Our Helpingstine Family: Andrew, Elisha, Johnathan, & Randy

December, the end of 2011

2012-01-12T15:03:00.000-07:00

Christmas time is my favorite time of year!! I love the excitment, the lights, the family outings for trees, nativities, family parties, etc. I love that Andrew had time off to be with us. Christmas was extra fun this year because Johnny was very aware of the excitment too.

Here we are at the Merrill Christmas Tree Lot after picking our tree.

The Tree Lot had two Caribou for their customers to see. Johnathan loved seeing real "reindeer"

The same tree lot had this old fashion merry go round to play on.

Here is our perfect little tree. I absolutely love it.

Johnny loved the holidays so much that he wanted to wear the Santa hat outside when playing too.

Andrew is exhausted from work and hanging lights so he and Randy took a much needed nap.

Here I am with my beautiful boys at the nativity in Logan

This is our family on Christmas Eve in our special Christmas PJs.

MERRY CHRISTMAS & A VERY HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!

Time to Catch Up...November

2012-01-07T21:40:00.000-07:00

Time to catch up for November...

Our boys are getting so big!! It is hard to believe how fast time flies.

Dad has been working hard all month and decided to take a break and BAKE. Most of you know I do not claim to be a baker so Johnathan stepped in to help out. Dad has perfected each of his recipes over the years. In this picture he and Johnathan are making a pie crust.

Here is Johnathan with our dear nieghbor Lisa. She has been such a huge help to our family especially since the birth of Randy. She has helped with canning and babysitting. We are so thankful to have such a wonderful famly in our lives and as a nursery teacher.

Thanksgiving was wonderful. We spent it with Andrew's family. As you can see Randy is in his turkey coma. LOL

We loved November but looked forward to December.

Time to Catch Up...October

2012-01-02T09:04:00.000-07:00

Time to Catch Up for October...

HAPPY HALLOWEEN FROM THE HELPINGSTINE'S

Johnathan took on the role of Gru from Despicable Me. We decided to create all of our costume this year, Andrew did a great job coming up with a Freeze Ray Gun.

Here is our little Minion! Mom found all the parts put Andrew and Kogan put the finishing touches on the hat which really make the costume.

Here is our house all decorated for Halloween. Andrew, Tal, Kogan, Levi, and I all helped out but it was all Andrew's vision! He did a fantastic job!

Johnathan and Randy are just playing with each other in this picture. Thank you Grandma Chris for both of their outfits.

Time to Play Catch Up...September

2011-11-08T20:04:00.012-07:00

Time to Play Catch Up for September... My Dad took Jo and I and our boys to the fish farm here in Cache Valley. Both boys had a great time but neither one of them would touch the fish they caught. Mostly they enjoyed Papa and throwing the raw fish into the pond, YUCK! But in the end...

...everyone caught at least one fish, including ME Tada!

Here is yet another race Moon and Andrew took part in, MAN VS MUD. Kogan joined them this time. A friend of ours was putting the awesome event together so all three of them were able to help out the day of and them run it too.
As you can see MUD won this race. We are all looking forward the doing it again.

Even the kids were able to get in on the mud fun. Good job boys.

Here are my sweet little boys, Johnathan playing with Randy and helping him eat his snacks. I love every minute of Motherhood.

Time to Play Catch Up...August

2011-11-08T19:57:00.004-07:00

Time to Play Catch Up for August...
Here is Moon and Andrew chugging down a Rootbeer after finishing HURT IN THE DIRT! A 50 mile course that they ran and biked. WAY TO GO!!! Also in August we asked my sister to help us out with a few family photos.

We headed to Adam's Park for the photo shoot. It is a great park for pictures.

Plus it has a play ground so that Johnny could play after the photos were all taken.

Here is adorable Randy right after his bath. You got to love that hair.

Just Mom and her boys playing in OUR house. We love having a place to call our own.

Here is Johnathan, he has loved watching Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone, he is hinding from Filch under his Invisibility Cloak. Totally his own imagination at work. We love the way his mind works. (I have been reading Harry Potter to him at nap time, it is so fun to share my love of HP with him)

We were able to visit my Grandparents this month. Grandma and Grandpa Frandsen are spectacular people who have the biggest hearts and the warmest home. Randy hung out with Grandpa like that for about 45 minutes or so. Grandpa has a calming presents about him. Love you both!!

Time to Play Catch Up...July

2011-09-13T13:01:00.013-06:00

Time to Catch you up for July: Johnathan began Swimming lessons at the Aquatic Center. Aunt Jo and Cousin Lance joined us. We had a great time learning Monster Arms, Bunny Hop, Crocodile, etc.Andrew took Johnathan on his first fishing trip. They caught a Carp and a Catfish. Johnathan loved fishing with his own pole, mostly using it in the water but what can you do? Andrew was packing up to go home and he heard a splash. He turned to look and Johnathan's head popped up out of the water. It scared him but all Johnathan was really concerned with was the fact that his pole was still in the water. So when they returned home all he talked about falling in the water and laughing about it. So BRAVE.

Since July came with a bit of a heat wave Andrew needed to get up on the roof to make some adjustments to the swamp cooler. He decided to have his Little Buddy help him out. Here they are showing me their muscles.

Mark your calendar

2011-06-25T13:07:00.006-06:00

THE HELPINGSTINE 4TH OF JULY BBQ BLOWOUT

Mark your calendars for Monday the 4th of July. As always we, and by we I mean Andrew, will be cooking a specialty meat, this year Andrew has decided to smoke pheasant. He actually shot these pheasant himself, watch out for BBs. We will also have smoked pork ribs and grilled pineapple. We decide to leave it at that so if you would like to have a different protein be sure to bring it with you, Andrew will grill it up for you. In case you are unaware, we have moved a few doors down so if you need the address feel free to text Andrew or I for the address. It all starts around 6 PM. We hope you can make it.

P.S. This is also a good opportunity to say Good Luck to Trevor before he leaves.

Baby Blessing

2011-05-18T13:42:00.004-06:00

Hello Everyone. We want to let everyone know about Baby Randy's baby blessing. We decided to have it on the last Sunday of this month, May 29th. We realize that it is a holiday weekend and some may already have plans but if you can make it that would be wonderful. Our Sacrament meeting begins at 9:00 am, I know it is really early especially for anyone outside of Cache Valley. We would like to invite you to join us for breakfast, at our new home, right after the meeting, around 10:30. We are excited to introduce Baby Randy to our friends and family.

Check this out...
THIS IS LITTLE JOHNATHAN AT ABOUT 3 WEEKS.

THIS IS BABY RANDY AT ABOUT 3 WEEKS.

THEY COULD BE TWINS!!!

Our new little bundle of joy

2011-05-01T14:20:00.008-06:00

Randy holding his Father's fingers

On April 19 we were blessed to welcome Randy Moon into our little family. He weighed 8 lbs 2 oz and measured 19 1/2 in. Andrew and I arrived at the hospital at noon and Randy arrived 3 hours later. Because I did not have any drugs for the delivery I relied fully on Andrew. He did amazing. I can honestly say that I could not have gone through it without his support. Thank you Andrew.

