just us johnsons

Loving One Another

2012-02-14T20:50:00.002-05:00

Since Jeremy's been out of town for work, I knew Valentine's day would pull my attention towards the other three, smaller men in my life. A few years ago I made the mistake of picking up a couple of toys for the boys to have on Valentine's morning and unfortunately, they relentlessly remind me each year that they expect this tradition to continue. Luckily, they have cheap taste. Monday night I prepared everything so that the morning would be seamless, however I did not realize the morning would begin at 5:45 am as Cameron went in and woke each of his brothers up to make me some Valentine's. While I appreciated the gesture, letting me sleep until my alarm at 7:15 would have been a more desirable gift. We had heart shaped whole wheat pancakes and the boys all headed off to school with their sacks full of Valentine's to hand out to their classmates and decorated brownies for their teachers. Mason chose Captain America cards with homemade heart shaped crayons, and Gavin chose Green Lantern cards with crayons as well. Cameron went with Star Wars and suckers, and each boy came home with a Halloween's worth of candy. I was thankful that we had planned lots of fresh veggies and fruits to dip in cheese and chocolate fondue for dinner as I hoped it would help even out all of the sugar they had been stuffing their faces with. At least it's just one day. A new tradition we started this year was a visit from the "love bug," a simple paper ladybug who comes to visit before Valentine's day and feeds off of love and service. If you find him on your pillow it means someone has done something nice for you and you must then choose another family member to serve. Anything to foster more kindness between the brothers is welcomed in this household. I enjoyed watching them each prepare to surprise each other and the warm feelings they felt afterwards. This needs to become more commonplace in our home. Thanks little love bug. I am so thankful that my Valentine returns in a few hours, we missed having him be a part in our big day. Lucky for him there is still plenty of love to spare!

Middle Child

2012-02-07T14:30:00.003-05:00

If Cameron and Mason were pieces of bread, Gavin would be the peanut butter. He is most definitely stuck in the middle of our family of three boys and life would not be the same without him. Gavin has really blossomed since starting kindergarten. He has grown up so much and matured right before our eyes. Gavin loves school and is actually disappointed when the weekend arrives. School has been good for him, but soon after he started, it was evident that this little boy came with a bit more "spice" than his older brother. In kindergarten they have a color coded system of green, yellow, and red. Green means you behaved all day, yellow means you got in trouble once and red means you continually misbehaved. When Cameron was in kindergarten he was put on yellow one single day and he came home sobbing. Gavin, on the other hand comes home with as many yellows as he does greens, but thankfully he has not yet been put on red. Part of the problem is that Gavin is a big talker and another part is that he is easily distracted and has issues paying attention. We are constantly talking to him about his behavior at school and trying to help him improve, but secretly I kind of adore the fact that he's got a bit of spunk in him. On Sunday Gavin had to bring in a picture of his family to church and talk about how he was named. I explained to him that Gavin was on a short list of names that Jeremy and I both liked, and that Saylor was special because it was a family name. We named him after Jeremy's grandma, Lillian Saylor Lyon. I told Gavin that Grandma Lyon was very kind and giving and also very spirited. I told him that we used her name because we wanted him to have those same qualities. I'd like to think that he has her spunk.

In the last few months Gavin has a new aspiration for his future- he wants to be an author and illustrator. One thing for sure about this little guy is that when he gets his heart set on something he does not do it halfway. In every bit of his free time you will find him writing a book and drawing pictures. He wakes up early in the morning to write and as soon as his homework is finished he sets off to color. We have had to limit his paper usage because he goes through it like water. I hope we can foster and cultivate these dreams of his.

One of my favorite qualities of Gavin's is his inability to be dishonest. He will come home from school and rattle off a list of the things he did wrong all day, just so I know. If he gets mad at one of his brothers and pushes or hits them, he is usually the first one to come up and tell me exactly what he did. He is quick to recognize his wrong-doings and always promises to do better. He is really great with both of his brothers, just not at the same time. He can play for hours with Cameron, or with Mason, but if you get them all mixed in together it's a mess. And Gavin's a bit bossy when it comes to playtime- he wants you to play what he wants to play.

Gavin just started winter swim team with Cameron on Monday and he is enjoying his time in the water. My little string bean always complains that the water is so cold, but with the right motivation he grins and bears it. Gavs is by far the best eater out of our three. He will try anything and my dinners that gross Cameron and Mason out, find Gavin asking for seconds. He always thanks me for dinner and compliments my cooking. That definitely puts him in the running to become my favorite.

I love that the littlest things completely delight Gavin. He was the one that was thrilled with every small trinket in his stocking for Christmas and who jumped up and down with joy last week when he saw I had gotten him an old beat up desk for his bedroom. A piece of paper is worth more than a dollar in his currency and we take full advantage of that fact.

This little guy is getting less little each day. He is growing up too fast and I find that time is slipping through my fingers. I hope I can hold on to this last bit of little boy that I have left. He makes my heart swell with pride.

We're alive and well

2012-02-01T13:11:00.003-05:00

My sister called me this morning to check on me to make sure I was ok. She was concerned about me because I haven't blogged in two weeks. I guess I'd better post something in case the rest of you have been worried too! Truth is, January is always a pretty mundane month for our family and we are thoroughly enjoying it! I've been wanting to do an update on the kids anyways and have had these pictures I never posted from our Christmas card photo shoot.

Cameron continues to be our sweetest boy. He is very helpful and tries hard to make us proud. He likes to cook and he got a cool kids cookbook for Christmas that he has used to make dinner a couple of times. He is really enjoying taking piano lessons and will be participating in the school talent show next month playing part of the Star Wars theme. He is very excited and nervous. Cameron is also loving Cub Scouts and passed off two more belt loops this month. I think scouts is his favorite activity of all, a place where he can be all boy and learn some really cool "boy" stuff. Cameron is doing great in school. He got his first report card with actual letter grades a few months ago and he got straight A's. He gets his next one at the end of this week and we expect it will be just as awesome. He really enjoys math, but detests reading and writing. We have been working on some reward systems at home to help him have a desire to read more than what is required and I'm trying to get him exciting, age appropriate books. He seems to like the Magic Treehouse series, does anyone have any other suggestions?

As sweet as our darling first born is, he has started to have a bit of an attitude that must be part of this growing up thing. There has been some stomping and slammed doors, but so far that has always been followed up with genuine tears and apologies. He really cares about people and has a tender heart. A while back I told him a story about a baby bunny that someone had brought into work that they found in their yard on a very rainy day. It seems the nest had been flooded and all the other babies drowned but this one was saved just in time. The next day at breakfast he had tears streaming down his face and when I asked him what was wrong, he told me that he just couldn't stop thinking about that baby bunny, all alone without any family. He continued to bring it up for days and weeks later. Recently we watched this little movie a few weeks ago as a family and I was shocked that by the end Cameron was wiping away a tear. I am so thankful that he has such compassion, what an incredible gift to have.

Cameron has never been a real big talker. I have always had to dig to find out details about his day at school and about his friends there. For a while I worried he didn't have many friends until I came into school for his birthday and was able to observe him in that environment. I was surprised to find out that he is actually incredibly social and seemed to be everyone's friend. His teacher informed me that he is really quite a ham in class and often makes everybody laugh and is well liked.

Cameron is still very much into Legos, and that is what he does when he first wakes up in the morning before he is allowed out of his room (7:30 am). He loves to build all kinds of different structures and hates to take them apart to build new things. He has also gotten into Pokemon cards along with some other boys in his class and trades them all the time. I still have yet to understand the fascination or the "game" associated with them. Most of all, like most boys his age, Cameron enjoys video games. Now that he has an ipod we have had to keep a close eye on how much screen time he is getting. Luckily we have been able to find several educational games that he actually enjoys playing and we don't feel so guilty letting him play. We've learned that we have to keep that thing under lock and key though because having it in his room is too much of a temptation- especially during his reading time :) It really is great motivation though for getting him to do what we'd like him to.

I really couldn't be prouder of this kid who is growing into such a great young man. I know we can be awfully hard on him because he is our oldest, but luckily he is very forgiving of our mistakes. I know we only have a few more years before he thinks he knows it all and we know nothing, so we are enjoying every moment and wishing this age would last forever. He makes this such a happy journey.

Specs!

2012-01-16T09:24:00.002-05:00

Last year when Cameron went for his 8 year doctor checkup, they told us to take him to the eye doctor because they thought he needed glasses. We took him to an opthamologist and he said to wait one more year. Sure enough, after this year's wellness checkup his eyes were even worse and we went back to the eye doctor again. This time we left with a prescription for some cool specs and Cameron couldn't wait to pick them out. Waiting for the lab to make the glasses seemed to take forever, but finally on Saturday they were finished and ready for one very excited 9 year old. I'm all too sure that the novelty of having to wear glasses will soon wear off, but as of right now he can't wait to show them off to his friends and I think they make him look grown up and sophisticated. And pretty stinkin' adorable. The girls are gonna go crazy! Maybe it's not such a bad thing that he got his eyesight from his Momma :)

Second Annual Johnson Derby

2012-01-15T09:36:00.001-05:00

Last Friday was the second year our family participated in the Pinewood Derby. Cameron was excited to compete again and pretty much made the entire car on his own. Some of these dads that get all crazy and make their kids cars for them totally bug me, this is supposed to be something the kids do, not the parents. Last year his car came in close to last place and Cam was disappointed so this year he was really hoping to do well. While he did do better, he still didn't get a trophy and he proclaimed his car was no good. We tried to tell him it was his effort that counted. Maybe next year I'll just give in and get Jeremy a book on how to make a wining car. After all, we have like 7 more years of this!

New Year, New Attitudes

2012-01-06T09:44:00.004-05:00

This past year has been difficult for so many people I know, ourselves included. It was not easy to make the decision for me to go back to work, but it was necessary and despite the rough transition, it's now just become part of our lives and we've all adjusted. There have been times when I've whined about our situation and felt sorry for myself and then eaten a piece of humble pie as I watch the trials my friends have had to endure. This past year I have had friends that have lost their jobs and friends that have gotten divorced but I've also had two friends lose their children in terrible accidents.

In June, I received the tragic news that my boss and friend of many years had accidentally left her almost 3 year old son in her car all day while she worked. It wasn't until she drove home that she found him dead in the back seat. My heart broke for her dear family and I continue to mourn with her as she faces her court date in March. I cannot imagine anything worse happening to a person or a family.

In September my old English teacher from high school lost her 12 year old son in a flash flood while playing in their neighbors back yard. She and I had recently reconnected through each others blogs and she has allowed her readers to journey with her through this gut wrenching experience on her blog. I feel a piece of her pain as I read through her entries as she deals with her irrepressible grief.

In a year where I have found myself consumed in thoughts of whether my kids are doing well enough at school or in sports or whether I need to lose a few more pounds or clean my house better, I thank God that those are the problems I have to deal with. Our family's trials are small and trite in comparison to what these families are enduring. I cannot even conceive what my life would be like if I lost one of my darling children and yet I find myself yelling at them and not spending the quality time that they yearn for. The lesson I have learned through the experiences of these other people is that I need to cherish more. I need to suck the marrow out of each moment I am allowed to be the mother of my boys and truly realize what a gift they are in my life. I am thankful to have learned this through another's experience and not my own.

Pray for these friends of mine. And then pray that you never have to live a day in their shoes. Love your family more and treat them a bit better than you did yesterday. Consider yourself blessed to be able to live such a gifted life. This is my resolution for this coming year, to live in the moment, make the most of each day and to count my many, many blessings.

Fon-Dudes

2012-01-01T13:31:00.003-05:00

It's tradition for the Johnson's to host the New Years Eve party every year. But for several reasons I just wasn't feelin' it this year. I had to work Saturday and church was early the next day, so we opted for a more family friendly version this year and had the Tolers (all of them, yay!) over for a fondue feast and faux count down for the kids at 9. We had dinner a la Melting Pot cooking up meat, cheese, and chocolate fondues. The dippin' was delicious! The kiddos donned their hats and noise makers and counted down as the men set off the balloons from overhead. It was crazy-loud! Then we sipped our sparkling cider and toasted to great friendship in the coming year. Jonathan Toler is leaving today back to Afganistan but we are excited for him and his family to move to New Zealand in September for a couple of years. As much as I, and Cameron, and Gavin, will miss our very best friends, I am so happy that they get to be a real family unit again. It will be a wonderful new year, this 2012!

