Cookie Monster!

This is what happens when you leave a bag of cookies in your purse. Kamryn knows that Mommy tends to put snacks in her purse, so whenever I leave a bag lying around she goes through it to see what goodies she can find. Well, I can't keep tabs on her at all times at home and I forget that I have snacks in my bag. So, when she walked out with this cute face, I couldn't get mad. My bad for leaving the cookies in such an accesible spot.

Bring out the Rally Monkey!

Last night, our little family headed out to attend an Angels Game. I'm trying to make it a point that we attend at least one Angels game each season...I guess I would like it to become a tradition of sorts. Anyhow, Jason and I were a bit nervous about bringing Kamryn to a game. The last time we went, Kamryn was a year old and was pretty content to sit on our lap and look around. Plus, she didn't talk quite as much. So, we worried this night would be challenging...but I'm happy to report that she did great. And she was enthralled with all that was going on around her. I mean, just look at this happy face! :-)
















Kamryn is clinging to Jason in this picture. They let off some fireworks in the beginning of the game and obviously, the noise doesn't thrill her.















Kamryn got really happy by the end of the night when they brought out the RALLY MONKEY!!! She loved seeing the monkey on the big screen and watching everyone wave their own rally monkeys. She kept saying "Go Monkey!" (We had her saying "Go Angels" earlier, so she improvised).















Jason and I just enjoying a night out with our family. Oh, and we enjoyed watching the Angels come back from a 3 run deficit in the eighth inning to win the game, 7-5. GO ANGELS! (and go rally monkey....he works like a charm every time).

Two reasons why I loved the Olympics!

It couldn't have ended any better! Go Team USA!!! You make me proud to be an American. Until 2012 then.....

Finger lickin' good!

Aaron McCargo, Jr. of BIG DADDY'S HOUSE!!


Okay, I'm far from being a great cook. Probably far from being a good cook. However, last night I somehow turned into, at least, a great cook for one night. I'm a big fan of the show, "The Next Food Network star" and the winner now has a show called "Big Daddy's House." He makes some yummy food and makes it look easy. I have watched many a Food Network Chef make fried chicken, but I never once was inspired to try it myself until Big Daddy. He made it look easy. He didn't need his own deep fryer or a special oil thermometer. No, he just used a big frying pan and the back of a wooden spoon to tell the temperature and voila, fried chicken. So, I tried it and if I don't mind myself saying, it really was finger lickin' good. I attempted to take a picture, but my camera is suspiciously dead (kamryn) and sadly, I don't know how to charge it...or at least, I have no idea which cord, out of the 5 million we have, charge it. So you just have to trust me and Jason when we say it was good. (The chicken looked pretty similar to this but without all the pretty green stuff on the plate).



So thanks Big Daddy...for making me feel like a great cook for at least one night.

My Three Favorite Things of the Week!

1. Swimming- We have gone swimming quite a bit the last couple weeks. This week we went swimming two days in a row and Kamryn has made improvements. She's gone from clinging to Mommy and Daddy in the pool to now hanging out in a special "Fish flotation device" that she borrowed from our friends, the Livingstons. Now we just need to get her to try putting her head in the water and we're on our way to the Olympics.





























Just taking a break!
















2. Build-A-Bear- I have been wanting to go to this store for many years now, but always felt silly going for myself being a twenty-something adult. But thanks to Karissa and her son, Blake, turning two, we got to go to a Build-A-Bear Party with a bunch of our friends. This store is awesome and we had a great time with everyone and seeing how excited Kamryn was to build a...puppy. I hoped she might choose a bear (since she already has lots of puppies) but it wasn't to be. I can't believe how many outfits they have to choose for these stuffed animals. We tried to convince Kamryn that her puppy, named "Trusty" (greatest cartoon dog in movie history) should wear an "Anaheim Angels" outfit, but she refused to let puppy wear anything. So, we got her a stroller instead. !
















