Happy Birthday Bryn!!

Happy 7th Birthday Bryn!!

Our sweet girl turned seven the first part of April. How is that possible? My baby is already 7??? It feels like I just had her and here she is a big seven year old. Bryn continues to be pure joy and sunshine just like the picture above. She is sweet, loving, kind, happy, positive, and just a delight. She is rarely unhappy or angry or irritable. I know that she will have her issues too but with all the many moods raging in our home currently and in Utah...let's just be honest...it is super nice to have some one who thinks you are fantastic!! Not just me either...she thinks everyone around her is just the BEST! She loves people and is loved in return.

This year Bryn wanted a trip for her birthday. This seems to be the thing for our family these days. Travel over parties. I love it!! Tyler had a trip for his birthday, Kameron went on a trip for his birthday, Bryn wanted a trip for her birthday, and Ailey and I are already planning our joint June birthday trip as well. Bryn's birthday coincided perfectly with Spring Break and she REALLY wanted to see Reilly. I think besides me...Bryn has had the roughest time with Reilly moving out and living in Utah. She misses Reilly a lot and will sometimes just burst into tears because she misses her so much. Facetime is a life saver and Reilly is wonderful to always make time to talk and chat with her. So, all Bryn wanted to do was go and see Reilly for her birthday. Done!

Her actual birthday was on Sunday this year so we just had a little family party with her favorite foods. The weather was GORGEOUS and WARM. It was one of the first nice weekends of the year. Tyler uncovered our patio table and chairs and we luxuriated in eating out on the deck. It was so nice.

Bryn requested a purple party. She also requested her favorite meal...SALAD BAR!! This kid cracks me up. She loves salad more than any other food in the world so we did it up right! Lots of toppings and two kinds of homemade salad dressings. Her other requests were sugar snap peas and grapes. Ha ha! She also had strawberry lemonade with an umbrella in a fancy glass...aka a sundae glass...less inclined to spill. She ate two huge helpings. Bryn is going to be my health nut and will  keep me and Tyler on track. She is so funny. She hates processed food, hates processed cheese, hates biscuits from a can. She is picky about weird things like that but she will eat every vegetable and fruit on the planet.

Cute party goers!!

She also got the gift that she REALLY REALLY REALLY wanted...this horse... amongst all of her other stash of presents. She was thrilled!!

The night was so absolutely gorgeous that we all sat around outside until it was dark and beyond. I love doing that and cannot wait for summer!!

Then the next day Bryn got her birthday fast food lunch delivered to her at school. She was super excited about that!! She's just a tad sweaty coming in from recess!!

This year her request was a bean and cheese burrito and strawberry starburst slushy from Taco Bell!

Happy Birthday Brynnie!! 

We love and adore you!! XOXO

March: Things I Am Loving

March: Things I Am Loving

This really seems like old news as I am so late in posting. Again...oh well.

1.) My mom is alive. Definitely #1.

2.) Cadbury Creme Eggs

Who knew that these were so divisive? You either love them or you hate them apparently. There is no middle ground. They are completely despised by everyone in my family...except for me. Who could hate that creamy goodness? I remember I was in 3rd grade when they came out. Heavens. I was smitten. They have only been rivaled by the invention of  Reese's Peanut Butter Eggs.

These beauties came out when I was in college. Also despised by my children. What the?! They only like sour and gummy things. They aren't chocolate fans. I'm not either but I make an exception at Easter. This year the Easter Bunny kindly replaced all their nasty jelly beans which they also hate with high quality treats and was very generous with the Reese's Peanut Butter Eggs...no one wanted them. Weirdos.

3.) The Goldbergs

I simply can't get enough. I ADORE this show!! It has me crying with laughter every episode. Last week Reilly and I had to watch an episode online simultaneously and text our comments back and forth while we watched. It was the episode where Adam learns magic. Dying with laughter!! If you don't find this show funny...you are made of stone.

