Our Own White Christmas

Texas had its first white Christmas since 1927!! Apparently it was in the 70s and beautiful weather and then within a matter of hours the wind was whipping and the snow was falling.

We wouldn't know because we missed the whole thing! :)

We were celebrating our very own white Christmas!

Johnson Family Fable

Once upon the year 2009, the Johnsons set out to make a difference. We wanted it to be something grand, something glorious, something earth shattering and far reaching. Our sights were high. Kings, presidents, newspapers, all would be touched. Everyone would be blessed and happier because we were alive!! But as the year began, we found we could not yet begin our grand plans. First we had to start preparations for dear Ben’s baptism. He would be turning 8 in October and his lessons commenced in early January. We taught him all about Jesus Christ and the plan to return to Him. Then our house was filled with new sounds: the sounds of a gurgling, cooing, happy baby. Because Noah David never cried. And we each found many hours spent laughing and clapping and holding and feeding and changing and watching and crawling and protecting and teaching this new little baby boy. Pretty soon, as we continued with our normal lessons and sports (basketball, soccer, football, theater, singing, piano, horses) we found that we were spending lots of time studying together in the evening, doing our family home evening lessons, attending church, and our church activities. And then there were some local needs to be met. The girls organized book drives, supported canned food drives and clothing drives. We continued to try and help victims of domestic violence. We were active in the schools. What family of six children is not?!! But these were small things, tiny! As we tried to serve and love, we realized there was no way for our family to make even a wrinkle of change in the vast and broad problems of poverty and substance abuse. We supported the soldiers and thought, “but there is no way to truly thank them or pay them back for their supreme sacrifice!” We sent food in for the homeless and thought, "But what about tomorrow's meal?" But we have to try don't we? We all have to try. And quickly, the year sped onward until November was upon us once more. And, with our glorious plans unrealized, we began the Thanksgiving holiday seeking for those things that merited gratitude. We thought of our dear friends whom we love so much. We thought of our distant families who we wish were SO much closer. We thought of our home and stable environment. And we were filled with love for our dear Savior Jesus Christ who makes all these blessings possible. But we felt a twinge of disappointment and despair as we remembered how little we had done in return for these great blessings! We thought of kings and presidents who don’t know our name. We thought of countries untouched and world problems unsolved. What happened to those grand plans once laid? Where was the difference we had made? Our thoughts were interrupted by a noise at the table as we were gathered around the turkey, and we gazed on each smiling face. Mandi was growing into a beautiful thoughtful and wise Young woman, Sarah was eternally kind and loving, Ben so tenderhearted and driven to succeed, Andrew cheerful as ever and praying to obey, Audralynn healthy strong and happy keeping us all in line, and Noah sweet, so so sweet. Our mark on the world this year begins and ends with each sweet soul in our dear family. And although we have so much more to learn, we love them so much and as we work for this eternal family, we know the truth of the words, “Be not weary in well doing for ye are laying the foundation of a great work and out of small things, proceedeth that which is great.”
We love you and Merry Merry Merry Christmas!!!
Love,
Dustin, Jennifer, Amanda, Sarah, Benjamin, Andrew, Audralynn, and Noah

I can copy

I started playing around with candy the other day. Because I saw this very very cool add.

I am not finished but this is sure a fun new twist to my holiday.

Ben is Baptized!

It was a beautiful day. We all felt so joyful. Ben was thrilled. Many great friends came to support. It was a great example to the younger ones. My Mom thought of a great way to cover his bright green cast. It was all good.

Noah is sleeping in his carseat....and I promise I look skinnier than this!! :) I hope.

I couldn't resist this shot of the two of them. Too bad my camera was on a weird setting and it is sort of fuzzy.........

AHHH...the brothers.

Tell me the Secret

Hello again,
I have a question for all you mom experts out there. So, I will share a little conversation we had over here. Don't think worse of us, just know we are normal. :) Dustin is doing the dishes (love his dish habit!!!) And one of the kids wants to play with him. I tell him, "dishes can wait. at those pearly gates, Peter is not going to ask if your dishes were always clean." I said it with a smile, kind of joking-like. He said, "Well, if your house isn't clean, your kids aren't going to want to be here to be with you."

