The Johnson Family News and Nonsense

Spring Break Salt Lake CIty

2011-04-23T09:08:00.000-07:00

The Car Ride on the way to Salt Lake....

It really wasn't too bad. Sofi had a really bad ear infection, but did well despite the fact she felt so bad. For such a long trip, the kids got a long well and they didn't have to be in front of the TV screen the whole time!

In front of the temple and fountain.

Meeting up with cousins at a Children's Museum

We had an interesting trip to Salt Lake. We drove out there to see an art exhibit where Aaron had a piece of artwork. What a disaster that was! Despite all our searching we couldn't find the artwork. Turns out it really was there (they sent a picture after we got home). Sofi was battling an ear infection and then I got a fever and bronchitis on the second day. We had also planned on going to this "adventure-land" type place only to find out it wasn't open. So we came home a bit early. It was a lot fun seeing all our extended family out there though. That made the whole trip worthwhile and we can't wait to see them again.

Valentine's Day 2011

2011-04-23T09:00:00.000-07:00

Robb and I decided to write the kids a letter this year to tell them how special they are. All the kids have really grown up a lot this year, both in personality and stature. I love my kiddos!

Playtime

2011-04-23T08:40:00.000-07:00

There's nothing like styrofoam to keep your child occupied!

Kelbre and her friend Addysin who lives beind us.

So thankful for my girls. They are definitely different than the boys and each personality seems to be trying at times, but together they bring so much joy.

Boys will be boys

2010-10-21T11:45:00.000-07:00

Take one big backyard full of toys, playset, swings, trampoline, and one partly filled baby pool.
Add in one very cute yet mischevious two year old boy with a warning to stay away from the water.
Wait 5 minutes and what do you get?
A fully-clothed, shoe wearing boy in the middle of the pool.
"Mama, shoes wet!"
Priceless!!

(The boy is a little day care child I watch; he calls me "mama," probably since that is what he hears the other kids call me.)

Fall Fun

2010-10-15T18:07:00.000-07:00

We had a lot of fun today at the pumpkin patch. Sofi is 3 months old now!

Labor Day Camping

2010-09-16T09:12:00.000-07:00

We took a mini trip up to the mountains with some neighbor friends. It was fun and Sofi did really well for her first camping trip.

Robb is sure stylin!

Kelbre and Addy

A girl and her barbies, so cute!

Sofi was such a good camper.

This captivated the boys more than fishing.

This captivated the boys more than anything.

Chilling around the fire.

This happened to be the one moment they were not in the middle of the fire.

She is here!

2010-07-18T07:17:00.000-07:00

Sofi Marie Johnson

Born July 13, 9:58 am

6 lbs 7 oz

19.5 inches long

She is a spitting image of Robby.

I finally gave birth to a child who looked like one of the other ones.

Aaron hasn't wanted to leave her side since she got here.

Kelbre has a little bit of jelousy, but she luckily she is in love with Sofi

Cowboy Fever

2010-07-18T07:03:00.001-07:00

Our rodeo clowns. Notice I don't have a picture of Aaron. It turns out that the museum had a computer game where you can pretend to be the cowboy or the bull. He spent the entire time as the bull.

Not so sure they pulled off the look

Robby being sent to the gallows.

The boys being sent to jail.

This is the cast of the gunslinger show we went to see. Another free event in Cheyenne! Kelbre was a little intimidated but they all enjoyed seeing the "gunfight."

Cheyenne Trip

2010-07-18T06:42:00.001-07:00

For our family trip this year, we decided to take a mini vacation up to Cheyenne. It was about 3 weeks before I was due with Sofi and we didn't want to go far. It is actually a pretty fun place to go, there are lots of things to do that are free. We stayed in a cabin at this KOA which had mini-golf and a pool. The kids had a good time.

The miniature golf course at our campground was actually very dificult mainly because it was so old. Robby decided to handle it by playing pool instead.

At least it was free!

Fire at our cabin. Not sure what Robby was doing.

Cheyenne has 20 of these boots (all painted different) that are hidden all over the city.

We did a scavenger hunt to find all of them. This ended up being the most exciting part of the trip for the kids.

Kelbre at the pool in our campsite.

She swam across the pool for the first time without a vest. I said "Oh my goodness, you just swam! I'm so proud of you, but you scared me to death."

Her response: "I scared myself!"

Once again, not sure what Robby is doing.
I think he is trying to pose.

One last picture with only 3 children.

Spring Break 2010

2010-04-18T19:18:00.000-07:00

Robby gets chosen for everything!

Braving Black Bart's cave

Casa Bonita Sopapillas. Yum! The only edible part of the experience.

Who can follow the music?

Boys playing with hands-on games

Rachel, Sariah and Kelbre at Aquarium

Kids at Dinosaur Museum

We had fun over Spring Break thanks to Grandma Centra. Jenn and I took the kids down to Denver and stayed over night in a hotel so the kids could play a bit. We went to the Denver Museum of Nature and Science, the Aquarium, and Casa Bonita. The kids sure had fun!

IT'S A GIRL!

2010-03-08T12:18:00.000-08:00

So I haven't put any pictures on here in a while because I am having camera issues. But I thought I would right some thoughts anyway.

We had our ultrasound and they confirmed what we already knew: It's a girl! Sofi looks great and is nice and healthy. She currently ways 10 oz. The kids reactions to the ultrasound?
Robby: It must suck in there! There isn't anything to do!
Aaron: Can you eat something so we can watch her eat too?
Kelbre: She's waving at me!

The boys don't say much about the baby coming, but Kelbre is hanging on my belly every day. She is so excited to be a big sister and already has a lot of plans for her.

In other "fun" news:
Robby is getting ready to turn 12, which means the priesthood is coming! We asked him to tell us what he knows about the priesthood and he really couldn't tell us too much. But then he said, "I know, the Melchezidek Priesthood is where you have the right to remain silent!"

Alive Again

2010-01-18T10:58:00.000-08:00

(If you look closely, she is waving at you)

I know by blog has not been updated in a while, and this little creature above is the reason why. I am amazed at how something so small can suck the life out of you! I am finally feeling alive once again now that I am in my second trimester.

For all those of you who are wondering, I belive this is a girl. For whatever reason, the Lord has always made known unto me many things about my babies, right from the start. I have been right with all the other kids, and I am not going to doubt the spirit now! I feel this is our daughter Sofi Marie, due in the beginning of July.

So far this pregnancy is turning out to be alot like Robby and Aaron's. I have already had 2 ultrasounds, the first because they thought I was having twins. The second because they couldn't hear a heartbeat (which is normal for me, which I tried to explain to them). Turns out my Uterus is divided and it causes lots of problems. Of course.

She is appears healthy and strong despite the worry.

Raingutter Regatta

2010-01-18T10:54:00.000-08:00

Aaron only won a single race, but he took up second in show. Way to go Aaron! He made his boat to look like a warship and glued small airplanes on top.

Kelbre's Winter Festival

2010-01-18T10:52:00.001-08:00

Kelbre was in a show at school right before Christmas. It was so cute! She actually sang and danced, which is more than Aaron ever did.

Christmas Tree Set-Up

2010-01-18T10:48:00.000-08:00

This is never as easy as it seems. For some reason we never take the time to mark the branches and then label the order that they are put in to make the process a bit smoother. The kids had fun despite our efforts. Eventually it was up and beautiful, but of course I didn't get a picture of that.

The New Robby

2009-11-01T14:00:00.000-08:00

So some of you may be interested in an update on Robby...

Well, do you remember Theo from the Cosby show? The one whose room was always destroyed? Well, that would summorize Robby pretty good. He hasn't seen his floor for years, unless I clean it of course. So, this is what he accomplished yesterday. Not only did he clean it, but he organized it too (even his socks and underwear). He had this big grin on his face and I said "where's my child, what did you do with him?" He just laughed.

