Johnson Family

A New Addition....Coming in December

2010-06-02T12:58:00.000-07:00

So, now at 11 wks we have decided to share the big news with our family and friends. We presented the kids with these pictures and Zayda is excited beyond what she can comprehend. All she wants to talk about is the baby. Garrett doesn't really get it yet but he keeps giving my tummy kisses. Zayda's picture is a little creased because she carried it around with her for 24 hours. She is SO excited!!

Memorial Day Weekend

2010-06-02T12:32:00.000-07:00

We spent a wonderful Memorial Day Weekend on the water with amazing weather. Zayda was able to ski and she popped up like she had been skiing all winter. The water warmed up so we were able to get in the water. Garrett was a little water bug and loved jumping off of the boat.

Garrett fell asleep as we were riding back to the dock.

Our Maiden Voyage

2010-05-26T19:21:00.000-07:00

I got cancelled from work at 1a.m. on saturday night which gave me enough time to go home and sleep for several hours before I called Keith to let him know that I was heading to the lake so we could put our boat in the water for the first time. Our boat was everthing we could have hoped for it to be. It was an incredibly smooth ride, easy to handle and lots of room. The kids loved it!! Garrett calls it "my big boat!" It was a gorgeous day on the water and we can't wait for many new memories!

What an exhausting day!!

Field Day 2010

2010-05-26T19:05:00.000-07:00

This was West Grove's Field Day, Zayda was really excited about participating for the first time. These were just a few of the activities that they were able to do.

Over - Under Relay Race with a wet sponge. When you got to the front of the line, you had to dip the sponge in a bucket of water before you passed it over your head. Too Cute!

Sack Race! Look at her go!!

A Mommy Weekend

2010-05-19T18:27:00.000-07:00

This past weekend, mommy had a rare opportunity to spend the weekend with Zayda and Garrett by ourselves down at the lake. We had a great time. We met up with Cindy and Christina and went to Bridgeton and Mansfield. We took tours of the old mills, walked across the covered bridges and had a picnic lunch. Mommy enjoyed quality snuggle time at bedtime and we all enjoyed the time together.

Kindy 500

2010-05-17T19:02:00.000-07:00

This is West Grove Elementary's version of the Kindergarten Indy 500. It was held in the parking lot and each class raced around a track on big wheels. Each child pedalled 2 laps. I do believe that Zayda was the fastest child to race the big wheels. One of the parents asked me if we had practiced going that fast - I said "No, she does everything else 100 miles an hour, she might as well ride her big wheel that fast too. LOL This year her teacher was Miss Kissane and their class won the race. This is the last year for West Grove. They will be closing their doors at the end of the year and redistricted into other Center Grove Schools. Zayda will attend Pleasant Grove next year. But, this final year of West Grove, Miss Kissane's Kindergarten class became the 2010 Kindy 500 Champs!!

Zayda's best friend Nev.

Basketball - I Hate It!!!

2009-12-22T12:02:00.001-08:00

Zayda told me that she wanted to play basketball this year and I being a sports nut was super excited. She is playing at Mount Pleasant Christian Church in a Kindergarten co-ed league. The season has shaped up to be nothing like I had expected. Zayda has cried before games and practices and says that she doesn't understand how to play. We've tried everything from bribery to just run out there and have fun but nothing seems to work. Grandpa has worked with her like crazy and she has been doing much better in practice but she gets nervous for the games. We have talked tirelessly about life lessons and that we don't quit in the middle of something and that you don't have to be the best at everything to have fun doing it. But, right now, she still "hates" basketball and it tears her mommy's heart out. I don't care if she doesn't like it, it is just so hard for me to see her get so upset about playing. Her coaches have been wonderful with her and she gets to dribble the ball down the floor a couple of times in each game. I think this has helped to build her confidence a little. She especially likes her coach "with the curly hair." He lifted her up last time so she could make a basket. Right now, she tells me that her favorite part of playing is when she gets to sit on the bench. LOL

Father / Daughter Dance

2009-12-22T11:45:00.001-08:00

Keith and Zayda had a father/daughter dance at school this year. This was the first time that they went with Zayda being at West Grove. They had gone before when Zayda when to school at church but this was the first time with her elementary school. Keith had started a tradition last year after their dance and he took her out for a fancy dessert. This year, after the dance, he took her to the Eagles Nest. She thought this was the fanciest restaurant ever. She thinks it's even more special because Daddy hasn't ever taken Mommy to this fancy place. They had a great time. She was excited about her corsage and from what I hear, they even danced to a couple of songs together.

Disney on Ice

2009-12-22T11:27:00.000-08:00

We took the kids this year to see Disney on Ice. This was the first time that we had gone. We all had a blast. We bought the family pack which included tickets, hot dogs and drinks. We all had so much fun. The kids watched the whole show and seemed to just watch in amazement. Everytime the characters went behind the curtain, Garrett said "They tome back out now?" Zayda's favorite part was watching the princesses skate. I knew that when we had been to things like this when I was a kid that they would have all kinds of light things for sale so, I put ours from Disney world in my purse and it was great!! The kids were excited to have it and I think that they liked that theirs was different than everyone elses. Thanks to Grandma who purchased it at the spectromagic parade in Disney World. I would highly recommend this show for anyone who has kids. It truly was magical.

Bowling with Grandpa

2009-12-22T11:09:00.001-08:00

Grandpa just recently accepted a government position and we were able to enjoy spending the day with him on his first government holiday that he had off. We spent the afternoon with Grandpa on veterans day. We enjoyed a lunch at Applebee's and then we all went bowling. The kids have never been bowling so we didn't know what to expect. They really enjoyed it. We all especially enjoyed each others company. Zayda has already asked to go bowling again someday.

Garrett's Big Boy Bed

2009-12-22T10:56:00.000-08:00

Recently, I went to get Garrett out of his bed after his nap. When I got back to his room, he had one leg hoisted up and over the rail. I asked what he was doing and he said "I get out my bed." He hadn't ever attempted it but I figured since I was standing there, he might as well try it so I could catch him when he fell. Well, not only did he not fall but he swung his leg over and then slid down the side of his rail until his little feet hit the mattress and then he hopped right off like it was his job. You would have thought that he had been doing it for years. So, down went the crib and up went the toddler bed. He calls it his big boy bed and so far, he has yet to get out of it. When he wakes up in the morning, he stays in his bed and yells "Mommy, I get up now?" Then, he toddles on out.

IU homecoming

2009-10-20T10:56:00.001-07:00

Every year, we attend IU homecoming to visit friends and family that also attend IU homecoming. This is the only time during the year that we see some of our friends. This year, Garrett has fallen in love with football. We took him to a Center Grove Football game and it has been true love ever since. Right before we left for IU, Garrett got a special present of a new football helmet. He didn't take it off the entire day! While we were there, Keith, Nana and I walked the cousins over to the Stadium to see the band. No offense but the IU band doesn't compare to the Purdue band. When we got over there, there was a miniature football field on one end of the stadium. The kids all enjoyed running around on the field. Zayda performed her gymnastics and Garrett was really excited to tackle mommy. It was a really fun day until we left and Garrett cried because he wanted to go see the football game. Poor guy. We came back to Nana's house and watched the game in the warm house.

(From L -R) Garrett, Brady, Zayda, Nana & Kaden

Zayda and Uncle Nick

Zayda said about this picture "Wow, Look how much tanner I am than Uncle Nick." Sorry Nick!

Fall Family Fun Night

2009-10-20T10:46:00.001-07:00

This was our first actual school function that we could attend. West Grove's Fall Family Fun Night was a blast. We had a spaghetti dinner from fazoli's and then it was off to the Eerie Trail. A small haunted house that both of the kids really liked. Garrett was a little timid at first but he didn't might it so much by the end. They had several different games for the kids to play including pumpkin bowling and bobbing for doughnuts. This is Zayda trying to catch her doughnut which was powdered sugar. She had it all over her face by the end. It was a really fun night. I'm sure it's just the start of many school functions we will attend over the years.

Our new addition!

2009-10-18T14:10:00.000-07:00

After a long time of looking and waiting, Keith and I found a new addition to the family that we just couldn't resist. Our new addition came to us weighing 3500 lbs and is 25 ft long. She is a diamond in the rough and we can't wait for all of you to join us on her next year. We are proud to introduce you to our new pontoon boat.

Boiler UP!!!

2009-10-18T13:37:00.001-07:00

Keith and I decided to take Zayda to visit Uncle J at Purdue and go and see a Purdue football game. Grandma and Grandpa joined us for the fun. We had a great time!!!! We started the day by visiting one of the local bookstores so we could stock up on some new Purdue attire. Then we headed off to the football game. We were greeted by the Purdue Marching Band that Zayda was just amazed by. She got to stand right up next to the World's Largest Drum. I do have to say that the band puts on an amazing show. Then the game started and Zayda really enjoyed watching through the binoculars and I'm not sure how much of the game she really watched but she really enjoyed the cheerleaders and the student crowd. After the game, we followed the band back to the music building and watched their show. After their show, Zayda got to meet the Golden Girl and Silver Twins. She still hasn't stopped talking about that. They were so much fun to watch!!! Then we headed over to meet Uncle J who had to work during the game. We saw his apartment, met his room mates (zayda gave all 3 of them a hard time about not making their beds - then she made them all) and then took Uncle J out to dinner. Well, actually, Uncle J took us to one of the dining halls on campus. Let me just say that it is nothing compared to any dining hall I have ever seen on a college campus. It was great food and any type of food that you could ever imagine. After dinner, Uncle J took us to see some of the fun sites on the Purdue campus. It was a blast, a day that none of us will ever forget. BOILER UP!!!!

