The Larsen Life Story

Fall 2010 Weddings

2011-03-15T21:05:00.000-07:00

Hey everyone. In case you didn't see these on facebook, here are our latest and greatest wedding films.

Dave + Julie - Sep 25 2010

JoAn + Fredo - Oct 9 2010

Lam + Patricia - Nov 6 2010
password: lamandpatricia1106

Johnsons Visit Washington

2011-02-06T19:46:00.000-08:00

Johnson's came and visited us at our new house in Seattle. The weather wasn't very good (we miss CA!) but we ventured out anyway to see Snoqualmie Falls.

Here they are soaking in the mist of the waterfall

Syd on the banks of the river.

Evan and Syd running through the forrest.

Evan Singing the ABCs

2011-02-02T22:00:00.000-08:00

Leaving California

2010-12-31T09:29:00.000-08:00

After 5 years in California, we're moving on. Before living in here I wondered why Californians annoyingly acted as though they knew something the rest of us didn't. Well, now I understand.

Our crappy but awesome apartment

Packing like crazy

Our apartment was known to the state of California to contain chemicals that cause cancer and birth defects. Something about Evan never was quite right.

Here is Alaina and the kids leaving our apartment for the last time. They're loaded up in the cab to head to the airport.

I stayed back to drive the moving truck up to Seattle along with my brother-in-law Scott who came with me.

Trip to Carmel

2010-11-29T13:00:00.000-08:00

We had a free hotel stay that Tres got from a travel promotion so we headed out to the Hyatt Resort in Carmel. We got a free upgrade to a townhome overlooking the water.

Tres and Evan swimming (the pool was heated since it was a bit cold being November and all)

Evan feeding the birds

Breakfast overlooking the water

The view of the pool from our balcony

Christian just hanging out on the couch

Fleet Week

2010-10-08T11:33:00.000-07:00

We decided to go to San Francisco to see fleet week. It comes every year but we have never been. Here are some pics:

The planes were really loud

Evan and Jackson playing in the water

"Obama" Visits After Christian's Birth

2010-09-26T01:56:00.000-07:00

Shortly after Christian's birth, Grandma Larsen came to help us and spend some quality time with the new little one as well as Evan, who has definitely been missing out on some quality attention and playtime outside. Evan and Grandma went on walks, played at the park, and even rode a commuter train in our area, which of course was Evan's favorite activity, as he asks, "I ride train?" nearly every day.

Incidentally, Grandma's birthday gift to Evan was a Thomas the Train engine called Edward. How did she know that he is absolutely OBSESSED with Thomas and ALL trains? They also built train towns, played chase, and read stories together. His Great-Aunt Joan and Great-Uncle Milt brought him a large boardbook all about "diggers" on construction sites for his birthday, which was a hit since construction vehicles rate #2 on his favorites list.

Grandma also spent time with baby Christian, helping to ease his little tummy pains. She cooked meals for us, including extras for after she left, and deep cleaned our couch! So, yeah, she was really helpful.

We taught Evan to say "Grandma," but since he's not too skilled at the "g" sound, and his "d's" tend to be "b's," the result was, "Obama." Which was a really awesome name for someone who isn't exactly his biggest fan . . . After Grandma left, Evan kept asking for "Obama" and we told him she went home on an airplane. So, now every time Evan sees an airplane he says, "Obama, airpane! Obama, airpane!"

Thanks for everything Grandma!

Introducing Christian MacNeil Larsen

2010-08-22T12:59:00.001-07:00

Christian MacNeil Larsen was born Wednesday, August 18th, 2010 at 9:29am. He weighed in at 8 lbs, 9 0z and measured 21 inches.

The following is a film Tres made of Christian's hospital stay. I recommend viewing the video on our videography website where it is displayed much larger - Capture Me Blog. The password is "sonofachampion."

I will warn you that Christian and I don't look our best on his first day, and we probably could have used some warning before the camera started rolling, but hopefully you'll enjoy getting a glimpse of the real experience.Christian receives his first name after his paternal great-grandfather, Loran Christensen. His middle name, which means "son of a champion" (in Scottish) is a tribute to his Mom whose maiden name, Turner, means "champion" (in French). Both Mom and Baby made a great team to bring about his perfect birth. Despite his brother's delivery via c-section, he came as a successful VBAC (vaginal birth after cesarean) to his parent's complete fulfillment.
We love him already and feel very blessed to have his sweet, little newborn presence in our home.

Yosemite 2010

2010-07-20T22:02:00.000-07:00

In July we went to Yosemite with Alaina's family. The water heater at the cabin we rented broke for a day so they gave us one night free! It was a great trip.

The valley

Lower Yosemite Falls

Evan in the hot tub
Hike to Chilnualna Falls Swimming on the hike Mariposa redwoods
The fam (except Tres taking the picture)

View from Glacier Point

Mirror Lake Sitting in the river

Evan with his glasses

And these next pictures are from the first time we went to Yosemite in October, 2007 before Evan was born. Those were the good old days.

We stayed at Curry Village

The hike to Vernal Falls

Alaina at the base of the falls Alaina trying to feed the squirrel

Summer Vacation

2010-06-30T12:52:00.000-07:00

Hi everyone,
Here are the things we did while we were on vacation in June.

We started off going to Seattle so Tres could finish up some work.

We flew to Vegas and drove to Arizona. We stayed at the Hyatt resort in Sedona using hotel points.

We saw some indian ruins.

We saw cathedral rock.

We went to red rock state park.

