He rolled over? But How?

Hey everyone,

Sorry it's been a little while but with Jessica back to work, there's a lot less time to write. We recently had a great time taking pictures with Kristy Sola, one of Angelica's friends from Colorado and the results were fantastic. I hope you enjoy some of the family photos.

Also, just this morning I was yelled at from the other room by Jessica so naturally I came running. She proceeded to tell me that she had placed Joel on his stomach and turned her head to sort some laundry. Next thing she saw was him lying on his back staring up at her. We promptly put him back on his stomach to see him do it again, but he only got more frustrated so we let him off the hook. Just so you know, we were not completely surprised because we had seen the signs coming. He has some tremendous abdominal and lower back strength, so we thought it was only a matter of time before he actually flipped himself. We eagerly look forward to the next time so we can actually watch how he does it.

These are a few of our favorite things

• When after fighting sleep by crying for a while, he gives a sigh of defeat and we know that he's on his way to sleeping.
• The way he grips your finger as if to say "don't ever let go".
• When it's 2 or 3 in the morning and you're completely exhausted and he looks at you and smiles.
• He just discovered that he enjoys his fingers in his mouth. He'll be fussy for you, but you can put him down and he'll calm himself down just by sucking his thumb. (and other fingers)

• When he's happy, he smiles and throws his arms down almost saying "hands down you're the best."
• He will look left and right, back and forth almost compulsively for minutes on end. It's almost as if he sees 2 things, one on each side, that he wants to look at and doesn't want to miss the other thing while he's looking at the one.
• While sleeping in a beanie the above mentioned behavior results in the beanie coming down over his eyes all the way down to his nose, and sometimes he sleeps that way.
• He will mainly sleep in the following position: flat on his back, legs bent, arms back behind him flat. Almost like the police have said "freeze" and that's the way he decided to sleep.
• He has recently developed some dance steps, while standing he has trouble balancing and keeping his legs straight all the time, so goes up and down and all around in his own way.
• He may have the cutest little pouty face in all the land. If he uses that when he's 3 and asks to have something, it's going to be very tough to say no.
• He loves the outdoors, whenever we take him out for a walk he just calms down and takes it all in.
• His eyes get so big when he's excited and it usually followed by THE cutest smile ever. If you haven't had the pleasure of seeing this smile, you are missing out!! Sorry there isn't a picture, we haven't been able to capture a full smile just yet because we are too busy enjoying every second of them.
• He has taken to sticking out his tongue so much so that he is now known as "Mommy's Little Lizard"

2 Months Already!

Joel had his 2 month Doctor's appointment where they measured and weighed him and the doctor is quite pleased with his progress.

Since his first cry we have heard many different unhappy noises from him and are getting quite good at determining what each of them mean. But after he got 3 more immunization shots at his Doctor's appointment we got to hear a new one. This one is similar to the "not happy where I'm at" cry but mixed with "just hold me" and what we're calling "I hurt and I don't know why." As if all of his cries aren't heartbreaking enough this one cuts right to our core. It is sad to watch our precious child so unhappy when we can't explain to him that why he is upset is to try and ensure his health in the future. The good thing is that the pain is temporary.

He has been smiling for a couple of weeks now and can hold his head up on his own for a few minutes at a time. He is starting to "talk" using "Ooooh's" and "Ugglah's" it is very cute. He just rolled onto his side last night, so we've got to keep an extra special watch on him now. His eyes focus on things all over the place so it's fun to have staring contests.

Two months into this side of the journey of parenthood and it is tremendously rewarding. We both have felt a sense of the profound meaning of our lives. Our monetary jobs cannot compete with the joy found in the job of raising our child.

Here are some pictures:

Halloween Harvest Time

Happy Halloween everyone! This is Joel's first "Holiday" and we had a lot of fun dressing him in his Jack-O-Lantern (thanks Jen!) and skulls outfits. We got our pumpkin at the Strawberry Farms Pumpkin Patch this year and Jessica impressed us all with her Pumpkin carving skills. Pretty good for the first time, eh? Of course we took pics to share, so here they are.

