Crack the Diabolical Baby Gender Riddle: Clue 1, 2, 3, & 4

Clue #4-This is it folks!!!!
 Until then, we'll be trying to get our eight hours of (5 letters- _ _ _ _ _), because after January, we won't be getting any all.

encrypted: TZYRR_YKDQSMBDQFIW

Clue #3....Your almost there!

Clue #3 We are waiting for the bird that will bring the babies (5 letters - _ _ _ _ _).

encrypted: K_OJJK_SOJSJSQRSNWDQRLJE

Here's your new clue folks!

Clue #2: At the end of it, we will have two ( 7 letters- _ _ _ _ _ _ _) of joy.

encrypted:  BKRC_PWBLRGKXFAU_QZYEDY



Clue #1: This lasts for nine months. (9 letters - _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _)

encrypted: PKFXRYMCKSQEGDO_

Hints: The answer to the clue will give you the keyword, which you will need in order to decode the encrypted text shown above.  When you are looking at the decoder ring, remember that the OUTSIDE letter on the ring is the ENCRYPTED letter.  The INSIDE letter is the plaintext letter, the one you want to write down.  If you do not keep this straight, you will end up angry and confused.

Enjoy!

"Here's to you, Monsieur Vigenere!"

(Update -- Tuesday, 9/6/2011) We have posted the First Clue!

(Saturday, 9/3/2011)

Hey, everyone. It's been a while since you've heard anything from us on our blog. Some of you may have heard rumblings that we are expecting! It's true! In fact, we're expecting two little kiddos to enter our home sometime in the end of January or beginning of February 2012!

People keep asking us what we're having. I tell them it's an iguana. Two of them. Probably. BUT, if you really want to know the gender of Johnson Babies #1 and #2, keep checking this blog post for the next week or so.

Immediate family members will soon be receiving a package from us via US Postal Service. Please leave a comment here indicating when you have received the package. If you can't leave a comment for some reason, then go ahead and send us an email ( aubzilla[at]hotmail.com ), call us, text us --- whatever. Just so we know that you received it.

Stay Tuned! (Bookmark this page.)

(Update -- Monday, 9/5/2011)

"Why can't you just tell us what you're having?”

Those of you who received a package from us in the mail, and more especially the grandmas, are probably impatiently wondering what on earth two laminated paper disks, circularly inscribed with the alphabet and pinned to a corkboard, are going to tell you about the genders of our two growing kiddos.

Nothing at all! Great joke, right?

OK, at least they won't tell you anything without some extra information (which you will receive soon enough.)

You see, for thousands of years, people have sometimes needed to keep things secret from prying eyes. You know, battle plans, the identity of double agents, the genders of new grandchildren, and the like. So, people started writing things down in sneaky ways.

One of these methods of obscuring the true meaning of a text was called the "Vigenere Cipher," named after a Frenchman who didn't actually invent this cipher (although he DID invent a BETTER cipher for which he did NOT receive credit.) The cipher goes something like this:

1. Shift the alphabet by a certain number of letters. This can be any number, up to 26. For example, let's say that we shift the alphabet by 4 letters. Then, A becomes D, B becomes E, C becomes F, and so forth. We could call this specific shift length (4) a "D" shift (since D is the fourth letter of the alphabet, and the letter to which "A" will be mapped.)
   
   
2. Using this new substitution alphabet, write down the first letter of the text that you want to encrypt.
3. Repeat steps 1 and 2 for all remaining letters of your text, choosing a different shift length for each letter.

Let's work through an example. Assume that someone wants to encrypt the message, "WE_EAT_BEES" (because they clearly do not want people to know that they eat bees.) To encrypt this message using the Vigenere cipher, one must write the message while shifting the alphabet, using a different shift length for each letter of the message.

Above, I mentioned that we can describe an alphabet shift using a letter (e.g., a shift length of 4 could be called a "D" shift.) This means, that we can choose a secret key word (like "GROSS") to represent a sequence of shifts of different lengths. The letters G-R-O-S-S would represent shift lengths of 7, 18, 15, 19, and 19, respectively.

(A "G" shift - 7)

plaintext: ABCDEFGHIJKLMNOPQRSTUVWXYZ_
encrypted: GHIJKLMNOPQRSTUVWXYZ_ABCDEF

(An "R" shift - 18)

plaintext: ABCDEFGHIJKLMNOPQRSTUVWXYZ_
encrypted: RSTUVWXYZ_ABCDEFGHIJKLMNOPQ

(An "O" shift - 15)

plaintext: ABCDEFGHIJKLMNOPQRSTUVWXYZ_
encrypted: OPQRSTUVWXYZ_ABCDEFGHIJKLMN

(An "S" shift - 19)

plaintext: ABCDEFGHIJKLMNOPQRSTUVWXYZ_
encrypted: STUVWXYZ_ABCDEFGHIJKLMNOPQR

Essentially, we have come up with 4 different alphabets (one for each letter in "GROSS," with "S" appearing twice) to use for encrypting our text. Let's try it! We'll start out by aligning the keyword 'GROSS" with our secret message "WE_EAT_BEES." The keyword will repeat itself, because it is shorter than our message. After we align them, it should look like this:

  keyword: GROSSGROSSG
plaintext: WE_EAT_BEES

We can then encrypt the plain text, using the 4 different alphabets we laid out earlier. So, the first letter of our message, "W", would become "B" in the "G" alphabet. The second letter, "E", would become "V" in the "R" alphabet. The third letter of our message, "_" (the underscore), would become "N" in the "O" alphabet. We finish writing out the message using our shifted alphabets, until we end up with the following encrypted text:

  keyword: GROSSGROSSG
plaintext: WE_EAT_BEES
encrypted: BVNWSZQPWWY

If it's not clear how we ended up with this encrypted text, go look through the 4 alphabets (G, R, O, and S alphabets) and walk through the process step by step. You'll get it with some practice!

Now, what if we want to DECRYPT some encrypted text? Well, just line up the encrypted text with our key word again, like this:

  keyword: GROSSGROSSG
encrypted: BVNWSZQPWWY

Then, work the process in reverse! An encrypted "B" becomes "W" in the "G" alphabet. An encrypted "V" becomes "E" in the "R" alphabet, and so forth!

  keyword: GROSSGROSSG
encrypted: BVNWSZQPWWY
plaintext: WE_EAT_BEES

Now, what about the corkboard with the two alphabet discs pinned to it? Well, it's an encoder/decoder ring! It allows you to quickly and easily shift the alphabet by different amounts while you are encoding/decoding a secret message! Isn't this awesome? Yes! We KNEW you would love it!

So, if you have the following three things, you can figure out what the gender of our baby will be:

1. An encrypted message (like "BVNWSZQPWWY")
2. A secret key word (like "GROSS")
3. An encoder/decoder ring

Follow the blog for the next few days, and we'll give you the encrypted messages, plus the keywords. Using this with the decoder ring, you'll be able to find out what we're having! (Hint: they are not iguanas.)

Hello Again!

Goodness!  So much fun stuff has been happening in our lives lately.  Once I was done with the school year Aaron and I decided we needed to get away for a little while.  We also knew we wanted to leave as soon as humanly possible.  So as is typical of all our vacations to date we planned the trip and were on the road within four days.  As we were discussing the many adventure filled destinations we could head to we had a really hard time making up our minds.  We discussed going to Yosemitti, the Redwoods, or Glacier National Park.  I believe there was even talk of Harry Potter world (yes, I am that dorky).  All of which sounded great but in the end Disneyland and San Diego won out.  Even though we'd been to Disneyland in January we just couldn't resist going back again and having slightly more time than we did in January.

As always, we had a fantastic time and were dead tired at the end.  Some notables from this Disneyland adventure include my first time seeing Captian Eo and my last time seeing Captian Eo.  Perhaps if I'd seen it as a child I would have bought the "saving the world through music" theme.  And since I was a child in the eighties the fantastic fruity outfits may not have weirded me out so much.  But as it stands now Captian Eo will not go down on my list of regular attractions to see at Disneyland.

I also REALLY enjoyed that Aaron was asked numerous times if he was a vampire from Twilight.  As you can see in the photo his shirt reads "Keep out of direct sunlight".  This shirt was purchased before the Twilight craze and was a reference to Aaron's extreme whiteness.  Before we left the hotel room in the morning he looked at me and said, "You don't think anyone will think this shirt has something to do with Twilight do you?"  I assured him they would not mostly because I wanted to get to the Indiana Jones ride as soon as possible and we just didn't have time for wardrobe silliness.  This is Disneyland folks!  But the first thing one of the workers at the gate said to him as we walked in was if he was a vampire.  It was priceless!

We loved our time there and the trip was only tainted by the fact that I once again could not force myself to get on the white roller coaster.  I'm such a chicken!  We ended the trip by visiting our cousins in San Diego and it never seems like we have enough time to hang out with them.  If only California was closer!

Beyond Cute

As I was getting back into blogging I realized our blog has been lacking in many things this year.  One that made me the most sad was the absence of kid stories this year.  The school year is almost over and I have yet to tell a story about one of the cute kids I work with.  So here is one for your reading pleasure.

Yesterday I was testing a student.  Typically when I give kids IQ tests it isn't exactly enjoyable.  Most of the kids I work with have trouble paying attention anyway so to ask them to sit long enough to take an IQ test is usually pretty painful to them.  Well, yesterday one of these little darlings let me know exactly how he felt about taking the IQ test.  Halfway through part of the test the little guy grabbed my stop watch which hangs from a string you can put around your neck.  He then proceeded to sway it back and forth in front of my face while chanting the following, "Mrs. Johnson you are getting very sleepy.  It's time to stop testing."  He then looked me right in the eyes and said, "Did it work.  I was trying to hypnotize you".  I laughed out loud and hard.  It was so unexpected, so funny, and exactly what I needed that day.  I think what made it even more endearing is that this child does the unexpected frequently.  Man, I really do love working with children who don't see the world the same way everyone else does.

More Time!

