New Windows...

BEFORE...
Slowly put surely we have been working on the little old house were living in. We've wanted to change the awnings or put in a new window or something for a long time, and it's finally done! It makes a huge difference, next we'll take down the other awnings... then were not sure what will be next!

Flag Football

I'm realizing I should have just had one big weekend update post, but anyways, Sam had his first flag football game of the season Saturday. It was pretty sad, most of his team is on the 5th grade side of the 5th/6th grade bracket, and honestly most of them are there for fun, but the team that killed us were the real deal, their coach called in plays, they reverses, laterals, everything! Even more saddness when I think about that there are only 4 teams and so we will play those kids every 3 games! Oh, well better luck on Tuesday.

2-2

Sadly my Packers lost again yesterday, in very disappointing game against the Bucs. They call it the battle of the Bays, unfortunately we played poorly, and in the 4th quarter when things were looking up Aaron Rodgers hurt is shoulder (he did continue the drive to score, and hopefully today's test are good). We've got 3 non-division games coming up, so hopefully we can get it together!

Congratulation Jess & Junior

Wow, so you know old when your nieces start getting engaged! My niece Jessica just showed us yesterday her beautiful new diamond! We also met Junior for the first time, he didn't run away scared of all of us, so I guess he'll survive! No major wedding plans yet, but I guess that means my family has two weddings in the near future!

Happy Anniversary Mom & Dad!

Yesterday was my mom & dad's 47th anniversary! We celebrated by all going to dinner, the kids love to be with the cousins, and mom and dad love to see the kids all together!

Make a Smilebox postcard

Fan Memories...

So I sent in little blurp about us going to the Packers game to the Fanzone at Packers.com and they put it on the site! Yahoo, only problem is they put the wrong picture, it's some guy and his boy! Click here to check it out (were at the bottom of this weeks post), or you can get there from my side bar! Go Pack Go!

Fred the Fat Cat...

Some people have bear skin rugs we have a cat rug, this is where you will find Fred most afternoons. Depending on who you ask he has a serious weight problem, or as Garfield said, "I'm just big boned!" We love our kitty, and we really don't know what he weighs but my guess is close to 20 pounds! (And Lisa, you thought your kitties were big?!)

Yesterday's Hair do!

Any of you who know me and my Elisabeth know that I really have a thing about doing her hair, you will always find it done, at the very least in braids. I can't stand it down, and those of you who have seen it down and out of control now why, and have probably been shocked to see it not done. Anyways, we are really into hairdos right now so here's some pictures of yesterdays creation.

Wedding Update...

Joe and Randi have set a date for their wedding... June 16th! After waiting so long, and really thinking Joey was never gonna ask, Randi is in full wedding planning action. I am her honorary wedding planner, which mostly means I get to go with her to the fun stuff and she texts me all the time with ideas! It's fun to be involved, but it makes our wedding seem so long ago!

Week 3 Update...

My beloved Packers lost tonight. It was to the Cowboys so I guess that okay since their really good, it would be awful if they were some terrible team. While we were watching the game Miah and I were in awe that we were there just 3 weeks ago! Better luck next week when we play the Bucs.

Sam & Grandpa's Grand Adventure!

Sam had such a great time traveling to the Air Force Academy with Grandpa this weekend. He was so exhausted but wanted to tell us all about it when he got home last night. They flew with the team and guys from Channel 4 and Dodge. They ate at the "fanciest restaurant ever" where he was in heaven with salad, jumbo shrimp and salmon w/ strawberries (we thought that was weird too) I don't know anybody who likes to eat more than Sam and he loves fish! Saturday morning they golfed with the Dodge guys, and he was proud that he got to play his first full 18 holes. Then they were off to the game. What an exciting game they got to see, and in the last minute Utah pulled it off. So it was a happy plane home, where he got some pictures with the guys!

We let Sam take a camera... he took some funny shots and a lot of videos!
Sam took these videos on his trip, and it shows how Sam can always entertain himself!

Elisabeth missed Sam terribly, even though its was only two days, she told us "It was be terrible to be an only child." We missed him too!
Thanks Grandpa!

Sam's Adventure... phone call #2

"Hi Mom, we're here, we're at the hotel, we're LIVING THE LIFE OF LUXURY!"

Sam's Adventure...

So Sam left this morning with his Grandpa for a grand adventure. They are flying with the UofU football team to see the Air Force game. He was so excited to leave this morning, he has never got ready that fast in his life! He already called to tell me that the little airport was cool, he met the sports guys from Channel 4, Brian Johnson gave him a jersey and he is sitting with one of the coaches! They haven't even boarded the airplane yet!

Kart Racing

We just got back from go kart racing at the Miller Sports Track, we had the best time! We all got to race for 30 minutes, the kids did great, as always no fear. Sam spun out onto the gravel a few times because he was going fast, and after making sure Elisabeth was doing okay, I tried to give miah a run for his money!

After kart racing we walked around and saw all the cars, crews, and stuff for the big SunChaser race this weekend. The kids loved watch the cars race and seeing all the teams working on cars. It was a beautiful night and a great evening together as a family!

Good Advice...

I just heard some good advice, Suzy Orman (financial guru, I'm not a fan or anything) said that what all us average guys need to do in these crazy financial times is to take care of own finances. She talked about how the thing we can control the most is our own situations, not banks, Wall Street or the government. We need to reduce our own debt, be financially responsible in our decisions, make sure your money is a accredited bank, etc. I know there are many people out there struggling, so are we the car business no fun right now and many people losing their homes due to others decisions, but we can all do our best to take care of where we are now. I have thought lately how overwhelming the problem is, but is really true the best thing I can do is make my own smart decisions. In this way we all help the economy. I can never get over when Miah tells me that people will take loans for $700 and $800 dollars a month on cars! We all need to be more responsible for our spending. Our kids can wait, they don't need everything right now, niether do we! Wow, now you've had to hear about it, we are all in the same boat, we still own a home in St. George, it is thankfully rented, but we would have never thought we would be in that situation, but things change fast, we should only take what we know we can handle.

