Here are some pictures... finally!
The baby dance.
The baby dance.
Thursday, August 13, 2009
Monday, August 10, 2009
75
My trip to Utah last exactly 75 blissful hours. 75 hours of only 1 perfect baby who gets eeew's and aaah's out of strangers and friends alike. 75 hours of food that I did not have to prepare which meant it tasted better and I got to sit down to eat, and I could enjoy every last single bite on my plate. 75 hours of uninterrupted restful, FULL nights of sleep. 75 hours of NOT picking up toys or doing dishes. 75 hours of actually getting showered, dressed, hair done, makeup on without leaving the bathroom. 75 hours of peace and calm without screaming wildness. 75 hours of laughing, smiling and laughing some more with my beautiful sisters. 75 hours of ME TIME. I got to do a little shopping, go to the temple, eat smores by a camp fire, watch an entire 2 hour Documentary without interruptions, etc. It was blissful.
Sunday, August 09, 2009
Little Update
So these last couple of months have been some interesting times for our family. Since I lost my job in April I have been doing what ever I can to fill my time and make sure that we have everything that we need. We have been fortunate enough to have opportunities come our way. During this whole transition we have really seen that when one door closes another opens.
I started my own little consulting company for construction management needs. I have been working for a few different people doing project management, quality assurance, and site maintenance, with an occasion side job for people that need something done. I have been filling my time and there are days that it feels like I work more now than when I had a full time job. At least we are managing thus far, you just never know when things will dry up.
I remember when Jill and I got married people would ask what I was in school for and when I told them construction management they would assume that meant I was going to school to be a construction worker... I guess that is half true since now I am able to oversee construction activity but more importantly on the business side I save people money on their projects.
To try and be a little more well rounded I am starting an MBA program at ASU in a few weeks and I am working on getting my general contractor's license. I know that Jill is really excited to have me go back to school and spend even more time away from the house but for our long term goals, more education is needed. People always ask how I'm going to have the time to do it and I don't but more time isn't going to just show up. We've found that in this kind of economy there are opportunities that are more unique.
There are some advantages to our job change like I can where shorts for work, Jill doesn't have to cook dinner as much since I take care of it, I get to see the kids more often, and other little things that are just different these days.
Jill was also able to take a little break from reality this last week and go up to Utah with Mia for a Knight Family Reunion. Abby, Parker and I have enjoyed the time together. Fortunately we have some good friends in the area that we're able to trade some babysitting with so I can still get some work done. Jill will be able to give a better update on it when she gets back.
Things are moving along for us. We'll see where life takes us but so far we've been taken care of and that's all we can ask for.
I started my own little consulting company for construction management needs. I have been working for a few different people doing project management, quality assurance, and site maintenance, with an occasion side job for people that need something done. I have been filling my time and there are days that it feels like I work more now than when I had a full time job. At least we are managing thus far, you just never know when things will dry up.
I remember when Jill and I got married people would ask what I was in school for and when I told them construction management they would assume that meant I was going to school to be a construction worker... I guess that is half true since now I am able to oversee construction activity but more importantly on the business side I save people money on their projects.
To try and be a little more well rounded I am starting an MBA program at ASU in a few weeks and I am working on getting my general contractor's license. I know that Jill is really excited to have me go back to school and spend even more time away from the house but for our long term goals, more education is needed. People always ask how I'm going to have the time to do it and I don't but more time isn't going to just show up. We've found that in this kind of economy there are opportunities that are more unique.
There are some advantages to our job change like I can where shorts for work, Jill doesn't have to cook dinner as much since I take care of it, I get to see the kids more often, and other little things that are just different these days.
Jill was also able to take a little break from reality this last week and go up to Utah with Mia for a Knight Family Reunion. Abby, Parker and I have enjoyed the time together. Fortunately we have some good friends in the area that we're able to trade some babysitting with so I can still get some work done. Jill will be able to give a better update on it when she gets back.
Things are moving along for us. We'll see where life takes us but so far we've been taken care of and that's all we can ask for.
Monday, August 03, 2009
Baptism Day
On Saturday we took our kids to their first baptism so that they could see what it's like. I told them to go get ready in nice church clothes because it was at the church. After a while Abby was still in her room so I went in to help. She was just standing in her underwear staring at her dresses. "What's the matter Abby, why aren't you dressed?" "Well I can't wear white or else someone will see me and put me in the water."
Wednesday, July 08, 2009
A Wheel Chair
So, I'm not sure if any one else has issues with their little kids, but tonight Abby is having an unusual issue. Abby has decided that she needs some help. She came scooting into the office to let me know that her legs don't work anymore and she's going to need a wheel chair... Random, Yes... I guess she has some of the weirdness that I had growing up... How do you even respond to a child with that kind of request?
Sunday, July 05, 2009
Swim Season
One of the nice things about living in Arizona is it's blazing hot in the summer which makes pool time much more enjoyable. This year we had Parker in swimming lessons again with Bonnie. He freaked out the first session but after that, he enjoyed it. We're glad to say that he is much more proficient with his swim skills and he enjoys playing in the pool without a floaty. During lessons Abby was able to have some fun and practice her swimming. Bonnie has a unique style of teaching but it worked well for our kids. You know it's a traumatic experience when you pull into her neighbor hood and the kids freak out (not in a good way). By the time lessons finished Parker was going off the diving board and having a blast with it. We don't feel safe enough to have a pool of our own yet but swimming is a needed skill that we wanted the kids to learn early.
