the box

Ok one more of the smiley girl

the box is being crawled through, flattend, pushed and eaten all in 15 minutes time.. we do not need to buy her any more toys!! just boxes !!!

Lilja is really trying to stand on her own and walk.. even though if I hold her hands, her balance is quite wobbly still.. but we thought it was time for a little walker.. Wouldn't you know it she play more with the box than the amazing walker.. figures;)

Notice the new configuration of our living room (actually the old one as Aran would say) the TV's wires are now safe from the little crawler..the coffee table and Lilja have a "love hate relationship" as she bumped her forhead and cheek on it already, but she stand right back up.. she is a determined little one..

Lilja has been sucking on her bottom lip for a week now, there is finally a bump and a white little tooth peeking through.. here we go !!!

Trimble Hot Springs

Sorry no new pictures today, but some fun story to share.
Yesterday I met a friend of mine with her two little ones at Trimble Hot Springs.. I did not bring swimming diapers for Lilja, but thought she wanted to just watch anyway.. well, I was wrong.. In her diapers and the cutest swimming suit, Lilja sat on the side of the pool with her legs in the water, (there is a very thin wall where the water almost reaches the top of the step)then preceded to bend over and put her hands in the water to splash it... then... here goes her face, I knew she wanted to do it so I held on by her waist and she pushed her face in the water bending over at the waist, coming up with a huge smile on her face... I wish I had pictures of it, but I will definitely go back next week.. never thought Lilja would love the water that much..

Sara and Mark's wedding

The whole family went to Stillwater, Minnesota this weekend for the wedding of Sara (cousin of Aran) and Mark.. there were a lot of time to get together with the whole family, which was fun.. A groom's dinner on Thursday and just hanging and helping on Friday.. The wedding was held at Cheryl ( Aran's father Bruce's sister), and Rick's house. They did an amazing job on the surroundings, food and just making sure everyone had a great time.. Aran's parents rented a house for all of us, so it was wonderful to have a place to be all together and experience the "Johnson's coffee" tradition.. Which entails; Bruce making real Italian cappuccino for everyone in the morning and us enjoying it. it is a real treat.. every morning... . Plus Tae, Lilja's cousin and Lilja really played so cute together.. We caught Tae sometimes just talking to Lilja and she just looking up to him in admiration..

From left to right. Nicole, Aran and Lilja, Margaret and Tae, Hansi, Grandma Margaret and Grandpa Bruce.

Lilja loved the lights of the Monkey Bizness bar, thus a palm tree.. monkeys were everywhere..

Sam (Aran's cousin) and Tae( Lilja's cousin) had a real fun time rolling around the day before the wedding.

Lilja really starts dancing when she hears music. Here she is attempting to dance in Aran's shoulders.

It was a pretty hot weekend so finding a beach was a priority. The Huschle's joined us at a little beach, fun to really get to know this side of the family too.

Lilja started crying when Aran took her out of the water.. she is becoming a little water rat.. I know little babies do not need bathing suits yet, but this bathing suit is a present from Oma de Ruiter.. and it was truly way too cute.

This hat is the best thing in the whole wide world.. it is getting a lot of use, obviously!!

standing up

Lilja has been trying to get to the photo's on the table and today she pulled herself up and found them.. she was so proud of herself!!

dancing and shaking

Lilja is loving her new wooden Maracas... she now shakes them both and her whole body too.. she even is starting to "dance" when she hears music. She seems to really want to entertain you... it is way too cute to see. She keeps us laughing and keeps us definitely on our toes...

Capital Reef National Park

It still amazes me that we can drive 5 hours west of Colorado and the topography changes so drastically. We were in awe of the immense red cliffs towering over us and all the different layers of colors.. from stark white to this deep red to almost a gray clay.. We stayed in Bicknell a 6 mile drive from the park, but next time I would love to stay in Torrey.. that's where we found a great pizza place and a little book store where we had some coffee, lunch and just relaxed on the patio. Our motel was ...OK.. next year definitely a motel with a pool!!! It was so hot all day, but for me the humidity really was no fun.. Lilja did great, until the evenings.. one night again she threw up.. and our welcome home was another throw-up session.. I think the heat got to her and I am glad we are home for a couple of days.. in cool, dry Colorado!!!