He sleeps fine, thanks for asking

The first question we get asked from almost everyone we meet, "how is he sleeping". We think that we are fortunate to get as many consecutive hours at a time as we do. Joel is 6 weeks old now, and he's holding his head up for extended periods at a time, smiling and talking a bit. Throughout my life I have heard that parents don't prefer one child over another. I now understand how that works. I have loved Jessica as much as I know how, and I do not love her any less after Joel has been born. In fact I love her more because I witnessed what she went through. But it is like I actually grew a new heart in which to love Joel. Now I have 2 hearts, and I don't love one more than the other, they are equally amazing and very dear to my heart. We as parents are doing quite well. Jessica has gotten the all clear to resume her workout routine and seeks to get into tip top shape. I have gained a number of extra pounds due in part to the number of people who have helped us out with delicious meals. We have had professional photos taken of the three of us, as well as a session with the whole Johnson, Johnson and Kerns families for Lynette's Birthday. Here is a new slideshow which can let you in on our life the past month. Enjoy.

3 Weeks Later

We've finished our 2 week doctor appointment and he's growing bigger and heavier and the doctor says that he's healthy. Here are a some observations about our new lives after 3 weeks. First, why are some of the tenderest moments between a mother and child so inappropriate to take pictures of in our society. Second, I would like a moment to talk about Real Men. I have heard that Real Men don't cry, Real Men get on their knees and pray, Real Men don't wear purple unless they're royalty. I would like to propose that Real Men change DIRTY diapers at ungodly hours in the morning. Third, now that I've personally witnessed the miracle of childbirth I am more in awe of our Creator and his plan, and have tremendously more respect for Mothers around the world. Fourth, I've now realized that I won't break a baby, and I can get used to changing diapers. Fifth, I thoroughly enjoy hanging out with my son and my wife. If we could find a way to not work and both stay at home, it would be fantastic. Sixth, I know that every parent loves to brag about their children, but I believe that we have the cutest Baby EVER. Seventh, the Diaper Genie needs to be about 3 times its regular size, I feel like I change that thing every day. Eighth, Only through the grace of God can a single teenage mother survive even one day, let alone raise a well-adjusted youngster. The demands of a newborn's attention don't allow for much down time to relax or even take care of yourself.

Here are a couple of pictures from our friends and family that came to visit.

More Precious Moments

We are 5 days into this new adventure and we're having a great time. Of course there is the lack of sleep to deal with, but the precious moments make it all worth it. We've been to the doctor and we were told that he's doing fine. Thanks to everyone for all of the support that you have provided. With all of our friends and family around in the digital age, we keep getting new pictures, therefore we've had to create another slideshow as well as include Mark's favorite picture. Enjoy.

You are my Joy

Joel Aaron Kerns

9-3-2009, 2:37 pm

5 lb 15 oz

18 in

Mother and Baby are very healthy.

Here are some first glimpses of our new family:

9 days left

Hey devoted followers,

Thanks for checking in from time to time on our insights into this whole pregnancy thing. I can tell you that it has been a 2 eye opener for both of us. We are extremely excited that what was 9 months to go is now just less than 2 weeks to our due date. You can look up all sorts of stats about how accurate the whole due date is and you'll get lots of answers, but due to God's chosen timing we are excited that our son is just about to arrive. The baby's room has been renovated, moved, cleaned and decorated more times than I even want to count. The car seat is already in the car. We have our bags packed and we are ready to go. (not on a jet plane) We've plotted the most efficient path to the hospital and are trying to catch up on as much sleep as we can. We are as prepared as most people are for the delivery process and bringing our son home. But for our world to be turned upside down, we can only hope that we enjoy the ride. In my Boot Camp for New Dad's book, there's a quote that says "Everybody says it's going to change your life. OK -well what does that mean?" What it means is that even though you've planned for it, it is still going to be more fulfilling, more meaningful, and more humbling than anything you've ever done in your life. A common phrase that I've heard is "Once that baby fixes in on your eyes, it just steals your heart for the rest of your life." Growing up, I had heard that it wasn't macho to cry or whatever but I will not be ashamed if I cry when I first look at, hold, sing to or caress my son. Nor will I be ashamed if I cry when I change a diaper. (for a different reason) How can you be prepared for something that is going to rock your world? Ask me in about 9 days, and I'm sure I'll tell you that I wasn't prepared at all.

Daddy MAK

ps. another picture of Jessica at 9+ months.

