Welcome Home Brock!

Hip, hip hooray! Brock came home today! It was so much fun to see him again. He came to us via American Airlines and landed at 1:11 pm. Thanks to customs and his suitcases being lost we anxiously waited until almost 2:00 pm before we saw him! What a wonderful reunion!

Of course a trip to LA would not be complete without a trip to Tito's Tacos. We celebrated Brock's homecoming by going for lunch. Everyone wanted to sit close to him. He rotated cars so everyone could talk to him. After lunch we went to Gordon & Maryann's house where Grandma Jex is staying. It was a treat to see Chris & Marilyn there as well. Grandma was very emotional when she saw hug. It was special!

We were able to hear Brock share his testimony with us before he left to be released from President Blickenstaff. He brought all of the nieces & nephews their very own missionary badges (the real McCoy!) and encouraged them to be missionaries. He brought the girls small pictures from El Salvador. McKay presented him with golf clubs -- the new past time of all of the boys. The nieces and nephews sang his favorite Primary song (thanks to Corrine for help) to him - "I Belong to the Church of Jesus Christ". It is so much fun to have him back! I am so proud of him!

Elder & Sister Johnston

Today Corrine, dad and mom drove out to Yucaipa. Uncle Rich & Aunt Debbie gave their mission report in their ward. They served 18 months in the Salt Lake Temple Square Mission. We are so proud of them! They are the first of my dad's siblings/cousins to serve a mission!


Michelle and her kids drove out and met us there. Paige and her family and Brooke and her family were there. Paige & Clint hosted a luncheon after Church. It was a lot of fun to visit and see the next generation of kids interacting and playing together.

Friday night fun with the Bird Family

Michelle and her kids came to town today. She brought the 'magnet calendars' to the post office. This is her yearly journey for our business advertising. Thanks Michelle!

She also brought her carpet cleaner and spent the evening cleaning all of the carpets upstairs at mom's house in preparation for Brock's arrival home. Mom and dad have new tile going in their kitchen, bathroom and laundry room and so they have been living in a little bit of a mess. Corrine had the kids come to our house so their mother could work. Ty & Lori watched Goonies and Bryn played with toys. They had dinner at our house as well. I came home from the office late but got to enjoy them for a little bit. Bryn had so much fun playing on the exercise ball with Corrine.

When Michelle came over she had the kids put their pajamas on so they would fall asleep in the car. I put Lori's princess pj's on my legs and asked her I could keep them. She thought I was very silly and so we took a picture. It was a fun evening!

"Our Town" Performance

Tonight Corrine and I went to see Courtney Troxel in ACHS's performance of Our Town. She had the lead role - Emily Webb. She is one of Corrine's former Mia Maids. She did a great job! I really liked this picture of her and her mother.

The night we were there we also had a few other members of our ward/stake at her performance. It is wonderful to see all of the support.

I Have Been Tagged - Thanks Kate!

4 Randoms Things About Me:

1. You will rarely see my bed made. This isn't so much that I don't like it made, it is more a sign of my laziness in the morning! I actually really like the look of it made with the pillows on it, etc. However, my sleep is so important I usually don't factor in 'bed making time' each morning. Sorry mom! You did do your job and teach me, I just did not learn well!

2. I have a scar on my chin from cutting it open and getting stitches. I have actually done it a couple of times. One of those times happened in Santa Monica. I was really young. We were all celebrating Grandma Jex's birthday at her house. We were playing kickball (or something like that) with all of the cousins. I went after the ball and when I landed my cousin Bill grabbed it from me right before I landed on the cement. My chin hit the ground and it didn't fair too well. Bill felt so bad. He wouldn't leave that night until he knew I was okay. It was one of many bumps and bruises I have received! Yes, Bill, I have survived! He probably doesn't even remember it!

3. I have FM & AM radio, a 6-CD changer in my dashboard and XM radio and recently I found out I have a plug in my car for my IPOD but I rarely have my radio on anything but 'talk' or 'sports talk' radio. This absolutely drives my sister Kate nuts! I don't know, I would rather hear what is going on. In fact, I went to use my IPOD gift card and really didn't know what song to get! How pathetic am I?

