The Johnson's

Christmas Day

2011-12-25T12:11:00.000-05:00

We had a wonderful Christmas full of the magic and excitement every parent and child dreams of. Santa made our wishes come true and the surprises form siblings, grandparents and cousins delighted us all. Attending Church was the perfect way to keep the focus of Christmas on the birth of Jesus Christ. We pre-ordered Christmas dinner from our favorite BBQ place and had a relaxing evening visiting with our friends and chatting with family on the phone. It was a simple, quiet and relatively stress free Christmas…just the way it should be.

All I want for Christmas . . .

2011-12-24T11:56:00.000-05:00

Dear Santa

I would like a surprise for Christmas this year because I am not old enough to know what I want.

Love Biddy

Dear Santa,

I want a Moxie Girls Stable and Doll. I have been a good girl.

Love Zana

Dear Santa,

I would like to have an easy bake oven or a video game that is Wipe Out. But I know that you can't get two presents for me it will not be fair for the rest of the world. But I can't pick what present to have. So I want you to pick my present so it will be a surprise.

Love JJ

Christmas Eve

2011-12-24T09:55:00.000-05:00

The girls and I decorate a gingerbread house every Christmas Eve day. The girls did beautiful job and were pleased with how cute it turned out.

We usually go to a movie but with the rising cost of tickets we decided to try something new this year and took the family bowling instead. It was a great decision. The girls had so much fun and I re-discovered I am a horrible bowler. Daddy won the game by sheer luck. I was the worst bowler( which I am blaming on being pregnant since it obviously messes up my center of gravity). JJ was the most consistent bowler. Zana was the cutest bowler and Biddy did her best but eventually gave up.

Pregnancy left me with limited energy resources this year. Burke and I decided that it would be better for me to use it for fun stuff and skip all the cooking. It was the best decision ever!!! Rather then slaving over the stove to make a Christmas Eve meal we dressed up the girls and took them to Kobe Japanese Steak House. JJ and Zana were very excited to have the chef cook their dinner right in front of them. They were in complete awe at his knife throwing, egg tossing, fireball and volcano making skills. It was so fun to watch their faces thrill with excitement at each new trick. Biddy, on the other hand was, scared of our chef and his tricks so she spent the entire demonstration sitting under her blanket. The restaurant staff had a good laugh. They had seen scared kids before but never one that hid under their blankie. After our chef left Biddy came out. The food was fabulous and the girls ate up everything and earned their ice cream dessert.

That evening we joined my family via video chat for our annual Christmas Eve Program. JJ played the piano, Biddy and Susanna sang Jingle bells, Burke showed of his new train and I performed a musical number. My family shared their performances with us too and we loved being a part of the special program even though we were far away.

Before bed the girls opened one special present from Grandma and Papa Craven. She made the cutest pillow pets for the girls and they were immediately loved and names. JJ’s giraffe is Funnio, Zana named her Zebra Cici, and Burke helped Biddy name her hippo Pinkie.

After reading the Christmas story, lighting our special Advent candle and setting out the traditional eggnog ( Santa doesn’t like milk at our house) and cookies we let the girls stay up ad watch part of White Christmas with us. It is a tradition to watch it every Christmas Eve. They lasted half way through before we sent them all to sleep. I finished wrapping everything in advance this year so I got to go to bed early too. It was a prefect Christmas Eve.

Finding Christmas

2011-12-20T11:48:00.000-05:00

Burke and I have discovered that it does not feel very much like Christmas time when it is 70 degrees outside. We grew up with snow in the Mountains, Lights on Temple Square and Stephens hot cocoa. In New England Christmas came with icicle trimmed colonial houses with fresh evergreen wreaths on their doors and candles lit in every window. We miss the days when sledding, snowmen building and ice fishing left you with numb fingers and noses but warm hearts. However we are determined that no matter the weather that special Christmas feeling can be found anywhere. . . so we set out to find it.

We started at home. We decorated and lit our house then drank copious amounts of Hot Chocolate even though we didn’t need to. Burke came home every night and lit a fire just so we could hear the crackle and enjoy the scent of burning oak. We kept the candles lit and the Christmas music playing. The girls enjoyed curling up on the couch and reading Christmas books to one another. I found the energy to bake enough treats to fill the house with those yummy Christmas smells and host my 5th annual Christmas singing party.

We made an effort to attend every Christmas function we could find. We went to the tree lighting ceremony at the Air Force base and cut down our own Charlie Brown tree at the Christmas tree farm. The girls had a pancake breakfast with Santa, the Grinch, and Frosty the Snowman were they danced the limbo and colored Christmas pictures to send to the soldiers. We rode a real Christmas train at the Texas Transportation Museum and drove through the neighborhoods famous for their Christmas light displays. We even did some Christmas shopping at the mall where we braved the line to see Santa.

To top it all of we planned a day trip to the small towns of Fredericksburg and Johnson City were Christmas is celebrated the old fashioned way. We invited a family newly arrived to Texas to come with us so they could feel the Christmas Spirit too.

Fredericksburg is an old German town an hour from San Antonio that has become a local tourist trap. It is full of the charm and character that we loved in New England. We embraced the local culture by eating dinner at the Auslander, a traditional German restaurant. We ate fried mushrooms, corn dogs, amazing German fries, Opa’s sausage, potato pancakes, and Rouledan- a traditional German dish where onion, pickles and bacon are wrapped up in thin slices of roast beef and covered in gravy. It was so yummy. We strolled along the brightly lit streets to the town square where the girls were delighted to find a beautifully lit Christmas Tree, a Giant German Christmas Pyramid, and a Christmas themed playground.

Johnson City was a half hour down the road and is famous for it’s lighted Christmas tree display. It is worth the drive to see the huge oak trees lit up in a spectacular fashion. The temperature dropped and we got to don our gloves and hats for the first time this year. The girls made “grass” angels, danced and sang Christmas carols under the lighted branches of the trees. We sipped hot coca as we walked to City Hall which I was also covered with thousands of lights.

It may have taken a little more effort to bring that magical Christmas feeling into our lives this year but it was worth it. We truly felt the joy and happiness that celebrating the birth of Jesus Christ can bring. I hope my girls made memories that they will treasure for the years to come.

Photo of Auslander http://www.fredericksburgtexas-online.com/ftomenu-auslander.html

Photo of city hall http://www.davidsietsema.com/archives/txlights.html

It’s Beginning to Look a Lot Like Christmas

2011-11-29T13:28:00.000-05:00

JJ and Zana had a lot fun helping me decorate the house this year. I was lacking in energy so I really appreciated their enthusiasm.

The most exciting decoration this year is Grandpa Leo’s Christmas Train. Burke grew up with his Dad’s Lionel train chugging it’s way around the Christmas tree every year. It is a tradition he has wanted to pass down to his girls. Burke has looked for a train like his Dad’s for years but never found just the right one. When Burke’s dad got sick he was unable to take care of the train and it fell into disrepair. After he passed away it went into a box and was given to Burke’s younger brother were it has stayed for the last eight years. This summer I convinced Burke to ask his Brother if he would pass the train on to us. He agreed that he was not really interested in investing the money to fix it up and if we would get it running again we could have it. Burke was so excited. We took the engines into a train shop and had them repaired. The girls and I went with Burke to our very first train show this fall and got a new freight car and a train station to start our own little town. The girls helped their Dad set up the train under the Christmas tree and as it took it’s first turn around the track I couldn’t help but feel that Grandpa Leo was smiling down at the sight.

A Thanksgiving to Remember . . .

2011-11-24T12:55:00.000-05:00

November weather in Texas is absolutely gorgeous. 70 degree days and crisp cool nights. Perfect weather to spend the weekend in the hill country at the lake. I enlisted some friends to come spend Thanksgiving weekend with us in three bedroom condos at Canyon Lake. We divided up Thanksgiving dinner by family (burke was in charge of deep frying the turkey) and we made everything a day in advance so we could enjoy our vacation at the lake. The kids were so excited and I was too. Until Biddy started throwing up.

