Our Busy Weekend

Yes, I have fallen behind again in posting. Adam and Dylan are playing Wii so I am stealing a few minutes to do some catch-up.

On Friday, Kimberly & I took the boys to Enchanted Island with the MOMS Club. (MO was at school.) Dylan, Connor & Adam had fun on the train, carousel, cars, boats, etc.

Horseback riding on the carousel with Connor. Both boys preferred the animals that stood still.

It was too sunny for a good shot of the boys, but what a cool car!

Adam is scared of heights and has never wanted to go on the helicopters before. I was proud of him for trying. He enjoyed it for a minute or two then started to get scared. Fortunately, he was the only kid on the ride at the time so the operator brought him right down.

He had a great time on the bumper boats... until he got caught in a water fall! Still, he was a great sport about it and had fun on other rides while he dried off. Luckily it wasn't a cold day!

After we got home from the park, Adam and I played his favorite board game - Sequence for Kids. He was so funny putting the chips over his eyes I had to share a picture.

On Saturday, the kids and I met Gina, Mason & Madeline at Chandler Mall (where else?!) for a b-day celebration for Mason & Madeline. They opted to go to Disneyland instead of having a party (smart kids!) so we met for some play, shopping and a birthday lunch at California Pizza Kitchen.

Pizza!!

Since we went to CPK in part for the 3 free kids meals that Mason, Madeline & Morgan received for having November b-days. As part of their meal, they each got an ice cream sundae. We ordered an extra one as not to have our March boy feel left out.

I scream, you scream, Mason screams for ice cream!

Saturday morning morning before we left for the mall, the kids put on a show using the props they had won at Marin's Chuck E. Cheese b-day party on Thursday night (Morgan's ear piece) and at a carnival on Friday night (Adam's glasses).

ROCK STARS!!

On Sunday, Jeremy & I took the kids to see "The Velveteen Rabbit" presented by Childsplay at the Tempe Center for the Arts. The kids both enjoyed it - it was an hour long and kept their attention the entire time. After we went for dinner at Z'Tejes. It was a fun family outing!

Waiting in line with Tigree. Kids were invited to bring a stuffed animal to hold during the show.

Adam fell asleep 5 minutes before we arrived at the theatre and slept until the show literally was about to begin.

We attended the Target preview of the play and Target volunteers passed out free copies of Richard Scarry's "Day at the Firestation." The next play is going to be Richard Scarry's "Busytown" --- the kids and I are going with Grammy in January.

The set.

Just to give you an even better idea of how busy this past weekend was... on Friday night, Jeremy & I took the kids to a fall carnival at a local school and on Saturday we attended cousin Kaia's second birthday party after the mall. I just forgot to bring out the camera at those events. Is it any wonder I am always exhausted?!! This week... Paige and Morgan's b-day parties.

Morgan's First Ballet

Yesterday we had a last-minute opportunity to attend 'A Midsummer Night's Dream' presented by Ballet Arizona at Symphony Hall. One of the moms in our MOMS Club had 4 tickets and was sick - she offered them to anyone in our chapter and fortunately Kimberly was quick on the draw claiming them. She invited Morgan, my mom and I to join her. It was Morgan's first time at the ballet and my first time in years to go to Symphony Hall. Morgan sat on Grammy's lap much of the show to be able to see better and she was enthralled by the dancers. She clapped harder than anyone. It was a treat for all of us!

Best seat in the theatre.

After the show.

Although she didn't want to get her picture taken, Morgan truly did have a wonderful time.

Happy Halloween!!

On Friday night the kids and I went out trick-or-treating with Kimberly, Connor and Dylan while Jeremy stayed home at his 'haunted garage'. For the past few weeks, Jeremy and the kids have been collecting spooky items and decorating the small garage for the big night. It was a hit and though a few kids were too scared to enter, it was still a lot of fun.

Adam decided since he was already Obi Wan Kenobi for 2 other Halloween events, he wanted to dress up as a pirate instead. Morgan was a tiger and even carried around her cub "Tigree".

Daddy, Ad E & MO pose in front of the haunted garage.

What a gorgeous feline!

Trick or treating with the Blue Power Ranger (Dylan).

Collecting candy with Batman (Connor).

The kids each chose about 10 pieces of candy from their haul and left the rest in their plastic pumpkins for the GREAT PUMPKIN to take. This morning they found books in place of their candy. They were both thrilled with their suprises.