So that is what has been happening here. He is still working with a lady who does homeopathy. There have still been ups and downs. He seems to plateau and need a change about every 5 weeks. We also figured out that he doesn't tolerate milk or wheat well. The wheat makes him very emotional, very on edge all day long. He isn't able to cope with life well. The milk causes him to be very distracted and he has a very hard time being on task. We don't want to pull him off both completely (what would he eat?) and we don't want him to feel even more different that other kids. But we have eliminated most of it during the day. We allow him to have flour goods once a day. This is a HUGE change, considering he used to eat crackers constantly. But he has accepted the changes are starting to show significant changes.

Some of you might be wondering about the bed. His therapist recommend giving him tight, small spaces for him to go when he is overwhelmed. He used to hide himself under his desk or between his mattresses. So we put the bunk beds up and built a fort. The fabric in the front gets folded down and makes it like a cave. He loved is so much, that we constantly found him alseep down there on the bare floor. So we finally put a mattress down there and he sleeps down there. It's been amazing! We added darkening curtains and the child is finally sleeping!

I am starting to have hope once again. Let's pray that we are finally on the right path. He has been like his own self again. Very loving, helpful and happy!

Halloween 2009

2009-11-01T13:55:00.000-08:00

Notice Kelbre's jammies. She wanted to be warm and there was no way she was wearing a coat on top of her costume. We did just have a snowstorm!

Storm Trooper Aaron

Darth Robby

A couple days before the storm hit, we decided to get the leaves off the lawn. Aaron decided to help in costume. We had a couple people hit their breaks passing by.

Our first Snow

2009-11-01T13:49:00.000-08:00

We got socked with our first storm of the season last week. 18 inches! Not too bad I suppose. Aaron missed two days of school, although I made him work the second day. After all, Robby never gets a snow day, so it is only fair!

The power of HGTV

2009-11-01T13:43:00.000-08:00

Spending time at home watching HGTV may not be the best thing for our budget.

Our front room has always been an office, primarily because we had two kids schooled at home and had two computers going. Now that Aaron is back at the local elementary school we didn't need quite the school space. So, I decided to redecorate. I love having another room to sit and relax in. Notice the artwok in the first picture? I got that idea from a show. They said to buy some canvas, have the kids tape of a design and pain the rest. They had a ball! Notice the first two are extrememly precise (Aaron did the first one, Robb and Kelbre the middle). The last one is Robby's creation! I love them!

Estes Park with Grandma

2009-11-01T13:34:00.000-08:00

First we took a walk around Sprague Lake.

This is our favorite place to go in Rocky Moundain National Park.

The elk were out while we are there. It was great getting to hear them bugle.

Grandma with the kids. They sure loved having her here.

My mom, Janice, flew out to spend some time with us at the end of September. She lives in Maryland. This was the first time she had seen the kids in about a year. She has had bladder cancer for a number of years, and last year the Chemo attacked her brain, leaving her with many symptoms similar to MS. She is doing much better now and was finally strong enough to travel.
We miss you grandma!

2009-10-26T10:56:00.000-07:00

Here is a picture of me when I was about Kelbre's age. Do you think we look alike?

Halloween Preview

2009-10-24T17:14:00.001-07:00

Here's Princess Kelbre ready to do a little candy mooching.

Amyology and Robbology

2009-10-09T18:58:00.000-07:00

My friend asked me to take this survey...........so here I am..........and Robb wants to feel important too so his answers are after mine.

................Foodology...................................
What is your favorite salad dressing?
Dorothy Lynch
Caesar

What is your favorite sit-down restaurant?
Hu-Hot Mongolian Grill........Robb agrees with me!!

What food could you eat every day for two weeks and not get sick of it?
Ice cream, definitely.
Robb says PB sandwiches and Ruffles with french onion dip.

What are your pizza toppings of choice?
I say chicken and red onion or maybe spinach or artichoke!
Robb says pepperoni, red onion, green pepper.

What do you like to put on your toast?
Homemade jam.
Robb likes butter, then Peanut Butter. Yuck.

..................technology..............................
How many TV's are in your house?
We have 3 if you don't count the one in the van that is sitting in the garage. We have 3 because of Robb.

What color is your cell phone?
Mine is grey.
Robb's is lime green.

Do you have an Ipod?
Nope, wouldn't know when to listen to it.
Robb has one in the drawer.

........................biology...................................................

Are you right handed or left handed?
We are both right. I mean right handed. I am right.

Have you ever had anything removed from your body?
Besides 3 baby's and all that comes with them? splinters, tonsils. teeth
Robb has had his wisdom teeth taken out and some moles removed.

What is the last heavy item you lifted?
The furniture that I was too impatient for Robb to move.
Robb says "the desk Amy wanted moved!"

Have you ever been knocked unconcious?
Nope. But Robb has!

......................bullologoy..............................................
If it were possible, would you want to know the day you were going to die?
Nope. One more thing to worry about.

If you could change your name, what would you change it to?
I already did. To Johnson. I miss being a Castro, it was so ethnic. What do get with "Johnson?" I get Robb!
Robb wants to be Bill Gates if it will get him everything.

Would you drink an entire bottle of hot sauce for a $1000.
Nope. I would spend all of it on antacids and hospital bills.
Robb says he would drink 2 for $2000.

.....................Favoritology............................................
Season?
Fall. Robb agrees with me. Good man.

Holiday?
Christmas.
Robb says "my birthday."

Day of the week?
Saturday. For Both of us.

Month?
I love September. Then I get to decorate my house for fall.
Any month that Robb can go fishing.

.....................Currentology...................................

missing someone?
My sister and mom.
Robb is being too sarcastic to answer this one.

Mood?
Tired.
Grumpy.

What are you listening to?
Robb being a pain.
Amy asking me dumb questions. Yap Yap Yap.

Current worry?
My children.
My cholesterol.

....................randomology.............................
First place you went this morning?
Bathroom. Same for Robb

What is the last movie you saw?
Borne Supremecy. It's like the 10th time.
Robb watched Wolverine.

...................other-ology................................
How many pairs of flip flops to you own?
None. Mine broke this summer.
Robb ones one.

Last time you had a run in with the cops?
When I ran a stop sign if front of one. Robby was 1 year old.
Robb had one in June when he got pulled over for speeding in Wyoming. He was listening to
John Denver at 11 at night. He got off with a warning.

Last person you hugged?
My man.
Robb hugged Kelbre when he put her to bed.

Do you always answer your phone?
Nope. That is why mankind have answering machines.
If by "always" you mean 50% of the time, then yes.

It's 4 in the morning and you receive a text message. Who is it?
Someone who has the wrong number.
It better be somebody dying. Or in jail.

If you could change your eye color, what would you change it to?
Green like my dad.
I love my blue eys. Heavenly Father gave them to me.

What flavor do you add to your drink at Sonic?
Didn't know you could.
Grape.

Do you own a digital camera?
Yep. I lose it every other day.

Have you ever had a pet fish?
Yep, I killed him too. I think I gave him brain damage from not cleaning his
tank. He started swimming backwards.
Robb has a whole tank full right now getting brain damage from filth.

Favorite Chrismas Song?
All of them.
Not "Drummer Boy." It drive sme nuts.

What's on you wish list for your birthday?
Sleep! Less worry. Maybe dinner out.
See cuddle question. Or Wolverine. Or some action flick with something blowing up.

Can you do push-ups?
Maybe a push-up.
Of course. How many do you want? I hope it is less than 10.

Can you do a split?
Only ice cream ones.
I split my pants.

Does the future make you nervous or excited?
Both. I am excited to not be nervous.
Religiously excited, financially nervous.

Do you have any saved texts?
How would you do that?

Have you ever been in a car accident?
Yep. I just backed in to my neighbor's car 2 weeks ago.
Yep. 2 of them. Robb slid on the ice and rear-ended someone. Then I was side-swiped by someone who was pulling into a Wendy's.

Do you have an accent?
Nope.
Not normally, but I can.

What is the last movie to make you cry?
Just about all of them. Heck , I balled when reading abook to Aaron for school.
Star Wars 3.

Plans tonight?
Curl up in bed and watch TV while it snows outside.
See question about "cuddling" later on. Or the question about watching Wolverine (again).

