Nine Years with Miles Man

Miles was born 3 weeks early covered in the most blood I think I have ever seen in real life (all of it mine!), plus that greasy white vernix everywhere.  He cleaned up really well though - and he still does. Happy birthday Miles! 

This photo is on my debit card and I get SO many comments on it! I can't change it out, even though I know I should have all four kids on there... It's just one of my favorites.

Miles: 9th Birthday Questionnaire

This handsome young man turned 9 today! What the what? Where is the time going? He is getting so tall and grown up. Miles wears a size 7 shoe and is about as tall as Claire now. 

He is still very interested in soccer and hopes to play this Fall, though he asks to play football and I cringe... just not something I wanted for him, but I guess I should maybe give him a chance to try it. 

He is going into fourth grade and is excited to have friends in his class from both church and his class last year. He lets his little brother climb into bed with him every single night, on a twin bed! He saves me sleep and for that I am eternally grateful! Love you Miles Man! 

What is your favorite color? Navy blue

What is your favorite fruit? Raspberries 

What is your favorite dessert? Vanilla ice cream (or Dippin Dots)

What is your favorite stuffed animal? Groot (Guardians of the Galaxy)

What is your favorite TV show? Amazing World of Gum Ball 

What is your favorite subject in school?  Art and math 

What is your favorite food? Pepperoni pizza

What is your favorite drink? Dr Pepper

If you could pick a super power, what would it be? To be elastic and stretch as far as I can

What is your favorite thing we did this year? Our family reunion to Colorado

What is your favorite season? Fall 

What do you want to be when you grow up? A doctor and an artist 

Who are your best friends? Talon, Lorenzo, AJ and Gabe

What is your favorite book? Diary of a Wimpy Kid

What is your favorite holiday? My birthday or Christmas

What do you like to take to bed at night? My soft blue blanket 

What is your favorite animal? Chameleon or an elephant

Kid Quotes

During one night of the Colorado reunion, I took a cranky Henry on a walk around a pond that had a few fountains out in the middle, one large, one small. He wanted to walk around to see the smaller one, and he said, "That's the small one, and THAT'S a Mama fountain." Great, the big one is the mama...

Last visit with the Coontz family before their move to Medford, OR

Penelope has a very small mole on the far side of her forehead and she likes her bangs to cover it. Apparently Miles teased her about it once... sheesh. Anyway, she is very picky about her bangs lately and combs them just so. She also refuses to grow them out. See logic above. She was combing them the other day and doing these overly dramatic poses in the mirror with each stroke of the brush. She said, "There! MUCH more stylish that way!"

Miles left Henry and Penelope at our little neighborhood park with a neighbor boy so he could come inside to cool off and get a drink. He said he told AJ, "If someone tries to kidnap you guys, hit them with your pogo stick."

Taking away Henry's pacifier went so well, that I told the kids we were going to also go cold turkey on soda. Penelope said, "That flavor sounds DISGUSTING!"

I couldn’t find Penelope for bath time and was looking and looking everywhere. I went upstairs and got distracted and stopped looking. She found me later on and said, “I admit it. I love to hide under fluffy blankets!”

Penelope was swimming at the pool in Colorado during our reunion - on the side of the pool is painted the depth of the water, "3 ft 6 in." Penelope said “Well I’m 6 so I can be in!”

Henry was doing "this little pig went to market, this little pig stayed home" on his tootsies. He paused for a minute and seemed to forget what the next pig did... He said, "This little pig went to Target." I think I may have a Target problem... :)

Henry likes Minecraft, a "building, educational game on a tablet." But he thinks it’s called My-Craft and he says can I play “Your-craft?” The other day he said "Miles's Craft" - silly kiddo! I would never have let my first born play a game on the iPad... it's hard to let the older ones though, and not Henry.

This and That

Summer has been busy and I need to catch us up a bit!

Claire and I went to see Matilda the Musical at Tuacahn in St. George - it was a quick getaway and we had fun staying in a hotel room, then getting back in time for church the next day. I think Claire's favorite part was getting to sleep in a pitch black room. Penelope is a bit obsessed with having a bright light on in their room and Claire prefers it dark.

