Spring Break

Spring Break Started out with Trey going to Cub Scout Day camp.  He didn't love it... I was a little surprised because the boys usually love it.  It improved greatly since they started having it during Spring Break rather than the HOT HOT summer.  I think the problem is his nemesis, Rocky.  As usual Rocky harassed him, I told the leaders to keep them away from each other turns out they rode in the same car, someone made them buddies.  I finally showed up to volunteer the afternoon of the second day.  I absolutely kept them apart and Trey started to have fun, by then he already decided he didn't want to go the last day, so he didn't go.  I don't really blame him.

Dax and Derek were supposed to go to Youth Conference in Tucson.  Derek got sick again.  So he stayed home.  Dax went and performed baptisms in the Tucson temple, and they learned about family history.  I heard really nice reports on Dax from President Johanson, and Hillary Jiminez.  I think he had an enjoyable trip.

Ashley Hernandez, Bella Lines, Analeana Knauer, Jenna Bailey, Garrett & Lauren Kubricky, Dax Johnson

Dax came home Saturday 3/17 in the afternoon, I left for Flagstaff that morning.  Before we left we had a little St. Patty's fun.

I bought the Lucky Charms, Curtis colored the milk green.  Even picky Trey enjoyed the green milk.

I headed up to Flagstaff to help my dad, he is getting really bad with Dementia.  His cars were in the shop and it was blowing his mind. We are going to have to do something drastic soon.

I woke up Sunday morning to this

Spring in Flagstaff.  Meanwhile....

back in Chandler 2.5 hours way.  Beautiful Spring weather.  Trey and Oreo at the neighborhood Lake

I didn't come home to Chandler until Sunday afternoon.  That day he was ordained a High Priest.  A few weeks ago someone contacted him and said the Stake President wanted to meet with Curtis and me.  I kind of thought he may be asked to serve as a High Counselor.  He had already been working in the Stake Sunday school. I couldn't think of another reason why the Stake President would need to meet with both of us.  My hunch was correct.  Curtis was very surprised and humbled.  He is excited for the calling.

I missed the ordination, but grateful his cousin, Josh could perform the ordinance for him.    Here is a post from Curtis' FB page.

Josh Manwaring, Curtis Johnson

Grateful for not just the strong leaders in my life, but also the true disciples of Christ who inspire me.

Always looked up to my older (and better looking) cousin Josh ... he was one of those who inspired me to serve a 2 year mission that really changed my life.

Honored today to have him help ordain me to a position at church, where I'm sure I'll be stretched to learn and grow more personally, and spiritually.

Great to see you today cuz. Family is forever.


While I was in Flagstaff, the plan was for me to bring back Zane and Seth Lund (my brother Steve's kids) to spend their spring break with us.  I just thought it would be fun to do something different, have fun with cousins and just have new experiences.

I think all five boys had fun together. 

Hiked up to Hole in the rock near ASU (a very easy hike)

Trey at the hole

Seth, Trey, Derek and Zane spending some time in the hot tub/pool

Service work at Feed my Starving Children.  Love the cool hairnets

Derek and Seth on the hike again.






Our friends, Eric Engle and Shadow Asgari, invited us over for Persian New Year.  Shadow's family is from Iran, and the New Year celebration actually starts with the Spring Equinox. It is one of their main holidays I have heard Shadow talk about this for years.  This year she decided to share the event with friends.  It was a really fun cultural experience.  Shadow did a great job teaching us her customs and feeding us really good food.  Shadow is really good and feeding people really good food in large quantities.
The celebration lasts for 9 days, we jumped over a fire and wished ourselves good wishes in Farsi (their language)

Shadow's table with all her customs including a bowl

Yummy Persian food.  It reminded me a lot of Mediterranean food.  Shadow says they stole it from Persia.
Yogurt Soda, Scott Andersen's face says it all.  Yogurt mixed with soda. Shadow won't even drink it, although Eric does. Eric said he started to drink it to impress his Father in Law.