Have you ever felt like you hit rock bottom?
Yep. Many times. Turns out I hadn't actually reached bottom yet.
Yesterday.

Name 3 things you bought yesterday.
Nothing. It's the only day this week I didn't shop.
Nothing.

Have you ever been given roses?
Yep. By other men.
Nope.

Met someone who changed your life?
Yep. And then I married him.
Jason Mark, President Peck and my wife.

How will you bring in the new year?
I will sleep like always.
Robb will ski on new years with the boys, it is tradition.

Would you go back in time if you could?
Only to save others.
Heck ya. For financial reasonsa nd more fishing

Have you ever dated someone more than a year?
Yep . For 2 1/2. Almost married him.
Pre-marriage dating? No. But I still date my wife.

Does anyone love you?
I sure hope so.

What song do you sing in the shower?
Just the other day I was singing the hit song to "The Little Mermaid."
It's different evey day.

Ever had anyone sing to you?
Birthday's.
Mariachi Bands at Casa Bonita.

Have you held hands with anyone today?
Yep, my daughter.
Nope. Robb was too sick so we all stayed away from him.

Do you like to cuddle?
Of course.
Before or after?

Who was the last person you took a picture of?
The virtual students in Robby's school We were on a field trip.
My brother at his birthday party.

Do yo like pulpy orange juice?
Yuck! Why would I want to chew my juice?
Robb loves the stuff!!

What is something that your friends make fun of you for?
That my P. Blessing tells me that my talents are dormant. Like I needed a reminder!
Wearing white socks up past his knees.

Kelbre's Daily Wisdom

2009-09-23T16:23:00.000-07:00

Just some thoughts Kelbre has shared over the last week.........

Thursday:
Kelbre's pants won't stay up, so mom says "Kelbre, your pants are driving me nuts!"
Her reply "Where are your nuts anyway, mommy?"

Friday:
Kelbre comes up to mommy patting her chest. "Mom, how does it feel to have big boobs? I am already 4 and mine aren't growing yet."

Saturday:
Mom tells Kelbre she needs to go to bed soon.
Kelbre asks "But why?"
"Because your eyes are tired"
She pauses for a minute then says "Well, can you tell them to stay open for a little longer. I don't want to go to bed yet!"

Sunday:
During church a woman mentions in her talk that Heavenly Father wants us to be happy. Kelbre declares "Heavenly Father wants us to die!" She then explained that He wants us to live with him again.

Monday:
We are passing the park and Kelbre says "That is the park we rode our bikes to with daddy and Robby and Aaron. And that was where you were mean to me!"

You never know what that child is going to come up with!

Dirt Bikes and Sleeping Bags

2009-09-12T18:12:00.000-07:00

Kelbre decided to play with her friend in the tent. I was amazed at how well

the little girls got along considering they had never played before!

Robb riding a 125! He didn't think he could manage the 650 right away.

Aaron riding the 70. He only crashed once but he had a

pretty good road rash.

Amazingly we allowed Robby to be behind a gas powered vehicle and everyone survived.

For Labor Day we went up to the mountains with some friends who were camping. We weren't able to stay and camp with them, but we went up and rode dirt bikes. The kids had a lot of fun, and Kelbre was thrilled that there was a girl her age up there!
Notice Amy Jo didn't dare get on the bike. I don't have good luck!

Aaron's Birthday Party

2009-09-12T18:06:00.000-07:00

Aaron wanted to take his friends to "Fort Fun" for his birthday this year. It is a place where they can play laser tag, bumper cars, bowling, and arcade games. This was like a gift to mom and dad too, because in the past he has wanted an elaborate party at home which was an awful lot of work! This way we show up, they get fed and play for 2 hours, then we go home!

Happy Birthday to Aaron!!

2009-08-31T19:56:00.000-07:00

Today is Aaron's real birthday, although he has been celebrating it for an entire month now!

Happy Birthday!

Down to 7 and going strong!

2009-08-31T19:48:00.001-07:00

For those who don't know this, I have been dependant on steroids for a LONG time. I was put on them when I got pregnant with Aaron because my arthritis got really bad and it was the only safe medicine to take during pregnancy. The bad thing was, my body got dependant on it. For 10 long years, I have tried to get off it, unsuccessfully. I had to slowly wean myself from it, going to 1 mg every so often. No matter how many times I would go from 8 mg to 7 mg, my body would fail me. You wouldn't think 1 measley mg would cause so many problems, but I would end up in so much pain it was unbearable and I would end up on 10 mg again. Not only do I hate being dependant on medicine, but it is impossible to lose wait while taking steriods.

Well, I made it!

I recently switched from 8 mg to 7 mg and am going strong. YIPEE! I still have a long way to go, but this is hurdle I have been longing to cross. I think I will stay at 7 for a while before trying to go down more. But hopefully this is the path to freedom!

New Hair Cut for Amy Jo

2009-08-29T15:06:00.001-07:00

I have been wanting a more updated look for a while, but since I have had the same hair forever, it was a hard move. So, Robb's parents watched Kelbre today and I went to see my sister-in-law Brooke at the beauty school wher she is going to school. She did a great job and I really like it. I need to grow out my bangs now so that she can blend them in. But it's still so much better! Next time she is going to teach me how to wear makeup!

Birthday's at the Johnson's

2009-08-29T14:59:00.000-07:00

Aunt Brooke giving the girly treatment to Kelbre.

It's a good thing she's around!

Here are the August Birthday's!

Kelbre, Aaron and Brady

Aaron got goalie gear from his uncles and grandpa.

Kelbre in the birthday chair.
She was telling us all day that she was going to sit in the birthday chair. The problem was that grandma had planned on everything being outside since it was a nice day. We even tried to convince her that there was another birthday chair outside. She wouldn't budge. Then it started to rain right about dinner time. She got her way, yet again.

Kelbre's Chuck E Cheese Birthday

2009-08-29T14:55:00.000-07:00

I can't believe it! My little girl is already 4. She is such a delight and we are learning from her every day. Happy Birthday Kelbre!

Robby's Progress

2009-08-20T15:08:00.000-07:00

Life is learning..........

.............and surprises.

This has been an emotional week, one where I have been on the lowest of lows and now the highest of highs. When Robby got diagnosed with ADHD 3 years ago, I thought I knew what suffering was. But over the last year I have discovered what true suffering is. He turned in to a different child. After refusing medicine for so long, we decided to try ADHD meds in hopes of finding one that may benefit him, especially for school. He is incapable of focusing on a task for any length of time, which made school a nightmare (mainly for me). The littlest thing, such as his fingers, who preoccupy him for hours. He never connected to you when you spoke with him. He lacked social skills. The psychiatrist summed it up when he said our life was like the movie "Groundhog Day." So, we tried Concerta, then Aderall. We took him to Occupational Therapists, doctors, psychiatrists. We read books, bought every tool out there. By last week my child was so angry and agressive nothing I did would calm him down. He became depressed, started running away, mostly he began hating himself. Of course, the doctors kept giving him more diagnosis. Oh, maybe he also has depression. Or wait, it is ODD.

Finally, I tossed the medicines in the garbage. He calmed right down.

I wanted to give up. I wanted someone to take him away. I wanted someone to take me away. Aaron decided to go back to our neighborhood school because Robby was too hard to live with. I wanted to get a career and leave home. It was starting to affect Kelbre as well. I cried until I coulnd't cry anymore.

Then I took him to a woman at church who specializes in Homeopathy.

Okay, I admit it, I thought she was nuts. I thought all of them people were nuts. Of course, I thought people who homeschooled were nuts too and then I became one of them.

So here we are. I am only a few days into this homeopathy stuff. The first day was a nighmare. Robby was so unfocused and I spent 7 hours trying to get about 3 hours of school done with him. But at least he wasn't angry. He was actually happy. Then I noticed changes. Not only is the anger gone, but he is actually fun to be around. He is noticing the world again. He becomes excited about stuff. He wants to talk your ear off about little things he is learning. He actually got his work done early today. He actually does stuff I ask without question. He still gets upset once in a while. But that is okay. I feel like my son is back, even if just for a while.

