And Then There Were None!

No more days no more weeks.

Today was my last day of school. After more stress and more ups and even more downs than I care to remember it's finally over. I really can't begin to express how happy I am. I still have to pass my state boards but I have no more school. I will miss my classmates who have gone through the trenches with me. (Unless you were there you really couldn't understand it). It's weird to think that after seeing them almost every day for the last year plus I will never see most of them again. They are great people and I'll miss them but it sure feels great to be done.

Goodbye, Dear Friend

I love amusement parks. I suppose it was ingrained in me from my youth from our many family trips to Disneyland. When I was young I had heard that many theme parks offered year long passes and from the moment I first was made aware of their existence I have daydreamed about having a season pass to an amusement park. This year for Christmas my dream came true. There have been many good things about living in Denver but it's hard to think of anything better than our season passes to Elitch Gardens. As far as theme parks go it isn't grand but it has just enough to fulfill all my needs. Last Saturday was our last trip to Elitch's. I will miss it but it was cool to go one last time with it all dressed up for Halloween (my favorite holiday). Thanks for the memories and for making a little boy's dream come true.

Home again, home again, jiggety jiggety jig!

We're going back! Lynn finishes school in three weeks and although Lynn hasn't secured a job in Arizona, we're going to try our luck with the job hunting and see what happens.

Originally our plan was, after Lynn graduates, to live in the motorhome for a few months while we traveled around and Lynn interviewed for jobs. It would've been an adventure but it'll be nice to go home, even if it's just for a little while. Our friends who are staying in our home in Snowflake are moving out so rather than pay for a mortgage for a vacant home, we'll be moving back in. The timing actually works out great and I think we're meant to go back now.

Lynn has a couple of job leads in Arizona but everything is really shaky right now so we're just going to hold our breath for a few months and see what happens.

The kids (and us) are crazy excited to be going home. It's amazing, though, how many things (and people) I will miss about Colorado. The ward here is especially amazing. Most of the people here don't have family around and so they really use the ward family for their needs. We've developed some great friendships here that I never thought we would have. I've learned a lot through the way these people have welcomed and loved us. It's been a great experience. I know many of these friendships will continue even after we move back and I think that's quite a rarity. Great, great people. It's actually going to be hard to leave some of them.

We'll be back in time for Halloween! We'll be moving in probably the 30th. Lynn will have to fly back to Denver to take the NCLEX once his school has scheduled it to become an official Registered Nurse. Hopefully he'll take it sometime before Thanksgiving. But if he doesn't pass, I told him he could work as a Chip'n Dales dancer in Vegas because P90X has made him hot! (At least we have a backup).

P90what?

Since several people have asked, here's a P90X update...

Today was day 31. We are still doing it. It is intense. I'm sure it adds to the intensity that I was/am completely out of shape and not really in the category of the people who are supposed to do extreme workouts but I'm such an impatient person, I couldn't really work my way into it. So far the results are good. They are less than I'd like them to be but I'm sure that's because when you start out SO completely out of shape, it takes a bit longer...

Lynn looks hot! He's not where he wants to be either but looks noticeably different. We both laugh when we see a muscle in our arms while brushing our teeth that we've never noticed before or a calf muscle barely poking its poor long-forgotten self out there while shaving my legs, etc. I have a long way to go but it's a good start. So we have only 59 days left and I'd bet that we'll make it. The workouts actually aren't the hardest part although they take up an hour to an hour and a half each day. The food is much harder, not because we don't like it (it tastes great) but because it is so time consuming to plan and prepare. Most of the food is stuff we ate before anyway, with some minor changes, but it totally cuts out any convenience foods. It sucks not being able to run to Little Ceasars or Taco Bell if you're in a time crunch. It'll be nice when we can get back to some convenience foods in moderation at the end of this. It must be working a little though because although we didn't take measurements beforehand, we've both lost inches and about ten pounds.

Wish us luck and eat a super, duper, gooey, chocolatey, warm cookie or fudgey, chewy double caramel brownie for us (or two). Mmmmm.

Family, Friends and FUN!

The other Johnson kids & ours Mindy and the kids on the train

The "Twins" at the D-Backs Rockies game

Ben, Easy & Ray

Standing in line with the Shumways at Elitch's

Way and Jonah at the water park

The whole gang freezing in July? (only in Colorado)

Marlee wasn't sure but Cameo made her a believer

Rockie Mtn. National Park

Our trip with Grandma & Grandpa to Idaho Springs Co.

(Somehow no pic of Grandma or Grandpa. Sorry)

All aboard

Hang on

The Cox's and us on a cool old trolly

Had to take the Cox's to Elitch's too

Jumpin Jacks... a kid favorite.

We had a blast seeing everyone this summer. We missed pics of Dave, Ariane, Grandma Carolyn and Grandpa but we still love them. Thanks to all our visitors. You made our summer great!

Why we've been slackers... C'mon, they are good reasons.

Yes, it's been a while. We've been lame blogger slackers. This summer has been crazy. I'll do a longer-better photo-filled post later but here's quick rundown just to get something on here...

