Family & Home

We are fortunate to live in a small city that has a strong connection to agriculture, resulting in many trails, parks and other ways to connect to nature. Even our quiet neighborhood has a dedicated path that is maintained by community volunteers. We both have our own individual ways to intentionally spend time in nature; Evan can be found gardening and maintaining our yard and Paige can be found on trail runs with our dog, Nessie. Evan has inherited his green thumb from his mom, Linda, and they spend days together in the sunshine weeding and planting. Paige is still learning her way around the yard and all of its glories, although she is extremely excited for Evan to build a chicken coop. 

Some of our favorite times spent with our family & friends is hosting friendsgivings, winter festivities, birthdays, and themed gatherings (i.e. a Hot Ones party where we sampled the hottest hot sauces in the world) sprinkled throughout the year. We gather monthly for pup-hikes with our local friend group to get out in nature. We are also fortunate to have many University sports teams just down the road and we enjoy going to the events when we're able.

We are so grateful to have support through our family, friends and community that we have created. From coaching, spending time with our family & friends and learning new board games we are always reminded of how it is in the small moments that we are enriching our life.

From Paige:

My mom is my best friend and continues to provide security, support and genuine love.

I am the middle of three girls, my older sister, Lacey and my younger sister, Shelby. Many of my happiest childhood memories take place in Kiawah, South Carolina, covered in sand & salt water. It was where we went for all of our vacations. We drove there in our minivan straight through the Smoky Mountains. It was where I learned how to ride a bike, play the card game "Hearts," and where I discovered my love of the ocean. My maternal great-grandma Syl, is a touchstone for my mom's family. Although little, she was a force. I have a memory of her cooking a farmhouse meal that consisted of recently caught fried catfish and homemade biscuits; delicious. The value of family is something that is a core of mine, and fortunately Evan's as well.

From Evan:

I grew up in Oregon with my parents Jay and Linda and my brother Jacob. My brother is 11 years older than me and is technically my half-brother though I simply call him my brother. My maternal grandmother also lived just down the street from us. This gave me many role models to grow up with. My brother's birth father is native Alaskan, but lost contact in our childhood. Our father, Jay, then legally adopted my brother. My childhood was a happy one. Some of my strongest memories of my early life are of my family: my father comforting me when I was upset, telling me it was ok to cry as he held me after I hurt myself, walking to elementary school with my mom making puns and playing word games, spending time at my Grandma Holly's house down the street, and daily family dinners spent talking about everything that had happened or what I had learned in school. My father always encouraged me to be outside and active, coaching my soccer teams through middle school. My mother and grandmother were the creative ones, teaching me to make art, tend the garden, or create an imaginary world amongst the backyard trees. Both of my parents taught me to cook as soon as I could safely reach over the stove. Though, they each gave me different instructions for how to boil water.