4.) The Jesus Storybook Bible by Sally Lloyd-Jones

I heard about this book on a podcast with the author. I was intrigued by her interview and looked up her book. It is so highly rated. I am always looking for ways to make the scriptures come alive for our kids. I put this book on hold at the library and thought I could read it at night with Bryn. I simply CANNOT tell you how much I love this book. Some nights I would have Bryn read it to me while I was making dinner and some nights I would read it to her. Somehow whenever we would read it the whole family would end up coming around and listening. It tells the stories from the Bible in a short story form and ties every story to the Savior. I love it. It is perfect for bedtime reading. I loved how the author told these familiar stories. I was surprised at the insight I gained from this simple children's book and from the same bible stories that I have read a million times over. Several times someone in our family would say "I never thought about it like that..." or "I never realized that"... that is especially saying something coming from kids that read the scriptures on their own and with their family nightly. When reading the book aloud myself I often felt the Spirit so strongly that I was moved to tears. It's wonderful. On Easter we read the account right out of this book. I cannot say enough. The book is wonderful, funny, entertaining, enlightening, and moving. I am buying it ASAP. I would say that it is a great book for the whole family not just small kids. The only thing that I didn't totally love were the illustrations but I am really picky about children's book illustrations so take that with a grain of salt. Highly recommend!!


5.) Lamb of God composed by Rob Gardner performed by the London Symphony Orchestra

This made our Easter!! Easter came the week after St. Patrick's day and my mother's hospitalization. Life was crazy and chaotic. I was not feeling all Easter-y. Our stake put on this musical production the week before Easter for the community. It was amazing. Kameron went with friends one night and came home a changed person. He immediately upon arriving home found the songs on YouTube and had us listen to them. Tears... It was so good. We immediately bought the album on Itunes. It is fantastic. It totally made our Easter. We listened to it over and over again. It is so beautiful. It tells the story of the last days in the life of Jesus Christ through the eyes and experiences of those who loved Him and knew Him best...Peter, John, Thomas, Mary and Martha, Mary Magdalene, and His mother, Mary. There is fantastic narration, thirteen soloists, and the most gorgeous music imaginable. It has changed me too. It has deepened my understanding and appreciation of the Atonement so much. Buy this album. You will love it. It is stunning. You can also listen to it on Spotify.

March

March

Since we are half way through April, I guess I'd better get our March happenings posted. One super exciting thing that happened in March was that Ailey's artwork was selected to be in our school district's art show downtown.  Very cool!!

We went to the art show and it was fun to see Ailey's artwork up on the wall. We went out to lunch downtown as a family to celebrate!!

Such a cute artist!!

Bryn got asked to participate in a writing/blogging group for 1st and 2nd grade girls for 6 weeks. She absolutely LOVED it and was so sad when it was over. The girls were each given writer's notebooks and were told to write down ideas and make observations about the world throughout the week. Then they would get to blog about it at their meetings, read peer work, and provide feedback on their class blog. It was awesome!! Bryn was so sad when it was over.

Brynnie blogging away!!

The nights that Bryn had her writing class were the same nights that Kameron had bagpipe lessons so it worked out great for Tyler to take Kameron to his lessons on those days, there was a carpool for Bryn, which was so nice, and that left me and Ailey with a few mother/daughter nights. We had a great time!!

The young men and young women in our ward combined this year and did a huge fundraiser and auction to earn money for camp. It was a huge undertaking of the kids and leaders alike but the night was a big success!!

Kam hard at work. :)

The auction was a success and it was fun for the YW and YM to work together.  Our family scored some great things: a profressional teeth whitening kit and other dental items (we had a dentist in our ward donate all kinds of great things). It was a good thing too because we also scored all of this:

A key lime pie and the most enormous pan of cinnamon rolls. The picture does not do them justice. They were HUGE!! Ailey and Bryn are cinnamon roll fanatics. I don't like cinnamon rolls but these were so amazing (and still warm) that I ate one and a half. That is REALLY saying something!! It was a fun night for two great causes!!

Tyler and I managed to grab a Saturday lunch date with this kid. He is SO BUSY!! It is unreal. I thought Reilly was busy in high school...she had nothing on Kameron. We snatch Kam up whenever we can and try to hang out with him as much as possible. We managed to lure him to lunch with Osaka Bowls!!

Ailey was a lucky girl this year and got... not one but TWO... Daddy/Daughter Dances!! This one was for the Activity Day Girls in our stake and it was another fun night of dancing!! They had a great time!!

The two cutest home teaching partners around!!