Skate N Fun(?) Zone

2011-12-31T13:43:00.000-05:00

We wanted to plan some fun activities for the family this week while the kids are out of school, so when I saw a Groupon for the Skate-N-Fun Zone that we had never tried before, I jumped on it. I had wanted to go ice skating with the kids, but figured roller skating would be easier for the kids to do. We went Thursday night and after 5 minutes, I wanted to turn around and go home. None of them could even stand up on their skates! I was bound and determined to make it work and after a while we had it down to a system of taking one at a time around either holding their hand or having them use one of these walker type deals with wheels to help them keep their balance. Eventually they improved a little and all but Mason could go without Jeremy or I helping them. There were many falls and are now many bruises, but the kids gave it two thumbs up and want to go back! I think it was a good idea not to try ice skating (can you imagine?) and I also think it may be many more years before we try roller skating again...

Merry Christmas 2011

2011-12-25T18:23:00.002-05:00

It seems like it was just December 1st and now poof, here it is Christmas day. Every year I think we will have the time to cram everything in with extra reflection time to boot, and every year I'm reminded that I'm not super woman and some things have slipped through the cracks. Even so, Christmas is always so filled with joy and excitement and this year was no exception. I wish the kids could stay their present ages forever, because this Christmas the anticipation was at it peak and it totally rubbed off on Jeremy and I. On Christmas Eve we continued our tradition of having Grandma and Jeff over for our appetizer buffet and exchanged gifts and read The Night Before Christmas and the story of Christ's birth. We set out our cookies and carrots, hung our stockings, and went to bed. This year the tooth fairy and Santa came on the same night since Cameron lost a molar chewing a meatball, and that only increased the excitement. At 4:50am two boys crawled into our room asking if they could go down and see what Santa brought. We had even tried to tie their door knobs together to deter sneaking or rising too early, but apparently it was in vain. They were sent to bed with instructions to GO BACK TO SLEEP at least until 6:30. That's when we saw them next, without a minute to spare and we could hold them off no longer. Cameron's big gift from Santa was a ipod touch, Gavin got a new bike, and Mason got a hot wheels car garage. There has been a load of play going on here, and it was torture to try to pull them away to go to church for an hour, but it was nice to bring the Spirit back into this hallowed day. We had a delicious turkey dinner and are now watching Mary Poppins. I wish today could never end because it sure has felt like heaven in the Johnson household. Merry Christmas!

Nine

2011-12-23T17:30:00.002-05:00

Yesterday the baby that made me a mommy turned nine years old. I clearly remember like it was yesterday being in the hospital and holding this tiny infant for the first time. Cameron is my kind hearted, affectionate, and compassionate boy and I love how hard he loves others. His birthday was the last day of school before the break and I brought in mini brownies with mint frosting to give to his classmates. Then I sprung him and his brother out a bit early and we came home to play with his new legos and his new Yahtzee game. We put the finishing touches on his chocolate and ice cream baseball cake and then went to Cracker Barrel for dinner. That kid has a crazy love for that place and we've eaten there for his birthday dinner for years. Later we came home to have cake with Grandma and Jeff and play with some more new toys. His favorite would have to be the remote control helicopter he received that he has played all day today with as well. After a few tries he really got it going and is quite the little pilot now.

Nine years ago we brought our baby home on Christmas Eve in the snow and I thought about how he was the perfect Christmas gift. He still is.

Preschool and Piano

2011-12-19T21:21:00.003-05:00

With the Christmas season comes all sorts of performances and this month we had Mason's preschool play first on the calendar. We've been practicing his little two line part every day for weeks now and it has been like pulling teeth to get him to do it. Mason only does something when he wants to do it so we had to be ready when he wanted to practice. I held my breath when it was his turn, but sure enough, he was in a great mood the night of the play and he did great. He sang all the songs, did the dances and even showed everyone that Santa has a white beard. It was so strange not having to entertain a little one while an older brother was performing but quite enjoyable for a change.

Then tonight Cameron had his first piano recital. He has been taking lessons since September and practicing really hard. He really enjoys piano and I think he is doing really well. He played, We Wish You a Merry Christmas and did it absolutely perfectly. He made no mistakes and he didn't rush it like he had been doing during practice. I was so proud of him! Another mother there couldn't believe he had only been taking lessons for 3 months. I am lucky that he really loves to practice and he took the initiative to get it right and ready. He was nervous before the program, but you couldn't tell when he was up there. Hopefully his enthusiasm continues.

Visiting the REAL Santa

2011-12-11T09:49:00.002-05:00

Every year we take the kids to see Santa. We used to go to the Mall, but we will never go back because we found where the REAL Santa has been hiding. The past couple of years we have visited Merrifield Garden Center here in Gainesville where Santa lets the kids tug at his beard and he spends a good 10 minutes with each child. He asks the kids how they have been doing at home and at school and if they have been listening to their parents and getting along with their siblings. The extraordinary thing about this Santa is that he doesn't hesitate to tell the kids why we give gifts on Christmas- because of the gift that Jesus was to us. Good grief we don't hear that enough anymore. He always gives the kids a big hug at the end and asks them to leave out some chocolate chip cookies (his favorite) and carrots for him on Christmas eve. They also get a special ribbon to tie on the tree that he will tie to his gift for them which is a nice touch. To be honest, I almost believed he was the real Santa too. This year we went with the Tolers and Mason asked for a candy cane, Gavin asked for a bike, and Cameron asked for a DS. We'll see if Santa comes through for them!

Just a glimpse

2011-12-09T09:31:00.001-05:00

The trains have been running and the kids are seen doing a lot of this:

I think they could sit for hours just watching them go by.

The Countdown

2011-12-05T10:20:00.002-05:00

There's no denying it, Christmas is my favorite holiday, and I love the month of December that builds up to this special day. Our decorations were up before Thanksgiving this year and Christmas music is playing constantly through the ipod speaker in the kitchen. Last year I downloaded all of my very favorite Christmas CD's and it is on perpetual shuffle. The kids are giddy with excitement each day to find our old friend Mr. Peeps who makes an appearance after Thanksgiving and moves each night to keep an eye on the kiddos until Santa comes. Through the years we have also acquired several count downs to Christmas that the kids fight over doing each morning. It adds so much to the anticipation of Christmas morning and I may love it as much as them.

Here is one of those block count downs I made at Enrichment last year. Cameron changes this one first thing in the morning before any of us even realize.

You stick an ornament on this tree every day and there are little saying on some of them and a star that plays Jingle Bells. (We have some Christmas cards already!)

We always had one of these old fashioned advent calendars growing up, sent by my Nana. I remember as a child always guessing what was behind each door. Who needs the chocolate ones? These are more fun and now it's my kids who do the guessing. Thanks mom, for finding it! See where Mr. Peeps is today?

Last year Grandma Johnson sent us these adorable mittens stuffed with candy, games, and other fun goodies to be opened each day until Christmas. I struggled with ideas to fill them this year, but we came up with activities to fill them with and each has some fun Christmasey thing to do. Some are as simple as reading a Christmas book or watching a movie, to making cookies, putting a gingerbread house together, visiting Santa, going to the temple lights, or making ornaments for our tree.

During this time of year I just want to hold my family close and sit under the tree and bask in the Spirit that Christmas brings. It seems it comes more quickly every year and parties and activities pull us away from that which is most important. Christmas is at the peak of magical for our kids right now and watching the glee on their faces as we celebrate together makes me want to pack up and move to the North Pole tomorrow. I'm trying to savor every moment before it's gone again until next year.

The Lodge

2011-11-29T12:56:00.001-05:00

Just like last year, we headed to Great Wolf Lodge the Sunday following Thanksgiving. This year, we had some added company, as Kristin and her brood decided to come along. We were pleased to get some free upgraded rooms and our had a fireplace and loft and two bathrooms! Plenty of room to spread out. We come to GWL for the waterpark and that's pretty much all we did for two days straight. We gave Cameron some freedom this year and let him wander the park with a cousin-buddy and Gavin tried the BIG slide- the tornado! Even though he was a bit short, they still let him ride and he loved it! Mason was a little daredevil and went with one of us on the big slides and went by himself down some of the bigger kid ones. He really enjoyed the wave pool too. We went to story time Sunday night in our jammies and ate at Sonic for dinner. After a full night's sleep we woke up ready to do it all over again and we stayed at the park until 6:30! The kids were asleep in the car in no time and it was a quiet ride home. I think we have started a new tradition and it is one that the whole family can enjoy. What a great place and what luck that the cousins could come and play with us. We are already looking forward to next year.

Cousin-palooza 2011

2011-11-26T10:51:00.004-05:00

Thanksgiving last year was such a blast that we decided to have a do-over this year. Lisa and her family came up from Tennessee, Kristin and her family came from Richmond, Pop Pop, Mom, Jeff, Jim and Judy all came for round two. Last year we had learned a few things and so this year was even more seamless and relaxed. After our turkey feast we played a rousing game of basketball, or watched a movie and then at 4:30 we skyped with Becky in Australia and filed through wishing them a belated happy Thanksgiving (it was already Friday morning there). The kids probably had the most fun of all hanging out with cousins they haven't seen since last year.

Lisa's family stayed with us again this year (lucky us!) We went into DC and toured the White House and saw the National Archives and then on Friday, Kristin's family joined us and the girls headed to Old Town Alexandria and Georgetown while the boys went back to DC to catch a few museums. We gathered that evening for dinner and games that we've played since we were kids like Pit and Characters and we all laughed so hard we cried. I am convinced that our family may be funnier than any other. Kristin especially had us rolling the most. I don't think anyone wanted to leave or go to sleep that night. It really was so much fun and I am so thankful for sisters with children who love and play with mine. Family is the best!

Kendall and Brooke- beautiful nieces!

Brandon and Gavin- inseparable

Mason and Emory- his favorite cousin!

Skyping with Becky and fam

Four sisters

Gavin's Birthday

2011-11-10T11:27:00.003-05:00

Gavin was so excited for his birthday to come this year. He's been talking about all of the little details of the day, including when he opened his presents, what he wanted for breakfast, and what he wanted me to bring in for his school treat for weeks. He woke up super early (the time change didn't help either) and was ready to celebrate. He had pancakes with Reese's Pieces smiley faces, complete with the green crown he requested. He got to buy school lunch (which is a bit of a treat at our house) and I brought in cake pops during snack time. After school he didn't want to do any homework, but we did get some reading in and then when daddy got home we went to dinner at Red Robin and then came home for his "colorful cake." Gavin loves to color and at first he wanted a crayon cake, but luckily I was able to persuade him to let me do something a bit easier! He opened his gifts which included a Green Lantern playset and costume. He loves Green Lantern even though he hasn't even seen the movie, so we thought it appropriate to rent the movie and watch it (on our clearplay) on his birthday. The early morning caught up with our little green hero and we had to save the rest of the movie for later, he was pooped. I think he would agree that it was a super fun day and he is so happy to be 6!

The Date

2011-11-09T12:05:00.003-05:00

A few weeks ago I asked Gavin what he would like to do for his birthday. Did he want to invite some friends over and have a little party? He told me that he wanted to go to the movies and see Puss N Boots. Fine. Who would you like to invite? Ashley. Just Ashley. Nobody from school or church? Nope. Just Ashley. In fact, he didn't even want his brothers to come and asked if I could just drop them off! When I told him that wasn't an option, he asked if I could maybe sit somewhere else in the theatre. Where does he get this stuff?

Gavin and Ashley have been best friends since they were born. Our families are practically joined at the hip and these two have forged a bond that can't be broken. Even though they are in different classes at school. They sit back to back at lunch every day and play together at recess. Ashley rides home on the bus with Gavs every Thursday and they spend their time coloring and playing dress up and reading to each other. It simply is adorable. They talk about getting married some day and I hold my breath at the thought. It would be all too perfect. I love the innocence of it all.

