Mike Cranney

The Dinosaur Quarry

2011-12-29T15:39:00.002-07:00

After years and years of telling Jenn how awesome the Dino Quarry is, I was finally able to show her. It has been closed down for awhile and is now re-opened. I hesitate even blogging about it as I am not sure Vernal has the capacity to hold all those that will be booking hotels in response to this blog. But, for your sakes I did anyway. Your welcome!

Just a few morsels and tid-bits to pique your interest: %50 of the the Dino species identified in North America have been found in Dinosaur National Monument; Many of the species original excavated can be found in the Carnegie Museum in Pittsburgh and the Smithsonian.

"Bob Trapping"

2011-12-29T15:35:00.002-07:00

On Friday, December 16th, an hour and a half after finishing my last test, we had the van loaded and were heading to Kansas City for the night. The Next morning we made the rest of the trip to Utah. Porter had been wanting to go "Bob trapping" ever since his grandpa made the proposal. So the Monday after we got into town we went with my dad and brother to check their traps.

Vernal has to be one of the coldest places on earth. The frost on this tree tells it all.

Making the hike up to one of the traps.

At the end of the day we ended up with two foxes, two rabbits and a bird and zero bobcats (Porter kept count for us). It was fun though I couldn't talk Porter into going out for the next trip. His excuse: "it's too cold!"

The Fungus Ball

2011-12-29T15:34:00.002-07:00

Before everyone took off for Christmas, we all attended the Fungus Ball (Prom for Nerds and me). Babysitting was provided and we all had fun gettin "jiggy with it."

Jenn, Ben and Sarah M, Aimee and Tyler S.

Last of the Summer Post, then I am caught up.

2011-10-30T08:51:00.001-06:00

Worlds of Fun, though I was unable to attend this event so it may not have been as fun as the name implies.

Some friends scored us a couple of free days at the end of July at the Big Cedar Resort near Branson, MO.

Downtown Branson

I spent two weeks with a preceptor in Cassville, MO. Jenn and the boys came down for one of the weekend and we went to Roaring River State Park. It was really pretty. It is know for its excellent trout fishing, though time didn't allow for us to wet the fly.

Missouri has lots of lightening bugs. In the evenings we had a good time collecting them in jars and then using them for a night light before we released them the next morning.

St. George, UT and the Valley of Fire, NV

2011-09-04T08:51:00.000-06:00

Little Wild Horse Canyon

2011-09-04T08:12:00.000-06:00

Goblin Valley

2011-09-04T07:58:00.000-06:00

Outside the hotel in Hanksville, UT.

Nothing like a kid picking his nose over the top of your head! Both the boys got to tired to walk back so we arranged ourselves accordingly and the result is seen above. I think I got the shaft!

Dino Tri 2011

2011-09-04T07:51:00.000-06:00

A few of the kids waiting for the dads at T2

Metcalfe and I coming into T2.

Mike Cranney, Tyler Smith, and Ben Metcalfe

Glendon and Sarah Lamb.

Aimee's mom and dad made the trek out to Vernal. They invited all of us to the KOA for tacos.

2011-08-14T07:51:00.000-06:00

After Liz's, we spent a few nights at Hotel Hartl with Trish and Caleb. We spent an evening at Snowbird and an evening at the park.

Summer Vacation

2011-08-14T07:46:00.000-06:00

Running out of time to post all the summer pics, so I am keeping the explanations short. After Bear Lake we went to Liz's house. Porter was sick all day and Liz was on narcotics trying to pass a kidney stone, but we still had a good time.

Summer of 2011 Part 2

2011-07-11T20:59:00.001-06:00

Jenn and Andrew overlooking Bear Lake from the Hall's cabin

Mike Hall took me and the kids on an "adventure" (a hike). Pic of the kids at the "summit". Andrew is not happy. Surprised?

Playing -minus the kids. What What!!

T and P still best buds.

After arriving in Vernal on Sunday, we headed to Syracuse to hang with old friends. We spent the night at the Birds the first night and then traveled to Bear Lake to party it up for a few days. We filled the next day with bike rides, runs, hikes, and games. On our way home we stopped in Logan to eat at our 2nd favorite mexican place, cafe sabor, and spent a night at the halls home.

Summer 2011

2011-07-10T21:40:00.003-06:00

I completed my first year of medical school June 1. The next day 6 other med students and I headed on a short road trip to Detroit, MI to scoop out some of our possible rotation sites for 3rd and 4th year. We got back to Kirksville at about 4 a.m on June the 4th. On the 6th of June Jenn and I had the van packed and ready to go. We loaded up the boys and made the long voyage back to the mothership (Utah). We expected the worst, but unusual to their normal form P and A were fantastic for the whole trip. Probably 6 total minutes of crying for the 17 hour road trip (this was not the case for the ride home, more on that later). We stopped in Hays, KS and ate lunch. If you ever have the chance to stop and check out Hays, KS do yourself a favor and keep driving. We also stopped by our favorite little Mexican place in Glenwood Springs, CO. We final arrived in Vernal, UT on the 8th at 10:00.