OK, so both good points. I agree with both. I am sure you are all thinking, "balance." But in those day to day decisions, how do you know what comes first? Mary, Martha. Play with kids, teach kids to clean house by example, etc etc.

I would love to hear your opinions on this when you get a minute.

I'm Baaaack!!

Sorry I have neglected you good Blog. You have been a good friend all this time; and here you sat, patiently waiting for the time when I would come use you again.

Here are just a few highlights from summer! See those tiny people? We did a hike up to Timpanogos cave. It was incredible, tough and very steep in places!! Here is where we brought the kids to be milked in the cow barn. Grandpa Johnson had many a milkin' cow in his day.

Here are some darling models we found to pose in front of the Utah red rock. This was at Arches National Park. Don't they make that shade of red just jump out at you?

What did we Promise??

Hello,
Sorry to leave Y'all hanging like that, waiting and wondering and biting your nails about what on earth was the promise.............................

Actually, I know the truth. You are just like me, enjoying your summer, only looking at blogs as a diversion now and then, seeking something to entertain you for a minute while you wait for....any number of things, water to boil, etc.

SOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

I will tell you a little about the picture in the next post. We had a wonderful reunion with our Johnson half. And it was great to see everyone. We did LOTS of hiking which was very beautiful. And in preparation for one of our hikes, we had a meeting where we made a family flag. On it were the words, "We Promise." Each member of the family signed it. We taught them about a great captain of a great army who motivated and inspired his people by ripping his jacket and making a flag. On it he wrote the things they were fighting for: God, family, freedom. And then each person who agreed with him, ripped their clothes and promised not to forsake their God.

Well.....we did not rip any clothes, but we all signed this flag and promised to live clean and worthly lives so that we too would not forsake our God. It was inspiring. And I love to think of Grandpa Johnsons arm held high with the flag flapping in the wind. Very cool.

We Promise

1,2,3,4,5,6.....

Wow! Are all these yours???? You are a brave woman! Woa, you are more woman than I. Lots of helpers there I see. And you have a little surprise baby! I don't often see a fifth grader and a baby in the same family.... Do they all have the same mother? (I am sensitive about that one. What would you say if they didn't?? Kind of a long personal story to retell in the grocery store)You are so young. You are done now right? I would have had more but (fill in the blank with any sort of reason I have heard them all) Hey Jr. (to their own son) How would you like to have 5 other siblings?? Mommy, can we have a baby in our family? Oh! You are making me want to have more. What a beautiful family. I love your family. My kids love to play at your house. You make having 6 look so easy.

Andrew "It is great to have lots of kids because you have less work to do."
Ben "I hope we always have a baby in our family"
Mandi "I want you to have at least 10 kids Mom!"
Sarah "Can I hold him? C'mon Audrey. Let's play. I'll help you Andrew."
Audrey "No Mom, I am playing with (fill in with each of her siblings)
Noah "smile, laugh, smile, chuckle, coo...."

Mandi's New Biz

I am pleased to announce the start of Mandi's new school entrepreneural project. She is selling Friendship bracelets that she makes and designs herself. She also takes custom orders where you design your own.

She calls it Friends4ever Bracelets.

Her Blog address is http://friends4everbracelets.blogspot.com/

She is having tons of fun. The girls at school are already placing orders. :) I am her only employee and have been helping to make the bracelets and helping to put together her blog. She is a good CEO. :)

All modelling done by Sarah Johnson...

Life's a Stage.....

My girls are little actresses this month. They were both in a theater group called showkids. It was so darling and the girls had all kinds of opportunities for fun. And Sarah had her musical theater class recital. She did great!! Singing and dancing like a girl in the 1920's. Very fun!

The sun is so bright...

Where's Jen??

Jen was last seen in her garden!!!

She has NOT spent many an hour this year cultivating this amazingly hardy plant.

Not your average ornamental grass! This one will grow anywhere, anytime and it is virtually impossible to kill. It takes over all other vegetables that might be in your way, like tomatoes, as seen in this picture. You don't even need to plant it. One day if you are lucky enough, it will just show up in all the right places!