Well, last night was the much anticipated date, Gavin had prepared by dressing especially dashing and putting on some of dad's cologne, Ashley had set out her outfit days ago planning just what she would wear and how she would do her hair. He went to get her all by himself, and helped her into the car. We went to get some frozen yogurt at Zinga and opened the gift Ashley had gotten him. Gavin asked if there was a heart on the card or even lips! They held hands the whole night and despite his request, I sat next to them during the movie so I could keep a close eye on Prince Charming. There was a perfectly acceptable hug at the end of the evening and I think both of them were tickled to be able to go on their first date. I hope the memories last since the next one won't be until they're both 16. These sweet little friends really have something special and I'm so glad I get to witness it. I hope it lasts forever.

The Spoils

2011-11-01T20:59:00.000-04:00

Halloween 2011

2011-10-31T19:46:00.002-04:00

Finally the night the kids have been waiting for! The night when all their candied dreams come true! This year we had a fireman, a policeman and a spy in the family and these costumes were well used in the week or so prior to the big night at parties and trunk or treats. Cameron is into spy stuff and last year he got this costume along with some spy gear from grandma so he was set. Gavin chose to be this police man that Cameron was a few years ago and Mason had no choice in his costume this year- he had to be the fireman. Years and years ago when Cameron was nearly three I bought him this ridiculously priced authentic costume for my precious boy and Jeremy nearly had a heart attack from the cost. I promised him that our future kids would all wear it and now they have. This is probably why we have all boys :) It really is good quality though and very adorable. Mason gets a little attitude when he had it on and barged into my work last week after a party demanding to know "where's your fire?" with his chest sticking out and using his manliest voice. Tonight grandma came trick or treating down our street with us and Cameron and Gavin were real good about remembering their manners, but Mason left something to be desired. He was quick to grab the candy but forgot or refused to say thank you despite being prodded by me. Little stinker. And now as I type this, Jeremy is out on round two with Cameron and Gavin and we will have more than enough candy to last until next year. I know this because we still have candy left from last Halloween. Now if you'll excuse me I have to go and "inspect" the candy from round one. With a tall glass of milk...

Snow for Halloween

2011-10-29T21:27:00.003-04:00

Today we were going to go to a pumpkin patch and our wards trunk or treat. However, mother nature had different plans and our plans went out the window. We had snow as we woke up this morning that continued throughout the day. It was actually more like sleet, but there were several times that it definitely turned flaky and began to accumulate in a few areas. The kids were ecstatic, but Jeremy and I? Not so much. It's too early for snow! We stayed couped up inside and made the best of it by making home made donuts, carving pumpkins and watching Captain America. We definitely would have preferred to be outside in some nice, fallish weather, but staying in with all these boys turned out to be just as fun. We are hoping that the weather clears for Monday though!

Fall festivities

2011-10-29T10:46:00.002-04:00

Yesterday Mason and I went with 4 R's to Pumpkinville, an annual tradition that each of the boys have done with preschool. There are animals to pet and feed, a hayride, and lots of slides and other fun things to do there. They also have apples and apple cider for free and that was Mason's favorite part. Forget the slides, he just wanted to eat apples, and he had several while we were there (and paid for it later).

I also got to help out in Cameron's class yesterday for their fall party. They made caramel apples and some fun crafts. I was grateful not to have to be in charge of everything and just show up to help. As expected, Cameron seems well liked in his class and has lots of friends he never tells me about. I'm just glad he's happy and has a great teacher.

Then last night we made Mr. Bones for dinner. Breadstick bones, spaghetti innards and veggies for his head and fingers and toes. A fun tradition copied from our much missed friends the Wadley's. The kids love eating pieces of our skeleton right off the table.

We're gearing up for Halloween and have a few more festivities planned, unfortunately SNOW is interfering with some of them today. SNOW in October? Craziness!

Tooth Fairy's comin' tonight!

2011-10-25T20:22:00.002-04:00

Gavin's teeth came in late as a baby. His first little pearly white didn't appear until he was 13 months old. We were told that he would also loose his teeth late and sure enough, he has seen each of his little friends lose several teeth and has been jealous that the tooth fairy has not yet visited his own pillow. For a few weeks he has been wiggling one of his bottom middle teeth, asking for carrots and apples to bite into to hasten the process. It's been ready to come out for several days now but he wouldn't let me pull it. I offered to tie string around it and to my surprise he consented! He came short of allowing me to tie it to the door and slam it, but tried pulling it on his own to no avail. This seemed to loosen it some more though and with just a bit of coaxing he let me reach in and grab it! He giggled with glee and then immediately wanted to call and tell Grandma. He was a bit hesitant to go to bed tonight, unsure of who this tooth fairy is coming into his room in the dark, but after a pep talk from his older, seasoned brother he was good to go. I have a feeling we're in for an early morning tomorrow when he finds the goods!

Enjoying Fall

2011-10-24T09:43:00.002-04:00

Although my blog doesn't show it, we have been enjoying the changing weather happening here. We've been on a couple of drives and a hike, and I even went on Gavin's kindergarten field trip to the pumpkin patch last week but forgot my camera. The leaves are peaking right now and I'm hoping to be able to take advantage of the beauty around us some more this week. A Virginia fall is like no other and I hope my kids can appreciate that. Yesterday we ventured to Merrifield garden center which offers a corn box, straw maze, hay ride, pumpkin painting and a couple of jumpy houses, much needed for getting some wiggles out of my boys and spending some quality family time.

Mason and Me

2011-10-12T09:59:00.003-04:00

I often wish that I could raise my children one by one instead of all at the same time. I remember when it was just Cameron and I and I could completely focus my attention on that little guy without feeling pulled away by other little gremlins that demanded my time. I really mourned when Gavin was born and I felt so guilty that now Cameron would have to share his mama. Then Mason came and it was easier because the older boys were now used to sharing, but I still craved one on one time with each of them. Well, now the tables have turned, and Cameron and Gavin are gone during most days and Mason only had preschool two mornings a week so we are finding ourselves alone with each other. I couldn't be more thrilled to be able to dote on my littlest guy. Mason and I walked to the playground with a picnic lunch last week, he insisted on bringing our red wagon, and I pulled him most of the way there. I didn't take my cell phone, no magazine, I had no internet access, and we weren't even meeting anyone we knew there. It was an open-ended date, spontaneously thrown together simply because the weather was beautiful and the house cleaning could wait. When we got there, the park was empty and I got to slide down the slide, swing on the swings, and pretend to be a pirate saving our ship. There was nothing to pull my attention away from this most important time, completely and totally devoted to my Mason. We ate our lunch and talked about his favorite shows and the new friends he was making in preschool. It made me realize that I need to carve out more of that kind of time with my children, no distractions, just quality. It felt good to really give him a little piece of myself, even it was only for a couple of hours, and he beamed a bit brighter because of it. I am finding more time now to just be with him, this week we made these adorable and delicious cookies together and I let him add the ingredients and lick the bowl, it's been too long since we've done that. I need to remind myself to slow down and savor these opportunities to connect with these boys and show them that they are worth my time. Because they really are and I panic every time I think about how old they are becoming and how much time I have left with them. Blink and they will be grown, that's what I'm constantly told. I am loving this stage of life right now and the three (4) little hooligans that bring me happiness. I just wish there were more hours in the day.

Buzz Lightyear jammied Batman eating his breakfast:

Orchard

2011-09-30T13:47:00.003-04:00

It just wouldn't be fall around here without a trip to Stribling Apple Orchard. We go every year with 4 R's preschool and this was Mason's turn to go and have my complete attention! He is pretty much loving that his brothers are in school all day and he gets me all to himself. I must say, I really love it too. It was a soggy day that got soggier as the day wore on, but we made the most of the beautiful scenery and delicious apples. Our favorite are the Golden Delicious, they aren't the prettiest, but they definitely are the sweetest and we picked a bag full of them before it really started to pour. Mason kept saying how much fun he had the entire ride home and I was grateful that it doesn't take much to keep him entertained. We'll all be enjoying an apple a day for a while at our house!

Secret Agent Man

2011-09-30T13:39:00.002-04:00

This past weekend we were graced with visitors. Jeremy's brother Cary has been out here for several months, attending the FBI Academy in Quantico and he graduated on Tuesday so his wife Sarah and their brand new baby Jenna flew out and stayed with us. We've loved having some of Jeremy's family close by, even if just for a couple of months and have enjoyed the weekends when Uncle Cary has come to visit so it is sad to see him go, especially for our kids. He has been a rough and tumble Uncle, willing to wrestle with them all and they loved every minute. It was so nice to have a relaxing weekend with Sarah here and Jenna became the new "kitten" in the house, with my children fighting over who gets to hold her or be in her face. Poor baby :) On Tuesday Jeremy and Sarah went to the graduation and Cary won the academics award for the whole class of 55 students, incredible! Jeremy was honored to be able to attend and is really proud of his little brother. They will be moving to Miami but we are crossing our fingers for a DC post to come!

My kind of camping

2011-09-19T08:39:00.004-04:00

The last time we went camping, "real" camping was about two years ago and it did not go according to plan due to the thunderstorm that ended up flooding our tent in the middle of the night. I vowed never to camp again and Jeremy didn't even want to go in the first place, so you can imagine how he felt. But we do like to be up in the mountains, and it's always prettier and cooler in the fall, so this year we got a steal of a deal on a place up in Luray called Jellystone Park. We didn't really know what to expect, but this weekend was so great that I think it surpassed anything we could have imagined. First, the weather was just right, mid 60's during the day and chilly, but brisk at night. Second, the cabin. We chose to forgo the tent and rent out a cabin, sans bathroom, but cozy and warm with a heater, electricity and a TV. And there was a charcoal grill and a fire ring for all of our cooking needs. Third, the location. Not only was the view spectacular and only about an hour away from home, but Jellystone had so many activities to choose from that we never had a chance to be bored. They had kids programs throughout the day like hula hooping contests, jelly bean relays, candy bar bingo (our favorite), tractor rides, Yogi cartoons and coloring, paddle boats, a great playground and two huge jumping pillows (another favorite). We also did some hiking both there at the park and at nearby Arrowhead Lake. In the end, the consensus was that this was the perfect place for our family, just the right balance of nature, comfort, and things to do and we will definitely be back again next year.

Rent-A-Kitten

2011-09-11T20:04:00.004-04:00

One of the "perks" of my job is the endless stream of orphaned or relinquished animals that come through the clinic. Currently we have 4 cats that are in need of a home. One of them came for a visit this weekend to three foaming at the mouth boys who couldn't wait to get their hands on him. This was no trial run, we had no intention of adding another pet to our family, I simply wanted to acquiesce the little 'uns that have been begging for me to bring something home. Apparently the skinks from a couple weeks ago were not good enough. This little fluff ball was in a whole different category. He's been at work for a week now and has probably spent more time in the arms of the staff than in his cage. His calm demeanor tipped the scales towards coming for a visit. There was but one problem that was made very apparent after having him in the house for five minutes- there was one of him and three of them. All weekend I have been monitoring and timing the movement of the cat," it's your turn now", "no, he just got the kitten you have to wait", "why don't you put him down and let him decide who he wants to go to," "maybe I should just cut him in half and you each can have a piece!" It's been exhausting. I have firmly solidified my decision to not get another pet, and it's a wonder this poor creature has survived! Maybe the strangest thing is that he actually seems to enjoy being cuddled by these six clammy hands and carried for hours on end. Oh, he will fit in swimmingly with some little family, just not our family. Next time I bring something home, it had better be triplets.

And just like that, the nest is empty

2011-09-11T09:08:00.002-04:00

Thursday was Masons very first day at our little 4 R's Preschool. He acted like he had done this hundreds of times before, and walked in without even saying goodbye, I had to call him back for a hug. I went home and the house was SO quiet. No yelling boys, no one making messes, not even Dora on in the background. I'll admit it was kind of nice, but I was anxious to get Mason back and find out all about his day. On the way home he told me all about how he had learned about trains, read books and had apples and goldfish for a snack. He even told me that Mrs.Winger had to help him go potty (oops!) We'll have to work on that one a bit more at home. He is excited to go back on Tuesday and make more friends.

Back to School

2011-09-06T10:38:00.002-04:00

Another summer come and gone, another year of school begins. Today was a big day in our house, we now have two Mountain View Cougars under our roof! Cameron will be in third grade this year and has a new teacher at our school , Ms. Dalton. Gavin starts Kindergarten and has Mrs. Williams, the best Mountain View has to offer and I'm thrilled!