KINDERGARTEN!!!!!!!!

2009-09-01T12:33:00.000-07:00

Zayda started kindergarten this year and gets to ride the school bus for the first time. Keith and I were really nervous about the day and I do have to admit shedding a tear or two when we would talk about it. Mommy, Daddy, Garrett, Grandma, Nana and Uncle Frog were all there for the big day. I do have to say that no one really cried because she was sooo excited that you just couldn't be sad at all. She jumped right up on that bus and sat down in her seat like she had done it for years. Then she proudly waved to all of us as the bus pulled away. Nana was a little nervous and couldn't help but drive by the school on her way home to make sure that she made it there okay. She is attending West Grove Elementary and is in the a.m. Kindergarten class. Her teacher is Miss Kissane. She knows several kids in her class from pre-school. She hasn't quite mastered doing her homework yet (just ask her Grandma) but hopefully with some practice we'll get it down.

Zayda proudly showing off her new Fancy Nancy backpack.

Zayda was the first one out to the bus stop!!

Driving with Ma Ma

2009-07-31T13:49:00.003-07:00

Garrett loves driving. He was super excited to drive Ma Ma's car down the street. He kept saying "drive Ma Ma drive." I sure don't know what this kiddo is destined to do but I wouldn't be surprised if it involved a vehicle of some sort.

Cruisin' with Nana

2009-07-31T13:49:00.002-07:00

Garrett has really been wanting to ride in his Nana's car with the top down so on this particular day, Nana picked up the kids and took them to Western night at cousin Kiersten's school. Then for a special treat afterwards, Nana took them to dairy queen for a shake. They were both all smiles.

Garrett's 2nd Birthday

2009-07-31T13:49:00.001-07:00

On Garrett's actual birthday, we took the plunge and decided to take him to ChuckE Cheese. He really liked playing the games. He really enjoyed his pizza too. It really was fun to watch him just be a kid. They put a Happy Birthday sticker on him so people kept telling him Happy Birthday. He just smiled the whole time.

Daddy got in on some of the action too.

When we got home, we had a cake for his birthday. He got really shy while we sang Happy Birthday to him. It was so cute.

Then, he go to open a present from Mommy, Daddy and Zayda for his birthday. He got a chain saw! Pretend of course but it makes almost as much noise as the real thing. I don't know what we were thinking when we bought it?!

Garrett loves tractors right now so for the family birthday party, we decided to have a John Deere Tractor themed party. He thought it was pretty neat to see all of the tractor stuff. Instead of typical party hats they had John Deere Tractor hats. Too cute. He wore his hat almost the entire party. My little boy is definately ALL boy. In addition to his tractor addiction, he also loves tools and anything that has wheels. Here he is checking out his new tool bench.

He also got a Harley Davidson bike. His legs are just a little short for the pedals but that hasn't stopped him one bit. He rides...and rides...and rides...and rides.

Don and Susie's Surprise 40th

2009-07-31T13:49:00.000-07:00

After many months of planning and should we say breaking and entering, we (Gandolf siblings) were able to pull off the biggest surprise we have ever pulled on our parents. Our parents have been an amazing example of a good marriage. This year they celebrated their 40th anniversary and we wanted to do something special for them for we planned a surprise 40th anniversary party. We held their get together in my neighborhood park shelter. We had all of their closest family and friends involved and no one let the cat out of the bag. Our ploy was that we were going to have a family picture taken at the park (this is why we are all dressed similarly). I told them that there was a birthday party going on down at the shelter so they wouldn't be suspicious of the cars. They bought every bit of it. They were truly surprised. My mom cried for about the first 20 minutes she was so surprised. I think they are a little worried about how much we did without them knowing. I was able to sneak out the parafin wedding hands that have been on every wedding and anniversary cake since the Gandolfs were in existance. (okay I don't know how long for sure but there are a lot of names on that list and now they can add their 40th to it.) I was also able to sneak their actual wedding cake knife out of their house. We took tables and chairs from their basement too. HAHA! We replicated my mom's bouquet and their wedding cake. We were able to borrow a 57 chevy from a friend and we decorated it for them to take downtown for dinner and a stay at the Marriot.

This is them as they were walking down and realizing that this was a surprise party for them. We had our pastor from church Chris Philbeck attend and they go to renew their vows. He gave an amazing ceremony and my parents were truly touched by his words.

My sister and I have been planning this for about 6 months and it was so much fun to finally see all of our hard work come together on such an incredible day.

Garrett and Zayda enjoying the music with some dancing.

My mom's sister Carolyn was her maid of honor 40 years ago and she gave a toast in honor of my parents. (she even wore a sweater that was the same color that she wore in their wedding.)

The best man 40 years ago was Dan Pavey. He was also in attendance and gave a toast as well.

Zayda doesn't miss a beat and she really wasn't going to miss out on a toast from a fancy glass. However, carrying it was a little tricky.

The happy couple!

Cutting the cake.

The whole gang. Thanks to everyone for keeping this day and secret and making it so special. It wouldn't have been the same without you.

Finally, the ploy! The family picture that they originally thought they were coming to have taken. We had to atleast get one family picture!

Keith's 40th Birthday

2009-07-31T12:26:00.000-07:00

Most of you that know us well, know that Keith celebrated a major milestone in his life this year. Keith turned 40 and he didn't want to do anything to celebrate it. I finally talked him into having some of his closest friends over for dinner. I think he was happy that I talked him into it. He seemed to really enjoy it. I had it at Nancy's house since I was also getting ready for a surprise 40th anniversary party for my parents.

Yes, that is actually a picture of Keith on that cake. Wasn't he cute!!!

Bob Smith - used to work with Keith on the Sheriff's dept.

Rick and his daughter Brittany - fellow sheriff's dept. buddy and now fellow boater.

Bob's wife Kristi and Rick's wife cindy.

Dave, Keith's childhood best friend and our best man, his daughter Maisy, and his wife Katte. Another one of Keith's childhood friends Rich Millar was there and this is his wife Amy.

Aunt Laurie was giving horsey rides to the kiddos and they obviously enjoyed it at poor Laurie's body's expense.

Outside Finally

2009-07-31T11:47:00.000-07:00

This summer has been terrible for outside activities. It has either been rainy or cold or both. We were finally able to get outside and soak up some sun. Garrett wasn't too sure what to think of the crazy sprinkler but he sure enjoyed watching Zayda run through it. It was so nice to just be outside and enjoy some nice weather.

2009-07-07T13:39:00.000-07:00

Sorry that it has taken me so long to put up a new post. I have been very busy lately as I am sure most of you have too. We took a 2 week vacation to Florida that was amazing. The first week we spent with my parents (Don and Vicki) in Disney World and the second week we spent in St. Augustine with all of Keith's Family. I am having trouble getting my C.D. with the pics from the second week loaded onto my computer so I will just be able to post pics from Disney and the when I am able to pull up the other pics, I will post them. The whole trip was so much fun and kids loved each part of it. Here are a few pictures from Disney.

Grandpa and Zayda rode a Indy Car ride and right after the green flag came down there was a massive downpour and they got soaked!!!!!!!

Over to St. Augustine for the day before Grandma and Grandpa have to head home.

SOOO HUNGRY!! Can life get any better than this?!

A Fun Day With Tyler

2009-05-27T10:10:00.000-07:00

We have some friends Tammy and Patrick who have a son Tyler. We both use the same babysitter who happens to be out of town this week. So, I got to watch Tyler today and we had so much fun!! We played at the park and had a picnic lunch. They all loved the park. We came home and read books and rocked before nap-time and I guess they all played really hard because they are all 3 asleep. Tyler even told me "I tired" while we were reading the books.

Kiss Z Cook

2009-05-27T09:55:00.000-07:00

Girls night out this month was at a place called Kiss Z Cook. It is a place on the north side where you can take cooking classes. We decided that this month girls night out, we would try something totally new and different. Can I just say that it was the best girls night out ever. We had so much fun. It was a demonstration class so we all split a couple bottles of wine and learned how to cook some amazing food. Dwight was our instructor and the set up was great. We would all go up to his kitchen area and watch as he taught us how to cook each course. Then we would take a plate back to our table and eat and socialize while he set up his kitchen for the next course. We got all the recipes at the end of the evening and I can't wait to try some of them out. We all agreed that we must go back sometime and maybe even try one of the hands-on cooking classes.

The whole gang: (L to R) Beth, Melanie, Barb, Amanda, Marilyn (+ baby girl), and Me (taking the picture)

Amanda and Marilyn with our chef Dwight

Beth and Melanie

Zayda's Closing Program

2009-05-13T12:55:00.000-07:00

Zayda had her closing program for school last night. It was really cute. Their theme was a walk through God's Word. They all recited memory verses that they had learned throughout the year and each class sung 2 songs that pertained to their verse. Zayda's class sung "Dig Down Deep" and "Baa, Baa, Baa." They were dressed up at sheep with sheep ears and back socks on their hands to look like hooves. Zayda had a little trouble during rehearsals with some stagefright and a nervous tummy. We arrived early last night and after being able to see exactly where we were sitting she was relieved of her nervousness. She did great and was very excited about her program.

After each class had performed, the group all came together and sang one last song.

After the full group song, the parents and students were surprised with a very special Pre-K graduation ceremony for the kids that were leaving to go on to kindergarten. Keith and I were both teary eyed for our precious little girl who still today is proudly wearing her graduation ribbon. We thought you would enjoy sharing this moment with us.

We went back to her classroom after her program for a cookie reception and we took a picture of her with her "boyfriend Wesley." She LOVES this boy and she tells me all the time that she is going to marry him when they are all grown up. I was also able to get a picture of her with her teachers Mrs. Stuck (left) and Mrs. Matthews (right). They were incredible teachers and Zayda especially took a liking to Mrs. Stuck. I hope we have as good of luck with her teachers as we have had the last 2 years at Mount Pleasant.

