Another year gone by way too fast !

My Wonderful Family-I love them so much!

Yes, I know it's been way too long since I've updated this blog. Either I'm slowing down or life is speeding up. We've had a great year in the Johnson family. I've already mentioned in earlier posts about the engagement, graduation, wedding, family vacation. Those have been some great highlights. The past few months have been filled with happiness and some tears as Chad left on his mission to serve the Lord in Tulsa Oklahoma. We got to talk to him on Christmas and he is doing great. He is so busy, already had a baptism and due for 2 more in January. With Chad leaving it meant that Todd and I became "empty nesters" It has definitely been an adjustment to say the least. We've had to adjust to having more time with each other, too much food in the house ( Chad was hungry alot !) and trying to go back to cooking for two. I love Todd so much and I am so grateful for him. He is very understanding when I want to have "me time" and just go scrapbooking or something and I understand when he wants to go fishing or horseback riding--something that I don't really care to do. We agree that we each have things we enjoy separatley and things we do together. Life is Good and we'll see what exciting things 2010 will bring.

Summer Vacation

Todd and Jayden in front of a "painted bison" in West Yellowstone.

They were all over the town.

The beautful cabin we stayed in. It had tons of room fr all of us.


Ryan says "WOW" as Old Faithful erupts.

The whole family !

We spent the week in Island Park Idaho. It was cool, relaxing, and so much fun. This will be the last time that we could all spend some quality time together before Chad leaves to serve as a missionary in Tulsa Oklahoma. The cabin we rented was amazing, the scenery was spectacular, and the time we spent together was priceless. I love my family so much. Oh-we're not without our flaws, what family doesn't have them. There was some bickering at times and some frustrations, but overall, it was great. Jayden and Kaylie had the best time playing hide and seek in the big house. We loved Yellowstone but the kids were disappointed that we waited for an hour to see Old Faithful blow, only to have it last less than a minute. ( Jayden thought it was cool but he's only 4 ) Vacations are the best when you're able to relax, make new memories, and realize how much you cherish every moment with those you love.

Summer of fun

I don't keep up with this as often as I should. I can hardly believe the summer is half over. Melissa and Tyler are now happily married. The wedding day was beautiful and everything was perfect. Most of June was so rainy and cold, I worried that the day would have bad weather. In fact 2 days before it was windy and still a bit cold. But June 6th came and the sky was blue with a few white clouds, a slight breeze with temperatures in the 70's. It was the best day. The next week we drove to California for the open house which was wonderful as well only it was cold there ( sweater weather ) . Ryan, TJ, Chad, Tiffany, and her friedn Amy all came and they spent a day in Disneyland. The Open House was at the Garrick's home ( friends of the Jensens) Thank you Curtis and Cynthia for opening your beautiful home to us.

Melissa with Ryan and TJ at the open house.

After getting back to somewhat of a normal life after the wedding we have taken time to visit family and friends, go to the zoo with the grandkids, and Chad has been busy getting his mission papers in. We are now awaiting (anxiously) for the mission call. Other than that I'm just busy with work, home and family. Life is good at the Johnson home. We always have time for live, laughs, giggles and smiles.

Chad Class of 2009

Today I've been stamping wedding invitations and stuffing graduation announcements. I'm not sure why I didn't think about the fact that Chad would graduate and a week later Melissa would get married. I'm very happy for both of them. I think all the wedding plans are in place-hopefully there will only be minor glitches, what wedding day deosn't go by without one. Chad has been soooooooooo busy, especially these last few months. He has had such an awesome senior year. I'm a little sad it's going to end for him. He's been an SBO as video specialist, in the school play, in chamber choir, he started his own "boy band" called Guys in Ties. The list is endless with that son of mine. Last Sunday as I sat in sacrament meeting I realized he wouldn't be blessing the sacrament in our ward too many more times as he will be going to the singles ward this summer and then off on his mission. I am so proud of him as I am of all my kids. I am so glad that Families are Forever ! Life is Good!

This is Life...and then some.

I realized I don't always have to have pictures before I post a blog. Life has been pretty busy since the engagement. It took me a few days to help Melissa realize we need to start planning now. She thought we had plenty of time but she doesn't realize that places get booked, invitations need to be sent out 3 weeks early which means they need to be printed before that which means thay need to have pictures taken before that. You literally have to think backwards when planning a wedding. She's had way too many people give their opinions ( including me) but I try to stay neutral I know it will all come together and it will be beautiful.

Right after Melissa's engagement we had another "emotional" thing happen in our family. Todd was realeasd as Bishop of the BYU 98th ward. He had been Bishop for 2 1/2 years and he was the high councilman for that ward for 3 years before that. It was bittersweet to say the least. Part of me was happy to have him back in our home ward and part of me was so sad to see him leave a place that he loves, to see him leave the families that he has grown to love. When you are a BYU bishop it's harder to leave, because once you walk out the door you may never see any of those students again. It's now been over a month and it's been extremely hard on him. He has had so much stress and anxiety over this, mostly because of a certain family in the ward that he had been working hard with. I won't bring up any names or details. Just know that he talked with the new Bishop about the situation and they both felt that it would be good for us to continue talking to them and hopefully help them through a difficult time. It has been hard--on both of us. He even asked our home ward bishop to give him a blessing. I know it's hard on him coming back to the home ward. He feels like he's new in the ward. There have been several new families move in. I know he'll be fine but it's so hard to see him go through this. I'm the one who has always been the one to lean on him-now he needs me to lean on and I don't know if I'm strong enough. I love him so much and I will be here for him. That's what eternal marriage is all about-Right? I am thankful that we have each other through difficult times. I pray that we will learn and grow from this experience. I know we will !

Melissa is engaged!

It's official! Melissa became engaged to Tyler Jensen on Dec. 31, 2008. I'm not sure who was more nervous, Tyler or me ( probably me) I had known about it for over 2 weeks. Tyler and I had been texting about the tentative details. I even got to go pick up the ring for him because they were traveling home from California the day before. And thank goodness I had the sense to give Tyler my camera.

So here's how it happened. He picked her up about 12:30 pm. They walked to Martin Park which is about halfway between our house and his. He told her he had a surprise for her to thank her for cleaning his house while he was gone to California. As they approached the park there was a path he had made in the snow and every so often there was a rose with a note attached. there were 12 roses and each had a reason why he loves her. The last rose was inside a big heart that he'd made in the snow and the envelope was empty. He then told her how much he loved her, got down on one knee and pulled out the ring. She was so excited and after calming down the first thing she said was, "I need to call Aubrey ( her best friend)". Tyler told her no, she needed to call her mom first ( Thank you Tyler !!) She sounded so happy. The rest of the day she was constantly on the phone or texting friends. They both immediately changed their facebook status to engaged. They are such a cute couple and I am so happy for them . They have set the date for June 6th in the Salt Lake Temple. So let the wedding plans begin!