Now Burke and I have experienced a family vacation where the stomach bug got introduced while 20 people were living together in a cabin and it was not a pretty sight. We were left with no choice but to cancel our reservation the day before Thanksgiving. The manager felt so sorry for us she waved the one night fee for canceling and that made it a little bit easier to stomach. Of coarse I got sick that night.

Thanksgiving morning our friends showed up to divide up the dinner with us. It was so nice. It turned out that we were not the only ones with sick kids so no one ended up going to the lake. It was such a disappointment. I was determined to still have a nice day and spent all my energy fussing over the food and table that by the time we sat down to eat I had no appetite at all. Burke still had an appetite for turkey and then as fate would have it he threw it all up later that night. JJ and Zana were great sports. They gobbled up their dinner with a cheerfulness that made the day turn out all right in the end.

Yep we will never forget this thanksgiving!!

Girls are Silly!

2011-11-16T12:24:00.000-05:00

Achievement Day Girl

2011-11-11T12:16:00.000-05:00

Now that JJ is eight she gets to attend twice monthly activities at church with other girls ages 8-11. Her first achievement activity was a trip to the local food bank. JJ has always taken an interest in our efforts as a family to help others. She loves to participate in scout food drives, penny drives at school and is always eager to help gather clothes and toys for our trips to the good will. She was very excited to go to the food bank and eagerly helped me gather canned food items that she could personally donate. It was a great experience for her.

She also had the opportunity to participate in her first fast Sunday in November. As members (and she is now an official member of the church) we fast two meals the first Sunday of the month and donate what we would have spent on the food to feed those in need. She started small, just fasting breakfast, and she did really well. When she began to complain I reminded her that every time she felt hungry she could remember those that were hungry all the time and that she was fasting to help them. That made her smile and kept her spirits up. I am so proud of her and what an amazing eight year old she is.

Happy Halloween

2011-10-31T16:54:00.000-04:00

Having fun at the Ward Trunk-or-Treat

and yes I did make my hat

Zana’s Ghost Bride Costume was not quite ready so she went as a witch.

JJ is showing off her “real” vampire fangs

If you asked Biddy what she was for Halloween she replied “A Poodle”.

On Halloween we went Trick-or-Treating with the Loyd family on Randolph AFB

Zana loved telling people that she was a a girl who died one her wedding day. “Look I even had a dead bouquet!!!” Pretty Spooky stuff.

JJ was working the Vampire Look

Biddy and Spiderman are best of friends at church and pre-school. I had to take a picture of the sweet baby bug. I get to be her Texas Auntie . . . love it!

My friend Heather and I decided we have to send our kids BYU so they can meet on campus and re-kindle their childhood crush.

Of coarse after I took their pic Zana got all embarrassed and wouldn’t hold Wolverines hand again. The girls got way too much candy, stayed up way too late and had way too much fun. Good thing Halloween only comes around once a year!!

Carving Pumpkins

2011-10-30T17:10:00.000-04:00

The girls coordinated their pumpkins with their costumes this year. JJ made a vampire pumpkin and Zana made a ghost.

As you can imagine Biddy just made a mess with her pumpkin and got a bath . . .

. . . and then refused to come inside. She did an awesome job of running down the sidewalk flashing all the neighbors as they drove by before I caught her.

On the Nest

2011-10-25T13:39:00.000-04:00

After trying to have baby # 4 for a year and half our prayers have been answered and I found out in a rather unusual way that I am pregnant.

I went to the insta-care because I had a cough headed towards pneumonia. It was right after the business of JJ’s baptism so I was not taking care of myself the way I should have. My cough was so bad they ordered a chest x-ray. However when I went to sign the x-ray release form I realized that I was late. They had to make sure I was not pregnant before the could do the x-ray. The doctor came back in and surprise!! My test was positive. It was a moment to remember- me sitting in the insta-care bawling my eyes out while the astonished doctor quips "wow you are pretty excited?" Excited couldn’t even begin to describe it. The doctor gave me a half hug and left me to call Burke. Choking back tears I told him the good news. He was thrilled then asked “but what are they going to do about your cough if you can’t have an x-ray.?” I had to laugh. “Who cares we are having a baby!!!”

We shared the good news with the girls by gifting Biddy the “you’re a big sister book”. Grandma Johnson and Aunt Angie were still in town and they got it right away. It took the girls a bit longer. JJ was excited once she understood what was happening but Zana looked concerned.

“We are having a baby. What do you think about that?” I asked

“No” she shouted “No I am not.” I tried not to laugh and responded in all seriousness. “You are right. You are not having a baby Mommy is having a baby. Ok?”

“That is good. I can’t have a baby I am not old enough yet.”

Glad we got that all cleared up.

Burke was so excited he posted our news on face book unbeknownst to me. Luckily we had already told our immediate family but I was not prepared for hundreds of our friends and acquaintances to know I was Prego at only six weeks! I was mad for a while but had to forgive him when I read the post. It was pretty darn funny. . .

The book of Burke Chapter 1, verses 1-3.
1. And it came to pass that the Man did look upon his tent and all that he possessed and was well pleased. He possessed much, including a woman and three female off spring. Yet he desired to increase his posterity, therefore he did descend upon the woman and she did conceive a child. The Lord did say unto him that 8 months hence a child shall be born unto him, yet he did not know if this child should be man-child or woman-child.
2. The Man did think unto himself that he did now possess sufficient woman seed and desired a man-child. He desired to teach unto the man-child the ways of the NFL and Craftsman tools.
3. If his woman does bear a 4th woman-child, the Man shall descend into his cave to seek refuge from the unrest that will ensue when his seed shall transition into their young woman years.

Everyone loved his post and I know that boy or girl he is going to love the new baby to pieces. Once again I am humbled to have the opportunity to raise another one of Heavenly Father’s precious children. I can’t wait for June 16th and the arrival of baby #4!!!

A Few More Days of Fun

2011-10-24T11:59:00.000-04:00

On Friday our family gathered for a play date at the park and lunch at Coopers BBQ.

After lunch we said goodbye to Grandma and Papa and Grandma and Grandpa Great.

Grandma Johnson and Aunt Angie stayed for a few more days and we loved spending time with them. We headed down town once again to tour the city. The girls sure love hanging our with their Aunt Angie.

We met up with Burke’s Aunt and uncle who were in town for a convention. It was nice to catch up with them.

The girls were lucky that we toured the Alamo on a day with free activities for kids. They got to make their very own corn husk dolls and woven necklaces.

Biddy found a friend in Aunt Angie. She cried and cried when we dropped them off at the Airport. It is nice to know that she can bond with someone other then Mommy.

I helped Angie make her her very own Buttercup Bag before they flew home on Monday.

We loved having all our family here for JJ’s Baptism. It made it so special. I love them all and miss them so much!

JJ’s Baptism

2011-10-20T19:49:00.000-04:00

Burke and I are so pleased that JJ decided to become a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. This was a decision that we encouraged her in and hoped she would make but at the end of the day she was the one who chose to enter the waters of Baptism, take upon herself the name of Christ and receive the gift of the Holy Ghost. She told me that she wanted to get baptized because it was what her Heavenly Father wanted her to do. She is right. Her Father in Heaven was so pleased with her choice and as we watched JJ at her baptism we saw his love shine through her countenance.

She looked so beautiful in her white baptism dress.

It was especially wonderful to be able to share this special event with our family. My Grandparents, Parents, Burke’s Mom and Sister flew in. Our Texas family was there as well. All of their support meant so much to us.

It was an honor to have my Father conduct the program and give the baptism talk. JJ just beamed as he bore his testimony to her of the truthfulness of the Gospel and how proud he was of her for making the choice to be baptized.

