Chaos and Calm - A Day in our Life

Biscuits

2011-11-20T12:23:00.000-06:00

Hi my name is Ruby, and I love biscuits . . .

I love biscuits so much that I am fully convinced I should've been born in the South. Add hot black coffee, grits and some country music and I'm a happy gal.
I love to cook and bake, but the perfect biscuit has always eluded me . . . until now. Thanks to my ever-growing obsession with Pinterest, I can now make a killer biscuit. I have made them weekly since I found the recipe at Plain Chicken - which is another new obsession of mine. If you're looking for quick and yummy recipes - look no further.
Anyhow, seeing as the fam & I are currently soaking up some sunshine in the Florida Keys and I don't plan on hanging out on the computer for long, I'll leave you with this foolproof biscuit recipe just in time for Thanksgiving.
I will also include a picture of the biscuits before they were baked. I never got to take a pic after, as they were inhaled by my family. My husband actually said he ate so many that he wanted to curl up and take a nap using one of the fluffy biscuits as a pillow. That's a pretty good rating in my book.
Happy Thanksgiving all!!!

7-Up Biscuits

2 cups Bisquick
1/2 cup sour cream
1/2 cup 7-up (I use Sierra Mist Natural)
1/4 cup melted butter

Preheat oven to 450.
Cut sour cream into biscuit mix, add 7-Up. Makes a very soft dough.
Sprinkle additional biscuit mix on board or table and pat dough out. Melt 1/4 cup butter in a 9 inch square pan. Place cut biscuits in pan and bake for 12-15 minutes or until golden brown.

Its scary to be a kid

2011-11-11T14:55:00.000-06:00

For the last 10 years, I have been stuck in a vacuum of diapers and bottles and preschool programs, first steps and first teeth and big girl beds, etc. These all-consuming tasks that seem to take up every waking minute I have (and often those I don't have) render me guilty of sometimes overlooking those grade school troubles that often fly under the radar. Often, especially when a child is so self-sufficient at an early age, its easy for them to be pushed to the back of the pack when there's a stream of little siblings vying for your attention. After all, she can take her own shower, brush her teeth and fold her laundry. He can tie his shoes, get dressed and make his own breakfast. They assert their independence in many little (and sometimes big) ways. "MOOOOOOM! You're embarrassing me!!" Tim and I were in for a real treat when we realized that we became "lame" before they were even 10.... Seriously??

I never feel at any point like I "have it all together." On the contrary, I usually feel like our daily life is a teeter-totter. Its never prefectly balanced. If I've taken the kids to the park, hosted their friends for lunch and swimming or met up with friends or family for the afternoon - you can tell. The laundry's 5 loads (or 15) deep, the dishwasher needs to be emptied and you could easily wipe "DUST ME" on my console table. I like to think (or desperately hope) that its akin to a balanced diet as in

Its what you eat in a week versus a day that really counts. Just as there are those moments that stop you on a dime, slapping you in the face and telling you "Wake Up!! Pay attention to what's important here!!" there are also those moments that tell you , "Settle down, you're doing a good job. They get it." Finley had an especially rough night a couple nights ago - apparently she decided her bangs were in immediate need of an emergency trim right at the moment Tim was trying to get the baby in bed and I was ironing her patches on her new Daisy smock. (Let me just say I have NEVER had a child cut their own hair before. Never.) Thank the Lord she went with a smallish patch and not too hideously short. There was hope. I fixed them and she looked in the mirror. . . Only to promptly burst into tears (and when I say tears, I mean a high pitched shrieking reminiscent of Darryl Hannah in Splash.) at which point she began gasping, crying harder and screeching over and over "I look so weird! I look so weird!" Now at this point I did what any good mother would do - I called in reinforcements. After a stern talk telling the other kids verbatim what I expected them to say and reminding them not to smile or laugh, I brought in her brothers and sister. They gushed and told her how beautiful she looked and all seemed to be okay.
I continued to put the Daisy patches on the vest and a few minutes later Carter came in to see Finley again. My almost 7 year old presented his little sister with a container of playdough, his favorite pencil and his $2 from the tooth fairy to make her feel better. His most prized possessions.... and a card . . .

which reads: "You have 100 friends. You are the best out of all of them and you are the best in the whole world."

Apparently the front was softening the blow for the back of the card, which reads: "Your fish died. I'm really sorry."

And there you have it. They get it. It was funny, but so sweet and innocent in a 7 year old boy way. He used what he had to show his sister he cared and tried to make her feel better. Of course, it caused a whole new wave of tears (aka shrieking) and a "burial at sea" for Red Billy (I feel ashamed I never knew his name until his passing...)

Mixed bag . . .

2011-01-31T14:15:00.007-06:00

I think my favorite thing about being blessed with a big family is that we have such an eclectic mix of personalities, opinions and tendencies. Its amazing how different 6 kids all born to the same parents can be. Of course, at times it can be maddening, at dinner time for example. But for the most part it is endearing.

As the kiddos grow this becomes more obvious and it has become my daily mission to preserve and respect those things that are unique to each of them. It starts from the moment they wake up (or refuse to wake up.) One likes oatmeal, the next hates it. "Yogurt parfaits" are a hit with everyone, but God forbid you put blueberries on his - he only likes raspberries. She'll eat any granola - he hates the one with nuts. One drinks rice milk, one drinks skim. On to lunches - PBJ for him, tuna for her. And so it goes. . . Everybody get dressed -The Batman shirt is his, not the Star Wars - even though they both wear the same size. She hates jeans and loves leggings. She wears only pink, she'll wear any color BUT pink . . .

I think its so important that we don't "bulldoze." Group everyone together because its easier that way. I have been guilty of this in really chaotic times (there's several periods like that every day!) That being said - we all eat the same dinner and follow the same house rules, but I try to really single out those things that make each of our kids special.

Piper is the house artist for sure. She loves baths and fashion design. Trace could tell you something you never knew about almost every animal you've ever heard of (or never heard of.) Carter is the "Baby Whisperer." Seriously, babies LOVE this kid. His siblings and cousins tend to say his name before any other name. Finley is our girly-girl through and through. Its pink and princesses and lip gloss all the way. She is sassy and sweet and eats anything and everything around the clock and is the tiniest little thing you've ever seen! Scout is mayhem, in a rough and tumble almost two-year-old. She LOVES her little brother more than anything else in the whole world, and being number five she is more self-sufficient than any of the others at this age. She has her coat and shoes as soon as she sees the car keys. Nobody's leaving baby home!!! That brings us to Bear, who has never been formally introduced here. He is now three months old and officially the sweetest baby ever! He smiles as soon as you catch his eye, and is so alert and wiggly now. We are all crazy in love with him and getting lots of time to snuggle together inside with this cold, gray winter. Hope all is well with everyone . . .

Here we are . . .

2010-06-16T06:54:00.008-05:00

Let me first say, we are here, we are well, and we do in fact remember that this blog is in existence. That being said, many other things have taken precedence over typing at the computer over the last couple of months.
So.... here's our Readers' Digest condensed version.
Scout started walking. She is now practically running.
Nana turned 60.
Trace turned 8.
We went to Disney World.
Carter graduated preschool and is kindergarten-bound this fall.
I snuck away to the Keys with Nana and a very pregnant Aunt Paula.
Piper earned straight A's for her whole third-grade year.
Aunt Paula gave birth to Graden Hudson Subler a week after returning from Florida.
We're having another baby.

Snuck that last one in there, huh?
No, you do not need to adjust your monitor. You are reading that correctly. Before you dig deep into the archives, I am aware that roughly 16 months ago, I said I would have no more babies, the Johnson Baby Factory was closing its doors. Well, I'm here to say that that (obviously) has not proved to be true. And frankly, we couldn't be happier!
So this new little one should be making his/her appearance somewhere around Halloween. Boo!
Needless to say, birthdays, vacations, the end of the school year and pregnancy have been taking up just a bit of our time lately. After a few false starts though, we are settling into summer nicely. and are looking forward to sunshine, less of a schedule and some time "Up North" this summer.

Good bugs, bad bugs, bugs everywhere!!

2010-04-01T06:00:00.003-05:00

So lets face it - if there's one thing you can count on as a mom, its that things rarely go according to plan. My life over the last month is proof of this - a comedy of errors of sorts. It started with a yoga class my sister-in-law taught on Fat Tuesday. I was so excited to go spend time with my sisters-in-law and nieces, all while getting some exercise to boot. I did it, I loved it, I signed up for the long haul. C'mon, a mom of five needs a shot at some zen. I unfortunately have not been back to said yoga class since then. To make a long story short, ear infections, my husband flying standby home from Vegas during March Madness, dislocated jaws, school projects, five kids all outgrowing their shoes at the same time, and a death in the family have all prevented me from finding my zen.
But please, read on . . . there's a rainbow in my story . . . zen can be found in many places . . .
My point is that with so many things out of your control as a mom, you want to be able to have a say in your kids health. They're going to get sick from time to time, but why not arm them as best you can?
I (along with my kiddos) was lucky enough to be able to sample some great products that the fine folks at Vidazorb provided. Can I just say, this has been a good thing for us!! When they contacted me about trying them out and telling people what I thought, I figured a probiotic is a probiotic is a probiotic (do not attempt to say that ten times fast.) My kids have fairly consistently taken some sort of chewable probiotic with their slew of other daily vitamins. As a dye-free, all natural family, my kids enjoy their vitamins like other kids might enjoy Skittles or M&M's. We know about the benefits of putting the "good bugs" in your belly to help fight off the "bad bugs." But what we found with the Vidazorb was much more than we expected. We thought we'd fight off a few colds or flus, resist more germs from the dreaded doorknob or shared preschool toy. We think these things may have happened, but so did much, much more . . .

My seven-year-old has always had a very sensitive stomach, complaining at nearly every meal that his tummy hurts or that the food was giving him "icky burps." He has seen a pediatric gastro doc since age two. He's been scoped and medicated. We've done two different proton-pump inhibitor drugs, and prescription histamine blockers. We've taken them and gone off them and watched his symptoms flare up again. I am not a fan of medication. Not. A. Fan!!! Enter Vidazorb. We had just visited the doc again, been prescribed another med, and discontinued use of the med after no improvement. Our package of Vidazorb came and I thought, what the heck, lets give it a try. He started taking one Vidazorb Belly Boost Probiotic supplement with breakfast, one right after school and one with dinner. The first thing we noticed was that he actually asked for them because he loves the wild berry flavor. After a few days we noticed he was not complaining of "icky burps," his term for reflux. He was actually eating what we served for dinner, and eating snacks other than cinnamon toast (his go-to food with an upset tummy.) We asked him how his stomach was feeling and he stopped, thought about it and said "Good," as if he were surprised! This is more than I could have asked for and enough to make me a loyal Vidazorb momma!! Watching your child not want to eat because they don't want their food come back up is awful! Having found something that is naturally helping him is so awesome!
So, this blog is my equivalent of "shouting it from the rooftops!"

Why you should take a probiotic - and they're not just for kids:

They help your body absorb more nutrients
They support your body's immune system - fight off more bad "bugs"
Reports indicate they're an effective treatment for a number of allergies
There are studies showing that probiotics may play a significant role in helping the body manage its metabolism

Why Vidazorb??

