Birthday Celebration

Mom lets us choose the menu for our birthday meal. She will make anything we request! This year I asked for all my favorites: barbeque spare ribs, baked potatoes, asparagus, and lemon dessert. Of course mom’s typical dinner table, whether a special occasion or not, always looks like it belongs on the cover of ‘Better Homes and Gardens’. This time she decorated the table with my favorite color: yellow!

Mom uses place tags for all her formal dinners (thankfully Eric and I are always placed next to each other!!)

Our Escapism

Eric and I enjoy evening jogs together. With music playing our communication consists only of an occasional nod or gesture, though we do laugh at each other plenty.

Grandpa & Grandma Hep

Home again… after a three month stint in Arizona showcasing his art no one anticipated Grandpa Hep’s return more than Tyler, who absolutely adores him. The two have an extra special bond and his absence has weighed heavily on Tyler who has missed him a great deal. In recent emails to each other Tyler realized that it would not be long before he would see his “buddy” again and began counting down the days. Eager to see him, Tyler called grandpa several times today.

Carly is quite possessive of Grandma Hep. Typically when I’m around three really is a crowd and I fight to converse with my own mother. If we talk too long Carly will say, “Mom, please stop talking to Grandma so that she will talk to me”.

Snowboarding

Eric and I have always enjoyed spending time together outdoors and the beautiful and diverse climate of northern Utah is certainly an adventure lover’s paradise. Winters are especially great for snow sports and we genuinely enjoy snowboarding, something we learned together just a few months after our wedding. We have since taught our children to snowboard as well. At the age of three Tyler’s first lesson was conducted in our family room and soon Carly and Travis followed suit; all are self sufficient on the mountain and confidently ride wherever we go. There are no words to describe the almost tangible feelings I experience alongside those I love most while atop one of God’s most magnificent creations, inhaling the cool mountain air, and carving down beautiful white covered slopes flanked with evergreens. The camaraderie is fantastic and the powerful memories we are creating will help bind our family together. Certainly many families engage often in usual activities, such as outings in the park or an evening at the movies, but we are establishing that common ground with our children that will last much longer. Well into her sixties, my grandmother enjoyed snow-skiing, waterskiing, camping, and even cliff-jumping with her children and grandchildren. She has now passed on, yet her six children and their families have remained uncommonly close and still recreate together frequently. Like my grandparents, my hope is to create a shared enjoyment for my family for generations to come.

About Us

To begin our blog, here is a quick sketch “about us”…

Dad enjoys being on the go with something to occupy his time. His greatest enjoyments include, snowboarding, fly-fishing, swimming, vacations, and being outdoors. Because of a wide variety of interests and talents Dad seems to have something in common with everyone. He loves educating himself about guns, RV’s, animals, geography, sports, Dutch oven cooking, and politics. His favorite pastimes include watching Jazz games and the discovery and military channels. He loves amusement parks and roller coasters. He is a Disneyland diehard; three days straight he’s first through the gate and last to leave the park. Dad daydreams about owning enough property to build an indoor pool and be completely self-sufficient, with his own water-well, windmill, solar panels, a large garden, and even a few chickens. Dad majored in Health Administration and operates his own clinical research company.

Mom loves spending time with family and rarely misses a family event, whether it’s with immediate or extended family. Her favorite activities include snowboarding, waterskiing, camping, and vacations packed with activities. Mom also enjoys organizing things, campfire stories, listening to her favorite bands, playing the guitar, and architecture. Mom loves the Jazz and seldom misses a game. Reading is her favorite pastime, particularly the classics, books about the American Revolution, anything by Hugh Nibley, and stories about near-death experiences. Mom teaches ballet and modern dance at a local performing arts center. She loves school and homework; she majored in English and History and plans to pursue a graduate degree in the future. Mom daydreams about taking her family to Lake Powell in her dream boat, a Tigé RZ4.

Tyler is very smart; he has a phenomenal sense of direction and excels in science. He enjoys being active; he loves to skateboard, bike, wakeboard, kneeboard, drive grandpa’s boat, play soccer, snowboard, golf, and play with friends. He is on the Nordic Wolves Snowboarding Team and is a member of the junior golf association. Tyler has a heart of gold; he is always so considerate and kind, and he absolutely adores his baby sister.

Carly is exceptionally creative and loves to draw, paint, and read books. She is very sociable, responsible, and orderly. Carly loves all animals and playing with her Webkinz pets. Her favorite activities are snowboarding, back-flips on the trampoline, and swimming. She looks forward to “buddy days” with grandma and playing with cousins. Carly takes dance, acting, and singing lessons and qualified for the junior swim team.

Travis is fun loving with a witty sense of humor and adorable smile; he keeps everyone in good spirits. He enjoys superheroes, costumes, and action figures and is always assuming the role of a different character. Travis is very competitive, athletic, and agile, and excels in aggressive team sports, particularly baseball and basketball. His favorite activity is snowboarding. Travis also enjoys playing with friends and is quite popular.

Emily is a good-natured little girl. She has incredible finger dexterity and plays well with toys. Emily loves the attention her brothers and sister give her. She also enjoys playing in the bathtub and eating finger foods.