Randy crying while in the NICU

Randy had some troubles but he recovered and was able to check out with me, he actually bet me to check out.

All my boys giving each other kisses

Johnathan has been so great about the new little baby. He loves to hold him and kiss him. Johnny helping Mom with Randy's diaper change

Johnathan has been so helpful. He has been helping out with the chores and with the baby. He is getting so big. He was Dad's little buddy that first week home with the baby. Andrew would take him downstairs with him to work on the basement. It was fun to listen to them work together.

Thank you to everyone that brought a meal, a gift, said prayers, etc. We are blessed to have wonderful families and great friends.

Change has come and keeps coming

2011-04-06T15:06:00.003-06:00

Well as you can see from our ticker above Baby Randy is almost here!

We have made some changes over the last few months and our due date has helped us make those things happen. The biggest change... Back in January we were given til June to find a new place to live so we debated back and forth about renting vs. buying. Both had there pros and cons but when it came down to it buying won out. (It is amazing how clear things become when you're sitting in the Celestial Room of the Temple.) Thanks to divine inspiration we started looking for a place to buy. We were lucky to have my Uncle, Bill Frandsen of Lady Bug Realty, helping us out. He found us some great places and wouldn't you know the place we bought ended up being just three houses down from where we were already living. (Apparently, we are not going to ever leave our old neighborhood.) The former owners gave us a bit of a break and now we are moved in and making it our home. My sister Kandis came over and wiped everything down and spent hours on the wood floors, cleaning and shining them up, thanks Jo. We had the upstairs repainted to give it a fresh look. My brother Luke, who has his own paint company Untouchable Painting, came in and in a couple of days did a really great job. Thank you Luke. After that we moved everything over from the house. Thank you to the great men of our ward who volunteered to help us out. As of today we only have 5 boxes left to unpack and a garage to empty out. We feel so blessed to have family and friends who gave of their time and talents to help us with the move. Now we feel ready to bring Baby Randy HOME.

Kokology-Deep in the Mountains

2011-03-08T13:31:00.004-07:00

The mountains and the sea-- nature has a power that draws us to her. After all, we are all nature's children, born into her world and fed on her bounty. No matter what marvels technology may develop, getting back to nature lets us feel truly alive. Medical science may make advances, but the best medicine will always be nature's own healing power.
Your next journey will take you back to that green world, and what better setting for you to rediscover your natural self?

YOU HAVE SET OFF TO CLIMB A MOUNTAIN, IN SEARCH OF A FABULOUSLY RARE STONE. WHAT IS YOUR IMPRESSION OF THE MOUNTAIN AS YOU STAND AT ITS FOOT?
AFTER A HARD SEARCH, YOU STILL HAVEN'T FOUND THE STONE, AND NOW THE SUN HAS FALLEN. WHAT WILL YOU DO NEXT?
YOU HAVE FINALLY DISCOVERED THE STONE YOU WERE SEEKING. WHAT KIND OF STONE IS IT? DESCRIBE ITS SIZE, WEIGHT, AND VALUE.
NOW IT IS TIME TO COME DOWN FROM THE MOUNTAIN AND RETURN HOME. WHAT PARTING WORDS DO YOU HAVE FOR THE MOUNTAIN, AND WHAT IS ITS REPLY?

Key-Key-Key-Key-Key-Key-Key-Key-Key

The mountain that looms before you represents your father, or a father figure in your life. In psychological terms, it is a manifestation of the achetype of the "wise old man." The stone yoiu seek symbolizes abilities and strengths you must discover within yourself on your own journey to adult independence.

YOUR IMPRESSION OF HTE MOUNTAIN SHOWS THE IMAGE YOU HAVE OF YOUR FATHER. WAS IT DIFFCULT AND UNFORGIVING? GENTLE AND EASILY CONQUERED? OR DID YOU HAVE AN IDEALIZED IMAGE OF A MAGNIFICENT PEAK THAT SOMEHOW SEEMED TO WELCOME YOU AND ENCOURAGE YOU IN YOUR QUEST?
THE STONE YOU ARE SEARCHING FOR REPRESENTS YOUR AS YET UNDISCOVERED TALENT OR STRENGTH. YOUR RESPONSE TO THIS QUESTION SHOWS WHETHER YOU WILL EVER REALIZE THAT UNTAPPPED POTENTIAL. >PEOPLE WHO SAY THAT THEY'D KEEP SEARCHING FOR THE STONE NO MATTER WHAT TEND TO SHOW THE SAME PERSISTENCE AND DETERMINATION IN THEIR OWN LIVES, NEVER GIVING UP EVEN WHEN EFFORTS SEEM FRUITLESS. >THOSE WHO SAID THEY'D CALL IT QUITS FOR THE DAY BUT COME BACK AGAIN TO CONTINUE THE SEARCH ARE THE TYPE WHO PACE THEMSELVES, SPREADING THEIR EFFORTS OVER A LONG PERIOD OF TIME. THERE ARE PROBABLY MORE THAN A FEW LATE BLOOMERS IN THIS GROUP. >PEOPLE WHO GAVE UP LOOKING FOR THE STONE ALTOGETHER ARE IN DANGER OF NEVER FULFILLING THEIR TRUE POTENTIAL.
THE WAY YOU DESCRIBE THE STONE SHOWS YOUR FEELING OF SELF-WORTH. HOW BIG AND HEAVY WAS IT, AND WHAT DID YOU THINK OF ITS VALUE?>"OH, ABOUT $20 OR SO," HMMMM, THAT'S NOT MUCH OF AN APPRAISAL, IS IT?">"IT TURNED OUT TO BE A HUGE DIAMOND WORTH MILLIONS!" HOLD ON NOW, LET'S NOT GET CARRIED AWAY WITH OURSELVES.
YOUR PARTING WORDS TO THE MOUNTAIN REVEAL WHAT YOU HAVE ALWAYS WANTED, BUT NEVER BEEN ABLE, TO SAY TO YOUR FATHER. THE MOUNAIN'S REPLY SHOW YOUR IDEA ABOUT HIS FEELINGS FOR YOU. DO YOU RECOGNIZE ANY OF THESE PATTERNS?>YOU: "THANKS FOR EVERYTHING." MOUNTAIN: "YOU TAKE CARE OF YOURSELF." DID YOU HAVE THAT KIND OF AN IDEAL EXCHANGE? OR DID IT GO MORE LIKE THIS: YOU:" WELL, IT LOOKS LIKE I'M FINALLY THROUGH WITH YOU." MOUNTAIN:"YOU CAN SAY THAT AGAIN!" MAYBE IT'S TIME YOU AND YOUR FATHER SAT DOWN FOR A TALK.

How did you do?