No refrigeration required
All natural colors and flavors
Great tasting wild berry for kids and vanilla for you! (Though I have one stubborn 5 yo who much prefers my vanilla)
The Belly Boost for kids contain the best strains for kids - and have been extensively researched!
They provide what they claim - all the bacteria alive and viable in the bottle on the shelf for two years!

So, have I mentioned that we've become a Vidazorb family? Okay, now here's the good part . . . so can you!! Vidazorb will be kind enough to give a free, yes I said FREE bottle of their Belly Boost to the first 5 people to follow them on Twitter (@bellytweet), "tweet" them, saying you came from my blog and telling them why you'd like to try Vidazorb. If you're not on Twitter yet, do you need a better reason than this??

If you're not on Twitter, are opposed to Twitter, have no idea what Twitter is, or aren't one of the first five to follow and "tweet," don't worry!! You can still get a whopping 40% off of the entire Vidazorb line on their website through April 14th, using the code CCC40.

Bye Bye Baby

2010-03-10T09:37:00.005-06:00

Yesterday, we celebrated a milsetone in our house - the first birthday of our baby, Scout. You'd think that because I have already done this four times, it would be easier. NOT SO . . . I am still not accustomed to the way a year passes so quickly.

Piper and I were having a discussion the other day about time passing. She wanted to know why when you were testing at school, waiting in the doctors office, or looking forward to an upcoming vacation, it seems soooooo slow. But on the other hand, weekends pass in the blink of an eye, vacations are lightning fast and birthday parties seem to last mere minutes.

We talked about perception, and the fact that time passes at an equal rate in all those situations. My logical adult brain knows that to be true, but I feel like Piper in saying, it sure doesn't seem that way!!

For instance - we planned a family trip for Disney World over Trace's and my birthdays. We planned this trip only about 5 weeks ago, but according to Carter, it's been 900 years. The boy's got something here!!

In the same way, it feels like I was just awaiting the arrival of Miss Scoutie (never mind that I felt pregnant with her for 900 years.)
I feel like I can close my eyes and smell her, yes we still use the oh-so-delicious pink J & J baby lotion, but this is a different smell. Its like new car - but SOOOOOOO much better. That newness that is so very fleeting, so amazing, that you are afraid to risk missing it by not holding that tightly wrapped baby burrito for every second of those first days.

Believe me, I don't particularly enjoy sleepness nights, post-partum weight, sibling rivalry or projectile vomiting. . . but I LOVE newborns. Sleepy smiles, froggy legs, tinier than tiny diapers, the way this little bundle fits perfectly into the crook of my arm and the curve of my hip, as if God perfectly matched us (which for the record, I believe HE DID!)

How that newborn transforms so quickly is always a miracle to me. Scout has become the funniest little roly-poly sweetheart!! She may go to bed with sore cheeks some nights from all the nibbling, kissing and smooshing she endures - and its not just me. She has captured the hearts of four kiddos and two parents, and we are all smitten with her! One look at her "scrunchy face" and her chubby little hand waving at you, and you're a goner!

Though the newborn days passed much too quickly, they have been replaced with days full of laughter and smiles brought on by the little character she has become! Now, talk to me six months from now and I'm sure I'll have something to say about the trials of toddlerhood. But for now...she is nothing but sweet!!

Soaring Spirits

2010-03-07T16:15:00.004-06:00

We have all felt the warmth of the sunshine on our backs, warming our hair, lifting our spirits.

We have dusted off the scooters, bikes and rollerblades.

We've played baseball. We've learned that searching for a baseball in a snowdrift brings a new degree of difficulty to the game.

We've discovered that pails and shovels are great for building snowcastles too.

We have played outside until our cheeks are rosy, our noses are runny, and our legs are wobbly.

Life is good.

My Funny Valentine

2010-02-04T09:37:00.003-06:00

The other day I was brushing Finley's hair and she started the normal whimpering (before the comb actually even touched her hair.) She is in the process of growing her hair soooooo long (just like Caroline, who happens to be the 4-year-old president of the "BFF Club" at preschool. Seriously ????) But to avoid any confusion - she is only growing her back hair, not her front hair, which others may call bangs. We haven't quite reached her her shoulders yet. So anyhow, I started to tell her how you get more tangles when your hair is long, and I remember not liking when Nana combed my hair as a kid. She said, "Oh, Nana combed your hair because she was your mom?" Yes, I tell her. Then she said Papa must have given me lots of gum because he was my dad. I told her not so, he didn't give out a lot of gum when I was a kid. Then I leaned in and told her that he must give her lots of gum because he really loves her. "Oh Mom, don't worry, he really loves you too," she said. (Melt my heart!!!)
Back to the hair brushing, at which point she asks the regular daily question,
Finley: "Isn't I'm getting such wong (long) hair??"
Mom: "Yes Finley, you are."
Mom: "Did you know that when I was little, my hair was all the way down to here?" (I point to mid-back.)
Finley: "You mean down your back?"
Mom: "Yep"
Finley: "Ooooh, (pause) well, mine's still longer."

2010-02-02T16:50:00.017-06:00

Dear Mean Girl at the library,
I am sure you are really a nice little girl with a mom who would be mortified at your behavior had she put down her cell phone and/or latte long enough to hear your words. That being said... I don't like you. Not at all. Not. At. ALL!!!
As I sit here writing this I fear smoke may actually be coming out my ears, you have awakened the mama lion in me and you messed with my child. Grrrr!!! My sweet three year old child who loves people, tells every stranger in the grocery store her baby sister's name, that she loves tank tops and that we are going to Disney World this year. My Finley who may talk incessantly, but always has something nice to say. Tell me mean girl, what would have been the harm of just smiling politely at her and saying hi back? Instead you proceeded to tell her that you were not her friend, and that your friends who were with you, were not her friends either. And then, in case she was not clear on the situation, you listed all your friends not present who were also not her friends. And with a wave of your hand and the arrival of one of your many friends, you so kindly asked her to just "get away so I can visit with my friend." And I her mom, had to watch her sweet little face crumple and her perfect doe eyes instantly fill with tears as she asked to please go home and said "I don't ever want to come back here." I had to be the one to tell her that you were not being a nice person! Unfortunately, I couldn't come up with a good enough answer as to why you didn't want to be her friend. But whatever the reason, you're the one who lost out today!
So like I said you're just a kid, probably from a decent family, but today you have made me very MAD!! Is it too much to ask that my sweet little girl believes a bit longer that people are nice and all kids are friends?? You, mean library girl, are on my shit list today!! Nuff said.

Go with your gut

2010-01-27T13:31:00.004-06:00

I was recently included in a group message by a grade school friend who is about to have her first child. She was looking for suggestions on a pediatrician from all her "mom friends" out there in cyberspace.
As I sat there reading the other responses from the other women who either LOVED their pediatrician or were just lukewarm about them, I thought of what I could contribute. I like our doctor. That's about it. He is knowledgeable, he is friendly and listens to my concerns, he has a sense of humor and the kids like him and the nurses there. That being said, I think the wait time is waaaaaay too long when I have made an appointment in advance - would he wait for me in that fun little room if I was running late??? Of course not! I have heard other doctors accuse him of giving out antibiotics like candy and having too many patients to handle. The jury is still out on that one. You may be wondering why in the world I'd entrust my five most precious blessings to someone who I don't fully trust. . . .
The answer to that is that there is no one out there (besides Tim) that I fully trust when it comes to my babies! It is a scary business being a parent - I've heard it likened to your heart walking outside your body, and I'd say that is pretty darn accurate. Suddenly, you love someone so fiercely, and and at the same time spend every waking (and sleeping) moment terrified that they will be hurt by something or someone - or worse yet, hurt by you! God forbid I make the wrong decision in terms of what I think is best for them. Am I being strict enough or too strict? Letting them be kids, or not teaching enough responsibility? Giving them enough activity or overscheduling?
I realized as I read this email today, that as moms, the most powerful tool we have is our gut. My mom used to say that she never really worried about me getting into too much trouble as a kid because I had such a good conscience. That same little voice inside from when I was a kid, is what guides me today. Its that feeling in your stomach that something's just not right. Its how I know when my 9 year old is trying to pull a fast one on me, or when my 3 year old's ickiness has gone past just a regular cold. Its how I know that a certain child needs a little one-on-one mom time or that 2nd grader saying they don't feel good is worried about something at school.
I don't claim to know better than a doctor, but I do believe that my gut feeling rarely leads me astray. I will never put my full trust in a doctor, teacher or anyone when in comes to my child, and that is the advice I would give to any new mom. Do what feels right and what works best for your family. Be an informed mom, do your research, don't be afraid to ask questions. When you don't feel comfortable with the answers you get, ask different questions or different people. After all, you are your child's advocate!! They need to know that you are on their team. That's not to say that things will always turn out perfectly - its a rare night that I go to bed feeling satisfied with everything that happened that day. But like they say, hindsight is 20/20, and hopefully we learn from our mistakes. My mom says nobody ever tells you all the guilt that comes along with being a mom. So true- I like to think that plays a part in keeping me determined to do right by my kids. There's an instruction manual for every petty little thing ever invented, except children. So in the meantime, I'm gonna keep going with my gut!!

New Year, New Decade

2010-01-18T14:10:00.001-06:00

Daddy and Scout on Christmas Eve

Uncle Ryan building LEGOS with the boys

Scout is always so amused by Ollie

Piper modeling her pink bday extensions with Auntie De and Dom

Scoutie's 1st Xmas

Can't believe my baby is 9!

Piper carrying Scout down on Xmas morning

Finley's standard Apres-PreK wear

Here we are in 2010, not only a new year, but a new decade. It got me thinking about all that has happened over the last 10 years.

Here's my breakdown

I have been pregnant for 45 out of the 120 months of the decade.

We have used somewhere in the ballpark of 21,600 disposable diapers costing roughly $4,320.

(Based on 5 diapers a day costing 20 cents per diaper) (And yes, I do know about what this does to our landfills and in a moment of eco-weakness made a very unfortunate journey into cloth-diapering which I'd rather not speak of...)

We have lived in 3 different homes.

We have painted 32 rooms.

We have been through an SUV, two minivans and now a Suburban.

We have had 33 well-baby checkups.

I've played for countless hours with Barbies, LEGOS, and Little People.

The tooth fairy has visited our house 11 times.

We have made 4 ER visits with kids.

I had my tonsils taken out (after a winter with a combined total of roughly 24 cases of strep in the family...good times!)

I'd list all the things we've been lucky enough to avoid, but there's not enough wood to knock on here . . .

I've had people email me to make sure I haven't dropped off the face of the earth in light of my blogging absence. I'm here, though I'd much rather be somewhere tropical, given our string of really yucky weather. But in the meantime, I am taking advantage of my cabin fever and organizing like a madwoman. Maybe if I do it now, I'll be so organized that I will be able to spend every waking moment outdoor once it gets nice! Wishful thinking I'm sure, especially since cleaning the house with kids around is like shoveling while its still snowing.

Home is where your story begins

2009-12-10T17:30:00.002-06:00

Scoutie is 9 months old today!!

The prettiest little angel in the Christmas band

The cutest goat in the manger

What we wake up to every morning in our bed

We all know that our houses are simply physical structures that are made of tangible pieces - bricks, mortar, insulation, wood, nails, shingles, etc. And we've all heard "home is where the heart is." But rarely do we, or should I say, I , stop to think, really think, about what intangible things make up a home. I started thinking about it a couple nights ago.