Morgan was impressed that the GREAT PUMPKIN knew which Pet Fairy book was next in the series. What a smart pumpkin. :)

Adam's Preschool Halloween Party

Today was Adam's first ever preschool holiday party... as a student that is. He's been with me to Morgan's in the past, but this was his year to begin the festivities officially. I was one of the two parent helpers which I thoroughly enjoyed. The kids made monster masks and frosted cookies. The cookies were the activity that Adam and I planned. The class also learned about trick-or-treating safety, danced to the Monster Mash, read a cute Halloween story and trick-or-treated with each other (they each brought a treat from home to share). The kids were adorable - they were dressed up as Spiderman, Batman, Superman, a Cowboy, a Pirate, a Witch, 2 Ariels, a Storm Trooper and my personal favorite Obi Wan Kenobi. It was a lot of fun.

Frosting his ghost and bat cookies.

Yum!

Waiting for the trick-or-treating to begin.

Passing out the treats he brought to his friends.

Class photo.

Catching Up... Again

It seems like I just can't keep up with life in general so this blog has been sorely neglected. Hopefully as I enter the second trimester I'll get some energy back.... and even more likely, when I finish reading at all hours of the night. I am about 3/4 the way through the last book in the Twilight series and am looking forward to getting my life back. The past week and a half has been consumed with reading and/or wishing I were reading.

Anyway... life continues full force for the Johnsons. No rest for the weary. At least we have lots of fun and have great friends to share our adventures with. Below are some pictures from the last few weeks.

Celebrating Gina's birthday at BJ's Restaurant.

Four out of control kids at the mall. Where were their moms?! :)

Morgan and other EAGLE students reciting the EAGLE pledge at their school talent show last Friday in honor of Character Counts week.

Below.... The Great Pumpkin Festival at the Desert Botanical Gardens.

Adam in a hay-maze.

Petting the miniature horse.

Holding a chicken with a new friend (she makes them everwhere!!).

Super cute boy with his pumpkin.

Beautiful girl and her pumpkin.

A fun day at the DBG - thanks Jen A. for the tickets!

Ultrasound

Once again I have fallen behind on posting. I do actually have some pictures on my camera that need downloaded, but that will have to be the next post. For now, I wanted to get up some pictures of Baby J3. Yesterday we went for a first trimester ultrascreen - a procedure new to me this go round - where they measure the baby's neck via ultrasound for signs of Down's Sydrome. They also did blood work which I won't find out the results of until later next week. However, neither the sonographer or the doctor who reviewed her work noticed anything of concern - i.e., the baby looks healthy.

It was the first time I've ever had a 3D ultrasound and since the baby is so small - only approx 2 1/2 inches at this point - s/he isn't very developed and since looks pretty extraterrestrial. The brain still is forming partially outside the skull so it almost looks like a vampire haircut. Still a cutie to me though. :)

Today I went for my regular OB appt and the baby's heartbeat is strong - 160 - and all seems well. I go back in 4 weeks for another check-up and then on December 8 we get to find out the tie breaker - will it be a boy or a girl?????????

Tolmachoff Farm Outing

This morning Adam, Dylan and I headed over to Tolmachoff Farm in Glendale for a MOMS Club tour. Yes, I said Dylan, not Morgan. MO had school this week even though the rest of Laveen is on Fall Break. I am hopeful that is just because they started late this year and that next year everyone will be on the same schedule. Kimberly needed to go birthday shopping for Dylan so I happily said he could come along with Adam and I. Boys boths were good listeners and we all had fun with our MOMS Club friends.

As part of the tour, the kids got to ride on the ladybug tractor train, pick vegetables including a pumpkin, have a corn lesson in a corn maze and have an ice cream cone. They also got free run of the farm where there were many other fun attractions like a baby chick hutch, a tricycle/hay maze and a corn play area that the boys loved. We packed our lunches and ate in a shady picnic area. It was a nice outing. Now if only I could get a nap. :)

Waiting with Sean in the train line.

Getting ready for the ride to begin. I didn't get more train pictures because I ended up riding with Ryan. He will turn one on Saturday and it was such a treat to get to hold him. What a cutie pie.

Corn angels.

A lesson on Indian corn.

Adam, Dylan, Sean, Will & Matthew posing as fruits and veggies.

Picking radishes. We also got zucchini and cucumber. Yum!

Dylan's pumpkin.

Pumpkin-head Adam.