Wife, mother, daughter, sister, and friend

In Memory of 2009

noreply@blogger.com (Julie Johnson) — Sun, 27 Dec 2009 20:46:00 +0000

As the end winds to its close, I have much to be thankful for. Here are my top 10 things that came to mind (in no particular order).

1. The birth of my fifth child, Levi Fenly.

2. The baptism of my oldest son.

3. A vacation at April General Conference with my family and sister, Cindy.

4. A vacation at October General Conference with my family.

5. A trip to visit my brother's family in Louisiana at Thanksgiving.

6. The partnership and loving relationship that is growing beautiful between my husband and I.

7. The fruits of my labors to try to enjoy my children right now.

8. The power of God's love in my life to heal, forgive, guide, inspire, strengthen, and show me all things that I should do.

9. The opportunity to have Sister Lant, the General Primary President, visit our home.

10. The opportunity to get a bird for a pet. (Hello Bobbi a blue, white and gray parakeet.)

Let it snow. let it snow, let it SNOW!

noreply@blogger.com (Julie Johnson) — Mon, 21 Dec 2009 01:34:00 +0000

Snow it did this weekend...nearly two feet! Here are some of the shots of the fun (posted when I can find that camara cord).

Other fun: Christmas caroling to the neighbors with the missionaries. Attending Randy's work party with him (the poor babysitter didn't have as much fun as we did...poor girl had to call her mother to come in for reinforcements--good thing they just live across the street)! Put together Christmas cards and had fun thinking of loved ones. If you are reading this and don't get one in a day or two...and you want one...send me a note. :) Having everyone healthy enough again to go to the YMCA one day. Stood in line with everyone at the post office to mail the cards and attending a homeschooler Christmas get together.

Well the last two Sundays church has been cancelled due to freezing rain and then the snow. We wouldn't have all made it either week since someone seems to have something (unfortunately it seems to mostly be Paul...he has pink eye today that spread from one eye to the other...good thing we already had the eye drops since we couldn't make it far in this weather)! It is so nice to stay home and have everything cancelled...and have the neighbors all at home too so that we can get out and work and visit with one another. What a great Christmas gift!

Deck the Halls...

noreply@blogger.com (Julie Johnson) — Sun, 13 Dec 2009 20:04:00 +0000

This week was one of fun, celebration of Christ, and being filled with the love of Christ. I guess I mentioned how well I enjoyed the First Presidency Christmas devotional last Sunday. I have been enjoying it all week again in my mind and feeling, like the angels, to sing praise and feel joy in the love of the Savior to come. It has filled my heart only to be disturbed now and again by the stress of dealing with Christmas budgeting, Christmas shopping, and Christmas scheduling. However, when I focus my thoughts back on the love of Christ, it all comes back!

Christmas activities this week included:
Sunday - First President Christmas Devotional

Monday - Christmas shopping at the Discount store (I found nearly everything I'd planned on) and then ornament making for FHE. This year we wrapped gold wire around wooden stars.

Tuesday - I went out to do some visiting teaching. We teach some lovely ladies that welcome us to their homes. My companion provides her daughter to baby sit for me while we go since Randy is at work or scout meetings and both homes have animals (and are not kid proofed). I came home with a plate of mini oranges (they reminded us of the LA satsumas except these were even smaller but still easy to peel).

Wednesday - Randy cancelled one of his scout meetings so that I could go to the Relief Society Christmas social which was an evening with Joseph and Emma. I got to take part in a lovely readers theater put together and be the narrator to learn about how Joseph and Emma would have celebrated Christmas...not much celebrating actually. It was not a holiday in Illinois and more often than not Joseph was in prison or on assignment. We had a lovely couple dressed up and a home scene with fireplace and there was a sweet spirit of love and gratitude for them. I was especially thankful for Randy's sacrifice so I could go and participate.

Thursday we all stayed home - yea! A few people stopped by to turn in scout charters to Randy...as if it wasn't already a busy time of the year (but at least it will not last the next three months like it did last year)!

Friday we took a date to the temple. We were there late enough to enjoy the lights and walked through on our way out to look at the life sized nativity. We'll be taking friends down this next week as well as doing some caroling.

I did finally get my pictures and cards ordered...so hopefully you'll be seeing one. I even ended up with extras due to a website malfunction...that they were so kind to refund me for even after the photos had been sent. (This was one of those times when I went looking to bring back in the true spirit of Christmas.)

To close, some pictures from Thanksgiving Break:

Not only did the girls provide a salon but they organized a ball that was complete with costumes, dancing, music and games!

Sam enjoyed seeing a baby again after being away at school. We were excited to be there for the arrival of his mission call to Los Angeles, CA!

Randy was gone part of the week to FRANCE and stayed in this CASTLE!

Scott enjoyed (I hope) some time helping me out with the babies!

A Holiday Heart

noreply@blogger.com (Julie Johnson) — Mon, 07 Dec 2009 02:28:00 +0000

I will take a few minutes to record some reflections about both the recently passed holiday as well as the one being quickly ushered in. As I think of them, my heart is full to overflowing. I recently recognized the the glass is not half full or half empty but full to overflowing. If it were not so, it would cease to be...it would collapse upon itself. Through God, my life is full to overflowing (and I'm learning to let it flow over without worrying about all the good that is spilling over that I can't quite seem to grasp and comprehend and incorporate right now...but to take a feeling of abundance and love from it). The water level in my cup varies depending upon where it is drained off for those in need which is primarily my little people right now but I know where the source of living water is and I must just make sure I go to Him to replenish so that I feel like I can share it with others.

Thanksgiving: It has been my habit now for almost two years to try and record 5 things a day for which I feel gratitude. In addition to this, I was reading one of those self-help books that helps you realize that the gospel (with the teaching in the scriptures and the prophets) teaches us all those things for happiness...yea, even the plan of happiness but anyway, I was spending extra time thinking of my blessings and being grateful for what I have now.

As a family we had the great privilege to travel to Bush, LA, to spend about a week with my oldest brother's family. Wow, did we love it! They have a fun and beautiful home but even better they have a fun a beautiful family. I was so impressed to see the children being early to bed and early to rise despite being out of school. There were scriptures being carried around by children doing their personal studies and instruments nearly always playing...even practicing without being told or assigned. I was impressed and I was also convinced that all this didn't happen by chance. Mel, what a great job you are doing in influencing, loving, and guiding your children for good. Scott, what a beautiful work you are doing to gather for prayer, for scriptures, for family home evening. Thank you so much for feeding us, clothing us in clean things, sharing all your talents, showing us the area, playing lots of games, and helping me reflect on what is to come as my children grow while you realized where you had been. It was a true vacation for me. It felt like being at home (my parent's home that is, where there was a mother who served in love and a father who provided for me). Thank you for a wonderful time. I even enjoyed the driving while listening to some good stories, scriptures, and just taking in the experience of it all. Unfortunately, no pictures to post at the moment because I can never seem to keep track of the camara cord!