My Grandfather and Father were witnesses as Burke baptized JJ into the Church. She got a double dunk since the first time a few of the words were wrong. It is very important that the sacred ordinance of Baptism be performed perfectly. When JJ came up out of the water she was smiling from ear to ear. I felt the spirit so strong and I couldn’t help but shed tears of joy. As I wrapped her in a towel and gave her a hug I asked her if the second time felt different from the first one. “Yep” she replied “The second time felt good”

While she dried off and changed into her white confirmation dress everyone watched a little slide show my Dad put together. It gave the kiddos the chance to get out their wiggles.

It was an honor to have my Grandma help me share a special family tradition with JJ. When I was baptized I received an uncirculated silver dime from 1955- the year my Dad was born. This dime was part of a parable written by my Grandma. Through the years my dime has reminded me to keep myself pure and unspotted just like I was on the day of my baptism. Together we shared this parable with JJ and gave her her own 1955 silver dime. JJ told me that receiving her dime was one of the favorite parts of her baptism.

Grandma Craven shared a beautiful talk on the Holy Ghost and gave JJ her very own set of scriptures with her name engraved on them. They are her favorite color –blue. She keeps them in her room and reads from them every night. She is learning to love the scriptures. I am so grateful to my parents for giving her such a special gift.

Her Father gave her a beautiful confirmation blessing. As he told JJ to receive the Holy Ghost I felt it’s presence so strongly. I know that JJ felt it too. She will now have his constant companionship as long as she remains worthy. Burke blessed her to know that her Father in Heaven loves her and is pleased with her. He encouraged her to remain close to the spirit and follow it’s guidance. He counseled her to always remain worthy of the spirit. He reminded her that she was not perfect and that as she made mistakes she should always repent and the Lord would forgive her. This was especially wonderful council for JJ who is a perfectionist and is so afraid of making mistakes. I know she will do her best and follow the Holy Ghost.

Brother Griffeth welcomed JJ into the Ward as the newest member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. This made JJ smile once again.

We had pie for dessert-JJ’s favorite.

At the end of the night JJ was happy to just sit and take it all in. . .

How grateful I am for such a lovely and wonderful daughter. She has such a willing heart and wants to do what is right. It fills us with joy to know that she has chosen to follow the example of her Savior Jesus Christ and be Baptized. We love her so much and are so blessed that she is a part of our family.

The Festivities Continue

2011-10-19T15:33:00.000-04:00

JJ’s 8th birthday festivities got off to an awesome start with our road trip to Dallas but things only got better!!

Monday

JJ was surprised by Grandma and Grandpa when they called her down to the office at school and “kidnapped” her. They went to Red Robin for lunch and JJ got a a special birthday Sundae.

After school they took her to the mall and she got her ears pierced. She has been asking for a while when she could wear earrings and I told her that she had to wait until she was old enough to be responsible. I however, have known for a while that she has earned the privilege of having her ears pierced. I knew that getting it done on her 8th birthday with Grandma and Papa would be very special. She was a little nervous at first but was very brave. She looks so cute with her new earrings. I was right that she was responsible enough for earrings. In fact she was too responsible. That night she could not fall asleep because she was worried to even touch her ears to her pillow. We had talked to so much about not touching them we had sent her into a panic. I forget that I can cut her a lot of slack because she naturally wants to do her very best. Grandma and I explained that touching her ears to something would not get them infected only “playing” with her earrings was off limits. She felt much better after that and was able to go to sleep without any more “butterflies” in her tummy. I was so proud of her and am glad she has had this experience. She is growing up so fast!

We celebrated her official 8th birthday that night with our family and our friends the Loyd’s. JJ helped me design this awesome dinosaur cake in honor of her birthday trip to Dinosaur Land State Park.

Tuesday

My Mom and I got to have some girl time on Tuesday shopping and eating lunch together. Grandpa held down the fort at home and watched Biddy when she got home from pre-school. That evening Burke and I got to have a date night before we picked Grandma and Grandpa Great up at the airport and dropped them off at their hotel. While we were away the girls had a movie night with Grandma and Papa. It is so nice to have built in babysitters around.

Wednesday

We sent the girls off to school and picked up Grandma and Grandpa Great for a tour of the Alamo. It was nice to enjoy their company without the kids running around. I love them so much and it meant a lot to me that they made the trip to San Antonio.

We took a leisurely stroll along the river walk and enjoyed lunch at our favorite Mexican place. My mom got more then she bargained for when she broke the “ do not feed the birds” rule. One persistent duck kept pecking her on her bottom until she gave him another chip. No matter how much we tried to scare him away a few minutes later there he would be pecking away at her.

When the girls got home from school we took everyone to the SAS shoe factory and had lots of fun shopping at the general store, eating 5 cent popcorn and taffy and checking out the fun displays. Their great discounts made it possible for my grandparents to stock up on their favorite shoes.

The girls love spending time with their Grandma Great. She knows how to spoil them just right.

Grandma Johnson and Aunt Angie flew in later that night so we had a full house!

Thursday

That morning Burke was up at the crack of dawn to smoke a Baptism Day Brisket. Not your usual tradition but brilliant none the less. No one loves brisket more then JJ!! The girls headed off to school again and Mom, Dad, Grandma and Grandpa Great, Grandma Johnson, Angie and I visited Mission San Jose. Once again I was surprised by how nice it was to tour the mission without the kiddos. It was a beautiful morning and I loved spending it my family.

After the mission we made a few stops to pick up some things for the baptism and headed home to greet the girls and prepare for the upcoming evening. Burke’s brisket was perfect and we enjoyed dinner al fresco with our family filling up two entire tables!!! After dinner my Mom braided JJ’s hair in a crown braid- the same way she braided my hair when I got baptized.

Then we gathered in the living room to open some pre-baptism gifts. Grandma Johnson gave JJ a wonderful journal that she could fill out to always remember what she was like when she was eight. She also received a special baptism bracelet from her that she could wear after she was baptized to always remind her of the special covenants she was going to make. Burke and I gave JJ a special book called White Dresses and a picture of the Temple that was for all the girls. I wanted her to know that after she was baptized her goal was to prepare to go to the Temple. There she would once again wear white and make special covenants with her Heavenly Father. Her baptism is just the first step on the path to Exaltation and we are so proud of her.

JJ’s Baptism Pictures

2011-10-18T11:33:00.000-04:00

JJ and I spent a beautiful morning at the Japanese Tea Gardens capturing the Joy of her upcoming baptism in pictures.

I am so proud of my sweet girl for following Jesus Christ’s example and being baptized. She is beginning her journey down the straight and narrow path that leads to Eternal Life and Exaltation.

Birthday Adventure

2011-10-15T14:21:00.000-04:00

JJ chose to go on a family trip for her birthday instead of having a big friend party. We decided to go the Texas State Fair in Dallas, see Dinosaur Land State Park and visit the Dr. Pepper Museum. My Mom and Dad flew into Dallas to join us on our Adventure. We had a great time and have some fun pictures of the trip.

We love Grandma and Papa and their Presents!!!

Couldn’t resist snapping this pic outside the hotel . . .

The Biggest Fair in the World was BIG fun!!! I had the best corndog of my life, saw duck diving dogs and was thoroughly entertained by my children.

Biddy was excited to ride the whales all be herself.

Then another Mom set her crying child behind her. The little girl began screaming in terror as soon as the ride started. Now Biddy was not so sure. . .

The Mom pulled her child off the ride and we sent Biddy around again hoping she would be ok, but she deteriorated with each trip around.

Poor thing we all just stood there waving, cheering and taking pictures.

We thought she was done for the day but then……

We were saved by the carousel!

The fair was a big thrill for JJ. She rode on a some real rides with Grandma and Papa,

was a star in the bird show and got to be on the TV,

and she was part of the pee wee rodeo.

She won the trophy for bare back riding and

got to be the rodeo clown!

