Viewer Discretion Advised. . . it's real cheesy

Here we are roasting our ward and its members at our ward Christmas Talent Show. Sorry, most of you won't get the inside jokes but on the whole if you are affiliated with our church you might get a laugh out of it.

On The First Day of Christmas in our Ward We See:

1 Our Bishop handing out candy (played by our Bishops wife)

2 absent home teachers

3 "greetings and salutations" (as our 2nd counselor in the Bishopric repeats EVERY time he conducts)

4 Please be reverent (hard to do in a ward with over 100 primary children, over 50 nursery kids, and over 30 pre-nursery children. . . with no end in sight)

5 NURSERIES (no joke)

6 weeks of dinners (with the arrival of new babies monthly, this is a task for sure)

7 emergency preparedness (comes in handy when you live on the gulf coast)

8 Enrichment evites

9 million meetings

10 ward split rumors (ya think)

11 sleeping residents (our ward is primarily made up of doctors, resident doctors, med students, law students and lawyers. Why all the children you ask?)

12 pregnant ladies (hence the nurseries)

It was fun to perform but most of the fun was in the making of it! Nice job ladies.

Thanksgiving 2008

This year we had Kyle's family in town for Thanksgiving. His sister Jasmine flew in with her 4 kids for almost a week. Shane (husband) is currently deployed to Afghanistan, which allowed for the visit as they would normally be living across the sea in Japan but are living in Utah with family while he is away. We were just so glad to have them for as long as we possibly could. In fact here are Jaden and Ty's top ten reasons why they were so excited for the "cousins", as they call them, to visit:
1. because you are you
2. fun
3. hot dogs
4. movies
5. sleeping on tramp
6. staying up late
7. making pizza
8. donuts
9. forts
10. plays

The day before Thanksgiving Kyle's Dad and wife Geralyn flew in for the "meal." We spent the entire day in the kitchen and loved every minute of it. We tried a new turkey recipe (thanks Miriam) that required: injecting the turkey, using flavor injectors, (yes this was a first for me) with a special recipe of flavor, stuffing it with butter and peeled, sliced apples and throwing it in the oven the night before Thanksgiving Day! It baked for 12 hours! It was so nice to have that process completed when we woke up Thursday. I am convinced that is the way to do it. The turkey was delicious and it literally fell of the bones.
We stuffed ourselves over and over that day. We were so thankful for everyone that visited and are grateful for all we have been blessed with.

Reese gets her first taste of Great Grandma Lavonne's famous homemade rolls. She devoured them!

Reese Lynn hanging with Grandpa Lynn. Just as Reese warmed up to Lynn it was time to go! Let's hope they can pick up where they left off at the next get together.

Jaden's baptism . . . finally!

Jaden turned 8 in August. Originally, her baptism was scheduled for September 13, however, instead of family visiting that weekend we had an unwanted visitor named hurricane Ike. We are happy to announce that Jaden was baptized this past Saturday, November 15th 2008 by her dad. It was very sweet. As she and I were taking pictures around the church she told me, "I can't stop smiling. I feel so happy" as is evident in all of the pictures below. We are proud of Jaden and the decision she has made. She is a great example to us and her brother and sister. We love you Jaden.
Recently, Jaden had a school assignment that required her to bring items that described her (an artifact box). After presenting those items she was asked to choose one item and prepare a written piece that explains why she selected the item and how it has made a difference or has helped her to be the person she is today. Jaden chose her necklace that says "I am a Child of God" and her CTR ring. This is her written piece (word for word including spelling):
"One of lifes greatest questions is "who am I?" I know who I am. I am a child of God. This neclace and ring have helped me to grow to understand that. I know God loves me & each & every one of you & he allways allways will. I hope all of you will make good choices in yourlife, & hope you make it a good one."
Thanks to all of our family who came to support us. Grandma and Grandpa Johnson drove 13 hours from St. Louis, MO. Mom played a beautiful piano solo called, Baptism by Paul Cardall. Grandma Patsy flew in on a bumpy flight from Provo, Utah. Pat gave a wonderful talk on the Holy Ghost and presented Jaden with a hand made quilt. And Nick and Katy (8 months pregnant) drove from San Antonio, Texas. Jaden felt very special and we loved having all of you here!