I love that they get to do this together. They are good home teachers too. They have gotten to know and love the people they teach. My girls have all come visiting teaching with me ( Kameron has too) when they were little and they loved going. If you will recall, the two things that bummed Bryn out about starting Kindergarten were that she couldn't go out to lunch with me and my friends and that she couldn't go visiting teaching any more!! Ha Ha! Even now if she finds out that I am going VT while she is in school she always says, "Aw! I want to come!!" I love that Ty and Kam have this opportunity to watch over and care for families in our ward.

There is nothing better than seeing our kids show love for others and develop a love of service. Good stuff.

Then my mom went into the hospital with multiple blood clots in her lungs and the month went into chaos. It was super scary and I am glad that she has come through it and continues to get better day by day. It isn't something that you recover from quickly. It takes months to regain your strength. I know that she is frustrated that her recovery is so slow. She isn't one to take it easy; she has things to do! But I am grateful that she is here and on the road to recovery.

St. Patrick's Day rolled around during my mom's health crisis and this was the sum total of my festiveness. Mint hot chocolate in a green mug. Sometimes that's the way it goes.

Kameron had his spring band concert!

After my mom was home from the hospital and improving, we managed to have a very belated St. Patrick's day dinner. Ailey and Bryn did all of the decorating for one festive Sunday dinner and Tyler and I put together a modified St. Paddy's meal.

Thanks girls!! They know how to set a festive table!!

Then our YW President announced unexpectedly that she was moving to the west side of the state immediately and our presidency got released. :( That was hard. Usually when I get released from a calling I am happy. Yay! This time there were lots of tears. I love our YW group...presidency and girls. We had a great time and have grown and learned so much together. I love serving in YW. It is my very favorite place to serve. I had a great run, loved these girls dearly, and my fellow leaders. Our last Sunday together was a bit of a sobfest on all of our parts. I was also pretty bummed that I don't get to be in there with Ailey who will join YW in June. But I am glad that I got to be in it with Reilly for a bit and hang out with Kam for combined activities too. That was great fun!

Then it was an early Easter this year:

This is one of my favorite Easter traditions. I write on our chalkboard what happens on each day of Holy Week. It is just something small and simple but my kids check the chalkboard each day and take a minute to reflect on what Easter truly is about and all that the Savior went through for us. I love it.

On Easter Sunday it was announced that our ward was dividing and that three wards in our stake would be affected and that we were all to attend a special meeting two weeks from then. Those were TWO LONG WEEKS!!

And THEN... My favorite author Pat Conroy died!! Seriously?! That too was a blow. I love love love Pat Conroy. If you haven't read The Prince of Tides yet you simply MUST!! Then go on and read every other Conroy book you can get your hands on...even his cookbook. They are glorious!!

March was a mixed bag of emotions for me this year. Lots of highs and lows. I hope that you all had a wonderful March...especially now that April is nearly over. Oh well. Onward!!

Spring Break 2016

Spring Break 2016

For spring break this year we packed up the car and the kids and hit the road to Utah to go see Reilly. It is still rough having a child that lives 700 miles away. I am pretty sure it always will be. I can only go for so long before I need to see her in person and check her out with my own two eyes.

We got an early start and made good time. This year we left at 4 am, stopped for breakfast in Montana, listened to General Conference while we drove, and also listened to The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe. It helped. A 12 hour road trip is a good 6 hrs too long in my book!!

Breakfast in Montana

But it was all worth it when we rolled into Provo and met up with Reilly at our hotel. Usually we stay in SLC when we come to Utah so it was extra fun and nostalgic to stay in Provo this trip. This pic caused some real concern on FB and Instagram because apparently it looked like Reilly had an engagement ring on. NO. That is TYLER'S hand on top of Bryn's head as we were all piled on the bed in our hotel room. Hilarious.

Then we were off to dinner. Ahh...there is nothing like having the whole family together again with everyone being loud and silly, talking over one another, arguing, laughing, and just having everything back to normal. I love it.

Reilly had to work while we were there so we entertained ourselves for a bit the next day. We started our morning off right at the Provo Bakery. The weather was gorgeous while we were in town. It was in the 70s. Delightful.