So maybe I am nuts just like the rest of them. But maybe, just maybe, we are finally on the right path.

Denver Zoo

2009-08-07T17:22:00.001-07:00

This was one of my favorite pictures of Kelbre with her cousin Sariah.

Cotton Candy Beard

We are so thankful to Robb's parents who treated us to the Zoo. They not only paid for me and the kids, but treated my sister and all her kids as well. We had a fun time and made lots of memories.

Rock Climbing

2009-08-07T17:13:00.001-07:00

We went with some friends up to Horsetooth Reservoir so the kids could do some repelling with their cousins. The weather was perfect and they had a blast!

Here goes Aaron up the smooth face of the rock.

He makes it to the top!

Robby's turn; He chooses the crevice.
Notice he is climbing in his Karate Clothes; mom forgot!

Don't you just love those Colorado Blue Skies!!

I made it!

What on earth is this girl wearing?

You will notice that she is always in a skirt or dress when hiking.

Okay she is always in a skirt or dress doing everything.

River Trip

2009-08-07T07:30:00.000-07:00

The last day that my dad was here, we decided to go up the Canyon and have a picnic near the Poudre River. My dad loves the outdoors so we thought this would be the best way to spend the afternoon.

Here is my dad with all his grandkids. In the back are my sister's kids: Rachel (10), Gary (12), Ben (14), my dad, Sariah (15) who is holding Kelbre (4). In the front is Robby (11) and Aaron (9).

My dad in the Poudre River, about 20 minutes from my house. My dad is Hispanic, having grown up in Spain but Mexican by lineage. I always hated that I didn't get his dark skin. Now everyone knows that I look like my mom who is very white.

Robby decided to take a chance and try to fish the Poudre all by himself, including picking which lure to use. He was the only one that caught anything.

My kids enjoying the river edge.

Hotel Kelbre

2009-08-06T16:20:00.000-07:00

We asked my dad if he would build Kelbre a swingset while he was here. Well, anyone who knows my dad knows that his work is usually over the top. He is a faboulous builder. He told me "yours may be a bit bigger than those in the neighborhood." He wasn't kidding. This picture doesn' show it finished; there are swings on the left side and a slide with stairs off the front. Oh, and the roof is shingled. Who has a swingset with a shingled roof? The boys have actually really enjoyed the fort and can't wait to have a sleepover out there. Now if I can only find my camera, I can post a picture of the finished product. My neighbors came over and said "Is Hotel Kelbre done yet?"

Veedawoo

2009-08-06T16:15:00.000-07:00

We spent a lot of time exploring nature this summer, as it was the best free activity to do with 8 children. This is a place called Vedawoo in Wyoming. It is pretty much the only mountain near Laramie/Cheyenne and you can climb these monstorous rocks. Not to anyone's surprise, Kelbre made it all the way to the top. No one was going to tell her she was too little. She let us know she was a big kid the whole time the teenagers were here. A couple weeks later we went to the river here in town to take a hike and Kelbre asked "Are we going to climb another mountain?"

$800 Food Bill........

2009-08-06T16:08:00.000-07:00

So this is a picture of my kids, neices and nephews (along with one extra "adopted" nephew) who stayed with us this summer. I have never had that many teenagers in my home at once. Let's just say they ate a lot! And they are very busy!! There were 12 people living here at one point! We had a blast though and Kelbre loved being a big kid with all of them. In the back: neice Sariah (almost 15), nephew Ben (almost 14), Ben's friend Chad (14), Neice Rachel (10), Nephew Gary (12). Front: Robby (11), Kelbre (4 next week!), Aaron (8). Having them here would be even better if everyone did't get Walking Pneumonia while here!

Flower Girl

2009-06-29T08:27:00.000-07:00

Kelbre was a flower girl for her Uncle Reed and Aunt Jacki's wedding. Although she wasn't too sure about getting pictures taken with the wedding party (too many strangers), she took her job as flower girl very seriously. As a matter of fact, she spent so much time laying the flowers down on the ground, that her cousin (the ring bearer) got tired of waiting for her and took off down the aisle. Kelbre's aunt Brooke came over and did her hair. She looks beautiful!

Discovering Claires

2009-06-29T08:23:00.000-07:00

Kelbre went to the store "Claires" today for the first time. It has become her favorite place to go now. What can be better than a whole store of just "pretties?" Notice she is wearing clip-on earings.

Too many birthday's

2009-06-09T13:31:00.000-07:00

Robby's birthday never seemed to end. Here is the final one, one week after his birthday with his friends. We decided to take him to an arcade for and unlimited 2 hour play. They had so much fun! And I didn't have to do a darn thing...Whew!

2 new Webkins.

Party before we left with Grandpa and Grandpa Johnson....

Nice face, Brent!

The trip begins!

2009-06-09T13:22:00.001-07:00

Our first stop was in Grand Junction, CO to a KOA. We stayed in a two room cabin that was great and only $45! They even had a pool, playground and game room. I can bring my onwn sheets for that!

Friends in Faraway Places

2009-06-09T13:20:00.000-07:00

This is Talmage, who lives next door to Abuelo. He and his sister Hattie were such a blessing. The kids played together every day! They just got a pig and he is so.. cute. He follows their dog around and really believes it is his mother!

Trip to Las Vegas

2009-06-09T13:08:00.000-07:00

Thanks to Robb's cousin Ryan for finding us a place to eat dinner off the strip. We discovered the wondeful "In and Out burger" that we have heard about. It really so good!

Kelbre never eats burgers, so I was doubtful she would eat here. But then she explained that she wanted a Hamburger, since she doesn't like cheese and then she proceeded to eat the entire thing. I learned something new that day.

View of New York, New York across the street.

on Freemont Street.

In front of Sponge Bob at the Excalibur, where we stayed.

We had fun in Las Vegas, but wished we had planned better so we had more time. We didn't get in until almost dinner time because we got stuck in traffic. Turns out Obama was also visiting and they closed the roads for him. We decided to save some things to do in the morning but it turns out, nothing is open before 11, which is when we had to go. So we went into M&M world real quick. Next time we'll have to do the aquarium and see the white tigers.

One funny thing....

As we were leaving Las Vegas and driving back in the middle of no where, Kelbre yells out: "Daddy, how many times do I have to tell you? Green means go and Red means stop!"

St. George: Being the tourist

2009-06-09T12:54:00.001-07:00

St. George Temple

Of course we visited the temple while here. It is so beautiful!

Brigham Young's Summer Home

You never know when your children really are listening......

We were on the tour and the tour guide kept telling us about all the stuff made of pine. Even stuff that looked like marble was actually painted pine. Well we got to the "kitchen" area (which was just a hot stove) and the man held up a really heavy iron. He even let the kids hold it. Then he asked "Who can guess what it is made of?" Robby's response: "Pine!" Sorry honey, the answer was iron! At least he was listening!

Aaron's favorite thing: The pots next to the beds where you went potty.

Robby's favorite thing: The wash tub for kids and laundry.

Kelbre's favorite thing: The old dolls.

Visiting the Grand Canyon

2009-06-09T12:47:00.000-07:00

Grand Canyon, Arizona

So I had to make the trip educational of course........Oh mom!!

The North Rim is actually pretty close to my dad. It only took us about 2 1/2 hours to get there. It took Robby a minute to brave up but the other kids went right out. Aaron really wanted to go down a bit, but wasn't so happy when he realized that it was up hill on the way back! I stayed as far away as I can. I became a wuss when I got older. It sure is beautiful though!

After visiting the canyon, we traveled to Kanab, Utah which is just on the other side of the border. We stayed in a cabin with the Abuelos and had fun! I ate too many smores on this trip!

At Abuelo's Casa: Feeding the animals

2009-06-09T12:42:00.000-07:00

To my surprise, Kelbre actually fed the horse and burrow from her own hand! She loved the animals and especially looking for eggs. It was like an easter egg hunt everyday (helped by the fact that the eggs are different colors). My dad and his wife actually bought her a horse and donkey stuffed animal and she named them after the real ones: "Castana" and "Eyeore." She loves here animals! I loved being around animals again, but getting woken up at dawn with them is hard!