Christmas: Did you read the first presidency message in the Friend this month? It pointed out the feeling of Christmas is the love that comes from thinking of the Savior and trying to be like Him. I want to show more love and I've had fun trying. I got to invite a neighbor to church, share a Book of Mormon with a friend (and I have three more planned for this month). We have planned to help the kids stuff each others stockings, we have thought about appropriate gifts for the children that would bless the whole family, we have even got some inspiration on the matter...we are getting a bird. It was an unexpected answer to a prayer that I offered up...pet. Randy and I went yesterday to hold and pet some parakeets...we felt love there or at least I did. A little 6-wk old bird just waiting to come home with us to be held and stroked and kissed and loved. We are sure of the sex yet, apparently in a few months its beak turns blue if it is male but the breeder seemed to think it would be...I think it would be good to name it Prince Charming but it won't be my choice. Shh...don't tell by the way because it is a Christmas surprise.

Love came down at Christmas. This evening's First Presidency Christmas devotional was beautiful from the spirit of the opening prayer to the talks which each struck a chord in me, the angelic music, and the feeling of love for God, his prophets, and his Primary President that we got to host in our home just a few short weeks ago. My heart is full of gratitude a love for a Savior, which is Christ the Lord. To be His, to belong to His church, and to know that He is my "rescuer" my redeemer.

Opportunities of gospel living

noreply@blogger.com (Julie Johnson) — Sun, 15 Nov 2009 18:07:00 +0000

I just finished re-reading the love notes that my parents and siblings wrote to me back in 2003 and it was just so fun to feel the love (from them and for them). I am so thankful that I got to grow up in a gospel home with parents who loved each other and their children, with siblings who worked and played together, with the gospel of Jesus Christ that helped us to repent and forgive one another. It is just so wonderful!

This week has been very fun for me. I have been practicing being happy by choosing to be and controlling my thoughts. I got a little book at the Holistic Health Fair I was at last week claiming that in 10 days I could be happier...I figured, why not give it a try? I am having fun remembering who I am, expressing gratitude for what I have, praying for those who I can forgive, and looking forward to my next daily assignment. Gee, sounds like gospel living doesn't it (because it is)! What power it is to be able to think and it is our Heavenly Father's intent that we can control our thoughts/actions until we have a knowledge of all truth!

In concert with this most recent project of mine, I took up a challenge given last Sunday of trying to read The Book of Mormon by the end of the year (10 pages a day we were told then). It has been so fun to read a lot and see just how thankful and positive thinking Nephi was and how hopeful are the words of Isaiah. I probably couldn't explain them if asked to, but it seems like they are both a temporal situation that has been or will be but also that it can all apply to us spiritually, right NOW, if we are obedient. That may not make sense but it does when the Spirit is helping me to "get it"!

One of the great opportunities of the week was getting to have Sister Lant, the General Primary President, come to our home to visit with the kids. We had half and hour to visit with her and hear about her meetings with President Monson and how he likes to tell stories about when he was in primary and the people that he tried to help come. She said she had met with him a week and a half ago and he wanted to know how the primary children were, what they needed, and if they and their leaders were happy. We learned about the places she has visited (and that she likes it if the same interpreter can travel around with her). In general, she reminded me of my mom. She looks similar with hair cut, coloring, and a smile. They also have 9 children and she was so encouraging and positive toward the children exclaiming over their prepared artwork to welcome and thank her for coming. She related to me in child-rearing and made me laugh to say that she informed her husband that he was not President Hinckley and more importantly, she was not Marjorie in relation to his never ending work of refinishing the doors in the house in the room just off the entry-way! I am glad to say though that Randy's progress on refinishing the piano is coming along and it is looking lovely. Notice a child missing? He was taking a nap.

To laugh (I've been doing this a lot this week): Sweet Paul has been wearing padded underwear which he calls, "Underpanties." I help him to the potty when I can but when he is wet and dirty then we go to the bathroom to change. To clean out the BM, I dip the soiled underwear in the toilet to get off what I can before it goes in the laundry and affirm to Paul that the toilet is where it goes. Now, while I was feeding Levi, Paul noticed that he was wet and took himself to the potty. I could hear appropriate bathroom noises and then got concerned about hearing swishing sounds. I put down the baby and asked him not to play in the potty. When I rounded the corner I saw him (and heard his pitter-patter-feet) run across the kitchen floor in his birthday suit to throw his wet underpanties in the garbage. I guess it is tough to remember what goes in the potty, what goes in the garbage (since he wears disposable diapers regularly and deposits them for me), and what goes in the laundry!

To be brave I invited my neighbor to come over so that we can discuss things about health and wellness with the intent of inviting her to listen and learn about healing through the laying on of hands. I also, have another idea in mind for next month to invite someone to listen to the missionaries as a Christmas gift. (I got to lead the music at a baptism for some sisters now in our ward last evening. There was a lovely feeling and singing Joseph Smith's First Prayer and I Am A Child of God was bearing my testimony. It was a sweet opportunity to participate.

For the sake of consistency

noreply@blogger.com (Julie Johnson) — Mon, 09 Nov 2009 01:22:00 +0000

This is in tribute of Elder Bednar's Conference report since I don't expect to share anything too profound but simply to be consistent in keeping a record and sharing it with family not so near.

Yesterday was an interesting day for me as I attended a Holistic Health Conference. I had six classes teaching me various aspects of health. I guess you could say it was a chance to become more familiar with eastern health practices of well-being as opposed to the western health practices of treating the symptoms. My brain is still on overload from what I heard so perhaps when and if I get a chance to process some of it then I'll share more. Randy spent the morning with the kids at the church passing out scout re-charter packets (they are changing to do it at the end of the year instead of early in the year so this is the second time for this year).

On Friday some of the kids joined other LDS homeschoolers to tour a local home that has been turned into a children's museum. We went through the home all set up like it would have been with fireplaces in each room and straw mattresses (learning about the phrase, "Good night, sleep tight, and don't let the bed bugs bite"). It was the home where the first governor of Maryland (Thomas Johnson) lived with his daughter's family after his wife passed away. They had all sorts of toys but we didn't get long enough to play. The girls went to the doll house and Peter was at the checkers and enlarged tic-tac-toe board. They fed the kids some "cookies" they said were like what they may have had (probably not but it was fun for the kids that they included that in the tour). On the grounds they had a one room cabin which was in striking contrast to the mansion. They had a carriage museum that was more fun for the kids because we had been listening to Those Happy Golden Years by Laura Engalls Wilder and heard about the sleighs and carriages that Almonzo had been using (at least that is what made it more fun for me). They also had a blacksmith shop that was not original to the land but just to educate. It was a nice fieldtrip.

We took Thursday off from our regular schedule as well and spent many hours at the church with sisters sewing baby blankets and bibs. I took Grandma Ada's sewing machine and my old baby sheets and hand towels to through together some cloth diapers (I got rid of my old ones only a month or two ago). Poor Levi has a terrible diaper rash and yeast infection on his bottom. It was big motivation to make diapers and yogurt to relieve him some. We are still working on it but it is improving. I also found that I really enjoyed the sewing (especially because I didn't have to use a pattern, buy the material, or make it fancy).

