Joining the Johnsons!

We have returned from 4 days in Island Park with the Johnson's! We we're able to go to Yellowstone National Park. We stayed up way to late and ate a lot of food, saw some beautiful scenery and enjoyed it with great company! We all had a wonderful time! We went to Yellowstone for two days. The first day at Yellowstone we got a call from NAU with a job offer! This news made us have to make some decisions so we had some research to do. (Thanks Aubrey for letting us use your computer so much!) So if we can find a place to live in Flagstaff, AZ that is where we will be relocating to.

Tyler with Mr. Pain-- Heath loved having so many boys around, to punch and cause pain to! The next day in Yellowstone we were able to see the upper and lower Yellowstone falls! Mary always makes these family trips happen, Thanks Mary for a wonderful time, Rianne loved playing with

TraChelle and is so excited to move closer to her. We played a very fun night game that DJ brought with glow sticks it was really fun! He & Aubrey also made dinner one night it was so good!! The next day Heath's lip was so swollen and his cheek was puffy too, we think it may have been the coconut milk.

DJ and I at the yellowstone falls

That day floating a very shallow, slow, and cold river, Heath fell asleep with Brittney on her tube. Thanks Brittney that was probably longer than you bargained for.

One of the nights as we we're getting the kids to go to sleep, Rianne was so excited about how much fun she was having and telling me EVERYTHING
was the best. She asked "Mom how did we get to be Johnsons? We are so lucky!" I told Ria the story of how I came to live with them my Junior year of High School. Trying to avoid sleep she kept asking questions, it has been a long time since I recalled all those details. I would put them in but that would be a pretty long post. I fit right in the middle of the boys perfectly! Looking back it was the greatest decision I ever made in my life, no wonder there was so much opposition. I was overcome with gratitude that night. I am so grateful I was able to join the Johnson's not just on this vacation but as a family! Rianne said at the conclusion of my story "so they kinda adopted you mom", I told her that is exactly what they did it, we ARE so Lucky! She replied "our baby is going to be so lucky too"! (We are approved for adoption but still waiting for the baby that is supposed to join our family). I have to add this; we watch Tyson & Wenda's baby Tayla and my kids love her. Ria asked one day why we don't just adopt her, I said well she already has a mom and dad, the baby we adopt will need us to be his/her mom and dad. Since this conversation whenever Heath sees a baby he asks "does that baby have a mom & dad?" He is looking for our baby I guess. Here are all the girls, every one of us "Joined the Johnsons".

For our last day Grandpa Jeff took us to big springs and to a fishing hole, Heath liked feeding the fish (thanks Grandpa Jeff) and Ria was excited to try fishing. We got a little muddy but it was a cute spot.

On our way home we went to Mesa Falls it was incredible. Brant @ Mesa Falls. I guess in all the excitement and lack of sleep my brain was not functioning too well. We realized when our kids were fighting and only Ria had DVD's, that Heath must have left his. DJ and Aubrey we're over the top nice to go back and get them which actually turned out to be only one DVD L Sorry about that! You guys are the best. Thank you so much. I really hope it didn't mess up your plans too much!

I am really glad I joined the Johnson's I had no idea how that decision would bless me for so many years and into eternity. Thanks for being so good to me I love you Johnson's all so much!

BFR 4th

Brown Family Reunion was held over the 4^th of July Weekend. Here is a picture of the culprits who started this mess, (sorry to catch grandma in a sneeze). The pictures to follow show why we are so very glad they did!

Prior to the main festivities we celebrated Natalie's Birthday (Brant's sister). Her cake was delicious, I call it 3 milk cake because I am no good @ Spanish! Kaleb looks so excited too! He is such a fun kid, I'm so glad my kids have cousins their age they enjoy so much, it made for a great weekend.

Kristi (Brant's sister) was in charge of the reunion she did such an amazing job. I'm glad we are not next, sorry McKay that is a tough act to follow, because it bordered on perfection! We helped get the float ready for the parade, Kristi is even smiling, how does she do it?

We had a program and reunion with Brant's Dad & brother's family too. The Marlin Brown family attributed to more the half of that attendance. Marlin and his brother did a skit after the ol' switch-a-roo (they look alike) I asked Heath if he saw grandpa he said "Yea but he'll be all right".

The next day it was time for the big parade too many Brown's to fit on the float, these 2 are cute.

Then relaxing, a hailstorm, swimming @ the pool, (no pool pictures & don't expect any in the near future either). What wild weather we had, but it fit our schedule just fine! Dinner at the elementary school, and would a true 4^th of July celebration be complete without Fire Power? Brant supplied that! That's right to celebrate our independence by sending our kids out in the street to pick up candy from strangers (Parade) and top off the evening telling them to run with fire, (sparklers) and blowing things up. (Fireworks) Are we free to do whatever we want or what? I love the USA! We enjoy our teenage Nieces and Nephews so much, here is Dallin he is a riot! Sorry Kelsey your picture was too blurry to post! Heath and Ria doing their part to fling sparks around!

We ended Sunday with a big bang breakfast and testimonies. I did enjoy the spontaneous sharing of love stories it was fun and I would not consider myself a romantic! As always the Brown family reunion leaves me wishing I could have talked to everyone a little more, missing the ones that couldn't be here and feeling inspired to be better without feeling that I'm not good enough! I am motivated to be a little better and blessed to be Brown!

Tu-Toroweap

This part of the Grand Canyon has two names which is good because we made two trips! Toroweap or Tuweap is a part of the Grand Canyon most people never get to see. It isn't too far from Kanab but it is a dirt road, wash boarded and rugged dirt road for like 60 miles. The views are incredible! No rails, nothing just a drop off to the Colorado River ranging from 2500 feet to 4500 feet depending on where you stand. It is spectacular to see! Of course we did NOT bring the kids. I am not afraid of heights but even I pulled back and got a little nervous in places, especially watching other people. We drove Saturday afternoon (June 27^th). Quick day trip right?...

We made the trip the views were amazing, we saw two rafts on the Colorado River take on the rapids of Lava Falls. To us they looked like ants we couldn't see any people just the boat. We were about 3000 feet above them. Can you see the Rapids?

Brant is pointing to them.

It was remarkable to stand out on ledges like that. After a little hiking we headed back to Kanab about 5 miles down the dirt road we notice 2 people walking though some weeds off the road then we notice a minivan pulled to side near a very sandy part of the road. We stopped to see what was up, turns out someone told them their vehicle could make it NO WAY! We couldn't just drive off with a good luck so we offered to take them the rest of the way up. So Dr. Peter Schmidt, his wife Martina, and their 2 kids Raphael & Ramona from Germany jumped in with us. We turned around and took them up to enjoy the view. I'm sure their kids will remember their dad taking them up some dirt road for 50 miles and then getting in a truck with 2 strange Americans. We really didn't mind, it was great because Dr. Peter Schmidt is a geologist and he taught us about the lava falls. They were very nice and appreciative. It was very interesting and fun. German's get 6 weeks vacation maybe Brant should be sending resumes there! We got back late but it makes for a great memory!