Family Pictures

2011-05-11T20:15:00.000-06:00

Recently I traded some of my artwork for family photos. I realize that many of you right now think I am joking as you don't know that I am an artist. Well one of our friends liked my one and only piece of art we hung in our living room. One thing led to another and here is a sample of our photo session. I'll put up a few others later, but for now I thought I'd break from studying and post a little something to keep my nonexistent readers satisfied (also, not a joke).

2011 St. Louis Marathon

2011-04-17T08:41:00.001-06:00

Jenn, Tera and Ashley prior to the race.

Porter and Tanner hanging out in the hotel lobby. Jenn found a really great deal online for our hotel. It was the perfect location. That morning Porter, Andrew and Me watch the race go by right outside our window and then the finish line was just right up the street.

Jenn signed me up to receive text during the race that kept me up-to-date on her whereabouts. It was sweet and was with in minutes of her "predicted finish time." This is a pic of the three boys watching, trying to find their moms. I am so proud of Jenn. What a trooper. One of her talents in life is toughness. She'll just wake up one day and decide to do something like a marathon and then do it. Due to our trip to Guatemala she missed one of the big training runs and didn't get a lot of time to train while we were there. None of this even phased her though. I think I was more nervous that she wasn't going to be able to do it than she was. Afterwards she wasn't even tired and didn't sleep a wink until that night (maybe she should have pushed her self ha ha). We had our lungs tested once and the Dr. was extremely impressed with how big Jenn's were. I keep telling her she has a physiologic advantage, but she just says she is tough. Anyway, good job to Jenn, Tera and Ashley. They all finished the race! Ashley first and then Jenn and Tera finished together. I think they inspired me enough to consider the 26.2 that separates the men from the boys, but I haven't committed yet.

Don't know as though I would be this happy if my nipples were chaffed this badly! Kudos to this guy though for being proud of the "scars" that prove his toughness.

Saturday Soccer Games

2011-04-17T07:49:00.003-06:00

I know that Jenn already posted many of these on her blog, but I am adding it to my as well to keep my readers satisfied. ha ha. We love heading down to the park on Saturday mornings. During Porters first game someone on his team scored a goal, and Porter ran over to me afterwards and asked, "Dad, does that mean that everyone on the team gets a point?" I guess I forgot to explain that beforehand. It is hard to anticipate what kids might and might not know, especially since these things seem so obvious to us. Anyway, Porter is having fun and learning more and more every week, and we enjoy watching.

Day 4

2011-04-17T07:48:00.000-06:00

Checking out the Spanish ruins

Volcano erupting outside Antigua.

I know these are extremely post-trip, but I am sure that the two or three of you that read my blog don't mind.

Day 3

2011-03-27T11:36:00.009-06:00

Day 2

2011-03-15T17:50:00.007-06:00

On the drive around lake Atitlan.

The volcanos are extremely impressive.

One of the places we stopped to eat on our drive which had an amazing view and fantastic food.

Guatemala

2011-03-13T19:59:00.008-06:00

We were supposed to leave the house at 4:00 am, but Jenn thought it would be a good idea to hit the snooze. Luckily I had set my mental alarm for 4:18 am, not totally trusting Jenn. So we woke up in a slight rush, but got headed out the door fairly quickly. We still made it to Chicago by the time we had originally planned and made our flight no problem. Jenn is not used the early morning so therefore needed to catch up on her sleep.

In her defense she was such a good copilot, never got us lost and always had the correct change for the toll booth, that she earned her sleep.

We got to Guatemala City late last night and made the drive to Solola early this morning -hit up church and a few other meetings with the locals. Tomorrow we are driving to the other side of the lake to see more sights. Until then here are a couple of pics.

Veiw from our room.

The Big Storm of 2011

2011-02-06T09:04:00.000-07:00

We had a big storm the other day. They frequently cancel Porter's school due to weather. As a matter of fact, they are kind of pansies around here. Sometimes school gets canceled because it is too cold! Below zero and everyone shuts down around here. My school is a different story. They rarely shut us down. Word on the streets is that they have only shut down once in the last eighteen years. Well the storm the other day was bad enough to even shut us down for a day and a half. Snow days in med. school aren't the same as when you are younger. They don't take out any material and it just has to be made up on a different day. But, we still found some time to go out and enjoy our freshly fallen 18'' of snow.

St. Louis Zoo

2010-12-31T08:29:00.001-07:00

Porter pointing at the sloth bear.

Porter and his new best bud, Jackson Smith.

Andrew was a champ and had a good time. He thinks that everything alive is either a puppy or a kitty. He just walks around pointing at every animal saying, "puppy."

The three little terds that keep me smiling and laughing.

We have had lots of extra time during this Christmas break. After Christmas day we started getting pretty bored, so we took a trip with the Smith's to St. Louis. I had never been there and every one around here kept telling us what a fantastic place it was to go during school breaks. We weren't disappointed. I am not much of a zoo fan, which many come as a surprise since I am a ZOOlogy major. But, up to this point Hoggle has been the extent of my zoo experiences. St. Louis is apparently rated in the top zoos in the nation and to top it off, it's free. We were only able to see a small portion, but what I saw was pretty impressive.