What a lucky Birthday Girl!!!

JJ was not the only one celebrating a birthday. Saturday was Grandma’s birthday and we sure did surprise her!

After the early morning celebration we made our way to Dinosaur Land State Park.

Once again JJ was thrilled. She got to see real dinosaur tracks.

Zana and Biddy were happy too...no scary rides just a river to play in.

The next stop on our Adventure was made especially for Grandpa and Daddy who are both “Peppers”

The Dr. Pepper Museum in Waco was lots of fun. I had the best Dr. Pepper float in the world.. no seriously it was amazing!! We loaded up Burke and my Dad with plenty of souvenirs and then hit the road home.

JJ said that our road trip was way better then a birthday party and I have to agree.

A “farm”ily Tradition

2011-10-08T09:53:00.000-04:00

One of the things I miss about New England are the farms. Drive a few minutes in any direction and you were sure to stumble on a local farm that had pick your own apples, peaches, pumpkins , berries and even flowers. Farm animals, hay rides, apple cider donuts, pies, country food and décor were always to be found and the best part . . . it was always free. Not a season would go by without a trip to the farm to see what was growing. Fall was our favorite time of year and it became a family tradition to go pick our pumpkins and make a home made apple pie. However it is not the same in TX. First of all there is no fall and the farms are very different here. They are more of a tourist experience then a part of your way of life. Because of this last year we didn’t have a farm experience at all. This year probably would have been the same if I hadn’t found coupons. With our coupons our day at the farm still cost us well over $50 and it took an hour drive to get there. However, it was totally worth it! I love the farm. It is too fun a tradition to set aside. It may not be the same as it was in New England but every year that I pick a pumpkin or ride a hay wagon I will be reminded of those crisp fall days when a trip to the local farm was as commonplace as a stop at the park.

Dressing Scarecrows “All By Myself!”

Painting Pumpkins

Success at the Fishing Hole

Conquerors of the hay maze

The Great Divide

2011-10-04T20:01:00.000-04:00

This is what drought looks like . . .

Landa Park Playgroup

2011-09-30T21:52:00.000-04:00

While the girls have been busy at school Biddy and I are having some fun of our own. We have play group every Monday. This week we made the half hour trek to beautiful Landa Park in New Braunfels. One smart Mom brought the “atv” and Biddy loved it!

When the kids had enough we grabbed our stale bread and headed over to the pond the feed the ducks. We were greeted with a big surprise. Migrating geese were visiting and gave Biddy, and her bread, a run for her money. I was amazed how brave she was when they tried to take it right out of her hand. Luckily only one mom got goosed on the toosh before our crumbs were gone and we headed on our way.

Ranger of the Week

2011-09-26T21:35:00.000-04:00

Our elementary school’s good behavior incentive program is called “Ranger of the Week.” Each week one student from their class is rewarded for outstanding behavior and showing respect to their teachers and classmates. They get a special poster hung of them in the front hall, a ribbon, a pencil, a badge to wear all week, and their picture in the class newsletter. On Friday the rangers all sit on the stage, which is transformed into “Ranger Café”. They get to listen to music and talk as much as they want. Last week the teachers chose their first Rangers of the Week for the school year. Being the first Ranger of the year is an additional honor. The teachers have their pick of any student in the class and choose the one who has truly set the example for the other students for the year. So guess who was awarded such an honor? Drum roll please. . . . .

That's right both my girls were chosen as the First Rangers of the Week from their classes.

Zana was so excited. I love to see her happy and this honor made her week….maybe even the whole school year. What a feather in the cap of this little girl who has been working so hard to adjust to kindergarten. Zana said that she showed respect by listening to the teacher and always sitting criss-cross-applesauce. Her teacher told me that she has blossomed these first six weeks in school. She answers questions, talks with her friends, sings songs and smiles a lot. I am so proud of her. I am glad she gets to be a leader and example to her classmates.

JJ was pleased to be the Ranger. She does her best each and every day. Her teacher told me that she was telling her husband all about JJ and how he has to meet her sometime because “you can’t describe in words her cute personality. She is just so J.n..h and I love that.” I love that JJ has a teacher who likes her for her, not just because she is so well behaved. JJ likes her teacher too and has already decided that second grade is way better the first. She also got her reading test back and she is reading right at grade level. That is a huge accomplishment for a girl who still mixes up her d’s and b’s. She has been working really hard and it is paying off.

I feel so blessed to have these two wonderful girls as my daughters. I makes my heart leap for joy that they are successful in school and have teachers who appreciate them. It is my mission in life to raise exceptional human beings and it is so rewarding to know that I am doing what I was sent here on earth to do.

Congratulations girls. You both deserve it. I love you!

Butterfly Festival

2011-09-17T21:35:00.000-04:00

The girls have been in love with butterflies ever since we read a Fancy Nancy “Bonjour Butterfly”. When I heard about the opening of a new butterfly exhibit at the Botanical Gardens I knew we had to take the girls. The morning of the opening they rose early donned their wings and off they flew. . .

There were lots of free crafts and activities for the girls to participate in.

The actual exhibit allowed the girls to experience what it was like to be a very hungry caterpillar . . .

live in a Cocoon . . .

and then take flight as a beautiful butterfly!

The girls had very high expectations for this butterfly festival and I am happy to say that it did not disappoint.

BYU Fever

2011-09-14T13:31:00.001-04:00

BYU played Texas State up in Austin last Saturday. Morgan could not pass up the chance to go to a game with Burke and flew in for the weekend. He brought along his brother in law Kevin who is a huge fan and works for the airlines so they could fly stand-by. We picked them up from the Airport Friday night and visited the Alamo.

We had dinner on the River Walk and they really enjoyed the atmosphere and the amazing Mexican food. On Saturday morning we toured our two favorite missions. JJ earned another Junior Ranger badge and we saw a Catholic Baptism at Mission San Jose. JJ wanted to show them the Tea Garden so we made a quick stop there as well.

That afternoon the boys drove down to the game. Sadly BYU lost by one point but they still had a great time.

They could not get a flight on Sunday so the girls took advantage of the opportunity to introduce their Uncle to all things girly. We had a nice day and they were able to catch their flight home Monday morning.

I owe football my thanks for bringing us all together! It was such a fun time.

School Open House

2011-09-14T12:56:00.001-04:00

We had a wonderful time at the girl’s open house at school.

Zana gave us a wonderful tour of her classroom. She seems to like school especially drawing in her journal. The other day she told me that she drew a perfect rainbow with all the colors just the way the teacher said they were supposed to be. Zana has gotten a green card for good behavior every day.

Her teacher says she is wonderful and Zana seems to like her teacher in return. She loves music, art and doing stretches in gym. Zana can almost do the splits. She did not like the computer lab at all but is working on being brave. Zana is slowly making friends but still gets “nervous” around everyone in class. It may take some time to find the right friends but I know it will come along. I went to school and had lunch with her one day. IIt was good for her to know that I am still going to be a part of her life at school. I look forward to my first parent volunteer assignment.

JJ thinks second grade is “easy peasy” and that is fine with me. Her teacher is really great. She use many techniques in her class that impressed me. She was very complimentary of JJ and said that students like her are the reason she comes to work every day. “They make it all worth it!” Her teacher told me about JJ’ class job. She chose to be the class monitor. When the teacher steps out of class for a moment JJ stands in front and marks down the kids who mis-behave. Her teacher told me that at first the kids were mad that JJ was so good at her job. They tried to say they weren’t talking but the she trusted JJ. When they tried to bribe her she stayed loyal to her teacher. JJ loves her job and gets a lot of satisfaction from doing it right. She also earned the praise of her teacher who remarked “ She is one of the best ones I have ever had.”

I am so pleased with my girls first few weeks of school. They are going to do Awesome!!

There is a reason…

2011-09-14T12:25:00.001-04:00

that I buy the cheapest single ply toilet paper I can get my hands on.

