Lance and Deanna McKinlay

Oh Boy, Oh Boy!!!

2011-08-21T18:38:00.000-07:00

It's official.. We're having twin BOYS!!! We're very excited and grateful to be adding to our family with double the fun, joy, (stress?). Lewis's world will not be the same, but we think he will be a great big brother. I guess that leaves me seriously outnumbered. At the 20 week ultra sound check up, we were happy to hear that the twins are just the right size, weight, measurement, etc. I'm feeling pretty good in my 2nd trimester and sometimes ask myself, maybe I can do this one more time? Guess I should wait and see what life will be like going from 1 boy to 3!
So to kick things off for our growing family, we sold the Lexus and bought a new mini-van!!! I've entered a whole new world and I couldn't be happier:-)

Early Summer Days...

2011-06-10T13:49:00.000-07:00

Lewis's latest fascination has been Volcanoes which he pronounces enthusiatically, "Wahhhh-too"! He loves to take his little red toy that he thinks is a volcano to the park, the pool, and in the bathtub. Whether he fills it with sand, water, or bubbles he'll gently tap the top as if it's erupting and it entertains him for quite awhile.. If he doesn't have his handy red volcano with him, he loves to make his own out of wet sand, blankets, or pillows. Even when I hand him a triangle shape tortilla chip, he says, "Wahhh-too!" Lewis is starting to get into waterfalls now and can easily access them on youtube with my iPhone. One of his favorite things to do remains throwing rocks or anything that will make a splash into water.
So that's been our play theme to start off the summer and we've been having a lot of fun with it... Kaaa-Boom!!!

Spring Trip to Utah

2011-05-28T19:02:00.000-07:00

We had a wonderful visit and got to see all of our families. Lewis loved seeing his grandparents, cousins, and especially the rocks in the river! After a long day of fun, out door activities Lewis was plumb-tuckered out...
Here's a link to see video at the river: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mEQvyGp3l8I

BREAKING NEWS

2011-02-27T23:05:00.000-08:00

Deanna has been spotted in the kitchen!!

No seriously, this is Lance, and I am making a rare posting to our blog to express my gratitude to Deanna for finding such a great place for our family in Irvine. I give her a lot of credit for making it happen after telling me about her favorite park and "dream neighborhood" for so long. We love our new home!

Home Sweet Home

2011-02-27T22:19:00.001-08:00

We moved to the promised land... Irvine!!! We've only been here 2 weeks now, and it's everything I was hoping for and more..
When I first discovered Sweet Shade Park, I knew it was where we wanted to be. For the past 2 years I've been driving Lewis out to this park. And now there it is, right outside our front door! The park, the pool, the great neighbors and schools and don't even get me started on the shopping. Hello, Whole Foods! It's everything a mom of a 2-year-old boy would ever want. Lance has taken Lewis to the pool and hot tub 3 time this week and it's February, people.. We're living the dream, baby!

It's 2011!!!

2011-01-28T22:54:00.000-08:00

We're looking forward to a whole new year...

Let It Snow!!!

2010-12-17T16:22:00.000-08:00

Ok, so maybe Lewis is still too young to fully appreciate experiencing his first snow fall. I know there will come a day when he's begging us to take him to the snow! The photo of me in front of the apartment building is West Cambridge, aka, Condo Row, just south of BYU campus. That 1st floor window is into the living room where "The Purdy Sisters" lived during most of college. Lance lived just 2 condos down at East Cambridge, and we were in the same ward for 2 years; however, we don't remember ever meeting each other. Now 15 years later we're married with a 2 year old, and life is good! Crazy how things turns out. Lance and I enjoyed visiting our old college stomping grounds together with Lewis and truly appreciate our family. It was worth the wait! We had a wonderful Thanksgiving vacation in Utah visiting our families and look forward to seeing more of them over Christmas.

Our baby boy turns 2!!!