We tromped around Rock Canyon. It was fun to go to the places that we love but never have the time to see or visit when we usually come to Utah. This was the sight of one of me and Tyler's first dates/fights when once while hiking I asked him "Am I the most fun girl that you have ever dated?" and he infamously replied..."Well...(long pause)....you are ONE of them!!" 22 years later and it is still fresh!! Ha Ha!!

Then it was time to pick up Reilly. First stop...BYU. It never gets old and always delights. The kids humored me with one picture.

Except for this girl...

#favorite  ;)

Then it was off to see the new sights on campus, buy stuff at the bookstore, and eat at the Cougareat. Good times!!

Then we got down to business... we had some serious shopping to do...

Reilly was promised a belated Easter dress and some running shoes amongst other much needed items. We also happened to find Ailey a darling dress for her 6th grade promotion not to mention Tyler and Kam nearly bought out the tie shop. I bought some artwork. Boom. Everyone was pleased. Our shopping adventures took us to both malls. I haven't been inside the University Mall since I was in college. Tyler and I were both curious to see inside and to see if either one of us recognized anything from the mall that we grew up with. Nah. The only thing that we recognized was the glass elevator in Macey's that used to be in ZCMI. That was it.

That afternoon we drove to Springville. I used to live there before I moved to Springdell. I showed the kids my old house and my old elementary school.

Then we drove up Hobble Creek Canyon and went to Kelly's Grove:

Reilly found a butterfly...

We ran around Kelly's Grove and swung on the swings. I was dared to wade in the creek which of course I did. We made whistles out of the snake grass just like my mom used to make for us when we were kids.

On our way back to Provo we stopped to put flowers on my Grandma and Grandpa McKinnon's grave...

Doing all my family history posts has really made me miss them more than ever. It's been great though for Tyler and I to share more of our family memories with our children.

Then we hit the Provo Town Mall as we still hadn't found the perfect dress for Reilly. Luckily we did there. Then we hit the food court. What you may not know about our family is that we are something of food court connoisseurs. Whenever we travel and go to a mall; we must check out the food court. In case you were wondering...our very favorite food court that has yet to be surpassed is the one in downtown Seattle at the Pacific Center. There is every cuisine that your heart could desire. Vegetarian food galore. The Provo Town Mall food court wasn't too bad as it had delicious Brazilian food and we got to introduce our children to the delights of this magical place:

They were fans!! (Enlarge pic for full enjoyment!)

Tyler was attempting to use Reilly's selfie stick. It's trickier than it looks. This hot dog on a stick got high marks from all of the Johnsons and a lot of our money because not only could you get a regular hot dog on a stick you could also get various kinds of cheese on a stick ...american cheese, mozzarella cheese, or pepper jack cheese... AND you could get a tofu dog on a stick. SCORE!! They also have three flavors of lemonade, really good fries, and FUNNEL CAKE STICKS. Yes, we ate everything!! The hands down winner was the american cheese on a stick. When I was a kid the University Mall had a knock off one of these called The Corndog Factory. My mom always let us get something from there every time we went to the mall and to my delight it was still in operation when I was in college. My favorite there was the shish-ka-dog which was cheese then hot dog then cheese then hot dog on a stick. You could also get a sausage on a stick which was my second favorite and a tasty lemonade. Sadly, there is no Hot Dog On A Stick in Spokane.

Then it was back to our hotel to regret our food choices as we put on our swim suits and went swimming and soaked in the hot tub.

The next morning we were up bright and early and headed to SLC to meet Tyler's brother, Brett, and our cute niece Liv for breakfast at Kneaders in South Jordan.

It was good to see them. Liv was also on Spring Break which was perfect for the kids to have some fun cousin time.

The girls took my phone and took a bunch of pictures and videos. There are some real gems!! Ha Ha!

After that we went over to Temple Square. We haven't been there in quite awhile. Bryn was pretty little the last time we went and actually walked around the grounds so it was fun to show her things that she could really appreciate now.

It was a gorgeous day with all the trees in bloom and flowers everywhere.

I mysteriously had quite a few pics like this on my phone. :)

It's hard to believe that Kam will be heading out on a mission in three years!!

We got to go into the Tabernacle and listen to the tour. That was kind of neat since the kids hadn't done that before. We have always missed the tour and they have only been able to peek inside. It really is surprising how small it is compared to the new conference center.