Okay, this is longer than I intended but once I started I realized I had more to say than I thought. Here are a few other tidbits: The family sang "I am a Child of God" in church today with no accompaniment. Peter started solo on the second verse. Then Randy and I sang the third verse followed by the whole family singing the first verse with Peter on the descant to close. It was a really great opportunity for the kids (and for the mom who is scared to sing in front of people) and we got lots of comments at what a nice job Peter had done. His comment was, "I found that it is a lot easier if you avoid looking at all the people." :)

The other cute thing was that we sang "Jesus Wants Me for a Sunbeam" for FHE. The kids have learned to jump on the "-beam" part. However, we discovered that Mary Joy was singing, " A Sun-BEEP, a Sun-BEEP." It was so cute we didn't want to correct her but she liked it just as well since sunbeam ends with the same sound that her name starts with!

All stocked up!

noreply@blogger.com (Julie Johnson) — Sun, 01 Nov 2009 20:10:00 +0000

I taught last week about prophets in Sunday School. President Monson in his closing remarks said that the Lord HAS prepared us for this time. I was at home with sick kids today but this week's lesson looked like it was on spiritual and temporal self-reliance (that is what the prophets have been teaching us). If we are prepared we shall not fear.

So, here is how it has affected us this week. We've been saving up money and now we can pay for both of our vehicles to be fixed (and one of them twice)! The kids and I went and picked up some bulk grains from the cannery to fill up our emptied shelves in the basement and now we do not fear going hungry during the winter (we are due for a bad one they tell us and we are excited for it since we have felt that the winters have been somewhat less that we were use to in Utah and Idaho. Okay to tell the truth, Randy likes more snow and I have enjoyed not having so much).

We enjoyed our Halloween by avoiding Halloween activities. During the ward Halloween activity we had the family at the temple and visitor center (meeting up with Randy after his work conference and our trip to the cannery). On Halloween we enjoyed having our new home teachers come and talk about the importance of families. It was really a tender lesson from a recently returned missionary (Robert Matthew's grandson for those interested like Grandpa Bart or Laurie and Mark's families -- he served in Boise mission) and a new convert, Joseph, from Africa -- who I was told had been a preacher prior to joining a month or so ago. They were humble and interested in us and encouraging. It was a sweet time. We followed that with feeding dinner to the sister missionaries (both Aggies -- go USU) and then playing Hide and Seek with the lights out. We had so much fun in that game. We think we'll make it a Halloween tradition!

A List...checked off for the week

noreply@blogger.com (Julie Johnson) — Mon, 26 Oct 2009 00:48:00 +0000

-Kids classes at YMCA while Randy works out and I grocery shop
-Family Home Evening
-Homeowners association meeting
-Kids to Library
-Peter to scouts
-Excercise
-Take kids on hike and pick up Peter's Jr. Ranger badge at Catoctin Mtn Park
-Call the doctor about sick kids
-Take the van in to get fixed and arrange for a rental car
-Pack meeting
-Grocery shop and get diapers before Randy leaves on his work trip
-Study and prepare to teach the gospel doctrine class on Prophets (what a wonderful experience)
-Get the kids to church early so that they can find their seats for the primary program

Life...isn't it great!

If there is anything virtuous, lovely,...

noreply@blogger.com (Julie Johnson) — Mon, 19 Oct 2009 00:58:00 +0000

Ada and Paul in the big tub...before we left we managed to fit the whole family in at once!

Here we are bowling...the kids were a little confused that we went bowling but it wasn't our traditional bowling day (the anniversary of our first date on Dec. 23).

We took a short hike to Split Rock. This is a naturally occurring split rock which gives the resort its name.

Here is my sand picture on the beach of Lake Harmony. Randy wrote a big love note to me there. Peter chased the ducks and through pebbles in the water with Paul tagging along and losing his shoes in the water. Ada and Mary Joy worked on sand castles.

This one is from Paul's birthday. We've enjoyed the new wagon!

We just listened to one of the conference talks with the kids this evening with the 13th Article of Faith. I thought I would use it for my title tonight since I was just thinking that it had been a lovely week around here.

Randy had several scout meetings and then his campout got cancelled (disappointing...) but then we were able to get things done around the house and that was nice.

Peter is just finishing of his Bobcat for Cubs. He and Ada have had to be in charge of Mary Joy this week either doing some preschool/playing with her or else working for me. They did pretty well. Peter did more work and Ada did more teaching and playing while I was able to get to some of the day to day planning and projects that needed done. We all kept busy and stayed happy that way (especially Mary Joy who was the recipient of the extra attention)!

Paul is so cute and talkative. We had some interesting conversations this week. He asked me not to copy him (he learned that phrase this week from the other kids and I thought he knew what it meant at first but later he used it inappropriately so I had to chuckle). He sounds so grown up and even the kids are trying to reason with him...which ends up being frustrating for them since he really isn't reasonable at barely 2.

Levi is on the move! He tummy crawls around and doesn't like being left behind. He has lots of big smiles...and we're working on the feeding issues.

I really enjoyed the kids this week and getting out alone to exercise some. I'm enjoying listening to conference talks again and again and helping out with neighbors and friends when I can.

Ahh...vacation!

noreply@blogger.com (Julie Johnson) — Sun, 11 Oct 2009 23:29:00 +0000

General Conference is a wonderful time for a vacation...and we felt like we really needed one. However, if anyone remembers last time we went on vacation at General Conference time, you have to get a bit creative and this trip was no different. We managed to look up some chapels in Pennsylvania but could not locate the one (even using the GPS) on Saturday morning. So Randy attempted to play billiards, ping pong, and swim with the kids while I listened in with headphones in the hotel. Later on we downloaded the audio so that we could listen to the Saturday sessions on Sunday. Randy drove about an hour each way to a chapel that he found (with google maps) to attend the Priesthood session which he really enjoyed. Not only was he touched by the Spirit but the members there welcomed him generously and shared their ice cream social with him. He returned home late but in high spirits. I found the messages to be comforting...knowing Heavenly Father's love for His children and how to receive revelation (communication from Him) so that we can receive the help and protection that we and our family so desperately need.

So, we vacationed at Lake Harmony, PA, in the Pocono Mountains. The area was settled due to coal mining and rail building. There really wasn't much to go see... a couple of hikes to a little water fall called Hawk Falls and one to some rocks with a natural gap between them called Split Rock but the resort was wonderful. They had an indoor water park that we didn't go to with the kids so small but we did enjoy pool and baby pool, billiards, ping pong, bowling, coloring contest, a game called Ship, Captain, and Crew, a Veggie Tale Movie, popcorn, walking with the leaves turning lovely colors (just like to postcards you see), miniature golf, parks and playgrounds, the lake and beach, simple foods, a townhouse with a huge tub (we fit the whole family in on our last night) and even a sauna (that Randy and I enjoyed while letting the kids think as Mary Joy put it, that the room had its own changing room! To her credit, the other changing rooms at the pools did look a lot like that.)

Unfortunately, vacation had to end. We went via Philadelphia so that we could go to the Franklin Institute...it was wonderful! We entered right at the time of a wonderful light show being displayed in a rotunda with a large statue of Benjamin Franklin. There was classical music playing, the lights were changing colors and screens were showing highlights of his life and great contributions...it was quite the welcome upon entry! I loved that Mary Joy wanted to stay and dance to the music on the marble, wide open space and that made it all the more wonderful and beautiful to me. We saw heart and eye dissections, and found areas in the museum that put together our favorite of the parts of the New York Hall of Science and the Maryland Science Museum plus more. We got kicked out of the building before we got to see everything (and then got to spend hours in traffic trying to get out).

