BRETT AND LEXI

Balm of Gilead

2011-12-11T12:23:00.000-08:00

Last year, I also worked on our anniversary and on top that Brett had just had surgery on his leg so we knew our celebration would be limited. We did however, have plans to order take-out the following night (December 7th) and just snuggle up to a movie. Unfortunately, things didn't go as planned that day. I was working at ANHC where we saw a wide population of patients. One such population being patients with HIV/AIDS. This hadn't ever worried me - the people were kind and had a variety of backgrounds and I was careful in my practice when it came to blood/body fluids.

A patient came in the afternoon of December 7th. She had just found out she was HIV+. I could see the sadness in her eyes and not knowing her story I was very mindful of here feelings. She needed several injections that day. As I drew them up I thought about what she might be feeling and how life altering such a diagnosis would be. All of the injections went fine, as always, and suddenly after the final injection... I poked myself with the needle. A million things ran through my mind and at the same time it was blank. She noticed what had happened and looked at me, frightened as well. I didn't want her to feel like a monster so I smiled and wished her a happy remainder of the day.

I then turned around, ran into Dr. Rothoff's office and started crying. All I could say was, "I poked myself." Dr. Rothoff was aware of who I had been with and rushed me into the exam room to squeeze out the blood from the puncture and wash my hands thoroughly. She went to grab my manager and while she was gone I knelt in the exam room and prayed.

My blood was drawn immediately for future comparison. Dr. Rothoff called HIV specialists in California and immediately got me started on antiretrovirals. I love Dr. Rothoff for many reasons, but on this day I especially appreciated how calm and reassuring she was about the statistics and outcomes of similar situations.

I called Brett and cried as I told him what I had just done. He cried too. I told him he needed to find a new wife. He told me I was silly and that he loved me and would stay married to me no matter what the outcome. I tried to keep working, but my boss eventually sent me home.

When I got home, I saw Linds first. Her eyes were filled with tears and I collapsed in her arms. I then went down to the couch where Brett had taken up residence since his injury. Haakon was out of town so Brett had been calling other priesthood holders from the ward to see if anyone could join him in giving me a healing blessing. No one was answering their phones. It was about 2pm and many men were at work still. Suddenly, Haakon's friend Rick showed up at the house. He was on a business trip in Alaska and decided to stop by to say hello to the family. We filled him in on the situation and he and Brett gave me a blessing. It seems funny looking back - Brett was still drugged up on pain killers. He had to prop himself against the couch in order to keep balance on one leg. But despite all of the craziness he put his hands upon my head and gave me a beautiful blessing that my body would be able to fight off the infection and that I would be blessed to be a mother one day. I have never felt such an instant calm. I am so grateful for worthy priesthood holders. The promises in my patriarchal blessing came to my mind about how I would live a long, healthy life and that I would joy in seeing my children raised to maturity. Brett and I went into our bedroom and talked and cried until we were too tired to keep our eyes open any longer.

Random memories from the next few days...

I remember Linds had washed the sheets for before I got home from work. You see, I am allergic to cats, but since Brett was basically bedfast in our basement bedroom, I couldn't very well take away the joy he found in snuggling up with his visitor, Wicket, the Johnson family cat, so there was cat hair everywhere. It was so nice to climb into clean sheets.

I also remember being grateful that Haakon and Linds had spent time in Africa around many people with HIV/AIDS, because of this they were aware of how it is spread and weren't freaked out about me eating at their table or snuggling their kids.

The antiretrovirals make you feel like you have the flu all the time. I was really grateful that I was still able to work. It kept my mind busy. It also forced me to face my newfound fear of injections. I knew if I didn't jump right back in - I may never be able to. I found that I was much more empathetic to my patients and their conditions.

I remember Christmas morning and despite feeling icky, being so excited to wake up to watch the kids open their presents. It was worth it. I sure miss those kiddos.

One night I was staring at the bottle of Truvada and noticed the word "Gilead" on it. I again felt very strongly that everything was going to be okay. I remember years ago singing the song "Did You Think To Pray" in Sacrament meeting and looking up the meaning of Balm of Gilead

--An aromatic gum or spice used for healing wounds (Gen. 43:11; Jer. 8:22; 46:11; 51:8). A bush producing the resin from which the balm was made grew so plentifully in Gilead in Old Testament times that the balm came to be known as the “balm of Gilead” (Gen. 37:25; Ezek. 27:1.)

"Did You Think To Pray" - 3rd Verse

When sore trials came upon you, Did you think to pray?

When your soul was full of sorrow, Balm of Gilead did

you borrow, at the gates today?

...so when life gets dark and dreary, don't forget to pray.

I was tested for HIV at 4 weeks, 6 weeks, 4 months, and 6 months after the exposure and all of the tests came back negative! Hooray! Almost as a strange reminder, I was working at the hospital this past week on December 7th, and had an HIV+ patient who needed an injection. Everything went well! :)

HAPPY ANNIVERSARY

2011-12-11T12:15:00.000-08:00

Wow, I can't believe Brett and I have been married for 3 years! It has FLOWN by! I had work and Brett had finals so we didn't really celebrate our anniversary on December 6th. Brett did have my favorite flowers sent to our apartment. It's always fun to get flowers! We sort of celebrated on December 9th instead. A student recognition dinner/dance was held at the Red Lion Hotel. It was fun to get a bit dressed up and dance the night away! Unfortunately...I didn't take any pictures! Grr! Why do I keep doing that?

GIVE THANKS

2011-12-05T22:20:00.000-08:00

What a beautiful holiday. I think I have mentioned before that Thanksgiving is my Dad's favorite holiday. I never understood as a kid. I do now.

Well, as you may have noticed before, my family just LOVES surprises, especially if it means we get to spend time together! The oldest sibling in our family, Brooke, lives in Illinois with her 4 little kiddos - ages 5 and under. Her husband is in his urology residency and is, as you might imagine, a very busy man! He found out he was on call for Thanksgiving and Brooke was a bit bummed. This is where brother John stepped in - with Brad's blessing, John was bound and determined to get Brooke and the kids home for Thanksgiving. Well, it worked! Brooke called early Friday the 18th and had Tate let me know the exciting news that they were already in Utah and planned to surprise Grandma and Grandpa that day. Brett and I had tickets to fly to Utah the following Monday, but I couldn't wait that long! Brett had a test and paper he needed to focus on so he encouraged me to change my flight so I could spend an extra weekend with the fam. I arrived that evening to a house full of laughter and love!

When I talked to Tate on the phone I told him I thought Grandma would scream and cry when they all walked in. He said, "Yeah, that's what my Mommy thinks too." Grandma never disappoints.

Then Grandpa arrived on the scene - equally excited to see his grandsons.

We can't forget about Uncle Ben. He had a fun surprise waiting when he got home from school. I love the look on his face! Those boys sure love their Uncle Ben.

A few hours later I arrived! So happy to be home!

THEN Uncle Clark!

He livened things up a bit - tossing the boys in the air! What a fun uncle!

Then Luke tried to mess with me! So I had to show him who's boss and give him a tickle torture!

Not long after I had two boys getting tickle torture! (I love Clark interacting with Noah in this sequence of pictures!)

Then Grandpa and Uncle John did a little torturing of their own!

LOVE

We spent a few days at home "grooving'" on each other and then headed to Bear Lake where we have so many fun memories. Since we were young we have visited Bear Lake, first during the Summers with all of our extended family, and then in more recent years during Thanksgiving with our immediate family, Aunt Nanc and our cousins "The Herds". An added bonus this year was having some of our Satterfield cousins there! Uncle Steve is serving as a mission President in Atlanta, Georgia so in the absence of their parents, Bill, Rick, Steph and their families joined us for some fun! I don't think I have seen most of the Satterfield cousins for 8 or more years so it was a treat!

My Grandma Herd instilled a "fierce loyalty" and love for family in all of her children and as a result we feel that same way toward our siblings, cousins, aunts, uncles, etc. It's truly a beautiful thing!

A walk by the lake

Brooke :) Sweet little mommy!

The boys enjoying some Creamies after sitting in the hot tub.

Dominoes - a Bear Lake tradition!

We also had a treasure hunt like we did when we were young. I remember always riding on cousin Bill's back or shoulders so I wouldn't fall behind so this year I carried his little girl on my back. I was so pooped by the end. She kept saying, "Go faster!" She was lucky I didn't pass out in the snow! The treasure was hidden in Aunt Nanc's apartment, as always! Aunt Nanc is the best!

Turkey Bowl

Large cheering section, braving the cold!

Jamerz and I - Thanksgiving Day!

Meeting cousin Bill's kids for the first time. They were so friendly and lovable. His little boy, Seth, reminded me so much of my nephew Torsten - so naturally I loved him from the second I met him!

Tate looking pretty pleased with his turkey!

Pepe with his cute moose hat!

Uncle B with Noah

We stayed up until 3am our last night there playing games with the entire family.

It was so much fun.

Brooke summed up the weekend with this, "I've never met a happier, more positive bunch of people. This week with my family has been so refreshing."

I second that. :)

I'll admit I'm a big cry baby, but just looking at these pictures makes me tearful. As best put in the children's song, "The Family Is Of God" -- God gave us families to help us become what He wants us to be. This is how He shares His love, for the family is of God.

