Utah Fairhursts

Celebrate!!!

2011-06-05T15:48:00.000-07:00

It is summertime, and we are celebrating in the Fairhurst household! Ariana finished her first year of pre-school. She did great, had a fun time with her friends, and always enjoyed telling us about what she learned. She was very aware of the rules and made sure I knew that she was obeying her teacher. Pre-school was also an accomplishment for Kindra as she took turns with the other mothers to teach the kids. They did a great job, and the kids loved it!
Kierra finished kindergarten. She did great! At an awards ceremony at the end of the year she was given an award for citizenship, musin and p.e. I was especially proud of the p.e. award. Kierra did not love p.e., specifically she disliked running laps outside in the Arizona heat. However, she stuck with it and kept a good attitude. Apparently she gave a good enough effort for her teacher to notice. I am glad she didn't give up.

I also completed my second year of the doctoral program. The culmination of the first two years was a qualifying exam. I found out on Friday that I passed. What is my reward, you ask...three more years of school! I am happy to have the exam behind me and to be on to my next steps in the program. This, again, is something that Kindra deserves to celebrate. She has been the foundation during this hectic time. We celebrated with a night out to a seafood restaurant. Great food, great company, and no homework hanging over my head! The perfect way to celebrate!

We have been having a lot of family fun to celebrate. Bowling, trips to the pool, reading together, and, mostly, relaxing. We also have a baby girl that thinks she wants to crawl. She is constantly getting on all fours and falling forward. Enough face plants and she will eventually begin to shuffle.

KID QUOTES

Kierra: Ariana, you be the mom and you can be married to dad!
Ariana: [Gets an excited/nervous/blushing look on her face]
Kierra: Ariana, are you daydreaming...because I am definitely daydreaming!

A Thorn in My (back)Side

2011-05-22T11:24:00.001-07:00

We are gearing up for summer. Kierra's last day of school is Thursday and I have a qualifying exam on Thursday and Friday. Saturday will be a good day! Towards the end of the year, Kierra's school held a field day. They had many games and capped it off with an inflatable water slide. Kierra had a blast!

The girls have been playing pretty well together. They do all sorts of things. One thing they like is dress-up. We have several Disney princess dresses, tutus, leotards, etc. Of course, those aren't what they use for dress-up. This last week, they dressed up as mom and dad in our clothes. I have to say, Ariana looks ready to be a mom!

Arizona, not surprisingly, is full of gnarly looking cacti. What we didn't expect was all of the thorns on plants other than cacti. Kierra has had a particular knack for finding plants with pokies. I have lost track, but several times she has come home with dozens of tiny thorns that had to be picked out of her hand one by one. The latest occurance was this past week as Kindra and the girls visited the local Botanical Gardens. However, Kierra's experiences pale in comparison to Teya's. One night this week, Kindra was changing Teya's diaper. She yelled that something was wrong...Teya had been stung by a bee. I came in and felt the bump on her bottom, and, sure enough, it felt like a stinger was in there. Kindra grabbed the tweezers and started the extraction. The 'stinger' kept coming and coming. Kindra pulled out what was either the stinger from a bee the size of a small bird or a large thorn.

This thorn was sticking directly into her bottom (thank goodness for padding). We have no idea how long it was in there. All I know is I couldn't find a hole in her diaper or clothes and the thorn had been in there long enough to get soggy! Poor Teya!

KID QUOTES

Mom and Dad: What did you learn about in church today Ariana?
Ariana: I don't know...my teacher didn't tell me!

Dad: Are you excited or sad that kindergarten is almost over?
Kierra: Both...I am excited because I need a break. I am sad because it means I am that much closer to 1st grade!

Easter Surprise and Kid Quotes

2011-04-25T22:46:00.000-07:00

On Saturday of Easter weekend, Kindra had a four hour meeting. A friend of mine was alone with his kids as well. So, we decided to take the kids to the park, let them play, and have a little Easter egg hunt. I went out to hide the eggs while the kids were playing. I scattered them all over a sandy area away from the playground equipment. With only a few eggs left, I noticed a dirt mound that I might be able to set an egg on. However, as I got close I realized the dirt mound was already occupied...by a sonoran sidewinder (rattlesnake). Fortunately, it was asleep. We kept our distance and finished the egg hunt. Since then I have been having nightmares of sending four you children egg hunting with rattlesnakes. Luckily, the hunt turned out well!

KID QUOTES
Ariana: Dad, did you know that when I get big I am going to get married and have kids and move to a different house than you? Don't worry though, I can visit you whenever I want to!

Kierra: Knock knock.
DJ and Kindra: Who's there?
Kierra: You guys watch too much t.v.
DJ and Kindra (thinking we were funny): You guy watch too much t.v., who?
Kierra: You guys watch too much t.v. of Chuck.

Ariana: At church, my friend and I went to the bathroom together. We heard really loud shaking. We thought that a giant was going to step on us in the bathroom. Then we realized we were under stairs.
Kierra: When you were scared, you should have yelled 9-1-1!

Kierra: Ariana, you don't have to eat your candy so fast. You can save some of it.
Ariana: Oh yeah, I forgot that candy doesn't go bad!
Kierra: Uh oh!!! We forgot about dad!
Ariana: You're right...I better hide my leftover candy!

Here are a few more pics:

The girls playing in the mud/sludge.

I'm so glad when daddy comes home! I usually get mauled when I get home. It makes everyone happy (especially mom!).

A family campout in the living room. It wasn't too hot and we didn't have to worry about snakes and scorpions.

The girls got their face painted at a community easter egg hunt.

Mom and Teya on Easter Sunday.

Peas in a pod!

Kierra Lillian

2011-04-24T21:56:00.000-07:00

Kierra is surviving a long year of all-day kindergarten. She had Spring break this past week and she had so much energy. I think she is all but ready for summer vacation. She loves stories. She constantly wants stories from Kindra and I and when she can't get it from us she turns to the cell phone to call her grandmas and grandpas and aunts and uncles. She is well-liked by her classmates and her teacher tells us that she is always encouraging others when they get discouraged. She loves plants and animals. Every time I ask her to pray, she includes a new animal that she is grateful for.[Translation: I accidentally was playing with the cupcake wrappers. Sorry. Kierra]

Ariana Susa

2011-04-24T21:49:00.000-07:00

Ariana is our Miss Independent. She loves to play ponies or fairies. She also loves mischief, such as hiding, running away, and, of course, pretending that she is not bothered by any consequences she might get. She is also very sweet. She loves to play with her sisters and her parents. She is learning to love stories just as much as her big sister. Ari started primary at church this year. She is very sociable. Kids of all ages at church know her and say hi to her. She still loves her thumb and her blankie.

Teya Bailey

2011-04-24T21:43:00.000-07:00

Teya is generally a happy baby. She is starting roll a lot and giggle occasionally. She loves to be around her family. Her sisters each have their own way of playing with her, but she just loves them all. Like Kierra was, she is a binky baby. She sleeps through the night most nights. She is starting to work baby food into the mix. She is bald and chubby just like our other girls...the perfect kind of babies if you ask me.

New (sort of) Addition!

2010-11-28T15:23:00.000-08:00

Six months since I wrote! Obviously a lot has happened and I will not even attempt to capture everything. I will begin with the most important, then throw in a few kid quotes, and finish with a few pics of our last six months.

October 15th we welcomed a new daughter into the world. The delivery went very smooth, and we are so happy she is here. Her name is Teya Bailey Fairhurst. At birth she was 7 lbs 15 oz. and 19 inches long. Now she is driving and about to go off to college...okay, it hasn't been that long, but it feels like it! She is a very content baby, only crying when she is hungry. She sleeps most of the night, which is the good news. The bad news is she is a grunter. She constantly makes different grunting noises with her mouth. The first few days I was always worried she was choking. Now, I try my best to drown out the noise. Between Teya's grunting and my snoring, I doubt Kindra is getting much rest! Here are some pics of our cute little girl(s).

KID QUOTES

In church -
Dad: Ariana, can you put your dress down?
Ariana: NO DAD! I AM TRYING TO GET MY PANTIES OUT OF MY BUM!
[and yes...her quote is in all caps for a reason]

Kierra: Thank you Ariana...Ariana, I said thank you...Ari, what are you supposed to say when I say thank you.
Ariana: You're welcome.
Kierra: I forgive you.

Dad: What is going on in there?
Kierra: I just couldn't understand what Ariana was trying to tell me. She was talking really fast. I told her to use one word at a time. Then she told me, 'Here is one word: GET OFF MY BED!'

OUR SUMMER (in reverse order):

We are starting to teach Kierra to ride a bike with no training wheels!

Kierra's first day of kindergarten. She loves school and is a good student.

Ariana's third birthday. She got a My Little Ponies carnival. She loves it!

We had a nice visit to Montana. We had a reunion and the girls saw most (unfortunately not all) of their Fairhurst cousins. We stayed at a lodge in Lincoln, MT. The girls were able to ride horses while we were there. Of course, our reunion involved the traditional potato car race. Kierra was this year's champion!

We also got in a visit to Utah to see Kindra's side of the family. We packed in a lot of fun including a picnic up the canyon, canoeing, fireworks, etc.

We had Kierra's 5th birthday at our neighborhood pool. It made cleanup easy and the kids had a lot of fun!

The Good Life

2010-06-06T13:37:00.000-07:00

Finals ended near the beginning of May. We made it one year! These last few weeks have been great. I have been fairly busy trying to come up with a research topic for the summer, but it is definitely a different kind of busy...meaning no late nights, no Saturdays, and more time with Kindra and the girls! Speaking of girls, we recently found out that we will be joined by another little girl in October. We are very excited! We took the entire family to the ultra-sound. Ariana said she wanted to be a baby again once she realized how much attention the ultra-sound monitor was getting. Kierra was trying to hold back the tears when she found out we were having another girl. Come to find out that she was only sad because she was worried about her dad feeling lonely as the only boy in the family. Once I convinced her that I am excited about another girl, she has been so excited. Here is a little recap of some of the things we have been able to do since the end of the semester:

We finished reading Charlotte's Web near the end of semester, so for my first free weekend we had a Charlotte's Web Party complete with a visit to the carnival, watching the movie, and Charlotte's Web treats.
We also took the girls to a Chinese Festival. We tried Oriental food and saw traditional Oriental dancers. What was the girls' favorite, you ask. Of course, it was the bounce house. I am not sure how Oriental a bounce house is, but the girls had fun.
On Memorial Day, we took the girls to 'free day' at the local childrens museum. It is a nice museum, and the girls had a blast. Luckily, we got there early enough to beat the hoards that came for free day.One staple of our summer has been, and will likely continue to be, going to our neighborhood pool. With hot days (the lowest high temperature this week is forecasted to be 103) it is so nice to go cool off at the end of the day. We have already been to the pool around 10 times. The girls are getting so much better in the water. Kierra would panic when any water got near her face. Now she is constantly going under water. Ariana would just jump in if we would let her. And I couldn't resist putting in this picture:
KID QUOTES

Kierra [in a prayer]: Please bless that dad will get a lot, a lot, a lot, a lot, a lot....done in one minute so he can come home sooner.

