My Sweet Logey Bear

Logan started preschool! This is also SO hard to have him gone. He brings so much fun to my day (and Evie, we really miss him) but he LOVES school. He cries on the days E&TJ go to school and he doesn't. We were lucky enough to get into Aunt Mary/Miss Mary/Mrs. Brotherton's class, a friend of mine and so Logan loves this. Well he loves her and is so excited to see her. And if Aunt Mary wasn't enough Parker is in his class, he also LOVES this. Good luck Mary. He is also two weeks in and he is loving it and he I have already seen improvement in his handwriting ;), another- good luck Mary. Logan loves life, and loves people and so being in a class and with lots of people is his perfect scenario. I miss him like CRAZY but am glad he loves it and am thankful for school!!

With his buddy and cousin Parker

Aunt/Miss Mary/Mrs. Brotherton
He wasn't looking at me (he isn't nervous) but I can't get enough of his look. The backpack buckle, the lunch box, the water bottle, the socks, the belt, his stocky legs, CUTEST kid ever. He looked adorable.
I think he looks like his Daddy in this picture!
My sweet boy!

The BEST Surprise EVER

TJ IS IN KINDERGARTEN!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

My beautiful, sweet, brown eyed, kind-of quiet son is in Kindergarten! I miss having him at home for sure, but I did keep him home a year longer then most (all if you ask him) of his friends his age so I can't complain to much about him being gone. But I was very prayerful about TJ, just that he would adjust and not be nervous, new things, doing things by himself isn't normally his thing. You can't imagine how GREAT he is doing! SO THANKFUL. He doesn't like school he LOVES it. His face, his demeanor is different, it's like he is standing a little taller. He was so ready for Kindergarten he is feeling such success with the school work (something I was nervous about for him) he often tells me he finishes his math papers first and it is "super easy" for him. He also started playing "hoops" and he can score "EVEN on the high one". LOVE this. He has made friends, he says his "best school friend is Thomas", but I have to say when I pick him up he's high five-ing and getting lots of goodbyes. :) Thomas and TJ are always together though. They had an all school swim party and TJ just went off and was playing with kids from school, having so much fun, so independent and confident. He loves art, math and LOVES music. They taught him 'America the Beautiful' and he is singing it all the time.

Great TJ quotes:

- One morning when I woke him up for school (waking up for school is ALL of our least favorite part ) he exclaims, "YOU signed me up for the EVERY DAY school!) Yes buddy I did.

- His first day of music he learned a little, like hello song, and he was SO EXCITED to sing it for me. And then he told me, "after music, while I was in my class, I kept singing the song quietly to myself all day because I wanted to remember it because I knew you would want me to sing it to you". I could have died right there, does it get any sweeter???!!

- In there classes they have 2 teachers and his aide is from Hungary. So he gets in the car and tells me he has learned a word in "atlantis". Hmmm, German? no. Hungarian? nope. Spanish? NO atlantis. The word is "e-ta" and it means "go". So one week later I find out it's... wait for it... latin. SO funny, and really for two reasons, one because he called it atlantis and two because I clearly know no latin and couldn't put it together. Lucky him he has me to help him with his homework.

I am so thankful that God has been so kind to us and specifically to TJ that he loves school so much and it has been a blessing to him. His stories are priceless and I love seeing Kindergarten thru his eyes. He is doing so well (another praise) learning and succeeding so well.

All lined up. When he started walking he never looked back. So strong :)

AD-OR-ABLE!!!!

Meet the teacher. He was nervous and didn't really want to take a picture.

A New Year

We prayerfully decided to send the boys to Archway Classical for school this year, which meant Eli was leaving the school he has been at (and loved) for the last 2 years. This was an agonizing decision for me. Thankfully by the time school came around God had quieted my "mom worries" and given me peace. I am also SO SO SO thankful how God prepared Eli's heart. He never cried, never asked about his old school, just charged forward. That was grace in both our lives. Archway is very different then the school he was at, much bigger, and I think it has taken a little time to get used too. We also started the school knowing no one at the school (that changed, such a praise!) and so Eli was definitely nervous, though he didn't say he was. The first day I watched him walk to his class, and he kept walking and kept turning his head to look at me, each time his eyes looking more scared- ahh my heart was breaking, of course I teared up, but not till he left. Before we left for school he told me the first day, I am not nervous just excited. How strong is this kid?!! God is good. SO we are two weeks in. I think he is adjusting well. Crossroads isn't out of his mind, I think it will take a while to get used to the bigness of the school, but he is doing SO well. He has made some friends (SO Thankful), apparently football is the universal language for 2nd graders. He has already been invited to a birthday party and has been given a phone number (insert my big eyes) from a little boy. One day he told me, "I just learn and learn and learn, I'm just learning all day long!" To funny. They have tons of extra curricular activities, I think those are his favorite, spanish, latin, art, pe, and his teacher is crazy about science and he LOVES that. Yesterday before school he was praying and he thanked God, "for his great school, and his new friends, and was thankful God would let him go to this school". Yeah, I started tearing up. God's grace! SO thankful.

Isn't he so Handsome??!!

They LOVE going to school together! Eli can't wait for TJ to be there durning lunch time

Meet the teacher.

Summer Time

After we came home from Coronado we got to spend time with Clayton and April and their kids, all their family and our friends. We (oh ok mostly me) had SO MUCH fun while they were here! Lots of fun hanging out, swimming, watching movies- well one movie several times, eating at "the couch place", Triple P, and celebrating Grayson and TJ's birthday! Here is what my iphone captured. :)

SO I didn't take any pictures except of one of our trips to 3P and some other random fun times.

