Stars and Stripes

We've been planning Katie and Ryan's Stars and Stripes birthday party for a couple weeks now and all the kids were so excited. It was a fun theme... it seems we are always on vacation over the fourth so I was happy to finally try an american flag cake and blue jellos. We played American Bingo... It is Johnson tradition to play every kind of BINGO you can think of... Christmas, Halloween, Hawaiian, Pokemon, Princess...' but we've never done American yet so we had fun thinking up things to draw in our squares. When I said 'Draw a president' some of the kids said, 'I'm drawing Obama', some said, 'No way, I'm drawing Bush', some said, 'I'm drawing Lincoln', and one said, 'I'm drawing Eisenhower'...

We made neclaces, played Wii, ate hot dogs, jello, and strawberry margaritas, opened presents, played a big game of backyard baseball with Dad, had American cake and ice cream and didn't even have enough time for sparklers. Now they want another party to finish up the stuff we didn't get to. They all had so much fun being silly together... I love that Ryan and Katie share so many friends. I hope they always like to hang out together... a joint party is so much fun.

All smiles

Now whenever we make eye contact with Matthew he can't help but smile... so big that it makes his eyes close. Love it.
(taken on June 18th... exactly 6 weeks old)

Summer days

We've been taking swimming lessons all this week and as soon as we get home the kids head straight outside to play on the slip and slide, swing on the swings, jump on the trampoline, lounge in Luke's baby pool, and drink watermelon icys. What could be better?

11 years old

Ryan requested tacos and cupcakes for his family birthday party. When I asked him how he wanted his cupcakes decorated he paused to think and I said, "or do you want me to surprise you?" "Ya, Surprise me" he said excitedly. He's been to the driving range a lot lately with Chris and even taken a few summer golf lessons so I thought a golf cupcake would be just the thing. He saw me adding the finishing touches before dinner and came up and gave me a big hug. "You're the best mom in the whole world". Can you believe you can get a comment like that just from a cupcake? I told him I took a class at college on 'how to be the best mom in the whole world by making cupcakes' and he laughed his low silly laugh. I love that laugh. It makes me smile.



After dinner we sent the kids upstairs while we arranged Ryan's 18 hole scavenger hunt. Each 'hole' had a clue that led him to the next hole. If he went right to it then it was a 'hole in one'... each additional location check was an additional stroke. Good thing he had a good foursome to golf with... especially Katie. He would have been way over par without her. The clues led him to a pile of presents outside on the patio, but being so humid as to fog up my camera lens we settled at the kitchen table to open presents.

You might say he was thrilled with his presents...

A new shirt.

The very Wii game he was hoping for... Monopoly.

The fourth book in one of his favorite series.

Bases for backyard baseball.


And a complete surprise... his first camera. He was so stunned and happy that Chris and I got a little emotional. It is fun to give you presents, Ryan. Happy Birthday.

Father's Day Tradition

I think this is the fourth or fifth time that I've done this with the kids for Father's day. It's tradition, and we love it. Starving, Chris sat down to this year's requested Father's day dinner of Tso's spicy chicken and rice but the kids wouldn't let him eat until he read every father's day card plus the 'annual father's day questions'. Chris was laughing so hard at the kids answers that he could hardly breathe... and neither could I... that's part of the tradition... our favorite part. (See here for last years answers.)

1. What does Dad do at work?

Megan says… I don’t know. He works. He works… Mom, how about you answer it. I won’t tell (with a frown). Does he work at a hospital? Oh, he’s a doctor. He helps people feel better. He wears a white sleeve shirt and he wears a pants that is black and his underwear like under it is grey and his pants is grey too.”

Emily says… “He eats and he… I don’t know… He’s a radiologist but I don’t know what he does.”

Katie says… “He checks to see if the patient needs help and if they need help then he calls another doctor to come help them and he looks at peoples bodies on the computer. He’s a Radiologist.”

Ryan says… “Dad does all the doctor stuff and he helps the patients and he works on bones and x-rays. He loves having us visit him at work.”

2. What does Dad do at home?

Megan says… “He plays with us and goes on the computer and sleeps and vacuums… Have you seen Daddy vacuum before? Yep, on a Saturday. He likes to eat. That’s all I can think of.

Emily says… “He works on the computer and he plays games with us like monopoly and he plays on the trampoline with us and he plays baseball with us outside.”

Katie says… “He plays outside with the kids, he does stuff on the computer, he watches football, and he cleans sometimes. He goes on walks with us. He makes Matthew smile. He sings songs with Luke.”

Ryan says… “He watches movies with the family. He sometimes plays Wii with me. He loves to play outside with us and he loves to spend family time with Mom and his whole family. He is always on his laptop.”

3. What are Dad’s favorite sports?

Megan says… "Baseball and soccer and basketball. That’s the three things I can think of. "

Emily says… “Football and basketball.”

Katie says… “It’s like every boy type of sport… golf, baseball, football, soccer, and basketball.”

Ryan says… "well football, soccer, basketball. He loves basketball and soccer because he played those when he was little and later on too. And he loves football because he loves BYU."

4. What does Dad like to watch on TV?

Megan says… “Football and the Jazz team.”

Emily says… “He likes to watch football games and movies.”

Katie says… “He watches football, basketball, Scrubs, The Office, and lots of other Daddy and Mommy movies.”

Ryan says… “He likes to watch the mom and dad tv shows like The Office, Scrubs and stuff like that. He loves to watch family movies with everyone. He gets a bunch of mommy and daddy movies from Netflix.”

