Ask for Steve

Awesome idea, ride Le Bus to Wendover so you can gamble all your change.

I don't really know how this little holiday got started, nevertheless it got started, originally we had all planned to ride Le Bus, we thought it would be memorable and hysterical. We ended up riding down in Le GMC Acadia, turns out just as memorable and hysterical. I have to say for the record this isn't one of those trips you put in your Christmas card or even mention in casual conversation, but it is definitely one I will be glad forever that we did.

We stopped at Metaphor: the Tree of Utah, licked the Salt Flats (haven't you always wondered) and were on our way.

We pulled up to the luxurious Motel 6 walked into our spacious 9x15 ft room, dumped our stuff and were off to the Buffet. Little hint if you are ever in Wendover go to the Rainbow Casino and ask for Steve in the Poker room, that's all I can say. After Steve and the buffet we hit the tables, well some hit the tables and some hit video blackjack. Approx. one hour later we lost all our money and had to find something else to do.

After a run in with Gods Pottery, we ended our night back at our hotel room of wonder. That pretty much sums things up, take it from me when your friend says "Hey, lets go to Wendover!" Tell them that all you get from Wendover is raped of all your money and stinky hair!

ode to annie

I didn't have a chance to do this on her Birthday so I wanted to do it now. Sorry it is a day late.

Once upon a time I met this girl, and she became as close to me as a sister. I heard it once said that God puts people in your path of life always for a reason. I truly know that Annie was placed in my life that way. She is super fun, easy to talk to and be honsest with. She is never caddy, is always a good friend, a great mom and yes folks she was even a Utah Jazz Dancer. I am super glad that we became friends and that even years down the road we will still be that way. Happy Birthday!

My Inner Oprah

I love these bowls from Ikea. They cost a dollar and I use them for everything, especially feeding the kids. I really am not a fan of kid dinnerware, for me its totally lame. That's why I love these smaller cute bowls. Everyone go and buy a dozen.

Also Walmart makes these great crackers. Next time you are there pick up a box of Sams Choice Salsa and Cream Cheese crackers. The first time I had these was at a holiday party I loved them so much I went around and asked everyone who brought them and where did they get them. Let me tell you I was amazed to learn that Wal-mart of all places was responsible for such a terrif snack. You won't believe me till you taste them but you can actually taste the cream cheese. So go get some and let me know what you think. I fully understand if you all hate them, maybe I am crazy.

God Bless America

We kicked off the Holiday a day early. We headed to Adventureland Park to get our fish on, only the fish were no where to be found.

You can tell Gav was super excited to not catch a fish

Can anyone say Huck Finn? Yes that is a stick he is trying to fish with.

Onto the Real Holiday

We started the day off by of course hitting the Parade

Seriously who doesn't love parades? I am right?

This is a bad picture but the highlight for me was seeing Immaculee Ilibagiza riding in the parade.

Following the Parade we did what every other red, white and blue blooded American does

BARBECUE

We like so many others went to a park.

Swings CHECK!

Monkey Bars CHECK!

Zip Line DOUBLE CHECK!!

We topped off the day with a hardy helping of fireworks. I prefer to sit on the steps of the Marriott Center to watch the Stadium of Fire Show.

By this time of day getting the kids to take a pic is ridiculous

I love to take pictures of fireworks

I know this picture is kinds dark but I didn't want to use the flash it ruins the effect. Milo loved the show. And apparently from the picture so did Chad.

This is my Grand Finale I LOVE this picture.

Substitute Mama

I want to give a shout out to all the "working moms" out there. I know all moms work, but it takes a lot to leave your kids and go out and earn a living. Tiff went back to week last week after having Dempsey and I am sharing in the babysitting, which I LOVE because I get her to myself and it is good practice for some day when I have three. But today when she dropped her off for the first time my heart broke to watch tiff having to leave and not wanting to. We both cried. So even though I am in a selfish way glad that I get to watch my niece I am heartbroken for Tiff, that she doesn't get to experience every moment of Dempsey. And all you moms out there that are in the same boat, I commend you. It isn't easy.

Once a ring bearer always a ring bearer

Chad younger brother was married two weeks ago and they had asked that Gavin be in the wedding party as the ring bearer. He did a super cute job. I like weddings, but I love weddings when I get to watch my stellar five year old participate.

Gavin was the only person up there that wasn't either getting married or marrying someone.

Gavin wasn't paying attention when they asked for the rings so Cam helped him and Gav just did his signature eye roll and head shake. I think he might have been a little embarrassed .

All in all it was a good wedding and if anyone is in need of a ring bearer in the future just all us we even have a pillow you can use.