Christmas

2010-12-31T08:02:00.000-07:00

Christmas morning was really fun this year. Porter was really excited. Santa Claus and his reindeer left foot prints in the snow. Porter and I found a bell next to the sleigh marks in the snow. It must have fallen off the sled when Santa Claus landed. Andrew's excitement was somewhat surprising. We expected him to be a little bit of a dud, be he enjoyed every minute of it.

Christmas Eve

2010-12-31T07:42:00.000-07:00

We kept the tradition alive by getting the boys pajamas, which they opened on Christmas eve. Andrew is still young enough that he likes and wears what ever we get him. Porter on the other hand is at that stage where we want him to have cute pajamas, but he is not interested in style and just wants the sponge bob setup. So being the awesome parents that we are, we let him have his independence at the expense of looking cool.

KCOM Kids Social

2010-12-26T15:36:00.000-07:00

One of the clubs at school put together a social for the kids. Of course this involved a visit from Santa. Porter hopped into line before Jenn and I even knew what was going on. Andrew, however, wasn't bursting with the same enthusiasm.

Covered Bridge

2010-11-28T14:02:00.007-07:00

On the drive home from Kansas City we saw a sign for a covered bridge. Porter and I had to go number one pretty badly so we decided to make the 4 mile drive to check things out. Once we got to the parking lot and took the 1/4 mile hike there it was. It was really neat, plus it was a good excuse to get out of the car and stretch our legs a little.

Thanksgiving

2010-11-28T13:48:00.002-07:00

Porter and Andrew have been sharing a room since we moved to Kville. Lately Andrew has been waiting until Porter falls asleep and when the coast is clear he sneaks over to Porter's bed and snuggles up. Normally he couldn't reach Porter's bed but we are working on restaining it right now so his mattress just sits on the floor -easy access for the mischievous little Andrew.

Andrew spent twenty minutes looking at he reflection in the coffee table and then poking his head underneath to find the person he was seeing in the reflection -sometimes he's a bit of a slow learner.

We always have a good time at the Aulds. The nights are always filled with fun games. This year the game of choice was phase ten. When I heard what we would be playing I was pretty confident that I would be coming away with a victory since I had been undefeated up to that point. However, I am sad to say that my reign has come to an end. Monica (Jenn's lil' sis) now has the reign, at least until the next time we play.

50,000 Words in Four Years

2010-10-10T19:37:00.000-06:00

I don't know if it is myth or truth, but recently I heard that most people's vocabulary increases by 5,000 words in undergraduate school, while that is ratcheted up to 50,000 words in medical school. In my first six weeks I have made nearly 1200 note cards. That's 200 note cards a week. Multiple that by 4 years and you end up with 41,600 note cards at the end of it all. Recently I changed my study style. The note cards were working well but there is just too much information, so I had to switch it up. I'll find out next week if my new style is effective or not as we have three exams.

Porter's First Day of Preschool

2010-09-14T19:58:00.000-06:00

Porter always comes up with the craziest ideas. We had to buy a lawn mower when we got here, and we threw the box in the garage to await the recycling truck. In the meantime Porter found that he could fit in it "perfectly." So he thought it would be sweet to sleep in it. Being the wicked sweet parents that we are, Jenn and I helped him make a little bed and tucked him away for the night. The next day he kept trying to convince us how comfortable it really was -needless to say, we have just stuck to sleeping in our bed.

Porter started preschool last week. The humidity was so horrible when we arrived that we couldn't keep his hair combed, so we buzzed it. It looks pretty bad, but it matches his goofy personality well. Porter loves school, and every night he tells me about how he gets to pour his own milk.

Andrew is consoling his big bro on his first day. "it'll be ok. I'll take good care of mommy while you're gone."

Life in Kirksville

2010-09-12T17:16:00.000-06:00

One of our favorite things to do on a Saturday morning is to hook up the bike trailer and take a family trip down to the farmers' market. The Amish population in the area is quite large, and there is always some great friendship bread, salsa, or fresh fruits and vegetables to be purchased. We are hoping the weather continues to be nice for quite awhile. We hear the market is every sat. until it gets too cold.

White Coat

2010-09-12T14:17:00.000-06:00

The day after our trip to Nauvoo, ATSU held our white coat ceremony. After the ceremony Sarah looked at me and said, "I'll be honest, it makes me a little nervous that you are a student doctor." To which I replied, "you and me both!"

Thanks for coming out to visit us guys. It was a blast to have you here!

Sarah and Glendon/Nauvoo

2010-09-12T14:07:00.000-06:00

A week after we got to MO, Sarah, Glendon and family made the long voyage out to visit us. The day after they arrived we all made the 2 hour drive to Nauvoo. Jenn and I hadn't been back since we were married. It was fun to go back and take Porter and Andrew (well lets be honest, Andrew wasn't that fun to have around because he won't be be still for more than one second). We had a really good time and were glad Sarah and G-string were able to come out.

