Kate loves to sing and was so excited to be able to use a microphone!

Wyett did a physical fitness challenge has his VIP interest. It was hilarious to watch all the cousins compete! Hunter was especially entertaining as he tried to go round and round. I thought he would win this part because he loves dizzy rides!

Camp TALAY

Closing Ceremonies Luau! Winners of the obstacle course!

Big shoes and big dreams!!!

Kate performing the "Sun Will Come Out Tomorrow" (Video coming soon)

We had our traditional Camp Talay at Grandma Johnson's house this year. The theme was I'm a VIP (Very Important Person)! Every one had a chance to showcase their hobby, talent or interest. The two days were filled with singing, dancing, obstacle courses, snakes, dogs, gymnastics, hula dancing, one armed push ups....the list goes on! Every one also had a chance at the biggest bubble contest. It was great to be surrounded by cousins and to celebrate each others' uniqueness!!!!

Thankful today for my wonderful dad and awesome husband that make Father's Day a HAPPY one for me. Now that I am a parent, I realize all the sacrifices that dads make. My sister and I were remembering all the different jobs my dad did growing up. He wasn't saving up for boats, or toys, he was providing for us and I had a great sense of safety and protection with my dad. One time there was a police chase going on in our neighborhood. The guy being chased plowed into our front yard, got out and ran to our back yard. My dad wouldn't just sit by and watch the police handle things. He needed to protect us. He ran to the backyard and got the guy to ensure our safety. Now he provides that same anchor to my children. His wisdom and love of life is something we treasure. Because of the example of my dad, I was able to recognize some of the same great qualities in Nathan. He gives up everything for the love of his family. He works hard and plays hard. Everyone knows that if they go to a comedic movie with Nathan, they need to be prepared. He will laugh harder and longer than anyone in the theatre! When Nathan lost his job when I was pregnant with Carsen, he didn't sit around and sulk, he started substitute teaching while looking for a job. He had a huge amount of anxiety with teaching, but he pushed past his own fears and insecurities to make sure his family was provided for. He is a great man and I love him for all that he is and all that he helps me to be!

Coach Award for 2009 Swim Season!
Carsen and Hunter celebrated their birthdays riding the bull at Big Bubbas!

I had fun teaching my kids the true skill of kidnapping!!!! We captured one of Carsen's friends and took him out for his birthday. They had the most fun just getting ready!

Hunter became a Teacher and was surrounded by stalwart men! If you wonder what is on Hunter's neck...it is his snake.

Graduating from eighth grade!!! Hunter is headed for high school. He finished out another successful year of junior high.

This is what success looks like....nice white shirt and tie!

On to bigger and better things....

Grandma wasn't going to be able to make it because of knee surgery, but she pushed back the pain and came. Thanks, grandma!

We built a garden at my mom and dad's home this year. It has been a miracle garden, producing large amounts of yummy cucumbers, zuchinni, squash, and soon to come corn, tomatoes, beans and peas. While my mom was on a trip to Utah, my dad built her a "dream fence". It turned out great. I am so proud of what a hard worker he has always been! and creative too!

Carsen and Kate wanted to have a toy sale to earn money for a snake. About three cars stopped, and one neighbor stopped by, totalling in 17 dollars.....they had fun at least!

Okay....we had a taste of what life would be like in a "mini-emergency" My son's school was closed due to swine flu. I had to wait in line for an hour just to sign him out and get him from class. The news reporters wanted to interview parents....but of course I had just gotten out of the shower and thrown on my slippers!!!! So I declined being famous. Later that day, there was a fire in our neighborhood that melted the transformer. so we were without power from 5pm until the next day. It gave us a realization that we really aren't very prepared. We even went to the church to microwave dinner because we didn't want to eat out in case the workers had the flu too. So at night, we luckily had some emergency candles. I have never realized how quite it is without even the buzzing of the refridgerator. We sat around the livingroom and I told some stories and then the kids went to bed. Kate was still "freaked" out....so we plugged a charger into nathan's truck and watched a movie. I can't imagine a prolonged period of that kind of life. Yikes!!!

Hunter and Grandpa Johnson worked on a project this weekend.

They built a habitat for the red tail boa....

soon to be the newest member of our family.

It turned out great and Hunter was so excited to build it!

