Cody and Julianna

Teething biscuits

2011-10-04T14:27:00.000-06:00

Blake loves them! This is his first one in the picture. After a few minutes, he gave me this look like I had been holding out on him. And I guess I really have...he's only had soy milk and baby cereal. In this picture he is working on his second tooth. He got his two bottom teeth within a week. It's been a rough couple of nights at our house. For some reason, they don't sell baby orajel or teething tablets in Saudi Arabia. So of course, Aunt Becky to the rescue. She is sending some along with the baby cereal I can't get here. All the baby cereal has milk and sugar already mixed into the wheat or rice cereal. Besides all the sugar, Blake is allergic to milk.

Blake is a Gusher

2011-10-01T14:13:00.000-06:00

Blake is such a happy baby. He loves to laugh. He loves to play peek-a-boo. He has a very ticklish body; even on his back. He loves to talk and sing with us. In these photos, it shows how he goes from very serious to a gushing smile. He is 5 1/2 months old in these photos

By the way, his hair stands up like that naturally after the bath. There aren't any products in his hair. I love it. I think it suits his personally perfectly: living large!

Where is Halloween?

2011-09-30T01:40:00.000-06:00

Finding Halloween decorations in Saudi Arabia has really been a struggle...probably because they don't celebrate it here. However, on the Aramco camp, it's a huge celebration with a kids costume parade, etc. I am getting ahead of myself. Since Louie and I couldn't find any decorations, we decided to make our own. Also, Aunt Becky came to the rescue and sent a box of full of Halloween surprises--candy, cupcake holders, table runner, plates and cups, and tons more. Thank you Aunt Becky!

Louie's First Day of Preschool

2011-09-27T01:31:00.000-06:00

Louie was all ready with his new shark "pack-pack" today! His teacher's name is Ms. Cathy and there are 8 other students in his class. The preschool has a total of 4 classes. Louie is in the youngest class. This year his schooling is a mix of play and academics. He goes to school four mornings a week for two hours each day. He loves to play with the dinosaurs and paint. Thankfully his friend Owen is in his class...some days it serves as a great motivator to get him moving in the mornings!

Blake's 5 month doctor's visit

2011-09-25T14:40:00.000-06:00

Blake went into the doctor's office for a baby well check up and I went in for a back brace. He weighed 21 pounds! In the past two months, he has gone through several growth spurts. He went from a 3 month onesie to now a 12 month onesie. He can't wear any of Louie's shorts from when he was six months old. He does best in shortalls or anything that is a one piece jumpsuit concept. No waistbands please. He is wearing 12 month clothes. The doctor said he weighed now what he should weigh at one year. He recommended that I introduce veggies to cut down his caloric intake! We just love to kiss his fat cheeks and squeeze those thighs. His wrists look like they have rubberbands around them. It's so fun!

Saudi National Day

2011-09-24T00:38:00.000-06:00

This is similar to the American 4th of July. They wear green headbands and wave flags with the Saudi National Seal. We decided to celebrate with them at the amusement park INSIDE the mall. This is common here due to the heat! Most malls have amusement park rides and go-cart tracks. Of course, there weren't the huge roller coasters. I was surprised to see a pool with water bumper boats. Louie's favorite ride was the choo-choo. Seriously, he rode it nine times. Each time he would lean side to side to examine the motion of the wheels. Fascinating for him! Also, he loved the "epicopter" ride (translation of two year old vocabulary: epicopter = helicopter). You should have seen his face when he figured out how to move the epicopter up and down! Blake was just happy to be invited and was very interested in all the flashing lights and music. The last picture is of this adorable little Saudi baby girl showing us her headband.

He rocks this exer-saucer!

2011-09-22T14:02:00.000-06:00

Blake owns this thing! After a week, he can manipulate the entire circle of toys. However, he is a very social little bug. So the exer-saucer needs to be in the same room with someone he can interact with and show off his skills; even if it is just Murphy!

In this picture you can see a good side of cheek and a chunky right thigh! The kid is substantial!

Waiting for School to Start

2011-09-15T04:52:00.000-06:00

It has been one long summer. Louie was ready to start back to school probably 3 weeks ago. While waiting for his friends to come back "into Kingdom" (how the Saudis refer to their homeland), Louie has been terribly bored and often finds himself orbiting me as if I were the sun.
So today, we decided to make cookies during Blake's morning nap. Louie learned to crack an egg with assistance. How to turn the mixer on and off. How to dump in some of the ingredients from a measuring cup, etc. He was very proud of his product.

Beach Boys

2011-08-25T09:01:00.000-06:00

Here are the boys on a lazy Thursday (which is our Saturday in Arabia) afternoon at the Arabian Gulf. Blake was a trooper and wore himself out! Those cheeks are his built in side pillow! Look at the rolls of fat on his arms! We love it and can't keep our kisses off of him.
This beach is fantastic and very family friendly. There are individual pavilions, BBQ grills, snack bar, bathrooms! and a park. Louie can play here for hours...He say's, "It's my ocean!" Can you tell he is 2?

Who puts a baby in business class?

2011-08-01T08:54:00.000-06:00

Certainly not the OTHER business class passengers! It was the look of death when I would walk onto each flight with baby Blake and take our seats in business class. This was not our doing. Aramco policy provides a business class ticket for each person the first time you fly to Saudi Arabia. Since this was Blake's first trip to Saudi, he had his very own seat. Unfortunately it will be the last time for the next two years and certainly not in business. Those ticket prices could buy a used Honda Accord. I have never worked so hard to keep a baby quiet. Thankfully, I had some help from the flight attendants on our flight over the ocean. They would walk into coach and give Cody all of Blake's gourmet strawberry and endive salads and Godiva hot fudge sundaes. The German lady next to Cody would eye every plate brought back to him. Can you imagine?

Our First International Move to Saudi Arabia

2011-07-31T08:40:00.000-06:00

I have never packed for an international move before. How do you decide what is most essential to fit into a 20 x 10 foot container? Of course with Blake, his crib and baby items took priority. It doesn't seem like babies have a lot of gear until you put it into one space! No one can talk about the amount of shoes I have compared to baby Blake's "essentials-must have-Arabia doesn't have this" list. I kept filling box after box of soy formula, baby oatmeal and rice cereal, clothes, books, toys, baby swing, baby bouncy chair, blankets, bottles,, etc. etc., etc. Oh yes! and night time diapers. Actually, they were great padding instead of bubble wrap around my breakables.

In this picture above, it's about 4 a.m. and we are weighing boxes, shifting items from one box to the next to avoid airport fees. It's difficult to see, but there are about 12 huge dish barrel boxes and each one is stuffed to the brim. Ridiculous! If you can believe it, after we finished packing, we cleaned the house before heading to Marcy's house to get some sleep -- a whole hour. Our only goal was to push through the next 24 hours to get our entire family to Arabia

Bear Lake 2011

2011-07-23T01:34:00.000-06:00

Here is a little photo montage from our time at Bear Lake this summer...

HELP WANTED

2011-07-18T10:12:00.000-06:00

After 10 days, Cody had to go back to Saudi Arabia. Adoption isn't practiced over there which means they don't allow any parental leave days. With Blake 13 days old, Cody left for Arabia without us. We still had to get Blake a passport and a visa. So in the meantime, I was a single mom. I have a whole new appreciation for anyone who finds them self in this situation. There isn't such a thing as lack of sleep...it's no sleep at all. It's crazy. I would bounce from one child to the other. Plain and simple recipe for postpartum. Thankfully, I had the most amazing support from friends during our stay in Virginia. Help came from places to stay, getting up with the baby at night, baby gear, playing with Louie, taking the baby so I could play with Louie and regular runs to my favorite Mexican restaurant, The Rio Grande. That's right...comfort food made everything better...and added about ten pounds which I lovingly referred to as "my baby weight."
Once we were back in Utah, our families, friends and neighbors came to the rescue in full force. It really took a village to pull this single parent stint off. A huge thank you to everyone. Here are a few pictures of the "helpers" that came into our lives this summer.

An Attempt at a Family Photo

2011-07-14T11:08:00.000-06:00

We attempted family photos today but Blake and Louie fell apart after doing the small group photos. Lollipop bribes didn't work for long and it just didn't happen. However, we did get some really nice photos...