Outside of Carthage Jail

Candance looking photogenic as always

Port and me making a rope pioneer style

From Vtown to Kville

2010-09-12T13:53:00.001-06:00

Jenn and the boys left for Kirksville, MO a week before I did. I stayed in Vernal for an extra week to make some "good money." Jenn is such a trooper and isn't afraid to tackle any task by herself or with two kids. It took them two long days, but they made it. We spilt a Uhaul with our friends Dan and Meagan and they drove it to MO. Apparently the heat and humidity were horrible as can be seen in the pictures below. Jenn couldn't even get a clear shot of the Uhaul. Dan (maybe the only person more organized then Jenn in this world) arranged to have the elder's quorum come help us move in. Then, Jenn and Meridith (Jenn's sister, who is living with us) started to arrange the house. They worked endlessly until I showed up the following weekend.

More Family Photos

2010-09-12T13:36:00.001-06:00

More Family Photos

2010-09-12T13:30:00.000-06:00

Family Pictures

2010-09-12T13:22:00.001-06:00

Between packing, moving, unpacking and starting school Jenn and I have slacked on our blogging. Well lets be honest Jenn always slacks, but now I have joined the club. I am going to try and update with what been going on with the Cranney's. First, before we left Vernal Kari Haslem took our family photos. We have wanted to get this done forever, but it just never seemed to fit into the "twenty-eight and still in school budget." Kari offered to "practice" on us as she is trying to put a portfolio together. We think she did a wonderful job. These are just a few of them. Due to the limitations of picasa I can only post four at a time. I'll post four more in the next post.

Rafting Through Split Mountain Gorge

2010-07-18T11:54:00.000-06:00

I can't believe we get paid to do this.

Split Mountain Gorge.

Jordan, Trina and Kirk.

Rowing thru the final stretch.

We took a whitewater training course while we rafted Split Mountain Gorge. It was really fun and the best part was that we got paid to do it. Being employed by the government has its advantages. This was my last day with the Division. The following Monday I went back to work for Ponderosa. I couldn't pass up the good money. On a side note, people that make "good money" don't use the term "good money." Only those of us who consider the compensation you get from giving plasma "good money" use the term "good money."

Overnight on the Green River

2010-07-11T11:46:00.002-06:00

Don, Michelle and Kirk. Setting up camp and watch some Seinfeld on the portable DVD player as dinner cooks.

The sunsets can be pretty spectacular

Packing up, getting ready for another day the river.

This summer I have been working for the DWR shocking fish on the Green River, attemping to remove the small mouth bass. Every other week we have gone on an overnight trip from the Ouray Bird Refuge down to Sandwash. The first couple of trips were horrible because the mosquitoes were so bad. But, this last trip was really nice. We found a nice beach, setup camp, and watch the sun set.

Wicked Sweet Parents

2010-07-11T09:06:00.001-06:00

Most parents only celebrate their child's birthday once a year. However, as Jenn and I campaign for "Parents of the Year" we decided to throw Porter a party for his half birthday. When we lived his Syracuse Porter's friend Talmage was four and a half. Porter has continually asked, "Mom when am I going to be four and a half?" It was a big milestone in his life and so we had a little party in unison with the Fourth of July. A few days after his little party, Porter went to the DWR office with me and someone asked how old he was and I replied "He is four." He wasn't happy with me, and quickly reminded me that he was four and a half.

Along the way

2010-07-11T08:32:00.003-06:00

Drew has learned a few new tricks as of late. Kids do so many cute things at this age as they try to mimic the old people around them, and without warning their attempted mimicry morphs into the real thing. Before long you forget what they looked like trying to crawl, trying to kiss you, trying to wave, etc, and unless you have it on film it may be lost forever. I have tried to be diligent about capturing the precious moments as Andrew and Porter have grown from their almost bird-like beginnings into people that laugh, walk, tell jokes, etc. In doing so, I caught Andrew puckering up and trying to sneak in a kiss. Also, he has recently learned to wave and spends his time during the songs in church waving at the chorister as he is convinced she must be waving at him. He also enjoys clapping and practicing standing without using anything for balance. Jenn and I often comment to each other and many of you how much we dislike parenting, and believe me we aren't making it up. But, when we look back and see one of our little guys doing something like this, it almost convinces us that we enjoy it and would like to have more children.

4th of July

2010-07-04T09:29:00.000-06:00

Jesse, MiShelle and Daxton Rowell

Just waiting for the fireworks to begin

Sarah and Glendon. Always nice for them to invite us to hangout with them.

Jenn and Andrew snuggling up, watching the show.

Every year, for as long as I have known the Rowells, they have had a BBQ next to the gazebo in Ashley Park on the Fourth of July. This year was no exception, so Jenn and I played the party crashers and headed over for some good company and free food. Sarah and Glendon were also nearby and invited us to watch the fireworks with them. The boys had a lot of fun. Andrew kept trying to reach out and touch the fireworks and Porter finally figured out that there was no need to be afraid. The first couple of firework shows we went to when he was younger didn't go as well as this year.

