ASU Student

Well, I'm an official ASU student now... I started classes today. I was so nervous yesterday, until I got a blessing from Cody. How wonderful it is to have a priesthood holder in my home! A few things it said was that I made the right decision to go back to school and I would be filled with wisdom and light. And that light = intelligence. I will be able to do both school and being a mom, and that it will seem like there is more time in the day because I am going to school. That education is a commandment, and we are always supposed to be learning. I will do well, and it will be easy for me (I will be able to understand quickly) because I will see the hand of the Lord helping me. What a wonderful blessing... and today was a lot easier than I thought it was going to be. I know I still need to put my part in, and do the work, but I know that the Lord will help me in reaching my goal.

Now if I can only graduate before Nathan does :)

Family Pics

We went down to the valley today to try to buy a truck,... looked at one, it was alright, went to look at another, Cody really liked it, but they couldn't find the keys! Anyways, we stopped by Mom and Dad Johnson's house, and got the disc of family pictures that were taken last month. Here are a few...

 John and Traci Payne

Kaden - 13

Conner - 11

Kylie - 9

Colton - 5

Cannon - 3

Carson - 1

 Ryan and April Johnson

Caleb - 9

Eli - 6

Marcus - 3

Nolan - 1

 Cody and Richelle Johnson

Hailey - 7

Xander - 5

Brielle - 2

Weston - 6 months

 This came from a family shot which didn't turn out... but Weston was so darn cute, so I cropped it :)

Ahh... Brielle and her grandma's lipstick :)

Just Like Nephi

Today we went to the park. Xander was gathering stones and putting them strategically in a pile... I asked him what he was making, he said he was pretending to be Nephi and making a stone box.

IHOP

We went to Dinner at IHOP - I love getting breakfast for dinner :)

There was a balloon guy there... and the kids each chose what they wanted... Hailey - a crown. Xander - a power ranger. Brielle - a butterfly.

The guy doing it was hilarious. He was dead serious when he said that he was one of the best in the world, he is one of those rare few human beings that uses both sides of his brain, and he doesn't like being told by professionals that he is good, because he already knows... HAHAHA!

He was talented though :) And EXTREMELY HUMBLE ;)

8 Years!

February 20th, 2004 is the day we made our official "Happily Ever After" start... 8 years later, things are better than I could ever imagine! I still get butterflies daily.  There is a saying,... "Every Love Story is Beautiful, but Ours is My Favorite".  So true!

Cody is my everything... my reason for happiness, my smile each day. He brings laughter, spontaneity, and a lot of love into my life. He is perfect for me. Our personalities just click. He really is my best friend. I can tell him anything, and we just have fun! I truly believe we are one of those few couples who really were "Meant to Be". We really are soul mates.

Just being together is what makes my day. Waking up in the morning to him telling me how beautiful I am when I have major bed head :) Or holding his hand, or dancing with him in the kitchen, or him picking a wildflower for me, or getting a sweet text message while he's at work... or knowing that he never leaves a message on my phone but it says there's a voicemail because he tells me he just wants to hear my voice.

He is my forever. I love him with all of me.

This morning we went to the Mesa Temple and did Sealings... it was beautiful to hear the promises and covenants again. Cody signed me up for a hair appointment at the Dolce Salon and Spa at 11:00 in Scottsdale... I got bangs :) Swoop Bangs, long layers and just trimmed an inch and a half. On the way to his parents house from the Salon I got some yummy sandwiches from the Whole Grain Bread Company on Val Vista and Southern. We went to an afternoon matinee, and then got Dinner at Maggianos Little Italy - SUPER YUM!

Then we picked the kids up from my in-laws, and drove home back to Prescott... it was a magical evening.



Love My Daughter

I was listening to one of my favorite songs, "This Way" by: Jewel... Hailey came in and said, "I really like her voice,... but I like yours better".

1st Win

Today Alex let me go to a hearing by myself for the first time. The great part is we won! 100% so far baby! It was fun getting up in front of the judge and representing my client sitting right next to me.

-Cody

At the Park

Took the kids to the park while Hailey was in school today... Weston slept the whole time, and we were the only ones there. Brielle and Xander played so nicely together. It was a lot of fun watching how they would play with each other, and how Xander would help his little sister climb up the ladder and help her down the slide. What a great big brother!

valentines day

This morning we woke up with a bang... poor Hailey threw up at 3am... so we kept her home from school...

The kids each got a box of chocolates from us... We made Valentine's Cards at home...

