A Day in Nature

Kelsi and Emil are going to Alaska in a few weeks so we decided we wanted to have a familiy outing before they left so we decided to go camping. Teona had surgery just a few days earlier to get her gall bladder out so we decided to stay close to their home and just do a day trip. It was so much fun. I felt we got to enjoy all the normal camping experiences and enjoy nature. It was a much needed break and was absolutely beautiful day. I couldn't have asked for a better experience or better people to spend it with. This really is what life is all about.

So this is a little backward but the kids had a blast putting out the fire. They would run to the pump and grab water in their TINY buckets and cups and go dump them on the fire. I LOVED Jaston following them back and forth SO adorable. I asked Skylee what her favorite part of camping was and believe it or not this was it- putting out the fire.

So really don't love this pic of me and we didn't know Jeff was taking it butI love that it shows the view. It really was gorgeous up there.


We sat around the fire...

We enjoyed this cute face- he just picked up saying "cheese" for pictures that day at family pictures so he was posing for Mama :)

We made smores...

We had the BEST food- hot dogs and hamburgers for lunch and the most AMAZING dutch oven for dinner. I swear food tastes better when y ou are camping.

Joh and Skylee enjoying dinner and each other.

Daddy and Sky flying the kite.

We TRIED to get some candy out of a pinata for Grandpa's birthday

We flew a kite (Skylee's first)

AND tried...

AND tried...

and TRIED to hit the pinata.

We played cards...

We hiked...

We climbed...

We swung...

We built a fire(although it was tough, the wood was super wet)

My Sky

Skylee has been off and on with her naps lately and pretty much every other day does "quiet time" instead of nap time. So today she was haivng quiet time and I noticed she was extra quiet I went in and found her like this. Three has been a tough year. She is super sweet towards her brother a lot of time and very considerate when it comes to other people and her brother. On the other hand when it comes to her and her brother playing together she likes to take things away from him, tease him. She will occasionally try to trade him things if he has something she wants but if he doesn't trade immediately she will just take it right out of his hand. She is SO full of personality and comes up with the most hilarious comments. Today she asked me who made her. She asked if it was Jesus. that was a fun conversation :) She sure is such a wonderful little gal!

National Interpreter Certification testing

So I took a test today I have been preparing for for about a month( well technically years but I signed up for it a month ago). I took my NIC  (National Interpreter Certification) test. This is my first step in becoming nationally certified as a sign language interpreter. I am certified as a novice interpreter for Utah and will be taking my professional level performance test in a month as well. My goal is to take the NIC near the end of the year - November or December. I am feeling quite the push to become nationally certified because as of next year you have to have a Bachelors degree to be nationally certified and unfortunately I only have an Associates degree and really I'm not going to go back to school until my kids are grown up (at least that is the plan IF i decide to go back).

      ANYWAY, this test is to test your knowledge of ASL lingustics, culture, interpreting situations, the Code of Professional Conduct, the history of sign language interpreting, the history of sign language versus oral methods, different signing styles, and etc. etc.. It really felt like there was so much we were expected to know. 

     I felt  pretty good at first but as I went on there were so many situational that I thought was more opinion than right or wrong. I felt fairly strong about the linguistics and culture it was just the interpreting situations that made me a bit nervous. Needless to say I needed 500 to pass and my score was 633. So I PASSED! I scored high in all twelve categories except two I scored medium in. My lowest percent was a 69 and my highest was a 92 which I got in five categories. So overall I feel pretty good about my test. Me and my friend, Robin, studied and studied and STUDIED. She passed too. Whew! Now for a BIG, LONG, nap!

Johnson Family Pics May 2011

Kelsi and Emil are taking off for Alaska in a few weeks for the summer so we decided we better get a family pic with all of us in it before they leave. So we went up to Cedar on Saturday and took pics and then went had had a day camping trip. It was so much fun. I will post camping pics a bit later.

Mom and Dad
Our family
The only family pic I could get of my fam
The kids and their kids

The Whole Johnson Family

This was Skylee's face when she heard John and Taylor had arrived

Aunt Kelsi and Jaston

Here's My Sky

Super Late Easter Post

The Easter Bunny found the kids at Nana and Papa's house this year.

The Whole Fam

Skylee was struggling



The Boys and their Easter ties :)


Sky in her Easter Dress



Jaston knew there was candy in the eggs and wasn't sure how to get it out.