PICTURES AT AN EXHIBITION

2011-02-27T14:12:00.003-07:00

The next Kokology game is titled,

PICTURES AT AN EXHIBITION

EVERY ONCE IN A WHILE IT'S NICE TO TAKE A BREAK FROM YOUR BUSY SCHEDULE AND EXPERIENCE THE WORLD OF ART FIRSTHAND. SOME OF US GO TO CONCERTS OR PLAYS, SOME TAKE UP DANCE OR A MUSICAL INSTRUMENT, OTHERS TRY THEIR HAND AT CRAFTS. AND OF COURSE THERE'S ALWAYS A TRIP TO A MUSEUM...
YOU ARE STANDING IN FRONT OF A PAINTING AT AN ART MUSEUM, HANDS CLASPED BEHIND YOUR BACK AS YOU TRY TO TAKE IT IN, WHEN A TOTAL STRANGER COMES UP ALONGSIDE YOU AND SAYS SOMETHING TO YOU. WHICH OF THE FOLLOWING DOES THE STRANGER SAY?

"ISN'T THAT A BEAUTIFUL PICTURE?"

WHAT DO YOU THINK OF THIS PAINTING?"

EXCUSE ME, DO YOU HAVE THE TIME?"

YOU KNOW, I HAPPEN TO BE A PAINTER MYSELF."

I will post the key below tomorrow.

KEY-KEY-KEY-KEY-KEY-KEY-KEY

WHEN A STRANGER SUDDENLY SPEAKS TO YOU THERE'S ALWAYS A MOMENTARY MIX OF APPREHENSION AND EXPECTANCY. IN THIS IMAGINARY SCENARIO, THE WORDS THE STRANGER SPOKE ACTUALLY REFLECT HOW YOU REACT IN CHANCE ENCOUNTERS AND WHEN MEETING OTHERS. YOUR ANSWERS REVEALS WHAT KIND OF IMPRESSION YOU MAKE WHEN MEETING SOMEONE FOR THE FIRST TIME.

"ISN'T THAT A BEAUTIFUL PICTURE?": Your friendly and positive nature creates a great first impression on almost everyone you meet. Your only concern should be that people may not take you seriously at first.
"WHAT DO YOU THINK OF THIS PAINTING?": You're the type who likes to feel out the other person's temperament before committing yourself to anything. People can sense that hesitancy, and it may color their reactions to you. You won't step on any toes with your cautious approach, but you may end up living on other people's terms.
"EXCUSE ME, DO YOU HAVE THE TIME?": To half the world you seem like an all right sort, but to the other half you look just a little strange. You create a first impression of living life at your own pace and maintaining an individuality that some would call eccentric. You don't place much importance on what others may be thinking or feeling. For better or worse, therein lies the secret to you.
"YOU KNOW, I HAPPEN TO BE A PAINTER MYSELF.": On first meeting someone, you come across as a little bit nervous and overeager. Maybe you're just trying too hard to be liked, but the harder you try, the worse an impression you make. Don't worry so much about making people think you're great-- they'll like you better if you just loosen up and relax.

ON YOUR BIRTHDAY

2011-02-21T16:12:00.003-07:00

Here is the next Kokology game, ON YOUR BIRTHDAY. Remember the tips, see below, and I will post the answers at the bottom of this post in a day or two.

ON YOUR BIRTHDAY

YOUR BIRTHDAY IS THE ONE DAY A YEAR WHEN YOU'RE JUSTIFIED IN EXPECTING THINGS TO BE JUST A LITTLE NICER THAN USUAL. WELL WISHES AND CONGRATULATIONS, PRESENTS AND CARDS, MAYBE EVEN A PARTY OR A ROMANTIC DINNER FOR TWO.
IT'S YOUR BIRTHDAY TODAY, AND WHEN YOU CHECK YOUR MAILBOX YOU SEE YOU'VE GOTTEN A CARD FROM SOMEONE YOU WOULD HAVE NEVER SUSPECTED. WHO IS THE SENDER? YOU HAVE ALSO RECEIVED A NUMBER OF GIFTS FROM FAMILY AND FRIENDS. OF THAT GROUP, WHO SENT YOU THE BIGGEST PACKAGE? (Give the names of people in your life when answering this quiz.)

ANSWER-ANSWER-ANSWER-ANSWER

THE RESPONSES YOU GAVE SIGNIFY YOUR TRUE FEELINGS ABOUT PEOPLE IN YOUR LIFE, FEELINGS YOU MIGHT NOT EVEN BE AWARE OF YOURSELF.

THE PERSON WHO YOU UNEXPECTEDLY SENT YOU A CARD IS ACTUALLY SOMEONE YOU WOULD LIKE TO CARE MORE ABOUT YOU OR GIVE YOU MORE ATTENTION. IN SHORT, THE PERSON YOU NAMED AS THE SENDER IS SOMEONE YOU WORSHIP FROM AFAR. IS IT SOMEONE YOU BARELY KNOW, SOMEONE YOU'VE BEEN HESITANT TO APPROACH, OR JUST A FRIEND YOU HAVEN'T HEARD FROM IN A WHILE? MAYBE IT'S TIME YOU MADE THE FIRST MOVE TOWARD BRIDGING THE GAP.

ON THE SURFACE, YOU MIGHT ASSOCIATE THE BIGGEST PACKAGE YOU RECEIVED WITH GOOD FEELINGS ABOUT THE SENDER. BUT FROM A PSYCHOLOGICAL PERSPECTIVE, THE PERSON YOU NAMED AS THE SENDER IS ACTUALLY SOMEONE WHOSE AFFECTIONS YOU TAKE FOR GRANTED. THIS DOESN'T NECESSARILY SIGNIFY A LACK OF RESPECT, BUT YOU DEFINITELY FEEL CONFIDENT OF THEIR FEELINGS FOR YOU. BE CAREFUL NOT TO GET OVERCONFIDENT. WHAT FEELS LIKE SECURITY TO YOU MAY LOOK LIKE PLAIN SELFISHNESS TO OTHERS.

So how did you do?

THE BLUE BIRD

2011-02-17T13:05:00.006-07:00

The next Kokology game for you is called,

THE BLUE BIRD

ONE DAY A BLUE BIRD SUDDENLY FLIES THROUGH A WINDOW INTO YOUR ROOM AND IS TRAPPED. SOMETHING ABOUT THE LOST BIRD ATTRACTS YOU, AND YOU DECIDE TO KEEP IT. BUT TO YOUR SURPRISE, THE NEXT DAY THE BIRD HAS CHANGED COLOR FROM BLUE TO YELLOW! THIS VERY SPECIAL BIRD CHANGES COLOR AGAIN OVERNIGHT-- ON THE MORNING OF THE THIRD DAY IT IS BRIGHT RED, AND ON THE FOURTH IT TURNS COMPLETELY BLACK. WHAT COLOR IS THE BIRD WHEN YOU WAKE UP ON THE FIFTH DAY?

THE BIRD DOESN'T CHANGE COLOR; IT STAYS BLACK.
THE BIRD TURNS BACK TO ITS ORIGINAL BLUE.
THE BIRD TURNS WHITE.
THE BIRD TURNS GOLDEN COLORED.

I will post the key to this game soon. Have fun!

Here are the answers to THE BLUE BIRD.

