The Johnson Journal

Family Pictures 2011

2012-02-02T20:03:00.001-08:00

Grandpa Ray

2012-01-30T10:21:00.000-08:00

The grandkids all love their Grandpa Ray! This picture from our trip to Montana is proof of that. He was going to read a Christmas book and they all hopped up on his lap for the story. Grandpa looks happiest of all.:)

Christmas in Montana

2012-01-30T09:56:00.001-08:00

We spent Christmas this year with my family up in Montana. We had a blast and it was such a thrill for me to see my brother Shaun and my brother Adam and his adorable family. They made it back home to Wisconsin just in time to have baby #5 (Welcome Denali)!

Heidi and Cory joined us later in the week and the guys had to replace their traditional snowmobile outing due to lack of snow. Instead, they took a drive to Lincoln and shot a bunch of guns at empty buckets. Scott has all sorts of pictures and videos from their excursion. They were in heaven - so manly!:) The ladies did our usual lunch and a movie and had a lovely time.

My boys really enjoyed hanging with all of their super cool cousins, who were very accomodating with their new little tagalongs. Grandma Lana spent one-on-one time with each grandchild by taking them to lunch and then to the store to select a special gift. They loved getting to do this and it was a very meaningful Christmas present.

So here are a few of my favorite pics from Christmas. The last one is from our drive back to Utah. There were several rounds of vomiting, due to car sickness and from the chain reaction of watching others vomit. After several stops and lots of scrubbing and changing clothes, we just started to crack up laughing. The picture shows us laughing and doing our throw up faces. Yep, we are strange, but it was a long drive people!

Till next time. . .

Christmas Hats

2012-01-30T09:51:00.000-08:00

I love this picture of all of the cousins (on Scott's side of the family) and their new Christmas hats. Can you guess which of my children doesn't like to wear hats?

Mixed Reactions to Santa

2012-01-29T19:45:00.001-08:00

Another year, another priceless photo of a screaming baby and Santa Claus. Liam wanted absolutely nothing to do with him, as clearly indicated in the following pictures. Tate on the other hand wanted to make sure that Santa took note of each of the 5 different things that he wanted. Miles just pretty much went with the flow. He was very excited by all of it.

Christmas Recap

2012-01-29T19:23:00.000-08:00

Yes, I know it is almost February. But, I am finally resurfacing after drowning in all of the holiday madness and thought at the very least, I should post a few pictures.

These are from a couple of pre-Christmas outings. The boys did their annual trip to see the lights at Temple Square with Heidi and Cory. Liam got to experience it for the first time. It was bitter cold, but they all had a great time. The others are from a live nativity that the boys went to with their Dad, Grandma Kaye and cousins. Liam and I did not brave the cold.

Tiger Patch

2011-12-21T20:03:00.001-08:00

Tate just had his second karate testing and received his tiger patch and orange bandanna. He was so excited and was really brave performing in front of all of the people. Way to go Tate!

My Little Helper

2011-12-18T21:50:00.000-08:00

Tate has always been a superb helper. Lately, he has been taking it on himself to make both his bed and Miles' bed, and does a fantastic job. What a sweetheart! Every Mom should have a Tate at home.

Where In The World?

2011-12-18T21:49:00.000-08:00

Miles recently won the first grade geography bee at his school. He was especially knowledgeable on the capitals of the 50 states. He knew every one. So proud of that smart boy!

A Diverse Nativity

2011-11-29T16:08:00.001-08:00

Last night during Family Home Evening, Scott was teaching the boys about the true meaning of Christmas and he used our Nativity set to explain our Savior's birth. The boys quickly decided that there had to have been more animals present in the stable than the two that we have in our Nativity. Since we were short on animals like horses, cows, etc., they improvised. We definitely have one unique nativity. Apparantly, there were whales, alligators, polar bears, rhinos, elephants, zebras, giraffes and even a lonely toucan surrounding the manger . Tate even added a polar ice cap for good measure. I love my boys!

Who Can Resist a Big Pile of Leaves?

2011-11-28T14:17:00.000-08:00

Apparently, not my boys.:)

Miles is 7!

2011-11-28T13:26:00.001-08:00

We recently wrapped up our crazy birthday months with a big celebration for Miles 7th birthday. We started with a pool party for Miles and his friends. Everyone had a great time, especially the birthday boy!

On the morning of his actual birthday, he enjoyed his breakfast in bed and getting to celebrate at school. That evening we went to Fazoli's for dinner, a favorite of Miles. Grandma Kaye and Grandpa Jon and Heidi and Cory joined us for the celebration. We then headed back to our house for cake and ice cream and the long awaited presents. It was such a fun evening for our big 7 year old!

I still really can't believe my oldest is 7. It seems like just yesterday I was holding my sweet son in my arms at the hospital. Miles continues to amaze me everyday. He is such a joy to be around - so smart, pleasant and really funny. Happy Birthday Miles!

Orange Belt

2011-11-28T13:12:00.000-08:00

Tate just received his orange belt in karate. He was really excited and we were so proud of him. He is doing great!

