Good...no GREAT day!!!!

Our Gang of Six

The Whole Gang--almost 50 of us!!!!

Some days are better than others, and Saturday April 17th was one of the best! It started in the morning with the annual MS Walk. The walk is organized by the State MS Organizations. We have been participants for the past three years. Our team never seems to raise the most money, but we always have a large group of family, friends, and neighbors that turn out to walk to help find a cure for MS, and help show our support for Deborah. It is the memories that are made on this walk that help get us through the hard times of the year.

We always have great support from our family and friends. All of Scott's brothers and sisters, as well as their kids were there. Deb's mom, her brother Glenn, Chris Hart, along with some neighbors and close friends came to show their support, many for the third year in a row. Each of us had a sign telling why we were walking. Mine simply said "for my wife." One of Deborah's friends husband, Kendall Redmond, added another reason why he was walking. In his words he was walking because "Life is too short to suck." I could not agree more.

Marie, Deborah, and Glenn...and Shasta

One of the neatest things about this years walk was the support that our children received from their friends. Taylor had a handful of friends walk with us, and Baylee had her friend Ashton there to lend her support.

Taylor's Gang

Baylee and Ashton

To all of you who came, we cannot thank you enough. It is your love and support that gets us through each day. We love you and look forward to seeing everyone there next year and we continue to hope and pray for a cure for this disease. If it could be cured by love, Deb would be the most healthy person on Earth. You all showed us that.

Part Two of a great day:

Future Gamer?

Payton and I went to the Red and White game at the U. I have always enjoyed the game, and really like the fact that my boy was the one pushing me to go. He was excited to be there with cousins, but was more excited to go onto the field and get some autographs and see some of the players. The highlight of the day was running into Eric Weddle. For those who know me, you know how I feel about Weddle. I think that he is a class act. Payton had him sign his football, and also had a picture taken with him. He told Eric that all he wants for Christmas is a powder blue Weddle Chargers jersey. The kid knows how to really suck up.

Payton and Eric Weddle

He was able to get all of the autographs that he wanted, including one from Shaky Smithson and Brian Johnson.

After the autograph session, Payton spent some time on the field. We played catch, and ran around. He even caught one of my passes at the goal line and ran 100 yards the other way for a TD. Payton was fascinated with the turf and the little rubber pellets that make it soft. He also thought that the whole experience was "the best day of my life....until we get to Disneyland."

Below are some pictures that I took from our experience on the field.

100 Yards is a long way to run


Thank you again to all of our family and friends. We are so blessed and are grateful for all that you do to support us.

MS Walk

Just want to let all of you know that the MS Walk is scheduled for April 17th. In the past we have had a great time at the walk, and the turn-out from family and friends has been inspiring. It really helps Deb battle this disease when she knows that there are so many people who love and support her.

For those of you who have joined us for the walk in the past, we hope you can join us again. For those who are interested in walking this year for the first time, please contact us. Our hope is that we can raise some money so that one day we can live in a world free from MS.

Happy Birthday Payton!!

I can't believe that my boy is now 7 years old. Here are 7 things that I love about Payton:

1. His tender heart

2. His high pitched voice--reminds me of his Uncle Riley at his age

3. The fact that he always waits for me to tuck him in at night

4. The fact that he loves that his middle name is Scott

5. How much he enjoys life--he hardly ever sits still

6. He reminds me that I need to be a good example because he repeats everything I say and do

7. He knows every word to "Utah Man"

Happy Birthday Payton

Summer of Fun

As you can see from Taylor's excitement, we had a great time as a family this Summer. I would have to say that this has been the best Summer of my life, and it's because I spent most of it with my wife and kids.

Even though the summer was great, I admit that I am now sick and tired of the hot weather. Anyone who knows me, knows that this is my favorite time of year. I love the start of school, football season, and the normal reprieve that we get this time of year from the hot weather. But for some reason it is still too hot. I guess mother nature is just making up for the wet June that we had.

