Raspberry and Chocolate Chip are now 20 and 27. It is time to close this chapter, print these precious memories and delete the blog. It has been such a wonderful journey looking back and I'm so glad I captured these moments. It is true what they say, the days may pass slowly, but the years fly by. 

Raspberry (Emma) and Chocolate Chip (Brax), watching you group up right before my eyes has been the greatest privilege of my life. Your wit, kindness, resilience, creativity, curiosity, brilliance, and love for those around you continue to amaze me every day. Your lives are just beginning their stories and I can't wait to see the extraordinary adventures that await you. I hope you capture your adventures in your own way.

I will carry these cherished moments with me forever. I love you both.

xo
Mom

Photo time. August 2014 :)

August 2014 update.

Out to dinner with Hank and Sara's family before Brax left for his mission.

About the 4th week of his mission his Zone Leader crashed the car with him in it. :(
We were blessed that no one got hurt.

Emma at Provo Falls above Kamas.

The Provo Temple on Thursday last and me in the office.

More from Provo Falls above Kamas.

Ryan and his first companion in Thailand.

Ryan and his new companion in Thailand.

Photos from Mission Ready and the train near home.

More photos from misson ready and in Mapleton for some 24th fun.

Fun photos for Brax.

More fun photos for Brax

Brax and his first companion. Serving in West Virginia.

Brax and his mission president.

New blog

I'll be posting here for a while. Stop by and say hi.

http://elderbraxtonjohnson.blogspot.com

Papers are in!

February 5, 2014

Papers went in on Sunday. We are in waiting mode.

I have absolutely no idea where he is headed. The control freak in me is being yanked around. I'm in personal growth period. I'm not sure if it is fun or not. It doesn't feel fun yet. I hear it's coming.

(At grandpa's 70th birthday party - Hank and Sara's)

From the Past

Photos that I found while searching for a picture of a young me. I don't have very many memories of these times and what I can remember is vague, but I remember the houses, the grocery store on the other side of the fence, the garden gate to the swing set, the neighborhood layout and the 1970's furniture. I did a lot of smiling back then so I'm pretty sure I was a happy kid.

Our evening ritual with The Doctor

We have a new evening ritual with an English man (just E and I, my oldest has not yet been converted). And although it is one of the strangest shows I've ever seen, you can't help but love The Doctor. We are big fans of the tenth Doctor. We are learning to love the 11th. You get a little attached.


When Rose and The Doctor were seperated at the end of season 6, E looked at me and said, "Mom, I'm tearing up." We're addicted.

 

Tuesday Reflections

In the attempt to remove chaos from my room and create my own personal 'space of relaxation and peace', I have moved my bed, emptied my closets for Deseret Industries, removed an old dresser, and organized papers, books and keepsakes. There are a just a few things left out that I have yet to put in its proper place. I was so close to that serene space that everyone dreams about.

And yet when I came home from work today and went upstairs to change...
-I was blocked by the door completely (stuffed animals having a sleep over)
-I couldn't walk across the carpet (homework, pencils, crayons, books and paper)
-I stepped on a plate (crumbs from some extremely delicious snack that I didn't eat)
-I toppled over a glass of milk perched precariously on the end of my TV stand.

It is then that I realized what the chaos is really about. I know, she looks innocent enough, but you can't win. Ever.

She makes me laugh

My greatest blessing. I am a Mormon.

This is good.

Henry B. Eyring

back to school celebration

It's the last one for him. I can't believe it. I have this really weird feeling..., something to the tune of "do as much as you can with him as fast as you can, because time is winding down." I hate that feeling. Maybe he'll do "back to school celebrations" with me when he goes to college. :)

Dinner together and a movie. Emma and I picked the movie, he said, "it's gonna be bad".  He was right, it was, but it was fun to be together.

July and August 2013

Christmas photos are finally up. a month late.

31 Gift Tags later...

Our Women's Conference Christmas Gift to the WC committees.  

Luke 6:38

Give, and it shall be given unto you; good measure, 

pressed down, and shaken together, and running over... 

For with the same ^bmeasure that ye mete withal it shall be measured to you again.

Many office hands made for light work. 

Thanks to our friend Emilee for providing the bling!

Growing up too fast.

This was taken the night of the Christmas Ball (12/7). He went on a triple date and had a wonderful time. I, of course, gave him a list of "to-do's" before he left.

--always open her door

--let her go first

--talk to her and not just the guys

--get her home on time

--drive carefully 
--treat her with care

Check, check, check, check-check and check. What a great young man he is. :)

Halloween 2012

 The princess pirate of the Utah seas.

Conversations with a pirate during homework

Pirate: Hello

Me: Hi there. How was your day?

Pirate: It was such a lovely day. Not a stitch of rain.

Me: um, ok

Pirate: Don't you think that is true?

Mom: Why yes I do.

Pirate: me too. 

Monday homework

snack after church.

The twins are here :)

October 16, 2012

Congratulations to my brother and his amazing wife. 

What Kind of Friend Are You?

The finest of friends must 
sometimes be stern sentinels, who 
will insist that we become what 
we have the power to become.

Elder Neal A. Maxwell, Insights to My Life, p. 199

Missionary Announcement on Saturday Morning at General Conference

Saturday morning at General Conference, President Monson announced that young men can now leave on missions at 18 and young women at 19.  I felt the same way as these kids (a mixture of astonished delight and absolute fear).  I don't know how I feel about sending Brax out early. I need more faith. :)  I'm sure he will hit the road running, Book of Mormon and Bible in hand, sending lost souls to Christ.  At the moment, I feel that he is the age of the third photo. Pray for faith and save, save, save!