Monday, June 15, 2009
Lucky Lit'l 3 Year Old
While away on our adventure, Parker decided to have a birthday so he was fortunate enough to celebrate multiple times. He started his birthday a day early with presents from us because we weren't going to be together on the actual day. What kid doesn't enjoy getting some new toys for a trip?
Jill and the kids were able to share his actual birthday with Gma & Gpa Vdm in Cincinnati. A little time at Chuck E Cheese is always fun for the kids. I suppose we can endure the adventure every once in a while.
I'll give Jan credit for making a 3 year old's dream cake come true of a real dinosaur. Jill was expecting a sheet cake that had a picture on it, but no... Jan took his time for a masterpiece! A sugary delight with different shapes and textures. Good job Grandpa on the cake!
Since the family was able to come to Chicago we were able to have another celebration for Parker and my brother Jay at the same time 34 candles on one cake was pretty extreme but the two boys were able to handle the heat. Thank you uncle Jay for sharing a cake with Parker.
So for Parker better not get used to multiple events, multiple cakes, and multiple presents all the time. It just happened to play out that way this year.
Jill and the kids were able to share his actual birthday with Gma & Gpa Vdm in Cincinnati. A little time at Chuck E Cheese is always fun for the kids. I suppose we can endure the adventure every once in a while.
I'll give Jan credit for making a 3 year old's dream cake come true of a real dinosaur. Jill was expecting a sheet cake that had a picture on it, but no... Jan took his time for a masterpiece! A sugary delight with different shapes and textures. Good job Grandpa on the cake!
Since the family was able to come to Chicago we were able to have another celebration for Parker and my brother Jay at the same time 34 candles on one cake was pretty extreme but the two boys were able to handle the heat. Thank you uncle Jay for sharing a cake with Parker.
So for Parker better not get used to multiple events, multiple cakes, and multiple presents all the time. It just happened to play out that way this year.
Sunday, June 14, 2009
Back Again
So for the last few weeks we have been out of town on some adventures. And now it's back in the desert to try and get into our normal routine.
Jill and the kids had a trip planned to Cincinnati to visit her parents. Since they were headed out of town and since I don't have a regular job right now I decided to go back to Chicago to be slave labor to my parents for some things that they needed to get done. So as usual, Jill and the kids played while I worked, just a different kind of work.
The kids had a great time in Cincinnati. They were able to swim all the time and play with loads of toys in Jan's basement (one of the perks of being a toy maker). I'm sure Jan and Martha had fun with the kids but guarantee that they were worn out to some degree. The best part of the trip for Parker was he decided on the second day of the trip that he wanted to start using the toilet instead of a diaper so we had some success. The one drawback for me was a joked with Jill saying that if she got him potty trained before they got back that I would get her a new video camera. I thought there was no possible way but as a result I guess I have some shopping to do.
My vacation as I stated was filled with work. I spent most of my time building a paver patio for my parent's house or other little projects that needed to be done. It was hard work but in the end it looked good and the parents were satisfied so it all worked out. At this point I had to remind my dad that if I come to do any projects that I am in charge since I'm the one that knows what's going on. Since this is my 6th paver patio I feel I'm getting the hang of it.
As part of the stint in the midwest, Jill was able to come up to Chicago for a few days to spend some time with my family and friends. It's amazing how much of a mess the kids can create regardless of their surroundings. During their visit we were able to sneak up to Michigan and visit with our good friends the Bindrups. David and Katie are in Law School so it was a good chance to catch up even it was just for a short time.
The break from job hunting was nice but short lived. Chicago is a good place to visit but it got below 50 degrees while I was there and that quickly reminded me why we moved to Phoenix. Jill on the other hand thought that moving to Cincinnati would be fun, I beg to differ. We missed our desert life. It was a comfort to get off the plane and step into 90+ degrees.
Jill and the kids had a trip planned to Cincinnati to visit her parents. Since they were headed out of town and since I don't have a regular job right now I decided to go back to Chicago to be slave labor to my parents for some things that they needed to get done. So as usual, Jill and the kids played while I worked, just a different kind of work.The kids had a great time in Cincinnati. They were able to swim all the time and play with loads of toys in Jan's basement (one of the perks of being a toy maker). I'm sure Jan and Martha had fun with the kids but guarantee that they were worn out to some degree. The best part of the trip for Parker was he decided on the second day of the trip that he wanted to start using the toilet instead of a diaper so we had some success. The one drawback for me was a joked with Jill saying that if she got him potty trained before they got back that I would get her a new video camera. I thought there was no possible way but as a result I guess I have some shopping to do.
My vacation as I stated was filled with work. I spent most of my time building a paver patio for my parent's house or other little projects that needed to be done. It was hard work but in the end it looked good and the parents were satisfied so it all worked out. At this point I had to remind my dad that if I come to do any projects that I am in charge since I'm the one that knows what's going on. Since this is my 6th paver patio I feel I'm getting the hang of it.
As part of the stint in the midwest, Jill was able to come up to Chicago for a few days to spend some time with my family and friends. It's amazing how much of a mess the kids can create regardless of their surroundings. During their visit we were able to sneak up to Michigan and visit with our good friends the Bindrups. David and Katie are in Law School so it was a good chance to catch up even it was just for a short time.
The break from job hunting was nice but short lived. Chicago is a good place to visit but it got below 50 degrees while I was there and that quickly reminded me why we moved to Phoenix. Jill on the other hand thought that moving to Cincinnati would be fun, I beg to differ. We missed our desert life. It was a comfort to get off the plane and step into 90+ degrees.
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