Last night the lunches were packed, new outfits were set out waiting for the morning, Jeremy gave each of the kids father's blessings, and backpacks were stuffed full of new school supplies. Everything was ready and We sat the boys down to talk about the new year and our family theme, "I can do hard things." I have not been worried about Gavin going to school. He has been so excited and ready to go, I just knew everything would go smoothly. But last night during our discussion he broke down and started crying, saying he didn't want to go. Cameron was such a great big brother and reassured him of all of the fun things to do at school, recess, coloring, PE, art, music, and lunch and told him he would just be down another hall if he needed him. That did the trick and he was fine. This morning they both seemed in good spirits and I was able to take them into school and meet their teachers. Cameron acted cool and just went to check out who he knew in his class,, but he wasn't too big to give his mom a squeeze before I left. Gavin met his teacher and put his things away and then went to go and color without saying goodbye. I think that's a pretty good sign. I can't wait until this afternoon when they come home on the bus and tell me all about their day. I'm so glad they are there together and having these new experiences. I'm so excited for all of the learning they are just beginning!

In My Mind I've Gone to Carolina

2011-09-04T22:38:00.008-04:00

All summer long we look forward to the beach trip our family will take to Corolla the week before school starts. It's great to have one last thing to end our summer break and the rates go way down that week as well. The catch is that hurricane season is in full force at that time and you run the risk that one might affect your trip. That happened last year with Earl, we were evacuated a few days early, but we didn’t think it would happen two years in a row. We were wrong. When we first learned that Irene was on her way, we didn’t think much of it, after all, Earl totally missed the Outer Banks last year even though they thought it would make landfall. But as our week drew closer, we realized that this was going to be more serious, we were supposed to be making hurricane preparations all the way at our house to prepare for Irene. We buckled down and hoped for the best. Irene barely touched our county. A few tree limbs down, but everyone had power and it just felt like a windy night which is common around here in the spring. Unfortunately, the Outer Banks did not fare as well. We were told that our trip would be delayed, and I was fine with a day or two, but when people started talking about possibly having to cancel our whole trip, I freaked out. After researching several back up plans, we were told that we would most likely be able to get in by Tuesday. So Monday we headed down to Williamsburg to go to Busch Gardens and spent the night in a hotel there. One of the problems with getting to Corolla was that we had to drive through a town called Duck where the distance between the sound and the ocean is very narrow. There was a lot of damage there due to the wash over of the ocean and the flooding of the sound. Driving through was really heart breaking. All of the piers had been completely destroyed and the businesses right there on the sound were in ruins. There was debris everywhere and random kayaks just strewn about. Luckily, Corolla was fine. They had some flooding and the power went out, but by the time we got there it had been restored. Our vacation home was perfectly unscathed and we were able to start our relaxing.

We don’t really do much at the beach. Our family enjoys going down to the ocean every day and just playing in the sand and surf. The weather was gorgeous while we were there, mid-80’s and if anything, a bit chilly in the water. The beach was littered with branches and piles and piles of reeds from the hurricane, and we used that to build the kids a little play structure one day. Both Cameron and Gavin enjoyed boogie boarding this year, while Mason was content to just dig and play with his trucks in the sand. Another effect of the hurricane was that turtles had been displaced and there were baby terrapins (freshwater) turtles all over the beach where they didn’t belong. We had seen them at the wildlife center they have there and Cameron searched and searched at the beach but it seemed like everyone found one but us. Until the last night while walking on the beach we found one and took him to his natural habitat in the sound.

We enjoyed all of the classes we take every year at the wildlife center, fishing and crabbing and the kids love it every time. We caught 5 fish- a spot, a catfish, a perch and two carp, and in our crabbing class between all of the boys I think we caught seven.

This year we also brought our dog, Aspen. She came with us years and years ago, when Cameron was just an infant, and this year we thought we would bring her again since our house took pets. One of the best parts of Corolla is that you can bring your dog on the beach and lots of families do. Even though our girl is 11 years old now, we quickly found out that she still loves to play fetch in the ocean. Time after time we threw a stick for her to go and get and even though she really got pummeled by some waves she never tired of it. I’m glad that even she got to have a little get away.

Here’s our top 10 list of our Corolla 2011 vacation:

1. 4x4 driving on the beach

2. Watching the sunset on the sound

3. Jet skiing with Dad

4. Walking on the beach at dusk, looking fr shells

5. Watching Aspen play in the ocean

6. Fresh donuts for breakfast

7. Crabbing and fishing class

8. Swimming at the indoor pool

9. Boogie boarding

10. Puzzles and games at the house

So even though our trip was shorter than expected, we still managed to do all of the things we wanted to do and have a great time. We’re already looking forward to next year.

The "Lego" Museum

2011-08-28T19:26:00.003-04:00

We were supposed to be in the Outer Banks today, and yesterday for that matter, but big fat Irene decided to ruin the front half of our vacation week. The kids were bummed. Jeremy and I were bummed so we needed something to do and get everyone's spirits up. We headed into DC to an exhibit I have wanted to take the boys to all summer at the National Building Museum. This guy replicated all of these historic buildings in legos. It was amazing! The buildings were huge and took hundreds of hours to create. Cameron in particular was in heaven. But the best part was the build it yourself area where they had limitless legos for you to play and build with. Cameron told me he could stay there forever. He built a jail, Gavin built a boat, and Mason built some kind of tower. They also had a little kids play area with every kind of block you can imagine and train tracks and trucks and dress up stuff that everyone but especially Mason loved. I know he loved it because from the moment we entered he began singing and didn't stop until he started screaming when we told him it was time to leave. This was a boys heaven! We peeked at the other exhibits they had and thought the art out of canned food was pretty neat. None of us had ever been into this museum before so it was fun to be able to check another one off of the list. Due to the hurricane most of the museums were closed for the day so we were lucky to be able to go. I think everyone had a great time and were able to forget- for a least a bit that we were not at the beach with our toes in the sand.

A week full of fun!

2011-08-21T10:25:00.003-04:00

We Johnson's are living it up before school starts! This week was jam packed with fun activities. On Wednesday my mom and I took the boys to Busch Gardens for the day which is always a treat. Thursday Jeremy took the kids to the Demolition Derby at the Prince William County fair. The kids get free tickets there from the library and their nightly shows are a favorite of ours. Friday we had planned to go to the rodeo, but the weather forecast was looking grim. We decided to go for it, and about halfway through it POURED. We had brought a blanket with us just in case and all huddled underneath it for most of the barrel racing until it stopped. We were wet and cold, but we had to see the bull riding. All I have are some before pictures because we were afraid the camera would get wet and took it to the car. My favorite part of going to the fair is the people watching. Living here in the "south" the fair sure does bring out some real rednecks and it is quite the entertainment just to watch them! Saturday I had to work, but Jeremy took the kids to the Flying Circus and their annual balloon launch and I met them there. He is responsible for all of the pictures taken there (thanks, hon!) The planes do all sorts of cool tricks and then they set off about 20 balloons at sunset. I think it is so beautiful to see the sky littered with these vibrant colored balloons. The boys enjoy watching them get the balloons ready to take off and the fire they have to ignite to get them to fly. It's really interesting, actually, but I don't think we'll be taking a ride any time soon! This next week will be more low key as we gear up for our beach trip next week. We are all really looking forward to it! Cross your fingers for no hurricanes this year!

We all live in a yellow submarine

2011-08-19T12:45:00.001-04:00

Well, it's actually brown, but they are pretty much living in it! Refrigerator box = fun!

Scenes from a Burke Lake Picnic

2011-08-10T16:17:00.005-04:00

The list of things we wanted to do this summer seems to be multiplying every time I look at it. School looms so soon and I am feeling the pressure to pack in the fun whenever possible. Today we went to Burke Lake Park with Grandma. Can I just go off topic for a moment to say how awesome it is now that she is retired? Last night we went to see Wicked for both of our birthdays and we had such an amazing afternoon and evening, it really was the best. I wish I had remembered to bring my camera. Anyway, it has probably been three years since we have been to Burke Lake, so it was time to revisit the train and playgrounds there, and we had a picnic lunch and then went on a short hike to find some fowl to feed. We found some cute little adolescent ducklings that were a breed of duck I've never seen before. They made the cutest little quiet quacking sound and were so gentle with the kids, despite Gavin's jumping and yelling. Then the geese saw we had something to offer and high tailed it over to get a piece of the pie. These guys were big and aggressive and not afraid of us at all. As you can see from the pictures, they ate right from our hands. I think that was the highlight of our day. We truly love having so many great parks nearby to frequent with the kids. It was a great day!

New Pics

2011-08-05T15:07:00.004-04:00

I've felt that I haven't been taking enough pictures recently, so I tried to remedy that today. It's amazing what a couple of Smarties can buy!

Little swimmers

2011-08-01T08:52:00.003-04:00

The boys finished swim team this weekend. Their team has had an amazing season, they swam undefeated and won the title for the division. Yesterday they had their little awards ceremony and got their last ribbons and medals. It has been an exhausting two months, with practices both mornings and nights, and marathon meets starting early on Saturdays and not ending until past noon sometimes. But the kids have progressed so much! Gavin is a clumsy, uncoordinated swimmer at this point, but he is only five and one of the youngest swimmers on the team. He had a tendency to get distracted during practice, but when he focused, he really did well. This year he swam freestyle. They tried him in backstroke at the beginning of the season, but he always got DQ'ed for flipping over to see how much farther he had to go. His favorite thing were the meets because the kids swapped treats with a big brother or big sister and Gavin's big sister adored him and spoiled him with candy and toys every week. Cameron really loves swim team. His favorite stroke is breaststroke, but he is actually best at backstroke and butterfly. It's hard to believe that he went from only being able to swim free and back last year, to the other strokes and even relays this year. He placed at several of the meets and improved his personal best every time he swam. He is a very hard worker and tries his best to implement his coaches instructions. We are so proud of both of the boys for their perseverance through the season. Tsunamis rock!!

Sisters.

2011-07-27T14:09:00.004-04:00

I bet it's funny reading a post on my blog entitled "Sisters." As a mother of three rambunctious boys, it may be hard to believe that I came from a family of 4 girls, and am the youngest by some seven years. Growing up, I never really realized the gigantic gap because I had a sister that would play with me and do kid things even though she was ten years my senior. I don't know what I would've done without Becky. In our family, my sister Lisa and Kristin were always pretty tight, and the same went for Becky and I. Becky always stood up for me, protected me, cared for me, and loved me far beyond what was required as a sister. When my family moved to Argentina when I was seven, I cried every. single. morning. going to school for six months. The compound where my school was had elementary, middle, and high school all on one campus, so Becky rode the bus with me. I clamped tight onto her leg when it was time to get off the bus and she would have to walk me to my room and coax me off of her. My teacher would come and get her out of class because some days I just wouldn't stop crying and she was the only one who could comfort me. I remember the night before her wedding, she chose to forgo a bachelorette party for a night with her 13 year old sister, and I remember sleeping in her room that night, imagining what it would be like without her. As we both got older, things changed, but I always knew I could still come to her to talk. I rejoiced with each child born into her family and welcomed an opportunity to be a short term nanny to her oldest when he was first born and I was home from college. When she was pregnant with twins and I found out I was due to have my first a short 4 months later, I was so excited, hoping that our kids would become great friends. They have. Becky's husband, Kenny works for the State Department and they travel all over the world. Their family has lived in Tel Aviv, Brazil, Colombia, and now Australia. I hate that she is so far away and that months and years go by without seeing her and her family. I just want them here. These past 5 weeks having "home" have been the best. We've seen each other almost every day and my kids have waken up each morning asking what they will be doing with their cousins. The summer has flown by because we've stayed so busy. I've loved every minute. They got on a plane yesterday and we won't see them for two years. It's almost too big to comprehend. Mason is asking where his favorite Uncle Kenny went. Gavin wants to play with Casey, no Megan, no Ryan, no Sean, and Cameron sobbed when he found out they were leaving and Dylan wouldn't be able to play with him anymore. Me? I want my sister back. The same sister that was always there when I needed her in second grade. I'll be counting the days, Becky.

