...Chrinnlavin J...

Lately

2012-01-12T16:53:00.001-08:00

I don't have a picture but Calvin attempted to climb the stairs.

Lila loves puzzles.

I made these kale chips for the first time.

Lila liked them.

I thought they were alright.

Calvin wasn't a fan.

Chris didn't dare put them in his mouth.

2 years and 9 months

2012-01-07T10:33:00.000-08:00

Lila and Calvin just had a check-up and here are their stats.

Lila

22 lb 7 oz (25th percentile)

33.8 inches (50th percentile)

Calvin

20 lb 15 oz (55th percentile)

31 inches (off the chart!)

I'm sure Calvin will pass Lila in height and weight soon. He LOVES to eat and she...well...not so much. I'm grateful they are both so healthy and happy!

On a funnier note, here's videos of their early morning dance party:)

See, What Had Happen Was...

2012-01-02T20:36:00.001-08:00

Our New Years Eve started out with my brother and sister-in-law getting sealed in the Columbia, SC temple at 7am. Well, it actually didn't happen until 7:45am because most of us got lost driving from the campsite to the temple. Oops:) They didn't have another sealing scheduled until 9 and the temple workers offered to babysit so everyone could attend. Unexpected but nice huh? It all worked out, as it usually does.

It was a beautiful ceremony and I'm grateful I could be there.

It's hard getting everyone to look at the camera and smile at the same time. Especially with kids and this many people. Sheesh!

Then, we came home and Calvin took his first steps while holding onto the edge of the couch. He's also improved with his crawling from dragging his body to actually lifting it up and using his hands and knees.

Here's a video of this exciting milestone.

He's also been saying words such as goo, ga, ma, and oh. He's so cute!

In the evening, Chris made this delicious bbq grilled pizza.

It was sooooo yummy and Martinelli's sparkling cider washed it down perfectly. You can't ring in the New Year without Martinelli's. We had a great night to end 2011.

It's been a great year. Hope 2012 is as good if not better.

Happy New Year!

I Can't Believe She's 2!

2012-01-02T19:42:00.000-08:00

Lila turned 2 on December 28th. We celebrated while camping in Columbia, SC with my family. She opened presents and had cake. What more could a kid ask for?

Lila has changed so much in such a short amount of time. She is talking more and more and her understanding of things is increasing daily. I need to be careful what I say now because she repeats everything she hears. This is such a fun stage and I love watching her learn and grow.

She is very loving. Always ready to give hugs and kisses. Also, loves to help around the house. She'll be running this place in no time:) My Lila is just amazing and we love her dearly! Especially her daddy and she is still a daddy's girl. I'm sure she always will be. The words we hear the most are: okay, water, daddy, momma, play, oh buddy, go, no, I done. Her favorite food is ravioli or anything momma and daddy are eating. She loves bath time. She loves her brother, Calvin and takes good care of him. Lila asks to color everyday and multiple times through out each day. Her newest thing is helping me cook. We both enjoy that.

I feel incredibly blessed to have her as my daughter.

Happy Birthday Lila!

Love you:)

Merry, Merry Christmas!

2011-12-25T10:32:00.000-08:00

For Christmas Eve, we had our friends, Holly, Brad, Eva, and little Thomas, over for dinner and games. We stuffed our bellies so full of the delicious ham dinner that we needed to wait a little bit before eating dessert.

The guys played some ping pong,

while the girls made some graham cracker houses.

Calvin and Thomas were already sleeping at this point. Then Chris and I taught Brad and Holly the game of Citadels. It was a great night and we had a lot of fun!

This was Calvin's first Christmas so Lila showed him the ropes by opening her stocking first.

She loves bananas!

Calvin looks excited doesn't he?

Then we opened presents. I thought these next few pictures were funny.

Let's open this.

Ooh, paper.

Is this mine?

You can have it. I want the paper.

Then we went to church. We heard messages about Christ, His birth, and His example of service. It was a great way to feel the Christmas spirit on this wonderful day. I also love singing Christmas hymns and we sang one of my favorites, 'I Heard the Bells on Christmas Day'. This time of year is my favorite and I look forward to it all year long. There is just something magical in the air:)

I also love the feeling of a new beginning that comes when January rolls around. Here's to the ending of an exciting year and looking forward to what lies in store for us next year!

MERRY CHRISTMAS!

Yummy

2011-12-17T19:30:00.001-08:00

Look What I Did!

2011-12-11T11:26:00.000-08:00

I held still while my mom traced my hand for a turkey picture.

I colored my hand turkey all by myself.

I pulled myself up.

I made Christmas ornaments.

Chris put together this tree table/stand.

We love the way it turned out:)

Before...

after!!

(Ginny did this, btw)

Also this...

and this.

Gobble, Gobble, Gobble

2011-12-04T16:34:00.001-08:00

We had a wonderful Thanksgiving in Utah. It was an entire week of fun, stuffing our faces, lots of shopping, poor sleep, and tons of babysitters to entertain our kids. We loved being around family and wished we all lived closer.

I was too busy or maybe a little lazy to whip out the camera, so I had to borrow these pictures (Thanks Katie!).

I'm still recovering from eating so much chocolate...

and pie. It was so yummy!

Our kids were the life of the party. We loved watching everyone interact with Lila and Calvin.

I only wish I had pictures of everyone.

I didn't know if Lila could handle us taking her away from her aunt Katie. They were inseparable!

Oh and I got to see my friend Kzimbo and meet her hubby for the first time. It was really great seeing her too!

Here's a pic of Chris' parents, also known as Nana and Papa to the kids.

They are constantly serving and work so hard to provide a great time when we come to visit. All I can say is, mission accomplished.

Last but not least, another effort at a family picture.

We are getting better but it's gonna be quite the effort to get everyone to look at the camera and smile at the same time.

Third times a charm, right?

I'm hoping:)

Happy Thanksgiving!

See The Resemblance?

2011-11-16T17:50:00.000-08:00

Like father...

like son.

Love them both:)

Today

2011-11-08T16:14:00.001-08:00

Today was great!

We had fun, I was patient, and we all took amazing naps:)

I look forward to many more days like today.

Lila loved licking the beater after making homemade ice cream!

Calvin enjoyed rolling around on the ground and under the tent:)

I've been trying to be better about starting my day off with prayer and scripture study. I notice a huge difference between the days I try to do it all on my own and the days I ask for my Heavenly Father's guidance. Today was great because of Him.

I know He loves me and I'm grateful for that.

Can't wait 'til tomorrow:)

There's Always One...

2011-11-06T14:35:00.001-08:00

who won't look at the camera.

Maybe next time:)

I Love South Carolina

2011-11-01T18:25:00.000-07:00

It's so BEAUTIFUL here!

That's all.

What Candy?

2011-10-31T16:54:00.000-07:00

We took Lila and Calvin to a Fall Festival to do some trunk-or-treating. Here are pics from the night.

My cute little skeletons:)

Lila wasn't so sure she would have fun in the beginning.

She was more interested in pushing the stroller.

In the end, she enjoyed people giving her candy. Maybe even more than pushing the stroller.

Calvin along for the ride. Waiting for his next meal, as always:)

My sister-in-law, Lizz, was probably the most excited to trunk-or-treat.

I didn't get a picture of my brother, Ben, analyzing the jar of candy corn. He stood there forever before submitting his guess. I don't even think the prize was very exciting but he took his guess very seriously.

Here are pictures of some of the decorated trunks.

Notice the cross carved in the pumpkin. A baptist church co-hosted this event.

Oh and this is Jonah and the whale. I kept hearing other people saying, 'look at the shark'.

Happy Halloween!

"I Was Like, What"

2011-10-18T09:10:00.000-07:00

So much is happening in a short amount of time that it is hard to keep up.

This is the only picture I've taken of our house.

Who knows when I'll take more.

Lila is getting so big and I'm always amazed at how much she understands. She is a great helper too!

Calvin tried rice cereal for the first time.

He didn't like it.

But he loved the highchair:)

He is getting his first tooth and handling it really well.

Calvin also recently started trying to crawl.

But I think he would rather fly.

Father and son in matching Polo.

How sweet:)

While she may be a great helper at times, she also does whatever she wants:)

We Bought a House!

2011-10-06T18:09:00.000-07:00

We are now homeowners for the first time and it feels good!

So Good:)

Pictures coming soon.

Memorable Moments

2011-09-29T19:25:00.000-07:00

Today is my 30th Birthday.

The BIG 30!

I'm not going through a mid-life crisis or anything (nor should I because my life is not mid-way) but it is a little strange to be 30 years old. It doesn't seem that long ago that I was in high school or graduating from college. I feel very blessed for the life I have been given. I'm grateful for the all the opportunities I have had to learn and grow. My family and friends are amazing and I feel important and loved. Most of all, I feel loved by my Heavenly Father. He has given me so much and continues to bless me.

Here are a few moments that stood out to me from today:

Chris wishing me happy birthday early this morning during a brief moment of being awake.

Chris making me breakfast.

Lila, with her sweet voice, telling me 'no', when I asked her for a birthday hug.

My brother Scott, telling me he was going to mow the lawn, when I asked him how he was going to celebrate my birthday.

Lila giving me a hug because she wanted to.

Calvin actually taking a 45 minute nap today in his bassinet.

Chris driving 10 miles to get me my birthday cake with chocolate crunchies, that I love.

