Saturday, January 31, 2009

A conversation with Taite

Have you ever had a telemarketer that just KEEPS calling? Well the other day on the 4th or 5th call, I saw it was them and decided to get my revenge....a 3 year old named Taite.
I handed Taite the phone and quickly grabbed a piece of paper because I knew this would be good.

Taite- Hello!
Taite- Who is this?
They must have asked for Matt Johnson..
Taite- Matt Johnson!?!? Hey I a Johnson!!
They must have asked for me now...
Taite- Oh Mommy's cooking....it smells good!
I am guessing they asked for me again,
Taite- No, I talking a you!
Again maybe,
Taite- NO, you talk to me! ....what?
I am not sure what is said, but she just moved on with the conversation,
Taite- I playing with my friends, my Dora & Dora's house, a picture frame and Dora's car. This is Mrs. Potts and this is my Scooby-Gooby-Goo!
Taite- What?...HEY where you go! Talk to Taitey!

She hangs her head at this point and walks over to me...
Taite- Mom, its Matt Johnson



Friday, January 30, 2009

My Utah trip!

My trip started off crazy! When we left our house to drive to Chicago, it was -28 degrees!! That wasn't windchill...that was the temp! So the roads were awful and of course this made traveling awful. I was so late getting there, I was sure I was going to miss my plane. I walked into the airport with 22 minutes until the flight left. Good thing I said my prayers that morning because there was no line at the counter and incredibly at O'Hare airport....NO line at security!

I made it, last person on board of course--but still. Some really nice snowboarders were ahead of me and helped me with my bags since I was carrying Gus.

Gus was awesome on the plane, he didn't cry once. We were on the last row right by the bathrooms so everyone in line sat there and smiled and played with him. This made him very happy and he was playing to his audience. After a little while some lady and her friend from the front said..."Oh here's the baby they were talking about!" He was very popular!

Once I got there, just lots and lots of family time! Just what we needed.


My nephew Logan and my niece Megan.
I love these two kids almost
like they were my own.
I have always been very close with them and
miss them SO much.
It was great to have some time with them!



Thursday, January 29, 2009

Opa



I went home to Utah last week for his funeral services. It was a hard goodbye. I love my Opa very much and I am happy that his suffering is over, but we sure will miss him. The funeral was wonderful and the spirit was very strong. I am grateful for the gospel to help us through these things.Opa was the most patriotic man I know. He was passionate about our country and instilled this in my Mom and then me and my siblings from a very early age. He was a wonderful example and served our country with honor in the Marines. I loved to listen to his stories about his military service. He enlisted in the Marines shortly after Pearl Harbor and served in the Pacific Theater, mostly in Japan I think. Then after the war was assigned in peace keeping in China. He had some crazy experiences, his service makes me proud.

He loved guns of all kinds and gave me my first gun when I was 10. He was a tough old guy and I loved him very much. He adored his great grandkids and loved when they would come over. Cyrus really loved to visit him and would always walk right in and give him a hug and then hang on his walker.

My favorite thing was when any of the kids gave him a kiss or hug he would say "Boy, that is some Good Sugar!" I think I will say this to my kids now, just to remember him by.

Love you Opa!


I just put this picture on because I found it this week going through some pictures of Opa and I think my Mom is FOXY!!

Monday, January 26, 2009

Ahhh... Its good to be home!

I love my Mattie, he makes me feel so great about the Mom I am! It was really nice to be with family in Utah even if it was for a funeral. My Opa was a great guy and it was nice to celebrate his life. I'll tell more about that in a minute, but first a couple of funny things when I got home.

*For starters the house looked GREAT! Way to go Babe!

*I was a little shocked with the Hamburger Helper, because Matt is a FABULOUS cook. But you know whatever!


*Ellery says to me when I got home..."Mom, Dad did a great job. He even gave us baths and washed our hair so we weren't the smelly kids at school while you were gone!"

Brush teeth check too! Nice toothpaste mustache!

*When asked how the dreaded hair went with Dad as the stylist, Bailey replied- word for word I couldn't make this up "He did good, actually.... he did some very interesting designs!" Where does this kid come up with this stuff!

