DENNIS FAM
  • Hello
  • This Is US
  • Our Letter to YOU
  • What We Do
  • Our BIG family
  • Our Journey to Adoption
  • Contact
  • Recommendations

THIS IS US 

Nate, McKell, Bryant, and Chase

Here is a little bit about us, what we like, what we do, how we met, and who we are! 
Picture

This is Us

We have been married for 10 years. We were both born and raised in the same hometown. We grew up a few houses apart. We are surrounded by family, it wouldn't be a normal day if a grandma, grandpa, aunt, uncle or cousin didn't drop by to say hello. Nate works from his home office in our basement as a Technical Integration Manager for a payments company. McKell is a busy stay at home mom. She loves volunteering at both of her kid’s schools. We love creating, exploring and building together. Both of our boys have entered the world of sports, which has become some of our favorite family times cheering each other on! We absolutely love birthdays, boating, Legos, and spending time together.

We have lived in our home for a few years now and absolutely love it! In making our decision to purchase the home, we wanted to ensure it would be an ideal place for kids. We picked a safe street and our home is located at the top of a cul-de-sac. We are fortunate enough to be surrounded by younger families which makes playing with friends easy and close. We are blessed to have a beautiful backyard where the kids can spend hours playing in the sandbox, swinging on the play-set, or helping us grow a small garden. Inside our home, we recently finished our basement and tailored it to our kids. We have an indoor trampoline the kids can bounce around on. We have a whole wall dedicated to reading books. Most recently, we built Lego tables for our boys to engineer their Lego creations. We are fortunate to live close to family and between birthday celebrations, holidays, and sporting events we get together often. Our kids attend wonderful schools in a very inclusive community. We absolutely love where we live.


Below we go into way more detail about who we are! If you are interested in getting to know us even better keep scrolling. 

{Nate} by McKell 

Picture



​Born and raised in Utah, Nate had an active childhood and lots of friends (many of whom he is still close with). When he wasn’t playing soccer, he was riding around the neighborhood on his Redline BMX bike (which he still proudly owns) or playing with one of his five sisters. He continues to have a passion for soccer and hopes to share his love of the sport with the kids!


Nate is so good at wearing all kinds of hats. He juggles the title of Husband, Dad, Technical Integration Manager, Exercise Enthusiast, and Executive Secretary for our church (that's a lot of hats!), and he does it well.

He is a devoted husband, daddy and quite the handyman! After we bought our house, we decided we needed some more space for the boys to play. Nate got to work and finished our basement with the help of amazing friends and family!

​He is compassionate and patient though the best word that describes him is loyal. He keeps his promises and gets things done. Nate is trustworthy and a fantastic friend. He's always looking to help those in need and never bats an eye at his own agenda. The words I hear most from him are "How can I help?". This makes him a fantastic father and my best friend.
​​

Words that describe Nate:
Soccer, outdoors, trail running, slalom skiing, BYU, projects, expert YouTuber, handy man, good friend, boating, kind, ESPN, computers (Mac), camping, exercising, ice cream, MBA, buying second hand, Cadbury eggs, Santiago, Lake Powell, road trips, HIS BOYS ​

{McKell} by Nate

Picture



​McKell is one of the most thoughtful individuals I have ever met. In addition to nurturing our children, she finds time to listen to those in need and helps out wherever she can. Whether she’s cooking a meal, giving a gift, or comforting someone during a difficult time, she has a natural knack for caring for others.

Growing up, McKell was close with her parents and siblings and still enjoys close relationships with them today. When she helped her mom run a preschool she discovered her greatest passion, teaching children, and pursued a career in education.

Now as a stay-at-home mom, McKell is devoted to raising our two boys. Her love for them is visible in each facet of their lives. She can be found reading them a book, teaching them how to cook, or helping them learn something new. She constantly thinks about their wellbeing and uniquely connects with them on their level.

In her free time, McKell enjoys planning, organizing, reading and decorating. She keeps track of our family memories by scrapbooking and journaling. The kids are her number one priority, and she spends a lot of her time and effort ensuring their happiness, picking out new children’s books and prioritizing morning snuggles. I have no doubt she will share that same love with another child! 

​




​Words that describe ME: 
planning, organization, mom-ing, Christmas cards, birthdays, TEACHING, projects, learning, girl time, fashion, shopping, boating, hiking, reading, children’s books, scrapbooking, memories, HG SURVIVOR, swimming,  journaling, the zoo, Lake Powell, my family ranch, date night, matching, weddings, sunshine, morning snuggles with my boys, packing cubes, Disney Plus, cleaning, decorating, holidays, gift giving, chocolate chip cookies, heated blankets

{Our Love Story}

May 6, 2011
Picture

We were born and raised in the same hometown and grew up a few houses apart. Nate was even best friends with McKell’s older sister! When he returned home from a church mission and McKell came home for the summer, we connected and started spending every day together.

