The People I Missed the Most...

Well I recently went on a girls weekend to Las Vegas...there was so much to see and do in such a short amount of time. Although I did have fun...I really missed my family. I was so happy to get back to my not so normal or quiet life...it has been hard for me to get back into the swing of things, and I haven't even had my first shift back to work yet!

So upon my arrival, I found that the house was completely cleaned, Lucas said that he and the girls worked on it that weekend on top of having a baby with an ear infection, getting a flat, and working two jobs. What can I say, he is amazing!

I missed my Erynn, having my buddy with me everyday, her smile and the way she always wants to be by my side. She is getting so big and I swear she grew while I was away. I missed how my Avery always rubs on my ears when she hugs me and how she loves to come and show me her "cheer moves" that she practices non-stop. She has the best toe touch and bannana split! I was happy to have had a few calls from my Andie while I was gone, but I think this made me miss her more hearing her voice and knowing that she needed me and I wasn't here for her. She is growing so fast and it is so nice to know that she still needs her mommy from time to time.

Lastly, I missed my husband, my bestfriend. One thing I learned this past weekend, I am not a partier, I am not 20 anymore, and I love being with my husband. I missed having my "wingman". It was so nice to come home and have him with me again, to hold him, and feel him lying there next to me while I slept. I didn't sleep so good in Vegas. Also, I just know that I would have had a better time sharing this time with Lucas and the girls. So in short, I don't think I'll be doing a girls weekend anytime soon, but I am planning a family getaway with my sweet girls and loving husband. My family is my everything, I only hope I can show them this everyday!

Best Surprise

So my Dad showed up and surprised us yesterday!! He has been in Australia over the past three months and we haven't seen him since Christmas Break! We sure did miss him as evidenced by our not leaving his side for 6hrs yesterday evening. It was great though! The girls love thier Papa so much and hopefull he will be back in AZ for good!

11 Years

So today is my 11 Year Anniversary!! 11 years of Marriage that is! Lucas and I were married 11 years ago on August 12, 2000 after a 5 year courtship. Many already know this story, but I thought it would fun to reminisce about past memories and share some old pics to show just how much I love this man and am so grateful to have found him when I did! Enjoy!


16 years ago, January 1995, I met Lucas Robert Johnson during my 7th grade PE class. He happened to have PE the same time as me, but at that time he was a Freshman in HS, so the odds of us running into eachother at this time in our lives was not likely. We had just started the semester and we were required to learn Country Dancing. Being a 7th grader and having to dance with Freshman boys, you can imagine I was pretty nervous, embarrassed, and excited! First day of Country Dancing was "Boys Pick". I did not know any Freshman boys at this time and was worried about not getting asked to dance. Low and behold, an adorable blue eyed boy asked if I would be his partner, I said yes.

After a few more weeks of dancing, this same blue eyed boy asked me to be his girlfriend only after tricking me into disclosing to his bestfriend Andy Wright that I liked him and would say yes if he asked me out...little did I know that would lead to 16 years with my bestfriend and 11 years married to a wonderful husband and father. I am so grateful to Lucas for being there for me, for my beautiful daughters, for helping me keep this family together. I look forward to the next 16 years!

Lucas, me and Alisa on my 15th birthday, yes Lucas has make-up on, he just performed in a play, haha!

Lucas and I before Prom my Freshman year, Lucas still to this day loves this dress, I still have it hanging in my closet.
Before Girls Dance Sophmore Year (I think, it is hard to keep track)
Me and Lucas being silly.
Group Pic Lucas' Senior Prom, Andy is right next to him, Thanks again Andy!
Before my Junior Prom
At Lucas' HS Graduation '98
At my Graduation '00
Engagement '00, Lucas asked me to marry him the Summer before I started my Senior year. As you can imagine, my parents weren't thrilled, but we knew what we wanted and waited until after graduation to have the wedding!
Our Wedding Day August 12, 2000! We had a blast!!
Lucas with Andie February 14, 2001!! Andie, named after Lucas' best friend, he has been there trough the good and the bad, so glad that Lucas has a friend like him!
Lucas and Andie
At Lucas' Graduation from NAU '05, preggers with Avery, we loved our time in Flag!! It brought us closer together as a family!

Lucas and his girlies, Andie and Avery born May 27, 2005

Johnson Family in our apartment in Flagstaff, AZ '05

Visiting in Safford for 4th of July right after Avery was born

Andie and Avery my sweet girlies '06

Andie, Lucas, and Avery just before we added another girlie to the mix '09

Lucas and Erynn, born February 8, 2009

Lucas and his girlies '09

Johnson girls Christmas '10

Fall 2011

I can't believe 2011 is already more than half-way over!! My girlies have all grown so much, we have been so busy with life, and I have really let myself get distracted from what is important...celebrating the joy that my family brings me.

Andie's 1st day of 5th Grade

Andie is now 10-years-old and just started 5th grade. We are so happy that she has Ms. Allred as her teacher this year. Andie is such a smart girl, we have so many hopes for her as she enters into her tween years, it is both scary and exciting. She is such a caring and loving girl, but I can see the occasional sullen teenager just waiting to escape hiding under the surface. Andie has gotten so tall over the summer, she will be taller than me before I know it.

Avery's 1st Day of 1st Grade

Avery turned 6 at the beginning of summer. She was so excited to go back to school this year. I think she mostly missed her friends, but she has been reading and I am so happy to see that she enjoys school. Her goal this summer was to learn how to swim...sure enough she did. We put her in private lessons in July and within 3 weeks she was swimming the length of the pool. Lucas and I are so proud of her. Nothing will stand in her way once she sets her mind to achieving something!
Lucas and the Girls on the 1st Day of School at Granny's House, they always go over before school to take a pic here, Lucas has done this since he was a little boy, I think it's a nice tradition he has started with the girls!

Erynn is 2 1/2-years-old now. We have tried the potty training a few times over the summer...it didn't work out so well. We were told a while back, when she was diagnosed with renal reflux that children with reflux have a harder time potty training, I guess we are seeing that now. I have a hard time being hard on her, she just gets so upset with herself and I hate that pouty look of hers. My mother says it's because she is my last...which is why Lucas is pushing for a fourth, haha
Here are some new pics of the girlies, 1st day of school and new haircuts!!

Erynn with her very 1st hair cut, she did such a good job and I think it came out so adorable, look at that face!!

Andie with her hair short again, I like it like this, but after growing it out all summer, I was surprised she wanted to cut if off. The new thing right now is wearing a feather in your hair, so her she is with a pink one, who would have thought?!?
Avery's hair had gotten so long over summer, she wanted to be Rapunzel for Halloween and was growing it out, well she soon realized with long hair comes tangles (haha), so we trimmed it and it looks so cute now...of course she had to have feathers too, her are smaller though