At Abuelo's Casa: Working on the Farm

2009-06-09T12:38:00.001-07:00

Abuelo wanted to dig some holes on his property so the boys go to help out. They loved driving the tractor and I have to say my dad is a brave man. Robby almost took Abuelo's head off the first time he tried to move the bucket. In the back you can see the "Shed" which is like another house. This is where we stayed. My dad wanted a place to can and store food and this is what he built. Wow!

In Utah: Fishing and more fishing

2009-06-09T12:32:00.001-07:00

Robby reeling in one of grandpa's catches.

Abuelo could actually wade out to the water, so he caught a lot of fish.
But he let the kids reel them in!

Kelbre was the only one to catch a fish on her own.

And she did it on her plastic Barbie rod!

Daddy helps her bring it in......

This was actually the second fishing trip. This time Aaron was the only one to catch a fish!

Trip: Final Days

2009-06-09T12:16:00.001-07:00

Hurricane, Utah

This is the last day in Utah. We had planned on visiting the Dorius and Gibb families who live outside of St. George and even stay over night. However, the trip out to Utah was a bit harder than expected, so we decided to leave and go part way to Colorado instead. Before leaving ,we had a fun BBQ and then ate cake to celebrate Robby's b-day the next day. It is fun seeing these kids together. Robby, Josh (to left of Robby hidden), and Allison (to the right of Robby) grew up in Oregon together when we were up in school. It felt like old times and I miss them already!

Glenwood Springs, CO

Here are the kids outside of the hot springs pool in Glenwood Springs. It didn't occur to us to actually take any pictures while swimming. The slide in the background was the hit of the day. Kelbre even went on it with her daddy. She decided once was enough though. The boys managed to go many times! Hard to believe I grew up attending this pool and even took swimming lessons here! It is fun being back although I don't remember it being so expensive (although I was a kid so who knows?).

After a long day of swimming, here we are at Chili's for Robby's birthday dinner. His only request was that he wanted ribs, steak and he wanted the restaurant to sing to him. That actually limited our choices to one. We had a great meal and everyone had a lot of fun!

SO.. we were supposed to stay in Glenwood that night, but we were done traveling! So Robb and I decided to drive straight through and get to Fort Collins late. It was a great trip but we were ready to be home!

Foot Injury

2009-06-09T12:12:00.000-07:00

I know this picture doesn't do it justice, but Robby sustained a nasty food injury a couple days before we left for our trip. He was playing with the slip-n-slide and ran over to the water spiket to turn down the water. Well, he slipped and caught the top of his foot underneath the window well covering, cutting it open. You could actually see down his foot. He ended up with 6 stitches. I wish I could have gotten a better picture when it happened, but you don't think about grabbing the camera when your child is screaming!

The funniest part is that I am supposedly at fault. Robby explained that if I hadn't made them do school through Christmas and Spring Breaks, then he wouldn't have finished the year early and be outside playing. He would have been instead and safe.

Arrow of Light

2009-06-09T12:11:00.000-07:00

Robby finished cub scouts and earned his Arrow of Light. Congrats Robby!

More of Aaron's Art

2009-06-09T12:09:00.000-07:00

Aaron has been working on shading and so they completed these noses.

You are looking at a rabbit nose, gorilla nose and cheetah nose.

Garbage Service

2009-04-07T13:38:00.001-07:00

The kids have a tradition of going around the neighborhood to pick up garbage. They started doing it as part of their boy scout program and it has just continued. Kelbre decided to join in this time. We usually try to see who finds the coolest thing. Last time Robby found an entire bag of garbage someone had thrown into the ditch. This time Aaron wins the award; he found a broom.

Clay Creations

2009-04-07T13:14:00.001-07:00

The boy's had a field trip to this pottery studio. It happened to be during the Spring Break week for his cousins, so we invited them to come along (along with grandpa and grandma too). The older boys got to form their creations with clay, then come back and paint them after they had been fired.

Kelbre and Brady chose an already made pottery to paint. Brady picked a truck and Kelbre picked a unicorn. You can see in this picture that Brady is painting his truck green. Well, after he painted the entire thing green, he went back and painted the entire thing black!

So here are the finished products...............

Kelbre's Unicorn, pink of course (the other side is white with sparkly pink dots)

Robby's candy dish

Aaron's pot

Kelbre's wisdom and such

2009-04-07T13:05:00.001-07:00

Kelbre is always making us laugh and smile. Here are some things that have been going on lately.....

.....She is learning to spell. She loves to practice writing everyone's names. She has now decided to call her dad R0bb since that is his name. Somehow I am still Mom.

.....I was in the kitchen peeling potatoes when she came up behind me and declared "I am so glad you are doing that. I hate the crusts!"

.....While in the car on errands, I took a left turn and pulled out fast to avoiding getting hit. She starts yelling "Despacio mama, Despacio!" When Aaron said "What does that mean? Wait?" She quickly told him "No, wait is 'espera,' silly, 'despacio' means to slow down!" She loves to speak to them in Spanish, especially when playing I SPY and they have no clue what she is saying.

.....I received an email the other day that the circus is coming to town in May. I was talking about it with the boys and how exciting it would be to get tickets. Well, a little while later Kelbre came down dressed with shoes and socks and said "I am all ready for the circus, let's go!" The poor girl has no concept of time yet.

Blue and Gold: American ABC's

2009-03-01T11:41:00.001-08:00

"Y" is for Yankees

"J" is for John Deere

"K" is for Kelbre

So last week was our Cub Scout Blue and Gold Banquet. The kids had to draw a letter from a hat, then make a cake that had to do with something American that started with that letter. My kids of course drew "Y" and "J" which weren't exactly easy! Aaron wanted to do Joseph Smith but I didn't think that even he could produce that good of art!

The coolest part of this whole experience was Robby. The night we decided to frost the cakes, Kelbre asked "where is my cake Mommy" and I realized I blew it. It never occured to me to make her a cake too. Robby's baseball was supposed to be two halves put together, to form an actual ball. But he insisted we give one of his halves to Kelbre so she could have something to decorate. Way to go Robby! Once again you have saved the day.

My attempt at craftiness

2009-02-26T12:51:00.001-08:00

So I am hosting a baby shower on Saturday and I decided to be crafty. I saw someone make a diaper cake before, so I gave it a whirl. Most cakes have 3 tiers but I ran out of diapers. Not bad if I say so myself. I am going to add a few more curly ribbons on the outside.

New Year's Traditions

2009-01-03T10:53:00.000-08:00

The boys always head to the slopes on New Years Day. Robby got the 5th grade passport this year which lets him ski for free at certain resorts, so they headed off to Eldora Ski area this time. They had a great and Aaron had a decent crash (without injury). I am glad I didn't watch the news that day because another boy hit a tree that same afternoon and was airlifted out of the resort. They are hoping to try snowboarding soon if Uncle Brent with take them.

Christmas

2009-01-02T18:20:00.000-08:00

A big family gift from Pap Pap. Thank You!

Nerf for the Wii. They also got a couple games.

The Nerf turned into a contest between daddy and uncles (big surprise)

Kelbre with one of many barbies. This is soccer barbie from Grandma and Grandpa Johnson, of course! She also got a Mermaid barbie that really moves from her Grandma Centra. She hasn't stopped carrying the mermaids around since Christmas!

The boys each got a GameBoy. They haven't put these down except to play the Wii.

When school starts again life is going to suck.

Christmas Eve Traditions

2009-01-02T18:14:00.000-08:00

We always celebrate Christmas Eve by baking Jesus a birthday cake and singing him Happy Birthday. This year we decided to celebrate with our neighbor Chris and his kids. His son Bryson is the same age as Aaron and he has become like another kid in our family. Although he isn't a member of our church, he was very willing to incorporate our traditions. It was a fun night.

By the way, Aaron is wearing a reindeer cow hat from Chick-Filet that they made at the mall.