THE BIRD THAT FLEW INTO YOUR ROOM SEEMED LIKE A SYMBOL OF GOOD FORTUNE, BUT SUDDENLY IT CHANGED COLOR, MAKING YOU WORRY THAT HAPPINESS WOULD NOT LAST. YOUR REACTION TO THIS SITUATION SHOWS HOW YOU RESPOND TO DIFFICULTIES AND UNCERTAINTY IN REAL LIFE.

THOSE WHO SAID THE BIRD STAYS BLACK HAVE A PESSIMISTIC OUTLOOK. DO YOU TEND TO BELIEVE THAT ONCE A SITUATION GOES BAD, IT NEVER REALLY RETURNS TO NORMAL? MAYBE YOU NEED TO TRY THINKING, IF THIS IS AS BAD AS IT GETS, IT CAN'T GET ANY WORSE. REMEMBER, THERE'S NO RAIN THAT DOESN'T END AND NO NIGHT SO DARK THAT THERE'S NO DAWN THE NEXT DAY.
THOSE WHO SAID THE BIRD TURNS BLUE AGAIN ARE PRACTICAL OPTIMISTS. YOU BELIEVE THAT LIFE IS A MIX OF GOOD AND BAD AND THAT IT DOESN'T PAY TO FIGHT AGAINST THAT REALITY. YOU ACCEPT ADVERSITY CALMLY AND LET THINGS RUN THEIR COURSE WITHOUT UNDUE STRESS OR WORRY. THIS OUTLOOK LETS YOU RIDE OUT THE WAVES OF ADVERSITY WITHOUT BEING SWEPT AWAY.
THOSE WHO SAID THE BIRD TURNS WHITE ARE COOL AND DECISIVE UNDER PRESSURE. YOU DON'T WASTE TIME ON FRETTING AND INDECISION, EVEN WHEN A CRISIS DEVELOPS. IF A SITUATION GETS TOO BAD, YOU FEEL IT'S BETTER TO CUT YOUR LOSSES AND LOOK FOR ANOTHER ROUTE TO YOUR GOAL RATHER THAN GETTING BOGGED DOWN IN NEEDLESS GRIEF. THIS PROACTIVE APPROACH MEANS THAT THINGS SEEM TO JUST NATURALLY GO YOUR WAY.
THOSE WHO SAID THE BIRD TURNS GOLDEN CAN BE DESCRIBED AS FEARLESS. YOU DON'T KNOW THE MEANING OF PRESSURE. TO YOU, EVER CRISIS IS AN OPPORTUNITY. YOU MIGHT BE COMPARED WITH NAPOLEON, WHO SAID, "... IMPOSSIBLE: THE WORD IS NOT FRENCH." BUT BE CAREFUL NOT TO LET YOUR BOUNDLESS CONFIDENCE GET THE BEST OF YOU. IT'S A VERY FINE LINE BETWEEN FEARLESS AND FOOLHARDY.

I will post another game soon.

KEY TO A DESERT JOURNEY

2011-02-17T12:54:00.003-07:00

So here is the answers to the Kokology game A Desert Journey. (Don't worry Jeff I won't be posting any games like that.)

THE DESERT AND THE CAMEL THEME SYMBOLIZES THE JOURNEY TOWARD PERSONAL INDEPENDENCE. SPECIFICALLY, THIS SCENARIO REVEALS YOUR FEELINGS ABOUT PARTING WITH A LOVER. YOUR ANSWERS SHOW HOW YOU MIGHT REACT WHEN THE TIME COMES TO GO YOUR SEPARATE WAYS.

THE WORDS YOU SPOKE TO THE CAMEL REVEAL WHAT YOU MIGHT SAY TO YOURSELF WHAT YOU REALIZE LOVE HAS BEEN LOST. DID YOU TRY WORDS OF ENCOURAGEMENT LIKE "WE'LL MAKE IT THROUGH SOMEHOW!" OR "DON'T WORRY, THIS CAN'T GO ON FOREVER"? OR WAS THERE A HINT OF DESPAIR--"WE'RE LOST...THIS IS HOPELESS...I THINK WE'RE GOING TO DIE OUT HERE"?
IN PSYCHOLOGICAL TERMS, THE OASIS SYMBOLIZES THE KEY TO SOLVING ONE'S PROBLEMS. THE PERSON YOU ENCOUNTERED HERE COULD BE SOMEONE WHO HAS HELPED OR COMFORTED YOU IN THE PAST OR ONE YOU MIGHT TURN TO IN TIMES OF NEED.
THE TOWN AT THE JOURNEY'S END STANDS FOR THE ORDER RESTORED TO YOUR EMOTIONS ONCE YOU'VE RECOVERED FROM YOUR BROKEN HEART. YOUR FEELINGS UPON REACHING THE TOWN ARE YOUR TRUE FEELINGS ABOUT FINALLY GETTING OVER A LOST LOVE.
THE NEW RIDER IS A PERSON TOWARD WHOM YOU FEEL A SECRET RIVALRY, JEALOUSY, OR RESENTMENT. IS THE PERSON YOU NAMED A RIVAL IN LOVE OR MAYBE SOMEONE WHO ONCE BROKE YOUR HEART?

There you have it, What did you think?

KOKOLOGY

2011-02-15T13:43:00.002-07:00

KOKOLOGY: 1. A series of psychological games designed to uncover emotional and behavioral traits of the player 2. A popular term for the interpretation of the hidden meanings of human behavior and situational responses.
A few years back some friends and I stumbles across this Kokology book at Boarders. I don't know about any of you but in high school and even after graduation I had a fascination with personality tests and the like. So I of course found this book very interesting and fun.

Well I was cleaning up the book shelf and found it, so I thought I would share a couple of the Kokology games out on our blog and see how you all like them. The book gives 8 TIPS FOR PLAYING KOKOLOGY:

Say the first thing that pops into your head.
Play with other people if you can.
Don't try to predict the answers.
Be honest with yourself.
Be prepared. (you might need to write stuff down)
Don't read ahead.
Watch people's reactions.
Keep an open mind.

So here we go, the first game is called A Desert Journey. I would write down your answers as the four questions are asked. I will post the answers tomorrow. Have fun.

A DESERT JOURNEY

YOUR DESKTOP IS SPILLING OVER WITH UNFINISHED PAPER WORK; THE REST OF THE OFFICE HAS ALREADY GONE HOME FOR THE NIGHT. YOU LOOK UP AT THE CLOCK AND IT LAUGHS BACK. YOU WONDER, WITH A SINKING FEELING INSIDE, IF THIS JOB WILL EVER BE DONE.

THE PROFESSOR DRONES ON AND ON THROUGH A 3-HOUR DOUBLE LECTURE ON THE WORLD'S MOST BORING SUBJECT. THERE'S NO SPACE LEFT FOR DOODLES IN YOUR NOTEBOOK, AND YOU'RE ONLY 30 MINUTES INTO THE CLASS. YOU BEGIN TO THINK YOU'VE SOMEHOW BEEN FROZEN IN TIME.