My Baby Boy

We took Jaston in for his 18 month appt today (although now that I think about it he is only 17 months). It was my first doctors appointment with either of my kids that the doctor wasn't concerned about their weight. Jaston FINALLY had gained some weight and was CLOSE to being on the chart. His stats:

               Height: 30.91 Inches 20%

       Weight: 20.92 lbs 3%

   Head: 19.1 Inches 75%

So yeah, not too proportional. Oh well, I guess he just has a very large brain :) Both my children do. He got two shots and did pretty well. He passed the test for not having autism so that is always a relief too. His next appointment is when he is two, yes, I said TWO my baby will be two in December that is mind-boggling to me. Skylee will be four in two months that is crazy too! Anyway, that's the update for the little munchkin and man, do I love that little guy. Both my kids are at super fun ages right now. On a side-note Skylee got accepted into Upstart which is a preschool that she does on her own. My friend, Cassie's daughter did it last year and said it was really beneficial so I hope it works. It's free too so it can't hurt. Weird to think that this time next year we will be getting ready for Skylee to go to Kindergarten. 

Immersion #1

 For the program I am in (ICAN) we are required to go to three immersion weekends which are basically three days of workshops, games, eating, and only signing. It is a really good experience for me and really needed but I will admit it is tough to be away from my kids and Jeff that long. So this past weekend was my first immersion. We went to Midway which was GORGEOUS and it really was super enjoyable. There was a lot of competition and since I am super competitive, I had lots of fun. They also had about 12 hours of workshops that were great for me. Really gave me a different perspective on ASL and just basic attitudes on deafness. 

     They played some super fun games. The first night we played Top Chef, we had a few ingredients and had to "earn" the other ones with challenges and such. We did signing Ventriliquism (where one person is behind the other and is their hands for signing), we did x-games which included egg toss, grape toss, frisbee throw, story relay, science challenge, ice cream eating, and the final over-under challenge (getting water from one cup to another with going under a ladder and over a broom on a chair), we played mafia, we did skits including our classifiers we had learned, played ultimate frisbee, and many other fun activities and games and SO much EATING! I swear I gained five pounds! BUT I did go running every morning which was super hard because of the elevation but beautiful and helped a little with the eating guilt. 

      The second day I was there I decided to call Skylee. The first thing she said was, " Mom, why are you not coming home? Where are you?" She kept pressing me to come home. The next day Jeff texted me and told me that Skylee had just told him: " Daddy, I love you but I need my Mommy!" I think overall they survived pretty well though. They went to the Cotton Days fireworks one night and hung a lot with Jeff's fam. 

     When I got home both kids were sleeping but when Jaston woke up he just laid his head on my shoulder and just refused to get off. It was sweet. Skylee ran over jumped on my lap laid her head against my shoulder and said again and again, "Momma, Momma." I definitely felt loved and missed. It was a good break and helped me realize how much I cherish these little ones and my dear husband. He did a great job keeping them alive and happy :) 

Post catch up....

For Jeff's birthday all he wanted was to borrow his mom's new convertible and go drive through Zion so that is just what we did. I must admit I was a doubter as to how much different driving through with the roof down would make but wow, it was incredible and gorgeous and oh so fun! So we ended up going up and hiking Angel's Landing which was fun just higher than I remember it being last time. After the hike we headed down to Zion's Pizza and Noodle company. Our favorite; it's amazing! It was a blast . So grateful for my mom for watching the kids so we could go have a fun birthday date!

Diane's fancy new Mazda Miata. Isn't it fun?

So a little backward on the posting but this was us after we had got down and were waiting for the shuttle. I pretty much couldn't move I was super sore.

Love my pondering pose? Ya, I know I suck at modeling but it was gorgeous!

Jeff conquering Walter's Wiggles...

We loved the look of the incredible tree on top of Angel's Landing

Yep, it is gorgeous and kinda scary... one false move and you are history.

Mom's Day

Happy Mother's Day to all of those wonderful Mamas out there! Just want to say thank you to my amazing mom for all she has done for me. I have been truly blessed to have an incredible mom who is so generous and loving and willing to do anything for her family.

And of course I have to express gratitude for my ability to be a mother. I LOVE my kids and love being a mom. I am truly, truly blessed!

Kitchen Light Frustratation

Skylee walked in to me in the kitchen ticked off and said"Someone IS in here!" I was super confused but then I realized I shut off the kitchen light and she was sitting slightly in the kitchen. Just yesterday she asked why I turned the kitchen light off after I was done mopping. I explained that no one was in the kitchen so we didn't need the light on. So when I turned off the light and she was still in the kitchen today she was mortally offended. haha What a character!

Reflections

Ok, so I've been in a reflective mood again lately. Jeff and I laid in bed last night and said how exhausted we were. I am studying like mad for this National test I have at the end of the month and he is working like crazy to get all of his clinical hours in by the end of the month. Not to mention work on his part, young mens, and family responsibilities. I have been trying to give 110%to my sweet kids, young womens, visiting teaching, my two jobs (although it's only a few hours a week), studying for my written which is at the end of the month and my performance which is next month, doing homework, meeting with my mentors, meeting with my friend for study groups, and then of course the list of motherly duties- laundry, cleaning, dishes, cooking etc that just naturally come with being a family.

