A Very Special Birthday Shout Out

Happy 32nd Birthday to.... From....
So happy to be this...
We love you Ryan. Hope you have a great day.

A few things you may not know about Ryan:

Loves cookies, sandwiches, dark chocolate and anything creamy

Relaxes by watching TV

Very sensitive to anything scented

Picky about perfumes, collars on tee shirts, lawn care

Quick witted and Smart

Will watch an occasional DVR'd Oprah Show

Obsessed with running and BYU football

Dislikes tomatoes & most seafood

Shows he DVR's: The Unit, ER, American Idol,

The Office & Documentaries

Isn't: tidy or handy Is: clean and helpful

Prefers to hang out with: Max and Me, his brothers

Loves getting a lot accomplished in a day

Collects pocket knives

A "shoe" guy

Ready, Set...Wait, I'm not Ready.

With only about 5 weeks to go until an induction, I'm feeling somewhat behind in all that I have to do. I go to the doctor this week and will hopefully get a scheduled induction date around the 24th. My doctor mentioned doing this at the last visit but I really didn't want to be induced if I didn't have to. Then Ryan tells me he is most likely going to be traveling internationally for a week or more at the end of March so he thought it best that we have the baby as soon as possible so I could be as recovered as possible by the time he leaves...hence setting the induction date for at least a week earlier than my original due date.

Am I ready? Yes and no. I am honestly over the whole pregnancy thing. I am not one of those people who loves being pregnant, but I don't mind it until I start with the no sleeping and the awkwardness of having this protrusion out in front of me that makes pretty much everything uncomfortable. Everyone comments on how I have this ball/torpedo extension of my torso. So yes, I'm ready to trade the beachball in for the post-delivery flab. I think I would rather deal with that at this point. Am I ready to have a newborn at home? No. Too bad there isn't a way to not be pregnant, but to give yourself a little more time before endless feedings, weird after birth pains, and even more sleepless nights begin.

Right now I seem to be in this mad frenzy to get my house organized and ready for another baby. It hadn't occurred to me that it is no use washing the baby clothes and blankets yet because oops, we don't have a dresser to put them in.

So my list of things to clean, organize, clear out, and purchase occupies my mind in those inevitable 2 hours that I wake up each night and can't go back to sleep. On that list...catch up the blog. So that is what I have done in the the following 4 or 5 posts. Heaven knows I wouldn't have anything ready to bring the baby home in should he decide to come early. I'm fairly certain that catching up the blog wouldn't be a priority so I hope you appreciate my attempt to share our mundane but what we think significant happenings of the past two months.

WHAT--2009?

Being almost 9 months pregnant and with all the new challenges that a 2 year old brings to going out, I generally try to avoid too many unnecessary outings. As such, I sometimes forget that we are in a new year. I was writing out something the other day and as I wrote 2008 and then corrected my mistake I realized the world around me is moving on from day to day, month to month, year to stinkin' year with or without me. Don't get me wrong, we rang in the new year as we always do with Ryan and Jolea and lots of food and treats. We went to Jolea's house and actually spent the night. We figured why stay up until midnight, wake up a sleeping kid to put him in the cold car and drive home, when we could just sleep over, sleep in and go sledding the next day! So that's what we did. Jolea and I went to bed promptly after ringing in the new year and the Ryans' stayed up until 3:30 am playing the PS3. The next day after a late breakfast we bundled up the kiddos and walked down to the park and went tubing. Max seemed to enjoy himself and especially liked swinging and sliding.

But somehow after ringing the new year I suppose I tucked away the fact that it was actually 2009. I didn't even make a resolution list as I usually do. I mentally noted that I would like to stop with the Diet Cokes and eat better; that was quickly followed by another mental note--I have to relinquish my love for soda, chocolate, and pretty much everything else I love in a few short weeks as I begin nursing. Why punish myself now for the sake of starting a resolution with the new year? I mean, this whole year is going to be a post-partum resolution. I've mentioned the diet, but there is the returning to exercise (which I am looking forward to but dreading the pain), the giving up even more sleep than I already am, the committing myself to getting the baby, his big brother, and his parents on some sort of routine, etc. I figure why make a list. It's pretty much made itself for me.