One to add to your ipod

I am always keeping my ears open for new music. And I think this one is a keeper. Tom Mcrae has a very distinctive voice and I love him. He is definetly not "new" by any means, but he rocks still the same. Anybody that puts Burl Ives as one of his influences, is awesome. Check him out. I haven't found a song I don't like yet, listen to Walking 2 Hawaii its the best so far.

I hate thinking of a creative title for my posts

Strawberry days kicked things off, on the outside looking in it would seem that strawberry days is just a motley bunch of people riding dirty rides that look like they will break any moment and sitting on old boards to watch people ride animals around in the dirt, let me inform you that YES that is indeed what it is. For some reason I have decided to join in the WT fun.

Yes we do have our baby standing up on the Ferris wheel. don't worry the friendly carnival worker told us to sit him down.

Something about a Ferris wheel that makes me feel artistic I guess

Gav decided he was too big for the kiddie rides and took this one for a spin, though I have to say I am not sure who was more scared, him or the girl next to us going "Who the crap are these people?"

The next night was spent at the rodeo, in a moment of insanity we signed Gavin up to do the Mutton Busting, for those of you not familiar with the Rodeo lingo I will translate we signed him up to ride a sheep. They told us that only one parent was allowed to go with him and I am so thankful that chad went for two reasons. The first being that I can't handle the smell of horse and cow poop, the second is that I was FREAKING OUT in my seat.

Gav did good though, but when he came back to the stand where we were sitting he was crying that he didn't take 1st. We need to work on his sportsmanship.

After the mutton Busting was over all he did for the rest of the night was play in the dirt. Money well spent.

We went with some friends to s Bees Game. It was fun but at about the fourth inning my inner 6 year old came to the surface and could not pay attention to anything. Thank goodness I had a camera to keep me occupied.

Between bottom lip kissing and a double chin contest (that I don't have pictures for) the six year old me held up till the end of the game.

tag

Okay I was tagged,
1. WAS YOUR FIRST PREGNANCY PLANNED? Not really
WAS YOUR SECOND PREGNANCY PLANNED? Super planned! We had been trying for three and a half

2. WERE YOU MARRIED AT THE TIME? Yes.
WERE YOU MARRIED AT THE TIME? Yes.

3. WHAT WERE YOUR REACTIONS? For some reason I decided to stop at the drug store and buy a prego test on my way to work and went right into the bathroom and took it. When it said positive I started FREAKING out, I ran out to my car still holding the pee stick and drove straight home, while hysterically crying from excitement. When I ran into the house Chad was like "what is wrong," because I was still crying. We were both way excited. We told our families that day.
WHAT WERE YOUR REACTIONS? I could have flown to France with the money I used on pregnancy tests during the time we had tried for number two I got so sick of seeing pee stick with a negative sign, so when I saw the positive sign I didn't believe it I checked it about twenty times, and then of course started crying. Immediately after though I started feeling very uneasy, I had three miscarriages during the time we were trying so it was a little unnerving. We waited several weeks before we told ANYBODY! In fact my mom called me the same day I found out and told me she had a dream that I was pregnant and then asked if I was and I told her no.

4. WAS ABORTION AN OPTION FOR YOU? no.
WAS ABORTION AN OPTION FOR YOU? no

5. HOW OLD WERE YOU? 19
HOW OLD WERE YOU? 23

6. HOW DID YOU FIND OUT YOU WERE PREGNANT? Pregnancy test, then a blood test at the hospital
HOW DID YOU FIND OUT YOU WERE PREGNANT? a pregnancy test

7. WHO DID YOU TELL FIRST? Chad
WHO DID YOU TELL FIRST? Chad

8. DID YOU WANT TO FIND OUT THE SEX? Yes! I knew it was a boy though
DID YOU WANT TO FIND OUT THE SEX? No, because I again knew it was a boy and I REALLY wanted a girl so I felt like not knowing was better than being disappointed

9. DUE DATE? April 29th, 2003
DUE DATE? September 6th 2007

10. DID YOU HAVE MORNING SICKNESS? Why do they call it morning sickness I was ALWAYS sick until about four or five months.
DID YOU HAVE MORNING SICKNESS? I was about ten times worse with Milo, I threw up an average of 5-10 times a day, I threw up so much I lost weight at the beginning.