Ariana [in a prayer]: Please bless that mom will get better, but she is better. Please bless that dad will get better, but he is better too. Please bless that we can eat dinner, but we are eating dinner. (she is really good at getting her prayers answered)

Ariana: I wish Kierra was a boy so that we could kiss on the lips and get married.

All the Single Ladies

2010-04-17T22:48:00.000-07:00

To start out this month we had a nice treat. Kindra's mom and dad and her three youngest siblings, Adam, Shanae, and Mariah, came to Tucson for their Spring break. It was great to have visitors. The timing of their visit could not have been better in respect to my school work. I had a mid-term the day before they got here and had two weeks until the next one, so I was able to see them more then I normally would have been able to. Kindra, of course, loved spending time with them and having help with the girls. And the girls...they were in heaven. Of course there were tears when they left, but it was worth it. Their visit was filled with trips to the Desert Museum, Tombstone, and Catalina State Park; visiting; conference; Easter; and, as always, lots of eating! We also found out that we can, with reasonable comfort and sanity, fit 5 extra people in our house for a week or so (if you have 6 or 7 in your family, don't let this detract you from coming...we're willing to test the boundaries if you are willing to be a guinea pig). Now we just can't wait until they come back again.

This past week was a pretty heavy week for me with a lot of late nights and early mornings. I told myself if I made it through the week (trust me, at times this wasn't certain) that I would celebrate by spending an evening with Kindra and the girls. So, tonight we had a pizza and movie party. The pizza was okay and the movie (Chipmunks, the Squeakuel) was mediocre at best. However, the company was great! It was nice just to relax and be a family. The girls had fun watching the movie. Kierra's eyes would light up with any hint of chipmunk love. Ariana just wanted to be one of the Chipettes. See below (this might help you understand how I came up with the potentially creepy title to this post, you might want to start the video at 30 seconds):

Eat your heart out Beyonce! Of course, I had to be Theodore the entire night. It's okay though, Ariana reassured me that I was Theodore because he is the fat squirrel. I'll take being a fat squirrel at home with my girls (all 3) over late nights at the university any day of the week!

Spring Break 2010

2010-03-28T15:41:00.000-07:00

Last week was spring break for my school. I still had a reasonable amount of work to do, but I was able to strike a nice balance of spending time with Kindra and the girls as well. We tried some Mexican food, got doctor's visits in, and tried to relax. Kindra took me on a fun date. We went to Catalina State Park. It is very pretty, and only 10 minutes from our house. It is set in the mountains, but, of course, covered with cactuses. Suprisingly, there are pools formed by mountain runoff (I know, snow in Arizona?). So we hiked to some of the pools and cooled off by wading around in them. Quickly, the state park is one of the favorite places that I have been in Tucson. We will definitely go back (especially when we have visitors to show the sites!).I also took the time to do a little wood work. Just before Christmas, we had a mishap with our kitchen table. The leg broke off in a way that was beyond reasonable repair. Considering we bought the table 6 years ago for $12 at a yard sale, it was difficult to justify spending much to fix it anyway. However, it has been our family table forever. Luckily, we found a way to keep it part of the family. I used the table top to make a smaller table top and two benches, then built a base for a kid-sized picnic table. It is a bit wierd to see a picnic table made out of finished oak, but the girls love it! I still need to finish the edges, but that might have to wait until summer now that school is back in. Either way, it was a relaxing project over the break.
Here's a pic of the girls getting ready for the ward Easter egg hunt. Look out boys...in 20 years!

KID QUOTES:

Kierra: This game took forever!
DJ: Yeah, this is a long game, huh?
Kierra: Yeah...and also a boring one.

Ariana [while lifting up her shirt and poking out her tummy]: Look mom, I'm pregnant...pregnant and immodest!

Kierra [to Ariana after Ari got yelled at by a little boy]: Ariana, I love rainbows 100, but I love you 50 more!

3 Months in Review

2010-03-07T12:36:00.000-08:00

So, 3 months quickly go by without me writing. Here is a run through of what we have done (Note: Kid Quotes at the bottom if you want to skip to the good stuff):

DECEMBER

The first few weeks of December consisted of getting ready for and taking finals. I have no recollection of the event in question. We will quickly fast forward to Christmas break. We headed to Utah to spend the holidays with Kindra's family. We had a lot of fun. We attended several Christmas parties, went sledding, played some broom hockey, built snowmen, went four wheeling, had a brief visit with Misti and her family at temple square, Kindra went skiing while I took the girls to Pirate Island Pizza, and many other fun things. It was nice to relax, see friends and family, and try not to think about school. We did happen to be there while Kindra's grandpa, Clel Jensen, passed away. We were fortunate enough to attend his funeral. While we lived in Utah, we were only a short distance to their house, so we visited them often. Clel was a very smart, kind, and fun man. He will be missed. It was a nice visit, and it was difficult to leave. It did make it slightly easier when returned to 70 degree January weather.Here are a few pics of our visit:JANUARY

January brought a return to school and routine. Kierra was much happier to begin pre-school again than I was for my school. Maybe if I were learning about the letter A instead of the letter epsilon... Anyways, January was very busy. We did find time to visit the desert museum, one of our favorite attractions in Tucson. It is a zoo, but it is different than most zoos. All of the animals there are native to Northern Mexico or Arizona, so they are all in their natural habitat. The animals are much more active than the animals at other zoos. The exhibits are well put together. They have neat shows such as a raptor show with the birds flying all around you. It is a great place to visit, and just another reason to come visit us. We followed that up with a picnic/nature walk at a place with Native American petroglyphs. Here are some January pics:FEBRUARY

In February, we dealt with Ariana's annual sickness, and an amazing amount of rain. In August I was convinced we live in a desert. Now, I am not so sure. Of course we celebrated Valentine's day. Kindra and I attended a ward party where we had dance instruction from a couple who instructed participants on Dancing with the Stars. It was nice to dance with Kindra. We also had our yearly tradition of me cooking a 'fancy' meal for Kindra and the girls. This year was grilled sea scallop and mango kabobs and cous cous over spinach. It was a hit. Now, I need to start planning for next year!

KID QUOTES

Ariana: Mom, too bad you married dad. I wish I could have married him first.

Kindra: Kierra, we have your shots this week.
Kierra: Nooooo! I DO NOT want shots!
DJ: Mom might take you to ice cream afterwards.
Kierra: Eeeee! Now that might put me in the mood to get some shots.

Kindra: Ariana, be careful! There is some dog poop there.
Ariana: Ahhh, no fair. I wish I could go dog poop. (This made me feel less proud that she wanted to marry me).

DJ: Ugggh. This wheat oatmail is horrible. It tastes like dirt.
Kierra: You've tasted dirt before?!

Update

2009-11-15T20:21:00.000-08:00

We have now been in Tucson almost three months. Here is quick update on each of us:

Ariana (2) is a very happy, and very serious girl. She loves playing with her big sister. She can also play by herself for quite a while. She has so much imagination. She is constantly playing she is a different character. Most days start out with us referring to her as Ariana, and she replies, "I am not Ariana. I am _______ (insert a Princess, fairy, aristocat or Mogley). However, when you call her whatever she is pretending to be 10 minutes later, it has changed, and you are in trouble for not knowing what it has changed to. She loves barbies and figurines. She likes a little mischief. But she is a very good girl.

Kierra is growing up fast. She is very well behaved. She is also very sensitive. If she ever gets treats, she makes sure to save some for Ariana, Kindra, and I...even if it is a fourth of a cookie, we each get a piece. You know her dad loves that!. She goes to a two hour pre-school twice a week. She looks forward to that. Most mornings she asks if today is pre-school. She is starting to learn how to play the piano. She can play Twinkle Little Star. She is very patient and caring with Ariana. She gave her first talk in church and insisted that she do it alone. She did great. She came up with the ideas for the talk, practiced several times, and said it by herself.

Kindra does so much to keep us all going. She keeps the girls going each day, and she keeps my spirit up on the hard days. She is in charge of a play group with several other women in are area. She has also been playing the piano each night as the girls go down to bed. I love hearing her play. She spends her spare time (which she doesn't get much of) reading, exercising, and finding good deals on the internet. She recently got called to be involved with achievement day girls at church (the 8-11 year old girls activity group). She is very busy and does so much for all of us.

I have been surviving school. I have started to enjoy my classes a little more (mainly because there is the occassionaly topic that I understand). I spend most of my days at the school. I don't do any work on Sunday, and that has quickly and clearly become the best day of the week for me. I play basketball at least 3 times a week before I go to school to keep myself sane.

KID QUOTES

Ariana: Mmmm. Can I have some more fuzzy cookies? (we were having german pancakes for breakfast)

Kierra: Dad, look! A boy dear!
Me: How do you know it's a boy?
Kierra: It has thorns!

Neighbor: Come here Taco. (Taco is their pet chihuahua)
Ariana: That's not a taco, that's a dog!

Pics and Quotes

2009-10-11T20:40:00.001-07:00

I don't have a whole lot of time to write, but here are some more current shots of the girls in our new backyard. A few quick memories, then onto the quotes...

Remember when I dropped Ariana under water at the swimming pool and she didn't even cry?
Remember when I got a new (used) car that I didn't realize had an alarm system until Kierra set it off at the HOA party and I couldn't get it to stop beeping, so it probably looked like I was stealing a car to all of my new neighbors?
Remember how I love 75 degree evenings on my back porch?
Remember how I love date night, family home evening, and Sundays?
Remember how you want to come visit us in Tucson?