Heber Valley Railroad

2011-06-13T13:30:00.000-06:00

Louie was absolutely GIDDY! He actually saw and met a real conductor. He rode on a real choo-choo. They were stopped by a bandit who wanted to rob the train! High drama on the plains! He couldn't quit talking about it. He absolutely loved it!

Sooo...what's his name?

2011-06-12T09:23:00.000-06:00

Wyatt, Jack, Henry, Cole, Kyle, etc. We could not figure out the "perfect name" for this adorable baby with a cowlick in the middle of his forehead. Of course we would continually get the question, "So, what's his name?" No idea. Finally we settled on a family name from my mother's side...Blake. I liked the family connection as well as it sounded good in combination with Johnson. As for Cody, it was an easy name to yell across the soccer field. And there you have it...the way baby Blake got his name. It fits him perfectly. Blake is 2 months old in this picture.

What a Priviledge

2011-06-04T05:05:00.000-06:00

Louie and I received a special invitation from his birthmom, Arinda, to attend her baptism. We were delighted! What a blessing it was to see her remarried, her new baby girl and now rebaptized into the church. We have been so impressed with her courage and will power to turn her life around. Our relationship with her has been a gift to us! Congratulations Arinda! We love you. And as Louie would say, "You did it!"

Baby Blake's First Bath

2011-05-12T04:41:00.000-06:00

Now this was quite the juggling act for a single parent! Louie, Blake, a camera and sudsy soap in the bath. At first Blake wasn't sure why he was cold. Then once I started to wash the water over his body he began to settle in a bit better. He's a wiggly and slippery little sucker!
I was trying to follow this schedule suggested in a baby and toddler book about bathing them together. Well that is ridiculous! Overall it was chaos at best! At one point, they were both crying and no one was even bathed yet! I think I will stick with MY original idea of bathing them separately until Blake can sit up on his own. Obviously, this picture in the tub was BEFORE the crying chorus began. But look at this little sweet face after his bath...

Middle of the night moments

2011-04-30T10:35:00.000-06:00

Even though the lack of sleep is tough those first few months, I wouldn't trade those quiet moments when I saw Blake's sweet personality manifest itself.
*Once he burped so loud it made him laugh
*I was trying to swaddle his arms and one slipped out, he raised an eyebrow and then laughed (I am sure the was thinking..."not so fast!")
*He could win a staring contest with his intense gaze.
*His face lights up with a sparkle in his eye when he smiles.

I love these pictures at 2 weeks old. It just reminds me how small he was! It just goes by too quickly.

The DC Choo Choo

2011-04-27T03:58:00.004-06:00

While awaiting the baby's adoption paperwork in Virginia, Cody found a fun adventure for Louie to keep him active while I was at home figuring out which formula the baby could keep down...and sleep!
Cody would take Louie to ride on the DC choo-choo aka the metro. He loved to ride the long escalators down the metro station. The "choo-choo" passed through tunnels and over rivers as it traveled to DC. They would get off at different stops and visit some of Cody's favorite haunts in DC such as Eastern Market and his old townhouse.

Happy Easter!

2011-04-24T12:06:00.007-06:00

This was the first year that Louie understood the connection between finding eggs and the instant gratification of sugar in his system. He's not much into candy (yet) but loves cookies like his dad. He LOVED searching for the eggs to find a mini Oreo in each one! Matter of fact, we had to "reload" the eggs and hide them again and again!

Above is our first family picture with the new baby. He was adorable in his tiny white knit Easter outfit. Now, you know, that outfit didn't fit him the next week?! He's changing so quickly.

Surprise Birthday Party!

2011-04-12T01:18:00.003-06:00

Louie and I arrived home to Utah on April 1st with an email from my dear friend Sara which stated, "Do you want a baby?" Through my jet lag brain, I managed to call her and have a coherent conversation about a potential adoption. Sara's sister was due in about 6 weeks and couldn't care for the baby. Cody and I were in awe of the timing and felt blessed to have this opportunity to add to our family again!
Eleven days later, the baby was born! Hence the surprise birthday party...yet, the surprise was on us! We thought we had six weeks. So if you can picture this, I immediately called Cody. It was 1:30 a.m. for him in Saudi Arabia. He was sound asleep. I keep repeating "the baby is born, the baby is born" because Cody doesn't come out of his sleep coma very easily. My next call was to our adoption case worker as to how to proceed with an out of state adoption. While on the phone, I am going through Louie's baby clothes looking for the swaddle blankets and infant clothes going down memory lane. As for Cody, he immediately hopped on a plane from Saudi Arabia. Once I got the adoption attorneys in motion, Louie and I flew from Utah to Alexandria, Virginia. After a whirlwind of 48 hours, there he was...dark hair, 6 pounds, 6 ounces and 19 inches and the sweetest little guy.

We met the baby on April 14th and left the hosptial with him on April 15th. Cody and I looked at each other, shaking our heads in disbelief of the blessing we were just given. Fifteen days ago, I was headed to Utah to sell our home and clearly now I am not! In the picture leaving the hospital is the birthmom's dad and sister. They were a huge support through this process. It really took a village to put all the pieces together.
Once back at the hotel, we were calling family and friends to share our elated news of this new tiny baby sleeping on our hotel bed (picture above). Again, such a surprise to our family and friends as he was to us! In a matter of days, our life and the lives of our family members have been changed for the better.

Make Believe or Reality?

2011-03-13T10:36:00.009-06:00

I never would have thought my son would be living the life I saw in cartoons on the Jetsons! Louie skypes with our family on a regular basis. He interacts with books. He does show and tell with el-phant, Abby and airplane. And he sings songs. This is his reality?! So amazing.
Right now he is learning colors, shapes and plays matching games on my iPad. Again, his reality was my make-believe as a child. He can find his apps, maneuver between screens and even start his own TV shows from my video list.
I wonder if he will have a cell phone as a teenager? Or will it be something else? I guess those inventions are still in the make-believe realm.

Louie's Big Boy Room

2011-03-12T07:37:00.007-07:00

Since moving closer to the ocean, "we" decided to go with a vintage surfer theme for Louie's room. It's adorable. I found an old red rider bike at the consignment store on camp. I just need to restore it. Louie drives it around the house. In these pictures, he is first trying to get "el-phant" to ride the bike. The he joins him. He's quite a fan of his new big boy bed. He loves to climb on and watch TV (on the iPad) while leaning against his pillows. However, he isn't ready to sleep there...or is it me not ready to have him out of the crib?

Half Moon Bay

2011-03-12T07:09:00.006-07:00

This past weekend, we went to explore the Aramco beach closest to our community...Half Moon Bay. It's a fantastic facility! So impressed there is a great changing area, shower and western toilets. The beach is groomed everyday. There is a snack bar/ice cream and small kiosk with blow up water toys and beach chairs.
Of course there are rules at this beach. 1. No littering (so glad to see that one). 2. No slaughtering of sheep (really glad to see that one!). 3. No gazing (interesting).
We went with the Dille family and had a great time. Louie and Owen splashed and explored. It's jellyfish season and had to be careful. One had come ashore. I couldn't believe how big it was. Afterwards, we went down the beach to ride camels. They are very large animals. Very Large Animals. I had ridden a camel before but it was a new experience with Louie. He would NOT sit down; probably because he couldn't see. Squealing with delight, he would point and announce CAMEL several times; as if he couldn't believe it.

Hoarding can be Contagious

2011-03-01T07:27:00.007-07:00

Grocery shopping in Saudi Arabia is typically a 2 hour endeavor for me. I spend so much time desiphering the labels in Arabic, French, Dutch or sometimes English. When I find some US products, they are usually the testers that didn't do well in the states. For example, Prawn Cocktail Pringles. Can you imagine? Shrimp flavored potato chips.
Or, we will get the left over seasonal products such as cranberries, pie crusts and turkey stuffing. It's a bit of a grab bag not knowing what they will have available on any given day.
This grab bag concept leads to hoarding. I have been warned about this but hadn't really had a problem finding most things I needed; until I saw Diet Dr. Pepper for the first time in 8 weeks. I had been searching every grocery store for this particular nectar. There were only 2 and a half flats on the drink isle and about 50 single cans in the refridgerated section. Yes, I took everything I could fit into my tiny shopping cart. I hoarded. I probably left about 20 cans. The next morning I was back for something I had forgotten and all 20 cans were gone. Glad I got them when I had the chance. There's nothing like a Diet Dr. Pepper with lime. The picture shows one of my treasures plastered with their customs label. So I barely noticed it.
Hoarding is dangerous on the budget. American products are double the price. So it's basically doing all of your grocery shopping at 7-11. But to find an a rare American product, it's worth the price. After being here for 2 months, I have never seen cottage cheese, buttermilk, greek yogurt, popsicles, onion salt, all spice and a slew of other spices. Very interesting what makes it here and what doesn't!

