My Place of Birth

Janna and I flew to Omaha last week for 2 days of meetings. Kiewit has their annual District Meetings during the month of February. Each of the 22 Districts hold their own meetings throughout the country. Last year our meetings were here in Denver with Kiewit Western. Since the Nebraska Area Office has considerably more employees, the meetings are held there. That is sad considering we have area offices in both Hawaii and Alaska. Even if they just had it every 4 years in Hawaii it would be worth sticking around for.

My mom flew in Monday afternoon to watch the boys for us. Van hasn't been feeling well lately, he had a bout with the flu and is teething heavily. Between the two he is having a hard time keeping anything down. What he does keep down races through him and tends to leak out his diaper. Poor kid.

Tuesday night we got there on schedule and after checking into our room at the 4 star Hilton, we went and ate with our friends Brice and Chelsey at the Mattress, a bar and grill about 2 blocks up the street. These were the coldest 2 blocks I have walked in quite some time. It was in the single digits and there was about a 20mph wind. It literally felt like knives were slicing your face open. The food was excellent, the weather wasn't. The next day school was cancelled throughout Omaha due to the cold temperatures.

My meetings were ok. Most of them the first day were general sessions. There were about 300+ people in attendance. Fortunately they were good about having 15 minute breaks every 90 minutes. I brought my journal along and was able to catch up my writing and take a few notes. If I didn't have that I could have slept through a lot of it.

The meals were not great. It was edible. Lunch left me hungry. Dinner was okay. Breakfast was probably the best but I only got it on Wednesday because Thursday morning both Janna and I woke up with the flu. We weren't sure at first if it might be food poisoning, but later that afternoon I called my mom and she had woken up sick that morning as well. I puked about 5 times with mine. It was pretty.

We were both feeling slightly better by about noon and Janna went to the spouses luncheon and I got dressed but couldn't shower because they had shut off the hot water for maintenance work. Again, perfect timing. I wanted to catch the meetings that afternoon because they were the breakout sessions and usually better. One of them was on Leadership taught by the District Manager, the numero uno of the District. He taught a good session and had several good thoughts and ideas. His leadership style is pretty hard-nosed and he isn't afraid to call anyone out. It seems to work for him.

They didn't serve dinner that night, just Hors d'oeuvres that night which would have probably been much better had I not been sick. They had a DJ blasting music and casino night on the far end. I spent most of my time playing Texas Hold'em and did okay at that. Janna made friends with a few tipsy folk and played craps and blackjack. Unfortunately just when the night was starting to get fun, around 8:30pm, they shut down the casino and had the grand prize drawings. DONE BY 9PM???

I work for the cheapest of the Kiewit Districts unfortunately. Their margins aren't as high because they don't self perform as much. We did have a record year though for profits both in the district and company as a whole. We spent 2 days hearing about our record revenues and profits and they couldn't spend a little extra on the very employees making it. Seriously. It's hard to feel loyal to a company when you see all of the profits on paper only. I heard Kiewit Western had John Elway speak at their meeting a few weeks ago. It's too bad because a lot of employees were frustrated with the meetings. Everyone I have talked to about the meetings was highly disappointed. KBG can learn a lot from Kiewit Western when it comes to throwing a party. I guess when you are comparing it to previous ones you remember the good ones so easily. It was nice to get away for a few days though, despite getting sick. Getting sick always distorts the way things seem, especially when you aren't in your own bed.

We got back from Omaha Friday afternoon and the boys were glad to see us. They had a fun time with Grandma though. In fact most of the afternoon they were upstairs with her. I think she must have had some candy, sugar is always a strong pull for those boys. Thanks mom for coming to visit, getting sick, and watching the boys. We sure enjoy your visits.

Luke is...

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Where is Penelope? (Janna)

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Watch Out Jack (Luke)

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Pictures

Here is Van doing the "grandpa Wayne pose" with his cast on.

This is right after they took his cast off. He screamed while they were sawing it off. I would too, that thing is loud and scary. As soon as the cast came off, he started scratching his leg. It was so dry and now there are scratch marks on his leg.

This past weekend we had great weather. The boys thought it was summer. Stone even asked "Mom in the morning, is it going to be summer?" I said I wish. Even though it was warm we still had snow in the shady parts of the yard so we decided to make a snow man.

Now that the cast is off, Van can sit in his high chair again. Which makes feeding him a lot easier. He can also take a bath again. He was so excited to get in the tub.