Paging a Stylist

2011-11-13T22:18:00.001-08:00

My boys really crack me up when it comes to their fashion choices. From their questionable winter weather attire to their snazzy 3D glasses, I am always entertained. Gotta love it!:)

Fall Sports

2011-11-13T21:56:00.001-08:00

My busy boys have been enjoying participating in a number of sports. Tate has joined karate and really loves it. He also did a session of preschool soccer which he thought was pretty fun. Both boys have been doing swimming and Miles tried football for the first time. In his very last game, he scored his first touchdown. So exciting!

Liam's First Haircut

2011-11-13T21:45:00.000-08:00

Tonight we finally decided it was time to give Liam his first haircut. My sister Heidi did the honors and Liam was surprisingly well behaved while she cut it. I always thought he was so adorable with his cute blonde combover, but I have to admit he looks so much older and extremely handsome with his new do.

From shaggy and adorable:

To cool and debonair:

The Puppet Show

2011-11-13T21:35:00.001-08:00

The first grade at Miles' school put on the cutest puppet show this last week. They have been learning about all of the different habitats and they performed a couple of fun poems and songs about various animals in their habitats. Miles participated in the water habitat part of the puppet show where he acted in the role of the "big frog." It was adorable!

After, we got to go his classroom and check out all of the shoebox habitats that the students had created and enjoy refreshments of animal crackers and purple cows. It was such a fun event and Miles loved being a part of it. Tate and Liam were quite taken with all of it and now Tate can't wait to be old enough to do the puppet show as well.

Las Vegas (again)

2011-11-13T21:14:00.001-08:00

My husband is a traveling maniac. He has a work trip pretty much each and every week and people always ask me why I don't travel with him. The answer is that it is far too complicated to find sitters and juggle schedules to take such quick trips. But, when the opportunity came to accompany Scott to Vegas for a couple of days, I had to reconsider. I love Vegas and know my way around there quite well. If Scott had to work, I certainly could entertain myself.

We stayed at Aria, one of the newest hotels there, which was amazing. We were on the 27th floor and had gorgeous views. Scott spent almost all of his time working and I spent almost all of my time playing. I wandered the beautiful gardens at the Bellagio and had a pedicure at their spa. I shopped and napped and had a lovely time. Scott and I were fortunate to find a brief opportunity to have a nice dinner together one night and watch a water show at the Bellagio fountain, plus we managed to squeeze in a movie before catching our flight back to SLC. Special thanks to Heidi and Cory and Jon and Kaye for taking on our 3 kids. I appreciated it so much and it was fantastic to recharge and relax.

Little Spooks

2011-11-13T20:29:00.001-08:00

Luke Skywalker, a T-Rex and a chicken walked into a bar. Ok, maybe not, but they did take over my house on Halloween. The excitement was palpable as Miles and Tate role played the trick-or-treating experience and Liam attempted to sneak candy from the bowl. The older boys loved their costumes, while Liam fought to get around in a chicken costume not conducive to movement.

Then the action began. Scott and the older boys headed out to gather their goodies while Liam and I stayed home to hand out treats to a record number of trick-or-treaters this year - 135! I love getting to see all the neighborhood kids in their cute costumes and the boys stayed out quite late having a blast!

Heidi and Cory dropped by later in the evening to see the costumes and Heidi couldn't resist playing angel and devil with Liam. The look on Liam's face is priceless! It was a fun time had by all.

Tate's Preschool Halloween Party

2011-10-30T22:27:00.000-07:00

Tate just had his preschool Halloween party which was really cute. He got to make a ghost and decorate Halloween cookies. He wore his T-Rex costume for the parade they did for the parents. Liam and I attended and loved watching him sing the witch song with his class. He loves getting to go to school and is really passionate about Halloween!

Miles' Reading Award

2011-10-30T21:53:00.000-07:00

Miles received a reading award at his school a couple of weeks ago. His teacher has been pleased with his love of learning and his excitement over getting to check out new books. He has been reading books like crazy and we are so proud of his accomplishments.

Grandma Lana got to spend an extra long visit with us, which was so much fun because she got to be on hand to see Miles get his reading award. And, she got to be around for lots of snuggle time with the boys.:)

Liam is 1!

2011-10-30T21:19:00.000-07:00

When Scott and I decided to have our babies in the fall, I don't think we thought it all the way through. It has been party central around our house with all of the autumn birthdays (all five of us in October and November). We are officially crazy, but it has been a ton of fun!

My darling little Liam just celebrated his first birthday, and I can't remember a year that went faster. It all started with this absolute bundle of joy and somehow I blinked, and he is now one.

Liam's party was a big family gathering, including both sets of grandparents, Aunt Heidi and Uncle Cory, Aunt Sydney and some cousins. Let's just say that Liam knows how to party. He absolutely loved being the center of attention and was just delightful for his big day.