After we were done at her school, we celebrated by having dinner at Arni's. Zayda was very proud to be the guest of honor and she shared the evening with her parents, brother, Grandma & Grandpa, Nana and Papa and Uncle J. who joined us for dinner after umpiring a baseball game.

Zayda will be off to Kindergarten next year at West Grove Elementary. She will be attending half day and is super excited to get to ride the bus to school. Her parents aren't quite as excited about this endeavor as she is but I'm sure we'll adjust.

Back at the Lake...Brrrrr

2009-05-12T13:43:00.000-07:00

We were very excited to get back down to the lake and enjoy some nice weather. Well, we did enjoy being down at the lake but the weather was not quite so enjoyable. Atleast it wasn't raining but Saturday was COLD!! We got a lot of needed work done. Nancy is having a new roof and screened in porch built on her trailor. There were several things that had to be done before they could start the construction. The kids all enjoyed a weekend of fun.

Kaden and Garrett found Zayda's dress-up clothes....Kaden liked the pink shoes.

Brooks joined in on the fun and was all smiles.

Zayda likes her new swing.

Zayda and Brady enjoying a tea party with their fruit punch.

Watch Out!!! Garrett and Caden love driving the jeep...unfortunately, they haven't learned how to steer it yet.

A Truly Exhausted Mommy

2009-05-12T13:36:00.000-07:00

For any of you moms out there who have ever tried to breast feed a baby, you know how exhausting it can be. For what ever reason, Zayda has been on a kick lately of breast feeding her baby. She goes in a seperate room and even turns away a bottle saying that if she doesn't feed her baby, her boobs will leak. She is hilarious with feeding her baby. On Thursday night, I was getting us packed to go to the lake and told her I would be done in just a couple of minutes. She said okay and then told me that she would be in the family room feeding her baby. She was very quite so when I went out to check on her, this is what I found.....

Cute as a Button

2009-05-12T13:19:00.001-07:00

Zayda had a very much anticipated 100 day at school. It was their 100th day of school, they had to bring in 100 of something that could go in trail mix for a snack (she took 100 chocolate chips) and they had to wear 100 of something. The teachers gave suggestions such as stickers, hair bows or safety pins. Zayda and I decided to get creative with buttons thanks to the help of Grandma. So.....we made a button barrett....

button flip flops.....

a button bracelet....

a button necklace and button earrings....

and, we hot glued the remaining 35 buttons to her shirt.

Definately, CUTE AS A BUTTON!!

Amber Peak's Wedding

2009-05-12T13:07:00.001-07:00

Amber Peak has been a lifelong friend of the Johnson's. Her wedding has been a much anticipated event by Zayda. Anything that she gets to be all dressed up for and anything that includes a "party" she is truly excited for. She has been planning for months which party dress she was going to wear. She finally decided on her polka dot dress because it had the best spinning potential. Garrett wore a real tie for the first time and let me just say he was a pretty sharp looking dude. The wedding was beautiful and both of the kids really enjoyed the dancing.

Zayda being the social person that she is became good friends with one of the flower girls. They ended up eating together at their own "fancy" table. They both thought they were pretty hot stuff.

Mom's Night

2009-05-12T12:56:00.000-07:00

Zayda's school each year has a Dad's night and a Mom's night. This year, it was at the new Community Life Center (CLC). We had all kinds of fun activities including building picture frames, making our own snacks and Zayda's favorite was the makeover station. She painted my finger nails with her special "rainbow treatment" ie each one of my fingernails was painted a different color. She also wanted the rainbow treatment. There was make-up to put on to but she thought that my make-up already looked good so she just put it on herself. We got all dressed up for a picture and we even got to wear crazy wigs. I can't wait to see what that picture looks like. It was so much fun to spend an evening with just my little girl. I just doesn't seem like we have enough time together anymore.

Fun with Friends at the Zoo

2009-04-24T13:24:00.001-07:00

Today we spent the beautiful day outside at the Indianapolis Zoo with our good friends Amanda and Jack. We really enjoyed the weather, company, and entertainment. We enjoyed the dolphin show, a picnic lunch, feeding the giraffes, petting the goats and seeing the many animals at the zoo.

Amanda and I were the monkeys that people were all looking at while trying to get all 3 kids to look at us at the same time for 1 picture. We didn't even care if they were smiling or not we just wanted them to all look at us at the same time. I'm sure we were quite the scene.

Garrett was a little timid at first with touching the animals. But, monkey see monkey do was sure to follow his big sister. So, with a little encouraging from Zayda he began to warm up to the animals a little bit.

Zayda was really excited about the baby goats (they are the black blur behind her) and was a little disappointed that she couldn't hold one of them. She was so proud to show them to Garrett.

Here, they are checking out the peacocks and an ostrich. How cute is Zayda being the protective big sister and Garrett thought he was pretty hot stuff standing up there with his big sister.

Hoola Hoop Hysteria.....Hysterical

2009-04-15T13:04:00.000-07:00

The Easter bunny brought some interesting toys this year. One of them was a hoola hoop. Zayda of course had to try it out. But then, Uncle J. got in on the action and it turned into an all out hoola hoop hysteria. Rachel (Uncle J.'s girlfriend) even got in on the fun. I have to say, I was pretty impressed with Uncle J. and Rachel's hoola hoop skills. I think they may be closet hoola hoopers!!

Easter 2009

2009-04-15T12:55:00.000-07:00

Except for the cold weather, this Easter was great. We were able to spend it with both of our families and it fell on my short weekend to work. After going to church, we enjoyed a fun filled day at both sets of Grandparents. The easter bunny was a little crazy this year and brought some silly gifts such as play handcuffs, a hoola hoop and swimming jackets. The Easter bunny sure knew what he was doing though because these gifts were probably the favorites of any year yet.

Coordination What?

2009-04-15T12:25:00.000-07:00

Zayda is a very coordinated little girl when it comes to swimming, gymnastics and playing on the swingset and monkey bars but not so much when it comes to catching balls. I can't believe that Keith and I could produce and child that has trouble catching a ball but as you can see she has a little bit of trouble. She really wants to play ball in fact this moment was captured because she wanted to throw the ball with her Grandma. Maybe she will get better at catching in a few years.

Grandma's 60th Birthday

2009-04-15T11:47:00.000-07:00

It's hard to believe that Grandma is 60 years old. (Sorry mom - I'm giving away your age). I guess if kiddos grow-up Grandmas do too. We all had dinner over at my sister's house. The kids all had a great time! Pudge (my sister's chocolate lab) really seemed to enjoy having 3 kids to eat after and was just as curious about things as they were. Especially that duck in their backyard. We all really enjoyed it. I know my mom wishes she didn't have to work so much but with 3 grandkids who absolutely adore her 2 daughters and 1 son who love, respect and look up to her, a husband who loves her completely, I hope 60 truly begins the best years of her life. We love you Mom & Grandma!!

Zayda's 5th Birthday Party

2009-03-31T12:49:00.000-07:00

Wow! What a day! We had a very busy birthday party with 2 parties in the same day. We had her friend birthday party first in the morning. Zayda had decided that she wanted it to be a scooby doo theme. We had many activities that the girls seemed to really like. They decorated a picture of scooby and got to decorate his collar with fancy beads. They played pin the bone on scooby's mouth. They even got to solve a scooby mystery of the missing birthday presents. Thankfully, they were successful and the presents were recovered safely. They took home a party favor of a tie dyed shirt that they got to tie dye themselves. They all seemed to have a great time.

Scooby doo's pictured from left to right: Avery, Lauren, Megan and Zayda

Abbie and Sophie joined us after the scooby doo picture was taken.

After her party with all of her friends, we had a party for her with all of our family. We had a great time with everyone. The food was great and everyone really seemed to enjoy themselves. Zayda got a lot of wonderful presents and we all enjoyed the cake and ice cream. We always love getting together with all of the cousins. We had our playgroup friends join us this year too and it was great to have them there sharing such a special day with us.

A Very "Fancy" Day

2009-03-31T12:35:00.000-07:00

Zayda was very excited to go to school. This month at school, has been reading awareness month. They have been participating in book-it and have been reading storybooks all month. Today was very special for a couple of reasons. First, it was storybook dress-up day. Each child was supposed to dress up like their favorite storybook character and then they were supposed to bring in the book and they read all of the books in class. Zayda was "Fancy Nancy." If you are a parent of a little girl, these books are a must!! They are beautifully illustrated and they are hilarious. Zayda loves these books. Second, it was her birthday party day at school. I went in to help with snack time which we brought in a birthday cookie cake. She was very excited that Garrett and I came to visit her class. I don't know how her teachers keep 16 kiddos under control but her classroom during snack time was like a fine oiled machine. I did have to laugh to myself to hear all of their little 5 year old conversations. They were hysterical. They think their conversations are so grown up and they are just adorable to listen to.

A Walk in the Park...Not So Much

2009-03-19T12:50:00.001-07:00

We are addicted to nice weather and when it is nice out, we can't stay away. Zayda did go to school on Wednesday but when I picked her up, we headed out for another picnic and to Independence Park for some good outside fun. It was much different from last year when I could just put Garrett in a swing and watch Zayda. This year I had 2 kiddos that were all over that park!! It is a great park, it has a seperate toddler area that is great and you can see both areas from either side. Zayda was very excited that she could do the monkey bars all by herself this year. Garrett found a slide that he loved and probably went down it 100 times. They did both enjoy swinging for awhile too.

