Colorado Kurz

Clara Grace

2012-01-10T08:51:00.000-07:00

Clara Grace was born just after midnight on January 6th (the same day as her Great Grandpa Kurz's birthday). She's 6lbs, 14oz and 18in long!

When Hope's water broke at 9:45pm at our house, I frantically got the car ready while Hope called our friend, Stephanie. Stephanie rushed over to stay the night with the boys since they were asleep (although Asher woke up in our all our commotion).

About a mile outside of town, I was going 80mph in a 45mph zone and when a state trooper happened to be going the other way. He turned on his lights immediately. At this point, Hope was having fairly strong contractions at 5 minutes apart so I kept speeding thinking that he would catch up (we still had 50 miles to go). I kept looking in my mirror while pondering what I was going to say when he pulled me over.

About five miles later (Aspen Springs), I saw a huge amount of police lights up ahead. My first thought was that it was a police blockade to stop me. When we got closer, 3 state troopers were on the side of the road arresting someone.  Needless to say, the rest of the way was smooth sailing since the whole police force on duty was busy at that arrest scene. Fortunately we only had to dodge one herd of deer and there was hardly anyone on the road.

We got to the hospital at 11:20pm, which was record time for this 60-mile trip. Once in our room, Hope had about an hour of strong contractions and then 9 minutes of pushing and no meds! Hope was incredibly brave.  I couldn't believe how beautiful she looked after her labor was over. The nurses were impressed with her labor time (kinda like a mile time) and her post-labor composure.

Throughout the pregnancy, we weren't sure if we were having a boy or a girl. Immediately after birth, I looked at the baby and then smiled at Hope.  At that point Hope knew that we had a little girl (that's what I was hoping for).

Naming her was almost as tough as labor (just joking). I had yet to crack the girl side of a baby name book so I spent the next couple days searching through 30,000 options. Once I found Clara, I checked the social security website to make sure it wasn't anywhere near the top of the popular baby name list (#167 in 2010, #7 in 1885) and then offered it to Hope. She liked it immediately and added Grace as her middle name.

Clara is nursing well and sleeping peacefully (preferably next to mommy).  We think she looks more like Asher when he was born than Kieran. The boys are enjoying her - they have no idea what life will be like to have a little girl in their lives ... and neither do I.

Harvest Fest Outfits

2011-11-05T23:48:00.000-06:00

Birthday Boys

2011-11-05T23:36:00.000-06:00

One-year-old!

Birthday present made by cousin Shaylah

Special monkey cake made and decorated by Mommy

Birthday present made by cousin Josiah

Pumpkin Patch 2011

2011-11-05T23:18:00.000-06:00

Big Trampoline

2011-11-05T23:16:00.000-06:00

After jumping on a friend's trampoline this Fall, Asher looked at me and said sincerely, "Daddy, I don't like my little trampoline anymore (an exercise trampoline), I want a big trampoline." So, Asher and Kieran got an early birthday present in September. Jumping is Asher's favorite pastime. Kieran enjoys rolling around on the tramp too. The static electricity does wonders to his fine, thin hair.

Crayon Ladder

Jumping Fever

All charged up

The Monster of Lake Hatcher

2011-08-16T22:41:00.000-06:00

A couple weeks ago I borrowed our neighbor’s canoe and paddled Asher around Lake Hatcher. Neither of us had ever floated a boat on our neighborhood lake. Also, it was the first time that I’ve bought a Pagosa Lakes fishing permit. I decided to bring my spin rod so I test out the fishing in the middle of the lake instead of the weedy shoreline. I wasn’t expecting much because I’ve yet to catch anything from the shore.

Asher was pretty excited for a new adventure. He sat in the bottom of the boat with his new life vest as I paddled to the middle of the lake. I alternated between casting and paddling. To my complete surprise, I landed a good size rainbow trout on a small, gold spinner. Asher was surprised and delighted to see the 16 inch rainbow flop around in the boat as I un-hooked him. Asher got a chance to feel the slimy skin before I threw him back.

We paddled around some more and I made a few more casts. Once again, I felt a tug on the line, but a much bigger tug than the one before. I set the hook and fought the fish for a couple minutes. Asher watched in amazement as I finally pulled another rainbow trout into the boat. But this time, Asher screamed as the fish flopped violently in the boat because this fish was much bigger and more aggressive than the last. He was over 20 inches and nice and fat. I asked Asher if he wanted to hold the fish and he immediately negated. As I tossed him back, Asher said, “No more fishing – OK Daddy?”

Kieran the Crawler

2011-08-16T22:36:00.000-06:00

Here's a video of Kieran at the end of June as he was just beginning to crawl. It hasn't taken him long to become extremely mobile. He spints for an open fridge and also enjoys flushing the toilet.

Quartz Lake

2011-07-24T16:23:00.006-06:00

Nani was in town and offered to watch the boys so Hope and I could take a long hike. We chose Quartz Lake as our destination. The hike is fairly strenuous with over 3,000 feet of vertical gain over the 8-mile round trip. The hike begins at 10,000 feet, climbs through slopes covered with wild flowers to a rocky saddle at 12,000 feet, then descends across lush tundra to the lake, which rests at 11,500 feet. The lake is loaded with brook trout, but I only had time to catch 2 before a thunderstorm chased us away. The thunderstorm dissipated as quickly as it formed and the sun returned for the rest of our hike.

Snow persisting into late July!

Skanderas Come to Town

2011-07-20T17:49:00.002-06:00

The Skandera family stopped off in Pagosa on their way to Colorado Springs. Asher thoroughly enjoyed playing with his cousins and hanging out with Caleb and Danneca. He could find a new playmate every 6 minutes. The kids spent a lot of time on the new swing set and doing altitude training on the track or trail. The older kids fished Lake Hatcher where Nehemiah was able to pull out 2 bass. The highlight was probably tubing on the downtown stretch of the San Juan River. The weather was perfect and the water was at just the right level. We wish they could have stayed longer!

Piedra Falls

2011-07-11T21:51:00.001-06:00

New Backyard Park

2011-07-05T13:49:00.002-06:00

The Anderson kids out-grew their playground, so the Anderson family gave us a great deal on their fantastic setup. Grandpa Kurz helped relocate the equipment and switched the slide from the uphill side to the downhill side of the yard in anticipation of a future bob sledding run. The yard slopes steeply downhill so the slide will increase the potential energy for future winter sporting events. Thus far, Asher is hesitant to go down the slide so he climbs up the slide and then climbs down the ladder. Nani just picked up a baby swing so Kieran can join in the fun. Thanks dad for helping us set it up - now the boys can swing everyday!

While Mom's Away, the Boys Will Play

2011-06-26T11:25:00.004-06:00

Hope and Kieran flew to California to visit family. While she was gone, Asher and I took the opportunity to get out in the woods. I hauled Asher up Pagosa Peak, which turned out to be one of the hardest workouts I've ever done! We enjoyed the view as we ate our picnic lunch. Asher especially loved coming down. Somewhere between the summit and the saddle, he tossed his hat in graduation style. I didn't have the energy to go back up and look for it! The trees along this primitive trail are painted with occasional blue blazes. Asher loved searching the forest for the next blue blaze.