Tomorrow we get to pick up the boa in Fresno. By the way, Carsen has a corn snake and is saving up for a ball python. Hunter is getting the red tail boa. So 3 snakes and two mice (breeding their own food for the snakes) I know....i can't believe it either!!!!!

Sweet Amelia is getting healthier! We started noticing that she was craving "greens", so we started giving her blueberry shakes with yogurt and spinach, Odwalla superfood drinks made with all greens and then lots of asparagus and brocoli at dinner time. Her weight has gone from 16 pounds to 18.8 pounds. Her pediatrician tested her stools again and it was negative for trace blood. So we are very excited that she has made great improvements. The doctor said we didn't need to do any more tests and we will check in again in three months. Our many prayers have been answered.

Kate wanted everyone to know she lost her first tooth. She was brave enough to pull it out herself! She couldn't wait to go to sleep tonight so the tooth fairy could come! It was a perfect white tooth, I am sure it will be worth a lot!

The girls loved playing with the bubbles that the Easter Bunny brought them. I felt like a real photographer when I captured this shot in perfect timing of the bubbles floating around them.

All about SNAKES!!! Carsen loves any type of reptile, but especially snakes. This is his current snake "Blazie". Its name used to be Blazer until we found out it was a she not a he.

Carsen decided he wanted to make a "snake cake" for the scout Blue and Gold dinner. We both had high expectations, and after three cake mixes and four tubs of frosting....we ended up with a swirly cake hiding in grass. He was so proud of it!

Carsen is completely happy when I take the time to love the things he loves. The truth is I hate snakes, but I love him!

Happy Birthday! Nathan

Nathan was born 38 years ago in Denver, Colorado. He has great childhood memories of his house in Castlerock. He loved picking berries with his mom and playing outside. He always loved animals. All of his money saving efforts were directed towards buying a horse, which he was able to accomplish! He has such dedication and loyalty to his family. He puts aside all of his needs and wants for their happiness. When Nathan and I met, we stayed up the first night, dreaming and talking about what we wanted out of life. Can you believe 12 kids and living on a farm was something we both wanted at the time? We still dream of owning land and we often ask each other....if you had a million dollars what would you do? Nathan accomplishes everything he puts his mind to. He takes work seriously, lives the gospel to its fullest and loves his family with his whole heart. When Nathan was little, he always had a great sense of God's love for him. He is loved by everyone that knows him also. I hope he knows his great worth still!

Kate: he's my dadda and I want him to be my dadda forever. all the stuff he dooz, i love him in my heart and he helps me all day long, gives me lovey thoughts, lovey dreams, i love him more than any one else....super more

Amelia: takes me outside to look at flowers and jump on the trampoline, takes me on walks and to the park

Carsen: plays basketball "horse" with me, makes me eggs before school, lets me buy pets, trying to work hard to buy a new home for us

Wyett: works hard to support our family, he's really funny, likes to wrestle with me even though he always gets hurt

Hunter: he likes my dog Mazie, takes me to the park, hugs me to death, grows a garden

Sequoia National Forest

Notice the giant ants we found under the rock!

Dad and Amelia taking a rest on the trail.

Carsen had tons of fun leaping!

Big brother Wyett always willing to help out his little sister.

Pinewood Derby: Carsen!

Carsen had a great time at this year's Pinewood Derby. He was the only wolf there and got first place. Since I was a single mom that week....i didn't realize that i put the weights on backwards...so the first few races his car was the slowest. Then Wyett told him to try to race it backwards! He tried it and started winning races!!! The other boys started racing their cars backwards too.

Why we love Grandpa!

Carsen: "he helps me build things"
Kate: "he lets me play with toys and takes me on tractor rides"
Hunter: "he take me fishing, sometimes"
Benjamin: "he plays with me"
Jacob: "he's funny!"
Abby: "i like how grandpa sings in the morning"
Clara: "grandpa likes to sneak up on us and scare us"
Emma: "he makes us homemade presents from wood"

Happy Birthday Dad!

Seventy-two years ago, the world became a happier place! My dad is known by all for his sense of humor. If you know him, you surely know what a 500 pound canary says......if you don't, you haven't been around for his joke telling sessions.

To know him is to love him....this is why I love him:

• hard worker


• loyal to wife and family


• dedicated to the gospel


• easy going


• funny


• adventurous


• ability to ease any burden


• dreamer with ambition


• wood working talents


• supporter financially, physically, spiritually


• loving and kind


• positive outlook


• a protector and a friend

Happy Birthday Dad! I love you.