Liam has been such a happy and healthy baby. He is super adorable with his blonde hair and blue eyes. He is very social and engaging and always has a quick smile for everyone. He loves to play and is incredibly busy exploring his world. He has been such a wonderful addition to our family and is just so much fun. Happy Birthday my sweet Liam!

Tate Is 4!

2011-10-30T20:17:00.000-07:00

My sweet Tate is now four years old. He wanted to have his friend party at the dinosaur museum, which he absolutely loved. The boys were all so cute and I think everyone had a fun time.

The day after his dinosaur party, we celebrated his actual birthday. The day started with breakfast in bed, a birthday tradition that the boys love. We had a family party that night with lots of cousins, aunts and uncles, and Grandma Kaye and Grandpa Jon. Tate loved that so many came to his party and he really enjoyed pointing out to everyone where the gifts went. He was all about the presents and was just so very happy.

Tate has such a big heart and is the most compassionate little boy I have ever known. It has been a real joy to see him grow into such a handsome little dude who is unbelievably funny and loving. Thank goodness, even at four years old, he still loves to snuggle with his Mom. Happy Birthday Tate!

Scott's Forty Something

2011-10-30T20:08:00.001-07:00

Another birthday come and gone for Scott. He had a nice day which started with breakfast in bed. The boys loved sharing in the goodness. That night, Heidi and Cory watched the boys so Scott and I could sneak out for dinner and a movie. Happy Birthday babe!

Fire Station Field Trip

2011-10-30T19:40:00.001-07:00

Tate had his first preschool field trip to a local fire station. He was pretty mesmorized by all of it. He especially loved getting to use the hose. Such a boy.:)

Wacky Witches

2011-10-30T19:13:00.000-07:00

We recently made our annual visit to the Witch Festival at Gardner Village. This time Heidi and Cory joined me and the boys for their first witch experience. We had a lot of fun and were quite silly.

Where Are You Halloween?

2011-10-30T18:20:00.000-07:00

Tate can hardly contain his excitement over Halloween. He keeps managing to get his costume on, even though it is not yet the 31st. I have caught him jumping on the trampoline in his T-Rex best as well as hanging out and watching TV. That kid cracks me up!

Dear Blog, I Have Missed You

2011-10-28T20:24:00.000-07:00

Fall has been off to a crazy fast start, and sadly I am not keeping up with it. So I will attempt to catch up a little and update the blog.

First up, a last trip to the zoo before the weather turns cold.

Scott and the boys attended the annual Father/Sons Campout. It was Tate's first time going and unfortunately the weather did not cooperate. We had a major downpour and the boys ended up camping in the car at the campsite. Still, spirits were not dampened and it was a bonding experience for all.

We recently had our ward primary program, which was a big hit. Miles was the narrator and I was so proud of the job he did on such a complicated part. At 6 years old, it was a real treat to watch him do the part normally assigned to a much older child. It was Tate's first program and he got right up to the microphone and did his part completely from memory. So cute!

First Days

2011-09-18T17:10:00.000-07:00

Another school year has begun and this year Miles is a big first grader and goes to school all day.

Tate is a hot shot this year as well since he just started preschool. I got the pleasure of going to his open house with him and we had a great time.

Then Tate had his first official day of preschool, which he dubbed "super fun."

So proud of my boys!

Farewell Summer

2011-09-08T20:47:00.000-07:00

As summer came to end, the boys and I hit McDonald's and the park for an end of summer picnic. We also toured the dinosaur museum, and since many kids were already back in school we had the entire place pretty much to ourselves, which was an unusual and welcome experience. The day before Miles headed back to school, they had a little water fun with the cousins. Such a great summer!

California Boys

2011-08-26T19:13:00.000-07:00

We returned two weeks ago from our lovely family vacation to San Diego, and yet sadly, I am just getting around to blogging about it. Oh well, better late than never.

On our drive down to California, we stayed a night with some of our good friends who live in St. George. It was really fun to get to visit with them and catch up on all the latest excitement. Their home was truly gorgeous and the boys had a blast swimming in their amazing pool, playing on their waterslide and hanging with their friend Zane.

In San Diego, the boys managed to swim again. In fact, in the 10 days that we were on vacation, they swam in 5 different pools.

Our first major event was a trip to the San Diego Zoo. The boys had such a great time. We started with the bus tour and then covered the entire zoo by foot. Many hours and hundreds of animals later, we staggered out to our car. I did not include the picture of the mating giant turtles (of course I took a picture - do not judge me), but trust me when I tell you it was hysterical.

Grandma Kaye and Grandpa Jon joined us for some fun at Disneyland. Lovely to have their help and their company. We always have a great time with them in California - throw in a little Mickey Mouse and what is not to love?!