Later that week, we went backpacking down the Piedra Canyon Trail with Asher's preschool buddy, Townes, and Townes' dad, Mat. The boys enjoyed roasting marshmallows on the campfire and sleeping in tents. The next morning, we skipped rocks and searched for aquatic bugs under the rocks of the Piedra River.

Here's Asher after a fresh haircut.

Asher Gets Some (training) Wheels

2011-06-17T10:58:00.003-06:00

Asher got a chance to ride the bike that we hauled back from Seattle last summer. Asher's cousins, Josiah and Shaylah, both learned to ride on this little pink bike and they kindly passed it on to us.

We have some quiet paved roads in our neighborhood, but riding the two blocks on our dirt road to get to the pavement is a little more challenging. When Asher's training wheels straddle a pothole, the rear wheels gets high-centered and he just spins in place like a stationary bike. He's getting better at dodging potholes.

Asher loves to go fast and he doesn't have the coordination to figure out the brakes. He crashed a couple times, but he got right back on for more. This will revolutionize our family walks!

Thomas the Tank Engine

2011-06-17T10:40:00.001-06:00

Asher's dream came true - he got to see Thomas the Tank Engine in person! Thomas took a load of smiling children for a ride along the Animas River through Durango. Afterwards, we had a nice picnic in the park with the Bakers, our friends and neighbors.

Denver

2011-06-06T17:10:00.002-06:00

We kicked off the summer with a trip to Denver. We took full advantage of the many kid-friendly experiences that the city has to offer.

We visited Tiny Town where Asher and Kieran could ride the train (Asher loves trains) and explore the kid-sized houses.

We made several visits to Washington Park for playground time and a picnic.

The boys enjoyed Grandpa and Nani's backyard, which is full of lush grass, flowers, and a concrete pad to pedal around.

One of Asher's highlights was seeing a ladder fire truck show up to an emergency call as we were walking to the Denver Aquarium. The emergency call turned out to be a false alarm so we took Asher toward the ladder truck for a closer look. Fireman Joe invited Asher to climb into the truck and wear his helmet. Asher was very shy in the midst of living out one of his fantasies (he loves fire trucks as much as he loves trains). Once we reached the Denver Aquarium the boys got to watch a diver and two mermaids swim with the fish as we ate our dinner.

Echo Lake

2011-06-04T16:51:00.010-06:00

Our friend West held his birthday party at Echo Lake. Everyone brought fishing poles so Asher experienced fishing for the first time. There were loads of naive bluegill just waiting to bite anything with a hook on it. They're small of course, but fun for kids because you can pull them out pretty quickly. I'd pull one out and hand it to Asher who would squeamishly toss it back in the lake.

Asher pretended to fish with a rod without any tackle. He would smack the water with the pole and then proudly pull Nemo out every cast. He must have caught at least 25 "Nemos" in 15 minutes!

The bluegill didn't stand a chance against Hope with a fly rod!

Here is one of Asher's "Nemos"

Only in Pagosa: Free Food from Friendly Neighbors

2011-03-25T21:01:00.005-06:00

This evening, there was a knock upon the door. One of our neighbors handed me 3 bags of fresh potatoes! About hour later, another neighbor dropped by bearing more fresh potatoes!

No explanation is needed for long-time Pagosa residents. It's not the first time the we've harvested produce in the dead of winter. Wolf Creek Pass is a formidable barrier just outside of our town. The Pass is legendary for its annual snowfall, but amongst locals, it also has a reputation of being blanketed with fresh food. But unlike the snow, fresh food can fly anytime of the year.

And the 2011 harvest is off to a record start. Last week it was Powerade. The week before it was more potatoes. Once, I witnessed the slopes turn instantly orange under a crop of baby carrots. Another time, beer literally flowed like melting snow. The best harvest ever was the legendary frozen turkeys, which conveniently flew during freezing conditions. Pagosans are said to have tired of Butterball Turkeys that year.

Despite it's long standing reputation as a tasty tollway, C.W. McCall's song, Wolf Creek Pass" (http://new.music.yahoo.com/c-w-mccall/tracks/wolf-creek-pass--1551946) has yet to become a prerequisite for naive truckers. Here's a quote from an article in last week's paper titled Semi Season, "In light of the recent rash of semi crashes, Trooper Talbot warned motorists traveling on Wolf Creek Pass, especially those traveling uphill, to be on the alert for semis traveling downhill that may become runaways."

Trooper Talbot forgot to advise motorists to always carry a large supply of grocery bags when traveling over the pass.

Kieran

2011-03-03T20:47:00.004-07:00

Kieran is a smiley little guy. He watches Asher's every move. He's starting to roll over usually sleeps through the night. He's a bit of a growler - it's pretty cute to hear. Hope knows how to get him to laugh hysterically.

We're excited that Aunt Hanna is only 3 hours away!

Winter Firsts

2011-03-03T20:20:00.003-07:00

I thought I'd better post some winter photos before all of the snow melts (and it's melting fast). Asher didn't like his snowshoes as much as his skis. They were a bit awkward, but on skis, he leans back and I push him around the cul-de-sac from behind . The snowman was a big hit until he fell over the next day.

Asher meeting his first snowman.

First pair of skis

First pair of snowshoes

Christmas Tree Hunting

2010-12-12T22:44:00.004-07:00

Asher Takes the Light-Rail

2010-12-05T22:38:00.006-07:00

Asher and I traveled by light-rail to the Colorado Convention Center in Downtown Denver. The annual car show was there and Grandpa was displaying his artwork as well as his restored antique toys. What could be better - trains, cars, and Grandpa...three of Asher's favorite things!

Trains are loud and bumpy!
Asher liked watching other trains whiz by.

Hubcap reflections

Asher was in car heaven and...

...in toy heaven. So tempting to touch Grandpa's restored antique toys!

Two car guys!

Would you like to buy a Dave Kurz original?

Recounting the Ultimate Summer Road Trip

2010-11-13T22:47:00.023-07:00

Until our journey to the Northwest, it had been an uneventful summer. I had to lock myself in the basement to finish my action research paper, the final requirement for my masters program. Once I was liberated from paper-writing bondage, we celebrated our freedom by embarking on a grand road trip to visit my sister and her family. They had recently moved to Seattle so my brother-in-law could attend medical school at the University of Washington. We were excited to visit them in a totally new environment.

We took our time driving to Seattle, in order to experience the beautiful national parks and preserves along the way (and a couple friend's houses as well). Since Hope was 7 months pregnant and Asher gets antsy in the car, I pinpointed camping destinations that were 4-5 hours apart. At that pace, we would reach Seattle in 6 days. Neither of us had been to Yellowstone, and Hope had never seen the Tetons, so those two destinations determined our route.