Do you ever sit back and think...life slow down!  That's how I feel pretty much every week.  I keep thinking,  "Life will slow down next week and then I will once again have time for blogging and cleaning the house".  I used to be good at doing these things!  Well, so far it hasn't happened so here I am making a command decision to just blog and let responsibilities go by the way side.

The Johnson's have been quite busy lately.  The school year started with a bang and Aaron and I have been running ever since.  The good news is Aaron will graduate very soon and there will be many hazzah's in his honor come August.  Seriously, I think the only person more excited about Aaron's graduation than Aaron is me.  Its so close we can taste it!

In January Aaron and I were sick of all the snow and responsibility and luckily our friends the Harmon's were feeling the same way.  When you get to feeling this way there really is only one logical step to take.  Yes, that's right......head for Disneyland.  We made the decision to go and were on the road within four days.  Some may say we are insane (including the Harmons) and to that we say, "Yes, we are and proud of it!"

It was just so nice to escape the snow, ice, and stress and just be kids for a couple days.  There was much screaming, laughing, eating of bad food, and almost some puking (of course me).  All in all it was the perfect trip to an amusement park. We are so glad our friends the Harmons chose to partake in the craziness with us.  We are also grateful to Aaron's cousins Kari and Eric for hosting us while we were there.  It was so great to see their new home and partake in the California goodness.

Just as an aside, do any of you find Splash Mountain incredibly creepy?  I absolutely hate that ride.  Its not like the drop is overly scary or anything but I totally freaked out when we went on it.  I seriously think I may still have a little PTSD as result of the ride.  Every time I think about those creepy animals and how the music becomes all freaky half way through the ride I shudder.  Yes folks you heard it here, Aubrey Johnson is afraid of Disneyland rides!  But then again those of you who have been to Disneyland with me are not surprised.  And no Keri and Traci I still didn't make it on the white roller coaster...sigh!

After we left I was feeling kind of embarrassed for being such a weenie but then I remembered I work in an Elementary school with special needs kids and that's all the tough I need.   So there all you "Roller Coaster Riders" and others who "aren't afraid of Disney characters".....eat that!

California here we come!

Our adventures continued this summer as we made our way to California to visit Aaron's extended family.  Every time we drive through Neveda (scenic glory noted to the left) I am once again reminded how I will.....NEVER LIVE THERE.  Yikes, now that I've made that bold statement I'm sure that's the only place Aaron will be offered a job when we are finally done with school.  We had a fabulous time in California visiting cousins, grandma, aunts and uncles.

While we were there we visited the train museum with Aaron's cousin, Christan.  As a proud cousin-in-law I have to put a little plug in for my cousin-in-law.  He is so talented and so much fun to be around.  He's an actor extraordinaire and is currently staring in the Fantastiks at Sundance.  So if you live in Utah County don't miss it!  It's so good!  Okay, I'm done with my shameless plug.

While the boys "oohed" and "awed" over the trains I found ways to create my own fun.  Trains are fun and all but they may have been slightly more a boy thing than my thing.  Which is totally ok.  When you have a husband who occasionally is willing to carry your purse for you its really not a big deal to do things he enjoys a little more than you do.

Who Knew?

So I promised I would catch everyone up on all the happenings in our household.  Be aware some of these events may have taken place a few months ago but I'm determined to document our lives even if it is a little late!  The summer started with an amazing trip to Zion's National Park.  Let me begin with a little story.

My husband is always saying, "Let's go camping! Let's go camping!"  I love the out-of-doors (especially when you have an air mattress) but I always think, "My poor misguided husband, he just doesn't understand."  You see, I am from Washington.  Yes, the Evergreen State!  Where I grew up Mt. Rainer was just a few hours away.  I would always silently chuckle at my husband and think "You just don't understand that nothing you could see in Utah could possibly compare to Washington."  Don't get me wrong I really love Utah.  I think it is very beautiful.  There are many mountains and wooded areas...it's lovely.  But I had already convinced myself that nothing could possibly compare with the Olympic National Forest of my childhood.  Especially Zions ,which is in Southern Utah, therefore what you see is a bunch of dirt, red rocks, and sage.  My conceit knew no bounds and I condescendingly agreed to do the "Southern Utah" version of camping.

Well, the moment we got there I wanted to eat my words and also have a panic attack because of the little tiny roads and the sheer drop offs just on the other side of our car.  It was amazing.  Beautiful in a way you can't imagine without being there.  I'm so grateful that Heavenly Father has such an imagination that he could create both the Olympic National Park and Zion's National Park.

We were there with our wonderful friends, the Harmons!  There was much laughing, much hiking, and much dutch oven cooking.  We learned many fun facts about the park.  Such as, the squirrel is apparently the most dangerous animal in the park.  However, that didn't really stop Aaron from putting his hands lots of places those little monsters can hide (See Exhibit A to the right).

It was a fabulous trip and I've decided I really enjoy Southern Utah.  Where else can you find towns called Hurricane and La Vericane (pronounced Hercun and LaVercun).  However, I still have trouble believing that the squirrel is the most dangerous animal in the park, especially when there are plently of snakes and various mountain lions around the park.  It may take a few more trips to Zions and possible a squirrel attack for me to become a believer.