She thought it was funny until I told her she had to clean it all up.

What do you do…

2011-09-14T12:15:00.001-04:00

…When it is 100 degrees outside, the base pool is closed for the “summer” and filling up the swimming pool in the backyard is against the law?

Whatever makes them happy!

New Nephew

2011-09-07T13:40:00.000-04:00

My sweet little nephew Eli was born Monday Aug 22. I was so sad that I missed his arrival by just a few days. He was a healthy 8 lbs 13 oz 19 3/4 in long. He is such a handsome little guy. I just love his chubby cheeks!

I got to make his nursery bedding and I love being able to picture him sleeping in his cute crib, snuggled next to his pillow and blanket. I love him already and can’t wait to meet him in a few months.

First Day of Pre School

2011-09-06T19:04:00.001-04:00

I organized a co-op preschool for Biddy and her friends from church. We are using the same FunShine curriculum I used for summer school. There are five of us Moms involved and all of their kids are wonderful. We teach twice a week for the whole month. My turn isn’t until December so right now I get to enjoy sending Biddy and having a few hours with NO KIDS!!! I made a cute behavior chart for school and Biddy helped…..kind of.

The little suns are magnets that move up and down according to their good or bad behavior.

I was the Mommy helper today and got to see how she did her first day. She already knows a lot of her letters and matched them in the puzzle like a pro.

She did great with the craft and had lots of fun coloring with her very own markers.

“Mommy look what I made”

She did have some trouble staying on task and put my new chart to good use. I had to move her sun to the stormy “time out” cloud twice. She is the youngest of the group and has the shortest attention span. When she is done with an activity she very politely says “ “All done now”. When I told her she had to say in her seat until we were finished she replied “No Thank you”. Then she went down hill fast. Time Out was the only way to convince her that it is better to just stay in her seat! Other then that she had so much fun at school and I know she is going to learn a lot this year.

Back to School

2011-08-22T14:25:00.000-04:00

It is a very eventful school year for us. Zana is starting Kindergarten!!! She is very excited. It has taken a lot of work to prepare her for Kindergarten but all our efforts have paid off. She is ready to take this big step.

JJ is in second grade. This year she is most excited about her new shoes. They are just like Twinkle Toes and even light up. Of coarse JJ knows that they are better then Sketchers because we paid a lot less for ours. We are sooo “tricky”. We got them at the beginning of the summer hoping that her feet would grow but alas they did not. She had to wear her old sneakers the first day. I had to do a little chasing around to find a pair in her size but I did and on the second day she had her cool new shoes.

Zana was all gung ho about riding the bus to school the first day. My plan was to drop Biddy of at a sitters then meet the girls at school to walk Zana to class. We all waited at the bus stop but it never came. I ended up driving the girls to school. It turns out that they moved all the bus times up by fifteen minutes. I was not happy about this since the bus came at 6:37 last year. 6:22 was out of the question so they never do get to ride the bus to school. Burke drops them off at school on his way to work at 6:45. It is still an early morning since they have to wake up at 6:10 but they are adjusting.

The girls eat breakfast at school every morning and I got to help Zana the first morning. She did great with her first cafeteria experience. JJ went with another teacher to find her class and I walked Zana to Kindergarten. We stood outside for a minute and checked out the classroom. When I asked her what she thought she replied “It looks good” phew. Then we went in and met Mrs. E. She is an experienced Kindergarten teacher and was very warm and friendly. Zana found her name on her desk right away and then found her cubby and back pack hook. After putting everything away she sat down at her desk and set to work writing her name. She tends to write her letter S backwards. She wanted to do it perfect today and panicked. I helped her know that she needed to raise her hand for help and when she did Mrs. E came right over. Zana was still too nervous to talk to her but I explained about the S. She drew a tracing S for Zana on the paper and that made her smile. She knew that her teacher would help her. From there it was smooth sailing and I left her with a big smile. I knew she would be just fine. I didn’t even get teary. We are both ready for this next step.

I stopped by JJ’s class to drop of her school supplies and quickly meet her teacher. She was very nice and organized. She said that JJ came in with a smile, set to quickly to work and knew her bus number and school ID number. She made a good impression on her teacher and a great start to 2nd grade. I left the school with a smile on my face and a spring in my step. I love my girls so much. I know they are going to have a great school year.

The Road Home

2011-08-19T10:48:00.000-04:00

We stopped at Mesa Verde on the drive home. The girls thought it was so cool that they got to see real Indian ruins and a even a lizard.

The Spruce House ruins were impressive.

We stayed at KOA Kabins the next two nights. Swimming, playing on the play grounds and cooking hotdogs over a fire was the perfect break from the long hours in the car. At the end of the third day we rolled into our driveway. It felt so good to be home despite the hot and cold welcome. It was 86 degrees in our house and when I opened the freezer buckets of ice came pouring out.

Burke thought that removing the ice bin would shut off the ice maker. Well he was wrong. The freezer kept making ice until it hit the bar that automatically shuts it off. Burke sure had a fun time cleaning up!

We had an amazing three weeks and loved every minute of time spent with our family.

Perfect Timing

2011-08-15T11:06:00.000-04:00

My youngest sister had her baby girl while we were in UT. It was such a wonderful experience for me. I moved to MA before all of my nephews were born and have subsequently missed every one of their births. Going to the hospital and holding a brand new baby…one who is actually part of my family is a new experience. My new niece will always have a special place in my heart. I don’t think I will ever forget her birthday because meeting her was a lot different then getting a text message photo and then holding back the tears as I have to continue to go about the normal business of my day. They say that sometimes it is better to not know what you are missing but in this case knowing her will make the births of my future nieces and nephews all the sweeter. Now I know what it feels like and can imagine that I have that love and connection with each and every one of them.

The day before we left home the girls spent the morning with Grandma preparing a special basket filled with home made goodies. It was a special time with Grandma that they will treasure. That evening we paid our new niece a visit at her home. The girls got to hold her and give her lots of love.

My sister and had so much fun making the bedding for her nursery. We picked out the fabric over the internet and decided on the style we wanted. Then I got to have the fun task of sewing it all together. It turned out so cute!

Adventures with the Johnson Family

2011-08-13T12:30:00.000-04:00

We made our annual trip to the family cabin in Heber. We stopped in Midway along the way so I could show the girls the Magic Glockenspiel. Yes, there is a back story.….

We like to eat outside when the weather is mild and one time I started telling the girls about the adventures I went on with my family when I was little. The girls loved my “outside stories” and ask for them every time we eat outside. Our adventures growing up where fun but not that exciting so it takes a little imagination to captivate my girls. Here is my version of our adventure to Heber Valley. “ One time my Mom took us over the mountains to a wonderful place called Midway. It was a charming Swiss village with Gingerbread houses. In the center of town they had an old building called Town Hall that looked like it came out of fairytale. It had a special clock called a Glockenspiel. When the clock chimed music played and little statues came out and danced just as if they had magically come to life. We went to see the clock and when the hour struck we were so exited but then nothing happened. So we waited five more minutes and still nothing. We thought maybe it chimed on the half hour so we kept waiting and then when the half hour struck……nothing happened again. We could not stay any longer and we were very sad. But the clock is still there and someday we will go back and see the magic Glockenspiel and listen to the beautiful music it plays.”

So here was the perfect chance. Before we left I went to the Midway City website to try and find out if the clock was working and what time it chimed etc. I could not find anything. I kept digging and found some travel blogs that mention the clock and said that it does chime. So we went for it. The girls liked the little Gingerbread houses but it was the Glockenspiel they were excited about. As fate would have it when we arrived at Town Hall the entire building was surrounded by a chain link fence and construction crews were busily restoring the old structure. The girls were heartbroken. In my mothers true fashion, I did all I could to salvage the day. We drove the” super curvy windy road” to the top of memorial hill and played chase. There was a beautiful view of Mt. Timpanogas from the top.