Showers, Chefs and Doctors

Sorry for the delay in this post. We have been very busy with things that I'm about to tell you and other normal things about life. (working, eating, sleeping) Well since we last wrote Jessica worked on the last minute details of the Registration for the Royal Family Kids camp which went really well. (for more on that ask Jim Farmer) Mark’s co-workers are quite excited for him and they surprised us with gifts of generosity. And there may have been a trip to a place called Urgent Care.

In the American tradition called Baby showers the attendees are mostly female. Being the not-always-traditional-folks that we are, we decided to have the guys join in some of the fun. I was interested in what happens at these estrogen dominated festivities, so why not attend his first child’s first party. We invited guys and girls and it was a blast. The guys played billiards and miniature golf while the girls enjoyed their silly games. The boys returned when it was time to open the gifts and a great time was had by all. Thanks to everyone for the generosity and support!

Mark’s company is graciously working with him to take 6 weeks off after the birth of our Baby instead of the 3+ weeks we were planning on. We are extremely grateful for this gift of irreplaceable time for bonding, recovery and world introduction. Since he has more time off, don’t think we’ll call on your (all of you) support any less. We have taken more training classes and what we keep hearing is that we will inevitably, and indefinitely, be exhausted, but it will all be worth it.

Jessica has begun her Pampered Chef career and is excitedly sharing many of the helpful products that she’s learned about. Maybe you can schedule a party and she’ll tell you all about. (shameless advertisement) While prepping for her Grand Opening cooking show there was a bit of an accident before it even began. While cleaning one of the knives, she sliced her finger. She said it didn’t hurt much, but it wouldn’t stop bleeding, so she was taken by her Mom (as Mark wasn’t allowed near the party) to the Urgent Care nearby. It required 5 stitches and with a good attitude she returned to her party, which was just about to begin. With the aid of her friend and mentor the Grand Opening went off without a hitch. Now we are officially open for business. Keep her in mind for all of your kitchen needs. (another shameless plug)

We have added a couple of pictures of Jessica at 8 ½ months and 9 months below.

Keep your head down, the Time for action is almost at hand

What’s been happening with the baby you might ask? Well he’s been growing, and Jessica says that he’s quite the little Monkey. Most recently at our 36 week appointment we discovered that he is not in the correct “head down” position. Therefore we had a consultation appointment about a procedure called the External Cephalic Version. This procedure is where trained doctors place their hands on Jessica’s belly and forcibly maneuver the baby to a head down position. After weighing all of our options we decided to go ahead with this procedure. After all it has a 60% success rate, and 93% of the maneuvered babies remain in that position until birth. They did another ultrasound to verify that he still was in the breech (not head down) position and placed some oil on Jessica’s belly to reduce the friction. The doctor asked her if she was ready and she said that she was. Let me say that we were warned of the discomfort of this procedure. There’s a reason why it is commonly referred to as Barbaric Massage. All right back to the story. The basics are, 2 doctors repositioned the baby using force on the belly all the while monitoring Mother and Child. It’s a good thing we had already taken our Preparation For Childbirth class where they taught us some pain management techniques because Jessica testifies that this was a 10 out of 10 on the pain scale After roughly 5 minutes the procedure was successful and Jessica and the baby were monitored for an hour and then released because they were both stellar performers. I am very proud of her excellent attitude throughout the procedure.

Daddy MAK

Reality Setting In

With the recent tragic events to one of Jessica's high school friends' husband, we have developed an enhanced awareness of the beauty and fragility of life. We are more grateful that God has allowed us the opportunity to bring another life into this world. We accept this responsibility and plan to honor Him as much as possible.

Within the past week the realities of childbirth have begun to set in. On Monday we took a tour of the hospital. They brought us in and told us where to park, when to come in through the emergency room and what to do to get in quicker if needed. They then took us on a tour of the Labor Rooms, and the Post Partum Rooms. Actually walking into potentially the room where our baby boy will be born was really cool. The Labor room (unoccupied of course) will look normal while we wait through the labor process. Then when it comes to crunch time the ceiling opens up and reveals an advanced lighting system and the bed "transforms" and allows the MD to come in and deliver the baby. It is going to be an unbelievable time, and it's getting more real.