When I was newly married, and even more so when Piper was an infant, I spent a lot of time at my parents' house. You men out there may not understand this as well as us womenfolk, but motherhood in the early days can be quite a daunting and confusing task. Its not the basic act of caring for this new life so much as your new role. Suddenly, you are supposed to fit the bill. You will not only care for this baby, but also make it seem like you've got it all together. House clean, check! Grocery shopping done, check! Laundry clean, folded and put away, check! The wonderful aroma of dinner cooking when your husband gets home, you bet! Somehow in the middle of this though, you start wondering how you went from being a little girl to someone else's MOM!! For me, I think I blinked and suddenly I was the one in charge of all the things that my mom used to be in charge of, and let me tell you that is a scary thought!! Nearly nine years later there are still days its a scary thought :) So, anyway, I think thats why I spent a lot of time at my parents' house, because it made ME feel secure, taken care of and like everything was going to be okay even when I wasnt sure what I was supposed to be doing.

Why, you ask, did I start thinking about all this now?? Tim was working late so I took the kids to Nana and Papa's for dinner. No special occasion, no birthday to celebrate, just to be together. Okay, the crockpot full of homemade meatballs and marinara played a little part. Let me rewind just a bit and tell you that my parents moved about a year and a half ago so the house we go to now wasn't the memory making house per se. But it was when I was walking to the freezer in the basement to get another loaf of garlic bread before going home (Nana's great for carryouts) that I had a moment. I realized that even though my mom and dad have lived in this house only a short time, it has their mark on it. It has that "feeling" to it - you know the one where it's like a big hug, a deep breath, a weight lifted off your shoulders.

One of my favorite things in my home is the sign about the doorway that reads, "Home is where your story begins." My sister-in-law gave it to me several years ago, and it's so true. It really doesn't matter where you live, or how long you've lived there. Your memories travel with you. It's how you treat the people you make part of your family, the times you share together. Coming back home, wherever home is at the time, is a great feeling.

I'll probably never have it all together the way my mom did. I'm still scrambling to get lunches into backpacks when the bus is rounding the corner, my daughter ate mac n cheese for breakfast this morning and I was late turning in my kids book order forms. But, those lunches were nutritious and tailored to each child's personal tastes, the mac n cheese was organic, and I read with my kids every day. It is rare that all our shoes make it into the closet at the end of the day, they often have to be located under the chair or couch and you can usually scrounge up a full ziploc baggy of Annie's cheddar bunnies under the seats in our Suburban.

Despite all this chaos, I hope that my own family feels the same way about the home we are making together that I do about the way my parents still provide emotional comfort for me. This time of year is obviously full of Christmas traditions in our home, but we also celebrate two December birthdays. Piper turns 9 on the 14th and Carter will be 5 on the 15th. (How's that for planning???) There are three things that always have to happen on birthdays in our house. Number one, the birthday child picks the dinner meal. Number two, breakfast is ALWAYS the birthday coffee cake which is a gooey concoction of butterscotch pudding mix, cherries and frozen dinner rolls. (A huge challenge for a dye-free fam, but go ahead, challenge me!!) Yummm!!! And finally, the birthday child picks their cake. This sounds simple enough, but is apparent that my children have been spoiled with an abundance of homemade treats. No simple chocolate or vanilla here. Carter has chosen carrot cake with cream cheese frosting and Piper requested a chocolate peppermint ice cream cake. The carrot cake is in the oven for Saturday's celebration and I begin the search for all-natural peppermint ice cream free of the dreaded Red 40 tonight. Trader Joe's and Whole Foods, here I come. I like to think that these simple traditions (complete with the aroma of ginger and cinnamon wafting through the house) will be part of the story I'm beginning for my kids.

Here's hoping that all my friends and family get a chance to come back home this holiday season, wherever home may be. May your holidays be filled with old memories and plenty of time to make new ones.

Tis the season . . .

2009-12-03T05:23:00.004-06:00

Tim and the kids before the Bears game they attended

The Kids' Tree

Nana, Dom and Scout

I know I probably say this every year, but this time I REALLY mean it - I can't believe it is already December!! I am in better shape than many years past though, so I can't complain. The halls have been decked (with a lot of "help" from some very eager elves.) The stockings have been hung by the chimney with care. Go with me here, okay. I realize we don't have a chimney. And we're missing a few stockings that somehow didn't make their way back into the tub of Xmas decorations. But, the tree is up and decorated. How long it will stay that way is mystery, though. Scout hasn't taken much of an interest in it yet, but given the fact that she crawls like the Energizer Bunny and is (shakily) starting to cruise along furniture, I think it will be a matter of time.
The kids were very proud to decorate their own "Kids' Tree" in the basement, complete with hot pink glitter ornaments, popsicle stick creations, twinkling multicolor lights and homemade paperchains. This is one good looking tree. Trace is very good at the "cluster method" of decorating in which he hangs several like ornaments on the tip of one poor, wobbly branch of our Charlie Brown Christmas tree. I am fairly certain this method is an offshoot of his father's present wrapping technique, the "consolidation method." What is this, pray tell? Step 1 - Find the largest, most beat-up shipping box from work and bring it home. Step 2. Dump all your wife's presents in there (mixing bowls, shower gel, hat, gloves, it's all good.) 3. If it won't shut, give it a good dose of packing tape. 4. Wrap up that bad boy!
I am admitting before the word leaks out and you are all in shock - I was among the crazies this "Black Friday." Let me just say, it was fun and I would do it again, just to have my shopping done early and get a few deals. However, I will never ever set foot in a Walmart again during Thanksgiving and Christmas. My time in there lasted a whole five minutes, and I left empty-handed. I'm still reeling from the things I saw in there. I felt dirty. We have significantly scaled back on the gift-giving this year, which made shopping that much more pleasant. Instead, we're trying to not just tell, but SHOW the kids that the time spent together looking at Xmas lights, watching a movie, decorating the tree, baking cookies, giving to others and just being together - those are the things that Christmas is about. I think they really get it . . . and in the meantime, I listen to Carter as Max & Ruby is on commercial break. Every "boy" toy that is advertised, he asks Finley, "Can you get me that?" and every girl toy he says, "Fin, I'm gonna get you that." Tis the season . . .

Big Warm Up

2009-11-04T12:23:00.002-06:00

Check this out. Watch to the end, and then pay it forward...

NOOOOOOOvember

2009-11-03T09:33:00.005-06:00

So here we are. Where you ask? November. And I pose the question, "How the hell did we get HERE?" I am fairly certain I blinked and we went from the first day of summer to the last day of summer to Halloween and now here. This sort of crappy in between time only rivaled by the period between January 2nd and April 1st.

I managed to take down all our Halloween decorations on November 1st. And I wonder, "Now what?" I don't have a wreath for this, you see. I have an Easter wreath, a Fourth of July wreath, a Halloween wreath and a lovely Christmas wreath. I have nothing for this time, so I have two choices - I can leave my front door bare or plunge in headfirst and be like the aisles of every major retailer. You know what I am talking about - the way the Christmas decorations slowly creep in before even half of the general population has bought their Halloween costumes. Don't get me wrong, I love Christmas. I like the decorations, the festivities, the music, the baking, the catalogs and the palpable excitement within a family with 5 kids. But I just feel like I'm jumping the gun by breaking out the decorations. I'm aware Thanksgiving comes between Halloween and Christmas. I am. But I refuse to buy "harvest" decor no matter how thankful I am. And for the record, you will NEVER see the Johnson yard adorned with an inflatable turkey. So I guess the door will stay bare. I'm just warning you to not be offended by my lack of decorations, okay?

Since I'm not ready to move forward in the season just yet, I'll move backwards a bit and tell you about our Halloween. All in all, really good. Let's just say Halloween can be a bit scary (pun intended) when you're committed to certain dietary standards. I know some people think I'm nuts, but we did manage to have a festive and fun Halloween even without any candy containing any artificial ingredients. Obviously the degree of difficulty is raised here, but the kids were really good about it, and Tim was so supportive. Carter and Piper have reached the point where they know how they feel when they eat food dye, and they just won't do it. Like Tim says, "Why can't I have that kind of discipline when it comes to cheese fries or hot wings?" Finley will literally interrogate the neighbors (sorry Frank!) about whether a particular item contains dye. Trace is on the fence. He'd eat it if no one was looking, but will (begrudgingly) toss it in exchange for another "approved" candy item.

The kids' costumes were a hit this year. They were respectively, a cave girl (thanks to Nana's handiwork,) a pioneer, a dinosaur, a kitty cat and a caterpillar. Trick-or-treating didn't last very long thanks to the wind and cold, but we made up for it with a fun Halloween party the same night.

10 years of Little Things

2009-10-22T20:12:00.004-05:00

I have a cute little sign on my end table that reads, "Enjoy the little things, for one day you may look back and realize they were the big things." (You may never have seen it, which is perfectly understandable since on any given day it is likely to be buried behind a box of kleenex, one baby shoe, half a dozen Matchbox cars, 2 pencils, a naked Barbie, a stack of catalogs and various other objects that are simply woven into the fabric of our daily lives.) But I digress...

I love that sign. I am fortunate enough to be celebrating 10 years of marriage with my wonderful husband tomorrow, and that sign got me thinking. Its funny how we focus on the little things that are negative (the empty toilet paper roll, the dirty socks on the floor, or the cap that just couldn't quite make it back on the tube of toothpaste. Love you honey!!) But the positive little things are often overlooked because they are just part of our every day life. I want to take this opportunity to say that I consider myself to be one of the luckiest people in the world because of all the little things with which I am blessed. Days get stressful and we think, "If I can just get through this day..." Well, I am lucky to have spent the last 3,650 days with Tim. Believe me, he deserves some sort of award for having the sense of humor that he does to put up with me some days (especially considering that I have been pregnant and hormonal for combined total of 3 years and 9 months during our marriage.) Each morning, my husband gets up and makes coffee and brings me a cup in bed. EVERY MORNING without fail. Then he goes to the kitchen and empties the dishwasher and washes any stray dishes. He does laundry (boys can wear pink socks. Really they can.) He changes diapers, he coaches basketball, he plays Barbies, he gives baths and cleans up vomit.

I'm not a fancy restaurant, flowers and champagne sort of girl. I'm a homebody and creature of habit. I like what is familiar. I'll take the everyday little signs of love over the grand gesture any day, because I truly believe that in the end, we look back and realize that the little things really are the big things! I tell the kids all the time that you never know how one smile, kind word or gesture can impact someone. How it can totally change the tone of their day. We've all heard the stories of the people who because of one little, seemingly insignificant thing, were late to work at the World Trade Center on September 11th. And because of that, the course of their lives were changed forever. Switching my major to communications after my sophomore of college was what caused me to cross paths with Tim (granted I now use that degree to negotiate who gets the blue cup or which bowl of yogurt has more granola sprinkled on top.) A little thing that has turned into a big thing.

Happy Anniversary to my hubby Tim (aww, mushy mushy) and to everyone else, don't forget to appreciate all the little things in your life. Have a great weekend!

