So Very Thankful...

I feel like this year has just flown by. Thanksgiving was over in the blink of an eye. We had such an amazing time. It was like an old-time Smith Family Thanksgiving that I remember from when I was young, in the gym of the church and the feeling that there are as many people there that would be at a ward party! It was great. So much food, and great family. I am very blessed. My kids were running around like crazy with there cousins that I didn't get one picture of them....or Ben. Makes me sad! All I can say is that we had a good time! I wouldn't pass up the chaos of our big family for anything!

Happy Halloween...

Ok, I am just going to put it out there...Halloween is not my favorite holiday. One day my kiddos are going to read this and be so sad that those words came out of my mouth. I blame my mother...sad but true! Halloween was never her favorite. When I was little I do remember being so excited to go trick or treating, having the school parade and party, but I also remember having to choose our costumes from a big black garbage bag that hung out in our cold storage year after year. The costumes were less than desirable and never the "cool" costumes. So, each year I was a baby, footed PJ's, painted on freckles (not that I didn't have an ample supply of them on my face) high pigtails and a Binky. I just grew to dislike the holiday!

 I do get excited to see my kids get so excited. I like taking them out trick or treating, and I am trying to make some traditions that hopefully my kiddos will remember. We love having my brother's and sister's and their families over for dinner and fun. The kids get so excited and have a ball with each other. Our neighborhood is like a movie with swarms of kids running around the streets. I love it. I keep forgetting to charge my camera so the pictures are horrible and I failed to get one of all three of my kids together. Next year people...I will try a little harder with this Halloween business!!

Elliott Lyn Johnson...is 3!!!

When I was pregnant with Elliott, I thought for sure she was going to be a boy. Ben was from a family of boys, I already had 2 and that is what I knew. When I found out that we were going to add pink to our sea of blue I wasn't sure how to feel! I was super excited to have a girl but I was a little sad because I had so much fun with my cutie boys! Ben was sure the Dr. was just missing something and asked her to check again! After a couple minutes of these feelings, I was head over heals excited to have my baby girl! When she was born, almost immediately I knew there was going to be a different feeling in our testosterone booming house! I love this girl with all my heart! I just stare at her beautiful face all of the time and smile at her wonderful giggle. Her brother's tease her to pieces but would protect her to the bitter end! We are grateful she is ours!
Happy Birthday my sweet angel.

Preschool!

Cameron started school! He was so excited to go back to Miss Missy's class. It was really hard for him to wait because Noah had started a whole month before he did! It did help out that Dad went back to school the next day. I can't believe that this will be Cam's last year of preschool before Elementary!! He is already so excited.

You see that cute crazy face in this picture?? Well if a picture tells a thousand words...just by looking at that you could tell how this boy is acting these days! HE IS CRAZY!! Love him to pieces and wouldn't trade him for the world...just ready for the boy to sit down for just a minute for me to catch up!! But I will tell you...the loves I get from him are awesome!! hope that never stops!

Sleep Tight My Loves....

When I get home from work at night I head right in to my sleeping kiddos rooms and kiss them good night. Every now and then, depending on how sound they are asleep, I get a smile and a sweet " I love you too Mommy" when I tell them how much I love them. It melts my heart and it deepens my gratitude for these sweet little spirits. When I was pregnant with Noah, a friend at work who raised 2 amazing kids, told me that he talked to his kids when they were asleep. He would tell them how amazing they were and how smart they were on and on he would go. It has kind of stuck with me that somehow these little sweet nothings will help my babies as they start school, hang out with friends, or anything that takes them away from my wing! I am petrified that I am doing nothing more than harm to these 3 on a daily basis.  I do hope that in my crazy hugs, kisses and quiet whispers  while they sleep they will know that their mom is their biggest cheerleader!!

Who Knew?

Who knew that at almost 3 my baby girl would start sucking her thumb. So strange! I have been going down the list of things I think might be causing her to seek this out for comfort. Is she feeling the stresses of the ongoings in our home? Is she having nightmares? Is she copying someone from the gym's daycare? Or is she doing it because her brother's and her parents teased her about it when we saw it that first day?? I am just so confused at this new habit! To be honest it is driving me a bit crazy! It may be different if she were 6 months old...but she is almost 3!! Good thing she is so stinkin cute!

USA

July, as always, was a very busy month. We had a great time and the best part was Ben was able to join us for all the fun! That has not happened in more that 8 years!