     It was funny because I was talking to a friend the other day and she mentioned her sister complains about all she has going on with her kids and such and she always says, "Hey, you chose this." That, my friends, is so true! I LOVE my family with all my heart and I did choose this. I chose to bring these amazing children into this world which is an incredible blessing! I'm praying that I can push really hard this year and get to a point where I can be done with school forever while my kids are growing up so I can be there for them. Heaven forbid anything would happen to Jeff I would be able to provide. 

      SO, yes it is hard right now and we are tired but what a wonderful life we have and how BLESSED we are. I am SO grateful that all of my decisions have been made with the Lord's help. I know we are right here right now because this is where we are supposed to be. This is what Heavenly Father wants me to be doing right now. I am SO grateful that I can call on His strength to buoy me up when I can't make it any further. 

     I heard this quote the other day John Taylor said about the whole "eat, drink, and be merry" philosophy and holy cow I loved it! I had never quite thought of it that way. So it's kind of long but super good and simplifies a lot of things for me:

           " If I am a being that came into the world yesterday, and leaves it again tomorrow, I might as well have one religion as another, or none at all; 'let us eat and drink; for tomorrow we die.'If I am an eternal being, I want to know something about the eternity with what I am associated. I want to know something about God, the devil, heaven and hell. If hell is a place of misery, and heaven a place of happiness, I want to know how to escape the one, and obtain the other. If I cannot know something about these things which are to come in the eternal world, I have no religion... If there is a God, I want a religion that supplies some means of certain and tangible communication with Him. If there is a heaven, I want to know what sort of a place it is. If there are angels, I want to know their nature, and their occupation, and of what they are composed. If I am an eternal being, I want to know what I am to do when I get through with time...."

    I thought that was such a cool quote. The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints teaches these things. I am so grateful I have a knowledge of these things and that I have something to work for because I do know there is a life after this one. I do want to know what I can do to avoid eternal misery and grasp eternal happiness. That is what the gospel is all about. That and the hope that this isn't it. There is a heaven, we will go there. We will see our loved ones who have gone before us and we can be with them eternally if we will but follow the teachings of our Savior, Jesus Christ. It may not be easy but it will be worth it.

    So again, forgive me for my ramblings I'm just trying to sort through my feelings and emotions and get to that place where I find the lift I need to stop my complaining and keep moving in the right direction and do the very best I can. 

Sunday madness

    So church last week was "one of those weeks." Jaston was EVERYWHERE (counting the DAYS til he can go to nursery June 12). We were a few min late getting in to sacrament meeting (which is last by the way starting at 2:30 and my kids naps are at 2 so that gives you an idea of their frame of mind at this time of sacrament starting) so we had to sit in the back which means chairs not pews and no way to block in the crazy boy. Thankfully both of us were tag teaming on this and I wasn't doing it alone cuz I was exhausted by the end. I was actually not as emotionally spent as I usually am but physically wow!

      But it was really funny cuz Skylee was lounging around on the row in front of us and just couldn't figure out how to whisper for some reason. So we said "Skylee, please come back here and sit and be quiet." and she just looked with sad eyes and said"But I'm struggling!" At that point of exhaustion it was a pretty funny statement for her to admit she was struggling and to hear a little 3 year old use that word was pretty darn cute too. :) So def. a smile moment in a whole slew of exhausting ones.

      Just wanted to document a few of Jaston's cuteitties right now cuz he is at such a fun stage. He LOVES his Mama which can be frustrating sometimes cuz if I'm in the room he wants me. Esp. if I have been gone a lot (which has been happening a lot with this ICAN program right now). But at these times when I come back he is SO happy to see me and runs with open arms and throws himself into mine. Then he will just rub and pat my back for a long time it is so sweet. I just love feeling that sweet little hand on my back. He is also starting the fit-throwing stage but it's just a cute, funny fit right now cuz he just throws back his head and fake whines. It is cute now I know it won't be when it is like every second. He is signing a ton and gets so excited when we understand what he is trying to tell us. Everything is SO funny to him. He loves to hang upside down. He gives kisses with his mouth wide open.  He is super ticklish esp on his palms. When I get him out of his crib in the morning he will just lay on my shoulder and cuddle for a few minutes. I cherish those non-moving, loving moments! He just is a stinkin cute little stinker and oh my goodness he is boy to the bone- into everything, constantly moving, loves being outside, rolling in the dirt. Sure do love that little man and am so glad he is in our family. I can't believe how fast my kids are growing. Skylee is 3 1/2 and Jaston is 16 months. I have some pretty adorable, sweet kiddos and am so proud to be their Momma!