3D IMAX MOVIE

2011-12-05T22:12:00.000-08:00

Well, it's official. I want a baby elephant for Christmas! Again, a few months ago, Brett and I caught a 3D IMAX movie with the Newmans. I have never been to a 3D movie, at least that I recall, and I have certainly never been to an IMAX movie so I was lovin' it! Brett was laughing at me when I reached out for objects or jumped back when a ball appeared to be headed straight for my noggin!

Afterwards we walked around and checked out some of the exhibits at the Denver Museum of Nature and Science. We definitely want to go back and visit again as our time was short.

Sweet Tooth

2011-12-05T21:47:00.000-08:00

I forgot to blog about a great day Leisl and I spent together a couple of months ago. We both had the afternoon off and wanted to do something fun and FREE. So we looked online and found a candy factory tour at Hammond's! The last tour was in about 20 minutes so we hopped in the car and drove as fast as we could, barely making it in time. When we got there the greeter said, "Just the two of you?" What else would two young women in their 20's do on an afternoon like this? We don't need the excuse of kids to indulge in a childhood dream. It felt like we were at Willy Wonka's chocolate factory!

One of the best parts, was that because we were the last tour of the day and the lady could tell we loved it so much she loaded us up with FREE candy!

A candy maker during the candy cane making process. Sounds official, right?

Leisl just being the cutest!

Saturday Bike Ride

2011-10-31T15:42:00.000-07:00

The boys had all volunteered for various service activities so the ladies were again forced to spend an enjoyable Saturday afternoon together. We decided to go on a bike ride. The plan was to leave at 10:30am - we then ran across a few minor mechanical issues and didn't end up leaving until 11:30am. The impressive part is we took care of all of the "mechanical issues" without help from our husbands - proud day! I changed out the seat on my bike to a nice, WIDE, cushioned one. Awwwww. I love it! What a difference. Bike seats are not made for people with big butts!

We rode around on a nearby path. Stopped at Subway to pick up lunch and then ate at a park while Kayden got some energy out at the play ground. I was keeping an eye on him when I noticed he had stopped dead in his tracks and was staring into the distance. I looked in the direction he was staring and noticed a group of kids playing in a pile of leaves. I couldn't let him miss out on this fun opportunity so I picked him up and we ran over to the kids and asked if we could join them...

He may look like he's crying, but I assure you he was laughing and loving every second. It was so stinkin' fun!

Denver Zoo

2011-10-31T15:34:00.000-07:00

Have I mentioned how much I LOVE all of the people it's Brett's class? We have made so many fun, new friends and we are loving Denver! It seems people get together for activities at least weekly - happy hour, sushi, thai food, progressive dinners, BBQs, etc. One such activity was an afternoon at the zoo. The day started out a bit rainy so there were very few other visitors. We walked around until our feet hurt. Later that night we invited everyone over to our apartment for a chili dinner. I never wanted them to leave. I just love having people over - chatting the night away. We are blessed.

2011-10-31T15:16:00.000-07:00

October 14th and 15th

The boys had a little break between classes and took advantage of the homework-free weekend by going backpacking. Meanwhile, we ladies took advantage of the husband-free weekend and had a slumber party! I wish I had taken pictures of our comfortable set-up in the living room. Kayden loved jumping on the blow-up mattress and looked super snuggly in his pajamas. We watched chick-flicks and ate yummy popcorn until we were too tired to keep our eyes open any longer. The next day we went to a little harvest festival put on by the city.

The boys snuggled up in our 4 season tent. It was pretty tight quarters from what I hear.

Bob, Darin, Andy, and B-ski

Fall Festival -

OLD LADY...BIG 25!!

2011-10-31T14:50:00.000-07:00

October 8th-9th

That's right - I'm officially an old lady! No longer can I say I'm in my early 20's. I'm as close to 30 as 20. GULP. And getting closer to 30 by the second! I know, a bit dramatic, but it's just I'm pretty sure I just turned 18 last year. ;)

Brett took me out for a delicious dinner at P.F. Changs in downtown Denver. Then we cuddled up and watched a movie at home. :) The next day, Sunday, which was my actual BIRTHDAY, Brett made a yummy pasta dinner and then the Johnstons had a small gathering at their house in celebration. Rachel made YUMMY yellow-frosted cup cakes. It was so fun! :)

I was flooded with calls from family which was so great! :) I was telling my mom that the strangest part of growing up is seeing pictures of myself and realizing that I look like a woman now - not just a little girl playing dress-up!

25 has been pretty great so far...

SHE'S GOT A GUN!!

2011-10-31T12:16:00.001-07:00

Brett has considered purchasing a hand gun from time to time and I have mentioned that I wanted to feel comfortable handling one myself before we bring one into our home. Luckily, our new friend/dental student Hazha has a boyfriend in the military who was willing to give me a lesson. I was pretty nervous, but it actually ended up being really fun. Dan was great about teaching proper technique and made me feel comfortable with the different components and safety features. It'll take some practice, but as I said to Dan, "We definitely accomplished something. I am LESS scared of guns."

Dan showing me how it's done!

Dan and Hazha

Brett was basically a sniper.

I don't know where he learned to shoot like that, but I have to admit I was impressed - so was Dan.

Fall in Colorado

2011-10-31T11:46:00.000-07:00

October 5, 2011

Leisl and I went on a beautiful drive to Mount Evans to enjoy the changing leaves.

Colorado is amazing in the Fall.

Haakon Joins The Party

2011-10-31T11:34:00.000-07:00

Haakon happened to have some business to attend to in Colorado around the same time Midge was visiting which worked out very nicely! On Saturday, Sept 24th, we picked Haakon up from the airport and headed to Red Rocks Park where he and Brett went biking. Midge and I visited a nearby town and walked down Main St. stopping in at the fun shops. Afterwards, the 4 of us walked up to Red Rocks Amphitheatre. WOW! It was pretty incredible. We hope to catch a concert there in the next 4 years.

That evening Haakon treated us to Cheesecake Factory in downtown Denver. YUMMMY!

It's always great to have family visit!

Bretski helping Midge up the steep path! The altitude is killer!

Momma Midge Comes to Denver

2011-10-31T11:15:00.000-07:00

Brett's mom came to visit Denver for a few days in September - she was the first official guest in our little apartment. It was fun to relax and talk and spend time together. On the evening of Friday, Sept 23rd, we went to Boulder, CO to walk around the city and check out the night life on Pearl Street.

The University of Colorado Boulder campus was beautiful!

Pearl Street - what fun entertainment! This guy was awfully flexible.

I wish nieces and nephews had been with us for this fun "zoo."

Loved the ambiance.

On our way out of town we stopped at Rueben's for a quick bite. YUM!

FUN NIGHT!

Cherry Creek State Park

2011-09-04T20:14:00.001-07:00

The "crew," as previously described, decided to kick off a much anticipated 3-day weekend at Cherry Creek State Park.

Leisl and Andy Newman

Darin, Rachel and Kayden Johnston

Kayden explored.

The boys rested.

The ladies put these $1 water mats to good use!

We ate and talked.

We enjoyed a perfect night together. Here's to many more to come.

Denver Botanical Gardens

2011-09-04T19:44:00.001-07:00

We went to the Denver Botanical Gardens this past week. It was free day so we figured we would take advantage of the opportunity and check it out! You may assume that when I say "we" I mean Brett and I, but for all future posts "we" will likely refer to Leisl, Rachel, Kayden and myself.

Allow me to introduce the lovely people pictured below...

Starting from the stroller and moving right - meet Kayden. He is our very sweet, happy and snuggly neighbor.

Next is Rachel (Kayden's mom). Her husband Darin is a "D1" (first year dental student) at University of Colorado with Brett. We have all sorts of random connections - small world!

Next is Leisl. Her husband Andy is ALSO a "D1" at University of Colorado. We actually met Leisl and Andy in Alaska, we were in the same ward, but never spent much time together.

We now all live in the same apartment complex and it's been such a blessing. Our husbands aren't around much, so we spend A LOT of time together and it's wonderful! So happy to have these ladies to endure the next 4 years with and I'm so grateful that Brett has their husbands as study buddies and friends. I'm telling' ya - it was meant to be!

Well, now you've met the crew or at least the "better halves."

The gardens were beautiful!

Kayden had a great time playing in a little stream in the Children's Garden.

The Springs

2011-09-01T20:12:00.000-07:00

Haakon and Linds were recently in Colorado Spring on vacation and we were able to meet up with them and have a BLAST! Although we lived together for the past year, we were rarely able to spend time actually "hanging out"- so this was a real treat.

We walked around Garden of the Gods and then went biking.This was my first time mountain biking UP hill. I thought I was going to die a few times, and had to walk part of the trail, but the downhill made it SOOOO worth it! I see why Brett loves biking so much! We then played in the pool at the hotel and had lunch while lounging in the sun. I felt fancy! We had a couple other activities planned but due to the weather we weren't able to participate in them. BUMMER. It was okay though because we still had a GREAT TIME!

Noah Brook

2011-08-21T22:43:00.000-07:00

My sister had her FOURTH baby boy on August 8th! That is 4 boys in 5 years! And no, none of them are twins. Mom, Ben and I went out to help around the house, take care of the big boys, and LOVE our new baby Noah!

Ben made Noah two receiving blankets without help! Talented little guy!

While we were visiting, Tate started Kindergarten. He walked to the bus stop with an entourage following- capturing his every move with on camera. Then we all teared up like big babies as his bus drove away!

