Christmas Tree 2012

We got our Christmas tree! It was such a beautiful day on Sunday that we had to get it. Plus, we are leaving on the 25th for Palm Spring (can't wait!) so we wanted to get it sooner than later this year. Ryder had a blast. 

 COUSINS :)

Mommy & Ryder

We found our tree.. My little family!

Grandpa Byron cutting down our tree.

The whole Johnson family---2012

14 Months Old

wow. 14 months old already? Where did the time go? Ryder is our BIG 25 pound little boy. There is nothing baby about him. He feeds himself, refuses to be soon fed. Loves to be outside & loves his dog Bruce. Ryder love his papa, Austin! He is such a happy boy and we are so blessed to have him in our lives. 

Here are some fun facts about our little man:

*Favorite foods (everyone asks, and YES we do all of Ryder's food Organic and NO typically it doesn't cost us more!):

-Mommy's homemade organic mac & cheese

-Fruit LOVES apples, pears, watermelon, cantaloupe, grapes, blueberries, raspberries...

-Organic rice cakes

-Organic yogurt

-OrganicTofu

-Organic Whole wheat bread with organic cream cheese & organic fruit spread sandwich!

-Organic Blueberry pancakes.

-Waffles

-Green beans

-Broccoli

-SWEET POTATOES 

-Butternut Squash 

-Organic mum mums

-Bananas 

-He loves WATER, he is constantly asking for water!

*Words he can say:

-Mom

-Papa

-Dad

-Water

-Ball

-"All right"

-WOW

-woof woof

-Hi

-bye bye

-"Ryder Ryder"

-Bath

*Signs he can sign

-Please

-All done

-more

-eat

-milk

-Thank you

-up

-Help

Ryder has the four front top teeth, the four front bottom teeth, top two molars, bottom left molar and the bottom right molar is coming just isn't through yet!! 

Pumpkin Patch 2012-- HEISERS FARM (photo explosion)

October 6th and 75 degree!? Are you serious? I am NOT complaining, I am loving this "fall" weather. I love the sunshine and I love that we got to go to the Pumpkin Patch today in this beautiful weather. After running errands all day we made it out to good ole Hesier's Farm about 15 minutes from our house. We took Ryder there the day after we got home from our hospital stay at Doernbecher last year. It was crazy how much he has changed since last year. He was a little tired and kinda overwhelmed but we all enjoyed ourselves. It was just what we needed, some good ole family time! 

Ryder loves airplanes & helicopters and they were doing Helicopter rides at the farm so every time one would fly above us he would point up to the sky... it was super cute. 

Ryder wasn't to sure about the pumpkin! He thought it was a ball!

Ry & his pumpkin!

This little man LOVES his papa. 

me & my little man.. can't believe I wore SHORTS to the pumpkin patch!

Big 25 pounder right there!

He found his pumpkin!

Ryder and Austin!

He finally chose a pumpkin ;)

Organization!

I am totally a type A person who needs a schedule & organization. My husband would beg to differ that when it comes to my car it's full of stuff! Which isn't necessarily bad in my eyes, I always have everything I or someone else may need and it is an organized "mess!" 

My house on the other hand is the opposite. I hate clutter, knickknacks & too much stuff around. When people ask us to do garage sales with them we laugh inside because we don't keep stuff long enough to sell it, if we don't want it we throw it away for give it away, or sell it if its worth anything. My mom use to say growing up that "everything has a home and it belongs in it's home!" Well that was a good thing to instill in me but also makes me go crazy at times... For Example, a few weeks ago Austin was working an early morning shift, he needed to be up on the Santiam Pass by 5am. Neither of us are coffee drinkers but he needed the caffeine to make it through the day so he pulled out our coffee maker and kept it on the counter. I was going NUTS. Having it's new "home" be on the counter was not happening. I don't like "stuff" on the counters, I have a hard time with my fruit basket being on the counter (it is currently residing on my shelf of a pantry) But anyways, moving on.. 

We keep a lot of Ryder's toys in our back family room, every day we 

organize" and clean them up but there were driving me nuts. They were all pushed into a corner and thrown into a basket. This was NOT organized for me! We we made a trip to Ikea on Wednesday and got ORGANIZED!! I am loving that everything has a HOME!!! ;) 

Here is a picture: 

You'd be surprised how many toys are in each of those baskets. Being able to see some of the toys is taking some getting use to (haha) but Ryder needs to be able to see his toys! Loving the new shelves and total cost was only under $100! 

Is anyone else OCD like me when it comes to organization!? Any weird quirks like my "nothing on the kitchen counters" theory? Or am I just crazy!? 

Warrior Dash 2012

What can I saw about this AMAZING event. It was a BLAST and I cannot wait until next year to run! The Warrior Dash is a 5k obstacle course that leaves you covered head to toe in mud.

Last year my mom & aunts ran it but me being 6 weeks post-delivering-Ryder I wasn't up for it... but don't think I didn't really consider it! They had such a great time that we all signed up for it for the 2012 race. 

Austin and I had planned a date night out with our good friends the Milton's to go to the Oregon Brews & BBQs. Of course it had to be the day before the Warrior Dash, but I couldn't give up my date night out ;) We had a great time out, but I drank a little too much and wasn't feeling so hot the day of the race.. BUT I shook it off and ran the obstacle course in under 55:00 minutes! Go US ha, we were in no way doing it for time, we ran, didn't leave anyone behind & finished all together. It was so awesome to be able to run with my mom (who is in better shape than me! ;)) and my two aunts. I am so blessed to have such an active family and it keeps me motivated, I hope that when im in my 40's im still doing running events. My aunts had shirt made that said "Cougar'z!" and since Im only 23 mine said "Cub!" haha 

 Warrior hats :)

 MUD HILL

 Austin said he still thought I looked hot covered head to toe in mud! Thanks babe!

 Where we took a "bath" the water was warmer than it was outside.

Our next race is the "Race the Reaper" out at Flying M Ranch in Yamhill. This race is an 8k and more intense, the obstacles are harder and obviously the run is longer... i'm a little nervous, I am NOT a fan of heights and there are a lot of walls. I am super excited though because Austin is running it with us, he is excited and I know he will do awesome & will kick my butt! But we will see!  

A few weekends ago we went up to Government camp for a mini vacation! My mom took us and we had a blast. We went up to Timberline Lodge, Trillum lake, Ski Bowl & spent a lot of time in the pool. The weather was AWESOME & we all had a great time. It was nice spending time with my brother & mom too!

Ryder & his uncle Jakey!

Up @ Timberline Lodge! Where we were married, it looked SO much different without everything being covered in snow. 

 Our escape artist! He is on the move....

Trillum lake, so many good memories here as a kid. Doesn't this pathway just make you wanna go for a run!?

Picnic lunch by the lake. Ryder was loving being outside. 

BEAUTIFUL!

My little family, all we were missing was Mr. B

We celebrated my 23rd (yippie) birthday while we were gone!!

mom & jakob