Apple of My Eye

2009-10-13T06:39:00.015-05:00

Its fall and I find myself humming a little tune as I make my way through the day. I LOVE Fall! I love the colors outside, the cooler temperatures, the smell of leaves burning, the fact that there's no chance of it being so hot that the back of my legs stick to a lawn chair as I try to stand up. These are valid reasons, okay? With fall comes my insatiable need to create in the kitchen! I think no matter how technologically advanced we become we still have a little Flinstone in us! I'm stocking up for the winter here (Tim is a happy man when I go into this mode!) I love all foods fall - soup, chili, pumpkins, apples, cranberries, you name it! We spent a lovely 39 degree day on Saturday at our favorite orchard in Malta. After making three bottles for Scout, spilling an entire one on the floor, cleaning it up, forgetting the other two in the fridge, and making a bathroom stop halfway, we finally arrived at the orchard. We watched the temperature on the rearview mirror in the burbie drop degree by degree as we got closer. We were so unprepared for how cold it was, we put on every remotely warm article clothing we had brought along, it was reminiscent of Clark Griswold locked in the attic in Christmas Vacation, minus the turban! Our comedy of errors continued as we waited in line for tractor to take us to the pumpkin patch, got too cold, went into the "Country Store" to warm up, saw the tractor coming, ran back out (as fast as we could with five stay-puff marshmallow children, 4 pecks of apples, a gallon of apple cider, a diaper bag, a camera bag and two strollers.) You know where this is going, don't you? The tractor was filled up by the time we got back out there. So, as Finley's running nose actually began to freeze on her face, we decided to call it a day. After packing up, driving 10 miles down the road, realizing Tim forgot one of the strollers, turning around to retrieve it, and finally getting home, we just bought some pumpkins and gourds from a nice farmer in Monee. But, I did have an amazing variety of apples and a hankering to do something with them. So here is my creation . . .

Crockpot Apple Butter

Start with about 18 apples

(I used a mix of Jonathan, Ida Red and Stabrite, I like mine more on the tart side)

Core, and slice apples (Leave peel on)

Add 1/2 cup apple cider and 2 tablespoons mulling spices to crockpot. Cook on high 3 hours and you will end up with this:

Here's where you need the best kitchen tool ever - the food mill. Mine was purchased from a hardware store for under $20 dollars. Nothing fancy, but it does the job!

Working in batches, run apple mixture through food mill, you will end up with an applesauce like mixture. All the seeds, peels and whole spices remain in the food mill.

Return apple mixture to crockpot, add 1/4 sugar, 1 tablespoon good cinnamon, 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg, and 1/8 teaspoon each of mace and cloves. Cook two more hours on high.

Now if you're a fan of apple butter, you know what makes it different from applesauce is its richness and velvety texture. If you have an immersion blender (got mine for $9.99 at Jewel,) here's where you use it. Put that bad boy right in the crockpot and make some apple butter!! This makes all the difference in texture, believe me!! Now taste your creation. If you like more sugar, now's the time to add it. Then finish cooking another hour or so, stirring occasionally.

Your house will smell so incredible when you make this (if you had a scratch-n-sniff computer screen, you'd understand!)

Crockpot Apple Butter
18 apples
1/2 cup apple cider
2 tablespoons mulling spices
1/4 cup sugar
1 tablespoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
1/8 teaspoon mace
1/8 teaspoon cloves

Enjoy!!

Seasons of Change

2009-09-28T17:44:00.004-05:00

Scoutie in Wisconsin over Labor Day

Carter not too happy on his first day of school

Trace catching a toad while we were apple picking

Piper picking apples

Nana riding her bike while Carter drives Finley in the Jeep

Finley taste-testing

Seriously, this happens several times a year, but every time I am still baffled by it. The change of seasons and the upheaval it causes still smack me right in the face. I'm left dazed wondering what the hell happened to my carefully planned routine and structure. Its dark too early to get in an entire soccer practice, the shorts we laid out the night before are being swapped for pants and hoodies, and the kids are out of their minds! Not to mention this is all happening as we go through 6 boxes of tissues a week because the kids have brought home every germ between here and Indiana. I am craving soup and pumpkin bread, yet still longing for Corona and watermelon. We are in the midst of a transition and I think we're all digging our heels in. I don't have anything particularly insightful or witty to share, perhaps due partly to the fact that I am still recovering from a nasty sinus infection and dreading a scheduled root canal tomorrow. So instead I will just share a few recent pictures and a funny story. Finley discovered last year's Easter wreath in the storage room the other day and I then overheard her telling Carter to be quiet when he was in the basement, because the birdies were getting ready to hatch. I didn't have the heart to tell her that those were fake plastic speckled eggs hot-glued to a twig wreath. So sweet!

Eliminate food dyes, artificial flavors and preservatives for healthy happy kids

2009-09-28T17:43:00.002-05:00

Eliminate food dyes, artificial flavors and preservatives for healthy happy kids

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Teeter Totter

2009-08-28T08:56:00.002-05:00

We've all heard that life is like a box of chocolates, but in our case I think of my life more like a teeter-totter (seesaw, whatever you want to call it - I don't want to get into the soda versus pop debate...) Its all about balance, which seems to be such an elusive goal. I suppose the more kids you have, the more difficult it becomes, simply because of the sheer amount of time it takes to accomplish simple tasks when you multiply them times 5 kids. I have been very focused on creating and implementing a routine for our family with the beginning of the new school year, and I have to say I think it is working very well. My main objectives are to create the most stress-free environment in the morning by picking out clothes/shoes, packing backpacks and lunches and at least having an idea what's for breakfast the night before. Piper now has a dry erase tile on her wall with a morning checklist, just in case somehow during her slumber she forgets that we do in fact brush our teeth and make our beds every morning. Yes, every morning. Seriously, they look at me like I'm dropping a bomb each morning and this is a completely foreign practice I'm asking them to complete. Really??? The clothes being picked out the night before was essential for everyone's sanity. Trace would wear a paper sack if I laid it out for him, while Piper has some, shall I say, very definite opinions about fashion. Backpacks need to be emptied and put away as soon as the kids get home. Homework gets done before TV viewing, and I try to have a healthy meal planned and prepped. All these components are working together well, I must say. However when you add in 4 soccer practices, religious ed, and gymnastics each week, plus the normal stuff like baths, playing with friends and taking the dog for a walk the end result is not pretty. It usually consists of Tim and I surrounded by a heaping pile of soaking wet bath towels, two baskets of folded laundry waiting to be put away, two baskets waiting to be folded, and two more baskets waiting to be washed and dried. Oliver is having a field day with the fallout from dinner under the table, and the dishes are laughing at us from the sink. And the rest of the cycle goes a little something like this: Clean up the kitchen, dive into laundry, pack the lunches, sign the papers that need to be signed, lay out clothes for tomorrow, grunt at husband as I pass him in hallway, take out dog one last time, fall into bed, get child a drink of water, put child back into bed, fall back into our bed, put another child back into bed, fall into bed again, scoot over and just let this child sleep next to me, remove child's foot from up my nose, just get up already - COFFEE!!!! and start all over again. The moral of the story being that everything is never all perfect at once, which is just fine since perfection is not really the goal here. I guess something's gotta give, which is a concept I'm definitely more comfortable with as a mother of 5 than I was as a mom of just one. I know the laundry will still be sitting there when I get done folding the "Flying Ninja" from Trace's paper airplane book. At least as I'm folding the laundry, I get to hear him and Carter cheering and laughing as they launch it off the top of the stairs. I may not have the cleanest kitchen floor in the neighborhood, but I managed to be crowned "the bestest mom in the whooooole world" when I made them spaghetti and meatballs for dinner. Yes, we fish clean socks out of the dryer, clean spoons are often housed in the dishwasher and you could probably find a few stray sippy cups under the couch, but that's just how we roll around here. We're just seeking that elusive balance between chaos and calm, but we're enjoying the ride together... (insert circus music here.)

Back To School . . . Oh Happy Day!!!

2009-08-23T16:12:00.004-05:00

I have been nesting lately. Not in the "I'm pregnant"sense of the term - I'm not totally crazy people!! But in the "the kids are going back to school" sense. Today I am giddy with excitement at the prospect of what tomorrow brings. I can smell the crayons, freshly sharpened pencils and new school shoes (which is a much better smell than Trace's skanky 4-month old flip-flops that have covered every inch of squishy mud Crystal Springs boasts!) I can hardly wait to take the kids' pictures by the front door holding their new backpacks, er - "Messenger Bags." But what I really can't wait for is the long-lost concept of routine. Yes, I loathed my mother's routines, muttering under my breath every time she said, "Dinner (Actually she usually sung that one word in an opera voice, which stretched it to at least 6 syllables,)time for CCD, you have soccer practice tonight, time to get showered, time for bed." But now as a grown woman with 5 kids of my own, I am literally skipping through the house at the thought of this upcoming week - the start of everything falling into its rightful place. And as my girlfriend Patti so eloquently put it, "Everything has a place, and my kids' place is in school." We are looking forward to the resurgence of a clean house. Not that we don't clean over the summer, but I liken it to shoveling while its still snowing. If you blink, you miss it. Dn't get me wrong, I have enjoyed (almost) every moment of this summer with my kids. I have loved hearing about their summer camp advenures, taking them to the park, going for walks, having their friends over to play, swimming, fishing, running through the sprinkler, watching them on the swingset and seeing them struggle to keep their eyes open at the dinner table after a day playing outside. But at this point, I have probably applied sunscreen 250 times, passed out 300 popsicles, gotten 600 cups of water, swept sand off the patio 50 times, reapplied sunscreen 100 times, been to 15 different parks, bandaged 30 scraped knees or elbows and heard "I'm bored!" 400 times. As my husband would say, "Put a fork in me, I'm done!" Now I look forward to bedtimes and homework, school projects and soccer practice. Until December at least, when I'm wishing for summer again . . .

WHY?

2009-07-22T09:53:00.005-05:00

Fin and Mom

sound asleep after her big birthday

"Nana is a really good sharer"

with Auntie Ellen and Scout

I've always felt that the term "Terrible Twos" is a complete misnomer. I personally found nothing terrible about the "twos" with any of my kids. Now the "threes" are whole different story. . .

We are currently in the throes of the "Why Age" with our newest three-year-old, Finley. I am not a patient person by nature, but like to think that I manage very well as a mother. I can take a deep breath and keep on keeping on, even when things get stressful and the kids are at their most "challenging." That being said, the "Why Age" ranks right up there with the frustration level of being ten minutes late and getting stuck behind a farm vehicle. Of course, I love the wonder and curiosity Finley possesses, but there are days I just can't answer another question. She was especially perplexed the other day when we met Nana and Auntie Ellen at the mall. Nana had picked up Auntie Ellen at the car dealer while her car was being serviced. Our conversation went something like this:

F: Is Auntie Ellen riding with Nana?

M: Yes.

F: Why?

M: Because her car's in the shop.

F: Why?

M:Because they need to fix it.

F: Why?

M:I don't know

F: Why is Nana driving?

M: Because Nana and Auntie Ellen are friends.

F: Why?

M: Because they have been friends since they were little girls.

F: Nana was a little girl?

M: Yes.

F: Why?

M: Because everyone is little before they get big.

F: Why?

M: Because that's just how it works.

F: Why?

M: Because thats how God made us.

F: Why?

(Insert deep breath here...)

M: Just because, Fin.

Then as I sat feeding Scout, I heard Finley talking to herself as she watched Auntie Ellen get into Nana's car, "Mmm hmm, Auntie Eh-wen doesn't have a car, she has to share Nana's car, Nana is a really good sharer, Mmm hmm..." So that's what she took from our conversation.

