Summer Fun

We have spent the last two weeks enjoying our family. Some of our highlights:

Picking Nathan, Katie and Josie up at the airport.


Enjoying a big family dinner and pictures.

Lauren's excellent Sacrament meeting talk.

An open house with her friends and family after.

Having Megan home for almost two weeks.

Family Home Evening with a great dinner with the Boshards at their cabin.

A last lunch at Sweet Tomatoes.

A farewell mountain man breakfast, goodbyes and the MTC.

A dozen beautiful pink roses for my birthday.

Enjoying a new cd player in my car.

Spending time with Josie while mom and dad were sightseeing.

Sending Nathan back home.

A unobtrusive birthday bash for Katie A.

An obtrusive birthday bash for Katie E.

Josie loves birthday cakes!

Celebrating 31 years of marriage.

Shopping.

Lunch at the canteen.

Sandbox playing.

Frozen yogurt.

Boutique hopping.

Swimming.

Late nights and early mornings.

Farewell to Katie and Josie.


I love this little girl.

So does Grandpa.

Katie E's fake birthday cake.

Running away with grandpa.

On their way home, my last glimpse.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY, KATIE!!!!!!!

Katie is my first and oldest child. She was her Grandma Scott’s first grandchild and her Grandma Johnson’s first granddaughter. Both of them were there the day she was born and both of them loved her tremendously. Katie is a quiet person who makes a huge impact on others. She radiates her love of the Gospel and her love for those around her. Katie has always been obedient and easy to get along with. Ray and I considered ourselves the perfect parents because of her. Then we figured out that really, she was the perfect child. So, to celebrate her birthday, unobtrusively, here are thirty things I love about Katie:

Katie arrived on a rainy morning in August.


According to her Dad (and Mom) she was the most beautiful baby in the hospital.

Katie had a perfectly round head and golden blond hair, and she still is perfect.


Katie moved to a “big girl” bed when she was six months old.

Katie’s first word was “Jesus”.

Katie cut up my scripture covers as her first arts and crafts project.


Katie was best friends with Nathan and her favorite game to play with him was “Bill and Dana”
as long as she got to be Bill.


Katie was on the front page of the San Juan Record when she was a toddler.

Katie memorized the Articles of Faith when she was three years old.

Katie still remembered them five years later and got the prize for being the first one to memorize them in Primary.


Katie won the district wide science fair when she was in kindergarten. (She even beat out the
high school students)


Katie was the only Caucasian child in her kindergarten class of 50 children and wondered just exactly when her hair would turn black.

Katie is left handed and we all know that means she is very smart.


Katie has beautiful handwriting and printing.

Katie sang and danced and wore a cute yellow dress in the Sunshine Generation.


Katie was the tallest person in her class at the beginning of 4th grade, even taller than her cousin AJ!

Katie tolerated wearing home sewn matching dresses with her sisters and cousin.


Katie is very kind to her brother and sisters.

Katie is always generous with her family and friends.


Katie has played on a softball team for a very long time.

Katie loves baseball.


Katie has had season tickets to the Orem Owls since they were the Provo Angels .

Katie also has season tickets to the Flash.


Katie loves to watch NASCAR with her Dad and her favorite driver is Kasey Kahne in the 9 car.

Katie enjoys channel surfing with her Dad.


Katie is always up to go camping with me.

Katie took good care of me (and Lauren and Megan and Nathan) when I was sick in spite of the
fact that I ruined her 15th birthday!

Katie loves, loves, loves her sisters and brother and niece.


Katie was nicknamed Skate or Sk-8 by Zac long before he was an official family member.

Katie will do anything for any of us, and that includes you, too!

County Fair

Megan and I took Josie to the fair. She is a real trooper. She walked the whole time. We saw cows, rabbits, chickens, pigs and horses.

Then she saw the rides and wanted to ride the merry-go-round. What can a grandma say? This mom would have said, "No." But a grandma has to say, "Yes." Then she took a spin with one of the cars. What fun!

The fair was a little disappointing to us. No ice cream or funnel cakes. What's up with that? And, the exhibit building was rather confusing. We could not find any adult exhibits. Hmmm. I guess I cannot enter my giant zucchini!

For the Love of the Dog

Missionary Wednesday

Last picture taken at home of the happy missionary.


At the drop off.


Last picture before the ban.

We had a pleasant morning with just our family. We had Lauren's favorite breakfast, mountain man breakfast and Josie's favorite breakfast, pancakes. Then we sat around and told each other what we loved about them. This was to get the limelight off of Lauren! It is nice to have children who actually like each other! Nathan and Katie then left for a trip south with a flurry of goodbyes. Aunt Shari and Uncle Ambrose came over for a visit and a flurry of goodbyes, too. Lauren finished packing up and then there were the last hugs and kisses (another flurry of goodbyes). And the last running into the house (three times) for things forgotten. Then the short ride to the MTC where we were instructed to go to parking area 19 and then 21 and finally 24 (there are 25). Lauren got out and so did I (on the pretense of moving to the front seat as parents were to stay in the car along with their cameras!) My camera got out with me (Lauren likes us to be obedient, so when she saw I was taking pictures she politely asked me to put away my camera and get back into the car). Well, I had to have one last hug and then off she went with a great big smile on her face without a look back! Ray and I drove out of the MTC and home. This was a whole lot easier than the former missionary family orientation. There was a sister volunteer there checking names and two elders who commandeered Lauren's luggage and took her to where ever new missionaries go! And that was that!

First Step

Tonight Lauren took her first step as a missionary.

Sister Johnson with mom and dad.

Sister Johnson with Aunt Shari.

Sister Johnson with Nathan and Katie.

Sister Johnson with Megan.

Sister Johnson with Katie.

Sister Johnson with Josie.

Lauren will be leaving for her mission tomorrow. We love her and support her!