Our trip began with a hunt for our credit card. Since Asher had been rummaging through the car as we packed, he became the prime suspect. After an unsuccessful search of the places that seemed logical to me, I discovered the cigarette lighter cap under one of the seats. It dawned on me that Asher must have been playing with the dashboard. I stared at the dash through the eyes of our 21-month-old. Asher had seen us use our card at the ATM, so I speculated that he imagined that the dash was an ATM and the air temperature control slot was the card reader. Sure enough, I peered into the thin slot with a flashlight and saw a faint, white plastic edge. With Hope's help, I ended up extracting the card with needle-nose pliers, but it was so bent-up that it no longer worked.

After that delay, we began the first leg of the trip to Grand Junction via Silverton and Ouray, which are surrounded by the most scenic mountains in Colorado. In Grand Junction, we stayed with my college roommate, John, and his wife Brita. The have amazing hospitality and a beautiful family. Ironically, they lent us their Dave Ramsey cd's in which Ramsey endorses destroying your credit cards.

At small lake the base of the Uinta Range - Flaming Gorge National Recreation Area, Utah

From Grand Junction, we headed towards Flaming Gorge National Recreation Area, which stretches from NE Utah into SW Wyoming. An impoundment of the Green River created a major reservoir within a confining, colorful canyon. We camped amongst ponderosa pine on the South Rim overlooking the reservoir.

Asher loved the tent and our giant air mattress. He slept great, but Hope and I didn't as we learned that the air mattress had a slow leak. We awoke within an air mattress sandwich (we both gravitated to the center and the mattress folded upon us). In the morning, we were visited by a herd of big horn sheep. Asher tried to make friends, but they didn't reciprocate.

Our first campsite at Canyon Rim Campground - Flaming Gorge National Recreation Area

The view from Canyon Rim Campground, which sits high above the tamed Green River.

Our next destination was Grand Teton National Park. Along the way, we ruled out the chances of ever living in SE Wyoming (lots of sagebrush). Since we didn't have campground reservations, we didn't have time to stop in Jackson Hole (quite the tourist trap). On our way to the Gros Ventre campground, we discovered a great back-road called Mormon Row. A herd of bison were grazing in the foreground of this breathe-taking setting. While there, we also went swimming at the Kelly Warm Springs, which weren't as warm as I remembered them being 12 years ago. There's a reason why they aren't called hot springs. The most impressive and recognizable skyline in Rockies: The Grand Tetons.

The next morning, we headed for Yellowstone National Park, which is less than an hour north of the Grand Tetons. Since we didn't have camping reservations there as well, we had to get there early. We were able to stake our claim at one of the last remaining sites at Lewis Lake Campground. From there, we headed towards Old Faithful and the many other strange geothermal features nearby.

The aptly named Firehole River. Thousands of hot springs and geysers line the banks of this beautiful stream. Our own San Juan River looks surprisingly similar with steam rising from numerous travertine formations.

Asher near Old Faithful

After a grizzly bear and fugitive-free night (http://www.foxnews.com/us/2010/07/29/survivor-montana-bear-rampage-played-dead-mauling/, http://video.foxnews.com/v/4306085/fugitives-hiding-in-yellowstone-park/), we set off for the Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone and the Lamar Valley.

The Yellowstone River just below Yellowstone Lake - one of the prettiest streams I've ever seen! We ate lunch along the bank.

Lower Yellowstone Falls - a site worth seeing despite the lack of elbow room!

We found the southern end of the park to be much prettier the the north-eastern end. After making numerous stops at roadside scenery, we exited the park near Gardner, Montana and headed for civilization where hot showers beckoned.

Neither Hope nor I had ever set foot in Montana so we were excited to see fabled landscape. Our Pagosa friends, Jane and Cameron arranged for us to stay at June's house (Jane's twin sister) near Bozeman, Montana. June and her family were out of town, but they opened their home to us nonetheless. All three and a half of us were ready for a hot shower, a comfortable bed, pizza, and a movie.

After a great night's sleep, we traversed many broad river valleys flanked on all sides by majestic peaks. We were on our way to Bumblebee Campground, located 40 miles east of Coeur d' Alene, Idaho. Bumblebee was a cozy campground nestled below towering conifers. It would be our last night sleeping on/in the air sandwich (we vowed to purchase a better mattress in Seattle) and cooking over a camp stove.

The following morning, we made a stop at Lake Coeur d' Alene. Coeur d' Alene knows how to market the area's natural beauty. We arrived during a festival that featured live music and food vendors. We ate lunch listening to a band and then Asher played at a huge park on the shore of the lake. We only had five hours to our destination.

Lake Coeur d' Alene, Idaho.

As we left the lush forests and lakes of the Idaho Panhandle, we traversed Washington's rain shadow. Finally, we reunited with the (now mightier) Columbia River, and gradually the scenery became more lush and inviting. We traversed the Cascades and descended to Beth and Anthony's neighborhood near Lake Washington.

The front yard of Anthony and Beth's cute house. Their neighborhood is beautiful and they have great access to Lake Washington and a major bike route.

We stayed about a week in Seattle and Anthony and Beth gave us a tour of the city. Their house has a lot of character and has a huge backyard. The best part of their location is their access to running trails at Lake Washington and a major bike route. The bike route was packed with bikes (rain or shine), which attested to the city's green philosophy. Asher loved playing with his older cousins, Josiah and Shaylah. He's still talks about riding the bus with them.

Riding the bus with his cousins was the highlight of Asher's stay in Seattle.

No trip to Seattle is complete without meandering through Pike Place Market! The scent of fresh coffee, seafood, and flowers fill the air.

We visited the Seattle Center and ate lunch at the International Fountain (which scared Asher). Then we took the kids to the Children's museum.

Salmon, the Northwest's mascot, can be found everywhere.

While in Seattle, we took a day trip to Mount Rainer National Park, which is about 2 hours south of Seattle. The visitor center sits at 5,000 feet and the mountain scrapes the skyline at over 14,000 feet. The vegetation was as lush as I've ever seen. And we were able to see a major glacier for the first time.

Shaylah, Josiah, Anthony, and Beth are dwarfed by the shrouded summit of Mt. Rainer, which is the most impressive mountain I've ever seen.

Cousins stand below the towering summit of Mt. Rainer.

Natural gardens abound on the slopes of Mt. Rainer.

When it was time to return home, we decide to take a more direct route. It still took 4 days and 3 nights. The first night we stopped at Hilguard Junction State Park in Oregon, which sits on the banks of the Grande Rhonde River. Unfortunately, the park also sits next to a steep section of busy highway so we were serenaded by the jake-brakes of descending trucks and the roar of red-lined engines of the ascending trucks. The next day, we traversed Idaho to The City of Rocks, a remote national preserve populated by rock climbing junkies. Considering how far it is from the nearest big city (Provo), the campground was surprisingly popular. The next morning, we hiked beneath the towering granite outcrops which scatter the remote, semi-arid mountainside.