Back down in San Diego, Scott and I got to sneak out one night for dinner to celebrate our 9-year wedding anniversary. We had a nice time and enjoyed a fun evening. Oh, and no, we did not sit on the same side of the table at dinner - that's a pet peeve of mine when couples sit next to each other leaving the other side of the table vacant. We did it purely for the sake of the photo.:)

We spent a bit of time at Jon and Kaye's hotel enjoying the incredible views, and of course, swimming. On our way out we ran into a marine who had just come from his boot camp graduation. The boys thought he was a big time celebrity. Miles kept saying "A real marine!, A real marine!" He was a really cool guy and was super cute with my boys. There truly is something about a man in uniform.:)

Of course no California vacation is complete without a trip to the beach, and this one was no exception. The boys attempted boogie boarding and Scott swam with dolphins - a perfect afternoon at the beach!

Until next year!!!

Summer Fun

2011-08-03T20:24:00.000-07:00

This last month has been full of fun activities for our family. The boys have been in constant play mode, which is just how summer should be. Since I haven't blogged in a while, please enjoy the endless stream of photos documenting our awesome summer!

The Farm at Thanksgiving Point:

Draper Days:

Water Party with Friends:

Cowabunga Bay:

Scott's First 10k (with Heidi's husband Cory):

Fun with the Montana grandparents (a short but sweet visit):

The Living Planet Aquarium:

Hogle Zoo:

Abundant Silliness and a Puppet Show:

Museum of Ancient Life:

4th of July

2011-07-07T11:45:00.000-07:00

What a fun holiday! We started the day off with a family outing to the swimming pool and then headed back for a welcome visit from Grandpa Jon and Grandma Kaye. Heidi and Cory joined us later that night for a delicious barbecue and some fabulous fireworks. Some of our neighbors dropped in for the show and we all had a great time. The boys had a blast and even the chilly night air and rain couldn't dampen their spirits.

Fun in Sun Valley

2011-06-28T14:13:00.001-07:00

We returned Sunday night from a fabulous long weekend in Sun Valley, Idaho. We did lots of biking (Miles logged in about 14 miles on his own - quite impressive with those little legs). We ate lots of yummy food and played some old-school video games. Scott and I had a fun trip down Memory Lane with Ms. Pac Man. The boys swam and fed the horses and Liam was just a little trooper through it all. Sun Valley never disappoints - looking forward to going again soon! Here are some of the pictures from our adventure:

Father's Day

2011-06-28T13:55:00.001-07:00

I think Scott is feeling pretty spoiled after Father's Day. He got breakfast in bed from his favorite little helpers. They also made him a tape with their cute little voices on it. He got a new shirt and some new jeans that he had been wanting. Plus, I finally put together a scrapbook from his 40th birthday party weekend. I don't scrapbook, so that alone should be something to treasure.:)

Scott requested a "meat and potatoes" dinner, served alongside tea-juice with fresh mint from the garden. He loved the meatloaf and mashed potatoes dinner, the afternoon nap and all of the cute things the boys made him in church. They had to list some of their Dad's favorite things and for Scott's favorite TV show, Miles put that it was "Squawk on the Street," a show about stocks and Wall Street. Boy do they ever know their Dad. Scott got a big kick out of that. He is such great father!

Tate the Swimmer

2011-06-28T13:51:00.000-07:00

Tate just finished swim lessons for the first time. He did a great job and was so much fun to watch!

Catching Up. . .

2011-05-31T12:32:00.000-07:00

So once again, I am a little behind. We have been so crazy busy and blogging had to be placed on hold for a bit. One of the reasons for all of the craziness has been Scott's travel schedule. In the last couple of months, in addition to Mexico, he has travelled to 16 states for work - Washington, Nevada, California, Missouri, Kansas, Louisiana, Tennessee, South Carolina, Georgia, Florida, Michigan, New York, New Jersey, Massachusetts, Connecticut and Rhode Island. He sends us pictures from his various destinations. Here is one from San Francisco:

When he is home, we try to fit in some fun family activities. Here are some pictures from our outing to the zoo:

It was also time for our annual girl's trip and so we headed back to Las Vegas. Unfortunately, Dawnelle couldn't make it this year, so we brought along a little testosterone this time instead. Liam was a little young to be without Mom, so he came along for his first taste of Sin City. My Dad's birthday also fell during the dates of our trip, so we thought it would be fun to have him join us for the celebration. We all had a really great time and it was nice to be with my dad for his birthday and my Mom for Mother's Day. Plus, it was wonderful for me to have a little break from all of the chaos.

My sister and I squished in a super quick trip to Wendover to see our favorite country artist, Collin Raye. We had fantastic seats and such a fun time. For those of you who know how skilled I am at dropping cameras, I need to confess that I managed to drop it into a public toilet in Wendover. And yes, I reached my hand in to quickly pull it out. Sadly, it looked like it was destroyed and that I would lose all of the pictures I had taken. Someone informed me about the trick of sticking it in a bag of rice, which worked like a charm. I also attempted to sanitize the camera and we are now back in business.

Scott and I had the privilege of attending the U2 concert together - AMAZING!!! Visually, it was the most impressive concert I have ever been to and it was nice to have the rare date night with my husband.

Miles has kept busy with swimming and baseball in addition to his end of the year activities at school. His class took a field trip to the zoo and Tate came along for all of the action. You will notice all of the layering of clothes in both of our trips to the zoo. Utah has had an uncharacteristically cold, rainy and sometimes snowy spring. We miss you sunshine!