Grandma's Valentine Party

Brynn, Kate, and Amelia loved making and decorating cookies for Valentine's Day. Only a grandma has that kind of patience.....CLICK pictures to view.

Amelia is now working with a pediatric allergist.

She had blood drawn again and they will check for several food allergies.

For now....all milk products have been removed from her diet.

I never realized all the things this involves....

gogurts, cheese sticks, mac n cheese....all her favorites.

So yesterday we had goat cheese pizza and strawberry smoothies made with goat's milk.

$4 a pint she is our gourmet girl......but it is well worth it.

She has gained 2 pounds in 2 weeks, so is now 18 lbs. Yeah for amelia!

We had a fun family night where we all filled out a questionnaire ahead of time and then we played family trivia! It was fun finding out what we actually knew about each other. Hunter was the overall winner knowing the most about everyone in the family....so he is our blog spotlight! Maybe you will get to know him better TOO!

If you could have an endless supply of any food, what would you get? Mango
If you were an animal, what would you be? Lion
What is one goal you’d like to accomplish during your lifetime? Become a VET
When you were little, who was your favorite super hero? Robin
What’s your favorite thing to do in the summer? Ride horses
If you were an ice cream flavor, which one would you be? Cotton Candy
What’s your favorite cartoon character? Arthur
If you could visit any place in the world, where would you choose to go? North Carolina
What’s the ideal dream job for you? Vet
Are you a morning or night person? BOTH
What are your favorite hobbies? dogs, games, football
What’s the weirdest thing you’ve ever eaten? liver
Name one of your favorite things about someone in your family. Playing games
If you had to describe yourself using three words, it would be… cool, cool, cool
If I could be anybody besides myself, I would be…Steve Smith

We all enjoyed sharing Hunter's favorite "holiday" SUPERBOWL! He enjoyed his favorite game foods, baby back ribs and honey BBQ wings. He was of course cheering on the Steelers, even though Dad didn't want him to support any team that President Obama supported. It was an exciting game! Hunter ate and yelled to his heart's content and as soon as the game was over......he threw up in the bathroom! Too much excitement for one afternoon.

Ever since I was little, my mom served others in need. Babysitting, rides to church, preparing meals for others......whenever I need her she is willing and ready. After keeping Kate all day, playing Candyland, doing my laundry, changing sheets, baking cookies, matching up socks, she then brought over a delicious dinner! She never ceases to amaze me. Thanks Mom!

Update on Amelia

I failed to mention why Amelia was going through her exploratory surgery. She has always been tiny and slow to gain weight, but at 9 months (she is 16 months now, she stopped gaining weight all together. After lots of tests to rule out things, the doctor ordered an endoscopy/colonoscopy because of blood in stools. The hardest part for Amelia was not being able to eat for two days, and the hardest part for me was having to give her to the nurse and watch her cry down the hallway. The doctor took several biopsies of different part of esophagus, intestines, etc. So far the anatomical parts all looked normal and we will wait to find out about the other test in about a week. They are narrowing down the possibilities to allergies, parasites or inflamed intestines??? not sure what that means. We are grateful that it is nothing serious at this point.

There is nothin' like hide and seek at the coast.

Amelia isn't quite sure if she wants to touch it.

Skim boards looked great, but didn't work.....santa was a cheap skate on those.

Slushies, popsicles, suckers and jello jigglers. Sweet, brave Amelia...in preperation for her exploratory surgery on Monday, she is only able to have clear liquids for two days. She can't have red or purple liquids either.

She is doing great considering...but it is so hard not providing the basic needs of food and her not being able to understand.

Final Days of Christmas Vacation!!!!

Three days at the coast was the perfect way to end vacation. Four kids, two scooters, one wagon and one dog=one fun day at the park.


New Year's Eve was spent with the family making homemade hats and playing with "punch balls" Then we all stayed up to bring in the year with sparklers and watching the ball drop. It was Dick Clark's last year......of course my kids didn't understand why he was the host. We all got a kick out Kelli Pickler ignorant statements and some other famous girl saying that being in New York for new years eve was a life changing experience....how shallow can you be?

Build A Bear!!! Carsen was convinced he was the only kid in America that hadn't built a bear. When he got home he said, "Now every child in the world has a bear."

Annual Christmas tree pickup for the BSA fundraiser. Hunter loves being able to climb up high and stomp away!!!