29 years and 364 days

Tomorrow I turn 30. Below I've listed a few of the reasons I look forward to my thirties (or reasons why I'm not sad about turning 30).
-I still have great health. I don't have as much energy and I'm not as flexible as I once was, but that isn't so much my age as it is my lack of exercise (I definitely want to do better with this so I can keep my health). I might start getting worried about my age when I need new hips or something like that, but for now my body doesn't really feel that much older.
-I'm not concerned about wrinkles - in fact, I didn't even notice I had any until other friends my age started complaining about theirs. And I'm not worried about my three gray hairs that I have stopped plucking out of my head - I'm going to embrace the wisdom that comes with them! (When it becomes noticable I'll start dying my hair. ha ha!)
-With the bigger number in my age I'm sure that our income will also get bigger with the years - always something to look forward to.
-One of my friends turned thirty a few months ago and posted this quote on her blog: "Do not regret growing older. It is a privilege denied to many." Since my nephew died, I've thought a lot about death and I realize that death is not an awful thing and that our spirits go on living and go to a better place. But, I'm so grateful to be given this privilege of growing older and having this mortal experience. I'm grateful to watch my children grow and I expect to see my grandkids grow too.

My family

Happy 6th Birthday Ellie

December 16th 2005 - I was 8 months pregnant with baby #2 and was sick with the flu. I was dehydrated and having very regular contractions, but not feeling so much pain that I wanted to go to the hospital. I finally got to sleep for the night and found out the next day that Sophie Joan, Ellie's closest cousin, was born on December 16th. I think my body was having sympathy contractions for my sister, Angela, and I also think that Sophie and Ellie just wanted to stick together.
1 month later - Aaron and I went to a neighbor's house with some other couples to play a board game late at night. I was feeling a little uncomfortable, so my friends were giving me advice on how to induce labor naturally. I decided I would try some of their advice the next day(I can't remember now what all of it was).
Jan 21st 2006 - Well, I didn't get a chance to try my friends' advice because in the middle of the night (about 4 am) I was awakened with a very painful contraction. We called my sister, Jennifer, who lived 1.5 hours away. We checked into the hospital and started watching "A Cinderella Story" (for some reason I was really excited to watch a movie while I labored at the hospital), but the contractions were so bad I had to turn it off. Jen and Aaron coached me through a VERY painful, 7-hour labor (again, I had the Pit, but no epidural). My dr. was out of town, so his partner, Dr. Ruby, was my dr. that day. The nurse who was with me said, "When it comes down to it, you wouldn't care if it's the Boy Scouts of America who deliver your baby, just as long as you get it out." I pushed for 1.5 hours and Ellise Suzanne was born at 12:30 pm. She was 8 lbs. 3 oz and born posterior - I was so proud of myself, but vowed right then and there that I would definitely get an epidural next time around! January 21 2012 - I have a sweet, loving, playful, and beautiful 6-year old Ellie. She is loving kindergarten and is doing really well with her reading. I have been impressed with how well she adjusted to school and also with how well she makes friends. In the past year she has really matured and become more independent without Carly constantly by her side. It was nice (but sometimes boring for her) to have her home with me last year while Carly was at kindergarten. And now that Carly's gone all day, Aubree and I really enjoy having Ellie with us in the mornings. I've learned that as a Mom you still need to get to know your own kids and I feel like I've been able to understand Ellie better this past year. Anyway, it's been fun to "get to know" her. I am so grateful to be her Mom.

We had a pizza party at our house for Ellie on her birthday. Everyone had a great time! We even had Aunt Angela there with her kids and Aunt Steph came too.

Malucy sings for us

Aubree and Ellie were make-believing. Ellie was the Mom and Teacher. Aubree was the 5-year-old Malucy.

Bedtime stories

The girls love to have Daddy tell them bedtime stories. Some he makes up and others are from books or movies he already knows that he'll make into a story for the girls. Well, a few nights ago he started telling them the story of Lord of the Rings. After the 3rd night of Lord of the Ring bedtime stories Carly was having a hard time sleeping peacefully. She finally came into our room and stood by my side. "Mom, I can't sleep".

I ask, "Why? Are you scared?"

"Yeah"

Then the fateful question, "Have you been thinking of Lord of the Rings?"

I have never seen Carly move so fast! She scurried into our bed and into the covers between us faster than I could say Gollum!

She started whimpering and said, "Mom! Don't say that!" (just the mention of it scared the "living daily wicks"* out of her).

So, we have decided to re-introduce the story when they're a little older.


* "living daily wicks" is Carly's version of "Living daylights" :)




Another Favorite Bedtime story


Carly LOVES Calvin and Hobbes. She usually just reads it to herself, but sometimes Daddy reads it to her. Ellie and Aubree enjoy listening in occasionally.

Christmas Break

We spent Christmas in Rexburg this year (2011) with Aaron's family. I don't have a single picture - unfortunately camera's give me anxiety. But here are some highlights:


-Going to Sacrament Meeting on Christmas day. It just felt like the best place to be on the day that we celebrate the birth of our Savior. To worship Him and hear inspiring songs and messages about Him. Such a wonderful spirit there.
-Santa brought gumball machines for Carly and Ellise. They have been wanting these for a few years now.
-Aaron got an awesome ice cream maker
-Grandma Kathy made all the grandkids capes - they look so cool - and Carly says they're magical.
-A Parson extended family get-together. It was so fun to see the cousins - some of which I haven't seen in years.
-An English style Christmas Dinner planned by Holly





Johnson Family Pre-Christmas Activities

Here we are downtown SLC. We went to the Grand America Gingerbread House display and Temple Square. The night before this we had an ugly sweater/ white elephant gift party and celebrated Blake's birthday.

Nanny Nette and Grandpa got all the grandkids pajamas. Here's the triplets, Ellise, Sophie and Carly with Nanny Nette, Aubree and Aunt Steph.

DATE NIGHT!!

(below) Here we are with our good friends, Dustin and Carolyn Wiberg at an ASLA Christmas dinner. The Wibergs were in our ward in North Salt Lake. They are one of the few families here who are not from Davis County or even the Salt Lake area, so that gave us something in common right from the start. Also, our kids are about same age. And, Dustin and Aaron are both Landscape Architects, both been through unemployment, and now both work for PEC (he was Aaron's contact for getting a job there). They are such wonderful friends!
MAGIC SHOW

Carly, Ellise and a friend planned a magic show (very spur of the moment) last week and invited a few neighborhood friends. Most of the magic show was ad-libbed, with some of the guests even sharing tricks at random. We had hot cocoa after the show and all the kids had a great time. After everyone left Carly said to me, "Mom, I didn't really have anything planned for the talent show.... could you tell?" (It was really cute)

The sign at our front entryway: "Magic show. Free. The Magic Lady is 7 years old. She will choose two persons to come up." At first the addmission was going to be $6.00. :)

Aubree, wearing her first braids. She looks so big!