Chuck E Cheese!

Brooke of course looked like a supermodel 4 days after giving birth!

Gerber baby?

Isn't he handsome?

Welcome to the family, Noah!

Denver, CO

2011-08-21T22:32:00.001-07:00

On August 1st we packed up a moving truck and headed to Colorado! We met a couple in Alaska who was also headed to Denver for dental school so we worked together finding an apartment complex, packing, unpacking, etc.

Our little place is starting to come together and we have LOVED every minute of our time here! Since Brett and I have been married we have always lived in someones basement, which has been a blessing in many ways, but it has been so exciting to have our own apartment! HOORAY! I love it! I feel like it's been strengthening for our relationship. We are having such a wonderful time together! I feel like we're playing house.

A Day at Snowbird

2011-08-21T22:17:00.000-07:00

While in Utah we spent a fun day at Snowbird. It was such a BLAST!

I love spending time with family.

Mom and Dad on the chairlift.

Riding the tram to the top!

Headed back down to the bottom. Remember what I mentioned about getting motion sick in a rocking chair? Same with trams! UGH!

Riding the bull! Yeehaw!

Climbing wall.

Ben waiting in line for rides!

Mom and Dad on the zip line.

Ben on the zip line!

This fun outing was followed by a trip to Mandarin Restaurant

in Bountiful - our fav Chinese place!

WHAT A GREAT DAY!

ALCAN

2011-08-21T22:01:00.000-07:00

My dad and Clark being the saints they are offered to drive from Alaska to Utah with Brett! I get motion sick in a rocking chair so needless to say a 3,000+ mile road trip isn't my idea of fun. (Oh, how I wish that weren't the case!) I have driven the ALCAN 3 times and although words cannot describe how beautiful it is - I figured I would sit this one out and let the men have some bonding time. Luckily my dad LOVES road trips and he still talks about how incredible the drive was. They saw wildlife, visited 6 Nat'l parks, and camped under the stars.

This pictures makes me laugh - they fit 3 grown men in a little Toyota Tacoma. They took turns driving, riding in the passenger seat, and squeezing into the back seat. My dad is about 6'7'' and he insisted on taking a turn in the back - It didn't last long. Thank heavens!

Meanwhile I was in Utah spending time with my mom and Ben and visiting close friends. We were so happy when the men arrived home safely!

FAM VISITS AK

2011-08-21T21:35:00.000-07:00

HOORAY! My mom, dad, and two brothers came to visit Alaska before we moved to Colorado!

WE HAD A WONDERFUL TIME!

We packed in a ton of activities in 10 days.

Here is a little sampling of the 2,000 pictures we took!

Arrival at the airport.

Ben, Rams, and Kindrid at Koral's Birthday Party!

Dad rented a motorhome so we could travel in style. Clark and Ben were hilarious - they sat and starred out the window at the beautiful scenery and had their cameras within an arms reach the entire time!

We started our trip rafting in Valdez - it was such a rush!

Brett ridin' the bull!

Lex ridin' the bull!

We then stopped at Worthington Glacier and drank cool, clear glacier water.

Thompson Pass

Valdez, AK

Chena Hot Springs

Botanical gardens.

Knotty Shop

Riverboat Discovery

Alaska Salmon Bake - Fairbanks, AK

Denali Nat'l Park

Sea kayaking in Seward, AK

GOODBYE BEAUTIFUL ALASKA! We will miss you!

SO LONG BEEHIVES

2011-08-21T21:20:00.000-07:00

I absolutely LOVED my calling as Beehive Advisor.

I worked with the BEST leaders serving the BEST girls!

Hannah wasn't one for affection so when she came and gave ME a hug I had to give her a TIGHT one!

Are they not the cutest?

HIGH ADVENTURE CAMP

2011-08-21T21:11:00.000-07:00

Apparently one of the perks of serving in Young Men is the opportunity to go to High Adventure Camp - this year it was a canoeing trip. Brett had a great time!

Brett's brother Haakon also serves in YM so they were able to spend some quality time together doing what the Johnson boys do best - GOOF AROUND!

GIRLS CAMP

2011-08-21T18:16:00.000-07:00

One of the perks of serving in Young Womens is getting the opportunity to go to GIRLS CAMP! I loved it as a youth and I love it NOW! Our girls were so much fun!

About to hit the road! (Anchorage, AK temple in the background)

Brett was able to join us for two days as a visiting Priesthood holder. It was so much fun. The girls LOVED having him around.

Singing Girls Camp songs!

Brett pumping water from the well. Our little Beehives didn't have enough arm strength to pump the well so they recruited help.

Camp T-shirts!

Canoeing!

Hike!

After the hike we had a few small pools full of water warm water for the girls to soak their feet in. We had nail polish available for pedicures if they so desired. I walked into the pavilion to find THIS! The girls had given Brett a pedicure. They had even trimmed the hair on his feet. GROSS! They were so hilarious!

His toenails read "B-R-E-T-T- <3 - L-E-X-I"!

It's tradition at Girls Camp to do skits. For the leader skit we played on the events from earlier that day and got rid of all of the "hair" on Brett's feet, eyebrows, upper lip, ears, etc. in order to allow him to better follow the prophet, keep his sights on the temple, speak kind words, listen to the prophet, etc. (Hard to explain, but hopefully you get the idea.) He was such a great sport!

Playing cards!

The hardest part about Girls Camp in Alaska is it NEVER gets dark at night in the Summer...which means the girls NEVER sleep! I had to catch a snooze here and there to keep up!

THANKS FOR THE GREAT WEEK GIRLS!

ANHC Goodbye!

2011-08-21T18:00:00.001-07:00

While living in Alaska I worked at Anchorage Neighborhood Health Center. It was an incredible experience working with a very unique population of patients. I have enough crazy stories to write a book! At times it was a very frustrating and draining atmosphere, but what made it great was working with the amazing people that I did!

On my last day my coworkers threw a little going away luncheon. It was so sweet and I had an absolute BLAST!

Dr. Mraz - what a great guy! At the luncheon he cut and served the cake to everyone.

My Michelle! While at ANHC I worked with Dr. Rothoff almost exclusively and couldn't feel more LUCKY. She was such an incredible example to me. I absolutely adore her! Often patients thought I was her daughter or would get the two of us confused.

Jacquie from lab! She was so HILARIOUS - a joy to work with!

VERN! He was always giving me a hard time. He called me "movie star." Always good for a laugh!

Love these girls!

Cute cake!

I'll never forget my first job as a nurse and the memorable people I met and experiences I had!

GOODBYE ANHC!

Mile High City

2011-08-21T17:46:00.000-07:00

In December we found out Brett was accepted to dental school. I'll never forget that day. Brett had gone to several interviews during the months of September and October and we were anxiously awaiting December 1st when the first acceptance calls were to be made. Brett had had ankle surgery November 30th - the previous afternoon - and he was a bit doped up when the calls started coming in around 6am. When the first school called he started crying because he was so relieved, excited, humbled... and high! We were fortunate enough to have our pick of a few schools and ended up choosing University of Colorado. We feel so blessed! We can't wait for what this new adventure will bring!

KINDRID

2011-06-12T02:28:00.001-07:00

The call finally came at approximately 1:00am on June 3rd. "Lexi, this is Erich. Ramsey is dilated to a 5." I jumped out of bed, threw on some street clothes, and ran out the door. As I was driving down the road I called Brett, who was still at work, to let him know I was headed to the birthing center. He was luckily just finishing up so we met at a parking lot and drove to Wasilla together. When we arrived and for the next 7 hours or so I was too excited to sleep or do anything for that matter. I was practically and literally, at times, pacing! I finally decided to rest my eyes when the midwife woke me - "It's time!" Ramsey, my sister-in-law, had invited me to witness the beautiful delivery of her baby girl! Lucky me! I love deliveries. The amazing feeling NEVER gets old. The spirit is undeniable as that new life enters this mortal world. The immediate love you feel is overwhelming. (I can't even imagine how it will feel with my own children someday.)

Sweet baby Kindred made her arrival and we were all smitten! A whopping 9lbs 19.75 inches of adorableness. (Is that even a word? It is now.) She had kept us waiting almost 2 weeks past her due date. She was so worth the wait! See for yourself! :)

Concerned first-time big sister - Saraya

This baby girl is in great company with these 3 big sisters!

Proud daddy!

Oldest sister - Koral

Welcome to the family little one!

BEST BROTHER IN THE WORLD!

2011-06-12T02:03:00.000-07:00

A couple weeks before Mother's Day I received a text from my older brother John - "Can you get a week off of work?" I wasn't certain why he was asking, but assured him that I could. He then explained his idea... He was going to fly me to Seattle to meet up with him and his wife, Jamie, and then the 3 of us would fly to Utah to surprise my mom for Mother's Day. "Jamie and I will walk through the door and Mom will be so excited. Then you will walk through the door and she will have a minor heart attack!" A few days before departure he furthered surprised me by inviting Brett to join us! How could it be better than that? Well, having Brooke (older sister) there too would have been incredible, but I'm not about to complain!

So the day arrived. When we got to the Seattle airport I felt like a kid on Christmas Eve. When I saw John I about broke into tears and I had to keep looking at him to make sure this wasn't a dream. We haven't seen in each other in nearly a year and I consider him my best buddy! I sure had missed him!