Now we are home again, oh, that is good...as Grandpa Bart's little story goes (ask him if you haven't heard it yet), "Might be good, might be bad, too soon to tell."

Feeling loved and Healing

noreply@blogger.com (Julie Johnson) — Mon, 21 Sep 2009 01:40:00 +0000

Well, things are going pretty well for me. We had a lovely stake conference the last few days that I enjoyed and felt the Spirit strongly. It started on Friday when Randy stayed home with sick kids and I got in to the temple. I listened to some of the New Horizon Choir (USU Institute choir) music that caused me to rejoice in God's power over the hardships going on in my life and in the lives of those around me, knowing that He would grant us strength, and His purposes would be fulfilled. Saturday evening session we had a babysitter and were able to go to dinner and then the session. We were told about a training given to the seventy and passed on to the stake presidents with a slide showing a filter to pass things through...the prophetic purposes being 1)affirm faith in Chrish and 2) Strengthen families. All the talks fit into that beautifully and reaffirmed being strong because we feel God's love. I especially liked the talk by the Sister...mother being overwhelmed getting the advice of getting back to the basics..FHE, prayer, scriptures and how, though hard, things did improve with time. Today session was great too...a lot about the temple and the stake president offered to personally watch my kids while I went to the temple (which he has done for me once before)! It was fun to listen to our new mission president from Meridian, Idaho, who speaks a mile a minute, while giving quotes from past apostles, mixing in scriptures, making you laugh one second and cry the next. (I must say that we were relieved when the meeting was over as the kids were a handful. Even the lady in front of us demanded (well, asked) for a turn to help out the baby but was unsuccessful. It's funny now.)

So, I've enjoyed the rest of the day visiting with some of the family on the phone and relating feelings and concerns about parenting and such. Also hearing about Suzy's marathon...way to go! Stall...I am waiting for the pictures from the camara to download so that I can see if we did anything fun this week. Randy was busy with work having a big site visit this week. We got a second coat of paint put on the kids rooms but still need to do the trim before putting the rooms back together. I did have a chance to get rid of lots of "stuff".

The pictures aren't working so I'll just give a brief update.

Peter-new hobby: making paper airplanes, class: health and wellness at the YMCA; currently reading: Harry Potter #4, Mad Scientist Club, Christopher Columbus and the New World, picture scripture book, and What Your Third Grader Needs to Know; other: Having trouble sleeping due to the spooks...trying to learn how to pray, conquer fear with love, and trust in oneself (I'm still trying to learn those things too!)

Ada-hobby: drawing picture books (probably the reason my pictures are taking so long. I took pictures of them rather than trying to keep every book she has made.) class: Swimming from YMCA, currently reading: beginning reading books (when she has to), other: loves to dress up with scarves or do her hair fancy...she is very creative.

Mary Joy - hobby:playing make believe with little pastic figures; classes: trying to get Mom to do preschool with her; loves to kiss the baby; starting to try and help out a little in the kitchen on good days; behavior is improving tremendously; LOVES oatmeal with chocolate and raisins!

Paul- hobby: talking and getting into trouble. That is pretty much what he does all day. It is amazing the sentences he is speaking. For example, "Mommy can I have some more pizza to munch on please?" He loves his primary teacher and is talking about "Sister Wirt" (it helps that we see her a lot since she lives across the street). Oh yes, and trouble...can take off clothing, can turn on water faucets but not off, can pull open door to street and has tried crossing himself, can get in and out of crib, can get out of room by crawling under crib, stop...that is enough!

Levi-hobby: smiling! He is so cute. A little frustrating that he won't nurse except when he is just waking up or going to sleep. So he wants to eat a lot every couple of hours. He is sitting and starting the army crawl.

Peter's Baptism

noreply@blogger.com (Julie Johnson) — Sun, 06 Sep 2009 12:15:00 +0000

Yesterday was Peter's Baptism day! I was so happy to see him be baptized and have really enjoyed discussing the gospel and the purpose for and need to be baptized. We have marked scriptures together, made a spider graph of God's powers and characteristics, and prayed together. This has occurred in spurts and special moments over the last few years and it has been a lovely learning experience for me as I have tried to bear my testimony to him and had my testimony grow by studying with him and having a desire for him to come to know God and develop and understanding of and personal relationship with Him.

Peter is a very good son with honest desires, exactness in his actions, willingness to share the gospel with neighbors and strangers too (thankfully not when he is alone), a growing understanding of gospel principles with excellent questions to ask. He is also a delight to have in our home as he plays with little people and steps up to be my mother's helper in taking the family from place to place when Randy is at work. He is responsibly and reliable in doing his household responsiblities and his personal studies. I learn a lot from him as I blunder along in my attempts at motherhood and all that it entails. I am so happy for him to be baptized and received the gift of the Holy Ghost and become a member of God's church. I'm glad that he is a member of my family too!

It has been wonderful to have Grandma Ruby and Grandpa Bart be here with us to celebrate. They have been a huge help in watching out and entertaining little people, keeping us fed, and helping out around the house. We love our special time to visit with and be with them. I am thankful for the example of gospel living that they have shown and the love and encouragement they give to me, my children, and all the family.

Past time to update

noreply@blogger.com (Julie Johnson) — Wed, 02 Sep 2009 00:08:00 +0000

Most things that I end up doing these days is done late, simply, and only if essential. One could say that I have been overwhelmed with life in general. However, I didn't want to miss out on the chance to give an update on the kids and share some cute pictures.

Here is Peter and Randy looking sharp at Peter's first Pack Meeting. In the background is his Leave No Trace Poster. He was the caller for the flag presentation, got several awards from summer camp, and made a new woggle! The rest of the family enjoyed the experience as well.

Levi is beginning to sit up now. At six months, he is long and skinny. He is not nursing well but eats solids fairly well. He wants to be where the action is and not left behind. That translates into: he is fussy if he is left behind or put down. That is not a great thing for me with the other two little children that are following me around wanting to be held as well.

Here you can see that he is very blonde and very blue-eyed and full of bright smiles. He is very cute and fun. He loves the grass outside and enjoys laying on it trying to pull it out and eat it!

Peter started a PE/Health class at the YMCA and Ada chose to do swimming lessons. Both classes were very small the first week and will hopefully have more after labor day. Mary Joy is constantly begging me to play house or do preschool with her. Paul follows her around asking for the same thing or to be help. They are both rather demanding and cry a lot since they don't know the words to tell me what is wrong or don't think to ask for help. It tries my patience severely...good thing they are so cute!

Husbands make good Friends

noreply@blogger.com (Julie Johnson) — Sun, 23 Aug 2009 20:00:00 +0000

While Randy was gone for 10 days to Tia's wedding and then to Philmont Scout Camp I was certainly blessed. I got together with a lot of different ladies and families from the ward to keep busy and get help. It was great. This week has been even greater when I've been able to enjoy the evenings with Randy!

Randy was able to change his flight and arrived home on Saturday rather than Monday. We picked him up and went out for a family dinner...got a coupon from restaurant.com so we could go somewhere a little nicer than McDonald's. Then Randy and I switched off at church since the boys were sick (apparently Randy got it, because he stayed home with the same type of symptoms today).