I volley back and forth between really thinking about my answers and trying to give her good, solid information to just not having the energy and saying "Because" or "I don't know." Hey, I'm only human. But Finley is a tough cookie. Tim is convinced that she would be quite an asset to our country when used in interrogations. She could wear down even the toughest person. You see, when she asks you a question and she doesn't like your answer, she will just ask again. And again. And again. You get the idea. I like to think of her as a sort of personal trainer for my brain. No free rides here, people. She definitely keeps us on our toes. She has questions and she is determined to get answers. Well, I have a few questions of my own, like "Why do two socks go in the dryer, but only one comes out?" "Why do white shirts act as a magnet for dirt, and black shirts as a magnet for spit-up?" and "Why are there 2 dozen gladware containers and only one lid?" I will never claim to have all the answers to her questions or mine, but I think as parents, when we can't give our kids the answers to their questions we need to try to give them the confidence and the tools to get out there and find their own answers.

Mental Snapshots

2009-07-12T19:50:00.004-05:00

Glamour Girl

Can't wait for the next rainy day

Look at my new wheels!

Yum Yum cupcakes!!

Sometimes I feel like my life is a movie. Each year, someone presses the fast forward button and it passes a little bit more quickly than the previous year. I feel completely powerless to this phenomenon, my only tactic the ever-increasing catalog of photos I take. I will myself to take mental snapshots as well, that focus on what the physical photos don't show. Because, the actual photos can only capture so much. They will never express the feeling of seeing your newborn baby for the first time, holding them against you and the look in their eyes telling you they know you already. They don't capture the smell of that same baby, now one, curled up against you when they wake up with tousled hair and sweet smelling milk breath. They also don't convey the way you feel when that baby turned two-year-old falls and skins her knee, and just the warmth of your arms is the only medicine she needs to soothe her pain. And then, in the blink of an eye, those photos are years old and your baby is three. Three years old. How can this be?? Birthdays are very melancholy for me as a mother. Of course, my inner Martha Stewart comes out and I feel the need to make everything over-the-top perfect for the birthday child. Both my husband and my dad are confused by this. They both grew up in families where birthdays were no big deal. It was a day not so much unlike any other, maybe a small present or a special meal, but none of the hoopla that they are in our family. I know, its just one day on the calendar, but for me its a way of dealing with the fact that my babies are one day older, and one day closer to being all grown up. I am overcome with the ferocity of my love for these little people who are growing up way too fast. So, I cook and I plan and I decorate. This is how I show my love. I try to enjoy each day with them, but lets face it, as a parent there's not endless time to dwell and enjoy when there's laundry to be done, meals to be prepared and messes to be cleaned up. From what my parents and other people their age tell me, that pure enjoyment comes as a grandparent. So in the meantime, I try hard to remember that the day I'm in right now will never happen again, so I need to LIVE it and enjoy it. I take lots of photos and mental snapshots becaue they are what let me relive the moments I swear I will never forget, and then I do.

Today I'm thinking of the day three years ago that I was handed a perfect little 6 lb 12 ounce bundle that is now a sweet giggly three year old. Happy Birthday Finley Violet! Love you.

FREE time

2009-07-09T19:03:00.003-05:00

You can walk down any street these days and see signs of the times. More "for sale" signs, huge houses sitting empty after bank foreclosure, strip malls nearly empty with store after store closing down. Jewel is slashing prices, car companies are offering to take back cars if you lose your job and can't make payments.

The other day after we returned from Wisconsin to find our cupboard bare, we decided to grab a quick bite to eat. After that we were driving past a pet store when Tim said, "You wanna go look at puppies?" My first reaction was to say no, and the reasons why started scrolling through my head: The baby was fussy, she'd need to be fed soon. The suitcases were still sitting in the living room. I had tons of laundry to do. I was tired. The kids were tired. We just got home, and on and on and on. But for some reason, I said "Sure."

Can I just tell you that that hour was one of the most fun hours I've spent with my family in a long time. This little Jack Russell Terrier pulling on the hem of Finley's sundress and yanking it back and forth like a chew toy as she squealed and laughed was one of the funniest things ever. Piper stroking this yellow lab with enormous paws and looking at it like it was the best friend she'd been waiting a lifetime for was so sweet. I realized several things after our trip to the pet store. Number one, we are not getting a puppy right now (not that we were even thinking about it.) Number two, we will someday get a puppy. The look on both Tim and Piper's faces when they were loving up this yellow lab made me realize that my husband loves dogs and my kids should be allowed to experience having a family pet even if I end up being the one who does most of the work. But what I ultimately took from the trip came as we left. Piper looked at Tim and asked, "Dad, did that cost anything?" It got me thinking about how the best things in life really are free. We get so hung up on bigger and better, and when the economy tanks we're left faltering. But no one can take the simple pleasures from us. So on that note, I'll share some of my favorite (Free) time activities with you and encourage you to share yours with me.

1. Go play with puppies at a pet store

2. Go on a picnic

3. Play scrabble

3. Let your kids play in the rain (and take pictures)

4. Have a bonfire

5. Play hide and seek

6. Let your kids do your hair (or if yours is short like mine, let them do your sister-in-law's.)

7. Feed your kids lunch with the samples at Costco (that one's for you Nana!)

8. Take a "nature walk"

9. Go to a new park

10. Bake something with your kids.

System Overload

2009-06-30T08:52:00.006-05:00

For the last several days, the kids and I, along with Aunt Paula, Nana and cousin Brody have been enjoying the peace and fresh air of the Northwoods. No obligations or appointments, playdates or pressures. Life is good. This is the Johnsons unplugged . . . or is it? Finley has been walking around with a bright purple Prevacid promotional calculator to her ear, even interrupting Nana during a lego-building session telling her, "Hold on, Nana, I'm on the phone." She is constantly "checking her voicemail," and taking calls from her friends Cassie and Dylan from school. (As I mentioned in a recent post, she does NOT go to school, nor do we know any kids named Cassie or Dylan.) She mimics the actions of the adults, sliding her finger across the surface of the calculator, like one would do to scroll through photos when checking Facebook on an iPhone. Dear God, what have I done to my child???

My mom reads a blog about "Pioneer Woman," whose life on a ranch with her kids and her Marlboro Man has become regular reading for thousands over the last couple of years. I think that the reason why is that we all deep down, long for simpler times. But we deny ourselves that, even when the opportunity arises. I am so guilty of that, practically quivering at the opportunity to check my email or Facebook notifications. God forbid I miss one comment on a photo or don't know right away that my old friend from high school is sitting in traffic at this exact moment. And I'm sure I'd be totally out of the loop without the TMZ app on my iPhone. After all, it was crucial that I knew of the deaths of Farrah, MJ and Billy Mays as soon as the news was reported.

I sit here at the laptop, breathing a sigh of relief, now that Tim, Rory and Dad have arrived. Mostly because I have really missed my husband, and realized how much I lean on him without realizing it. But also because my techno-geek (in the most loving sense of the word) brother has hacked his iPhone to function as a modem. Which means I can access the internet from my laptop without having to trek to the local townie bar to take advantage of their free WiFi. Again I say, life is good. Obviously, I say this half-joking. I am as guilty as anyone of wasting an inordinate amount of time on meaningless crap online, convincing myself that it is worthy of my time. Its when it cuts into our face-to-face personal interaction that it becomes a problem. So that means when Finley actually refuses to play legos for fear she might miss a phone call on her calculator, we have a big problem. But for now, she will still go fishing, ride her bike and play with Nana's dogs. She does have voicemail, after all.

The pecking order

2009-06-23T10:35:00.003-05:00

I think one of the most difficult things about having a big family, or should I say being part of a big family, is finding your place. The oldest gets the most privileges and can do the most for themselves. The youngest gets the most of mom and dad's attention because they need the most care. The toddlers get the most praise because they are constantly achieving new things. But what about that age where nothing new is really happening? What happens then? This is when the "pecking order" becomes very obvious. The other day Finley started sobbing in the car. I hadn't heard what Carter said to her, but by the intensity of her wailing, you'd think it was the most horrible, unimaginable thing ever. When she finally calmed down enough to get the words out, here's what she said . . . "Am I'm the boss of Scout? Carter said I'm not the boss of Scout!" This was what had shook her little almost 3-year-old self to the core. The fear that she was not in fact in charge of someone. To think she might be the lowest of the low men on the totem pole. Horror of horrors!! So I of course explained, as any mother of many children would do that Daddy and I were the big bosses, Piper was the boss of Trace, Trace was the boss of Carter and so on. So yes, she was the boss of Scout. Obviously I say this tongue in cheek, because I want each child to respect to his/her siblings and them all to exist in harmony as equally important and contributing members of this family. (I'm still waiting for the harmony part!) But I do think that there's nothing wrong with a pecking order - that is life. My mom tells the kids all the time that they have to listen because mom is the boss, and that will never change. They of course get a real kick out of it when Nana tells them that she is still the boss of me. And her mom is still the boss of her, etc. Let's face it, there's always someone we answer to, whether its God, our parents, our employer, our children or the authorities. I don't think its a bad thing, it makes us more conscientious of how we behave and often motivates us to be better at what we do. I tell Piper all the time, if you wouldn't be proud to have me hear about something you say or do, that's probably an indication that you shouldn't be doing or saying it. Hey, I'm 32 years old and I still appreciate my Mom's approval. No, I don't need it, but I still like to know that my mom is proud of me. I don't think that will ever change. I know my kids seek that same approval from Tim and I. We have witnessed a good deal of looking for attention from the other kids since Scout's arrival, and we try to reiterate that negative attention is not better than no attention at all. However, I try to be sympathetic to the fact that sometimes being part of a big family means it's easier to get lost in the shuffle when life gets hectic. I know when Finley starts telling me stories about her teacher and the kids in her class that she might need a little extra attention from me, considering she doesn't actually have a teacher or even go to school yet. So I play along, and aske her if she had a good day at school. And for now I'll let her be the boss of Scout . . .

Full Circle

2009-06-11T13:52:00.002-05:00

Cousin Brody giving Scout a kiss

Piper chillin in the hammock with B-man

I have often heard the quote, "Life's a journey, not a destination." I totally agree with the idea behind that, and try to remind myself to stop and smell the roses along the road, because it isnt just about getting somewhere, but also about enjoying the ride as you go along. But it occurred to me the other day that perhaps we are not always moving forward in a straight path towards a destination, but instead constantly circling around. What, you ask, brought me to this moment of contemplative deep thought? True, these moments are rare these days, only sporadically breaking though the sleep deprived mush of my brain that is most often occupied with who has hot lunch, which permission slip needs to be signed, who's running dangerously low on clean undies, are all the Sharpies out of Finley's reach and of course the random Wonder Pets song lyrics. Anyway, Scout was in her bouncy chair in my craft room as I stood folding laundry across the hall. Piper had been given the daunting task of keeping her happy at 5 o'clock in the evening. She was really pulling out all the stops for a less than receptive audience. I looked up to see her doing some sort of interpretive dance around the room, frantically waving a length of ribbon around her, and of course all I could think was "Get In Shape Girl." If you are a woman my age (or a mother of one) you know exactly what I am talking about. This was the 80's, people! Get in Shape Girl was a video (notice I did not say DVD) complete with a mat and a baton with a long satin ribbon attached. And there I stood in my family room (wearing pink spandex of course) dancing and waving that ribbon like a little Jane Fonda. Here I am in my 30s watching an eerily similar scene unfold, and I think - "I've come full circle." This seems to be happening more often with so many things. This week Piper and Trace started their first week of summer camp at the same camp I attended as a kid. I think I was more excited than they were on Monday, because I was filled with fond memories of rope climbing, swimming, crafts and singing. (I had of course blocked out mosquito bites, sunburns, rainy days, and kickball.) They came home singing "Selfishy" and were amazed when I could sing along. These are the fun things as a parent - watching your kids experience things you so vividly remember fondly. Of course there are the experiences you remember vividly that you pray they never go through. Broken ankles, bullies, zits, big bangs, stirrup pants, etc. You get the idea!