Still Water Dam

2010-07-04T08:17:00.004-06:00

Every year we have a Cranney family campout. This year Jenn and I are in charge of planning it and putting everything together. Sarah and Glendon told us about a great little spot up nearly Upper Still Water Dam, so we reserved it for the weekend of the 24th. Yesterday we drove up with Sarah, Glendon and their family just to check things out. It was such a nice day. And, to our surprise, we found Jeff and Joan camping with their family. All of us went for a little hike, threw rocks and tried our luck with the fly rod -to no avail, however. Well Jeff did catch one about the size of my pinkie, but that's too small to count. We are extra excited to the 24th as it will be the last one Jenn and I will be attending for a few years and you know I like to go out with a bang!

Memorial Weekend

2010-06-29T21:18:00.000-06:00

Because our anniversary is on May 28, due to Memorial Day Jenn and I have a three day weekend every year to celebrate our love. If only we had some extra money to go along with the extra time so I could post pictures of our trip to India, NYC, or Europe. Despite our low anniversary funds we had a blast hanging in SLC at the Hotel Hartle (Trish and Caleb's). The best part was they allowed us to stay for free. While we were there we ate Chinese, went to the park, watch Avatar, took a brief trip to Syracuse and Jenn let me pick up a new tri bike. A big shout out to the Hartles for a wicked sweet weekend.

Robert and Jod

2010-06-29T21:16:00.002-06:00

While living in Syracuse Jenn and I meet some really neat people. First and Foremost was the Carlsons. As soon as we moved there I was asked to be in the nursery. Robert and Jodi were in there with me. We had a really good time and eventual brought Jenn into the circle. After a few months past Jodi gave birth to Anna Jane and shortly there after suffered a Stroke. The Carlsons have been such and inspiration to us. We have such a love and admiration for them. This last month we suckered them into visiting us in Vernal. It was really fun. The kids played in the pool and on the playground for hours and hours. Of course the highlight of the trip was visit to the Natural History Museum. Most of you think I am joking, but much to Jenn dismay I am not. Thanks to the Carlson for making the voyage and for the cheery temperament they maintain in spite of some seriously unfortunate luck.

Dinotri

2010-06-29T19:38:00.002-06:00

Triathlon is such a sweet sport and there is something neat about competing in your home town. I was a little ify about the dinotri because last year it didn't get great reviews, but I signed up anyway. I talked Glendon (brother-in-law) and Dan (friend I am going to med. school with) into competing as well. The swim was a little rough for me. I borrowed a vintage wetsuit from Jesse and MiShelle, which I am thankful for but not convinced it was such a great idea. Halfway through the swim the velcro strap came loose and the suit filled with water. I took me slightly over 24 min to complete the swim, which is horrible. The fastest guy in my age group was six plus minutes faster than I was out of the water. With about 2 hundred meters to go I finally caught him and was able to gain about 16 seconds on him before I crossed the finish line. It was exciting to win my age group, though I am always stunned by the people that win the overall. I can't believe that people can move that fast. It seems impossible for me to ever compete at that level, but maybe I'll surprise myself someday. I am signing up for the NEMO tri (olympic distance) which is held in Kirksville, MO in September.

Ragnar

2010-06-29T16:25:00.002-06:00

Jenn has been racing for quite sometime. Last summer I competed in my first triathlon and became addicted. After the triathlon last year, our friends Teri and Bryan told us how much fun they had running ragnar 2009 and talk us into signing up for ragnar 2010. We choose the team name "we'll be home for Christmas" because we were just running to finish and not for speed. Of course when it was time to race we inwardly cared about our individual times. Our team consisted of: Van #1: Teri, Bryan, Dennis, Jen A., and Courtney and Van #2: Me, Jenn, Liz, JoAnn, Glendon, and Ashley. It was all fun until it was your turn to run, but we finished all 188.2 miles (Logan to Park City) in just a little over 31 hours. During the race everyone kept saying, "never again", but plans are already in the works to put together next years team.

The Climb

2010-05-22T16:27:00.002-06:00

Porter has recently found a love for the rock wall at the rec. center. Because he is scared of so many odd things (e.g., octipi in the house, boats, etc.), it was surprising when he climbed all the way to the top without hesitation. Jenn went to PC to party it up with some friends last weekend and, due to her grandfather's passing, she is away this weekend. This being our second weekend alone together we decided to venture out (idk how women get so much accomplished daily while schlepping kids around. Usually I say, "dude I can't do anything I am watching the kids.") and try to have a little fun. First we headed to the rec. center to give the wall a try. Porter climbed to the top as always and was even willing to try his luck with some of the harder routes. Andrew and I just watched. After Porter climbed, a couple of older kids tried to take the same route Port had, but to no avail. I was pretty proud to say the least. I guess all that time pretending he was spiderman, wearing underwear on his head for a mask, paid off. If the weather will ever clear up, I am going to try to take the boys to Fantasy Canyon for a hike. Wish me luck. If it turns out well we'll post some more pics.