Feeling love from so many people through phone calls, texts, and FB messages.

I couldn't have asked for a better birthday!

Can't wait to see what life in my 30's will bring:)

Things Change Quickly...

2011-09-04T17:22:00.000-07:00

From this...

to this...

I love Lila's expression and Calvin's lack of in these two photos:)

They actually play great together and despite what this photo shows, Lila handles the hair pulling well. At least she does so far. They love each other and that makes me happy.

On another note, here's some pics I took of them today.

The end.

Holy Moly

2011-08-01T17:02:00.000-07:00

My kids are completely the opposite in size!

People are always commenting how huge Calvin is. With Lila, it's how tiny she is. Calvin is now the size at 4 months that Lila was at 10 months. Chris and I each guessed what percentile they would be in and he was spot on about Calvin. We had their first doctor's appointment since we moved and here are their stats.

Lila

19 months old

21.2 lb (25th percentile)

32 inches long (42nd percentile)

Calvin

4 months old

16 lb (65th percentile)

27.4 inches long (99th percentile)

43.5 cm head circumference (96th percentile)

It's official, Calvin is HUGE, but proportionate!

Lila's dainty on the outside but can hold her own and we love her that way:)

I'm glad Lila has a younger, BIG brother to take care of business for her if a situation arises that requires the assistance of a BIG brother.

Aside from the vaccination shots they get each time we go to the doctor, I love seeing how much they've grown.

~Go See Cal, Go See Cal, Go See Cal~

2011-07-31T16:33:00.001-07:00

Calvin is getting so strong!

(I'm sure it's from all the eating he does.)

He holds up his head during tummy time now.

He also moves all around when playing on the ground or laying in his bassinet.

Calvin has also been sleeping like a champ. Not only has he been sleeping between 9-11 hours a night for the past month and a half but twice this week, I was able to put him to bed awake and he put himself to sleep! Love him:)

The big news for today is Calvin rolled over from his back to stomach for the first time!!

This video doesn't quite catch everything but he did do it, I promise:)

Yay for Calvin!

Just 'Cause

2011-07-26T18:11:00.000-07:00

Lila uses utensils to eat now.

Calvin is always smiling!

He loves to roll around on the ground too.

Here's a video of him laughing and Lila yelling in the background.

Am I The Only One...

2011-07-13T17:17:00.001-07:00

...that finds this picture...

Hilarious?

Let me explain. Chris tried out a new cookie recipe and hated it. He HATES IT, like, he said it was the worst cookie in the world that has or would ever exist! I actually like them but that's not the point of this post or the picture. This is funny to me because he took a couple bites out of the one on the right and decided he hated it. Then after he put Lila to bed, he came back and took a another bite out of a different cookie and expressed his disgust for the cookies. I laughed when I saw the half eaten cookies.

God Bless America

2011-07-04T17:20:00.001-07:00

Happy 4th of July!!

18 and 3

2011-07-01T18:57:00.001-07:00

Lila turned 18 months this past Tuesday and Calvin is 3 months today!! Time has gone by so quickly. I can't believe how much they have grown and changed in such a short amount of time. With moving and still adjusting to being a mother of two, I haven't been very good at taking pictures often. I'm striving to do better because my children are so beautiful:)

Just look at them!

See what I mean, I need to take more pictures!

Anyway, I just wanted to take some time to celebrate them and this time in their life. I want to remember how Lila loves to play peek-a-boo and how she has so many different smiles and they are all my favorite. Also, how she says 'more, more, more...' when she wants more food. I want to remember how Calvin is so smiley in the morning when I pick him up and how he does not stop eating. Also, how he just falls asleep in my arms and nuzzles his nose next to my chin.

I am so grateful that I am able to stay at home with my kiddos. While being a stay-at-home mom can be difficult at times, it is always worth it. I love Lila and Calvin more and more each day. I am also learning from them. They continually teach me about patience, which some days are better than others. They also teach me about love. Lila is a great older sister. Even when she is upset, she wants to give Calvin kisses and then she is all better. Her resiliency is amazing and I wish I was the same. She holds no grudge and is quick to show love. Calvin is quick to calm down once you feed him. He also loves to cuddle and I love cuddling him:) My kids are wonderful and I love them!

Here are some more pics.

Pool time:

Bedtime:

Cuddle time:

Picture time:

Bath time:

Play time:

Peek-...

...A-Boo!!

Just Hanging Out

2011-06-16T17:21:00.000-07:00

I found my camera just in time:)

Lila is climbing up anything and everything these days. She can now climb up into her highchair on her own. Getting down by herself is tricky though.

Take a look.

I laughed out loud when I turned around to find her hanging by her skirt. Love her!!

Calvin just kinda hangs out with us. He doesn't sleep for very long during the day and still eats all the time. (Chris calls him our little meatball) Calvin frequents the swing a lot so I feel like I do something other than feed and burp him.

Here he is enjoying a little swinging. Although you can't tell by his facial expression, he really does enjoy it. Love him too!!

We Made It

2011-06-03T08:14:00.000-07:00

Moving is tough for a bunch of reasons and here's my list:

1. Packing. (This was made easier thanks to Chris' parents but it still stressed me out)

2. Finding a place to live while not knowing the area. (This was made easier thanks to the Rogers but also stressed me out)

3. Flying with two kids. (I will never do that again)

4. Leaving friends behind and starting over. (I miss my Omaha girls)

5. Unpacking. (I'm not sure when/if we will be done with that)

6. Its' exhausting. (Which is why the list stops there, but trust me, there are more reasons)

However, we like it here! We are renting a cute little house and it's so nice to have our own space. Our ward is huge but the people are great and have made us feel welcome. It's still an adjustment but we are excited for this new adventure. Pictures to come as soon as I can find the camera.

Calvin's Baby Blessing

2011-05-10T10:48:00.001-07:00

It's funny to me how looking forward to a special event takes more time than experiencing the actual event. I was thinking that right after Calvin's baby blessing. However, no matter how quickly it comes and goes, I will always cherish hearing Calvin's beautiful blessing given by his father. I'm so grateful for the priesthood here on earth and even more grateful for my husband's worthiness to hold it. Chris did a wonderful job and so did Calvin:) I'm also grateful my parents were here for the special day too.

Here are pics from the day.

Love you Calvin:)

Guess Who Can Say Her Name...

2011-04-15T18:35:00.000-07:00

And Then There Were Two...

2011-04-07T17:32:00.001-07:00

Our beautiful baby boy is finally here!!

Calvin Scott Johnson was born on Sunday, April 3, 2011 at 3:51 pm. He weighed 7 lbs 13 oz and measured 20 inches long. He came out screaming but has since been a sweet and calm baby, except for when he's cold, but who can blame him:).

Here are some pics from the big day.

The Birth Story:

I started feeling contractions throughout the night after I went to bed Saturday night. I noticed the contractions when I would get up to go to the bathroom but was too tired to care how far apart they were. When I got up at 6am for yet another bathroom break, I had another contraction. I figured I should wake Chris up to tell him just in case. He asked how many I had and I guessed about five. He did the math and figured I was having them 1-2 hrs apart. While we were talking I had another contraction, then another and they were all of a sudden 10 minutes apart. Chris quickly found a contraction counter app for the iPhone so we could keep track. I remember thinking "really? you're going to look for an app when all we need is a clock?". However, it is a really cool app cause it keeps track of all the data! It keeps track of the duration and interval and times of each contraction. There really is an app for everything:) Anyway, we chatted a little bit more about what we should do and what if this really is the day our baby is born!! It all seemed so casual and laid-back, well except for the painful contractions every 10 minutes or so. We finally got up around 7 and started getting ready. Neither of us felt the need to rush so we didn't. I called my doctor's office and they said to go to the hospital to get checked.

We got to the hospital at 9:30am. The nurse checked me and I was dilated to a 6/7. The nurses seemed shocked and said I wasn't going anywhere. They started the check-in process and all the poking. Like it's not enough to have a little person come out of you, you have to get poked by a bazillion needles before hand. Then our friends came and picked up Lila. (Thanks again Stephanie and Jeff!) I finally got some rest when I got the epidural around 2pm. Within 45 minutes of starting the pitocin, they said I was ready. Calvin arrived at 3:51pm after pushing through 5 contractions!!!

It's so crazy to me how smooth and quickly everything happened. We never felt frantic or hurried. The experience was just as calm as when I was induced with Lila. This recovery has been so much better too. Not sure why but I'm loving it. I feel so blessed for this wonderful experience. Calvin is so cute and sweet and we love him so much!!! We look forward to getting to know him. Lila met him the next day and she is so interested in her little brother. She will be a great little helper.

Love these two!!!!!!!!

Lila Being Lila

2011-03-23T18:05:00.000-07:00

I keep thinking about how very soon it will no longer be just me and Lila during the day. We are so excited for Calvin to come but I wonder how it will affect Lila. I think she will be a great big sister and love the company but I really don't know how she will respond to this life-changing event. I'm constantly thinking of how to get her ready. We've been working on sleep training, feeding herself, and just being a little more independent during playtime. I'm hoping this will help. She is amazing and really has learned so much in such a short amount of time.

For the past little while, I forget about how I want her to be independent and I cuddle her longer, kiss her soft cheeks more often, and just study her more as she plays. I love her so much and want the best for her. I feel incredibly blessed to be her mother and hope she knows how much I love her.