WAITING CAM BE A SPECIAL FORM OF TORTURE, WORSE THAN ANY MOMENTARY PAIN. THE COMBINATION OF FRUSTRATION AND BOREDOM CAN SEND EVEN THE BRAVEST HEART INTO A STATE OF PANIC. OUR FIRST JOURNEY WILL BRING US FACE-TO-FACE WITH THE INFINITE. TAKE A MOMENT TO PREPARE YOURSELF, AND ENTER THE ETERNAL DESERT...

YOU ARE RIDING A CAMEL ACROSS THE VAST AND EMPTY EXPANSE OF A SEEMINGLY ENDLESS DESERT. YOU HAVE RIDDEN UNTIL YOU ARE NEAR EXHAUSTION. WHAT WORDS WOULD YOU SAY TO THE CAMEL THAT HAS CARRIED YOU ALL THE WAY?
JUST AT THE POINT WHEN YOU THOUGHT YOU'D DIE OF THIRST, A BEAUTIFUL OASIS APPEARS. BUT SOMEONE HAS ARRIVED BEFORE YOU. WHO IS THIS OTHER TRAVELER? (USE THE NAME OF A PERSON YOU KNOW.)
TIME PASSES SLOWLY IN THE DESERT, AND IT FEELS LIKE AN ETERNITY BEFORE THE LIGHTS OF TOWN APPEAR ON THE HORIZON. YOU HAVE FINALLY REACHED YOUR DESTINATION. WHAT ARE YOU FEELING AS YOU COME TO YOUR JOURNEY'S END?
THE TIME HAS COME TO PART WITH THE CAMEL YOU HAVE RIDDEN FOR SO LONG. JUST AS YOU DISMOUNT, A NEW RIDER CLIMBS INTO THE SADDLE TO TAKE YOUR PLACE. WHO IS THE NEW RIDER? (NAME ANOTHER PERSON IN YOUR LIFE.)

Bountiful Baskets

2011-01-22T13:24:00.004-07:00

I know a lot of you have already know about Bountiful Baskets but for those of you who do not I wanted put in a plug for it. Every Monday I log onto bountifulbaskets.org and order a basket of fruits and veggies for the LOW price of $15.00. Then come Saturday morning we head to the pick up location and fill our reusable grocery bags. As you can see from the picture above it is a wonder selection of fresh fruits and vegetables. This was taken two weeks ago, every week is a tiny bit different but all in all it is a great purchase.

Our family has really loved Bountiful Baskets. It has forced me to use fresh ingredients and it has definitely saved us on our grocery bill. Plus, there are other options once you order the basket, for example they offer 5 loafs of nine grain bread for $10.00, or a box of citrus, or berries, or tortillas (we highly recommend the tortillas, but there are a ton so freeze them), or a Mexican or Italian pack, etc. It is a really great way to get fresh product for the lowest price.

The whole thing is done on a volunteer basis so if you have not tried Bountiful Baskets and want to don't forget to help out by volunteering or at the very least offer to take some of the boxes to the recycle bins.

Even Johnny helps Mom out by putting (throwing) the fruits and veggies in our bag, he looks forward to it every Saturday. My Mom is now doing it down in Price. Go onto the website and take a look around, I am sure you will be convinced. I have been doing it for over a year now and never get tired passing by the produce section of the grocery store because I know that I already have a pineapple and tomatoes at home waiting for me.

2010 Calendar

2011-01-07T08:44:00.010-07:00

January-How do I look Mom?

February-CHEEEEEESE

March-Dad, home for 15 days, teaches Johnny how to shave.

April-How can Mom say no to a face like that?

May-Johnny in the shirt Dad sent, GO CUBS!

June-Johnathan's new favorite place to play, the car.

July-WELCOME HOME DAD!! Picture courtesy of Aunt Jan

August-Johnathan showing off his MUSCLES!

September-Happy Birthday Month Dad

October-The Whole Family at the Pumpkin Walk, Happy Halloween

November-Here we all are next to our 2010 Christmas tree, complete with bird's nest.

December-Check out my Cave Mom!

Happy New Year!!

2011-01-07T08:22:00.003-07:00

As our family starts the new year we have looked back on the many, many blessings we received during 2010. Even though we were without Andrew for half of the year, the blessing that we have focused on the most is that Andrew did indeed return home safe from Afghanistan! The Lord has given us so much to be thankful for so in return we would like to thank all of our friends and family for their support and prayer. We hope everyone had a happy Christmas and enjoyed ringing in the new year as well.

Though we posted the gender of our new little one, we wanted to share with everyone his name, it took us about two weeks to come to a finale decision but we are now set on...

RANDY MOON HELPINGSTINE.

THE RESULTS ARE IN...

2010-12-09T14:15:00.004-07:00

We had our 20 week appointment on Wednesday. The baby is healthy!! Everything is looking great! We are still on track to have the baby on April 26th, 2011.

Johnathan loved seeing the baby on screen but his favorite part was the noise the gel made when it squirted on my belly. He also enjoyed mimicking the sound of the baby's tiny heart beat.

Oh yeah, we are having a BOY!

St. Louis

2010-11-24T08:32:00.008-07:00

On November 19th Andrew, Johnathan and I headed to the SLC International Airport, where we boarded a plane to St. Louis, Missouri. The Army was sending our family, along with many other Army families and soldiers, to a Yellow Ribbon Event. The Yellow Ribbon Program, as I understand it, was created to help soldiers and their families handle all that comes with deployment. There are 7 Events total and we were off to be apart of Event 5. This Event is for soldiers and their families who have been home for 30 days. The best part about these Events is that the Army pays for travel, lodging, and some of the meals. So for us it was like a working vacation. Johnathan and I had never been to St. Louis so that was pretty exciting. Another bonus is that it gave Andrew the opportunity to visit with many of the men and women he served with in Afghanistan.

We were both nervous about the plan ride, 3 hours with Johnathan having to hold still-to be honest I was much more nervous than Andrew. Johnathan had to be dragged out of his crib at 6 AM and loaded in the car, we just left him in his pajamas and planned to change him once through security. He slept and then we parked in long term parking and caught a bus to the airport, as you can see Johnathan loved the bus ride.

Luckily, at security they have family lines. We had no problems with security and headed to our plane. Changed Johnathan and eat a bit of breakfast before boarding the plane. Johnathan had a great time on the airplane. He has been fascinated by planes for sometime now and was thrilled to be on one. As you can see he even enjoyed showing his mouse what was outside the window of the plane.

Johnathan did not have a problem til we started to land and his ears began to hurt. Then he closed his eyes to sleep two minutes before we touched down in St. Louis. After we landed we picked up our rental car and headed to the hotel to check in. Our hotel was beautiful. We didn't go up to our room just yet because we needed to head to Illinois to see the Helpingstine Family. Andrew's Dad's family lives in Salem, Illinois which is only about an hour and a half from St. Louis. We had a great time with the Helpingstine's.

THE HELPINGSTINE'S

Johnathan was pretty shy at first but once he warmed up it was like Andrew and I were not there at all to him. This was the first time I had the opportunity to meet the Helpingstine family and I am so glad we had the chance to meet them. We chatted and had dinner and Johnathan played and played and played. We only had a few hours with them but when it came time to leave Johnathan did not want to leave! But all in all it was a great visit.