Then on Friday and Saturday night we took a class called Preparation for Childbirth. In this class we saw graphic videos, learned breathing techniques and both got a better idea of what the labor process is going to be like. There were cautions and encouragements. Times to call 911, and times to call your doctor.

At this point Jessica is resting a lot and I try not to let her lift anything. She has been independent most of her life and it's tough for her to let me take care of her every need...well maybe not EVERY need. Especially when it comes to rearranging the nursery for the 5th time. It is amazing to see her belly grow and the movements of our little one. Thanks for allowing us to tell you a little about how it's going and coming on this journey with us.

ps. below we posted another new picture of Jessica at 8 months

Evolution of Kicks

It started with Jessica thinking she felt butterflies at 15 weeks. It turned into the definite movement that she could feel at 18 weeks.  Soon after I was able to feel the baby kick. There is the famous kicking daddy's head incident.  There is more evolution to talk about. 

Our first viewing of the movement began with what looked like a finger poking up from her belly.  Next we saw a substantial poke which we interpret as a fist. We see the fist most often, but there has been a new experience.

Recently we've been seeing what I like to call "The Earthquake." If you look at Jessica's belly from above, you'll see this impact that sends tremors out from its center. Imagine a pebble dropping in a lake and seeing the concentric circles. Those are the tremors that you can see. It is quite an impact and almost takes Jessica's breath away sometimes.

There has been a time when Steve was over and Jessica told us to watch because he had been active. And what we saw was probably a forearm bulging vertically up her Belly. Just a couple of weeks ago, I was fortunate enough to see what I believe was a hand. From my perspective I saw what think was 4 fingers slide down the front of her belly. That was a little surreal.

It is unfortunate that Jessica has grown so much that she is no longer able to see much of what those kicks or impacts look like when she's laying down. So I have to try and describe them. One thing that we both were able to see was a wave that flowed down her belly. Looking across her belly I saw something jut out from her rib area and then go back down, then something raised just below that and then flowed down her. We actually saw the rolling motion and were a little freaked out because we didn't believe that was possible. What is he doing in there? According to the Baby Center weekly email, he's doing somersaults now?!? What is he practicing for the Olympics? This wave seemed like he's learning to Surf.

by the way, we've posted another belly shot. See post below.  

It wasn't me, it was the baby

For the past couple of nights, the covers had somehow left my vicinity and became draped over Jessica's side of the bed. I asked her about this, and she said, "It isn't me, it's the baby." Then she began telling me this story about how when she is sleeping the baby plays the drums to let her know that he's cold and in turn she has to steal some of the covers. It was a very cute story. Then she spoke about the reality of being uncomfortable in the sleeping position due to her growing belly, and that she tosses and turns and she's sorry if she takes any of the covers. How can I argue with that?

Recently there has been a little less room in our bed. I understood that Jessica was going to get a little bit bigger, so this was no surprise. But what I did not expect was there to be a pillow that now guards the center of the bed. From what I've been told, I should enjoy sleep now before the baby comes. I was in process of trying to do that, when I had an unexpected visitor join the bed.

When we were newly married or even engaged and we went places that had maternity clothes Jessica wouldn't hesitate to tell me that she is going to look so cute pregnant. I agreed with her then. But now as it's happening, I completely concur. She is the most beautiful pregnant woman Ever! I love her so much. I am continually amazed at how God created this whole process.

Daddy Mak

My Little Kicker

Creating a life within you is something only a woman can truly understand.  That fact in and of itself is by far the most miraculous thing I have experienced!  Along with the creation of life come the wonderful movements of the little one within.  It all started at about 18 weeks or so for me with tiny, subtle little taps and have grown into full blown punches.  Mark and I call it “Soccer Practice”, “Karate Practice” and sometimes I will even say that our little boy is trying to get out.  It really is like I have a boxer inside who is sparring with my organs, haa haa! 

A few weeks back Mark and I were watching TV, getting ready to go to bed.  I was laying down and had begun to feel the little kicks.  They got a little stronger and so I had Mark put his hand on my belly and sure enough he could feel the kicks now too.  He was so excited! 

Another week or so later we were again watching TV before bed and I felt several large, strong kicks and so I pulled back the covers a bit and told Mark to just watch.  After a few seconds we both saw this bump come up on my belly and then go back down.  WHAT?!?!?!  To feel it is one thing, but to see it physically happen, that is just crazy!!!  We watched this happen a few more times before the little one calmed down.  Each time we looked at each other with such amazement at this extraordinary event, TRULY AMAZING!