We got to take the tour there too. Tyler and the kids had done that before. They took the tour several years ago when we were in town for one of my vintage shows but I was working that day. They kindly went on it again. I was surprised at how beautiful it was inside. I mean I knew that it would be nice but I didn't realize how truly gorgeous and lovely it would be with the woodwork, windows, fountains, and breathtaking artwork. I am really glad that I got to tour that beautiful building.

Some of my favorite original artwork inside:

I particularly loved this painting of Justice and Mercy and the penitent man...Mercy Claimeth That Which Is Her Own by Jonathan Linton. It is so beautiful and moving and brings me to tears every time I look at it.

I also loved the artwork by Walter Rane. This one is called Alma Arise. A painting depicting Alma the Younger and the sons of Mosiah. I love the movement and power that his paintings show.

View from the top

It was fun to take this picture and think about where once two people stood now four more stand.

Then we were off to City Creek another place that I hadn't been before. Our kids love City Creek and have been there several times with Tyler. They were happy to give me the grand tour. It is amazing how cool it is!! Also if you must know... their food court is top notch!! :) We happily snarfed down Greek food while admiring our lovely surroundings. Also, Reilly introduced us to this delicious treat...

.
Chik-Fil-A's Frosted Lemonade. Clutch the pearls!! That was AMAZING. A lemonade milkshake?! Yes, please!! It was sheer heaven. Reilly has been raving about this treat since she arrived in Utah last August. We don't have Chik-Fil-A here in Spokane and that is truly UNFORTUNATE!!

After our fun filled day downtown our next stop was dinner at Kirk and Meki's house. I sure love my brother!! It was a late night full of lots of laughs, teasing, baby holding, and good food. Kirk wanted us to try their favorite Vietnamese place called Oh Mai. I LOVED IT!! We ate Banh Mi, Pho, Kimchee (a family fav), and my favorite the Bun Bi Nuoc which was shredded pork and noodles in coconut milk. So fab! I love hanging out with my brother!! We always have so much fun together!!

Kirk and his youngest son ...baby Kirin

Our kids had a great time helping Meki take care of him. They did a great job!! Bryn loved feeding him. So cute!!

It was a super fun night hanging out with Kirk and his family!!

The next morning we slept in and had a leisurely day. We helped Reilly with a bunch of things that she needed our help with. While she and Tyler ran a bunch of errands, I shopped for Sisters Creed. We hit Swig for drinks and cookies. That place is awesome and, again, I am glad that we don't have one here or I would be there daily!!

We cruised around American Fork. Reilly wanted to take us to the Puppy Barn which is a place you can pay to play with puppies by the hour. Or...you can walk around and hold and pet various puppies for free. (That is what we did.) It was spring break in Utah  so the place was packed!! There were some super cute puppies though. Especially the pug puppies!!

Tyler showed the kids where his grandparents used to live in American Fork:

Grandma and Grandpa Kofford's house. 

I have fond memories of family gatherings there when we were dating and newlyweds. Tyler's grandparents were so sweet! We also stopped by the Orem City Cemetery to put flowers on Tyler's dad's grave. Then we drove up Provo Canyon and went to Bridal Veil Falls.

Provo Canyon was gorgeous as usual!!

Then we got the crazy notion to hike to the Y. So back to our hotel we went to change into appropriate clothing and shoes. I remembered having hiked the Y a few times... that the hike is harder than you think it will be...but we were up for the challenge, itching to get on a trail, and to get on the mountain.

Well after legit two minutes of actually getting on the trail I remembered exactly why I have always hated this hike!! It is steep and there are 50 million switch backs. It all came rushing back to me. It was a flash back to jr. high when we had to hike the Y for PE and to the two other times that I did it in college to impress boys.

While we were hiking up we were passed by some paragliders who hiked up and leaped off the mountain. It was awesome and they glided right over our heads. So cool.

They glided down and then hiked up again. They passed us for a second time and leaped off once more. Thrilling to watch yet again. We were slow hikers (I the blame the altitude) but we weren't the only ones gasping for breath and taking regular breaks. That hike sucks.

Finally the Y was in sight but unfortunately there were about 20 more switch backs to get there.

