GoOd FrIeNds, HoNeY GiRl, & Bloomsday!

Um yes, Olivia does have lip gloss on(she has to do everything Shaana does!)

SWEET Lilah Ann

2 Beauties!


Bloomsday 2010!

Shane with Lilah & her Daddy Lance
Group shot, after Bloomsday!
We had a WONDERFUL weekend! The highlight, our good friends The Wiley's(Lance, Shaana, & Lilah) were here!! We make it a priority to see them a couple times a year. They have come this way 2 times within he last 6 months, so we are grateful. It's our turn next as we'll head to Seattle this summer. There sweet honey girl Lilah is just about a year old, such a fun age! She's as cute as a button, and has a personality to match. Olivia and Nolan LOVED having a little person around. Each morning they woke it was like Christmas to them and they'd come in to our room and ask "Is Lilah awake yet?" They couldn't wait to get downstairs to see her. Olivia actually cried her eyes out when they left, it was so sad, I haven't ever seen her get that way when people leave. She's always had a special connection to them so I'm not surprised. Lance & Shane had a great time catching up, and yes they had to keep their tradition going with a trip to DQ for a blizzard. So funny, it's their thing! They started that tradition in college at WSU. Shaana and I did the usual, shopped, cooked, played with the kids, talked about motherhood, exercise, life in general. Shaana actually came over to run Bloomsday as well. She's in ridiculous shape, and IS A RUNNER(the natural kind!) I'm a little envious of that ;) We miss them a ton already and look forward to time with them this summer.

Oh and Bloomsday! Well, it was a DISASTER! We were all pumped, the race started out great! Then there were lines to the bathroom on the course that did not move for 20 minutes, one of my friends fell and literally got ran over by rude/inconsiderate bloomies, my knee started to give out at mile 6, when I crossed the finish line I stepped right in to a giant pile of puke, and to top it off~WE GOT ON A BUS THAT WAS HEADED TO THE VALLEY MALL~what!? Yep, we had a nice long ride out to the valley and back. What a day! I can finally laugh at it now, but at the time not so much. I think everyone around me watched the steam shooting out of my ears, and then I made an even bigger scene as I transformed into a complete maniac (do to all the unexpectedness.) Let's just say I will have a Bloomsday re-do one of these days. So it was a bad run, but at least I can count it as a training run. Thanks everyone for putting up with me, I wasn't a happy camper!

Part 2 of "when I get big..."

It seems as though each day Nolan is asking me things about when he gets bigger.
Here are some of the latest~
When I get bigger~
"I can use a knife,
I can make owetmail(oatmeal,)
I want to use a pencil and make it sharp(use the pencil sharpener,")
When I grow up~
"I can cut up eggs and burritos,
I want to drive,
I can drink coffee,
I want to bring coffee to work like Daddy,
I can use Daddy's work phone,
Can I fly?"
After he lists them, he'll say "But not right now." That's right little buddy, you have to stay little for a while longer =)
I love his verbiage, and he does still have a baby voice, which makes it even cuter. The other day our neighbor Mary was driving out of the neighborhood and Shane said "there goes Mary." Nolan quickly asked, "Daddy, does she have a lamb?" Out of the mouth of children!

On a daily, or I should probably say, an hourly basis, he comes up to Shane & I and says "Mama(or Dada,) can you hold me?" I know that probably in the very near future he will stop, so I have to remember that when I'm busy and he asks me that. I don't ever want him to stop snuggling with me!

Why YES, I AM ADDICTED...June 30th!!

April, thank you for sending this, and PLEASE come up for the Eclipse premiere!
*You'll have to pause my music in order to hear the video =)

Sweet April showers do spring May flowers...and a 1/2 marathon

It amazes me how two days ago my trees, flowers, and other plants around the yard had little buds, and by today, they were opened, and bloomed! I do have a little green thumb and if I could, would spend hours playing around in my yard, and flower beds. I'm so happy we are finally transitioning into Spring.