2010-11-28T22:14:00.000-08:00

We had a great time celebrating Lewis's birthday with family and friends, but we decided we'll give Chuck E. Cheese a rest for a few years!
A little story about Lewis just before he turned 2 years old... Lewis and I were at the water park where I was feeding him fish crackers. To my dismay, each time I handed him a fish cracker, he would throw it into the water, then after a while pick it up and eat it. This is something he has never done before, and I was so worried he would get sick from the germs!
A few days later, we were reading a book together and it finally hit me... As I pointed to a page showing fish in water, I realized that Lewis had thrown the fish crackers into the water before eating them because he knew that fish belong in water!
This is one of the many examples demonstrating that kids know more than we think. There was a method to his madness. What an insight into the beautiful minds of children… I realize more and more every day that it's the small moments I appreciate the most.

Go Catch a Wave!

2010-09-30T23:31:00.000-07:00

A couple weeks after Yosemite we went to Lance’s family vacay in San Diego. We stayed at a beautiful, big beach house with the whole family just steps from the beach. Lewis had a ball on the beach and loved playing in the waves. Even after getting knocked down a few times, he wanted to keep on playing. At the end of each day we had hot tubs to relax in while watching the sunset over the ocean. Alex and MK created a McKinlay family movie that pulled together years of family memories from video and photos With all the family activities, around the clock yummy food and CSB's (cold sweet beverages), and being surrounded by loved ones, we did not want this vacation to end!

"Go Climb A Rock"

2010-09-18T09:00:00.000-07:00

Yosemite was incredible... We loved staying at Yosemite Lodge where we could walk right out to Yosemite Falls.. What a sight!
Here are some of our highlights:
Deanna: spending memorable time visiting and reminiscing with family in the beautiful outdoors, eating s'mores, hiking Vernal Falls and the talent show.
Lance: hiking Half Dome (not sure which was better, reaching summit or being received
by Deanna and Lewis .5 m from the bottom on the way down and getting hugs, kisses and fresh water.
Lewis: throwing rocks into rivers, streams and creeks, being surrounded by all his fun cousins, and getting dirty.
So many great memories made here, we will definitely come back again...

Summahhh Time!

2010-07-23T16:42:00.000-07:00

Ok, so summer is more than half way over, but better late than never! Just packing up for our big Yosemite 2010 Purdy Vacay and I'm sooo excited!!! Will bring back lots of great memories and pics for sure. Here are a few summer time pics in the mean time..

Spring Days...

2010-04-01T14:36:00.000-07:00

Enjoying the out doors as a family whether we're at the park or in our back yard is one of our favorite things to do. Simple spring days with the family makes the world go around...

Happy 2010!!!

2010-02-17T22:42:00.000-08:00

How cool sounding is the year 2010, right?! We got married in 2007, had a baby in 2008, so I can’t even imagine what exciting thing could happen for us in 2010…
How about some twin girls?!
Ok, so I’m not even pregnant, but Lewis has been such a blessing and joy to us that we would love to have more… Maybe with this being the Year of the Tiger, some exciting things will happen;)

California Christmas...

2009-12-20T19:43:00.000-08:00

Nothing like walking around barefoot on a warm December day... We've been enjoying temperatures in the 80s this week. Lewis doesn't know how good he has it! We plan to spend Christmas in Huntington Beach with family. HAPPY HOLIDAYS from the O.C.

Announcing Manderson, Schafer & McKinlay LLP...

2009-11-22T21:27:00.000-08:00

Lance and two former Paul Hastings colleagues recently joined together to form a new law firm specializing in transactions and corporate law. They held a launch party at their office in Newport Beach on November 5th, and it was a big success! Lance and his partners are off to a good start and really enjoying their work. Check out their website: mandersonllp.com

Happy, Happy Birthday!

2009-11-15T21:31:00.000-08:00

A year ago today I had a baby.... We celebrated Baby Lewis’s 1st birthday with angel food cake, home made whipped cream frosting and fresh strawberries (and not so fresh sprinkles). When I think about the past year we have experienced together as a family, I feel so grateful and happy. We love our little baby Luigi so much!

Mooooooo!