We finally arrived at the top and everyone was THRILLED.  Ha ha!! We sat on the tip top of the Y.

Looking down the Y and out across Utah valley with the sun setting over Utah Lake. It doesn't get much prettier than that. It was spectacular and worth the hike!!

I love this picture of Ailey!

Much happier after we had rested for a bit!! ;)

Then it was time to head back down the mountain...

It was a completely gorgeous night and we were so happy that we did that hike. It was stunning. Then we headed to Brick Oven Pizza to celebrate our victory. The kids were thrilled!! Aahhh...it brings back so many memories of BYU. Plus, they have a great salad bar and apple beer on tap!! :)

We dropped Reilly off at her apartment after dinner. She was scheduled to work the night shift. She is a med tech at an assisted living facility while going to school. She's a busy bee. The rest of us headed over to the newly dedicated Provo City Center Temple. It is amazing to see how this beautiful building has risen from the ashes quite literally and is now a shining beacon. I remember going to the Utah Valley Symphony there many times and other community events. I am so glad that this building and piece of Utah history has been saved after being burned in a fire and rededicated for a higher and holier purpose. It is magnificent.

The next morning Tyler and I took Reilly out for breakfast by ourselves. It was nice to have a little private time with her before we left. (Our hotel had a great breakfast and Kam had things under control.) It was great to see her and spend some alone time with her. It is fun and painful and hopeful and tender to see the growth that has occurred since she has moved out on her own. Some good experiences...some mistakes... and a lot of living life on her own terms for the first time. All of these experiences have had an impact and have changed and matured her in little ways. She is still our living loud daughter but there is also a vulnerability that hasn't always been there before. I guess that will probably always be how it is with our children as they grow up and move away. We will visit and we will always search their eyes, and their faces, and probe their hearts to make sure that they are okay; that they know that they are loved and that Tyler and I are always there for them. Gah! That is the hard part of this parenting young adults thing!! They aren't five anymore. You can't make everything okay with a kiss and an ice cream cone. You can't hover and meddle. You offer advice and hope they take it. Sometime they do and sometimes they don't. You have to trust them and have faith in them. You celebrate their victories with them and encourage them when things are difficult. You have to say a lot of prayers and hope for the best, right? And then... you have to drive away. It doesn't get easier. I hear it never does.

My heart x 4

We broke up our trip home with a stop in Rexburg, Idaho to see my Grandma who lives there now to be near my aunt. We have missed having her close to us. When we drove into town we immediately ran into my cousin Zeke at the gas station. So crazy. It was fun to visit with him. He's a great kid. The assisted living place that my grandma lives at is really nice. I was impressed and think that it is the best place for her. It is LDS run and so she has an opportunity to take the sacrament and attend services in the commons area. It is the little things like that that mean a lot to me and to her. I think she is treated with dignity and respect and she seems to be happy there. I thought that she had gone down hill a bit more since we last saw her over Labor Day. We had heard that she wouldn't know us and doesn't really talk anymore. I was pleasantly surprised that she did know us and would talk a little. I pretty much kept up a running one-sided conversation but she would chime in here and there. We made her laugh a few times. We had letters from the great-grandkids that we read to her and we decorated her walls with some new family pictures. I know that she can't see them but she is loved and missed and her walls represent that. It was hot in Rexburg that day but my grandma said that she was freezing so we bundled her up in her Christmas blanket and had a sweet visit.

This is the building that she is in on her campus. It is really cute and cozy.

I was really happy that we got to see her. I am especially glad that she knew who I was and that we got to laugh together again a little bit. I am also glad that I got to tell her once again how much I love her and how much she means to me. She told me that she loved me and misses me too. That is priceless.

This picture was when we were telling her good-bye. I have tears in my eyes and she has a little smile on her face that you can barely see peeking out from her blanket. She was comforting me and teasing me a little when Tyler took that picture. It reminds me that my grandma is still in there and that she is still her...strong personality...and loving grandma...even if it is only in fleeting moments. We also stopped and visited with my uncle's mother, Iris, who also lives in the same facility for a few minutes on our way out.

Then it was back into the car, back on the road, and back to real life. We got home in a good amount of time and still had a three day weekend left to our spring break which was awesome. It was a fun-filled and packed trip and a great spring break!!