"How does your garden grow?"

I feel like so time has passed since I last "blogged"... We finally planted our garden and last week I found a nice suprise!





Bad news is the other day we had a nie hail storm and I think we lost our basil and possibly our peppers. They got beat up. But I'll keep you posted on the development. I must say, for someone who thought they could have a garden, I knew/know VERY little. :)

We also had such a great Easter, and a fabulous visit from our fabulous friends the Facer's! :) Little Cash and Ollie loved each other to pieces, unless they were tired. We discovered a niceand cheap 3-par 9 hole golf course that I didn't know existed and the weather was gorgeous. Marley found herself a boyfriend too! She couldn't get enough of Ryan (Facer) and his guitar while they were here. Becky is so cute pregnant, even though you couldn't realy tell because her belly is tiny. But it's very exciting! We even flew kites. The first time since I was little, and I absolutely loved it... it's so peaceful!

Cash is talking and growing up so fast. We went back and watched some videos that we posted on here, and it's crazy to hear him and him not being able to talk and communicate with us like he does now. It makes me kind of sad. Marley is growing up like a weed too! She pulls herself up on everything and she is definitely the boss around here. She knows what she wants and she usually gets it. Here's a few pictures to enjoy!

In Like a Lion....

I thought March was supposed to "Come in like a lion and out like a lamb"... not really the case, but I do love the random snow and hail and thunder storms we've been having! They definitely keep life interesting and makes me enjoy those days that are just sunny and beautiful more. I guess everything has it's opposite so we appreciate it's opposite more! Today I went out and got my garden boxes ready to plant and planted a couple herb starters that I bought. I'm so excited!! We're going to have potatoes, tomatoes, cucumber, zucchini squash, onions, lettuces, bell peppers, rosemary, oregano, basil and cilantro. We'll see how much of it I can keep alive!

Not much is happening here on the Johnson front, just loving how my children play together, make each other laugh, and I'm sad at how quickly they are growing up. Marley is crawling everywhere, will walk REALLY slowly with your hands, and pulling herself up on everything. She's getting quite the personality... it's hilarious! Cash is so smart is is such a little boy! He just loves playing, going swimming, reading books and learning new things. Cash is starting to show that he is jealous of Marley lately... He'll want exactly what she has, and wants held when she's being held. She can be quite the pistol as well. It really is hilarious, they are fabulous! It's precious to see Ryan with them... it makes my heart warm.

Check out the video... they sure are precious.

**Dos Anos**

February 27th came, and it was Cash's birthday! Despite a tragic morning, we managed to pull off a pretty good birthday bash for our little boy. Thank you everyone for your help! Cash thouroughly enjoyed his day, and loved having his friends over to play. He had two little car cakes to eat and did so with his hands. I love it! We sure love our little boy. He'll say "tengo dos anos" if you ask him how old he is, and he'll attempt to hold up just two fingers. He's so stinkin' smart and growing right before our eyes...

Reunion!

Cash and I recently went on a trip to Arizona to visit some of my friends from college! Fabulous is the best word to describe the experience.... Cash was SO excited to see his buddy Oliver and to fly on an airplane. I swear that kid can spot an airplane that is so high in the air I can't see it... let alone would have noticed it flying above me. He did miss Ryan though. My wonderful husband stayed at home and watched Marley... she can be a handful too! :) Thanks Ryan, you're the best!! We had such a good time going on walks, visiting the Zoo, shopping, swimming, and watching movies. Krisitin even had her cousin and another girl come over to babysit for us so we could all go out to dinner and a movie! Good times... good memories. Thanks for making it work eveyone, and thanks again to Ryan for helping so much. Love you all!!