All the kicking and subtle movements are now a regular part of my day. Even though they are regular it brings smile to my face each time it happens.  We have a pretty active child already, I wonder if that has any foreshadowing for what is to come …..hmmm, we’ll see!

My Growing Belly

I can't believe I am almost 7 months!!! It has all gone by SO fast! Well, according to the weekly email that I get the baby is a little over 2 lbs. and about 14 inches long. Still very skinny, but the next three months is when he will be packing on the pounds.

I have been extremely blessed to have not had any morning sickness or any other general ickyness that comes with pregnancy thus far. I have heard the stories and believe me I will not take for granted the fact that I am one of the few that can actually say that I enjoy being pregnant. My guess is that these last three months will the hardest of all the nine. My back, legs and feet are definitely starting to feel the extra weight. It took quite a while for my belly to really start “showing”, but it is as if it won’t stop now. The goal we women have strived for is the thin, yet curvy figure that only a select few ever achieve. Well, I have always had quite a curvy figure and now it is a bit curvier than ever before. Not once, so far, though have I fretted over the extra weight. It has been a joy to know that the extra weight is simply the creation of my little boy.

Since I don’t get to see many of you very often I have been taking pictures these last few months. So, here’s my growing belly …

3 Months

4 Months

5 Months

6 Months

6 1/2 Months

7 1/2 Months

8 Months

8 1/2 Months

9 Months

9 Months 1 Week

It’s A BOY!!

We are both so excited about having a baby and now that we know it is a boy it adds a little personality to the experience.  

Usually you hear about parents searching through books, or pouring over websites full of baby names and meanings to come up with the perfect name for their little one.  It wasn’t quite that experience for us.  I think it went something like “What do you think of…..?”  and a response of “Hmm, that is cool, I think I like that”.  It has taken us several weeks to really turn that name in to our top choice for this active little boy.  I think I have stalled enough, the name topping the list is …   

Joel Aaron Kerns 

Fatherhood

I didn't think much about being father when I was really young. I just thought about competing in sports. After I grew up to about 12 or so, I started setting some life goals. Beginning with kicking down a tree (long story, and I know that I'm unusual), I wanted to get married by the age of 27. (completed at 26) My other life goal was to be a father and try to teach my children be kind, wise and loving.

The ultimate plan (as I saw it) was to have a boy first so that he can be around and protect his younger sister. When we found out that we were pregnant, we were both so excited that God is blessing our family that we had no preference of gender. (seriously) But I cannot lie and say that I am quite ecstatic about having a son first. I have begun dreaming about my hopes for my son. First comes prayers about his health, then I pray about friendship choices, leadership skills, female relationship choices, and that he would be spiritually sensitive to the God of the Universe.

One of the dreams I have is that he will be naturally athletic. A few weeks ago I decided to try and listen to Jessica's belly and check out what I could hear going on. Since we had already had an ultrasound and listened to the baby's heartbeat, I had an idea of what it might be sounding like in there. Until now, I had only heard noises through speakers and such so I thought I'd need to focus really hard because the baby noises might be faint. After a couple of minutes of common belly noises I heard what sounded exactly like a pop (the sound of breaking a bubble or bubble wrap). At that instant I thought, "Wow, that's not something I've ever heard before" and then tried to focus even harder on what could be happening next. What transpired next, or simultaneously really, was not what I was expecting. I felt an impact to my head the likes of which I hadn't experienced before. This impact took me completely by surprise, and I almost leapt off the bed with surprise. I quickly lifted my head, sat up straight and put my hand to my head to check if my head was sensitive to touch. It was quite a force that struck me, whether it was a kick, punch, elbow or knee. It could have been the combination of the shock and the funny popping noise that immediately preceded the impact that frightened me a little bit. To this day, I haven't listened to Jessica's belly again and I don't plan to. It looks like my dreams of his athletic prowess might come true.