Miles also had his kindergarten graduation. They put on a terrific program and Miles is so excited to be a big first grader in the fall. So proud of all of his hard work!

Finally, Scott managed to sneak away last weekend for a little R and R with some friends in St. George. Even though it was yet another trip, he definitely enjoyed having a little free time.

Eggcellent Easter

2011-04-24T20:36:00.000-07:00

Today is Easter! It has been a fun weekend getting ready for the big day. Friday afternoon, my sister and I baked up some fun sugar cookies for family and friends.

Saturday night, we decorated Easter eggs, which the boys loved. So much fun! Heidi and Cory came over to get in on the action and we all had a great time.

Sunday morning, the boys got up early and hunted down over 60 eggs. They enjoyed looking for eggs even more than they enjoyed the crazy amounts of candy that the Easter Bunny left for them (they obviously don't take after their mother).

Then, it was time for our Easter celebration. The boys looked adorable in their new suits as we headed off to church for a beautiful Easter meeting. Following church, we went to Scott's parents house for a lovely Easter dinner. It was a wonderful weekend, but Mom is exhausted.:)

Master Bedroom Remodel

2011-03-03T13:31:00.000-08:00

After more than 8 years of marriage, Scott and I decided that it was finally time to have a bedroom suited for grown-ups and do a master bedroom remodel. Sadly, I forgot to take any before pictures, but "sad" is a truly appropriate word. I never let anyone even see the room, because it was borderline embarrassing. We were using dressers that Scott has had since he was 13 and we had no color on the walls or bedding on the bed.

We convinced my sister to take the reigns on the project and I am thrilled with the results. Heidi is incredibly talented. She had a beautiful vision for the room and she and I worked together to put something together that I am really proud to show off. Thanks Heidi! I love, love, love it!!!

No before pictures, but here it is in the middle of renovations:

And, the "after" pictures - here is the big reveal:

Grandma and Grandpa Time

2011-03-03T12:54:00.000-08:00

My parents came down from Montana for a visit 2 weeks ago. As always, the boys loved all of the attention and cute little Liam got to be held all day long. We had such a fun time and can't wait for them to visit again soon.

My Funny Valentines

2011-03-02T21:08:00.000-08:00

The boys were pretty excited about Valentine's Day. The morning started off with our annual red and pink breakfast. This year they had heart shaped toast, pink and white yogurt and strawberry milk, served using pink and red plates and cups. In the evening, we watched some home videos of the boys when they were babies, followed by a special valentine scavenger hunt. Before bed, they decorated heart shaped cookies and headed to their room to sleep off their sugar highs.

Digging for Dinosaurs

2011-02-25T17:49:00.001-08:00

Miles and Tate love Dinosaurs, and Miles has become increasingly disappointed that he has not had a chance to dig up any dinosaur bones. So, when they requested the opportunity to go out in our front yard and look for dinosaur bones, my husband was particularly accommodating. He pulled out a snow shovel and a garden shovel and let them dig up our yard. Of course, they had a blast! Hopefully, Scott will have equally as much fun when he has to reconstruct our lawn come spring.:)

Brother's Day

2011-02-22T17:08:00.000-08:00

So after last Mother's Day and Father's Day, Miles asked me when Brother's Day was, and a new tradition was born. A few weekends ago, we celebrated our first official Brother's Day. It started with breakfast in bed for the boys. The boys each got a couple of very small presents, since we did just have Christmas. (On a small tangent, note the beautiful lilies in the picture that my husband sent me.)

Anyway, we then headed to the dinosaur museum, their favorite place in the world. They got to have McDonalds for dinner and then a movie night with Aunt Heidi and Uncle Cory. Such a fun ending to a perfect day!

Endlessly Entertaining

2011-01-21T11:55:00.000-08:00

Fun With Dad

2011-01-03T13:48:00.000-08:00

One of my favorite things is to watch Scott with the boys. He is such a great dad. The boys all light up when he gets home and they have such a blast together.

Here are all of the dudes watching a football game together:

Christmas fun:

The bond between father and son:

Teaching Miles to make a snow angel:

The nightly pre-bedtime puppet show, where Scott and the boys voice a number of characters with an amazing range of accents:

Christmas

2011-01-03T12:43:00.001-08:00

Christmas Eve

2011-01-03T12:16:00.001-08:00

We had a delightful Christmas Eve with Scott's family this year. We had a lovely dinner and an impressive talent show at his sister Sue's house. Miles and Tate sang "Rudolph, the Red Nosed Reindeer" and "Jingle Bells," and then Miles entertained everyone with games of "Guess the Dinosaur" and "Stump Miles on his college mascots." Liam was a little off his game so I spent part of the evening upstairs in a quiet room, but he calmed down enough before bed for me to take some cute pictures of him in his red pajamas.