The opportunity presented itself. . .

I had to jump at the chance to have all of my kids dressed as their nick name for Halloween 2008! The idea revolved around the fact that Jaden (the oldest and most opinionated),on her own, wanted to be a lady bug. Then it was just a matter of convincing Ty that a Tiger was "faster, cooler and more ferocious" than a power ranger! Reese on the other hand didn't have a say either way.
Also, Kyle and I can not take credit for nick naming our own children. All of our children received their nick names from my sister in-law Jasmine. She is the queen of nick names. What ever nick name she bestows - sticks.

JADEN - Our "Jady Lady"


















TY - Our "Tiger" or "Tiger Liger"

















P.S. We are fully aware of how feminine the valour tiger one piece looks. All I have to say is that all 22 Party City's were out of the one we wanted after 2 of them promised to hold the Tiger costumes for me. This was all Target had left. It's a large child size. We cut off the legs. Ty thinks it's AWESOME!


REESE - Our "Reester Bunny"


















KYLE - "I'm just a pay check"

Pumpkin time!

Here we are picking out and carving pumpkins "Texas" style. . . the day before Halloween! Carved pumpkins only last a few days as the humidity here causes them to rot, wilt, mold, and then of course attract the swarms of nats that greet you on your doorstep. We love Texas, however, we wish we could transport some crispy fall weather our way!

Catching up with a slideshow

Feeding time. . .

Always exciting to introduce new flavors to Reese! Wait until we show you her set of lungs during dinner time.

Left in the dust

This was our family's second year participating in the "Race for the Cure." Originally, we had not made plans to run the race this year. Kyle called me 2 weeks prior and said that his firm was promoting it this year and they would pay for our registration, would I want to run? Can I just say other than running at the beach this summer I haven't gotten back into my running routine since having Reese, not to mention I am nursing the wee babe. Yet, I agreed. We signed up for the 5k non-competitive run. Like we would compete with 3 kids in a jogger stroller, right? I got 2 runs in in preparation. That means I ran around the lake in our neighborhood. Not a big lake. A man made lake. You can probably see where this is going. The race started out with us as one big happy family but it didn't end that way. Even after Kyle asked how I was doing after the first mile and I said, "Good. I'll probably run the first mile and want to walk a little of the 2nd". (To my good friend Leslie, are you so ashamed to have trained for a 1/2 with me and this is what I have amounted to? You must move back here.) Kyle's response, "that's fine we're doing this as a family I'm not going anywhere". Fast forward 5 minutes and I kid you not I can't even see him through the crowd any longer. I can't recall exactly how it happened but after walking together for a bit I picked up me feet and started running again along side Kyle. We started weaving in and out of walkers and runners alike (mind you 30,000 people attended) and pretty soon my eyes where jumping around looking for a caucasian pushing a purple stroller with my 3 kids in it. He left me. He didn't even look back. We hadn't talked about this! We hadn't made any plans for "in case we get separated." My cell was in the jogger stroller with him. I guess we meet at the car? I guess I'll miss out on crossing the finish line with my kids (they love to get out and run across the finish line). I guess I'll miss seeing my kids faces light up as they funnel through all of the tents handing out free stuff after crossing the finish line. Did I mention that's the real reason we run the race? I guess I'll celebrate crossing the finish line with some newly made friends on the run? What? I am so frustrated but of course I can't channel that frustration in to running faster. So, I am a wimp and a loner. I dig deep and run the rest of the race. I cross the finish line alone and start looking for my little family again. Easily, I find them on the side of the road and everything is fine. We make the stroll down "free be" lane together. This is were I begin to, sarcastically, remind Kyle that he left his poor wife behind and that a real "leader" looks out for the "follower", blah, blah, blah, and then I remember I married the most competitive man alive and I wrongly assumed that he checked his competitiveness at the car when he pulled out the jogger stroller and loaded 3 kids into it! Whatever! We had a great time. Jaden and Ty both took turns running along side us. It was adorable to watch their determination to keep up with us.