KID QUOTES

Kierra: Dad, there's pine trees! Maybe Arizona really isn't a desert.

Kierra: Dad, the wind is blowing! Maybe it really isn't that hot in Arizona!

Kierra: Dad, what is 10 + 10?
Me: 20
Kierra: What is 20 + 20?
Me: 40
This went on for a while until...
Dad: What is 640 + 640?
Me: 1,280
Kierra: Whoa! That is a lot!...Is that how old Grandma Curtis is?

Ariana: [singing while playing the piano] - A - B - C - D - E - F - G, I love momma she loves me. I love daddy, he's...at school. (I was actually sitting right by her)

Kierra: What is that book dad?
Me: Fixed Income Analysis
Kierra: Can you read me some?
Me: You probably won't like it.
Kierra: Pleeeeeaassse!
Me: Okay. [I read a paragraph]
Kierra: That was pretty boring, and I didn't understand the words....but I really like it!

Ariana: [As she runs away] Never, never! (this is her best impression of Sleeping Beauty)

The Wedding

2009-09-06T21:56:00.000-07:00

We are almost officially settled in Arizona!!! There are a couple of boxes here and there, but other than that we're done. Hurray!!! Now for some catch up time after the madness :) While D.J. was studying like mad during "math boot camp"(yes...that's what they really called it) we were having a good old time in Utah (missing D.J. of course :)). Clayton and Cortnie decided to get hitched during this time and we were more than happy to be able to be there for their wedding. It started out with tons of showers. I think Cortnie had like six, or something-You know it's true Cortnie! Anyways, Kierra had a blast dressing up with her friends pretending that she was getting married. She was so cute as she danced around the kitchen in her "wedding dress" that various people made for her. The wedding dinner was fun...Did I mention the fact that I didn't bring the kids with me? Hmmmm.....maybe that was why it felt so relaxing:). Hey look! How did Aaron get into the picture with us. I thought that he was in Japan, or something like that. Weird! Clayton and Cortnie got married in the Manti Temple on a beautiful day. Compared to Arizona it was freezing....but who's complaing? The few relaxing moments were spent watching the girls roll down the hills the temple was on. They had way too much fun doing this. Sorry about the undies picture-too cute to pass up. The girls have been wanting some ballet tutu's (however you spell it) for awhile now. So I decided why not just make them for the wedding. Perfect right? Two things at once makes a great multitasker....go me! They danced and ran around the whole night. Kierra especially had fun when her Uncle Caleb threw her up in the air. Ariana being scared of heights prefered to spin with her Mother. I love this picture of the "girls." Here's Jessica, Shanae, myself, and Mariah. Congrats Clayton and Cortnie! Hope you had a great day-better have with all the work we put in. j/k...kind of :) We're glad to have Cortnie as part of the fam!

Future's So Bright...

2009-07-26T21:29:00.001-07:00

We have had a busy few weeks. It started out with a nice trip to Montana. We were able to see four of my siblings and their families, see my grandma, hit the Great Falls Waterpark (see below), visit a buffalo jump, play some disc golf and just relax. I always enjoy going back there, but the then responsibility has to hit.

We returned to Utah and quickly got ready to go to Tucson (just Kindra and I) to look for a place to live. It was a whirlwind trip. We looked at houses about 11 hours each day. There were a lot of trade-offs to be made and we had a difficult time deciding. We were able to squeeze in an opening day movie of Harry Potter and midnight swim in the world's coolest pool.
We got on the plane the next day still not knowing which place to rent. After talking out all of the pros and cons, we made a decision. We got off of the plane, drove to Park City, stopped at a Staples and faxed over the lease for this house:
With that stress finally settled, we drove from Park City to the Uintas to camp with Kindra's family. We camped for two nights in a beautiful place. We relaxed, fished, visited, ATE. We had a great time, but, by the end, we were definitely ready for our own beds!
Last week we went to Lagoon so that Kindra could get her final fill before we move. She had a blast! I, on the other hand, do not like amusement parks. Why is it when a plane's turbulence throws you all around and makes you feel like your face is being pulled off it is horrible, but when a roller coaster makes you feel the same way it is awesome? Okay, nerdy accountant checking out (next week I will vent about how hard it is getting nose bleeds). Kindra had a great time, and a happy wife makes for a happy family.

KID QUOTES

Dad: Kierra, it looks like you have a primary party this week. How cool is that?!
Kierra: Way cool...except I am supposed to bring my scriptures.

4 Years Ago Today...

2009-06-26T22:38:00.000-07:00

Kierra Lillian Fairhurst was born. Kierra's birthday celebration has been a week long. She shared a party with her aunt Mariah on Wednesday that involved kickball, a barbie cake, and a water balloon fight. Today she took her best friend Talia (the one she doesn't want to eat) to a place called Jump on It. They had a blast and she was giddy all night. Tomorrow we drive to Blackfoot, ID to see cousins and it will be another mini-party. Then it is on to Montana to see more cousins. Kierra is so much fun and she is very kind to everyone, especially her baby sister. Our lives would never be the same without our little RaRa.

This past week we went on a fun group date with some of our good friends from the MBA program. We played a round of disc golf (never can go wrong with disc golf) at Solitude Ski Resort. It was a lot of fun. I know they say there are mountains in Tucson, but I have a feeling they won't compare (see below).

We also went with Kindra's family to drop her brother at the MTC. He will be serving in the Tokyo Japan Mission. Because of the swine flu, you actually drop the missionary off and drive off as opposed to going in to say goodbye. It was fun and hopefully the last time I am in a minivan with 12 people!

KID QUOTES

Kierra: Dad, I just saw an deer!
DJ: Wow!
Kierra: I could tell it was a boy because it had thorns on its head.

Ariana: I like your watch mom.
Kindra: Thank you Ari!
Kierra: Well, I like your puffy mole.

Ariana: Mmmm! This water is juicy!

Kierra: Okay dad, I know I am not supposed to be out of bed, but this is an emergency!
DJ: What is it?
Kierra: Grandma Sainsbury's birthday is next week and we do not have a present yet! (I am pretty sure she came up with that after she declared it was an emergency).

Kierra: (from her bedroom) DAD! ARIANA PINCHED ME AND PULLED MY HAIR!!
DJ: (after running into their bedroom) Why did she do that?
Kierra: Because I told her too. We're hyper!
Ariana: Yeah, we hypa!

Ariana: Give me that Kierra!
Kierra: No.
Ariana: Please.
Kierra: No.
Ariana: TIMEOUT!

Quips, Pics, and Kid Quotes

2009-05-28T22:44:00.000-07:00

So, some of you figured out the riddle. We have been accepted to attend a PhD program at the University of Arizona in Tucson. This has been a dream for both Kindra and I for a while and we are excited and anxious to start. We will be moving to Tucson in the end of July.

We rode our bikes to Utah Lake the other day. It was pretty fun on the way there. The way back was a little more difficult. The girls were a bit sick of being in tight quarters in the carrier. Ariana proceeded to pummel Kierra every chance she got. I had to stop every couple of minutes to pull Ari off of Kierra. Kierra was pretty patient. We told her to slap Ari's hand away next time. Well, a few minutes later, Ari grabbed a fist full of Kierra's hair. Let's just say that slapping someone's arm away when they have a tight grip on your hair doesn't necessarily help the situation. Overall, it was fun.

Question: What is a moving lump that is pink, blue, and white all over?

Answer: Kierra's newest way of getting out of bed at night.

Kindra's brother Caleb and his wife Jessica and their two kids are visiting right now. Caleb is currently in law school in Boston. It is fun having them here. Tonight we went on a date with them, Kindra's parents and Kindra's brother Clayton and his fiancee, Courtney. We took canoes out on the Provo River. It was really pretty and we saw a few beavers, an owl, and, let's not forget, witnessed a few water fights. We had a good time.

KID QUOTES

Kierra: Meat is dead animals?
Kindra: Yes, Heavenly Father provided us with animals for many reasons. One of them is for us to eat their bodies to keep us healthy.
Kierra: [after a brief pause] If we eat my best friend Talia I will be so mad!

DJ: Ariana, you need to say sorry to Kierra.
Ariana: No! [with her bottow lip sticking out]
DJ: If you don't say sorry, you will have to lay in the bed for a while.
Ariana: Bed!

Happy Mother's Day

2009-05-10T00:15:00.000-07:00

A Riddle

2009-05-06T15:30:00.000-07:00

From wildcat to grizzly to rustler to viking to wolverine to cougar back to wildcat!

No Responsibility

2009-04-25T14:01:00.000-07:00

I had my last class of the semester on Monday...really, it is my last class in an MBA program. So, for the last 5 days I have had no responsibility. I will just say, it has been great! Over the last few days we went to SLC to take the girls to temple square and the children's museum, Kindra went with some friends to get a pedicure (a VERY rare occasion when Kindra will do something for herself), I played in a golf tournament, we both have been able to work out, we attended graduation, tonight it a closing party with friends from school, and we spent a lot of time as a family. With all of those activities, the best thing has been no homework at night, breakfast with the family in the morning, watching a little tv without feeling guilty, etc. It has been a nice break and I feel rejuvenated. Here are some pictures:

Family Car Wash

Of course the car wash turned into a water fight and that, of course, lead to Kierra and Ariana running around scantily clad.

The Christus at temple square.

Right after graduation...the girls weren't necessarily in the mood for pictures after a three hour graduation.

I have really enjoyed the MBA program at BYU. I have met so many good friends in this program. The nice thing is, I can keep in touch with them and I don't have to do the homework anymore. I will miss associating daily with the people that I have met over the last two years.

KID QUOTES:

Ariana hits Kierra.
Kierra: That didn't hurt.

Ariana hits Kierra again.
Kierra: That didn't hurt.
Ariana hits Kierra again.
Kierra: That didn't hurt.
Ariana claws Kierra's legs.
Kierra: That kind of hurt.

Kierra: Dad, I think it would be good to live in Arizona. I have always wanted to live where the white polar bears live. (she might be sorely disappointed.)

