A present for the mommy aka Armour's first blog

Happy Birthday mom-look what I did with my crackers... Don't I look cute in this mess?

29?!

I am just 366 days from my 30th birthday, and I am actually feeling kinda bad about teasing Jeremy when he turned 30. I feel old and don't like it! Solace told her friend last night, "My mom only has one more day to be young like my dad, and that's tomorrow. Then she turns OLD, like 29, and then she'll be 30 and that is OLD!" AH the pleasant reminders from my sweet little girl!

Oh the sad sorry thing we call "van"

Those avid readers of this blog will remember that a few weeks ago, while in Cali, Wes did a good job of junking out my van. Well, I didn't want to plaster his van whoops all over this blog and not even mention my own, more recent whoops...So, here it is. For those that have not been to our place, this is where I have to park my van everyday:

Now, I was not fond of this spot, as I am notoriously a horrible parker. I swore that I would never park the van there the whole year we lived here! But, within the first month or so, I practiced and practiced getting into our spot without hitting any of the obstacles around (other cars, poles, garages...). It is a ridiculously small parking lot. But I finally got good at it. Too good in fact. I was better at parking there then Wes was after a while. That's where the big problems came in. I got comfortable, nay cocky about my excellent parking, and because of my cockiness and my hurry to park the other day, this is what the side of my van looks like now:Good thing it's a very sturdy pole, huh?!You should have seen poor Armour when I hit it. He was sitting in the seat right by the door (no worries-there isn't even any denting-just scratches and paint transfer, so he was unscathed). But he was a bit surprised at the knock and the loud noise! The other two were like, "Oh, mommy! I knew you should have let dad do that." Isn't it the worst when your kids think you can't do something well, and you prove them right over and over?! CRAZY!!!

Oly Titans Rule: A look back at the high school years.

I have seen this survey on a few blogs lately, and as I missed my 10-year reunion on Saturday, I thought I should at least think about high school enough to fill this out! I really loved high school and was very sad I couldn't make it to the reunion! But, that aside, Go Titans!!

Fill this out about your years in high school! The longer ago it was,the more fun the answers will be!!

1. Who were your best friends? I had a lot of different friends. Mainly, my ward group, and the groupies (me included) that hung out at the Gundersen home. But my best friends were Rob N, Matt D (he went to Bountiful), Jalaine B, Jenny K, & Heidi S.
2. What sports did you play? Not unless we are counting that one week a year of Powder Puff.
3. What kind of car did you drive? Nissan Sentra XE hatchback, it was light blue and I loved it!
4. On a Friday nights what were you doing? Either rehearsing or at the football games, or on dates/out with friends.
5. Were you a party animal? I LOVE parties (not the things that tend to go along with them), but I just love to go hang out with my friends and party, so I kinda was...
6. Were you considered a flirt? I was by some...maybe even most...
7. Were you in band, orchestra, or choir? Choir
8. Were you a nerd? The funny thing here is that yes, I was a nerd, but I somehow thought I was popular back when it was happening...I realize now I was just delusional.
9. Did you get suspended/expelled? NO!
10. Can you still sing the fight song? Yes, and I can sing most of the school hymn as well...though they have replaced the hymn with a new song since I graduated.
11. Who was your favorite teacher? I had great teachers-loved Mrs Baskin-Sophomore Honors English, Mrs McConkie-AP art history, Mrs Murdock (now Edwards)-Drama, and Jack Ashton-AP Music Theory.
12. Where did you sit during lunch? On the rare occasion I stayed for lunch I was usually in the cafeteria getting help on some homework assignment, or outside just messing around.
13. Name the school full name? Olympus High School
14. School mascot? Titan
15. School Colors? Green and Gray
16. Rival high school? Skyline (which is where I taught by the way...)
17. Did you go to Prom? Yes!
18. If you could go back and do it again, would you? I loved high school, but I have outgrown it and wouldn't want to do it again. Life is just bigger and better with marriage, kids, and all the fun stuff after high school!
19. What do you remember most about graduation? Parties for days, no, weeks after. Lots of time with my friends, and then leaving to BYU almost immediately.
20. Where did you go senior skip day? I don't remember-I think I went to the BBQ at the Seminary building...or was that yearbook day?!
21. Favorite memory? I have a lot of great memories from high school, but I think Guys and Dolls was probably my favorite.
22. Were you in any clubs? Yes, every year I wanted to optimize my chances of being in the yearbook, so I joined every club I could!
23. Where did you go most often for lunch? Wendy's (it took one "Hey Jude" to get there! If you get that, then you must be a good friend!!)
24. Have you gained some weight since then? YES! Not too much considering I have had 3 children, but I certainly have gained a few pounds...
25. Who was your Senior prom date? Shahene! We went in the drama club group.
26. Are you planning on going to your 10-year reunion? I just missed it...SAD!
27. Who was your home room teacher? Didn't have a home room teacher, but for some reason I thin they counted 1st period as the same thing, which means it was Vicki (I had Ladies Ensemble 1st period for 2 years.)
28. Who will re-post this after you? I don't know, but everyone should. And if you went to our reunion-post pictures and stories, please!
29. Who was your high school sweetheart? Ya know, I dated a lot of guys in high school, I loved to date, and was lucky enough to get asked out a lot. I had a few boyfriends in high school, and after high school went on dates with a lot of the boys I would have liked to date from my high school. But, I am not naming names here...maybe someday...
30. Do you still talk to people from high school? A few...I would like to keep in better contact with a lot of them! Amazingly-this blog thing seems to be helping with that!
31.Did you win prom queen or king? Heck no. I was never in that league.
32. Where did you work in high school? Nordstrom-Fashion and Lingerie departments, We R Ties, my dad's law office, and Dans Foods as a checker.
33. What were your grades? A's and B's.
34. What was your dress style? Dramatic. I wore a lot of different things depending on my mood-I was a drama nerd...but not nearly as creative as most of the other drama kids...
35. What year did you graduate? 1997

