50 Things to Know About Kelly....

In June, Kelly and I celebrated our 7Th anniversary. I realized that I didn't post anything about our 7 years of marriage! Months ago I wrote a post called "50 Things to Know About Me." I decided, to make up for being forgetful, I would see if I could list 50 things about Kelly. In November, it will be 12 years since our first date. Lets see how well I've gotten to know him in 12 years!

1. Kelly was born in Salt Lake City
2. He also lived in St. George and Texas
3. When Kelly was a little boy, he wandered out of his front yard and was found and returned by the police.
4. Kelly broke his leg playing soccer.
5. Kelly played football in High School. He was numbers 81 and 33.
6. His first job was working at Rite Aid
7. Kelly served his mission in Quito Ecuador.
8. He still uses his Spanish everyday.
9. He doesn't like olives.
10. Kelly loves surprises.
11. One of his favorite meals is chicken roll ups with mashed potatoes.
12. Kelly loves the ocean.
13. One of his favorite bands is U2.
14. Kelly loves cucumbers and vinegar.
15. Like most men, he loves some good old video game playing time.
16. He is always willing to help someone in need.
17. He loves his job as a police officer.
18. Kelly can’t sit still for too long. He loves to be doing anything that involves running, jumping, or chasing.
19. Kelly can fix just about everything!
20. Kelly played the trumpet in elementary school.
21. He and his brother saved a girl from drowning.
22. Kelly has a weak stomach and nearly fainted in all 3 of our childrens' births.
23. He has a knack for carving things out of food. He once made a jeep out of pumpkin pie, a car out of carrot cake, and an alligator out of butter.
24. He also loves to build things. He built a cabin out of Popsicle sticks. It came with a covered porch and a chair.
25. One of his favorite classes in High School was pottery. I guess you could say he loves to make art out of anything!
26. One of Kelly’s favorite card games is phase 10.
27. He once painted my brother’s bedroom to earn money to take me to prom.
28. In High School he drove two different pick up trucks. A yellow Toyota, which often times would break down every 3 miles or so and we would have to sit there for about 15 minutes to start again. He also drove a red Isuzu.
29. Kelly can entertain a group of young children for hours on end!
30. Kelly had a dog named Sheppy.
31. He is the 4Th out of 5 children.
32. One of his favorite snacks is beef jerky.
33. Kelly is very competitive at anything he does.
34. Kelly can’t use an ordinary cereal bowl. Most of the time he will use a small mixing bowl to eat from. He likes his bowl to be big and deep!
35. If possible, he would have orange juice come out of the faucet!
36. Kelly loves The Office.
37. Kelly is not a huge fan of cake.
38. Kelly’s favorite rides at Disneyland are Tower of Terror and Soaring Over California.
39. One of Kelly’s favorite books is To Kill A Mockingbird.
40. Once Kelly saved a bird that had fallen from a tree and named him Pete.
41. Kelly’s first trip on an airplane was when he went on his mission.
42. Kelly tickles harder than anyone! I swear he could crack a rib!
43. Kelly’s first name is Darwin. He is named after his maternal grandfather.
44. He has a scar on his chin from a big wheel accident.
45. He is the easiest going person I could ever know.
46. He was in gymnastics.
47. Another favorite class in High School was photography.
48. Kelly’s grandma did the Heimlich on him to remove a piece of candy.
49. Kelly’s idea of the perfect outfit is a t-shirt and shorts.
50. His nickname at work his “Z.”

Happy belated 7th anniversary to my very best friend!

I've Been Tagged

My sister-in-law tagged me a week ago. Sorry it took me so long! Here goes.

3 Joys:
1. Being with my family.
2. Traveling-not the driving part, the reaching our destination and vacationing part!
3. Traditions.

3 Fears:
1. Illnesses-I am a bit of a worrier. If I have any bump or pain, I am sure it is a sign of something bad.
2. Connor starting school.
3. My house won't smell good when someone comes over.

3 Goals:
1. Finish painting the upstairs.
2. Start freezing at least two weeks worth of dinners.
3. Start a new hobby-crafting, sewing, reading, anything would be great!

3 Obsessions:
1. Reality television.
2. Blogging-I just can't get enough of this stuff!
3. Desserts-I have a bit of a sweet tooth (to say the least!)