Then we set out to find the old covered bridge (which I am told posses all sorts of magical properties). Grandma and Grandpa Jim played right along and the the girls did have a good time. Now we have our own “outside story” to tell.

We had some more adventures at the cabin. The girls have had little experience with Mountain Streams and were mighty proud of themselves for being able to traverse the river and even climb over trees and up little waterfalls. I was pleased that no one drowned although Zana did manage to get herself thoroughly soaked.

We took , what was supposed to be a short drive, to a lake in the mountain above the cabin. It turned out to be an hour long drive on unpaved roads through some of the most beautiful country I have seen. At one point, we drove over the rise and caught a glimpse of the Uinta Mountains in the distance. Not much farther was Mill Hollow Lake. It was not were we thought we were going but a beautiful place to canoe none the less.

On the way back I loaned my GPS to Burke’s sister Angie so they could take a short cut home because we were going the long way to stop at the store. Hours later when we got back to the cabin I was shocked to find that Angie was not back. We panicked for a few minutes before their mud covered Escalade rolled in. It turns out that the “shortcut” sent them down a narrow unpaved road that became so rutted and rocky that it was impossible to traverse even for the mighty escalade in four wheel drive. After almost plunging themselves into a ravine while trying to turn around they made their way back to the main road. I felt horrible but we also had a good laugh about it. If anything, road trips with the Johnson’s are memorable.

Both JJ and Zana have girl cousins close to their age. They had so much fun over the next few days playing, having sleep overs and going swimming. We were sad to say goodbye!

Biddy is Three

2011-08-12T08:46:00.000-04:00

We celebrated her birthday at Burke’s family cabin in Heber.

I can’t believe my baby is three. She is growing up so fast and is rambunctious to say the least . She has her sweet moments too… after a time out. Right now her favorites include: Dora, Kipper the Doggie, princess dresses, unicorns, riding in the car, Michael Jackson’s Beat It( which she calls “feet it”), petting doggies and kitties, dancing, singing the animal and alphabet song, taking baths and cuddling with her blanket. She is starting a little home based preschool this fall. We love her to pieces and can’t wait to experience all the adventures that come with being three.

Time with the Craven Clan

2011-08-04T21:58:00.000-04:00

We spent the first week of our trip with my family and had a wonderful time.

It was fun to be “tourists” at Temple Square. JJ has spent most of her life seeing images of the Conference Center on television so it was really neat for her to see it in person.

That afternoon we visited my Grandparents. The girls love Grandma and Grandpa Great and it is no wonder why. They keep a collection of silly and exciting games that are a blast to play.

My sister brought her boys along because a trip to Grandma Great’s house is too much fun to pass up. They made the cutest cookies and everyone had a great time.

I am so grateful that once again they have the opportunity to spend time with their Great Grandparents. I have fond memories of baking cookies with Grandma and they will too.

The Grandparents took all six Grandkids for an overnight adventure. Zana’s favorite part of the whole trip was the special stop at the specialty toy store where Grandma and Papa treated each child to a special toy. Biddy had the most fun. She fell in love with every single plastic animal figurine in the store and managed to fill an entire shopping cart with them. The store managers were really sweet about the whole thing. Grandpa finally got them all put away and then she pulled them all of the shelf again before she settled on a little cat. Zana got a sweet little ballerina doll and JJ picked a fabulous artists design maker. They spent the night at a condo at pine view while we had dinner with my three sisters and their husbands. It was great to enjoy some adult company.

The next day we joined Grandma and Pap and the kids at Pine View Reservoir for a day on the lake. We borrowed jet skii’s and the girls got to ride some for the first time. They loved it and JJ remembers that as her favorite part of the vacation. That night Mom and Dad treated us to a BBQ dinner that was so good it rivaled Texas BBQ.

On Sunday we gathered for a family dinner and took family photos. The kids got tired of waiting for us adults to powder our noses….

We also threw Biddy a preliminary birthday celebration.

Grandma and Pap’s present was a big hit.

Grandma treated us to a tour of the big hole in her backyard…..

The Bingham Copper Mine was a spectacular sight and the girls were amazed. But nothing was as amazing as the Mystery Machine parked right down the street from Grandma’s house!

One of the things I miss the most about Utah are the spectacular mountains. We took a day trip to the Uinta Mountains and it was beautiful. My girls got to climb up a real waterfall and loved every minute of it.

We took the girls and their cousins out in the canoe on Washington Lake which turned out the be the perfect back drop for a pirate adventure. We made our way through treacherous seas to pirate island where we collected a bounty of treasure. We passed through dead tree cove, rounded rocky dam and landed on Marooners island. They buried their treasure there before turning towards port for a campfire lunch fit for pirates.

I miss my Mom and Sisters like crazy. They are my best friends and we are super close. We made sure to have a girls night and treated ourselves to manicures and pedicures and indulged in treats from the “Chocolate Shop” for dessert. I can’t remember the last time I had so much fun with the girls.

As you can see my big sister just had a baby and the other two are about to pop! Aren’t they gorgeous! I I love them so much!

St. George

2011-08-01T19:33:00.000-04:00

We spent Monday playing with the Matheson Family. The weather was mild so we went on a little hike. Followed by some swimming and home made café rio for dinner. Yum!

The scenery on the hike was spectacular.

It was fun to see how the cousins bonded. Zana and Whit became instant BFF’s. JJ and her older cousin had tons of fun. He encouraged her to do some things that were a little bit daring. She even tried some real rock climbing at the swimming pool!

LT and Biddy tagged right along with the rest of the bunch.

We left Tuesday morning. It was a sad goodbye for all of the cousins. They had so much fun. But the hardest goodbye was for Biddy. She loves doggies and fell right in love with Sadie. The old gal was so sweet with Biddy even won over Zana who pet her a few times.

On the Road Again

2011-07-31T17:29:00.000-04:00

Lunch Stop: Albuquerque NM

Historic Route 66

We drove to Farmington New Mexico that evening and stayed the night there.

The next morning we drove to Monument Valley.

The Valley was an awe inspiring sight and well worth the detour. We didn’t have the time to drive into the valley but we did tour the historic Trading Post and John Wayne movie museum and set.

We stopped at the Navajo market where the girls found a perfect souvenir. They had Navajo Tacos and we devoured them at the local park. The girls made friends wherever we went.

We loved the rest of our drive past Lake Powell and into St. George UT. Burke’s Sister recently moved there and built a beautiful home with lots of extra room for guests. We settled right in and had a great evening catching up with Tiff and Brad and watching our girls play with their cousins.

The Road Trip Begins

2011-07-29T16:33:00.000-04:00

We hit the road at 4:20 Thursday Morning and drove for a few hours before the girls woke up. We found a fun and memorable wagon themed rest stop which put everyone in high spirits.

After breakfast we drove for another five hours and arrived at Carlsbad Caverns NM by lunch time. We had a fun picnic lunch and then headed up to the cave. The girls had been looking forward to going to the “bat cave” for weeks now and it was very exciting.

I had heard numerous time how amazing Carlsbad is but it is truly something you have to experience to believe. We toured just one of the cavers and it was so huge that it could fit six football fields inside and took us an hour and half to tour. It was worth every minute and the JJ and Zana did awesome walking the whole time. JJ’s favorite formation was the popcorn and Zana liked the colossal columns.

Biddy got tired but we did our best to keep her going and made it out with only a few minor temper tantrums. Her favorite part was riding the elevator. We were the only ones going up and the ranger turned of all the lights so we could see the rock and get the feel of hurtling upward through thousands of feet of rock. It was an unforgettable experience.

Part of the fun of our road trips is the “Kamping”. We cheat and stay in cabins at RV resorts. The girls the love it and we love all the fun ammenities this kind of camping provides. Name any hotel that has ponies, covered wagons and a tire merry go round?

