Let out of jail!

Have I ever mentioned how much I dislike winter? I have lived in Utah a majority of my life, but I still get unhappy at the first sign of cold weather. When you're a mama of busy toddlers, it's especially torturous. So when today turned out to be pretty nice, we booked it outside and walked to the park. We all felt like we had been let out of jail- parents and children alike!

I know we live in a desert. 

 I know we're in a drought.  

I know we need the moisture. 

But, this mama needed this!

Second Lunch.

I have a dirty little secret.
My children eat off the floor. 

Okay, let me spill the facts:

1. I am NOT exaggerating when I say I sweep the floor at least 5-6 times a day.
2. Toddlers are messy
3. I've tried helplessly and hopelessly to keep 'em boys away from the fallen cheerios, Saltines, and grapes that have made their journey from peanut butter hands to the cold, brown tile, but it's HELPLESS and HOPELESS. Am I missing something? Because the way my kids scavenge the floor like ruthless dogs, you would assume food just tastes better after it's been on the ground for 10 minutes.
4. Did I mention toddlers are messy and I have two and a limited amount of time and energy to worry and clean, so I take my chances?

No, this is good. I've been wanting to get this off my chest for a while now. While I'm at it, take a good look at Liam's highchair.
It's caked with food, juice, and other stuff I'd rather not think about.

And...jackpot.

My Valentines

Today is Valentine's Day. The boys and I had a lazy morning. We stayed in our pajamas until after lunch and took our time getting ready before B came home to pick us up for dinner. I love it when I relax about checking the items off my list. The children are very sensitive to any stress or impatience I experience when I fail to execute my detailed plan for the day. I still make lists and a schedule every night, but I've decided to not go into self-destruct mode if I don't cross off every item.

Since we don't get out a lot lately, 

I decided to get us all fancied up for our date with dad.

(Admit it. Your heart is melting right now.)

After dinner, we picked up some Cherry Garcia and added it to the Paradise Bakery chocolate chip cookies B surprised me with today 

and let the boys enjoy some heavenly sweetness. 

Then we ran up and down the hall to calm the sugar rush before bedtime.

You know those days where you sit back in your chair and look at your life right at that moment and acknowledge things are good, right, and, for the most part, make sense? You cherish that minute. You cherish it so much because you realize the very next minute could be the exact opposite. Ah, the gift of an ordinary day. The gift of healthy, squirmy children with chocolate stained faces. The gift of a house filled with noisy toddler mumbles and laughter. The gift of a nourished marriage that begins and ends each day with a kiss. The gift of knowing, despite the insecurities that are part of living in this world, we are loved. 

Happy Valentine's Day everybody.

End of January. So much in between!

Tomorrow is the last day of January 2014. Seriously? January is a busy month for the Johnson family with numerous relative birthdays, banquets, new resolutions, and, of course, the celebration of Brandon Johnson marrying me. Let me see if I can sum it up:

On January 14, 2014, B and I celebrated 3 years of marriage. It's not many years, but so much has happened in those 36 months, it feels like a longer time than it is. To celebrate, B took the WHOLE day off and we got Grandma and Grandpa Johnson to babysit while we headed to Downtown SLC and spent the afternoon/evening doing sealings in the Salt Lake Temple, eating dinner at The Garden, and going to a movie. (Saving Mr. Banks- loved it.)

(I don't know why this picture is all glossed over.)

We got all fancied up- B in his suit and tie and me in my sparkly dress and heels. We both smelled really nice, too. We walked slowly around Temple Square with my arm in his and reminisced about our wedding day and our beautiful life together.

It was nice to be by ourselves for a while and look glamorous and crush on each other. Yet, as I walked through the doors of our home when it was all over, I couldn't wait to get the dress off and head for the boys' room and kiss their little heads as they slept and whisper "I love you." Oh how I love my beautiful home and the darlings I share it with...including my incredible, intelligent, kind husband.

Speaking of amazing husbands, mine really is. This month he was awarded, for the second consecutive year, Engineer All Star for Master Control and then promoted to Software Engineer Level 3 (highest engineering level for the company). These accolades came with recognition at the yearly banquet, a pair of all-stars, and a nice raise. A bit braggy? Yes, yes I am.

(Last year, he got bright green ones. Pretty epic.)

So, what did we do to celebrate? We took the children on Frontrunner! (Remember our last experience on Frontrunner, Elder Shaw?) For my dad's birthday, he asked all of us to pick something we'd like to do with him this year so he can post it on his "memory board" he and my mom are creating for his office. We mutually decided the boys would really enjoy riding the Frontrunner train with Papa from South Jordan to Provo. 

Finn did this the whole time: 

And Liam did this pretty much the whole time:

When we arrived in Provo, we walked a couple blocks to downtown and stopped to look at the progress of the Provo City Center Temple:

(A little blurry? Dad's first time taking a picture on my Galaxy SII.)

We ended up eating lunch at a little Chinese restaurant and then walking/jogging back to the station to catch our train back to South Jordan. 

Thanks Grandma and Papa! 

And Auntie Tay.

The End. See ya in February!

January Birthdays: Lori J

Tonight we celebrated the birth of Lori Johnson. She is the mother to my husband, the grandmother to my children, and a wonderful friend, mother, and mentor to me. Some things I appreciate about Lori:

-She LOVES my children.
-She LOVES my husband.
-She LOVES me.
-She is incredibly kind, devoted, and close to the Spirit.
-She is BYU's biggest fan: LOYAL, STRONG, AND TRUE.
-She has an infectious laugh.
-She has perfected the art of "blooming where you're planted".

HAPPY BIRTHDAY GRANDMA J!

Christmas 2013

Christmas morning, we drove up to my parent's house for 

breakfast, a chat with Elder Shaw, and presents! 

(The boys being festive and my mom's Father Christmas sporting a new outfit 

in honor of Elder Shaw serving in Mexico.)

After a busy morning, we headed back home to get ready for dinner.

I took on the task of cooking and feeding my whole family Christmas dinner.

With B's help, we miraculously pulled it off...for the most part.

After everyone left, dinner cleaned up, and children put to bed,

we enjoyed the gift Santa brought our family:

*****

MERRY CHRISTMAS!

The Johnson Family | 2013

Christmas Eve 2013

B worked in the morning, but after 12:00 pm, he was ours! 

Before getting ready for a night of celebration, we spent a little time playing.

(Be still my ♥.)

Christmas Eve night is spent with the Johnson Family. We met at Olive Garden for dinner and headed back to B's parents' house for some yummy treats, scriptures, and presents. After we left, I told B the boys are already set for Christmas! They ended up almost to their heads in gift wrap from all the presents they got.

(Grandma J looking at the Christmas Tree with Liam and Finn. 

By the time we left, Finn had broken two ornaments. Oh yeah.)

(Grandma and Grandpa showing Finn their gift.)

(Liam's gift bow masterpiece. Grandma and Grandpa J gave the boys this adorable handmade tent. 

I think I was just as excited about it as Liam and Finn were!)

These little elves want to wish you a

Merry Christmas Eve!