Christmas Eve 2001
Someone Turned 9 this summer
10 years ago
Monday, June 29, 2009
Sunday, June 28, 2009
Memories...
Let me just start by saying the wedding is one week closer and I am still overwhelmed with details, details and more details. I am rapidly becoming a fan of the small, at home wedding in the front parlor, with a brunch right after the wedding and the couple riding off into the sunset. Yeah! that would do it. However, since that is not what is about to occur, I will suck it up and make the best plans I can and hope that God isn't laughing too hard.
As I am researching, planning, buying, organizing, I have started going through old photos to find some of the bride in her younger years, I have come upon some truly wonderful memories. I think digital photography is wonderful, but I must say, that since it is so easily manipulated, I find old fashioned photos to be my favorites. For one moment, time stops, frozen in its march to eternity. No one changes it, no one has to remember each detail, because they are all there in the photograph. I love the old videos too. The giggles of my children running around the yard on Mother's Day, or helping Dad fix the car by running off with the tools, the Christmas mornings and Eves, the ordinary "Oh let's take a picture" moments, cannot be replaced. Which one of my family will forget the video of Maddock chasing Donald Duck around the place at Disney World or Carolin's dance recitals? The sweet face of our camera shy Christina trying to stay out of the frame. The photos of friends old and new from our twenty plus years of Christmas Eves are invaluable to us. The videos of our family singing to Gavin when he still sat in his high chair to the tune of "Sherrie, Baby" (only we sang Gavin, baby), the birthdays, the parties, the picnics, the costumes, the memories go on and on. The millions of memories created as a family lives together, learns together, makes mistakes together and grows up together. Oh! I am thankful for those pictures...but more importantly, I am thankful for the family!
When I figure out how, I am going to post of few of the old photos...just you wait!
As I am researching, planning, buying, organizing, I have started going through old photos to find some of the bride in her younger years, I have come upon some truly wonderful memories. I think digital photography is wonderful, but I must say, that since it is so easily manipulated, I find old fashioned photos to be my favorites. For one moment, time stops, frozen in its march to eternity. No one changes it, no one has to remember each detail, because they are all there in the photograph. I love the old videos too. The giggles of my children running around the yard on Mother's Day, or helping Dad fix the car by running off with the tools, the Christmas mornings and Eves, the ordinary "Oh let's take a picture" moments, cannot be replaced. Which one of my family will forget the video of Maddock chasing Donald Duck around the place at Disney World or Carolin's dance recitals? The sweet face of our camera shy Christina trying to stay out of the frame. The photos of friends old and new from our twenty plus years of Christmas Eves are invaluable to us. The videos of our family singing to Gavin when he still sat in his high chair to the tune of "Sherrie, Baby" (only we sang Gavin, baby), the birthdays, the parties, the picnics, the costumes, the memories go on and on. The millions of memories created as a family lives together, learns together, makes mistakes together and grows up together. Oh! I am thankful for those pictures...but more importantly, I am thankful for the family!
When I figure out how, I am going to post of few of the old photos...just you wait!
Monday, June 22, 2009
Summer Mondays
I am trying to fathom why Mondays in the summertime are soooooooooooooo much harder than Mondays during the rest of the year. Maybe it is not having a schedule, no one in school and no job that makes it seem so difficult. All I know is the longer I delay getting started the more there is to do tomorrow!
So I better mooooooooooooooveeeeeeeeeeee it! Maybe we'll take in a movie this afternoon. That is always a good reason to postpone things...yeah, that's it we'll go to the movies. The wedding stuff can wait, right?
So I better mooooooooooooooveeeeeeeeeeee it! Maybe we'll take in a movie this afternoon. That is always a good reason to postpone things...yeah, that's it we'll go to the movies. The wedding stuff can wait, right?
Sunday, June 21, 2009
The Dress
First, we are all clear that the lady to right is not me, right?! I wish, cause if it was, the rest of the post would be moot!
Not the bride's, mine. O.K. so this week the wedding planning shifted gears. The kids finally registered (at Target and Bed, Bath and Beyond), I started deciding what I will make and what I will have catered. The cupcakes...240 cupcakes (definitly cater), 80 chocolate mousses (make), Lemon Bars (cater), Pink Fluff (have to make), etc. You can see the how the system is shaping up.