City of Rocks Natural Preserve - Alma, Idaho

Our next destination was Green River, Utah. After a couple rough nights, in Idaho and Oregon, we decided to stay in a hotel and eat out. Hope was thrilled to sleep in real bed. After a good nights sleep, we embarked on the final leg of the road trip. Just outside of Moab, Utah, made a quick stop to see Newspaper Rock, a diverse collection of petroglyphs.

Newpaper Rock near Moab, Utah

Upon arriving home, we were grateful to recount our adventures, but also looking forward to the comfort of our own beds. Thanks Beth and Anthony - it was great spending a week with you!

Asher Antics

2010-11-13T21:21:00.005-07:00

1st Solo

Train Wreck

Hammer Time

New Baby!

2010-10-16T22:50:00.005-06:00

Kieran Joshua Kurz was born 10/14/10 at 2:15pm!

He weighs 6 pounds, 12 ounces and is 18 inches long. Kieran came so fast that our nurse delivered him (our sprinting midwife barely made it in time to cut the cord). Kieran has really long fingers, which he got from his mother, who got them from Grandma Skan. He also has really big feet.

Hope is recovering well and Kieran is healthy and content as can be in his mother's arms.

Asher had a great time with the Parkers and the Roses while we were at the hospital. He was excited to see "Baby" for the first time last night. We swear he grew an inch and put on 2 pounds in two days! He will be learning the word brother this week.

Thank you all for your prayers and support! It means so much to us to have such caring friends and family. Looking foward to introducing him to you in person!

Eye Level

2010-06-14T23:36:00.004-06:00

The other day I went mountain biking with some friends. My wedding ring fits a bit loosely so I was worried it might rattle off my hand and forever plant itself amongst the pine needles. So, as I was rushing out the door, I took it off and set it on the window sill (I swear).

Around midnight, as I was typing my thesis, I noticed the tan line on my ring finger. I walked over to the window sill and the ring was gone! The first thought that came to mind was the fact that the price of gold had probably tripled since Hope bought it for me.
Too bad my bike is made of aluminum instead of titanium – I could just melt it down and make a new ring (I bet Hope wouldn’t notice except for the missing inscription).

There were three options. One: I was delusional, two: Hope saw it and proactively moved it away from option three…Asher. I usually take off my ring to change the oil or do rock work and in those cases, I usually put it on my workbench in the garage. It wasn’t there! Next, I went upstairs and woke Hope up. She said she hadn’t seen it, but she was half asleep. Had her slumber clouded her memory? I’d have to wait till morning to confirm that. In the mean time, I decided to investigate the third most serious option: Asher found it.

Prior to starting the search, I decided to imagine the scenario from Asher’s point of view. If I were Asher, there’s no way I’d miss that shiny round thing just at my eye level. And there’s no way I’d just walk by it. First, I’d probably check out its smooth surface with my tongue, swish it around a bit, and if I didn’t swallow it, I’d stuff it in my pocket and carry it around for a while. Next, I’d take it out to the driveway to see if it bounced. Then I’d take it to the sandbox and plow it under with my road grader. And if I could excavate it with my mini backhoe, then I’d find the smallest dark place that I could make it fit. I’d start with vacant shoes, empty flower pots, and then small crevices between rocks. And if I could fish it back out, I’d check the its density against toilet water (like I did with Daddy’s electric razor). Then I’d practice my toilet flushing skills. The possibilities were endless!

The search began. It was dark-thirty, but I checked the driveway with my headlamp anyway. I could not perceive anything abnormally shiny, but maybe the Subaru tires embedded it into the gravel. I checked the surface of the sandbox without results so I’d need to placer-mine it in the morning. Next, I snuck into Asher’s room and found his outfit for the day. Those tiny pockets were a perfect place for daddy’s ring, but they were empty.

Increasingly more panicked, I shook shoes, foraged the potted plants, sifted the pile of laundry on the couch, dredged the couch crevices (found twelve dollars and 43 cents, which disappointingly, was as not enough to replace the ring, but at least I found the missing mail box key…I wish). Sadly, I had exhausted my options. The lost treasure was at the mercy of my 20-month-old’s communication skills. In preparation for the morning, I dusted off my metal detector that I snagged as a white elephant gifted two years ago (I knew it would come in handy someday).

Thwarted, I slouched on the stairs and stared at the empty window sill. The best option would be if he swallowed it - at least the ring would be contained and we’d find it later.
Then I had a vision: what if he picked it up, threw it, and it rolled under the couch? I got on my hands and knees and peered into the darkness. Could that be a faint glimmer from beneath the dust bunnies and dryer lint? I almost shouted, “Eureka!”, but I didn’t want to wake the neighborhood. As I covered my tan line, I was astounded that I’d found the ring considering all the possibilities.

The next morning, I wanted to check Asher’s memory and communication skills. I took my ring off and I carried Asher downstairs. I placed him next to the window sill and asked, “Where’s Daddy’s ring?” He immediately said, “I don’t know” (which he says when you ask him just about anything, but then, to my amazement, he pointed towards the couch. Then, I said, “Show me where it’s at!” He walked over to the couch and got on his hands and knees and pointed to the exact place that I’d found it the night before. I guess all that stressing and searching could have been prevented had I trusted the little guy’s memory! Eye level – an important toddler consideration.

Track Helper

2010-04-29T21:23:00.004-06:00

Asher demonstates the finer points of hurdling technique.

Line judge

Little helper

Denver

2010-04-29T21:18:00.004-06:00

Here's Grandpa Kurz's custom wagon that he uses for his art shows.

Grandpa Kurz has the coolest toys!

The Sonoma Coast

2010-04-29T21:05:00.005-06:00

This was Asher's first trip to the beach. I'm becoming convinced that Asher has a gizard! He never passes up the chance to gulp a handful of sand! He learned that the salty beach sand is tastier than ordinary sand box sand. Dispite the look on his face, he scooped up a second helping.

The Russian River near its confluence with the Pacific.

Santa Rosa

2010-04-29T21:00:00.004-06:00

Asher with Grandapa and Grandma Skandera

Asher with cousins Daniel and Ruby

Asher's first easter egg hunt, an annual event in the Skandera backyard rain or shine!

Good eye!

Asher with Uncle Forrest

JD and Ruby

Fresno

2010-04-29T20:54:00.003-06:00

Carol and her dad at his grape farm.

Four generations!

Mamas

Early Riser

2010-03-14T13:09:00.004-06:00

We have a radio alarm clock. At 4:45am on Saturday morning, an Alan Jackson song urged me to get out of bed for our first track meet. I tried to ignore it. Asher was in our bed because he is sick and was having a rough night. He sat up and began clapping to the beat! I think he actually enjoyed the early morning interuption!

Getting Buried

2010-02-21T13:02:00.004-07:00

Looks like I was premature with my "waning is winter" comment last week. The daffodils are going to have to wait. It started snowing on Friday night and is not supposed to stop until Monday night. I just spent over an hour trying to dig out the suburu! I got it sideways against a 5 foot burm at the bottom of the driveway (we were on our way to church). Fortunately, I had some plywood that I could put under the tires, because it was pure ice underneath the fresh powder. Here's Asher watching me from the window as I hack away at the 5 foot burm in a blizzard.