Ready For Christmas

2008-12-23T14:17:00.000-08:00

Well, here are the boys with their winter mustaches. I suppose Aaron's is more of a beard. No matter what, they will not stop licking their lips and are left with that "double lip" look. They get this from their daddy. They are super excited for Christmas to come. We have been trying to instill in them that with the economy down, there is going to be a lot less this year. On their wish list: Nintendo DS. Somehow I think the lesson got missed.

For the first time in a long time, I am not so excited for Christmas morning. The gifts seem so unimportant. We are just wishing for all the worry to go away. Amy's mom is very sick and we are tired of the never ending medical bills. We are looking forward to a new year and hopefully peace.

Kelbre in front of the Christmas tree. She loves taking all the ornaments off and then putting them back on in clumps. She has also learned that if she wants something for Christmas, then you have to "ask Santa" which terrifies her. So, she decided that Robby can ask for her. Her wish: a Dora mermaid Kalidescope.

Happy Birthday Rachel!

2008-11-30T20:16:00.000-08:00

Happy Happy Birthday Rachel dear....

happy days will come to you all year.

If I had a wish than it would be

a Happy, Happy Birthday to you from me!

Wish we could be there to celebrate with you!

Junk Food

2008-11-08T07:50:00.000-08:00

So how is one to loose weight when this is the daily scene in my house? Okay, Okay, Halloween was last week and then it was my birthday. But it never seems to end. Besides the big bowl of chocolate from Halloween, a lady in my ward brought over a big brownie cookie that said "Happy Birthday." We already had an apple pie and then grandma sent over cookies. This of course doesn't include the ample supply of ice cream in the freezer. I think it is time to start asking people over for dessert.

Aaron the Photographer?

2008-11-08T07:42:00.000-08:00

Aaron asked if he could borrow the camera to take some pictures of them playing in the leaves. Here is what he came up with:

He looks frustrated......

and sick.............

not sure what close-up we are looking at here.....

at least he got a picture of the leaves

Looks like a pig nose!

and of course Pal!

Estes Park Trip

2008-11-08T06:08:00.000-08:00

Grandma Centra is here visiting! We decided to take a ride up the mountains to spend the day together at Rocky Mountain National Park. The kids love being outdoors. It was a beautiful ride, but unfortunately, I was sick the whole time. What I thought was a long lasting stomache flu ended up being a bad gallbladder. So I get to have that removed in about 10 days. Oh joy. In the meantime, we are loving every minute of grandma time! The biggest shock was that Kelbre went right to her (I think the fact that grandma was holding a barbie helped a bit).

Space Derby

2008-11-08T06:02:00.000-08:00

The Bullet

The Boat

Robby and Aaron recently participated in a scout Space Derby. They received a block of wood and had to sand it into a rocket shape. Then the pack got together and they raced them on these strings (There is a rubber band inside that you wind and then let go). So here are their masterpieces. Robby decided on a boat because that was as much painting as he likes to do. Neither boy placed in the top 3, but it was fun.

Problem: As we were walking out the door, Kelbre asks

"Daddy, when do I get to be a boy scout?"

Rules

2008-11-08T05:54:00.000-08:00

So both my boys had to write a set of "rules" in school. They were allowed to write any rules they wanted. So here they are:

Aaron's Paper:

"7 Rules How To Be Nice To Your Older Brother"

1. Let him read one of your books.
2. Ask if he can help you get a snack.
3. If you are holding his dog and he tells you to let go, let go.
4. If he is babysitting and you got hurt, tell him to call mom and dad.
5. Let him pick the show.
6. If you brother is teaching you a game and you didn't hear him, ask him nicely to say it again.
7. If you do something mean to him, say sorry.

Robby's Paper:

"8 Rules For Living With My Sister"

1. Give it to her or prepare for a scream.
2. Always make her happy.
3. If she cries, give her to me.
4. If you can't get her to do something, give her to me.
5. If it's pink, it's hers.
6. If you are a stranger, stay away.
7. Always have a sippie in hand.
8. If you want to have some fun, play with her!

Fall Leaves

2008-11-08T05:48:00.001-08:00

We finally gave in and purchased a leaf blower/sucker last fall. I decided it's not worth doing though until they "all fall down." The kids are enjoying them in the mean time.

What is with this face? I think Robby might be having an influence on her.

Halloween

2008-11-07T14:16:00.000-08:00

Where's Aaron?

Robby was so happy to be a clown so he could "be silly and it's okay."

Tinkerbell doesn' usually have big red cheeks, but Kelbre REALLY wanted her face painted like her brothers!

It was so nice having a warm Halloween for a change. The kids stayed out twice as long and ended up a ton of candy (literally?). All were very tired by the end of the night though.

My mom, who is visiting from Maryland, has a bad eye condition and occasionally wears an eye patch to soothe the contrast between the eyes. I never really thought anything of it, but when we left to go trick or treating, Kelbre declared "Grandma is going to be a pirate!"

Art Show

2008-10-13T17:12:00.001-07:00

Aaron was recently featured in an art show in our town. He loves to draw and has even started playing around with watercolor painting a bit. Great job Aaron!

Happy Birthday Ben!

2008-10-11T06:11:00.000-07:00

Someone has a birthday shout "HOORAY" (can you hear it?)

We want to sing to you today (but you're at a scout jamboree)

One year older and cuter too! (okay..........wiser)

HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO YOU!

We love ya.

In honor of your birthday we can't play baseball.....

It's freakin cold in Colorado and wet.

Pink Birdies

2008-10-09T18:59:00.001-07:00

I am not so sure these qualify as pink

Just hanging out

Snack Time!

So our zoo in Denver had a free day and Robb took off so we could all go. The boys got Kelbre all excited about going to the zoo by telling her that there were pink birdies called Flamingos. Just our luck, the flamingos were some rare species that are orange. Oh well!

She's already convinced that pumpkins are pink (her trick or treat plastic pumpkin is pink) so why shouldn't pink flamingos be orange?

Playdough Pals

2008-10-09T18:55:00.000-07:00

Here is Kelbre with Jessica, the little girl I started babysitting about a month ago (along with her newborn brother). Yes, I know; schooling at home and doing childcare is a little insane. I must be! I am actually letting the kids do playdough which was always a big No No for me.

Cheap Labor

2008-10-09T18:50:00.000-07:00

Robby has been begging us for some time to let him mow the lawn. So we finally came to our senses and realized that $2 was cheap labor. We better appreciate it while we can! He actually does a pretty good job. Now, if someone would just invent power tools for cleaning his room we would be set. Bye the way, the grass looks good! Hard to believe there wasn't any last year!

Bobcat

2008-10-09T18:47:00.001-07:00

Just a couple weeks after turning 8, Aaron received his Bobcat award in scouts. Now he is officially a wolf. Believe it or not, this ceremony actually made me nervous. Leave it to me to paint something wrong in front of everyone.

Dinner, Wolf Style

2008-09-17T19:06:00.000-07:00

Aaron and his cousin Ben are both in the wolf den in cub scouts. To pass of one of their requirements they had to help prepare an outdoor meal, so they cooked Sunday dinner for the family. Here they are assembling Chicken Kabobs. It's a good thing they only had to "help" with the meal; they got through one platter of kabobs before giving up and playing on the trampoline. Luckily parent's are around to finish the job so the Johnson boys wouldn't have had to fight over 10 Kabobs! All in all it was a delicious meal. Good job boys! And, yes, the Broncos did play that day so both boys are showing their support to Uncle Reed.

Happy Birthday Sariah

2008-09-07T20:13:00.000-07:00

Today is my niece Sariah's 14th birthday. Since we can not be there to celebrate with her we had pancakes in her honor. We love you Sariah! Rock on!

Looking Good in White

2008-09-07T20:04:00.000-07:00

Aaron is baptized!

Congratulations to Boo Man
I know it seemed like an eternity to you, but the big day finally arrived. I was really surprised at how calm and exited you were. We are so proud of you buddy for your choice to be baptized and follow Christ. You are a great example to all of us! I can't wait to see your testimony grow.