So we have the wedding site, the reception site, the Bridal shower is being taken care of, the gift registry is finished, I picked out a dress and now I must get measured for it. The absurdity of this endeaver baffles me. My daughter is getting married in less than four months, I have decorations to worry over, caterers to find, venues to confirm, insurance to buy, various and sundry details to fret over and the biggest, most worrisome problem I have is getting measured for the dress. Bless her, Dawn, my friend and seamtress, promises to keep the meausurements under lock and key and, when the dress is perfect, to destroy them. So no problem right? WRONG! YOU COULDN'T BE WRONGER! I am telling you I am sweating bullets just thinking about get the tape measure out. I hate knowing the, hither to unknown, facts. The actual inch by inch tortureous details... I cannot think of one thing that worries me more about this wedding than getting measured for the dress. Oh, I will get it done. I will face my most horrific fears but, I will not allow her to tell me details. Write them down, hide them in her purse and put them under lock and key...and tell me nothing! Maybe, I think if I don't "know" the facts they can't be true? Hmmmm...something to ponder.
So ladies, let me know what you think! I was thinking this dress with Kermit the frog green ballet flats?
Monday, June 15, 2009
Dorks of Lancaster County
So I found some photos of Micah, Lauren and Steve. I thought I would post a few just for fun and to remind them of just how dorkie they were not so very long ago...by the way that hat has never been seen again!
Saturday, June 13, 2009
A Preachy Moment
A few weeks ago my DH returned from a very long stint in California. He witnessed first hand much the anti-Mormon sentiment being displayed in Cali. All of this is extremely disturbing but not completely unexpected. The scriptures tell us of many trials and tribulations to come, and go figure, they are coming from California. First, we had a Presidential Candidate that actually knows how to balance the budget, got his state off of welfare, turned around the Olympics, and managed to get every company he ever was involved with in profit. And all we heard about was his religion. Never in our country's history has any Presidential candidate been hounded out of running for office due to his personal beliefs. California and the last Presidential election are just the beginning.
Those of us who choose to stand by the teachings of the church are going to be targeted more and more as liberal America and the media turn on conservatives. We are a people choosing to exercise our governmental rights to worship where, when and how we choose, to support the traditional family, to show integrity and honor, courage and valor when those around us deride us for those same things. Ridicule and insults, I fear, will become the norm for us. Faith will become our life line. Our friendships and ties to others who believe as we do, our faith in our Heavenly Father and his Son will all be needed to sustain in the days to come.
We do not seek to deride, insult or intimidate others for their beliefs, however, we do reserve the right to speak out publically and vote against things, when laws and amendments directly contradict our beliefs. We will not hate those that work against us, we will not use violence or anger to sustain ourselves in times of adversity. We will listen to your opinions and then, like true Americans, form our own opinions based on our belief system. That is our right!
Those of us who choose to stand by the teachings of the church are going to be targeted more and more as liberal America and the media turn on conservatives. We are a people choosing to exercise our governmental rights to worship where, when and how we choose, to support the traditional family, to show integrity and honor, courage and valor when those around us deride us for those same things. Ridicule and insults, I fear, will become the norm for us. Faith will become our life line. Our friendships and ties to others who believe as we do, our faith in our Heavenly Father and his Son will all be needed to sustain in the days to come.
We do not seek to deride, insult or intimidate others for their beliefs, however, we do reserve the right to speak out publically and vote against things, when laws and amendments directly contradict our beliefs. We will not hate those that work against us, we will not use violence or anger to sustain ourselves in times of adversity. We will listen to your opinions and then, like true Americans, form our own opinions based on our belief system. That is our right!
Saturday...
Time to give the house a quick, and I do mean quick, once over. Clean out the fridge, it is scary in there and relax. Finish a couple of books, prep my RS lesson, and generally kick back...no wait...I forgot. Maddock needs a comforter for his new bed (drapes too), gotta visit a friend in the hospital, still gotta do the fridge and my lesson. So there goes the rest of the day. At some point I have to go through all my wedding notes (what am I going to blog about when the wedding is over?) Look for a new bed for the guest room. Mom will be happy, no more air mattress!
O.K. so I had five kids...now down to two at home and they are basically self sufficient (as long as I have enough money and don't forget their birthdays) so where exactly is all my "free time?"
Where, huh, I put in my thirty years as a MOM, where is my gold watch and my retirement fund? Now I'm over it! Wouldn't change much at all.
Now on to the house, the shopping, the planning...oh never mind!
O.K. so I had five kids...now down to two at home and they are basically self sufficient (as long as I have enough money and don't forget their birthdays) so where exactly is all my "free time?"
Where, huh, I put in my thirty years as a MOM, where is my gold watch and my retirement fund? Now I'm over it! Wouldn't change much at all.
Now on to the house, the shopping, the planning...oh never mind!
Thursday, June 11, 2009
Moving
No, not us, Carolin and Jason have just moved into their first grown-up apartment. You know, that first place where there are not siblings, no parents and no roommates. The one where you actually have to unpack all of the boxes instead of living out of them.