We went to the Grand Canyon.

Then to Vegas to meet up with the Robinsons.

We saw a magic show by Lance Burton.

The fountains at the Bellagio.

Then we went to Hoover Dam.

Next we went to St. George, Utah. We hiked on the rocks.

We found a swimming hole in Zion's National Park.

That's it. If you want to see the long version, check out the video:

On the Neighbor's Big Wheel

2010-06-02T14:12:00.000-07:00

Evan keeps going over to the neighbors and taking their big wheel for a ride. It was getting pretty boring following him around so I grabbed the camera and started filming:

Boating at Shoreline Golf Course

2010-05-31T21:00:00.000-07:00

Over memorial day we went to Shoreline golf course near our house and rented a boat to go out on the lake. Here are some pictures:

Pinewood Derby 2010

2010-04-29T20:29:00.000-07:00

My calling is in cub scouts so I filmed this year's Pinewood Derby in our stake. Below is the finished product.

Pinewood Derby 2010 from Capture Me Videography on Vimeo.

San Luis Obispo

2010-03-23T20:00:00.000-07:00

I had to work in San Luis Obispo, CA. Since the company was paying we decided to take a road trip down and stay on the beach. We saw Hearst Castle and got a hotel at Avila beach. Here are some pics.

Our route:

Hearst Castle:

The beach by our hotel:

View from the hotel balcony:

Exploratorium in San Francisco

2010-03-20T22:00:00.000-07:00

Alaina's sister Stephanie visited and we went to the Exploratorium in San Francisco. Evan had a blast. Here are some pics:

(I'm the Jack in the Box mascot)

Chili Davis Reunion (Sort of)

2010-03-15T22:00:00.001-07:00

While we were in Southern California last month, we stopped by and visited Brandon Brown, lead singer of the Provo hit college band Chili Davis.

We played guitar for a bit and I pulled out my iPhone and hit record. Brandon and Tres, live from Oceanside CA in Brandon's living room.

We were in a band in college. Those were the good old days. Here are some pics from back in 2005:

Trip to Southern California

2010-03-15T22:00:00.000-07:00

We went to Southern California to film a wedding. In our free time we drove around and saw some things:

Carlsbad Flowers

Taking our car on the ferry at Newport Beach

Point Loma State Park San Diego

Point Bonita Lighthouse

2010-01-16T22:45:00.000-08:00

My brother Gabe came to California for work and stopped by to visit us. We decided to go out and see Point Bonita Lighthouse. After hiking to the lighthouse, Gabe and I biked from north of the Golden Gate down into the Presidio. Here are some pics:

Capture Me Videography

2009-12-06T10:48:00.000-08:00

Alaina is starting a videography business called Capture Me Videography. She's looking to do weddings and will do them for cheap so let us know if you know anyone interested. Below are a couple of her first videos she filmed of Evan.

Perry Farms Pumpkin Patch from Capture Me Videography on Vimeo.

First Steps at the Park from Capture Me Videography on Vimeo.

Biking Across the Golden Gate Bridge

2009-11-10T14:49:00.000-08:00

Kyle came in town for an interview and we decided to bike across the Golden Gate Bridge.

Here's the view from the Presidio. Riding up this hill toward the bridge was a pain.

Once we made it across the bridge we coasted downhill to Sausalito and took a ferry back to San Francisco. We then rode to the Caltrain station and took the train home.

Goodbye Roo

2009-11-07T20:16:00.000-08:00

On November 07, 2009 we decided to put Roo down. He had been sick for quite some time and was getting worse. He was only 2 years old. It was a sad day. This picture was taken right before we took him to the vet.

Here are some other pictures of Roo throughout his life.

Halloween 2009

2009-10-31T22:00:00.000-07:00

For Halloween we went as the Lion the Witch and the Wardrobe. People had a hard time guessing that I was a Wardrobe. One person guessed I was a one night stand, another person guessed I was coming out of the closet.

Evan went trick or treating but didn't really get it and soon lost interest.

Pumpkin Patch

2009-10-24T23:52:00.000-07:00

Today we went to the Pumpkin Patch. Evan mostly wanted to throw pumpkins or eat them.

Work Trip to Seattle

2009-10-04T21:09:00.000-07:00

We have travelled a lot recently for work. I was sent to Seattle for a few weeks and the company paid for Alaina and Evan to come up while I was there. Here are some of the places we went on the weekends:

Snoqualmie Falls

Boat Ride on the Puget Sound

Gas Works Park

Downtown Seattle

New York Summer

2009-09-11T14:32:00.000-07:00

So, I have finally begun the painstaking process of uploading our many photos from our summer in New York City. What began as a three-week vacation soon became two-months of city living! We are thrilled we had this opportunity to get so well acquinted with the City that Never Sleeps. We will always look back on our time there with fond memories.

I thought the most appropriate place to start would be The Statue of Liberty. So, feel free to start there on our little blogging adventure. I will post links to the associated entry titles below once the entry has been completed.

DOWNTOWN
The Statue of Liberty
Battery Park
Ground Zero
Wall Street
Brooklyn Bridge & Brooklyn Heights
Little Italy
Greenwich Village

MIDTOWN
Our Home - The Waldorf Astoria
Transportation - by bus, boat, cab, sub, train, and on foot
The View from Above - The Empire State Building & Rockefeller Center
Times Square & Broadway!

