Relief Society Spotlight

I’m in the throes of launching a summer camp directory for Mile High Mamas and will be appearing on 9News this week to talk about everything. Translation: I have zero time to blog!

Something I appreciated about our Leap Day Time Capsules we opened last week was reading the questionnaires we filled out–we’ve certainly come a long way! A member of our ward’s Relief Society Presidency recently interviewed me for the monthly spotlight so I thought I’d post….and compare my answers 50 years from now. Something tells me that I lot will have changed.

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1. What is your full name? Amber DeEtte Johnson. I was told my middle name was French until I served in France and no one had ever heard of it.

Nickname. Not many nicknames now but growing up, I was known as “Animal” from The Muppets. A real stretch, I know.

2. Where were you born?  I was born and raised in Calgary, Canada.

3. What is your birth date? February, 1857.

4. How many brothers and sisters do you have and where do you fit in youngest to oldest? I have an older brother who is four years older than me and a brother five years my junior. I learned the survival of the fittest from an early age.

5. A memory of a favorite birthday or what is your idea of a great birthday? I have a lot of great birthdays because it usually falls over President’s Day weekend. My favorite birthday was on our honeymoon in Costa Rica but a close second was my 40th birthday where a bunch of families came to skate Evergreen Lake with me.

6. If you have children, how many?  What are their ages? I have two kids: Hadley (age 11), Bode (age 9) and a very fat cat.

7. What are some of the different places you have lived?  Your favorite places?  Why (or have visited

 My parents still live in my childhood home in Calgary so it’s wonderfully nostalgic. In addition to Canada, I’ve lived in Idaho, Utah, a mission in Switzerland and France, a study abroad in the Middle East and I’ve traveled all over. My favorite place on earth is Waterton Lakes National Park–right near the Canadian border across from Glacier National Park. It’s pure magic.

8.  Favorite Food? (or restaurant or type of food) Country Road Cafe in Kittredge, just outside of Evergreen, Colo. Trust me: it’s the best breakfast in Colorado and we take all of our friends.

9.  A favorite family activity. Our family loves to travel and be outdoors with skiing, hiking and biking as especial favorites.

10.  When I was young, I use to imagine myself as…a world traveler. I haven’t done too much of that since having kids but once they become teenagers, we hope to travel more abroad. And then serve a mission later with Jamie.

11. What is an accomplishment you are proud of? I was Microsoft’s accredited blogger for the 2010 Vancouver Games. I’m so grateful to the many people who voted me there!

12. What extra-curricular activities have you been involved in?  Younger years and/or currently.

Sports were always a huge part of my life. Growing up, that meant team sports and I was really competitive in volleyball and soccer. My dad raised us to love the outdoors and that has always been a huge part of my life.

13. If you had the opportunity to travel anywhere, where would you go? Why?

Nepal. I’m green with envy at the Rolfsons for their frequent trips! I don’t have any Everest aspirations (though base camp would be cool) but it’s been a dream to do a multi-day trip backpacking to the Buddhist Monasteries while learning the Tibetan Tradition. I find the whole region fascinating…but getting there is so expensive!

14. If you could have one wish, what would it be?  A genie with more wishes? My dreams are usually for health and a happy, Christ-centered home.

16. Where do you work? Or where have you worked? How long? I’ve worked in pretty much every form of media you can imagine. For years, I was a travel writer and publicist in Salt Lake City. Since moving to Colorado, I’ve done everything from write a column for the Denver Post to local news appearance. My longest-standing is running MileHighMamas, a great resource for Colorado moms. I’m grateful to be able to work from home.

17.  What are your hobbies/interests (hobbies, crafts, reading, sewing, cooking, singing, etc.),

Most of my hobbies center around the outdoors with my biggest passion as hiking. I love to read (but don’t do it nearly enough since having kids), play the piano and write.

18.  Something you must do in your lifetime?

Move to the mountains!

19. Share something about you that no one would know.

When I was in high school, I was a movie extra for a Japanese blockbuster that was filmed in the Canadian Rockies. It was likely my first–and last–role as a Samurai Warrior.

20.  Who is your favorite Latter-day Prophet and why? I love President Benson. I read his book The Book of Mormon–The Keystone of Our Religion when I was in high school and that was the beginning of my testimony of this great book.

21.  What three words best describe you anything else? Outgoing, Fun-loving. Not quiet.