We did have a lot of fun as a family this Summer. I wish my kids would stay the way that they are right now forever. No diapers to change, but no one old enough to drive yet. Simply perfect. One of the favorite outings of the summer was our hike to Bridal Veil Falls. I hate to admit it, but it was the first time that I had ever hiked to the falls. I guess that may be one of the reasons that I have a weight problem. Even though it was a first, it definetly won't be the last. The kids had fun and Deb and I enjoyed the cool mist from the falls. Great time.

On July 25th, Grandma and Grandpa Johnson rented the large pavilion at Deer Creek. We spent the day boating, eating (again part of my weight problem), and enjoying each others company. The kids played in the sand and swam in the lake. The water was warm and the weather was perfect. Taylor spent most of the day with the boy who is the love of her life, her cousin Jackson. By the end of the day we were all tired, but no one wanted to go home. Can't wait to do it again next year. Thanks Grandma and Grandpa J!!!

Hope you enjoy the pictures. Now will someone please turn off the heat!!

Johnson Family "Pool Party"

HI. Its Taylor, -Again!!!- Oh yeah. I'm doing another post!!!
This year we didn't go to our usual place for a family get-together, Our wonderful Grandparents/Great-Grandparents rented out the big pavilion at Deer Creek. It was amazing!! The water was beautifully warm, and the sun was good. (A little too good.) I don't think not wearing sunblock was smart for any of us. It was amazing. We used Grandpa's boat, and were pulled on a tube. Me and my mom were about to fall off... too much weight on the back for the tube to handle. She was screaming, "GO TO THE FRONT!!!! GO TO THE FRONT!!!" and I was trying my hardest to move up front. After a great lunch, i slept by Cayson and Parker and slept through the rest of the day. I missed Stacy riding the tube and falling off. which sounded like something i'd like to watch.
I went in the car to get something, and realized that we didn't use the camera. So I snapped lots of last-minute photos. I wish I'dve gone into a photography class... Its really a lot of fun.

Well i Think i covered most of it.
Till Next Time!!!

The Great Western Adventure!! Good Ride Cowboys!!!

Hey everyone! Its Taylor doing this post, and i think that i will do alright. Lets see...

Last week we went to Birdseye and rode horses. Me and Baylee got to ride first, and we took over an hour with Weston out in the sagebrush on the hunting grounds. After, we dismounted (got off for all you non-horsey-people) and ate some yummy pizza and brownies made by Richard's wife, Melanie.

We even got my mom to ride the Beautiful mule, Action -The one with HUGE ears-. When she swung around to try to get on, she almost flew off in the other direction. Richard had to catch her by her leg and pull her back on.

(The Sorrel/Chestnut -reddish orange- is Peaches, and the Bay-dark brown with black- is Stormy, and as you know, the bay one -with the long ears- is Action)

My mom teased my dad so much that he couldn't ride a horse, that he eventually gave up and mounted Action and walked her around the long pen.
To add to the fun, we put the horses in the round pen and Richard gathered up some cows and had all the little kids chasing them trying to touch one. If i can get this video thing to work, you will see Payton's sprint isn't even close to that cow's trot.

Meanwhile, me and Baylee and Kelsea were on the beautiful horses in the round pen. and again, if i can't get the video to work, i'm going to scream. ha-ha. Well whenever Action sped up, if you can view the video, then you can see that i sped her up and the others followed.

well we all got really tired, and it was really fun. my dad said it was like disneyland to us kids. only less expensive. :) Ha-Ha. well, that's all for this post.

Just Trying to Keep Our Eyes on the Ball

I just love that picture. It was taken after the U's Spring Game, but more about that later. I hope that everyone has not given up on me and my quest to keep this blog updated. I would make up some excuse as to why it has been so long between posts, like the fact that Taylor is always on the computer, or that life has been really busy, or that I spend all of my time on Facebook (I have never been on Facebook), or some other excuse that would explain my absence from the blogging world. But the fact is that simply I have dropped the ball, and for that I apologize. I don't know who I am actually apologizing to, but I really am sorry.

