Ending the Summer...Beginning the School Year!

Every summer we have an annual cookie sale where Mom slaves away in the kitchen making cookies, and Alec and Ava reap the rewards from the sale. O.K, I'm sounding a little bitter, it's actually completely worth it, but I think I need to negotiate a cut. I pushed it off all summer and finally Alec said last Saturday "we are doing the cookie sale today, or I'm going to just find something else to sell" I was worried about what he might take to the streets so I got on it!




Alec and Ava putting on their best smiles...got to earn those sales


A shot of the sales team taking a water break!

Now it's back to school time, it's always a love/hate feeling! The fighting that is part of a brother sister duo...that I won't miss, but the fun quality time just hanging out being together...that I will miss! Both Alec and Ava have great teachers and we're excited to get back into the swing of school.


Alec putting his cool face(well trying)on...he soooo knows this drill, after all he is starting the 2nd Grade!



My little Ava girl, Kindergarten has arrived! I'm so excited for her and the fun she will have. I have her in morning session which made it easy on Mom, I still feel like I have my buddy most the day, first grade is when I have my melt down, 11:30 is here before you know it!



Ella has to be part of all action that takes place in this family...this 3rd child is NOT being left behind for anything!



Well...I guess she does get left behind for some things. This is her every morning after she has tried unsuccessfully to jump in with the carpool. Back pack on and ready to go, this has been our morning everyday since school started...she loves her Aggie(Alec)and Ava!

Some things just never get old...

So once a year the entire Johnsen clan descends upon St.George to leave it's mark, and oh do we leave it. Every year it's the same stuff swimming, hiking, biking, volleyball, lot's of eating and cousins, cousins, cousins! Truly, if I could rent some of these cousins just to have at my beckon call all summer long, I would. The kids honestly go 24/7, come check in for food every once in awhile, maybe give a holler if someone gets hurt, but they just love the tradition of being in St.George with family. Thank you to Grandpa and Grandma Johnsen for making the wonderful memories happen...until next time!

Getting our Run on...Washington style!

Zachary and I had the opportunity to do a race in Washington State last month with some good friends. We stayed with a friend whose parents have a home on Whidbey Island and he put together a team to run the Northwest Passage relay race. I had no idea what a treat I was in for...an absolutely breath taking island full of huge green trees and the ocean...the ocean makes everything better. We had such a wonderful time relaxing for the first few days taking in all the beautiful scenery and just chilling before we had to go run our guts out and not sleep for over 24 hours. Let me just say as far as running goes...I need to move closer to the ocean...oh the difference!


The running gang, Tim and Jamie Short, Jason and Katie Roberts and me and Zach.


The "baton" pass...this was really fun for Zachary and I to be able to pass off to each other...some good bum slaps!


A good scenic moment...which were plenty!


Jamie...literally getting hosed by a tattooed covered man. This was no spritz, it was a full on shower...thanks for the good laugh Jamie!


Seriously...the beauty was priceless! It helped distract from the mountains that wouldn't stop!


I always have to capture my favorite slogans from these races, and this one totally took the cake...the back said "Honk if you love buns"

Some Summer Catching Up...

Well...I never claimed I would be good at this blog thing, I kind of seem to do it all in clumps, so here goes my "clump" if you will for summer. I know every summer we all sit around and say...where did it go, but really what happened to all my big aspirations for projects, getting my yard in ship shape order or I don't know reading a book. Well other things got in the way like swimming, racing, camps, trips, BBQ's and spending time with friends and family, the good stuff right, who needs projects anyway!

Ava learning to ride her bike with her Dad...this moment never ceases to bring a big smile on a parents face...except for when she forgets to peddle and comes crashing to the ground, but hey this is a blog we only show the highlights...right!





Alec had the opportunity this summer to attend the Johnsen and Johnsen basketball camp for this first time. He thought he was in hog heaven hanging out with his Aunt, Uncles and cousins all week playing ball...definite highlight of the summer for him.


Little Ella doing her self-taught posing anytime a camera is flashing...just cruising along trying to keep up with the gang!


Ella has discovered "bling" or accessories, what have you, and let me tell you, girlfriend has is going on! Leaving the house now is not only where are my keys and bag, I have to make sure my two year old has glasses, bag, keys and her cell phone...oh and it better be charged...no it doesn't have a working phone number for anyone who was worried!

A fabulous 4th Weekend had by all...

What a weekend...I'm wiped and so is my house, do you think my house should be put back together after a party on Friday...don't answer that! I just can't seem to pull my stuff together, but hey, we had an awesome weekend with swimming, fireworks, cousins, Murray 5k with family, parade, breakfast at Grandma's, lunch at the cabin, more fireworks, more cousins and of course more food! Hope you all had a wonderful 4th of July in the beautiful land of the free!

The latest with Al the Pal...

My events are all out of order, but some things have to be blogged even if they happened a few weeks ago! Alec had the opportunity to play machine pitch baseball this year! With next to no experience, he was a little timid, but had a firecracker of a coach if you will, who whooped that whole team into winning shape...first place in the championship winning shape might I add! I was very proud of how far he came, in the beginning he shied away from the ball, by the end he was hammering them out into the field! You did a mom and dad proud, and congrats on being the Champions!


With all the craziness of us training for Wasatch Back, Alec apparently wanted to know when he could do his first race! So I signed us up for the North Salt Lake fun run 5k. I don't think he quite knew what he was asking for...30 seconds in he said "wow, I'm tired...do we have to run the whole time...I have a side ache" at this point I'm thinking "this is going to be a long one" but Big Al dug deep and found that competitor within and did awesome. In true kid fashion, it was an all out sprint or walk...no in between, which actually was killing me, but we had a great time together, and made for an awesome memory! Thanks Al the Pal...


After we finished the race he wasn't so sure he wanted to do that again,then his name was called in a prize raffle and he got a 2 liter of Shasta Tiki Punch...his tune quickly turned to "when can we sign up again mom"...priceless!

Run Like Ya Stole It...

O.K, So for starters I stole that mantra off someone elses van, I just loved it, so I ran with it! Wasatch Back, came and went and we all survived. What an experience...so many emotions in a 28 hour period. Sometimes you're thinking this is one of the highlights of my life and other times I wanted to hide in the bushes with a cookie and a diet coke...you all know how real that scenario is! In all honesty, is was an amazing experience running along the Wasatch mountains, with a car full of hot mama's, the camaraderie is contagious and you just want to scream, shout and support anything that runs by you, because you know they get your pain! Speaking of pain, I have a few of them, but overall I definitely gained. Thank you to all my ladies and all our men who helped us through the madness...until next time?


Here I am fresh faced and naive to what lies ahead...


Me and the Captain...I love ya Brooke, thanks for keeping us all together! Race is over, freshness is gone!




Highlights of all the craziness that is Wasatch Back...please notice the slogan on the back of the car...Britt, that's for you!