“Fatherhood is something that helps me to be a better person.”

- Johnny Keener – Musician for kids and grownups, Recording Engineer, Producer. www.johnnykeener.com  www.johnnyandjason.weebly.com

Q. What is your favorite thing to do in Portland with your kids?
A. Typical Portland stuff. We like to play at the park (mostly St. Johns Park and Peninsula Park). We also like to go swimming at the Columbia pool, and we like to go out to breakfast. Jasper loves pancakes.

Q. What do you like to do on sunny days in PDX?
A. Anything, as long as we’re outside. We go to the park or play in the sandbox in our back yard. Jasper loves gardening with his mom, too.

Q. What do you like to do on rainy days in PDX?
A. Splash in mud puddles.

Q. How do you balance being a dad with other priorities (work, hobbies, etc)?
A. I stay at home while my wife is at work, and then I go to work while she is at home. She works full time as a labor and delivery nurse, and I run a recording studio, play kid’s music, and play in a band for grownups, too. We are insanely busy. We don’t get to spend enough time together as a family, but we do our best, and we’re working on figuring it out all the time. If anybody knows the secret, please let me know.

Q. What’s your favorite story/memory of being with your kid(s)?
A. My favorite memories are being constantly updated. We are in South Carolina visiting family as I type this, so I have just spent a week with Jasper and Heidi crashing around in the waves. He’s turning into a fish. That’s pretty amazing right there. It will be something else next week, I’m sure.