OK-now it's your turn-I wanna hear your take on high school (especially if you went to high school with me!) This is fun for all ages-so blog about high school! Come on, it'll be fun...

Watch out world, here comes Ender

Well. Friday was Ender's turn for his "slow start" day. He told me before that he wanted me to make sure to stay with him the whole time (from 10:30-12:30). SO, I arranged for my friend Carly Dunn to take Armour with her and Halle to playgroup and I went with Ender to school (Carly is always saving me!! Thanks SOOO much Carly!) At like 11 am he was like "you can go home now mommy." I said I would go in just a minute, and ended up sticking around. And about 20 minutes after that he said "Where's my mommy?" I said "I'm right here." and he said "good, I told you I wanted you to stay the whole time, and I was just testing to see if you would listen to me!" Nice, trickily testing me at 3-yrs-old!

Ender is really advanced for his class. There was only one other kids there that was about as far along as Ender, but that's cause he is one of the oldest ones too. He is kind-of funny. I will just share a story of his first day, and I will write it in script format, then I will let him give his take on school and the pictures. Here's the true story of Ender's first day of school snack:

Ender: "Teacher, Teacher, I am sitting nicely and waiting quietly, can I have my cookie now?"
Mrs Davey: Ender, remember, you can call me Mrs Davey, and I will call you Ender, ok?
Ender: OK, can I have my cookie now, Mrs Davey?
Mrs Davey: Let's see, who is sitting quietly to get their cookie?
Ender: (Sits silently, and looks very sweetly up at his teacher)
Mrs Davey: (all this is happening as all other children are making their way to the table still) Well, Ender, you are sitting nicely, and look ready for a cookie. Would you like to pick one out now?
Ender: Mrs Davey, are those Areol's (this is what Ender calls Oreos) that are colored white? (as he is asking this, he is putting his hand in the cookie jar)
Mrs Davey: Just take one cookie Ender.
Ender: (gripping 3 cookies in his hand, in the cookie jar) I'm just gonna take 3.
Mrs Davey: No, no, we only take one cookie.
Ender: OK, but I am going to take 3.
Mrs Davey: (very patiently) No, Ender, We are going to learn to take just one. (this goes on for about 3-4 more times, then Ender very reluctantly gives in and takes only one. By now all kids are sitting and waiting for their cookies. So she continues around the table. Ender scarfs his cookie, and as she is giving the 3rd of 7 children their cookies...)
Ender: OK, Mrs Davey, I am ready for my other cookie.
Mrs Davey: Ender, why don't you eat your grapes, then after everyone had had one cookie we will see about having one more cookie. (Ender now scarfs all his grapes and before the 5th child has gotten his 1st cookie...)
Ender: Mrs Davey, I am ready for my second cookie. (Ender gets his second cookie and begins negotiations for his third. This does not pan out and he continues to try to negotiate it all the way until school ends about 45 minutes later. He is very diplomatic in his negotiations and reminds me of his father. When I got home and told his father about this, he confirmed that this was exactly what he was like as a child. I am afraid...)