11. WHAT DID YOU CRAVE? limes and super spicy food
WHAT DID YOU CRAVE? Pebble ice
WHO/WHAT IRRITATED YOU THE MOST? Being super tired and also the load of stretch marks that I got
WHO/WHAT IRRITATED YOU THE MOST? Being super sick was annoying also poor Gavin had to take the brunt of my pregnancy, those were dark days for our little relationship. three year old + a sick pregnant mom= a sad emotional mess that dad has to come home and work out

13. WHAT WAS YOUR FIRST CHILD'S SEX? Male
WHAT WAS YOUR SECOND CHILD'S SEX? Male

14. DID YOU WISH YOU HAD THE OPPOSITE SEX OF WHAT YOU WERE GETTING? I wanted my kids to have a big brother cuz I never did so I wanted a boy but deep down I wanted a girl.
DID YOU WISH YOU HAD THE OPPOSITE SEX OF WHAT YOU WERE GETTING? Yes, I started to cry when they told me it was a boy. I wasn't excited to have a boy until they handed hi to me at the hospital.

15. HOW MANY POUNDS DID YOU GAIN THROUGHOUT THE PREGNANCY? According to my doctor I was more underweight than I should be when I got pregnant so she wanted me to gain extra weight which I did gained 60 lbs and lost all but ten
HOW MANY POUNDS DID YOU GAIN THROUGHOUT THE PREGNANCY? I have often said that I was given the heart for having a lot of kids but not the body, I gained 65 lbs with numero dos. To date I have ten lbs to go to be at my pre prego weight and about 15-20 to be what I was when I got married.

16. DID YOU HAVE A BABY SHOWER? yep two
DID YOU HAVE A BABY SHOWER? No. I had several people want to throw showers, I even let some of my friends plan one, but about a week before my pregnant anxiety got the best of me and I was such a wreck about it I made Chad call my friend and tell her that I couldn't have a shower.

17. WAS IT A SURPRISE OR DID YOU KNOW? I knew.
WAS IT A SURPRISE OR DID YOU KNOW? no surprise because no shower.

18. DID YOU HAVE ANY COMPLICATIONS DURING YOUR PREGNANCY? Long story made short. I have a blood disorder called idiothrombocytopenia ITP for short, basically I have a very low level of platelets and so I was in for weekly checking and when I delivered Gav I Hemorrhaged and losed a lot of blood.
DID YOU HAVE ANY COMPLICATIONS DURING YOUR PREGNANCY? same complication but this time my doctor was ready for it and took EVERY precaution so I was good.

19. WHERE DID YOU GIVE BIRTH? Orem Community Hospital
WHERE DID YOU GIVE BIRTH? Orem Community Hospital

20. HOW MANY HOURS WERE YOU IN LABOR? Active labor was 12 hours
HOW MANY HOURS WERE YOU IN LABOR? Active labor was 5 hours or so

21. WHO DROVE YOU TO THE HOSPITAL? Chad
WHO DROVE YOU TO THE HOSPITAL? Chad

22. WHO WATCHED YOU GIVE BIRTH?Chad, the midwife and about 5 nurses, WHO WATCHED YOU GIVE BIRTH? Chad, my mom, my doula, the midwife, and two nurses

23. WAS IT NATURAL OR C-SECTION? Natural
WAS IT NATURAL OR C-SECTION? Natural

24. DID YOU TAKE MEDICINE TO EASE THE PAIN? No, I wanted to feel what labor was like. sounds weird I am sure but I wouldn't do it any other way. Also I can't because of the ITP.
DID YOU TAKE MEDICINE TO EASE THE PAIN? Again no

25.HOW MUCH DID YOUR CHILD WEIGH? 8 lbs 10 oz
HOW MUCH DID YOUR CHILD WEIGH? 7 lbs 12 oz

26. WHEN WAS YOUR CHILD ACTUALLY BORN? 7:14 in the morning
WHEN WAS YOUR CHILD ACTUALLY BORN? 8:56 at night I think
WHAT DID YOU NAME HIM/HER? Gavin Chad Johansson
WHAT DID YOU NAME HIM/HER? Milo Ray Johansson

28. HOW OLD IS YOUR FIRST BORN TODAY? 5 years and 2 months
HOW OLD IS YOUR SECOND BORN TODAY? 10 months today

I choose to tag
TIffAnI, AuBReE and bEca
Have fun it's a long one.

bad luck

FRIDAY THE 13TH

I am not superstitious I am just a little stitious.

still Friday the 13th freaks me out!

Anyboby else?

this is the only picture I had on my computer of you

Happy Birthday Mother Darling!!!

What can I say about such an amazing person. You have always been a rock for me. So many times when I have needed something to get me through you have been there for me.

You are so wonderful. You always give me wonderful advice, you can exercise me into the ground, you have so much patience, especially when you are teaching.