Recently we made a purchase for our baby's room. I had some help putting the object together (thanks Steve) but it was still labor intensive and took a number of hours to complete. After it was completed, I thought about spending the night relaxing until Jessica mentioned that there was still more on her honey-do list, rearranging the room. Since she is pregnant I would not let her help in the rearranging of the room. So I heaved and pushed and pulled (using my legs) this new unit into position all by myself. By the time we finished it was 10pm, and I was a little sweaty. I thought to myself, this is what fatherhood is all about. Buying something for the child, putting it together, taking direction from your pregnant wife, getting sweaty and finishing late at night with a huge sense of accomplishment. Baby's first Christmas here I come.

I am excited for this next journey of my life. I understand that my son cannot learn many of the significant things I yearn to teach him until he gets much older, but I'll start by modeling some of those things for him and see what he can pick up. This has already been quite an adventure and I haven't even taken the New Daddy Boot Camp class. I can't wait to meet you, my son.

Daddy MAK

Cruising to Mexico

Originally we planned to fly to New York for our Fifth Anniversary (Nickelversary) but with our new little one on the way, we decided to keep it a little less costly and more local. We had been doing some research on going on a cruise. The grand plan is to go on a Cruise to Alaska some time in the future. Since Mark has experienced Sea-sickness in his lifetime, he was nervous about a cruise, so this was a celebration and a test. We went to AAA and decided upon a 3 day weekend cruise to Ensenada, Mexico. We had a limit to when we could sail because they don't allow women after 24 weeks pregnant on their cruise. So we decided on sooner rather than later. We set sail March 20, two weeks after our Nickelversary, on a Friday night. Our experience on this cruise boils down to a couple of things. The food was Poor, 1 star out of 4 star in our humble opinions. Mexico wasn't really that exciting, which we expected, so that doesn't go aginst the cruise line and there was a storm on Sunday (the day at sea) so the boat ride was a really rocky all day long! However, each night we were greeted by a sweet little towel animal.

Friday: Embarcation Day

We were dropped off by Don and checked in around noon. After taking 2 posed pictures, by the cruise photographer that we didn't want to buy we actually got on the boat and tried to find some lunch. This was where we first learned that the food wasn't going to be a culinary delight. We arrived at our stateroom (why are they called that?) and found our luggage waiting for us. The room was about what we both imagined, small-ish, but the bed was large enough for the both of us so we were pleased. We put away our clothes, checked out the channels we receive on the TV (don't you always do that at hotels) and then walked around the ship. We found the shuffleboard (a must), the miniature golf course, and the gym. We also used this opportunity to take many pictures of the Queen Mary, since our ship was docked right next door. Jessica also booked her spa experience for Sunday. Before we officially set sail we had the required safety training where we began to realize that this Spring Break timed trip would have a lot of drunk people on it. After successfully completing our saftey check we headed to the back of the boat to watch them unhook us from the dock and set sail to open seas. We were escorted by some birds and 2 harbor patrol boats. We had a good time watching some of the boats go by and feeling the wind in our hair. That night we decided to see what was in store for us in our formal dinner experience. We were seated with another couple who were incredibly nice, fascinating and interestingly enough had just found out that they were pregnant as well. We enjoyed their company and talked with them for almost 2 hours before we headed back for some shut-eye. Upon our return to the room we encountered our first towel animal: The Ray.

Saturday: Ensenada

We awoke early to grab some of the tasteless fuel before we headed off on our excursion to La Bufadora. Upon our exit of the boat we posed for 3 more fake photos with "authentically dressed" characters and headed to our chariot which led us on a tour of Ensenada and La Bufadora. La Bufadora apparently is a bit of a tourist destination which the locals thrive on. It roughly translates as "The Blowhole" although it literally translates to the noise that a Bull makes or snorting. And it's reportedly one of 3 natural blowholes in the world, and 2nd highest. The height of the blowing is determined by the tides, and let's just say that the tides weren't all that thrilling that day. Once you pass all of the street vendors, it was a serene place to spend some time. On our way back to the bus we purchased an authentic mexican blanket, and extremely fresh and authentic Churros. We were handed the Churros directly from the flame, so I doubt we'll ever have better Churros. The bus headed back to the ship with the last stop being the Civic Center where the Margarita was invented, supposedly. It was a nice building, but nothing special. Our tourguide (aka, Our Mexican Amigo) was named Enrique and he was quite entertaining. We went back to the boat and played Sports trivia and then General trivia. We then headed back to the room for a much needed nap. That afternoon, as we sailed away from Ensenada, I watched as we passed by some more ships and then all of the sudden I see in the water 3 dolfins playing around. Unfortunately, Jessica was in the shower and missed the whole thing. I tried to take a picture, but when I got back to the porthole, they were gone. It was neat to see! At dinner we had told them that it was our anniversary trip, so we were sung to and got some cake. The dinner wasn't that good, but our company was nice. This time we sat with 8 other people and one of the couples was from Huntington Beach. We took a walk around the ship that night and swiftly concluded that it would be fatal to fall off the boat at night. Quickley retreating from the railing, we decided to take a stroll through the shops (Duty Free!) on board and headed to bed. There we found our second towel animal, The Pig. It is so cute.