On the 3rd we went to the Bountiful fireworks up at Eaglewood Golf Course. Always one of the things I look forward to it every year!

We enjoyed ourselves at the Bountiful Parade. The last "float" was the 2000 stippling warriors. It was an amazing sight and brought me to tears.

On the 4th of July we spent our day out in Vernon, Ut. Ever heard of it? I had not until Melinda joined our family and that is where she is from. It is a really small town and the kids loved every minute of it! They were able to be in a parade, go to a carnival, enter a watermelon eating and pie eating contest, and run around a real live farm! They have already planned that we will go again next year. Thank you Ekker family for letting us join!

Sizzler was in another parade and my kiddos always love being able to ride in "bumble bee" and throw candy.

We always have fun at the cabin. We drove down to pass lake and spent some time. It was pretty cold and the kids were sad we couldn't play in the water.

 Last but not least, Noah started 2nd Grade. His teacher is Miss Isaac. He seems to be enjoying it so far and it doesn't seem to bother him that his summer was cut short!

A dad is a guy who puts pictures of his kids in his wallet where his money used to be.....

'The gift of a Father cannot been seen by our eyes, for he will sacrifice his everything today for his children's happiness tomorrow'.

- King Tony S Singh

I didn't realize how hard it was to find pictures of Ben with our kids. That will change...I promise you that! Father's day was a good day. We had a yummy french toast breakfast, then off to church to listen to the boys sing "I'm so glad when daddy comes home". I always love to watch my cute kiddos sing in sacrament! Ben is such a great dad and husband. He loves to be with his kids as much as possible and I love watching them together. My boys have such a great example to follow!

Thank you Ben for all you do for us. We hope you had a great day.

Happy Father's Day to my amazing dad and father in law! I have truely been blessed!

Mother's Day 2012

When I was little I loved to pretend that every kiddo I babysat, my little brothers and sisters, and every doll I owned was my own. I loved kids and wanted 8 of my own...until I got married and realized that it was a possibility!! My mom was such a great example of selfless love and dedication and everyday I am so grateful for the time I had with her. I do wish that I could call her and ask her so many questions but know that she puts her arms around me at times and gives me the comfort I need from her! I miss her terribly.

I am so lucky and blessed to have my 3 yahoos. I couldn't have asked for any better!! I thank the Lord each day for trusting these little spirits to me and ask that I can be the mom that they deserve! I am very happy that my desire to be a mom was able to become my life!

Cute Kids

I know....family picture overload! I had the kids pictures done a month before the family pictures. They turned out so stinkin cute even though my kids....especially Cameron...were sicker than dogs! I love my kids so much and these pictures sure make me smile!!

Family Pictures 2012

Back in April, Ricci and her family were in town from Arizona. I always love it when they are here! The kids have such a good time together and I love having Ricci and Jim around! We were able to get everyone together for family pictures. Thank you Mindy for putting up with all of us. You did a great job!

Since February....

The Johnson's have:
Gone on a "StayCation".....we decided to do some fun things around town and make it as much fun for our kiddos as possible! It worked...we all had a great time. We stayed the night at a hotel and went swimming and out to dinner. The next day we went to Lagoon...the only picture I have is one on the train. I know I am awesome! Then the next day we went to the Dinosaur park in Ogden. My kids loved every minute of our "StayCation"!

                                                                 







Celebrated my beautiful 4 year olds birthday....





Enjoyed my sister Stacy's newly published book!! Yahoo Girl We are so very proud of you!!
 

Celebrated 12 years of marriage.....








                                                                                               Started another season of Soccer.......









And enjoying the time Ben has had at home.....

you see...with all of these fun things going on...I have had no time to blog!

Noah is 7! (in January, I know!)

My oldest is now 7. He is independent and smart, wants to do everything his way and on his own time. I love him so much and I am proud of the kiddo that he is becoming. Noah had a few friends come with us to the Bountiful Rec Center for some swimming and then back to our house to eat some pizza and ice cream. He had a great time! I still can't believe he is 7.

Year of the ugly tree...

We had such a great Christmas. I love all the family time, the excitement bubbling out of the kiddos, parties, decorations, the whole shebang! This is our second year with a real tree. We took the kids out to pick the centerpiece of our holiday decorating. When we got home with our prize, we put it up in the front room and noticed how oddly shaped it really was. After my "pruning" attempt, it looked a little better, however it didn't have the pretty pointed top that most Christmas trees do. Ben and I couldn't stop laughing at the fact that we just purchased the ugliest tree out there!