Lila is very sweet and affectionate. Her latest is blowing kisses and it is so cute! I love all her facial expressions and there are a lot:) She also has many laughs, even a pity laugh! Her curiosity is hilarious and I laugh often at the things she does. She seems to have a careful/adventurous spirit about her. I enjoy watching her grow and change and look forward to seeing her personality develop even more. I just love my little Lila!!!

Here are a few recent, favorite pics of her.

Love you Lila!:)

2 More Weeks...

2011-03-23T17:51:00.001-07:00

Well...maybe.

You never really know, but I have a feeling Calvin is coming on his due date (April 6th) and not a moment sooner. Guess we will have to wait and see. We are excited and ready to meet our little guy:)

Trucks and Dirt...

2011-03-18T12:48:00.000-07:00

Some friends of mine were kind enough to throw me a baby shower. It was a lot of fun and there was a lot of good food! I thought to take pictures as people showed up but then got distracted. Here's pics of the food and decorations.

I loved the quote tree and how the food was in buckets:)

After we ate, we played some games. One of the games was the Attribute game. Everyone had a list of attributes and had to guess what attribute they thought Chris and I wanted Calvin to have from each of us. I don't know if that makes sense or not but it was a cute game. After the games I opened presents. Calvin is gonna look so cute in all of his new outfits!! Thanks everyone for coming and for the great gifts!

Shannon and Stephanie (the hostesses)

Thanks for throwing the shower:) I had so much fun and you girls are awesome!!

What a Difference a Year Makes...

2011-03-08T12:04:00.000-08:00

Chris and I celebrated our 2nd anniversary yesterday! Yay for us:) Chris took a half day to hang out with me and Lila. It was a nice, relaxing day. Then Chris and I got dressed up and went out for dinner. It's so refreshing to spend time together, just the two of us. We can hold hands, talk without interruptions, and we don't feel like we're on someone else's schedule. Love it!

It's crazy to think we have only been married two years! It feels like so much more than that with all the life changes in the last two years. We have lived in three different states and are expecting our second baby! Our life is amazing and I wouldn't change a thing:) We have been and continue to be so blessed. I love my husband! He is perfect for me and I love sharing our life together.

Some pics from the night:

Happy Anniversary to Us:)

Reading is Interesting and Yummy

2011-02-21T17:14:00.001-08:00

Lila loves her books! She is constantly coming up to me or Chris with a book. We pull her up on our lap and she sits so still as we read to her. She always looks so interested and stares at each picture carefully.

Aren't they cute?

After we finish reading she grabs the book out of our hands and puts it in her mouth to chew on.

Captured the habit in the act:)

We're working on breaking that habit but it hasn't stopped yet. Hopefully her love of books is more than eating them. I guess only time will tell.

33 Weeks

2011-02-16T13:16:00.001-08:00

I am 33 weeks today! I had an ultrasound yesterday and Calvin is gonna be a big boy. He is measuring 2 weeks ahead. I definitely feel like I'm carrying a bigger baby this time but that's not hard considering how small Lila was. I realized after we left they didn't give us a single picture from the ultrasound. Bummer:(

So, all I have is this belly shot of me.

We are getting more and more excited:) These next 7 weeks are gonna fly by!

See you soon Calvin:)

Love,

Mom, Dad, and Lila

Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious

2011-02-02T08:17:00.001-08:00

Mary Poppins, the Broadway musical, came to Omaha and I got tickets for Christmas. It was my favorite Disney movie growing up. I think there is a family story about the VCR breaking from me wanting to watch it so much. Well, at least wanting to watch it more than my brother, Scott, wanted to watch Peter Pan. Anyway, we went to the show last night. It couldn't have been a worse night to venture out but 'the show must go on'. That's what the theater agent said when I called to see if the show would be cancelled due to inclement weather.

The roads were so bad, it took a few tries to get up the hill to our friends house who watched Lila for us. The major roads didn't look like they had been plowed either. I have decided snow is pretty to look at and fun to occasionally play in but nothing more.

Here are a few pics from the evening:
.

I love going to shows but this one wasn't the best. They added a few weird scenes and songs but I really enjoyed the familiar scenes from the movie.

It's just fun to have a date night, even if it's freezing cold outside!

There was more snow on the car when we came out, but the roads were much better. It still took us a few tries to get back up that hill to pick up Lila, but we made it. Man, I wish our car had 4 wheel drive. Actually, I wish we lived in a placed where we don't need 4 wheel drive.

This picture describes how I now feel about snow. No words needed.

And here's a picture of our adorable Lila. Just cause I wanted to:)

Christmas in Florida

2011-01-25T11:02:00.000-08:00

I counted down the days until we left for Florida. I miss being around my family and loved that we got to spend my favorite time of year with them. Chris, Lila and I flew in on the 23rd. On Christmas Eve, my family has a tradition of caroling and we must wear santa hats or reindeer headbands. It's one of those traditions that I'm hesitant to do but I always end up loving it. This year was no exception! Christmas day was relaxing starting with reading the birth of Christ in Luke, trying to sing part of the Messiah, opening stockings and presents, then ending the day with a great meal. I LOVE CHRISTMAS!

Throughout the week we got to spend time with more of my family during Lila's 1st birthday celebration, Gaylord Palms ICE exhibit, Pope family ping pong tournament/bbq, and at the Manatee Viewing Center.

We celebrated Lila's 1st birthday at Medard Park with pizza, cake and presents. I think Lila had a lot of fun running around. She didn't dive into the cake like I thought she would have but maybe we didn't wait long enough. It was fun to have all of my family there to celebrate her special day.

The Gaylord Palm ICE exhibit was amazing. You walk through the convention center in 9 degree temperature and everything is sculpted in ice. They lend you a parka to wear during the tour. It's funny to me that we left that kind of weather in NE and paid to be in it in FL:) Chris even won a bet with my brother, Jeremy, about how long he could go without wearing the parka. This year's theme was 'Twas the Night Before Christmas'. It really was a sight to see. There was a slide that Chris and my niece and nephews went down. It ended with an awe inspiring Nativity scene. Amazing!

We also had a bbq with a double elimination ping pong tournament as well. My family loves playing games and they were played non-stop. Chris and I taught everyone a new game, Citadels, that quickly became a favorite. We also made a visit to the Manatee Viewing Center. The center is right next to a power plant which kind of takes away from the nature feel but the warm water from the plant is why the manatees tend to migrate there. I couldn't get a good picture of the manatees in the water but there were also sting rays and a pelican to look at. Oh, and for the non Floridians, they have a hurricane similator. Chris tried it out for a small fee.
We ended our trip with one last get together at my brother Barry's house for home-made pizza, blizzards, and playing Kinect Sports. Oh, and finding out that my other brother, Ben, eloped on New Year's Eve!!! Another story for another time.
So, all and all it was a very eventful trip. I'm so grateful we got to spend the time with my family. I only wish we could see everyone more often. I love the Christmas season and wish it didn't go so fast.

Below is a slide show of the pics taken during our visit.

Santa Baby

2011-01-24T16:43:00.000-08:00

Lila met Santa for the first time at our ward Christmas party. She wasn't overly excited by the big man in red but she definitely loves the Eeyore doll he gave her:)

A Thanksgiving Miracle

2011-01-24T15:09:00.000-08:00

We decided to drive to UT for Thanksgiving to spend it with Chris' fam. Anxious to see them, we seriously underestimated the weather report, forcasting snow, and headed out anyway. The trip started out fine but quickly became scary. We had just entered Wyoming when the snow started falling and you could barely see the road. I was driving and slid off the road a little. We were able to make it to a rest area/wilderness center to wait out the storm. It was around 3am and we spent the next 3 hrs snacking, resting, and taking pics to remember the experience.

Lila can have fun anywhere at any time:)

We finally made it to Chris's parents house after being in the car for 20 hrs! The rest of our trip was a blast:) We ate great food, chatted, shopped, and relaxed. The time went by too fast.

After the ordeal getting there, Chris was hesitant to have Lila and I drive back with him. So, Lila and I flew back while Chris and his dad drove. It was a Thanksgiving Miracle we made it there and back safely:)

We're Having a Boy!!

2010-12-02T09:19:00.000-08:00

We are so excited to have another little one! Lila has been such a great baby and I can't wait to see what little Calvin (we already decided his name) will be like. The due date is April 6, 2011. This pregnancy is going great so far and both of us are healthy. I've been feeling him kick more and more in the past week. Time is flying by.

Can't wait to meet you Calvin:)

Can't Sit Still

2010-11-15T14:00:00.000-08:00

Lila is walking! She took her first steps on her own when she was 9 1/2 mths. She had been cruising along the couches the few months before that. It's amazing how quickly she improves!

This is what she does all day long:)

Personalities

2010-11-07T14:10:00.000-08:00

I opened up the fridge the other day to find this and thought it was funny/interesting so I took a picture.

We had two of these cartons of chocolate milk and Chris decided to label one as his. I guess he thought only writing the message 'don't drink Ginny' wasn't enough so the skull and crossbones picture was also necessary to keep me from drinking it.

I think this scenario is a perfect example of Chris' personality (writing a ridiculous message on a milk carton and joke about not wanting to share). My personality is best described by how I react to such things (laughing while I drink the milk anyway). This also made me wonder what Lila's personality will be. Will she be like one of us or the other? Will she take a little from each of us or will she be completely different all together?