Lilja is drinking out of a straw now.. she thought she was such a big girl.. we took the Bumbo with us to the restaurant.. we just sat her on top of the table.. so easy and clean!!

biking and apricot picking

This weekend was the Capital Reef Classic.. in Torrey Utah.. What a beautiful National Park and for sure a place I would like to go back to.. we did not get to do a lot of sight seeing as Aran had a buzy weekend. On Friday he did a Time trial in the morning and a 34 mile circuit in the afternoon and Saterday a 80 (!) mile road race.. All this in 100 degree heat!! with humidity.. brutal!!! he felt he did good, but the raod race was way too hot for having only two feed stations set up..

We did get to go apricot picking. You could just walk up, grap a stick and pick them from the trees, weigh them at the little scale and drop the money in a silver box... 1 dollar per pound..

Lilja enjoyed the experience as much as we did..

pigtails... mom!!!

It was so hot this weekend that I attempted to put pigtails in her hair again.. well she definitely seems to get a little sassier with them in. Big smiles, silly faces and a look I don't know what it means other then... "Mom... what did you do to my hair!!!"

sorry no new photos this week. Lilja got the stomach flu on Sunday and now Aran and I both have it.. luckily Lilja is feeling better..
But looking forward to this weekend. Aran is racing in the Capital Reef Classic in Torrey Utah..It sounds like a beautiful place, so stay tuned for some beautiful photos with all that red rock..

Today was the day for Holland to win the Wold Cup.. well they didn't.. I hope it wasn''t because Lilja did not wear her orange shirt for the first half.. This is why:

we started our day out great, lilja even let us sleep-in till 6:40am.. we made a bottle and settled in the bed with coffee for the adults (our ritual every morning) 5 minutes later... Lilja threw up all over the place!! On mom, dad and the bed.. So we got up and got clean.. orange Holland shirt on and ...yes, Lilja threw up again.. This poor thing was still in good spirits considering this was her first throw -up fit.. She threw up one more time after that.. and yes, it was all over mommy!! Luckily for us she still stayed so good natured and was just a little more lovey-dovey than usual.. I don't mind :)

But she went to sleep and we watched the game.. and the game was definitely not what I wanted to see.. but hopefully better next time!! I promise next time Lilja will not take her shirt off..

we tried the hat for good luck instead of the shirt.. but quickly washed the shirt and put it back on her the second half of the game.. but unfortunately it was too late.

Today we had a pretty busy day.. Aran rode his bike to Silverton and we, Lilja and I redeemed ourselves as the best support car around.. We met Aran's best friend, Matt, his wife Jacci and their two children Eleanor and Alice in Silverton for Lunch and had a very fun and relaxing time..Then we headed to our friends Molly and Gregg's house who were holding a "bridal shower" for her son and soon-to-be daughter in law.. A very busy day, but Lilja was a trooper and really enjoyed herself..Here is the run down of our day in photos:


Aran on Molas and sharing a snack with Lilja




Matt with Alice and Lilja.. the girls really seemed to like eachother..

Lilja LOVES to swing.. And her is her first slide experience.. who is having more fun???
We clean up pretty good.. at Molly's house
Many of you know we got married on Molly and Gregg's property and this waterfountain turned on the minute we said "I do" .. It comes full circle..

During Lilja's crawling excusions, she is constantly standing in a one arm push-up.. Here is Aran is showing off the perfect form...and wow, what a sight..

Ok, this week has been a week of many milestones.. actually this DAY has been a day of many milestones.. We have been waiting for Lilja to finally figure out how to crawl forwards and whoops, there she goes.. We have been waiting for her to stand up on her own in her "baby jail" and woops there she goes.. so here are some of the fun photos we took from her crawling and standing adventures..

Here is a sideways view of her perfect form.. actually she still likes to straighten her legs and be a triangle..

Hi Mom, look what I can do!!!

Tonight, she figured out that what ever she does, that baby in the mirror will do the same... flapping her arms up and down, or bouncing.. the baby in the mirror is keeping up :)