That night we tried to see the bat flight but there was thunder and lightning so we had to stay in our cars. We waited for a while in the parking lot and caught sight of a few bats before heading back to our “Bat Motel” for a good night’s sleep.

Johnsons in July

2011-07-20T14:58:00.000-04:00

We kicked of the month with a big 4th of July Bash. Burke smoked 30 lbs of meat and we had dozens of our friends over to help us eat it all. San Antonio outlawed firework displays of any kind so we settled for a glow stick display. We had a great time.

We studied the American Revolution in our Funshine Summer School. The girls learned all about our fight for independence and JJ especially began to understand how important our freedom is. We made Yankee Doodle Hats and learned the origins of the song. Have you ever wondered why they called the feather “macaroni”? We learned that “macaroni” was a term the English used to describe a decoration or accessory one used to make themselves look grand. Isn’t school great!

Through the month the girls and I kept busy with various play group activities. Some of our favorites included a trip to the river bank at the Zoo and Chukee Cheese.

NKOTBBS

2011-06-28T14:57:00.000-04:00

Thanks to Groupon my friend Mel and I got some cheap tickets to the New Kids on the Block/Back Street Boys Concert. We lucked out and got awesome seats. It was an absolute blast reliving the glory days and pretending we were teenagers again.

I was reminded how much fun their music is and started playing them in the car while we were driving around this summer. JJ has become and fan and she rocks out with me every chance we get. We Love NKOTBBS!!!!

Can you guess…

2011-06-24T15:22:00.000-04:00

Can you guess what we are learning about his week in summer school?

Construction!!

Zana is even wearing her safety gear. I think the lessons are sinking in.

Fathers Day

2011-06-19T15:17:00.000-04:00

The girls had lots of fun treating their Dad to a very special day. We made cute homemade cards and pictures and gave him some new shirts including an Auburn University Polo so he could show his true Alumni Spirit.

JJ and Zana worked hard to make the day extra special for Daddy. JJ planned a menu with all of Dads favorites. For Breakfast: pancakes, Lunch: BLT Sandwiches, Dinner: Banana Pepper Tacos, and for Dessert: Pecan Pie. She helped me cook every meal and did a beautiful job setting the table and even cleaning up.

Zana gets stage fright so every night before she went to bed we secretly practiced all the words and actions to the songs the primary would be singing in church on Fathers Day. We talked about exactly what she would do and how she would do it so that Daddy could see her sing all the songs just for him. When the big moment came Zana ran up to the stand, stood right in front, looked right at her Daddy and sang every word and did every action. It brought tears to my eyes and I could tell that Burke was impressed. When Zana came back she gave him a hug and I told him how long we had practiced. He was truly touched by her gift. I was so glad that the girls had a chance to show their Daddy how much they love him. He is an amazing father and husband and we all love him so much!

Summer School

2011-06-11T15:28:00.001-04:00

I talked a few of my friends into doing a home based summer school program with me and the girls. We have class each day with our kids and meet a few times a week for group class and field trips. This week's theme was Dairy since June is national dairy month. We learned all about where milk comes from, made home made ice cream, did tons of cute crafts and topped it all off by visiting a small local dairy farm.

It was not easy finding farm to visit. Fortunately I stumbled across the Joseph Kubena Dairy Farm on a Google search. I first talked with Mrs. Kubena who started the dairy wth her husband in 1961. They were retired but we had a nice chat. She was kind enough to give me her son Joe Jr's number since he now owns the dairy. Joe Jr. was a little bit surprised when I asked if we could have a tour. "No one has ever asked to come see my cows before....well maybe once." But he said we could come on down.... so we did.

This farm was the real deal. Nothing fancy just 90 cows, 24 milk machines, and 1 Joe Jr.

This kids enjoyed petting the baby cows and even got to see them fed with a bottle. Biddy was a little cow shy but that was mostly because she was mad that she got cow poop on her shoe. Things like that happen down on the farm.

Thanks Joe for showing my kids where milk really comes from.

Graduation

2011-06-11T14:28:00.001-04:00

Zana graduated twice this month. Once from Triumphant Lutheran Preschool and also from the Joy School Group that I helped teach. She learned so much this year and we are so pleased with how well she did in both of her schools.

The pre-school graduation was in a large hall and there were lots of people there which made her nervous. I was worried that she would not want to go up in front but she marched up with her class and stood through the whole presentation. When it was time to get her diploma she did it perfectly. I was hoping she would sing the last song with the kids but she was still too nervous. Hey at least she wasn't picking her nose! Seriously, that is what the one other kid who wasn't singing was doing.

Once she was off stage she was back to her normal self.

We had Joy School Graduation at the church and Zana felt right at home.

She was so cute waving her flag and singing all the songs.

She got her diploma from her favorite teach Miss Sara. They adore one another and I am so grateful that Sara was such a powerful influence for good in Zana's life this year.

We were truly blessed to be able to participate in such a wonderful group.

Baseballl Season Wraps Up

2011-06-01T15:24:00.000-04:00

JJ had a great first season of baseball. After her lucky first hit she hit a bit of a slump. Daddy stepped up and built her a baseball T and taught her the all important lesson of practicing. Her practice paid off when she got a great hit during the next game.

She was so excited to receive her first medal ever at the end of season ice cream party. It got even better when Daddy treated her to a real minor league baseball game.

She is determined to keep up her practicing so she will be ready for next season.

Hairy Fun

2011-05-15T11:13:00.001-04:00

The girls both got their hair painted at the school festival and begged me to do a “photo shoot” with them. Enjoy!

JJ’s Masterpiece

2011-05-15T10:53:00.001-04:00

Art is JJ’s favorite subject by far and she does not lack talent. This year she was chosen to participate in the District Art Show. It was so exciting to see her beautiful work of art displayed.

Five and Fabulous!

2011-05-09T23:20:00.001-04:00

We love our Zana so much and think she makes the cutest five year old on the planet!

She was so excited to take the treats she helped make to school on Friday.

She got the cutest crown from school and wore it all day long.

I don’t know what we would do without the webcam. It sure makes it more special when Grandma and Papa can watch her open their present to her and her cousins can sing her Happy Birthday.

Zana helped me design and make her cake. It is our favorite Birthday tradition.

We invited part of our Texas Family over for princess cake and presents. It was perfect since Zana still gets a little overwhelmed by a lot of attention. By keeping her party small and low key we got tons of smiles.

She got the cutest gifts from everyone but especially lover her new princess dress.

I don’t think she will ever get to big to be my little princess.

Mud Girls

2011-05-09T23:01:00.001-04:00

We had the pleasure of having our friend Bryson stay at our house for three days after school while his mom was away and his Dad was working. It made me very grateful for my calm and clean drama queens. Bryson enticed the girls into all sorts of mischief that would have never entered their dainty heads. Here is my favorite example…of coarse Bryson had the sense not make himself a mud boy

Easter

2011-05-09T22:37:00.001-04:00

The girls had a fun at the traditional Easter egg hunt and I had fun taking their pictures.

It is always such a thrill to see the girls faces when they find goodies in their Easter baskets. It was an extra treat to have a package from Grandma and Papa to open too.

I was ambitious this year and made all the girls Easter Sunday outfits. Kathleen, Burke’s Mom, helped me with Zana’s while she was visiting and I could not have made the rest without that help. The girls loved wearing their special dresses, skirts and headbands while they hunted for eggs, played with their Easter toys and attended church.

We had our Texas family over for Easter Dinner and Burke smoked our first Beef Biscuit. It was over 12 lbs., took eleven hours and it was worth every minute! If you thought a cooking a Thanksgiving Turkey was complicated think again…

Prepare the Biscuit

Prepare the Smoker

Put Biscuit in Smoker

Keep the fire burning and wood chips smoking so that the temperature in the smoker stays a consistent 225 degrees for eleven hours!!!!