The kids took swimming lessons at a private home this year and I wish I had discovered this earlier! We had done the rec center/city pool lessons and we always had a bored teenager as their teacher (there were a few decent ones but not many...). Penelope had just about out grown her floatie and it was time to swim this summer. She did so great! She was swimming around the first lesson and jumping off of a high rock by the third. I think she just needed a confidence boost to try it.

Henry and I (and sometimes Mema) got to hang out in their attached hot tub - which was the same temp as the rest of the pool. Henry is pretty brave in the water - maybe too brave. He floats on his back and jumps into the water. My favorite was when he pretended to walk into the water from the side, like it was an accident. :)

Sometimes, it's quiet for a good reason. Claire is becoming a good babysitter and if she can figure out how to not fight with Miles, she will be ready.

I got to see my friend Kate on our trip to Cedar for the volleyball camp - in 30 minutes, she can boost me up and help me make big decisions. She should seriously be a counselor! It was a perfect coincidence that she needed to be in Cedar that day.

We also stopped and saw Justin on our way home - it was his 40th birthday that day. So, here are the two oldies but goodies on the Johnson side.

Matt was promoted to Senior Audit Associate at PBTK - so I got to set up headshots for him so his bio could go on the website and be used in proposals. Kind of fun :) We even hire a makeup artist so we are super fancy!

Pioneer Day for the North Las Vegas stake - all I can say is we survived another year! And I am so thankful to be born in a day with air conditioning!

This guy.... I'm so sick of this iPad. I let him play on it when I have to work from home and get things done, but he is on it way too much. I made him a little bed out of beach towels so I could get through Sam's Club quickly. What a life!

Saying Goodbye to the Coontz Family

Becky and Danny moved to Medford, Oregon - for a great opportunity and a wonderful house, but so far away from us! We had them about 2 hours and 45 minutes away and it was so nice to be able to drive up and back in a day just to hang out a bit. I did that quite a few times and the drive wasn't bad at all.

Miles and Gabe played and played in the empty field behind their house, building a fort out of whatever they could find. Cardboard, pieces of sod, boards. It reminded me of building our forts as a kid, weaving grass into "curtains" or using tree branches for the roof. If it wasn't for a lightning storm rolling in, they would have stayed out their all day. As it was, they got pretty soaked with some sudden rain bursts. I totally caught them going pee out there too... boys.

We had to get a group photo of the cousins - we are hoping to see everyone at Christmas, but you just never know what will happen with our schedules. So, these kids could look very different the next time they are all together! At least the little boys will for sure!

"Sisters, sisters, never were there such devoted sisters!" And we even matched in our swing dresses and gladiator style shoes. Of course. I'm going to miss having them so close and seeing Becky every few months. Now we will just have to be better planners and make it happen!

McKinley made sure we got Claire an email address so they can stay in touch! Going into 6th and 7th grade here.

Cedar Breaks

We took a scenic drive up the canyon from Cedar City after the first day of volleyball camp. We had driven up at the crack of dawn and we needed to do something until our hotel was ready for check in the first day. Cedar Breaks did not disappoint. I'm can't believe we never went up there! The view was vertigo-inducing as we drove up the mountain and I had to stop looking out and focus on the road. Weird feeling... I can still feel it when I think about the drop offs, no guard rails, and the pull of the red rocks and pine trees. Anyway, it was spectacular.

We did a wildflower scavenger hunt and walked around on a few simple trails, then headed back for swimming and dinner.

SUU Volleyball Camp

Claire, Miles and I went up to Cedar City for the Southern Utah University volleyball camp, Junior Spikers. It was taught by the women's volleyball team and coaches. It was crazy how easy a trip with the two big kids seemed - we had a great time staying in a hotel, eating out, swimming and just hanging out. I worked remotely while they were at the camp, and logged some time on the laptop while they swam in the hotel pool. 

Miles was one of two boys in the entire camp... good to know for the future. He had fun though and had great energy up until that last night. He went for every ball and hustled his heart out.

I think it was good they had each other to play with since a lot of the other girls came with bigger groups or close friends - the tight groups was kind of tough, especially when Miles came down with Strep the night before the last day and couldn't go for the third day. Claire was alone but she did her best, and I think she did learn a lot. Her school has volleyball try outs the first week of school- I hope she wants to play! She has a lot of control and calls the ball really well.