Camping Trip

A couple weekends ago we went camping with our good friends the Bybees. It was just what we needed! Spencer is our jack of all trades adventure man.....we knew we'd be in good hands but we had no idea that we'd be camping in luxury! I can barely even tell you where we actually camped because we had to park our car at the top of a road. Then Spenc came and picked us up in his truck and we loaded all our gear up with him. We basically went "4-wheelin" as our kids would call it down into this canyon to get to our spot. Tyler learned how to shoot and did a pretty good job! I never thought I'd feel so proud hearing that loud DING after he hit his target!

After breakfast we went on a hike with the kids down further into the canyon along this river bed. It was gorgeous and pretty adventurous for all of us to do. We hiked down until there was a drop off that was too dangerous to keep going. We went pretty far and the kids did awesome!

We were fortunate to have two Iron Chefs with us! Spenc had the mac daddy camp set up and we were eating in style. We seriously ate delicious food for every meal and Dave was just in HEAVEN!!! The Bybees know how to do things that for sure!

The kids loved getting dirty and finding worms in the ground. They started to make a little pot hole for the ones they had found.

I love this pic of Ashlynn sipping her hot cocoa right after she woke up. It was nice to have that after a cold night! It got down to about 30 degrees. Once we all went to sleep for the night I rolled over and saw Ashlynn sitting up just looking around. I go over to her and noticed that all of her covers were off and she was confused. I got her back in bed and I look over at Ty.....he was laying there with covers off....sleeping bag open.....and NO CLOTHES ON!!!!! It's freezing outside and he stripped down without even knowing it because he got to hot in his bag. He was sweating! Here I am FREEZING my bazooka off and I'm trying to find his clothes. I get them both back and snuggled in bed and get back in my bag and try to get warm. My honey is next to me sawwwwing logs not having a clue what just happened:). Then I hear Ashlynn go..."Mommy, I'm cold". So I let her climb in with me for the night and I was stuck in the same position all night. Needless to say when I woke up that morning I felt like I'd been ran over by a truck! Do you ever get a good nights sleep though when you camp??? Oh well, it sure makes for a good story!

This was our first official camping trip all together and it was a great one. We had to make up for our trip last year without Dave when Ashlynn fell into the fire pit and was burned. I am happy to say there were no injuries and we all did just fine. I definitely have the camping itch and I hope we get to do it again soon! Thank you to Spencer and Irene for showing us a fabulous time....you guys are awesome!!!!

Welcome Home little Bro...

After 2 years of my brother serving a mission in Alaska he is finally home! I don't think I have ever seen my parents so happy before. The look on their faces when they saw Matt walking towards them...it was pure joy. I am happy to report that he is still Matt and as goofy as ever. Welcome Home Matt!!!

Family Moments

I don't even know where to begin....it's been a long while since I've really written anything really serious and from my soul. I don't get into things really deep unless I'm feeling prompted to do so. Now is one of those moments....so here I go......

My heart is very full and overwhelmed. Not in a painful way but in a enormous sense of gratitude and love for my family. Not just for my husband and my children but for both sides of my family....my parents...each of my siblings....Dave's parents and all of his siblings....and the lucky ones that got to marry into each of our families. I am blessed to be a part of two incredible families.

I have been blessed to not just have one day of tender moments with my family members but to have 3 days in a row of them. It all started on Saturday morning at the Temple with my family. I can't remember when the last time was that I was there with my sisters and my parents at the same time. It was wonderful. My sister Tifani arranged the whole thing and I'm so grateful that she did. It was a year ago today that my sister and her husband lost their baby boy Micah. It was also our Dads birthday. The day before my sister Adria had her son Brock. This time last year there was a lot of very tender emotions and feelings going through our family. There wasn't a better place to be then the Temple this weekend. I don't have to right words to express how much I love and admire my sister Tifani. She is amazing to me and inspiring. I was so grateful to be there with all of them.

After the Temple Lindsey wanted to take us girls out on a drive up past the Salt River. She knew of this little spot to sit by the water beneath the desert mountains. I have to say that I wasn't real excited to go. She talked about taking blank canvases and paint and finding our expressive side. I seriously haven't painted anything in my life and had no clue what to do. I didn't realize until I was sitting there next to my siblings by the water that I needed to be there....right there with them. It took me a while to get into to it but I did it and now I can't stop thinking about the next thing that I want to paint! I want to try again and do more.

Sunday we decided to go to my cousins mission farewell talk. It was AMAZING and the spirit there was so strong. It just made me more grateful for my family...all of my family. Later that day we went to Mom and Dad's for dinner with the whole Johnson sha bang. Can I just say that is was the loudest it's ever been and the grand kids were on something fierce!! Grandma then tells me that it's always that loud! We celebrated Brock's bday...Dad's and Micah. It was a wonderful Sunday.