Sunday: the day at sea

Sunday morning Jessica had her spa treatment planned so Mark decided to go the gym. Jessica had a nice relaxing time and Mark got a pretty good workout in. Since it was raining and really windy the miniature golf that we had planned had to be called off. We decided to play a little Shuffleboard for about 4 minutes because it was so cold and the discs kept flipping up into the air due to the wind. But at least we got to play it. The ship was really rocking around so we napped the afternoon away and then at at the buffet. We returned to our stateroom for our evening activity of watching the TV and movies in our stateroom. There we found the peace de resistance, the Towel Elephant. Sleeping wasn't so pleasant because the boat was moving so much back and forth. Thankfully morning finally came we could be on dry land.

Monday: Debarkation Day

Mark got up early to at least try and get some of the less than decent food into his body before we left the ship. He was able to catch the sun rise and it was one of his favorite moments of the trip. He headed back to the room to help finish packing up and then we left the ship. We waited for Don to come by and pick us up. While we waited we saw a seal playing in the harbor. Finally Jessica got to see some sealife. When Don came to pick us up, the first question we asked him was, "What are you doing right now, and can you take us to Super Mex?" Super Mex is our favorite Mexican food place. Now we can say that we had some great Mexican food while on our vacation.

Overall, we have to say that it was a positive experience because we didn't get sick, but we will think twice before embarking again. Only time and other people's reviews may tell. But in the near future, our family will have grown so it won't just be the two of us to think about.

If you'd like to see more pictures of this trip please follow this link: http://gallery.me.com/live.laugh.love#100017

The New Johnson's Wedding Weekend - February 21, 2009

Friday Night Dinner

The festivities began on Friday night with the out of town family joining us for some grub at Mom and Dad's (AKA The Old Mr. and Mrs. Johnson, hee hee). It was great to see Aunt Karen, her husband Mark and cousins Ryan and Kyle. Lynette graciously made us an awesome Spaghetti dinner. It was nice to get caught up on each other's lives along with the joking and laughing that always ensues when families get together. Learning about Ryan and Kyle's band (7 Horns 7 Eyes) was good fun, they are quite talented. We even watched one of the promo videos for the band and listened to a yet unpublished song that sounds amazing. Since Saturday was going to be a special day, we didn't stay up too late so off to slumberland we went.

The Wedding Day

The Special Saturday began pretty early for me (Jessica) as I got my hair done and then got my makeup done with Mom and Jacquelyn. After finishing our "preparation" Jacquelyn and I headed over to Angelica's parents house to meet up with the rest of the bridal party. Upon our arrival we quickly noticed the hustle and bustle of all the girls doing their make-up and hair. The sound in the air was filled with excited chatter about the wonderful event to take place that day. In the midst of the girly chaos there was Angelica sitting for the make-up artist. She was as calm as could be except for the huge smile and gleam in her eye as she waited paitiently to marry the man of her dreams. Our departure time arrived and we all climbed into the cream colored limo and rode our chariot to the ceremony site.

Mark made sure that he had all of his rented clothes and met over at Lynette's house for the testosterone gathering of the men's pre-wedding festivities. The traditional wedding day lunch at In N' Out was a lot of fun. (Thanks Don) With the secondary photographer tagging along we got a lot of pictures, some of which can be seen at http://www.parris-studios.com/, filled our bellies, and had a lot of laughs. Next we went back to the house to try and dress ourselves. With a little help from our friends, we all eventually got fully dressed and took a couple more pictures before creating a caravan off to the wedding sight, The Muckenthaler Mansion in Fullerton.