3 Random Facts:
1. I have a good memory. Not the kind of memory that makes you smart, just the kind that lets you remember strange or random facts about people or events. Chances are if you told me something about your family, or life in general, I'll still remember.
2. I love to get new cook books or find new recipes. I don't always try them, but I sure have a great collection started.
3. I have a dream about my oldest childhood friend, Debby Palmer, at least once a week. It almost always involves us dancing. Strange, I know.

I tag: ShaRee, Tifany W, and Bridgette

The Fun and Not So Fun Parts of a Car Ride.....

It might sound a little crazy, but there are a few fun parts of a long car ride. However, there are plenty of not so fun things too. Those who have made a road trip with three young kids and a dog, might know what I mean.



Good music - A fun thing. Kelly and I have our favorite must have cds to listen to along the way. Some of them are U2, Maroon 5, Michael Jackson, and Weezer.

Bathroom breaks - Not a fun thing. I think yesterday we made 7 bathroom stops. It never fails, as soon as you get back on the road someone has to go again! At least once on the trip, Katelyn will poop right after stopping.

Portable DVD player - A fun thing. I never thought I would have a movie player in my car until I made one 700 mile trip without it! The trip is never complete until we watch "Finding Nemo" at least one time.

Hearing the dreaded question of all question, "Are we there yet?" - Never a fun thing. It feels like every other minute someone wonders if we are ever going to get there.




Reaching our destination - Definitely a fun thing. It is always good to get to the end of the drive. It feels good to get out and stretch your legs.

Unloading the van - Not a fun thing. After being in the car for 10-12 hours, it looks like a cyclone has passed through!

Watching your kids reunite with their friends - A fun thing. Today we met up with the Wrights for lunch. Our kids were so happy to see each other. Nearly 5 weeks is a long time to be without your best buddies!

Fun Times in Utah....Part two

I posted something earlier, I went back to do some editing and now I am having technical difficulties. I thought maybe I would just start over. Sorry for deleting the comments that were left.

Our trip has come to an end. It is so sad! We had a wonderful time in Salt Lake. There are so many things I miss about living in Utah. It is always hard for me to say goodbye. Our kids enjoyed playing with their cousins and going to lots of fun places.

When Kelly came back we went to Lagoon. Lagoon is an amusement park near Salt Lake and though it is no Disneyland, which you all know I love so much, there are still good times to be had there. Although, Carson did ask if we could go on the Buzz ride. Wrong park Carson.

Kelly also took the kids swimming again. This pool has a giant bucket that fills up with water and then dumps it into a large kiddie pool. Because of this, Carson calls it "The Bucket Place." Carson was getting ready to jump off the high dive and the lifeguard called out, "how old is he?" I answer, "3." He replies, "it is wickedly cool that he can jump off and swim from the diving board, but he has to be
8." He at least let him finish his last jump.

My family has one particular tradition that I love. Every year we rent a condominium in Park City. We try and do this either in the Summer or for Thanksgiving. This year we had a family reunion in Park City celebrating my mom's parents 80Th birthdays. This year there were 30 of us crammed into 3 separate units. It was a lot of fun. We all get together and play games and eat great food. The girls all go shopping at the outlet mall and the boys go to the park and play football. This year Kelly and my brothers took the the kids and rode the Alpine Slide and Alpine Coaster. My kids of course loved that. In an earlier post, I mentioned that I am afraid to make my grandma's potato salad, because it is just so good. I requested a cooking class in which I learned a few secrets from grandma. I now know how to make her salad. It was so much fun to relax with the family and then have someone else clean up after it is all over!

Monday was our last day in Salt Lake. We went to Liberty Park with some of Kelly's family. The kids played and explored forever. They have such a good time together. Connor was so sad to say goodbye. This is the first trip that he actually understood what going home meant. They sure do love their cousins.

We loved being in Utah. Thanks to our family and friends for making it so great.

Rodeos, Bugs, and Shovels

My mom thought it would be fun to go to a rodeo this year. The kids had a great time. Here Connor is with his flag. He had a good time waving it in the air.

Connor and Carson at the rodeo. This was their first adventure at the rodeo!

These are my grandparents. My grandpa was sporting his cowboy hat which none of knew he owned! They had fun too!

Kelly's dad is helping his aunt put a gazebo together. We went over yesterday and the boys were getting in on the action. Here is Carson and Grandma and Grandpa doing some digging.

Connor and Carson were so eager to help!

Katelyn had to be buckled in this car so she would eat dirt and rocks!