The Ben and Melinda Johnson family came to visit us with their five children! We had lots of fun, going to Elitch Gardens two days, a Rockies vs. Diamondbacks game and eating at our favorite Hawaiian barbeque joint, L & L's. The kids cried when they left.

The following week the Rick and Jeanette Shumway family came to visit with their six children! Super fun time going to Elitch Gardens three days, up to the Rocky Mountain National Park one day and something else that has long been lost in my mind. We had a lot of fun and again, the kids cried when they left.

But not for long because two hours after their departure my dad and Carolyn came to visit! They got here just in time to see Granger give his talk in primary (proud mom). The following day we went to Idaho Springs, a cute little tourist town in the foothills of the Rockies and ate famous pizza. We had a great time with them too. Again, boo hoo's from all the kids but...

The very next week the Nathaniel and Sarah Cox family came to visit with their three children. That same night Dave and Arianne stayed with us passing through from Kansas. Super fun! We had to do the Elitch Gardens amusement park again and then we got out the raft and the dads took the kids "white water rafting" down the Platte River, rode a trolley downtown and even went on a date night without all the kiddos (just babies) to downtown Denver. We also went to the Aurora Reservoir one day and took the raft out on the lake while some kids stayed to play in the sand. I think the kids tears were all dried up by now... But we'll miss them too.

Also, Cora started 3rd Grade and Granger started 1st Grade somewhere in the middle of all of that. (Yeah, I pulled them out of school a bit...) Jonah starts preschool Wednesday. Ezra has cut his first two teeth and eats whatever anyone will give him. Yikes! Lynn started his VERY LAST TERM of school this week and will graduate October 26th! Wooo! Time will tell where that sends us but hopefully back home to Snowflake... Lynn and I both started P90X last week and will be hot and sexy and auditioning for modeling jobs in just under three months! (Or not). Life is good!

Oh Canada! Banff and Yoho National Parks

Our trip to Banff was fantastic! Cameo and I have been wanting to go there since our honeymoon. We had always heard how beautiful it was and at least for us it didn't disappoint. In fact, for me, it exceeded my expectations. One of the most beautiful places I've seen. (I'm definitely bias towards mountain beauty.) This was, in my opinion, probably the coolest driving vacation we ever went on. (Excluding driving vacations we had after flying to our destination first.) Hope you all get a chance to go someday.

The pictures are posted backwards so if you want to see them in order, go to the bottom of the post and work your way up.

Jonah wasn't as sure about the fireworks as Granger. He used the motorhome for protection.

Billings, Montana loves their fireworks and so do we.

The sky was lit up from horizon to horizon with fireworks for at least two hours with personal backyard explosives in firework-legal Montana.

Granger got so excited he literally lost his pants jumping up and down in pure firework nirvana.

Jonah and Granger playing the parts of Lewis and Clark.

Lewis and Clark Interpretive Center in Great Falls, Montana.

Very cool place if you're a history geek like me and my kids.

Grae and Jonah in downtown Banff with their "bubble tea's". Never heard of them before. Kind of a slushy drink with gooey balls in them. Surprisingly very delicious!

The upper hot springs in Banff. Great way to end our hike. Great for the muscles and to add a little European flare.

He's not nude. He has underware on.

Hanging by the lake.

Our reward for a six and a half mile hike. All the kids except Easy did it under their own power. Don't worry, we'll whip Easy into shape soon.

Doesn't Cora look so cool by the lake?

I love my wife.

I made Cameo come back to Morraine Lake. It was way too beautiful not to fully appreciate and the first day we were here Cameo was too cold and had to feed Easy.

The new album cover for our kids' band... if they had one.

I wasn't throwing him in, I just wanted to help him touch the waterfall.

This is the foot of a modern-day explorer.

Their just warming up for Everest.

I'm pretty sure Cora could live in the woods very happily by herself.

Me teaching Easy about nature.

Cameo makes very cute kids.

Sometimes I think I shouldn't have let Cora watch so many "Man vs. Wild" episodes.

Jonah leading the way. (Cool pic by Cameo)

This is Easy's tough face.

Sometimes it does feel like we're raising a bunch of wild animals.

Me and the boys on the gondola.

This ride is not for anyone afraid of heights. Cameo and Cora were a little squeamish

View of Banff from the summit of Sulpher Mountain.

Granger the cowboy.

Cora's first horseback ride. Dreams do come true!

Granger, Cora and Jonah. We love these crazy kids.

Takkakaw Falls

Me teaching Granger how to skip rocks. Granger got his first skip on only his second try!

He said it was because he had the best teacher in the world. He's such a schmoozer.
That's why we love him.

Too Beautiful

Little Ezra (Easy)

Lynn and Easy at Emerald Lake.

You'll notice this place is full of lakes.

Cameo and Easy at the Yoho River (I think)

One ugly guy in one pretty place.

When did I get so old and fat?

Cameo and Easy at Lake Louise

Lakeside Adventures

Three kids on a log.

Cameo and the kids at Morraine Lake.

Lake Minnewanka

Detained at the Canadian border... Who would've thought? I guess we just look like hooligans.