This park also has several different types of swings for handicapped kids and this is one of the swings that is there. Zayda has always liked swinging in this swing and Garrett of course has to do everything that Zayda does. I had Garrett sitting in one swing barely swinging since I couldn't strap him in and Zayda in the one right next to him and she wanted a push. So, I took one step over to give her a push and then heard a thud. Yep, Garrett fell right out of his swing onto the ground. Then to make it even worse, he stood up to come to me just as the swing was coming forward and whacked him right in the forehead. I was so embarassed and I felt so bad for my little guy. I guess he must have a hard head though because he only cried for a couple of minutes and then it was back to playing. I guess, they'll just have to give me another plaque to put on my mother of the year award for that one. HA! HA!

St. Patrick's Day

2009-03-19T12:12:00.000-07:00

This year I was a bit of bad mother for St. Patrick's Day. I taught Zayda how to play hookey from school and we packed up the car and headed downtown for the St. Patrick's Day Parade. The kids had a absolute ball. I wasn't sure how Garrett would do but he sat through the entire parade and loved it. He especially liked any kind of moving vehicle - police motorcycles, bicycles, firetrucks and even the cars caring people. He would wave at the cars with people and say "Go Bye Bye." Zayda loved the gymnasts, marching bands - especially the ones with the "twirl girls", and both of them loved the 10 person tricycle.

After the parade we headed over towards the canal. I had packed our lunches and I told Zayda that we would have a picnic along the canal. On the way to the canal, we needed to take a potty break so, we stopped at the Indiana Historical Society to go potty. I told Zayda that her mommy and daddy had their reception there after their wedding. She really loves a big party and told me that she wished she could have come to our party but that she was still up in heaven with Jesus when we got married. (too cute) Then we headed down to the canal and it was so nice that we ended up walking all the way down to Military Park for our picnic. We had a great lunch, the kids were so good and after we were done eating they got to run around and play in the open area.

After lunch, we started back along the canal. Zayda who is little Miss Social met some kids that were playing on a hill just past the Indiana State Museum. They were running up the hill and then would roll all the way down the hill. They were all playing tag and throwing footballs. I met their parents who were the nicest people ever. We were all amazed by the "green canal." I just thought that it would look like green water but this was so green that it looked like green slime. It was crazy! We finally headed home with worn out kiddos. Garrett fell asleep before we were even out of the parking garage. We got home at 4 pm just enough time for a little rest before gymnastics.

A Formal Flair

2009-03-13T18:11:00.000-07:00

Tonight was a very special night for Zayda and Keith. They had a father / daughter dance at church. The theme this year was a cruise theme so the dress was formal attire. Zayda was so excited to get to wear her "wedding dress" again. It still fits her perfectly and it was a perfect occasion for her to wear it. She is certainly a girly girl so the thought of getting all dolled up was almost more than she could take. Let me just say that for all of you out there who have little girls, do these events while they are little because I am certain I will be well prepared for proms and formal dances some day. We spent the afternoon doing hair and painting nails and putting on make-up (which was just a little eye shadow and lip gloss) but none the less it took a couple of hours. But, she looked BEAUTIFUL!! Her daddy even surprised her with a wrist corsage which she called her flower bracelet and showed it off all night. Daddy then took us all out to Zayda's favorite "fancy" restaurant which is Texas Roadhouse or "the place with the peanuts." She kept saying that the restaurant was OOhh La La (Fancy Nancy book lingo). She was the hit of the restaurant and she told everyone that she was going to a fancy dance with her daddy. They had a great time and daddy even took her to Bonefish Grill after the dance for a fancy dessert!

On another note, Zayda had her 5 year check-up at the doctor today. She did great and she was even excited to get her shots because they have fancy bandaids. I wasn't sure if she would still be excited after her first shot but sure enough, she sat there with a grin on her face for all 3 of her shots. I was so proud of her. She grew 1.5 inches in the last year and weighed in at 34 lbs which is only 5 lbs heavier than her 19 mos. old baby brother. Go figure?! Now we can officially sign her up for kindergarten :)

Prayers for a Friend

2009-03-04T11:06:00.001-08:00

Last night I went to a special dinner for a very dear friend of mine. Shelley Spate is a nurse that I have worked with for many years. She currently works on my unit as our unit manager. She and I used to go work out in the morning before we would go to work. We spent many mornings together in the YMCA gym. Recently, Shelley thought she was having gallbladder problems and when they did testing on her gallbladder it all came back normal. She then had an upper GI for a possible ulcer. During her upper GI, they discovered a tumor in her stomach that was diagnosed as Non-Hodgkins Lymphoma. She has a very good prognosis but will still have to under-go chemotherapy. Several of us met with her last night for dinner just to show our support and wish her luck as she begins chemotherapy today. I ask for all of you - my friends and family to keep her in your thoughts and prayers as she fights this terrible disease.

Let's Go Bananas!!

2009-03-04T11:02:00.000-08:00

Who knew that banana pudding could cause so much happiness. Maybe it was the fancy dishes or the whipped cream but put some banana pudding in front of these two and they are as happy as can be. Way to go Daddy - great idea!!

A Sticky Situation

2009-03-04T07:37:00.000-08:00

With Brooks still on the mend, we were able to spend another day with Brady. We decided to head over to good ol' Rockville Indiana for the Maple Syrup Festival. We started the day having breakfast at Flapjacks in Danville. They served the kids drinks in coffee to go cups. Zayda and Brady just thought that was hillarious. They had a full adult conversation about blowing on their coffee because it was too hot and then sipping on it because "that's how you're supposed to drink coffee." (Don't worry, they really had chocolate milk - not coffee) Next, we headed off to a sugar camp to see how sap is turned into syrup. It was really pretty neat to see. The kids actually seemed to enjoy it too. We learned that sap that comes out of the trees is clear and that it actually fills up this whole bucket daily. They have a huge machine that boils, cleans, filters, and adds sugar to what becomes the pure maple syrup. We learned that it takes over 50 gallons of sap to make 1 gallon of syrup. That's just crazy. The camp we visited has several different camps but we found out that the one we saw had over 3000 buckets of sap that they emptied daily. It was the smallest of all of their camps. That's just crazy!! I personally don't care for pure maple syrup but we did buy a jar of syrup for Keith and Zayda. They love it!! We sure hope that Brooks gets better soon, but we are sure enjoying spending time with Brady.

A Very Brady Sleepover

2009-02-27T13:06:00.000-08:00

Unfortunately, my nephew Brooks, who is just 5 weeks old is in the hospital with pneumonia in both of his lungs. He was put in the hospital last night and already seems to be doing much better. It's amazing how resiliant those little kiddos are. On the bright side of things, since Benjy and Jenny were tied up at the hospital, we got some quality time with Brady. Zayda was super excited that Brady got to come over for a sleep over. I think Aunt Erin might have to get the little guy some fish of his own though. He loves Zayda's fish tank. He and Zayda discovered that when the fish are hungry, if they put their little fingers at the edge of the water that the fish will nibble at their fingers. Now, as an adult, there is nothing exciting about having a fish nibble on your finger - expecially when you have almost lost one from a previous animal - but I guess when you are 5 and 3 yrs old that can be pretty funny. I also don't think I have ever seen a kid so excited about eating waffles! I think it had almost as much excitement as Christmas morning with the shrieking of WAFFLES, WAFFLES, COME ON ZAYDA LET'S GO EAT WAFFLES!!! He was perfect and we had so much fun with him. It is so cute to see Zayda and Brady together. They absolutely love one another and I love to just watch them interact. Garrett just follows them around and mimicks everything they do and then just laughs at himself. I think he my have my little brother's sense of humor. What a great trait to have. Hopefully, Brooks will be better in no time but until then, we'll keep having brady sleepovers!!

A True Hotshot

2009-02-27T12:56:00.000-08:00

Zayda started back to gymnastics this past fall after being out of it for about a year. She seems to have a natural talent for this sport and she absolutely loves it. Her teacher is Miss Jacque and she seems to have taken a special liking to Zayda. After the last session, Miss Jacque approached me and said that she would like to move Zayda up into a class called the Hotshots. This is a by invitation only class. So, we discussed it with Zayda and she has been really excited about it. She is by far the smallest one in the class by atleast a whole head. She is the youngest and most inexperienced and let me tell you, she holds her own. There are a lot of things that she can't quite do yet but she gives it her all and it is amazing how far she has come in just a couple of weeks. I can't wait to see her after she has been in this class for awhile. She is truly our Hotshot!

Hospital Day

2009-02-24T12:55:00.000-08:00

Today, Zayda had hospital day at school. I volunteered to help out and it was a blast. I was very impressed and the kids seemed to really enjoy it. They had all different kinds of stations set up for the kids to go to. They saw a cast put on and saw pictures of x-rays. They learned about stitches. They had a station set up to learn about car seats and which car seat they should be in. My station was set up like an ER and I was the triage nurse. They came to our room and were admitted with a real hospital bracelet. (I'm not sure if I will be able to ever get Zayda to take hers off or not.) Then they came to me and I did their vital signs and their height and weight. Zayda thought it was really cool that her mommy was there. Then they went over to see the doctor which was Dr. Cindy Williams whom I work alot with at the hospital. She gave each one of them a quick physical and talked about how their organs worked. There was a first-aid station and several other stations that talked about keeping their bodies healthy. It was really a neat program.