Today the kids were outside looking for potato bugs. I don't even know if that is their official name, but that is what we called them when I was young. Here is Connor holding one in his hand.

Carson and Connor laying in Grandma's driveway looking for bugs.

Here is Mom and Connor just enjoying the morning. Oh ya, I got a new hairdo this week and when I got home it was like the kids didn't even know who I was. Carson says in a sad voice, "I don't like your hair painted like that. I like it black." Then Connor, "I don't recognize your hair like that, but I do recognize your shirts." It was pretty funny! They are getting adjusted now. In fact, Carson said that he wanted Aunt Ashley to paint his hair like mine.

Someone is Missing.....

We are having a fun time in Utah, but it would be more fun if.....Daddy were here! Here are some reasons why dad makes everything better!

-He is adventurous. For example, when we go to the pool and Carson wants to jump off the high dive, dad would say, "Sure, why not." Or when we are at the rodeo and Carson wants to try Mutton Bustin', dad would say, "Sure, why not." He is not afraid of a little fun.

-He is easy going. I usually have a list of places to go and people to see. Whether it is to visit a long lost friend, or take the kids to the mall to play on the indoor playground, he is always a good sport.

-He can fix anything. When Connor's auto bot looses an arm or Carson's decepticon's head pops off, dad knows just how to put them back. Or when the strap of a camp chair gets stuck in the van door causing it to jam, he can take care of it.

-He's patient. The kids could be fighting over a chair or a cup and he can calmly take care of the situation. Mom usually needs to take a deep breath and have a timeout for herself!

-He's strong and offers two extra hands. Coming home after a long day and all three kids are asleep, dad can almost effortlessly reach in the back and lift the 50 pound 5 year old out of his booster seat.

-He's energetic. His energy seems to be endless! He can wrestle, run, climb, chase, carry, and toss the kids and be ready to do it all again in no time!

I could probably list a dozen more reasons why things are more fun when daddy is around. These seem to be the biggest reasons why mom is looking forward to his return! See you on Saturday! We love you daddy!

Enjoying Some Blog Time!

Today is the 4th of July and I am all alone blogging! We went to my sister in law, Shaela's house for a get together. I happen to have a cranky, ear infected, baby, so I drove around the corner to Kelly's parents house to lay her in the crib. Right now she is napping and the boys are playing with their cousins. That leaves me to enjoy some much needed (quiet and peaceful) blog time!

So, Katelyn has an ear infection right? Well, yesterday she woke up with some redness behind her ears. As the day progressed, this redness spread over her entire body! Because Carson had the same reaction to amoxicillin, due to an allergy, I figured this was the same thing. I call the pediatrician and the nurse says that I need to take her back to the same place where she was diagnosed and treated. Yay, another trip to the ER! Just to be told exactly what I thought. She too is allergic to the commonly used antibiotic. So, another co-payment and prescription later, she is doing better. Her red and rashy body is clearing up and she has been a little more playful today. What fun times!! Where is daddy when we need him? Oh ya, we left him behind in Phoenix!

In other news, their is an addition to the Zierse family tree. Kody Kemp was born yesterday evening. Kelly's youngest sister had her third baby. We can't wait to meet him. Kelly's parents are on a cruise right now and are probably dying that they aren't here to see their newest grandson!

We are still having a great time and are doing some fun things. We miss our daddy and husband and are looking forward to his return in 1 more week!

Here are some pictures of our adventures so far!

Poor Katelyn...And Not One of the Highlights of the Trip!

Whenever we come to Salt Lake for a visit, at least one of my kids gets sick. This time was Katelyn's turn. She woke in the night on Monday with a fever. Luckily, I have learned to carry Tylenol or Motrin with me at all times. Her fever continued on through Tuesday. She was very clingy and pretty much sat on my lap the whole day. Her lowest temp was just over 102 and her highest was nearly 104. My dad told me I should take her to an urgent care but I thought a good nights rest would solve the problem. Wrong! As soon as my head hit the pillow around 10:00, she woke up with her highest temperature. Unfortunately all the urgent care places had just closed, so I decided to just take her to the ER. We have now done this with all three of our kids for one reason or another. It was after ten and I knew I would be there for at least a couple of hours. I knew it would be a long night. The doctor found an ear infection in each ear and dosed her up with pain relief and antibiotic. They even put numbing drops in her ear to help with pain. She slept good after all that and has been acting much better! Just another adventure while on our trip!