Category Archives: General
Jack being imperious in the linen closet
Size doesn’t matter
A patient cat.
One good thing about living in Tennessee
Is that I get to hang out with my cousin’s wife and their kids. I think we get along very well and are similar in strange ways. Like we both cry at the drop of a hat (or the sound of a shoe falling down the stairs—there’s a story behind this that made me both cry and laugh a little). We share a lot of similar frustrations and even have babies who are very close in age (7 weeks apart). The picture below has her son, Sam and my daughter, Ila (did you notice that both their first names are only 3 letters long?)
Every so often we get together for a trip to the park or some other activity. It’s a nice break from the monotony of cleaning and child tending.
The day after Easter, I picked up this Easter kit to make chocolate covered pretzels and we made them last time we were together.
They didn’t end up as artistic as the ones on the box, but they were yummy.
And the kids didn’t care if they were perfectly sculpted (I’m sad that the only picture that I have of them holding them up is blurry).
Anyway, I meant to post a picture of our chocolate making adventures rigt after, but I decided that late was better than never. . .righ?!
Isaac’s First Letter
Isaac really wanted to make something with this heart sticker, so we decided that he could write a letter to his grandma. This is his first handwritten letter to grandma:
He insists on making periods and dotting the letter i with an enormous circle.
Pie
I decided to make pie the other day for an impromptu get together with some friends (who happen to also be relatives), but when I looked in the cupboard I only had one of each kind of pie filling, so this is what I did:
And it worked out perfectly!
I made a lattice top, but it didn’t work out as perfectly, the divider left me a little short on pie crust so I didn’t take a picture.
Forklift Family
My father’s favorite thing to do when his grandsons come to visit is to give them forklift rides:
So when he saw this picture of my grandfather he said “Mom, your family is a forklift family"
More posts to come. . .
Every so often I think I should write a blog post, but then I never do. I blame the fact that I have 4 children and whenever I sit down to do something not related to cleaning, the house seems to fall apart. The other night I updated my log of funny things my kids say and it occurred to me that I could just post a quote every so often—at least it would be something and I found myself smiling at the silly odd things they say and do so perhaps it would be interesting to other people as well.
Zach at 33
On my birthday I’ll take some time to be a little self-indulgent and describe myself and some of the ways I’ve changed.
I’m a bit plumper than I once was. I’m about 185 lbs these days, where just a few years ago I was 155. My hair is receding just a bit, but it’s at an awkward in-between place and has been for a couple of years.
I’m still a Mormon boy, true blue, dyed in the wool, through and through. I’m not always very good at it, but that’s what I am, and that’s what I’ll stay.
I’m still a little bit cranky, especially when I feel like my living space is out of sorts. More than ever, I like things a certain way. This causes friction for visitors, and I try to be less particular (without much success). Outside of my own “caveâ€, I’m more sociable. I have a decent sense of humor when used appropriately and generally have no trouble making friends and getting along with people.
I still play the piano and guitar. I left my grandfather’s accordion with my parents in Utah and I sold my trumpet a long time ago. I have experimented with composition on the computer, but it’s not serious and just for fun. I don’t take time to write music seriously anymore.
I like the Colts, Cougars, Vols, and Jazz. I hate the Utes, Gators, and Lakers.
I was a lot more physically active last year. I climbed Mt. Nebo, Provo Peak, and Deseret Peak for the first time. Now that I’m in Tennessee, all the mountains seem too small and climbing them is less interesting. They are pretty, though.
I still love gadgets, but not so obsessively. We have three Roombas of various types; one sweeps, one vacuums, and one mops. I got a Kindle for Christmas. I carry a BlackBerry, but work pays for it. My mp3 player is an old brown Zune; haven’t found a pressing reason to upgrade it. I’ve had the same digital camera for about 4 years now. We don’t have an HDTV, but we’ve had DVRs of some sort or another for at least 7 years. I have 4 computers; my main computer, running Windows 7; my work computer, which runs Windows XP; my netbook, which runs whatever version of Windows or Linux I’m in the mood for, and my “other†computer, running Ubuntu. My main computer’s processor is about 4 generations old, and the graphics card is about 3 generations old. I guess the point is I’m a bit more discriminating about my technology and waste less money on it.
I love all kinds of music. I have a penchant to really love melancholy songs, such as “This is Just a Modern Rock Song†by Belle & Sebastian, “Over Yonder†by Steve Earle, “Word on a Wing†by David Bowie, “Miami†by Counting Crows, “I Wish it Would Rain†by the Temptations, “Take it Back†by Pink Floyd, “Hearts and Bones†by Paul Simon, “Sleeping In†by the Postal Service, “Fast Train†by Solomon Burke, “Going to California†by Led Zeppelin.
I like upbeat songs too, especially rock and blues (and alt-country/bluegrass, surprisingly): “Sitting on Top of the Worldâ€, especially the Cream and Carl Perkins versions, “Sukie in the Graveyard†by Belle & Sebastian, “Sugar Magnolia†by the Grateful Dead, “Gone Gone Gone†by Carl Jackson and Emmylou Harris, “Dreamin’" by Weezer, “99 in the Shade†by Bon Jovi.
