Fall 2010

Well as you probably know Fall is my favorite season. I am sure this comes from my years in Missouri, the colors there were absolutely amazing. I have been in to the mountains a little this year but not enough to get my fix yet.

Fall means school is back in session. I am very happy that all my kids like school this year.

Amanda is in 5Th grade this year and so far says she likes her teacher. Amanda failed her school required vision test and now wheres glasses. They have purple frames and are so cute on her. They look so natural that its hard to believe she's had them less than a week.

James is going to rock the 3rd grade. Such a busy year multiplication and cursive are what I remember. His behavior so so good that his teacher says "he is always a perfect little gentleman," she should see him at home. He is a good boy and now that he is on ADHD meds he has been without accidents (for the

most part) for just over a year now. I am so grateful that our pediatrician helped us find the right med and dose. His school work was amazing last year.

Thomas is rocking the 2ND grade. He got my favorite teacher for home room.

Thomas loves school so much that he wants to go even if he is sick. He has

so much ability to learn that last year he challenged his teacher to keep him busy with math. Reading is so much easier for him than the other 2 kids. He still loves music and anything Christmas.Over the summer his 1st grade homeroom teacher was taking stuff to DI and realized there was a bunch of Christmas stuff so she saved it for him. He is so funny!

Pete well he loves fall but for different reasons. HUNTING his favorite word. This year he was lucky enough to draw out for a Limited Entry Book cliffs Deer tag. He is there tonight with James. I stayed because the other 2 kiddos chose not to miss school (Amanda has such a hard time staying caught up)(Thomas just ♥ it). HE is still working in Colton, but he may be looking for a change with other areas in mind.

We were lucky enough to have Lacey Borba do family pictures for us. She is amazing with her unique eye.

Well hopefully I will post soon about the Deer hunts, Mike and Pete both start their hunts tomorrow morning and George already harvested a nice 3x4 buck.

72nd South Eastern Utah Jr Live Stock Show

Well if you know me and my family July is stock show time. This year was great fun, they kids are growing and changing and it just makes the experience change with time.

We started in January with looking at pigs all over the state. I blogged some different pictures then. On March 18 Dan and Ann joined our family. They were 75 and 77pounds that day. Amanda found them in Lake Shore Utah and payed $260 for them. Amanda loved her pigs and was great to take care of them without a hassle. We fed them Moroni feed and they weighed 233 and 234 pounds in July at show time.

Amanda did a great job showing them and got $ 1200 out of them after the show. Thank you to all of the sponsors out there, our SEUJLS would not be as good without your support. Amanda got a blue ribbon for each pig. Amanda learned allot about pigs and life this year. She had the opportunity to attend some classes on Pigs. We weighed our pigs regularly and tracked their rate of gain. We also bought some clippers and Clipped our pigs this year. Amanda didn't get to go to Southern Utah and play until after the show. Pete and I are very proud of Amanda and the choices she has made.

The boys are not old enough to show pigs, but we do have an "open class" goat show. So the boys bought baby goats in April. They paid $ 50 each and we borrowed the mommy since they were still nursing.James named his girl goat Spots and Thomas named his Boy goat Rudolph. They worked with them and had them slightly broke to lead. They needed more work but hey they are little boys still. When it came time to show James decided not to show his goat. So Thomas showed both goats. He racked in the prizes and $. He got a bunch of ribbons and some 2 dollar bills. Thomas took a written test on goats and took 1st place. (he was the only kid who showed up for the goat test and it was written for kids over 8) That was a blue ribbon and $ 20. They sold their goats back to the owner of the mommy for $ 60 each.

Thomas made a poster of pictures of him and the goats for the county fair. Amanda made a scrapbook, she got a blue ribbon and gets to take it to the state fair. She also got a" Outstanding 4-H Project" ribbon. We are very proud of our kids and their projects.

Through the eyes of a child

Calvin' time is always a happy time, all the cute little babies roaming around. This year the kids got to witness their first birth. James stayed close with camera in hand the entire 3 hours. Amanda wondered in and out of the corral we watched from. Thomas showed up after the feet appeared.

It was a great experience to enjoy the comments and questions from the kids. Here are some of the classics

"was it really that big inside the mommy?"

"it was pretty cool, and really gross, but petty cool"

"the baby kicked" (still head on inside)

"do you think she needs a Tylenol"

The kids chose the name Little Lady for this little heifer calf.

