MY LITTLE BOYS
so sweet and innocent
gotta love 'brothers' pictures
STUDS
I hope they never out grow this
my favorite
Month: July 2010
MEAT LOAF??
YUM or YUCK?
Ben made Sunday dinner and surprised us all with Meat Loaf!! I HATED meatloaf as a kid. I remember choking it down. I was a picky eater and there were lots of things that I didn’t eat but I remember meat loaf being on the top of that list along with Cauliflower Soup. Well – I am happy to say that I enjoyed the meatloaf, it was even yummy and we’ll be eating it again Tuesday night for leftovers ( I also happen to LOVE Cauliflower soup now too). Now the kids seemed to have a different opinion of the meal… Cali ate a lot of potatoes and a little meat and got away with it. Packer ate everything but the meat and then with encouragement ate the meat loaf in a few ginormous bites. Benji was not a happy eater. He was literally gagging it down. Picking out the onions, swallowing with water and doing his best to eat it so that he could have a smoothie that night. I felt so bad for him because I KNOW that it doesn’t taste good and he wasn’t just being PICKY. It was very hard to watch him suffer through that process. Anyone else out there LIKE meat loaf?? I don’t think this will become a regular meal around here but it was a nice change from the regular 10 meals that I know how to make.
On a side note – – my husband has discovered “The Hunger Games”, I don’t think he has read a novel since before we got married but this one has finally captured his attention. I’m supposed to be the reader. I’m supposed to be the one ignoring all to get through the next chapter and picking up the book during any and every free moment. I’m really not used to this. I think he is almost done with it though, then our house won’t be so quiet at night and I might not get as many evening blog posts out! I think I like him reading. I just need to make sure that I have a book on hand now.
Saturday July 24, 2010
Staining the Stairs
The boys were enlisted to help Dad stain the deck. They actually did pretty good at helping. And for the first time Benji outlasted his little brother in  the ‘working’ department.
In their work clothes - ready to paint!
Ben did most of the work but the boys stuck it out for most of the project.
Cali decided that she didn’t need a nap that day. She just kept playing and smiling and avoiding the crib so she never went down. We went swimming in the backyard and had a barbeque, then Cali went in her swing while we cleaned up dinner around 7:30 and the no nap finally caught up to her! She did open her eyes when I was taking the picture and said ‘cheese’ for the camera 🙂
Yes my child - You Still NEED naps
She did wake up though and enjoyed some vacuum fun with Dad before bed. I love these kids!
Wouldn't that feel good?
Packer was a little nervous
Benji was loving it.
The 24th is a holiday here in Utah but we chose to celebrate by getting the kids in bed before 9pm for the first time in a long time.
Friday Fun
We are Watching Diego, Lalo, Luca and Mia this afternoon while those lucky few who work for Utah based companies enjoy the Pioneer holiday! The boys are loving the swimming pool/hot tub, they’ve been out there for an hour or two. The girls will be waking up from their naps soon so we’ll have to see if I let them in or not. Ever since Seven Peaks Cali is to daring in there and thinks she can swim all by herself.
I'm glad someone gets to use my hot tub while I'm not allowed to. 10 more weeks!
And a few more pictures from the Nettesheim weeks of fun…
Benji is SOOO good with his little sister!
Cali trying to be BIG like her cousin Julia.
The kids had to get in their tickle time with Dad even if we weren't at home.
Grandma and Grandpa Nettesheim
Ben’s parents have been here for the past 2 weeks and are driving back to Indiana on Friday. It’s always fun having them in town and getting together with the Nettesheim cousins every night.
Tonight we celebrated Sydney and Udine’s birthdays. Benji was so happy to ‘catch’ Udine talking while eating his cake and sending him under the table to finish it. And the Little ones were extremely messy – thank goodness for eating outside. On Wednesday Night we had a “Camp out” in Matt’s backyard! It’s the cleanest camping ever and the kids love it so… The 2nd annual Nettesheim camp out…
SMORES were yummy as always though it was way to hot. We watched a movie outside and stayed up way to late. It was a super hot night but finally cooled down around 3am so this pregnant lady could sleep.
Now we are exhausted and ready for some relaxation – is that possible? We’re at least ready to get the kids in bed by 9:00.
Pony Tail
I combed my hair the other day and then I combed Cali’s and we went down to show Grandma how cute her hair was. That’s when Cali started pointing at me and at the hair tie on my wrist and wasn’t happy until I put my hair up in a pony tail! Hmmmmm, think I wear my hair up to much!!
