First Family FISH

Before we moved Josh got a free 30 gallon aquarium and stand.  When he was a young teenager he use to have pet fish, and since he got the free aquarium wanted to get back into the hobby!!  For Josh’s first Father’s Day ever got to become a dad to more little creatures other than our little Pay Pay (not that Payson is a creature, but you get what I’m saying- he he)!

Josh spent a lot of time getting his tank ready, ordering proper supplies, and a lot a lot a lot of time looking at fish in the pet stores and online.  We seriously went to a pet store almost every night for 2 weeks.

When we finally got fish in the tank, Payson thought they were pretty cool!  Check out his expression!!  ha ha

We named our original batch of fish that we bought after our college mascots.

This first group of neon cardinals are named Jayhawk after KU because they are the most colorful.

This little guy sticking his head out from behind the rock is named Wildcat for Weber State.  He is like a snake fish, so, therefore, he is like the tail of a cat!!

We call this bottom feeder Bengal for Idaho State  because he has stripes.  He loves hanging out in the log.

Our gourami fish is called Centurion after Western Governors University (I made up the mascot).  He is actually Centurion junior- even though he is bigger than Centurion Senior.  He is not from our original batch, but Centurion Senior is not photo genic at all, and I didn’t get a good picture.  Plus, he might be going back to the store because he is a boring fish.

Payson and Daddy’s favorite activity to do together is…..

Bucket Bath

How does your baby take a bath?

I left a piece of my Heart in Fort Collins…

Fort Collins:

We were only there a year, but it is a place that I will never forget!

Fort Collins is where our first baby was born.

Fort Collins is where Josh got his first professional job with a full time salary and benefits for the City of Fort Collins.

Fort Collins is where we both finished our Masters Degrees. 

Fort Collins is where I commuted from to teach Science and Robotics/Electronics to homeschool kids.

Fort Collins was close enough to family to drive to in less than a day.

Fort Collins had wonderful people. I loved my ward and the people in it. My visiting teachers were wonderful. They threw me an awesome baby shower. They became good friends of mine as well as others in the ward.

Fort Collins is where we developed great friendships with other couples. We went to events together, played games, went out for ice cream or frozen yogurt, and did other fun double dates!!

Fort Collins (More so Colorado) is where I met my 3 great friends who all had their first babies around the same time I had Payson. We met up in Denver several times during our pregnancies and most recently our babies all got to meet.

Fort Collins is where the weather was perfect. We got some of each season. Rarely too cold or too hot.

Fort Collins is where we bought our first crib, bed, glider, and infant travel system.

Fort Collins is where I would walk around the lake in the park in our backyard and watch the cranes and geese.

Fort Collins is where a piece of my heart will always be...

Even though I LOVED Fort Collins- New Adventures Arise in Oak Lawn, IL

Oak Lawn is where Josh has a great career opportunity.

Oak Lawn is a suburb only 16 miles from down town Chicago.  Therefore, there is tons to do and see.

Oak Lawn has lots of missionary opportunities. Our ward boundaries cover 100 square miles with about 400,000 residents, and our ward only has about 100 members.  We are in THE Chicago, IL stake.

Oak Lawn is a new kind of place to live.  Something that neither one of us have experienced.

Oak Lawn is where we will buy our first pets (some fish).

Oak Lawn has a top 20 reasons why to live here: From Oak Lawn City Website:

Why Choose Oak Lawn to Live, Work, and Play?

1. Location- proximity to world-class downtown Chicago and Lake Michigan waterfront
2. Education- choice of private/public schools within and bordering Village from pre-school to higher education
3. Hospital- Advocate Christ Medical Center and Hope Children's Hospital and Ronald MacDonald House- recipient of the Magnet award for Excellence in Nursing Services
4. Home of award winning Oak Lawn Hilton serving the Greater Southwest Chicago Suburban Area
5. METRA station and adjacent parking garage and mixed commercial-residential new development
6. Fifteen minutes to Midway Airport with nonstop connections to East,West,and South Coasts of the United States
7. Mature tree canopy and neighborhoods with Oak lined parkways and nearby open space and linear park system
8. Oak Lawn unique sense of community and stability, where residents stay and second generations return
9. Centrally located library with contemporary physical plant
10. Front porch mentality with outdoor seating and restaurant gardens prevalent
11. Highest quality Lake Michigan drinking water and Oak Lawn's water system provides water to 12 other municipal customers serving over 325,000 residents and area businesses
12. Some of the highest traffic counts and residential densities in Chicago metropolitan area, all roads lead through Oak Lawn in the southwest suburbs
13. Community of parishes
14. Village tradition with numerous special events and festival celebrations
15. A Class One fire-rescue department, putting Oak Lawn fire-rescue services in the top 5% of nation and the 12th to be designated in the nation
16. Low crime rates and a police force committed to neighborhood policing
17. Children's Museum in close proximity to train station and ample weekend parking
18. Strong well maintained housing stock with no bad neighborhoods
19. Demographics to die for in support of future redevelopment and new construction initiatives
20. Emphasis on importance of families and outstanding Oak Lawn Park District with active recreation play fields, indoor basketball,ice rink, and tennis and cutting edge cultural arts program for all ages.

Oak Lawn is only about an hour away from the Temple in normal Chicago traffic.

Oak Lawn is close to one of my best friends, Kirra, and her little family.

Oak Lawn is by 2 airports.

Oak Lawn is where Josh, Payson, and I will make the next chapter of our lives!