Now I will ask Ender to tell about his first day of school, starting with the pictures:

This is my smiley face waffle. I ate the bananas, then there was only a peach. I got the Winnie the Pooh plate because it was my first day of school!

This is me eating my food. I have a silly ouchie on my head because I boomed into a chair at mom's rehearsal. (mom-commentary-it was actually a table corner)This is Solace, she didn't get an ouchie. She is eating on the Elmo plate.
This is Armour, doesn't the food mommy made look good? Yes, it does.
At home before school. We are at preschool.
Wahoo!!!
This is me waving at a new guy, but he's not in my class.

I'm walking down to class, I am so sad on this one because my teacher moved! (mom commentary...He's not really sad in the picture, he's sad cause we just got home from church, and we found out that his nursery teacher is now in another ward. So, that is the "teacher that moved", and he is sad now.) This the welcome sign outside the preschool door. Mom wanted to take this picture, but I am grumpy because I just wanted to go to class and meet the teacher and the kids. But when we got there, I was the first one in the classroom. For a long time I was the only one.
I am the first one in my class and I feel good!
This, is me Ender, at recess. I am playing with a sand bucket and shovel. I am digging and I tried to make sand castles. But is was hard because it's wood chips, not sand.
This is me, Ender, and my friend. (I want mom to write his name, but she won't).
This was me working on my first project! It was great, and I love pink.
I want mom to write E-N-D-E-R. My first day was great. I played in a little bit of sand and a little bit of wood chips. We had cookies, i tried to get 3 but my teacher said I only get one. We read a song named "Who Stole the Cookies from the cookie jar" and we read a book about it too. Mrs Davey stole the cookies, but we got them back.

I liked the other kids very much, but some girls were in it. I liked them too. I have a crush on Mrs Davey, but I think she is married. One girl had a cool AB(lightning bolt)CD shirt (mom says it's like the AC/DC one adults have).

When we cross the street to the playground, we look left then right. I was the line leader and Mrs Davey was my adult.

I love school and I can't wait to go back without mom tomorrow and meet the rest of the kids in my class. I hope you love my blog!

Love, Ender

Solace's journey into that big wide world...

Well, I sent off Solace to preschool yesterday. They have a "slow start" day to begin where half the class comes at a time, and they can bring a parent if they want to. It is also 2 hours instead of 3. That was yesterday. It went well. Today was Solace's first day at preschool without me. I got teary when I read the poem her teacher gave the parents about how she knows we love them and that she will love and watch over them as well. Solace of course loves it and is grumpy when she has to leave school already. Ender starts his slow start day tomorrow!! Following are some pictures from her first day of school. And her version of her first day (from here on out, I am writing exactly what she tells me to write):

For breakfast my mom made me these smiley face pancakes. They were so good that I want my mom to make them again. Mom used the fruit we picked to make the faces.

This is me with my pancakes, making a face like them.
This is Ender and Stefanie grumpy cause they don't get to go to preschool today. They have smiley pancakes too.
I changed my pancakes into a Bleakley (from Lilo and Stitch) and a surprise face. I know you think that's silly, but I really wanted you to see it.
This is me in my new back to school outfit. I am almost excited.I hope I meet lots of kids.This is me sitting in front of my school (it's at my school).I am so excited I cannot stand any more pictures! I want to meet all the people!This is their welcome sign. Doesn't it look beautiful welcoming me to school?This is me working on my first project. That's my teacher helping another kid next to me.

Mommy came with me and I took a picture of her at recess.

This is me with my teacher.

Yesterday and today I had fun. I will love it everyday. I did tons of stuff. My teacher read a heart book and it was so good. Guess what it told us? It told us that your family is in your heart when you miss them. Of course that is what it said. I love you family. I made a heart and a mask and a little doll that looks like me. My teacher is great. Tell me, what do you think it would be like if mom was always there?

Today, we learned about how your teacher sleeps in school and about how you find out your teacher sleeps in school. I think my teacher does sleep in school because I saw a bed next to the bookshelf and I think she lives there. I think she must not have a husband, but she has a son.Her son caught a toad and the toad is one of our classes pets now. He hops all over my teachers food when we let him out.