Just to see If I could do it

1. I am 6'5" tall, 220 lbs.
2. I have flaming red hair.
3. I have been on ESPN at different sporting events several times.
4. I have clearly defined freckles, not blurry ones.
5. I wrote a page in my journal every day on my mission and still enjoy writing in my journal at least once a week.
6. I am never in the sun enough to tan on more than my arms and legs except at the Beach house, then it is a good burn. I don't burn as often now that I'm older and wiser.
7. I am often asked how to spell words, proofread important documents and don't get paid to do either.
8. I am often considered lucky by my wife and win a fair amount of drawings and contests; I swear it is the power of positive thinking.
9. I enjoy changing the oil in my car and anything else I can fix myself.
10. I went to Law School for one year and hated the school part.
11. I shot my first elk and deer while at Law School.
12. I have seen U2, Creed, Maroon 5, Gwen Stefani, Nickelback, Sevendust, & No Doubt in concert.
13. I appreciate my wife's willingness to cook and try new recipes.
14. I was diagnosed with Adult ADD while at Law School. I'm still trying to figure it out.
15. I don't just like change, I crave it.
16. We have lived in 5 apartments and one house in 7 years of marriage.
17. I like to wrestle with my boys.
18. I love that each of my boys is so different.
19. I have a harder time getting mad at Rusty than Stone. Have you ever seen him cry?
20. I don't like to pay the bills, I don't like to even see them b/c I will worry about them.
21. I do like to pay tithing and Fast Offerings.
22. I have had 2 heroes growing up: Bobby Griffitts and Caleb Zimmerman
23. I can forgive anyone but struggle with forgiving myself.
24. I like to drive long distances and think, but I don't like to dawdle on road trips, I like to get there and be efficient in my travel; I like to know know exactly how far and how long remains on the trip.
25. I am a people watcher; I got a degree in Sociology watching people and social norms. I find humor in breaking social norms, like turning to face people in the elevator.
26. I have only really loved one job I had, working for United Airlines. Didn't have to take the job home, excellent flight benefits which was great b/c I love to travel.
27. The only thing I fear at this point in life would be losing any of my boys.
28. I want to learn to speak Spanish fluently.
29. I was disappointed when I opened my mission call to Florida one year after being there for spring break AND only speaking English.
30. I enjoy talking about relationships and how to improve them and how to improve me.
31. I love making new friends and meeting new people and I love staying in touch with old friends but find it harder when it is one-sided.
32. Good friendships often mean more to me than family ones b/c it is by choice, not by blood.
33. I'm not a pessimist and I don't enoy talking to them; I don't enjoy being a realist, though sometimes it's necessary.
34. I try to be as optimistic as possible.
35. I love Mariners baseball and can watch a game start to finish on TV.
36. I enjoy building things.
37. I enjoy working out but don't like to do it alone.
38. Janna dumped me twice before we got engaged.
39. I can fit my fist in my mouth.
40. I enjoy a good day of manual labor.
41. I love intense summer thunder and lightning storms.
42. I love to hunt w/ my dad and am content not shooting anything while hunting if it means I got to spend the time with my dad and/or family.
43. I was 15 when I earned my Eagle Scout and got my driver's license.
44. I had 22 companions on my mission.
45. I loved Florida.
46. I never broke a bone in my body until after high school and since have broken 3 (hand, wrist, finger)
47. 2 of my 3 sons have broken legs before their 2nd birthday.
48. Did I mention I love my boys?
49. I like it when Janna has dark hair.
50. I like it that Janna doesn't get sick when she is pregnant.
51. I will teach my boys how to enjoy working hard and how to earn and save money.
52. I hardly studied in high school and my freshman year at BYU.
53. I won 2 slam dunk contests my freshman year at BYU.
54. I went from a 2.5 GPA to a 3.3 by graduation at BYU.
55. I made the honor roll and Dean's list every semester at Boise State.
56. My primary Love Languages are physical touch and words of affirmation.
57. I love starting projects but don't like the detail at the end. That's why I'm a contractor, not a subcontractor. Projects that I do finish are very rewarding and I find a lot of satisfaction in them.
58. I regularly recognize people I met or knew from BYU. Almost everywhere we have moved or visited I recognize someone or am recognized by someone.
59. If money were no concern I would work on old cars for fun.
60. Pretty much everything I did revolved around sports in High School.
61. I was awarded the Sowder/Reiswig Male Athlete of the Year after lettering in 4 sports my Senior year of High School.
62. I just bought my first pair of White's Boots after wanting a pair since I was a teenager.
63. My preferred beverage of choice is cold Water.
64. I enjoy singing and love singing in the choir.
65. I miss playing the string bass. I would love to play bass in a band and sing.
66. I am a homebody on the weekends.
67. I wish I could bring my boys to work with me sometimes.
68. I love that Janna is becoming more outgoing and making more friends.
69. Our first date was full of open-ended questions and Yes & No answers from Janna.
70. I am a huge BYU Men's Volleyball fan and almost as huge BYU Football Fan.
71. I want to own property in North Idaho, preferably huntable, quiet property near the mountains.
72. I would love to work with my cousin Brett again.
73. I am 2nd of 8 kids, but the oldest of the 5 Redheads.
74. My youngest brother Sam can't remember life w/o my wife Janna in it.
75. I enjoy Instant Messaging online and am lucky that I can type fast.
76. I was lucky enough to have my cousin Dusty be my best friend growing up.
77. I get along the best w/ my older brother when we don't live under the same roof.
78. The 2 sports I enjoy the most now, volleyball and golf, I didn't play growing up.
79. I still play football regularly and love it.
80. My parents went to all of my sporting events my Senior Year and it still means more to me than almost anything they have ever done.
81. If I don't stay busy at work I start thinking about other jobs and moving.
82. I enjoyed my calculus class at Boise State, I had an excellent teacher.
83. Mowing the lawn, talking to a close friend, driving, and crying are all therapeutic for me.
84. I enjoy cutting my own hair and if you have been up to date since the blog started have seen the many different hairstyles of mine over the last 10 or so years.
85. I used to hate my name and my red hair and now love them.
86. I had stage fright growing up and now enjoy speaking and performing in public.
87. No cavities ever in these teeth, I used to overbrush by hand but now use a Sonicare.
88. I enjoy spending time with my inlaws.
89. My wife's family was one of the reasons I fell in love with her.
90. I started wrestling in 8th grade and made state my Senior Year after also playing basketball that same season.
91. My favorite TV show is the Office and can watch reruns all day. I also love LOST.
92. I listen to the Book of Mormon on my ipod, I don't do well reading it.
93. My favorite calling ever was teaching Gospel Doctrine for 2 1/2 years in Boise.
94. I enjoy falling asleep early and getting up early. I usually wake up before my alarm clock.
95. I will wake up at 2am to brush my teeth if I fall asleep before I brush. see #87
96. I almost died when I was 11 from my appedix rupturing and becoming infected.
97. I almost died a couple of times on the mission by a car that ran a stoplight and a shooting at our apartment building.
98. I still keep in regular contact with a handful of people from the mission.
99. I like to make lists and categorize my favorite movies.
a. Top 10 Overall
b. Top 5 Chick-flick (the Notebook still at #1)
c. Top 10 comedy
d. Top 10 action flick
100. I dated a girl in High School who later became a wanted felon for drugs.