Elder Holland

Today we were blessed to be able to attend a special Stake Conference where Elder Holland spoke to us. He's quite a powerful man, funny, emotional, and very to the point. He spoke mainly to the youth of the church, asking them to give 10% of their lives to the church... he said he got to pick the 10% and wanted this next ten years. He said to just "Stay". "Don't leave." "Whether you're a part of it or not, the church will grow and get stronger and stronger, so just stick with it and enjoy the blessings of it." He told a story of how when he was young he grew up in a non-active family. As long as he could remember his dad had a pack of Camel cigarettes in his pocket and he just thought the shirts came like that. He remembers when he was 10 years old the Bishop, Sunday School President, and Young Men's President coming over to his house and asking his dad to teach a Sunday School class. Before they could say anything else, he quickly responded "But I smoke!" After some uncomfortable silence, his dad looked over at Elder Holland and back at the men, and knew that the class he was supposed to teach was the 10 year old class, the class with his son. The next thing said was: When do you want me to start? They looked at him, quite surprised, and told him that the class was vacant and needed a teacher that Sunday, but that he could take his time and start when he needed to. His dad immediately flicked his package of cigarettes into the fireplace and told them he'd be there on Sunday. There was a lot of work involved, but he got back on the right track. The point he was making is that he decided to change right then, and he did it. He didn't procrastinate, and he stayed with the church.

I appreciated this message even though I wasn't really "going" anywhere. I just feel that we all need the reminder that we are appreciated and loved even if we feel we are small and insignificant. They love us, and need us to stay.

Is it really almost February?

My last post I was waiting for Cash's swim lessons, and yesterday was his last swim lesson. He's so stinkin' cute. The first lesson he was very scared and basically cried the whole time. It's a parent/child class, so I'm in the water with him all the time, but it was a disaster. After the first lesson though, he was hooked. He would ask to go "swimming with Summer" (the teacher) and would now cry if we went to the YMCA and didn't go swimming. It was definitely a lot of fun to take him. Thanks to Ryan watching Marley every time too!

I can't believe he turns two in less than one month. Marley turns 7 months old tomorrow... I was being dumb, and kind of worried that she wasn't crawling, sitting, or rolling hardly at all. Like I said, I was being dumb. Not as soon as I thought it, she started to pull herself around with her arms (she'll grip the carpet and pull herself forward), roll around, and sit like a champion. She just wasn't interested in it until that day and then decided that's what she wanted to do. I wish I took more pictures. The only picture I have of Cash at swim lessons is in the shower after... He spent as much time there as in the water. He's a smart boy, that's for sure.

I had to go to a funeral of a friend that I've known since Kindergarten this last week.. I hated it, and it was much harder than I thought it would be... it really made me appreciate my family, friends, church and large support group that I have surrounding me. I know that I'll never be alone if I'm hurting. So, thank you to all of you!

Holidays

HAPPY 2009!! I'm ready for a new year, with better organization and more energy! :)

I can't believe how fast the last two months has gone by. Cash is 22 months old and Marley is already 6 months! Christmas was so much fun this year because Cash actually opened presents. We got him an 8' trampoline to play on and he absolutely loves it! We put it upstairs in the bonus room since it's so cold outside. It was a VERY white Christmas, which is the absolute best! I love the snow so much! It's just so peaceful and fresh.

Marley talks all the time and flirts with anyone that will look at her. She's such a great baby, and so beautiful! Cash is speaking full sentences all the time now, and is starting to potty train a little bit! He'll tell us when he wants to go to the toilet. We'll see if it actually turns into us not having to change 2 dirty diapers all the time. :) My favorite thing that he says right now is: Marley Jane, sister! He will run up to her room and get up on the bed and lay down next to her and suck his fingers and play with HER hair. It's really cute, except for the fact that Marley is taking naps when he does it. And yes, she's still in a bed, barricaded by pillows because Cash is still in the crib. I'm just not ready to switch him yet! I find my sleep to vital.

Cash starts swim lessons at the YMCA today, and I'm very excited to take him. Hopefully he doesn't throw a fit and he likes it. We'll see. Enjoy the show!