I know its been one whole month and one day since I've actually blogged, and my head is hung in shame as I type this. (Actually I'm just trying to hide from the kids.) My days have been filled with end of the school year activities, Trace's baseball games, enjoying being outside with the kids, meeting my new nephew Dominic, having a garage sale and celebrating my SIL Paula's 28th birthday among other things. Now its summer, no more school and schedules, here's hoping the weather soon realizes its June!

Week in Review

2009-05-10T08:29:00.000-05:00

Okay, in the spirit of full disclosure, I do need to tell all of you, my loyal readers that I have in fact crossed over to the dark side. I am now a Facebook member, and I have 53 friends to prove it. I said I would never do it, I relentlessly harassed all of my friends who love Facebook, and I am now full-bellied and bloated after eating my words!! I have to say for all the crap I doled out, I am quite enjoying this crazy Facebook phenomenon. Just wanted to get that confession out of the way.

The past two weeks have been a bit hectic to say the least. Two weeks ago began the frenzied race to "get ready." We always joke that you can go through our house and point to any picture on the wall, shelf hung, or special window treatment and date it according to some event - i.e. we hung those curtains before Finley's Christening, we painted that room before Carter's birthday party, we finished the basement in time for the Halloween party. Like suddenly, we have to make our surroundings look perfect for this one event. Even though all the people who will be there know us and know what our house normally looks like. Really, who are we trying to fool? Yet, we do it anyway, until we reach a level of stress where our heads are about to explode. In our first couple years of marriage and parenthood, that would be the point where I'd cry and scream and still keep going. Now I grab me a laundry basket and walk from room to room filling it with stray items I don't have the time or energy to put away. I then stash that laundry basket in a closet and our guests are none the wiser. I clean the stuff that needs to be cleaned and don't worry about perfection. I cook a little and cater a little, and accept every offer from friends and family to bring something. I find that I am much happier this way, my husband doesn't dread parties because I've turned into a psychotic version of Martha Stewart, and I actually enjoy the event we are celebrating.

God was definitely smiling down on us last Saturday, we had a beautiful day for Piper's First Holy Communion. She was absolutely a vision in her dress and, of course, loved being the center of attention. We were all really excited to celebrate this milestone with her! I feel like it was just yesterday we were dressing her in her christening gown and heading to church and now we watch her walk up with her hands folded (and then usually make a face of disgust after tasting the wine. We're still working on the "poker face.")

On Friday, we celebrated Trace's 7th birthday. Another child making me feel WAY too old. Speaking of too old, as of yesterday, I am now 32. Honestly, I've never been too hung up on age, so I am not one of those women who will not reveal her age. Though you may want to talk to me once I stop being carded. As if the five kids begging for gum at the checkout and the cart full of groceries is all just a ploy to be able to purchase that bottle of wine and 6-pack of beer. Yep, you caught me! I got the spa treatment of a lifetime at his school Friday morning at "Ma's Spa." My nails are a rainbow of beautiful colors. I'd take those few hours with my first grade guy over any spa any day!

On a final note, Happy Mothers Day to all the amazing women out there - its your day! Spend it in whatever way makes you happy. I feel very blessed to have such a wonderful mom of my own and to be Mom to 5 great kids!

The Age of Innocence and Media Influence

2009-04-28T15:33:00.000-05:00

I think one of the things I miss most as my kids grow from babies to toddlers to school age kids is the decreasing frequency of funny things they say. Thats not to say they're not still very entertaining, just in a different way. When they're toddlers, its the innocence that makes it so funny. I think what is so amazing is the way when they're 2, 3 or even four they pick up things you never even think they'd notice and then it comes out later and you're left open-mouthed. Its like a video camera, always recording (big ears on little people.) We've always known Piper is listening (hence her nickname of Nosy Rosy early on) but we were never really sure with Carter. He's a lot like his Papa, sort of meandering through the day, happy as a clam. Both figure if they don't let on what they know, we won't ask much of them. Isn't ignorance bliss? But Carter is definitely listening. He is our resident grizzly bear in the morning and spends his first hour or so watching Nick Jr. I think he's become less interested in the shows lately though and more tuned in to the commercials. Its amazing the influence the media has on our kids. I am continually summoned to the TV to watch a commercial so I know what to get him for his birthday (he has no concept of exactly how far away December is.) But now he has also started calling me to see things he thinks I need. Namely, the topsy-turvy tomato plant growing contraption "so we can grow 'matos for Finley," and the rotating mascara brush which he told me would make my eyes look so pretty. Damn, I must look pretty tired these days - and I thought I hid it well. I think the kicker was when he was watching the Bulls game with Tim and saw a Geico commercial with the talking gecko. He looked straight at me and said, "Oh, he's the brother to the money." It took me a minute, but I realized he was talking about "the money you could be saving with Geico" money with eyeballs. He then asked "is his name Geico too?" Sometimes I get disturbed thinking about the way the media corrupts our kids - mostly when Piper wants to model her wardrobe after Hannah Montana, or walks off the bus singing "f-r-e-e that spells free, credit report dot com, baby." Apparently thats what all the second graders are singing these days. Duh!! But, then again if I were to say 588-2300, I am fairly certain you would all say Empire. And we turned out okay. Though I feel like my kids are getting too smart, too grown up too quickly, I am left smiling with tears in my eyes every time we drive on 355 near the factories in Lemont since Carter pointed to the smokestacks pouring smoke into the air and told me that is the "cloud factory" where they make clouds. Yes, it is sweet one, yes it is!!

Nature vs Nurture

2009-04-27T08:28:00.000-05:00

When people ask me what the best thing about having 5 kids is, my answer is always the same - we have such a mixed bag. 5 very different little people in one family. Often the differences are so glaringly obvoius that I start wondering about the whole nature versus nurture argument. Which personality traits and habits have we helped shape and which are so deeply embedded in the fiber of their little beings? We have recently implemented weekly and daily chores (this is long overdue) in the Johnson household. Lets just say this has met with some very interesting reactions. One particular child has been very eager to help, wanting to do all the chores on their chart all at once. (Yes there are charts, actually typed up in Excel and taped up weekly in the kitchen. You'd never know by looking at the inside of my car that I do have these crazy OCD uber-organized tendencies locked away deep inside.) Another child, who shall remain nameless, has taken on the role of Cinderella coughing as they sweep up the crumbs from under the dinner table, telling us on several occasions, "I did NOT sign up for this." I might argue the same.

The same two children have very different saving and spending habits as wsell. You can literally see the smoke coming from Cinderella's pocket when she has a dollar to her name. Whereas her sibling, shall we call him Prince Charming (I'm not doing very well in the way of anonymity, am I?) has a washed out glass jar in his drawer filled with every nickel he's ever earned or been gifted. Go figure...

The scene that played out at this morning's breakfast table had me revisiting the nature vs nurture topic once again. Piper and Finley were having waffles, and Piper noticed Trace's plate had a piece of chocolate chip coffee cake left over from Nana's birthday brunch. She started to cry when I told her it was the last piece. Without a word, when Piper wasn't even looking, Trace put the piece of cake on her plate. Those of who know Trace know how much he loves his sweets. So this was a true sacrifice for him, yet he did it without a moment's hesitation. I would argue that that is something that you cannot teach your child. Either way, that is the kind of moment that makes us so proud as parents, and so thankful for this crazy, chaotic life with 5 very different individuals. Happy Monday!

PS. This awesome pic was taken by Paula Subler

The Fish Tale

2009-04-15T08:08:00.000-05:00

Every year we come to Gulf Shores, the kids are in search of the elusive sand crab. It has become a bit of an obsession, and a bit of a joke. The first year we were here, we did in fact acquire a crab. Tim took the kids down to the beach at sunset to look for crabs, armed with a bucket, shovel and net. Hours later they returned with a crab, named Sonny. Trace was so proud telilng me all about the crab and how they caught it. This turned out to be his first fish tale, since they actually "caught" the crab in the elevator. (Another dad and his little guy found a bucket full of crabs in the elevator.) Last night, Tim, Piper and Trace returned from dinner with a huge crab. Aunt Paula spotted it as they were driving back, and after some coaxing and a little pep talk, brave Uncle Rory dumped his fries out of a styrofoam container and caught the crab in there. The nice lady at the Citgo next door gave Tim a fishing pail to put it in, the kids got some sand from the beach and now "Bigfoot" is sitting on our patio. Never a dull moment...

Happy Easter

2009-04-14T09:01:00.000-05:00

Hope everyone had a happy and blessed Easter! Ours turned rainy but was good. Here are a few pictures...

One Month Old

2009-04-11T08:31:00.000-05:00

I can't believe that one month (yesterday) has passed since Scout was born. If only the last month of pregnancy passed that quickly. Her one month "birthday" was celebrated with her first plane ride. Her and her cousin Brody were so good, but it was definitely a long day complete with plane changes, gate changes and diaper changes. Scout was happy to be carried in her sling for the majority of the day. We're glad to be in warmer weather and look forward to a relaxing week.

Wally World, Here We Come!

2009-04-09T10:52:00.000-05:00

Growing up, there was one movie that the entire family always watched, whenever it was on. It was a family autobiography of sorts - National Lampoon's Vacation. My dad was Clark W. Griswold (His dog is actually named Clark.) My parents told me that some day my brothers and I would look back fondly on our three week trip out west. Aaahh yes, one pop-up camper, one sister, two brothers, a talking PeeWee Herman doll, huge wads of Bazooka bubble gum, and Ryan "drying out his mouth" (AKA drooling on my head,) and countless stops at places like "The Corn Palace," Wall Drugs, and "The House of Mud." I didn't understand then what possessed my parents to take us on what has lovingly been nicknamed "The Hell Trip." Now as a parent, as I realize it is just one of the small joys of having children (right up there with embarrassing them with your clothing and singing really loud to the music you like on the iPod.) Tim is even more excited to take our children on road trips than I am. This could be because I still get bored and car sick like when I was a kid. But not Tim, he's armed with his atlas, sports talk shows on AM radio, and a cup of lukewarm gas station coffee. We've made the trip from Illinois to Gulf Shores, Alabama the last two years over Easter. We weren't going to brave it this year because of Scout being so young. However, we changed our minds after a week of being cooped up over Christmas Break, and the kids announcing by seven in the morning that they were bored (never mind the heaps of new Xmas toys.) So in true family man fashion, my brother Rory has agreed to be Goose, the wingman to Tim's Maverick. One Suburban, one Acura, two dads, four kids, 14 hours of driving, countless potty stops. Doesn't seem to add up?? That's because there will be two moms (Paula and I) and two babies (Brody and Scout) on one peaceful flight down south tomorrow. The boys and big kids are on the road, and I must admit I'm a bit giddy as I clean the very quiet house with one sleeping baby nearby, knowing that what I pick up now will actually stay picked up longer than 5 minutes. If any two guys can handle the challenge, though, its Tim and Rory. And its good for the kids to get to do something so fun with their dad, after all he lets them get all the treats I never let them have! So, Tim and Ror, may the force be with you, and NO, girls cannot pee standing up like boys - just find a clean bathroom!!!!