Overall we had a great spring break.  It started a little rough with Trey at day camp, but it got better from there.

Part II- Christmas/Computer

Most of Curtis' family came to Chandler for Christmas.  His mom and his sister Audrey stayed with us for a few days.  The family is mainly Born again Christian, they invited us to go to their Christmas Service.  It ended up being on Derek's actual Birthday.  I felt bad about that, but he was a good sport.  I told the kids if they went to this then they wouldn't have to go to our church service on Christmas.  That ended up not being true, but I had good intentions. I forgot that Derek was supposed to be ordained that day, so we showed up. It was Sacrament only that day.   Once again they were good sports.
The Christian Christmas service was nice, very different.  A very loud band (I'm glad we took ear plugs) a nice message and some rockin' Christmas hymns.  I thought it was a good experience for our kids and we don't spend much time with extended family so it was good.

After the Christmas service, we drove through this neighborhood that has a street of houses with amazing Christmas lights synced up to music.  I have seen a house or two like this on YouTube, but this was an entire street of houses.  I don't know who was the electrical engineer nerds that figured it out and coordinated it, but it was spectacular.  There were a few people not too excited to go on this adventure, but once we arrived everyone was amazed.

Curtis' mom, Shauna, and his sister Audrey came out from California. Shauna's longtime partner, Yosef, passed away in October.  Audrey has had a rough year as well.  Coming to Arizona was a nice change for them.  They shared their time between our house and their sister, Alisa's house.  We had them for Christmas Eve and Christmas.  It was fun to have something (someone) new on Christmas day.

Curtis Family at Rock Point Church.  Somehow we missed the picture.

Christmas Eve opening matching Star Wars Pajamas for the boys.

Our boys with Grandma Shauna.  Getting ready to tear through the paper, a tradition started by Shauna's Mom.

Herman popped by to see Curtis, Audrey and Shauna

Christmas Morning, the fun is about to begin.

Lovely Ladies in the bath robes and Christmas Stockings.

A few months back Dax came to us and said he would like to buy Derek a really nice gaming computer for Christmas, and asked if we would go half with him.  Although he was willing to put in as much necessary to get him a decent set up.  It is a fairly large gift considering what we were giving the other kids, but it is also Derek's Birthday and we knew he would be finishing his Eagle Award about Christmas time.  We agreed.  Dax searched it out and ordered it way in advance.  He was very excited to do this for Derek.  Dax is a giver.  The box sat in Dax's room for a few weeks before Christmas.  Christmas finally came, it was one of the last gifts opened.

This picture makes me laugh, Dax looks like he is about to mug smiling Derek...

Actually, he went for the hug.

Derek's birthday gifts were a bit sparse, but we had to hold off on the computer.  He opened up the big box, saw a computer mouse, possibly the keyboard.  Not sure how far he got when Trey announced: "It's a computer"  that stole a bit of the thunder.  Derek was still very pleased.

It was a great day and we enjoyed having Shauna and Audrey.

Eagle, Teacher and a computer

December was an exciting month for Derek.  He submitted his Eagle project paperwork, had his Board of Review on the 14th and he passed.  Such an accomplishment and happy to have that done.

Derek loves the Star Wars Movies, for the past 3 years a new one came out right before Christmas.  Curtis usually takes the boys for Derek birthday.  This year Curtis told the boys he needed them to go with him to go help someone move a piano.  The boys reluctantly went, but Curtis had also pulled this move before. Telling them they had to go help someone "move" but they end up at a "movie"  As they were very close to the theatre Curtis said "Those are the Death Star apartments we need to be at"  He took them to the Alamo Theatre where they bring you a full meal as you watch the movie.  They all had a great time, but they are not falling for the let's go help someone move anymore.