Louie's Go-To Packables

2011-02-27T11:07:00.007-07:00

Louie loves his blue and gray striped "el-fant." This is new within the last month. He lost his woobie in the markets of Jamaica. We didn't talk about it. He hasn't mention it. We moved on. Surprisingly...no drama.
Since coming to Saudi, he has attached to this stuffed elephant that's been around since he was born. He hauls that little guy everywhere. When you ask what is his name? He looks at you like you are a fool because clearly it's an "el-fant" It's adorable!
Lately, he's into packing things around with him. His go-to packables are: "el-fant," "ma-qeen" (Lightning McQueen car), Abby Ca-Dabby, and the nearest truck before leaving out the door. The packables go to night-night with him but only "el-fant" can go into stores. This is such a cute stage with the bonus of his vocabulary exploding!

Long Live the King!

2011-02-27T09:58:00.004-07:00

The Saudi King was out for surgery in the US and returned this past weekend. In celebration of his return, he gave all of his government employees a 15% raise, created interest free loans to buy houses and declared Saturday (which is our "Monday" here) a holiday. Long live the King!
So we took advantage of our extra day off and went to the Persian Gulf referred to as the Arabian Gulf if you live in Saudi Arabia. Dora and Rich (my aunt and uncle) took us to the Aramco community on the beach in Ras Tanura. Unbelievable. Houses backing right onto the beach. Gorgeous sandy beaches with clear water and it walks out shallow for yards and yards...or meters and meters as they would say here. Between the houses and the beach is a bricked walking path for runners and bikes. Within walking distance was a pool, snack bar, theatre and bowling alley. Cody and I were looking at each other and thought what do we have to do to live here?! No need. Of course, Aramco has a bus for everything. They have buses that go to RT every hour of the day and return every half hour. What's not to love about that?! I think this will definitely be in the plans for many weekends to come! Anyone want to come and visit?

Shopping in Saudi: Who knew?

2011-02-26T11:45:00.003-07:00

Hermes, Cartier, Marks and Spencer, Bebe, ZARA, Locitanne, Banana Republic, H&M and Gap kids to name a few. The shopping here is insane. But no Nordy's. The jewelry stores have large 10k stones in rings and necklaces on display in the windows. These are emeralds in the picture. Rolex watches are a huge status symbol here. Gorgeous, expensive formal dress shops in every direction. These are worn at home for family parties.There are tons of baby equipment, clothes, toys and furniture stores - big families here.
I didn't get to even the smallest fraction of the Dhahran mall. It is literally so big that it is probably the size of two malls. And for them, that is one mall. Then there is another mall a mile away with the more high end stores. It is insanely fun to shop here ...but "just looking" as I tell Louie and myself. The prices are very expensive...must hit the sales at just the right time.
In the mornings, the malls are empty. Due to the heat, the Saudi's are nocturnal. They come out about lunch time and then back in for prayer. The malls are packed in the evenings and stay open until 11 p.m. or midnight. Men aren't allowed to go to the malls by themselves but should go with their wives, families or friends.
Most of the store clerks are men - think back to the 1950s. Even in the lingerie stores, there are only men to help you. It seems to be a serious career here. Very interesting.
Women aren't allowed to try on clothes in the stores. You buy the clothes, try them on in the women's bathroom and if you don't like the fit then return them 10 minutes later. Few stores have a return policy; mainly an exchange policy.
I can't find my Asics or New Balance running shoes here. The Saudis are HUGE into soccer and have a zillion Addidas and Nike athletic shoes.
This is my favorite! Because the heat is so unbearable in the summers, the malls have amusement parks inside them. Usually they will take up one floor of the mall or one end of the mall with roller coasters, carnival rides and arcade games. Mall of America has nothing on these guys! Can't wait to take Louie. He doesn't know they exist yet for obvious reasons.

Our new sandbox

2011-02-24T09:21:00.002-07:00

When we moved in, there wasn't one tree, bush or grassy yard. It was all sand-actually one big sandbox. In prepping the houses Aramco wants everyone to start out the SAME. So they remove all the grass, flowers and bushes. This allows the new owner to order the plants they want from "gardening." Interesting thought, but our yard was completely barren - not even a tree!
We were allowed three small trees (12 inches high) and a few starter plants and grass starts. I really had to bargain for that third tree. No concept of sod here and the starter plants are truly starter plants at 6 inches high. The secret is to find someone who is leaving and to transplant their plants, bushes and trees before Aramco comes in and cleans it out. It's the oddest thing but everyone does it before the hired gardeners get to it. The gardeners in turn sell it to the families they work for here in the community.
Basically, we started from scratch. One family leaving told us we could have anything in their yard. We transplanted 4 bushes in the dark cover of night - seemed very odd to be doing this! I joined the gardening club here and had to learn what grows in SAND. After a few trips to the nurseries around here, I was able to fill in around our 4 leafy plants and add flowers and filler.
We finally finished this afternoon. Louie was a big help with the flowers. He would bring me one at a time. I would point where I wanted it to go. He would smile at me and then put it where he thought it should go! Such a character. He loves to garden with me - because basically we are playing in a big sandbox!

Saudi-gaudy!

2011-02-12T09:48:00.001-07:00

We have been looking for furniture for the past couple of weeks - the furniture is huge and gaudy! I call it "Saudi-gaudy!" Not only is it gaudy, it's tacky and expensive. Saudi homes have huge rooms for their huge families. So it's common for them to have a couple of couches, love seats and chairs in one room. They love a vibrant mix of colors and fabrics. Who can blame them when they live in the desert?!
Every now and then, we find a couch or sectional that might look like the US but such cheap quality. Also, I found it quite humorous that the only way to buy a couch was in a set--the way you would see it in the catalog; couch and two love seats or couch, love seat and two chairs. The same applies to buying a pitcher; one must buy the matching glasses in the set.
Well, that's not quite our style. So it has been a little challenging to furnish our living room. However, I did learn it is quite inexpensive to reupholster furniture. So I bought a couch off the company craigs-list for $200. It's from Hickory Hill in North Carolina and actually matches the over stuffed chair I have at home from Hickory Hill -- what are the chances? So I'll try to ship out my chair and recover both of them. Done!

Louie's new friend, Owen

2011-02-05T10:11:00.001-07:00

The second day we were here, Louie met a new friend named Owen. He lives two blocks down the road. Their birthdays are 6 weeks apart and squeal when they see each other! They love to play choo-choos and ride bikes together. I've never seen two boys just laugh and laugh. They like to hold hands when crossing the street to their preschool. It's the cutest thing!

Louie starts preschool

2011-02-01T07:17:00.001-07:00

There is an adorable little preschool here for just 2 year-olds. It is run out of someone's home where a little classroom is set up and has little tykes jungle gyms in the backyard. Their curriculum is to not hit, bite, or push. They learn to play together, share and line up. Louie LOVES it. He has a little "Lightening McQueen" backpack ("pack-pack" as he says it) full of diapers and wipes rather than books and pencils. His teachers' names are Mrs. Ana and Mrs. Laurie. He goes for a couple of mornings a week. I LOVE it too.

Louie's Life in Saudi Arabia

2011-01-17T07:12:00.000-07:00

The Saudi women in the community just LOVE Louie. They touch his light colored hair, want to pinch his little rosy cheeks and try to play with him. He just scowls. One woman just picked him up as we walked into the dining hall. That didn't go so well. I think it's the head scarves. One woman was trying to talk to him and he kept pointing to his head. She looked at me and asked if he had a headache. Funny. I think he was saying, "what is on your head!" The women who wear the full scarves with just the slit for eyes really freak him out. They look like the dementors from Harry Potter!

