September Update and New Family Pictures

My amazing sister-in-law Deborah visited us in August.  She and her husband took their two small children, a nephew CJ, and Hyrum backpacking at Liberty Lake.  Then she came to our house and took family pictures for us during Liberty's birthday party.  I love the pictures!  Here are some of my favorites.

 Carolina

Deseret

 The fam

Deseret and Clarissa

 Hyrum

Morgan

Liberty

Clarissa

Besides getting family pictures taken, we have been busy starting a new school year.  Our homeschool is going well and the public school crowd is doing well also.  Clarissa is going to Carson City today to compete in the Nevada State FFA range contest.  I never imagined Clarissa as a range person but she is amazing!  We go for walks and she starts identifying all the plants around and telling their characteristics. 

Robert had a great experience this month participating in the Red Rock Relay in southern Utah.  He and eleven of his siblings and in-laws ran in a 180-mile race.  They each ran three legs and ran day and night.  He loved it and is now dreaming about planning a similar race around here--the Ruby Mountain Relay.  I'm hoping he'll get over that idea, but you never know.  I think lots of his ideas are crazy and then they work out fine.

That is a little update for us.  Hope you are doing well.

School Begins

School started!  Here is a picture of our first day.  Clarissa is about to leave for seminary so it is very early!!  But look how happy she is about it.  Desi is going to public school for the first time.  She looks happy but a little scared.  Liberty loves having something new to accomplish so she is happy.

Hyrum, Morgan and Carolina are in pajamas.  The joys of homeschooling!!  Hyrum, who just finished the 7th Harry Potter book and is such a quick learner, is in mourning about the new year.  Morgan, who has a much harder time academically, is a much more pleasant student.  Carolina is just Carolina.  She told me this week she forgot how to read.  I'm trying to remind her.

Desi has done well in her new environment.  Today a kid said, "Weren't you homeschooled before this?"  When she said yes, he said, "Well, then why are you smart?" 

Another event in our week was Liberty's 11th birthday.  Her sisters gave her a sewing box filled with pink scissors, a pink seam ripper, a pink measuring tape, etc.

Here is Liberty's birthday party.  Everyone brought a doll and we made the dolls mini cakes and icecream cones and pizzas and skirts.  It was very girly.  The two girls holding the sign made it for her.  She has such nice friends. 

Tomorrow is Carolina's birthday!  My baby will be six.  I can't believe it.  Liberty is going to band for the first time tomorrow.  She is terrified!!  She said, "But it's Carolina's birthday.  I better not leave her on her birthday!"

I assured her that Carolina could make it one hour without her on her big day. 

That's our first week of school.  Only 35 more to go!

Thoughts of the Past Week

We've had an exciting week around here.  The biggest news is that Deseret is going to public school as an 8th grader.  I have mixed feelings about it but mostly feel sad.  Liberty is heartbroken.  Clarissa is thrilled.  Desi is nervous.  Robert is sad.  I hope she has a great time.  School starts around here on August 22 but Robert has to be back tomorrow.

Another excitement is that Hyrum is studying for Hunter Safety.  I'm excited about it because there is a book and a workbook.  Before he can take the class, he has to fill out the 32-page workbook.  I can't think of anything else that would have Hyrum do a 32-page workbook of his own free will and choice.  Here he is with his workbook.  There was a page with pictures of guns and he was supposed to label if they were bolt action or lever action or whatever-action and Hyrum just knew what they were without even looking.  I don't know how he knows this stuff!

 The other exciting news is Clarissa.  Clarissa has a new look.  Clarissa has worn a headband every waking moment since she was 8.  That isn't much of an exaggeration.  On our pioneer trek, she took five headbands! When I was her basketball coach, she would keep her headband handy and put it in for a 30-second time-out.  Last week she got bangs cut and no longer wears a headband.  Here is a picture of her painting the trim at the Starr Valley Community Hall.

Clarissa also found out yesterday that she made the National FFA Chorus!  She will go to Indianapolis for the National FFA Convention and be in an 80-person choir there.  She is very excited.

That is what we have been doing.  I don't know if I'll ever blog again because I'm starting school next week.  Busy, busy.

The Past Month

It is hard to believe that I haven't posted for a month!  What a month it has been!  First, we hosted Robert's sister Aurelia and her 8 children.  We enjoyed getting to know her little ones we hadn't seen before and getting better acquainted with the older ones.  Morgan showed his enthusiasm by sending a rock from his sling through the window of her 12-passenger van.

The next week we visited Tabor and Katie in Boulder, Utah.  They live in a scenic and lovely place.  We saw Indian ruins and enjoyed them and their children and swam in a pond that was very nice.

Then we went to Orderville for a family reunion.  Robert trimmed trees for his mom with his boom truck and we visited and enjoyed the 24th of July parade in Orderville.  I love that parade!  They stop traffic on Highway 89 for two Primary floats, two Young Women floats, two Relief Society floats, Young Men carrying flags, and several family floats about pioneer heritage.  Some of us hiked to Sugar Knoll.  It was more like rock climbing than hiking and I chickened out and hung out with a like-minded niece and nephew at the bottom.

The next week was the Missoula Children's Theater which is the perennial favorite of our summer.  Thelma's family came and Olivia's kids were in it too.  We had Naomi Ashby, Desi's good friend from Idaho, staying with us and we greatly enjoyed the week.  The play was Pinocchio.

Here is Olivia's Ruben and my Morgan as adorable toy soldiers.



Liberty was a cute little urchin.

 Hyrum is a member of Candlewick's crew.  You can also see Braeden, Thelma's son who was Candlewick himself.

 Carolina was an adorable baby doll.