We will just have to wait and see:)

Here's all our personalities as they are now.

Charming

Honest

Ready, Set, Go

Insanely Hilarious

Super Competitive

Good-Humored

Inclusive

Nurturing

No-Nonsense

Lovable

Intrepid

Laid-back

Adorable

Halloween Festivities!

2010-10-31T16:52:00.000-07:00

Our first Halloween activity was getting pumpkins to carve.

This sign

was at a church where we bought our pumpkins. People think Mormons are weird, go figure.

Lila didn't know what to think about the pumpkins but I think she liked the wagon we used to haul them around in.

These are our creations.

We also watched 'Tim Burton's, The Nightmare Before Christmas', it's a family tradition.

Chris' mom gave us this singing/dancing Frankenstein and Lila has a love/hate relationship with him. She always pushes him over when he's singing/dancing then she laughs and dances to the music.

Isn't she the cutest witch ever?!

Chris and I didn't dress up this year but I think we will from now on. It just makes it more fun.

I made these candy men for the kids in my Sunday school class.

Lila's first Halloween was a hit!

Hope yours was too:)

Nana and Grandpa Johnson Visit

2010-10-21T07:57:00.000-07:00

They just had to come see Lila and how much she's grown. So they packed up the car and made the drive from Utah. Gifts were involved of course.

Lila playing with her new Cabbage Patch Kid.

Lila loves these toy beads! She chews on them and is always carrying as she moves around the room.

Chris and I were able to go to the Temple together while Nana and Grandpa watched Lila and toured the Mormon Trail Center.

We also went to

Where Brigham Young was sustained as the 2nd prophet and president of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

It has been great living close to and visiting these church history sights. They are a constant reminder of how much the pioneers sacrificed to bring forth the restoration of the gospel of Jesus Christ. I'm so grateful for their example of faith and diligence.

Lowell and Sharon left us for a few days and visited some more sights. They originally intended to go to Adam-Ondi-Ahmen then onto Independence, MO. Instead, they headed to Nauvoo, IL after Adam-Ondi-Ahmen. They were able to go to the Nauvoo Temple while they were there and ran into some old friends from California. It really is a small world.

They came back and stayed with us for one more day then headed back home.

Thanks for coming:) We loved having you here!

It's coming...I can feel it!

2010-09-09T16:43:00.000-07:00

Today, Lila put my hand in her mouth and sarted sucking on it. I felt a sharpness on her bottom gum. Lila's first tooth is coming through!!!

Can you see it...can you? Yeah, neither can I, but I can feel it!

Lila is Crawling!!

2010-08-11T13:09:00.000-07:00

This first video is of Lila beginning to crawl last week.

This second video is of her crawling today.

I'm so amazed at how fast she improves. I shouldn't be, cause she practices everyday. All her hard work has paid off:)

She can also sit up on her own too. I love watching her learn and grow!!

Keep on Comin'

2010-08-03T09:05:00.000-07:00

The visitors just keep on comin' and we love it! We've either had family or friends come to visit once a month since May. Our friends, Jeanne and Kent Lamb, stopped by on there long road trip from CA. They haven't seen Lila since she was 3 mths. old and she's grown so much.

Jeanne and Kent holding Lila before bedtime.

I don't know how many times they had us over for dinner and games. It felt like old times. We ate and played games:)

Playing games. Jeanne threw the dice to make it an action shot.

Thanks for coming. It was great seeing you guys!!

Anyone else want to come visit? We'd love to see you:)

Thank Goodness for Honest People!!!!!

2010-07-31T17:59:00.000-07:00

We ran some errands today. Wal-Mart was our last stop and after leaving we realized our diaper bag was left in the grocery cart. Chris raced back as we both prayed we would find it. I prayed over and over in my head, 'please let the bag be in the cart or please let an honest person find it and turn it in to lost and found'. I started to think of all that was in the bag and became more and more nervous if we couldn't find it.

I can't blog without putting up a pic.

Our diaper bag with my phone and wallet. My wallet pretty much has my whole life in it and to replace everything would have been such a pain.

We drove by where the cart was left and it was empty. So, we went inside to lost and found hoping someone had turned it in. Of course there were like a billion people in line before me. Chris said he was going to walk around. I thought he was walking around the store looking to see if anyone had our bag. Then I imagined this scenario where he sees the bag in a person's cart. He approaches them telling them that's our bag. Then the thief attacks Chris by hitting him with the bag and then runs off. It's crazy where your mind goes when you are nervously waiting in a long line. Finally, it was my turn at the service desk and asked if a diaper bag had been turned in. As I watched the clerk walk to the back to look for it, I saw it on the ground behind a table. Relief immediately followed:) How great is that!!! Everything was safely in the bag as it belonged. This reminded me of another time when I lost my wallet during the Winter Olympics in Salt Lake City. An honest person found my wallet and called phone numbers on a list inside and then turned it into the police station. Thank goodness for honest people. They still exist and prayers are answered!!!!

A Long Drive But Totally Worth It

2010-07-17T08:36:00.001-07:00

My parents drove from FL, after stopping in Chattanooga, TN for a family reunion. They got here late Sunday night. I had a few activities in mind for us to do throughout the week giving them the first day to rest from the long drive. To my surprise, my dad knocked on our bedroom door at 8:30am and asked 'Are you gonna sleep your life away?' Apparently, I was wrong about resting and we headed out to see some sights. My dad requested to see Rosenblatt Stadium and eat at Zesto's, home of the town's BEST cheeseburger. As for the BEST part, it depends who you ask but it was an experience:)

He ordered the double cheeseburger and could barely put his mouth around it for a bite..

Mom and dad in front of the stadium.

Then we went to the Winter Quarters Temple and

Mormon Trail Center.

The next day I had a couple doctor appointments so my mom watched Lila for me.

Lila loved grandma reading to her.

My dad and Chris had to work the next couple of days so my mom, Lila and I went out. My mom really wanted to go to the Botanical Gardens and the Zoo. So we went.

My mom in the center of the Rose Garden.

. The Train Garden. Everything except the trains were made from natural materials. They also had a replica of old town Omaha.

Lila loving all the beautiful scenery and looking beautiful too.

Then we went to the zoo. Where we saw

a bear sleeping in a tree.

A monkey asking for a hand-out.

In the Desert Dome we saw a

Bobcat!

Then on our way out

my mom pretended to be a lion. Really, she made lion sounds while I took the picture.

That night my parents took us out for a Omaha Steak dinner and it was SO GOOD.

Friday morning, Lila helped my dad with work while my mom and I

went to the Temple.

That afternoon, we went searching for where my dad's mom, Grandma Virginia and Great Grandma Florence used to live. We had 3 addresses. The first two looked like this,

vacant lots.

And the third address is now a homeless shelter neighoring a detox center.

But my dad was happy to see they named a street after his grandma.

Friday night dinner.

Thanks mom and dad for cooking the whole week!

Sad you had to go:( Thanks for coming. We love you, miss you and can't wait to see you next!

It's Hard to Tell....

2010-07-11T16:03:00.001-07:00

Does Lila think baby food is

Yummy

or Disgusting?
.

We have way more pics of her looking like she hates it. Either way she's got to keep eating it:)
.

Here are more pics of her eating.
.

What do you think?

The Greatest Show on Dirt

2010-07-02T09:25:00.001-07:00

Chris' brother Greg and family came to NE from UT and stayed with us for a few days. Their son Tanner's baseball team was in a tournament here and they also went to one of the College World Series games.

Tanner pitching and hitting.

Zach, Tanner, Kaden, Denise, and Greg

The whole family loves baseball and couldn't get enough of it except

Brynn:)

She was totally excited about hanging out with Lila and less than excited about all the baseball. So it worked out when we needed a babysitter when Chris and I went to a game. Denise and Brynn watched her for us and they had a blast.

Chris' work gave us general admission tickets. The free tickets were nice but you have to stand in line for like 2 hours to wait to find out if you even get a seat for the game. We didn't want to deal with that so we bought tickets from

John, some guy scalping tickets in the parking lot.

Isn't it hilarious he has business cards? Anyway, his number is legit and we looked over the tickets carefully to make sure we had the right date and other info was correct. After what happened with our WICKED tickets, we've become a little more careful. It was so nice to walk around, eat, and take pics at our leisure waiting for game time.

As we were searching for our seats, we noticed row 10, our row, didn't exist, or so we thought. To the left was row 9, then the walk way, then to the right was row 11. We looked down and saw numbers on the ground and a few folding chairs over some of the numbers. We looked at our tickets again and then noticed it said 'Special Needs' at the top. Are you kidding me? I guess we didn't look as closely as we thought. They were great seats but I felt a little awkward as more and more wheelchairs pulled up around us. We ended up trading seats with an elderly man who couldn't walk up the stairs very well and he was very grateful.

We went to the FSU v. TCU elimination game. It was a great game but dissapointing when FSU lost in the last 2 innings after being ahead the entire game.

Here are pics from the game:

Thanks for coming Greg, Denise, and fam. We loved having you stay with us and hope you come back again:)

To Be a Dad...