Well, we finally got a crib today from the furniture rental. I think it was built in the 1950s. But Louie is able to stretch out and sleep comfortably. His room is the only one with pictures up, actually cute bedding and a bookshelf. The kitchen is pretty well stocked with Diet Coke. But the rest of the house needs a little help! We will get there. I hired a driver to take us into town to get a few things at IKEA - this will be our fourth trip in a week!

But I needed a microwave

2011-01-11T10:38:00.000-07:00

After being in Saudi Arabia for a week, I realized how much I needed a microwave. The challenge was to find one without Arabic numbers and words and one with a 110 plug. Not as easy as it sounds. After searching several stores, I was ecstatic to find one for only $47.

I made my way to the line of taxis with this huge microwave, loaded it in the trunk and asked the driver to take me to IKEA. Very simple. Well, he didn't speak ANY ENGLISH nor did he recognize the shop name IKEA. Change of plans - told him to go to the Dhahran mall which was across the street. He understood and began to drive. At the first stop light, he looked over the seat and began to check me out up and down in an obvious sleazy way. Just as an FYI, the custom here is, if a man is attracted to you, cheats on his wife, or hits on you, then it's your fault. I was wearing the abaya and covered from top to toe. He begins to babble, possibly lecture, in Arabic and ends with the only word I recognized, "religion?" I told him Christian. He continues to lecture and asked again, "religion?" With a stern look on my face and in my best teacher voice I told him that I was here with Aramco and a Christian. Then I reminded him - Dhahran Mall please. After I mentioned Aramco, he quit hassling me.

It was the longest 15 minute ride to the mall. I happily paid him to get out of the cab and hauled my microwave to the closest Diet Coke on ice. No limes but it didn't matter. I was out of his cab and line of sight from his rear view mirror.

My uncle said that was unusual and I should have gotten out of his cab...but what about the microwave? I couldn't leave my new treasure. Some people asked if he was a "matawah" which is the self-appointed religious police here. These matawah feel it is their duty to reprimand women who aren't "covered." I wasn't wearing a head scarf but in full abeya. This is usually what the Westerners wear. I've had a few people comment it could have been my blond hair. Too bad... I'm keeping the blond hair!

The "Easy Life"

2011-01-10T06:59:00.000-07:00

When we were going through the interviewing process with Aramco and learning about life in the Aramco community, we were told this was the "easy life!" You have housekeepers, gardeners, dog walkers and a nanny if you want one. Labor in Saudi Arabia is cheap. Therefore, it's the easy life.

With the community being relatively small, word of mouth travels quickly when a new family arrives. We arrived at our house at 1 a.m. Due to jet-lag, I stayed up to unpack through the night. By 6 a.m. (sun is barely coming up), I finally find the sheets to make a little bed on the couch so that I wouldn't wake up Cody or Louie. I wanted to get some sleep before Louie woke up. I am not kidding you, 20 minutes later, there is a knock at my door waking me up to see if I need a gardener?! What the freak?!!!! Clearly, my answer was no at that moment. An hour later, another knock woke me up to see if I needed a gardener. A couple of hours later, there was another knock at the door. Cody answered the door and the guy had raked our sand to show what a good gardener he would be and asked if we needed a gardener? I mean honestly! So I got a little tip from our neighbor to put a sticky note on the door that said NO. It worked like a charm - no more gardeners.

"Putt-Putt"

2011-01-08T08:06:00.002-07:00

Transportation is the key to feel like "normal" here. Cody got a little impatient looking for car and came home one day with this tiny scooter I have nicknamed, "putt-putt." The engine is a quarter of the size of our lawn mower. It's a putt-putt.

Around here - only the gardeners drive scooters and are all Phillipino. So when they see this big white boy on a scooter, they are so confused. There is very much a class system here. You do NOT go beneath yourself. And driving a scooter is putting yourself with the gardener class. This is so Cody... thinks he going to change thousands of years of cultural norms because he wants a scooter. The upside is--it only costs 25 cents to fill it up each week.

Move to Saudi Arabia: First Impressions

2011-01-02T06:24:00.002-07:00

So we get off the plane in Saudi, jet lagged from 24 hours of flying with a 2 year old and I swear my first thought was... is there possibly a fountain diet coke? No such thing...

Thankfully, all of our luggage, 11 boxes and our dog Murphy made it through customs and into 2 taxis to take us to our new home in the Aramco community.

As we drove into camp at 1 a.m., I felt like we were entering the Truman show! All of the houses were arranged perfectly in a row, lawns manicured and looked identical. We were pleasantly surprised to get a single family home on a corner with a great view of the sunsets, community, and palm trees. Your housing assignment is based on the number in your family. With three, we qualified for a two bedroom with a study. Our house has three bedrooms and a study!

The next day we took our first field trip to the commissary to buy groceries. It took forever, because I couldn't read the labels and was slow at the conversion. It is crazy expensive here. One box of teddy grahams - $10! One pkg of hotdogs - $10!

Afterwards, we drove around the community to get a "lay of the land." There is a tennis club, golf courses (one is a sand course), a couple of pools, equestrian center, tons of soccer fields and baseball fields, an art center, a business center with the PO boxes, a barber shop, a photo shop and the bank. I am curious to venture out of the community tonight or tomorrow to hit the IKEA. But I need to get an abeya first. Who knows where to shop for one of those?

Ho-Ho-Ho...Where did it go?

2010-12-25T08:18:00.002-07:00

The Christmas season came and went too quickly! We kicked off the season with going to the Rockettes with Marcy, Wayne, Tiff and Rich. It was a fantastic show. Marcy would have joined in their high kicks if only they would have invited her!
On Christmas Eve, Marcy and Wayne joined us at the Park City Resort to welcome Santa down the mountain. Louie loved the excitement of the skiers with flares and Santa! We were sure to say hello to Santa. He handed Louie a Christmas candy cane. As a bonus, Louie met the skiing Frosty the Snowman and Mrs. Frosty.
It was freezing cold so we went home quickly for hot chocolate and prepared Santa's plate full of cookies. However, Louie thought it was important to test the cookies to make sure they were "good enough" for Santa. Matter of fact, he wanted all of us to test the cookies.
Even though Santa only got milk this year, he did bring Louie a few things from his wish list--legos, cars and trains. Thank you Santa!

On the Road Again...

2010-12-13T12:00:00.000-07:00

Truly this is not intentional, but we seem to be on a plane for all of Louie's birthdays. Last year, we were in Aruba. This year, we flew to Houston for Cody's Aramco orientation. Dad and Becky met us there for the weekend. We celebrated Louie's birthday with cupcakes in the hotel room. He was delighted to learn how to blow out a candle. I must have re-lit it 17 times...until he got a little too close. Afterwards, we celebrated at the Houston Aquarium. He loved the octopus, parrot and feeling the slimy sting rays. Outside of the aquarium were carnival rides and games. Louie LOVED riding the carousel - again, again and again. Also, we rode the "choo-choo' through the shark tunnel. So fun to see Grandpa Hunter and Aunt Becky. Thanks for joining us in Houston! Louie was on the plane home to Utah for his second birthday. Happy Birthday Love-Bug!

Louie's First Cruise

2010-12-13T08:46:00.001-07:00

One day we got an email advertising a sale on cruises and next thing you know we are packing our bags for a 7 day Carribean cruise! It's the perfect vacation for a 2 year old. We were able to get hot dogs at anytime, swim in the pool, play with the huge chess pieces on the Lido deck and go to formal fancy dinners with linen napkins. If there was ever a time he got fussy, one of us would take him back while the other could continue laying out at the pool. Louie learned quickly where the self-serve ice cream was located and visited there often!
He met some darling little girls in the markets of Ocho Rios, Jamaica. A special little musical instrument was made for him out of a coconut. He plinks on it like a guitar. We lounged on the beach in Grand Caymen and found MORE ice cream at the Hagen Das store; that kid has an eagle eye for ice cream. Overall, it was a great time to relax and spend time together as a family. We loved it! And as fate would have it, Louie was on an airplane for his second birthday as well! I like this trend.

Shhh! Louie has a shoe fetish

2010-11-25T12:18:00.000-07:00

Now, Cody would die if he knew... but Louie has a shoe fetish. He loves shoes - his shoes, my shoes or daddy's shoes. Maybe it's his age. However, he wants to pick out his own shoes, wear his shoes to bed and wear my shoes. Now, he's in love with these new snow boots. One night I was trying them on him to make sure I got the right size. They were not about to come off without a robust rebuttal! He had to wear them in his house, driving his car and running around the house. He was delighted at the new addition to his collection. And yes, he did wear them to bed...for a week!