NYC Inspiration - Filmshoots
B&H Photo Video - Video & Audio Equipment Shopping

UPTOWN
Central Park
Central Park Zoo
Museums for Mom - The Metropolitan Museum & The National Historical Society Museum
Museums for Baby - The Children's Museum of Manhattan & The Museum of Natural History
The Metropolitan Opera - Summer Concert in Queens
The New York Yankees - New Stadium

The Statue of Liberty

2009-09-11T12:36:00.001-07:00

We first saw Lady Liberty from a boat cruise we took around the point of Manhattan. Our boat swung near Liberty Island so we could get a good look at her. It then continued on around the point and under several bridges.
(I'll continue the boat cruise in another entry.)
We saw her three more times when each of our families came to visit.

Evan and I saw her up close when my mom, Cris, two brothers, Sam and Joe, and Sam's friend, Moises, came out for their previously planned New York vacation. This time we took a boat directly to Liberty Island.

Sam's friend, Moises, snapped this photo and I think he did a pretty good job.
This past year Joe has been homeschooled by my mom and aunt, Bonnie. They just finished some American history before they left for New York and I was impressed how much Joe knew about our Revolutionary War and Independence. He knew that the date on Lady Liberty's tablet is July 4, 1776, and that she was a gift from the French.
Tres next saw her when his sister, Kristen, and nephew, Nate, came to visit us. They took the same direct boat ride to the Island.

It was an amazingly blue day.

I love this view of her crown and torch.

Lastly, Tres saw her one more time when his mom, Cathy, came to visit us. Here they are enjoying the boat ride over to the Island.A side view of the statue.

And that's where we left her. Honestly, I don't know if many New Yorkers have gone to see her four times!

Jim and Cris' Wedding

2009-09-01T19:16:00.000-07:00

Alaina's mom Cris married Jim Connerty on August 29, 2009 in Ione, Washington. This date was also Evan's first birthday. For the wedding we flew in to Spokane and drove to uncle Chuck's house where they were married. Uncle Chuck, also known as Pastor Sullens, performed the ceremony:

For Evan's birthday party we gave him his first taste of sugar. However, he wasn't very interested in eating his cupcake and mostly just played with it.

After the wedding we spent a few days hanging out with Stephanie, Zoey, Ezra, and Joe at the Spokane swimming pool. It only cost $1 per person to get in, not bad.

We also watched a terrible movie called Mr. Magorium's Wonder Emporium.

This was perhaps the most terrible movie I have ever seen in my life. To make matters we watched it on a new 120 Hertz flatscreen TV. These new TVs are so crisp on motion scenes that it's uncomfortable, the whole movie looked like a soap opra filmed on the BBC network.

The only movie in my experience that comes close to being worse than Mr. Magoriums Wonder Emporium is also a Turner family recomendation. This movie stole a couple hours of my life a few years back when Sam, Alaina's brother, recomended it. The movie, called Donnie Darko, was about time travel, a giant bunny, and a plane engine falling from the sky and killing this kid asleep in his bed? Terrible, just terrible.

B&H Photo Video Superstore

2009-08-15T11:41:00.000-07:00

Another benefit of being in New York City during this time, was the plethora of professional grade audio and video equipment stores, such as Adorama and B&H Photo Video, our favorite being B&H.

Several afternoons, while Tres was working, little Evan and I would stroller down to B&H and peruse their equipment the same way I peruse baked goods when I've sworn off sugar -- spending all my time salivating at the same few items, but never buying anything. I would ask the same questions to different workers each time, just in case someone had some new incite, but alas, the responses were always the same -- we knew what equipment was best and we just needed to take the dive.

But it was hard to justify spending so much money all at once. So instead, my first purchase was a very cheap consumer level product. Before I even took it out of the box I regretted buying it. Have you ever had buyer's remorse because you didn't spend enough money, instead of feeling like you spent too much? Well, that was how I felt about this Manfrotto Modo Steady. I wanted a real steadicam and instead I got a shoulder crutch made of plastic*. It was that purchase that helped both Tres and I decide our creativity deserved the best tools we could get and our little company deserved the best start it could get. So, back to B&H I went with my little return receipt in hand and a much bigger smile on my face.

*However, if you have a very light consumer level camcorder and are looking for a compact, portable, consumer level stabilizer to aid in your home filming, this could be a great product for you.

NYC Inspiration

2009-08-10T11:17:00.000-07:00

During our summer in New York City, Tres and I saw several film shoots in and around mid-Manhattan including Rachel McAdam's "Morning Glory," Jennifer Lopez's "Back-up Plan," and a couple Disney films including, "Step-up 3."

They reminded me of my college days being on student film sets while majoring in film at BYU. Though, I didn't much care for theatrical movie-making even as a student. The large crews, large budget, and large egos turned me off to the Hollywood way of life.

My favorite classes and projects always had to do with documentary film-making. I loved learning how documentary filmmakers capture real-life stories in interesting and beautiful ways. I loved viewing their work as well as making my own. There's just such a nobility in visually and aurally preserving the events and people around oneself. And you can't help but grow to love and respect your subject after observing it for countless hours behind a camera and in the editing room.

Since getting married and starting a family, my time has been spent capturing the special moments within our little family, but after seeing these big productions I was inspired to once again reach out into the world and help others capture their life stories. Mainly, those special moments -- births, weddings, anniversaries -- when we, as humans, are encouraged to take a moment to reflect upon our life and those we love. And with that premise our company, Capture Me Videography, was born.

Evan Likes Tomatoes!