Swim Lessons

2009-02-24T12:44:00.000-08:00

Garrett started swim lessons on Monday. Overall, he really enjoyed them. He really wanted the security of having me hold on to him but he did seem to like the water. It is a basic "get used to the water class." I don't think he'll be swimming on his own by the end of the class but we spend so much time down at the lake in the summer that I wanted him to atleast be comfortable in the water. We sang songs and did different motions with them in the water. He even put his face in the water and tried to blow bubbles. I do have to say that compaired to his sister at this age, he was a breeze to do lessons with. Zayda would splash like crazy and none of the other kids wanted to be close to her because she would get them all wet. She is still a water bug and told me that if anything happened to Garrett in the water that she could help him and pull him up. She watched his class very intently and actually did very well for not being able to swim herself. One of my friend's and fellow playgrouper also is taking swim lessons with her son Jack. Jack and Garrett have become very close so I think it will be good for them to see each other in the water and will hopefully watch each other and learn from each other.

A Breath of Fresh Air

2009-02-17T11:32:00.000-08:00

As most of you know, we love to be outside!! We spend the majority of our days, other than winter, outside. This little taste of spring was a much needed breath of fresh air. It also provided a tiny glimpse of what my little 18mos. old may be getting into this spring. Between scaling the climbing wall, trying to play with dog poop, chasing him around on his motorized John Deere Tractor (which he loves to drive but cannot steer), wanting to play with the grill, trying to turn on the hose and jumping off of the slide, I have a feeling mommy will continue her weight loss on the Garrett summer play plan. We really did have a great time being able to spend some time outside. Keith even got into the spirit and fired up the grill. I just don't think that God should tempt us with weather like this and then put snow back in the forecast. What was he thinking? Oh well, that's why we live in good ol' Indiana right?! Hopefully, the cold weather will kill the rest of these yucky germs that seem to be hounding the Johnson household lately.

Snow Angels....Finally!!

2009-01-28T12:02:00.000-08:00

We have waited all winter for snow to fall so we could play outside. We've had snowsuits and snowboots ready but no snow. Finally, we have snow and a lot of it. For those of you who don't live around here we got about a foot of snow. (I know for you Diann, that is nothing but for us hoosiers it's a lot.) So, out we went!! Zayda loved playing in the snow and she helped her daddy build an igloo - well, their version of an igloo but they had fun none the less. We made snow angels and attempted a snowman but the snow wouldn't pack very well yet. We tried to go sledding but the parks we attempted to go to were all closed. Zayda really enjoyed pulling Garrett in the sled, down the driveway. Garrett enjoyed the snow but got frustrated trying to walk in it after awhile. Afterall, it is up to his waist. Now, we have played in the snow, I am ready for warm weather!! Bring on Spring!!

A Bouncin' Good Time

2009-01-28T11:51:00.000-08:00

Yesterday, my dad had promised Zayda that we would go to bouncertown. Since my dad is getting ready to start back to work, yesterday worked the best for him in his schedule. Zayda and I had dentist appointments so the plan was to have my dad take Garrett and put him down for a nap while Zayda and I were at the dentist. Then after he woke up from his nap we would head to bouncertown. Well, little did we know that the snow we were supposed to get would come in the form of ice for the first 3 hours so when Garrett woke up from his nap, we went out to icy windshields. With a 4.5 year old with her heart set on bouncertown, we decided we would trek out and see how bad the roads were. Traffic was a little slow going but since bouncertown is close to home we decided to go. I was really glad that we went. We got to spend some quality time with Grandpa (my dad) and the kids had a ball. Garrett really enjoyed it as well. I wasn't sure how much there would be for him to do but they had 2 sections that he could play in and he loved it. Zayda was her true monkey self bouncing, climbing and running everywhere. Thanks dad for a great afternoon!

Billy the Bullfrog

2009-01-27T11:41:00.000-08:00

You may have noticed that several of the pictures that have been posted have this cute little frog in them. Zayda goes to school at Mount Pleasant Christian Church and she is in the Frog Class. They take turns over the weekend getting to take home "Billy." Billy has a book that goes to each persons home and they get to write down everything that Billy gets to do with them while he is with each child. It is really cute to read his book. Zayda has not been very happy with me lately because she wanted to know why we had given her a name that started with the letter Z because they have gone in alphabetical order to bring Billy home. It was finally her turn and she was so excited. The irony of the whole thing is that last year she was in the Tiger class and they had Titus the Tiger. When she brought Titus home last year, cousin Andra was born. This year, when she brought home Billy, cousin Brooks was born. Zayda thought that was pretty neat. Billy went back home today and Zayda was a little sad about that but she had a great time with him.

Fun Day With Brady

2009-01-27T11:35:00.000-08:00

Even though Brady and Zayda are 2 years apart, they are the best of friends (cousins). They love to spend time with each other and they are able to see each other alot. Especially during the summer when we are all down at the lake. We were so excited to get to keep him for a day while Benjy and Jenny were at the hospital with Brooks. He was perfect and I think he had a good time with us too. Zayda had gymnastics class and we took Brady with us. He played in the balls, jumped on the trampoline, and played basketball. We went to the Pizza King Train Station for lunch and Brady and Zayda really enjoyed that too. I had promised them that they could take a nap together after gymnastics but I wasn't sure how well that would work out. I think Brady was asleep before his head hit the pillow. He was absolutely perfect!!!! We must do this again soon!!

Another new Johnson

2009-01-27T11:28:00.000-08:00

I know it seems like I am always writing this as a heading but when you marry into a family with 5 boys who are all married, the kiddos just keep popping out. Brooks Kidwell Johnson became the newest addition on Jan. 22, 2009 at 5:45pm. He weighed in at 7lbs 13oz. Big Brother Brady is very proud of his new little guy. We went to visit them in the hospital the next day and we got to keep Brady with us for the day. We had a ball! I really thought Zayda would be the most excited about Brooks but it was Garrett that just couldn't get enough of him. He held him and rocked him and kissed him and grinned ear to ear the entire time. It was really cute! Zayda and Brady seemed much more entertained by the glove balloons that Uncle Benjy had made for them. Congratulations Benjy and Jenny. We can't wait to watch him grow and make new memories with him.

Bathtime Bubbles...Bubbles...Bubbles

2009-01-27T11:22:00.000-08:00

Thanks to Grandma and Grandpa Gandolf, the kids received a toy for Christmas that is called Zillions of Bubbles. Lets just say that Zillions is probably a pretty good estimate of the number of bubbles that this machine can put out. The kids LOVE all of the bubbles and I have to say that it really is pretty cool. Both of my kids have always been water bugs but Garrett has just discovered 2 new tricks he can do in the water. He loves to put his face in the water and then laugh as the water runs off of his face and head. Second, he has discovered that he can lay down on his tummy and kick his feet and make water fly everywhere. This seems to be his new favorite thing to do in the tub. Normally, I wouldn't be too happy about water everywhere but since we spend so much time down at the lake in the summer, the more comfortable they are in the water the better. Splash away kiddos!

Uh Oh Spaghetti....

2009-01-27T11:15:00.000-08:00

For all of you who know Garrett for such a big kid, he is a very picky eater. He eats great for a day and then will hardly eat for 3 days. It is very hard to come up with meals that he will actually eat and then sometimes he eats the craziest things. This particular night I was in the mood for something quick, easy and satisfying. So......Spaghetti it was. Now, Garrett is also becoming very independent and he pretty much refuses to let you help him eat. I tried to give him a bite of spaghetti and he just turned his head away and reached up for his plate. "Okay buddy, you're on your own." This picture is the result of Uh Oh Spaghetti.

Way to go Ryan

2009-01-27T11:06:00.000-08:00

I know over the past few months I have talked a lot about Play group. Well, I just can't help but talk about it. It is something that we all look so forward to each week. Unfortunately, for the last several weeks, we have been missing one of our members. Corbin had to have his tonsils taken out and between not feeling well the week before his surgery and actually having his surgery, he hadn't been able to make it for the last 3 weeks. Now, I know you think that they are just kids but let me tell you, there is something special about this relationship between Corbin and Zayda. When they say each others names it is almost dreamy. They all enjoy each others company but these 2 are starry eyed about each other. When we play our most recent get together the only day that most of us could get together was Thursday and Corbin's mom had to go to a class for work. Corbin really wanted to come see Zayda and the other kids so his brave daddy packed up Corbin and joined all of us women for playgroup. What a great guy. I couldn't help but capture the moment with a photo - plus I thought we might need hard core proof to show to Beth that he actually showed up. We all had a great time, however, I did hear Ryan mention that this was his first and last playgroup. HaHaHa!

Out of Order

2009-01-08T12:56:00.000-08:00

Sorry, I was messing with my posts and somehow I got the Gandolf Christmas out of order. Now, I don't know how to get it back in the right spot. Sorry!

Gandolf Christmas 2008

2009-01-08T12:45:00.000-08:00

Every year, we do Christmas at my parents house on Christmas Day evening. It is great because most of the excitement of Christmas is done but for us it is still going on. My parents have the most beautiful tree that I have ever seen and they have the neatest ornaments that the kids just love. It was fun to spend the evening with my family and not have to worry about where to go next. We were exhausted afterwards but the kids were all great!!!

Go COLTS

2009-01-08T12:38:00.001-08:00

Well, unfortunately, the game didn't produce the results that we had hoped for but we are true blue fans none the less. We did end up with a great family photo so I thought I would share it with you.

Green Thumb Zayda

2009-01-08T12:32:00.000-08:00

My mom used to get an amaryllis bulb every year around Thanksgiving time. You plant it then and it blooms around Christmas time. I bought one this year for Zayda and it became her pride and joy. She loved watching it grow and she couldn't believe that it was almost as tall as she was.

Oh What Beautiful Hair!!

2009-01-08T12:25:00.000-08:00

Now that the holidays are over, we are back to regular playdates which I think us moms look as much forward to as the kids do. Amanda loves to have her hair messed with so she was really excited that Zayda wanted to do her hair. I don't think she knew what she was getting herself into. Once Zayda finished Amanda's hair, it was on to Marilyn's hair. Arent' they just beautiful!!