4. I second guess everything I do and everything I decide to do. It drives Corrine nuts. One of the things I second guess is kind of ridiculous -- my bedroom garbage. I can't throw it out without making sure I didn't throw anything away I really wanted. How sad is that!? No, I haven't ever pulled anything out, but still I do it. Corrine is usually a good sport and comes and empties it for me. This way I don't think about it. This garbage thing doesn't cross over to kitchen garbage or bathroom garbage. It is just my room. Go figure. Also, I have left the office door unlocked once and now I am really uptight about it. I have to check and re-check it. I stand at the front door and shake it a few times. Usually when I walk to my car I am saying the words "you locked the door" so that I don't think otherwise. I have been known to turn around in my car and come back and re-check it. No, I haven't found it unlocked when I have done it, but still. Oh, boy! As Corrine reminds me -- I have ISSUES! :)

4 Movies I Can Watch More Than Once:
1. Pride & Prejudice
2. Sense & Sensibility
3. Two Weeks Notice
4. Sweet Home Alabama

4 TV Shows I Watch:
1. ESPN Sports Center (does that count as a show?)
2. Dancing With the Stars (although this season has been a little anti-climatic)
3. The Biggest Loser - Kate asked me to watch it last season. I enjoyed it. This one is ridiculous and I am ready to be done with it
4. Saved by the Bell (a flashback to days gone by. I have it on in the morning while I am getting ready. Lifetime took "The Nanny" off and so now I have moved to TBS for this show)

4 Places I've Been:
Just four? This is a fun category. I love to travel!
1. Japan (served my mission in Japan Nagoya Mission)
2. Europe (Germany, Austria, Switzerland, Italy)
3. Church History 'trek' (I think I have hit them all - I love going!)
4. Mexico (PV each year with Corrine's timeshare)

4 Favorite Foods:
1. Cheesecake Factory
2. MO's Cafe for their California Salad
3. Outback Steakhouse or better yet, Ruth's Chris Steak House :)
4. Chinese food - mostly I order Beef & Broccoli.

4 Things I'm Looking Forward to in the Next Year:
1. Definitely going to Cancun to celebrate Kate's big 30
2. Going on my first cruise - we are going on one to celebrate Corrine's big 40
3. Using our BBQ next spring. Corrine and I finally have one and so I am looking forward to a lot of BBQ cooking.
4. Baseball season - I know it just ended, but who says I can't look forward to it again? :)

4 People I Tag:
1. Meghan
2. Carol
3. Nancy B
4. Kori B

FHE with the Jexes

Tonight Corrine made us a yummy dinner. It was her version of Mongolian BBQ. It was a keeper. Rachel needed to interview Grandma Jex for a project for her history class so we all drove out to Gordon & Maryann's house. Maryann made us some very yummy peach cobbler (with vanilla ice cream, of course) and Gordon shared some thoughts with us from Elder Bednar's talk from April's conference. While Rachel interviewed grandma the rest of us had a good time visiting. Maryann drove me to the 99 cents store for some toothbrushes for the hygiene kits I was finishing - Camarillo's supplies have disappeared. It was a fun evening! It was wonderful to see grandma again as well. We had a great time visiting with family and Rachel kept us entertained in the car to and from Granada Hills. :)

A Birthday Celebration with Anna

Anna's birthday is on Wednesday. McKay and Rachel are taking their family to Utah for a few days and so we celebrated early. Grandma made her a confetti cake. She also made the dinner she requested - meatloaf and baked potatoes.

Aunt Rachel found Bubble Gum ice cream. As you can imagine. This was a hit with the girls. They each collected their pieces and then put them in their mouth at one time. Oh, wasn't that a pretty picture (I decided to spare you of that one). :)

Aunt Rachel gave Anna the game "Fancy Nancy". It was a huge hit. Of course, Anna opened it up right away and a game of it was played tonight.

Can you just say 'cheese'? I loved this picture Corrine took of Rachel & Mac. See his curls? He is letting his hair grow out as well for Brock. In Church today I watched him as he was wrapping it around his finger. So fun!