The next day we had classes but because Johnathan sleeps late Andrew went down to the morning classes and we joined him later. After lunch we took Johnathan the the provided day care and we went to the rest of the classes. We got out a bit early and decided to cross the street to the Arch. That's right the Arch was literally right across the street from the hotel.

US AT THE TOP OF THE ARCH

It was quite an experience. Johnathan loved the elevator and the company. Andrew's Army buddies had a good time with little Johnathan. In fact they had a hold of him more than we did. Johnathan loved the attention! It was good to see him with the men and women that Andrew shared his deployment with.

The next day was Sunday and we were to fly out that evening so we decided to head to the St. Louis Zoo with Green and the Dangerfield's, the FREE St. Louis Zoo. It really was a great Zoo. Johnathan had a good time looking at the animals.

Mom and Johnathan at the Zoo

But we knew he was tired and hoped that if we arrived at the airport early we would be able to get him to sleep before boarding or at the very least wear him out enough to snooze on the plane ride home. He did sleep in the car but only for about 30 minutes. It was a good thing we arrived early, the security line was long and slow, no family line this time. Johnathan was already frustrated when we boarded the plane and once on board there were more delays. Our sweet little boy is so curious about everything, which means that he could not close those blue eyes and rest. That also meant that he was not a happy boy and the other passengers were not too happy. But considering he had had no nap and he had a full day I was very pleased with his ability to be content in our laps for four hours.

When we landed in SLC we were more than ready to be home. So after scrapping the car off with a credit card, not scrapper, we turned up the heat and made the drive home. Johnathan fell asleep almost immediately and I followed in turn. Poor Andrew was left to drive home alone. We got home about 11 PM and were all in bed by midnight.

We would definitely make a trip back to St. Louis given the opportunity. Especially to see family. The company was not bad either.

Here's a question

2010-11-17T08:58:00.002-07:00

Here's a question for all of you Mom's out there who have ever travelled with little children...
What do you do with a 20 month old on a 3 hour plane ride????

We are headed to St. Louis on Friday and I am stressing out. I like to plan and prepare for every situation and I cannot see Johnathan sitting on one of our laps for 3 hours just happy as can be. So if you have any suggestions let us know.

November already?

2010-11-02T08:53:00.021-06:00

I absolutely love this pic of Johnathan in Mom's sunglasses.

It is hard to believe that it is already November! So much has happened since I last posted, I won't try to remember everything just the stuff that really counts.

September-Well September is Birthday Month for Andrew. So we kicked it off with his favorite meal and everyday Johnny and I wished Dad Happy Birthday Month. Andrew's big gift was a new trolling motor for his boat.

We also headed to Scofield to visit with the Powell Family. Dad got in a lot of fishing time. Grandma, Grandpa, Aunt Talia, and Uncle Kogan got in a lot of Johnathan time. It was nice to be away for a while. We had a great time and now miss those Powell's even more!
The very next weekend we drove down to Salt Lake City and Andrew's cousin took some wonderful family photos. September was a great month for visiting family. It was great to see Andrew's brother's family and to have everyone in one place at the same time. We are fortunate to have so many of our family member within only a few hours of our home.

Another big event in September was this little boy. Does he look familiar??? That's right it is Johnathan, we took him a salon and had it all chopped off. It was a sad day. The floor of the salon was a mess of hair. And now he looks like a whole different little boy. But he is still so freaking cute!!

October- We love October.

We have become known for our Halloween decorations...well the Rollo house has become know for it's Halloween decorations. With Jeff and Sarah gone it was up to just us to continue the tradition. Johnathan was very eager to climb up the ladder to help Dad with the massive spider web. Andrew did a great job. Thanks to Levi, my brother, we had a few extra elements to add to the yard on Halloween weekend.

Johnathan became rather sick at the beginning of October and did not want to leave my side and as a result he developed some bad sleep habits. He started napping in my lap, I didn't mind when he was sick but then it became a daily thing and then he started not sleeping in his crib at night. He would not sleep unless one of us was holding him. So for about a week Andrew and I took turns sleeping in the recliner with Johnathan all night long. It was a very long week. Finally Andrew was able to figure out a way to get him comfortable with his crib at night but naps were still out of the question. So up until this last week or so Johnny has been sleeping with me, usually, for his two hour nap. But thanks to a lot of prayers and patience he is laying down for a two to three hour nap in his CRIB!

We went to the Pumpkin Walk with Aunt Kandis and cousin Lance. We even took time to pose for a few pictures. How do we look as Toy Story characters?

We love the cut out of Yoda and Johnny seemed to be the perfect fit.

We headed to Little Bear Bottoms Corn Maze with the youth on what seemed to be the worst day of the month. Johnathan was the only one who walked away without mud up to his knees, thanks to Andrew backpacking him through the whole maze. I thought Johnathan was going to be miserable the whole time but he was laughing and yelling the whole time. He is such a wonderful little boy. We are so blessed.

Last but not least- If you were able to make it to the bottom of this blog congratulations, your reward

WE HAVE SOME WONDERFUL NEWS....

WE ARE PREGNANT AND DUE IN APRIL!!

Logan-Cache Airport Photos

2010-08-12T08:32:00.006-06:00

On July 15, 2010 Andrew returned to Cache Valley. Many of his Unit returned home to their families that day. But Andrew was able to do something very unique, Andrew flew into SLC International Airport then drove over to Million Air to board a second, much smaller airplane. This airplane was to be flown by Sgt. Andrew Helpingstine. It would take him to the Logan-Cache Airport where many friends and family members were waiting to welcome him home. Among this anxious group were a few strangers, two were from the Herald Journal, and another was a young women that a very good friend, Eric Richards, of ours had sent in his place, two more were from USU. All of these strangers were there for one reason, to capture the Welcome Home of Sgt. Andrew Helpingstine. Some did it in newspaper print, http://www.deseretnews.com/article/700048546/Home-flight-Soldier-in-cockpit-for-last-hop-of-his-voyage-to-Logan.html (Deseret News was at the SLC Airport) and http://news.hjnews.com/news/article_0d51ee92-9077-11df-871b-001cc4c03286.html. The USU Aviation Program was very supportive and they even included a page on their site to Andrew, here is the link http://www.usu.edu/aviation/aheroreturns/html. Next Eric Richard's photographer took a bunch of pictures as well. I just heard from him and there is a preview of these pictures on his blog, feel free to take a look, http://izlas.com/blog/?p=1177. A couple of our friends and family took pictures as well, Aunt Jan and Jolynn.

Thank you to everyone who captured and shared Andrew's Homecoming with us!!

Wow how time flies...

2010-08-08T17:48:00.015-06:00

It has been almost a month since Andrew returned home and it is about time I made a posting...