2009-08-07T19:14:00.000-07:00

Evan may have Tres' goodlooks and his middle name, but he definitely didn't get his tastebuds because he likes tomatoes! Tres discovered this when father and son went collecting our summer-end spoils.

Evan picked one up and just starting gnawing on it, and then grabbed another when that one was finished. By that time it was too late for a bib, but just in time for a photoshoot.

Limeade with Kyle and Kaylee

2009-08-02T19:30:00.000-07:00

In honor of Utah and the many restaurant chains we've grown to love, we had a Cafe Rio and Tucano's night. I made pulled pork burritos with cilantro rice, mashed black beans, and cilantro ranch dressing, all wrapped in Costco freshly cooked tortillas. Tres' brother, Kyle, and his wife, Kaylee, added a special touch with their Tucano's Brazillian Limeade made of fresh limes, sweetened condensed milk, water, and a little sugar. They were definitely the highlight of the meal! For the complete recipe check out my food blog at http://www.playkitchens.blogspot.com/

4th of July Weekend

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

For the 4th of July weekend Alaina went to Spokane to see her family so it was just me and Evan hanging out. Because mom was gone, we could do whatever we wanted without consequence. We skipped church and then told mom the speakers were wonderful and uplifting.

We also went to Monterey to ride bikes along the coast with Kyle, Kaylee, and Kaylee's family. When we got to the bike rental shop we decided not to get bikes and instead rented the "surrey rider" a.k.a. the marry poppins mobile. How could we rent bikes with the bat mobile available?

The bike rental shop guy told us we were not allowed to ride in the road but Kyle told him to suck it. We went in the road.

There were 2 sets of peddles on this bad boy. Kaylee didn't peddle and I only pretended to peddle. This left Kyle bearing the bulk of the work.

Evan was the only one who would wear a helmet, the rest of us threw our helmets in the water.

Evan sat in the navigator position and was in charge of ringing the American Flag decorated bell when pedestrians got in our way.

Later, Evan passed out from all the booze we drank because mom was gone and we do whatever we want when mom is gone.

Evan Definitely Up To Something

2009-06-25T14:00:00.000-07:00

This is what happens when me and Evan take on watering the plants while Tres is out of town.

What began like this . . .

Promptly became this . . .

And just to add irony, here's what his T-shirt says.

Thanks, Steph, for such a perfect hand-me-down.

Lunch at the Park

2009-05-28T21:16:00.000-07:00

Today, Alaina and I went to the park by our house for lunch. Evan loved riding in the baby swing.

Kyle & Kaylee's Wedding

2009-05-02T14:32:00.000-07:00

Tres' youngest brother, Kyle, was married on our anniversary this year, leaving no unmarried sibling in the Larsen clan. He and his wife, Kaylee, were married in the Mount Timpanogos temple on a much rainier day than ours, though the clouds parted just in time to welcome them with a little sun upon their exit. Below are some photos Tres took of them.The date and location weren't the only similaries to our wedding. They also sported salmon as their wedding color, they honeymooned in Las Vegas, and will move to the Bay Area after their married! We're excited to see them out here and hope we can recruit more family as we create a stronghold here!

Before the reception we snapped a quick family photo in front of the waterfall. Evan's little tux pants and vest, complete with cuff links and matching tie, were a hit with the guests and he traveled from person to person spreading smiles as he went.

Happy Anniversary Ben & Krystal!

2009-04-22T12:10:00.000-07:00

As promised, I finished my brother's wedding video by his 1 year anniversary! Actually, I was technically a day late, since I flew to Utah to give it to him in person the day after his anniversay . . . but pretty darn close. Check out the finished product!

Youtube Link to Come

Pendleton's Spring Break

2009-04-17T23:59:00.000-07:00

For their spring break, Tres' sister, Arryn, and her family traveled up the California coast ending their vacation in the Bay with us. For our first adventure, we drove to Half Moon Bay at low tide to check out the tide pools at Moss Beach.

Moss Beach

Tres carried Evan over the slick, seaweed-covered rocks, as neither he nor I trusted my coordination with such a task . . . I ended up slipping in a pool of water just traversing myself through the terrain, thankfully without our baby in tow.

We saw purple starfish.

And several clusters of mussels.

Tres caught a live crab with his bare hands!

Well, actually, he caught two live crabs but the first reached back with his pinchers and snapped his hand before we could snap the photo . . .

And while we were distracted with menacing crabs, Evan found himself a snack . . . a rock.

On our way out Tres' niece, Jenna, went rock climbing.

For our next adventure we drove down Highway 1 to Natural Arches National Park. And no, that doesn't mean the park was our next adventure, just the drive was! Tres' brother-in-law, Mike, showed me what it really means to be speedy. I've never passed that many cars on a two-lane highway nor arrived that much earlier than my GPS predicted. Not only was the drive exhilaratingly fast, but it was also gorgeous as we passed some truly beautiful beaches that we'll have to hit another day.

For our third adventure we arrived at Natural Arches and spent a little while splashing and sunbathing on the beach.

Natural Arches Beach

Since we arrived when it was still low tide, we had a chance to traverse the hidden beach on the other side of the cliff. This photo was taken on the hidden beach looking back at the rock arch that the beach and national park is named after.

Evan and I mostly played in the sand while the others explored. Well, I played in the sand, while Evan chewed on shoes . . . shoes, rocks . . . you'd think we weren't feeding this kid!

Arryn and Shay in front of the rock arch.