Home, Family & Personal Enrichment Meeting

Tonight was our enrichment night. It was really well attended which I was grateful for. I was a little concerned we would not have support since everyone has been so busy. However, we had over 30 people there. We had a potato bar for dinner and everyone seemed to be enjoying the opportunity to relax and visit. Part of the evening was a service project. The DI in Los Angeles asks for help each year. We donate new, unwrapped toys or clothes for children 2-17 and then the bishops in the area are able to go 'shopping' for members of their ward who would otherwise not have something to open on Christmas morning. Our ward has participated in this each year. I really like this service and so I encourage participation. This year we decided to do it a little different.

We asked each sister to bring an item that reminded them of their childhood or teenage years and then to tell us about it. Corrine brought Rummikub and Skipbo because these games remind her of playing with Grandma Jex. I brought a basketball (because I was a BYU ball girl), a small farm set (because I lived on a farm) and when I saw the Rubik's cube I had to bring it too. I have memories of riding the bus from American Fork Junior High and everyone had them. I know they are coming back in now, but they bring back memories.

We had a lot of great gifts to donate and it was so much fun to see what people brought. It was a great way to get to know the sisters in the ward. Even the sisters I thought I knew well I learned from tonight. After we were done with this part we had Harold & Geneva Ferguson speak to us about Eternal Relationships. They have been married for over 60 years. They are converts to the church and they have six children. They joined the church after all of the children were born. They each took turns talking about ways they worked together and learned from each other. They shared their very different backgrounds and explained why they needed each other to balance each other out. I know they really enjoyed sharing and it was good for our sisters to hear. It was a great evening. I know all who came felt uplifted and relaxed.

Have You?

I saw this on my cousin's blog. With all of the 'heavy' postings I have made, I thought I would share this one with you.

Have you done any of these?... Just copy and paste this to your blog and highlight or Bold the ones that you HAVE done.

1. Started your own blog 2. Slept under the stars 3. Played in a band 4. Visited Hawaii 5. Watched a meteor shower 6. Given more than you can afford to charity 7. Been to Disneyland 8. Climbed a mountain 9. Held a praying mantis 10. Sang a solo 11. Bungee jumped 12. Visited Paris 13. Watched a lightning storm at sea 14. Taught yourself an art from scratch 15. Adopted a child 16. Had food poisoning 17. Walked to the top of the Statue of Liberty. 18. Grown your own vegetables 19. Seen the Mona Lisa in France 20. Slept on an overnight train 21. Had a pillow fight 22. Hitch hiked 23. Taken a sick day when you’re not ill 24. Built a snow fort 25. Held a lamb 26. Gone skinny dipping 27. Run a Marathon 28. Ridden in a gondola in Venice 29. Seen a total eclipse 30. Watched a sunrise or sunset 31. Hit a home run . 32. Been on a cruise 33. Seen Niagara Falls in person 34. Visited the birthplace of your ancestors 35. Seen an Amish community 36. Taught yourself a new language 37. Had enough money to be truly satisfied 38. Seen the Leaning Tower of Pisa in person 39. Gone rock climbing 40. Seen Michelangelo’s David 41. Sung karaoke . 42. Seen Old Faithful geyser erupt 43. Bought a stranger a meal at a restaurant 44. Visited Africa 45. Walked on a beach by moonlight 46. Been transported in an ambulance 47. Had your portrait painted 48. Gone deep sea fishing 49. Seen the Sistine Chapel in person 50. Been to the top of the Eiffel Tower in Paris 51. Gone scuba diving or snorkeling 52. Kissed in the rain 53. Played in the mud 54. Gone to a drive-in theater 55. Been in a movie 56. Visited the Great Wall of China 57. Started a business 58. Taken a martial arts class 59. Visited Russia 60. Served at a soup kitchen 61. Sold Girl Scout Cookies 62. Gone whale watching 63. Got flowers for no reason 64. Donated blood, platelets or plasma 65. Gone sky diving 66. Visited a Nazi Concentration Camp 67. Bounced a check 68. Flown in a helicopter 69. Saved a favorite childhood toy 70. Visited the Lincoln Memorial 71. Eaten Caviar 72. Pieced a quilt 73. Stood in Times Square 74. Toured the Everglades 75. Been fired from a job 76. Seen the Changing of the Guards in London 77. Broken a bone 78. Been on a speeding motorcycle 79. Seen the Grand Canyon in person 80. Published a book 81. Visited the Vatican 82. Bought a brand new car 83. Walked in Jerusalem 84. Had your picture in the newspaper 85. Read the entire Bible 86. Visited the White House . 87. Killed and prepared an animal for eating 88. Had chickenpox 89. Saved someone’s life 90. Sat on a jury 91. Met someone famous 92. Joined a book club 93. Lost a loved one 94. Had a baby 95. Seen the Alamo in person 96. Swam in the Great Salt Lake 97. Been involved in a law suit 98. Owned a cell phone 99. Been stung by a bee

Is there a light at the end of the tunnel?