Now for the surprise. We picked up a bouquet of flowers and Jamie (aka Flash) put left them on the door step, rang the door bell and RAN to the car where the rest of us were waiting. We sped down the road and drove around the neighborhood for a little while. Shortly after, we each received a text from Mom thanking us for the flowers and expressing how she wished we could all be there for Mother's Day. A few minutes later we drove back to the house. John and Jamie went to the door and surprised Mom. She was so excited. She was all smiles! Brett and I waited, not-so-patiently, hidden in the car for about 7 minutes. We then made our way to the door step. When we rang the door bell my Dad apparently said, "Oh, I wonder who that could be? Brett and Lex?" He and my Mom had a sarcastic laugh about that joke while John and Jamie tried to hold their tongues. When my Dad opened the door he yelled, "OH MY CRAP! You've got to be kidding me!" My Mom came running and had a mild heart attack when she saw us! It was PERFECT! We spent a few blissful days together eating, playing volleyball, talking and doing what we love most, spending time together! (We clearly didn't have enough time for pictures!)

Brett and I then flew to Seattle with John. Unfortunately, Jamie's grandmother was scheduled for an urgent surgery. Jamie chose to stay in Utah to be with her. Brett and I were lucky enough to spend a few fun filled days with John! He was a wonderful host, as always. The Seattle area was GORGEOUS! We hope to make many more trips to visit the Aegerter family!

Families Can Be Together Forever!!!

JOHNSON KIDS

2011-06-12T01:52:00.000-07:00

To those who have forgotten or didn't know, we live with Brett's brother and his family. Every Friday while mom and dad sneak away on a date Uncle Brett and Aunt Lexi get to have fun with the kiddos. WE LOOOOVE THESE KIDS! (In fact, a few days ago they were headed to bed and it suddenly hit me that we are leaving in a few weeks and that I won't be able to tuck the kids in at night or watch them learn and grow each day and tears started rolling down my cheeks. I had to run upstairs and give them all another hug and kiss!)

On one such night we played Ice Cream Shop. We created a menu with ice cream and topping choices and each of the kids ordered while Uncle Bretski scooped and served!

Lauren made her own paper credit card. So stinkin' cute!

Saul was not gonna leave a drop of ice cream in his bowl. I love his little tongue sticking out!

DID I MENTION HOW MUCH WE LOVE THESE KIDS?

Etiquette Dinner

2011-04-05T22:28:00.000-07:00

I have had the wonderful opportunity of working in YW with the Beehives since we moved to Alaska. I LOVE MY CALLING!! We have the cutest group of girls. They amaze me. They give me hope that my future children won't be corrupted in this scary world.

Last week we had a fun Etiquette Dinner. We had the girls groom nicely and meet at a home in our ward. When they arrived they were given a handout about proper dining etiquette. They were hilarious. Suddenly they began speaking with an English accent. "What a lovely dinner. Isn't this just marvelous?"

Name tags and handout.

I am lucky enough to have Sis. Jo Whitenight as my counterpart in the Beehive class. She is so amazing! She somehow manages to have more energy that our 12 & 13 year old girls have and they adore her!

How could you not love these girls? Look at those faces!

This is the mother of 3 of our Beehives (yes, triplets!). She totally pulled this etiquette dinner together. Hosted it at her home and prepared all of the food. She is incredible and we have been fortunate enough to snatch her up as the Laurel adviser. Thanks, Carolyn!

2011-03-13T19:35:00.000-07:00

World Ice Art Championships

Last weekend we visited Fairbanks (where Brett grew up) for the world Ice Art Championship. The whole fam was there! I couldn't believe how beautiful the sculptures were. The only thing that could have made it better would have been if I had seen the northern lights - darn it!

Cute little eskimo!

They had these amazing slides! We had so much zooming down with the kids!

All bundled up!

One of my favorites...isn't this incredible!?

HAPPY STEVENSON DAY!

2011-02-19T11:15:00.000-08:00

I wrote a status on my facebook page about creating my own holiday to look forward to in January and my sister jokingly commented that I should celebrate Stevenson Day and visit her. I chuckled, because little did she know, Stevenson Day was already in the making.

Brett and I had set a strict budget for Christmas this year so when he surprised me with tickets to visit my sister in Illinois I thought he was BUSTED! He quickly explained that by using airline miles he had only spent 30 dollars and stayed within the budget. Sly little Brett and boy do I love him for it! I couldn't have asked for a better gift!

My sister is the ultimate trickster in the family. Often showing up unexpectedly for a surprise visits so we figured it was time to get her back. While we were at it, we thought it'd be fun to surprise my mom as well. You see, my parents and little brother were planning to go out to visit my sister in Illionois already. Brett talked with my dad and figured out a way that I could connect with them in Salt Lake city so that we could fly to Illinois together. Plans were made, but my mom had no idea.

I flew from Anchorage to SLC and waited anxiously for my family to come to the gate. When I saw them entering the jet-way I yelled "Mom, mom, hey mom!" -- she didn't turn around so I finally said, "Deb mom!" She turned around and her jaw dropped to the floor, "What are you doing here?" She said she thought maybe her mind was playing a trick on her because she knew it was my voice, but was certain I couldn't be there.

We flew to Illinois together and when we pulled up to my sister's house my parents and brother went inside. After a few minutes, or second probably (I was so excited I couldn't wait!) I went up to the door and knocked. When my sister saw me she just stared and then said, "You've got to be kidding me!" It was the best!

Uncle Ben is getting so mature and handsome!

My dad went to graduate school at the University of Illinois so we went to Champaign-Urbana to visit a few of their favorite places. Our first stop was a delicious bakery where my mom got a dozen of almond croissants she has been craving for years! Our next stop was Papa Del's Pizza. OH MY GOODNESS! This pizza was delicious and HUGE! Mmm, I would eat some right now!

Luka -- this kid is a crack-up...and maybe part asian!

Let's celebrate Stevenson Day every year!

BOWLING

2011-02-19T10:58:00.001-08:00

Sometime, not long after Christmas, the whole family decided to go bowling! I hadn't gone bowling in a VERY long time. Brett and I will have to add that to the list of things to do when his leg is healed. The list is get longer and longer.

Here are a few fun pictures of the outing:

Lauren wore a tutu, leggings and the cutest bow in her hair!

Grandma Midge and Saul Baby!

Torsten LOVES bowling! He would not let that ball out of his sight.

I have been terrible about capturing picture memories lately. I just realized I didn't take ANY pictures of New Years Eve. Brett and I went to Orso with our friends Kendall and Sam and had a delightful time. It was laid back and engaging. We enjoy spending time with them, although we haven't taken advantage of it like we should with only a short time left in Alaska.

CHRISTMAS 2010

2011-02-19T10:32:00.001-08:00

Don't you think kids make every holiday better? I sure do! I love the excitement they bring! I remember having a difficult time falling asleep on Christmas Eve, I felt a little of that this year, imagining how the kids must be feeling. I could have watched them open and play with their gifts all day long. It brought back so many warm memories!

Brett and I sure got an education on the new, hot toys of the season!

This is Lauren playing with her Zoobles.

Don John - notice the sticker still on his shirt. He didn't want to wear the Christmas pajamas I got for him, but he humored me on Christmas morning and that was enough to make me happy!

Linds gave Haakon a DVD set of Mr. Bean -- she said the faces Haakon make remind her of him -- "A cute version!"

Saul was SO cute to watch open presents. He got SO excited each time!

Beautiful Corinne. I can't believe how fast she seems to be growing up!

Uncle Brett decorated his leg for the occasion. I didn't know it was even possible to do a swirled cast! I LOVED IT!

Making some breakfast burritos! A little taste of home!

I failed AGAIN at getting a picture of Brett and me together. (Last year I did the same thing) I was determined, but not determined enough, I guess. Notice our matching black, white, and red pajamas. I got about a million pictures of the kids. They're much cuter anyway.

HAPPY HOLIDAYS EVERYONE!

Saul and Uncle "Betski"

2011-02-17T22:45:00.001-08:00

Brett spent most of his recovery time in our room in the basement. It was difficult to climb the stairs to the main level and the pain medication he was on made him sensitive to light and sound. Though occasionally, when he was REALLY LUCKY, he got a SUPER CUTE visitor!

Broken Brett

2011-02-15T22:23:00.001-08:00

The day after Thanksgiving we were looking forward to a fun day of sledding. We all bundled up and headed out to the backyard. We sledded for some time and were enjoying ourselves, when suddenly, Brett, in a daredevil stunt, decided to show off to his nieces, and as he yelled, "Hey Corinne, watch!" he launched off of the steep hill on foot, landed, rolled a few times and then said to me, "Lex, I just broke my ankle." He didn't sound urgent so I wasn't sure what to think. I said, "Brett, are you being serious?" He said, "Yes, Lex, I just broke my ankle!" (I asked afterward why he was screaming bloody murder and he said he didn't want to scare the girls. He also said, it took a few seconds after hearing the "pop" to feel the pain.)

So here he is, a good 20 feet down the hill and I have no idea what to do. I scream to Haakon, "I need help!" He takes the kids inside and then comes down with a sled. We put Brett on the sled and start sliding him down to a road at the bottom of the hill. I run up the hill and grab the truck to drive down to pick them up. Meanwhile, Haakon and Brett are sitting at the bottom of the hill and Haakon has contacted a orthopedic surgeon friend who has advised us to go to the walk-in clinic at his practice. I have NO idea where to go, so the three of us jump in the truck and Haakon drives to OPA. At this point poor Brett is going into shock. He has NO color in his face and it's obvious he is in a LOT of pain. When we arrived at the office, they immediately take him back, cut his boot off and get x-rays. At one point the x-ray tech asked him to point his toes up and he says confused, "I am!" Well, his knee was facing up...his foot was to the side. After reviewing x-rays it was obvious that Brett would need surgery. Brett had shattered his fibula and broken his tibia in multiple places.