Don't worry this isn't the design she was talking about!! This is ultimate hat hair!

*When asked how bedtime went, Taite is VERY particular with her bedtime routine and I was a little worried how she would handle my replacement. She said "Daddy do good...(big sigh) but he didn't sing all my songs to me!" Then she said "He hug me when I had the hic-ups and make me feel better." Hic-ups is what Taite calls throwing up, I have no idea why. She got sick while I was gone and threw up all over Matt!! Glad I missed out on that one.

This is how I found her the other day. She said she was going to go play in her room. She has to have a million animals and blankets around her when she sleeps and now apparently a fort as well!

* Now Cyrus... he just missed me and gave me a thousand kisses when I got home. It made me feel kind of good because every time I left the room for a couple of days, he came running to make sure I wasn't really leaving!

Noticing the choke hold he has on Gus, I am guessing he didn't want him to leave again either!

I had a good time, but I found myself saying every five minutes how much I missed them all or how much they would enjoy what ever I was doing. I am probably a big boob, but I really missed them! I have only ever left the kids a couple of times. Matt and I left Ellie and Bailey for 2 days when they were little. I went to St. George for the weekend once and took Taite as a baby. Then the only other times I have left any kids have been to the hospital to have another one!! I just would rather be with them. Now don't get me wrong, I think I would enjoy going on a vacation with Matt once in a while, just not for very many days! Ha...I am a boob! Oh well! What can I say... I love these guys!

Mattie- Thanks for making it possible for me to go. I think you are the greatest husband and the greatest father. If I have done nothing else right in my life, I know I picked the best father for my kids! I love you so much! And....thanks for asking! I love you Hoss.

Wednesday, January 21, 2009

Mr. Mom

Well I am hijacking Dev's blog again, hopefully I don't piss off more people again. Like I care. Anyway the rhetoric on this one should be a little more palatable to everyone, but if its not, oh well.....


Dev flew out last Friday the 16th for her grandfather's funeral. I suspected I was going to be busy, but I didn't realize exactly how challenging it was going to be to finish up on some very important office work, take care of the kids, prepare lessons and talks for church, all while not burning the house down. Usually Dev harasses me about keeping the house clean on the 1 or 2 times she has ever left town because she knows I kind of let it go and then I clean up the last day (okay, more like the last hour) before she comes home. Well this time I made an effort to keep up even with the cleaning the whole time she was gone. I forgot to do laundry, I don't know how to do hair for my 3 daughters other than brush it out and pull it back to keep it out of the food, we had Hamburger Helper for the first time in our family's history (Dev is quite the cook which contributes to my weight problems, but I think that deep down she's a chubby chaser--ha ha!), I forgot that Monday might be a make up day for snow days and didn't send the kids to school, and did I mention I had important deadlines to meet for work too? Seriously, it took me about twice the effort to do half as good a job as what Dev does. We all miss Mom and can't wait for her to get back. I am tired!!

It was however, a lot of fun to have time with my children and yell and scream and run around, do some sledding, have some alone time with Cyrus and some alone time with Taitem. We are all good friends, and our time alone has been very, very enjoyable. Its fun to spend time with the little people and see their personalities and get to know them better. Some might think I'm crazy, but I enjoy alone time with my children. They are hilarious little people! You're a good momma Dev, we love you and miss you, now hurry home!

Saturday, January 10, 2009

Sledding... kind of!

It has been snowing like crazy and the kids couldn't wait for Saturday so that Matt could play in the snow with them! To tell you the truth Matt couldn't
wait either. He is just a great Dad like that.
They had a blast!

This little hill is on the side of our house and not very big obviously, but they made the most of it. It was really perfect for Cy and he had so much fun!
I LOVE the snow!

Subway Anyone?

Well I am just missing my Dad today so with thinking of him
I thought I would post these pictures!
He brought me this onesie when I had Taite, isn't it funny!
Doesn't Gus look great!
Subway anyone?


This face says "I miss my Papa!"

That is one thing the girls miss SO much since leaving Utah.
We got a pretty SWEET discount at my Dad's stores so
obviously we ate there often!