Derek was actually very sick the week leading up to his birthday.  He had the flu and missed the last week of the semester at school. Finals and all, he was miserable. The Dr. told him just stay out for the week, I'll write you a note. Most of Curtis' family were coming for Christmas.  There are several Christmas birthdays on Curtis side of the family so Aunt Alisa Zoccoli planned a mini Bday party at her house.  Derek was finally feeling well enough to leave the house, but not well enough to stay for very long.  It was nice, we celebrated Birthdays for Derek (12/23), Grandma Shauna (12/24), and Raquel Suarez (12/24), Alyssa Suarez (12/20) couldn't make it. The birthday people all had some of their favorite dessert (Derek chose pumpkin pie) They played a fun game where they had a big box wrapped extremely well and tight.  Lots of wrapping paper and layers of tape.  It was difficult to unwrap but they eventually removed all the layers until the large box was eventually the size of the gift card, that it was, one of the Suarez twins won it, but the twins were in cahoots with each other to win it.  I made Derek the Han Solo Birthday cake.  He also got the mega big 1000+ page book (Oathbringer) from the series he was reading, move tickets to go see a movie with his Bro's.  I made him a sheath for his sword.  Now that he is 14 they presented him and ordained him to be a Teacher on Christmas Eve.


To Be continued......

Disneyland-2

We love Disneyland.  It is pretty spectacular as Christmastime with all the lights and decorations.  We really wanted to go one more time as a family, since Dax will be graduating and moving on to other adventures soon.  We try to be strategic about Disney.  We want to enjoy it without the crowds and lines, which means we usually have to miss school.  Fall break is usually a great time to go, but we couldn't fit it in this year.  The best we could come up with was to take the kids out of school for a few days.  There was a slight problem.  Derek has been very sick this year with sinus infections and other obnoxious ailments.  By the beginning of December Derek had already missed about 12 days.  The school district doesn't like kids to miss more than 10 days the entire year.  We were beyond maxed.  Derek himself said, "I don't want to go, I have already missed school, and I get behind and my grades suffer.  I don't want to miss more school, and then I get in trouble when my grades are bad."  I was proud of him for being so responsible, I didn't like the idea of him missing even more school unnecessary.  I had plenty to do to get ready for Christmas, I was already planning to go to Utah the following week. so I was ok hanging with Derek.

Curtis, Dax, and Trey took the minivan and headed to Disneyland.  Derek and I had a great time at home together.  My favorite Derek moment was when he went out for a bike ride.  He came while I was out running errands. I received a text that he was home and he had gotten us a treat"it's a surprise".  When I came home that kid went to Fry's (grocery store) bought 2  pumpkin pies and a box of Ding Dongs.  I thought it was very thoughtful, but also a lot of treat for just us two.  We had a good time eating that for a few days.

Disneyland was great as usual.  During the ride "Star Tours" Trey was picked as the "Rebel Spy"  meaning they picked someone out of the crowd and flashed a picture of them on the screen and called them the Rebel Spy.  Trey loved that.  Of course when the ride ends they dump you off in the gift shop.  Trey convinced Curtis to buy him the T-shirt that says "I'm the Rebel Spy"  genius on the part of Disney.  Over the past few months, Disney shut down the Tower of Terror and converted it to Guardian of the Galaxy ride.  It just opened back up again. Trey loved it, Guardian of the Galaxy was his favorite ride.  Everyone agreed Tower of Terror was good, Guardian of the Galaxy was great.
As always, it was a magical time.  I just wish Disney would quit raising their prices.  I'm glad I stayed home with Derek, it was a nice one on one time with him, and he got sick the following week and missed even more school.

Another year wiser

Happy Birthday, Trey.  That sweet boy is a nine-year-old.  He seemed to be interested in Dr. Who lately.  I saw these Dr. Who silicone molds on Amazon.  I thought it would make a cute cake.  Trey liked it, I don't know that he loved it.   I put a candy Tartus on the cake and made it look like it broke through (time traveled)  I thought it turned out pretty cute.  Especially since I have zero knowledge on Dr. Who.