The week itself was pretty regular: FHE, study, library, music night, babies, diapers, laundry, cleaning, etc., etc., but the fun part was after the kids were in bed. We have recently purchased some soprano recorders for Peter to start practicing on but Randy and I have been working on them. We've done some from the Children's song book and mixed some with recorder/ukelele or recorder/piano or played recorder duets. Randy has been informing me on some band information that I didn't know about tuning instruments since I don't have any band experience. I am enjoying the time and even more so since I decided that my best instrument, the one that I can take anywhere, share anytime, and use in behalf of others...is my voice. Maybe now I can stop being so frustrated that all my hours of piano practice early in the morning never MADE me as good of a player as I was intent on being. It is a comforting thought anyway.

Randy and I have also started reading a book together called Redwall. We went to play raquetball at the YMCA, but we don't really know the rules yet so we made up some of our own and have tried to remind ourselves to look up the real rules BEFORE we go next time. One night we played Yatzee and we've been discussing the financial database that Randy is designing for us and the new one that he is going to teach me to design for my homeowners association. I have enjoyed all the attention and time from my sweetheart after having him gone!

We took the kids swimming on Saturday after cleaning the church. I had to chuckle that they all put on their pajamas after showering (early afternoon) because we told them that we didn't have any plans to go anywhere else for the day. The kids are always anxious to go somewhere. The other kids in the neighborhood start school tomorrow and we have some little lonely siblings coming over to play, some homeschool activities going on, and pretty much our regular schedule.

Adventures

noreply@blogger.com (Julie Johnson) — Mon, 10 Aug 2009 01:58:00 +0000

I've come to recognize in the last couple of weeks that I really don't want everyday to run the same way as I would tell you that my "perfect day" would go. I have some really wonderful days that are great and some not so wonderful days that still have some wonderful things happen (that I would have missed out on if it had been one of those "perfect days"). So that reminded me of my good friend Danelle Dooley who would tell me in college how much she loved adventures. Well here is to Danelle, and to all of you, a partial list of my adventures of the last little while:

-Convincing the kids that family haircuts is a great activity for FHE.
-Taking Mary Joy and Paul swimming with me (and managing to leave with both of them as well).
-Hearing about Tia and Preston's wedding plans and wedding and sending Randy to participate.
-Sending Randy to Philmont Scout camp for the week after the wedding.
-Getting a babysitter so I can attend a class to learn how to start composting (if only I had a larger spot of ground for it...I might have to try the indoor worm type but this class, unfortunately did not cover that).
-Adopting the stake president and his wife as grandparents with who we shared Peter's birthday cake (adapted from the Aug 2009 Friend magazine - the August Fruit Cake) after Randy had been set apart to be the Stake 11-yr old Scout Camp coordinator. Sister Suhaka sat by me with the kids today and helped me make it through sacrament meeting by cuddling with multiple children and the three older kids get to go to their house on Friday when they want to take them swimming.
-Having our oldest son turn 8 and have his baptism interviews and hoping that we have taught him what he needs to know...not to pass the interview but to have a happy life. I guess that we don't know it all at 8 or at 31 either for that matter!
-Ordering a couple of recorders for family members (including myself) to learn to play.
-Reading and listening to some fun books and finding that I am getting a little burned out on book reading and will perhaps actually try something dare I say, crafty? Or maybe artsy? Or at least some type of creating (preferably if I can do it while I listen to a good book on tape)!
-Meeting a new neighbor.
-Adopting another family in the ward to be the older siblings so our kids can be the younger siblings. We enjoyed a picnic and playing some sand volleyball and other sand games together on Saturday evenings. The father is on assignment to Japan for two years and this was the end of the first week for them.
-Taking the kids to spend a day in the mountains. I don't remember if I had reported on that already.

Here is a little general update on the kids:
Peter just had his 8th birthday and was excited to get a bunch of legos and his cub scout things. He is very responsible about getting his chores done for which he gets paid a small amount. He is often up at the crack of dawn and can be found reading...Harry Potter is what he was allowed to start on since his birthday. He has also been spending time with a library book that teaches him how to fold lots of kinds of paper airplanes. He enjoyes playing Pretend with Ada and the neighbor boy across the street, going to the youth fitness center at the YMCA to do a little Wii Fit and Dance, Dance, Revolution, and would like to have more days off from doing the math, writing, and reading that I require for his education.

Ada is quite creative in all things. Today she made a stamp book and dressed up in various costumes. She enjoys playing Pretend with Peter but has recently discovered that Mary Joy can be fun to play House with (sometimes we play Little House on the Prairie). She likes to play and would rather not do chores or schooling and therefore needs to be supervised for these things to be accomplished. She does very sweetly agree to do them and then I find all the clothes and books shoved in the closet or under the dresser or even under the covers on the bed. She has seemed to get the hang of starting up the laundry.

Mary Joy is misunderstood and I am hoping to discover what I can do so solve that issue. Food first thing in the morning doesn't seem to work and unfortunately I can't spend an entire morning reading her stories or playing house with her. Her most cheerful day was when Ada spent the morning playing with her. She loves to cuddle with Levi and must hold his hand 20 times a day and kiss him 500 times a day!

Paul loves to talk. My favorite time is when he tells me that he loves me. Today he was doing it with his tongue out so we said it back and forth with our tongues out and laughed together. Mary Joy doesn't seem to understand that Paul can say and use words without really understanding what it means and sometimes that causes problems. Paul loves listening to stories and wants me to read him lots of books instead of going to bed (and ask me for another drink about 5 times). Oh, yes, and he often tells me that he wants to be a princess, he loves the pink one, and even gets dressed up in the princess costumes (you'd think he has two older sisters or something). However, he also loves balls, trucks, and trains!

Levi is so cute with his big smiles. He wants to eat lots and has done really well getting started on solid foods but isn't really nursing or taking a bottle too often. He is very good with his hands trying to get things into his mouth and does it a lot more than any of the other kids did. He is starting to move around a fair amount by rolling and turning on his tummy by using his hands. However, he manages to either get himself stuck or soon find a "loving sibling" that decreases his ability to manuever.

I am the lucky and blessed Mom. Randy is the wonderful, kind, hardworking father, husband, and friend.

Pioneer Children

noreply@blogger.com (Julie Johnson) — Mon, 27 Jul 2009 01:06:00 +0000

The first thing is the movie of Paul talking that I couldn't get to work last time. He really is a talker. He was copying everything our Home Teacher was saying today and agreeing with it all! He is also very good at praying and scripture reading in this manner! Today, out of the blue he was asking me about something. I thought maybe he was saying Grandpa but he told me, "No, where is Grandma Ruby?" I didn't realize that he remembered Grandma Ruby though we were talking about her last Sunday when I started reading Parley P. Pratt's Autobiography to the kids (we enjoyed reading some again tonight).