Temple Square

2010-12-29T21:24:00.001-08:00

Just before Christmas, Heidi and Cory took Miles and Tate to see the lights at temple square. It was a first for my boys and they had a really great time. Miles took his camera along to capture the action and Heidi took a few pictures so that I could be a part of the fun.

He's Making a List & Checking It Twice

2010-12-21T15:20:00.001-08:00

The boys were so lucky this year because they got to see Santa twice and make sure that their requests were well noted by the man in red. The first time was at the ward Christmas breakfast, where they got to be cozy in their pajamas.

The second time was at Scott's Aunt Karen's annual Christmas party, where Liam got to participate too (with the help of his cousin Parker). Tate was really disappointed that he asked for Team Umizoomi stickers and got a gift card and a candy cane instead. So confusing!:)

Liam's Blessing

2010-12-21T14:55:00.000-08:00

We had Liam's blessing the day after Heidi's wedding, since we had most of our family in town. The illnesses continued to plague my family, and a few people had to miss the blessing. But, the day went beautifully. Liam looked like an absolute doll and was so well behaved during his blessing. Following the blessing, Kaye put on a lovely brunch at her house for friends and family.

Liam is such a bright spot in our lives. He smiles all the time and is a very good natured baby. We are enjoying him so much! Thanks to everyone who made his day so special.

Heidi's Wedding

2010-12-21T14:37:00.000-08:00

Heidi and Cory got married two days after Thanksgiving, and in spite of all of the illnesses going around, they pulled off a really beautiful wedding. It was so nice to have my entire family together. Heidi and Cory looked really happy. Congratulations to the new couple!

Thanksgiving

2010-12-21T14:23:00.001-08:00

Miles kindergarten class did a darling pilgrim program and Thanksgiving Feast at his school. He did a fantastic job on his part, "Land, I see land!"

We had my brother and his family in town for my sister's wedding and so we spent Thanskgiving together as well. Given the stress of the wedding plans and having a new little baby, we were not up to cooking a huge meal and so we went to Golden Corral instead. This was not well received by the family, nor was it very tasty, but I didn't have to cook or clean up, so I have no complaints.

Miles is Six!

2010-12-20T22:16:00.000-08:00

Last month, Miles celebrated his big 6th birthday with a party at the Dinosaur Museum. Miles loves all things dinosaurs and had a blast with his friends.

When it came time for Miles family party two days later, Tate had a nasty stomach flu and so we couldn't get everyone together at our house. Grandma Kaye came to the rescue and moved the party to her house. Miles didn't mind at all. He had a fun afternoon with his Grandma and his Dad took him to McDonalds before his evening party with his cousins.

Six days after that, Miles lost his first tooth. He is growing up so fast! He is such a wonderful boy. Miles is always keeping me on my game by teaching me things I never dreamed I needed to know. He is smart, well-mannered and happy. We love having Miles in our home. Happy Birthday!

Little Liam

2010-11-19T16:48:00.001-08:00

Just wanted to share some great pictures of our darling little Liam. These ones were taken at the hospital, when Liam was only one day old.

The next set of pictures were taken by my talented photographer friend as a gift to me. Liam is around 3 weeks old in these photos.

How the Boys Watch TV

2010-11-06T20:21:00.000-07:00

Megalodon 2.0 and The Frog

2010-11-05T12:21:00.000-07:00

Oh, my cute little trick-or-treaters. Miles insisted on going as a shark again this year. He also insisted that he was a Megalodon shark, which is his favorite, even though they are extinct. Tate still loves all things frog, and loved putting on his adorable costume. We role played the trick-or-treating experience with him so that he would be prepared, but he seemed disappointed when I told him that not everyone would give him Skittles.

It was a really cold, wet and windy night, but we set a record this year for trick-or-treaters - 125! Yes, I know I am a dork for counting, but I think it's fun to keep track. Tate had to come in early, since he got too cold outside and didn't like battling other kids to get to the candy. Scott had to drag Miles in, or else he still might be going door to door. Liam was a bit fussy, so he didn't wear a costume, nor did he make it into the required photo shoot. But, suffice it to say, that he was still as cute as ever.

I promised Miles donuts and hot chocolate after, and then realized that most donuts have eggs in them. My friend Kimberly used to make easy, eggless donuts in college and so she came to my rescue with her simple method. They turned out really well and were quite tasty. Miles insisted on blue glaze, but I made some fun Halloween ones as well. All in all, a perfect evening!

First Snow

2010-10-28T15:15:00.001-07:00

Yesterday, we had our first major snow of the season. While I really was enjoying the lovely fall weather we had been having, I thoroughly enjoyed watching Miles run around and play in the snow. It was the first thing he wanted to do after school. Who could deny him such a fun childhood pleasure? Of course, I took pictures.

Gardner Village

2010-10-27T10:46:00.001-07:00

Another year, another fun outing to the Witch Festival. I was privileged to be able to go with my Mom this year, which made it all the more enjoyable. Tate has a newfound fear of witches, so he and Liam stayed at home with my Dad and sister. Miles loved having the one-on-one time with Mom and Grandma.

Tate's Three!