Forting

2011-07-21T09:31:00.002-04:00

I almost feel like summer hasn't started for us yet. I decided not to repeat our alphabet summer this year since it would be hard to top, but we did have a list of activities we wanted to do during summer break. We've barely made a dent. My sister Becky that was supposed to only be here for 3 weeks has had to extend her trip for some unforseen circumstances and we have been basking in the cousin love almost every day. We've been to the movies and the pool and Busch Gardens twice, and although we haven't done anything particularly exciting, there have been very few minutes of down time. So needless to say, our summer has been flying by and the kids have been happy as clams, asking when we will be with "cousins" next.

Back to that list of activities we wanted to get to. We did make a ginormous fort in the basement with the boys. It was a maze of tunnels and it stayed up for about a week. The boys watched movies under it and slept in it for two nights in a row and it sure was fun to play in it with aforementioned cousins. They sure were sad to see it go, but we couldn't walk around down there without having to crawl through it! We'll have to do it again before the summer's through.

Patriotic in The Plains

2011-07-05T11:09:00.005-04:00

For the fourth of July this year we went with several families from church to Great Meadows in The Plains. It was perfect for tailgating and we got the best spots right in front of this big field where the kids could run and play. We played with the little streamer/confetti firecrackers and had a water balloon toss. We ate lots of junk and watched these 6 helicopters fly back and forth which the boys loved. Once the sun was down, we waited until the show finally started. The fireworks were great and we even got out quickly before most of the crowds. Besides all of the fun, we tried to explain to the boys why we celebrate this day of freedom. We are truly grateful for all of the liberties we enjoy in this country and for the men and women who fight for those rights.

Tsunamis

2011-07-02T15:31:00.002-04:00

This year I am so proud that two of my boys are Piedmont Tsunamis! Gavin is pretty young at 5 on the team, but he has persevered through practices and excruciatingly early and long meets. Cameron has blossomed within the last year and can really compete! He competes in all the strokes and today he got first in his heat for breaststroke and second for backstroke. Gavin swims freestyle and backstroke, but he has yet to qualify his time in back because he always turns around to see how much farther he has to go. We'll get there :) I am just amazed at the progress these two have made and am probably the loudest mom out there cheering on my boys. They make my heart burst with pride. Go Tsunamis!

My favorite angle:

Gavin "diving" in for freestyle

Gavin in backstroke

Cameron in breaststroke

Best Buddies

A Day at Busch

2011-06-30T20:35:00.003-04:00

We were THRILLED to hear that the Wilkinsons wanted to take a day to go to Busch Gardens with us and even more thrilled when my mom agreed to go too. We have season passes again this summer and have already been twice this year, but you don't have to twist our arms to go to this awesome park. Especially on a Wednesday when the crowds are next to nothing. We didn't wait long for any of the rides and every single one of us had a blast. My favorite part was going on Apollo's Chariot with my mom that hasn't been on a roller coaster for probably a decade. She was so giddy and laughing so hard the entire time that I had to crack up as well. She was like a little kid all day going on all of the rides, it added so much to our trip. The kids were in heaven having so many cousins to ride their favorite rides with them. We got soaked on all of the water rides and made our way around the whole park with just enough time to watch the fireworks from the parking lot. The day was overflowing with so much happiness and laughter and the kids never complained once. Even though we got stuck in awful traffic on the way home and didn't hit our pillows until 1 am it was still awesome. It truly was the best day ever and I'm so glad I got to spend it with so many that I love.

See Sean, Ryan and Jeremy on the left?

The scariest coaster I've ever been on- The Griffin- It hangs you suspended for 8 seconds before dropping you straight to the ground.

Celebrating the Wilkinsons

2011-06-25T18:33:00.002-04:00

This post is so late. This BBQ was actually last Saturday. It's been a rough week!

My sister Becky and her family have been in Bogota, Colombia for the past three years. I have missed her immensely and my children have begged to visit their cousins that they adore. Finally they are here where they belong, but only for a few weeks. They will be moving to Alice Springs, Australia in July. Needless to say we are soaking up as much time with them as possible. My mom had a BBQ for them on Saturday and my sister Kristin came up with her family along with Pop Pop and Jeff's parents. There were 12 cousins in all and never a dull moment. It didn't take long for Mason to warm up to Uncle Kenny- the baby whisperer and the rest of them acted like it was just yesterday that they had been together. Sean is as tall as me and his voice is so deep that I didn't even recognize him on the phone- a sure sign that time really has passed. Mason was just born when they left and now he is a brute of a three year old. Everyone else seems just the same- a bit taller, a bit smarter, but still the sweetest kids around. Everyone has a friend when the cousins are here and I am reminded how important it is for my children to be close with their family- their cousins that they will grow up and grow old with. I hope they are the best of friends no matter how far or how long it has been. Friends come and go but family is forever. I am so grateful for my family and the tight bonds we share.

Ten of the twelve- click to enlarge!

Pop Pop takes a snooze :)

Grandma teaching Ryan how to throw a boomerang

A birthday celebration for Andrew

On to third

2011-06-17T14:27:00.002-04:00

Today was Cameron's last day as a second grader. This week has been full of celebrations at school including a field day and a pizza/ice cream sundae party. We've all been counting down the days until today. Last night when I got home from work Cameron was still awake and when I went to say goodnight, I found him sobbing in his pillow, telling me how sad he was that he wouldn't have Mrs. Vlach as his teacher anymore. Poor thing! He made a card for her when he woke up this morning telling her how much he would miss her. I thought he would be excited to start the summer! It was only a half day today and when I picked Cameron up we came home to celebrate! The kids all ran through some streamers I set up on the porch and we broke some school year rules and watched a movie, played the wii and ate home made cinnamon rolls for lunch. I am so happy to have him here with me during the day now, I felt like he was missing out on so much! We have some fun plans for our summer days and I am anxious to get started. Bring on the summer!

Go Rattlers!

2011-06-05T14:38:00.002-04:00

I love watching Cameron's baseball games. The kids are finally old enough to sort of know what they're doing and Cameron's team has won or tied all but their first game, so they're pretty good. I remember when Cameron first started in T-ball, and he would be digging in the dirt during the game or dancing around. Not anymore. He always knows exactly where the play is and how many outs they have. He knows the score. He wants to win! Watching him improve has been one of my greatest joys as a mother. He has gained confidence that I hope will carry through to other aspects of his life. I finally remembered my camera today. Mr. Dimple didn't disappoint. He hit and he scored a run. It was a proud walk back to the car after the game. Baseball season is coming to a close, in a week both boys will have their last game. Because of work I have only made it to a fraction of their games which I hate, but the ones I have been to I have made sure to cheer louder than any of the other parents and I've really been able to enjoy them. Today I made a scene and climbed up the fence surrounding the field so I didn't have to take pictures through it. I'm sure it wasn't pretty but I did it for my kid. Because he's awesome and I wanted him to know it. I'll climb things much taller than a fence for him, that's for sure.

Great Country Strawberries

2011-06-04T14:00:00.004-04:00

Around here, the end of May and beginning of June mean strawberry picking time. Strawberries right off the vine are the sweetest and juiciest and anyone who knows my kids knows they can down handfuls of strawberries at a time. This year we chose to go to Great Country Farm in Bluemont with our favorite preschool teacher and friend, Mrs. Winger. We were excited to show her all that this place had to offer. I am telling you it was the perfect day, low 80's and a nice breeze, in the shade the kids even complained it was cold! After a week of sweltering with a heat index of 105 on one day, this was a welcome reprieve, and just the right picking weather. We took a tractor ride out to the fields and filled up our containers with the biggest, reddest beauties we could find, tasting one or two along the way (just to make sure they were ripe :). Then we explored all of the fun on the other side of the farm. We saw farm animals, played in a "corn box" went down huge tube slides, and bounced on a "jumping pillow" to name just a few. I am certain that Gavin and Mason could have spent the entire day soaking up the fun, but after a picnic lunch we headed home. After just ending a year of teaching 3-5 year olds every day, I'm not sure if this was Mrs. Winger's idea of a good time, but she definitely seemed to be enjoying herself right along side my littles. We're so lucky to be her friends.

I didn't think I'd cry...

2011-05-25T22:16:00.003-04:00

Tonight Gavin graduated from preschool. Today was his last day and for some reason when I dropped him off I just couldn't pull myself together. Mason will be going to the fabulous 4 R's next year so it wasn't that I would miss the school, it's just that I feel like Gavin's childhood is fading and I'm not ready. But he is, oh is he ever! This kid shined like a star in his little teddy bear's picnic performance tonight. He had the biggest grin on his face all night and he sang all the songs the loudest and did his parts perfectly. He was in such a great mood! My favorite moment of the night was in the beginning when all of the children were introducing themselves as bears, and it went as follows, "I'm Eva bear, I'm Sammy bear..." Some of the kids were adding things like, "I love my family" or "I like dogs" and Gavin said, "I'm Gavin bear and my cat bites me!" Maybe you had to be there but everyone was cracking up. I started to lose it again when the kids came out in their graduation gowns and got their diplomas, Gavin looked so grown up. I couldn't be prouder of this little boy and the progress he has made in these past two years. He has been loved so much by these three women who give that school their all. He has been given the perfect start to school and life, I wouldn't change a thing. Mrs. Peacock put it best as she said that they have been cocooned these past two years and prepared in every way for today when they become a butterfly and can spread their wings and fly. I guess I can't keep him a caterpillar forever.

This one makes me so very proud

2011-05-21T20:37:00.002-04:00

I keep forgetting to take my camera to Cameron's baseball games so this is the only picture I have of him in his uniform this season. I better remember to get some pictures before this season is over!

Jeremy came from a very athletic family. He and his brothers were all very big into baseball and so it was only natural for us to start Cameron in baseball too. Unfortunately, I do not come from an athletic gene pool, the only sport my family ever did was swimming, and I don't think I ever even watched an entire baseball game until I met Jeremy. Cameron has been playing every spring since he was 5, and as much as he loves the game, it definitely does not come naturally to him. We almost didn't sign him up this year because last year he never hit the ball once. Not even once. It was so painful as a parent to watch because I was just holding my breath waiting for Cameron to want to give up. But he never did. And when it came time to sign up for this spring he didn't even hesitate with an enthusiastic "yes!" So I signed him up and put in a request for a very patient coach to take my boy under his wing. This season Cameron is a Timber Rattler and he has the best team ever. The other boys on his team are all so encouraging and positive. I overheard one little boy tell Cameron that he had the best swing on the team and if he would just make contact with the ball he would hit a home run! His coach is just plain amazing. Cameron has had good, well meaning coaches in the past, but nothing ever really clicked. This season is different. Part of it may be just that Cameron has matured a great deal and he really has started to understand the game better, but his coach has definitely helped him along. The best part? Cameron is finally starting to hit the ball! Today I got to see him hit one right down the middle and even score the first run of the game! Last week he hit it twice and got a few fouls. I have never been more relieved and Cameron has never been more proud of himself. This is huge progress for us. Every single family on the team is rooting for my boy. They were all screaming his name today and I'll admit, I may have gotten a little teary. I know he may never be the best player on the team but I am just so happy that he is finally getting it and can feel like he is contributing to the success of his team. He has worked so hard, it is so wonderful to finally see it pay off, even just a little bit. This momma is so proud and I have learned such an important lesson from my son- never give up on something you love.

Puddle Jumpin'

2011-05-18T20:22:00.003-04:00

It's kinda been a rainy mess here the past few days and it's supposed to rain the rest of the week. Instead of complaining about it, today we chose to embrace it and make the most out of the couple of hours between thunderstorms and find some good puddles to jump in. A good puddle has certain characteristics- not too shallow but not too deep, not muddy or squishy, and wide enough for two brothers. It took us a while to find suitable jumping puddles and the two littlest boys loved not having any limits on their splashing (unlike the tub). Mason bowed out first, annoyed that his clothes were getting wet, but Gavin continued until I had to drag him out like a wet rat. This part of having boys I love, this activity sure ain't for no sissy girls!