2010-06-28T09:30:00.000-07:00

We talked a lot about how we would be as parents waiting for Lila to be born. I knew Chris would be a great dad and could picture in my mind him holding and hugging her. He loves his little girl and knows just how to calm her when she's crying, how to make her smile and laugh, and loves holding her as she goes to sleep. I'm so grateful for all he does for me and Lila. We are lucky to have him:) Here are a few pictures to celebrate him for his first Father's day.

Lila loves her daddy and has the biggest smile for him when he comes home.

This pic was taken on Father's Day. Lila often looks at the camera like this, but she's cute even when she doesn't smile.

I made breakfast (eggs and sausage) and dinner (all-time favorite, rigatoni with garlic bread and strawberry cheesecake for dessert) for Chris. He was also showered with gifts. It was a great day.

The Latest with Lila

2010-06-16T19:55:00.001-07:00

I'm starting to sit up by myself...kind of.

. Sometimes I stretch out and lounge...
. and others I pull my feet to my mouth.

Kzimbo and Ash Come to Town

2010-06-14T18:15:00.000-07:00

My friends Kzimbo and Ash came to visit us for Memorial Day weekend. It was such a fun and relaxing weekend. They only had a few things on their to-do list and we did them all:)

First:

We went to the Winter Quarter's Temple and Pioneer Trail Center.

Second:

They both wanted to experience a real Omaha Steak. Chris and I both had been to Upstream before and really liked it. So did Kim and Ash!

Third:

Play games. I don't have any pictures but we had so much fun!

Ash also took family pictures for us. She got some great shots of us.

Lila couldn't stop smiling and laughing at

Kzimbo the clown..

Thanks for coming girls! Miss you and can't wait to see you next:)

A Day of Firsts

2010-06-09T09:20:00.001-07:00

This past Mother's Day was my first as a mom. It was such a nice day. Chris made me dinner and dessert. We were so hungry and Lila fell asleep right when the food was ready so we were in a hurry to eat and I forgot to take a picture of the finished product. This is the before pic.

Chicken with a creole seasoning and tomato, onion, and bell pepper on top. It's served with rice and so delicious!

Dessert was also very yummy.

Strawberry sorbet in a fresh pineapple bowl.

Chris gave me a few great presents along with some of my favorite treats. Lila rolled over for the first time as her present to me:) I didn't get a pic from that day but this is one of my new favorites of me and Lila

Can't wait for next year!

Florida x 2

2010-06-03T12:51:00.000-07:00

There were so many pictures, I figured it was better to do the slideshow and write a little about my trip.

Lila and I went to FL in April. It was her first time to the sunshine state and also meeting the Pope side of the family. She loved it and can't wait to go back. All of her cousins wanted to hold her and were great helpers. I'm sure they all will be good friends:)

We went down to Ft. Myers for a day to visit my Grampa Lloyd. He loved meeting Lila and it was so great to see him. That night we had a pizza party at Barry and Kassi's. They just bought their first house and it is beautiful. The next day Lila and I went with my sister Leigh and her family and Barry and his kids to Dinasaur World. My nephew Drew loves dinasaurs and we went there as a birthday thing for him. That afternoon we went to Jeremy and Laura's for a pool party and games. Then Sunday dinner at Mom and Dad's. I love when my whole family gets together! I only wish Chris could have been there:(

I also was able to meet up with my friends Tess and Maria. They both had babies within weeks of Lila being born. It's always fun visiting them and their babies are so cute.

It was a great trip!

A few days after I got back, my dad called to tell me my grampa had passed away. So one week after I got home from FL, I was headed right back to FL for the funeral. This slideshow:

is of pics from the funeral. I'm so grateful I got to see my grampa before he passed away and also that he got to meet Lila. We miss Grampa but know he is in a better place.

We moved to Nebraska...2 mths ago

2010-05-26T13:36:00.001-07:00

I'm playing catch up so this is old news. We moved from here:

Concord, CA

To here:

Omaha, NE

Stopping here:

Springville, UT

on the way. Chris drove our car while Lila and I flew. We met in Springville, UT where Chris' parents and a few siblings live. We spent Easter with his family. His brother Greg and sister Patty and their families hadn't met Lila yet. Everyone loved Lila and wanted to hold her, especially Katie:) We are grateful for the time we had to spend with family.

We moved to NE because Chris was transferred in his job. We will be here for 1 and 1/2 to 2 yrs. So far so good.

Things we like:

It's a lot cheaper than CA!
We love our apartment (it's twice the size of CA apt)
We have friends from AZ who are also here
It's less busy
Chris enjoys his work

Things we miss:

Chris' family
Josh and Chandra
Lamb family
Beautiful weather
Old ward

I'll have to put up pics of our place another time since it's not completely put together yet. We are excited for our adventure here and look forward to upcoming visitors.

4 Month Check-up

2010-05-19T18:21:00.000-07:00

Lila had her 4 month checkup today and she is doing great. (She's actually 4 1/2 mths) Weighing in at 13.1 lbs (20th pecentile) and 24 1/4 inches long (30th percentile), our doctor said she is progressing nicely especially being born at 4lbs 10 oz. She is rolling over, pulling herself up to stand (with a little help from us, of course), smiling, giggling, and starting to play with her toys...oh and constantly sucking on her hands:) Lila is growing up so fast and I can't believe how big she is getting. There is nothing greater than watching her learn new skills and interacting with us. We love her more and more each day!

Twisting and Turning

2010-05-12T17:01:00.000-07:00

Lila is starting to move around more and more. Mostly in circles. I'll put her down lying one direction and come back to find her in a completely different direction. It doesn't take her long to complete a full circle.

I wonder what she will do next:)

A lot has happened....

2010-04-22T10:48:00.000-07:00

Lila is getting older and bigger, we visited Chris' fam for Easter, we moved to Nebraska, and we visited my fam in Florida...I dont have time to blog in detail right now but it's coming soon:)

Dear Sleep: I've missed you, welcome back...

2010-03-12T14:58:00.000-08:00

Lila slept for 8 hours last night for the first time! Hopefully it continues:)

Thanks Lila!

Happy Anniversary To Us!!!

2010-03-07T15:35:00.001-08:00

Today is our one year anniversary. This year has been incredible and I'm so grateful for all the blessings we've recieved, and there have been many:) To celebrate, we went to dinner at Ruth's Chris last night. It was fun to get dressed up, go out and spend time together. The food was delicious and the staff made it extra special by putting rose petals on our table and treating us to a dessert, nice huh?

We asked for our dessert to go because we were too full to eat it there. So our waiter put two candles on a plate for us each to make a wish. I thought it was nice even though I never knew you blew out candles and made wishes on anniversaries. To many more wonderful years together, making memories. I love you Chris:)

Days before our anniversary, Chris and I were talking about 'our story'. We want to have how we met and dated and decided to get married in writing so our kids could read it and also, so we won't forget details that are so fresh to us now. Here it is if you want to read it.

Chris and I were living in Phoenix, Arizona when we were set up on a blind date by our mutual friend, Sara Chapman, in February 2008. Chris called to set up a day and time but I was in the car with my friend Christin and had a hard time hearing him so he had to keep repeating everything he said. I sensed he wasn't pleased about repeating but I remember laughing about it. Chris confirmed later it made for an awkward first phone call. The day came and he picked me up to go out to eat. On the phone he only asked if I wanted to go to dinner. I figured he wanted to see how dinner went and then continue the date if I passed the initial screening. After dinner he asked if I wanted to go to his apartment to talk and play guitar hero. In my mind I was thinking, ‘I guess I passed’. We just talked and played guitar hero. We both said later that we had fun but didn’t know what to expect next. We went out a couple more times and I started to like Chris but couldn’t figure out how interested he was. Chris later told me he was drawn to me but because he had recently come out of a long relationship, he wasn't ready to date seriously. In March, some friends of mine planned a camping trip and convinced me to invite him. He came and throughout the night we made a bet about the time the second half of the group would show up. When he asked what he gets if he wins, I told him to choose. He decided he should get a kiss if he wins. I replied, ‘just one?’ Chris laughed and replied ‘well, I didn’t want to be greedy’. I was a little embarrassed after I said that because my intent was to clarify but obviously that is not how it was interpreted. I lost the bet and Chris got his kiss(es).
We continued to spend time together but the relationship was not defined. I already knew I was interested but did not want to be the one to initiate a conversation telling him that. One night after institute, Sara (same as above), Chris and I went over to Chris’ house to watch 'The Office'. We all drove separate cars. When we got there, Sara and I had a hard time finding places to park. Chris called me while I was trying to find a parking space, to apologize for the scarce parking and ask if I found one yet. While on the phone with him, Sara called in on the other line. I told Chris to hold on because Sara was calling to find out where his apartment was. By then, I had parked and was walking through the complex to his apartment. I clicked over to Sara and told her where to go. She then started asking me about Chris, saying things like ‘Isn’t Chris cute? He’s just so cute.’ I replied, ‘I know, he is so cute’ and went on and on about how much I like him. Then all of sudden I heard ‘uh, Ginny, this is Chris, you’ve been talking to me the whole time.’ I froze! I looked down at my phone and it said Sara as the caller. I was in total disbelief, thinking it had to be a joke, that Sara had passed him her phone and told him to say that. Nope, I wasn’t that lucky. Apparently, Sara hung up right when I clicked over to answer her call so my phone went back to Chris’ call but my phone still read Sara on it. Chris thought it would be obvious it wasn’t her because he did a horrible impression of Sara. Not so obvious to me though. I thought she sounded funny but since I was sure I clicked over it never occurred to me that I would be talking to anyone else. I hung up the phone and called Sara to ask her if I was just talking with her, praying that I was. By then Chris told her what happened and they both were laughing. I thought about turning around, walking back to my car and going home but Sara convinced me to stay. I was completely embarrassed. Chris tried his best to make me feel better about the situation but he thought it was funny too. My only consolation was that we were going to watch the show, 'The Office', which is full of awkwardness but it would make me laugh. Not so lucky again because it didn't get recorded. We all sat there for a few minutes then Sara said she had to go and I quickly followed her out the door. She laughed the whole way back to her car, trying her best to reassure me it wasn't that embarrassing. I then sat in my car contemplating if I should go back up to Chris' and find out what or if he was thinking about us. I couldn't make the decision and had to get a second opinion. I called my friend Ashley, who was visiting her fam in CA. She had me on speaker phone and I retold the story. Well, her fam thought the story was hilarious and unanymously agreed I should go back and talk to Chris. So I did. He really felt bad that I was so embarrassed and gave me a hug, which made me feel better. We started talking and he said he really liked spending time with me but he wasn't interested in dating me. I told him there's no point for us to be friends if he already knew he didn't want to date. He did not expect that and was a little taken back. He walked me to my car and gave me a hug. I remember thinking 'this is the last time I'm gonna see or hear from this guy.' Well, the next day Chris texted me and a few days later he called asking if I was going to some party. I was a little bothered by it, but also a little happy. After awhile I kinda gave up the idea of not being friends since he continued to keep in contact and I didn't want to tell him to stop because I liked him. Chris told me later that he wanted to get to know me better but he wasn't ready to date me.