2010-10-20T13:56:00.000-07:00

We recently celebrated Tate's third birthday with a frog themed party at the aquarium. Everyone had such a fun time and Tate loved being surrounded by so many friends and family. You could tell that he felt really special. He absolutely lit up when everyone sang "Happy Birthday."

Tate is such a fun-loving, sweet boy. He loves to help out and take care of everyone. He is a real charmer and he makes me laugh everyday. Can't believe he is three already. Happy Birthday lovebug!

Baby Liam!!!

2010-10-15T17:52:00.001-07:00

Announcing the arrival of our new little angel:
Liam Cole Johnson
October 14, 2010 - 12:19am
8 lbs., 19.5 inches
Pure perfection. We are so happy and in love with him!

Autumn Leaves and Apollo Anton Ohno?

2010-10-11T16:12:00.000-07:00

Last night we decided to take a leisurely Sunday drive up the canyon to see the autumn leaves. Miles kept saying that he hadn't seen any red, orange, yellow or brown leaves, only green. The drive was really gorgeous and we finally appeased Miles desire to see leaves that had changed colors.

When we got near the top we got out to walk around a bit, when a car pulled up next to us. Out hopped Apollo Anton Ohno and his girlfriend to take a little nature hike. Scott and I are huge fans, so before we left we drove up the road a bit to where they were walking and asked for a couple of pictures. He was incredibly nice and down to earth and chatted with us for a few minutes. So, forgive the 8 1/2 month, puffy, pregnant picture of me with no makeup and sweats, because I got to meet Apollo.:)

Scott's 40!!!

2010-10-10T15:09:00.000-07:00

The big day finally came - much to Scott's chagrin. Fortunately, he had a fantastic birthday, which I think helped offset the pain of turning 40. On his actual birthday, he spent the morning having breakfast with his family, while the evening was spent 3rd row at the Jazz game. The next day, Scott spent the afternoon golfing with his brothers and closest buds, followed by dinner at Biaggi's with some of his dearest lifelong friends. Happy Birthday Scott! You will always be young at heart.

Keeping Busy

2010-09-16T09:39:00.000-07:00

Miles has been playing t-ball and soccer this fall and it has been a real joy to watch his skills improve. I love to watch little kids play sports. The first picture is my absolute favorite, even though Miles isn't even in it. This is what his team was doing during their time in the field. It made me laugh . . . too adorable.

"Nap" Time

2010-09-06T13:20:00.001-07:00

Here are a couple of pictures showing what Tate decided to do during "nap" time. Apparently, if you pull all of the tissues out of a giant box of Kleenex, it makes a really soft and fun pile to play in. Both of the boys enjoyed the fruits of Tate's labors.

1st Day of Kindergarten

2010-08-30T12:39:00.000-07:00

So today was Miles' first day of Kindergarten. Last night was a restless night. Today, there were nerves and fears, and holding back tears. Sadly, that was all me.

Miles slept peacefully. He was not nervous or scared at all, just excited. In fact, he didn't even want me to walk him in, but rather drop him off. I, of course talked him into letting me escort him to class for his first day, but he was thrilled to be there and not at all sad to say good-bye. That made me very happy to see. Here's to a great year Miles!

P.S. You can see from the pictures that Tate got in on all of the action. He was not at all pleased when Miles went in to class, and he didn't get to go as well.

Bridal Shower

2010-08-30T12:28:00.000-07:00

My little sister is getting married! Her work threw her a fun bridal shower while my Mom was in town recently, so that my Mom could be in attendance. My sister works with a great group of people. Quite a few people from her fiance' Cory's family came as well. Throw in her best friend from high school, Anaika, my Mom and me, and well, you have yourself a party.:)

Really excited for you Heidi!

Brown Belt

2010-08-30T12:15:00.000-07:00

Miles just recently received his brown belt in Taekwondo. So proud of him!!!

Sunny San Diego

2010-08-17T12:27:00.000-07:00

I am actually embarrassed about posting yet more vacation pictures. We have been so blessed to take so many trips this year. But, I guess we better enjoy it since baby boy #3 arrives in 2 months and then all vacations will be put on hold for quite a while.

This time, we took the boys and headed south to San Diego. It really was a week in paradise. The boys had so much fun and they soaked up every minute of precious time with their Dad.

The first few days were spent at the park, beach and Sea World. Scott and I also celebrated our 8-year wedding anniversary. Yea, us! :)

Sea World was a big hit with both boys. They both loved Shamu, so we saw the "Believe" show twice. They were quite disappointed that they sat in the "soak zone" and didn't even manage to get splashed. Tate fell in love with the flying fish ride and Scott and Miles rode Shipwreck Rapids 5 times, and as you can tell from the pictures, managed to get completely soaked.

Grandpa Jon and Grandma Kaye joined us midweek for some pool and beach fun. They also braved Disneyland with us, which was really enjoyable and helpful. The boys were in heaven with all of the attention. Scott was thrilled that Miles was finally old enough to ride the big rides with him, and Miles proved to be quite brave by going on each and every one. Both boys enjoyed "Pirates of the Caribbean" which we rode many times and Tate liked "It's a Small World." Such a treat to see Disneyland through their eyes.