An Ode to Sesame Street...

2010-10-02T22:44:00.006-06:00

One day his first full sentence will be about Elmo and Abby Ca-Dabby. He loves eveything about Sesame Street. He giggles and giggles when Super Grover crashes into the lamp post. He sings with the opening song..."Come and play...". As soon as Abby shows up on the screen, his face lights up! I think he is in love.
This is HIS alone time with Sesame Street. He does not like to be bothered - not even for a kiss and a hug. He is totally territorial about it. Muphy will walk in front of the TV just to get his attention. But Louie won't have it! He will scream at Murphy until he moves. I swear that dog does this to push his buttons. Louie truly savors his time with his woobie, his morning eggs and Sesame Street.
Sesame Street has come a long way since I watched it as a kid. I am impressed with all of the academics--especially the science concepts and vocabulary building. Who knew there are celeb spots now? Today was Jason Bateman talking about the word, "comfort." Elmo had to comfort Jason because he was upset that nobody needed comforting.

Happy Birthday Juju and Sal!

2010-09-12T23:06:00.003-06:00

Sal and I share our birthdays in the same month. Her birthday is September 6th and mine is September 7th. Usually we are at the beach in North Carolina blowing out candles together. This year, we changed locations. Sal has never been to Jackson Hole, Wyoming -- and we needed to change that fact. Sal and JJ joined the Johnson family for a road trip. It was probably a little different with a 20 month old baby. On our travels, we heard a lot of singing, "Five Little Monkeys, " Itsy Bitsy Spider and some Elmo videos. Louie was unfortunately a little out of sorts with some tummy trouble (as Aunt Amber would call it). However, we all made the best of it and seemed to cover quite a bit of ground in two days. We shopped the town square, ate at non-chain restaurants (Billy's Burgers, The Bunnery and this one off the road in the middle of nowhere yummy place), visited galleries, perused the Saturday market in the town square, took tons of pictures and marveled at the Grand Tetons. Sal and I didn't blow out any candles this year but made up for it by having Hagen Das ice cream twice in two days!

Hunters stay for a little vacation

2010-07-22T22:28:00.005-06:00

After Jordan went into the MTC, Mom, Dad and Becky stayed a little while longer. It was great! We enjoyed relaxing without a schedule. Louie showed Aunt Becky where to find the dandilion puffs in the mountains of Park City. Aunt Becky showed Louie how to blow bubbles in the water. Grandpa Lou showed Louie how to shove pistacio shells through the cracks of the deck. Louie showed Grandpa how to walk with his cane!
We took the Park City Mountain Resort Gondola up the mountain to have dinner prior to Mom and Dad getting on the plane. Louie was amazed by the ride up the mountain...Why does vacation time go so quickly?

"Hollywood" Before and After

2010-07-19T16:45:00.002-06:00

My nephew, Jordan, is entering the MTC this week. He received his call to the Australia, Adelaide Mission. When he came to Utah, I didn't recognize him without his whispy hair and hip Hollywood sunglasses. Hence the nickname, "Hollywood." Despite his feeble attempt to scoff at his new nickname, you know he loves it. The pictures above are his before (last summer) and after (this summer) pictures in preparing for his mission.
In spending time with Jordan this week, it has been impressive to see my jokster young nephew morph into a humbled and prepared missionary ready to get on his mission. He is still the same crazy Jordan--joking around, doing wild antics on his snowboard and quoting movies. However, he seems more at ease to talk about his serious reasons for going on a mission and knowing that Australia was chosen for him by the Lord. I've known Jordan all his life. He has that personality trait of connecting with people from all walks of life...combine that with his testimony of Christ and he will do a great work for the Lord.
Jordan with Louie - an hour before putting on his suit to go to the MTC. He and Louie are enjoying some graham crackers together.

Bear Lake 2010

2010-07-02T16:29:00.001-06:00

Bear Lake was HOT this summer! Our favorite relief was anything with water - whether it be boating on the water, water in a bucket or watermelon. In the first picture, Louie loved helping Grandpa drive his boat and toot-toot the horn. Occasionally he would look up and give Grandpa this gratuitous, hearty, loud laugh. It was hilarious.

Mudpuddle Mayhem

2010-06-02T16:11:00.000-06:00

Mud! He must had motored around in that puddle for over half an hour. I tried to take the woobie away but -- not going to happen! Woobie got it's moment in the mud too.

3 Steps Today!

2010-05-09T14:38:00.002-06:00

We celebrated Mother's Day at Aunt Tiffany's house. Uncle Rich grilled some amazing steaks --driving the dogs crazy! For my Mother's Day, Louie took three steps by himself! Our safety kid walked from the couch to the coffee table (taking three steps) over and over due to the repeated applause from his parents, grandparents, cousins, aunt and uncle. I should have video taped the "audience" clapping and cheering for future motivation. He was on a roll today...started drinking from a cup with Grandma Martsey and loved it. Of course, most of it ended up on his shirt. But I think that was the draw.

Baby Animal Birthday Party at Thanksgiving Point

2010-04-18T23:44:00.003-06:00

We took Louie to Thanksgiving Point to see all the new baby animals. He can make the cow noise and the dog noise (no surprise, we hear it often enough!). Well today! He showed us that he has more than two tricks up his sleeve. He was smitten with the baby goats! They would hop around each other and "maaa-maaa" to maneuver to get at the feed being offered them. Louie studied them for a few minutes and then blasted with his own response, "MAAAAAAAAAAAA!" He found himself quite humorous.

Louie on a Snowy Day

2010-03-25T23:39:00.000-06:00

He LOVES the snow--sledding, kiddie tubing, and going on a snow hike. Recently, I used his sand toys he got for Easter to scoop up snow and bring it inside to play. He stirs and stirs the snow around in his sand bucket. Cody asks him, "Skippy, are you baking a cake?"

Teething - what a pain!

2010-01-31T23:27:00.003-07:00

Louie was teething all four molars on this day. Nothing in the world was right for Louie until he discovered the paper towels. I placed him on the floor and told him to "have at it!" He must have played there for an hour...and then Murphy wanted in on the fun!

Learning at Lightning Speed!

2010-01-20T23:32:00.002-07:00

Waving bye-bye? No problem. High-five? Easy. Eating by himself? Doing that for months. The learning is happening so fast! One day, he learned how to make the cow noise, "!" Another day, he learned how to "give kisses." Another day, he is walking with his shopping cart without our assistance. I can't keep up with it all happening so quickly. He says "uh-oh", "doggie", "mama", "mum" or "mom" (usually it's "Maaaa!"), "cheese", "apple" and the beloved "NO." He's got that one down really well. Despite Cody's coaching of "daddy", Louie has said it but is very judicious with its use.

"Hey Louie!"

2010-01-17T17:25:00.000-07:00

I came up behind him and found him flipping through his books. As a literacy specialist, I couldn't have been more proud! Once he realized I was there, he started to show off... gave me his famous "gap-tooth" grin. Then he grabbed his woobie (ratty-tatty baby blanket) and "gave it a love." What will we do when the woobie is no longer around?

Christmas Day

2009-12-25T23:18:00.002-07:00

Louie didn't quite understand why everything was wrapped in paper but he loves his Fisher Price Barnyard Set! He played with it forever and wasn't interested in opening any other gifts. So Christmas will spread out over the next couple months as he needs something new on a rainy day. After our family Christmas of opening stockings and only one gift for Louie, we went to Grandma and Grandpa Johnson's home for our extended family Christmas. We enjoyed a delicious meal together and began opening gifts again. Louie only had eyes for his barnyard set and played with it all day.

Celebrating Christmas Eve

2009-12-24T23:10:00.002-07:00

A few weeks after Louie was born, we started a new tradition. We invite Grandma and Grandpa Johnson to dinner for Christmas Eve. Last year, we mainly loved on our new baby Louie and ate a decadent dinner. This year, we changed it up a bit. Park City celebrates Christmas Eve with Santa and his reindeer coming down the slopes preceeded by a torch parade. Well, Cody was a part of the torch parade to celebrate Santa's arrival. After Louie met Santa and one of his reindeer, we went home for warm chili.