First, they had to get everything aligned (reduced) though and the worst part is, there are no pain meds available at the clinic. Haakon had to hold Brett's knee down while they popped Brett's foot back into alignment with the rest of his body. He took it like a champ! (They told us it's pretty unheard of to do this without pain meds).

Poor Brett was in SO much pain for the next few days. November 30, 2010 he was scheduled for surgery. At this point he was highly medicated. He was HILARIOUS. He was flirting with the nurses, giving them nicknames. I was dying! He has had such a fun, playful attitude about the entire situation, even though he was miserable!

BEFORE SURGERY, AFTER A FEW MEDS! HAHA! Brett was feeling pretty good! :)

The anesthesiologist let me watch the popliteal block. It was awesome! Then they wheeled Brett back to surgery and the waiting began. I'm so glad Midge was there to keep me company. I would have gone crazy. Dr. Chang, the surgeon, came out to speak with us after the surgery. Things went well, but they had to use a little more hardware than previously thought and he had to rig a few things up during surgery.

We went back into the PACU just as Brett was waking up. HAHAHAHHAH. This had to have been one of the funniest experiences of my life. Brett was CRAZY. I just laughed and laughed at him! (I'll have to find the sheet of paper where I wrote what he said)

At first he asked where he was. Then he said, "They already did the surgery? I was going to try to not fall asleep." Then he started tearing up, "Where are Superwoman and the lady with the mask?" (the nurses) "They said they were going to stay and take care of me!"

He was given some pain and anti-nausea meds which knocked him right out. When he woke up this time, he was MY Brett. Calm, nice, happy. Phew!

Brett's ankle 2 plates, 1 wire and 10 screws later. Good as new...kinda.

Be Grateful!

2010-12-01T01:22:00.000-08:00

This year we spent Thanksgiving at Momma Midge's house (Brett's mom). The entire family was there (minus Brett's dad). Even Linds' mom flew up from Utah to visit. It was great having her here. She's a pleasant person to have around. We had a wonderful day together!

We ate a delicious dinner! Each of us brought a few of our favorites. My mouth is watering just thinking about it! Brett prepared the food while I was at work so that we could head straight to his mom's house in Palmer on Wednesday night. He did a great job! Truth is, I trust his cooking above my own. Thanks, B-ski!

After eating, the adults talked and played games while the kids ran around together!

Grandma got a Wii that was set up in her basement. It was hilarious watching the kids play - especially Sky.

My goodness! I could take a million cute pictures of this girl! She is so stinkin' adorable!

The kids love being with their cousins!

HAPPY THANKSGIVING!

Halloween 2010

2010-12-01T00:49:00.000-08:00

We had a fun Halloween this year. We started off the season by attending a carnival of sorts at Bear Valley Elementary where our nieces attend school. Brett and I dressed up as detectives (I think Linds might have pictures that I'll post later). On Saturday night the kids went to a Trunk or Treat and afterwards we went to a party at the Noble residence. It was lots of fun - GREAT food and great company. They even had a haunted maze in their basement. Brett and I dressed up as geeky 80's prom dates (again I think Linds has pictures).

Breathtaking, I know!

Linds is quite the artist, as you can see! Doesn't Lauren play the part well? She was even meowing as I took the pictures!

Caught red-handed!

On Sunday, Halloween Day, we planned a fun little dinner with witches brew, bat goop, bobbing for apples, witches fingers, magic potion etc. The kids were a little nervous about our selection. At one point Torsten said, "I'm allergic to witch fingers!" -- Lauren feeling badly about the bat goop said, "The poor bats!" -- Next year, if we're around, maybe we'll stick with Spaghetti!

Corinne with her spider rings!

Apple bobbing was a hit! The kids dug right in!

BOO!

Slip 'n' Slide

2010-12-01T00:28:00.000-08:00

Although it pains me to have posts out of order, I was just looking at these pictures and decided to post about our September fun! I used to LOVE Slip 'n' Slide when I was young, so when I saw one on the Summer clearance rack at Wal-Mart, I couldn't resist.

Saul wasn't sure what to think!

The girls LOVED it!

In true Alaskan fashion we added a tarp at the end of the run to extend the slide! This was one of our last warm days - I think we enjoyed it to the fullest! I love all of the childhood memories that have come back to me from being around these cute kiddos!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO ME!!

2010-10-25T02:06:00.000-07:00

October 9. 2010

I had a GREAT BIRTHDAY this year! My actual BIRTHDAY was on a Saturday, but I was lucky enough to get in a few days of fun! On Friday, I got to work and found a basket full of Alaskan goodies sitting on my desk from my co-workers! I hadn't expected a thing from them - and this was such a thoughtful welcome gift.

On Saturday morning, I woke up to many missed phone calls from Brett and my sweet family. You see, Brett was in Las Vegas interviewing and my family had driven down for a mini vacation to see Brett. I was feeling pretty left out! Brett called me and was VERY excited to give me my gift. He gave me a clue, that led me to a wrapped gift with another clue, that led to another clue, and so on, until I had a PILE of gifts and clues stacked up! It was SOOO FUN! It made me feel like I was on a treasure hunt, and that I was! I have been wanting a nice camera for quite some time and Brett surprised me with just that! HOORAY! I can't wait to start learning more and using it to capture fun memories!

This was one of the clues. He apologized for not being more creative - I was just impressed he had come up with such a fun idea to begin with. What a great way to start the day!

After talking with Brett, I went upstairs and cute Linds had decorated the house with balloons and signs! It was awesome! It made me feel loved! We went to Grandma Midge's house to pick up the kids, who had spent the night there, and went on a little walk down by the river near her home. (Sorry, no pics)

Later that day I got cards in the mail from my family in Utah and this cute little picture sent from my sister and her boys in Illinois! Cute nakey boys! (For those of you who don't know - my family calls me Allie)

On Sunday, the fun continued! I know, I'm spoiled! Brett got home and the entire family came over for a BIRTHDAY dinner! My FAVORITE -- Cafe Rio!! Hooray! It was delicious! Midge made a yummy chocolate cake! I love CHOCOLATE!

Saul and Torsten love CHOCOLATE, TOO!

Rams, Me, Midge, Linds

Yay for cute nieces and nephews! I LOVE these kids!

I'd say overall it was one SWELL 24th BIRTHDAY thanks to my

family and friends who made it special!

...25 next year...GULP!

Labor Day the Johnson Way

2010-09-08T11:00:00.001-07:00

September 3rd-6th

This year we celebrated Labor Day in Denali Nat'l Park with most of the Johnson Clan! We had a fun time. It was the longest camping trip of my adult life - a whopping 3 days! Brett and I were the lone tent-campers in the group. We were quite comfortable, but I have to admit, at night when it got cold, I considered knocking on the motor home door!

Uncle Brett playing with Sauley Monster! I love Bretski all geared up in his Alaskan-wear!

Some of the group took a bus tour. Brett has fond memories of this bus ride from his youth. We saw bears, moose, caribou, sheep, etc. We had a great time - although my face may not show it. I get awfully motion sick, but the drive was beautiful!

Is this not the cutest group of kiddos?

Family hike!

Haakon, Linds, and Saul on our little hike with the fam!

On the way home, Brett and I stopped at a little hiking trail that led to a waterfall!

On our LAST day in Denali - Mt McKinley showed herself! The scenery was GORGEOUS, especially with the fall colors!

Zzzzzz

2010-08-16T01:23:00.000-07:00

One of the best parts of being in Alaska so far is seeing where Brett gets some of his traits. There we all were enjoying a nice Sunday dinner -- then the kids were excused from the table and the adults were chatting -- before we knew it...

...Brett and Haakon were fast asleep!

Corinne's Special Day!

2010-08-16T00:53:00.000-07:00

Our oldest niece was baptized yesterday and confirmed as a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints. Uncle Brett was honored to be asked to speak about BAPTISM. The entire Johnson side was there - it was a great day! We are so proud of her!

Torsten -looking so cute in his suit. I asked if he thought it would fit Uncle Brett and if he could borrow it sometime - he was pretty certain it would fit and he was fine with him borrowing it!

We ATTEMPTED to get pictures of all of the grandkids together...

...as you can see they cooperated!

After a few meltdowns...we gave up! :)

The entire Johnson side!

Corinne with her family!

Congratulations, Corinne! We love you! :) What a wonderful example you are to your friends, siblings, and cousins!

Berry Secret!

2010-08-12T23:41:00.000-07:00

Tonight Brett worked late so I went with Haak, Linds and the kids BLUEBERRY PICKING in their secret spot!

On our way...shhh

I have never been blueberry picking before and it was pretty darn fun! The kids were hilarious. I think they ate many more than they brought home, but that's half the fun!

They were pretty SERIOUS about their berry picking -- after a while they had had enough of picture taking!

Afterwards we went on a little walk.

Cute Johnson Family!

I'd say the outing was a success...

FAMILY NIGHT!