Kierra: Where are you going dad?
Dad: I have a temple recommend interview.
Kierra: What is that? What do you do there?
Dad: I meet with the bishop and the stake president. They ask me questions to see if I am trying to do what's right.
Kierra: Uh oh!
Dad: What? Don't you think I will do well at the interview?
Kierra: Well, sometimes you forget that stupid is a bad word!

Widget

2009-04-25T13:49:00.001-07:00

Happy Easter

2009-04-12T13:28:00.000-07:00

Today is Easter, and it is so much fun with our little girls. They get so excited over the smallest things. I found a good Easter message here. I really enjoy the Easter season. It invokes many of the same thoughts and feelings as Christmas, but there is not as much commotion (except finals).

We are waiting to see where/if we will be going for our PhD program this year. We are down to three possibilities: University of Arizona, Purdue University, and Penn St. It is also possible that we also get a second masters and re-apply next year. Waiting to hear is driving me a bit crazy, but I am getting used that (being crazy). Here are some pics:

Kierra loved letting the new baby calves suck on her hands (sick!).

Ariana loves to take a bath!Both girls loved the Easter egg hunt at Grandpa Butterfields.

KID QUOTES:

Dad: Okay, it is almost bedtime.
Kierra: I know, I know. Put on your PJs, brush your teeth, blah, blah, blah. (Thank you Aunt Kelli and Glenn Beck!)

Kierra: Hey Ari, say howie you ya. (The Hallelujah Chorus was on in the car)
Ariana: Howie you ya. (This went on for about ten minutes with lots of laughter.)

Kierra: Hey dad, I saw a statue of Rush Mountain. (That is Kierra-ese for Mount Rushmore)
Dad: How did you know?
Kierra: Because there were four little boy's faces carved in it.

Pics and Quotes

2009-03-18T20:11:00.000-07:00

Well, we are to that point in the semester where I only have the energy to put in pics and quotes. I know, I know, that little voice in your head is saying, "Finally, we don't have to dig through all of the other junk to get to the good stuff." So, enjoy:Ariana has officially joined the ranks of nursery. She is not the biggest fan. I don't get it. If you want her to stay with you during church, she wants to run away. If you put her in a room full of toys, she wants to stay with you.Riding with Grandma and Grandpa to the Draper Temple open house.

Blowing bubbles with our milk. Oh, the wild times at FHE.
Kierra and Kindra at their mother-daughter date to Classic Skating. What a couple of babes!

Kid Quotes

Kierra: Dad, will sit on this egg (really a beach ball) for me?
Dad: No, that is way too big for an egg.
Kierra: It's okay dad, your bum is huge!

Ariana: Poo poo, mama.
Mom: Oh, do you need a diaper change?
Ariana: Yeah.
Mom: Okay, let's change your diaper.
Ariana: Just jokin'. (she really was joking...no poo poo's)

Dentist (to Kierra): I love your shoes.
Kierra: Yeah, I'm all about the color pink.

Ariana: Come here, princess. (that is what she calls Kierra sometimes)

Blast from the Past

2009-02-24T12:24:00.000-08:00

We were tagged by Curtis and Steph to post the fourth picture in our fourth folder in our photos. It has seen the blog before...and now it is back:This is us at Winter Quarters. I am pretty sure that Curtis somehow found out that this was my fourth picture in my fourth folder so that I would have to post a picture of myself in this hat again.

This is an easy tag (I even did it), so we tag Jake and Khanyi, Caleb and Jessica, the LaPierres, the Stevens, the Waters, and the Lambs.

Ready or Not...

2009-01-25T20:08:00.000-08:00

Ariana is starting to scare us! One of her favorite new words is 'hide'. Unfortunately, she doesn't say it until she does it. She will randomly wander off, close the door (whether the light is on or off), find a place to hide, and wait for us to find her. It would probably be helpful if we new we were supposed to be looking for her. We have found her in many dark rooms, in cupboards, in the bathroom, behind our close hamper, in the dryer, in a locked room at the church (luckily there was another door that was not locked), etc. I really hope that her next favorite word is 'seek'. Here are some photos of her hiding (Kierra thought it looked so fun, that she decided to join in):
Kindra went to a place called Color Me Mine this past week. It is a ceramic shop. You go, pick out which piece of ceramic you would like to decorate, and then you paint and decorate it. They have a huge variety of paints and stencils. Kindra's friend gave her the idea of a 'celebrate plate'. It is a way to recognize someone in the family that does something special by letting them eat on the celebrate plate. She had a lot of fun and wants to go back. I don't necessarily want to go, so if you are thinking of a vacation, consider Color Me Mine in beautiful Provo, UT! Here is a picture of the Celebrate Plate:
Kid Quotes:

DJ: Kierra, put your pants on please.
Kierra: Dad, no, I want to put my hands in the pockets of my panties.
DJ: Kierra, your panties don't have pockets. Put your pants on.
Kierra: No dad! You don't understand. 'Pockets of my panties' is Spanish for 'pockets of my pants'.

Ariana: Jungle, hide, sparkle, all animal noises, up, more, drink, why she sad, thank you, and cracker (which sounds very much like thank you).

...For a Sunbeam

2009-01-11T09:56:00.000-08:00

Kierra started Sunbeams last week. She was so excited! I thought I might peek in on her. The primary president was teaching the class. She wanted to have the kids get their wiggles out, so she said, "Stand up, turn around and sit down." Kierra apparently is very literal in her obedience. She stood up, turned around (180 degrees), and sat down on the floor. The primary president looked at her, laughed, and said, "I am sorry. I wasn't very clear. I meant for you to sit on your chair." So, Kierra stood up and sat down on her chair...still facing the back of the classroom. It was pretty funny. She did great. I think she is going to love primary! Here are some pictures of her first day:

We changed to 1:00 p.m. church last week. Here is a little math for you:

1:00 p.m. Church + 16 Month Old Daughter =

(Peace in Sunday School)

So, I called home this week and heard something that I didn't expect to hear. "I have to go. Kierra got her tongue stuck in the door." What?! I was left for a few hours to wonder how you get your tongue stuck in the door. It really isn't that involved of an explanation. Kindra was coming inside and Kierra stuck her tongue in the hinge side of the door when Kindra was closing it. Luckily Kindra didn't try to slam the door after it wouldn't close the first time, so Kierra still has a tongue! Just one of those stories I thought others should hear about.

Kid Quotes:

Ariana: Hi DJ
Me: Daddy.
Ariana: DJ!
Me: Daddy!
Ariana: My Daddy DJ! (I was okay with that)

Me: I am just trying to figure out the best way to help you out.
Kierra: I know how you can help us!
Me: How?
Kierra: Make some money
Me: Why do you want me to make some money?
Kierra: So you can buy us a house.
Me: Why do you want me to buy us a house?
Kierra: So I can have a puppy!

City Slicker

2008-12-07T14:32:00.000-08:00

Our Happy Ariana...most of the time.

Kindra's birthday celebration.

Cutting down our Christmas Tree with Kindra's family.

So, for those of you who don't know, my father-in-law has a small farm and he has more cows at his brother's house nearby. The other day, after getting our Christmas tree, I needed some twine to tie our tree to our car (picture Clark Griswold minus the station wagon). So we ran over to the farm to get some bailing twine. We went over by the hay bails where we could get some used twine. When we got there, we realized there were two cows loose. So, my father-in-law ran and opened the gate and told me to bring the cows over...WHAT?! How, do you bring cows over? They're huge! I am a fairly large person, so one of my rules has always been not to mess with anything bigger than me. So I tell the cows to go over to the gate, but they are not listening. My father-in-law tells me to push them over. So I pushed the cow. The cow looks at me, moos a little, and goes back to eating. In the meantime, all of the cow friends that are still in the fence start surrounding me...and they looked hungry! I have never really thought about how appetizing I look until this point in my life, but the drool coming out of those animals mouths tell me that I might make a good meal. Well, I could go on and on, but I will spare you. We got the cows in (after they decided that I made a big enough fool of myself). However, I did learn one thing about myself. Accounting was a very good decision for a career path for me.

Kid Quotes

Kierra: Mom, is dad going to say stupid?

Kierra: Dad, what did Ariana get me for Christmas?
Dad: You'll have to wait until Christmas.
Kierra: Oh, I think that I know. She was probably like maybe I'll get her a baby doll...no, maybe I'll get her a shirt...no, maybe I'll get her a carrot...no, maybe I'll get her that makeup thing from the Disney store...yeah, that's it!

Kindra: Oh, I am falling asleep.
Kierra: [begins to sing to Kindra]
Kindra: Are you singing me to sleep?
Kierra: Yes.
Kindra: Oh, that is so nice. Why are you doing that?
Kierra: So I can watch a MOOOOO-VEEEEEE!

Kid Pics and Kid Quotes

2008-11-18T20:02:00.001-08:00

Kid Quotes

Kierra: I like it, I love it, I want some more of it! (surprising quote considering I don't allow country music in my house)

Kierra: Carrots are the worst!

Ariana: Daddy, Mommy, no, RaRa (Kierra), doggy, kitty, no, ball, baby, baba (bottle), no.

Me: Kierra, wake up, it's snowing outside!
Kierra: YESSSS!! Now we can go tube sliding at Uncle Snarlings house. (translation: now we can go tubing at Uncle Sterlings house)

Kierra: Dad, why is your toenail brown (trust me, I wish I knew)?
Me: I don't know?
Kierra: Is it because girls have white skeletons and boys have brown ones?
Me: No
Kierra: Maybe there is a nutshell stuck under there!

Kierra: Mom, will you read me another book?
Kindra: No, I need a break for a little bit.
Kierra: Uggh, you're so aggrevating!
Kindra: What?!
Kierra: Mom, what does aggrevating mean?

Me: Hi Kierra. What are you doing with your friends?
Kierra: We're playing. Can you please leave now? (I didn't think that was supposed to happen until she was a teen!)

2008-11-02T14:24:00.000-08:00

Our Halloween was spent at our ward party as we were recently called to be on the activities committee. It was a fun party with several hundred people there. Kindra also took the girls to a pumpkin patch with a lot of activities, and Kierra had another party with her pre-school. and we had a party with the MBA program. I think they make a great witch and cat combo!

For a school project I was required to ask for responses on my leadership strengths. I asked for three stories that demonstrated a particular trait. If you ever are feeling like you need a self-esteem boost, I would recommend pretending that you have a similar project for school. I know that it is a bit contrived considering that I only asked for positive feedback, but it still feels good. At this point, I won't be surprised if I am elected as president of the United States on Tuesday. If I am, then you are all welcome in the white house anytime.