"Baking Off" for Santa

2009-12-24T23:04:00.003-07:00

Cody loves to "bake off" for any reason. This time it was for Louie to leave cookies for Santa on Christmas Eve. Louie was very intent on getting the frosting to stay on the cookie... and some happened to make it to his mouth as well. I think tonight we saw a glimpse of "like father, like son." I'm not sure if Louie was going to leave any for Santa Claus. Merry Christmas!

Louie's First Birthday

2009-12-13T22:53:00.004-07:00

He loved the helium balloons! He loved his new choo-choo train from Grandma! He loved his new birthday hat! He loved playing with his cousins! BUT, he wasn't so sure why everyone sang Happy Birthday and stared at him when his cake was put before him!

A Proud Parent Moment

2009-12-10T22:43:00.003-07:00

I don't know if I was more proud when Louie rolled over for the first time or when he received his FIRST PASSPORT! I had dreams of all the trips we would take, the stamps he would get in his passport, and at age 2 getting his own frequent flyer account. We started with his first international trip to Aruba. None of us had been there before and thanks to Aunt Becky, we were able to use her time share. Louie is a very good baby but even he was not a fan of a 9 hour plane ride. He was exhausted and WE were exhausted! Thankfully, we were able to recoup by enjoying the perfect weather on soft sandy beaches. My dreams have altered a bit (with his passport tucked away for safe keeping) ...I couldn't be happier with a 2 hour car ride to the best sand in Utah -- Bear Lake.

Happy Halloween!

2009-10-31T22:39:00.002-06:00

Our little pumpkin went trick or treating with his cousins - Maddy, Jake and Dylan. He was intrigued by all the costumes and watching the kids run from house to house. Bless his heart, he didn't even know he got a bag full of candy...just a little lollipop for our pumpkin. Next year will be a whole different picture.

Louie's first trip to Washington D.C.

2009-09-06T15:10:00.002-06:00

The first picture is me as a baby in front of the Washington Monument. For posterity, we took a similar picture of Louie. It's a fun comparison side by side! Washington D.C. is one of our favorite cities. We both lived here and had amazing opportunities for our careers, traveling up and down the East Coast and enjoying the arts. This is where Cody and I met and have many great memories with our friends. Cody gave Louie the tour down memory lane... Eastern Market, went to a Nat's game, walked around the National Monuments and a tour of the Capitol Building. Couldn't leave D.C. without a visit to my favorite Mexican food place - the Rio. This restaurant has been the venue for many conversations analyzing life and taking in too many calories of beef fajitas and queso.

Grandma and Grandpa Hunter's 50th Wedding Anniversary

2009-08-08T14:50:00.006-06:00

It was great to get together with ALL of my side of the family. We live all over the U.S and rarely are all in one location. Our family played in Park City for a few days visiting the Olympic Museum (Louie proudly holding his gold medal - his binky), zipping on the zip line and watching the aerial ski jumpers practice and land in a huge swimming pool. For the next few days, we traveled to Bear Lake for boating, skiing and, tubing. We ended with spending a few days in Yellowstone. It was so great to see my family and PLAY.

More photos from Bear Lake

2009-07-26T23:51:00.004-06:00

Here are a few more photos from our time at Bear Lake this summer

The "Little Skipper"

2009-07-24T14:41:00.003-06:00

Somehow this nickname has stuck. Cody loves these boating pictures from the Meyer Family Reunion (Cody's mom's side of the family) at Bear Lake. Sometimes Cody will call him "The Little Skipper" but usually will call him "Skippy" or "Skip" when he's not calling him "Youis." Poor child is going to get a complex!

Grandpa Lou and Louie

2009-07-04T14:23:00.001-06:00

I was in the kitchen prepping for lunch. Next thing I see is my dad holding a raw corn on the cob up to Louie's mouth. He was going down on that cob of corn with only 2 teeth. His gums were aching and Grandpa knew the trick to ease his pain.

Temple Sealing and Baby Blessing

2009-07-03T14:28:00.004-06:00

The pictures say it all! We had an amazing day with Louie and our families. During the sealing, Louie was very well behaved and intently stared at the sealer who sealed us as an eternal family. So grateful we finally made it to this day... sigh of relief... we are sealed! Afterwards, Louie was given a baby blessing and name to be put on the records of the church... Louis William. He was named to honor both of his grandpas who developed a great friendship upon their first meeting and continued ever since.

Legal Custody of Louie

2009-06-23T13:35:00.001-06:00

Neither one of us have ever been to court, sworn in or testified. Well, I know I havent. But Cody? HA! Anyway, we were a little nervous to go before a Judge and describe our parental relationship with Louie. Cody did a great job--calm and collected. I, on the other hand, did not. I had my statement ready and was doing fine until I said the word, "son" and lost it. I was so grateful when it was over! This was the last legal document we needed before sealing Louie to us. It can't get here soon enough.

Cody's First Father's Day with Louie

2009-06-20T13:17:00.000-06:00

Grandpa Wayne treated us to steaks on the grill! It was a beautiful day to eat outside. Dylan (the youngest grandchild for 10 years) has recently taken an interest in baby Louie. He loves to make him laugh and smile.

First Boat Ride at Bear Lake

2009-06-13T13:28:00.000-06:00

This is one of our favorite photos of Louie. He is here with Grandma Martsey and can barely get his cheeks over the edge of his jacket!

First Mother's Day with Louie

2009-05-10T12:50:00.002-06:00

Grandma and Grandpa Johnson joined us for a Mother's Day Sunday Brunch. I couldn't quit eating the bread pudding with blueberries. Louie was happy with his bottle -- doesn't quite realize what he's missing out on... just yet.

Race for the Cure

2009-05-09T12:46:00.000-06:00

Of course Louie wanted to help his Aunt Tiff walk for the cure. We are so blessed to have her in our family and cancer FREE.

The Boys Hangin' with the Easter Bunny

2009-04-22T12:37:00.001-06:00

Louie, Sam and Charlie (all born within two months of each other) are trying to survive their parents' best efforts to capture their first moment with the Easter Bunny.

First Visit to Texas

2009-04-12T13:56:00.003-06:00

Louie did great on his first plane ride. He slept for most of it--thanks to his bottle, woobie, and a little help from Tylenol! We had a great visit with my mom and dad in Texas. Louie was able to spend time reading stories with Grandpa Lou and playing with Grandma. He had never seen a cat before was quite intrigued by thisquiet and small animal--very different from the loud and large animal at home. Louie got his first (and will not be his last) taste of the famous Texas Blue Bell Ice Cream. He got to meet his Austin aunt, uncles and cousins over BBQ in Waco. Cousin Samantha was a wonderful playmate to Louie. We had a great time!

Murphy is a big brother

2009-04-01T11:36:00.003-06:00

Murphy is quickly learning that life is NOT all about Murphy anymore. It is now all about baby Louie. The day we brought Louie home, we allowed Murphy to get a good sniff of his new baby brother but didn't think much more about it. As the days went by, Murphy became increasingly aware of how much time this new bundle of joy was taking from his play time with us. To get his favorite game of chase started, he would steal the baby's pacifier and run off with the ribbon hanging out of his mouth. Once we were clever enough to attach the pacifier to the baby, he began to take off with the burp cloth or baby's toy. Soon he realized how tasty the remnants were in those baby bottles. Thankfully, this was only a phase.
Now, Murphy goes where ever Louie goes. Murphy was my companion for those 3 a.m. feedings in the nursery. Murphy has never been interested in the baby's messy diapers--frankly, who is?! However, if the baby is taking a nap, then Murphy would prefer to nap by the crib; but is only allowed to guard the door. If the baby is laying in his bouncy seat, then Murphy lays with his back against it to enjoy the vibrations and music. If the baby is playing in his activity gym, then Murphy is there watching for the right moment to snatch a toy. Occasionally, Murphy will walk by and give the baby a lick/kiss on his head. Louie gives me a confused look as to say, "What the freak was that?"
Recently, Louie has begun to notice Murphy. This is very new. He is quite enthralled to watch Murphy play in the snow or run around the house with his treats. I look forward to the day when Murphy and Louie can explore and play together.