This next picture may be my favorite picture of all. On the drive home, Tate decided to kick his potty training into high gear and requested we pull over so that he could go. Of course, he couldn't mention this while we were near a city or rest stop. Tate refused to go standing up, so we pulled out his little potty that fortunately we had brought along with us.

So here is my 2-year old son in the pitch black of night, in the middle of the desert, with no shoes or lights taking care of business:

Love that boy!:)

Summer

2010-08-06T08:20:00.001-07:00

Summer is flying by and it has been a busy one. We have had such a fun time. In July, my good friend Nicole came to visit from California with her three adorable kids. We got to celebrate her birthday by having a girl's evening at Cafe Rio. It brought back a lot of memories and brought together some really great friends.

We also recently went to the zoo to check out the new baby elephant and had a blast. The boys loved the train and carousel.

In addition, the boys have been loving all of the times they have had to get crazy with their friends, including a trip to a local splash pad.

Big Boy Bed

2010-08-04T13:00:00.001-07:00

Last week we moved Tate into Miles' room and into his new big boy bed. It has produced mixed results. Last night, Tate must have decided that Miles' bed looked more comfortable than his because this is what we saw when we checked in on them:

We still have a long way to go, but pretty cute!

Spokane

2010-08-02T13:14:00.000-07:00

Last weekend, I was privileged to be able to attend my dear friend Kaci's wedding in Spokane, Washington. Kaci and I have literally been friends since the womb and her family has always been like a second family to me. It was such a thrill to spend time with my parents and sister, as well as to see Kaci happily marry the man of her dreams, becoming not only a wonderful wife to Craig, but also a caring mother to his son Gavin.

It was an incredible day, with everything perfectly elegant and beautiful. I attached a few of my favorite pictures from that day. Here's to wishing the bride and groom nothing but love and happiness in their new lives together!

Fun with Friends

2010-07-15T09:07:00.000-07:00

We recently returned from a fun friends trip to San Diego. Three couples, plus one car, plus many hours on the road equals a lot of laughs and never ending entertainment. We spent the first night in Las Vegas to break up the drive a bit and had a great time hanging by the pool. The rest of the time in San Diego was filled with movies, dinners, numerous sports, shopping and many hours at the beach. Scott took the opportunity to be as active as possible. I took daily walks and went on a leisurely kayak ride, but mostly took advantage of my 6 month pregnant belly and its desire to sit on the beach and read. To each his own.:)

Looking forward to doing it again next year. It was really nice to get away with my husband and wonderful friends to unwind.

Cousin Campout

2010-07-05T09:12:00.000-07:00

Last night, Miles and Tate had three of their cousins (Mitchell, Alex and Ian) come over for a camp out in the backyard. They all had such a great time. The evening started with a fun barbecue, followed by the boys all playing basketball over at a local school. They returned to eat popcorn while watching a movie in the tent. This morning, my cute husband got up and made the boys a pancake breakfast and then the cousins headed outside to enjoy some time on the trampoline. They all want to know when they can do it again.:)

Gateway

2010-07-03T11:49:00.000-07:00

Yesterday, we went with a group of friends to Gateway Mall. First, we checked out Clark Planetarium where they all had a blast walking on their version of the moon and Mars. After, we headed over to the fountains to cool off from the heat. Miles had a nice time, but Tate wanted nothing to do with getting splashed by cold, random bursts of water and spent his time hanging on the sidelines with me. I am starting to think my kids lead a pretty posh life.:)

For the Love of Reading

2010-07-01T11:38:00.001-07:00

The other day I took the boys to the library to check out some books. I couldn't resist taking this darling picture of the boys all snuggled in and engrossed in their new books. You can't tell from the picture, but Miles is reading a book about military airplanes. Like father, like son. . .

Spontaneous Montana Adventure

2010-06-22T09:36:00.000-07:00

When Scott told me he would be out of town all last week for work, I decided that rather than sit at home with my nausea, I would take the boys on a road trip to Montana to see my parents. Miles and Tate were really excited and all-in-all did pretty well for that much time spent in the car.

My parents loved the time with the grandkids and seemed to take the increased noise levels and toy messes in stride.

My mom and I took the boys to Gibson Park to feed the ducks, play on the slides and enjoy a yummy snow cone (a first for them). The rest of the days were rainy, so Miles missed out on his request to go mini golfing.

We were privileged to be able to celebrate my Mom's birthday with her (she turned 30 again) and to be able to wish my dad an early Happy Father's Day. My Mom and I even got to sneak off to see a movie.

Due to the incessant rain, and the boys increased stir craziness, we took one morning and headed over to the church where my Mom works. Miles and Tate ran around the gym and played basketball. Then they took turns standing on the podium and performing songs. Too cute!

We had such a nice time, but the week went by way too fast. We all miss Grandma and Grandpa already.