Memorable or Madness

We are leaving today for our first Johnsen Family Vacation in 5 years.  18 adults and 20+ grandchildren should make things interesting.  We are starting off small by venturing to Park City for 3 nights.  I have been nominated as the "Director of Fun" and hope my planning makes for a memorable vacation.  Time will tell...    

Will the Thrill

I love Will's face in this picture. He gets a thrill out of jumping, sliding, rolling and being thrown high into the air. I was a little slow capturing the full height he reached with Brad's throw.

Girls Night

There is a group of my friends that gather once a month for girls night. Kids are left at home with the hubbies while we spend hours catching up with one another. Laura and I have known each other since 5th grade, Jane and I met in PE class our 9th grade year at East High (go Leopards) and I became friends with Jena and Susan when we pledged Chi Omega our freshman year at the University of Utah. Since then we have taken many road trips together (California, Vegas and St. George to name a few), been through multiple boyfriends and break ups (they shall remain nameless), supported each other as bridesmaids, run marathons together (currently training for a 1/2) and spent many birthday celebrations eating smoked turkey sandwiches at The Dodo. This post is for all my fabulous friends and the fun times we have together!!

6 Months Old

Matthew is now 6 months old and has become our happy baby boy.  He is making up for those first few months of colick.  He got his bottom two teeth at 4 1/2 months and his top two teeth are going to break through any day now.  Matthew is working on crawling and can move his knees and hands forward but just not at the same time.  He has perfected the face plant.  He scoots all around the room on his belly and sits unassisted until he sways and eventually tumbles over.  Both Will and Elizabeth are right there to pick him back up, whether he likes it or not.         

No Communication

I am going on 4 days now without any communication with Brad and I am not enjoying it, to say the least.  This has been the longest we have gone without conversing since we have met, whether it be phone, email or text.  He is on a river trip with the Young Men and I am counting down the moment until he gets home.  I feel like I have so much to talk to him about.  Bedtime has been a little tricky by myself and the kids have gone to bed much later than usual but we have been keeping busy to help pass the time.  All the "river trip widows" got together this morning for breakfast and we had a little chuckle at what our husbands are going through.  Their launch site was in Wyoming and apparently the day they got on the river it was 32 degrees and snowing.  Not too much fun for 20 teenagers and their leaders.  Brad is a true Floridian and does not like the cold.  I hope he is surviving!!  On a positive note, I was able to catch up on all my recorded Oprahs.   

He Has Come A Long Way

I had to post this picture because it shows a different side of Will we have not really seen.  Elizabeth will be two in August and since the day she was born Will has not cared much for her.  In fact, he has not liked her at all and spent a good portion of his day tormenting her.  I do not think he was fond of her coming into his space and taking any attention away from him.  He still has his moments of being rough with Elizabeth but now he includes her, looks out for her and plays much better with her.

7 Reasons for 7 Years

Happy Anniversary to the greatest husband and father. I cannot believe we have already been married for 7 years. Time flies!! My 7 reasons we have made it for 7 years:

7. I grew up in a family of 6 brothers, so watching sports and ESPN is second nature to me. I understand what a blitz is in football, balk is in baseball and charge is in basketball. We have spent many nights watching or going to sporting events and I have enjoyed every minute of it.

6. Brad grew up with only sisters and understands the world of soap operas. He watched many growing up and is able to explain how Tony married his brother’s half-sister’s long lost daughter. He is always willing to go to a musical or “chick flick” with me and hopefully has enjoyed it too.

5. I am anal and uptight while Brad is relaxed and easy-going. We compliment each other and thankfully he keeps me from stressing over the smallest of things. I haven’t quite figured out what I do for him in this department…probably drive him crazy.

4. I am a clean freak while Brad is a clothes dropper (his side of the bed is basically his dresser). We actually have rubbed off on each other and he now appreciates a clean kitchen floor while I no longer spend 2 hours cleaning 1 bathroom.

3. Brad does not like to exercise unless it is dribbling a ball up and down the court. Therefore, we never disagree with who gets to go to the gym in the morning. He sleeps happily while I work up a sweat (lately we have both been sleeping happily).

2. We are typically “on time” people or if we are on Brad’s schedule 20 minutes early. We are early to bed and early to rise but not much fun to hang out with – at least we have each other. Hey, if you had kids that woke up at 6:00 a.m. every morning you would be early to bed too!

1. The number 1 reason we have made it 7 years - I am a dessert lover and I do not like to share. Brad knows to stay away from mine and if he wants something sweet, he needs to get his own.

Love ya Babe!! I look forward to many more years!

Sleepless

I thought I had moved past the sleepless nights once Matthew got on a bottle but now we are back to square one.  He loves to roll onto his stomach but then his head gets too heavy, he becomes frustrated when he cannot roll to his back and screams for someone to rescue him.  The past few nights we have been awakened by this little predicament that Matthew puts himself in.  He is so happy when we roll him back over that it is hard not to smile, even if it is the millionth time.