may be spread throughout the country, they still get together for reunions every couple years and stay in touch through Facetime and photostream. Brittany’s family is mostly in Utah and Idaho and regularly visits one another. Holidays are almost always spent with family from either side. We are both blessed to have very close and participative families.

As far as grandparents go, we hit the lotto. Brian’s parents have an annual “grandparent’s week” where all the grandkids come to visit, do activities, and spend time with one another. Brian’s father also calls all the grandkids weekly to have them read with him or practice spelling. Brittany’s parents live nearby and are always ready to have “grandkid time.” Grandma dates, s'mores with grandpa, and skiing together. The best part, when we told all of our family members we were going to adopt it was a chorus of “YES!!!”