Zayda working on Amanda.

Marilyn's finished product!

Our Christmas Morning

2009-01-08T11:57:00.000-08:00

The day began at 8:00 a.m. when Nancy finally woke Zayda up. She had such a hard time falling asleep the night before and had had such a busy day that I think she was just exhausted. But, once she was up, she was crazy excited!!! She immediately looked to see if Santa had eaten her cookies that she had left. He had and much to her concern, he had left a couple of other things. Santa had written her a note and while he had been writing he must have taken off his glasses and his glove and accidently left them at our house. Later on, she found his driver's license too. She took them everywhere she went that day to show everyone what he left at her house. Garrett was much more into opening presents than I thought he would be. He really seemed to enjoy the day too. Santa was very good to our kids this year so they must have been really good!!

Our Christmas Tree

This was Zayda's Christmas Tree in her room. Santa wrote her a letter and told her that since she had been such a good girl and she had been such a good help with her brother that he left her a special present under the tree in her room. Once she got back there, she found this present and a special ribbon hanging on her tree that was the "Best Decorated Tree" award from Santa. This present happened to be the American Girl doll "Ruthie" that she had asked for.

It think Daddy was more excited about the Lincoln Logs than Garrett was. None the less, Keith enjoys building things while Garrett enjoys knocking them down.

Zayda was really excited about her American Girl Movie Kit Kittredge. She also decided that she needed to wear her new gymnastics leotard.

Garrett once again on top of the present!!

Christmas Eve Excitement

2009-01-08T11:45:00.000-08:00

This year Zayda was really excited about Santa coming. She really understood it this year. Garrett love to do anything that Zayda does so putting out cookies was great. Except Garrett really just wanted to eat the cookies and of course Zayda kept saying "No buddy, those are for Santa." It was too cute. Zayda also thought that the reindeer might be hungry so she left them some carrotts. We also had a little get together at my parents house with my mom's side of the family but we were a little late since we were at the Johnson Family Christmas. Both kids received a bear from my Grandma which is their Great Grandma that she made for them at build a bear that has a voice recording in it from her. Zayda really liked that and when she got home, she wanted to sleep with here new bear but was concerned that he was a little cold so she put some clothes on him to keep him warm. My mother-in-law spent the night with us since we had already had the Johnson Christmas. Zayda slept with her on the blow up mattress in the basement. It took her forever to go to sleep!!

Johnson Family Christmas

2009-01-08T11:23:00.000-08:00

Johnson Boys: Standing left to right - Mike, Kaden, Nicholas, Alex, Nathaniel (Frog), Garrett, & Keith. Sitting Brady and Benjy.

Johnson Girls: Standing left to right - Erin, Jenny, Heather, Laurie, Nancy. Sitting - Aunt Evelyn, Sabrina holding Kiersten, & Zayda.

Garrett discovered that he loved opening presents and he loved standing on them even more. This pretty much became his theme for Christmas.

Zayda has really become attached to a series of books called Fancy Nancy. If you have ever read any of these books and know Zayda at all, you will find out that there are some very scary resemblences to Fancy Nancy and Zayda.

This year we had the entire Johnson Family Christmas on Christmas Eve. It was wonderful....It was mass chaos. Just to put it in perspective...2 grandparents, 5 boys with their spouses, 5 grandkids all under the age of 5, dinner and presents from all of the family - oh and santa too. It was crazy fun. We did somehow manage to get a Johnson boys picture and a Johnson girls picture. It is always a riot to see all of the cousins together. They love each other so much and I hope that continues throughout their lives. They are all in matching outfits thanks to Nana. They were my favorite outfits so far. Next year, Brooks will also be joining this craziness but this year he just hung out in Jenny's tummy. Thanks for a wonderful Christmas everyone!!!!

Gingerbread Christmas Tree

2008-12-23T14:09:00.000-08:00

Keith loves to cook and he loves that Zayda and Garrett seem to really enjoy cooking too. So, Keith bought a gingerbread christmas tree kit to do with the kids. I think Keith enjoyed it as much as the kids did. It turned out really cute but Garrett still doesn't understand why he can't eat it.

Celebration Crossing

2008-12-23T13:55:00.000-08:00

Every year at Christmas time, Nana and Papa take all of their kids and Grandkids to the Indiana State Musuem to Celebration Crossing. This year Kiersten was the new addition to the day. Unfortunately, Brady had to stay home because he had the flu. The kids all got to ride on the train and then see Santa. Aunt Laurie rode with Kaden and Mommy rode with Garrett. Nana rode with Zayda and Aunt Sabrina rode with Kiersten. Nana always gets the kids matching outfits and this years was my favorite. They were all so cute. Zayda had quite the list of requests for Santa and he told her to be sure and keep being a good girl. Garrett wasn't scared of Santa at all but was very curious about his beard and his glasses. We all had a great time.

Lion King

2008-12-23T13:29:00.001-08:00

This year, Zayda got a very special Christmas Present. She got to go see the musical production of A Lion King with her Grandma, Nana and Mommy. The evening began by getting all dressed up and enjoying a wonderful dinner at The Scholar Inn. The food was incredible especially the Chocolate Pie!!! Zayda thought it was pretty neat that she was at such a FANCY restaurant. She was so good while we were there. Next, we headed over to the Murat where the musical was playing. People just went on and on about her - her dress, her red sparkly shoes, her baby doll (which had matching shoes) and how cute she looked. Of course she ate up all of the attention and it was quite obvious that the 3 other women she was with were quite proud of this little girl. It was an evening that I know I will never forget and I hope she will remember forever as well. When the production began, it started with the song the Circle of Life and Zayda was wide eyed with her hands over her mouth in complete amazement. I was teary eyed in awe of this beautiful little girl who was completely in the moment of this amazing production. During the intermission, Zayda asked me if I had ever seen anthing like this - I grinned and said NO (even though I had been to productions before, I had never experienced the pure joy of a 4 year old watching her first show) and she said she hadn't either but that this was amazing!! An amazing evening indeed!!!

Zayda in the BIG chair at the "Fancy" Restaurant.

Zayda in the fancy restaurant with her Grandma.
Zayda at the Murat with her Nana.

Cookie Time

2008-12-23T13:16:00.001-08:00

We had play group again this week and since the Santa project went so well, we decided to tackle cookie decorating! Beth is a very brave mom to have 5 kids armed with icing and sprinkles in her house. They loved it - especially Corbin and Zayda. After cookie time, they took a break and watched some Mickey Mouse Clubhouse. Then they played and played.

Cindy's Christmas Party

2008-12-23T13:04:00.000-08:00

Our friend Cindy works for Adult and Child Mental Health Center and every other year, they have their Christmas Party at the Children's Museum. It was great!! We had so much fun and there weren't any lines to wait in. Zayda and Garrett got to see Santa. We all enjoyed riding on the carousel. Garrett especially enjoyed the slide in the Winter Wonderland exhibit and Zayda really enjoyed cooking in Santa's kitchen. We had a wonderful time. Cindy won a Wii in the Christmas drawing and Brittany and Christina we very excited about that!! At the end of the evening, Garrett and I went down the yuleslide together and we raced against Zayda who is now tall enough to go down by herself. Thanks for taking us Cindy!!

Playdate Santas

2008-12-23T12:45:00.000-08:00

Recently, a few of the girls that I work with have put together a play group. We have had so much fun together. I think us women enjoy play group as much as the kids do. This past playdate, we decided to get a little crafty and we made some Christmas ornaments that look likes santa and are made from the kids handprints. They turned out sooo cute!!!

This is "Jack." His mommy is Amanda. Zayda says that this is her friend Jack but that his real name is Jackson Alan and his mommy calls him that a lot. Now, I don't think that this innocent face could cause that much trouble - do you?

This is Marilynn with her son Caden. He will be 2 years old in January. Zayda calls his mommy "Marlin."

Marilynn has become the storyteller of the group. For some reason, no matter whose house we go to, Marilynn reads books at all of them. The kids all just keep taking her the books.

This is Beth and her son Corbin who are helping Zayda make her Santa. I think Corbin and Zayda are truly in love with each other. Their faces just light up when they see each other.
Here are the finished products. Garrett's santa on the left and Zayda's santa on the right. I think they might be the cutest santas ever - if I do say so myself.

Gandolf Thanksgiving 2008

2008-12-23T12:37:00.001-08:00

Well...First I have to apologize for being the slacker that forgot to take pictures at the Gandolf Thanksgiving. I know it's hard for you to believe but somehow I got to chatting and then forgot to take some pictures. We all had a great time and the food was wonderful. Unlike the Johnson family, my side of the family is much smaller. We had a new addition to the family this year - Jackson Ryan to my cousin Traci and her husband Ryan. He is way too cute and I was truly honored to have been there for his birth. Every year for Christmas, we draw names between the two families for our Christmas exchange. It is always a hoot to hear people talk about what they should put on their lists. Normally, the cards get passed out pretty early but we all just end up talking so we end up drawing later in the evening. My mom is always a wonderful host for Thanksgiving and she always plans our Thanksgiving for the weekend before or after Thanksgiving so we can all stay and not have to go to several different places. It makes for such a wonderful day. Kylie and I even got to beat up on our little brother who was home from Purdue. Thanks mom and dad for such a wonderful day.