I know you don't think that you are creative, which is a shame because where in heavens name do you think I got my creative gene from. YOU!!! You are a poet, an artist and a writer. You can express things on paper that I only wish I could.



I love you so much and I am so grateful for all of the lessons you have taught me in my life. Thank you for your wisdom, your patience, your thoughtfulness and your love. I can't truly express how wonderful you are and how you continue to amaze me still. I hope that some of your wonderfulness rubs off on me, especially your rockin' legs! I love you. Happy Birthday!

Let me count the ways

Today marks the birth of Uncle Kracker also the anniversay of D-Day, but that is not why I am posting this. I am posting this because today I celebrate the day Chad Jesse Johansson poked his little head out of the birth canal. Chad was born today 28 years ago, and so I wanted to take a moment or five to give my chadest a tribute.

These are the top 28 reasons I love yOu

1- you make a mean brazilian lemonade

2- you have perfected the hug and roll

3- you can ALWAYS make me laugh even when I am furious at you.

4- you stay home from work when I am sick to take care of the house and kids and everything

5- you kiss me in the morning even though we both know my breath is deadly

6- you are always up for wrestling

7- when I have spent the whole day on a project and the house is a total wreck and the first thing you notice is that the new pillows look great

8- you know how to be chivalrous by opening the door, offering me your hand and always helping me put on my coat.

9- complement me despite the fact that you hate that I wear skinny jeans

10- let me give my two cents about EVERYTHING

11- you still like to cop a feel

12- you call to ask me how I am doing

13- you ALWAYS smell GooD even after you come home from playing basketball

14- you know exactly how I like steak and will stand outside in the rain until it is completely cooked through with no pink

15- you always come to my defense regardless of how ridiculous it is

16- you have a strong testimony of the gospel

17- you are not afraid to wipe noses and bums or push a stroller or hold a flowery diaper bag

18- you try very hard to get our babies to say mama even though they can only say dada at first

19- you always want me to be happy even if that means using your free time to go shopping

20- you do the bobby voice

21- your eYes have an amazing sparkle every time you SMile

22- you let me talk to you while you are going to the bathroom even though it is your "private time"

23- you love my body even after two kids

24- you have the most infectious laugh ever

25- you teach our son to be a wonderful person and you let him use your cologne

26- you can jump higher than a black man

27- you eat all food network culinary creations

28- you picked me, once we had a talk after we had been married for a few years and I was having a especially emotional girl moment and I remember that you gave me a tender hug and said "I picked you, remember" I have never forgotten that, it says with me always. I am so grateful that you did, and that I have been able to share life with you ever since. I am so glad you were born and that you are my partner in crime. I love you! Happy Birthday

Pomp and Circumstance

Gav is a super home body. Everyday that he had preschool he would fight me to go not that he didn't like it, he just didn't want to get out of his jammies. And then as soon as he was home he would change out of everyday clothes and back into his beloved jammies. For the last three months he has been asking me when he would be done so he didn't have to get dressed. So graduation day came and I have to say I was excited for this because Gavin would go around the house all of the time singing different songs and every time I would ask him what he was singing he would say "I can't tell you it's a secret" So finally I was able to hear all songs in their entirety. After the program they showed a slide show and in every picture Gavin TOWERED everyone by a foot. My preschooler is HUGE!

Gavin did not unfold his arms the ENTIRE program unless he had to do actions an a song. It was pretty cute.

I gave Milo bangs

Milo needed a coif trim and I say coif because Milo has the most awesome hair ever. Even awesome hair needs a trim so I got out my kitchen scissors and gave him a little snip snip. Any of you that have small children now how many SECONDS they will hold still for about enough time for me to get three cuts in, and so now he kinda looks like he has bangs. It looks better than it did so I am happy. The goal is for it ALL to be long so I will keep ya posted.

BEFORE & AFTER

Wa Wa May

I love Watermelon (Wa Wa May as my fam calls it.) I can eat an entire melon by myself in a day. As I was sitting this morning eating the delightful fruit. I started to wonder what benefits I was receiving because all of the watermelon. So I did a little "rashelle search" and found that just one cup of watermelon gives us 25% of the vitamin C we need in a day and almost the same amount of vitamin A as well. Watermelon also has the some of the highest level of the antioxidant Lycopene, even more than tomatoes. I was really amazed at what I thought was just a wonderful summertime food, turned into be this amazing SUPER FRUIT! I am no scientist but I would venture to wonder if part of the reason we don't get as many colds in the summer is related to the amount of watermelon we consume throughout the season. further more if we chose to consume said fruit in the winter that it might help fight off the common cold. Food for thought, I think so. Click on this link to find out more about wa wa may.