Next day at church I had my hair tie on my wrist again. Benji asked me if he could play with my black bracelet. I guess my kids just think that mom and her pony obsession are normal.
look how big my baby is all of a sudden 🙁
And can someone please remind me next summer to check the AC Filter so we don’t come home to frozen pipes outside and 85 degrees in the house – blahhh. You think we would have learned our lesson from last year (http://searchponderpray.com/Jana/?p=1153), but we at least were able to figure out the problem a lot quicker.
Packer just woke up! 9am 🙂 looked at me from the top of the stairs and says, “Mom, say good morning.” So I did and now he has a big smile on his face. Kids are awesome. Cali is still asleep! The baby sitter must have worn them out last night.
JOHNSON FAMILY REUNION
We just finished a BUSY week. The fun started on Monday night when my sister and her 5 kids came from California. We hung out on Tuesday and introduced the cousins and Benji to the “Kong Cone” at Maceys – a whole lot of soft serve ice cream for cheap – None of them finished.
Wednesday was SEVEN PEAKS WATER PARK!! We haven’t been since Benji was little and I was sure that it would be more work than fun since I have 3 little kids that don’t know how to swim and a big pregnant belly and I can’t go on any slides. But my sister was going and my sister in law came down from Ogden with her kids so I was in, and I was planning on coming home whenever Cali threw a big fit and decided that we were all done.
Sun Screen on and ready to go
Snack Break
The boys wanted to wear life jackets and that helped a lot.
We stayed in 4 places all day - kid areas, lazy river and the wave pool.
We didn’t leave until after 5pm!! My kids loved it. The weather was perfect. They got ‘brave’ after lunch and actually did the baby slides. We didn’t do any of the other slides but they loved all of the little kid stuff. I would definitely go back. We came home exhausted and waited for Grandma, Grandpa, Aunt Liz and 4 more cousins to show up from California.
THURSDAY, FRIDAY, and SATURDAY were the Reunion Days! We headed to a cabin in Fruitland, UT just passed Strawberry. Grandma and Grandpa Johnson were there and their 3 girls and spouses and then as many of us Grandkids that could make it with spouses and kids. There were 45 of us there by the end. We ate and ate and played and hiked, swam, and played games and enjoyed being with family. Grandma and Grandpa seemed to enjoy having everyone around so it was a success.
Ready to go to the Cabin...
The kids and I getting settled in our room.
Our 10 minute hike to 'Big Rock'
Carter, Maddy, Lilly, and Packer on the hike
Benji made it to 'Big Rock'
Time for Bed
Trying to get Cali to smile and get off of moms lap
these girls are all super close in age
Dinner Time! we ate way to well
Grandpa tending Elly and Cali while we went to the creek.
The Cabin had a playground! Benji and Grandpa.
Grandma and Packer!
Cali pushing Ella on the swing - super cute
nothing better than a sleepover!
Geocaching!
Rhino Rides!
by saturday afternoon we were all exhausted
Saturday Night we had a program for Grandma and Grandpa Johnson and shared lots of fun memories about them. It’s great that they can still do so much. I didn’t get to see them more than once a year when I was a kid but now we live close and get to stop in and visit.
Arden and Elma Johnson
w/ their daughters - Annette, Carol, Diane
the 6 favorite Grandkids! jk the others couldn't make it 🙁
The Great Grandkids! I think only 3 are missing
4th of July Weekend
Hooray for Independence Day!
July 3rd, Saturday Afternoon
We said goodbye to Than, Erica and kids on Saturday afternoon. Erica and I had to get a pregnant picture since we are due on the same day…
Two BIG beautiful Bellies with little girls due on September 30th
Erica and Jana, our goodbye picture
I had to include this picture because I am standing on a step and am still miniature compared to Erica!
Saturday Night
We went to the PG CITY fireworks with some of the local cousins and the Wisconsin cousins. The kids played and played while we waited for dark. This was the first time we convinced Benji not to plug his ears during the whole thing. It was a good show.
Duck Duck Goose with the cousins
The Sun Finally went Down!
Ready for the FIREWORKS!!
Enjoying the show!
July 4th, Sunday Night
After a good day at church we let the kids do sparklers before bed and then we watched a few of the Miller’s fireworks next door.
sparkler time
Love Cali's face here - she does EVERYTHING her brothers do
Glow Stick Fun
Proud to be an American...
at the neighbors
July 5th, Monday
We took the kids fishing this afternoon just up the road in Cedar Hills. It was great just to be outside, at the water, enjoying the summer heat. And tonight for FHE we finally took the opportunity to explain what the 4th of July is all about and why we celebrate. I’m grateful to live in a land of Freedom!
Our Little Fishermen...
Where did the bobber go? did we catch something??
The boys with their first catch! We didn't expect to catch anything so it was exciting.