The beginning of July I went home to Florida for a visit. Chris called and texted me throughout the week and it stood out to me how he kept asking when I was coming back to Arizona. He called the day after I returned to see if I was going to our stake volleyball game. I wasn't able to go. Later that week, he asked if I wanted to get together. I already had plans with friends to go to a midnight showing of 'The Dark Knight', so I invited him to come along. He came. All this attention got me wondering if he had changed his mind about dating me. So I asked him and he restated as he said before that he couldn't date me. I was a little frustrated and confused. I again said I didn't want to be his friend but I changed my mind two days later and called to tell him. I realized we had become good friends regardless of the whole dating/non-dating situation. Chris agreed and apologized for his confusing behavior. One week later Chris called and asked me out. He said, 'you probably hate me but do you want to go out on a date this weekend?' I said yes, of course. Chris made me lasagna for dinner and it was delicious. We watched a movie and then ventured to the back yard to chat. We were in the hammock together and we kissed. We still debate about who kissed whom because we each think the other initiated the kiss. The next night we went out and decided we shouldn't continue kissing if we weren't going to be exclusive.

Throughout August and September, we went out on some dates but it wasn't until my birthday (September 29th) that he no longer was known as 'Fickle McFickleson' to my roomates. He made me whatever I wanted for dinner and I requested steak, mashed potatoes and gravy, aparagus and homemade cheesecake with strawberries for dessert. It was so good. That night he kissed me and from then on, we saw each other almost everyday. Chris went home to Utah for Thanksgiving. Later, I found out he had mentioned to his parents that he was thinking about proposing to me but wasn't sure when. I picked him up from the airport when he came back and that's the first time we said 'I love you' to each other. I asked Chris if he wanted to come home to Florida with me for Christmas. He came and proposed December 29th, 2008. We had already planned on going to the beach the morning he was flying back to Arizona. We got there early in the morning and layed out a blanket to sit on and enjoy the remaining of the sunrise. We were practically the only ones on the beach. Chris asked me if I wanted a snack. I turned around to look at the condos behind us and when I turned back around Chris was down on one knee with a ring. I gasped and couldn't believe it. He said he loved me and some other wonderful things then asked if I would marry him. I said yes! We went to breakfast and then I took him to the airport. We were married March 7th, 2009:)

Time is flying by...

2010-03-04T10:16:00.000-08:00

Lila just had her 2 month check up and we can't believe how much she's grown. She now weighs 9lbs 8oz and is 20 inches long. That's more than double her birth weight and 2 1/2 inches longer.

Here's a pic of an outfit she wore during her first few weeks and what she can wear now. She was so tiny!

I just love her feet and they are getting bigger too:)

Sometimes she falls asleep when I'm burping her.

Lila and her daddy in their Sunday best. Thanks for the cute dress and sweater Laura! Lila looks so cute in it.

Lila's Baby Blessing

2010-02-26T19:20:00.000-08:00

Isn't she beautiful?!!! Lila Sharon Johnson was blessed on Sunday, February 21st. It was a special day that I will always remember and tell Lila all about when she's older. Chris gave a wonderful blessing to Lila. He blessed her to have a strong testimony and love of the gospel, a good sense of humor, compassion for others, and many more wonderful things. Lila was as always, calm and easy going. She even waved to the congregation when Chris held her up to show her to everyone:) She's just so cute! Her Grandma (whom her middle name is after) and Grandpa Johnson were able to be here from Utah and my sister-in-law Shannon and her family came as well as our friend Josh from Sacramento.

After the blessing, Chris was holding her and this note was passed to us from his niece, Kiley. We were expecting a cute pic or something but then laughed when we saw this. So, of course we had to pass Lila around for the family to hold her. She only opened her eyes briefly to give a look of 'what are you doing and who has me now?"

I'm not sure why we didn't take one pic with everyone but we did take pics with everyone seperately. Here they are:

Our family pic.

.
Afterwards, everyone came to our place for some food and to visit. Chris' parents adore Lila and wanted to hold her every chance they could and Lila loved it as well:)

Grandma Johnson and Lila relaxing.
.
Grandpa Johnson admiring Lila's beauty.
.

This was her outfit under her blessing gown. It made me laugh so I thought I would share it with you.

Wish my family and the rest of Chris' family could have been there but they were with us in spirit. Miss and love you all:)

Put Your Hands Up!

2010-02-14T21:05:00.000-08:00

Since birth baby Lila has found an interesting sleeping position to be her position of choice. Virtually every time we put her down, sooner or later, both arms creep up and rise up above her head. Lila has been nice enough to let us take shots of her while sleeping to capture her cute poses.

Shortly after birth.

Kissing her guns.

Not sure if this counts but I love the cat heads on her feet!

Finally, today's shot shows off her Valentine's Day outfit she strutted at church today. Ginny and I wonder if this trend will stick or if it's temporary. I can't imagine it being comfortable as she gets older. I've tried it, not that great...

What do an ostrich, horse, and puppy have in common?

2010-01-22T14:10:00.000-08:00

Answer: Lila's crying.

She has incorporated each of these animal sounds into different cries. The ostrich yelp comes out when she is cold from being changed or after bath time. The horse neh is at the end of her cry when she's tired and trying to fall back asleep. The puppy sound is in the middle of her eating. I only wish I could record her when it happens but it's so spontaneous I can't.

Just when I think she can't get any cuter:)

Grandma Pope Visit

2010-01-20T14:14:00.001-08:00

My mom came for a week and it was so great to have her here! There's nothing like having your mom around. Especially when she took over some of the late night/early morning shifts so that I could continue sleeping:) We pretty much stayed inside watching the show, '24' dvds (my mom was surprisingly into it. She couldn't stop watching and kept begging for more). We also made a few trips outside our tiny appartment. We went for walks, did a little shopping and went to the Temple. Here are some pics of Grandma Pope and Lila.

Grandma rocking Lila.

Before we left for the Temple.

Grandma pushing Lila on our walk at the park.

Love these two. Miss you mom!

Our 1st Christmas!

2010-01-10T13:51:00.000-08:00

We weren't able to travel to be with family for Christmas due to it being so close to the end of my pregnancy. Chris and I talked about family traditions growing up and it seemed the only thing similar was the fact that our dad's always read about the birth of Christ from Luke 2. So we did a little of both family's traditions and look forward to the coming years as our family expands and traditions continue. We had a nice relaxing morning, then went to a friend's house for Christmas dinner.

.Chris and me on Christmas day:)

Chris gave me one of the best gifts ever for Christmas. For those of you who know me, you know I LOVE The Cosby Show and Bill Cosby. I grew up watching the show and can't get enough of it. Well, Bill came to CA for a stand-up show and Chris got us tickets...YAY:) We went last Saturday and it was so much fun! Meeting him is the only thing that could have made it better.

I LOVE my husband!!!!!

me, Chris and Bill after the show.

Baby Shower

2010-01-08T14:08:00.001-08:00

I've been anxiously awaiting my baby shower since we moved to Nor Cal in July. My ole' roomies made the trip from AZ to be here for it!! Ashley's mom, Jeanne has been planning it since July and all her hard work paid off. She has taken such good care of us since we moved here and my baby shower was no exception. I had so much fun and couldn't believe how much Jeanne did for this party. She is amazing and you'll see what I mean in the pics below. It was the best baby shower ever! The only thing that could have made it better was if my mom and sisters could have been here for it.

(The ole' roomies) Kathy, Kzimbo, Jill, Ash and me.

The food was amazing.