Thanks to Caleb and Tami for their inspiration on the blog.

Today sometime we will have our 4000th hit since we added the counter on our blog. We are glad to know that there are a few of you who like us enough to check and see how we are doing. We started it as a way to let our parents and family know how we are doing and eliminate having to email pictures when Van was born. Now we just do it for ourselves as much as anything.

OK, I need to rephrase this paragraph. I hope I never put things on our blog that should be kept private or talk about all of the things I haven't gotten done, but then find the time to tell you what I haven't done on our blog. Once in a while I read something and go, "did I really just read that on their blog?" To each their own.

Thanks again for reading, until next time...

Friday Night @ Red Robin

If you haven't noticed yet, Rusty is quite the character in photographs. He is never serious and always likes to be Mr. Funny. I think he gets this from Janna?

Van's hairstyle says he is ready for the Beach house this summer. His bangs are starting to get into his eyes, time for a haircut. He is completely weaned now and is pounding the bottles like it's nobody's business. He is superfast now crawling without that bulky cast.


Friday night we took the boys to Red Robin to use their gift certificates they got at the Doctor's office Wednesday. Once again the food was great but their staff that seats you contined to disappoint. Last time we went in Boise with my dad they seated us in the middle of winter on a weekday right by the doors. They have about a dozen people up front and 2 of them would hold the inner doors open and when someone would walk up they would open the outside doors as well, FREEZING the front of the restaraunt. We complained several times and even the manager came out and told us it was their policy to do that. They did not even offer to reseat us until we were done with our food. Red Robin must work hard to recruit some of the dumbest people to run their restaraunts. On Friday we told them 4 with a high chair. They seated 10 parties of 4 that came in after us, before we got our seats. They told us 15-20 minutes and it turned into 40. If it wasn't for the boys I was ready to leave.