2010-08-11T23:33:00.000-07:00

On Monday night, Haak, Linds and the kiddos, invited us to join them at the local pool for FAMILY NIGHT! :) We are so glad we did! We had a great time splashing around with the kids!

Lauren was hilarious! The girl has NO fear! She is just learning to swim and will blast herself off of the diving board with no hesitation. Luckily, she was wearing a life jacket and one of us was always close by to rescue her if needed. She reminds me of my little brother, Clark. He was just like that as a kid! NO FEAR! Still that way today! I got the wussy gene!

Corinne and Brett playing with the waterproof camera!

The boys and Linds! The water was a bit cold, so Saul snuggled pretty close to Mom all night.

THANKS FOR THE FUN NIGHT JOHNSON FAM!

Shungnak, AK

2010-08-11T22:44:00.000-07:00

If you're thinking WHERE IS THAT? You're not alone. Here's a map to give you an idea:

Brett recently traveled to Shungnak for work. It's a remote village in the middle of nowhere!

The village is inhabited primarily by Alaska Natives and of course animals -- like the mom and baby moose pictured below.

Brett has been working for Earhart Roofing this Summer. He and a few co-workers were chosen for this Shungnak job. Brett got to ride in the cockpit on the way to Shungnak.

A school, or maybe THE school, in Shungnak needed a new roof. The school is the largest building in the picture below - this is obviously a view from the plane.

The crew worked LONG HOURS, but they did sneak a little play time in!

FISHING

EXPLORING NEARBY VILLAGES

HAVING A WATER FIGHT WITH THE LOCAL KIDS

They also enjoyed outstanding accomodations, including relaxing baths in a freezing river...

...fancy outhouses (there were some toilets available)...

...and roomy, foam beds with no blankets!

Although he did say it was an overall good experience, I think Brett is glad to be home! He is zonked out in our warm, cozy bed as I type! :)

Air Show

2010-08-11T20:57:00.000-07:00

July 31, 2010

We decided to go to the Arctic Thunder Air Show at Elmendorf Air Force Base. For me it brought back memories of childhood. I grew up a mile away from Hill AFB in Layton, Utah. We used to climb up onto our roof and watch the Air Show. For Brett it simply brought out the kid in him...

A tragic accident occurred while preparing for the show and 4 people were killed -- in memory of the people who died they flew the Missing Man Formation. It was really touching. It begins with 4 planes flying together in a group and then one flies straight up ahead of the group and the other 3 continue in the same formation as before so it's obvious to see that one plane is missing. It's tough to explain, but I got choked up a bit!

Lauren is such a character! She had a tough time keeping her ear

muffs in the right spot on her head!

Who sleeps at an air show? Somehow I managed! HAHA!

I told you I grew up by an AFB!

Grandma and Corinne

Torsten has such a sweet little smile and cute dimples!

What a fun little outing! :)

BACKPACKING

2010-07-28T20:38:00.000-07:00

Brett and Haakon seem to be on a mission to make me less of a "city girl" and get me into some outdoor hobbies! I'm absolutely open to it! I was alway a bit of a tom-boy as a kid and I really enjoying trying new things and being active. (As long as it's not structured exercise! haha!)

This past weekend, we packed our tent, sleeping bags, water purifier, food, etc and headed into the great outdoors on a one night backpacking trip!

I think the best part of the whole getaway was how excited Brett and Haakon were to have me experience each new phase of the trip! It made me that much more excited!

They looked about this excited most of the time! HAHA!

It's difficult to see but there is a GIANT bull moose behind us! I was pretty terrified!

Halfway there!

We set up camp and started cooking out Mountain House meals. Don't let my smile fool you -- I was freezing!! Here I am roasting my hands between the hot bags of food!

YUMMY!

That night it RAINED and RAINED and the wind BLEW and BLEW! Our tent was so light that it would occasionally cave in on us when the wind really picked up and then pop right back up! HAHA! I thought it was pretty funny! Both Haakon and I had the giggles that night! He was WIRED! It was so funny!

Right outside of our tent in the morning.

To give you an idea of how cold it was at times...YES, that IS snow!

On the way out, just remind us of who is boss, a bear left some nice,

FRESH poop for us to find on the trail!

MAKEOVER

2010-07-28T20:24:00.000-07:00

Last Summer, I pulled out my make-up and jewelry and gave my nieces a little makeover. This year, they apparently thought I needed the make-over (I would have to agree). All 5 of them rotated items and applied and reapplied lipstick, lip liner, eyeshadow, blush, bronzer, etc. --at the end Lauren said, "Aunt Lexi, I think I like you better without all of this stuff on!"

FISHIN' and HOPIN' and THINKIN' and PRAYIN'

2010-07-28T20:08:00.000-07:00

Last week, while I was at work...Brett, his brother, Haak, and a friend went fishing on a whim one evening. They didn't catch anything, but they had a nice time. I can see Brett reverting back to his Alaskan ways!

There is a bear across the water on the shore. (Look closely)

Little duck family swimming along!

Apparently Brett was excited about the wildlife.

It's always funny to see what pictures are on the camera when he takes it.

Hopefully we'll be able to go fishing again sometime this Summer.

I LOVE FISHING...I hate fish, but LOVE FISHING!

Seward With The Girls!

2010-07-28T01:40:00.001-07:00

Two years ago, I arrived in Alaska to meet Brett's family. We spent a weekend in Kayakers Cove and had a blast...last weekend, we went back and had an equally fun weekend. Only this time, we were missing one key element...

...UNCLE BRETT!!!

(Kayakers Cove 2008)

We missed him, but we didn't let it keep us from having a great time with all of the girls!

Koral and Saraya have grown and changed SO much!

2008

2010

This year, we had an extra little cutie with us --Sky-- Rams' soon-to-be stepdaughter.

We took a water taxi to the cove and as we got closer, Saraya excitedly proclaimed, "There's our cabin. It looks like a castle" -- She still doesn't quite have that perceptual ability thing down. What she saw was actually a tree stump! Cute little girl! She has become so animated!

We talked, explored, and went kayaking. We even saw a sea otter eating an octopus! It was one of the most incredible things I have ever seen. (My camera ran out of juice so I'll have to get pictures from Ramsey)

THANKS FOR THE GREAT WEEKEND!

FLATTOP

2010-07-10T12:16:00.000-07:00

On July 5th, Brett and I woke up early and hiked Flattop Trail near our house. It was a lot of fun. I was SO tired...and then I remembered that my little nieces had done this hike and I do HAVE some PRIDE - well, at least I did until an old man RAN past me on the trail. HE RAN THE ENTIRE TRAIL! Why are some people so awesome!? Haha!

On the top it was SOOOO windy! I honestly thought I might get carried off of the mountain a few times and I had to curl up into a little ball to keep from taking flight.

Brett is normally more of the nature lover. We'll be driving and he'll point out something and mention how beautiful it is - but when I saw this I was amazed! When I was young I always had this fantasy of sitting and jumping from cloud to cloud - this was close enough! :)

Great way to begin a week!

Both Brett and I started new jobs the following day.

4th of July Weekend!

2010-07-10T01:49:00.000-07:00

Brett also fit a quick rafting trip in with some guys from the ward! Looks like it was a little more tiring than ours!

To celebrate Independence Day we met up with some good family friends in Denali! We had such an enjoyable weekend - we laughed, we cried, we ate, we played! Thanks Wilson Fam!

On our first night there, Brett and Danielle took on the 1lb Burger Challenge and Rose's Cafe!

BEGINNING

MIDDLE

FINISH

THEY DID IT!

HIKING

PIZZA! YUMMY!

LEG WRESTLING

The whole crew!

We tried out our new waterproof camera! I'm apparently amused!

On the way home we stopped in Talkeetna to enjoy some 4th of July festivities. They had free food in the park. Kids were running around playing and laughing and someone had brought A TON of hula-hoops for everyone to use...

...I couldn't resist busting out some old playground tricks! Brett sat and looked at me giving me the smile that means "Who did I marry?" - but at the same time he thinks it's pretty cute.

Still got 'im fooled!!

GOOD TIMES!

FUN AT THE FARM!

2010-07-10T01:24:00.000-07:00

Oh, what a weekend we had! The morning after rafting/camping we packed up and headed back to Rams' house for Koral's 7th BIRTHDAY PARTY! Hooray! It was FARM themed and it turned out so cute! We visited a local farm and then had a delicious farm cake!

Brett with the pigs! My entire life I have always thought I wanted a little piglet (I think the idea came from Charlotte's Web) WELL - not ANYMORE! They STINK and are not cute!

This cow had a broken leg and just sat there while all of the kids fed him and patted him!

I GOT TO HOLD A BABY GOAT!! I was SOOO excited! Can you tell? This little guy was the runt and he was really scrawny!

After the farm, cake and presents all of the kids went and did activities outside! I think the party was a hit! We sure had fun!

The next day we celebrated Midge's BIRTHDAY! I attempted my very first homemade cake. It turned out pretty good - not PERFECT, but I think the cream cheese frosting helped to detract from the flaws!

RAFTING WITH THE LADIES!

2010-07-10T00:42:00.000-07:00

Rams, Midge and I went rafting with some ladies from Rams' church. We had a GREAT time! I absolutely love river rafting!!

Part way through the trip the guide asked if anyone would like to jump in and float down the river for a while - Sounded great to me so I hopped in! Bbbbrrrr!