Jeanne made all these fancy desserts herself. She spent a week baking. A week, I tell you! She also made the bread for the sandwhiches and dyed the bread pink and white. We had fudge, toffee, lemon tarts, chocolate covered bananas, a variety of cookies...I'm gonna stop cause you just had to be there.

So I mentioned this party has been in the making for months now, and when Jeanne first started talking about who I would invite, I thought the only people I know are coming from AZ. But as time went on, I've gotten to know some great women in my ward. Everyone has been so nice to me and made me feel welcomed since day one. It was so great to have them at the shower also and offer so much support for the trials of parenthood. Here are some pics of some of the guests.

. Emily and Kirsten with Allie in the back. (I'm one of the Mia-Maid leaders and Allie is one of my girls)

. Some of the young women leaders I work with and another one of my girls, Whitney.

Brooklyn with Jane and Anderson.

Kim, Kathy, Jill, and Chandra. (Chandra is the wife of Chris' best friend Josh)

Yay for family! Kiley, Ashley, me, Shannon, and Elise.

Ashley and Shannon are my sisters-in-law and Kiley and Elise are my nieces (Shannon's daughters). They drove over from Sacramento and it was so great to see them. Wish we could see them more often cause they are a lot of fun.

After everyone ate and chatted for a bit we played some games. One of the games we played was the string game to guess the circumference of my belly. Kathy won thanks to her 1 to 1 ratio trick but she was gracious enough to give it to the next best guesser, since she was the one in charge of the game.

Kathy measuring me.

Since it was Christmas time all my presents were under the tree waiting for me to un-wrap them.

We got some great stuff that we really needed like Butt Paste and a changing table but also some fun stuff like adorable baby clothes...

and this beautiful quilt Jeanne made for Lila. I told you she is amazing!

I'm a mommy and Chris is a daddy:)

2010-01-05T18:55:00.001-08:00

Sunday, December, 27th 2009 we went to the hospital for some 'prep work' prior to being induced. Here's pics of us before leaving.

.Chris carrying all our stuff.

.Me trying not to look nervous. (but I totally was)

In the process, my water was accidentally broken which kind of expedited things. By 11 pm I was dilated to 3 cm. We got a few hours of sleep before they started the pitocin at 4am Monday morning. After experiencing my water breaking and some miserable contractions the night before, I decided to get my epidural when they started the pitocin. Thank goodness for modern medicine! I slept great till about 8am and felt so relaxed. They checked me again and I was 6cm. About 45 minutes later, the nurse came in saying the baby's heart rate was dropping and she checked me again and I was 10 cm. She called my doctor and he was on his way. I had to push through 4 contractions before she came out. It was totally easy, with those drugs of course:) Lila Sharon Johnson was born Monday, December 28th, 2009. She was 4lbs. 10 oz., 17 1/2 in., and incredibly beautiful!! We love her so, so much and are blessed to have her in our lives.

.Me and Lila:)

.She likes sleeping with her arms like this.

She is such a calm and peaceful baby, except when she acts like a savage beast during feeding time. I wish I had a picture of that. It's quite a scene.

So long and skinny, like a torpedo.

Don't you think we have the same feet?
.

We love this girl and all the faces she makes!!!!!

The proud daddy and...

mommy:)

(Due to being busy birthing a child, I wasn't able to blog about my awesome baby shower or Christmas, so that will come soon.)

Baby Update

2009-12-01T17:11:00.001-08:00

For the past few weeks I have been going in for weekly ultrasounds and non-stress tests. Our baby girl's abdomen is measuring small and the doctors determined the placenta is not providing/transferring enough nutrients for adequate growth. They have predicted I won't make it full term but it really is a week by week observation. I am 33 weeks and counting. This weeks check-up and growth ultrasound went very well. She is still measuring small so they will continue the weekly monitoring.

A cute profile pic of baby Lila

(Did we tell you we finally agreed on Lila? Well, we did:)

A belly pic for those of you who were asking.

Lila's crib, ready and waiting!

(Quilt made by Grandma Johnson and baby lamb from Grandma Pope)

Thanksgiving Break

2009-11-29T17:00:00.000-08:00

For Thanksgiving we went to Sacramento to visit family and friends. We spent the first half of the day and ate the big meal with our friends Josh and Chandra and their family. The second half and dessert was with Chris' sister Ashley and Travis and their families. It was a great day at both houses and too many funny instances to re-tell. We are so grateful for their generosity and having us share the Holiday with them. We forgot to take pictures at Josh's but did get a picture with Ashley and Travis.

Me, Chris, Ashley, and Travis

The next day we got our Christmas tree and all the decorating materials. It was so fun watching Christmas movies and listening to Christmas music as we decorated our first Christmas tree. I love this time of year!

Our 1st Christmas Tree.

For awhile we were going on Sunday walks consistently but haven't the past few weeks due to the early evening. Today we went on a walk at the same park we always go to. The last time we went the fall colors were so vibrant and I remember thinking to myself I should have brought the camera. The path we walk at the park is so peaceful and this time I took some pictures.

I love bridges...

.and tree lined walking paths.

.This reminded me of some painting. Not sure which one though.

. I love the colors of the season and tall trees.

Wicked!!!

2009-11-07T17:39:00.000-08:00

Wicked was fun and entertaining! I'm so glad we finally got to see it. We were starting to think it's an elusive show we were never going to be able to see. Last night was our final attempt and it was successful.

We had tickets to see it in AZ but moved a week before the showing so we sold them. Turns out the show is playing in San Fran. So we bought tickets to go for my birthday in September. We decided to drive into the city cause we wanted to eat out and stop by a maternity store. Bad idea, cause traffic was horrible and it took us like 3 hours to get into the city. As we were crossing the bridge into the city, I looked down at the tickets and realized they were for the night before. I told Chris and we just looked at each other in total disbelief. How could we have not even looked at the tickets before now?

Since we were already in the city by this time, we decided just to go to the theater and talk to a manager and see if they would help us. We explained our sad story to the ticket booth guy and he said we would have to write a letter and the manager would call us in a week. Well, we didn't know if they would even read our letter but wrote one anyways and hoped we would get to see the show. It took about 3 or 4 weeks but finally Bob, from the Orpheum Theater called and said we could choose between a few dates. We marked our calendars again and started another countdown. This time, we decided to ride BART (pictured below) and not deal with the ridiculously annoying traffic.

I've ridden on BART before but many years ago and Chris has never experienced it so we were a little uneasy about the ride, especially at night. We got to the station and had a little trouble parking. Chris started to worry we were going to miss the show again. We grabbed some info guides and also asked the BART lady where we needed to get off and about how long it would take to get to our stop. It was a relief to get on and just sit 'til we got into the city. The BART is a very interesting spot to people watch by the way.

We got off, walked upstairs and we were right in front of the theater. There were no problems with the tickets and we even got better seats then what we had originally purchased. Nice eh?

Both of us really enjoyed the show and were really impressed that the theater was so nice about giving us another chance to see the show. We will be sending them a thank you note:)

Nightmare...and Pumpkins

2009-11-01T14:49:00.000-08:00

Nightmare Before Christmas is one of Chris' favorite movies and this is our second annual pumpkin carving and watching the movie for Halloween. I've never been into the whole claymation movie thing but this is the second time I've seen the movie and it's growing on me. Especially the soundtrack.

Chris starting off the Pumpkin carving.

Me cleaning out my pumpkin. Sometimes I don't get grossed out by the guts of a pumpkin but this year I did.

Still carving...

.
and done.

We had some complications, of course, with my pumpkin, but you can't even tell can you? Chris is great at solving problems:)

Murder Mystery Dinner

2009-10-28T16:55:00.001-07:00

The Location:

Old Hollows Inn/

Emily and Austin's apartment.

The decorations created the perfect atmosphere. I've never been to a murder mystery dinner before but have always wanted to go to one. Emily and Austin did such an amazing job and we had so much fun!!

The dining hall.

Emily made this chandelier and I couldn't stop looking at it.

The place settings along with spiderwebs all over the table. Aside from the spiderwebs getting tangled in my food when I tried to eat, they looked really cool.

You gotta have candles.

The Food:

We had dessert for dinner and dinner for dessert. It was delicious and tricky. I really expected the grilled cheese sandwiches to be hot when I picked it up. You'll see in the picture.

Meatloaf and Mash Potato Cupcakes

Tomato and Ham Quiche Pie

Strawberry Jam, Mascarpone Cheese and Cookie Pizza

Frozen French Toast and Ice Cream Sandwiches

(Don't they look like real grilled cheese sandwiches? Maybe it was the lighting.)

The Characters:

So for those of you who know me, you know I am not an actor and this dinner was no exception. My character had an affair with another character. I was suppose to flirt with him and what not but just couldn't do it. I just got married eight months ago and it really felt weird to even pretend flirt with someone else. Anyway, I ended up blurting it out when we were discussing each character's secrets. Turns out it wasn't important at all and it was only written on my character description. Go figure.

Misty Soul: Librarian/Supernatural Enthusiast and boyfriend, Woody Coffin: Carpenter

Norma Bates: Paralegal and boyfriend, Fred E. Krueger: Lawyer

I.M. Grimm: Caretaker and Constance Grimm: Cook/Caretaker

Earnest Otch: Businessman with exotic trinkets and wife, Bea Otch: Architect

Thrill Seeka: Heir to old fortune and girlfriend, Sue Bliminal: Professional Dancer

Brett L. Bones: Orthopaedist and girlfriend, Stiletta Reaper: works in book store.