Asher's Upright!

2010-02-20T20:44:00.007-07:00

Asher took his first steps about a month ago. Just like most new milestones, he took his time and wouldn't perform on demand despite having the skills. Now, walking is his preferred method of travel. We're going to put him on the treadmill next week (just joking, although I did put him on the treadmill when he was crawling - it was quite a sight).

He got his first black eye a couple weeks ago when he face-planted into the corner of a bench. He's not discouraged despite discovering the downside of gravity.

Dance Moves

2010-02-20T20:11:00.000-07:00

Asher dancing to his favorite Bob Marley song. Check out his lips once he gets grooving.

Tighten Your Tummy

2010-02-20T16:55:00.004-07:00

Asher was inspired after perusing "Tighten Your Tummy," a cover story on one of Hope's magazines. He has started integrating this new workout into his morning routine.

Actually, Asher has been watching the track team do inverted pushups using exercise balls. This is his best imitation.

2010-02-15T20:55:00.007-07:00

Images of Winter

2010-02-15T20:08:00.006-07:00

We've had great snow this year and we've had plenty of opportunities to enjoy the white wonderland! We've taken advantage of a new nordic ski area about a mile from our house. Trails are groomed weekly and the terrain is diverse to keep things challenging. The best part is cross country skiing is FREE! Asher usually falls asleep to the rhythm of the kick and glide. Hope and I did make one trip up to Wolf Creek to do some downhill skiing without Asher. Winter is waning however and it won't be long before the daffodils blanket the ground instead of snow (We planted over 100 bulbs last fall)!

Taste Test

2009-12-20T19:40:00.003-07:00

New Trick

2009-12-15T20:47:00.003-07:00

Christmas Lights

2009-12-09T22:24:00.002-07:00

Asher's 1st Birthday

2009-11-20T21:12:00.000-07:00

Fall Photos

2009-11-18T21:33:00.003-07:00

2009-09-10T16:17:00.003-06:00

Midnight Intruder

2009-08-29T23:35:00.004-06:00

During the summer, Hope and I often leave our bedroom windows open to let the cool night air drift into our room. Late Thursday night, a cool breeze awoke me from a deep slumber. I remember thinking that the breeze felt nice on my face and shoulders. Every few seconds, the breeze would return. I could hear the air enter the room, move past my body, and quietly leave. As the breeze continued, I began to question its repetitive motion. As I slowly came to my senses, I realized that it wasn’t windy outside and even so, wind is sporadic rather than cyclical. At that point I realized there was something strange in our room!

As the sound of moving air continued to wax and wane through the darkness, the hair on my neck (and back) began to rise. All this time, Hope was sleeping soundly right next to me. I quickly sat up, turned on the light! I shouted and quickly pulled the covers over my head, which caused Hope to let out a piecing scream! A large, hideous bat was circling the room and causing us to repeatedly duck under the covers! After about a minute of dive bombing us, the bat fled into a darker part of the house.

As I planned my bat hunt, I told Hope to stay under the covers. I ran downstairs to my closet. As I turned on the light, I ducked as a bat fled the room. Was that a different bat? I closed my closet door behind me and slipped on jeans, a long sleeve shirt, shoes, a winter hat that covered my ears, and winter gloves. However, I realized that my bat suit was missing something that popular culture would say is a must when dealing with bats….neck protection! Everyone knows bats go for the jugular! I slipped my lifesaving, fleece, neck gator down over my beanie. Now I was ready for the bat hunt.

As I peered out of my closet, I saw a glimpse of the ugly creature circling the basement. By this time, every light in the house was on. I tried my first tactic: I grabbed a large towel, spread it out and threw at the bat, but he retaliated with some crazy aerial acrobatics. I missed! The flying towel must have scared him because it quickly grasped an acrylic painting with its sharp claws and crawled upside down. I slipped past the bat and went into the garage and fired up my chainsaw…just kidding…I grabbed my butterfly net. I snuck back into the basement and slowly moved toward the creature waiting for it to fly at my face with sharp, gnashing teeth. With one quick motion, I slapped the net on top of the wall painting. I had him trapped, but I couldn’t open the outside door without help! I yelled for Hope and she opened the outside door for me. Success!

But were there more? We both crawled back into bed, but I left one light on. As I waited for any more bats to crawl out of the ceiling, questions were racing through my head. How did he get in? Is there a colony living in the attic? Did he crawl through a gap in the light fixture above our bed? After about 15 minutes on night watch, I turned off the light and lay in bed wearing my neck gator (just kidding). The night was still again and as the adrenaline receded, we fell back asleep.

Toner Mountain

2009-08-19T10:40:00.012-06:00

A couple of weeks ago, we decided give Asher his first mountain climbing experience. Hope and Asher had yet to summit Toner Mountain so we drove to the Middle Fork of the Piedra River. Toner Mountain is one of the more prominent peaks on our horizon. It rises abruptly (4000 vertical feet) from the valley floor meaning it is a healthy challenge.

There is not a trail to the top so it's a choose your own adventure type of mountain (lots of bushwacking). It was a beautiful day without any threat of thunderstorms and lightening.
I told Hope we'd reach the top in 2 hours with plenty of time to get ready for Jody and Barbara's party. But, in the 7 years since I'd climbed Toner, I had forgotten how long the summit ridge is and the 3 discouraging false summits. We reached the summit in 3 hours (at least we didn't need headlamps). Here's Hope on one of the false summits.

Asher enjoyed the mountain top geology. After several taste tests, he correctly identified the summit rocks as extrusive igneous andesite (way to go, son).
Asher enjoyed bouncing on my back while riding in his fancy kid pack. As you can see, the south side of Toner is much more mellow (note to self: climb the south side next time to avoid the rocky false summits).

Silverton and Telluride

2009-08-09T17:54:00.015-06:00

As a running family, we tend to plan vacations around running events. As such, the Kendal Mountain Run lured us to Silverton a couple weekends ago. Silverton is a small mining town frozen in time due to the harsh weather and remote location.

Friday night, we stayed at a historic bed and breakfast in the shadow of Kendal Mountain, which towers 4000 vertical feet above the valley floor. The race the next morning gave me a good introduction to mountain "running". Mountain "running" takes speed out of the running equation. The combination of grade and altitude of many of the upper sections causes hiking to be more efficient than running. And the downhill sections can be so steep that you have to slow down to stay in control.

After I reached the finish line, I sat down next to the guy who won. He took off his shoes and his socks were bloody! Then he took off his socks and both of his heels had literally pealed off (Hope almost tossed her cookies when she saw his feet)! The combination of running fast downhill yet having to stay in control created the worst blisters I've even seen!