I love to read history, especially military history. Sometimes details or individuals make a great impact on my mind and remain with me. Most recent have been histories on the 6 Days War and the Yom Kippur War. I like Paul Johnson’s work too.
I love fiction, when it “has a priceâ€. My favorite book this past year was Suttree by Cormac McCarthy, which is coincidental since it’s set in Knoxville. I also still love epic fantasy when it’s well done. Robert Jordan was the best world-builder with his Wheel of Time, and Brandon Sanderson is carrying that work on fairly well. George R. R. Martin is the best for plot and very good with characters, too; try his Song of Ice and Fire. I recently enjoyed Anathem by Neal Stephenson. I’d also recommend the Hyperion tetralogy by Dan Simmons for my SciFi friends. I enjoy Jack Vance for his precision of language and excellent stories. I love John LeCarre, especially The Night Manager, Little Drummer Girl, and all the Smiley books. I read All the King’s Men this last year, by Robert Penn Warren. It was heartbreaking and amazing. He paints a vivid picture, but he also exposes emotion brilliantly.
I like to read about culture and its decline, too. Most recently, Amusing Ourselves to Death by Neal Postman. My favorite authors on culture are Victor Davis Hansen, Theodore Dalrymple, and James Bowman.
My favorite TV shows: House, Top Gear, How It’s Made, South Park, Futurama, The Office, American Idol, Parks and Recreation. Mostly Top Gear. All other TV is terrible by comparison. Even if you don’t care about cars, it’s great television. And if you do like cars, it’s Nirvana.
I’m still indifferent to most movies, though I did finally watch “Once Upon a Time in the West†and “The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly†this past year and was amazed at the perfection of acting, cinematography, and score for each. I don’t mean to be a curmudgeon, but most movies today are crap.
Blogs I follow: Engadget, Big Government, Big Hollywood, Michelle Malkin, Camille Paglia, Jay Nordlinger, Michael J. Totten, James Bowman, Gizmodo, WhichTestWon, Lifehacker, People of Walmart, Art of Manliness, ty.rannosaur.us, mental_floss, Bleat, Autoblog, FAILblog, Claremont, Michael Yon. Honorable mention to James Taranto and Best of the Web Today, which no longer has an RSS feed but which is the most pithy thing I read in any day.
My blogs (all infrequently updated): Virtute.org, Modstomp.com, slingandstones.org.
Podcasts I listen to: Radio Derb, History of Rome, History Network: Military, BYU: New Speeches, BYU: Classic Speeches, Mark Levin.
I read stories to Isaac and Charlotte every night, and often I get to tuck Nicole in too. I spend a lot of time with Ila when I can so Kathleen can have her hands free. I feel just a little nuts: we have 4 children, all 5 years old and younger. This is a hard thing now, but it will be a good thing soon. With them close together we can do more as a family and hopefully they’ll bond together really well. I’m pretty sure we’re not done at 4. The world needs more Cochrans.
Well, I think that sums me up as much as a blog post can. Happy New Year, everybody.
Happy Thanksgiving
For all our struggles and trials, we have so many things for which to thanks our Maker. I love the WSJ editorial today, recounting the trials of the Plymouth colony. Our ancestors were sturdy souls. Here are a few things I’m grateful for:
- I have a great job. I work with a great group of people for an interesting company in interesting times. I am challenged each day, but I enjoy the work. I’m finally doing the type of work I begged Omniture to let me do, and I’m finding I’m very good at it. The pay is much better than Omniture as well, which is badly needed with a new baby on the way.
- I have bright and curious children. It’s a blessing to have kids who are interested in many things, who can stare wide-eyed at a simple crow in the yard or be amazed by a book about fossils. I love each one of them.
- My wife of nearly 10 years sticks with me, in spite of all my faults. She’s thoughtful and kind and works hard every day. She’s suffering exhaustion and discomfort to bring another child into the world, for which I’m more than grateful.
- Tennessee is a beautiful state. While no place is perfect, this is a good place for our family right now. I love watching the mist on the rivers I cross when I drive to work in the morning. I love the sunsets. I love the wonderful Tennessee accent and the kindness of the people.
- I am thankful for the chance to work closely with the missionaries. I loved my mission, and it’s wonderful to help teach. It makes my faith stronger and blesses my life.
- I’m thankful for my family. I don’t think we took for granted having them so close for so long; we knew exactly how great it was. I bought a cheeseball at the store the other day and caught myself thinking I could have my family over to eat it. I’m also thankful for all the technology that makes the 1900 miles seem less.
Here are a few more things I’m thankful for with links to deeper thoughts where appropriate:
Happy Thanksgiving, everyone!
Moving, part 1
I think almost everyone who reads this blog already knows about our upcoming move, but there may be a few who we we don’t see often and don’t use facebook so for those few, here’s our official announcement: We’re moving from Orem, UT to Knoxville, TN.