2009-11-01T17:27:00.000-08:00

Hard to believe a year ago today, was the due date of Baby Lewis... We still had to wait 2 more weeks before he was finally born. And life has never been the same since! We had so much fun with Luigi celebrating his 1st Halloween this year.

Walkie, Walkie!

2009-10-04T00:09:00.000-07:00

The day has finally come when I get to be one of those moms who brags about her kids, so here it goes….
My baby is WALKING!! That’s right, Luigi started walking at 9 months which means he’ll be doing tennis drills by 12 months. Watch out Federer!! Haha☺

Catching up...May-July

2009-07-12T11:31:00.000-07:00

Ok, so we're a little behind... We've taken a couple of Utah trips to see the fam and that's always a fun time. It seems that anytime we get on a plane, Lewis gets sick. Next time he's wearing a face mask. So after our latest 4th of July trip, Lewis is back to being Leweezie, and I'm constantly wiping that poor, little runny nose. But he's still a happy baby and is as much a garanimal as ever. Can't believe he'll already be 8 months old in 3 days! Like everyone says, it goes by so fast...

April Showers..

2009-04-25T09:27:00.000-07:00

From Easter at Grandma's to an exciting 2-day trip at Disneyland, this has been a memorable month for the family.
My twinner, Kristi, and her four kids flew down for their spring break and stayed with us for a few days. It was a love fest for Lewis and her kids had a ball. They loved the weather, the beach, the hot tub, and we were delighted to find that despite the sour economy, Disneyland continues to be the happiest place on earth:) Lewis even joined the gang, taking on Pirates of the Caribbean at the tender age of 5 months (yes, he cried a time or two, but was more brave by the time he got to the Buzz Lightyear ride). We're enjoying life in Costa Mesa, and Lewis is eating it up too!

March Madness...

2009-03-09T19:09:00.000-07:00

We're gearing up Lewis for spring sports starting with the big dance and then opening day for MLB. Go Cougars, Go Huskies, and Go Red Sox!

Drool...

2009-02-10T21:54:00.000-08:00

Welcome to Luigi's crib. Where drool is cool, spit is a hit, laundry's a must, and bibs are hip. So lay back, chill, and let it drip!

Happy 2009!!!

2009-01-25T22:20:00.000-08:00

We enjoyed celebrating the new year with our new little family. We had a popcorn party, played a few rounds of charades and by midnight (Eastern Time!) we were plumb-tuckered out. We’re usually up into the wee hours of the night as it is…. So being in bed a bit early was a treat!
Christmas came and went with dad and mom filling the Santa role for the first time. Nothing like baby’s first Christmas!
Lewis is now already 10 weeks old and we are soaking up every bit of him. He’s 2 feet long, 14lbs and is finding his voice. We think he has even started to laugh! Here’s a link to a few videos to show Lewis at this stage: http://gallery.me.com/dmckinlay#100008

Anniversarius

2008-12-21T22:32:00.001-08:00

To start off our special day we dressed Lewis in his Sunday onesie with sewn-in tie that turned out to be a huge fashion hit in the Costa Mesa 1st ward. After church we changed into comfortable clothes and took Lewis to see where his parents celebrated their marriage one year ago to the day. He slept through most of our nostalgic tour of the beautiful Huntington Beach Hyatt gardens, and our visit was capped by a stunning sunset. It was a wonderful, romantic way to spend our 1-year anniversary strolling around the resort with the ocean in view and reminiscing…. Lance and I are happier than we’ve ever been, and we feel so lucky to celebrate our 1st anniversary with our first little baby!

Baby Lewis has arrived!

2008-11-24T16:40:00.001-08:00

Weighing in at 9lbs 8 oz, 21inches, we were blessed with a beautiful, baby boy on November 15, 2008 at 9:19pm. People have told us that our lives would change forever, and we finally know what they were talking about. It's been amazing and indescribable and we are so HAPPY.
We took Lewis on his first outing to Newport Beach at 7 days old with Grammie and Bumpa McKinlay. They were a great help during their stay here and Baby Lewis got to enjoy lots of bonding time with his grandparents.
Special thanks to Grandma Ginny, Grandpa Purdy and Grandma Jen for being there at the hospital to welcome him into this world. We also appreciated special visits from Clint, Aunt Donna, Aunt Yolanda, Jenny Proctor, Tricia, and Kala.
We blessed Baby Lewis on Sunday, November 23rd, and had many friends and relatives there to share in that experience, including his Great Grandma Purdy.
We still can't tell whether he resembles his mommy or his daddy more. What do you think?