Next is a picture from our Pioneer activity. We held this mostly to try and keep the kids busy while Randy was gone at a scout over-nighter...I didn't know if I would have the energy but it turned out very lovely. We dressed up all day long and made our stick horses. We decorated and loaded the wagons (and invited the neighbors along). We went on a short trek...oops, forgot to sing the pioneer songs though we did listen to them during the day. Then we cooked some hot dogs (when I couldn't get the charcoal going, I opted to use the electric grill and an extention cord...obviously not a luxury the pioneers had. By that time, we had attracted a crowd and our half loaf of bread, one and half packages of hot dogs, and third a bag of chips fed 10 kids in the neighborhood. We pitched a little tent and played pioneer (even had an Indian with one of the neighbors wearing a Red Skins jersey). We had the hose as a river and the kids giving each other wagon rides until we had collected at one point 17 neighborhood kids!

Here are some cute pictures from the week to enjoy. Randy and I went out on Thursday to a classical concert at a nearby college. We enjoyed most of the music but I had a hard time convincing myself that some of the solo cello music could really be called music. The musicians sure put on a good show with their facial expressions though. I was pleased with myself for acting like my mom and talking to the old lady I sat next to. She told me about all the other concerts, growing up two blocks from the campus, raising her four children, and playing the organ for her church. She invited us to come back again next week...and we'd like to (Randy said he'd get the sitter this time)!

I enjoyed a lovely day at church today. I am grateful for so many who have walked with faith in every footstep. I have so many blessings to enjoy all around me!

Growing Up...

noreply@blogger.com (Julie Johnson) — Mon, 20 Jul 2009 00:29:00 +0000

Peter and Ada were both old enough this year to attend "Take Your Child to Work Day" with Randy this year. They had arm paintings and the lovely stuffed TB germs they brought home with them wer fun (unfortunately I can't load the picture right now). They had fun making rockets, swapping books, writing their initials on cells, learning about endangered birds, and other things I am sure...but mostly being with dad (as opposed to being with Mom and having to do their regular housework and math lesson).

Mary Joy was thrilled with her growing up this week. She can now reach the light switches on her tippy toes to turn them on and off. We were called to come to the bathroom multiple times this week so that we could watch and appreciate her joy and excitement of reaching such a wonderful milestone!

Here is a little movie clip of Paul and Levi cuddling. The movie with Paul talking wouldn't load so I'll have to try it another time. He is quite the talking buddy. He and Mary Joy get a little frustrated sometimes with trying to talk/copy each other and neither one knowing the meaning of all the words that they are saying! A fun picture of everyone enjoying some good books as well.

I just realized that Levi is nearly 5 months. He has lots of smiles and loves to chew on toys and roll onto his tummy (he just doesn't roll back so well). He is waking me up some most nights...and I have been rather exhausted trying to keep up with everything. I am trying to figure out how to get everything done with the kids around and not neglected and still get to bed early and rise not quite so early. It was a struggle this week but a good opportunity to evaluate what I am really doing with my time and try to fix my schedule appropriately.

Good times and good friends

noreply@blogger.com (Julie Johnson) — Sun, 12 Jul 2009 18:31:00 +0000

Here we are at the lake in Cunningham Falls State Park. We met some friends there on Friday after a crazy morning at home (don't ask...I'm trying not to remember). We had a great time playing in the sand and water. I only had to rescue Paul from nearly drowning one time. He is quite the adventurous little buddy. We even managed to come home fairly happy and without terribly sunburns. The weather was lovely for the most part (though I heard some complaints about it being cold- I thought it was great)!

This picture is from a library program presented by the Maryland Science Center on Dinosaurs. I managed to get everyone there since Peter has been quite interested in learning all about dinosaurs. It was a wonderfully fun, educational, and neat experience. Here Ada got to go up and help to measure the "prints" to figure out how big the "dinosaur" may have been. They did a great job of helping the kids learn how math is used to figure out questions and to point out that a lot of things we still don't really know. I was thrilled that we got to experience this and then we enjoyed driving to the airport while listening to Ella Enchanted to pick up Randy from his work days in Utah. We were glad to have him back home with us as some of the kids were feeling rather lonely with him gone. We were glad he got to see some of his family and glad to hear later in the week the announcement of Kevin and Cheryl's baby, Jase!

Here is my sweet baby, Levi, who fell asleep under the chair playing. He is really quite interested in things...munching on things and looking around (consequently his eating is suffering). He is cute and fun and full of smiles!

The following is my first attempt at posting a video and consists of our cherry seed spitting contest in the backyard one evening. Wow, our backyard is getting famous!

http://www.fredericknewspost.com/sections/art_life/display_horizon.htm?storyID=92406

Celebrating LOVE...9 and 233 years!

noreply@blogger.com (Julie Johnson) — Sun, 05 Jul 2009 23:59:00 +0000

July 1, 2009 we celebrated 9 years of wedded bliss! The best 9 years of our lives! Here is a picture of my great husband being a great father and working his bulging biceps! He is great and as it was from the very beginning, it is my privilege to be his wife. Due to a busy day of work, scouts, library, etc. we set up our date time to be after the kids were in bed. We celebrated with homemade frozen yogurt in candlelight and then tried out the new sofa bed while watching Tuck Everlasting. We had fun and the following night we went to the temple to do sealings and remember those wonderful blessings and that our family is for eternity...whoo hoo!

The next love is for our great country of America. We celebrated at a breakfast and patriotic program. Here are Peter, Ada, and Mary Joy with other children singing "America the Beautiful". We also had Ben Franklin as the emcee, honored some WWII veterans, heard some christian music live, sat at a table with our congressman and his wife, heard from our brand new mission president, and saw some WWII weapons on display. (Then we went to The Home Depot for the monthly kids craft and everyone took a nap.

In the evening we loaded up and went to Antietam Battlefield. It is the site of the bloodiest single day in American history...23,000 died in one day and we were there with about 30,000 and figured that everyone within our site range would have died that day, how horrible! We heard a fantastic concert of patriotic music including some we got to sing to and they gave all the kids flags to wave. They fired cannons and the kids waved their lightsticks and asked when the fireworks would be done so that we could go home. :) One interesting things was that we met up with Elder and Sister Valentine, a senior proselyting couple serving in the Hagerstown Ward (only for two weeks). We invited them to join us and appreciated the help and company of our surrogate grandparents. They seemed to enjoy it as well. I loved feeling so thankful for the sacrifices made by soldiers and their families and felt great love toward this great land. Unfortunately we had left the camera and so I tried to burn the images of my children dancing, marching, singing, waving, eating popcorn and cheese, and watching the neighbor blanket occupants playing board games into my head to enjoy the beautiful moment. I felt like I really lived a full Fourth of July experience.

However, I do have these couple of pictures from the Monocacy Battlefield Visitor Center which the kids and I enjoyed on Monday morning with some families from the ward. After going through the center and having the kids show me all their favorite parts that they had seen with Randy on the other three or four times they had been there, we heard a ranger lecture telling the whole story of The Battle that Saved Washington and then went on a nature trail down to the river where we played in the water and had a picnic lunch.

Other things we did this week include visiting at the home of some of our friends from our first ward in Maryland, they had an open house in their new home. It was fun to see four families there that I had known five
years ago and see how their families had grown. Peter and I took a quick trip to the library and to the grocery store (both necessities, I think)! Since Randy had work off on Friday we took the whole family swimming...well not Levi, at the YMCA.