 Here is Emma, Thelma's daughter, as the Blue Fairy, Deseret as Pinocchio, Clarissa as the Evil Stromboli, and our friend Camberlin Uhlig as Jiminy Cricket.  It was a fun week.

The next week we went on a trek to Martin's Cove.  It was amazing beyond words.  I felt the Spirit so much.  It was incredible to cross the Sweetwater right where those boys you hear about who carried people across did.  It was great to be with Robert 24/7.  Our youth were so wonderful and it was a never-to-be-forgotten experience.

 Here am I with my biological daughters.  I had to call them that because I also had trek daughters.  Clarissa and Desi sewed their dresses.  Aren't they cute?  I thought some enterprising Scout should plant trees there for an eagle project.  But, I guess the pioneers didn't have trees there, so why should we?  It was hot!  98 degrees.

 Here is Robert with our trek sons crossing the Sweetwater.

 Here is Desi crossing with her family.

 This is Clarissa crossing with her family.  While we were gone and didn't even have cell service my other children were in the loving hands of my mom, Olivia, and Jennifer.  Jennifer even made us dinner on the day we got home!  My mom took Liberty to the 4-H fashion revue which I was sad to miss.  Liberty modeled this outfit she made.

She didn't win but they had a drawing for $100 gift certificates to Elko Sew and Vac and she won one of those!  I missed them and appreciated their babysitters.

That is the last month in a nutshell. 

Week of July 10

I wanted to write a new post but didn't know what to write.  When I asked my kids, Morgan said, "Write about me!  I'm larious!"  He meant hilarious but he said "larious."

Hyrum said, "Write about me because I'm awesome!"

Liberty said, "Write about how everyone is coming to our house."  By everyone, she meant that Robert's sister Aurelia and her eight kids are coming today for two days.  It's not everyone, but it may seem like it when they are here.  Really, we are delighted to have her.  She is moving to Washington, D.C. and we are glad we get to spend some time with them before they go.

Clarissa said, "Write about how I got home from EFY and I LOVED it and that I did such a good job in the boys' room."  She undertook getting the boys' room company ready because Aurelia is going to stay there, and she did do a lovely job.  Here is a picture from EFY which she did love.  She told me about it for 2 1/2 hours straight and lost her voice as a result.  I stole this picture from facebook.  A girl named Bethany took it. 

EFY sounded so positive and spiritual and testimony-building.  I want all my kids to go when they grow up. 

Carolina did not ask to be written about.  But I'm sure she would like it anyway.  I worry a little about that girl.  This is her ready to go to town yesterday. 

Desi dressed her up.  She is blowing a bubble with her gum.  She wants to be Deseret when she grows up.  Yesterday I had a little talk with Desi and told her that she is worthy of emulation but I wish she would help Carolina be like her in matters of talent and goodness rather than fashion.

Back to 'larious Morgan.  Here's a picture of him.

Isaiah, Hyrum, and Morgan used Isaiah's dog Buddy as a sled dog.  They hooked him up to Morgan's wagon and had some wild rides.  It was painful for the rider so here Morgan is getting properly protected. 

I think he is 'larious.

Provo in the Summer

This week I left three of my favorite people at BYU.  I took Clarissa to EFY and Deseret and Liberty to basketball camp.

Driving into Provo brought back so many memories--especially when I was leaving nervous kids and our expedition was filled with luggage.  I remembered my first glimpse of BYU as a teenager when we rounded the corner on University Parkway.  I remembered going to basketball camp with Erin Swanson--how nervous I was and how glad to have a friend with me.  I remembered my cousin Julie Reber and my friend Julie Liddle that I first met at BYU basketball camp.  I remembered someone blasting the Free to Choose seminary cassette tape on the floor of the dorm and being amazed that there were people that were so like me. 

I remembered being dropped off my freshman year.  I was so nervous!  Would my roommate like me?  Would I have friends?  Would I do well in school? 

Provo in the summer also reminds me so much of Robert.  Our first date was the 4th of July and we dated that summer and got engaged in the fall.  I remembered long walks in the dark--holding hands and talking late into the night.  Summer in Provo also reminds me of when I was a hall advisor and our lives changed with the weekly cycle of EFY.  Monday they would check in.  The week would be busy with them there.  Saturday morning they would leave--and then we would have the dorm to ourself until Monday morning.  I remember having Adam and Thelma, Olivia, Anne, and Jonathan over.  Good times.

I remember singing in a tunnel on warm summer nights.  I miss that and those great friends!

When I left my girls at BYU this week, all three were staying in Heritage Halls.  Because of construction you need to go to 9th East and to the Creamery on the south or 9th East and the DT Field on the north to get to the rest of campus.  Is it still called the DT Field? 

I left Clarissa with some trepidation because she didn't know her roommate or anyone.  But when she checked in and I saw Jason Hall and Brad Wilcox, I thought, "What better place to leave my girl?"

I left Deseret and Liberty with some trepidation because it seemed that the other camp participants were my height and Deseret and Liberty are not--especially Liberty. 

By the way, Carolina was not going to basketball camp.  She just thinks that every photograph should have her in it. 


I heard from all the girls last night.  They are having a great time.

Welcome to my blog!

Yesterday I was talking on the phone to my brother Tabor who recently moved to Boulder, Utah.  He said he feels isolated from the rest of our family.  I dislike the idea of anyone feeling isolated, and I've been toying with the idea of writing a blog for some time so I decided that I would try it now.  I'm not sure if hearing about the Johnsons will help, Tabor, but I hope it does.  I'm feeling a little sad that his family moved.  Four of the kids in my family lived here and now only three do. 

This is a dumb introduction.  Maybe I'm not up to this.  My sister Thelma writes clever, witty posts on a daily basis and I can't even do it once.   I'm going to end this post and write another one and try to add pictures.  I'm technologically challenged so we'll see if it works!