Johnson Thanksgiving 2008

2008-12-23T12:24:00.000-08:00

This is the one time every year that the entire extended Johnson family all get together. We always enjoy seeing the cousins, aunts, uncles and friends that we really only talk to once a year. Just to put it in perspective, there are usually around 80 people there. It is getting even more hectic with all of the recent additions to the Johnson family in the last several years. It was a lot easier to visit when you weren't chasing toddlers. But, none the less, we do a lot of talking and even more eating. Zayda was her usual help in the kitchen with her mashed potatoes which has become tradition that she gets to use the mixer. She added dumplings to her list this year by helping Ashley and Uncle Terry. Keith's Grandma, who we loved dearly, was the sweetest woman you would ever meet. However, unlike most Grandmas, she wasn't a very good cook. But, the one thing she could make was dumplings. So, in honor of Grandma, Ashley makes Grandmas dumplings and this year Zayda got to help. Let me just say, Grandma Johnson would be proud. They were great!!!!!

A Thanksgiving Feast

2008-12-23T12:04:00.000-08:00

Every year, Zayda's school has a Thanksgiving Feast with their class. This year her Grandpa was able to come with us. Thank goodness he was there because it was hard work with 15 month old who likes to throw food and pull off the table clothes. Not to mention trying to carry 4 plates and strap a booster seat to a chair. I think Grandpa enjoyed it as much as we did.

GO COLTS!!!

2008-11-19T21:04:00.000-08:00

Zayda thought it was really neat that she tackled her grandpa in the end zone. Okay so she doesn't really know what the end zone is but she really did think it was neat to tackle her grandpa.

Did Somebody say TOUCHDOWN?!!!!

My dad is a customer of M&I Bank and since they are a sponsor of the Indianapolis Colts, they had a customer appreciation day at Lucas Oil Stadium. My dad took Zayda and I and we could not be anymore excited. We had soooo much fun!!! The stadium was amazing!!! They had all kinds of games and prizes for the kids and adults. There was plenty of free food. And there were big screen TVs set up that displayed the Colts game. Zayda loved the field and kept making piles with the rubber pellets on the turf. The entire evening was GREAT!!! Thanks DAD!!!!!

Children's Museum

2008-11-19T20:23:00.001-08:00

Zayda and Hunter together on the train.

Zayda in the yellow submarine. She was very surprised at small the inside of this submarine was.

Watch out for those Dinosaur eggs!!!!!!!

After a very restful night, we all headed to the Children's Museum. Parking was the biggest issue of the day but once we each found a parking spot, the day was flawless. We had so much fun watching the kids play together and hopefully begin developing lifelong friendships. Who knows what the future may hold but Zayda and Hunter are definitely off to a good start of being good friends. I know I truly treasure my friendship with Sara and her family and I can't thank her enough for being such a great friend. I love you guys!!

Lunch time - Re-energize time.

Garrett could have played here all day. This was a display that looked like all mulch but it was the rubber mulch. Garrett shoveled and shoveled.

Zayda was very proud of herself for building this boat. She even got to try it out and float it down the "river" that was there.

We ended the day with a ride on the carousel. Everyone really seemed to have a great day.

The goodbye hugs at the end are always the hardest. I hate saying goodbye to such good friends. Especially when it seems like it is so long before we get to see each other again. But, until next time, thank you for sharing such a wonderful weekend with us.

A visit with the Evansville Gang

2008-11-19T20:05:00.000-08:00

My friends from Evansville came to visit for the weekend and after much convincing, I talked Sara and Dan into bringing the family to stay at our house. I sure am glad that they stayed with us. The kids had a ball and we were able to spend so much more time together visiting. We had dinner for them on Friday night and they were all so good and fun to watch together.
The whole group from left to right: Garrett, Zayda, Hunter, Sawyer and Cole. What a good looking group if I do say so myself.

After dinner, the kids played and played and played. Did I say played quietly?! I didn't think so. This is Sawyer and Garrett playing quietly together!!!! Sara and I enjoyed a loud conversation over the noise but enjoyable non the less.

Sara reading to Zayda and Hunter.

Zayda trying out the twins bed for the evening. It looks like they are all really tired!!!

Zayda and Hunter having some snuggle time with Dan before hitting the hay. Tomorrow we head to the Children's Museum for lots of more fun and excitement.

Trick or Treat

2008-11-19T19:48:00.000-08:00

Zayda was so excited for Halloween this year. First, she loved her costume and the more she got to wear it, the better. Second, she really understood Halloween this year and was really excited to go Trick or Treating. She was even more excited when our next door neighbors (Zayda calls them her back door friends) asked us to go trick or treating with them. There were about 10 kids altogether that went in a group with their parents. Our neighborhood is crazy with kids on Halloween and even more fun is that most of the adults that are trick or treating with the kids dress up too. Our other next door neighbor had the haunted house on Pennswood and he had quite the costume for Halloween. (I took pictures of him but it was too dark and none of them turned out.) We are looking forward to many fun years of trick or treating with our neighbors.

Melanie our next door neighbor and the "back door friends mom" dressed up as a witch.

Zayda with Sophie (pink) and Abbey (far right) her back door friends.

The whole gang.

Halloween with Grandma and Grandpa

2008-11-19T19:18:00.000-08:00

Follow the yellow brick road, Follow the yellow brick road, Follow, Follow, Follow, Follow the yellow brick road..........Or at least follow the path that leads to Grandma and Grandpa's House. This house is full of many treats - lots of hugs and kisses (chocolate kisses included) which seem to be Zayda's favorite by far.

My mom (Grandma Gandolf) made Zayda's costume. Zayda was very proud of her costume and I think she told everyone she saw for the whole month of October that she was going to be Dorothy from the Wizard of "Boz" for Halloween. I know I am a little bit biased but I think she was the cutest Dorothy ever!!!!!!! Special thanks to Grandma for making such an amazing costume and making Halloween so special for her this year!!!!!!!!!
Dorothy complete with Toto too.

Dorothy must have her ruby slippers!!

Cousin Andra the "clown" was also over for the fun. This is a costume made by my mom as well. I remember growing up that my mom made most of our Halloween costumes. I think that is part of what made Halloween so much fun. I especially remember an E.T. costume that she made for me when I was a kid. We can't thank you enough for all of the hard work you have put into making this holiday so special.

This was the best picture we were able to get with two one year olds. Bribe them with toys and tell Zayda to just keep smiling while the adults all make funny faces, noises and gurgles trying to get smiles from the little ones. Well, worn out adults and one smiling 4 year old later, this is the memorable picture that we captured. Not too bad huh?!

Halloween at Nana's

2008-11-19T18:54:00.000-08:00

For the last couple of years, we have gotten all of the cousins together on an evening before Halloween and spent the evening traveling around to all of the Johnson Family homes. After exhausting evenings of strapping kids in and out of carseats and covering many miles, Nana decided to have a Halloween Party at her house with all of the Johnsons. It was complete with pumpkin carving (thanks to Daddy and Uncle Nick) and a costume parade. Kaden really enjoyed cleaning out the pumpkins - until he decided he wanted to eat the pumpkin insides. YUCK!!!!!!!!!! Zayda as "Dorothy"

Cowboy Brady

Kaden the Skunk and Garrett the Cowardly Lion

Kiersten (making her Halloween debut) the Flower

Aunt Erin getting some quality snuggle time with Kiersten.

A Tooth Brushing Obsession

2008-11-19T14:22:00.000-08:00

Ever since Garrett has had enough teeth to brush, we have been brushing them. Lately, it seems that all Garrett wants to do is brush his teeth. Zayda says he is "assessed" with brushing his teeth. He is also a cleaning fanatic so I guess it just goes along with the cleaning obsession. I can't wait until he is old enough to clean the house!

It's a G thing.

2008-11-19T14:06:00.000-08:00

Every other week, Zayda has show and share (old time show and tell) in her class. They do show and share along with learning letters of the alphabet. She recently had the letter G so there's nothing better than being able to share her grandparents for show and share. Especially when their last name starts with the letter G. We also decided that since her brother wanted to get in on the action too, that she should receive a little extra credit. So, here is...........

Zayda with her Grandma and Grandpa Gandolf and her little brother Garrett. It turned out to be such an incredible picture of the 4 of them.

Waterman's Field Trip

2008-11-19T13:13:00.000-08:00

Zayda's class for school took a field trip to Waterman's and they had to be accompanied by a parent. I was off but Keith was also able to take the day off so we just made it a full family affair. Zayda had a great time playing with all of her friends. They both enjoyed picking pumpkins from the pumpkin patch.

This is a picture of her class: Frogs.

One cute fall photo!!

2008-10-01T19:14:00.000-07:00

Keith always decorates our front porch for the fall. He does such a great job. It was such a beautiful day that I just couldn't resist taking a picture of the kids.

Zayda giving her "scary" pumpkin some lovin'.

One Scary Pumpkin!!

2008-10-01T19:05:00.000-07:00

Zayda has been soooo excited to carve a pumpkin this year. Since we had pumpkins from the pumpkin patch, Zayda and Brady really wanted to carve their pumpkins so.........we carved a "SCARY" pumpkin!! Garrett even got into it too. Brady really didn't want to have anything to do with it once he saw what was inside of the pumpkin.

Riding the Tractor

2008-10-01T18:59:00.000-07:00

Garrett is obsessed with any kind of lawn mower. He loves our push mower at home and he constantly wants to sit on the riding mower at the lake. This weekend, he rode and rode and rode on the tractor. Then, Mike hooked up the trailer on the mower and Zayda, Garrett and Brady all enjoyed riding in the back. The only problem was that the rest of the adults were too nervous that one of them would stand up so one of us was always chasing behind it. None of them ever did try to get out but atleast if made us feel better to be there.