Following the race, we decided to drive to Telluride via Imogene Pass. I'm doing the Imogene Pass Race in September so I wanted to see the course, plus it is a "shortcut" to Telluride. Imogene is a rough, high-clearance 4WD road that tops out at 13,000 feet at the summit.

The three of us were scrunched into my truck for the 17 mile journey for over 3 hours (it may have been a shortcut, but it was not a time saver)! Hope discovered that running was more comfortable and faster than driving the pass so she pranced up and down the pass getting a ride only for the insanely steep, uphill sections. Asher managed to fall asleep dispite the bumps (one was so big that I hit my head on the roof).

Finally, we dropped into Telluride for the first time. There's not much difference in history, elevation, climate, and remoteness between Silverton and Telluride, but Telluride real estate managed to boom while it did not in Silverton.

Similar to Silverton, Telluride can't grow outward due to the confines of the valley and a large wetland downstream. But the world class ski resort in Telluride means that there's probably not a home under a million!

Later that night, we ate at great sushi restaurant downtown and then called it a night. The next morning we relaxed in the hotel and gave Asher a bath in the fancy tub.

The next day we took the free tram to the ski village. The archetecture of the ski village is amazing (Vail is trying to catch up) and the dramatic views towards the jagged peaks of the San Juans are hard to beat.

After exploring the ski village, we packed up the truck and drove over Opir Pass, another 4wd pass that links Silverton to Telluride. Opir Pass is much shorter and less rugged than Imogene Pass, but the view is equally spectacular especially looking west towards the Wilson Group.

Piedra Falls

2009-07-27T23:07:00.009-06:00

We visited Piedra Falls one year after the Kurz Family reunion and Caleb’s 13 hour rescue above the falls. In just one year there have been some big changes for several of the reunion attendees. Jeff and Jesse took teaching jobs in Jordan, Caleb and Rachel went to Namibia for two years with the Peace Corp, Curtis and Hannah got married (don't worry - they aren't related...Curtis was just meeting the fam), and Asher joined the world!

The Fourth of July

2009-07-09T12:10:00.006-06:00

I've been doing some part-time work for Riverbend Engineering, a local company specializing in river restoration. This year, Riverbend decided to build a float for the 4th of July parade. The 4th of July is the busiest day in Pagosa and the parade is draws an impressive crowd. The Riverbend float had a river theme complete with a kayak, tubers, a fly fisherman, and a school of fish (kids on fish bikes and babies in fish strollers). The fly fisherman was casting the fly towards the kids who chased the fly on their fish bikes. Our float won second prize! Later that night, Asher got to see his first firework show with Grandma and Grandpa Kurz. We had a great view of the show and Asher was alert the whole time. He wasn't phases by the loud booms.

The fish stroller (colorado river cutthroat trout if you were wondering)

The Riverbend Engineering Float

Grandma Kurz reads Asher one of his favorite books, Brown Bear
Asher shows off his newly-found tongue to Grandpa Kurz

A Trip to Vail

2009-07-09T11:57:00.004-06:00

The European-like Village at Vail

Hope displaying Asher's new scrunched-up-nose face.

Finally - a toy that Asher can't put in his mouth!

Summer's Here!

2009-05-30T22:30:00.005-06:00

Our lilacs are in full bloom (I know yours bloomed 2 months ago, but summer arrives gradually at 7000 feet)! Fortunately, there hasn't been a late frost to dampen their intoxicating fragrance. It rained for almost the entire Memorial Day weekend, but that is great because it eliminated any fire danger and everything is as green as can be.

After several days of showers, I broke down and built a fire. We had to bundle Asher up for our neighborhood walks.

Asher is making brief attempts at crawling, but for now he prefers rolling as a primary mode of travel.

Asher's 1st Track Season

2009-05-30T22:15:00.005-06:00

Asher and Hope made a few guest appearances at track meets this season, but cheering from the sidelines wasn't enough for Asher. He wanted in on the action.

Here he experiments with an intermediate hurdle.

Here he gets ready for the 1 meter dash.

And finally he rests after several bounces on the high jump pit.

Grand Canyon Adventure

2009-04-04T23:57:00.009-06:00

Over spring break, we took our first family backpack trip in the Grand Canyon! April is the peak backpacking month in the Grand Canyon because perennial streams and springs are running, the desert is blooming, and the temperatures are mild. However, weather this spring has been chilly! We checked the forecast for the Grand Canyon and temperatures on the rim were dipping into the low 20’s at night. Chances for rain and snow dotted the 7-day forecast and wind gusts no less than 30 mph hour were predicted throughout the week. Except Thursday. Thursday was to be calm, sunny with a high in the 60’s. We put our faith in the meteorologists and on Wednesday we packed the station wagon full of camping gear and diapers (a new addition to my backcountry gear list).

Mapquest estimated our road trip would be 6.5 hours. Here’s a suggestion for Mapquest: add a multiplier for traveling with a baby – I’d say a factor of 1.5 (that would be an easy addition to their website: “Check here if traveling with a baby and we’ll multiply your travel time accordingly”). I’m still used to single man travel time (a Mapquest multiplier of 0.75), which means no stopping for dinner, no Starbucks, and never conscience of baby changing stations. We toured the beautiful town of Kayenta, AZ looking for a restroom with a baby changing station (another improvement Mapquest could make: automatically mapping the baby changing stations along the route would have saved us 45 minutes).

After getting stuck behind a herd of wild mustangs (I wish), we arrived at Grand

Canyon so late that the Park Rangers weren’t on duty – evidently no

t too many people swing through the Grand Canyon after dark (saved us the $25 bucks)! We rolled into the Village at about midnight and drove in circles until we found the Maswik Lodge (finding it in the dark was tougher than wandering the woods at night).

Since planning ahead is the antithesis of adventure, our plans for the next day were up in the air. Ideally, we’d hike to the bottom of the canyon and stay at Phantom Ranch (rustic lodging) as a baby buffer. But those rooms book a year in advance. Plan B was to get a backcountry permit and primitive camp along the Colorado River. But, most people reserve permits (especially in April) a year in advance as well. If I were to capitalize on someone else’s cancellation, I would have to rise early and check availability when the doors opened for business.

After a short night, I stumbled across the railroad tracks to the backcountry permit office and took position number 8 behind a bunch of hopeful, outdoorsy-looking folks with big backpacks. When it was my turn with Ranger Rick, he informed me that every backcountry campsite along the river was booked (7-9 miles down depending on the trail), so I settled (at the time) for a site 3 miles down the Grandview Trail “near” a spring (one of two water sources other then the Colorado). After securing our backcountry permit, I decided to see if, by chance, anyone canceled at Phantom Ranch. Should have skipped that trip - all I got was a scolding from a desk lady about even thinking about bringing a baby below the rim.

As we ate breakfast on a bench overlooking the canyon, I informed Hope of the plan. This would be Asher’s first experience riding in our new kid carrier that we bought before he was born. It would be Hope's first experience venturing into the depths of the canyon (with a child on her back). And this would be my first time carrying the gear for two people. I recalled Grandview as being a beautiful trail, but like most trails, I remember the scenery rather than physical exertion.