Wisdom of 3 year olds

2008-09-07T19:45:00.000-07:00

Scene: Aaron's Baptism. Robb decides to hold Kelbre and cousin Brady on his lap during a lull in the ceremony and starts to read to them "Clifford." He only gets through a page or so before he has to stop to finish the confirmation. No sooner does the closing prayer end, Brady stands before everyone and yells, "Now.......... Clifford!
Scene: The middle of church. Kelbre is restless and so I decide to break out the book of bible stories to keep her quiet. The first story she sees, of course, is Adam and Eve and the creation. All of a sudden she starts yelling "mom, she forgot her clothes!" "Look mom, she needs clothes!" No matter how hard I try to move on to another story, she keeps forcing it back to that one.
Scene: Making Tortillas in the kitchen. I stick my hands into the dough to mix the ingredients. Kelbre starts yelling, "Momma you gotta wash your hands." "Oh, no! Wash your hands!" Then I dump the mixture out on the counter to kneed the dough and she yells "Oh no, put it back in the bowl mom! It goes IN the bowl!"

Art at the Park

2008-09-05T19:44:00.000-07:00

To my children's dismay, going to the park is no longer just for play. Mother ususally has alterior motives. Here the boys are painting pictures of what they saw at the park. They actually turned out really cute. Kelbre was happy to color a few pages pink then she was off to the slides. The funny part is, it took me at least a half hour to pack all the art stuff, sack lunches, 3 kids and 2 dogs for an "afternoon" at the park, only to have the rain clouds moved in about 20 minutes after we got there. Colorado weather is just so fun. Or not.

Pirate Party

2008-09-05T19:36:00.001-07:00

A new definition of "ice cream cake."

Cannon Ball Fight. 200 Balloons gone in about 3 minutes.

Pirates

Walking The Plank

Robby walking the plank with Style!

Happy Happy Birthday Aaron!

Back To School Virtual Style

2008-09-05T19:24:00.001-07:00

Mrs. Tara Walker with Robby. She is the best teacher ever!

Mrs. Kellie Flowers with Aaron. She is fantastic too, Robby had her in 3rd grade.

It's back to school time and I am finding that my boys are having a hard time getting back into the swing of things. At least the "doing school work" part. These photos were taken at our back to school picnic last week when the boys got to meet their teachers. They sure didn't have any problem getting motivated for that! Robby was lucky enough to get the same teacher again this year. She is the most amazing teacher ever and has made all the difference in his achievements. I love taking these photos every fall and then hanging them above the computer so they don't forget who is really in charge! Now if I could just send the boys to them when they're being lazy!

Happy Birthday Aaron!

2008-08-31T19:59:00.000-07:00

Aaron with his completed Lego Starwars Spaceship. Thanks Grandma Centra!

Aaron is finally 8! This is a birthday has been long awaited! When we asked Aaron tonight what he thought of his birthday weekend, he said it was "tiring." He had a pirate birthday party yesterday then a family birthday dinner tonight with Robb's family. The fun has only begun! Scouts start this Wednesday, and then he gets baptized on Saturday. I'm tired too!

Saving for the Wii

2008-08-24T13:24:00.001-07:00

Aaron has decided that saving $50 toward s a Wii really isn't that hard. Rather than do countless chores (which would actually require him to work, oh no), he could just pull out all his teeth. He has lost 4 this week! He's already started wiggling #5. If he doesn't knock it off, we will put all this money towards braces instead! He told grandma he better have spaghetti for dinner on his birthday since he doesn't have any teeth.

Family Birthdays

2008-08-24T13:11:00.001-07:00

Sis got a new grocery cart from her Aunt Jennifer. She plays with it constantly. She informed me that next time we went to the store, she could push her cart while mommy pushed hers. The next trip to Super Walmart is going to suck!

Forget expensive toys! Kelbre was so excited to get socks. She even wore them with her bathing suit and dress shoes to the pool a couple days later. She certainly has her own style.

She hates being sung to! The boys had to blow out the candle. After her cookie she was very happy to eat her pink ice cream cone!

Baby Scott (almost 8 months) is already trying to keep up with the big kids!
Scott is our nephew and brother to Ben (Aaron's age) and Brady (Kelbre's age).

Brady styling his new Bronco hat (given by Uncle Reed of course). His birthday is one day before Kelbre. It's fun celebrating their birthday's together.

Chuck-E-Cheese

2008-08-24T12:58:00.000-07:00

Here is the star of the night. She loved having all her friends come to her birthday party! She hates cake so we tried to go with pink cookies to win her over; turns out she hates frosting too. We should have gone with popsicles!

Grandpa is teaching her all about ski-ball. She informed me before she left for the party that she wanted 5 "pretties" in her hair, all Dora, but somehow I was able to persuade her with 3. I am not sure where else I would have put a pony tail.

Despite the fact that Kelbre usually loves attention, she HATES being sung to or bothered by large groups of people. At least she has brothers around to blow out her candles!

The "Geek" Olympics

2008-08-18T12:48:00.000-07:00

So my kids are bored out of their minds. We don't start school for another week, Aug 25th, so in the meantime, I thought it would be good to learn a bit about the Olympics and Ancient Greece. During our studies, we learned about the Greek lifestyle and how they dressed. Aaron decided to dress up as a greek for fun. The funny part though was when Daddy came home, Aaron exclaimed "Daddy, I got to dress like a Geek today!" We'll work on that....

Happy Birthday Kelbre!!

2008-08-13T07:33:00.001-07:00

Happy Birthday Kelbre!

I can't believe my "baby" has turned 3! It seems to go by faster every year. I would be really sad about her growing up, but it has been so much fun spoiling a girl for a change! I went shopping for her birthday and got to buy all the frilly pink stuff I could find.

Now she can keep up with Robby and Aaron!

Pretty in pink! A package arrived from Grandma Centra. She sure knows how to spoil a girl!

Kelbre discovered Barbies this birthday. She plays with them constantly! Now if she can get Aaron to stop stealing the boy barbies!

Cousins Come to Colorado

2008-08-13T07:17:00.000-07:00

We had a blast having Robb's cousin Hilary come with her two girls for a couple days. They live in Spanish Fork, Utah but were up visiting family in Wyoming before coming down. Kelbre wasn't so sure about havin girls come who were going to want to play with her things, but she was so sad when they left!

Hilary, Kelbre and Brynne

Amazingly, Kelbre took to Hilary very easily and got a few swimming lessons out of her while she was here. When it was time to get her safe in the van, I was told "No! I want the other mommy!"

Being silly in the water!

Brynne, Morgan, Robby, Aaron and Kelbre in the kiddie pool at our neighborhood pool.

Robby, Morgan and Aarron at a water park near our home.

Michael Phelps Want-a-Be's

2008-08-13T07:08:00.000-07:00

Robby has developed quite the passion for swimming this summer and has decided he may want to join the city swim team this fall. Aaron is doing fantastic too, if we could just get him to swim in a straight line and not in circles! As much as Robby has enjoyed learing all the strokes though, his passion lays in diving. Which leads me to a crisis last week......

So, I had a moment last week when time stopped. I really believed we just had a life changing experience and that Robby was hurt very bad. He loves to dive and has done back flips off the board several times. Well, he was showing his teacher what he could do when he failed to jump "out" and went "up." (which means he came straight down) So I hear him hit and see lifeguards jump in the water instantly. I have never seen them move so fast! I expected to find blood when he surfaced, but all he said was "that hurt." He was totally calm. Turns out he left his arm straight up in the air, so when he hit the diving board on the way down all he did was hit and scrape his arm. His head never touched it. Once he got out of the water and saw mom, then the tears started to flow. Through sobs he declared, "I am never diving again, well except for one more time to show daddy, but then never again." Luckily, he has already been diving again, but I think back flips are going to be a no-no for a while.

Estes Park Trip

2008-07-29T12:22:00.001-07:00

Helping daddy put on power bait

We took a camping trip to Estes Park, Colorado for 4 days. The kids didn't catch much but they had fun playing in the water. Kelbre discovered fishing too. She found the power bait in the tackle box and declared "This is mine, it's pink! Now I can fish!"