Here are a couple pictures of Finley, who was such a good girl and big helper that she got to have her toenails painted before we left for the beach! She was so proud!

Babywearing and Blogging

2009-04-07T11:16:00.000-05:00

The one question I get most often from people is, "How do you manage 5 kids?" I will not even pretend that I do manage all 5 all the time. Hence the name of this blog (chaos reigns more than calm.) However, if I had to sum it up in two words, they would be patience and multi-tasking. Once we jumped from one to two, then two to three kids, I often wished I was an octopus. Seriously, if you could buy an extra hand, what do you think it would go for? The common man (or mom) probably could never afford it. It would be priceless. So, until I stumble upon an extra hand, I am always looking for ways to free up the two I do have. My magical and miraculous solution this time around is called the Peanut Shell. Quite possibly, the best thing ever invented, yet so simple. I had the Baby Bjorn with the other kids, but this is a pouch-style sling that is so easy to use and Scout loves to be in it. It makes sense, as she's all snug in there like she was for 9 months in me. First , the homeopathic remedies and organic foods, now the earth mother sling. I'm feeling so crunchy these days! But seriously, its the only chance we have at getting lunches made, breakfast served, kids dressed, homework signed, and kids to the bus stop in the morning, not to mention that dinner would never get made without Scout in the sling. Thats just how she rolls :-) Thank God, because amidst the requests of, can you help me wipe, can you make me another chocolate milk, can you find my night-night, can I have a snack, can you play ponies with me, can you watch me play monster trucks on wii, and can you button my pants, I'm happy to have a free hand or two.

April Showers (and Baths!)

2009-04-03T10:10:00.000-05:00

You know you're a parent of a newborn when the most exciting event in your life is "the falling off of the cord!" For some reason, Scout's umbilical cord remnants have been extremely interesting to her siblings, especially Finley. The first thing she asks every morning is whether Scout's cord fell off during the night. The presence of this little shriveled up brown bit on her baby sister's tummy apparently occupies her little two year old brain much of the time. It took a good week or so to convince her that is was not, in fact, poo on Scout's belly. Now we use it as a calendar of sorts - as in "We'll go on Spring Break after Scout's cord falls off," or "The Easter Bunny will come after Scout's cord falls off." Hey, whatever works... So of course last night was the much anticipated "First Real Bath" in celebration of no more cord. It fell off on Wednesday, and Trace asked me if I was just playing an April Fool's joke on him when Finley announced it as he walked in the door after school. Though I realize I spend most of my time with the under 9 crowd, I like to think I could've come up with a better April Fools joke than that, had I been so inclined. I am a college-educated woman after all, though there are many days I wonder why. My class load from college translates roughly into:

Mass Media (aka "The Overwhelming Frequency of Ads for Bendaroos and Blendy Pens on Nickelodeon")

Radio 1 (aka "How Quickly can Mom Turn Down the Volume Before the Kids ask what it means to be "Bringing SexyBack")

Religion (aka"The Divine Mystery of How One Hour in Church with 5 Kids Feels like a Month")

American Lit (aka "The Joy of Reading Dr. Seuss Six Times and how even Toddlers Know When You're Skipping Pages")

French (aka "Oui, I'd Love to Watch Another Annoying Episode of Caillou")

Logic (aka "Peaceful Negotiations In Regards to the Division of Marshmallows in the Breakfast Cereal")

All this just to have my 8-year-old tell me last year that her teacher knew better than me about how to wiggle a loose tooth because she was a teacher and I was "just a mom." When I tried my rebuttal, I was told it was true, that she had in fact "gone to special school." I think I went there too, but heck, what do I know???

So anyhow, April looks to be bringing us more snow before anything else, but it can't last forever,right. Hope everyone has a great weekend! Here's a few pictures of Scout's first bath, and Piper snuggling her afterwards. The towel that Scout is wrapped in is the same one we used to wrap Piper in! And look at her now- she's such a big helper!

A Room for Scout

2009-03-26T09:22:00.000-05:00

Here's a sneak peek at Scout's room. One of the bonuses of knowing gender was being able to take our time in preparing the "perfect" girl's nursery for our little peanut. The diaper cake you see was handmade for us by my talented sister-in-law, Scout's godmother, Paula. Not only is is beautiful, but useful - the diapers are usable, the flowers are actually hairclips, the big flower on top is a little hat, and the "blinged out" S is hanging in her room now.

The Saint Bernard and the Green-Eyed Monster

2009-03-25T17:48:00.000-05:00

We have discovered a few new things in our household since the birth of our sweet Scout.

I like to sleep. I don't require the highest-thread count sheets, a perfectly silent and dark room or silk pajamas. I do however enjoy longer than a two hour stretch at a time.
Seven pounds is heavy. It's heavy when you're lugging it around like a basketball strapped to the front of you for the latter half of your pregnancy. Carrying it in your arms for hours at a time hurts your back in ways you never knew it could hurt after delivery.
Having kids closer together is easier. If you wait almost three years between them, you see the emergence of the "green-eyed monster." Finley has become a master at doing the exact opposite of whatever we ask her to do in hopes of getting attention. She likes to talk baby talk again and "tests" Scout's pacifier by sucking on it. Needless to say, Daddy is very busy reassuring his little Fin that she's still Daddy's girl and nothing has changed.
All of Carter's pretending to be different animals has really paid off. He is now the resident Saint Bernard in our family. If I am feeding Scout on the couch, he's right next to me, if I'm in the bedroom, he crawls in next to us. I can wake up in the middle of the night and he will be curled in a little ball right next to us. Not like he doesn't have his naughty moments, but he is so protective of his baby sister, it can melt your heart!
We have the best friends and family - the invitations from our neighbors for our older kids to come over and play, my mom helping with the kids all day long and cooking us lunch and dinner almost every night, my sister-in-law Paula bringing pizza and nachos and washing all our our dishes and cleaning our kitchen, our friends Angie Zopf and Carrie Wills both bringing us over amazing homemade meals so we didn't have to think about what to cook for dinner.
We are so very blessed!!

Due Date Schmue Date

2009-03-17T17:38:00.000-05:00

Well here we are on March 17th, which was my "official due date." I told my doctors all along that my due date was actually March 8th, and they smiled nodded and finally agreed to induce me on the 11th. As soon as this was set, I told Tim that this little girl was not going to wait until the 11th. Never before have I been so stuck on a gut feeling. I guess there is something to mother's intuition. On Tuesday the 10th, I was just puttering along, folding and putting away laundry,packing up some eBay packages to be mailed, doing some light cleaning and hanging out with Carter, Fin and Trace who was home from school with a fever. I started to take notice of some contractions that were a bit more painful than normal. About 1 pm I called Tim to tell him he might want to cut out early in case they turned into something. He made it home about 3 o'clock to find me still working on eBay stuff, with no hospital bags packed and not really sure if we should go or not. For me, the next 20 minutes were definitely the most amusing time of the entire labor process. Lets just say my sweet husband is not cool, calm and collected under pressure. He was sweating and pacing and finally told me to put down the hairspray and blush brush, put anything at all in my damn hospital bag and WE WERE LEAVING! I think part of this nervous fear when I'm in labor has been projected onto him by my dad, who watched my birth take place on his own kitchen floor because my mom "primped" too long and was unable to make it to the hospital, or even out the front door for that matter. Anyhow, long story short we made it to the hospital shortly before 5, dilated to 5, and rearing to go. Once my doc finished a c-section on another patient, got me an epi and broke my water it didn't take long for our sweet little Scout Virginia to make her grand entrance. My mom and Dad along with my sister-in-law and close friend Paula (and also Scout's godmother) were there for moral support during labor and were able to meet her shortly after she arrived. We are all adjusting well, though her arrival has coincided with a fun virus making its way through the older kids (and Nana.) High fevers and nasty coughs have had Piper and Trace out of school for a few days and it is hitting Carter and Finley now too. Ahh, the life of a big family. And to think my mother-in-law had 7, six of whom were like stair steps in age. There's definitely a place in heaven for her!

It was so nice to have Tim off work for a few days, and he's working a shortened schedule this week to ease us back into things. Scout is such a good baby, she's happy to nurse and sleep, and we usually get at least one good stretch in the middle of the night. She had her check-up yesterday and has regained her birth weight, she's now 7 lbs. 3 oz. (one ounce more than at birth.) To answer the most asked question - the name Scout came from the book To Kill a Mockingbird. You may remember me mentioning that Tim has a true aversion to reading. That is one of the only books he has ever read, mush less liked and he remembered the name Scout and loved it. Virginia is in honor of Grandma Johnson who I like to think looks down on little Scout :-)

I apologize for my tardiness in blogging this big event, my mom said she's actually received threatening emails about me updating the blog. Cut me some slack people, I did just give birth!! I will continue to post lots of pictures, Lord knows I've got a ton.

On a final note, Happy St. Patty's day!

3,2,1 ... Baby

2009-03-08T23:03:00.000-05:00

Just a little update to let everyone know that we will be welcoming our new little girl less than three days from now! I am being induced Wednesday morning, the 11th. As Nana says, "Watch out Mom and Dad, this little girl is going to be born on the second day of a full moon!" The kids are so excited to meet her. They had so much fun visiting with baby Isla this weekend, who is just 6 weeks old and a little peanut. The boys loved holding her, Carter was especially fascinated with her. Finley just kept asking if it was Tiffany's baby I was holding, like maybe I just had her baby sister and forgot to mention it.

Aunt Paula gave us a belly casting kit to help preserve the memory of the last Johnson to join our family. (Sorry Mom, any more grandchildren will come from Ryan and Rory!!!) So, the kids got to get their hands dirty last night "casting my belly." Though the kids did a great job and plan on painting it beautifully as well, don't plan on seeing it hanging on our wall or holding chips and dip at our next party. Just not my style.

Tim is very nervous that I may make him to contribute to this blog as I recover. I'm not really sure how we're going to handle that. But please know that if you see the old their/they're/there or too/to switcheroo going on, it's NOT ME!!

Hope everyone has a good Monday, in spite of losing one precious hour of sleep. I know one second-grader who will be burrowing even deeper under the covers come 7 am, when her body tells her its only 6 am.

March Madness

2009-03-05T21:28:00.000-06:00

If you've read the title of this blog entry and are thinking I've finally jumped on the bandwagon and become a sports fan, seriously?????? I do have to say the one thing I love about March madness is that my husband is more than willing to have all the kids running around him while I scrapbook or shop as long as there's a game on the TV.

But the March Madness happening in our house these days is one of a much different sort. Obviously, there's the preparing for the arrival of our newest family member. Which from day to day varies in intensity from "Oh my God, there's no way we're ready to bring a new baby into this house" to "There's nothing else we could possibly do, every blanket, onesie and crib sheet is washed and ready." Every morning Finley asks me if the new baby "got bornded yet." Dear Lord, I'm sure hoping that my stomach doesn't look like this once she has been "bornded." Piper asks every morning on her way to the bus stop what will happen if I have the baby while she's at school. Trace and Carter have just decided that for every day questions or situations that require my attention, poking my belly button like they're ringing doorbell is a perfectly acceptable way to get me to listen. Poor little sister is gonna come out with a dent the way this belly is getting poked!!