This morning I opened our garage to find a message for Corrine and I. Many of you know we have received a few "not so nice" items on our porch. This morning this is what I found. I was so grateful to be on my way to Church where I could feel the spirit! When our HT came this afternoon it was there and an hour later when they left it had been removed -- looks like it was taken for better viewing purposes on Flynn Road. Interesting how none of the other neighbors with "Yes" signs had one placed in front of their house. I am glad to live in a country where we have freedom speech. Obviously someone wanted us to know how they felt.

Today has been a wonderful day! The spirit has been so strong. Corrine and I started our fast together last night and we ended it together tonight. Our sacrament meeting was so filled with the spirit. So many wonderful testimonies were born of the Book of Mormon and of families. Not one word about the election came up! The closing prayer was offered by our bishop. I have never experienced the power in a prayer in sacrament meeting like I did today. It was the most humble prayer, pleading to the Lord and for blessings on our behalf. What a blessing to have the priesthood restored to the earth! We are so blessed!

This afternoon we had a wonderful lasagna dinner with dad because of a sweet sister in our ward who served. Saucha called the office on Thursday and told me she had made a lasagna and was bringing it by the office for Corrine and I so we would have a home-cooked meal to pull out when we needed. She recognized how busy we both were and wanted to help! I was so taken back by it I didn't even know how to respond! Wow! Today we had a wonderful break-the-fast because of her! Thanks Saucha!

Needless to say, I am looking forward to November 5th!

Singing in the rain?

This morning I was surprised to hear the wind howling and the rain coming down so hard. It woke me up about 5:15 am. I had my windows open just a bit and the blinds were slamming on the windows. I thought for sure it would let up because today was a very important day. I just knew that the four hours I was asked to serve today would be done in the sun -- after all the weather wasn't suppose to change until tonight. Well, I was wrong.

When I got up about 8:00 I knew that today was going to be an experience -- I just wasn't sure what kind of one it was to be. I sent Corrine a text message (she was already over at "headquarters"). My message was "are you kidding me?" Her response was CLASSIC -- "we are having our own pioneer experience".

I arrived around 9:00 to be given my assignment. We were asked to put door hangers on people's doors reminding them to get out and vote. I went with two other people in my area and we were assigned an area with a specific list and doors to go to. These were people who had previously responded favorably to being contacted before regarding Prop 8. The rain had let up a little and so when I was dropped off at my corner I took my umbrella (just in case) and then all of my supplies. I had hardly started with the drops started to fall - slowly at first and then all of a sudden a micro burst of rain. I had no choice but to stand there and just smile. Throughout the next three hours I enjoyed several more of these wonderful micro bursts. Since I was in a familiar neighborhood and knew some of the people who lived here I 'borrowed' a friends' porch during one of these down pours and stood out of the rain. I got a good laugh at myself on Flynn Road when I had no where to 'hide' when another came. I was literally walking in puddles and everything on me was wet. I just laughed out loud to myself. It took me back to my mission. In Japan we usually had two choices each day -- be wet from the sweat because you chose to where a rain jacket, or be wet from the rain because you didn't. Either way we were wet. Well, today was the same. BTW, I now know another reason we go in pairs as missionaries - it was an incredibly boring and lonely job! I had brought my IPOD, but never pulled it out because it was so wet and I had no place to put down my other items and get it out.

When we finished our assigned area I was picked up by the other two and we headed back to headquarters. We were fed, and warmed and began to dry. It was fun to see people come in looking so put together and come back looking like a drowned rat! I couldn't help but think of the cause we were fighting for! I am grateful to be able to stand and be counted on the Lord's side despite wet clothes and hear and a few blisters!