Preschool Fieldtrip

Our first preschool fieldtrip was to Discovery Gateway.  It was a perfect day to go.  There was hardly anyone there so the children had a great time playing.

My boys are all-boy.  Most of the time was spent in the construction zone.

Johanson Family Reunion

The highlight of my summer was my family reunion with my siblings and parents in St. George.   I love spending time with all my family.  My children love their cousins.   They spend from sun up to sun down playing together.

Thanks to my brother Joseph we got to go boating.  My favorite place to boat is Sand Hollow.  The water is warm and we spent the entire day there.  Note to self:  Have boys wear old swimming suits.  I can't get the red dirt out of their suits.

Seminary Graduation...Way to Go Emily!

Wow.  I never knew how stressful it would be to get Emily to the finish line of school.  On Sunday was Seminary graduation.  We were all holding our breath as she pushed to make up her tardies so she could graduate from Seminary.  I am so proud of Emily for graduating.

She not only graduated from seminary, but in order to fit Seminary into her schedule she had to take early morning seminary.  I remember trying to do that my senior year and dropping out and taking it during the day because it was just SO hard to get up that early.  I noticed some of her friends were missing from the ceremony. Which means they didn't have the stamina to push through the four years so they could graduate from seminary. Which is just another witness of what to me of how much dedication it took for her to finish seminary.

I was a bit teary-eyed as they handed her, her certificate.  I am so blessed to have the privilege to be her mother.  I know by paper she is my stepdaughter but there is no way she is a step.  She in every way is my daughter.  Steve and I married when she was only 5 and she has lived with us most of her life.  So she in every way is my daughter.  

While I was sitting there during the program my mind flashed to a picture I remember of Emily when she was about 8.  This small little girl was standing with her hand on her hip and she had a look of determination in her eye.  Although her body was small and skinny, it in no way does describes her spirit.  She is strong and immovable.

My mind also reflected on a time when she helped Sadie.  It was when Sadie was in 3rd grade there was a boy that walked the same way they did on the way home.  Often he  would say cruel and crude things to her on the way home.  One day Emily was walking with Sadie.  This boy made crude and cruel comments to Sadie.  Emily (her being in 6th grade) stood up to that bully for her sister.  She let him know he could not talk to her sister that way.  And if he didn't stop he would have her to deal with.  

This small girl had great courage.  The boy probably could have beat her up but her determination saved her sister and after that Sadie was not bothered again by the boy.   She had more strength and courage than someone three times her size.

That is the young woman I see as Emily is growing up.  She is growing up to be a beautiful woman.  Emily's mom is completely inactive and lives a life opposite to our standards.  Yet Emily has made the gospel her number one priority.  She has found friends to pick her up so she can go to church on her mom's weekends.  When we have counseled her she has tried to live our standards at her mom's too.  Often if we counsel with Emily, she will follow our counsel.  She has had many opportunity to choose a life opposite to the gospel but she has found her testimony and stays true to it.  I am so, so proud of her.

Yard Work

Yesterday  we worked on the yard.  My boys love to help.  So I bought a shovel just their size.  David had to complete the outfit with his hat and my gloves.  He is such a cute guy.

Through Elijah's Eyes

Out of my six children Elijah is the first who ALWAYS wants to come with me when I leave.  It can be a bit frustrating because he takes his own sweet time and often I am in a hurry.  Yesterday was a perfect example.  It was rainy and I had a couple quick errands I needed to get done.  It was a simple stop to the post office and pick up a couple things at the grocery store.

I tried to sneak out the door but Elijah caught me.  So we were off to do my errands.  It had been raining all day.  As I pulled into the parking lot of the post office I knew what Elijah's first thought would be when we got out of the van.  It would be to try and jump in any puddle he could find as we entered the post office.  So I told Elijah we would not be jumping in puddles today.  We had to stay dry. 

Elijah did the best he could, but he just couldn't resist the puddle as we got back to the van.  He got in one good splash with both feet.  Frustrated with his damp pants I put him in the van and headed to the store.  In that moment I had a thought that altered my attitude.  For a moment I thought about what the world around was in Elijah's eyes.  How he perceived this moment.  It wasn't a list of errands to do.  It was an adventure to be had.  

There were puddles to be jumped in.  Cars and people to see.  Things to explore everywhere.  So what if we only had two items to pick up at the store.  You should always use the big, cool car shopping cart.  Size didn't matter.  Just make the most of every moment.

I am glad I had that change of heart.  Rather than being frustrated as I tried to maneuver that huge cart,  I was able to take Elijah on a drive around the store.  He loved being able to pretend he was the one driving.  He loved looking at all the different things to discover at the store. I had these few moments to spend with my little boy who loved me and thought the world of me.  I, not him had the privilege of having him with me.  I will have to try and make more of the small moments I get with my children every day.

FHE Song Time

You can't see them very well.  But those are bluebird wings.

Last week I was songs for FHE.  I decided to make props for the song "In the Leafy Treetops".  My boys loved it.  I definitely need to laminate them though before they are destroyed.

Stop and Pick the Daisylions

Today the sun was out!  I made a goal with my sisters to increase my exercise to 5 days a week.  I decided to take the boys on a walk.  So it was early afternoon, we ate lunch and headed out.  I searched and searched but I couldn't find my double stroller.  Where did it go?  Then I remembered my sister took the boys to Wheeler Farm last week.  So she must have it in her trunk.  Darn it.  I had a goal to keep and I did not want this to stop me.

Then I remembered our old rickety red wagon.  I loaded the boys and we were on our way.  Pulling is definitely harder than pushing.  But it would give me a better workout.

The wagon is lower to the ground than the stroller.  So David could see all the dandelions growing and he would have me stop so he could pick "flowers" for me several times along the way.  I told him several times they were dandelions but he would forget their name and call them daisylions.  I decided that word was too cute to keep correcting so we called them daisylions.  It would be far too soon that he would remember they were really dandelions and his cute word miss-pronunciation would be gone. 

It's a little scary walking in the afternoon.  There are lots of dogs and they like to bark at us.  We only encountered one dog that was loose.  It was a tiny little black dog but it was keeping it's territory safe.  We had our trusty sticks in case the man-eating-dog got too close. After our walk we took my beautiful bouquet of flowers home and put them in water.  Too bad they are obnoxious weeds.  Dandelions are very bright and cheerful.