There wasn't any purpose in trying to keep them dry.

The Woes of Parenting

2008-07-12T07:30:00.000-07:00

So here I am trying once again to potty train. You'd think that I would have the hang of this by now. But sometimes I think that Heavenly Father is up there with this big grin and sense of humor, making sure that we really don't know what we are doing. As soon as we think that we have this parenting thing down, WHAM, we get one that defies everything you thought you knew. Kelbre is proving that every day.

I know I shouldn't get too worked up over this. She isn't even 3 yet and Aaron didn't potty train until he was 5. The difference is, I know she can do it. The child will stay dry for weeks and then pee herself 15 times in one day. And as if to comfort me, she will come up and say "It's okay. I have more panties." And what is this obsession with changing her clothes every hour? I never know what needs to be washed. Every time I turn around she is prancing around in a new outfit. Now I know I don't do that. This is certainly a case of nature and not nurture.

I know my mother will be laughing at this. She always tells me that Kelbre is all me. Completely hard-headed and determinded to do things my way. My first words were "me do" and Kelbre's first words were "I do it!" This should make for interesting times during her teenage years. Perhaps that is the real reason I can picture Heavenly Father with a grin. He knows what is yet to come. I better learn to chill.

Beach Time

2008-07-09T20:42:00.000-07:00

Swimming in Houghton Lake, Michigan. It is amazing the bond that these two have!

Great Grandpa Time

2008-07-09T20:35:00.000-07:00

It was very special to see my boys with their great grandpa Frank. He is my dad's dad and lives up in Northern Michigan. I don't get to see him much so we made a trip up that way in June. Frank spent his life as an artist for NATO in Europe. Aaron was so excited to do a little art with grandpa.

Kings Island Amusement Park

2008-07-09T20:28:00.000-07:00

The kids in Scooby Doo's Mystery Machine.

Aaron gets brave enough to meet Patrick from Spongebob Squarepants!

This is Robby and his cousin Gary meeting Patrick.

Kings Island Amusement Park

2008-07-09T20:23:00.000-07:00

What more could a girl want? In case you can't tell, she is wearing a Dora jumper and Dora crocs. What a dream come true!

Kelbre: All Girl

2008-06-27T20:18:00.000-07:00

I don't know that I have ever seen a 2 year old child so girly and yet such a tomboy at the same time. Kelbre however is teaching us that we didn't know much about anything. She certainly has her own way of doing just about everything. She'll tell you that too.

Her favorite word as of late is "freakin." I wonder now how often I used that word. She comes to me and says, "mom, I am freakin hungry." Then comes her daily demand for "serul" (cereal) which is one of the food groups for toddlers, if you didn't know that already. She tells you what's going to happen, not what she thinks. Last month, we saw her favorite Aunt Jacki at soccer practice for just a minute when I dropped Aaron off. Then we left to run errands. She was convinced that Jacki and Uncle Reed would still be there when we got back. I insisted that they were gone. Well when we got back, guess who was still there. Kelbre announced to everyone that I was a liar. I am sure she will be announcing many more things in the years to come.

Besides telling me off, Kelbre's other passions lay in torturing the puppy and doing everything the boys are doing. She is attached at the hip to Robby. She has him wrapped around her finger. If mom or dad get upset with her for anything, guess where she goes? Her relationship with Aaron usually centers around fighting, but he does take priority at times. Usually when Robby is gone. She has discovered friends. And birthday parties. Everyday she announces that it is her birthday. She is already 10. Time sure goes by fast.

Aaron The Artist

2008-06-27T19:59:00.000-07:00

If there was one wish I had for Aaron this year, it was for him to do art with his great grandpa Frank. He spent his life working as an artist for the military and Aaron has always associated his own talent with this special man. This wish came true last week as we traveled to the midwest so he could paint with his grandpa. It was a special experience and one that I hope will be etched in Aaron's mind forever. The painting they made together will hang on our wall. The funniest part though was Aaron announcing that he didn't like painting. Oh well. His passion lays in drawing.

Besides taking private art lessons, Aaron is playing Baseball and Soccer. He too has discovered WebKins and has a monkey name Andy. He wants to try everything that his brother does. As much as we try to separate the two of them, the more they latch on to one another. He looks forward to a big year this year, as he turns 8 in August and will get baptized. He will also be old enough to start cub scouts. Then he and Robby will be doing all the same things.

After a year in a traditional school, Aaron asked to come home. It was a good decision for him, mainly because he was bored. His ability to read so young put him ahead of his peers in just about every subject. By coming home this last year, Aaron was able to finish first and second grade curriculm in one year. He will still be considered second grade next year, but will start 3rd grade curriculm and possibly 4th grade reading. He loves being able to move ahead at his own pace. Despite the fact that school comes easily for him, he really doesn't like it that much. He would never choose to read a book like Robby. He would much rather ride his bike or be outside. He loves to create, cook, discover. He loves science experiments and field trips. For his birthday last year we bought him paper, glue and paints. He was in heaven. If you ever want him to drop his allowance quickly, just take him to the craft store. Somehow we always end up spending half our money too. I haven't quite figured out how.

Robby: Virtual Miracles

2008-06-27T08:22:00.001-07:00

Robby is now 10 and the transformation that has taken place over the last couple years has been amazing. I am in constant awe at his loving, nurturing ability, especially with his sister. He has the ability to get her to do things when mom and dad fail! He is definitely her favorite. He has discovered a passion for WebKins, an addiction fueled by his Aunt Jennifer. If allowed, he would spend the whole day caring for his virtual dog "Rono." When not with his virtual dog, he can be found with his real life Shi-Tzu puppy named "Pal" who seems to understand that Robby is his owner. The puppy has been great and getting Robby to relax when life becomes overwhelming.

We just finished our second year with Connections Academy, a virtual school. It's overwhelming to see how much he has accomplished in two years, and the future looks bright and exciting. With a virtual school, the kids are still in public school with teachers, but they are schooled at home. The curriculm is set, the teachers grade the work and the students even get on the computer and can talk and listen to the teachers weekly through virtual classrooms.

The decision to pull Robby in 3rd grade from a traditional school wasn't difficult. He was unable to get his work done and no matter how hard he tried, seemed unorganized and always "out of the loop" on what was happening. He was the child that couldn't find his work, had the wrong spelling list, or forgot the book he needed for homework. He was constantly being punished and had quickly become depressed about school. I hated seeing my child come out of school in tears. Despite the teachers insistance that Robby just didn't have his priorities straight, I couldn't believe that my child didn't care. He hated to read, he was failing math, he couldn't write. The thought of writing a simple paragraph would cause an emotional tantrum that would last a day.

After being home, we discovered Robby had problems with his eyes. He didn't even make the charts on eye tests. He was put in Vision Therapy and within 6 months he was reading with ease. The child who wouldn't read was reading for 5 hours a day. The flexibility allowed in school, along with V.T., allowed him to discover the magical world of books. Once there, he was hooked. We had his hearing tested and although the tests proved normal, the Dr. recognized that Robby had a difficut time sorting through sounds. This lead us to more testing and a year later, a diagnosis of ADD. It was the most wonderful day, to know that your child isn't being bad, but that his brain is just different than most. I'll never forget when Robby was reading through the list of "ADD symptoms" and exclaimed proudly "that's me mom!" It was though a weight had been lifted off his shoulders.

So where has this taken us? Robby is getting ready to enter 5th grade and is a writer. He has begun writing a series about a school hampster that escapes and has all these adventures. His aunt illustrates them. He loves school. He reads 5 hours a day, easily. His teachers have inspired him. He realizes that there is more than one way to accomplish a task. He is experiencing rather than discussing. He left 4th grade with 9 A's and 1 B and a 94% overall. He still faces challenges every day, but he has been able to manage himself without medicine. Amazing.

That's not to say we don't have days where I wish I had a magic pill. Today is one of them. But good days outnumber bad. We have learned the value of routine. He stays busy with sports, friends and boy scouts. He is always anxious to try new things. Karate will be his next great adventure. This could be bad. What have I agreed to?