Build-a-Bear

Love these two and how much they love each other!
The Clan :)
Yup, that is my son
LOVE Logey's face in this picture
Love this picture and this girl! :)
Geebs. I have to say, he likes me, and tells me he loves me, love this.
Cookies!

California

In July we packed up and headed to Coronado. We had a great time, VERY relaxing and had some much loved family time. We spent like everyday on the beach, it was super fun... AND Eli and I took surfing lessons! Very fun!

One day of the trip we went to Sea World. It was a super fun day and the kids loved seeing the animals. It was fun to see their excitement over the animals, specifically Shamu. We went to a show they have in the summer, it's like a cirque soleil type show. The boys were SUPER in to. Eli has decided it's his backup plan if the NFL falls thru. It was hilarious to watch them reenact the show.

SO I forgot my camera :(, I know everyone wants to see me surfing (haha... my dad video-ed it) but here is what my iphone captured. :)

ALASKA 2011

We are home from our annual summer trip to Alaska. We had SUCH a great time. I don't know how to recap over 2 weeks of fun. These trips with the AK Johnson's is a highlight during the year, and our whole family looks forward to it. We hike, play, laugh and eat. It is so fun and so relaxing! When we came home last night Troy was saying that he feel like their home is our home, so relaxed and comfortable there (100% due to April who is the most gracious host and SO hospitable) and we get to hang out with some of our favorite people.

So this year I did a HORRIBLE job of taking pictures. When I get some pictures from April I will add more. But here is my best. Not great for sure. I will step it up next year! Last year was our first year and so we jammed the weeks packed with seeing Alaska. This year I felt like was a lot more hanging out, much slower paced and lots of quality time. Super fun!

Highlights:

- Clay Clay's monster hugs

- Alaska Deb, and Roy

- Seeing the Alaska trifecta

- Homer

- Disappearing Husbands (well makes for a good story)

- Hiking Aleska

- Cats in Strollers

- Dairy Queen, RIP Soldotna Dairy Queen

- Bald Eagles

- Bad movies

- Beating Super Mario Bros, world 8 in ONE day!

- Champagne

- Laughing Laughing Laughing

- Webkinz twins

- Best buddies

- Alaska Logey

- Nertz

- Quirkle

- Fourth of July Party

- Bike Rides

- GREAT food!

- TJ's birthday

We had SO much fun!! I can't write every funny story or memorable moment. It was just to much fun! Thank you Clayton and April, we have SO much fun with you guys and Kara and Clay. Thank you for letting us come and being so hospitable to us, you guys are so much fun!

A day trip to Eagle Camp Ground. It was super fun, lots of boys running around, throwing rocks in the river, smores, fire, bike rides, and seeing a moose. April and I were set up at the "camp site" the kids were running/biking around, the come running up saying they saw a moose and wanted to show it to us. We start to follow them for like 5 minutes! they were SO SO far away, didn't realize it! Learning to let go... deep breaths.

Alaska Deb:

How much does he look like his Daddy here! Crazy! and SO handsome

These two loved the fire! Shocking I'm sure.


The moose:
The "camping" gang:
I think Logan loves his Aunt April more then me. He LOVE LOVES LOVES Clayton and April!

Hiking Mt. Bald-y. Not sure on the spelling. Very fun and warm day. Our first hike this trip. Mike and Ryan came with us and it was super fun. On the way down Logan ran ahead and we (well not me, I stayed back with Mario and Luigi aka TJ and Clay who were taking there time) and was found by some stranger's car, just chatting it up. Ahh this kid. He kills me.

At the top, check out Clayton then wait for it....

Check out Eli! These two are two peas in the same first born pod. Cracks me up!

Pictures from our road trip to Homer! SUPER fun! Great trip, hanging out with their friends, great food and lots of fun!

Can you tell how BEAUTIFUL!!!

Throwing rocks in the ocean is fun in 80 degrees and 50 degrees

We went down there for the big boys to fish. They slept overnight on that boat. The fishing crew.

Our handsome husbands


Love this picture!

Can you tell how HAPPY TJ was to celebrate with his cousins! He loved being with them. I love how he looks like he is glowing!
Bald eagles are like seagulls in this town. Crazy. This one is for Matt. The mama eagle perched over her "baby" eagles in the nest. haha

One day we drove to Palmer and hiked Hatchers Pass with Miss Crispy and Ryan and Owen. April and I did this last year and I really wanted Troy to see it. It is beautiful and it is a cool old mine and lake. There was snow. Yes Eli eventually went in.

Cute kids starting out on our trip :)

Logey I took this picture last year too. Hate to see them grow up! But he so stinkin cute!

Deb loved Aunt April. Who she called Mommy most of the trip and definitely preferred her over me.
L.O.V.E. T.H.I.S. B.O.Y.
Eli and Ryan
Another picture from the year prior


We love this family!!!!
Doesn't my hair look amazing when I hike!??! It was Sunday after church ;) not how I normally looked, FOR SURE!
Sweet Owen

The only two GIRL cousins. Evie loved being with Kara and Kara was so sweet to her. Kara is going to be a flower girl next month and she told me she thinks in the next wedding she is in she will be a bridesmaid. Then she told me Evie could be a bridesmaid in her wedding. I hope they get to be sweet friends and in each others lives A LOT! They will be bridesmaids before we know it! sniff sniff