Kid Quotes
Kierra (to her babysitter): Umm, are that any small toys that Ariana could choke on...you know...like, uh-huh uh-huh.

It Works!!!

2008-10-12T18:59:00.000-07:00

Today we had a nice Sunday family meal consisting of pork chops, rice, vegetables, and some of Kindra's delicious peach pie. After dinner, I took Ariana in the other room to play. After a few minutes, Kindra came in to talk to me. We were talking when Kierra came in with an entire pork chop in her hand. She was chewing and, all of sudden, she stopped walking and chewing. She reached for her face as it started to turn red. I realized she was choking, so I jumped up, leaned over, and gave her the heimlich manuever. She made a gurgling noise, and then a 4" x 1" x 1/2" chunk of fat from the pork chop came out of her mouth. I started saying, "Are you okay?" She just nodded her head and went in for another chunk of meat. We had a talk about getting meat by herself, and I am just glad she is okay. Now I know that the heimlich manuever really works. I hope that you can just take my word for that instead of figuring it out for yourself.

Last weekend was general conference for our church. It is a weekend full of spiritually uplifting talks. It was well-needed for me. I love relaxing with my family and listening to uplifting messages. Elder Uchtdorf gave an uplifting talk that talked to me especially. A couple of my other talks were given by President Monson, Elder Wirthlin, and Elder Perry. If you are having a rough day, check one of these talks out and it just might help.

Kid Quotes:

"That guy smells like he is way too old for me." -Kierra (referring to a guy at church)

"Hey, there's President Monson...where did his hair go?" - Kierra

I Love Diesels!!!

2008-09-09T21:11:00.000-07:00

I have only heard two females (possibly people) ever utter this phrase. The first is a girl in my MBA program who worked for a diesel manufacturer. The second, surprisingly, was Kierra. I taught her what every child should know. Put your arm in a ninety degree angle, wait until you are next to a semi, and pump up and down until you hear a horn. It might seem like a simple thing, but I do not consider keeping a 3 year old occupied for two hours on I-80 simple. See some pictures below followed by some Kid Quotes:

Kid Quotes (Mostly Kierra, but Ariana is Getting there):

Kierra (about 15 minutes into our second day of driving): Mom, Dad, I feel carsick.
Kindra: You do. I'm sorry. What do you think we should do about it?
Kierra: I think we should stop driving right now.
DJ: Do you really feel sick?
Kierra: Yes.
DJ: How do you feel sick...what feels wierd?
Kierra: My leg hurts.
DJ: Are you sick to your stomach or are you just sick of the car?
Kierra: I am just sick of the car.

Grandpa S: Ariana, come see grandpa!
Ariana:...(that silence is Ariana shaking her head no which she also does to a lot of things Kindra and I ask her to do.)

Two Wrongs Make a Right?!

2008-07-13T19:31:00.000-07:00

This weekend we decided to keep things relatively low-key. The girls have had it with long drives (I'm not keen on it either). So Friday I got home from work a little earlier, and grabbed Kindra and the girls. We went of to a small restaurant that only serves from a window. Behind the restaurant there is an area to sit right on the water. It was good (greasy) food and a lot of fun. It was nice just to relax as a family. Saturday we took a trip to Stew Leonards. It is a giant grocery store with its own dairy, fresh baked bread products, butchers, fresh meat, cheese, and fruits, their own sushi chefs, lots of free samples, animals that sing and dance (imagine Chuck E Cheese), restaurant, ice cream area, petting zoo, etc., etc. I have heard it called the Disneyland of grocery stores. That made me cringe. I don't like grocery stores, and I am not a big fan of Disneyland. But somehow combine them, and you have yourself a fun-filled family adventure. It was a lot of fun and a nice time.

Ariana is definitely growing up. Her vocabulary is at about five words, and she is crawling all over the place. She is becoming pretty opinionated (that makes four of us). Kierra and her have had their first fights. The first one happened in the stroller. Ariana scratched Kierra, so Kierra said, "Ariana, please don't do that." So, Ariana scratched her agian. Kierra replied with, "ARIANA, please don't do that." So, Ariana scratched Kierra again. Kierra blurted, "ARIANA, STOP SCRATCHING ME!!!" So, Ariana scratched Kierra again. This time Kierra resorted to a little arm squeeze, and we had to intervene. There have been more, and I am sure there will be many more. However, the girls really do enjoy playing together most of the time. When Ariana wakes up from her nap, Kierra greets her with a, "Well, hello Miss Ariana Susa." You would never see a happier 10 month old than when Ariana hears that from her big sis. It makes the cat fights all worth it.

KIERRA QUOTES

Kierra: Dad, I think we should go to the store and get some C-R-M-C-L's.
Dad: What does that spell?
Kierra: Doughnuts!

Kierra: What time does the library close?
Librarian: We close in a few minutes. It is time to pack up.
Kierra: Okay. Bye. Love you.

Nursery Leader: What is your favorite song?
Kierra: If You Could Hie to Kolob.
Nursery Leader: Oh, so you know where you come from?!
Kierra: Yeah, I come from Utah.

Rabid Dog

2008-07-06T17:32:00.000-07:00

This weekend for the Fourth, we used our extra day of driving to head up to Palmyra, NY. Unfortunately, I forgot our digital camera, so we will have to wait to add pictures (and when I say wait, I mean it will take us a while to find an antique shop that still has a machine to develop 35 mm pictures). Palmyra was great. For those of you that are not of the LDS faith, it is the place that our church was organized, and there were many special occurrences there. We missed the pageant, but it turned out to be great. We had almost the entire place to ourselves. It was a great fourth of July activity, considering the great privilege that we have in this country to worship in the way that we see fit. On the way back, however, we had a really scary experience. We stopped at a small town in New York to get lunch. Kindra was feeding the baby, and Kierra and I were playing in the grass by a convenience store. A man came up to me to see if I had a cell phone he could use. He informed me that his van had been stolen, and he needed to call his parents to come get him. So, I let him use our phone. I had noticed a dog earlier tied to a pole by the station. I had Kierra stay away from the dog because I didn't know if it was a nice dog. Well, while the man was on hold, he saw Kierra looking at the dog. He told me that the dog was very nice, and Kierra would be fine petting it. I went over to the dog with Kierra. I put my hand out. The dog sniffed my hand, and then licked me. It seemed okay. Kierra pet the dog a little bit, and then they laid down. Kierra sat next to the dog. Out of nowhere, the dog reached up and bit at Kierra face. I quickly got between Kierra and the and picked Kierra up. She was holding her hand over her face. Luckily, when I took her hand away I found that the dog did not break skin. Kierra had a red line from one tooth that ran from the brim of her nose to her cheek, missing her eye by about an inch. Then I saw the man kick his dog. It was pretty obvious to me that he had hit his dog before which explains the passive-aggressive behavior. Anyways, it was a scary way to finish a trip, but we are so greatful that Kierra is okay. Kierra's only response was, "When we get a house, I think we should only get a little dog."

Kierra Quotes:

Dad: Only people that are married kiss each other on the lips. (I am taking the liberty to stretch the truth a little...don't judge.)
Kierra: What about the Disney Princesses?!

"Dad, remember when I told you that I liked Connecticut, but I liked Utah a little bit more. Well, I changed my mind...I like Utah a lot more."

Araina Quotes:

"Uhhhhh Ohhhhhhhh"

"Hi"

Across the US...and Back Again

2008-06-29T17:50:00.000-07:00

Well, we ended up heading back across the United States...at least this time it was by airplane. My grandpa passed away about two weeks ago. I will miss him. He is a great man. He was the first of my relatives to join the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints. For those of you that know me, know that is a very important part of my life. He also worked hard to provide for his family, loved fishing, was kind, witty, and smart. His medical condition declined in October of 2000, and for nearly the past 8 years my grandma has taken care of him. In some ways he is probably relieved, but we will miss him. I was very glad that we were able to go to the funeral. It was good to be with family during this time.
Connecticut has been a lot of fun. We have seen an aquarium (note the ginormous sea turtle), gone to the beach, and I went on some steroid enhanced go-karts this week. It is crazy to think we have been here 4 weeks. Time is going fast and slow at the same time. I have enjoyed my work with United Rentals. I have not enjoyed the commute. Ariana is sort of crawling, sort of talking, and always very good. Kierra is really fun and...we'll leave it at fun. She turned 3 this week. I can't believe that. We celebrated by going to the beach. We miss our family, but I am glad that I have my family with me.

KIERRA QUOTES:

After going to the beach: "I like Connecticut a whole lot...but I like Utah a little bit more."

"One for me and one for Kindra and one for you, madame." (First, why is she calling her mom Kindra? Second, I am not 'me' and I am not Kindra, so I must be....D'oh!)

After seeing a lady with a tattoo on her arm in Walmart: "Why did you color a flower on your arm?"

When we unfortunately had to go by the same lady again: "Hey, I asked why you colored a flower on your arm?"

Simple Things of Life

2008-06-08T18:47:00.000-07:00

Today we sat down at a table and had dinner as a family in our apartment. Doesn't seem like much to write about, but for me it was wonderful. We have always had family dinner around the dinner table together. That has gone away as we have been traveling and trying to get furniture in our apartment and cooking utinsels, etc, etc. It was just really nice to sit around our beefy macaroni and eat as a family. I didn't even mind fighting Kierra to eat her food. We are getting a bed tomorrow, and we will finally be settled in. Everyone here has been very helpful to us. I have really enjoyed my internship so far. The first of two projects that I will assigned is very pertinent, and I am learning new things. It is nice having Adam (another BYU MBA) in the cubicle kiddy corner from me. The culture here is very different. I love that. My manager is Jewish. It was very interesting to me to hear him tell us what foods are kosher. Our managers took us to sushi. I have no problems trying new food, but I had no idea how to order. My manager just ordered for all of us. I really liked the food. It is definitely unique. We also had Indian food that other night. The restaurants here are very good. It is nice to be getting settled in.

Kierra Quotes:

Me: It is time to go inside Kierra.
Kierra: (While crying) I don't want to sit on the hard floors anymore. (We have all hardwood floors and at that point we had no furniture).