Now we are at Monday....wow what a Monday. My mind today was in many places. I had a lot of things I had to get done today. I had to register my baby for Kindergarten....are you kidding me?? I finished that and then we were off to get Casie from the airport. All of Dave's family were coming into town today. Brent and Scott were driving down from Utah. Their mom has been preparing for a few weeks now to have surgery on a brain aneurysm that they found right after Christmas. Her surgery is tomorrow morning. We all sat around each other tonight and talked for a good couple hours. Sharing thoughts...feelings....tears....gratitude and love. It was a special experience. It was good to see them all together in one room....it's been a long time.

My mind through out the day wondered off to my sister Tifani. I was wondering how her and Jake were doing. I couldn't help but have them and Micah on my mind. I also thought about my Dad and was hoping he was having a nice birthday. I remember him saying last year that he was grateful and felt blessed to be able to share his birthday with his grandson.

All of these different experiences over the past few days has made me reflect on a lot of things. I have been blessed with much and there is much that I take for granted. Life gets busy and you can easily get caught up in "things". But when it all comes down to it...what really matters is your family....the people in your life that love you no matter what....the people that support you and are there for you without question. I am so grateful for each of them and how they've blessed my life. I appreciate and admire them. I'm so grateful for the knowledge that I have of the Savior. For the blessings of the Priesthood and the comfort that it brings.

Time goes by so fast and things can change so quickly. I'm going to try and slow down a little...not get so caught up in "things". I'm going to try to love a little more....serve a little more...find my creative side a little more and let go. I don't want to watch time fly by anymore....I want to make my time important....I want to make it matter.

Family moments are awesome aren't they?

Temple Lights

Every year we usually all go see the Temple Lights together as a family. This was the first year that Tif has been back in YEARS to see the lights. The whole Johnson crew couldn't be there but we made it work. Linds has something going on but we took Larz and Age and Mark were with his family (we missed them!). It's always a beautiful sight to see and is a neat experience for the kids...actually for all of us:)

A Christmas Carol at the Hale Theater

I know....I have seriously been MIA on our blog...so sorry. All of a sudden Thanksgiving was here, then it was Dave's birthday, then it was my birthday, we moved last week and Christmas is next week. What the heck has happened??? All I know is things have been busy around here and I need to catch up:). When we were first married we went and saw this play up in Orem at the Hale Theater. We thought it was the neatest thing and have always wanted to go again. Since then they have built another Hale Theater right here in Gilbert. Dave got our family tickets and we were so excited to go. It was a great performance and the kids really enjoyed it!

They were blowing pretend snow out front after the play. It seriously felt like it was really snowing and was so much fun. The kids couldn't get enough of it! The cast was out front singing carols and all the kids were dancing around in the snow. It was great! For a second there I actually missed the snow. Then I stepped a few feet over and the feeling past. Ha, who am I kidding...I LOVE not being in the cold! I'm a warm sunshine girl all the way:) Now that I have our computer hooked up I can keep up better with this thing. Until next time.....Happy Christmas everyone...:)

Blue 42!!!!!!!

I have been wanting the kids to dress up in these costumes for a few years now. The last time I was up in Utah I went by the BYU bookstore and got these. At the last minute Dave decided to be the "coach"....at least I was somewhat festive with a witch hat.

It was a gorgeous night for trick or treating...it was around 70 degrees...perfect.

This was at Tyler's school fall festival. We had a fun time playing, going on a hay ride, getting our faces painted, dancing and much more! Dave had to work that night so we had to go play without him:(

awwww.....Lake Tahoe

Okay....so Lake Tahoe has seriously become one of my new favorite places! We had to go there for a weekend chiropractic conference and it ended up turning into a perfect getaway! In our 11 years of marriage we have never gone away together without the kids....NEVER! Well we've gone away just overnight in town but I don't think that really counts. It was exactly what we needed and was a wonderful trip.

We were staying at this village resort tucked back up in the mountains at the base of the ski slopes. It was beautiful and we couldn't get enough of the cool weather...in the mornings it was 39 degrees...so refreshing:) We left the windows open all night and woke up to a chilly room...so nice!

We woke up early each morning to take advantage of the outdoors and get some exercise. I wanted to hike up the mountain and I was quickly reminded that we over 6000 elevation. I was totally sucking wind and thought I was going to drop over. But we kept going and we ended up running the last bit up. Dave got there before me and was cheering me on....I guess you could say that was my biggest loser moment.

After our 3 days of classes with the other doctors, we went sailing out on Lake Tahoe on this HUGE boat. It was so awesome and so beautiful on the water. I could have sat there in total silence with the wind in my hair all day!

We had such a great trip and it made me realize how important little trips like this are with your spouse. We came home happy....refreshed.....and renewed! Then it was back to our crazy chaotic life at the office on Monday......sigh. Tahoe is already calling me back and I hope we can get back there soon:) Oh ya and I changed my hair just a bit, it was time to get back to my roots.