Crazy Brothers

Fortunately the food was good and the bottomless fries as always were excellent. I got my whiskey burger and everyone got full. The boys were more interested in the toys and video games up front than eating their food.

FREEDOM!!!

Van got his cast off yesterday. I only have a couple of pictures of the cast, none of him yet. Janna has a couple she can post later. Everything looks good and the bone is healing well. I have copies of the x-rays but can't upload Adobe files to Blogger, so trust me that it was definitely broken and has healed.

Van is great. He is almost always pleasant so there is no change there. He is easier to carry now, has his little carseat again, and is way faster crawling. Last night he was in the other room on top of the laptop in about 30 seconds. He is using his right leg to push off of as if he always was. We'll have to put up some video of him crawling for his cousins and family to see. Not a lot of our extended family has met him since we have only taken him out of state to Utah at Thanksgiving. This summer he will get to experience Newport Beach and how to eat sand.

I've been HIT

1. What was the best thing you cooked last week?
   Does heating up my lunch count? How about cooking up some romance when I got Janna flowers?


2. If money, time and babysitting were no object, where would you go and with who?
   Australia, New Zeland, Rio de Janeiro, Bora-Bora, Singapore


3. When was the last time you cried?
   Last week more than once-saying goodbye to President Hinckley was rough on me.


4. Five things you were doing 10 years ago?
   Tracting, Studying, Riding a bike, Living in Florida, Being called Elder Lee


5. Five things you were doing 5 years ago?
   Working at the Utah State Hospital, Playing volleyball twice a week, Living in Provo, finishing up my degree, studying for the LSAT


6. Five things you were doing 1 year ago? Working for Kiewit Western, Coming home for lunch, playing flag football in the snow, reading books for enjoyment for the first time in years, playing with my boys every night after work


7. Seven of your favorite hobbies: wrestling with my boys, watching the Office reruns, writing in my journal, talking to friends, thinking


8. Five favorite foods: Mexican food, chocolate, Bacon Burger, Wendy's burgers, Huckleberry Milkshake


9. Five places you've been: Hawaii, Taiwan, Edmonton, Florida, Omaha


10. Five favorite memories: (in no particular order) Marrying Janna, going to Maui, birth of our 3 sons, any activities with friends, hunting with my dad, all Lee family reunions, the beachouse


11. People I will be tagging are: Sara Hart, Tracy Giles, Jenny Turcanski, Kyle Hart, Danny Westenskow

I've been tagged

1. What was the best thing you cooked last week?
Chicken flautas (they are basically taquitos but with flour tortillas instead of corn tortillas)

2. If money, time and babysitting were no object, where would you go and with who?
Bakersfield, CA with my brother Tim so he could be moded. J/K
I would want to go to Venice Italy with Luke

3. When was the last time you cried?
When Charlie died on "Lost"

4- Five things you were doing 10 years ago?
I was a freshman at BYU, causing trouble at the dorms with "Coco" and Mandy "Spanks", going dancing at Club Omni, kissing a lot of boys

5 - Five things you were doing 5 years ago?
Taking care of my little 3 month old baby, living in Provo, breastfeeding,

6- Five things you were doing 1 year ago?
Pregnant with my third child, telling our upstairs neighbors to keep their dog quiet so I could sleep, just moved to Denver, watching the snow keep falling, taking care of Stone and Rusty

7 - Seven of your favorite hobbies:
cooking, sleeping, painting, soccer, shopping, having babies, going to the beach

8 - Five favorite foods:
Mexican food, chocolate, rootbeer floats, cereal, strawberries

9- Five places you've been:
Hawaii, Taiwan, Germany, Florida, NYC, Tiajuana (they offer free tequila for you and your friends)

10- Five favorite memories: (in no particular order)
Marrying Luke, going to Hawaii, bearing 3 sons?, owning our first home, ski lessons with my sisters

6- People I will be tagging are:
Luke, Carin, Wayne, Elaine, Haylie, Sadie

Our Prophet

Thomas Spencer Monson
16 President
Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints

Henry B. Eyring

1st Counselor

Dieter F. Uchtdorf

2nd Counselor