Hi, we are Casey and Larissa. We're thrilled that you stumbled upon our adoption blog. We are hoping to adopt and we love sharing our adoption story and teaching others about the blessings of adoption. As you look through our blog, we hope that you get some sense of who we are and our interests and how adoption has blessed our lives. We encourage you to contact us directly to learn more about adoption in general, our adoption story or to consider us as part of your future family. Or you are welcome to get in touch with our adoption agency (LDS Family Services) for more information. Our Caseworker is Tawnia Singleton, LMFC and she would be happy to tell you more about us and about the services that LDS Family Services can offer (including free counseling services for expectant parents). You can also check out our agency profile at It's About Love. We would love to hear from you and wish you the best of luck in all your endeavors.

Our Family LOVES to Travel

Casey and I love to travel.  In fact, we just got back from India and Nepal.  It was an amazing trip.  Casey and I both enjoy seeing new parts of the world and learning about new cultures.  Together we have traveled many places.  Here are some of my favorites: Hawaii, Thailand, Germany, Croatia, the Oregon Coast,  Spain, Chile, Vancouver, BC, Maine in the Fall, Switzerland, Austria and Italy (especially Venice and Rome).

Nepal has been on our list for a while so it was fun to get to see the amazing areas around the Himalayas.  I'm thinking a trip to Disneyland (again) is in store for us soon.  I also have Hawaii in mind or Costa Rica.  Someday in the more distant future, I'd like to go to Egypt.  Here are a few pics from our most recent travel adventures!

Our traveling party with the staff at Famous Farm, Nepal.

The view from the road of the farms below, Nepal.

Hiking in Bandipur.

A typical sight while walking through Bandipur, Nepal.

Casey resting on our hike in Bandipur.

Outside our hotel in Kathmandu, Nepal.

Casey and I with our travel buddies (my sister in stripes and our friends).

Casey taking the typical tourist photo at the Taj Mahal in Agra, India.

Larissa also doing the tourist thing at the Taj Mahal. Our guide made us do it.  ;-)

Casey riding a camel in Dubai.

Casey experimenting with night photography in Dubai, United Arab Emirates.

We LOVE Chocolate!!

I've been thinking about starting a "getting to know us" blog for quite a while. But, it is hard to decide where to start. How do you talk to people you don't really know yet???? And what's the best way to share information about your life without sounding like you are bragging or boring???

Since, I still have not quite figured out where to begin, I figured I'd start with something our entire family LOVES. We LOVE Chocolate!!

You can always find it stashed away somewhere in our house. In our lives, it comes in various forms. Hot chocolate, chocolate ice cream, everyday chocolate, just for fun chocolate, chocolate that Dylan won't eat because it is either too dark or has nuts and of course (my favorite) special "you better not touch this without asking me, but I will probably share" chocolate.

Casey and I love to go out to dinner and always hope for a yummy chocolate dessert that we will both love. (Recently we found a great one (El Diablo) at Tango Restaurant). It was a flour-less "sinfully rich dark chocolate cake graced with cayenne, spicy almonds, cocoa nibs, and burnt meringue finished with caramel sauce". (And it is DELICIOUS -- if you like dark chocolate and a little spice!)

Don't even think about it = Belgium Chocolate!

I guess is should be obvious, but also love Halloween and are looking forward to Easter!

Everyday Chocolate!

We LOVE Hiking.

Summers in the Northwest are Spectacular!  We do wait for them for a LONG time.  One of our favorite things to do in the summer (and sometimes in the winter/fall/spring) is to go hiking.  Of course, we also love going to the beach and camping, but often both of these go along with our standard fav of HIKING!

 

 

Road Trip to Vancouver, Canada

Vancouver is a fun picturesque city that we like to visit often.

Our Fam at the Lynn Canyon Suspension Bridge.

Larissa and Dylan.

Casey, Dylan, Casey's sister and our neice shopping at Zara (a must do when in Vancouver)!

Dylan and his cousin having fun in the Hotel.

 

Crossing the Bridge.

BRRRRRR.

Casey's sister and our neice.

Back to the USA!

Road Trip to St. George

 

G-Pa Roger and Casey

Casey's youngest sister with her husband and new baby girl.

 

Casey, Dylan and Larissa.

Casey's brother, wife and 3 daughters.

Larissa, Dylan and Casey.

Some of Casey's side of the family.

 

Road Trip Last Spring to the Tulip Festival

Click the Image to Enlarge.

Family Fourth at Lake Union

We have enjoyed going to Lake Union for the past few years to watch the Fireworks. It is fun to spend the day (rain or shine) hanging out at the park. We have several other families that we know who attend each year and it has been a fun tradition. As a family we enjoy celebrating holidays with friends and family.



Pre-Fireworks Games.



Hanging out with Friends.

Kickin' it with Dad before the show.

The Amazing Fireworks Show at Gasworks on Lake Union.

Casey Likes Building

Casey is often involved in a building project. He loves doing things himself and creating something that was not there before. He constructed a tree house for Dylan in our backyard and it was a big hit with Dylan and all of his friends. Other projects over the past little while have been creating a sundial mirror, putting up a fence in our backyard, shingling our garage and remodeling our kitchen just to name a few. He is always up to something fun and does a great job at everything he sets his mind to accomplishing.

Phase one of the tree house with help from his dad.

Casey admiring the view from the tree house.

Fencing in the back yard.

Creating his sundial mirror.

This is a familiar site around our house.

Casey and Dylan posing by the posts he made.

The final product!