Your eyes have not deceived you. Those are, in fact, soccer cleats on Ty's feet! He is the man.









Ahh, the reunion.

I am alive. . .

Contrary to those who think I have fallen off the face of the earth, I am here. Hurricane Ike did not run me off. Okay, so I hadn't posted for months before he hit but he is one of my reasons for returning to the blog. I am back to blogging because, as you can imagine, oh so much has taken place since, when was my last post? June? That's horrible. I have got to keep up with this journaling for my children's sake. I have heard rumors that there are companies who will turn blogs into books! Scrapbooking and journaling all in one? I love technology. However, don't ask me to text. I am horrible.

I have a lot to catch up on. Stay tuned. Here are some updated pictures of my 3 joys!



Jaden 8 years old







Ty 4 years old







Reese at 4 months

REESE IS PACKIN' IT ON

There's not a lot to report about the "Reester Bunny", she eats, sleeps and you know what. However, she recently had her first jean day, which made for way to many pictures. She is currently sleeping 10 hours at night with no feedings ( knock on wood). It may be a fluke, but we are nearing almost 2 weeks of the much appreciated habit. And she helps Jaden and Ty continue the ancient tradition of sibling rivalry (vying for time with baby sister). She is such a good baby. A picture (or 10) is worth a thousand words so I'll let her cheeks do the talking!

TY'S LESSON LEARNED THE HARD WAY

Recently, Ty and his buddy Holden caught a few frogs in the back yard during their morning play date. They played hard with the poor things. After a while my heart went out to the warty toads and I asked the boys to set them free. Ty couldn't part. So, he asked if he could put it in his bug catcher. Unfortunately, I agreed. The poor thing was forgotten and left to bake the rest of the day in the blistering hot Texas sun that was bearing down in our back yard. The next time Ty stepped foot in the back yard it was around dinner time. He came running in with tears streaming down his face saying, "my frog is dead, I thought he was sleeping but he is dead!" I have never heard my boy cry like that before. It was from the heart. But mostly, I have never seen such a shriveled frog! I swear that thing shrunk less than half it's body size in a matter of 5 or 6 hours. I could have snapped it in half it was so crispy! Anyway, the events that followed were pretty adorable. Ty and Jaden held a ceremony for the frog. They used a pot of mine that I hadn't gotten around to planting in. They had a burial for the frog, complete with leaves, berry's and flowers. There was even a prayer offered. It went like this, "to our dear kind friend who has passed this day, amen" (paraphrased from the movie Indian in the Cupboard, which they had recently seen). It was heartbreaking and adorable all in one!

JADEN'S NEW DO

With the sticky, hot summer heat approaching us here in Texas we have decided to chop off Jaden's hair. The stylist had a shorter plan. Jaden and I had the old fashioned "hair grows back" talk. She felt as though she looked like a 2 year old. We came home, restyled it and flipped it out. Now, she says, she looks like a teenager and loves it. She even has bangs. I think I like the idea of her looking like a 2 year old, "tween" has a whole new meaning over here. It is adorable on her.

Baby Reese

Our baby girl arrived Tuesday, March 11th @ 8:47 pm. Emily emailed me at work about 5:00 and said she was starting to have contractions about every five minutes. I headed home and when I arrived Emily was putting dinner in the oven, taking out the trash, and working on a load of laundry. The kids and I sat down to dinner as Emily puttered around the house pausing every 5 minutes for a contraction. About 7:30 the contractions became a little more intense, so we farmed out the kids and left for the hospital. From the time we walked in the hospital doors it was a whirlwind! Nurses were flashing paperwork in front of Emily as others were putting in an IV. The only problem was Emily's doctor hadn't shown up yet. Once the doctor arrived, it was all "stirrups and clawmarks" (if you catch my drift). Then, at 8:47 p.m., Reese Lynn entered the world and everything slowed to a crawl.

Emily and Reese were able to come home two days later, and we are lucky to have Deanne with us to ease the transition.




























Reese Lynn
7lbs 1.5 ounces
19 1/2 inches