Join Our Family

Welcome!

2010-10-01T19:00:00.000-06:00

Random Facts About Us

2010-09-14T18:25:00.001-06:00

Here are some very random things about us.

Brian

He is very quiet.

He loves playing the guitar.

He loves sports.

He has season tickets to the University of Utah football games.

He loves fantasy football.

He loves popcorn.

Movie theatre popcorn is his favorite.

He washes most of the dishes at home.

He loves being outdoors.

He loves mountain biking.

He is the best jumping monster ever (just ask the kids).

Leisha

She loves all things crafty.

She loves exclamation points!!!!!! and smilies :-).

She loves her family.

She loves being with friends.

She can be stubborn.

She loves shoes.

She wishes her feet weren't a size 13 so she could buy cute ones.

She loves Diet Dr. Pepper.

She loves biking.

She tends to be a perfectionist.

And some random questions/answers for the whole family. Our answers for each go in this order: Brian (B), Leisha (L), Landon (L) & Kate (K)

Favorite thing to do:
B: Watch the Utes (University of Utah)
L: Be with my family
L: Play outside or watch movies
K: Ride my bike or go shopping

Favorite snack:
B: chips or popcorn
L: cinnamon bears
L: cinnamon toast
K: apples

Favorite show to watch:
B: Seinfeld reruns, The Office, Chopped
L: The Amazing Race, Cake Boss, The Good Wife

L: Phineas & Ferb, Sid the Science Kid
K: Dora the Explorer, Go Diego, Curious George

Favorite place to go:
B: The mountains
L: Out to dinner with friends
L: The aquarium
K: Swimming

Best Vacation Ever:
B: Hawaii
L: Kauai, Hawaii
L: Oceanside, CA (I love the ocean)
K: Disneyland

Favorite toys:
B: Bike & Guitars
L: Camera & Laptop
L: Ben Ten Aliens

K: Baby Dolls

Favorite Restaurant:
B: Texas Roadhouse (ribs & rolls)
L: Ruths Chris (salad & sweet potatoes)
L: McDonald's (really, I just love the toys)
K: anywhere with steak (I love meat & salad)

Favorite drink:
B: Coke Zero
L: Diet Dr. Pepper
L: Apple Juice
K: Bubble drink (she loves anything with carbonation)

Favorite activity:
B: Playing basketball
L: Creating (crafting, design, photography, etc.)
L: Doing flips on the trampoline
K: Riding her bike

Favorite color:
B: Red
L: Celery green
L: Blue
K: Pink

Somewhere I can often be found:
B: On the couch with the kids
L: On the computer
L: Watching a movie
K: In my room playing with my kitchen

Favorite part of the week:
B: The weekend, no work.
L: Friday & Saturday when we all get to spend time together all day
L: The weekend, when daddy is home
K: When Landon gets home from school

Our Home

2010-09-14T18:17:00.001-06:00

We live in a fabulous two-story home that we had built about 7 years ago. We love it here. With the kids playing in the backyard (and never wanting to come in) and plenty of room for us to entertain, it is just what we had envisioned when we built it.

Our house is in a quiet cul-de-sac with a large backyard where we enjoy sitting on the patio and having a BBQ, chasing the dog, playing in the sandbox, shooting a few hoops, swinging on the swing set, jumping on the trampoline or just laying in the grass. We love our backyard and spend many hours hanging out back there. Kate loves jumping on the tramp and playing in the sandbox any chance she gets. She loves the wagon and weren't not sure what she enjoys more, riding in the wagon or just pushing around in the back yard. She can often be found riding her bike back and forth on the patio.
Landon loves to jump on the tramp and he is especially intrigued by the garden boxes. He is always excited to pick what's growing and loves to find worms. He is learning to pick things only when they are ready and patiently waits for the pumpkins to grow every year. My favorite time is cuddle time and I know that won’t last forever but I look forward to tucking them in bed each night, reading stories and singing songs.

Our Family

2010-09-14T18:11:00.001-06:00

Some of our favorite things to do together as a family are riding bikes around the neighborhood, reading books, jumping on the trampoline, going to the park, out to dinner or even just for ice cream. My personal favorite is having breakfast with the kids each morning. We always sit down after Brian has left for work and have a bowl of oatmeal or cereal together. I talk about what we are going to do that day and ask Landon & Kate how their night was. Some mornings Landon just eats his cereal while I talk and other times he has so much to tell me. Kate talks non-stop and has so many things she wants to do and is always excited to get going for the day. It’s such a great time we have together. Brian, Landon & Kate, after building snowmen in the front yard.

Brian, Leisha & Landon at the BYU/Utah game 2010. Kate played at a friends house.

Introduction to us

2010-09-10T18:58:00.001-06:00

Hi! We are Brian, Leisha, Landon & Kate along with our dog, Buster. While we would love to say, come hang out with us for the day and get to know us, we know that's not really feasible.