In Kierra's prayer tonight: "Please bless that we will drive to Utah safely." (If she keeps this up for two months, our drive back will be great).

Day 16 - Cortland, NY to New Canaan, CT

2008-06-08T18:44:00.000-07:00

We drove a really long way...we are finally here. No furniture but, as you can tell from the picture, we can adjust on the fly.

Day 15 - Dunkirk, NY to Cortland, NY

2008-06-08T18:30:00.000-07:00

Today we saw Niagara Falls. I thought it was great. I know a lot of people say it is smaller than they were expecting...I would hate to see what they are expecting. We took a boat ride out right up to the base of the falls with mist spraying everywhere. Kierra loved it. She just walked all over the boat looking at the seagulls and the waterfall. Thank goodness to Dora the Explorer. The entire drive there I would say "Where are we going?" and Kierra would yell "Waterfall!" She was a little disappointed that we didn't find Boots there, but she was not at all sad to miss out on Swiper. Ariana, on the other hand, didn't seem to impressed. She was fine...she always is. But every time the water would hit her face, she would get a big scowl. She is growing up fast. She is scoot along pretty well, getting her top teeth, clapping, waving, saying mama and, my personal favorite, dada. I have been especially glad to have a calm baby on this trip. There were times that I felt like I was going to blow a gasket, and a crying baby might have pushed me over the edge.

Day 14 - Milan, OH to Dunkirk, NY

2008-06-08T18:11:00.000-07:00

So, I finally figured how to put pictures in the post so they will be archived correctly. For those of you who need help...it is the little icon that looks like a picture. Seems to make sense to most! Today's highlight was going Kirtland. Kirtland was a very interesting place. It was amazing to see how well the Saints were in Kirtland. It is an interesting progression seeing the living circumstances deteriorate as the Saints headed west. We were in a hurry (as always) but we were able to see the Whitney store and the temple. Both were amazing to me. I loved being where they had the school of the prophets, where so many of the revelations in the Doctrine and Covenants came, where the prophet Joseph saw his brother Alvin, and where he was ministered to by angelic beings, including the Savior himself. It was a quick visit, but I am glad we made it. A distant second, but still a highlight of the trip was going to a restaurant and being served by Amish people. Other cultures intrigue me. I grew up around Hutterites, and Amish seem somewhat similar. I am interested as to their beliefs. For now it's enough to say that they are nice people, and they make a mean piece of fried chicken.

Day 13 - Bloomington, IL to Milan, OH

2008-05-28T21:26:00.000-07:00

Today was dedicated to driving. However, I did learn something that I hoped I never would. My two year old is smarter than me (for my sake, she will be three next month). As Misti alluded to in a comment, we would be crazy to try this trip without a DVD player, but we do try to limit it. I told Kierra she could watch the rest of Brother Bear today. So, we're driving and driving and driving and the movie keeps going and going. I finally start to realize after about 2 1/2 hours (understanding that she is watch a Disney movie and not the original Pride and Prejudice) that something is up. I ask Kierra is she has watched her movie, and she says, "Yeah, this many times." Just so you don't call child protective services, I won't tell you how many fingers she was holding up. Apparently on our DVD player you can make the movie skip back an hour or so by closing the lid and opening it again...and Kierra was the first to discover it. So I was duped. Well, we also had a deal with her that she could have some candy after every few drinks of her medicine to help her constipation. So, she would take a few drinks, smile at me, and then I would give her candy (you can watch hours and hours of a movie without candy). Well, similar to the movie, I lost track of how much she was drinking. After a while, Kindra started to give her the drinks. So, Kierra took and drink and smiled at her mom. Her mom, unlike her dad, realized that that was Kierra's mischievous smile. She wanted to test her, so she gave her some candy and gave her the water again. When she got the bottle back, the level had not gone down at all. Kierra used me for candy...duped again. Disregard Day 11 when I declared that I am starting to get the hang of this fathering business. Father of the Year!!!

Day 12 - Nauvoo, IL to Bloomington, IL

2008-05-28T21:15:00.000-07:00

Today we spent most of the day seeing the sites in Nauvoo. I loved it. I could spend a few days there. We started with a horse and carriage ride through old Nauvoo. A sister acted as a tour guide. This was a good way to start because she gave us an overview of what was there, so we knew where we wanted to head after the tour. We started in the garden area that has 13 statues that are a tribute to women. From there we went to the family living center where they teach how the pioneers made rope, candles, bread and other things. From there we went to the bakery where they sampled out gingerbread men. Finally, we went to the kids area so Kierra could try some of the pioneer games. The entire setting was very neat, and it really helped to get a feel for what the era was like. I got a glimpse on the horse tour of what the pioneers might have felt like. Many of them felt like they were finally in Zion in Nauvoo, yet they were asked to leave. As we headed on the wagon towards the Mississippi River, we could see the Nauvoo temple fading in the background. It had to be such a hard sight for those Saints that knew they would not be back. Yet, they were faithful to what the prophet asked them to do. From there we went to Carthage. It was very interesting and heart wrenching to see where Joseph and Hyrum Smith were killed. Kindra and I went through separately, so the other could watch the girls. When I came out, Kindra asked me what I thought of it. That is a difficult question to answer. I can say that I came out of the tour with feeling confirming that Joseph Smith was a prophet of God.

Kierra Quote: "I just don't want Ariana to play with her toes like that." (a.k.a. - We have been in the car way too long.)

Day 11 - Council Bluffs, IA to Nauvoo, IL

2008-05-28T21:02:00.000-07:00

Happy Memorial Day! We celebrated by...driving! I officially feel like a dad on vacation today. I spent an hour in the morning and an hour in the evening with Kierra in the pool. My vocubulary as a dad is getting better. In Kadoka, SD my question to the hotel worker was, "Do you have a pool?" I got yes for an answer, so I was happy...until I checked in and realized that it was an outdoor pool and there was not water in it. That might have been useful information. In Council Bluffs the question transformed into, "Do you have an indoor pool?" (I still refuse to ask if there is water in it and am just chalking that up as on bad apple). I got yes as an answer so I was happy...until I got in and realized that their pool was cold enough to initiate me into the Polar Bear club (unfortunately I'm not over forty and I don't do speedos). So, by Nauvoo I realized the question needs to be "Do you have a HEATED INDOOR pool?" I am slowly getting this dad business down. Pretty soon I actually might think to check whether a diaper needs changing or give one of my girls a bath or something...one step at a time. We got to Nauvoo tonight and I am very excited to see the sites tomorrow. We did watch a short play. Nauvoo has a very nice feel to it.

Day 10 - Kadoka, SD to Council Bluffs, IA

2008-05-25T21:47:00.000-07:00

I am pretty sure that IA means Iowa...if not, then you now know what I meant. I had an experience today that Steven Covey would call a paradigm shift (don't worry, it is not contagious and it will probably go away tomorrow). Today's was good, but a little stressful. We planned to go to church this morning. Unfortunately, the alarm on my cell phone did not go off (which usually means I set it wrong), then we had a long day of driving. As we finally got closer to Omaha, Kierra starting to have to go to the bathroom. For those of you who don't know (and probably don't want to know), we are helping Kierra through problems with constipation. So, basically, she might say she "has to go" for days on end. It is her extreme version of what my brother-in-law would so eloquently call 'prairie doggin' it.' Anyways, I was getting very frustrated at the frequent stops. Finally, my GPS took me to the complete wrong side of Omaha (which, again, means that I probably put the address in wrong). So, we finally ended up at the Mormon Trail Museum (Winter Quarters) in Omaha. I was very impressed with what we saw. Those men and women went through so much with such good attitudes (see Quote of the Day below). And here I am getting frustrated over a few times having to get out of the car, a cell phone and GPS malfunction, etc. Needless to say, I feel rebuked. I will meet tomorrow's drive with renewed vigor and optimism. But first, we must have a dip in the pool.

Quote of the Day: "We only went through one mud puddle today...it was 6 miles long." - A quote from a pioneers journal.

Day 9 - Buffalo, WY to Kadoka, SD

2008-05-24T21:11:00.000-07:00

Today we got up and drove to Mount Rushmore. I was very impressed by Mount Rushmore and it was a great chance to get out of the car for a little bit. Kierra was most impressed by the chipmunks in the eating area. Are you starting to notice a theme? We met up with Bryce, Lisa, and Sophie LaPierre at Mount Rushmore. Bryce was in my group my first semester of school, and we quickly became friends. Luckily, Kindra and Lisa seem to like each other too. It was really good to see them. After that we hit the road again. Something happened in the car that, if it can be recreated, will allow some easy driving. Kierra dozed off after Mount Rushmore. She was sound asleep, but Ariana was fussy. That is, until she found the perfect play toy...Kierra's pony tail. She wiggled around Kierra's head and didn't make a peep. Kierra didn't move a muscle. We have long known that she has her dad's sleeping ability. We then made it to Kadoka, SD. I have never felt closer to falling off of the face of the earth. Actually, it is pretty relaxing here. There is just nowhere to buy baby food. Kierra was pretty wound up in the hotel room. She cracked herself up by speaking in a British accent and reenacting this clip: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_OBlgSz8sSM. I have to admit, it was pretty funny. I laughed so hard that my side hurt, and it's still hurting.

Day 8 - Great Falls, MT to Buffalo, WY

2008-05-24T20:58:00.000-07:00

I've got it. An all new reality TV show to be aired on the Travel channel called Traveling Tetris. Each contestant is given, say, 3 months worth of stuff and, say, a 2001 Ford Taurus. The contestants would then be given 30 minutes to find the most efficient way to pack the trunk. They would be judged by how much luggage ends up leaned up against their 9-month olds car seat. If they do make this show...chalk me in as the champion as I get practice every morning and just about every stop! Today's drive wasn't too bad. We stopped at the memorial to the Battle of the Little Bighorn. It was very interesting. Kierra's favorite part was when she saw a bunny in the parking lot. We were all worn out in the hotel room...except Kierra. The drive through Wyoming was very pretty. We saw a herd of antelope, an owl, a hawk, and some pheasants all within a few miles. We would have felt like we were home, home on the range if the skies would not have been all cloudy and gray.

Kierra Quote: "I am ready to get out of the car now." (Ten minutes outside of Great Falls and on many subsequent occasions.