Stay up well past bedtime to remove biscuit from smoker

Savor every last bite!

We had a wonderful Easter and felt so blessed to be together as a family to celebrate the resurrection of our Savior, Jesus Christ. He is the life and the way. I am eternally grateful for his Atoning Sacrifice that grants me the gift of Eternal Life and the way to Exaltation.

Well Deserved Weekend

2011-05-08T20:13:00.001-04:00

Burke and I celebrated ten eventful and amazing years of marriage on April 11th.

To celebrate I hopped on a plane and joined him in Maryland for the Weekend. I got there Thursday night and had all day Friday to myself. It was not hard to find some

Rest and Relaxation…

History…

and Charm in the lovely coastal town of California, Maryland.

That evening we drove into Washington DC. We caught a bus from Union Station that took us on a twilight tour of the City. It was a great way to see all of DC and get wonderful tours of the monuments and memorials.

Union Station

The Capitol

The Washington Monument

Jefferson Memorial

I have not read a lot of Thomas Jefferson besides the Declaration of Independence and was so empowered by his words. He speaks of God, Justice and Freedom with amazing power. I felt so proud to be an American and renewed my commitment to fight for a nation where we honor God and the causes of freedom and justice.

The Lincoln Memorial

Seeing the Lincoln Memorial at night was iconic. I felt such a part of history. As I read the Gettysburg Address and gazed upon the image of this great Man I felt an overwhelming sense of gratitude for his gift to us; “One Nation Under God”.

The Korean War Memorial

I read that this memorial had to be seen at night as the soldiers look startlingly real and one can gain a greater appreciation for the sacrifice of a Soldier. I have to agree. It was amazing and my pictures can not do this memorial justice.

The Vietnam Memorial

It was too dark to take a picture of the memorial wall. However, I will never forget the impact walking through the Memorial had on me. I can’t begin to describe in words the overwhelming feelings this memorial invokes. It is something every American should experience. I also had similar feeling at the World War II memorial.

As I gazed upon the the field of stars, where each of the four thousand stars represents one hundred soldiers that gave their lives, and read the words “Here we mark the price of freedom” I was completely overwhelmed with emotion. I will never again take for granted the freedom witch I enjoy and privileges that I have living in America. As we finished our twilight tour I had a renewed determination to honor the sacrifices of the hundreds of thousands of soldiers who gave their lives by fighting for freedom, truth and justice in any way that I can.

Saturday was a downpour. In our rush to catch the metro and survive the rain I left my camera in the hotel room. It was sad but since we spent most of the day inside the museums where you can’t take pictures anyway it was not a total loss. We did brave the rain to gaze upon the White House and Burke was most disappointed to find that they had weeds in their garden. I guess it is to much to ask that the President’s Gardner to be prefect. I truly enjoyed seeing the Star Spangled Banner and left the National Gallery of Art in tears after gazing upon a Leonardo Da Vinci painting. I became so enthralled with it that I got too close and the guard had to ask me to step back. Then I made Burke go back and look at it three different times because, well how often do you get to see a Da Vinci?! It is the only one in the entire Western Hemisphere and it was beautiful…so beautiful!

Sunday the sun was shining and it was a perfect day to tour Mount Vernon, the home of George Washington.

It was not only beautiful but awe inspiring. I gained an amazing appreciation for the sacrifice Washington made to be the Father of our Nation. He never asked for the job and forever felt inadequate in the office. Yet I felt so strongly as I walked through his home and paid my respects at his grave that he was chosen before the world began to preserve this land for the cause of freedom. He did not do his great work alone but walked hand in hand with The Lord All Mighty.

We were very moved by our visit to Arlington National Cemetery.

I knew that it was a large cemetery but nothing could have prepared me for the sheer number of graves. When Burke reminded me that these graves only represent a small percentage of the lives that have been sacrificed on our behalf I was humbled even further.

Everyone who walked through the cemetery showed a respect and reverence far above what was displayed at the monuments. There was an almost tangible presence that whispered “this is hallowed ground”.

This was felt no where more strongly then at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier.

As a grieving family placed a wreath upon the tomb in honor of their fallen loved one a solitary soldier played Taps on his trumpet. My tears flowed freely.

Witnessing the changing of the guard was also incredibly moving. There is a guard on duty at the tomb twenty four hours a day, seven days a week.

It is impossible to describe the level of respect, honor, and grief that the careful observance of this ritual imparts. It is performed so precisely that evidence of it’s perfection has been worn into the stone and can be captured in a picture

We left Arlington with a new perspective on the price of freedom and a greater respect for those men and women who sacrifice to protect this Great Nation.

Our last stop was the National Cathedral.

Even though it is considered modern -by Cathedral standards- it is still the sixth largest Cathedral in the world. They were having a practice so we could not take a tour but what we were able to see was beautiful.

From there I caught a plane back home and got to kiss my girls while they lay snuggled in their beds. I missed them but was so glad for the chance to spend the weekend with the love of my life. We were able to share some wonderful experiences together and it made me so excited for the time we will have together when all the kiddies are grown up. I know the next ten years are going to be amazing and the next and the next……..

Fun While Daddy was Away

2011-04-27T12:34:00.001-04:00

Burke spent four weeks in Maryland taking an Air Force Class in program management. We missed him like crazy and filled the void with some extra fun.

The girls at a Tangled Premier Party.

Zana ( that is what Biddy calls S…a for short) went as a red carpet fashion girl and JJ was a Paris Fashion Girl who flew in on her private jet for the event. Biddy –who wouldn’t hold still long enough to take a picture- was a princess. It was a blast since our friends had a movie room complete with a giant projector screen.

We made some monkey bread the next day and the girls- still caught up in the mood- made bread Rapunzels.

It was Fiesta week at school and every student made a float to parade around the halls. JJ was so excited and set to work immediately. I helped with the construction but the design is completely her own. She spent hours on it and it was worth all her effort.

Worth the Try

2011-04-02T10:14:00.003-04:00

While driving yesterday Biddy wanted me to open the door to pick up the toy she dropped. After repeated attempts to get me to open the door with no success she shouted "Open Sesame!" Then, when nothing happened, burst into tears. Well you can't blame a gal for trying.

Cake Boss

2011-03-26T15:27:00.001-04:00

Cake Boss is our most watched show at the moment and no one loves it more then J…h who has become our own little cake maker.

Yes those are made of paper we have not yet attempted a real cake yet.

It is a fashion cake with lots of bling.

S..a wrote her name on hers it so everyone would know it was her special cake.

Not her mothers daughter

2011-03-24T22:33:00.000-04:00

I suck at sports. I can honestly say that I am still afraid of the ball. With the hope that Burke’s DNA will save my daughters from my fate I signed J..h up for softball. We have been practicing with her bubble gum pink mitt and ball for a while now and she can catch and throw…..sometimes.

Tonight was her first practice and my first time being a bleacher mom. It was probably a toss up on who was most nervous. She ran through the drills pretty good and then they went straight into catching and throwing in pairs. I kept waiting for the moment when they would explain “ this is a baseball field… this is the the in field….this is the out field…. these are bases….” it never came and before I could blink she was up to bat!! In a panic I made sure the coach knew she had never held a bat in her life.

He put her in position walked to the pitcher’s mound and said “see these numbers on the ball? I want you to hit them.” At that moment she rested her bat on her shoulder and the coach suggested “why don’t you take a practice swing hun.” So J..h swung….. it looked pretty good to me and the coach must have agree because the next moment he was pitching. Jennah swung again and smack. She hit the ball!! I was in shock. Then I started screaming…everyone starting screaming… run! She dropped the bat and ran like the wind. As the kids scrambled in the field she rounded the bases and planted her self on home plate with a grin. That is right my daughter hit the ball and made a home run the very first time she EVER held a bat. She is sooo not her mother’s daughter. Lets just hope she can do it again.