Her favorite thing was the "condo." She loved it so much she had to hold it in her car seat...and fell asleep with it basically on top of her. These are the moments I love! Happy Birthday Blake and thanks for the awesome party!
















3. Michael Phelps- Usually, I'm someone who likes to root for the underdog. I'm not one for those who dominate a sport and leave no room for others to thrive (ie....Tiger Woods, Tiger Woods and Tiger Woods). Okay, so obviously I'm not a big fan of Tiger Woods. Something about him rubs me the wrong way and yes, him winning the US Open was pretty amazing with a hurt knee and all (so dramatic) but I was rooting for Rocco to win his first major at over 40 years old. I like to see other athletes get a chance to be great. I make the exception with Michael Phelps. I enjoy seeing him crush the competition one race at a time. I love watching him make history. Reason I like him and not Tiger??? Hard to say, but it seems that Phelps is friendlier, a little goofy and he wears a little less. Go Michael! Way to get the 8 golds! Tiger Woods has nothing on you! :-)

August Happenings

So far, August has been a good month. There was the Concert in the Park, where our friends, the Hartmans, joined us. We had a great time and the music was awesome. "The Answer" never disappoints.

Kamryn is struggling to stay put for a picture.


I took Kamryn to the park last week, and she actually requested to get off the swing to go play on other toys. That's a rare happening for my little girl. Of course, she ended up right back on the swings to end the little excursion but at least she made some improvement.



Here's Jason and I waiting for Ron and Karissa. They were nice enough to invite us to go to The House of Blues to go see a U2 Tribute Band called "Under a Blood Red Sky." The band was awesome and I was extremely impressed. We wished we could have stayed longer, but they had an opening band, who did Pearl Jam covers, play for an hour and then a half hour break. So the U2 band didn't even get up there until 9:30. So, we could only stay for the first hour, where they played a bunch of songs from "War" and some other oldies. Our friends, the Livingstons, were letting Kamryn crash in their kids room while we were gone so we needed to get back. If anything, this concert just made me all the more determined that when the time comes, I will be at the next U2 concert no matter what.

Owen's Baby Blessing

Even though this happened a few weeks ago now, I still wanted to post the pictures we took. These aren't great shots of baby Owen, but I posted them anyway. It was nice that my brother was able to bless Owen at my sister's house. It was a very special moment for both my family and Mary's family.

Those who can...come join us tomorrow night!

Our little family plans on going to the Concert in the Park in Claremont tomorrow night to listen to "The Answer." They are a great classic rock band and are one of the most popular bands to come see at these concerts. So I'm inviting anyone to come join us. It really is a good time to hang out, chat, and listen to good music. Hope to see some familiar faces tomorrow night.

My own little Picasso

Here is Kamryn's first time water painting. Very exciting. :-)

Enjoyin' the Ride!

So, I'm thinking that since everyone else in Southern California blogged about their earthquake experience, I might as well throw mine in for good measure. Kamryn and I were enjoying a tasty lunch with our friend Karissa at a fabulous hole-in-the-wall mexican place called Patty's. Then the earthquake hits. At first, there was that loud rumbling noise and then came the swaying. Usually, whenever I've been in an earthquake before, the earth feels like its jolting and shaking. But yesterday, I felt like I was swaying. So, everyone in the restaurant just stood in place and looked around as we all swayed with the earth. There was one young girl in there who screamed and then cried for a long time afterward, poor girl. My friend Karissa is not a California native, so she hasn't been through one quite so intense so she was shaken up. And don't get me wrong, my heart was pounding...but I wasn't quite as freaked out as I have been known to get when one hits. I think it actually helped that it was during the day and that I was in public and not alone. I was so calm, that I didn't even grab Kamryn in a panic like I think I normally would have done. She just sat on the chair next to me and we both enjoyed the ride. :-)

So, to all of my dear friends who haven't lived in California that long... Welcome! Let's just hope we've all moved before the dreaded "Big One" hits.