Trey got  the Skylanders video game and  "easy button for his birthday.
His favorite teacher, Mrs. Snow has one and uses it during math class.  It is hilarious.  He was happy to get it and it says "that was easy" in several different languages as well as English.

Two days later we did it again for my birthday.  Although very uneventful this year.  We were busy with kids and life.  I had a cub meeting with Trey.  I loved being him.

Halloween 2017

Another Halloween.  A few months back Trey wanted to make some armor out of a cardbord box.  He worked on it pretty deligently for a few days after school.  Piece by piece he came up with the entire set.  Then he decided he wanted to wear it for Halloween.  I thought it was a great idea and the easiest costume for me.  Derek and Trey have gotten in this sparring swords.  They were both saving up their money to each buy one.  We decided since both of their birthdays are coming up, we bought them for them to use for Halloween.    

Trey in his armor with his sword.

+

Derek dressed as Waldo.  This is a classic, it went over well.                                                         

Derek as Waldo

Dax is dressed as Ginosaji, based on some YouTube video where some guy uses a spoon as a murder weapon.

The Horribly Slow Murderer with the Extremely Inefficient Weapon.  

We, the uncool parents, had never heard anything about this, and didn't know if anyone would know what Dax was dressed as.  We were wrong.

Dax with his weapon of choice...the spoon.

Eagle Scout Project

Derek has worked hard, earned his required 21 merit badges + a few extra, gone on 20 + nights of camp outs and now for the Eagle Scout Project.  He been thinking about this project for several months but we just couldn't find the right project.  We didn't want to do a landscaping/tree planting activity for a few reasons.  The main being every other boy in his troop has done that type of activity this year.  Curtis' back really can't handle a back breaking labor insentive activity like that.  We don't have trucks and equipment to orchestrate this activity.  We would have to rely on a lot of other people for trucks etc. Derek wanted to do an activity that did something to really benefit someone in need rather than just beautify the area.

He looked through the "Just Serve" website and found The Aris Foundation, which worked with homeless people and was requesting socks for the homeless.  This was a project that really struck home with Derek.  Last Christmas we made homeless kits where we had water, toothbrush/toothpaste, hand sanitizer, blankets and a few snacks.  For a few nights we drove around looking for homeless people to help.  It took us a while to find any, but when we did they all asked if we had any socks.  We soon realized socks were very much needed by the homeless. A few months later we read an article that said socks were the most requested item, but the least donated to homeless shelters.  This seemed to be the perfect project for Derek.  Especially since socks are such a coveted/prized item by Curtis.  He is constantly buying new socks, and is always excited to get new ones.

Derek got everything approved and he set a goal to collect 1000 pairs of socks.  When he first met with Catherine from the Aris Foundation and he told her his goal, she was impressed, but said she would be thrilled with 50 socks.  Derek set up collection boxes at Bogle Jr High (they even set it up as a contest between teams to encourage participation). Revelation Real Estate, and the church.  He made short videos, posters, flyers, and announcements. He even wrote to stores like Sam's Club and Target to ask for donations. Then he waited, and waited for about a month. Slowly the socks started coming in. 

When it was all over Derek had collected 1051 pairs of socks (130 pairs were donted by Curtis alone)

Delivery Day:
Last week Derek contacted Catherine from the Aris foundation and set up a delivery time, he told her the collection was over and he wanted to deliver them, he didn't tell her how many he collected.

Catherine opening up a box of socks.

This is Catherine, being overjoyed to hear that Derek collected over 1000 pairs of socks.  She was so excited, everytime one of her kids walked in the room, she told them.  The best way I can describe Catherine's excitiment is you would have thought she won the lottery getting all these socks delivered.  She kept saying "over 1000 socks"  originally when we met with her she said she would be thrilled wiht 50 and she meant it. Catherine was so happy and so genuinely gracious to receive these socks to be able to pass them out to her homeless friends.

She sent us pictures a few days later of Derek's socks helping the homeless.  It felt so good to make a difference.