We are excited to tell you a little bit about our family. Brian and I have been married for fourteen years. There are nights that we lay in bed laughing and talking (when we should be sleeping) and although that may seem like a simple thing, it is one of our favorite times together. We met at work right after Brian came home from serving an LDS mission for our church in Argentina. I was the waitress, he was the cook and it all happened from there. Well, it didn’t happen that fast. We spent many nights hanging out together with friends before he actually made his move. He had been home from his mission for almost a year before he asked me out. He says it was because I was so young (which I guess looking back I can see his point). But, regardless of his reasoning at the time, I’m so glad he finally did! We dated for about five months before getting engaged and were married that September.

After getting married, we looked forward to having a family but after years of struggling with infertility, we decided to pursue adoption. Three years later, our lives were blessed through the miracle of adoption with a beautiful baby boy. Right after Landon turned two, we got a surprise phone call from a birth mother wondering if we were open to adopting again. Of course we said yes! and Kathryn was born two weeks later. Landon & Kate are such a joy in our lives. We love them so much and treasure the special way they each came into our family. They bring a smile to our face and more joy than we could have imagined to our home. We are so grateful for the opportunity we have to be parents and would love to add to our family again through adoption.

Buster the Dog

2010-04-20T03:07:00.000-06:00

Buster is our yellow lab that we got from the local shelter when he was just 7 weeks old. He is now 13 years old and is the most mellow dog. We joke that he is an old man with his old man whiskers that have come in and his old man walk. He lets the kids lay on him and tug at him and doesn't mind it one bit. He loves being in the back yard, loves attention and loves it when the kids talk to him and tell him stories. Even though he is getting old, he still has this puppy dog face when he wants something or when you are talking to him.
I think if he could tell you what it is like to be a part of our family he would say, "woof, woof, woof, woof, woof" lol OK, really he would say, "They are silly and sometimes crazy. You can almost always find them playing in the backyard with each other, laughing and having fun. The house is always busy and full of energy. I just wish they would share more of their dinner with me."

Still Have Questions?

2010-04-19T18:06:00.001-06:00

We really are an open book. If you have any questions that we might be able to answer for you, we would love to. It truly doesn't matter what they might be. Ask away!

Email us or G chat:

brianandleisha@gmail.com

or give us a call toll free:

(888) 312-0322

Just for birth parents

2010-04-02T17:28:00.001-06:00

We hope that as you look at all of your options, you will find peace and comfort in whatever decision that you make. We love adoption and want you to know that we will always share the gratitude we have for adoption with our children. We hope to instill in them the love that their birth families have for them and the selfless decision that they made. We want our children to know of the courage it took for their birth parents to make the decision they did and how lucky we are to have them in our home.

We are grateful for adoption and know with all our hearts that Heavenly Father provided adoption as a way for us to build our family. We are so very grateful for the faith you are taking in considering adoption and choosing a family for your child. We hope you will find comfort in knowing that our thoughts and prayers are with you during this time. Please email us if you have any questions or would just like to get to know us better. We are so grateful you are willing to consider adoption and want you to know that we think about you, wherever you might be, and pray that you will have the comfort, peace and reassurance you need during this time in your life.

Openness in adoption

2010-04-02T17:25:00.000-06:00

We are so fortunate to have a relationship with Landon's birth mother and her parents & Kate’s birth mother and birth father. We get together often for dinner, playing at the park, trips to the zoo, movies, birthdays, holidays or whatever else we decide to do. We love them all so much and we have such a deep respect and admiration for each of them for having the courage to do what they did. Our lives have truly been blessed and we feel like we cannot thank them enough for that.

We cannot help but feel that same love and respect for you as you strive to do what is best for you and your child. We would love to discuss whatever level of contact you are comfortable with as we respect our birth parents choice in that. But we truly feel that our children's birth families are an extension of our family and would love to have that relationship. We talk about adoption openly in our family and extended families. Our children will always know that they are adopted and know of the special angels that made it possible for them to be in our family. As they get older, we hope that adoption is just a normal part of their lives. As we talk with Landon about adoption and his birth family, we see him understanding more and more what adoption means and what it means to have a birth mother. He knows how much we love his birth mother and the important role she had in bringing him to our family. We know that as Kate gets bigger she will have that same understanding. Their birth families bring more love into their lives and to ours and we wouldn't have it any other way.

Kate at her birth mother's graduation

Kate with her birth father

Kate with Landon's birth grandma

Landon with his birth grandpa
Landon with his birth mother goofing around in our back yard.

Landon & his birth mother at lunch

(love this, they were making funny faces together in her phone)

Leisha, Landon's birth grandpa, birth grandma, Kate & Landon

On being parents

2010-04-02T17:17:00.001-06:00

Brian and I have found the greatest joy in being parents. We often wonder what we did before Landon & Kate came into our lives because we are happy and content just observing them, playing with them and being with them. We absolutely love watching them and as they say and do new things, we are just amazed and in awe. They are hilarious and we laugh at the many silly things they say and do. They have taught us so much and we have learned so many things about ourselves and each other as well. There are days when we feel a bit crazy and scattered as one is playing in the bathroom (Kate's FAVORITE thing these days) and the other is melting down because his video game time is up (we have to have some ground rules). But when the day ends, we can laugh about it and are glad that we have the opportunity to teach them and to have them in our home.