After rafting Brett and the 3 little girls met up with us at a campsite where we stayed the night. He babysat all day and the girls had a great time with Uncle Brett - he gave them treats, took them to McDonald's, went on a bike ride with them and taught them the "Poop Goes in the Potty" song! HAHA! They were delighted AND HYPER!

That night we roasted some hotdogs, corn and marshmallows over the fire, played for a little while and then headed to bed!

The whole gang!

We don't go anywhere without our matching Alaska Grown hoodies! Oops!

Yummy corn! I love these little stinkers!

We got to try out our new tent and sleeping bags! Brett was pretty excited! Haha! In the morning we had one little creature crawl into our tent...

She was cute! So...

...we decided she could stay!!

WELCOME HOME!

2010-07-10T00:16:00.001-07:00

When we arrived at the Johnson residence (where we'll be living) THIS adorable sign was hanging on the garage! It made us feel at home right away! THANKS GUYS!

Each of the kids told us which parts of the sign they had painted. Corinne explained that she had painted the pink because she thought I would like it. Then Lauren pointed out a blob (by the "L" in Lexi) that she had painted and after thinking about it for a while told us it was the color of "DUCT TAPE" - now that is an Alaskan girl for you!

We jumped right into the mix of things when we arrived. Linds and Haakon are putting in a yard, so Brett tried his best to help get things prepared while I started getting things organized in our room.

This is Brett, Linds and Haak (bottom of the hill) working one evening

around midnight - can you believe how light it is?

They had to get pretty creative sometimes

(the flash on the camera makes it look dark)

We have also had fun watching lots of SOCCER games! Uncle Brett got to help

Torsten during his "game" - they even made a few goals! It was pretty adorable to watch. Torst just runs around with a HUGE grin on his face!

IT'S GREAT TO BE WITH FAMILY!

ALASKA!!

2010-07-09T23:37:00.000-07:00

As if the drive weren't ENOUGH, somehow Brett and I always end up with added adventures preparing for and driving to Alaska! The truck broke down before, during and after the drive and I had my own little mishap on the way up, BUT the most important part is that WE HAVE ARRIVED - SAFELY! :)

We didn't make very many stops along the way. Only when absolutely necessary for sanity and hygiene!

Getting ready to head out! It was pretty tough to leave - I held it together until we started pulling out of the drive-way. I broke into tears and Brett wasn't sure what to do! :(

Ready to hit the road!

Do you see the baby buffalo?

My Mom sent us this link after arriving. I have listened to this same message before, but it meant a lot more this time!

WELCOME TO ALASKA!!

THIS MONTH IS SUCH A SPECIAL ONE...IT'S BIRTHDAY TIME FOR YOU!

2010-06-17T23:03:00.001-07:00

HAPPY 25th BIRTHDAY BRETT!

On Saturday, June 12th, I threw a little Birthday Bash/Going Away to AK Par-tay! We had such a great time! We had friends from near and far show up to spend the evening with us. On Brett's actual BIRTHDAY he was writing a paper and we didn't have much time to celebrate so I'm glad we were able to have a little fun on Saturday! Thanks so much to everyone who was able to come and make it such an enjoyable night!

COOK KIDS!

Travis and Sarah Allen! We'll see them in Alaska next month!

Birthday Boy and TWO cakes!

Julia! Poor girl is 33 weeks pregnant and on bedrest - it was so sweet of her to come!

As we were wrapping up the night we suddenly heard a group of neighborhood kids singing "HAPPY BIRTHDAY" - when they were done, one of the girls asked what they got for singing - I offered cake and Brett offered a HIGH 5 - they screamed like, well, girls and ran up the steps to hit Brett's hand. He asked how old they thought he was turning and they said "16" HAHA! Somehow they heard he was married and as they walked off I heard one girl say, "He's married? WHAT? Ohhhh man!" - Sorry girls! He's mine! Brett, you've still got it! HAHA! (JAIL BATE!)

p.s. Happy Birthday this month to my bro-in-law BRAD and sis-in-law Jamie!

Salem Spring Triathlon

2010-06-06T17:37:00.000-07:00

Brett has caught the bug! He can't get enough of these sprint triathlons! The night before he is always up late wondering why he has paid to torture himself, but as soon as he crosses the finish line the next day he can't wait to do it again! He didn't have a chance to really train for this triathlon - so he's feeling a bit sore today, but he is looking forward to finding another tri to participate in this summer!

800 meter swim

13.5 mile bike

(Shortly after taking this picture, Brett's bike broke and he ended up running 2 miles of the bike trail! Poor kid! I would have given up, but he just kept going! Way to go, B!)

5k run

FINISH LINE!

Brett and his training buddy, Heather

Memorial Day Weekend

2010-06-06T17:09:00.000-07:00

To start the weekend off with a BANG - Brett and I had a GARAGE SALE! Haha! We have accumulated way too much STUFF in just one year of marriage and we needed to earn a little cash for gas money to Alaska! It was surprisingly successful! :)

We spent the night up Hobble Creek Canyon with our friends Adam and Linds. We made tin foil dinners, dutch-oven peach cobbler, s'mores, played games, talked and had one heck of a time!

Adam, Linds and Brett

Oh! I failed to mention we had fire-roasted corn! YUMMY!

We started to get nervous that we would run out of wood so Brett and Adam, being the manly-men they are, took matters into their hands and began finding creative ways to increase our wood pile!

On Monday, Brett met up with some friends and went downhill mountain biking. I visited my granparents' and Aunt Susan's graves with my parents and Ben. It was my first time visiting Aunt Sue's grave. I was worried it would bring up past feelings of sadness, but I felt at peace. :)

Presidenti Clayton and Motra Clayton

2010-06-06T17:00:00.000-07:00

We had the lovely opportunity of going to dinner with Brett's mission president and his wife. We had a wonderful time. They are loving and attentive and you leave thinking you might be the best person in the world because of the way they make you feel about yourfelf! I love seeing Brett around them or anyone he served with in Albania. His entire face lights up and he doesn't stop smiling!

Albania Tirana Mission

Nauvoo

2010-06-06T16:13:00.000-07:00

We were able to visit the Stevenson's new home in Springfield before heading back to Utah. It's going to be BEAUTIFUL! Brooke has a natural knack for decorating and Brad is quite the handyman! It was so hard to leave knowing I wouldn't see them for a while. I doubt they'll be making a trip up to Alaska anytime soon.

Along the drive home we took a short detour to Nauvoo for a couple of days. I have never been and it was really an interesting experience for me both historically and spiritually. I have had a pretty easy life and have been blessed with so many things - I can't even imagine facing the trials that Joseph Smith and many of the early saints had to endure.

Nauvoo Temple

Carthage Jail

I'm not usually one to broadcast spiritual experiences or thoughts. I feel they are sacred and are to be shared, if at all, with close friends and family, but we did recently have a lesson on missionary work and the responsibility we have as members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints to share our testimonies. I feel that equally or even more importantly we should LIVE our testimonies. This has made me reflect on my life and those things which are most important to me, namely my husband, my family and friends, my relationship with my Heavenly Father and His son Jesus Christ, the Atonement, and the knowledge I have that I am a daughter of God and that families are ETERNAL. I've set a goal to better LIVE my testimony and to be sensitive to promptings to share my testimony at appropriate times with others!

CHECK OUT THIS MESSAGE BY ELDER JEFFREY R. HOLLAND

Dr. Bradford Stevenson

2010-06-06T15:23:00.000-07:00

This past year has been packed full of exciting events! After Brett's graduation, his mom, Midge, stuck around for a while to spend time with us and help us get packed for Alaska. (We have moved into my parents' basement until we leave around June 17th) She is like the energizer bunny! She left her home in Alaska in February and had been on a trip to China and then to California to spend time with her sisters. We must have worked her too hard because the poor woman got pneumonia! The whole time she was in the hospital I kept thinking what a wonderful patient she would be. She is kind and friendly and clean and compliant! She was all laughs and smiles!

Shortly after Midge left - my dad, mom, little brother (Ben) and I all headed to St. Louis for my brother-in-law's med school graduation. On the way there we stopped at Liberty Jail. It was a much-needed break from the car!

Weary travelers at Liberty Jail

It was a terribly long drive (just gearing up for the 50hr drive to Alaska) BUT it was so worth it!

The graduation ceremony was very nice. We all cheered proudly for Brad! HOOOORAY! We are all a bunch of bawlers so of course we were sobbing. This has been a long-awaited day for Brooke and Brad! We are so excited to see what the future brings for them!

Gorgeous family! (Can you believe she had her 3rd baby 2 months ago? He was 10lbs! She doesn't even look like she has had one child! Hot little Mama!!)

My mom made little blue scrubs for each of the grandsons. Everyone was loving it!

Officially Dr. Stevenson!

Sweet Grammy baby! I could just eat him up!!

Brad begins his Urology residency in Springfield, Illinois in a few weeks and I know he'll excel. He'll be an incredible doctor and IS an incredible man.

Congrats, Dr. Stevenson! We love you!

B.S.

2010-05-08T00:20:00.001-07:00

On April 22nd and 23rd - we attended Brett's BYU graduation ceremonies!

WAY TO GO, B!! We're all so proud of you!

Brett and his proud wifey!

Brett and his proud mom! :)

Brett is somewhere in the sea of blue!

Celebration dinner on Friday evening with the fam!