For our next adventure, we drove into the Santa Cruz mountains to a little quirky piece of real estate called, The Mystery Spot. Here, in this little patch of land, everything looks a little off kilter and acts a little strange. For just $6 the tour was well worth the money.

The Mystery Spot

The Entrance

An old advertisement to the Spot. Entrepreneurs have been selling this spot to curious passerbys for several decades.

The first strange phenomena we saw was how things moved on the above board. From our view it looked like this end of this board was higher than the other end, but when a round object was placed on it it rolled right off this end, looking like it was actually rolling uphill.

Inside this kooky house and out, people appeared to be leaning much farther than would be natural.

This ball was much harder to push in one direction than the other.
Doesn't Tres look like he's the master of the universe in this picture?

Us outside the kooky house.

For our final adventure we joined the Pendletons for dinner. Why would I call that adventure . . . well, let's just say we arrived around 7pm and didn't get home until 11pm . . . but the food was awesome and well worth the wait. Thanks Pendys for a great day!

Happy Easter!

2009-04-12T16:00:00.000-07:00

Evan in a spring photo shoot.

An Apostle's Easter Thoughts on Christ

2009-04-12T00:05:00.000-07:00

We invite you to listen to this Easter message.

Easter Weekend with Gabe & Carolyn

2009-04-11T12:07:00.000-07:00

Tres' brother, Gabe, and his wife, Carolyn, drove all the way from Salt lake City to spend Good Friday through Easter with us. Props goes to our blog with all the pictures of Evan that coaxed them to come!

Friday

We headed south to Santa Cruz and walked along the beach in the Natural Arches National Park. It was a whole lot colder than these pictures portray because of the wind, but once we were in the shelter of the cliffs it was really warm.

Gabe and Carolyn on the beach in front of the rock arch.

Evan wouldn't stop grabbing for Gabe's hat, so we just let him have it.

Following the national park, we went to the Boardwalk and rode on two rides for $27 total. Is that a good deal?

Gabe, Carolyn, and Tres, just before they are launched 125 ft. above the Santa Cruz boardwalk.

Our descent on The Big Dipper. Gabe is the only one you can see.

Lastly, we went downtown and dined at an Indian buffet. Indian food is so hit and miss. We passed on the odd tasting soup and rice pudding with spoiled milk, but the chicken tika masala was good as usual.

Saturday
We headed north to San Francisco to ride bikes around Angel Island. But we missed the ferry . . .

So we walked along Fisherman's Wharf, instead.

Evan in the Naseath's nifty dual bike trailer and stroller. Good thing it can be both, because we used it as a stroller instead.

Gabe and Evan outside 1 Lombard, while Mom reminisced about her working days.

Sunday

Gabe and Carolyn had a 13 hour drive ahead of them so they cut out in the morning. Thanks guys for coming!

Bouncer Escape Artist

2009-03-27T12:26:00.000-07:00

Although I shouldn't, I still put Evan in his bouncer to rock him while he eats or falls asleep. Today, he was lounging in the bouncer with a bottle when I left the room for a few minutes to do some clean-up. I heard him talking and figured he'd lost the bottle over the side, but when I came to help him I happened upon this!

Oh, my gosh! The kid crawled right out of it without even hurting himself! So, does that mean we've now passed the stage where the bouncer is too dangerous because he can wiggle out of it, and moved on to the stage where it's safe again because he can do it with expertise? I say so.

Evan & Sydney

2009-03-17T16:00:00.000-07:00

Today, Evan and I enjoyed the sun with his pal Sydney and her mom Kristin while on a walk at Rancho San Antonio. We couldn't resist the opportunity for a little photo shoot of these happy friends.

They were all smiles.

Though, Evan was caught with his hanging lower lip as usual. They had fun just discovering each other, let alone the rest of the world.

Gotta love baby feet.

Sydney found some bark . . .

All I know is they are picture perfect, and the sweetest little pals.

The Magic Time Between a Bath and a Nap

2009-02-12T19:22:00.000-08:00

Evan's First Taste

2009-02-12T18:10:00.000-08:00

Though he's not yet 6 months, Evan has showed such great interest in what we're eating, that I thought today's the day he gets his first sample.

And here's how it went . . .

He was definitely eager, making it difficult to keep the bowl of rice cereal from his grasp.

In fact, he was so anxious he was ready for the next step - feeding himself.

There was the occasional confusion in swallowing.

But overall, he did quite well and has the chin slop to prove it!

Yellow Flowers on the Grant Road Farm

2009-02-01T22:56:00.000-08:00

So, on our way home from church there's a small field in the middle of suburbia which has resisted development throughout years of raising land value. It has been a pumpkin patch, a Christmas tree farm, and just a little bit of nature amid road and compact houses. This month, it's a haven of yellow flowers and we couldn't resist such a perfect photo-op so close to home.

Sadly, it could be the last time, as this rugged property was recently sold and will soon don the concrete, plaster, and wood framing, that adornes its neighbors. Hopefully, that will come later rather than sooner.

Roo was a real sport through it all. Being as uncomfortable as he is to be away from home, he soon began exploring and sniffing all the smells of a new world. As we suspected, he didn't wander far, and when it came time to go home we simply smacked our lips together to call him with our usual kissing sound and he instantly responded with a little meow to tell us where we could find him. Such a sweet cat.

Monterey Bay Aquarium

2009-01-31T22:22:00.000-08:00

We were given free tickets to the Monterey Bay Aquarium that expired this weekend, so we seized the opportunity to expose Evan to the wide world of fish.