Thomas Bruce Johansen

We started moving into our house in Millercreek the first part of March 2003.My parents and Brian (and family) were very helpful, they came down to help us finish and clean up our place in Elmo. Well I was at the end of my pregnancy, James was 13 months and Amanda was 3. I had been having some (braxton hicks) contractions not many this had been a much easier pregnancy than the last. I had attended water aerobics regularly my whole pregnancy and hardley gained any weight. Annie was up with Brian helping my moving cause. Yes we went walking, nothing like with Amanda. It was 1 mile around the block we lived on and we went around a few times. Late that evening we went to the hospital to see if it was working. It was I was dilated to a 3 and almost completely thinned. The nurse at the hospital gave as a recipe for a baby ( sorry can't post it ) and sent us home. That night Pete and I did our best to induce my body into active labor, but nothing happened fast enough. The next morning (Monday) I had my scheduled appointment with Dr Neilson at 10:30. Annie accompanied me since Pete was off to work. Annie being as persuasive as she can be helped me convince the doc into starting my labor. He thought it would be late in the night or early in the morning and Annie having to go home would still miss the event, but he agreed and I started pitocin. Annie and I walked through the parking lot to the hospital and called Pete, I believe he was working on the other end of the county that day. I had decided to try and have this baby without an epidural (Yes, I know God created man that created epidural for a reason) At one point towards the end of labor I bit Pete who was at my side trying to help me relax. It wasn't long after that I agreed to pain meds, less than 20 minutes after meds Thomas was born.

March 10,2003 4:29 Pm 6 pounds 11 ounces 20 1/2 inches long

( the biggest of my babies)

Thomas was named after Pete's uncle, Elijah Thomas Johansen [1918-1981]

and after my Daddy Bruce D Sharp.

His nickname Baby (little) Bruce came from Aunt Peggy who married Uncle Bruce Kremers.

Grandma Jolene was the one to start calling him "Tommy"

Uncle Ken calls him "Frank" ( Jesse James' brother)

Today Thomas is 47 1/2 inches and 52 pounds

James Antone Johansen

February 4, 2002

The day that the Olympic torch entered into Utah (that's what I have been told ). The day was the same as most to start out. Get up, get Amanda ready for the day and yet another trip to Provo to see Dr Wolsey (ob-gyn). The changes were after I got there the doc said he'd start me, finally. . ...Dec 18, 01 was the first trip up with contractions, 2 weeks into bed rest-1 week after Shane and Andrew's premature birth. I had been up there with contractions many times but I hadn't dilated so they always sent me home. About 11:00 they hooked me up to pitocin, noon the Doc broke my water

♥2 1/2 year old Amanda cuddled next to me watching sesame street♥

Every thing went as it should at 5:15ish the doc called to check my status and Pete answered I don't remember who the doc asked for first but I couldn't talk due to the contractions being back to back, and the nurse couldn't take the phone because she was prepping for delivery. Before I knew what was happening the doc was there, Pete was still holding the phone and trying to comfort me. Moments later the doc was holding James in arms, less than 1 hour after Aunt Tonya picked Amanda up to take her home. James Antone was welcomed to our family at 5:31 pm weighing 6 pounds 10 ounces and 18 inches long.

Amanda the inpatient big sister wasn't even into the canyon when Pete called and announce the arrival of James, she was not happy to know that she had to wait 2 days to see him. While at the hospital Uncle Ken came to see James and that is when Jesse James began. Grandpa Merwin Johansen also made it up to the hospital thanks to Aunt Wilma

Not All Pigs Are Created Equal

This little piggy went to market....

This little piggy stayed home....








This little piggy had roast beef....







This little piggy had none......

This little piggy went weeweewee all the way home.

Birthday Cake

On the 4th of February James turned 8.

We had cupcakes at school. A checkup with Kim is a birthday necessity and tradition.

(He is 45 inches and 44 pounds, Small but healthy.)

Saturday he decided he should make a cake ( I was busy doing my taxes, so he was on his own.) With minimal help from his cousin Shane he made a cake. the only help he got from me was getting measuring cups out and the oven stuff. He chose what pans to use and how to decorate. He didn't have any white frosting so he took chocolate and bartered with a neighbor to get white and food coloring. He and Shane decorated the cake with some fishing toys that Aunt Peggy gave him on his birthday. They did a great job.

Sunday we had cake and ice cream with the local Johansens.

Renovation Complete

Well lately we have been doing some renovating here. I think we are finally done there are a few small projects we can do later if necessary. After a successful demotion and removal of the oven it is official.

NO MORE BABIES!

The hysterectomy(12/28) was completed without extra problems. My back has healed well from the fusion (9/24). The only spare parts are easily done without (appendix, tonsils). So hopefully my newly renovated body likes it extra support and roomier areas.

Bobbi came to celebrate me turning 29 (AGAIN). It was so much fun hanging with my sisters, too bad I only got 1 day with Savanna. I am very thankful for that one day.

Christmas was wonderful this year. We spent the day in Hurricane with family. Well soon the kids will be back home going to school, Pete plowing snow and me, maybe I'll do something productive.
We'll see.