Halloween Party 2011...

The party table...

Yes... I LOVE confetti...

 Kendra cutting the pumpkin bowls...

Dad ~ Aunt Peggy ~ Mom

Kendra ~ Josh ~ Vicki

Our Halloween Confetti Cake...

After the Logan High game we raced home to get ready for our Halloween Party.  Josh has decided that he loves soup bowls (and it is a Halloween Party tradition to have them). Mom made her famous Potato Soup.  We played games and then had treat time... my first home made confetti cake... well the cake part was a mix but instead of buying the special cake mix and frosting I had a plain white cake mix and cream cheese frosting in a tub and added a bottle of sprinkles to both the cake batter and for the decorations... I had read about it on Pintrest and decided to try it! It works perfect!

 

Logan High Playoff Football...

The Grizzlies entering the field...

#3 ~ Jayden Connor (Kendra's brother)

 #56 ~ Jacoby Wildman (Payden's brother)

Andrea ~ Bud and Jordan Connor ~ Duncan Olsen

Josh and Kendra

While we were busy making pretzels on Thursday night we were all talking about how much fun it used to be making treats for the football players (I made football shaped rice krispie treats for all of the varsity team on the night before the last game of the season ~ they each were hand decorated by my dad with their number. Since we made it to the playoffs they asked if I would make them again... I told them as long as they won... I would keep making them for their pre-game dinner. We made over 70 of those sweet footballs each week for 4 weeks). I started thinking about how much fun I had at the games and so I asked Kendra if she thought her family would mind me crashing the game... she said they would love it! The morning of the game it was cold and gray... but by noon the clouds had all cleared out and the sun was shining... what a beautiful day for football! It was so much fun sitting in the stand and cheering for the Grizzlies... just like old times... and yes they won! Way to go Grizzlies!

The Johnson Brothers...

Memorial Day...

 Dad - Josh - Duane

 Linda - Mom - Aunt Peggy - Me

 Josh and G-ma

This year we decided to head out early on Sunday afternoon and make the rounds. We started in River Heights decorating my Grandma and Grandpa Johnson's grave and then off to Aunt Mary to leave her and Uncle Russ yellow flowers (I know he doesn't mind that I always get yellow...it was her favorite color!). While we were decorating, Aunt Peggy and her brother Duane and his wife Linda came to decorate also... we visited for a while and then headed up to the Logan Cemetery to decorate our families together up there... I ended up getting distracted and didn't get a picture of my Grandma and Grandpa Larsen's headstone all decorated. Then it was back to our house for a burger cookout... on the way home the police chief himself pulled Josh over for the tint in his car being too dark... but decided to give him the no seat belt ticket instead! Grrrr... I wasn't belted either... but he didn't give me one... maybe that was because I was so nice to him... lol

Boise... here we come...

 Brinley's Ice Cube Igloo - it was a school project

and she did a great job decorating it!

 The girls made these cute flowers and were so

sweet to share one with us... mine is purple!

 One of Natasha's many talents...

 Kylie showing me her newest dance move!

 My Uncle Larry... being goofy!

 Missy... my Uncle Larry's cute cat

 My awesome family....

Front row.... Shane ~ Aimee ~ Uncle Larry and mom

Back row... Kylie ~ Tasha ~ Brinley

Shane ~ Tasha ~ Brinley ~ Kylie ~ Me - Mom ~ Uncle Larry

I had to get one with the girls...our crazy faces!

When I found out in February that I was headed to Nampa for another Classified managers meeting... I called mom to see if she wanted to make another road trip with me.  I have been fortunate to go to Boise for a few days the past 3 years for classified managers meetings and squeeze in some family time while I am there.  This year I was able to watch the end of the Bristol Nascar race with my Uncle Larry before heading to my new blog friends home to pick up some wood projects. Then it was off the Shane and Aimee's home for dinner with the family. I love spending time with them... I wish we lived closer so I could enjoy them so much more! Each one of the girls have so many talents and we were lucky enough to have each of them show us a few of them. After my meetings I headed back to meet my mom and Uncle Larry for lunch before we hit the road back home. I love my Boise family... maybe moving to Boise wouldn't be such a bad idea...???!!!

Uncle Larry...

This has been a super busy week... Bruce's (my boss) Retirement dinner... dinner with friends and a visit from my Uncle Larry. I'm glad that Josh was able to be a few minutes late for work so that we could get this cute picture of the 4 of us together... (thanks dad!) I love spending time with my uncle and I am so glad he was able to come for a visit!

 

Apple Days Parade...

Mickie Jibson - what an amazing woman!

 

The "Rat" Float - believe it or not...

this baby took First Place!

You can't have a Apple Days Parade without a pony!

The Halloween creature chatting with Ian

Every September River Heights holds its Apple Days Parade.  It has been tradition that we go and watch it at Aunt Peggy's house... she has the spot in town!  Jeff, Kathryn, Ian and Megan along with mom and dad have quite the fun time! We had more candy tossed to us this year than most kids get from 2 hours of trick-or-treating!  Thanks Aunt Peggy for keeping this fun family tradition going!

My Boise Family...

 Chef Larry... don't you just love his apron...

and he makes a killer burger too!

My cousin Shane's cute family!

Aimee - Natasha - Shane

Brinley - Kylie

Ann and my Uncle Larry

My Aunt Tammy and Uncle Greg

My mom, Sharon - Uncle Larry and Aunt Tammy

Me - Uncle Larry -Aunt Tammy - my Mom

Pioneer Newspapers (the parent company of The Herald Journal) was having a conference in Nampa for all of the classified managers - which means... Vicki gets a "vacation"... well kinda! When I found out I was going, I asked mom if she would like to ride up and spend some time with Larry and Tammy... she jumped at the chance so it worked out perfect! Uncle Larry and Ann made us all a wonderful dinner and Shane made a super delicious YUMMY dessert! It was so much fun to sit and visit and catch up with everyone! Mom stayed with Larry while I "moved" into the hotel and went to my meetings for 2 days... then it was back to Logan. We need to do this more often...

I love my Boise family!

The Johnson Family Reunion

Thinking Of You...

 

This is my Grandpa and Grandma Larsen headstone. I never knew my Grandma Carole... but I have her beautiful green eyes (lucky me!) I have always said... if I could have dinner with anyone past or present... it would be my Grandma! I got my love of cars from my Grandpa Boyd... unfortunately we never got to watch a race together. I remember one time he was visiting from Boise and had a new Cadillac... we were headed down to visit my Aunt Mary when he handed me the keys and said "Let's Go!"... I was 16 and scared to death to drive such a sweet car.  A few blocks away from home he said, "Stop the car"... I thought, great... he already thinks I'm a bad driver... and was ready to move to the passenger side then... he said... all right.. now...

KICK IT DOWN! 

I went from 0 to 70 in a matter of feet! Now you know why I have a need for speed!

 My Aunt...

My Grandma Clara taught me to crochet and loved to play games with all of the grandkids... especially 

B*I*N*G*O

We would play for a penny a card... and could have up to 3 cards per game... we would run across the street to Keith's Market for treats with our winnings! My Grandpa Art... well he started my love of Chocolate milk... nothing better.  He would pour us both a small glass and sit at the kitchen table and talk... come to think about it... he started my love of ice cream too!

 

Uncle Russ... he was such a gentle man... When we would play Uno... he would always say Youknow.. we still say that all these years later. He's been gone for 24 years... but I can still here his voice! Aunt Mary... she was like a Grandma... to both Josh and I. She loved yellow and always had a smile on her face. You were always greeted with a hug... and you always gave her a hug when leaving too!

We miss you all!