Day 7 - Great Falls, MT

2008-05-24T20:49:00.000-07:00

Today was packed. I played basketball again, and then Jake and I went to go golfing while my parents took the two little girls to go to the childrens' museum and bounce house. Apparently, two days of rain is a reasonable excuse to close a golf course, so we went bowling instead. To our surprise, kicking the ball down the lane is almost enough to get kicked out, so our fun was spoiled. Kindra made hair bows with Kelli. Afterwards we went to see Jake's house on Malmstrom Air Force Base. They have a pretty nice setup. We came home to an early birthday party for Kierra from my family. She was spoiled, but she deserves it. This trip will be hard the two little girls. We said most of our goodbyes tonight. I hate leaving Montana. It is always relaxing and fun to visit my family. It made it even more difficult knowing that we have such a long drive ahead of us.

Day 6 - Great Falls, MT

2008-05-22T01:00:00.000-07:00

We went on a date while my family watched the girls today. It was very relaxing. Despite the rain, we decided to to play disc golf. It was a lot of fun. Kindra and I tied. I can handle that. With Kindra as a wife, I am plenty happy when I don't lose...at anything we play. We had a birthday party for my brother Jake. We ended the night with a game of dominoes. I am gearing up for our driving to begin the day after tomorrow.

Day 5 - Great Falls, MT

2008-05-22T00:50:00.000-07:00

Kindra started today with a jog. Kierra just spends a lot of time playing outside with her cousins. I played basketball with my dad and with some old friends. Then we relaxed at home for a while. Our days are filled with a lot of naps. With two 2 year olds, a 9 month old, and a 1 month old, it is very difficult to coordinate schedules with all of the children. Luckily, we all enjoy just relaxing while the kids nap. Trust me...they need it. It the afternoon we went to Gibson Park and fed the ducks and geese (and the baby geese), and let the kids play on the playground. Then we had dinner with mom and dad, Jake's family, and Kelli's family. Then I came to a sad realization. I am getting old. I know because I can no longer handle late shows. Last night Kindra and I snuck away to the 10:30 showing of Prince Caspian. I really enjoyed the 2/3rds of the movie that I was awake for. This is the second time in a row that I have fallen asleep at the late show even though I really enjoyed it. Before you know it, it will be waking up at four in the morning, I nice bowl of oatmeal at 10:00 a.m., a slice of bread at 1:00 p.m., doctors visit, a cup of soup at 4:00 p.m. watch Matlock at 6:00 p.m., and lights out by 7:30. I guess I better start working on my shuffle board.

Day 4 - Great Falls, MT

2008-05-22T00:40:00.000-07:00

I started today with a round of disc golf with my dad. The course here is pretty fun. It is full of gopher holes. It was fun just to be outside. It was a nice day out. Then my dad and I helped my cousin Christy load up some stuff they bought from Sam's Club. I remember Christy as a little girl, and now she is married with children. Time flies I guess. We spent a lot of time outside. The weather has been nice, and I have done a lot of relaxing. We also spent some time looking for new clothes for Kindra. She has the hardest time finding new clothes (finding time and finding clothes that are cute and that fit). She is very practical and typically thinks of herself last, so I hope we can find some clothes for herself. She definitely deserves everything that she needs and most of what she wants. We didn't have much success, but we will keep trying. I finished off the night by playing a few games of pinochle with my grandma, her freind, and Kelli. Pinochle has been my grandpartents' game of choice for years. I thought it would be the least I could do, as a good grandson, to let them whoop me.

Day 3 - Great Falls, MT

2008-05-18T23:37:00.000-07:00

Today was nice. Kindra and I took the girls to church. Kindra was asked to play the piano in primary here just like she was in Portland and just like she has been doing for two years in Orem. Of course, she was more than willing to help. I saw many people that I knew growing up. I always enjoy coming to church here, and see how people, the wards, and just the feeling of the church changes here over time. We came home to my my mom and dad and Mike and Kelli being home. It was very good to see all of them. Kindra and I made a dinner for a late mother's day present. We made pulled pork tacos, and I must say they were delicious. We went and saw grandpa in the hospital. He couldn't hear us because his hearing aids are broken right now, but I could tell that he definitely appreciated visitors. His eyes followed Kierra all over the room. Jake's family and grandma and her friend, Barbara Lee came over. The cousins all had fun playing outside...for the most part!

Day 2 - Idaho Falls, ID to Great Falls, MT

2008-05-18T23:30:00.000-07:00

Today I started out the day by playing disc golf with my old roommate, Nate Esplin. It was a lot of fun. He is the person that got me into disc golf. We also went and had ice cream with him and his new wife. We made it to Great Falls, so there will be no driving for a while. We stopped at two more parks. I am starting to enjoy that more. I get so anxious to get back on the road, but I am working on it. Over the past 4 years Utah has really begun to feel like home, but there is something about driving through the beautiful mountains in Montana that makes me feel at ease (especially when nobody in the car gets carsick). I doubt that I will ever live here again, but it is sure a beautiful state. Nobody was at our parents house when we got here (they are getting back from Boise tomorrow). We went and saw my grandma and visited for a little while. Grandpa is in the hospital with fluid in his lungs, which was news to me. He hates being in the hospital. He is definitely one tough cookie. He has endured a lot. Then Jake and Khanyi's family came over. It was good to see them and their kids. Everyone (kids and adults) got tired very fast, so they went home and we went to bed.

Day 1 - Orem, UT to Idaho Falls, ID

2008-05-18T23:19:00.000-07:00

I have decided to keep a travel-log of our trip across the country. I realized two things today. First, we cannot afford the gas to drive to Connecticut. Second, there are not enough hours in a day for me to drive to Connecticut by the time I am supposed to start work and still keep my wife and daughters sane. The first realization came when it cost more to fill up our car for our first leg of the trip than it did for our hotel room. There is something wrong with that. The only solution to the problem is that we must now sleep in our car. My second realization came when it was 6:00 p.m. when we arrived in Idaho Falls (typically a 4 hour drive from Orem). I keep forgetting that I can actually enjoy the travel on the way. We stopped at parks in Malad, ID and Inkom, ID (I know what you are thinking, and, yes, those towns are 45 minutes apart). We got a hotel room in Idaho Falls near the river, ducks, and with a nice view of the temple. We had a picnic near the water. It was a very pretty day. However, we walked past our car on the way to the river's edge, and Kierra thought we were getting back in the car. She declared, "I am not getting back in that car!" That is exactly what I did not want to hear 4 hours in to a 45 hour drive. She was very relieved to find out that we were going to feed the ducks. I ended the night by watching the Jazz lose to the Lakers to be eliminated from the playoffs. Next year I guess.

Fairhurst World Tour

2008-05-12T20:49:00.000-07:00

It is now time for the much anticipated, never imitated, often contemplated addition to our blog. So get out your pens and paper and arm yourselves for water-cooler conversations everywhere...all twelve of you. Obviously, it has been a while since I have written. We have been very busy, but that is no excuse to leave you all in suspense for three months. Right now we are rapidly cleaning our apartment as we prepare to head to our internship this summer. Our travels began last week with a great visit to Portland to see my brother, Randy, and his family. Our time was spent with trips to the beach, tolf (golf with a tennis ball), disc golf (as you can see, we can't afford to play golf the way that it was intended), four-wheeler rides, a visit with President Hansen (my first mission president), and relaxation. It was a well-needed trip after a grueling final month of school. I definitely owed the time to Kindra and the girls, but they were very supportive as I tried to wrap things up. We leave Friday to head to Montana where we will spend a week with my parents, grandparents, and siblings and their families. I am excited for Kierra and Ariana to spend time with their cousins. From Montana we will head to Mount Rushmore and then visit historic sights from the early days of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints. It is a trip that I have always wanted to make. I think it will be great to see the place of so many hardships that have made it possible for me to come to know my Savior better. It is also the first time that we will take a family vacation with just our family where we are not visiting other family (did you catch that?). I am very excited and also a little nervous to see how our two little girls will handle a drive across the country. I am sure that the portable DVD player that Kevin's family gave us for Christmas will become our favorite present ever. We will end up in Greenwich, CT where I will spend 12 weeks doing an internship in corporate finance with United Rentals. I am very excited by the opportunity. I interviewed there and really enjoyed the people that I will work with (as much as you can enjoy people in an interview). The area sounds great. It is an old New England town that is a 50 minute train ride to Manhattan. We are accepting visitors on a first-come, first-serve basis. After the internship we will drive to Boise and spend a few days with my sister Leslie and her family, then it is on to Sun Valley to spend a weekend with Kindra's extended family. Then we return to Utah the day before school starts. And I thought summers were for rest and relaxation! So we are taking our show on the road, and considering the fact that we will be in about 20 states this summer, check your local listings to see if we will be in a town near you!

KIERRA QUOTES:

Dad: "What are your ears for?"
Kierra: "Ear Wax."

Dad: "What songs did you sing in nursery today?"
Kierra: "'Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star', 'Wheels on the Bus', but they forgot to sing, 'If You Could Hie to Kolob'!"

"Why are you stinky, daddy?"

"Ohhhh, Dad! I love Ariana's witch hat!" (See photos to the right.)

Where in the World?

2008-02-10T14:32:00.000-08:00

Grad school rolls on! This semester has been very busy. The days very quickly blur into weeks. One of the things that is keeping us very busy is our search for an internship. We have a few leads, but it is time consuming and nerve wracking to not have one tied up. Interviewing for jobs has quickly become one of my least favorite pastimes. It is exciting to think that we could be anywhere in the country this summer. From Dodgeville, WI to Fort Collins, CO to Boise, ID to Greenwich, CT. Our little family is excited by the possibilities. We are also stressed by the wait. Ariana rolled over all of the way for the first time this week. Time to re-baby-proof the house. She is a very good baby. She only will cry long enough to find her thumb. Kierra is sweet, even for a two-year old. Kindra has taken up clogging again. She is in a class with some of the other wives from the MBA program. I can't wait to see a performance. I will definitely post pictures. We are surviving and, at times, even enjoying grad school.

KIERRA QUOTES

"Thanks for not dying dad!" (Upon my return from bishopric meeting...she knows how brutal they can be.)

"Dad, is that a tiger or a cheet-o? And can you milk it...like squek et squek et?"