A Much Needed Break

2009-03-15T22:36:00.001-06:00

Cody and I went skiing in Park City. I think this was the first we had BOTH been away from Louie. I was nice to get a much needed mental break from bottles and nap schedules.

Baby Louis is born!!

2009-01-06T16:31:00.004-07:00

We are very pleased and happy to announce the arrival of Louis William Johnson. He was born on December 13, 2008 at 12:18 p.m. He was 20.5 inches long and 8lbs. and 9 oz. As friends and family know, we have looked forward to having our own family since we were married a few years ago and began the process of adoption in January 2008.

Never did we suspect what a positive and enriching experience it would be to adopt a baby. It is not to say the process isn't full of moments of total uncertainty, doubt and frustrations, but we think we had a one in a million experience. We were picked by the most wonderful birth mother in August. She was 5 months pregnant at the time and found us through our agency, LDS Family Services. We accepted and agreed to meet her. As exciting as it was to be "picked," we have treasured our relationship that has developed with the birth mother and her family. With certainty, we know it was meant to be for us to have this relationship and to adopt Louie. We recognize that the Lord was able to take two difficult situations, that neither expected to be in, and create a very positive outcome for all. There were many small moments during the process that continually reconfirmed that this was so RIGHT! In the realm of unknowns, these repeated small moments have been the best part of our experience so far. And now that we are enjoying the greatest gift of a baby in our home has made this an incomparable experience. Ultimately, Louie will be the beneficiary of this amazing relationship with his birth mom. From the beginning, we have always said he will know how much he is loved by everyone involved in the process.

Now we are home with our little Louie. The day he was born, the power went out and there was so much snow we couldn't get in the driveway. We received the ultimate Christmas present and enjoyed having time to spend with him during the holidays. Julianna and I had our world turned upside down...and we wouldn't have it any other way.

Thanks to the many of you who have been supportive during this process. We have received a mountain of emails of well wishes from friends and family. Please know of our gratitude for you. I have attached a few pictures.

Beijing Olympics 2008

2008-08-23T10:10:00.007-06:00

We took a gamble to see if Julianna could somehow get a Chinese Visa and join me in Beijing for the Olympics. Even though I would have to work, we would be able to spend time with our great friends Paul and Kim Florence who were also over there. However, requesting a last minute Visa in a tightly controlled communist country is not the easiest or smartest thing to do. Since my Visa submitted by the State Dept. came back denied because I didn't "show enough shoulder' in my passport photo, I figured we would run into endless roadblocks. China also required we show a "booked hotel reservation" and since I didn't know where we would be staying I took a gamble and put a reservation on a credit card with plans to cancel as soon as we received her Visa. Would have worked fine except I forgot to cancel until I placed a panicked call to the Holiday Inn at the Temple of Heaven to cancel the day before the reservation would have been non-refundable! Whew! Her Visa arrived the day before I left!

We had a great, albeit, hot and humid time touring all the sites of Beijing! The heat and smog were stifling. Highlights were all the Olympic venues, Great Wall, swimming and baseball events, feet massages, and scoring deals at all the markets. Though the real highlight was watching a very giddy Julianna take in Opening Ceremonies. For all of you who know her, she tends to have a professional demeanor, so this was great to see her smile and watch her on the edge of her seat pointing out every detail. It was spectacular. My favorite memory was seeing Michael Phelps in 400m relay, beating out the French (sorry Dave) by 2/10th of a second!

Duck Beach - August 2008

2008-08-23T09:27:00.007-06:00

North Carolina does not disappoint! The beach weather, time with the girls and the amazing food created the perfect recipe for relaxation. Our typical day would begin with a first breakfast of peach pancakes, laying out at the pool and enjoying a second breakfast of Oreos, Twix bars and a Diet Coke. Often we were entertained by Chappy's dolphin antics, the latest in each others' lives and doing our "required reading." I worked on the last book of the Twilight Series -- Breaking Dawn-- and several pop culture magazines. After a gourmet lunch of panini style sandwiches, we would take a short trek to the beach and plan to "close out the beach" --in other words stay until close to twilight. The weather could not have been more perfect. We all left with the evidence of smoking hot tans! And not to break tradition, once we return home, we have a final meal together at the RIO!!! Love those fajitas.

Top Ten "Loves" for a Happy Marriage

2008-04-29T22:14:00.008-06:00

Happy 2nd Anniversary!
1. Love of Mexican food and the perfect chips and salsa combo
2. Love of Traveling--Kauai is our current favorite
3. Love of Reading -- historical fiction and chic-lit for me, political and biographies for Cody
4. Love of Snow Skiing and Tennis; but not at the same time
5. Love of Dual Climate Control in our Car
6. Love of Learning About and Visiting Different Cultures
7. Love of Simple things. Good food, friends, family, and outdoors.
8. Love of Dogs; especially our dog MURPHY.
9. Love for Family Time Together
10. Love for Each Other

Posted by Julianna and Cody

Adoption Classes

2008-04-28T12:55:00.007-06:00

Last weekend Julianna and I attended classes for couples seeking adoption. We really didn't know what to expect, but after two long days of sitting on uncomfortable chairs, we realized we could have stayed for another two days. Rather than "tell us" about the process, they brought in excellent panels of couples who had adopted, birth mothers, bi-racial and foster parent families, and adults who were adopted as children. It was fascinating to hear each individual story. It was evident to us that the Lord has a soft spot for adoption situations and his care is prevalent throughout. There were many miracles in the room and each reaffirmed our hope to one day have this miracle in our life.

After hearing an adoptive couple tell their success story in a very personal way, we left in awe. There was so much to "chew on" and were silent on the whole drive home. A slice of pizza and a Diet Coke from "The Pie" helped us digest the experience. We both felt, as we have all along, that this is the path we need to follow. The adoption process is a blessing for both the birth parents and the adoptive parents.

Truth is, we have never done this before and neither have most birth parents and it is a learning process. It confirmed to us the need to be very sensitive and flexible to each others needs --ultimately the spirit will guide the ebbs and flows. Most of all, this process has brought us closer and more appreciative of what birth parents go through. All of them love their babies. All of them wanted the best for them. And all of them felt directed towards the adoptive parents. A few of the birth mothers that spoke were 15 years old yet they were unbelievably composed. Their spiritual maturity was evident as they expressed the importance of having their baby sealed to a forever family -- which they knew they couldn't provide at that time. They had been dealt a difficult hand at a young age and somehow had enough foresight for their baby and themselves, to make a good decision often in the middle of lack of support from some family and friends. We were truly amazed by each person we met.

Easter Tradition

2008-04-06T20:28:00.006-06:00

Easter Tree displayed with a "D.C touch"
One of my favorite family Easter traditions was discovered in Europe while traveling with my girlfriends about 3 years ago. To our surprise, we came upon an Easter market in Vienna on the grounds of the castle. These delicate, hand-painted Easter eggs were everywhere! At first, we didn't quite appreciate the novelty of these little eggs but soon joined the throngs in Vienna and Prague to find the right colors with the perfect designs to make our own Easter trees at home. Ask any of us girls about our eggs and you will see an affinity towards our eggs like that of a mother hen. We carried those eggs on our laps all the way home on the plane--each was loved for it's unique design and color and none could be harmed. I don't think, or expect Cody to love these little cherubs as I do. However, he knows how much I value them especially as he broke a few during our move last summer and felt horrible about it. I couldn't talk about it. He thoughtfully had the little pastel egg replaced by a BIG red and white decorated egg. Of course, he would get an egg with the U of U colors on it. Nothing says Easter like red and white! Love you Cody.

White House Christmas Party 2007

2007-12-20T00:08:00.003-07:00

We were invited to the White House Christmas Party. Being rookies at this, we showed up "fashionably late" to find out that we've almost missed our chance to have a picture taken with President and Mrs. Bush. We were the LAST couple in line. Who knew? Again, I admit it...total rookies! The Marine Band played Christmas music while we mingled with Cody's friends. It was so cool to walk through the Green Room, Red Room and Blue Room and note the historic photographs hanging on the walls and old furniture. The buffet was great but truly the desserts had my attention! Every chocolate, cream and ganache was used in delicious desserts. The detail of the White House Gingerbread House was my favorite. What an amazing opportunity we almost missed!