I told Cody no gifts, because our anniversary is on Monday... alas, he brought me home a dozen beautiful red roses anyways, along with dark chocolate covered acai berries, and some flowers for the girls too.

I love my husband so much, even though he doesn't obey my wishes sometimes :) ... and secretly, I'm glad he doesn't :)

It started to snow, and we went out to eat at Chili's with the kids, and then redboxed a movie - Scorpion King 3... I know, it's romantic right? (I picked it... my little gift to Cody) ... the previews looked a lot better than it was... but it was alright. Glad I redboxed it instead of buying it :)

AZ Centennial Ride

The Arizona Law Tigers (Motorcycle Lawyers) got together to do the Centennial Ride from Tempe, AZ to the State Capitol... Cody joined in. There were over 5000 bikes there!

I'll let him write what happened :)

I went to Val's house (my cousin) to borrow his harley first thing in the morning. I was really excited when I saw it - it was a copper color which was perfect for the occasion because the grand prize at the rally was a "copper chopper." I then met up with my boss Alex and some of his friends. Before we started to ride, one of the guys' girlfriends rear ended his bike with a minivan while he was getting ready to go (turns out he is a Senator). So we all rode to the parking lot near Bass Pro Shop in Mesa. This picture was taken there. I've never seen so many bikes in one place! There had to be at least 5,000 bikes. They started rolling out and it took about an hour before it was finally our turn. We texted a friend that was at the front of the pack and he was already parked in Phoenix before we even left Mesa in our part of the line. Anyhow, it was a lot of fun and I was majorly saddle sore! It was a great day.         -Cody

While he was riding and being "VIP'd", I spent the day with family and friends down in the valley... I got together with one of my friends from Florida (Nicole Moshier) and her family, had lunch with Cody's family, and went to an awesome jewelry store - Charming Charlies.

Quote

While reading a past Ensign (a few moments ago), I came across a quote that President Thomas S. Monson referred to, and I really liked it, so here it is...

"Pray as if everything depended upon God,

Work as if everything depended upon You."

What an insight to Faith and Works.

ASU

I got a call from ASU yesterday, and my enrollment counselor let me know that I have been admitted into ASU, and directly into the Communications Program (BS). She then told me that is one of the hardest programs to get into... YEAH! I'm going to be a "Sun Devil".  Going back to school is a little nerve wrecking, but I'm excited to finally finish my bachelor degree! Only 14 classes, and it's mine!

I quickly signed up for 2 classes... WST 313 and COM 312 ... Degree, here I come! I told Cody when I graduate and walk, my one request is a pair of Red High Heels :)

Weston 6 Months

I know I posted this picture already, but it's so darn cute! My little 6 month old is getting so big! He is almost crawling, almost breaking in a tooth, loves to cuddle and be held, hates to sleep the nights now, loves when we dance or act silly for him, loves to laugh and smile, and we love him to pieces! He is such a joy and a fun addition to our family. The kids simply adore him, and can't wait till it's their turn to help feed him, hold his bottle (which he is pretty much holding on his own while laying down on the couch or floor), and they don't complain when it's their turn to put his diaper in the garbage :) They play with him, hold him, and just love him! When he crys, Hailey will come to me (or Cody) and say, "Here, let me try". Have I ever mentioned how MUCH I love my children??? Each one is unique, spirited, and completely melts my heart! They are all SUCH GOOD CHILDREN! And growing up way too fast!

Pictures

My Talented Sister-in-Law, April took pictures for me on Saturday while we were taking extended family pictures with all the Johnsons. They turned out great! Thanks again April! Brielle was our crazy little miss during pictures, as she refused to take a nap that day... probably due to the fact that we were playing at her grandparents house with lots of cousins and there was a bouncy house :) I'm just glad to have gotten some good shots of her :) The one of all the kids was nearly impossible :) But,... for a two year old, she did great!

Hailey - 7

Xander - 5

Brielle - 2

Weston - 6 months

Cody - 32 and Richelle - 28

News on the House

So we went to go put in our 60 day notice to our apartment... (the management has changed since we moved in, and they refused to honor what the previous managment had as their own policy (it wasn't written down,... just common knowledge) We were told that if we moved into a house in the area, we could give them $250, and sixty days notice, and break our lease. Well, the new management wanted nothing to do with that, so we have to stay here until September (the lease is over September 30th). It's a big bummer that we have to cancel our contract for that house, we all fell in love with it... but I have to remember that everything is in the Lord's timing, and we will get a house this year, just not right now... unfortunately. I have a firm testimony in the Lord, his will, and his timing. I know that things will work out for us, and it's just a few months away.