Icebreaker Triathlon

2010-04-27T21:36:00.002-06:00

Todd and Kayli traveled out to Vernal on the weekend of April 10 so Todd and I could compete in the 1st annual Icebreaker Triathlon at the new Uintah Recreation Center downtown V-town. Todd took first place overall and I finished seventh. However, the night prior to the race we had Jesse and MiShelle over to join us in a little "Ticket to Ride," and I am proud to announce I took first place overall. I always say, "if you can't beat them at physical stuff, beat them at intellectual stuff like 'Ticket to Ride.'" To everybody's credit it was their first time and its hard to win the first or second time playing if your not board game savvy. In all seriousness though it was a fun weekend. It always nice to hangout with friends.

The City of Love

2010-02-15T11:56:00.000-07:00

We went on a short little hike near First Dam.

Fun was had by all as can be seen!

Our first apartment. We have Porter to thank for taking this picture for us.

It has become somewhat of a tradition for Jenn and I to travel to Logan for Valentines. We call it the city of love as that is where we met, fell in love, and lived for the first year of married life. We went for a little hike and played some Frisbee at First Dam, ate at Cafe Sabor , and, much to their dismay, gave Porter and Andrew a tour of our previous life.

Daniel and the lions den

2010-02-07T21:43:00.000-07:00

Little P-diddy read his first scripture today in church. I was not able to go watch but Jenn told me he did and awesome job and may have even brought a tear or two to a few eyes. I asked him this morning what scripture he liked the most and he told me that he liked Daniel and the lions den. So we opened up the scriptures and found a good one from that story. He and Andrew had matching ties which had been purchased by Grandma Cranney the previous day. The two of them looked really cute. See Jenn's blog (www.mjpcranney.blogspot.com) for more on Porter's little talk.

The Crazy Fun Hat Run

2010-02-07T20:58:00.003-07:00

Yesterday, Jenn, JoAnn, Liz and I competed in the Crazy Fun Hat Run. Liz was the event organizer and it ended up being a hit. Fifty plus people showed up for the free race. I, like most husbands, am so proud of my wife. Only recently (within two weeks) did Jenn start feeling like she had enough energy and was getting enough sleep at night to start running again. Her pre-race training consisted of above 5 runs. The day before the race she was still trying to decide if she should do the 5 or 10K, and then someone (I won't name them) questioned whether she could do the 10K. That made the decision an easy one for her. She finished the 10K with a really good time considering her short training regimen. She is such an awesome person. Most people don't realize how competitive she is because she, unlike me, competes with tact. But, if you doubt her toughness she will quietly douse your uncertainty. JoAnn and Liz did exceedingly well too. This was JoAnn first race and she finished above the middle of the pack. Liz is a veteran racer and this was the first of 10 races she hopes to do in 2010. My friend Todd came down and took second in the 5K with a 7:42 min/mile avg.

My competitive nature won't allow me to mention that in spite of how well JoAnn, Liz and Jenn did, I still beat all three of them.

Christmas Break

2009-12-15T15:13:00.001-07:00

If you could make a living off being a student I'd do it. You can't beat the christmas and summer breaks you get while in school. I don't have to go back to school until 4 January. In the meantime, the family and I have been hanging out during the day and I have been working at PJs in the evening to earn some extra cash. They say Mo' money, Mo' problems, but I don't really buy that. I am trying to make Mo money to avoid having any problems -it's more like No money Mo' problems. Anyway we are having fun and enjoying the break.

Porter and Friends having a late night!

Medical School

2009-12-14T13:56:00.002-07:00

For many medical schools December 14 is the deadline for making deposits and signing admission agreements. For the past month Jenn and I have daily looked over and reviewed the pros and cons of the schools that offered me a seat in their next years class. We liked the Colorado school because it's in Colorado -2nd best state in the union, and our good friends Cascia and Steve live in Parker, the same city as the university. The problem was that the school only has preliminary accreditation because it was started in 2006, and has yet to graduate its first class. This means that I would have to finance my education through private loans which was to large of a risk for us to take, so we chose not to go to RVU.

Then we were left with Midwestern University in Phoenix and KCOM in Kirksville Missouri. Phoenix seemed like the obvious choice. It would be warm and sunny; The university was really nice; some friends currently enrolled at MWU really enjoyed it there; and, did I mention, it would be warm and sunny. However, when it came down to it we didn't feel MWU would provide me with many options regarding specialties. I am not convinced I would enjoy primary care, so their previous match lists were not all that impressive. Therefore, we withdrew my acceptance to MWU.

In the end we chose Kirksville because we felt it would be an ideal place for our family to spend the next few years. In addition, the school is only a few hours away from some of Jenn's family in Kansas City. Also, the university has an impressive match list, placing students in residencies ranging from primary care to orthopedic surgery and from pathology to neurology. Plus,we will only spend two years Kirksville. We will most likely move for for the 3rd and 4th year to complete rotations. Rotation sites include Colorado, Utah, Pennsylvania, New Jersey, and many more. Because of this we feel the school will provide us with many more options to choose from when we consider the place we would like to go for residency. So we threw down our deposit and signed their admissions agreement. Sometime this coming summer (most likely July) we will be moving to Kirksville, MO.

Black Friday

2009-12-05T21:53:00.001-07:00

Jenn, the rest of the women and my dad woke up early Friday morning to duke it out at the stores for the low priced merchandise. Later, Porter, my dad and I went to Jones Hole to wet the fly.