There was a wonderful reception at the Logan-Cache Airport for Andrew. Johnny especially loved watching his Dad taxi the airplane right up to us (photo, see side bar). It was amazing to see the recognition it little Johnathan's eyes when we walked up and hug Andrew. Johnny normally clings to me when we get around strangers but as I handed him over to his Dad something told him that this guy was someone he should trust. Those of you who know Johnny's personality and energy know that he is not the type of child to sit on a lap and hang out, but as Andrew held him on his lap on our couch I was amazed that for nearly 30 minutes Johnny sat there and hung out with his Dad. What an amazing site to see! I had trouble holding back the tears as I watched our little boy play with his Dad. And for the first time since he was born there is not end in site, no deadline, no trip to the airport to plan, no goodbyes in the near future. Well since the homecoming we have all been making the most of our time together. Though we have stuck close to home it has been a wonderful having Andrew here, home again.

We saved Andrew's Father's Day gift for his return, and here they are wearing the matching ties that we gave to Dad for his day. Aren't they handsome? "Strong Muscles"

We have been making an effort to have FHE, as we headed to 1st Dam to feed the ducks and took a few pictures while we were there. Johnny has learned to put his hand on his heart when ever he sees a flag. He had just noticed Dad's shirt and immediately put his hand on his heart.Here is one of Johnny and I, Thanks to Dad.

We are having fun!

THE HELPINGSTINE 4TH OF JULY BBQ BLOWOUT IV

2010-07-21T08:42:00.002-06:00

We obviously missed the 4th of July so we have decided to push it to the 24th of July. This Saturday we will hold our annual BBQ.

WHERE: ADAMS PARK, LOGAN

550 NORTH 500 EAST

TIME: 4:00 - DUSK

DINNER PROVIDED: BURGERS, DOGS, SMOKED BRISKET, BRATS

ACTIVITIES: THERE IS A VOLLEYBALL COURT, PLAYGROUND, AND PLENTY OF OPEN FIELD AND COVERED TABLES.

WHO: COME ONE COME ALL

We hope to see everyone there!

UPDATE ON ANDREW'S HOMECOMING

2010-07-14T18:37:00.005-06:00

Andrew's return was pushed one day. He will now be coming home Thursday, July 15. He will be flying into the Logan-Cache Airport. Anyone who is interested in joining us to welcome him home will meet at the Utah Jet Center that is on the north side of the Logan-Cache Airport. He will be landing around 2 pm. There is a lobby as well as patio furniture to sit on. We hope to see you there.

Welcome Home Andrew

2010-07-13T17:19:00.003-06:00

24 hours from now Andrew will be HOME!

We have made arrangements that will allow Andrew to fly from SLC to Logan. Andrew will have an instructor pick him up in SLC and then they will fly into Logan. We are so thrilled. We would like to invite all that are able to join us at the Logan Cache Airport on 2500 N 900 W. Right now it looks like it will be late afternoon or even into the evening on Wednesday July 14. I will post again as soon as I know the time. Andrew's Mom will be bringing a banner and it looks as though the Herald Journal will be joining us too. If it works out, our good friend Eric Richard will be coming to help us capture the Homecoming on film. We are lucky to have so many friends and family that supported us throughout this last year, THANK YOU. We hope to see you tomorrow!

He is on his way home!!!!

2010-07-09T11:44:00.003-06:00

Well, it has finally happened, Andrew has left Afghanistan and is on his way home!

Of course he will need to make a few stops along the way. He sent me a text while in Ireland on Thursday at 7:30 am. About 12 hours later I received another text telling me that he had landed in Texas and would contact me asap. Luckily he has been able to use one of the others soldiers phones to keep us updated. I was relieved to hear he was finally out of Afghanistan, but to hear he was on US soil...I don't think that I have smiled that big since Andrew was here on leave. I am not sure how long he will have to stay in Texas, but once he finishes up there he will head to Arizona, which is where his unit is located, then he will fly home to Utah!

We want to thank everyone who has helped us over the last year. Thank you for all of the kind words and prayers. We have been so blessed over this last year, and our friends and family helped make that possible. I would like to thank the men and women Andrew has been serving with, THANK YOU! Like last deployment Andrew's entire unit will be returning home to their families. Congratulations to the 348th TC!

OH HOW HE'S GROWN!

2010-06-01T11:52:00.014-06:00

Oh how Johnny has grown. I am constantly amazed by the changes babies go through. I am glad that we slow down after a set point. Here are pictures of our Johnathan, starting in March 2009...

This is Johnathan the day we brought him home. So precious and oh so tiny.
This is Johnathan exactly a year later. March 2010, what a great month for our family, Dad was home on leave and Johnny turned ONE!

Here is our little one just after his baby blessing in April 2009, on his one month birthday. It is hard for me to believe that that little boy is now the crazy, loud, energizer bunny I have today.

This is more like it. Here is Johnny a year later in April 2010. Running to get the camera from Mom. I absolutely love his hair.

Back to precious and tiny. Here is Johnny in May of 2009, taking one of two 2 hour naps.

Here is Johnny in May of 2010 getting ready to feed Ralphie just like Dad taught him. He is still taking two 2 hour naps a day, but the in between is drastically different. (I wish they made one piece PJs for every age.)

On to June of 2009, this is Johnny enjoying his favorite pillow. He had just dropped Dad's cellphone, a toy which he continues to be fascinated by. His arms look rather short in this picture. At this point is his life his awake time was spent being moved moved by others.

And yet a year later in June 2010 here he is in the flower bed of the front yard digging in the dirt and making a mess of one kind or another. He still has great hair, don't you think?

As far as an update for our family:

ANDREW is in Afghanistan, working hard and is very busy. He just received a promotion, which is well earned and a long time coming. He should finish up his 400 day deployment by mid-August. Which means the 4th of July Helpingstine BBQ Blowout will be held after he returns.

ELISHA is busy with Johnny, taking care of home and yard, Young Women's, and everything else that comes with being the only parent in the home. But I am loving every minute I have with Johnny. I anxiously await any kind of communication with Andrew.

JOHNATHAN is busy being a boy. He loves anything with wheels or wings. He love watching home movies and always claps when he sees himself on the TV. He loves going outside, whether it is our yard or on the playground with his cousin Lance. He gets excited any time family is over. He is able to end every day by watching his Dad read him Pajama Time. He loves seeing his Father's pictures.

That is what is happening with the Helpingstine's we will keep you posted on Andrew's return as well as the BBQ.

