Summer Fun 2012 (before baby edition)

 Swimming, we did a lot of swimming, even got to bring some friends along a few times.

 Sonic happy hour!

 Cheer practice without shoes and Popsicle breaks to escape the hot gym!

 More swimming. Jo has always loved swimming and its always been a huge part of our summers. This summer is special because Jo decided to swim for real and can even swim all the way across the deep end coming up for breaths as she needs too.  I guess its time for real swim lessons!

 Lunches and movies with Grandma, Aunt Linda sent Jo her very first (used) Coach purse. She filled it full of baby supplies for her brother and it goes everywhere with her.

 Three baby showers, feeling very loved and stocked on diapers for a while!

 Lots of playing with the next door neighbor.  Best friends for sure!!

 Week of gymnastics camp, lots of fun and new skills! Jo cried on the last day!!

 Out door movies, nice treat on a cool Colorado evening.

Santa's Workshop, a yearly tradition! Jo's fav! I went every summer as a kids and love taking Jo.  

 Dad and Jo car ride, have a pic from every year of her life starting at 2.

 Jo and Presley her cousin at our traditional Christmas in July with the Johnson side of the family in Denver.

 Board games before bed, Jo's new love.  Takes sooooo much longer than books, but a fun family thing to do a few times a week.

 G-ma, mom and Jo pedi's.

 AAAnnnd more swimming!!!!!

 Getting ready for brother. Josie is practicing her diapering skills.

 His little part of the house.  We didn't do up a big room him, but we did for Josie. Josie didn't get an awesome nursery either, why spend the money on a tiny baby when now she can actively help and love her room. Its very pink, purple and princess.  We are almost done with it and she loves it so far.  

 My body getting ready for baby, ugg excited to get rid on the swolleness =)

We are a week away from my due date, so any time now they say =) I am glad Josie and I packed a fun summer into June and most of July, cause I have feel Aug will be pretty low key, for a good reason. We are going to try to head out to KS for Labor Day Weekend!

4th of July 2012

 A week before the 4th of July Josie and I went swimming.  When we got to the pool we look up to see this.  Josie called it a bottle of smoke, everyone else called it the Waldo Canyon Fire.  It started on a Sat looking like this coming from the mountains and a few days later was in town burning down houses.  Colorado has been very dry and wild fires start very easily.  We had a long week with thousands of people evacuated from their homes and then over 300 homes lost.  As of July 4th the fire was 100% contained and we all stand in awe of the hero's who were a part of that success. Josie learned alot though this, more about how to pray for others and protection for herself, and how to give to people who need the basic things.  She wanted to pick out her favorite foods to give to the little girls who could no longer eat at their houses.

So due to the fires and dry Colorado heat this summer, fireworks were 100% banned and all of the public firework shows were cancelled.  It was odd to celebrate the 4th with no fireworks, but hey we'd seen our fair share of fire around here and I still got to hang out with my little firecracker all day, and shop at Ikea =)  

Fathers Day 2012

 For Father's Day this year we went 2 hours northwest to Breckenridge, CO.  It is a special place for us. We lived there for a year after getting married and would have stayed longer, had I not gotten pregnant with Josie so soon.  We like to go ski in the winter, but LOVE to visit in the summer.  Jeff and I both love to be outside and hike and we are trying to get Josie to love being active too.  Also when I was a kid my family would always spend a day at Breck every summer.  So I have memories of the Alpine Slide from when I was a kid.

 Jeff took her on her first ride, she was nervous for about 3 seconds before she was pleading with him the go faster, and then wanted to go again and again!!

 After sliding we took the chair lift up to the top of peak 8 and attempted to hike down.  We went down for about a half hour and decided it was just too far for a four-year-old and a 34 week pregnant lady, so we hiked back up to the lift and rode it down.  It was pretty and I am sure we will be trying it again next summer.

 Then we spent some time in town, walking around and dipping our toes in the Blue River. It sure was cold.

 We ate pizza at our favorite place that Jeff I come to every time we are back in Breck. It was a fun day, and we can't wait to snowboard this winter.

Minnesota Eh!

Jeff always spent his summer family vacations in Minnesota with his extended family and he really wanted Josie and I to experience what he had as a kid. So we planned a trip, he had not been up that way for 10 years so it was really special for him.  We started the trip at a Twins game.  Jeff loves baseball and the Twins have a new stadium so we went to check it out.  It was Josie's first pro game (besides the Rockies when she was 4 months old) and last for a while, she did not have fun.  Too hot and too much sitting still.  Needless to say Jeff watched the game while Josie and I explored.  

 After the game we headed three hours north to Hill City where his grandparents have a cabin on a lake.  The first night it rained so much there were a ton of fun puddles to play in. We walked around explored there land and waded in the lake a little bit. We also had a big BBQ where Josie and I go to meet of ton of Jeff's family.

 Josie found a real turkey leg that she loved and Jeff hated so she would run around and torture him with it all week.  I love this picture, it totally captures the feeling =)

 Josie and Jeff's sister Cathrine on a big tree that hangs over the lake.  Josie wanted to jump in, but it was to cold that day.  I also climbed up there and freaked everyone out. Jeff's grandma made me get down. 

 Josie at her first campfire, she had so much fun. She had been begging to cook over one for months and even had her first S'more.

 Four generations!

 Josie and grandma and grandpa Jackson.  This is at Walker a little tourist town with lots of shops and fun lake to swim in, if it wasn't only 55 degrees.

 Best ice cream ever, at a gas station. I had almond joy and they give you a ton.  Jeff even got a stomach ache after eating all of his. 