That summer, we did a lot of hiking and boating. We went to our favorite restaurant, Café Rio, and learned that we both order the same meal. We spent hours talking and dreaming of what our life could look like together. We fell in love and were married the following spring in 2011.
​

A few years later, Nate chose to go back to school for his MBA while McKell worked as a third- grade teacher. During his studies, we welcomed two beautiful babies and bought our first home that has become our sanctuary. Now, Nate works from home as a Technical Integration Manager and McKell is a busy stay-at-home mom. 

​ ​​

{Bryant}

Picture
Bryant was born August 30th. To our surprise he came a week earlier than expected, and we were beyond thrilled to meet him. He was a very pleasant baby and has always LOVED food. He walked at 9 months, but never really crawled much. As soon as he could start talking, he wanted to know the names of all the different types of dinosaurs. We learned a lot about dinosaurs. By the time he was 2, he could spout off their long, complicated names. And by the time he was 3 he memorized all of the leaders of our church, the alphabet, and several numbers, colors, and sounds. He loves to learn, and he soaks it all up like a sponge. He attended 2 years of preschool, which he enjoyed, and made some really cute little friends. He was very excited about Kindergarten because he got to ride the bus! It may have been a life highlight. 

This year, Bryant started first grade and has been enjoying it even with a mask! Bryant loves to be active. He played baseball, soccer, basketball and flag football this year. He enjoys being on a team. Bryant has always been 98th percentile for weight and height! He's our big boy and gives the best bear hugs. He is such a happy kid. We have always called Bryant "our sunshine boy." He's empathetic and kind. He always tells us when he has done something wrong, which is hilarious and nice all at the same time. He is a sweet older brother and always looks out for those around him. We're so lucky he is the oldest of our family, We can't believe he is 6 years old! 

Bryant's Favorites: red and blue, basketball, flag-football, eating crepes, riding the bus, FIRST GRADE, Imagine Dragons, Taylor Swift, wrestling with dad, movie nights with cousins, snuggling mom, Legos, riding his scooter and his bike, playing in the sandbox, and playing with friends. When he grows up he wants to be a builder or a singer. 

{Chase}

Picture
Chase is our Christmas baby! He came into the world two weeks early, and it was the best early Christmas present ever! As a baby, Chase had bad reflux and chronic ear infections. Medication helped the reflux, but he was still a pretty uncomfortable infant. He ended up getting tubes placed at 8 months old, and that started to help with the infections. He finally slept through the night for the first time when he was just over 1. None of this stopped him from getting things done, though. He crawled at 6 months and walked at 9. His very favorite thing to do was SWING. We lived in our backyard, so Chase could swing all day long, and to this day, it's still one of his favorite things to do! He goes outside hops in the swing and pumps himself. 

From the time he was tiny, we knew Chase was fiery. He knows what he wants, and he will get it. He is a very independent soul. As he has grown and gained more independence, he is so much happier! He loves to do everything on his own and in his own time. Chase is a climber. He scaled a 15-foot rock wall with ease and is always trying to climb something new. Chase loves being the boss! He tells us all the time that he is the boss of our house and he's not totally wrong... 

Chase’s favorite thing to do is play with his big brother. They play so well together and come up with all kinds of imaginary games that I get to listen in on. Chase is going to a gymnastics class where he excels; he can climb and swing on things to his heart's desire. Chase started Preschool this fall and is doing so well! He loves to learn and is always happy to work on another art project at school. Chase is a giggler. He can always make us smile or laugh with him. Chase loves things to be clean and organized. He lines things up and puts things away in the right places. If we ever have anything out of place, Chase quickly corrects us. Chase is our tiny guy, only 3rd percentile for weight; he is way too busy for food! He is a goer and loves exploring the world around him. Chase keeps us all busy, and we wouldn't have it any other way. His strengths are STRONG, and I can't wait to see what he does with them as he grows.

Chase's Favorites: gymnastics "nastics", sausage, independence, "I can, I can", Hot Wheels, Bear Hollow Preschool, Wild Kratts, soccer games, scooter rides, yogurt, swinging, animals, counting, and Blacky the dog. When he grows up he wants to be a "Leopard." 
Proudly powered by Weebly
  • Hello
  • This Is US
  • Our Letter to YOU
  • What We Do
  • Our BIG family
  • Our Journey to Adoption
  • Contact
  • Recommendations