"Awww! A new halloween costume!" (When she was opening a skirt she got for Christmas.)

"Just sing a song I know. I think I can, I think I can." (When I was trying to unclog the tub.)

The Holidays

2008-01-06T19:36:00.000-08:00

The holiday break has been great. No work, no school, and a lot of time with Kindra and the girls. Some of the highlights include games of broom hockey, seeing Kierra open her new trike, time with family (immediate and extended), taking my family to places that I used to visit as a kid (kissing camels at Garden of the Gods in Colorado Springs and Traildust, one of my favorite restaurants growing up), playing games with my parents, sledding with Kindra, enjoying a mini-date at the Denver airport while we earned ourselves some free vouchers, and just relaxing. I feel rejuvenated and ready to be back in school. I am going to include some of our holiday traditions. If you have fun traditions, then please respond with them.

-Christmas Eve egg nog
-Cap'n Crunch Christmas morning
-Biscuits and Gravy Christmas brunch (I promise they are not all food)
-Christmas card DVD
-New Years' predictions buried in a time capsule (we still can't get to last years because of snow)
-Board games
-Resolutions
That gives you an idea. If there are some you would like to share, let's hear them.

I better close with what people actually read my blog for...Kierra quotes:
-"Don't do that ever again forever."
-"My poop can't come out...it's confusing."
-"Why is Jesus naked in the middle?" (after looking at a statue of Jesus in a robe)
-"I can't have a binky because I am not little yet."

We've Been Elfed

2007-11-26T20:00:00.001-08:00

We thought you might enjoy this show. I have to say that I look pretty good in green velvet. http://www.elfyourself.com/?id=9570082017
Enjoy and Merry Christmas!!!

Comfortable in My Skin

2007-11-26T19:32:00.000-08:00

I, like Bill Cosby, have discovered that I am not the boss of this house. Mr. Cosby alluded to his wife being the boss. However, currently it seems like there is a new sheriff in our town. Kierra has mad all sorts of rules. Playing in the dryer is acceptable. Coming to mom and dad's bed is allowed. Smeering diaper cream all over your body and your bed is okay, too. The list goes on, but there is one rule that I do not understand. It now appears that clothes are optional in our home. Kierra takes any chance she can get to take off her clothes. I found her bathing herself in the sink. I found her walking a fake dog wearing nothing but mittens. I found her showing some of our friends' kids how to use the restroom (which, of course, entails wearing no clothes). I am starting to seriously consider a suggestion from a friend that seems a little primative. I won't tell you exactly what it is, but, just a bonus, I am recommending you buy stock in duct tape. Thinking about this, though, has really made me think about Kierra's approach to life. She is, to this point, uninhibited by what others think. She seems to be (literally) comfortable in her own skin. Maybe there is something we can learn from Kierra. Now, before you write me off as a nut, I am not suggesting that we all join a clothes optional club. I do think, however, that we hide who we really are with who we think people want us to be. I am not going too deep, but my streaking daughter has made me think that we, as adults, might not be as comfortable in our skin as we used to be.

I am very excited for Christmas. We put up our tree yesterday. Kierra was so excited. She repeatedly said, "It is going to be Christmas today." We also watched a movie representing the birth of Christ. This has become a special tradition for our little family. I love the mood that Christmas puts most people in. I love the thought that goes into other people. I love biscuits and gravy on Christmas morning. I love seeing the excitement in Kierra. And I love the meaning of Christmas.

Let Life Come

2007-10-29T19:24:00.000-07:00

I am starting to learn to let life come, to enjoy the moment. Kierra has done a very good job of teaching me. I remember when she was first born. She was so cute...but I just couldn't wait for her to be able to crawl or walk. She would be able to get whatever she needed on her own. Then it happened. I hadn't thought that she might be able to also get things that I didn't want her to get. Then my thoughts turned to how great it would be when she could talk. Then I could explain to her what she was allowed to play with. Then it happened. For some reason I never imagined the "no's" and the "mine's" and the "I'm not listening's." Yesterday I almost got caught up in the same trap. Due to digestive problems we have not pushed potty training yet. Yesterday, Kierra came in to me stark naked and said, "I want to go pee on the toilet." I thought, "This is great! Kierra is potty trained and I didn't have to buy her new Disney Princess undies or a wet n' wipe Sally doll or a copy of The Potty is Our Friend Book." Then it happened. Three more times that night she wanted to go because we made such a big deal of how proud we were of her. It slowly dawned on me how nice diapers are. Sure they are expensive and messy. However, they wait for you. Potty trained kids do not. Kierra has shown no signs of wanting to go on the pot today, and I am perfectly happy with that. I am also perfectly happy that the only trick Ariana knows is how to smile. I enjoy the fact that she is mute and immobile. I am not going to long for the day when I am done with grad school and out of debt because it might happen, along with a mortgage and dance practice and school for kids. I am not going to long for retirement because it might happen along with arthritis and depends for men and Nivea. I am going to enjoy the now because the grass isn't necessarily greener on the other side.

Okay, I am done philosophizing. Now it is on to what you all came to read: quotes from Kierra. This time I will post two conversations we had.

The first conversation happened while we were at the church playing in the grass. Kierra started the conversation while looking at the steeple.
Kierra: Dad, where is the statue of Angel Moroni?
Me: It is on the temple, not the church.
Kierra: Dad, Angel Moroni...she looks like a man.
Me: Kierra, Moroni is a man.
Kierra: Dad, Angel Moroni...he looks like a woman

The next experience happened while I was home alone with Kierra and had to go to the bathroom.
Kierra (through the bathroom door): Dad, I brought you the scissors.
Me: Thanks, will you put them on the counter. I will be out in a minute.
Kierra: Okay...dad, I'm not bleeding.
Me: You're not bleeding? Did you get hurt?
Kierra: No, I didn't get hurt, and I am not bleeding.
Me: Are you sure you didn't get hurt?
Kierra: Only a little bit, but I am not bleeding. I am not going to play with scissors anymore...only toy scissors.
(She really was NOT bleeding, and I typically do an okay job of keeping an eye on her.)

Crazy Nights

2007-10-14T14:42:00.000-07:00

Being a student and new father is catching up to me. I have some short nights which have really thrown off my sleeping habits. The other night I woke at 3 in the morning. That is not out of the ordinary for me. What made it wierd was that I was sitting in the living room, eating yogurt, and watching a rerun of the news when I woke up. I have no recollection of getting out of bed, getting the yogurt, or turning on the TV. Kindra wonders why I eat and watch TV in my sleep instead of mowing the lawn or fixing something around the house. Well, the story makes it in to my top three sleep stories along with the time my freshman year of high school when I feel asleep on the first day of school (who does that?) and the time I was trying to give up eating candy and I woke up from a dream of eating a Laffy Taffy to find a book in my mouth. Ariana is getting bigger. She is starting to cooo and sleeping a little bit better. Kierra is as fun as ever (see below). One of my freinds wrote after the last blog to tell me that he could tell me how old my oldest daughter is because of the clothes that I am wearing in my pictures. He says he has noticed dads just stop updating. Sounds like bologna, but, unfortunately it is pretty accurate. Try it on yourself dads. Well, it is back to another week at it. I will close again with Kierra's thoughts:
3) 'I am laying on your pillow dad. Maybe when you get older, you can lay on mom's pillow.'
2) 'Everyone likes me. Especially all of the grandmas.'
1) Kindra (on seeing Kierra's picture from nursery) - 'Oh, you learned about sacrament meeting today?!'
Kierra - 'No I didn't.'
Kindra - 'What did you learning about?'
Kierra - 'I didn't learn about anysing!'

Pandemonium

2007-09-30T20:33:00.000-07:00

So, the past few weeks in our house have been a little crazy. I am still being acclimated to the life of a graduate student. There are some great benefits such as a great faculty and curriculum, great people to work with, a recent #1 rating of regional MBA programs, many recruiting companies, and a little time each night to see my family. There are a few downsides such as not feeling like you can help your wife and daughter when they get the puke flu within a week of each other. Somehow we should get sick days. It is also very emotionally draining, and, for those of you who think like my sister, that doesn't mean I cry a lot. There are just a lot of emotions, good and bad, each day. From feeling excited about new opportunities to feeling overwhelmed by all of the work to feeling grateful for the help of others, to feeling exhausted at the end of the day, to feeling frustrated that you spent an entire day doing homework and didn't take any time to make contacts for an internship (but never, ever crying). In the end, I get a great sense of fulfillment by what I am doing. Kierra asks me each day if I had fun at BYU Cougars. It seems to me that she might think I am on the football team. I am okay with her thinking that...as long as she doesn't mistake me for one of the Cougars' offensive lineman. Kindra has been great with Ariana. She has healed quickly, and she does a great job of holding down the fort. So, at this pace I will 'blog it up' every six weeks, so you might hear from me some time in November. I will end with my favorite recent Kierra sayings:
4. "Don't Worry Dad. I will betect Ariana."
3. "We're going to Uncle Caleb and Aunt Jessica's house. Jessica is really excited to see me."
2. "Can we have family home evening again, so I can have another treat?"
1. "Mom, I want to get out of the shower. It is too watery."

Three Becomes Four

2007-08-20T06:43:00.000-07:00

We have finally decided to join the blogging world. I know, I know it is about time. Someday we might upgrade to other modern technology such as a dishwasher, internet at home, ipods, cable television, or air conditioning. For now, we are very happy being a modern, stone-aged family. Right now I am waiting patiently for labor and delivery to call us so Kindra and I can start the process of having our second daughter. We could be using the time to pin down a name, but instead Kindra is getting some well-needed rest and I, for some reason, have chosen this time to become a blogger. We have a few major changes happening all this week. The biggest will be the birth of 'she who has not been named.' Friday is my last day working for the State of Utah. This comes with mixed emotions. I have enjoyed the people there and the stability of a decent paying job with good benefits. Working as a sales tax auditor is intriguing at times and frustrating at others, so there are some aspects I won't miss. I start the masters of business administration program next week. We have been planning on this for two years. We have saved a little nest egg, but will enter the world of big debt. We both (Kindra and I) feel that is will be worthwhile venture. I better be off to big event #1. The next time you read this I will most likely be an unemployed student and father of two...at least you won't be able to see my receding hairline!!!