Since we weren’t going to the bottom, it would be colder than I originally anticipated (temperature increases about 4 degrees with every 1000 foot decrease). There was also a 30 percent chance of snow the next day so we brought extra warm clothes. Our campsite was 2500 vertical feet below and only a short distance on the map, but trail maps of the Grand Canyon have a way of obscuring switchbacks. 2500 feet is equal to scaling 2 empire state buildings or a flight of 3720 steps. I was reminded of and Hope quickly found out that going downhill is not easy. It’s equivalent to doing 3720 deep lunges SLOWLY while balancing a heavy pack often times on an exposed ledge. Hope’s pack, which included Asher, was 38 pounds, mine was 55 pounds.

After about a quarter mile, our legs were quivering, but the weather was perfect and the views were stunning. Asher seemed to be comfortable in the kid carrier, but he didn’t sleep as much as we hoped. Each hiker we encountered was shocked to see a baby below the rim. One guy even took Asher’s picture and another said we should be on a reality TV show.

When we reached Horseshoe Mesa, we dropped our packs and surveyed the next section of the trail, which lead to our only water source, Page Spring. The trail didn’t look right to me – it was more rugged, steep, and exposed then I remembered from 10 years ago. We decide not to go any further with our packs due to the fatigue of our legs and the condition of the trail. We pitched our 2-person tent (how we would fit Asher was yet to be determined) in a patch of junipers near a ledge overlooking the rest of the canyon. From the ledge, we could see Page Spring, a stone's toss away, but 500 vertical feet below us. We would have to descend that treacherous section of trail, but thankfully without all of our gear.

A desert spring is an amazing phenomenon. The lushness stands in direct contrast to surrounding barren landscape. A brilliant lavender-colored tree had just bloomed and the air was buzzing with bees. Water from the rim percolates through 3000 feet of rock and eventually seeps from a small overhang covered with ferns, forming a small tranquil pool before disappearing again into the desert sand. We interrupted the water’s journey and filled our water bottles at a rate of about 0.2 liters per minute.

The last rays of golden light were glancing the canyon rim as we labored with our spring water back to our campsite. As we rounded a switchback, I let out a WHOA! We were standing face to face with two big horn rams (their horns nearly formed a full circle). They were as startled as we were and bounded up a vertical cliff knocking down rocks in the process. We both just stood and looked at each other in shock. Unfortunately the light was too low capture a photograph. As we continued up the trail, the rams curiously watched us as we climbed to the top of the mesa.

Back at the campsite, Hope fed Asher and I made dinner. Hope bundled Asher up in several layers in anticipation of a cold night. Asher fell asleep at the head of the tent almost immediately. We ate dinner in the calm twilight. A first quarter moon provided enough light to do the dishes and critter-proof the campsite.

The Grand Canyon is one of the best places to see the heavens. In the sliver of sky between the towering rims, Orion, Pleiades, Taurus, Leo, and Saturn stood out against the blackness. I had dreamed of being able to enjoy the magnificence of God’s creation with my wife (and I never thought far enough ahead to picture sharing it with my son). How thankful I am to be blessed with a wife who is brave enough to venture into the wilderness with me!

After stargazing, Hope and I joined Asher in the tent. Almost immediately after we climbed into our sleeping bags, the wind began whipping the tent like a kite. We thought Asher would surely wake in shear terror as gust after gust shook the tent, but he was in another world (and sound was muffled by all his layers). After about an hour of constant shaking, I ventured out of the tent and took off the rain fly to reduce the tent’s flapping, which helped, but the unpredictable shuddering continued until sunrise. We were able to gain few minutes of sleep in-between episodes of violent shaking.

We emerged from the tent stiff and tired,

but the morning

sunshine was glorious.

The price of backpacking to remote locations is soreness. Hope said her legs had never been so sore in her life. Hope and Asher took a nap in the warm sunshine while I wandered along the edge of the Mesa.

Cloud cover began to increase as an approaching storm advanced.

We packed up our gear and began our climb to the rim in anticipation of the predicted snow. Temperatures dropped as we slowly ascended the trail like a cruel and endless stairmaster workout with no relief until the top. When we reached the rim, the windchill was nearly unbearable and shortly thereafter, it began to snow.

Asher did amazingly well on this short but rigorous journey. He is an amazing baby! Although camping on the bottom next to the Colorado is a wonderful experience, I'm glad all the permits were booked! 7-9 miles would have been too much! I'm learning the limits of family backpacking. When we returned home, we were pleasantly surprised to find out that Eden and Forrest had their baby Dianah Carol!

Baby Blue

2009-03-17T21:30:00.003-06:00

This is my favorite picture of Asher yet. Hope took it while I was holding him. It kinda captures his ability to raise one eyebrow.

New Rug!

2009-03-17T21:00:00.003-06:00

Asher's new cobblestone rug arrived last week! It was a special order from Home Depot that we purchased with gift cards from Christmas. As you can see, Asher doesn't know how to use his arms for forward travel.

Asher has recently found interest in his feet. I don't believe they've reached his mouth yet (like everything else). If he has flexibility like me, we won't have to worry about him sucking on his toes.

We think Asher has begun teething.
He's a little fussier than normal,
but still an easygoing little fella.

He has joined the track team a couple of times for
their Monday long run. I made my top runner do some resistance training with Asher yesterday. Anytime we encountered a hill, I'd pass Asher's stroller over to him so I could keep up. Asher is a big hit with the track team even though he won't smile for any of the athletes. I reassure the kids that he doesn't smile for anyone but his mother. Around Mom, he's all smiles as you can see.

More Smiles

2009-03-02T19:20:00.000-07:00

A visit from Hanna and Eden!

2009-02-10T15:13:00.020-07:00

My sisters came down to Pagosa for a surprise trip to celebrate my birthday! Needless to say, it was a wonderful birthday present, and what a treat to get to spend time all together!

A little snow shoeing in the National Forest....

Hanna picked up cross country skiing in no time flat!

What a guy!

2009-02-10T13:10:00.007-07:00

Asher is getting more alert all the time, increasingly observant of his surroundings, and

entertaining Mom and Dad with his myriad of facial expressions!

Baby Babble

2009-02-08T16:13:00.004-07:00

Asher was verbally inspired by his Aunt Hanna and Aunt Edens' visit! He must have missed our constant banter, because he wouldn't stop talking the night they left!

Snow Shoe Race

2009-01-21T10:31:00.019-07:00

Wait, is he smiling? JD is re-enacting the finish of the Chama, NM, snowshoe race, which, by the way, he won, with no one else in sight....not even Mr. Leadville 100, for whom they stalled the race, "A competitor worth waiting for", they said, and last year's winner. Little did they know, JD would be the silent but deadly snow shoe stalker, creeping up from behind, to put the hurt on! All kidding aside, it was a beautiful day for a race and Asher and I cheered proudly from the side.