2008-11-24T16:34:00.000-08:00

Who's Your Daddy?

2008-11-13T23:42:00.000-08:00

So after the 5th trip to the hospital, 4 gel treatments, 3 long walks on the beautiful beach, a castor oil shake (don't ask),
the gravitational pull of tonight's full moon, and oh yeah, me being pregnant with Lewis for almost 42 weeks, I'm bound to be in labor soon!!! To bide some time, I got this t-shirt made for my Lancey... I figured it would be a nice welcome for baby Lewis when he finally arrives. On your mark, get set, let's go!!!!

Happy Halloween!!!

2008-11-01T22:46:00.000-07:00

Lewis was a no show for his scheduled due date, but we still enjoyed a fun-filled Halloween with friends in our neighborhood.
I read that Tuesday is the most common delivery day and the weekend is the least common. With that said, we will most likely enjoy a peaceful weekend. Besides I've already seen HSM3 twice now, so I really feel ready and complete to have this baby...haha:)

4 days until HSM3!!!

2008-10-20T23:42:00.000-07:00

I have to admit that the single most exciting thing I am looking forward to, aside from the birth of my first child who is due any day now, is seeing High School Musical 3, Senior Year. A good friend of mine, who plays "Coach Bolton" (Troy Bolton's dad) in the movie, burned the soundtrack for me, so I've already been listening to the music, and let me just say, they've done it again. In fact, the songs are even bigger and better than ever! I have gotten TEARS listening to this music, it is THAT good! Lance has promised to see the movie with me this Friday, opening night (now that's love!). So if you live in Utah, and haven't gotten your tickets yet, you're too late. To everybody else, get your tickets NOW before they sell out and get ready to experience the most FANTASTICAL Disney movie phenomenon of your life!!! That's right....GAME ON!

Hooray for October!

2008-10-12T19:33:00.000-07:00

Just 3 weeks shy of our Halloween due date to have Baby Lewis... Been looking forward to this month for a long time and it's finally here! And to celebrate, Lance and I bought a new family car that we LOVE. We're already practicing with the new baby car seat, etc. I'm such a nerd, I know..haha:)

And I had to put this great pic of Lance with our Prop 8 sign in our front yard too. We're trying to promote and spread the word as much as we can--to vote YES on Prop 8. Just 3 weeks away, and we will be voting on this very important family issue. Polls show that it's still really close, so at this point it could go either way... Hope each of us in California can make a difference to help protect traditional marriage!

Let fall begin...

2008-09-04T22:46:00.000-07:00

Lance and I attended a wedding of a long-time family friend of the Purdy's. We grew up with this family of 8 boys starting out in California and then reuniting in "Zion" (Moberly, Missouri). It was quite an event to see their entire family all in one place to celebrate the last of their 8 boys get married.

My twinner, Kristi, flew down for it, and it was fun to see my dad there visiting with the O'loughlin brothers. There's a great shot of Lance after introducing him to their 2nd oldest son who is a lawyer too. It was a fun wedding to see everyone together.

What a nice way to bring the summer to an end... Now I'm ready for the fall with the cooler weather, plaid skirts, pumpkin bread, and baby Lewis!

Summer Time Fun!

2008-08-26T14:10:00.000-07:00

We're having a baby!

2008-08-26T13:47:00.000-07:00

7 months pregnant and anxious to welcome our little baby Lewis into the family.

McKinlay-Purdy 2008 Reunie!

2008-08-26T11:15:00.000-07:00

"Mission Posssible" meets "Purdy Power" for a fun-filled talent show:)