Hunter Family Reunion, Thanksgiving 2007

2007-12-01T23:24:00.002-07:00

When the "Hunter Clan" gets together, we love to talk, share stories, eat, go to movies, enjoy the outdoors and play games. We especially love new games! Guitar Hero was a hit! Becky bought it for Jeff's kids--the aunts, uncles, nieces and nephews couldn't get enough. However, I have to say, it was harder than I expected. The nieces and nephews made it look so easy. I loved that all the music was from my high shcool days and even back to Steve's high school days. Jordan, Becky and I taught our family how to play Settlers. Now this game has been around awhile--yet, still addicting! We played a few rounds of that too. Adorable Ethan was showing us all how to master the game of Kerplunk. It was a quick Thanksgiving weekend which left us with fond memories and looking forward to our next reunion.

Here Goes Another Remodel

2007-08-24T01:41:00.008-06:00

2005 Remodel

2007 Re-remodel

Re-Remodel
I have always liked old houses, but am not a fan of all the old stuff in old houses. In 2000, I bought the house we are currently in, remodeled it and lived there with roommates. Later in the Summer of 2005, I bought the house across the street, completely gutted it and remodeled it and moved in while I was dating Julianna. This became our first home after we were married. See pictures above of the kitchen remodel. We sold this our "first home" to re-remodel my first bachelor's pad/house bought in 2000. After the renters moved out, we moved in to start what was supposed to be a simple carpet, paint and tile project... Yah right... not the case with us. After removing weight bearing walls and tying in supports in the ceiling, we opened up walls around the kitchen to add natural light. See photo above with the wall partially taken down. Sad, but true, I am re-remodeling the same kitchen from the 2000 remodel and unfortunately don't have a better picture of the finished kitchen, so a photo of Murphy by the Christmas tree will have to suffice. It exhausts me to think of the work involved but have found the process a good diversion from the pressures of life. We love it! This house has given us an extra room for a "new addition" and is the perfect space for us. Well, for now, until I get the bug again and see another project out there.

Posted by Cody

On the Hunt for a Christmas Tree

2006-11-30T23:23:00.000-07:00

Paris Canyon --
Thanksgiving Weekend 2006
Murphy was about 5 months old in this photo and wants nothing to do with it. This was his first snow and didn't want to waste time in a photoshoot. We searched the mountain high and low and finally found our first Christmas tree; circa Charlie Brown style!

Posted by Julianna

Mele Kalikimaka

2006-11-01T23:50:00.002-07:00

October 2006--Kauai
Napali Hike - Napali Coastline on the North Shore

Shaved Ice with Mac-Nut Ice Cream and Coconut Milk - You've got to try it!
Poli Hale - Most Western Sunsets of the U.S. & most beautiful

Before marrying Julianna, I had never been to Hawaii. I had walked the slums of India, climbed the highest mountain in Africa, rode camels in Mongolia, but had not been on a simple non-stop to Hawaii --to what I presumed was the worlds most over visited tourist attraction. Well...now I know. Kauai, in particular, is spectacular. As much as I love the mountains (coming from a land locked state) the ocean is always mesmerizing. On Kauai, you have both. Add an average temperature of 70 degrees all year long to create paradise. Julianna had it all planned out. In our rental Jeep, she took me all over the island. I still haven’t tried to surf but did body surf with a bunch of guys while several large sea turtles swam nearby. Julianna swam in between her "power reading" sessions. Who knows how many books she plowed through? Just waiting to go back!

Posted by Cody

Girlfriends' Annual Beach Trip

2006-09-05T01:04:00.001-06:00

Duck Beach, North Carolina -- August 2006

Yes, we are standing in the last remnants of a hurricane! What a wild experience. We felt a little like Noah's Ark. We watched endless rain for two days. Once the rain quit, we decided to explore the small strip of sand of what was left of the beach. Even after the sun returned, the streets and our driveway were still flooded a couple feet deep. We had to hire a tow truck to pull us and our cars to dry land. A beach trip we will never forget!

***Me, Amber, Caroline, Jill and Jill***

Posted by Julianna

Meyer Family Reunion, Bear Lake, UT-July 2006

2006-08-17T01:01:00.005-06:00

As long as I can remember, my family has spent the week of the 24th of July in Bear Lake, UT for a Meyer Family Reunion. In fact, during my mother's childhood, Grandpa Meyer dragged their silver bullet trailer over to Bear Lake and "parked" it to spend the summers there. So, it has become a tradition we count on every year. Great food, water skiing, family time, sun and the beach. What can be better? Just prior to our 2007 reunion, Grandma's health was declining quickly. She was determined to attend and even bought some new outfits for the reunion. Grandma's will power got her to the reunion but her health couldn't keep up. After spending a few days at the lake with her family, the 5 daughters took her home. The sisters needed to have a family meeting with Grandpa to discuss full-time care for Grandma in a rest home. In reluctant agreement, they packed up her belongings and put Grandma in the car to drive her to a care center. In the driveway, she passed right then and there in the passenger seat of the car. Apparently she was weighing in her opinion and didn't want to go. Of course, she is greatly missed. What better way to go? She was able to spend her last few days on Earth with her husband, children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren in a place she had loved all her life. She quietly slipped away at the young age of 83.
***1st picture of family games***
***2nd picture is Grandma, sister Tiff and 4 of the 5 Meyer sisters***

Posted by Cody

Murphy's Puppy Days

2006-08-11T00:29:00.000-06:00

July 2006
Murphy has been personality plus from day one. Clearly from the photo, this dog is never late for feeding time. His energy goes beyond food -- he loves to wrestle with Cody, chase his tennis ball at the park, and as a morning ritual petitions us to scratch his belly.

We love our "Murpy."

Posted by Julianna

Our First Road Trip - Escalante, UT

2006-07-03T00:51:00.002-06:00

Escalante, Utah --June 2006

Wow! Cody can really put the "road" in Road Trip!!! Now most of my friends and family will tell you it is unusual to see me in a desert like environment for a vacation. I am a beach girl -- that is my mecca. A place where I can fully relax with a good book, Diet Coke and the warming sun. However, in Escalante I did appreciate the contrasting beauty of the red rocks to the green trees. This was my first "all day" road trip. We 4-wheeled over these beautiful desert boulders for hours to see the "Hole in the Rock" and Lake Powell. I do love the outdoors but I don't necessarily need to sleep in it.

Wedding Festivities

2006-05-05T23:51:00.001-06:00

What an amazing wedding weekend! On Friday, Cody's parents hosted a wonderful garden party to welcome family and guests. Many of our friends came from the East Coast, family from Texas and some of my second grade students. Marcy out did herself in preparing a delicious menu of salmon, fillets, variety of salads and her rum cake. The weather cooperated and many enjoyed the new deck built during the snowy months by Cody's family and friends--it was worth it!
On Saturday, we were married in the Salt Lake Temple. It was the highlight of our weekend. Afterwards, my parents hosted a ring ceremony and wedding dinner. My dad's toast captured the day for me, "The ceremony today not only sealed Cody to our family, but it sealed the Hunter family to the Johnson family."

Posted by Julianna

Shower to Shower

2006-04-27T21:33:00.000-06:00

April 2006

Let the parties begin...

Family Bridal Shower: Cody's sister, Tiffiny, hosted a couple's bridal shower for us. Cody wasn't quite sure about attending a girlie party but actually enjoyed every attention. Tiff was very creative in capturing our dating time line in a game called Catch Phrase. It was darling! What a great party surrounded by family and friends.

DC Friends Bridal Shower: The girls out did themselves! With a travel theme, passport poetic invitation, past traveling photos decorating the room, I was overwhelmed! Not one detail was missed. It was a great reunion with DC friends and a little lingerie to go. See picture above.

Friends Reunion/Bridal Shower: What a blast to the past! My best friend Sara found our group of friends from 15 years ago. Forget the marriage advice, we just loved catching up on where the last 15 years had taken us.

Posted by Julianna

Bear Lake Beginnings

2005-10-02T22:13:00.000-06:00

September 2005
Cody thought he would "woo" me with the warm September weather, changing fall leaves, and raspberries at Bear Lake. We had a great time riding a 4-wheeler through the mountains, loving the leaves and taking a zillion photos! Here is where I learned that Cody was a photo fanatic with me as his focus. Fortunately, we did get one with the two of us and the changing fall foilage.

Posted by Julianna