So welcome 2009--I guess you've already got me pinned for punishment and some wonderful new pleasures as well.

So This Is Christmas-2008

Christmas Morning at my in-laws in Tooele

I had such great intentions of starting a Christmas Journal. I saw the idea on a show and loved it. You scrapbook (first problem) the outside of a plain journal with cute Christmas paper and add tabs inside for each year. For many years you have a journal filled with memories from each Christmas--what activities you did, fun traditions, funny anecdotes, gifts given and received, stresses, etc. As mentioned above and while very minimal, I was lost at the scrap booking. I haven't even taken the time to jot down the musings of the 2008 Christmas season, so I thought I would at least take a moment to blog about our holidays.

PARTIES & OUTINGS

• The Nutcracker @ Capital Theater
• Xango Semi-Formal Christmas Party @ the Grand America (again we won nothing, but the employee gift ensemble was delightful)
• Neighborhood Kids Christmas party for Max at the Stewart's home
• Johnsen Family Christmas Party in TooeleThe nativity great-grandchildren...and Max... interrupting Silent NightGrandma Johnsen--annual Johnsen family Christmas party in TooeleGreat-grand kids do the white elephant gift exchange--Max is threatening to steal Camilla's gift
• Christmas Eve and Christmas Day at my in-laws in Tooele

Max loves his "PaPa"

TRADITIONS (New & Old)

• Johnsen family party is no longer on Christmas Eve; it's the Saturday before Christmas and the adults no longer have to do the white elephant.
• Loveless Family Christmas Eve at Ryan's parents home includes Christmas Eve dinner, Luke 2 video and a Christmas sing-along.
• This year Mark brought in a new tradition--watching "The Gift"--you know, the one where the little boy gets up early to milk the cows for his dad. I don't think the grand kids cared, but all the adults seemed to be a little touched. As parents, we would all appreciate such a gift from our kids.
• Loveless Family Gift Exchange on Christmas afternoon
• Our weekly FHE consisted of showing Max the nativity and trying to get him to realize the baby was Jesus. He seemed confused, but did grasp the concept of mommy, daddy, baby, and of course, cows, horse, sheep, and star. We were pleased with that much. He learned the "Asleep" version of "Away in a Manger" and liked to pretend he was sleeping.
• This year Ryan and I started a tradition of writing down a gift we want to each give to the Savior for the month and also one for the upcoming year. We have a dedicated ceramic gift box that we put our written down gifts in and we will pull them out next year and evaluate and decide on another gift.

CHRISTMAS MUSINGS:

• Ryan gets so excited every other year when we overnight it in Tooele. He never forgets to remind me that Santa delivers gifts not to his mother's very elegant upstairs tree, but only to his father's very brightly lighted and ornamented downstairs tree...complete with water bubble lights and Santa head ornaments.Papa's tree--where Santa leaves the gifts
• Our first year to have two trees, one upstairs and one downstairs. As I added to the elegant tree this year, Ryan continually reminded me that Santa would not be leaving presents at that tree. He insists that next year we have colored lights on the the dedicated "family ornament tree" downstairs. He wants to be in charge of it from now on.
• Outside lights--my, oh my. We realized Ryan's intense aversion to heights. After much time and serious contemplation, Ryan returned safely to ground and hired a friend to hang the lights.
• Max thought Santa was Jesus for about two weeks.
• Max's first visit to see Santa. He realized he wasn't Jesus and he also realized that he wants nothing to do with him up close. We now have the very classic screaming on Santa's lap picture. He did tell everyone that Santa says "HO,HO, HO"

Max on his new rocker pony

GIFTING AND RECEIVING:
This year we were determined to get the shopping done early so that we could enjoy the holidays. We were successful and I even had it all wrapped about a week and a half prior to Christmas. We also wanted to stick better to a budget. We weren't as successful as we wanted to be there; surprisingly it was Ryan who over did it.

