Her Hair is Everywhere...

This is Emma right before she got it cut.

BFF!
Kailee showed up to swimming lessons the other day with about 14" less hair!! We didn't even recognize her! She had gone to get her hair cut the day before and donated it to Locks of Love. They have to have at least 10 inches and Jame said there was way more than that! She looks so much older now. I had been trying to talk Emma into getting her hair cut short again, but she kept insisting that she was growing it out. As soon as she saw Kailee's she realized short hair is the bomb!! So straight to Cookie Cutters we went.. right from swimming lessons. It was a complete coincidence that they wore matching sun dresses that day, too. Everyone at the hair salon thought they were going to get their pictures taken. They were.. right outside the store. :) They are such pretty girls! And ready for back to school!

"A Goal Saved is a Goal Earned"

(below) Coach John, Josh, Connor, Coach Anderson

This last week, Josh attended a Keeper Clinic with Wasatch Goalkeeper Academy. He absolutely loved it! The clinic went for three days. The first day, it was almost 100 degrees outside and Josh thought he was going to die half way into it! His face was as red as his hair and he was on the verge of puking! After a pep talk on the phone with his dad, he decided to get back out there and finish it! By day three, he said on the way home: "So after the last week of soccer, I think I love soccer as much as I love living!" Yup.. that's my Josh! His teacher at the clinic was Coach John who plays soccer professionally. He had so much to offer the kids! Josh took everything in - how to dive properly, to bank, to parry, and so much more! And, he made a lot of new friends. At the end, John invited Josh to another clinic in two weeks. He told Josh that it is going to be tough but he feels like Josh is ready! Pretty exciting!

It's HOT HOT HOT!

Every summer we spend lots of time at the Magna Pool. This year has been a little different since we don't live within walking distance (and technically we are West Valley City folk now). So, it's July 1 and we have only been over there once. We went over with Noah, Cameron and Hanah. We are so lucky to have our cousins so close! The kids love playing together. It was rather entertaining to watch my 7 and 9 year old play on the splash pad. Josh goes from the high dive in 13' deep water, to spraying the little kids at the splash pad. Geek. But, all the little ones love him. He and Noah have so much fun together. It's a crack up. I did get some pretty cute pictures that day.. especially of the cheese nachos.

Hanah, Noah and Erin
Emma had Alexia Williams come along. She has always been a favorite friend of Emma's!

Happy 86th!

(above) This was thirty seconds before Grandma let me know that I look like I am "carrying a little extra weight." Isn't she a sweetheart? :)

I know my grandma doesn't look at my blog, but I wanted to post this cute picture of us with her just last month. We stopped on our way home from Disneyland and had a fun visit with both Grandma Helen and Grandpa Bob. Grandpa is in a care center in St. George and that was the first time I had been there to see them since he moved. It wasn't the easiest visit for me. I realize now how hard it is for them to be apart. Grandma is hangin' in there, but with no one to iron and cook for, she seems not quite herself. She is such an amazing woman and I am so grateful to have her in my life. I don't see her or grandpa often enough, but I do appreciate and love them both so much! I know that neither of them will be with us for too much longer, but I am so glad that I have the relationship with them that I do. And, that my children have been able to get to know their posterity first hand. I didn't ever know any of my great grandparents and my children are blessed to have met Grandpa Rowe (mom's dad), Grandma Helen (dad's mom), Grandpa Bob (dad's dad), Grandma Johnson (Darrell's mom), and Grandma Morton (Kathy's mom). Wow! That's a lot of grandparents. They are so lucky.. and so are Jer and I. Happy Birthday, Grandma! Love you!!!

School's Out for Summer!!!

Farewell to Magna Elementary. The kids are not thrilled about leaving Magna and all their friends, but given the fact that we moved almost a year ago, it's time to transfer to Gerald Wright Elementary. I am so excited to have them walk to school again! And, Gerald Wright is traditional (no more off track). And, they don't start until 9:05 am every day! What is up with that? How come school didn't start at 9:05 when I was young? Josh was a little emotional on the last day of school. He asked me to take his picture in front of Magna Elem. so that he would always have something to help him remember all the good times. Both Josh and Emma had wonderful teachers there. And, they both had a ton of friends. It will be interesting this fall to see how they do at a new school. I know they will love it!

Another New Life!

On the left is little Cameron (3 weeks old). On the right is Sadie Lin (just one day old). She was 7 lbs. 4 oz. and 21 1/2 inches! She is going to be tall like her mom!

It's been since June 10 that Sadie Lin Johnson was born and I haven't blogged her yet! What is wrong with me? Brady and Melinda were married just one year ago on June 12 and just two days before their anniversary, little baby Sadie was born. What a great gift! She is precious. We have only seen her once (at the hospital) so I am sure she has changed already, but here are the cute pictures we got of her. Check out Brady and Melinda's blog for more current pictures. Congratulations to Brady, Melinda, Seth and Aiden! Love you guys!

Happy Father's Day!

This is the coolest thing! My sister works for the Herald in Provo, Utah. She needed some help on a story for UtahAdventurer.com. So, with all her connections, she sent my dad and my brother to Falcon's Ledge for an overnight fly fishing adventure! How cool is that? My dad wrote the story after the experience and Joel did all the photography (including the video on the website). Isn't that the best Father's Day gift ever? I don't think I will even try to top that! :) Check out the story on the home page of http://www.utahadventurer.com/.