Noah, 10 Weeks

April Birthdays 2009

Andrew starts off our month with his Fifth birthday. I'm not ready for this incredibly sweet boy to go off to Kindergarten this year!

Audrey is next. She turned three and had SUCH a fun time. She has been waiting to see if she ever gets to have a birthday and open presents. I don't think she remembers turning two. It was such a treat to watch her.

I am so proud of our kids. They have been really and truly happy for each other's presents and special day.

Sarah finishes off the month turning the big TEN! We got her trick candles that kept relighting.

This is what I do at the parties, sweet little Noah.

Andrew wanted a Beehive cake really really badly....so what was I to do? Cute isn't it?

Baby Horse

Just born on Sunday night.

Johnson Exploring

Check out this bridge built in 1906 or so. We drove on it a couple times....cool. Here we are looking confused because there was supposed to be a letterbox hidden at this location.

And this one too

But most of us were happy to be there anyway! :) I love these kids and their Dad who humors me and all my Johnson family adventures.

Six Weeks...or so

LOVE this little guy!

While Nursing...

Here are all the things I have done while nursing (in my life, not necessarily with Noah)

Answer the front door
Make breakfast
change another child's diaper
wipe the table
bring in groceries
play on facebook
write a blog entry (this one to be exact)
tried to sweep (doesn't work)
laundry (hard to get stuff out of washer tho)
read all kinds of books
brush my teeth
put on makeup
watch "The Scarlet Pimpernell" 100 times (at least)
Watched all four seasons of Lois and Clark (90s Superman show)
Watched 11:00 PM Frasier reruns
put 2 year old to bed, (told other kids to get in bed) :)
etc.

They do go through a really cute phase though when they are personally offended if you don't look at them while you nurse, and some of mine would then stop if I talked to anyone else. I think it is so funny!

Noah...

Here are some more pics of Noah. I keep trying to capture all the things I love about newborns and I keep missing them!! I would love to catch that cute rooting reflex or a big yawn. It is nice to have digital these days. You can take 500 pics. :)

ate o Po

"I don't want to drive up to the pearly gates in a shiny sports car, wearing beautifully, tailored clothes, my hair expertly coiffed, and with long, perfectly manicured fingernails. I want to drive up in a station wagon that has mud on the wheels from taking kids to scout camp. I want to be there with grass stains on my shoes from mowing Sister Schenk's lawn. I want to be there with a smudge of peanut butter on my shirt from making sandwiches for a sick neighbor's children. I want to be there with a little dirt under my fingernails from helping to weed someone's garden. I want to be there with children's sticky kisses on my cheeks and the tears of a friend on my shoulder. I want the Lord to know I was really here and I really lived."

This quote kind of reminds me of how I felt about coming home from my mission. I wanted to work and give everything that was in me so that they would have to carry me home. For some reason this quote also expresses the same feelings about really living my life as a Mother so in the end I have given all I have to give and i can arrive at those gates, worn out in His service.

side note: I don't mind if my toenails are painted when I get there. :)

To Create

I am so inspired by President Uchtdorf's message!

OK, here is our creation story.
Given our history of large babies.... We scheduled an induction just four days before the due date. Friday February 20, 2009 we went in and they broke my water. I did not want pitocin so I started walkin' the halls! Poor Dustin while still recovering from knee surgery had to sit with ice packs when we were done! It worked though and after a couple hours, the labor started to kick in pretty regularly. Five and a half hours later, Noah came into the world. He is so precious. And his name was so easy this time, once we met him. He just looks like Noah. David is my father's name and we were thrilled to pass that on to one of our sons.

We all just love this baby!! If it were possible to be loved, touched, kissed or held too much, we would be guilty of inflicting this on good little Noah. What a gift to give to our other children, and what a gift for Noah. We brought him into a home with so many people already loving him. Heavenly Father's plan is more beautiful and more clear to me the longer I am a mother. I am so motivated to improve and work towards becoming the mother I know I can be, the mother I am meant to be, the mother I already am....deep down. :) We are so happy over here and filled with the "trailing clouds of glory" that Noah brought with him.

Noah David is Here!

The Story To Come Later....