They were a lot bigger than his goldfish at home.

And a lot more colorful.

We looked out at the real ocean from the Aquarium's balcony.

But, Evan had the most fun at the children's activity center where he wobbled on a waterbed with Dad.

And touched plastic "coral" under water while being held by Mom.

The best part was hearing an Asian kid next to us whine in a loud voice, so everyone was sure to hear, "Ewww! He's throwing up in the pool!" as white spit up oozed from Evan's mouth into the coral habitat. Lucky it was all fake.

Mom Goes Brunette

2008-11-29T23:46:00.000-08:00

I had yet another bad hair dye (done by a professional) while trying to add some brown back into my ever-lightening blond. Which means I had to again run to the grocery store and buy a cheap box of deep red hair dye and fix it myself.

I unfortunately don't have a picture of the mishap but all you need to know is I was predominately an ashy-black tone with white streaks - just envision Herman Munster's wife and you've got it.

So, it's back to brunette until I can bring myself to brave another trip to the salon. I just wish the total cost was $10 for the grocery store dye, and not $10 plus $180 for the ashy-black mishap . . .

Thanksgiving 2008

2008-11-27T14:12:00.001-08:00

My brother, Sam, came to visit us in California for Thanksgiving. He was the lucky recipient of my first Thanksgiving dinner, which turned out fairly well despite the overcooked stuffing and gluten-free pumpkin pie crust . . . The highlight of the vacation was seeing Phantom of the Opera with Sam. It was the most amazing production I'd seen. We also toured San Francisco before we took him to the airport and that adventure is featured in the pictures below.

Sam, Me, and Evan below Lombard Street.

Tres and Evan at the beach.

Me and Evan having fun.

Yes on Prop 8 Rally

2008-11-01T23:03:00.000-07:00

Tres and I supported Proposition 8 by attending a rally a few days before voting day. We helped create giant signs by attaching them to long lengths of PVC pipe. Tres positioned his just over the passing cars, and waved it while running across the street multiple times. It rained nearly the whole rally, so we put Evan in the car and parked it near where we stood. But after seeing cops eyeing our car, I cut out early and sat in the car with him so we wouldn't get cited for parental negligence . . . We had a fun time and enjoyed the opportunity to support mariage in our community.

Halloween 2008

2008-10-31T23:16:00.000-07:00

So, as Tres and I rummaged through a Halloween store for costume ideas we happened upon a foam hat shaped like a traffic cone and I said to Tres, "I think that would fit around Evan's tummy." After shoving the hat upside down over Evan's diaper I came to the conclusion that with a little sewing it could indeed become an infant's costume.

A few stiches later and Evan is on the bed trying on his new costume. We ordered a couple cardboard road signs for me and bought a construction vest for Tres, and with that our little family became a construction zone for Halloween.

Evan's Prints

2008-09-15T22:39:00.000-07:00

Tres' friend from college and KPMG co-worker, Tyler Kearl, had his wife, Lindsey, come over and take Evan's prints in clay. She will later fire and glaze the clay to make a beautiful wall hanging featuring his tiny hands and feet. If you're interested in purchasing an itty bitty imprint from her, visit her website at http://www.ittybittyimprints.com/.

The handprints

The feetprints

Grandma Cathy Comes to Care for Us

2008-09-12T22:39:00.000-07:00

Just a few days after we came home from the hospital Tres' mom, Cathy, rushed out to help us adjust to home life with a new baby. She cooked and cleaned and cared for us for a whole week! It was such a relief for me to know that everything beyond breastfeeding was taken care of. She was an immense help, and a wealth of knowledge and experience that we tapped into often with our many questions.

She even gave Evan his first bath, since I wasn't sure what to do!

She held him over her knee to comfort his gassy tummy.

And dabbed him with essential oils which soothed him right to sleep over her shoulder.

Dad has some skills too.

Here he's holding Evan in the "frogger" position to help him fall asleep.

So, why am I not in any of these pictures? Because, I was asleep! Oh, the joy of having great live-in service. The only bummer was having to start doing it all on my own when Cathy left and Tres returned to work. What a let down!

Evan's Birth

2008-08-29T21:19:00.000-07:00

Our little bundle of joy arrived at 2pm Friday, August 29, 2008. After 24 hours in the hospital, including 4 hours of unmedicated labor, 4 hours of pushing (without an epidural), 2 tries with the suction cup, and 1 cesarean, he finally arrived. It was quite the ordeal, but worth it all.

When our doctor finally pulled him out, she and the surrounding nurses laughed and our labor nurse said, "Well, we knew when to quit and I'm glad we did!" He weighed in at 9 lb. 12 oz.

People always said I looked like I was carrying twins, and I could have had two 5 lb babies in there. And 5 lbs is a good weight for twins!

Mom and Baby first see each other.

Mom and Baby

Dad and Baby

Learning to suck

Grandma Cris and Baby

Evan gives us a little peak.

My friend, Jamie, Me, and Evan

Final Pregnancy Pics

2008-08-10T11:36:00.000-07:00

For those of you who never saw me pregnant, here's a couple photos to delight you . . . and make you feel happy that you (or your spouse) didn't get this big when pregnant.

Plum Juice

2008-06-20T18:03:00.000-07:00

Behind our house the branches of two fruitful plum trees hang over our tall wooden fence, dropping their spoils in our territory each summer. Not that the owners mind. They belong to the motel next to us and are planted right next to their swimming pool. I'm sure their droppings are nothing more than an irritant - being enjoyed only by the landscapers, if anyone.