 A little fishing at his grandparents lake.

 Josie was the only one to catch anything and wanted to throw it back.

 I was surprised she was ok with touching him, much less holding him like this, but she was proud.

 The lake was so pretty. Jeff's mom and brother cannoned and even took Josie out for a spin, she loved it.  I wanted to go too, but no one would let me!!

 After a week up North we spent some time a family of three in the Minneapolis.  It was nice to have that time together.

 We spent a day at the Mall of America, how could you not???? The Nickelodeon theme park inside was a huge hit for Josie and wants to go back. They also had a Disney Store that was huge and it took forever to get Josie outta that place.  That girl needs to go to Disney Land!!!

 Another huge hit was the hotel pool, I think we could just go stay at a hotel and swim for an entire vacation and Josie would be happy.

 She loves to fly on airplanes except for landing, she has always been this way, even as a one-year -old.  she grips me tight til the plane stops. 

It was a fun trip and I am glad I got to experience all the things Jeff talks so excitedly about all the time.  

Back-walk-over Josie

I grew up loving gymnastics and that turned into a love of cheerleading in high school.  I have been very blessed to get to coach school and competitive teams for moast of my post high school life.  I wanted so badly for my daughter to love it too.  So far I have that little cheerleader.  She has been around practice, games and competitions since birth and taken some kind of class since she was 10 months old.  Last summer I put her in her first gymnastics class where I was not her teacher and she loves her coach who has taught her alot.  She also started a rec cheer class with me last summer and this year moved up to the competitive team.  She works hard and I cannot believe she has mastered a back-walk-over at such a young age.  When she wants something she goes for it.  She has been practicing at home, at gymnastics and cheer since December and when she nailed this all by her self a couple of weeks ago she was ecstatic, and I may have cried a little! I don't know where this will go for her and I promise I am trying really hard to push her too much, but to share a love for something with your child is totally indescribable!

What we have been up to!

 Josie turned 4 on March 25th and this is her last picture as a 3 year-old. She was very excited and still almost 2 months later tells everyone she sees, "I'm 4"!

 I covered her bed in balloons for her to wake up to a little surprise.  She loved it! We had a fun day letting her pick whatever she wanted to do.  We went to get doughnuts before church, played at the park and ate at Red Robin for dinner.

 The next weekend Josie and I went to her first musical. I wasn't too much older when my dad took me to mine, so he got her these tickets for her birthday.  Shreck! We got dressed up and I let her pick where we ate lunch.  She picked Chipolte, her fav, well after sushi, but I can't eat that right now, so she had to settle =)

 We painted our fingernails green for the occasion, but she need a little pink too, being the girly girl she is.

 My dad even got her these Princess Fiona ears to wear during the show.  We were two rows back. She loved and watched the entire thing without taking her eyes off the stage.  We even got to get a good look and the orchestra pit.  What a cool and fun experience.  She is ready for another show already! Yay!!!

 She also got to sing at my parents Church, where she goes to pre-school.  It was super sweet and I loved watching her.

 I am loving this age because her friend are having really cool birthday parties and at this one, she got to ride her first real pony.  She had a blast and can't wait to do it again!

 I am coaching competitive cheer this season and Josie is on my team.  It is awesome to watch her learn and grow at each practice and I am so blessed to share something I love with someone I love.  I don't want to push her to do this but for now she loves it and I will take it for as long as I can.  So my 3 hours a week I work, I still get to hang with my Jo! She is the youngest on the team by a year but (and yes I am biased for sure, but it is true, and will change as the year goes by and the other girls catch up) she is one of the most talented.  She has a gift of flexibility, and athleticism and since she is 4 she will try anything without fear.  She can do splits all the way, all three ways, a back-walk-over, beautiful cartwheel, front limber, and she is even starting to understand what is means to do it all on an 8 count.  She loves her teammates and looks forward to her two practices every week.  Also being 4, she cries at every practice, mostly when she tired or gets kicked or messes up a tumbling trick, she is already her fathers daughter, very competitive, even with herself.

 We go to the park almost every day.  She loved it and I love the exercise she is getting. Me too, haha, we walk at least a mile there and back, its awesome.

 I am almost 29 weeks pregnant and its crazy how it is flying by. Josie is very excited to meet her brother and I am too.  She hugs and kisses him all day, every day. I love it.

 We got to do a 3D ultra sound this time and it was incredible.  I cannot believe the details you can see.  Here is baby Jack, not to long til we are looking at him for real.

We have had a great few months and I am really enjoying my time with my new 4 year-old.

Trip to KS

 We went to Wichita for Easter weekend and had alot of fun. We stayed pretty busy seeing family and friends. I was totally overwhelmed with all of the baby boy gifts we received.  Tons of clothes, and even a car seat and jogging stroller! One of my students made this KU pillow for the baby's room!

 We colored eggs at Grandma's and Jeff's artist sister made him this Jayhawk egg.

 One of my close friends had a baby shower for me, it was fun to see everyone and different to see so much blue =)

 We are not super big on Easter gifts, but Jeff got this Mickey stuff for Josie to find before church.

 After church we had a little family outing to Botanica to check out the new kids garden and enjoy the warm weather. Here I am at 24 weeks. My mother in law asked if I was sure I was due in July.  I am also shocked at how fast I have gotten big this time around. I don't like this front view, not very attractive =)

Josie is 4 now and loves to tell everyone from friends to strangers.  She is super sweet and we hug allllll day.  She loves to play and pretend and can do almost anything by her self.  She is really excited to have a brother in July saying, God wanted us to have a boy this time. She is constant material for my status updates on Facebook.