MAX

• Gave: joy, laughs, new vocabulary, dancing, tantrums, kisses and hugs and the magic of Christmas as only a child can give
• Received: Wiggles guitar, books, rocker horse, vacuum cleaner, light saber, blocks, drum, pop gun, outfit, Wiggles DVD and slippers, animal block puzzle

Max's favorite thing to do--help unwrap every one's gifts... ...and take the trash to PaPa who would "gobble it up in the big bag" Max with his pop-gun
RYAN

• Gave: lots of time and effort to the new ward, especially in organizing, delivering, and giving to the Sub for Santa, time studying for the CPA, running a "run for it's money" 954 miles for the year, special Daddy time to Max and always, precious moments with me
• Received: new electric razor, remote control airplane, shoes, shirts, tie, sweaters, sweaters, sweatersRyan gets what...another sweater?
  CALLI
  
• Gave: cooking, cleaning, cooking, cleaning, diaper changing, home organization; exchanged her running shoes for morning sickness, weight gain, prenatal vitamins, and sleepless nights; motherhood and nurturing, cute neighborhood gifts
• Received: black boots, brown suede boots, scarves, jewelry, maternity coat, gift certificate, a new little boy on the way
  
  
  Likely Max's favorite gift--the vacuumMax helping Uncle Jeff unwrap a gift
  

White Christmas Welcome; Then Leave Please.

It seemed like the snow might never come...then like a gift from the Holiday itself...it all arrived just before Christmas. I never had a white Christmas growing up in West Texas so I love that we get that perfect blanket of Christmas white. Now if only we didn't have to drive it it, if only it didn't ice up our driveway and pile up in our streets, and if it could please all go away by February.

In the meantime, Daddy has a little helper. Max loves to help shovel the driveway, usually making more work for Dad but he's glad to do it. We even found this pint size snow shovel just for our little helper.

PARTY LIKE YOU'RE 2!

I have a feeling that the Christmas Eve birthday thing is going to catch up with me in a few years. But until Max really starts to realize that he's getting ripped off on parties and presents, I improvised this year. Actually, I mentally made a note to make his birthday separate from Christmas this year. He is finally at an age where he likes having other kids around to play, particularly Jolea's kids. So this year, we decided to throw him an early party just a few days before Christmas Eve and invited just his cousins and one little neighbor boy.

I had good intentions of having it all ready come party day, but it just didn't happen. But thankfully Ryan was off work that day and we made a stop at Partyland for a horse themed party, a stop at Albertson's for a little cake and ice cream, and one more stop to pick up a pizza and Wha-La...it was party time!

Max had such a great time playing ring toss on the bull, pin the tail on the donkey, and busting his horse pinata with his cousins and he loved his presents. Daddy spent over 4 hours putting together his train table the night before the party. It was a prelude of things to come in future years I believe. Although it was a little rush, rush to throw it together, it turned out to be really cute and really fun for the kids. A big thanks to Jolea for bringing her crew over in the blizzard, first shoveling for 2 hours to get out of the driveway. You guys made Max's 2nd birthday special for him!

Always Remember...

It's hard to believe that Dad has been gone 13 years as of the 19th of December. I borrowed this post from my sister, Jolea. I feel bad for just now taking time to pay tribute, but better late than never. She wrote a beautiful tribute that states exactly the tender feelings of my heart. I love you too Dad.
I can remember the day so clearly yet it was so long ago

Sometimes, in tiny moments, I still wonder if it really happened

Your heart hurts when you ponder on the loss

The good memories help time to pass

We all miss him so much, especially mother

We long for the day when we shall be reunited again

We love you so much Dad.

-Jolea Dec. 19, 2008