This year, we decided to make the best of them and actually catch them before they fell and rotted in our garden. Using a laundry basket with a towel drapped over it, I caught the red balls as Tres knocked them out of the tree.

We then chopped them up and blended them in Tres' birthday present - a juicer inherited from my dad. Which was a great gift on two counts 1.) it was just what Tres wanted, and 2.) it was free - which meant it really was a gift since it wasn't paid for with his own money!

The frothy pink stuff in the plastic juice container was the result.

(As you can see, I was very pregnant during this adventure.)

Upon first gulp, we discovered it was yummy but pretty sour - which explains why i haven't seen plum juice heavily marketed - but with some added sweenter it was pretty good!

Tres is a CPA!

2008-06-10T19:44:00.000-07:00

After two years of hard work including tedius textbook reading, tiring late-night studying, and exhausting exam taking, Tres is officially a Certified Public Accountant! We just received his official certificate in the mail, though, he's technically been a CPA for some time now.
The certificate was signed on May 2, 2008, exactly two years from the day we were married. Tres began the long process of becoming a CPA immediately after graduating BYU in 2006. It was important to him that he complete this milestone before he got too busy in career and family life. Mainly he wanted it done before our kids came so he wouldn't have to spend time studying instead of being with them. Well, he was able to make that goal with a few months to spare! Good job, Tres!

KPMG A's Game

2008-06-06T20:22:00.000-07:00

Tres goes to India

2008-05-30T18:15:00.000-07:00

Tres' company, KPMG, sent him to India for two weeks to assist the Mumbai office with a large-scale IT audit. Regrettably, I was too pregnant and too in debt in my paid-time-off to join, but he had a great time getting to know a new culture and taking a lot of pictures. A little of what he saw is below.

An Indian child at the beach

I think this is a beautiful photo.

While walking through the airport Tres saw a sign for a prayer room. We're not even allowed to whisper a prayer under our breath in this country, but in India they have rooms for it!

How he got around . . .

While driving female beggers would come to Tres' window asking for money saying they need it to support their baby. His Indian co-worker told him not to give them any money because they would end up giving it to their pimp, and most often the baby isn't even theirs but is rented in order to get more sympathy. Some babies are even stolen and maimed (leg cut off, eye poked out) to get even more sympathy. So sad that those babies are treated as a comodity rather than a human being.

Tres saw many people living in the streets.

They built small shacks up against the buildings for their homes. This reminded him of the Phillipines where he served his mission. After being there one week, I asked Tres how he was liking India and he said enthusiastically, "It's hot! It's dirty! It's over-crowded! It's just like my mission! It's awesome!" Then after two weeks I asked him the same question and he gave me the same answer only with a very exhausted, depressed tone, "It's hot . . . it's dirty . . . it's over-crowed . . . just like my mission. I'm ready to come home."

A Hindi Temple

A Hindi God

Another Hindi God

A day at the beach - It's always over-crowded

An Indian Woman

Ben and Krystal Get Married

2008-04-22T16:31:00.000-07:00

My brother Ben met his wife Krystal while they were both serving missions for the Church in Las Vegas, NV. Once they returned home, they began dating and were married six months later in the Salt Lake City Temple on April 22, 2008.
I bought this pregnancy dress at Target just for the occasion. Yeah, I'm not a high roller. I think my sister and I look a lot a like in this photo.

Tres and I filmed their wedding with the intent of giving them their wedding video by their first anniversary. I have too much pregnancy brain now to do it correctly, and then a new baby will suck up all my time. So yes, I need a year. But, it will be worth it because we filmed it on a brand new HD camera - how many young couples have their wedding on HD? Not many!

San Francisco Pro-Life Abortion Protest

2007-01-22T20:26:00.000-08:00

On our first weekend outing to San Francisco, Tres and I got stuck behind very slow-moving traffic along The Embarcadero. Hoping to park in my private parking on Lombard Street, we stuck it out, only to find that everyone was being routed off the road to make way for the crowd of people below - A swarm of Pro-Life Catholics marching for the cause.

They carried signs and banners, while chanting various pre-written verses against abortion.

Some people carried little mini-coffins. They definitely sent the message, though rather morbidly.

The craziest part of the march were the protestors protesting the protestors . . . the Pro-Choice people. They stood on the sidewalks and screamed at the protestors as they passed peacefully by them. There were women screaming obsenities while waving metal hangers, men dressed up as women screaming, "it's our bodies!" even though they even couldn't get prgenant, let alone an get an abortion. But, the hat goes to an old lady dressed up as a vagina (below) screaming something we couldn't even hear with her little worn-out voice. The Pro-Choice group definitely got the "most creative and colorful" award.

Alaina's Promotion

2007-01-16T21:23:00.000-08:00

I am now an Executive Assistant! I support a partner and a principal at our firm, performing duties such as calendaring and travel. I will miss being a part of the finance department, but I'm ready for a change and to learn new skills. With my obsesive compulsive tendencies, I think I will thrive in this environment!

My new desk

My new view - The Bay Bridge

Alaina's First Day at Hummer Winblad

2006-10-09T21:54:00.000-07:00

Today was my first day at my first job post college! I am now a receptionist and financial assistant at Hummer Winblad Venture Partners in San Francisico. Hummer Winblad is a venture capital firm that specializes in start-up tech companies. I interviewed at a couple other places, but when I was introduced to Hummer I knew that's where I wanted to be. Everyone at the firm is great and I love their industry. Venture capital is truly where business begins and it is very exciting to be a part of such an important part of the financial world. I will be required to meet and greet all incoming guests including CEOs and board members of various tech companies. As well as assist in their financial and accounting departments where I'll learn the in's and out's of how a venture capital firm is funded and where that money goes. I am so excited!

