A Little History

Just thought I would add a little to our about us page since my first addition was sooooooooo detailed.

Amanda, Adelynn (Addy), and I have lived in Silt, Colorado now for two years. I work as an electrician making the endless rounds on the drilling rigs. Mostly it is an excuse to explore some really great country and to see way too much wildlife. Amanda is a stay at home mom doing a wonderful job raising our beautiful four year daughter. Amanda would go crazy without a little something to divert her attention away from Dora every now and then though. So she works a couple hours a week for a painting company in Aspen doing their books. She also just started her own bookkeeping business, Riverside Bookkeeping, (tell your friends, send her business!). She already does the books for three different companies owned by members of our ward. Addy and I are really proud of our business owning mom and wife. Amanda is also very involved with the young women in our ward.

Amanda at girls camp this year.

Adelynn is a ball of fire. I have never met a little kid with a bigger imagination, probably due to the lack of siblings (that is a different story). Smart as a button as well. Addy amazes us every minute of every day. The last two summers have brought opportunities for Addy to explore some different activities. Soccer, t-ball, and swimming have kept her busy. She doesn’t seem to have her parents over-competitive spirit thank goodness. Picking and smelling the dandelions seems to trump kicking a ball or watching for one to fall out of the sky. Swimming is a little different story. She loves the water and is making incredible progress every time she is in the pool. This fall Amanda is going to let her try her hand at dancing. Whenever there is music playing, Addy is bound to be dancing.

Addy (center with her hair up in buns) in her element.

Adelynn greatest loves are by far her grandparents. She was lucky enough to spend the first couple years of her life just down the road from Grandma and Grandpa Merkley and has not forgotten how much she liked that. Grandma and Grandpa Putnam have Addy wrapped around their fingers. The six hours between here and Kemmerer is way to far for that little girl. Addy even adopted a third grandpa here in our ward. Grandpa Barry is her get away on Sundays. We think it must be the resemblance he has with my dad. Barry is very sweet to her and always has a big hug for her at the end of the meetings.

Addy’s Grandpa Merkley, his portrait, and the carving Uncle Lynn made of him

Addy and Grandpa Putnam fishing in Kemmerer

As a family, we love to get away. My schedule, or lack thereof, makes it difficult but we make it work. This area of Colorado affords endless adventures. Hiking, camping, climbing, scenic drives, and geocaching take up most of our idle moments. We are also looking forward to becoming avid snowshoers this winter (thanks Amanda). The San Rafael Swell and the 14,000 ft. peaks of Colorado are becoming some of our favorite places. I have made a goal to climb all 54 14er’s at some point in my life. Hopefully the girls will come along for the adventure up most of these mountains with me. I made the first dent in the list on the 4th of July this year. It is thrilling to stand on top of these mountains and to be able to see forever in all directions. I think the mountains bring out the best in people as well. It was fun to meet and talk to dozens of people along the trail.

Amanda and Addy at Blue Lakes near Breckenridge, Colorado

Some mountain goats that wandered right up to me along the hike up Quandary Peak.

Well I have been extremely wordy this morning. Hopefully I can talk Amanda into adding her two cents soon so that this blog is not so Josh dry. Thanks for letting us share our lives with you all.