This was the first catch of the day. Dad hooked it; Porter reeled it in; and I posed in the picture for aesthetic reasons.

Porter struggled with 10 and 2. He (like Paul on A River Runs Through it) "broke into a rhythm all his own." However, he (unlike Paul on A River Runs Through it) experienced very limited success. As his rhythm was somewhat indiscernible, I became nervous for my eyes, ears and any other potentially snaggable body parts, so I removed his fly. He proceeded to fish flyless. He didn't care; he continued to fish, asking me every couple of minutes, "Dad, did I catch a fish yet?"

Later, we met up with Glendon and DJ. This was taken by the big hole near the trail head. The one that looks like it ought to have a twenty pounder, but yet all you can ever pull out is an 8 incher.

This was the last and biggest catch of the day. Dad claims he had a "huge" one on earlier, but of course no one was around to verify and he never landed it. I doubt there are many places in the world prettier than Jones Hole. It was nice to get away from the textbooks, note cards, pizza, etc. of daily life and relax with family in such a wonderful place.

Thanksgiving

2009-12-05T20:50:00.000-07:00

This year we traveled to Vernal for Thanksgiving. We, as always, had a blast. We ate the Thanksgiving meal at my parents house. That evening we endured the frigid weather and watched the local parade. The next day we went to Trees for Charity, and some sort of craft show. Saturday we watched BYU beat Utah in HD at Jen and Allen's house.

Family Picture

2009-10-27T19:11:00.003-06:00

I think this is the first family picture since the birth of Andrew. It was taken on our trip to Arizona.

Daybreak Triathlon

2009-10-27T12:51:00.003-06:00

On September 19 Teri, Liz and I competed in the Daybreak Triathlon. Recently we received our free "photo finish." The swim portion of the race was shortened and swam in a pool because of a parasite in the local lake. This was Liz and my first and Teri's fifth triathlon, though while we were training the three of us raced each other in a self-organized/named triathlon called The Corn Days Triathlon. We hope to make Corn Days and annul event, so if anyone is interested we recently opened registration for this upcoming year. We had so much fun at Daybreak that we put together a relay team for the Wasatch Back in June - This provides me with something to keep me away from taking advantage of Papa John's (my place of employment) free pizza.

It's tough being three!

2009-10-26T16:40:00.001-06:00

This is Porter shortly after I told him to stop hanging so far over the railing. Jenn and I got a crack out of his reaction.

Arizona Road Trip

2009-10-17T20:44:00.000-06:00

So far so good. We have been having a blast on our trip. Last night we stayed in St. George, and we ate breakfast with kilo this morning. Tonight we are in Flagstaff. We have seen a few national parks and monuments along the way. Mom and Dad have been awesome and we have enjoyed having them with us. We head to Phoenix tomorrow and then to the interview on Monday. Hopefully that portion of the trip goes as well as the rest! Peace.

2009-10-14T20:47:00.000-06:00

Here are a couple of fun photos of Andrew. He is growing like a weed as you can see. He had a rough go for the first month with stomach and allergy problems. Jenn has since stopped ingesting any dairy products and he has since improved.

2009-10-14T20:44:00.000-06:00

A couple of weekends ago Porter and Jenn went to a 3D showing of toy story I and II. Porter said the glasses made his eyes red. For the few days following the movie he was worried he had been turned into a deceptacon (sp?) due to the red eyes thing. I was worried that Andrew would get a hankering for some breast milk while Jenn was at the movie Fortunately he didn't!

2009-10-14T20:40:00.000-06:00

Porter and his classmates went on a field trip to the fire station. I was not able to attend, but Jenn went. She said Porter was incredibly cute and was very attentive the entire time. He loves going to school and hanging with his friends.

2009-10-14T20:36:00.000-06:00

Kevin, Mishal, and Monica came out to visit shortly after Andrew arrived. Kevin, Porter and I went on a hike to waterfall canyon. The trail was only 1.2 miles, but it was some steep terrain. This was the second attempt Porter and I made to reach the waterfall. Porter made it top, but I had to carry him down. It was a fun experience. We are so lucky to have such neat places so close to our house.

2009-10-14T20:31:00.000-06:00

Porter recently started pre-school. He has a ball. He constantly talks about his "homework," which usually consist of spiderman coloring page or something similar. These photos were taken on his first day of school.

Hiking

2009-07-29T17:12:00.003-06:00

Jenn decided to go with the relief society today, so Porter and I decided to have a little fun of our own. First, we headed down to the park to play soccer. This involves me kicking the ball as far as I can, and then Porter and I race to see who can get to the ball first. After Soccer, we headed for the hills for a little hike. I know about a trail behind Weber State called Waterfall Canyon. The map said it would was 1.2 miles. I knew this was a little ambitious for the three-year old, but I thought we would try it anyway. We never made it to the waterfall. Much to Porter's dismay, I decided to turn around after about a mile because the trail was steep and I thought I might have to pack Porter out. Sure enough, after we started to head down Porter got tired and needed to ride on my shoulders. Normally this wouldn't be a problem, but my neck still hasn't 100 % recovered from the wake boarding accident. However, we made it out OK.