The Hummer Winblad logo on our front door.

The lobby where I greet our guests. My desk is behind me.

The view from my desk - Coit Tower

Priest Lake

2006-08-18T22:20:00.000-07:00

Tres and me on the jetski.

Tres and Joe each catch a bass.

My mom's hot rocks massage during her birthday spa treatment.

Sam and Joe making faces as they zoom past Dad's camera.

The Panic Plunge at Silverwood

The ascent

The descentThe aftershock

Our Honeymoon

2006-05-06T21:14:00.000-07:00

Tres and I honeymooned in good old Las Vegas.

We stayed at the MGM Grand.

And played Blackjack in Harrah's! Yes, this is the first and only time I've gambled. We bet the minimum $10 each and won $162 in 20 minutes. At that point I said to Tres, "We'd better get outta here now or else I'm gonna start liking this."

Inside the Bellagio while on our way to see "O" by Cirque du Soleil, which was amazing.

Tres would have much rather this been the real Eiffel Tower, as he really wanted to take me to Paris for our honeymoon. But, the city of love will just have to wait.

Our Marriage

2006-05-02T11:00:00.000-07:00

Tres and I were married in the Mount Timpanogos Temple on May 2, 2006.

Our exit following the sealing ceremony.

Our greeting.

Our Parents, Cris, Kevin, Mike, and Cathy.

Our bridesmaids were my sister, Stephanie, and college roommates, Leanne, Jamie, Amber, and Mikayla. Our groomsmen were Tres' brothers and brother-in-laws, Gabe, Jon, Scott, Loran, and Mike.

Outside the temple.

Alaina's Endowment

2006-05-01T17:43:00.000-07:00

I received my endowments in the Provo Temple the day before Tres and I were married. It was the only temple in the area performing live ordinances on a Monday, but it seemed the perfect place anyway since I had spent so many hours there during my college years. It was a beautiful ceremony and everything I hoped it would be. I'm so happy Tres and I had this special, spiritual moment before we sealed our lives together.

Me with my missionary ladies, Kristie and Mikayla. I'm so glad they served missions so that they could be with me during this wonderful time.

Our parents, Mike, Cathy, Cris, and Kevin.

My sister, Stephanie, and her husband, Scott, along with most all of Tres' siblings were also in attendance. It was truly a family affair which speaks volumes about the temple.

Tres' Bachelor Party

2006-04-29T18:04:00.000-07:00

The Larsen/Robinson/Pendleton/Powelator boys took Tres to the Boondocks to celebrate his final hours as bachelor.

Tres in the jumpseat.

Alaina's Wedding Dress

2006-04-28T23:01:00.000-07:00

I had my dress handmade by a lady in Salt Lake City, UT.

It was patterned after this dress by Vera Wang.

I love the ruching on the bodice and the asymmetrical gathers on the skirt.

Our Graduation

2006-04-27T19:17:00.000-07:00

Tres and I were fortunate to graduate BYU together just before we were married - he with his masters in Information Systems, and me with my bachelors in Media Arts.

We sat on the floor of the Marriott during the Business School's graduation and walked together to recieve our degrees. It was simply wonderful that we could share this momentous time together and both be ready to move on to our next stage in life.

I was thrilled that my mom was able to come to Utah early to celebrate this time with me.

Tres with his parents, Cathy, and Mike. Mike was an economics professor at BYU. If only Tres or I had majored in economics, we could have scored some HUGE points with Mike.

Me with a couple of the yellow house girls, Jamie, and Leanne

Tres goofing around.

Alaina's Bachelorette Party

2006-04-23T17:25:00.000-07:00

The girls of the Yellow House and predominately, Leanne, did an amazing job planning my bachelorette party. For decorations, they went through my closet and selected outfits that "screamed Alaina" and pinned them to the walls of our living room. As a special treat, Leanne filmed Tres answering several questions about me and why he loves me. I was so impressed that they went to that kind of effort at such a busy time.

This photo was taken just after watching the video and features, Kate, Aileen, Jamie, Rachel, Katraya, Maria, Mikayla, Rachel, Chelsea, Kristie, Liz, Shannon, Leanne, Me, Krystal, and lil' Scotty.

Jamestown 21 Roomies, Jamie, Kate, and Aileen.

Turner Family Bridal Shower

2006-03-18T17:05:00.000-08:00

The invitation

Tres and I just before opening presents

My mom ordered a cake with a childhood photo of each of us printed onto the frosting. We got our faces for our slices, but Tres only got one of his eyes. Part way through the party by Great-Grandma UnaBelle comes up to Tres and says, "There's the missing eye, I want that." And she took the chunk of frosting with half his face right off his plate!

My dad's family - Great-Aunt Nancy, Great-Aunt Margo, Great-Grandma Evelyn, Great-Uncle Don

My mom's birth family - The Koehlers

Our Engagement

2005-12-15T12:29:00.000-08:00

Tres and I were engaged in December 2005. Tres surprised me with U2 tickets and following the show he proprosed at his parents' home in American Fork, UT, where his brothers had set up a romantic table for two with a half eaten chocolate pie (they needed some form of payment for the time spent arranging candles and rose petals). It was a special moment.