Isn't my Mother beautiful??

My Mom was in town during the family reunion and Kamryn's birthday celebration a couple weeks ago and I just wanted to share a couple of pictures I took of her. Kamryn loves her Grandma and loves spending time with her. So, I'm excited to get whatever time I can with my Mom to hang out, visit and for her to continue to develop a close relationship with Kamryn.


While she was here, we also stopped and visited the grave site of my Dad. He passed away 7 years ago. I miss him terribly and it hurts to know that Kamryn will grow up never being able to meet her Grandpa Johnson, but she will know that her Grandpa was a great man. I'll make sure of that. How grateful I am to know that I will get to see my Dad again and that after this life, Kamryn will get to meet her Grandpa face to face and give him a hug. I hope I'm there when that happens. :-)

Finishin' up the Birthday events!

Since we pretty much celebrated Kamryn's birthday last Saturday, we didn't do too much on her actual birthday, but we did do something. We ran some errands and at Target we let her pick a toy...which ended up being a stuffed animal of Blue from Blue's Clues. Then we took her for a special dinner to McDonalds. We haven't been there for a long time, so it was a special treat for her. She even got more daring on the toys and actually crawled through some of the tunnels, instead of just sitting in the entrance, blocking everyones path. First, here she is in her birthday outfit that her Grandma Johnson gave her. She looks extremely adorable in my own biased opinion. :-) Unfortunately, I couldn't quite get the full outfit shout. But it's cute!


This is a first!!!


Enjoying her birthday dinner! Obviously, she is too busy to bother with my bothersome questions.

Happy Birthday Pooka!

So, my baby girl just turned 2 today. So, I guess that means she is really not a baby anymore. She is a little person who can talk, sing, spin, and give her Mommy and Daddy lots of kisses. Everytime I look at her, it reminds me of my Savior's love for me. I know that my Heavenly Father wants me to be happy and I know that they have blessed my life immensely. I am so grateful to have been blessed with a wonderful husband and that we were able to have our beautiful red head. She loves me unconditionally even when I lose my patience or get angry....she just asks me "what's wrong Mommy?' and gives me kisses. I love how passionate she is....even if it does make for some intense tantrums when I try to remove her from one of those passions (ie: swing, puppies and the caputer(computer)). She is a driven little girl and she knows what she wants and I hope she carries that passion with her her whole life. :-)

On Saturday, we spent some time at the Johnson Family Reunion where we ate good food, went swimming and reacquainted ourselves with my Dad's side of the family. Here is my sister, Suzanne, my sister-in-law Mary with baby Owen and my cousin, Candy.


I asked my brothers to just stand by the BBQ and do their thing....so Jeremy made it look so natural.
After the reunion, we headed back to my house where we celebrated Kamryn's birthday. Most of my family (not all) were in town that weekend for the reunion so I thought we'd celebrate. Thanks for all the wonderful gifts. Kamryn can't stop playing with them. :-)




So Happy Birthday pooka! Your Mommy and Daddy love you so much. You are our sunshine and we thank HeavenlyFather every night for letting us be your parents. Thanks for making our lives more complete!

Thanks for the sunglasses Paige and Kameryn

Kamryn got some sunglasses from one of her playdate friends at our group "Birthday party" which was at our friends Stephanie's house. I said I wanted to take a picture of her with the glasses and here's the pose she came up with. I couldn't have posed her better myself. :-)

I Love the 80's!

Just think VH1 when you read the title and think Flock of Seagulls when you look at this cute little bathing beauty.

Concerts in the Park

My favorite Summer activity! To all our friends....feel free to join us when you want! It's a great family night activity! :-)

At the Car Wash, yeah!

You know I'm desperate for blog material when I start taking pictures of us washing the car. But Kamryn does look cute sitting in the drivers seat. (She knows where she sits in our family, unfortunately).