Teddy Bear Friends

This is our new version of hide and seek. Where's Cambrie?

Go Big D!

I just have to say that I have an awesome brother-in-law. His name is Dantley (D) and he plays football for the Bingham Miners. Right now it's playoff season for Utah high school football and it was great to go to Dantley's games. Next Friday the Miners go up against Alta for the championship. Bingham won Dantley's sophomore year, then lost to Alta in the semi-finals last year. So this senior year is a big deal for the guys. I'm bummed I don't get to see it, but I'll be cheering for them from here. Here are some pictures from their semi-final game against Skyline. Dantley is really good and a lot of fun to watch.

D is on the far right. He is one of the team captains, plays on special teams, running back and linebacker.

Just check out #17. Isn't he awesome?

Moab climbing

Sometimes it's awesome to be the oldest, sometimes it isn't. Take this as one example: as soon as I move out of the house and get married, my family joins a climbing club. Every month they go somewhere different to climb for the weekend. Talk about crumby timing on my part. This past weekend the club went down near Moab to Fishers Towers to climb Ancient Art. Alan just got home from his mission on Tuesday, so we thought this would be a great welcome home party. I haven't climbed for almost three years, so I was a little rusty. Alan hasn't climbed in two years, but he was just like a lizard and scrambled up everything.

Our first climb was Ancient Art. It was a three pitch climb that takes you 500 feet above the Utah desert. The first pitch is climbed up a chimney. The second pitch is short but takes you across a catwalk that is only about three feet wide. The third and final pitch looks like something from Dr. Seuss. I had a hard time with the final pitch. I couldn't make the move and slipped a couple of times. Thank heavens for all of the ropes they have you strapped into. Of course, in order to prove you made it to the top, you have to stand on the three foot square area to get your picture taken. Wow. It was awesome and absolutely terrifying.

This is Alan. He was completely comfortable sitting on top of the world.This is the view from the hiking trail to get there. You start climbing from where the shadow crosses the ledge above our heads. It is a long straight shot down from the top. If you look very carefully, you can see me starting to repel off the top. We got down just before dark.Of course there were other towers to climb too. This one is named Cobra. Can you tell why?In an advertising blurb, one of the reasons climbers use to lure you to these towers is "because they may not be here tomorrow." The narrow necks on some of these things are insane. I don't know how they're being supported.

This is Alan after his Cobra ascent.

Another tower is named Sundial. This one was tricky to get on top of because of the overhang. While my mom was climbing this, one of her footholds failed her and a rock the size of a loaf of bread fell off. That was a rush. I got stuck in my ropes while trying to get down. Don't I look graceful?

My mom climbs too. I'm pretty impressed with her energy. Here is a picture of her working her way up Pinnacle. Our final climb was Lizard. It was a fun one to finish off our trip. It was easy to take pictures that make you look really high. This is my sister, Camille, as she nears the top. This climb felt really safe at the time, but looking at the picture now....the crack by my feet looks like it might take the top off at any second.

Here's the view we saw as we were driving away. What gorgeous country! I'm so excited when we can come back to the west.

Welcome home Elder Johnson

Welcome home Elder Johnson! My brother just got home yesterday from his mission to Anaheim, California. I can't believe two years have already flown by and everything that has happened within those two years. For example, I'm a mom with a 16-month-old daughter. Uncle Alan, meet your niece, Cambrie. Our welcoming party at the airport consisted of our family, my grandparents, and aunts, Teri and Sheri. Luckily there were enough of us to hold Alan's welcome home sign. It is so great to see him home. It feels like he never left. I love my brother :) Congratulations Alan for serving an honorable mission.

Here is his welcome home sign.

Our first glimpse of the long-lost missionary! (He's up top) Of course he and the other elders were the LAST ones of the plane. They were so slow getting off that the baggage carousal had already stopped and their bags were taken to the office.

Hugs all around.

The Johnson family together again :)

You know you're in Utah when...

You know you're in Utah when...it snows! Yup, that's right, snow! I decided to earn my keep at my parents' house and shovel the driveway. Cambrie didn't want to be left out of the fun and even wanted her own, "shuva." Unfortunately I didn't plan on the flurries and Cambrie's snowsuit is in Philadelphia. She stayed pretty dry by playing on the sidewalk and grabbing snow from the side. I'm so glad I'm here! Let it snow!

Murder Mystery

This weekend we went to a murder mystery dinner at the Farnsworths. I've been to parties like this before and they are always a ton of fun. I think the best part is seeing everyone act their parts. We have some really creative friends-just look at our group picture. Aren't they awesome?! This story was about a young, rich, and spoiled girl named Desire Love (me), who is murdered. We had to figure out who the murderer was based on ex-lovers, international diamond smuggling, under appreciated servants, love triangles, blood and organ transplant traffic, and undercover FBI agents. It was great. (By the way, it was the maid in the bathroom, with her strangling hands).Jeremy was Fred DeToy, Desire's current boyfriend. He's dressed as a wizard (it was set as a masquerade ball). Because I died pretty early on, I was two characters. My second character was the investigator who arrives on the scene to help solve the crime, Sugar and Spice. Thanks everyone for the very entertaining evening.

Happy Halloween

This year we celebrated in fairy tale style. Cambrie was Little Red Riding Hood, Jeremy was the Big Bad Wolf, and I was granny.As much as I wanted it to happen, Cambrie just wouldn't smile for the camera!

Cambrie got to go trick-or-treating twice. Once at the ward party and once Halloween night. She liked carrying around her basket, but didn't understand why people were putting candy in it.

Trick-or-Treat!

(you can see Hailey and Ashlyn through the window, excited to see Cambrie) Jeremy and I made a bat pinata in honor of the holiday. It was fun watching the girls (Hailey, Ashlyn, and Cambrie) hit it with the baseball bat. They had a really good time. Quick girls, grab it!Here's a picture of Cambrie with her friends, Thing One and Thing Two, and their mom, Dr. Seuss. It was good Halloween.