2010 Highlights

Well, I guess it’s that time of year…time to sum up the last 365 days into a page or less! Here goes nothing!

Nate is still working on base as a contractor in the Defense Information Systems Administration area. He enjoys the work but as a contract employee never knows when he’ll be out a job. We’re grateful every year his contract is renewed! He’s also still teaching at Broadview University (formerly known as Utah Career College). And he continues to do work with his web development and computer repair business (Silver Sky Media). He would love to have one job, but he’s a trooper and working hard to make ends meet for the family! This year he was able to take Alex to a football game or two and a basketball game. He likes having someone to enjoy sports with but I think he’ll be even happier when the kids are older and can hold still for ten minutes. :)

Alex (4) is in preschool at Bravo Arts Academy, which is conveniently located in our neighborhood. She loves her teacher Mrs. Magee and is learning so much. She’s starting to try to read. She sounds out letters when she sees them and tries to make words, but all her hard work makes me realize how screwed up the English language is! Poor baby! (If you want to see what I mean, sound out the word “the”!) J She is growing like a weed and that’s very evident when she wakes up at night with growing pains. She’s regularly in pain at night as her body grows faster than she can bare. The poor little sweetie. She can be a real drama queen when she wants to be, but most of the time she’s very sweet and good to her little brother. She always reminds me, “Heavenly Father gave him to us!” She keeps us laughing as she tells us the most random things! Just the other day she said, “I’m speechless!” When we tell her “no” and she has a meltdown she tells us, “You’re making me freak out!” It’s hard to be mad at her when she’s so hilarious! :)

Zack (19 months), what can I say. He is currently standing by me crying. This happens A LOT. If you think Alex is a drama queen, you should meet Zack. I thought it was supposed to be better with boys. Not so with this little guy. He cries a lot. He wants your 100% undivided attention at all times. It doesn’t happen. He cries. Good times. :) He’s starting to say words. If you listen carefully you can hear “sure”, “stuck”, “no”, “car”, “shoes”,
“socks”, “tub”,  “night, night”, “ma”, “Alex” (although it sounds more like ajex), “phone”, “some”, “pretzel” (sounds more like “zul”), and “go”. He’s the opposite of Alex when it comes to leaving the house. Alex always wants to stay home. She’s such a homebody. Zack always wants to leave and gets his shoes out of the basket as often as he can (when we leave the laundry room door open) as a signal that he’s ready to go somewhere. He is SUPER cute (especially when he’s not crying) and it’s a good thing when he’s taking everything out of the cupboards (like he is now) or throwing food on the floor (like he was a few minutes ago). I’m ready for him to be out of this super-messy phase! :) lol!

I worked at WSU at the beginning of the year as an adjunct math instructor. That taught me a lot about teaching and math. I hated facing the hard reality that I had to fail students that tried their hardest but just didn’t get it. I only did that one semester; I’m leaving the teaching to Nate now. I am still a stay-at-home mom full-time and I love it! Even though the kiddos can be a handful I love them and the cute things they do! I’m so lucky to be able to stay home and play with my babies! It helps that I have the greatest friends and neighbors in the world to help me keep them entertained and help me maintain my sanity!

In June, we all piled in the car and headed to California for some good times on the beach. Well, we went to the beach alright but it was pretty cold for beach weather (high 60’s!) and Zack decided to have some sort of throat thing and double ear infection thing that found me scrambling for an instacare. Good times. :)  But, we did go to Sea World and that was a blast! A big thanks to our friend Cindy for hooking us up with great tickets and sights to see!

After our family "vacation" (if it can be classified as a vacation with a sick one-year-old) we decided to take an ACTUAL vacation. Nate and I worked some magic with airlines miles and travel points and friendship hookups and went to Hawaii for darn close to free! We were so happy to finally go to Hawaii since our trip there last year had to be canceled. We had a great time and it was beautiful! A big thanks to our friend Jared that hooked us up while we were there and all our friends and family members back home that watched our kiddos so we could actually have fun (ha ha ha! Sorry kids! Still love ya!). :) We used the trip to celebrate our 11^th anniversary (which is actually December 17^th). Thanks for 11 great years babe! :)

We hope this holiday season brings you a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year with good health and happiness!

Lotsa love from all of us to you!

Nate, Gina, Alex, and Zack :) xoxo

Johnson Family Year In Review

In January, Nate and I were both working at Hill Air Force Base. Nate as a
contractor for the Defense Information Systems Agency and me as the same old
lead finance manager for F-16 sales to foreign countries.

We were also in a
construction zone most of the month while our good friend Eric Morrill (of
Morrelli Construction) installed my long-desired wood floors upstairs. Down
with carpet! We love the wood floors and the new paint and furniture, etc. As part of our remodeling project we moved Alex from the nursery to what was her playroom. She got a big girl bed (thank you Clair and Rochelle) and we "boyed" up the nursery in preparation of Zack's arrival.

In February, I quit my job with a lot of excitement and sadness at the same
time. I spent the next couple of months enjoying some on-on-one time with
Alex and getting as much sleep as I could (I knew sleep would be a r are
commodity with a newborn). I continue to miss all my friends from work, but
enjoy the time with my kids!

On May 20, Zack was born and we found ourselves in double trouble (in terms
of kids). But we are so happy with our cute little family. We are so
blessed to have a beautiful (although very dramatic) little girl and a
little boy that is best described as happy. :)

In September, Alex started preschool. She LOVES it and has learned so much!
She can make an "A" and draws amazing people with big round bodies. She has
also learned several songs, improved her counting and alphabet, and has
expanded her vocabulary a lot. We are really proud of the projects she
brings home and hope she continues to do well.

That same month, Nate and I celebrated our ten year anniversary (although
our actual anniversary is in December). We flew to California and took a
seven-day cruise to Mexico. We had a great time with our friends Michelle
and JP and were so grateful for the break (thanks Brandy and Jer for
watching our kids)!

At the end of September I was also released as the Relief Society President
for the Chelemes Ward. It was bitter sweet as I was just getting the hang of the calling, but a huge relief at the same time because I needed to focus
more attention on my family. I am grateful I had the opportunity to serve and grateful that I am now able to spend so much time with my family. I now work with the eight and nine-year-olds for activity days. Nate is still in the Young Men's organization.

In December, we had the greatest Christmas ever! Alex finally got the hang
of the whole thing and loved opening EVERYONE's presents for them (you know,
as a public service). She was so pleased that Santa brought her everything
she asked for (a camera and some princess dolls). Zack was happy just to
sit back and watch the whole thing happen. We are so happy that we were
also able to spend so much time with our wonderful family and friends.
Thank you all so much for your cards, gifts, and well wishes! We love you!

Nate continues to work at Hill Air Force Base and also as an instructor for
Utah Career College. In his "free" time he still builds websites and helps
with all kinds of computer stuff. Alex goes to preschool and the occasional
dance class. Zack is teething, sleeping, pooping, and laughing at his big
sister. I change diapers, make food, go shopping, play chauffeur, and I
love every minute of it! I also accepted a job on New Year's Eve as an
algebra instructor for WSU. I teach three days a week (an hour a day) and
it's pretty fun...but it takes a lot of my time to prepare lesson and figure
out how to do math again!

We hope you had a wonderful year and the next one is even better! Thanks
for being our friend! Please keep in touch and let us know if there's ever
anything we can do for you!

Lotsa love,

Nate, Gina, Alex, and Zack Johnson J xoxo