Dear Mike,

2009-07-18T08:45:00.004-06:00

Hey babe, it's me, your wife. I just wanted to show my love by jazzing up your blog a bit. I hope you don't mind. I think it looks much better!

love you sweety pie hunny buns!

Bike

2009-06-30T23:02:00.001-06:00

Jason Woods, Rowell and I hit the Bonneville Shoreline this evening. There were a few close calls, but no wrecks. I added in a couple of pics from our previous trips to jazz it up. The scenery was pretty fantastic. I would recommend this trail to anyone who has a spare evening while in SLC.

2009-06-20T17:47:00.000-06:00

This summer I have been working for the WSU Avian Ecology Lab. Everyday we head out to Great Salt Lake and check and mark bird nest. The Pay is horrible, but the scenery is fantastic. I can remember riding with my dad listening to bird calls thinking man this stinks. I wonder if Jenn and Porter are saying the same thing.

2009-06-20T17:37:00.000-06:00

On Wednesday evening I hit the submit button on my medical school application, Jenn and I loaded up the car, and we met my mom and dad at the cabin in Wolf Creek. The next morning, Porter, my dad and I went fishing. We caught a fish in the first hole we fished. Thinking that we would catch another, we failed to take Porter's picture holding the fish. Of course we did not catch anymore. At least we didn't get skunked!

2009-06-06T17:24:00.000-06:00

After ten wonderful years, I am selling the truck. Because JoAnn and Mike gave us the mini (pictures coming soon) it doesn't make sense it keep it around. If you know anyone interested tell them to call me (801-773-5792).

The Honda Express

2009-05-21T13:59:00.008-06:00

Jesse scored this little gem for a buck fifty. After he reattached the muffler we were ready to rock n' roll.....

A couple of people snapped some photos as we cruised through the neighborhoods, so be on the look out. We might end up on one of the blogs that you follow.

At the end of the night Tri, KB, Sheesh and I said goodbye to Jeesh and MiSh, as they are moving to Vernal. Not to worry though -KB has a Honda Express, so they won't be taking all the fun with them.

2009-05-17T16:15:00.001-06:00

Jesse, Todd, and I took a little ride on the Bonneville Shoreline trail yesterday. The trail was steeper than I had remembered, but we had a good time away.

Nature Conservancy

2009-05-17T16:12:00.001-06:00

Porter and I took a little trip down to the Nature Conservancy on the Great Salt Lake. We had a lot of fun, but when we reached the part of the trail furthest away from the trail head and bathroom Porter had to pee. He had no problem going off the side of the walkway. After spending sometime at Aunt Jen's house, while Jenn and I were in New Mexico, he found a fondness for peeing outside. This is no surprise to those of you who know my sister Jen. He continues to tell us stories about his time spent in Vernal. He had a really fun time and barely even knew that we were gone. Thanks to everyone who helped out!

Boy

2009-03-25T14:31:00.001-06:00

I am not sure how to make a boy out of this, but they tell me that you can.

2009-03-14T18:59:00.000-06:00

Jenn found Porter a bike for $8. This weekend we have had a lot of fun. Porter probably put 10 miles on his new tires. You will noticed that he is always wearing blue or red. That is because he thinks that he is Peter Parker/Spiderman. Some of these pictures are of him when he was acting out a part of the movie he recently saw.

Kite Flying and Potty Training

2009-03-09T21:44:00.001-06:00

P-diddy and I tried to get our kites off the ground on more than one occasion. We couldn't get them to stay up in the air for more than a couple of minutes. One time I was running as fast as I could to prevent it from crashing to the ground when I hit a gofer hole and face planted. Jenn was of no help. She found it entertaining enough to watch. Porter is finally potty trained, so tonight we had a party. He was pretty excited. Not as exited as Jenn and I are though. No more diapers.

Laser Tag

2009-02-16T15:15:00.000-07:00

Many of you already know but I am freakishly good at laser tag. I had only been beaten once(the first time I played) and that was by Liz. However, that streak came to an end this weekend. It took all four of these clowns (above) to accomplish the task, but they did it. I don't like to make excuses but I was out numbered. I don't think they could do it again.

Legend in Embryo

2009-02-11T18:52:00.000-07:00

This past Friday I went to Tooele to shadow Doctors Beazer (above) and Abarca. I met them about 7 years ago. They were just completing their residencies and have subsequently started a practice in Tooele. They have been kind enough to allow me to follow them around so that I can learn from the masters.

The Game

2009-02-01T20:28:00.000-07:00

Having spent a few years in Pittsburgh, I am exceedingly happy with the outcome of the big game.

The Jazz Game

2009-01-31T21:59:00.000-07:00

Due to our Vernal connection we occasionally score Jazz tickets. Meredith (Jenn's sister) watched Porter for us and we headed down to the game Friday night. Jenn is never really that interested in the games, but she always finds someone in the crowd that entertains her. Jesse and MiShelle went to the game as well. If you look hard enough you can see where they were sitting in the next picture.