All in all, it was pretty fun this week except the bitter sweetness of thinking of the family reunions I was missing and not being able to make another trip to UT to see both Randy and my families...so I've tried to be glad that everyone else can at least be together and comforted in knowing that they would think of and miss me (so thanks for letting me know that you did)! :)

A Camping we will go!

noreply@blogger.com (Julie Johnson) — Sun, 05 Jul 2009 23:57:00 +0000

This week was cub scout day camp. Randy and I had both participated before but this was the first time we had a son attending (we let him go early since his 8th birthday is not far off). He was kept busy and wasn't so sure how much he enjoyed it after the first day but each day after seemed to have a different station that was his favorite. Here he is fishing...he caught one the first day when his group fished in the morning but other days were not so successful. The second day he earned his badge for BB shooting and didn't seem to have any problem figuring out how to aim and shoot. Another day he came home singing a space song to the tune of My Bonnie Lies Over the Ocean and with a painted space ship. Then there are the knots he is tying and the one that magically disappears when you pull it tight. Oh, and the piece of soap that is being turned into a fish. Isn't camp great!
Peter wasn't the only one to enjoy the week. The girls spent three days at the sibling camp making crafts, playing on the toys, and having lunch with Dad. Randy was a staff member in charge of helping out, which turned into being the camera man and then filling in for two days when the craft person got sick. He came home tired. The kids on the other hand still had energy to play in our little shark sprinkler pool with the neighborhood kids.

During the week I learned that having less children at home does not translate into getting anything more done. Instead I spend all that extra time I was suppose to have trying to keep Paul entertained or holding him. He really had a hard time knowing what to do with himself when no one was around to copy or play with. He was extra hard to put down at nap time and bed time. One night Peter was kind enough to climb down and sleep in bed with him.

Since it was a camping week. We participated in the Great American Backyard Campout. We even registered our camp site on-line and got a call from the local paper asking us about our plans and how we got involved, what other things we do outside with the kids, and they came to take our picture for the paper. Here is what it looked like, except that we were sitting in the chairs singing "The Ants Go Marching" (partly because it had been raining). Now you can see everyone climbing inside. As you can imagine, it took quite some time to get five children to fall asleep in the tent and then it took even more effort to get myself to stay asleep in the tent. But being awake gave me a good chance to ponder about what I would say in the talk I was asked to give in sacrament meeting on Sunday!

Randy wanted to hike the Appalacian Trail again on Saturday. I have been dropping Randy and the kids off, parking the car, and hiking in to meet them (though it never seems to go that smoothly). I hiked in our lunch for this one...it was about 3 1/2 miles. The kids were not too thrilled about it but I enjoyed telling them about my tubing experiences as we watched people tubing down the river, my fence fixing experiences (since that is the only childhood hiking I could remember doing), and talking about Pres. Monson's final story in his last conference talk so that we could focus on what we were glad about instead hearing everything they wanted to complain about. I had fun anyway.

Then I dragged Randy out to try some new furniture. My couch and loveseat were falling apart and so I found some used ones for sale as well as a recliner. We had to make sure that allergies wouldn't be an issue and then got some help to haul them home. My only disappointment is that I just discovered a hole in one arm of the loveseat...I'll have to see if I can patch it up somehow before the kids find it. I am really enjoying the recliner...brings back memories of home when I read, rested, and slept in the recliner. I enjoyed a nice nap in it today with 4 month old Levi while we waited for the home teachers to arrive.

Happy Father's Day

noreply@blogger.com (Julie Johnson) — Mon, 22 Jun 2009 00:23:00 +0000

Randy treated us for Father's Day today and decided to make it good for himself by enjoying doing fathering (which made it good for the rest of us). He decided it would be a good chance to give all the kids blessings since we don't really have a night before school starts which was when we got our yearly father's blessings. We had lasagna for dinner which is one of Randy's favorites...it obviously wasn't a favorite of the kids and that left more for us!

Our date this week was to go to Cub Scout Day Camp training! I appreciate the people that work so hard to get it all put together. The kids are really excited about going. Peter prayed that Sunday would pass by quickly so that he didn't have to keep asking when it would be Monday. (He also went to bed early since he didn't want dinner.) The girls will also be going to the sibling camp for several of the days and they are just upset that they aren't going every day.

Other things that I enjoyed this week were: swimming with Mary Joy though she wanted to be independent of me, tickling Levi and making him laugh, cuddling with Paul, taking the kids to help feed baby calves at a creamery and having that remind us of Grandpa and Grandma Conlin, sending a love note to my Dad, having Randy home in the evenings (the meetings this week were mine), finishing my book, and spending a day at the Natural History museum in Philadelphia. Saturday evening I asked the girls what their favorite part was: Mary Joy was glad we went (ie. to be out of the house) and Ada's favorite was when it was time to come home because she was tired! (I liked the butterflies and the geckos!)

How am I doing?

noreply@blogger.com (Julie Johnson) — Sun, 14 Jun 2009 23:41:00 +0000

Wife: Randy and I worked out a system to be only out at meetings two nights a week. It has been nice...only two scout meetings this week (and the training on Saturday). We have enjoyed doing yoga together before bed as many nights as we can. You can try it too from yogadownloads.com and they only take 20 minutes. We've enjoyed it. We also enjoyed taking a walk through the park for our date (followed by watching The Tale of Despereaux after the kids were in bed...next time we'll have to let them watch too). We filled the house with the smell of peppermint, some from our garden and some from others, that we are drying to make our own herbal tea with. Mmm, it has made the whole house smell so yummy. We had dinner with Randy's co-workers and family on Saturday evening and I put together a fruit salad that actually looked cute (thanks to Randy's influence) and he complimented me on it (because it is so rare)!

Mother: The kids and I had fun this week. We had friends come on Monday, some of the little people went to a playgroup on Tuesday (while the others went shopping with me for some long needed items), enjoyed the library on Wednesday morning and having a family picnic with our soccer team during our regular practice time that evening. We had a great time with friends on Thursday at the Rocky Ridge wooden slide. Too bad I didn't take pictures, but you could do a google search and probably come up with a picture. It is like a covered, raised, bowling alley lane to climb and slide down on and we had fun. That afternoon it was Ada's turn to swim with me at the YMCA. Saturday Ada's last soccer game and the kids and I had a great time listening to "The Phantom Tollbooth" in the car while we went to get the car emission test done...have you read it? I highly recommend it so far (it has some wonderful plays-on-word or is that play-on- words?)

Daughter: Talked to my parents last Sunday to make sure they got anniversary wishes from me. We are planning a fun time when they come to visit for Peter's baptism and I am looking forward to sending my Dads love notes for Father's Day! I'd like to visit with Rick and Becky more.

Sister: Got to talk with Laurie on the phone this week but I kept missing Kristy and Suzy on the phone. Sorry to the rest of the sisters that I didn't call. Maybe we can have a chance to talk this week!

Friend: I made a new friend last Sunday (and had them over for dinner). Lots of the kids activities were with friends and we've come up with a very fun schedule of activities to do this summer, about one each week. I'm looking forward to it.

I'll stick with the positive and not list all the things that I didn't get around to this week because I sure had fun doing bits of this and that!