Inside scoop on Brian from Leisha

2010-04-02T17:16:00.000-06:00

Brian is totally easygoing and down-to-earth. He has the most mellow personality. He is completely dedicated in all that he does. Brian is such a hard worker which allows me to be a stay-at-home mom. That is something that both of us feel very strongly about and we wouldn’t change it for anything.He is the best father and I truly love watching him with Kate & Landon. Hearing their laughter coming from the other room always brings a smile to my face. Brian loves to play basketball and loves watching sports. He also plays the guitar. He is left-handed; I don’t know why I am telling you that except that I think it’s why he puts the toilet paper on the roll upside down. No big deal, I just turn it over when he is not looking!
The funniest thing is when Brian talks to the dog in Spanish and Landon tries to copy him. Brian earned a Bachelor’s degree in Spanish with a minor in Sociology. Brian served a two year mission in Argentina (so that’s where he got the idea that dogs speak Spanish :-) and would love to go back and visit when he gets the chance. I couldn’t ask for a better husband. He is always very selfless in all that he does and puts other people before himself. I am so lucky to have him in my life!
Brian is the middle child with three brothers and one sister. His poor sister didn’t have a chance with all those boys. He is the peacemaker in the family and gets along with everyone. Each week his entire family gets together at his parent’s house for Sunday dinner. After dinner (which is always delicious) we usually take turns playing pool or board games while Landon & Kate entertain all of us.

Brian’s favorite family tradition is renting a cabin during the summer and going on bike rides, hiking, roasting marshmellows & most importantly, being together. Regardless of what we are doing together, we enjoy spending time together talking and laughing and always have a great time.

Inside scoop on Leisha from Brian

2010-04-02T17:15:00.000-06:00

Leisha is very creative and loves scrapbooking, stamping and all things crafty. She is organized at running our house and taking care of the kids. The only time she is not organized is when she throws her clothes on the bedroom floor at night (a pet peeve of mine). She is very caring and fun loving. She is always thinking about other people and always helping them out. Leisha is such a great mother. Landon and Kate can be busy and definitely have their difficult moments. Leisha is always good with them and can calm them down and redirect their attention. Leisha always gives the kids options and treats both of them intelligently. Leisha always has fun together with the kids. They are always laughing together and often have tickle fights.

She is a great wife and is always supporting me and helping me be the best person I can be. Leisha owns her own photography & design business as well as a jewelry business with two of her best friends. She does them both part-time (1-2 evenings a week) while still being able to stay home with the kids.

She loves Italian food, especially when she does not have to cook it herself (although she can cook a great penne pasta when she is in the mood!). When we rent movies it is a requirement of Leisha’s that we always get a romantic comedy and if I am lucky I can sneak in an action movie for myself.
Leisha is the second oldest of eight children: three sisters and four brothers. She is always helping her family out. They all turn to her when they need someone to talk to. That can be a lot of listening with nine other people in the family. Leisha’s favorite family tradition is Christmas Bingo. Everyone brings all sorts of random things and we play Bingo for the gifts. It is always so much fun to see what her grandma saved throughout the year just for Christmas Bingo! We also love having Christmas breakfast at our house. There are plenty of waffles and crepes for everyone and we all just hang out in our PJ's until it's time to go to grandma's house.

Meeting Leisha after she finished her first triathlon. May 2010

Leisha with "bike" after a nice ride.

I'm Landon! and I'm Kate!

2010-04-02T17:04:00.000-06:00

Hi, I'm Landon
How's it going guys? I'm Landon and I'm six years old. I love Ben Ten Aliens and sea creatures. Sometimes my mom will talk like the animals and it is so funny it makes me laugh so hard. I love to run, jump, twirl, and bounce off of everything I can. Being outside is so much fun and I like to play in the backyard any chance I get. I also love playing games on the computer and Angry Birds on my mom's phone. I love to jump on the trampoline and can even do a flip. It is so great when my dad is the jumping monster.
I am the best little clothes styler ever and change my outfit every chance I get. I love to read books and can almost read them all by myself! I am the smartest kindergartener ever. I am learning all sorts of new things like writing and counting. My favorite thing is all of my friends at school; they can be so silly sometimes.
My little sister is Kate. I love to play with her and I am the best big brother. We have a lot of fun together (right, Kate?). My favorite places to go are to the aquarium, the zoo, playgroup and the park.

I'm Kate! My name is Kate but everyone just calls me Kater bug. I am four and love being able to do things all by myself. I get so excited when I get to go to preschool but especially like it when we get to ride our bikes. I love riding my princess bike and get on it any chance I get. I love music and whenever I hear it I dance. Dancing is so much fun. I am the best helper and love to help my family with anything that they need to do. I like to clean with my mom and do the dishes with my dad. My favorite thing is to ride on the riding lawnmower with my dad. Every time we get in the shed I ask if I can ride it because it is so much fun. I am such a girly girl and love to get dressed up, paint my fingernails (all by myself) and have my hair done. I love it even more when my brother dresses up with me. Landon is so fun to play with and we have such a good time playing outside together, playing in our rooms, dressing up and doing everything together. It's so much fu-un!