Hobson's Farm

2008-10-01T18:22:00.000-07:00

This past weekend was our last trip to the lake that we will be able to be out on the water. Zayda was able to ski for one last time this summer but not before she made her daddy get in the ice cold water with her. She has a wet suit that she wears that helps keep her warm but her poor daddy just had to grin and bear it. We also took the kids to a place called Hobson's Farm. We went last year and ejoyed it so much that we wanted to go back again this year. It has all kinds of things for the kids to do....... They have a set up of all kinds of farm animals that you can feed. This years animals included billy goats, rabbits, pigs, and miniature horses. Garrett liked feeding the animals as long as his daddy was close by. Brady, our nephew, was also with us and he LOVED the animals.
The farm also had a giant sand box that is filled with corn kernels instead of sand. This was a big hit among all of the kids. Our friends Rick and Cindy also joined in on the fun and they brought their two girls Brittany and Christina with them. Here, Christina has buried Zayda in the corn kernels. Zayda thought she was pretty hot stuff.

They have a huge corn maze that is easily seen from the air. There is a picture of it on their website and it is pretty amazing. Brady wasn't too sure about the maze but he was awfully proud of the ear of corn that he found in the maze.

Garrett just wanted to eat his ear of corn. He just didn't understand why it didn't taste the same as the corn on the cob that he is used to eating.
We also enjoyed a hayride with everyone. Cindy and I posed for a picture together. We spend a lot of time together but never seem to get any pictures of ourselves together. Garrett and I had to get a picture taken again this year. Last year Garrett was only 2 months old when we went to the farm. I had him in a carrier that I wore and he fell asleep on the hayride. He had his head all thrown back but it didn't seem to bother him. It's amazing how much these kiddos all grow in one year. This year he loved the hayride again - but NO SLEEPING!!
The farm also has a huge slide that is made out of PVC pipes. Zayda went down it last year but got much more daring this year with Christina by her side.
We ended the evening at the farm by picking out a pumpkin. Garrett loved climbing on all of the pumpkins. He is truly all boy. He loves getting dirty and is quite the dare devil.

Dad's Night

2008-10-01T18:04:00.000-07:00

Zayda goes to Mount Pleasant Christian Church Preschool. This year she is in the Frog's and she will proudly tell you that she is in the "morning class." Every year her school has a Dad's night which is held at the school. This year they had a baseball theme. Zayda and Keith were both so excited to attend. They made a pennant together and it is sooo cute!! They were supposed to wear a jersey, baseball hat, and take a mitt. Zayda decided that she wanted to wear her softball jersey and since Keith didn't have a jersey, he just sported a baseball cap and mitt. This picture was taken right before they left. Gee, they don't look excited at all!!!!!! Ha Ha!!

Bath-time....YEAH!!!

2008-09-25T13:23:00.000-07:00

Finally, here is proof that Garrett finally loves the water again! I don't know what all of the drama was about for that short period of time but he loves the water again and mom doesn't dread bath time. Thanks for all of the encouraging words during his hating water period. I really appreciate them!!!!

"I can jump rope!!"

2008-09-25T13:14:00.000-07:00

Zayda recently learned to "jump rope" or her idea of jump roping anyway. She is so proud of herself and she even took her jump rope over to her Grandma and Grandpa's house to show them how well she could do it. Here she is...

Andra's First Bee-day

2008-09-25T13:03:00.001-07:00

I can't believe how quickly time goes by. I can't believe that Andra is one year old already!!! She had a birthday party with family and a "Bee" theme. She was really into opening her presents but she did seem to like playing with them after they were open. Then it was cake time and can you believe that a little kid really could have cared less about her own birthday cake?! Well, Andra decided that since she really had no interest in eating her cake that it would be a great sippy cup holder. So, she set her sippy cup right in the middle of her cake and was done. Kylie had made cupcakes and had them decorated with flowers and then she found some bees to decorate them with. It was very cute!! Happy Birthday Andra!!

Play Day With Cousin Andra

2008-09-25T12:51:00.000-07:00

We had cousin Andra over for a play day and we had a ball! I sure wish I had taken a picture of everyone eating lunch together. It was hysterical!!! Pudge came over to have a play day with Lucky too. I think they had a good time as well. I think pudge slobbers more than all of the babies!! Zayda kept saying "Where does all of that slobber keep coming from?"

Labor Day Weekend

2008-09-03T19:06:00.000-07:00

This Labor Day Weekend was much different from the ones in the past. The Saturday started out with a phone call from my dad to tell me that my mom was in the ER with severe abdominal pain. She ended up having an appendicitis and after having her appendix removed she is hopfully on the upswing of things. Next, the fourth of July fireworks were cancelled due to all of the flooding so they were on Saturday night. We had our expedition at the lake and since we had so many people we were trying to get into the park, we volunteered to take Brady, Frog and Heather with us. Can you imagine what it would be like to have triplets? They were all too cute packed into the car. Sunday, we spent out on the water and of course Zayda had to ski. So, here is a video of the "Ski Princess."

First Day of School

2008-09-03T19:02:00.000-07:00

This year, Zayda is once again attending school at Mount Pleasant Christian Church. She is very proudly in the "Pre-K class" this year. Her class is the Frogs which she thinks is pretty neat since she has an Uncle "Frog." I can't believe how quickly she is growing up and I really can't believe that this time next year she will be in Kindergarten!

Turkey "Run" State Park

2008-09-03T18:36:00.000-07:00

Our second stop on our mini vacation was Turkey Run State Park. We started the day with a picnic lunch which was a blast. The kids were great and I think Garrett was especially excited to be able to eat a meal without being strapped down in a chair. He sat great for most of the meal and would walk away with a look on his face of "aren't you going to come and get me?." Then he would laugh and run back over to the blanket. It was so much fun!!

Next, we decided that since we were in such a beautiful state park that we should do trail. Now keep in mind we have 2 kids...ages 4.5 and 1 and a dog! Lets just say that much laughter and running later, we crossed a stream on stepping stones, climbed over 100 steps, crossed a suspension bridge, walked through a log cabin and survived to tell all about it. (Hey Dad...Does this remind you of Diamond Head?!) We had so much fun!!!

Finally, the SUSPENSION BRIDGE!!!!!!!!!!!!!

MY....Hectic Relief....MINE

2008-09-03T18:12:00.000-07:00

Recently, Zayda has decided that Nana's boat is hers. She says that she and Nana have a boat and it's name is "Pectic Relief." (Real name: Hectic Relief) She has recently learned how to drive the boat. I know you are thinking that she sits on someone's lap and holds onto their hands while they drive but I mean she really has learned how to drive the boat. She stands on someone's lap, put the boat in gear to idle in the idle zone, then once she steers the boat past the bouys she turns to everyone in the boat and asks them if they are ready to go fast. Then she puts it into gear and off we go. She not only drives the boat but she knows her way around the lake and will tell you exactly where she is going. She is brilliant - I can say that because she is my child. But seriously, I am amazed at how she gets around the lake.

Zayda driving Hectic Relief

Daddy in the water with both of his kiddos. Luckily, Garrett loves the water again. Which, includes the bath tub. He splashes like crazy and he doesn't mind the water getting in his face at all. I sure don't know what that month of hating the water was all about.

Roly Poly on the boat!

Yoga Time!!

2008-09-03T18:08:00.000-07:00

Nana was able to spend a couple of days with us while we were on vacation. Zayda was very hyper one night and was having trouble settling down to go to sleep. Nana's solution....Yoga! Here is Nana and Zayda doing yoga together to try and settle down for bed.

Hangin' With My Bro

2008-09-03T18:04:00.000-07:00

We spent a lot of time back at the trailers and in the party barn just relaxing. Zayda was very excited to have her brother wear his new tye dye t-shirt that Grandma gave him for his birthday because it matched her tye dye shirt. So....here they are!! I think Garrett is laughing at his big sister:)

Holiday World

2008-09-03T12:44:00.000-07:00

Keith and I both had a week off of work so we took a mini vacation. Our first stop was to Holiday World with Zayda. We decided that the little guy would probably have more fun hanging out with Nana and Papa than he would to be carted around Holiday World all day. Zayda has a ball to say the least. She is definately going to be my little dare devil on the rides. She rode the octopus with me and our weight is so different that we were spinning around like crazy!! I kept trying to hold on to her tiny body and she kept telling me to let go of her that she was a big girl. She did the same thing to Keith when they rode the tilt a whirl turkey. She thought it was really cool that she could drive and car and mommy and daddy had to ride with her while she drove us. I was a gorgeous day and in the afternoon, we hit the waterpark. Zayda tried her hardest to convince one of the workers that she could ride a water slide that she was too short for. Much to her dismay, he never gave in but she sure did try hard. We had a great time and look forward to taking both kids back next year.

Zayda anxiously riding in the car on the way to Holiday World.

Zayda on the bumper boats. She loved that she got to drive her own boat!

My little dare devil on her "first real roller coaster." I had to ride with her because she wasn't tall enough to ride by herself. We are the second people from the front. I have a white shirt on and my hair in a ponytail.

Do you see the trend? Zayda driving Daddy in the jeep.

Zayda and Daddy on the tilt a whirl turkey. They were flying around!! Zayda loved the rides. Everytime she got off of a ride she asked the worker if she could go again?!

More fun at the lake

2008-08-06T14:45:00.000-07:00

All the boys taking their naps....Kaden (far left), Garrett (middle), and Brady (right). What you can't see is on the far far left, Mike is asleep in the chair. I guess the boys do take after their papa.

After the stress of getting ready for Garrett's big party, we decided to end the weekend with a relaxing trip to the lake. It was a beautiful weekend for boating. A great time was had by all. Zayda has been enjoying not having to take a nap this summer when we go boating but the other boys weren't so lucky!! Garrett is enjoying the lake water but now isn't so sure about the bath tub - go figure!!