This has been a busy couple of months for me. I'm down to the wire in my training for the 1/2 Marathon I'm running on May 15! I have been blessed with incredible friends who also happen to be my running partners-Chris, Siri, D, and Tab(when we can make it work.) Chris is the PERFECT leader, he thinks of everything on our long runs, covering all bases of things we may need when we hit the road for a couple hours. We all add something to the group, and the motivation, and inspiration we've all given each other over the last 2 1/2 months has been AMAZING! I'm so proud of all of us for how far we've come, and the accomplishments we've made along the way. We have a bit more intense training in this next couple weeks, and then it's the real deal! This has been one of the best things for me to do for myself, it's given me a confidence(in my mind, body, & spirit) that I've lacked for quite a long time. I'm pumped and can't wait for us to cross the finish line together!

Psalm 34:18~"The Lord is close to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit."

I spent last Sunday afternoon with my cousin Stacy at SHMC Children's hospital. I feel that the details are too private, and maybe even placing this obituary on here is as well. I just know there are a lot of you that read this, and are faithful in prayer for those who are in need. So thank you to everyone who already has been, and to those who will now join in on lifting my cousin, and her family up to the Lord. I'm so sick over this I can't get it straight this week. In a blink of an eye she lost her child. As a mother, I CANNOT imagine, nor do I ever want to, what it's like to lose your child, your sweet 9 year old boy. I wish I had words to lighten my cousins agony, but words are not enough. My heart and soul ache for this family. I wish I could take away their broken hearts. Everyone that knew Brady a little, or a lot, could see his contagious spirit immediately. His smile melted hearts. Brady is in our hearts forever!
JOHNSON, Brady J. (August 06, 2000- April 11,2010) Brady Jae, passed away peacefully after a nine year battle with Spinal Muscular Atrophy in the arms of his Family. Irreplaceable Son, Grandson, Great Grandson, Brother, Nephew, Cousins, Friend, hero and comedian. He is survived by his Mother and Stepdad: Stacy and Rusty Melcher, Father and Stepmom: Joshua and Liz Johnson, Grandparents: Karen and Jay Gertlar, Randy and Lisa Johnson, Siblings Ashton and Ava Melcher andCarter Johnson, Aunts, Uncles, Great Grandparents, Cousins and a endless list of friends. He was an inspiration to all who met him and he lit up the room with his infectious smile and humor. Special thanks to all the medical staff at Rockwoood Clinic, Shriner's Hospital, Sacred Heart Hospital, The Muscular Dystrophy Clinic, all the Staff at Browne Elementary and anyone else who made an impact in his life, you truly enriched his time with all of us.

Laughter...it does a body good~

I have to say that for most moms, the bulk of our laughter comes from the things are kids say or do each day. Oh Nolan! NJP was taking a bite straight out of an apple and said "Ewww, mom I took a bite and there's a booga(booger.)" I went over to him and he was looking at the core of the apple and seeds. I laughed and told him that it was just the seeds inside of the apple. He went back to his snack and then with a scowl he set the apple on top of the cutting board and said "I'm not going to eat the seeds because that's gwoss." Unfortunately he's picked up some verbiage from his sister that I'm not thrilled about, and gross has been one of those things. I'm sure I'm to blame for some of the "bad words" at times too, darn my mouth.

This morning he told me "I want to go to school like sissy too!" I told him he's still a bit too little. He said "But I'm a big man mama." He is going to miss Olivia so much next year when she's in school full day(which I can't even talk about yet, I'm not ready either!)

I included some pictures of my wild monkey eating frozen baguettes of bread. Hmm, I'm not sure why they were so tempting to him, they were rock hard and he insisted on nibbling on them until he could bite little pieces off. That was a day I was so desperate to just unload the dishwasher in peace that I just let him. I know, I continue to lose my vote for the best mom of the year award!

Easter

We had a wonderful Easter weekend! Spent Easter day with our families, stuffed ourselves full of delicious food(and sweets galore,) enjoyed the beautiful sunshine, and are all beyond ready for a good nights sleep. It was a great day!