My favorite part of school is making all the crafts. There is a boy in school that I know in a different class cause he is in my church, and there is a boy in my class that has a dad that works with my dad as a resident. I made a friend named Suzie. She is a kid, like me. She is not my teacher. We have lots of play dough in my class. It is all yellow.

I love school and I hope you love my blog about it. Goodbye!
Love, Solace!

Another reason you gotta love that Ender kid!

So, at Coeur D'Alene, I was playing in the fountain with Solace and Ender, and they wanted to take pictures. Wes had the camera and was on a bench just a bit away with Stef and Armour. So, I sent Ender to go get dad and tell him to come take pictures. For those that may not remember, this is Wes...

Unfortunately for Ender, below is not Wes, but it was the nearest bald guy. So Ender RAN to the guy yelling "dad, dad" all the way, and actually was up to him and telling him to come take pictures before he realized it was not his dad. Amazingly, Ender didn't even really get embarrassed, the guy got a kick out of it, and we all had a good laugh.

Green Bluff's here we come!

So, on Labor Day, we decided to go try to see if the orchards at Green Bluffs were open. Some were, some weren't, but we went orchard to orchard finding things we wanted to pick and buy. In the end we bought raspberries, peaches, nectarines, and apple cider. It was a blast, and we would have continued to go to more orchards, but somehow the kids wanted lunch or some crap...go figure a one-year-old getting hungry for lunch at 1 pm?! :) Here are a few fun pictures...

Pulling the cart to the place to pick peaches.

Ender helps Stef.

All the monkeys in the barrel...SolaceArmourToo Cool Ender

Playgroup fun with Mommy, Stefanie and the Sprites...

Solace had an "electrifying" experience! Ender peeked out from his hiding spot.
Armour caught a slide with his aunt.
Stefanie taught Armour how to ride alone.
Ender learned to swing himself (a little)

Adventures in the Valley with Stefanie

On Tuesday, Stefanie, the kids and I went to a playgroup for our ward. I thought maybe they could give us some new ideas of things to do while Stef was here. I am still pretty new and had taken her to all the places I could think of to take her. We went to Riverfront park, Nine Mile Falls, Bowl and Pitcher, Manito Park, Pig out in the Park (at Riverfront), Lake Coeur D'Alene, and went on an orchard adventure in green bluffs. We drove past Solace and Ender's school, Wes's work, and stopped at the Thai place I have been craving horribly. When I asked the ladies (and one dad) what else to do, they had nothin. They said we had pretty much covered the gamut.

I did want to take her to an AWESOME game store in the mall (Uncle's) still. So that is where we headed. Uncles was awesome and possibly the highlight of Stef's trip!

As we were already out in the Valley, I thought, "hey maybe we should go try to see the temple." I didn't even know where it was, so I used my mobile internet (aka called my mom and had her look it up) and found out where it was and how to get there from where we were. And off we went on our adventure.

Now, I have to say, I was warned that this was a small temple, but so is the Winter Quarters temple in Omaha. Well, I felt really bad about this, and it might sound horrible to admit to now, but when I saw the temple I think I laughed out loud. This temple really is TINY. I think the church next door is a lot bigger in fact. It kind-of struck me funny cause it looked like a doll-sized temple when we first saw it. I am not demeaning the temple-it is beautiful! But is it stunningly small. The pictures do not do it justice, but I still wanted to include some pictures of the beautiful (and small) temple. It is really cute!

When "Stefa" was here, we went to Lake Coeur D' Alene

In case you are wondering, Solace has now decided to call Stefanie, "Stefa". It is hilarious how she says it...Anyway...On Sunday, the only day Wes had off and could play with his sister here, we all skipped church and went to lake Coeur D'Alene. It was fun. See pics...

We walked over the long boardwalk...Saw a race boat (And MADE our brother pose)...
Played in the water...
Collected drift wood...
Laughed and played (notice the small Ender arm coming into the picture...it just makes me laugh cause it looks like he's about to attack!)...
Used our collected driftwood to write in the sand...

Played in the "sand"...

Frolicked in the fountain...
And in the stream...
Even by the bridge...
We even stopped for pictures now and then...
Some of our smaller Johnson's REALLY loved the water...more than the mommy thought a 1-yr-old would. But as it turned out, The smallest of our Johnson's was happier the wetter he got!

These crazy girls even made the fountain squirt other people...
Some people LOVED getting squirted...
Some people didn't love it so much...But mostly it was just fun...
And then we were cold and our day came to an end...(we shared the towel)