Blowing off the dust...

This little neck of the woods is dusty... duuuus-ty!

Since my last post... in May, I think, lots has happen.

Benji and Tim had birthdays turning 5 {and starting kindergarten} and 9.

The boys started school... well... going to school. Benji {K}, Tim {3rd} and Tommy{5th} to the Elementary school up the road, and James {6th} at a charter school.

Swim learned how to climb the fence... we now go to the rock wall once a week.

Oh there was Halloween, and all the boys had fun coming up with costumes and trick or treating the neighborhood.

Thanksgiving where everyone helped make the meal. It was low key and actually really nice to be by ourselves. It was so fun having everyone in the kitchen, and making some fun traditions... and food that we will make every year.

There was Star Wars.

And James turned 12!! and was ordained a Deacon.

Christmas came and went with joy. We had our bumps over the season, but it was a good one.

The first of the year brought more birthdays as Steve got another year older, and Swim turned 3... Yes, that boy is now 3

We are now in March, and James is in the first phase of braces... {a pallet spreader} Tommy is playing handball... {yeah, I had to google it too...}, Tim is playing roller hockey, Benji is working on reading and is so excited when he knows the words, Swim is crazy... seriously!! But he is so fun and there is always something going on with him. And Charli... well that girl is so sweet! She has a cold... her poor face is snotted shut in the morning, and she is still so smiley. He snot smile is so sad and so cute at the same time.

Steve is just working...he is enjoying it, and learning a lot with the doctor he works with.

Me... where have I been... well, I have been going back to school. I was going to APU {American Public University} to get a bachelors in Sociology. I have been doing 2 classes at a time, and they are over an 8 week period. I"m done now.. at least until September I'm transferring to BYU-Idaho because they have the major that I want, a bachelors in Marriage and Family, I'll then go on to get a Masters in Marriage and Family Therapy.

Our family is busy but I like it.

So there you have it... I'll be around a bit more and be back with pictures as well.

Grandma came

In April Grandma Johnson came to visit.

We went to the Olympic Training Center. It is actually a very inspiring place. We were able to watch some of the athletes work out.

 ...I think they need a little more training...

There was the USA bobsled from the Salt Lake Games that was on display for us to see, and for the boys to get in.

We went to a dinosaur museum… Benji was in heaven. There was a little tour going on that we joined in and Benji pretty much took over and was telling everyone about each of the dinosaurs.

And then we went to the zoo. We love going to the zoo. And I think we only lost Benji once. He climbed into the elevator, to go up to another section of the park , before anyone else could get in and by the time we were able to get up there he was gone. We found him looking at the bears. The zoo is always one of our favorite places to go.

 they do love each other...

This is Colorado Springs. 

We love to have people come and visit us! And we love that Gandma Johnson is up for anything... Even a mile and a half walk that is mostly up hill.... I've never been to a zoo on a hill... I guess I can cross that one off my list.

I love my Crazy

Life is always fun

Always interesting

Always changing.

Often time I wonder what it would be like to be a "normal" family.

To buy a house

To know that this is it

I wonder what it would be like to have stopped having children... three kids ago

To have a small family.. a normal family

But then I look at my crew. Some big and some small, and I stop.

This is my life. My wonderful... crazy... not normal life.

And I love it!

I wouldn't trade it... for anything. This is my normal... this is my crazy.

I get these perfect moments, with these perfect people.

And that make me happy!

Christmas.... 3 months ago.

Christmas this past year was a good one.

We bought a live tree. It was beautiful and fun to decorate.

We had to string the lights a couple times because the first time Tommy put the lights on the tree the poor tree looked like it was being held hostage, it was wound so tight! Once we let the tree go, and tried again Tommy did a great job.

Our tree usually looks uneven usually decorated more on top or on the bottom. It's always fun to watch the boys decorate and how they do it.

In the end though we had to take the tree down. It was dead... I mean REALLY dead. It wasn't drinking the water that we were putting in the thing. We decided that a dead Christmas tree is a fire hazard so we took it down. It was kind of sad taking the tree down well before Christmas but it was necessary. And it's a really good thing that we did. While Tim was taking the lights off the tree they were shocking him! We would have had a fire! So it really was a blessing in disguise, and I am grateful!

It was a lot of fun shopping for the kids. Shopping for them is the best part of Christmas for me. I love seeing how surprised they are with what they got each year.

We got something for Swim to climb on... our little monkey loved his slide.

Christmas morning is always so fun and there is so much going on.

Can you get over these eyes!! I love her! It was a god first Christmas for her. Like all the babies, she loved the boxes and paper more than anything else.

The snow missed us by 4 days, so it was a beautiful sunny day on Christmas. Here's to another year!!!

Welcome 2015!

Garden of the Gods

It was an overcast drizzle-y day. Steve was home and I was just feeling down. Steve made us all get dressed and put us in the car and drove us to Garden of the Gods.

Honestly I didn't really want t go. I wanted to curl up in a blanket and just be left alone. But Steve knows me well. Once I was outside I could feel myself feeling better.

My soul craves to be outside

The mountains sticking out of the ground were beautiful.

We had to sty on the trail most of the way but there was a place that we could climb around on the rocks. And Swim... he wanted to climb in and out of the stroller.... 

Little Miss all wrapped up {have I told you how much I love having a little girl??!!}

 A selfie of Tommy. He's not one for selfies... so a close up that is good is rare.

 I think this will be come a regular place for me.

It's what we do

The day of days.... again. I feel like we are always doing this... oh wait... we are.

Another day of packing and moving. Here we are on the last day we were in Orem. Orem wasn't my first choice as a place to live when we moved back to Utah, but I came to love this city. I was actually really sad to leave. This house, and this neighborhood had been god to us.

 Everything that is packed in the garage for Steve to come back and pick up.

Here is the trailer that I pack with the things that we would need for 2.5 weeks before Steve could come back and get the rest of our household goods. {Yes.... in this house Legos are a necessity}

While Steve was gone I pack an entire house, loaded the trailer, made sure that kids were fed... {at least twice a day} and I even slept a little.

And we are off! It took us 12 hours {way longer than it should have}, 5 stops, one car chase {not us} and only getting lost once before we made it to Colorado.

Here is where we will start fresh again. It's what we do.

One Last Blessing

In July, right before the move we blessed Charlotte. It was a sweet blessing. Being that Charlotte is our last one watching Steve bless our last child was bitter-sweet.

We are not like others... we don't have a big party after the blessing, we keep it small and to the point. The men that stood in the circle to bless this sweet girl was Steve, Larry {Steve's dad}, my dad {who has been able to make it to each blessing that we have had for our children}, and a close friend, Issac. The blessing was beautiful, blessing her with strength, and wisdom. To have faith and t grow to be a beautiful woman, inside and out.

The blessing was beautiful... the pictures.... well.... what do you expect with 5 boys???

Almost.......

And then Swim moved.

One of Steve and I.... and Benji.

After the day was done I realized that I didn't have any pictures just of Charlotte. So naturally Iput her back in her dress and grabbed the camera.

Many people go all out and have long flow-y dresses that are beautiful.... but that's not me. I'm way more simple and the long gown with all the lace and buttons is just a bit much.

I found a simple white dress {which it does NOT have to be white} a cute sweater and a cute hair bow. A few ruffles and a bow. It's simple sweetness was beautiful to me.

 {she was loving her tongue}

 {my plan is to frame this dress and hang it in her room}

It was a wonderful day. Nothing big and over the top. But it was special for me. I feel so blessed to have this little girl in my life!