Timp Tri

2010-05-07T23:58:00.000-07:00

On April 17th, Brett participated in the Timp Tri - a sprint triathlon (5k run, 10 mile bike, 350m swim). He trained with our sister-in-law's sister...WOW...Heather! They had a great time. Brett said never in his life had he felt such a rush after exercising. I was proud of him! The thought of running half a mile makes me want to vomit and well, I can't really swim, so I think he's just awesome! He did it all in a little over an hour. He is participating in the Salem Spring Tri on June 5th!

One of the most exciting things was having Brett's mom in town to enjoy the fun event!

Brett in action...

One of Brett's mission companions stopped by to cheer him on.

The paparazzi and cheering section! :)

Way to go Brett and Heather!

Hogle Zoo

2010-04-23T15:17:00.000-07:00

On the last day of Spring Break we visited the Hogle Zoo to meet the new baby elephant and enjoy being out in the sun! We had such a fun time seeing all of the animals and riding the little train. Here are a few pictures. (The problem with manning the camera is you never get pictures with yourself in them! Oops!)

Ben, my little brother, in the middle and Heidi's kids are the other monkeys!

Cute Jax

Heidi and baby Haidyn

Jamie and Ash

Yay for Spring!

St. Louis Surprise!

2010-04-23T14:54:00.000-07:00

My sister, Brooke, is the ultimate trickster and has surprised us a few times by flying to Utah without letting everyone know - it was our turn this time...On March 3, 2010, my brother-in-law, Bradford, flew me out to St. Louis as a BIRTHDAY surprise for Brooke!! I was afraid that maybe she would catch on, but we GOT HER! She was so excited when she opened the door that she started crying! YAY! It was sooo fun! I was so completely crushed that I wasn't able to fly out for the birth of Graham and it was such a treat to be there and spend time with Brooke and her little family! For some reason we ALWAYS forget to take pictures so I'll post one of Graham so you have something cute to look at.

The day that I was supposed to fly home, Brooke decided we were going to take a road trip to Utah and surprise the family! So the next morning the two of us and Brooke's 3 boys (ages 3, 2, and 3 weeks) headed to Utah. We had quite the eventful trip, as you can imagine with 3 young boys, but we had the added fun of taking an accidental detour and having a tire blow! HAHA! Looking back, we had a great time and made so many memories I'll remember forever! At one point, while staying in a scummy hotel, I said, "This is a joke!" - my 3yr old nephew, Tate, asked why the hotel was playing a joke on us and that remained our theme for the rest of the trip! All sorts of "jokes" were being played on us!

Everyone was so excited when we got to Utah! Brooke stayed for a couple of weeks, which was so great!! We are missing the Stevensons, but luckily, we're heading out in a few weeks for Brad's graduation! HOORAY!

GOOD THINGS UTAH

2010-03-02T11:08:00.000-08:00

My cousin, Janae, or Pix as we call her, is a GREAT cook! She has always had a natural talent and love for cooking - something that totally escaped me! She has been on Good Things Utah a few times - she is on there every few weeks to do a cooking segment. This past week I got to visit the studio and watch her in action! Her most recent recipe was Not Your Mama's Lasagna Rolls. They look delicious!! I'm so proud of her! Go, Pix!!

All of the hosts were just as lovely and nice in person as they seem on television

Baby Ty came to visit Mom on the set as well!

Evan Lysacek Has NOTHING On Us!

2010-03-02T10:49:00.000-08:00

On February 26th, Brett and I, along with the Mayletts, went ice skating!! We had a BLAST!

Jedd Maylett for style - Bronze Medal
Brett is from AK, naturally a good ice skater - Silver Medal
Linds, 4yrs old, first time ice skating and she was AWESOME - Gold Medal

Jedd - (Oh, did I mention that Mr. Miyagi was there? Look to the left of Jedd)

Bretski

Cute Linds! Yay!

Dinosaur Museum Field Trip

2010-03-02T10:40:00.000-08:00

On February 16th I went on a field trip with Ben's class to the Dinosaur Museum at Thanksgiving Point. When I showed up, his teacher looked at me with a confused look and said, "Class this is Ben's....Mom?" HAHA! The kids in his class couldn't believe he had a sister that was so BIG! It was a lot of fun!!

So VERY Creative...

2010-02-23T18:12:00.000-08:00

Me? No! My friends? YES!!! I just wanted to quickly put a plug in for all of my many talented friends!

Beginning with Mollie. She began this cute online boutique called Pear Twig and you have got to check it out! Mollie has always been such a stylish girl, it's about time she share her cute fashion ideas with us! Here is one adorable item:

Next, the very talented Alyssa and her Chewlry - every piece is completely unique and if I had my way, I would buy each and every one of them! Alyssa designs and makes each one personally. I love THIS necklace:

Last, but certainly not least, Sarah and her Gem Wallets! She gave me one as a gift and I LOVE IT!! Everywhere I go I get compliments on it. There are various colors and slight style modifications! Look at this sassy red wallet:

Registered Nurse

2010-02-22T21:23:00.000-08:00

In early February, I took the NCLEX - nursing boards! I was so nervous the night before that I didn't sleep. The day of the test, I met up with one of my best nursing buddies, Jan, and we went to lunch to calm our nerves before the test. When we got to the testing center we were electronically fingerprinted and for some reason my prints weren't registering - I jokingly said to the test proctor, "Great, I'm failing already!!"

After 1 1/2hrs of getting drilled with questions I had no answers to and a few internal breakdowns - the test turned off!! This happens when you have either failed or passed the test, so naturally I was freaking out!

In order to find out if you have passed the test, applicants check the DOPL website 2-3 days after taking the test and your name with either be posted with "Registered Nurse" or it won't be there at all, which indicates you have failed. I checked and...MY NAME WASN'T THERE!! I was devastated! I cried and cried and then realized it wasn't the end of the world. I actually learned a lot from the experience and found a quote I like:

"Making your mark on the world is hard. If it were easy, everybody would do it. But it's not. It takes patience, it takes commitment, and it comes with plenty of failure along the way. The real test is not whether you avoid this failure, because you won't. it's whether you let it harden or shame you into inaction, or whether you learn from it; whether you choose to persevere."

A week later, when I had made peace with the results, I was visiting my parents' house and picked up the mail. There was a letter for me from DOPL and I figured it was just a letter saying I had failed and how sign up to retake the test. I opened it up and to my surprise it said "CONGRATULATIONS!" you have PASSED the NCLEX. I was SHOCKED!! I read the letter over and over and over again...I then checked for my name on the DOPL website and there I was with "Registered Nurse" next to my name. I called DOPL to make sure there wasn't some mistake - after all, I was completely convinced I had failed at this point - and after laughing AT me for a few minutes they told me I had indeed PASSED!! I don't know if I have ever felt so much excitement and relief in my life!

I now know what it feels like to PASS and FAIL the NCLEX. I still occasionally check the DOPL website to make sure my name is still there. I'm just waiting for the letter that tells me they have mixed up test results and that I actually did fail - until then, I'll keep a firm grip on my license!!

Alexis Johnson, RN :)

Haakey Pokey!

2010-02-19T12:21:00.000-08:00

Haakon probably doesn't appreciate the nickname, but we were so excited to have Brett's brother visit a couple of weeks ago. He was our first visitor in our little apartment. Brett and Haakon were able to hit the slopes and together we visited the Madsen family (Haak's bro/sis-in-law). Although Haakon is pretty cool, I have to say, my favorite part was holding beautiful baby Maia.

Graham Aegerter Stevenson

2010-02-18T14:44:00.000-08:00

Hooray! He's FINALLY here!

On February 16th, my sister gave birth, to this HUGE baby boy!!

10lbs & 23in

Dad, aka Dr. Stevenson, delivered Graham!

10 little fingers and 10 little toes!

Proud Grandma!

Cross-eyed baby! Trying to figure out this world!

Big brothers meet baby Graham!

Congrats, Brad and Brooke!!

We love you!

Welcome, sweet baby Graham!

Ski Day!

2010-01-20T00:15:00.000-08:00

I think Brett has begun and/or restored a hobby in the Aegerter home! A couple of years ago, Brett took me skiing for the first time ever! This year, he taught my little brother, Clark. A few weeks ago, my Dad, who hasn't skied in probably 30 years, bought new skis, poles, and boots and has hit the slopes once again. He then taught my other little brother, Benton, to ski! It's an epidemic!

Here are some pictures of Benton's first day on the hill! :)

Little Visitors!

2010-01-19T23:58:00.000-08:00

I have probably mentioned before that we live in a basement apartment. Lucky for us, we have some of the most adorable little upstairs neighbors! (No, not you Jedd!)

On most days, I get a visit from these two little cuties! They cook with me, they clean with me, they dance with me. They're some of my best friends these days!

One day we made brownies and played puppies...

We had to lower our cooking surface so the girls could stir!

Linds!

Notice their cute aprons!

Hannah!

Little puppies eating their "dog food"

Girl Get Together! :)

2010-01-19T23:47:00.000-08:00

When I was 17, my family moved from Layton to Springville. Although we all kind of went our separate ways after high school, all of my friends from Layton still get together occasionally and catch up. It's always so much fun! :) We all met up at The Cheesecake Factory on January 6th and had a blast talking for hours.

Lindz and Lindee

Lindee and Cheryl

Me, Logan (Lindee's son), and Shawna

Love ya, girls!