Having Fun

2009-01-15T10:16:00.001-07:00

Asher is full of smiles these days!

All Smiles (usually)

2009-01-07T21:52:00.004-07:00

Asher has figured out how to smile and has become much more expressive. His whole body gets excited when he smiles. He's tons of fun!

Asher's 1st Blizzard

2008-12-20T15:49:00.003-07:00

A blizzard on Monday night caused school to be canceled on Tuesday. We took advantage of the fine powder and tried out the chariot's cross country ski attachment. Asher slept the whole time!

A convergence of venus, jupiter, and a crescent moon

Asher Cache

2008-12-20T14:35:00.003-07:00

Visit to Denver

2008-11-27T15:41:00.000-07:00

Visit from Grandma!

2008-11-22T15:35:00.000-07:00

U2

2008-11-20T14:52:00.001-07:00

Traumatizing Asher with my lack of range!

Stories, Dancing, and the Mesmerizing Ceiling Fan

2008-11-02T22:19:00.005-07:00

Asher enjoys bedtime stories with mom and dancing with Dad while mom sings. Whenever Asher's awake, he loves to gaze at the lights in the ceiling fan. So we spin around under the lights until he gets hungry or falls asleep again. Speaking of sleep, Asher set a new sleeping record last night...he slept for 4 hours straight much to his parents' delight! We think he record was made possible by mom putting him to bed in his new cozy, velcro-equipped wrap (see below). Or maybe it was the bedtime story or maybe it was all the energy he exerted while dancing. Who knows, but we'll see if he can repeat his amazing sleep feat tonight!

Nighttime? What's that?

2008-10-30T19:23:00.006-06:00

Mom and Dad are making a valiant effort to keep Asher awake until "bedtime". Baby Kurz is still quite the night owl, preferring to sleep most of the day, regardless of the surrounding noise level or activity!

Daddy

2008-10-25T19:35:00.032-06:00

JD is a natural father, rapidly mastering the art of changing diapers (sometimes consecutively in one session!); crooning Asher to sleep with his guitar, and carefully planning ahead to ensure our little son's safety.

Daddy and Asher spending some quality time, no doubt discussing future activities having to do with rocks, snakes and turtles, hiking or cross country skiing!

Our Family

2008-10-24T01:31:00.003-06:00

Too cute!

2008-10-19T23:37:00.003-06:00

Our Family

2008-10-18T21:01:00.005-06:00

Seeing my beautiful wife cradling our newborn son in our cozy living room reminded me of my life just 2 1/2 years ago. Since I'm a scientist, I happen to have before and after pictures to document how much my life has been enriched since Hope and Asher came along. My house in now a home, filled with love and the joy of a newborn child!

Sweet Ride!

2008-10-15T17:12:00.004-06:00

Today, Asher enjoyed the warm sunshine from his new baby carrier. The carrier was a generous purchase by the cross country team. The nice, smooth ride put him right to sleep! We can't wait to take Asher cross country skiing in the carrier. Oh, wait...that requires snow on the ground and I'm not sure we're quite ready for that yet!

Baby!

2008-10-14T19:34:00.004-06:00

Asher Cache Kurz was born at 9:37 pm on Sunday, October 12 in Durango, Colorado. He was 7 pounds and just over 20 inches long. To our surprise, Asher arrived over two weeks early! Hope thought her water broke late Thursday night shortly after returning to Pagosa from my Grandpa’s funeral in Denver. Maybe it was the 7000-foot elevation gain between Denver and Wolf Creek Pass, or maybe it was an answer to my sister’s prayers.
My parents, my sister Rachel, and her husband Caleb were shortly behind us as they we all converging on our household for the weekend. My dad was going to help me paint the baby room. My mom and Rachel were going to attend the baby shower. This would be the last time we’d see Caleb and Rachel before they leave for a 2-year commitment with the Peace Corp in Namibia, Africa. Rachel was praying that she’d get to meet the baby prior to leaving the country.
Hope happened to have a midwife appointment on Friday in Durango. Test revealed that her water didn’t break, however, Hope continued to lose fluid throughout Friday and Saturday. She alerted the midwives, who asked her to come back to Durango after her baby shower on Saturday afternoon. Thinking the tests would only confirm the previous results, I almost sent my mom with Hope to Durango while I stayed to paint the baby room with my dad. But, to be on the cautious side, I grabbed Hope’s emergency baby bag, my camera and toothbrush and we had a leisurely ride to the Durango hospital.
Upon arrival, further tests revealed that Hope’s water did indeed break on Thursday and we were shocked to be informed that we would not be leaving the hospital without our baby in our arms! Neither of us were mentally ready to be parents that night.

Since Hope’s water had broken 48 hours earlier and she had yet to have a contraction, the midwives decided to induce her immediately (starting with a mild inducer overnight and with plans for Patosin in the morning). The mild stuff didn’t phase Hope so we slept through the night in the family birthing center.

In the morning, Hope was given Patosin around 9:00am. The dosage was gradually increased until strong contractions began at 1:30pm. By 4:00pm, Hope was dilated about 8 centimeters and the midwives decided to allow her to try a water birth as planned. In the tub, Hope dilated to 9 cm, but contractions faded without the help of the Patosin. The midwives decided she needed the Patosin to keep the momentum, but that meant she’d have to leave the tub. We were back in our room at about 5:30pm and contractions gradually increased in strength until it was time to push around 6:30pm.

Hope was strong and had a great attitude despite slow progress. Asher’s head was stuck and despite everyone telling her that she was almost done, Hope had to push for 3 more hours. I tried to encourage her by reminding her how slow the progress was in Caleb’s rescue as he clung to the rock for 13 hours. I also reminded her of that climber in Utah who cut his arm off with a dull pocket knife after dangling for 3 days in a dark canyon. In between contractions, I pointed out that she would get a baby for all her pain, whereas all the climber got was a metal hook. I’m not sure how well these mental tactics worked, but I think I diverted her attention from her own pain at least for a few seconds (you’d better ask her perspective of my pain diversion tactics). After painstakingly slow progress I began to worrying about how much longer Hope could maintain pushing with such intensity and how much stress the baby could endure.

Finally, after tremendous composure, Hope was able to usher Asher into this world. When I first saw him, he was bluish and much bigger than I imagined! Gasping for his first breaths in my arms, Asher’s bluish hues quickly faded into a beautiful fair complexion. I couldn’t have asked for a more beautiful son and for such a beautiful and courageous wife to whom I will forever be indebted for bearing tremendous pain during our son’s birth.

2008-08-23T23:18:00.003-06:00

What can I say? Here we are in full form at 7 1/2 months!

Hiking in beautiful Pagosa....

2008-08-21T22:55:00.003-06:00

JD, Baby Kurz (7 mos.), and I on top of Pagosa Peak (12,600 ft.). We hiked this with a small group of hs cross country kids a few weeks ago. Whew! Short, but steep. We thought it would be a good initiation to Baby Kurz's early altitude training!