We had a lot of fun and thanks again Emily for inviting us!!

This is a little past due but...GUESS WHAT!!!!!!

2009-10-22T14:42:00.000-07:00

I'm pregnant and we are having a baby girl!!!! Most of you already know but I'm gonna blog about it anyways:) My due date is January 18th. Sometimes it seems this pregnancy is going by fast and other times, not so much. Chris and I are really excited and feel incredibly blessed to become parents in the next few months. We still haven't agreed on the name but I'm sure we will figure it out in time. Maybe you can tell us what you think. We are deciding between Lila and Jocelyn.

Second ultrasound confirming our baby's sex.

Cute profile pic of our baby girl.

Story Time:

So, a week before this ultrasound, I was standing in line to return something at Best Buy. As I slowly moved up the line, the small item I was holding felt heavier and heavier. Then I began to feel very hot and thirsty. Then I began to feel slightly light-headed. Right when I decided I was going to sit down and wait till I was called, it was my turn. I asked if there was a water fountain and thought in my head, I'll go get some water after I finish this return. The next second I fainted and fell to the ground. I woke up to someone asking if I was ok and a bunch of people standing over me. I sat up and said "I think I just need some water". A clerk brought me some water and I immediately felt fine. When they asked if this has happened before, I said no but I am pregnant. They immediately freaked out and called 911. I really did feel fine but they didn't believe me. The paramedic came and started quizzing me to see if I knew my name and where I was. They offered to take me outside to the emergency vehicle to check vitals and such. I then said "I was in the middle of returning something". The paramedic asked if the clerk could take care of that for me. The clerk then quickly threw my money and receipt in a bag and wished me well. I was strolled out the door to the truck and they start testing everything. When the paramedic asked if I wanted to go to the hospital. I then said "maybe this is silly but how much is this gonna cost me?" I'm sure the paramedic thought I was ridiculous being so concerned with the return and then how much the ride in the ambulance is, but oh well. I called Chris and told him I fainted and was in an ambulance. He kinda freaked out and kept asking if I was ok. I asked him if he thought I should go to the hospital and he said he would meet me there. I hung up and said well, I guess you can take me to the hospital, my husband is going to meet us there. They ran tests for my heart then checked my blood pressure and blah. blah, blah everything else to make sure I was ok. When the nurse said he was going to do an ultrasound, Chris and I looked at each other and I asked the nurse if while they're checking to see if the baby is ok, could they also tell us if it's a boy or a girl? The nurse said of course. We were so excited to find out and then the whole fainting experience seemed worth it. I never really thought anything was wrong to begin with but better safe than sorry. So, that's when we found out we are having a girl!!!! A week later was the detailed, 20 week ultrasound picture above. The technician wrote "I'm still a girl!" to confirm a second time.

Catching Up

2009-10-21T14:09:00.000-07:00

When Chris and I decided to start a blog, he was the blogger but now that he is a little more busy than I, we decided I should be the blogger. It's been awhile since our honeymoon blog and there is much to tell. I'll recap on the most important events that have already occurred and then do my best to keep you updated. Hope all is well with everyone out there!!!! My next post is coming soon:)

Movin' On

2009-10-18T18:38:00.000-07:00

In May, Chris graduated from ASU with his Bachelors in Civil Engineering. He was excited and relieved to finally be finished with school. It was a long ceremony full of foreign names and even more foreign thesis'. Chris' mom, dad, and sister Shannon came from out of town for the occasion. Pictured below is sisters Shannon and Wendy, the grad himself, me and Chris' dad, Lowell.

Chris and his mom, Sharon.

It's always great spending time with family and we had fun celebrating Chris' achievement. After graduation, it took some time for Chris' work to figure out where to send him. He was interning for the last two years at an Engineering firm, TPAC. With the economy being as it is, TPAC wanted to keep him but didn't have work. Fortunately, the parent company, Kiewit, was able to transfer us to one of their other district offices. We waited for what seemed like forever to find out where we would be moving to. Omaha, LA, and Concord were thrown out there. July came and we moved to Concord, CA. We packed up our things in a moving truck and made the drive from Phoenix, AZ to Concord, CA. Below is a picture from the outside of our apartment.

Below is a sketch Chris made of our apartment while learning/practicing a new program for work. It's a lot cooler to use the program cause you can do a virtual tour but you get the picture.

So there you have it, we've been in Concord for about 3 months. The weather is amazing and we love our new ward. Everyone has been so welcoming. My friend/old roommate Ashley's parents live around the corner and have taken such good care of us. We've also been able to visit family and friends in Sacramento. Aside from being the farthest state away from my family, we couldn't have been placed in a better area. Why can't Florida and California be closer together?

Jamaican Honeymoon

2009-05-17T16:50:00.000-07:00

Jamaica was as beautiful as we had hoped. We stayed at the Grand Palladium located in Montego Bay. It is a brand new resort located in the northeast corner of Jamaica. We arrived Sunday afternoon and stayed until Wednesday afternoon. Everything was just as amazing as all the pictures we'd seen and the reviews we read online. It was very palatial and larger than life and the staff was really friendly. Any time we asked for anything they would respond, "Ya man" or "no problem". They fit the typical Jamaican stereotype perfectly. Everyone wore bright colors which matched the color scheme of the city buildings and homes. It was especially beautiful to see the wide color variation coming from Phoenix where all the homes are a different shade of brown with rocks in the front yard.

If we had to choose one bad thing about the trip, it was the food. I honestly think they tried their best, but let's face it, third world best is still very much 2nd rate to American products. The ketchup was this radioactive glowing red and heaven knows what was in the Chinese food. Through trial and error we eventually discovered what was edible and what wasn't.

This is a picture of the main pool. It wrapped around the entire facade. Just to capture the enormity I took 3 pics in sequence. This would be "1"

"2"

"3"

Ginny looks tiny on the massive grand staircase. Everything was outside when we arrived, including reception. They had numerous fans circulating the air.

We felt small compared to the large buildings. When we arrived they took us via golfcart to our lodging. It took a little while to walk to and from different activities and sights but it was so nice out that it was worth it.

In case you couldn't tell, everything was massive and spacious.

We went at a good time. There were enough people on vacation there that the place wasn't empty, but few enough to where it wasn't crowded. I think we saw other people in our building once. Here is Ginny standing by a fountain outside our door.

This is a random shot of the countryside in a city called Ocho Rios where we escaped to one day in order to climb the famous Dunn's River Falls. This landscape was typical of Jamaica. Everywhere we went there was lush green landscape.

Ok, normally I don't like showing a ton of skin in our photos but Dunn's River falls was amazing! We drove a few hours east, (we nearly drove to the other side of Jamaica), to experience the falls. We were under the understanding that we were to hike alongside the cascading waterfalls but we soon found out that we literally scaled right up the middle of the falls almost 1000 feet vertically. We started at the base at a nice beach and then worked our way up. We went with about 20 others and scaled together. It seemed kinda dangerous especially when we had to form human chains at some points just to get across but in the end that just added to the experience.

See. Here's proof we made it. On our way out our guide lead us through a barrage of vendors trying to sell us a bunch of stuff. Fortunately our guide prewarned us by telling us how to avoid the vendors. When asked to buy, you are to say, "Me no wanty. Me no wanty". In case we didn't get the implications of the phrase he broke it down for us. Apparently "Me no wanty" means, "I don't want". He made that clarification about three times. Crazy. Who would have guessed.

We had a great time. In some aspects we weren't ready to leave. At the same time we were anxious to get back to the states and start our lives together.

Our Wedding Day

2009-05-10T18:33:00.000-07:00

Ginny and I were sealed March 7th, 2009 in the Orlando, FL temple. It was an exciting trip for the Johnson side of the family because none of them had ever been to Florida before. In fact, most hadn't been any further east than Utah. While the Johnsons travelled, the Pope family worked tirelessly to get Jeremy and Laura's yard ready and finish up some last minute details.

We had a very nice dinner the night before the wedding at Buca di Beppo. It gave both sides of the family a chance to meet each other for the first time. Also in attendance were Josh and Chandra Edlow, their baby Piper, and Prince David of Sacramento. We went around the table and everyone had the opportunity to stand up and say something about us. The remarks ranged from funny, to touching, to awkward, but overall really nice.

On to the wedding day. Ginny and I were fortunate to have so many close friends and family with us. Ginny's friends Ashley, Nancy, Kathy, and Kim flew out for the occasion. After the sealing we met outside and took pictures. Here are a few samples.

I'm not gonna lie. We look good...

A shot of all in attendance.

The girls...

My sister Katie and my favorite niece, Kiley.

Ginny's mom and dad, Netta and Robin.

My folks, Lowell and Sharon Johnson.

Very nice.

Ginny's Fam.

I once ate a baby!... No, but really. Josh apparently ate too many paninis and had quite the case of diarrhea on the plane ride home.

The Johnsons that were able to make it.

Ginny's cousins.

Crazy kids.

Ginny's friends Maria and Tess and families.

On our way out. It really was a perfect day.

Our First Post!

2009-04-24T20:39:00.000-07:00

So here it is! Exciting! Ginny and I thought it would be a good idea to begin documenting our life together. Hopefully this will not only be a valuable record of our experiences together but also a nice way for family and friends to keep in touch and up to speed.