The Busy Life

2011-05-16T13:28:00.003-04:00

I used to to think my life was pretty busy, busing kids around to activities, volunteering at the school, church commitments, Bunko, trying to fit in a yoga class here and there, but boy was I wrong! I remember a while back thinking that I needed to get rid of all of the plants in the house because I simply could not take care of another thing! That pales in comparison to where I am now. How does anyone have a family and work? This new schedule is like constantly trying to lasso a tornado. Every day Jeremy and I have to go over the calendar to figure out who will take Gavin to practice and Cameron to scouts, or chess club, or magic school, or what do we do when I'm at work and the boys both have baseball games scheduled at the same time at different fields?! I'm not gonna lie, it's been tough, but we are weathering the storm of readjustment. On the days that I work I have to get baseball uniforms accounted for and set out along with dinner that can be ready at the push of a button so it isn't too much more work for Jeremy. Speaking of Jeremy, he has turned into somewhat of a super-dad, remembering snacks and toys that will keep antsy kids (Mason) busy for a few minutes which has earned him a spot as the favorite parent at the moment. I love that he can spend this time with them and they are sucking the marrow out of every moment with him. These are good changes, but even though it has been three weeks, we are still getting used to it all. I know that I have been neglecting friends and housework, trying to find room for it all, but fit it will! My camera has been sorely neglected as well, which just won't do. So my request is just that you continue to be patient with the Johnson's while we put our puzzle back together. We are so thankful for the mountain of support that has been extended already and it makes us so filled with love for friends and family. We know where to turn if we need help. Right now life is good and getting settled, hopefully we'll be there soon. In the mean time, does anyone want a plant or two??

Winner, winner, chicken dinner!

2011-05-07T18:15:00.002-04:00

A few weeks ago we were at the mini library by our house and I noticed a flyer for a fundraiser one of the schools was having to raise money for our library. What caught my attention was the lego competition they were having for the kids. Cameron is my die-hard lego guy and recently Gavin has been getting in on the fun too, so I knew they would love to make something for the contest. Cameron worked especially hard on his reproduction of the Washington Monument complete with reflecting pool and tourists and Gavin made a small motor boat with a man driving holding dynamite to ward off the piranhas. We entered with the kids having high hopes and us parents trying to be more realistic and today was the judging. The kids were thrilled to find certificates by both of their creations. Gavin won first place for his age group and Cameron had won second! That would have been enough right there but the kids got some really awesome prizes- Gavin a huge lego set and Cameron three containers full of miscellaneous legos. They also both got a lego computer game. You would have thought we hit the jackpot! It has been lego heaven all day. Watch out for those Johnson boys at the next lego showdown!

My Iron Pig

2011-05-05T13:56:00.002-04:00

Both Cameron and Gavin started baseball in April. Due to all of the rain that we had, most of their practices were cancelled and their games were pushed back. Last week was Gavin's first game of the season and he couldn't be more excited to play T-ball. His team is called the Iron Pigs and he thinks that is the silliest name ever (I do too). Every day he asks me if he is going to Iron Pigs today- so cute. Since the kids had hardly practiced, the first game was a bit of a disaster, nobody knew what to do and people were yelling from all sides trying to help but not succeeding, it was pretty funny. But Gavin was proud as a peacock to finally be in the spotlight instead of having to watch his older brother from the sidelines. He ate up the attention and he thought he did awesome. I sure do love to see them in their darling little uniforms, trying to look so tough. Now Mason is the one stuck on the blanket in the grass and with two older brothers in baseball, he has twice as many games to sit through, poor thing!

Earning my keep...

2011-04-26T12:20:00.002-04:00

Big changes are a happenin' around here! After 8 years, I've decided to go back to work part time. After Cameron was born, I worked some Saturdays and during dental month, but eventually stopped working there all together to be home with my boys. Every year since then I have kept my license by attending continuing education classes, and every time I would go to one I would wonder if I would ever practice as a Vet Tech again. Well here I am. When I worked for Caring Hands years ago it was just a small practice with three techs and four doctors. Now there are four (soon to be five) practices all around northern Virginia and they have a combined staff of over 110 employees. I felt lucky that they would have me back after being so removed from it for so long. I'm working at the Bristow practice and my first day was yesterday. It would be an understatement to say I'm a bit rusty, I feel like I have to relearn everything! I know it will come back in time. I'll be working three nights a week and every other Saturday and Jeremy will be taking over Mr. Mom duty while I'm gone. I know I will miss my kiddos, but I'm also glad to be able to get out for a bit and do what I used to love. The process of getting used to this new schedule is perhaps the hardest part, but I know we will get in the swing of things soon!

Easter 2011

2011-04-24T22:52:00.005-04:00

We woke up to an absolutely beautiful Easter morning this morning. The sun was out and it was forecasted to get into the 80's today. The kids woke up before 7 to look for their Easter baskets and were not disappointed by the bounty found in each. Cameron's big gift was an Uno game with cards from Diary of a Wimpy Kid, Gavin got the second Bob book set he has been asking for, and Mason got a big dinosaur puzzle that he has been doing non-stop. After an early church service, we headed over to Grandma and Jeff's house where we celebrated with Kristin and her family, Jeff's parents and Pop Pop. We had a delicious ham dinner and the kids were spoiled with more Easter goodies and had an egg hunt. We were outside almost the entire time, just soaking up the weather and the company and my boys just loved every minute being with family. Gavin entertained us all by reading his new books to anyone that would listen, and all the kids had very tolerant big people that followed their every whim. I believe everyone in attendance today will be sleeping well tonight and that is where I'll be off to now. Happy Easter!

Spring Break

2011-04-24T22:33:00.005-04:00

Although we didn't do anything extravagant on our spring break, I'll bet our kids will tell you that they had an amazing week packed full of fun. At the beginning of the week the kids made a "bucket list" of things they would like to do this week and I think we checked all of them off! One night we grilled hot dogs and s'mores and slept in our tent in the basement. We also colored Easter eggs, went to Frying Pan park, the circus, and our ward's Easter party where Cameron took home second place in the Peeps diorama contest! Not pictured were our many playdates, bike rides, picnics, playgrounds, visits to the library, and to the indoor pool- all listed on our check off sheet. We were blessed with beautiful weather all week, even though the temperature ranged from the high 40's to the low 80's, we only really had rain for one day, so we were able to be outside a lot. All in all, it was a great break and none of us are ready for it to end.

My biggest boy

2011-04-18T21:09:00.003-04:00

Can you believe it has taken me this long to get these pictures of Cameron? That's what happens when you're at school all day and have a gazillion activities after school and on weekends. This boy is my solid, dependable, soft hearted guy. Cameron loves to be the big brother. He will happily entertain his brothers but can also get a bit bossy. I have to constantly remind him that I am the mom, not him. He is also my biggest worrier. He worries about everything, especially natural disasters. When the big tsunami hit Japan he was afraid the same thing would happen here. He had the most sincere prayers for those people and also chose to fast for them this month. He is also worried about tornadoes, even though we don't see many of those here. He is scared of bees, just like his momma and I have tried so hard to be stronger in that area just for him. He is still as obsessed with money as ever, and recently started a quarter collection of all of the states. He loves all things legos and is looking forward to entering a local competition in a couple of weeks. He is very excited to start taking piano and I have already tried to teach him some of the very few things that I know and he will ask again and again if he can practice. I hope he keeps that drive! Currently he is doing swim team at our neighborhood pool and just started baseball. He also loves scouts and we are finding that all of his activities keep us going constantly! He does well in school and especially likes math and science. We are so proud of how hard he works. This one will always be my first baby- the one that made me a mom for the first time and for that he will always hold a special place in my heart. I seriously adore this kid, he never ceases to amaze us all!

The finished piano

2011-04-17T07:39:00.003-04:00

So remember this piano that I told you I was going to do something amazing to? The one I got for FREE on craigslist? Well it has been sitting on a tarp in the middle of my living room for over two weeks now fighting the good fight. This transformation was not easy, but in the end it was totally worth all of the work.This is what it looked like after I took apart all of the pieces that I could and tried to protect the keys and inner workings.
And this is after it got a sanding and a coat of primer.
After about three coats of paint here is the finished product. I am in love with it!
I just love the delicate details around the edges.
And although at first I thought it looked like she needed her teeth whitened, the yellowed keys have grown on me and I love the character they give the whole piece.
This piano is so unique, it was built in 1943 and is called a box piano because the top folds down, well, like a box over top of the keys. I spray painted the hinges and screws, and the pedals a fresh silver color and I just think it's perfect.
Here she is in all her glory in our living room. LOVE it!

Mason 2-3 Montage

2011-04-15T14:59:00.002-04:00

A baby no more

2011-04-09T20:00:00.004-04:00

Today the littlest man of the house turned three. He has been looking forward to this day ever since we started asking him what he would like for his birthday. He always answered "a dinosaur cake." It wasn't until this morning that he realized gifts were part of the deal too. The highlight of the presents was an Imaginext fire station we bought him and all three of the boys have been playing with it all day. We just love Imaginext toys at our house! The box says ages three to eight so it was perfect for our brood. We went out to eat at Red Robin, then took the kids to Chuck E. Cheese to play for a while. After that it was back home for dinosaur cake and ice cream and a Diego movie for the birthday boy.

All this week we have been working on potty training. I think this is the third time I've tried with Mason and I was determined to have it done before he was three. He is now the oldest of my boys to be rid of diapers and it has been a rocky road to say the least. We are making slow progress but hopefully we will be out of the woods soon. I am open to suggestions!

As sad as I am to be done having a "baby" I am so looking forward to the years ahead as all the boys get older and we can start enjoying some of the same things. We went to Busch Gardens on Monday and I loved being able to go on roller coasters with Cameron. It will be nice when we can all go together.

Happy Birthday Mason! We love having you in our family!

Our Little April Fools

2011-04-01T14:44:00.002-04:00

Last night someones parents were up to no good painting mustaches on their children's faces in preparation for April Fools. The boys each woke up and told the other that they had marker on their face so they ran into our room to see if Jeremy and I had one too. Mason was really not amused and kept trying to lick his off. When the kids came down to breakfast something was wrong with the cereal. The milk was frozen at the bottom of the bowl! They actually enjoyed having to chip their cereal off in chunks, silly boys. That's all we had up our sleeves this year, but I think I'm in trouble when these kids get old enough to get back at mom and dad...

Piano Preview

2011-03-31T08:14:00.002-04:00

This week we got a FREE piano off of craigslist! It's in pretty good shape, especially considering it was made in 1943. I love it and I can't wait for Cameron to start taking lessons but even that will have to wait until I am done making a few alterations. See that tarp on the floor? That's a clue! Stay tuned for the big reveal!

72 hour kits

2011-03-21T13:54:00.002-04:00

All of the turmoil in Japan has caused me to think about how our family would be prepared in an emergency. Our church and now FEMA encourages having a 72 hour kit with supplies to last your family for three days. I've been adding and tweaking ours for years and I pulled it all out again last week to reassess. Here is a list of things in ours:

backpacks

Food (menu here) and plates and utensils

propane stove

first aid kit

flashlights (just added two hand crank ones that don't require batteries) and glow sticks

can openers

utility knives

matches and lighters

duct tape

ponchos

emergency heat blanket

water and water purification tablets

whistles

battery operated radio

hygiene items

small games

batteries

photocopies of important documents (birth certificates, SS cards, etc)

There are still things I need to add like clothing for each of us, cash, and dust masks but it makes me feel better to know we are well on our way. On our local news they tested people to see how quickly they could gather items on a list in case they needed to leave their home quickly and all the people failed miserably. I know we would do just fine and that gives me peace of mind. If you'd like a list of items for a kit of your own FEMA and the Red Cross have great ones to use as resources.

The O'Johnsons

2011-03-17T20:10:00.002-04:00

Two years ago, this mom decided to take St. Patrick's Day to the next level of fun for the three little leprechauns living under our roof and the tradition stuck. Last night we made and set a new leprechaun trap to try to catch the little green guy and find out where he has hidden his pot of gold. We colored a box to look like a rainbow and propped it up with a pencil that had a shiny bell attached. Theoretically, the leprechaun would try to grab the shiny bell and pull the box down on top of him. For some reason our traps never work, but it's ok, because the leprechaun ends up leaving us some of his treasure during his escape. This year he left footprints all over the carpet and green pee in the toilets, but he also left some shiny candies and $1 gold coins! In anticipation of what the morning would bring, two little rugrats woke up at 4:30 to check out the goods. Mama leprechaun was not happy!