The place is adorable, I will post photos after the new furniture arrives. We unpacked, threw away junk, put up books, organized the kitchen, bedroom, livingroom, etc. They had made a good start but we worked like crazy to "get 'er done!" When I left there were only a few boxes of J's electronics stuff (that I wouldn't touch for love or money) and a few boxes of papers that needed to be filed. They now have some flowers arrangments, baskets, knick knacks, original art (thanks to J's grandmother who is a fantastic painter), a dining table, a kitchen that Carolin made dinner in for the first time and a livingroom sans lawn chairs. It will look beautiful once the new stuff is in! Thanks to J's brother Bryan and his sweetheart Jen for their help, Bryan loaned the kids a sofa until their's is delivered and both Bryan and Jen gave lots of good ideas and input on the new furniture! You guys should stop by, you won't believe the difference since Sunday!
Anyway, I am back home and much to my surprise the boys (Micah and Maddock) had the house looking perfect, the dogs were still alive, the lawn was mowed and there was even clean laundry just waiting to be folded (honestly I like to fold it!) I loved it! And best of all, there were no new holes in the walls. (those of you that have known us a while know that this is a common occurance here at the Johnstons.)
Now back to the wedding plans... caterers, florists, etc. No wait first...a few errands, some advil and a pedicure...then back to the wedding.
The place is adorable, I will post photos after the new furniture arrives. We unpacked, threw away junk, put up books, organized the kitchen, bedroom, livingroom, etc. They had made a good start but we worked like crazy to "get 'er done!" When I left there were only a few boxes of J's electronics stuff (that I wouldn't touch for love or money) and a few boxes of papers that needed to be filed. They now have some flowers arrangments, baskets, knick knacks, original art (thanks to J's grandmother who is a fantastic painter), a dining table, a kitchen that Carolin made dinner in for the first time and a livingroom sans lawn chairs. It will look beautiful once the new stuff is in! Thanks to J's brother Bryan and his sweetheart Jen for their help, Bryan loaned the kids a sofa until their's is delivered and both Bryan and Jen gave lots of good ideas and input on the new furniture! You guys should stop by, you won't believe the difference since Sunday!
Anyway, I am back home and much to my surprise the boys (Micah and Maddock) had the house looking perfect, the dogs were still alive, the lawn was mowed and there was even clean laundry just waiting to be folded (honestly I like to fold it!) I loved it! And best of all, there were no new holes in the walls. (those of you that have known us a while know that this is a common occurance here at the Johnstons.)
Now back to the wedding plans... caterers, florists, etc. No wait first...a few errands, some advil and a pedicure...then back to the wedding.
Friday, June 5, 2009
Friday Night
Something unanticipated has occurred...this has happened before but never before has it struck me quit like this. I have a night off. Now I am not saying I am alone because three twenty somethings are down in my family right now watching Transformers. But I don't have to pick anyone up, take anyone anywhere, sit in the car in one of the hundreds of parking lots I have sat in during my lifetime waiting for kids to get out of whatever they were into. I ate my dinner, folded some laundry, and read my book all without being disturbed. This, in and of itself, is disturbing.
Wait, never mind, the 18 year old just called. "Mom I forgot to bring your credit card home before we went out. I'll just leave it in the car and bring it home to you later." I don't think so. So much temptation and so little supervision...into the car for a trip to Lancaster.
Life is changing all the time, right now we are in the Pre-Empty Nester period. They are not quite independent (see credit card reference above) and not quite gone, but they are looking out the door. As the last of five kids these two can see the trail their siblings have blazed before them. I am not sure they are all that happy about being completly independent. I mean times are tough and having Mom and Dad pay most of the bills has some appeal. Let's face it, it has a lot of appeal. For the moment though I am happy having a dinner to myself once in a while it will just take some getting used to.n Now where is that book?????
Wait, never mind, the 18 year old just called. "Mom I forgot to bring your credit card home before we went out. I'll just leave it in the car and bring it home to you later." I don't think so. So much temptation and so little supervision...into the car for a trip to Lancaster.
Life is changing all the time, right now we are in the Pre-Empty Nester period. They are not quite independent (see credit card reference above) and not quite gone, but they are looking out the door. As the last of five kids these two can see the trail their siblings have blazed before them. I am not sure they are all that happy about being completly independent. I mean times are tough and having Mom and Dad pay most of the bills has some appeal. Let's face it, it has a lot of appeal. For the moment though I am happy having a dinner to myself once in a while it will just take some getting used to.n Now where is that book?????
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