Now comes the part where I try and fit almost seven months worth of news into one post. Here goes nothing. By the way I just noticed that the U button on my keyboard is sticking.....Taylor!!!!

In March we celebrated Baylee's Birthday. Instead of having a friend party she decided that she wanted to "sluff" school and go to breakfast and to a movie with her Mom and Grandma. I don't officially condone the sluffing of school, but she did have a great time.

In April we looked forward to the start of Spring and again participated in the MS walk in Provo. It was a great day, and the rain even held out until we finished. I am not sure of the total number of people that walked in our group, but I think that it was around 50. We are so grateful for all of the family and friends that came out to support Deborah in her fight. We feel your love and prayers, and are grateful for all of you. I can't find the pictures that were taken on that day, but I do know that Deb posted them on her facebook page.

Johnson Tire celebrated it's 85th anniversary in April. All of us received red shirts that we wore to the big party. It's amazing that a family business has lasted that long without all of us killing each other. The kids had fun eating hot dogs and playing in the tires.

We celebrated Easter as a family, and Grandma Chris had her traditional egg hunt with her favorite people on earth (notice that I am not in the picture).

The Spring game for the University of Utah was also in April. I took the kids, at least the three that like me, and we went to the game. It was a lot of fun. The kids enjoyed being with a lot of their cousins, and they liked meeting the players on the field after the game. All of the players were so nice. The kids stood in line for autographs, and talked with the players. I think that their favorites were meeting Coach Whit and Robert Johnson.

Payton thinks that we may be related to Robert, but I am not so sure.

Look at the picture below and you make the decision.

In May we all got ready for school to get out. The kids all did well and made it on to the next grade. Baylee and Taylor will both be with me at Mapleton Jr. next year. Baylee is excited, and I think that Taylor is just trying to tolerate it for one more year until she is officially in high school. That is scary.

By the end of the month of May and the beginning of June we were heavily involved in activities. Payton played tee-ball, and Kelsea decided to try softball this year. Baylee and Taylor kept busy watching kids and getting ready for Girls Camp, which they seemed to enjoy.

Grandma and Grandpa Johnson were the Grand Marshall's of the Art City Days Parade.

They insisted on ditching the traditional convertible for a fire truck that they could share with their great grandchildren.

The roses in our yard started to bloom, and Taylor took some really cool pictures. Payton did not want his picture taken with stupid flowers, so she was kind and took one of him under the neighbors tree.

June seemed to fly by like it usually does. We took a few trips to see my mom at Shadow Mountain (no pictures, forgot the camera). Payton has decided that when he grows up he wants to teach school so that he can work there. We also took a trip one evening to the Manti Pageant. It was a late night, but a lot of fun (can't take pictures if you don't have a camera). It was nice to spend an evening with the family talking about spiritual things. We need to do that more.

Now it is July. Softball and tee-ball are over (thank heavens). It finally stopped raining, but has turned hot, and our little house does not have central air. We spend most evenings out in the yard enjoying the shade of Grandpa Earl's (our neighbor) tree while watching his flowers bloom. We enjoy our ward, and the kids have made some good friends.

All in all, we feel blessed. We have a roof over our heads, and I am pretty sure that no one has ever gone to bed hungry unless they chose to. Deborah has started going to another doctor who has changed her medication, and she seems to be doing better. It is nice to see her enjoying life again.

Well, I think that is about it. It is 1:15am, and I am ready to go to sleep. I don't know how Danielle Thompson does it. I will try and do a little better at keeping things current, but I am not making any promises. One thing that I will promise is that I am going to do all I can to make some memories with my family in the month of Summer that we have left. I will keep you posted....maybe.

Scott