“Together forever, never apart. Maybe in distance, but never in heart.”
tiff July 28th, 2010
Friendship is a funny thing…just when you think you wont see your friends~life brings you to their doorstep! We really truly didn’t think we would get to see the Johnson’s this Summer…we had corresponded early in the Spring about our separate road trips and it just didn’t sound like our paths would cross…however routes & times changed & our sweet Golf TDI pulled into their driveway in Brush Prairie on Thursday, July 15th. Abbie, James & Max were out on the lawn waiting for us to arrive…we were only 2 hours later than we said we would be…but thank goodness for cell phones. Unfortunately on our drive from the Seattle area to the Vancouver, WA area we had to go through Tacoma…where there was an oil tanker on fire and had closed I-5 southbound until the following morning…YIKES! But we got off the next exit after sitting for an 1.5 hours in traffic…not fun…but after talking with Stacie on the phone…she was promising cold drinks~preferably a pom-tini for me & jack on the rocks for rick…along with her yummy appetizers…if that is not inspiration to get to their house then i don’t know what is…well except their SMILING faces…which we adore and miss all the time!!!!
Abbie, Keegan, Rohnan & James in the background doing the “ben currier” jump!
The Johnson’s have this sweet pool to play in…and fortunately for us the weather was amazing while we were visiting…which allowed plenty of water time! I am not sure if they even came out…except when we told them they had to eat!
James was not a jump in the pool kinda guy…but he sure did get in that water & swim around! I love the b/w of the kids holding hands…so sweet! Abbie was pretty cute as she told me the best photos are the ones when kids jump into the pool…
of course the awesome part of having a pool is that the Johnson’s also have a hot tub…so the kids would play for awhile in the pool, then run up the stairs to the hot tub…from the looks of it they were pretty darn happy!
of course i had the best seat in the house w/ a yummy “JOSH” margarita by my side…rick doesn’t look like he is working too hard, huh?…Stacie & Josh are sharing a smile in the sunshine…Max is a wonderful German Shepherd~sweet. sweet. dog.
this was the calm before the battle! stacie jumped into the pool w/ her tank top & skirt, so cute! Rohnan thought it would fun to ride the dinosaur while wearing goggles…and well all HELL broke lose shortly after these photos…squirt toy battles between Stacie & Rick…then the kiddo’s jumped in and water was everywhere…hence why there are no photos…had to save the camera…right? Stacie & Rick were cracking me up…Rick had a blaster and Stacie had this little water gun that could barely get enough pressure up to shoot water…we were laughing & giggling…it was definitely GOOD TIMES!
hot tub happiness before going inside for some dinner! i think my favorite part of the day is when we were all in the kitchen singing the Piano Man by Billy Joel…okay we were not singing it…we were belting it out! It was so much fun & so silly! I love that we can all be like that together and we don’t even worry about our wonderful singing voices…we just SING & be SILLY! Of course after dinner we put in the iPods and had some dancing going on…Abbie has some great dances she knows to some of the popular songs…Stacie tries really hard to do them & encourages Abbie to teach her…then we had the Soulja Boy dance…always fun to see all the kiddo’s dancing…and the adults laughing! I think the house went to bed with a full belly of drinks & good food and VERY HAPPY HEARTS!
Seaside, Oregon was where we spent the next day
…our plan was to leave the Johnson’s and camp on the Oregon Coast…but…we just didn’t plan enough time in our driving…and we HAD to or NEEDED to be in Salt Lake City at a specific day & time…so we thought it would be fun to just spend a day with our dear friends, then get one last night with them before traveling inland to Utah. I am glad we got more time…and we were not in our car racing around to find a campsite…but got to go back and sleep in a comfy bed!
Josh looks a wee bit cold…LOVE this photo of James & Rohnan…Rick got stuck w/ all the shoes & clothes!
I am so glad that we got to spend 3 nights & 2 full days with Josh, Stacie, Abbie & James! As always they spoil us…I don’t think my drink glass was ever empty & I am pretty sure that if we were not in deep conversation…then we were all laughing & sharing the past…we were lucky enough to spend time with them in Unalakleet for one year…then they made a point to see us on their travels in & out of Alaska…and NOW we are all here in the lower 48…where we REALLY are only a LONG days drive away…well maybe more like a 2 day drive…smiles!
We LOVE & Miss you BUNCHES!
(we can’t let 2 years pass by again)





























































































