Jared
As the youngest of seven siblings (two brothers, four sisters), I got teased a lot. But luckily it was all done with love. True, there were those times I went crying to Mom or to my room because "Nathan is picking on me!", but I always felt a part of something great. Mostly while growing up I enjoyed being a kid and playing, and I can't say much has changed.I'll admit it, I've always been a nerd. I've always liked taking the math, science, and computer classes. And so graduating from BYU with a Bachelors in Economics wasn't too surprising, nor was it surprising that after four years of working in the "real world" I decided to go back to try to top it all off with a Ph.D. in Economics.
I also love playing sports and games with my friends, especially basketball. The summer after graduating high school (back in the Summer of '99), nary a day went by that didn't involve us playing hours of basketball at one of our houses. And luckily I'm still able to play weekly with my fellow students.
And then of course, there's the video games, ranging from Super Mario Brothers (original, on the first Nintendo, which we own), to Guitar Hero (III, IV, V, ...), to Starcraft, to Tetris. Ah Tetris, the many nights spent with Kristie and I battling it out for the title of Supreme Champion of the Universe (which she claims most of the time.)Finally, the activity I've gotten into most recently is that of being a father. Alia is such a sweet little thing, and I love the trust and love that I can see in her eyes. I'm ecstatic to be able to have another little person to share that bond with.
Kristie
I was born the third of seven children (ironically, also two brothers, four sisters). We have always been a very active, competitive, and close knit family. We were raised to eat, sleep, and breath sports. I fell in love with softball from the start. In high school, I also played volleyball and ran cross country. And I loved to swim! My dad was often known to coach us in our various sports, and my mom was always there to cheer us on.
I was a determined little thing. Although I took piano for 11 years, ask any of my family and they'll readily tell you that I was completely tone deaf. But I sure thought I could sing! And sing I did. Eventually I grew out of that, and later had the opportunity to be in my high school varsity choir and perform at Carnegie Hall.
I was a determined little thing. Although I took piano for 11 years, ask any of my family and they'll readily tell you that I was completely tone deaf. But I sure thought I could sing! And sing I did. Eventually I grew out of that, and later had the opportunity to be in my high school varsity choir and perform at Carnegie Hall.
Living in Montana, we spent a lot of time out doors. We grew up water skiing, jet skiing, snowmobiling, and the like. Fort Peck was our favorite summer vacation spot. We loved going up to "The Lake" to visit our grandparents, play lots of card games (Pinochle!), and of course do anything and everything in the water.Growing up, I also discovered a love of all things girly. I loved doing hair, makeup, and of course shoes! So, I decided to take a break from regular college and attend cosmetology school to pursue that passion. And I love it! I get to play dress-up all day, and I love the feeling of making someone feel good about herself.
Since getting married and becoming a mom, I have discovered some new interests/talents that I never thought I had. I love to cook, especially exotic and vegetarian dishes. I also have developed a love of sewing. I get such a feeling of satisfaction seeing my daughter model one of my newest creations. Of course, it does help that she's so dang cute!And I love being a mom. Alia fills my days with such joy that I never thought was possible. I can't wait for another little baby to brighten our family even more!