5. What does Dad do after you go to bed?

Megan says… ‘He watches a movie with Mom’. After he watches a movie he tucks me in and he gives me a hug and kiss and then he says good night. He carries me to my bed and I sleep when he carries me.”

Emily says… “He watches movies with Mom.”

Katie says… “He stays up late and watches movies with Mom and he holds Matthew and he checks on us when we’re sleeping and then goes to bed after that. Oh, and he drinks diet Mountain Dew.”

Ryan says… "He stays awake and watches movies with Mom while eating ice cream or popcorn. I know because in the morning I find bowls or popcorn bowls. And he works on his computer. He stays up really late until he finally thinks he needs to go to bed. Dad and I are both only tired when we get into our beds. He loves to read but not as much as I do and he reads a lot just like I do.”

6. What does Daddy like to eat?

Megan says… “He likes to eat salsa and chips and he likes to eat salad but I don’t. He likes meat and salsa and he likes sandwiches and he likes to hug me.”

Emily says… “ Rootbeer. He likes spaghetti and he likes cereal and he likes smoothies. He likes fruit.”

Katie says… “Last year I said ‘anything Mom makes’ but he likes to eat lots of things. Lasagna and peas cuz that’s his favorite vegetable, and chicken and Chinese food.

Ryan says… “He likes to eat anything that mom makes for him and he loves special desserts like brownies, cookies and popcorn. He has to have popcorn with a movie. He loves to drink diet Mountain Dew. He loves to drink that… it’s his favorite drink ever. It’s mine too. That’s another thing we have in common.”


7. What does Daddy do at church?

Megan says, “He talks and talks and talks and says a prayer and sits down. He sits right in the front. That’s all I can think of.”

Emily says… “He sits at the front and he talks and I can’t think of anything else.”

Katie says… “He sits up at the front and makes sure everybody obeys and that everybody is being reverent. He conducts sometimes, he gives talks, he bears his testimony, and he’s a good example. He also works in the bishop’s office and the clerk’s office and talks to lots of people before church and makes sure they are doing good.”

Ryan says… “He sits up in the front. He conducts a lot… not conducts a song or anything.,. He gives talks every now and then. He smiles at us every time we look at him. Sometimes he comes into primary and our classes to check on us. Every couple months he comes into Primary to teach us about the main lesson for the month. On Wednesdays he helps teach young men and does basketball with them.”


8. Does Dad like to clean the house?

Megan says… ‘Ya. He likes to clean the family room and the living room and the kitchen and the dishes.’

Emily says… “ No. He would rather work on the computer.”

Katie says… “Probably not but he probably kind of likes it because it’s nice to mom.”

Ryan says… “Dad likes to clean the house if it’s for mom and if visitors are coming.”


9. Who does Dad love?

Megan says… “Mommy and me and our whole family and his friends.

Emily says… “He loves Mom and he loves the whole family and he loves all his friends and everybody in the world.

Katie says… “Everybody he lives with and all of his extended family and ME!”

Ryan says… “He loves Mom the most and he loves everyone that’s in his family. He loves ME and Katie and Emily and Megan and Luke and Matt and everyone in the church. He loves Heavenly Father and Jesus also. He loves the Prophets. He loves his mom and sisters and his dad. He’s a loving guy.”

One month old... in the tub

Matthew is just loving his little blue bathtub. He's really very content in there slowly moving his legs and bringing his cute little feet up out of the warm water.

Towel Boy

Look what I found just walking through the kitchen after his shower with Daddy.

Refreshing Flat Rock

Right after our adventures in the hot canyons we decided to head straight to Flat Rock park to cool off by the water.

[We had already been to Flat Rock Park once this week after our first huge rainstorm and before we headed to the theaters to go see UP. We had always wanted to check out Flat Rock right after a rainstorm. By
the time we got there it was pouring again so Chris, Grandpa and I were the only ones to head out and take a picture or two. Chris says it reminded him of 'Rootbeer Falls' in Michigan. Just look at all that water!
Those of you who we've taken there will surely see a difference. Click on the pictures to see them larger.
Here's a picture of Grandpa completely soaked after running to get back in the van.]




Today, however, we actually wanted to get wet. We didn't really tell the kids they could get wet, but not surprisingly it just happened on it's own.
Luke was obsessed with getting in the water, shoes and all. It wasn't long before he was soaked and all while Chris was grasping tightly to his hand. If he hadn't been, Luke would have just walked straight out in the middle of the stream. (Grandpa gave me strict instructions to never come here without Chris... Grandpas get worried about things like this.) If these pictures don't accurately describe it, then maybe Grandpa's video at the bottom will...

Georgia's Little Grand Canyon

Chris dropped my Dad off at a Civil War Museum downtown Columbus on his way to work in the morning. Naturally, he was in 'history heaven' (he'll have to post all those pics himself) and when we picked him up at 1:00 he said he could have stayed longer. We drove on base to pick up Chris and then drove down to Georgia's Little Grand Canyon. We haven't been back here since we came for the first time with Amy last February. Providence Canyon State Park... an hour south of us, but a beautiful drive with lots of green trees, rolling hills and almost no traffic. There's a pathway along the cliffs with great views of the canyon. We walked along and took a few pictures... but don't let all the happy smiles fool you. It was 93 degrees and 80% humidity and we were roasting... and honestly, the highlight of the trip was when we pulled into a gas station on the way home so that everyone could pick out their own drink. Never has a Welch's grape pop tasted so good.