Our weekend and my reflection of our situation

2010-05-05T22:56:00.004-06:00

So this past weekend I was able to attend a Yellow Ribbon Event. For those of you who may not know what this event is it is an event that the Army invites deploying soldiers and their families to attend. It is basically a day of workshops. The workshops range from legal issues to PT SD to financial information to counseling and on and on. The Army provides meals and lodging (if you live a certain distance from where the event is being held) and a wonderful manual with all of the PowerPoint from each workshop. So I left my son with family and headed to these workshops. I attended Phase 4, which is for family members who have a soldier returning within 90 days. YEAH!!! I was in a room with some very happy, very anxious families. I felt that the time was well spent, even though it meant I was away from Johnny for the longest amount of time yet. Most of the workshops were repetitive but had good information. As I sat in the room with Mothers, Fathers, Wives, Husbands, Children, Grandparents, etc. I felt a little less...alone. I don't normally think of myself as alone I have Johnny who keeps me smiling and busy. But I don't really know anyone that is in a similar boat or in the same waters as Johnny and I are in. Sometimes I think it would be better to be around families like us, but then again I would not want to change how we got were we are now, which is in a very good place. (Besides, I have never been a big fan of regret or of wishing my life were different.) You see most of the families that offered up comments during the workshops seemed to be unhappy about their situation. Though this situation is not ideal, I do know that Andrew's sacrifice has made us a stronger family. I know that Andrew's sacrifice has made him a better man, which makes him a better husband and father. I know that there are those of you out there who may not believe me when I talk positively about our situation, but I really do believe that this last year of separation will keep us going stronger than we would have been without it. As I reflected during one of the breaks on Saturday the thought came to me that my marriage is strong, my family is solid, and our commitment to the gospel will not be shaken. I have never really doubted any of these things but because of Andrew's deployment, because of his sacrifice we will not be a part of the large number of failed military marriages. That will not be our story. Because we chose to communicate with each other, to trust each other, to love each other no matter how far apart we were. I know that our son will be a better man because Andrew chose to serve his country. I thank God for keeping Andrew and his Unit safe and successful. We are thrilled that Andrew will be coming home soon.

Good Times

2010-04-05T17:21:00.007-06:00

Now that Andrew has come and gone I have the time to update our blog....We had a wonderful time with Andrew. He was able to come home 12 hours earlier than we had originally thought. He call around 7:30 in the morning on the 11th saying he was in Texas and was trying to get an earlier flight. I was planning on picking him up from the airport at 4:00 that evening. So I scrambled to get everything ready. He call a 1/2 hour later saying he was boarding the plane and would be landing in 2 hours!! Wow, I had so much to do, the house was a mess, Johnny was not even awake yet, and the diaper bag was not ready. Well the diaper bag was ready the night before but I was looking at a whole different time frame now and it required a whole different set of item. Anyway, I woke Johnny carefully, fed him and we headed to the airport, 40 minutes after Andrew had called. I knew that with the time it took to reach the airport we would most likely not be able to meet Andrew at the gate, something we all had been looking forward to for some time. But everything worked out perfectly, we arrived at the airport with 10 minutes to spare, not enough time to get through to the gate but before he reached baggage claim. I had just enough time to feed Johnny a croissant and a granola bar with his morning juice. Words cannot explain the rush that came over me as I saw Andrew, in full uniform, come through the walkway. We hugged tightly and Andrew marveled at how big Johnathan had grown. I took Johnny from his stroller and passed him to his dad from the first time in EIGHT months! Johnny was fascinated by this man holding him. It was wonderful. To be together as a family again, there are no words...We then headed to Andrew's mom's work to surprise her. SHE WAS SURPRISED. We all went to brunch, then the 3 of us headed for home.

Johnny slept most of the way home so he was able to play with Dad for a bit, that is what they are doing in the picture above. Johnny took to Dad very quickly. We had a very calm, low key rest of the day. We were grateful for it, the next day was Johnathan's First Birthday and we knew things would be slightly crazy. Here's Johnny, how he loves being the center of attention. We had a great party, most of our family member were there as well as a couple of friends, who are really more like family to us and to Johnny. As the party ended some stayed to visit, but by the time Johnathan was beginning to get sleepy it was just the three of us and Dad helped out with the bedtime Good Nights.

As a gift from his birthday we bought him this little man suit, but the arms were too short and the leg were too long, go figure. Poor kid has my legs and Andrew's gorilla arms. Not to worry, Johnny looked just like his Dad with rolled up sleeves.
Dad had some serious jet lag, so he took nap when Johnny took naps. One afternoon we came in and found this...(above)Andrew had fun showing Johnny all the things that only Dad know how to teach. I am confident that this shaving lesson will come in handy....As will the lesson of hard work. Andrew had a hard time with down time, so he set to work improving the house, cars and the yard. Johnathan and I are so lucky to have such a wonderful Dad.We were able to visit and hang out with so many of our friend and family. As Andrew said in the previous post we would of like for it to be more but there will be more time when he returns this summer.

As with most things, out time came to an end on the 27th. We stayed at an airport hotel so that we could get Andrew to his 8am flight on time without waking up before the crack of dawn. We we were able to go through the gate with Andrew and spend the last hour just the 3 of us. It was great. Once again I have no words to describe the feelings I felt as I watched, with Johnny in my arms, Andrew walk through the door...We love him!! As we arrived home, after was was the craziest journey to Logan I have ever had, I worried that Johnny would look for his father and be sad. Instead, as always, he was full of life and happiness. If it were not for our beautiful little boy I would probably still be in bed feeling sorry for myself. I know that Johnathan remembers Andrew and will continue to hold on to those memories. The little things that Andrew showed him how to do Johnathan still does and expects to do every day, such as how to feed Ralphie. Johnathan walks to the sliding door every morning and night wanting to feed the dog just like Dad taught him. AMAZING.

Back in Crapville

2010-04-03T20:47:00.004-06:00

Its true I am back in Afgan. Leave was fantastic I had a great time. I was able to spend sometime with my fabulous wife and awesome boy and that is all that really matters to me. Don't get me wrong it was great to see the family and friends that I did, and sad that I did not get to see all that I would have liked to, but the good news is that I am getting closer to being home for good. Hopefully by July or August we will be BBQing and having a good time at my house.
It has gotten a lot hotter here since I have been home, the dust is dusty and the wind is windy. One of the seasons for Afgan is the windy season that is 120 days of wind and we must be in it now. There is a small breeze in the morning and then by the afternoon it is windy to the point that I don't want to go outside.
Not too much to say about this place but that I can't wait to come home for good.

HE'S BACK...

2010-03-08T22:49:00.002-07:00

Correction, he is coming back. By the time this posts Andrew will most likely be flying through Europe. From there he will bounce to the East Coast then on to Texas. When he lands in Texas we will be notifies of his flight to Salt Lake City. If all goes well Andrew will be home on Johnny's birthday, the 12th. We are so very excited. We are planning on celebtating Johnny's Birthday with family on Saturday. We were worried Andrew would be home on the 12 and it would interfere with the party so pushing it back a day seemed to be the best choice. Andrew is looking forward to some down time and being with his little boy.

Our Little Mover

2010-02-10T17:56:00.004-07:00

Our little boy is WALKING! He started taking steps about a month ago and is now walking on his own everywhere he can. He has also said his first word, DAD! Which means that when Andrew gets home Johnny will not only be able to walk into his arms but will also be able to call him by name. That is a really good feeling. Speaking of Andrew's return, he is set to come home on leave in a few weeks. He should be here for Johnathan's first birthday. He only gets two weeks with us but we will take all the time we can get. On to other great new, as of February 3 Andrew's deployment was half over. A few more months and he will be home with Johnny and I. That is a very good feeling too. I hope to blog more often so I will end for now....