When Zach first suggested taking a job out of state,
I was VERY opposed to the idea. I thought we would probably spend the rest of our lives here in Utah, perhaps even in this house. Of all the things I’ve come to love about Utah, living so close to my in-laws has been the absolute best and I will sorely miss living so close to them.
As the job interviews started to come, I couldn’t help but feel blessed at the number of good opportunities that Zach had available to him. We had been praying for months for a way to increase our income and improve our financial situation. I expected the answer to our prayers to keep us here, but at one point, Zach was in various stages of the interview process with 7 different companies in 6 different states and not one of them was in Utah. It took a couple of weeks for me to be ok with the idea of moving, but before long I found that my mind had been changed and I knew that a move was inevitable and I somehow found myself ok with the idea.
The next step was selecting the best job opportunity and though the process only took a month or two, it seemed to take forever. I was pleased when the decision was finally made that he would work for Jewelry TV in Knoxville, TN. Of all the cities that he interviewed in, Knoxville was my top choice. I have fond memories of Knoxville because it’s where my grandmother lived. I spent every Christmas there and a week out of each summer there for my entire childhood. It’s within driving distance of my parents and I have some extended family in the area as well.
Deseret Peak
I was very impressed with this hike. One of the most beautiful places I’ve been. I think Deseret Peak and the surrounding wilderness area compare very favorably to Timpanogos.
I’m a little thrashed; due to a road closure and some “scenic†route choices, we wound up going about 17 miles today, gaining about 4500’. We were expecting about 8 miles and 3600’. Still a great day in the mountains.
Here’s a slideshow:
mom
Ha Ha, I joked you
**I wrote this on April Fool’s day, but couldn’t post it until now, I’ve got some great pictures to post with it once I get this issue fixed**
Anyone who knows my brother Bryan, knows that April Fools Day may be the most 
important day of the year—at least to him. He loves not only to play jokes, but to have them played on him. He eagerly awaited my bedtime last night so that he could get started. Even now as I write, he’s feverishly trying for just one more prank.
Last night’s preparations yielded missing wheels on my computer chair, a missing remote which once found was missing it’s batteries, my shoe laces tied together and hidden DVDs. I tried a few quick pranks by switching out the bags on some of the cereals and covering the shower nozzle in saran wrap before we left the house for his orthodontist appointment. He got braces today which presented me with a prime opportunity to prank. I made up a list of food that he wouldn’t be allowed to eat with his new braces, the list included as many of his favorite foods as I could think of. I gave it to the lady at the front desk who read it to him before we left. The best part was probably the look on the faces of the other patients, mostly children as they overheard this list of forbidden foods. He played his own jokes on them by smearing peanut butter on his teeth before the appointment and putting pink hair gel in his hair.
I need more mom time!
I am grateful that I got to see my mom last weekend, even if it was a very short visit. 
She is seriously one of my very favorite people and no matter how much time I get with her, I always want more.
She flew in on Saturday and spent Monday night at Krista’s before flying home on Tuesday morning. We had just enough time to swim at my Uncle Toby’s house in Lindon, make cookies, play two hands of cards, stay up late talking twice, drink a 
cup of hot cocoa, read stories to the children, play games with Isaac and Charlotte, hold Nicole, and make some soup.
After my grandmother’s death last year, we realized how few pictures we had of us as children with our grandmother so although we prefer to look at adorable pictures of the children by themselves, we have decided that it’s important to take pictures of the kids with their grandma and made sure to take more pictures this time.
***Grandma Cochran beware, I intend to take more pictures of you with my kids as well****
Mouth Pain
I had a little spot on my tongue where once I had bitten it. After the first bite, it grew a little lump. This made it more prone to biting. As time went on, the vicious cycle continued. A couple of weeks ago, I gave it a really good chomp. Well, it got big enough that I figured it was time to have it out.
So I went in for the slicing. It seemed to go pretty well, but after I got back to the office it started to swell and hurt a bit more than I expected. Then the pain pill made me loopy. Then I realized how whiney this post is getting.
Anyway, it hurt a bit more than I expected, and I’m hungry from not eating, and I’m grumpy from all the meetings where I was talking with a funny mushy diction.
Being a true stoic, the children got their stories. One long one was vetoed.
Posts and Pictures
I use Window’s Live Writer to do most of my posts. For some reason unknown to me, I cannot post with it today so I am using the Quick Press option in my admin dashboard, So if my pictures look stretched and oddly placed, I’m sorry–I don’t know how to fix it in here.
The Christmas Story
This is late, but I love this rendition of the Christmas Story and I finally took the time to listen to it today. Click here for the link. My apologies if the link disappears before you can listen. I don’t know how long it will be available.
Family Squabbles
This needs to stop. I haven’t heard one assumption tonight that’s anywhere close to true. I’m sick to death of the gulf between my siblings and the ridiculous ideas that widen it.
Everyone is hurt. Everyone is oversensitive to the slightest rumor. Everyone judges too quickly and too often. I’m not excluding myself.
I challenge each of my siblings to write five genuine, honest, true, kind things about each other sibling over the next week or so.
It’s 1 AM here, so I’ll start my lists tomorrow.