Some other ways we celebrated our Irish holiday included eating Lucky Charms for breakfast, taking mint brownies into the teachers at school and Cameron and I made these necklaces for his classmates that each had a genuine 4 leaf clover (3 leaf clover plus 1 leaf added) preserved under clear contact paper. We ate corned beef and swiss sandwiches for dinner with cole slaw and "lime ale" (lime sherbet and ginger ale). We may not be Irish but a bit o' the green blood runs through our veins!

Gavster

2011-03-07T16:46:00.004-05:00

What can I say about this boy? I feel like sometimes I portray him as being this crazy, out of control child and that is not how I want to remember him. Yes, he can be pretty hot headed, but he is also equally a snuggly, happy little guy. Yesterday at church I was pulled out of my meeting for this kid. Apparently, they were spotlighting him in Primary and he broke down in tears because their information sheet that we had filled out probably a year ago said that he wanted to be a tanker truck man when he grows up. This is no longer the case, now he wants to be a dentist and this misinformation set him into a drippy, sad little mess. All he wanted to do was sit in my lap and cuddle for a minute and then he was fine. The secret is that I really liked that he needed me to make it all better. Now that he is five, he doesn't need his mommy quite as much. Gavin still takes an afternoon nap which is awesome for me because I have two nappers at the same time and also good for him because he wakes up refreshed and joyful for the rest of the day. I guess we will have to phase this out before kindergarten but as of now I am in no rush. Gavin is my best eater. He often picks fruits and veggies to eat before anything else and he often asks for seconds of salad or for some carrots as an afternoon snack. He also likes to eat the peel on his orange and the core of his apple and our protests that they are yucky make him want to eat them even more. He loves to be scratched on his back and arms and has eczema that keeps him scratching at his bottom all the time. Gavin has great hair. It's never out of place when he wakes up and doesn't need to be cut as often as the other boys because it grows slower and better. He looks like a Johnson, that's for sure and our joke is that he gets his looks from his dad and his personality from his mom... The strong will in the both of us causes us to butt heads the most. But the heart in this boy is pure gold and he can be so compassionate and fragile despite the rough exterior. I love to spend time with just him since this seldom happens with one older brother and one younger. But those are the times when I see who he really is without the competitiveness that can seep through at home. I know I'm not supposed to say this, but I really think Gavin is my cutest, his big brown eyes melt my heart for sure and we love all of him to bits!

Mase-man

2011-02-27T09:40:00.004-05:00

Mason loves to sing and dance. His favorite songs right now are Dynamite and Firework. He likes to come and cuddle in bed with mom and dad in the mornings when he wakes up and he loves you to rub his face and back. Despite his little round belly, he is actually our pickiest eater. Quite often he will not finish his meal and therefore rarely gets dessert. He can count to twelve and knows the letter T quite well. He will pick it out of any sign and knows that it makes the "tuh" sound. When he is saying something that I can't understand he will repeat it several times and then automatically add a T sound to the beginning like if he is saying cat he will go "tuh" "tuh" cat, as if it starts with a T. He is starting to get really good at communicating which has been a disadvantage this week like when I told him we were going to Chick-fil-A while Gavin was at preschool and he went right to Gavin to tell him and Gavin understood a bit too well... Or when we went to get Jeremy a birthday present this week and later we were in the car with Jeremy and passed by the store and he kept saying "pwesent for daddy birfday dere." I had to do some quick distracting before Jeremy caught on. Unfortunately, he has started to really love watching TV and has figured out how to turn it on by himself. He loves Dora and Diego, but also Word World and Super Why. He kind of freaks out when Cameron tries to change the channel. Mason is crazy good at puzzles and not those wooden ones that are "too baby" for him now. He will sit forever putting those 35-50 piece puzzles together again and again. He's always so proud to show us when it's finished. He is definitely a Daddy's boy and is probably the saddest that Jeremy sits up on the stand at church on Sunday. Many a Sunday he has made a beeline to go see dad in the middle of Sacrament and I have had to chase after him- real classy. This little guy can be sweet as pie but has a split personality that can turn him into a grizzly bear in a matter of seconds. I can't believe that he will be three in just a couple of months. There isn't very much baby left in him, but I am hanging on to what I have. Everyone in the house is a fan of this guy, and we loves his guts!

Read Between the Lines

2011-02-18T21:16:00.005-05:00

A couple of months ago my friend Angie asked me if I had any BOB books she could borrow for her daughter who is the same age as Gavin. I had never even heard of these books that are short paperbacks that kids can learn to read with. When Cameron was learning to read we just used the little books we already had in the house but I was intrigued by these other books. For Valentine's Day Gavin got his first set and I was blown away by how ready and interested he was in reading. Without any direction or coaxing from me, he sat down and began sounding out little words and eventually sentences like "Sam sat on Mat." How does that even happen? He was so proud of himself! Now he thinks it is a treat to be able to sit down and read me one of his books, he asks to all the time! He even wanted to take one to school to show his teachers and friends and tonight when his little friend Ashley was here they were off in a corner reading to each other- too cute! I am so excited for my newest little reader in the house and only hope that his joy of reading continues throughout his life!

Happy Love Day

2011-02-15T20:56:00.002-05:00

Remember those old Sesame Street shows where the kids would shape themselves into letters? My boys wanted to send you all a message in the same form:

Happy Valentine's Day!

Where did you go sweet Mason?

2011-02-09T14:39:00.002-05:00

I don't know what happened to him. What did we do to turn our darling angel into this creature? Our once mild mannered and easy going baby has grown into a strong willed, fiesty demon that throws tantrums and has been known to hit, spit and bite. Yikes! Where did this come from? He used to be the one to go with the flow and was so quick with a smile, now we hear lots of "NOT FAIR" and see him lay on the ground limbs flailing when he doesn't get what he wants. I feel like our sweetheart was kidnapped and replaced by this hot headed little tyke. I can only hope that this is just a stage as I follow through with yet another time out and pray for peace.

Derby Day

2011-02-05T10:47:00.003-05:00

Just for you Kimberly- Here is the "Green Goblin"

Cameron started Cub Scouts when he turned 8. He is a Wolf in Pack 1368 and meets once a week to do scout "stuff." When we found out the pinewood derby was coming right up, Jeremy and Cam dove right in to create the perfect car. Cameron picked out his design, sanded and painted his car, while Jeremy cut it out, put weights on it, and prepared the wheels. Unfortunately, when Jeremy was hammering bullets into the back of the car, the front of it snapped right off! A little bit of wood glue made it presentable again, but then the wheels wouldn't stay on and we tried to glue the axles in. Needless to say, Camremy's (Cameron + Jeremy) car did not do us very proud. But we still cheered and learned quite a bit for next year and the coming 8 years (that's what you get with three boys!) that we will spend at the derby!

Cam and Austin

Getting in position

Waiting at the finish line

Cameron's rice krispy car

Cameron receiving his award for "most original" car

Thanks for the pictures Angie! I can't believe I forgot my camera!!

Finally some snow!

2011-01-27T16:44:00.002-05:00

Yesterday the kids finally got their wish, we got about 9 inches of snow dumped on us! It was heavy, wet snow, the kind that is perfect for snowball fights and snowmen so we did both and went to grandma's for the best sledding. Even Jeremy was home from work to join in all the fun. Cameron had off from school yesterday, today, and probably will tomorrow too. This coming Monday is a teacher work day so he will have a very long weekend. There is something about days like today that just makes you want to drink cocoa, eat popcorn and curl up under a blanket to watch a movie. Those are our grand plans for tonight since everything else has been cancelled. Snow days sure are good for family time, I love it!

Grandparents and the Aquarium

2011-01-27T16:29:00.004-05:00

We really enjoyed having Grandma and Grandpa Johnson here for a few days. The boys LOVED having two constant playmates to fight over and Jeremy and I just enjoyed catching up with them. The day before they left we traveled to Baltimore to the aquarium where we saw sharks, sting rays, jelly fish, and a neat dolphin show. I'm so glad that Grandma and Grandpa Johnson got to hang out with our kids and get to know them better. We promise to make a trip down to the ranch soon!

Cameron and the jellyfish- this was the coolest exhibit!

This is what you get when you ask for a group picture at the end of a long day.

Cameron's Baptism

2011-01-25T09:44:00.003-05:00

We had prepared for Cameron's baptism for weeks, months and even years before it actually happened on Saturday. I had been looking forward to this day since he was born, knowing that he could choose to join the church because of a decision I made almost 15 years ago to become a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. In our church when a child turns 8 they are old enough to decipher between right and wrong and therefore old enough to be baptized. And what a glorious day it was! Jeremy's parents flew in and attended along with Grandma and Jeff, Aunt Kristin and her family, Jim and Judy, Brother Harding, Sister Allen, Sister Tondro, Mrs. Winger, the Tolers, the Bensons, the Porters, the Turners, the Walls, the Candlands, the Deverauxs, the Gardners, the Seldens, the Thiriots, and the Bosleys. Cameron was surrounded by those who love him the most as he was baptized by his daddy and then given the Gift of the Holy Ghost. Cameron and Gavin sang the sweetest song "When I am Baptized" that they have been practicing every day and it was perfect- just right for the occasion. I couldn't have been happier with the result of how everything turned out, it was a pretty seamless event, everything fell into place so well. Most of all, Cameron just glowed with excitement and joy and he looked so dapper in his new suit, just like a little man.

It is so hard for me to see Cameron grow up so fast, but I am so proud of this boy. Time and time again I am in awe of how sweet and kind he is to his brothers and his friends and I know he has such a giving heart. He is selfless and always wants to help. He is growing strong both in body and in spirit, and I am so glad that he has chosen to follow the example of Jesus and be baptized. I know that he has a bright future in store for him and I can't wait to see what life holds for him. I know he will do great things. I just hope he stays my little boy for a long time coming.

The big snow that wasn't

2011-01-12T13:28:00.002-05:00

They said on the radio yesterday that last year it just wanted to snow in DC. This year, it just doesn't. After getting all that snow last year, the kids keep asking when we'll get a big one again. I think this is the third snowstorm that had "just missed us" this season. One inch doesn't count in my book. The kids and I are ready for a good six inches, so that our sleds don't get stuck halfway down the hill (like they did today). Cameron went into school two hours late, but I really wanted him to stay home, drink some hot cocoa and snuggle under a blanket with the rest of us in the basement watching a good movie while the snowflakes fell outside the window. As it was, we went about our day and the sun promptly melted the dusting we got. Boo. Those weathermen better not get my hopes up again just to smash them to bits, I can't handle another let down!

New Year's take two

2011-01-02T20:43:00.002-05:00

So on 1-1-11 we had our own little New Year's bash with the kids. We played tons of games, ate molten lava cakes, watched Transformers, and stayed up until 10 pm. They didn't care that it wasn't actually New Year's Eve and we were able to have twice the fun, sounds pretty perfect to me. Next year we will be sure to record the ball dropping though so that they can experience the countdown, it wasn't quite the same without it. But we did blow our horns!

Another New Year

2011-01-01T10:36:00.004-05:00

We are lucky enough to start every new year off with our closest friends. I can't think of a better way to party! This year we had the Seldens, Thiriots, Porters and Tolers over for a Mexican fiesta and Minute to Win It games that included getting a cookie from your forehead to your mouth using only your face, keeping a feather in the air for a minute with your breath, knocking down cups with rubber bands, picking up shaped pasta with a spaghetti noodle in your mouth, and a few others. It's always midnight before we know it and we watch Dick Clark count us down. We know how to ring in the new year right and it's always a blast. Stay tuned for our faux new years tonight with the kids!

The temple at Christmas

2010-12-30T20:01:00.002-05:00

Last night we took the kiddos to see the temple lights. It's been tradition to do this with the fam before Christmas but this month has been so filled with other stuff that we simply could not fit it in before now. As always, the lights do not disappoint and I am so glad we made the effort to still go, even though Christmas has passed. It must've been fate that we went this very night because as we were in the visitors center I recognized a face that I haven't seen for more than 13 years. Jesse Chandler, a good friend from high school and the person responsible for introducing me to the Mormon church in the first place was there with his family, visiting from Connecticut. What are the chances? I got the biggest hug from him and so many memories came flooding back. I can't believe we haven't kept in touch better, but sometimes that's just how life is. It was pretty surreal introducing him to my family and telling him that Cameron would be getting baptized in January. My life may have turned out very differently had I not met him when I did. I hope he knows how truly grateful I am for his influence on my life. It sure was awesome seeing him again.