Making time for living.

noreply@blogger.com (Julie Johnson) — Sun, 07 Jun 2009 18:20:00 +0000

Ada and Mary Joy each wearing a pair of Mommy's shoes were returning from across the street from returning a collander (that had been filled with lettuce, broccoli, and spices from the neighbor's garden). Both wanted the big responsibility to cross the street and be like Mommy...even taking the baby along, carrying it across the puddle rather than pushing it through (and walking through it themselves...it's okay, they were the plastic shoes), and wearing a shawl!

Later in the week I found Paul in the same place pictured here. Randy had gone across the street to pick up Levi who stayed with the neighbors while we went swimming with the other kids. The door had not been closed tightly and I was upstairs hanging towels and swim suits. When I came down and looked out, there was Paul, across the street. I thought he had gone with Randy until I noticed that he was coming back to the door, was alone, and that the neighbors door was closed...ie. no one was with Paul and he had crossed on his own. He crossed back to me before I had a chance to make it to him. Can you imagine how thankful I am that there were no cars on the usually busy street! A tender mercy of the Lord!

Sweet, sweet Levi! I put him in the baby cradle that Randy made for the girls. He has grown so much that it is filled (and he didn't find it too comfortable). He has disovered his hands and enjoys sucking his thumb and playing with the pacifier (the "baby-fier" as Paul calls it). He is rolling from back to tummy and starting to laugh. It is delightful. The two girls who watched the kids while we went to the temple for our Friday date were both wanting to be the one to hold the baby and feed the bottle. I'll be sure to give them more chances!

Here is Peter's scorpian complements of family night at Chik Fil'A. (Not to be confused with FHE on Monday when we had our lesson during dinner so that we could do a service project in the neighborhood before it got dark.) The people were so nice to me there with the five kids while Randy was at a scout meeting. They were bringing me ketchup, water, straws, napkins, in fact, they even gave me all the kids' meals for free (a mess up that they decided not to fix when I pointed it out). The girls had their faces painted in pink butterflies.

We cut back on meetings this week. Scouts on Tuesday and we did have soccer on Wednesday (only one more week of that) but Randy was able to come home and plant some flower bushes in front of the house and on Thursday I had a meeting with an HOA committee while Randy's YM meeting was at our home. We are working to have only two nights of meeting a week so that we can enjoy some time at home together. The kids are sad not to go to so many meetings but enjoying the spontaneous home activities and stories that have been a result of actually being at home in the evenings. I really enjoyed it! Randy and I have been doing a yoga podcast together in the evenings when we can without it being too late...last night the kids wanted to join in as well. This is living (and loving)!

The older you get, the longer birthdays should last!

noreply@blogger.com (Julie Johnson) — Mon, 01 Jun 2009 00:54:00 +0000

I enjoyed celebrating my birthday all this last week. Okay, it started late last week with a birthday book and a card. Then, on Sunday I got my first birthday wishes from ladies in the ward who had seen it in the announcements. On Monday, we shared FHE with a lady in the ward whose family is grown and gone...we had Sweet Potato Puff with one candle for her and one for me since we share the same birthday (though she is twice my age). On Tuesday I got some lovely birthday cards in the mail, on Wednesday we had birthday games at soccer practice, enjoyed some birthday calls, and I opened a few gifts (I had chosen) plus Randy and Ada made me this lovely necklace. (Note: Ada had given me instructions on Tuesday as to how I was to receive this gift. I was not to say, "Oh, that's nice," and not give it another thought but I was to say how wonderful it was and give her and Daddy hugs because of all the work they put into it and maybe even give Daddy a kiss--which I did!) On Thursday I got more birthday calls and made myself what I was wanting for my birthday dinner--Fondue (thanks for the recipe Phyllisa) and on Friday a delightful little package from my parents with some items from my childhood like all of my Valentine Cards from second grade! Then on Saturday came a big poster birthday card from a high school friend. So, I am still accepting birthday wishes for any of you who now feel a little sheepish but since I am now 31...I can celebrate for at least 31 days (and so there is lots of time for you to comment on this blog)! The best part of it all is to appreciate hearing from everyone and remembering just how much love and support I feel and have received in the past from all you wonderful people that I love! So, thank you...I love you all!

Picture fun for this week of May

noreply@blogger.com (Julie Johnson) — Sun, 24 May 2009 21:08:00 +0000

Since the pictures came in reverse order, we'll start on Friday of the week. Here is Peter playing at a homeschool outdoor field day. He's trying to pull off the other flags without having his pulled and he ended up being one of the last in his group to go out.

We enjoyed the beautiful morning at the park where all the kids were divided into groups by age. Peter's group had about 8 kids.

Here is Ada's group of 3. Wouldn't you know, the other girl wore here pioneer bonnet to keep out the sun as well. I guess if you see bonnet's it is likely that it would be with LDS people (at least this type since the Amish bonnets I see are of different style and materials)! Here the girls are learning a little hand rhyme at one of the four stations.

At the end of the day they each received a winner medal to wear.

Here is Paul...in his own age group (probably 3 or 4 others toddling around). Paul LOVED this huge soccer ball. He spent a good half hour with it and that was pretty much the whole time that it wasn't being used by one of the other age groups...opps, he had to be rescued from the parking lot once since I was distracted taking some of these pictures and he was kicking the ball in whatever direction he happened to be facing at the time!

Here we are at the beginning of the week enjoying eating our first watermelon of the spring. Though the flavor wasn't really that great, it sure was sweet to enjoy after family home evening together.

The rest of the watermelon was put into a fruit salad that we enjoyed on a campfire picnic on Friday evening. I decided that would be lots less work and stress than actually camping out and I was right (or inspired as the case may be)! We had fun roasting hot dogs and roasted biscuits on a stick for dessert...I cooked them just the way I use to cook marshmellows, brown on the outside and gooey on the inside! We enjoyed some of the good old campfire songs accompanied by Randy's ukelele (unfortunately the batteries ran out on the camera) and we stopped when I was getting bitten by too many mosquitos!

Randy and I didn't want to miss out on the camping experience so we threw out the sleeping bags in the backyard (it is a two or three-man backyard) and plugged in the baby monitor next to us. Right from our own backyard we talked, saw the stars, listened to the birds singing as late at 10:30 p.m. and as early as 4:30 a.m. After coming in to feed the baby, I could sure appreciate how hard the ground was and how soft my bed was...and stayed inside after that with the window wide open.

We spent Saturday afternoon hiking on the Appalacian Trail and playing in the Shenandoa River! I loved watching Paul throw rocks in the river and the other kids wading around looking for shells. Too bad no camara.

Here is celebration for little Levi making it to three-months old. He is smiling and cute. He is never left alone unless Paul and Mary Joy are taking naps!

In other news, Randy didn't have scout meetings every night this week...what a relief. But he was working on my birthday present instead, uh, did he know what I wanted was more time with him? (I told him so but hate to ruin the fun of the wood-making project.)

Finally a picture of Paul...with what we suspect is a broken nose. He was playing so cutely on the couch with a blanket and tucking himself in when he apparently decided that doing belly flops would be more fun but hit the bridge of his nose on the arm of the couch. Ouch! You can only see a little of the color here that has been exhibited the last several days.

All the outdoors made me think of my family working on the farm and camping and all the great memories I have of growing up doing such things. It has been fun, if not a little sad to not be in on the work partying. I am thankful for such wonderful things the Lord has given us to enjoy!