When the boys arrived at the mansion they were not allowed inside or anywhere near the mansion so they walked the grounds taking more fun and cool pictures. One set of pictures was a little frightening for the boys as they stood on a rail 20 feet above the ground. Happily, the day was without incident and the Wedding began joyfully. Both Mark and Jessica were in the Wedding party so we had the priviledge to see the ceremony from a unique perspective. Both the Bride and Groom looked fantastic, and they looked even better together. Truly they are a spellbinding pair. After some emotional moments they finally were able to kiss as Husband and Wife and they exited triumphantly. Once we all exited, the first thing Mark heard Angelica say was "Where are the Flasks?" They each took a drink from the flasks to take a little of the exciting edge off. We took some more pictures with Ryel, the Fabulous photographer, of which photos of the wedding can be seen at http://blog.ryelj.com/. We entered the reception to give some toasts and get the party started. Once we got in for dinner, there wasn't much eating but there was a lot of catching up with friends and family. The next segment of the party was the dancing. Since Jessica is pregnant, there wasn't much of the dancing she could take part in. But she still enjoyed herself very much, and the music was great. Everyone appeared to have an excellent time. Josh and Angelica danced for much of the night and seemed as if they were having a blast enjoying all their friends, but alas they remembered that their night still held a lot for them. They left in a Limo for their Hotel and a surely unforgettable night. As for the rest of us, we were planning the continuing of the evening.

After Party at the Auld Dubliner

Jessica, Mark, Jacquelyn, Steve, Ryan, Kyle, Jim, Jim Farmer's Date (Becky), Dayle and Ryel gathered for another bite to eat and a drink or 2. Sadly, it didn't begin as planned since Don and Lynette could not attend since there was a matter of Josh not having his camera. (Kyle had it, oops!) And Ryel had left her ID in her car in Mission Viejo, so Dayle and Ryel had to pick it up to get in the Bar. We had a great time talking about the fun times at the wedding and maybe having a drink or 3 spilled. We left before it got too late as a pregnant woman and growing baby need all the rest they can get.

Disneyland and Disney's California Adventure

We began the morning after getting ready and gathering at Lynette's house to leave for the Disneyland resort. J & M, Jacquelyn, Steve, Ryan, Lynette, Aunt Karen and her husband Mark met up with Jim Farmer who graciously helped us out with some of the cost for the day. We spent 15 minutes deliberating on how to get to the front gates since there was apparently a scare and the Trams were down. We had been told that the park might not even open that day, and Karen and Mark were praying that would not be the case. We started off at DCA and went straight to the Toy Story ride before the line got too long. The ride was a hit with young and less young. All left the ride with a smile on their face. Next, we hit California Screamin', which Jessica and Lynette did not ride. They were able to get a great picture of the rest of the crew on the ride though. After the ride we took a tour of the Mission Tortilla Factory to get a free Tortilla (yum) before we headed over to the Tower of Terror. The lines were pretty short for a Sunday. On this ride we escaped from Lynette and Jessica again. When they found us again Lynette was in a wheelchair. (What?!?) Have no fear, she was fine, it was a valuable tool for resting. The final event in DCA was California Soarin' and we enjoyed our hang-glide experience. Next we headed over to Disneyland and all agreed on Mexican lunch. With full bellies we decided to hit all the greats of Disneyland Pirates of the Carribean with all of the movie inspired improvements, Big Thunder Railroad, and Space Mountain. Unfortunately the lines for the Haunted Mansion and the Matterhorn were way too long. Jessica, Mark and Lynette skipped out on Space Mountain only to watch Mark fail embarassingly at jumping rope game in the arcade. Karen and her husband Mark wanted to go on Star Tours and the rest of us decided to take a break on that one...soon after their return they realized that there was a reason why we all didn't go on with them. (technology a bit outdated) At this point most of the group was ready to go home, so we split from Karen and Mark (who were determined to spend ALL day at the parks) and we hit some Ice Cream before we returned the wheelchair and left the Happiest Place on Earth.

From begining to end the weekend was absolutely wonderful. Congrats again to the new Mr. and Mrs. Johnson and our apologies for writing about it almost two months late, oops! We wish you all the best!!

If you'd like to see more pictures of this event, follow this link: http://gallery.me.com/live.laugh.love#100013