2-0

Yea, the Packers beat the Lions today! This is good for so many reasons, we undefeated, both games are division games and mostly.... Joey cheers for the Lions! Go Aaron Rodgers! AJ had to sacks! Go Pack, Go!

Timeline...

Friday...

Joe knocks on our door 1/2 hour early, I think he was a little excited! Catch plane to Chicago O'Hare... Joe gets flagged for being on "the list!"...Get rental car, when since is a Mazda 6 full sized?... Miah about loses it trying to find the hotel, note: a GPS does not work well when your in the middle of 100 story buildings... The Hotel Silversmith is gorgeous!...

...We get all gussied up, Miah mysteriously wants to go to Buckingham Fountain...
...Buckingham Fountain is CLOSED! Joe, Miah and I start panicking 'cause for a year the plan has been for Joe to ask Randi to marry him there!...Quickly we find a pretty rose garden, and before we know it Joe is on one knee! After 4 years of dating Randi cannot believe it's really happening! After 1 1/2 years of keeping the ring for him (ya, that long!) we don't have to keep the secret!






...Off we go for deep dish pizza, yummy we are all starving!


And being blinded by Randi's new bling!...Leave restaurant to a crime scene, someone fell/jumped/was pushed from a building!Yuck!...WICKED is so good, we all highly recommended it, even Joe liked it. We begin a weekend of pretending to be Glinda the good witch.

Saturday...Dunkin' donuts, the Johnson boys think this is the be all to end all!... Shopping... H&M, American Girl, Hershey and NIKEtown where Joe and I get super fly shoes!...1st time visit to Navy Pier... Early Dinner at the House of Blues... Joe tries to eat a habeniro pepper, and about passes out... Long walk to Second City comedy club... "do you ever brake in the rain?"... "how are ya, how ya doin?"... what a laugh...

Sunday... Dunkin' donuts (no really its like a obsession.)... Spend the early game at ESPNzone, watching the LIONS get spanked... jump in the car and head to GREEN BAY!... Stop at Chicago temple, always fun to see a temple in a different city... All of us suffer from silliness after being in the car to long... Traditional scream when you see Lambeau for the first time... late dinner, where we asked for Wisconsin Mac & Cheese and the waitress asks us what that is, for real?... Late night cards, Joe wins that doesn't make his older brother happy!

GAMEDAY... Yummy, muffin/bagel place with coffee and hot chocolate so hot you burn you mouth, man those Packers are a hardy bunch!... Tailgate... make new friends, and practice saying "asure" and "how are ya" a hundred times!... Catch a peak of Joe Bidden leaving a campaign stop... Some of us thought that was cooler than others of us... Stop at proshop, leave pooooooooooooor!... buy totally fun Packers witch hat! More food at Curly's Pub (that's in the stadium)... more tailgating... brats... cheesecurds... Joe gets tons of looks wearing his AJ Hawk college jersey... should of said he was on the practice squad...watch the team warm up, the kickers looked awesome!... Diamond Rio sings the anthem and F-16's fly over... that make me cry every time!... The team is introduced we scream like crazy, especially for Al Harris (Hottie), Brady Popinga (played at BYU) and of course for AJ Hawk from THE Ohio State... Game starts... offense has like a hundred penalties... everybody gets it together... Aaron Rodger looks good (18 for 22)... The special teams are awesome... and AJ Hawk tears it up, even being hurt!... The ladies behind us want to take my husband home, they could be his mom!... Well after some close moments... I don't know if my heart can last the whole season... it came down to the last minute... the Vikes had the ball and were making a drive that could have won the game... then Atari Bigby intercepted and the game was over... Horray.. we celebrate like crazy!... Everybody goes freaking nuts!... Miah and I are so happy!... Joe's happy 'cause the Vikes losing helps the lions... Drive around looking for somewhere to celebrate and watch the late game... find the Tilted Kilt... yes they wore little kilts and littler shirts... my husband is so happy... oh I mean with the game... not!

Yesterday... more muffins and bagels ... long drive on horrible roads (Utah roads are smooth like a race track in comparison!)... more Chicago pizza at a little hole in the wall...rude security at the airport... more dunkin' donuts... long flight... our kids waiting for us at the airport jumping up and down... what a way to end a fantastic vacation!

Congrats Joe & Randi, we love you guys, we are here for anything you need!

P.S. You should hear the long version!

Coming Home is Hard to Do...

As much as I totally missed my kiddos, it is so hard to come home from a great Vacation! We had the best time in Chicago and Green Bay! Highlights...
1.Joe FINALLY asks Randi to marry him, and we don't have to keep the secret anymore!
2. WICKED is totally WICKED!
3. You can get totally fat on good food in Chicago
4. My husband and his brother are the same person in two bodies, weird...
5. OF COURSE MY PACKERS WON!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Tons of pics later, lots of laundry to do now...

Hey Randi & Joey "How are ya? How ya doin'?"

Today's the Day...

This morning we are off to the airport! By tonight I will be watched WICKED in Chicago! By Sunday night I will be in Green Bay, one of the prettiest places in the United States! Monday Night I will be in Lambeau watching my Packers whoop up on the Vikes! YAHOOO!

One More Day!

One more day and then we are off on our grand adventure! We love Chicago, and of course we love Green Bay! Can't wait to get there!