Cameron from 7 to 8 years old

2010-12-28T10:44:00.006-05:00

Christmas Festivities

2010-12-26T14:32:00.003-05:00

We had a wonderful Christmas. It was almost a deja vu of last year which was perfect. My mom and Jeff came over Christmas Eve for our buffet and reading the Christmas Story and Twas The Night Before Christmas. New pj's before bed, milk and cookies and carrots set out, and then Santa came! Cameron and Gavin woke up at about 6:15 and went downstairs to check out the goods. Jeremy shooed them back up to bed while we got up and ready for the madness. Once the gifts were unwrapped we had a hard core play day and then a turkey dinner. It was topped off by driving around to see the lights and watching the classic A Christmas Story before bed. I couldn't have written the day any better. I just love Christmas and I'm always so sad to see it end. Our kids are all at the perfect age to watch the magic happen. Family is the best. Merry Christmas!

Santa came!

The kids got a dress up trunk filled with costumes. It was a big hit!

Eight

2010-12-23T09:24:00.004-05:00

Yesterday was a BIG day. Yesterday my first baby turned eight years old. I wonder how did that happen so quickly? For our family, eight is a big number. In our church when you turn eight you reach the age of accountability and get baptized. Cameron will be baptized next month, and he is so excited for that. But yesterday was all about birthday business and Cameron was all about that. In fact, he came into our room three times the night before his birthday to see if it was time to open his gifts. He had a half day at school and loved that he was the center of attention. My mom took in cake pops the day before when they all sang Happy Birthday and yesterday he also got his name announced on the morning announcements and a special birthday pencil and sticker. Cameron also got to do something for the first time, which was to have a sleepover with his best friend, Austin. We went to Cracker Barrel for dinner with Austin, Grandma and Jeff and then came back for a lego cake and more presents! The boys stayed up late playing the new Wii games Cameron received and then they were so good and went right to bed when I told them it was time. All morning they have been putting legos together and having loads of fun. This whole sleepover business was pretty painless, not like the horror stories I've heard. And we have celebrated another milestone in the Johnson family, a milestone that makes me misty-eyed. I'm not ready for my boy to grow up, yet it's still happening right before my eyes. I am so proud of who he is becoming, he is my sweet boy that still loves to cuddle and can make your heart melt with that dimple of his. How did I get so lucky?

Gavin's Christmas Program

2010-12-21T15:14:00.002-05:00

This post is a little late, but we have been busy, busy getting ready for Christmas. Gavin had his preschool Christmas program last Friday. He had three speaking parts, my favorite of which was his part in the Twas The Night Before Christmas. He had to say, "A wink of his eye and a twist of his head, soon gave me to know I had nothing to dread." He had to wink after that first bit and you could see him practicing winking all the way up to the microphone. He was also the star of Bethlehem and we got to watch him dance and sing his little heart out. He did great and we were oh so proud of him!

Jolly Old St. Nick

2010-12-10T22:10:00.003-05:00

Tonight I took the kids to see Kriss Kringle at Merrifield Garden Center. Last year Robyn told me about this hidden gem of a Santa and so we had to go back to see him this year! We went with the Benson's and Toler's and we were the last people in line so Santa took an extra long time to talk to each child. His hours were only supposed to be until 8, but we didn't leave there until 9! This guy is the best, he seems to genuinely care about each child and asks them all about school, how they're treating their siblings, and how good they're being for their parents. He even made sure to mention that Christmas is about the birth of Jesus. Unlike the grumpy Fair Oaks Santa, this one was really interested in what my kids had to say. And you could take your own pictures or pay $3 for them to take one. All the money that they get goes to a local food bank. No more second rate Santas that you have to wait for hours in line to see, we're going to Merrifield's from now on!

Mason asked for a candy and a puzzle

Gavin wants an Ironman costume

Cameron would like a Batman Lego Wii game

Santa also told us that chocolate chip cookies are his favorite and to be sure to leave some out for him! Picky, picky!

Family Pictures

2010-12-07T14:22:00.006-05:00

It was way back in October that my friend Leilani took these pictures for us. I was waiting until we mailed out our Christmas cards to post them. I think they turned out fantastic. Which is your favorite?

Middleburg Christmas Parade

2010-12-05T08:50:00.004-05:00

We tried something new this Christmas season. We've been to the Manassas Christmas parade before but never to the Middleburg one, which begins with a big parade of fox hunting horses and hounds like this:That is not my picture. I wish I had a picture to show you of this beginning to the parade, but because of the huge crowds of people going to the parade, we were late and when Cameron, Gavin, and I jumped out so Jeremy could find a place to park, the three of us ran to the parade route just in time to see the tail end of about four of the horses as they made their exit. I was majorly bummed, but hoped the rest of the parade would be worth it. As we tried to find Jeremy and Mason, we had to walk all the way to the other end of the parade route and Gavin was freaking out because no one was throwing candy yet. The parade was pretty good. There were firetrucks and tractors and several dog groups (Middleburg is really into dogs) and some pretty good floats and bands, but there were also A LOT of people. Combine that with Jeremy's demophobia (fear of crowds) and we were out of there as soon as Santa made his appearance. Sometimes things just don't work out as planned and that was the lesson of the day. The kids still had a good time- especially since they did get a bunch of candy, but I don't think Jeremy will be up for going again next year which it too bad- I really wanted to see the horses and hounds!

Great Wolf

2010-11-30T09:37:00.006-05:00

The last time we were at Great Wolf Lodge was almost three years ago when I was big and pregnant with Mason. The kids still talk about how much fun they had on that trip and even Gavin remembered certain things like the big bucket that dumps water every few minutes. We haven't been back until now because I just couldn't fathom how two parents could watch three little kids that wanted to go in different directions. Now that Mason is older, we decided to give it a try. This was part of Gavin and Cameron's birthday presents this year instead of having a big party. Oh my gosh, it couldn't have been any more fun! We went non-stop for two days at their indoor waterpark. Mason loved the little slides and the wave pool, and warming his feet in the kiddie hot tub. Gavin loved the lazy river and the medium sized slides the first day until we bribed him to go on the big slides and then that was all he wanted to do! Cameron loved all the slides and the boogie boarding. Jeremy and I just loved the gigantic smiles on the kids faces the whole time. I think this might just become an annual tradition for our family now that the kids are bigger and can do more. I'm ready to go again tomorrow!

Cameron on the boogie board

Gavin on the boogie board- this kid actually had some great moves even Jeremy and I couldn't do!

Wiped out after a long day.

Our Nation's Capitol

2010-11-27T20:56:00.006-05:00

While Lisa and her family were with us, we went downtown to see some monuments and museums, and to tour the Capitol. We ended up at the Lincoln Memorial and the American History Museum and also Union Station.. I saw some things I hadn't seen in DC before like the ruby slippers from the Wizard of Oz and C3PO and the newly preserved American flag that inspired the National Anthem. We also went on a tour of the Capitol which I had not done since I was in school where you now wear these headphones and follow a guide around. It was great to visit all of these neat places, but it was even better just spending time with the Allens and doing this with them. I'm so glad they made the trip up to see us.

That night, we went to do our annual drive through the Bull Run Festival of lights. Jeremy's trusty copper truck died this year but we sure were happy to be able to fit into Lisa and Jimmy's 12 passenger van!

Thankful

2010-11-27T20:17:00.009-05:00

We had a grand Thanksgiving this year. My sister Lisa and her family came to stay with us for a few days and we planned a big get together at our church. There were 27 of us total, including my sister Kristin's family, my mom, Jeff's parents, Pop Pop and sweet Angie and her kids who are just like family to me. We had quite the feast with way, way too much food, including turkey, ham, stuffing, mashed potatoes, sweet potatoes, corn pudding, jello salad, sweet and sour green beans, cranberry sauce, rolls, squash casserole, a slew of appetizers and at least six different desserts to choose from. It was definitely good eats! After dinner the kids did crafts and watched a movie and the adults had a rousing game of basketball. I must say I was surprised at some hidden talents, especially Jeremy's! I had no idea! I am so thankful for my family- even with our many quirks we somehow manage to stick together and have a great time with each other. I'm also thankful for Angie and her kiddos and for her hubby Jonathan in Iraq and all he does to protect our freedom. I am most richly blessed.

Fall Swimming Finale

2010-11-18T20:44:00.000-05:00

We are really fortunate to have an indoor pool right here at our clubhouse. We are even more fortunate to have them offer "swim team" at this pool during the off season months. Since Cameron loved being on swim team this summer I knew he would love to continue but for Gavin it was a bit more tricky. You had to be able to swim across the length of the pool without stopping in order to be on the developmental team. All summer we worked and worked and finally in August when we were down to the wire he made it across and then wanted to do it again and again! It was great to have both boys at the pool at the same time and only have to worry about Mason for an hour. They both loved it, but Gavin took some persuading. They keep the pool at anywhere from 80 to 83 degrees which was pretty cold to my little string bean. The poor kid just doesn't have any meat on his bones! He would sit there and shiver and chatter his little teeth until he was in tears. We tried a swim shirt to no avail, but one day another parent suggested a swim cap and that did the trick! He didn't complain about the water at all after that! I guess we really do lose most of our body heat through our heads! I worried about having Mason at the pool during lessons but it turned out I didn't have to worry at all. He stayed right by my side all season and never asked to get in the water. What an easy going kid, I sure love him. Today was their last day until the next session in January, and the boys were both sad to see it end. Their coaches were great and I noticed an improvement in both of them so it was definitely worthwhile. It will be nice to have a bit of a break though!

I just love how the cap made Gavin's face squish all up! He looks like Quasimodo!

Mason liked to check in to make sure Gavin was having a good time

Cam being a goof

Gavs and his teachers- Coach Jessica and Coach Rachel

Cameron's coach went into labor on the last day of practice so we didn't get a picture with her, but he loved Coach Sara!

Cinco

2010-11-09T23:24:00.002-05:00

Our little stuck in the middle turned five today. He woke up so happy and bouncy this morning, knowing that it would be a special day for him, and him alone. He picked pancakes for breakfast and had his little friend Owen over for a playdate. They played super heroes with the capes I made him (thanks Lynette!) and trucks with his new snowplow. We took cupcakes to swimming and then had dinner at Gavin's favorite restaurant- "The Golden Arches" with Grandma and Jeff. To top it all off we came home and had rocket cake and played with all of his new fancy toys. When I asked him tonight what the best part of his day was, he answered "the whole thing!" I think that means it was a success. I sure wish my kids would stop having birthdays and just stay the size they are. I hate that they grow up. Happy Birthday my little Gavs!

Field Trip and a Fiesta

2010-11-09T09:23:00.003-05:00

Yesterday I got to be a chaperone on Cameron's field trip to the Blandy State Farm Arboretum. The kids went there to learn about plants and it really was a beautiful setting albeit a far trip on a bus with some very LOUD second graders. They planted some seeds and got up close and personal with various plants and trees. It was a lot of fun even though it was cold outside.

Then last night we had a little get together with four of Gavin's friends for his birthday. Since we are going on a family trip to Great Wolf Lodge at the end of the month between the boys birthdays, we scaled way back and just decided to have a small celebration, just pizza and a movie and some cake. We rented How to Train Your Dragon which I think is a really great movie. It kept the kids attention and everyone had a fun time. I don't think Gavin even realized that it wasn't a fancy party. Several times he exclaimed that I was "the best mom ever!" Way to make my heart melt, kid.

Missing You Guys Already

2010-11-06T20:22:00.003-04:00

Our dear friends the Wadley's left this morning for Oregon. They have been some of our very closest friends and our kids will be lost without theirs! It is seldom in life that you find another family that perfectly gels with your own and the Wadley's were that for us. We know that our paths crossed for a reason and they will forever have a place in our hearts. We know this move will be great for you guys, but we miss you like crazy!