I forgot to post Gus' 2 month check-up stats! At two months he measured 26 1/2 inches long-- above the 99th percentile. 4 inches in two months... not bad. He weighed in at 14lbs 11oz exactly 5 pounds in two months, this is in the 90th percentile-- Matt is a little concerned! Just kidding! He is happy and growing and we love him yay!

Sunday, January 4, 2009

Finally its over....2008!

Wow what a CRAZY year 2008 has been for our family. Really difficult...really wonderfully blessed.

JANUARY- Sad
For a crappy reason, I had to quit a job that I LOVED---teaching preschool at Learning Dynamics Preschool. It is the greatest Preschool around! Maybe someday...


FEBRUARY- Surprise
Can't kick the stomach flu....throwing up for a couple of days.
Matt jokes..."Maybe you're pregnant!"
No way, No Way, NO WAY......YES way! Surprise!



March
- Happy
Cy's 1st Birthday!! Such a blessing this little man. We can't get enough of him!



APRIL- Tradition
Annual Football Alumni BBQ at BYU. Matt really enjoys seeing all his teammates and coaches once a year. I love this picture with LaVell Edwards--what a legend, my Dad who played, Matt and Cy... 3 generations of BYU Football? No pressure Cy!


MAY- Addiction
I became a blogaholic!! Maybe the reason I love it so much is that it soothes my guilt over not scrapbooking!! I can display my cute kids and record their funny moments easily.



JUNE- Bliss
8 Wonderful years with my best friend... yes pure BLISS
I can't believe he asked me to marry him and I can't believe what an awesome life we have together with our kids!




JULY & AUGUST- Awful
Disclaimer- whining approaching!
Matt accepted a wonderful job offer in Indiana. Matt had to leave his pregnant, sick, exhausted, hobbling (with a terrible pinched nerve) wife... having contractions and spotting from all the work, with 4 kids alone to pack, clean and rent out a house. This took 7 1/2 weeks.... but who was counting- he he!
Then we moved a very large and pregnant woman--I can admit it- across country. My poor Dad had to ride, and drive the whole time which he was not planning on, with me and the kids the whole way. (Thanks again Dad!)
Let alone the fact that we were moving away from my FAMILY!
Wheww!! Glad we got those months...and the whining over with!


SEPTEMBER
-Growing
Bailey started kindergarten! I can't believe she is old enough! Ellery is a big 1st grader this year Wahoo!! I love this pic because they are holding hands and I surprised them around the corner...I am glad they smiled at the sight of me, that's a good sign right?





OCTOBER- AWESOME!!!
For not wanting to get pregnant yet, I sure am glad that we brought this little guy into the family. Isn't he perfect!! We are SO blessed. Gus has such a sweet spirit and is an unbelievable blessing to the Johnson Fam!


NOVEMBER- Arggg!
We moved again...I don't want to talk about it! Just kidding, it was a blessing in disguise, but still- lets not talk about it!

DECEMBER- BLESSINGS
Settled in here in Indiana and we LOVE it! Everyone is healthy and happy. Yes another year gone, and another year full of blessings!

Saturday, January 3, 2009

Raising Cyrus!

So Bailey says to me, "Hey Mom, its a good thing that I am helping you raise Cyrus."

Me -"Oh really, you are helping me raise Cyrus?"

Bailey - "Yeah, lucky for you I really know what I am doing because I am still a child."

Yep lucky for me she knows what she is doing!
She's such a great gal that Bailey Boo!



Another Bailey "Funny"

We have a severe ladybug problem! We are talking about out of control ladybug population! What used to be my favorite bug is now my despised enemy! Hundreds invading our house at a time! Even during the freezing cold winter we get several a day flying around our house and each morning I suck up at least a dozen dead ladybugs in the vacuum.

So the other day it was -2 degrees out side and there were 3 ladybugs just flying around the play room. I irritably said "What is with these ladybugs it is freezing outside, how are they still alive!!?"
To which Bailey excitedly replied, "Mom!! I know how they are alive.... they have FORCE FIELDS around them to protect them!!!" Holding her hands up and standing in a fighter's stance, ready to Judo chop my butt!
Then she said, "Yeah, a force field..... or maybe bubble wrap I am not sure!"