March is also off to a busy start with preparations for Piper's upcoming First Communion, what with dress shopping, religious ed classes and sacrament prep sessions, and party planning. Then there's the winding down of the basketball season for Piper, Trace and Coach Daddy, which just happens to overlap with the starting up of Trace's spring baseball. I think of my parents and my sisters-in-law Ann, Patty and Sally who have older kids and have been running this crazy extra-curricular hamster wheel for years on end now. You are some amazing women to have made it through this. My tour of duty has hardly begun, and I'm already exhausted looking ahead. Any tips for me??

We recently had some family photos taken before the new little one arrives. I've posted a few here. Enjoy this beautiful weather and much-needed taste of spring...

Nesting

2009-02-26T06:11:00.000-06:00

Well, as much as we had wished to hear that a scheduled induction was somewhere on the horizon, we were told to hurry up and wait for our newest addition. The doctor predicts I wont make it to my due date, as I'm already dilated 2-3 cm and baby is low. That being said, I was in the same position with Carter, who decided he's just stay put an extra NINE days, until he was served his eviction notice. According to Tim, he'd move back in if he could. So in the absence of baby, there is little else to do but NEST! Tim smiles at me with the same look you'd give a mental patient in hopes of not setting them off - as my nesting has reached borderline obsessive. I think its perfectly sane to alphabetize my spices, organize the hand towels by color family and insist that the wooden Thomas trains go in a different bin than the metal Thomas trains. Apparently, not everyone shares my way of thinking. I am lucky that he humors me though, he's definitely sensitive to my mounting discomfort and slight insanity. Wednesday night he took us all to Gattos for dinner, which the kids loved more than normal. They got to scoop their own ice cream in the kitchen with Mr. Frank and taste cookie dough out of the bucket. Thats the stuff kids dreams are made of apparently, since Carter told us later that when he grows up he's going to be "a monster truck driver and an owner of this place."

Friday Piper, Nana, Aunt Paula and I will be shopping for Piper's First Holy Communion Dress. And what better way to cap off the evening than seeing the Jonas Bros. In 3D. Like, OMG!! (Or as Paula says, OMJ - Oh My Jonas!) I'm contemplating earplugs to combat the decibel level of hundreds of screaming pre-teen girls. God bless Nana - she suffered through New Kids on the Block with me and is coming back around for a serving of the Jonas Brothers.

This week, blogging has been taking a back seat to the Budreck Buzz, the newsletter that I still put together for my parents' company. The computer has been monopolized by that and the occasional break to allow Carter his coveted "Webkinz on the pocuter" time.

Hope everyone has a great weekend. I can't believe Sunday is March... Think Spring!

Baby update

2009-02-20T09:57:00.000-06:00

Just a little update ... had my 36 week appointment yesterday and all looks good. This little girl is active as ever, she kicked the nurse several times as she tried to get her heartbeat, which was a strong 148. She is head down, ready for takeoff, though I'm just slightly effaced and not dilated yet. I've been having lots of contractions, but nothing consistent. I'd love for her to make an early appearance, as even the simple task of putting on my own shoes makes me out of breath. I have an appointment Tuesday with my doctor, so we'll see where we're at then.

Who's Raising Who?

2009-02-20T09:22:00.001-06:00

I always say that it amazes me that you need a license to drive a car, to fish, hunt, operate a forklift and a number of other things. However, anyone can be a parent. Which is kind of scary, considering there isn't a handbook for how to raise a child. I still remember when Tim and brought Piper home from the hospital on a Saturday afternoon. After carefully unstrapping her from her infant carrier, we placed her in her bassinet, sound asleep, covered her with a blanket, stepped back and looked at each other and asked, "What now?" Of course like the green parents we were we stood there and stared at her until she woke up, instead of running like hell to the nearest couch, thanking God for the silence and grabbing even 15 minutes of sleep. That knowledge came with baby number two.

I am so enjoying being the "on-call mom" for my brother now that he has a baby of his own. I am truly flattered that he thinks I might be able to help or give some advice in his daily life with little Brody. My sister-in-law Paula and he are such amazing parents, Paula is so relaxed and just a natural mom, Rory loves that little guy so much and its so sweet to watch him get so concerned about his well-being. They are totally like we were 8 years ago. Last night, they experienced the first time parents worst nightmare, the classic "baby rolled off the bed." We experienced many versions of this - we had "baby rolled off the bed," "Daddy tripped and fell with baby," and "Daddy fell asleep and dropped baby." Oh, the sweet memories. So of course, when Rory got the call from Paula, raced out of work, got stopped by a policeman, made it home and called me panicking, I told him its like a right of passage. One Tim really wishes he could live down. Of course, Brody was fine, and now he has shown his parents that he is more mobile than they thought! Which leads me to the question - who's raising who?

I am all about teaching my kids right from wrong, manners, respect, spirituality, responsibility, social awareness, etc. However, its been more and more apparent recently that they are teaching me too. I am certainly not the person today that I was before I had children. Though my dad would tell you that I have always been a bright ray of sunshine in the morning, he's just being nice because he's my dad and I'm his only (and favorite) little girl. The truth is that I am like a grizzly bear fumbling with half open eyes, only grunting at those who dare cross me until I have ingested at least a half cup of hot black coffee. When I was pregnant with Piper, I asked the doctor about caffeine consumption, and she told me it was okay to still have my morning cup of coffee. Which was a good thing because that was really necessary in order for her to still have a father when she was born. I say everyday how extremely lucky I am to have a husband who gets me, and is smart enough to get up to make the coffee, put a hot mug on my nightstand and slowly back away, so nobody gets hurt. That being said, even my coffee wasn't enough to make me a morning person before I had kids. Now (I like to think) I'm fairly pleasant in the morning. I still need that coffee, but its not like I bite if the kids crawl into bed with me before I've had it! Trace and Finley definitely got their dad's morning disposition, God bless them! They are the early risers, happy and talkative, ready for breakfast, etc. Carter and Piper have adopted the grizzly bear take on mornings from me. They just burrow deeper into the covers, which is working out fine for Carter, but unfortunately for Piper, she has to get up for school.

I've definitely had to learn how to multitask, be more efficient with my time, vacuum with a child on my hip, how to find the nearest public restroom, identify the difference between a spider monkey and a howler monkey (thanks to countless Diego books and DVDs,) be more flexible when plans go awry, and enjoy what is really important. I always tell Tim they might not remember exactly what happened, but they'll remember how we dealt with it. There's something about four little sets of innocent eyes on you to make you want to be a better person. So, after 8 years of parenthood, I've definitely learned to relax and go easier on myself - babies will bump their heads and I'll make mistakes. I'll always try to keep teaching my kids what is important, but I'm going to try to remember that there's usually something I can learn from them as well. Have a great weekend - TGIF!

Monster Trucks, Mahogany & Pedicures

2009-02-16T13:03:00.000-06:00

Its been 9 and half years of wedded bliss for Tim and I, and each February 14th brings a new sort of Valentine's Day for us. I'm not a particularly huge fan on Valentine's Day as it is - it puts too much pressure on two people if they are part of a couple and makes you feel like a total loser if you don't have that someone special.

One of my favorite parts of Valentine's Day, especially since we've had kids, has been baking cookies. This year, that presented a challenge of sorts. As some of you especially involved in our every day lives know, Carter is our wild man of the bunch. After Christmas, we made some significant changes in our diets to help tame his "inner beast." We tried to go as organic and all-natural as possible about 2 years ago, all milk and most other dairy we keep organic, and Carter drinks soymilk because we've found it helps his asthma. But, our newest changes involves cutting out ALL preservatives, artificial colors and artificial flavors as well as caffeine. This was based on a lot of research that link ADHD behaviors with all that yucky stuff they put in our foods. Honestly, it sounds harder than it actually is, thanks to chains such as Trader Joe's and Whole Foods, plus an ever-expanding natural food section at Jewel. You would be surprised though at how many seemingly innocent foods have artificial colors, especially, in them. For instance, I had Tim pick up some shredded cheese for baked potatoes one night on his way home from work. The quickest place for him to stop was Walgreens, but when we looked at the cheese, it had artificial colors in it. Seriously, the cheddar wasn't orange enough already? Thank goodness, he'd eat sour cream with a spoon if we let him, so he didn't even miss the cheese. All in all, I think its a much better way for all of us to eat, though Piper does get a little bent about the fact that she eats "Organic Cosmic Cocoas" and "Gorilla Munch" while the lucky kids get Cocoa Puffs and Kix. We'll just add this latest injustice to the list of things they'll be telling their therapists one day. Speaking of injustices, it doesn't seem right that we have to pay more for what we're leaving out of our food, but that seems to be the case. But its worth every penny to see the difference it has made in Carter's behavior. He is like a different kid. When I told him what I wanted to do as far as the additives in our food, Tim looked at me with the same expression he did when I said I wanted to try cloth diapering before Carter was born. In all fairness, he was totally right about the cloth diapers. However, even he is now singing the praises of the new diet after an unfortunate "Orange Crush incident." One bottle of pop and about 18 hours later when Carter was bouncing off the walls, he became a believer.

So, herein lies the problem with Valentine's cookies iced and sprinkled in pretty shades of red and pink. We did decide to bake them though, using the smallest heart cookie cutter, opting for conversation heart messages piped in homemade chocolate frosting and giving some of the cookies a very light-handed sprinkling. Disaster averted!!

One of my other favorite parts of Valentine's Day is hitting Target or a similar store the day before just to see the mad rush of men making their way to the card display. They're standing three and four deep, reading the measly selection of cards left, nodding their heads in intense concentration. Its almost like you can see the text bubble above their head saying, "Will she see that this says to my favorite aunt on Valentine's Day? Its got flowers and roses on it, she'll probably never notice." This makes me chuckle every year. Needless to say, I was overwhelmed with the beautiful card my husband lovingly selected from Hallmark's Mahogany line at Walgreens at midnight Friday night. I thought it read a little like a Luther Vandross song when I first read it, but it wasn't until I turned it over the next day (yes, I'm a card flipper) as I put it on my dresser that I realized. The picture on the front shows just the arms and entwined hands of a loving couple, who Tim told me made him think of us holding hands walking the beaches of Gulf Shores. I personally never remember Tim's arms looking that tan even at the end of our beach vacation. In reference to the text inside the card, I have now requested that Tim only refer to me as "sweet woman of my dreams." And who says romance is dead?

So, our Valentine's Day was rounded out by the boys and Tim attending Monster Jam at the Allstate Arena, Piper and I getting mother daughter mini pedicures at the local salon. Its funny, but I honestly can't think of another Valentine's Day that I have enjoyed so much. The kids got some much needed time with their parents doing special activities, I got a good laugh, and at the end of the day we all know how loved we are and how good we've got it. I think thats really what its all about.

Land of Lincoln

2009-02-13T10:28:00.001-06:00

Did you ever wonder how you ended up in Illinois? Its not like we have majestic landscapes full of mountains, desert, towering redwoods, white sand beaches, waterfalls, etc. Obviously, I know I'm here because my parents and their parents and so forth were here. But what made our ancestors generations back say, "Damn, this is a good looking place to live." Perhaps it was the lure of the harsh winters or sweltering summers. Ahh, the joys of Illinois (that actually rhymed if you said Illinois like you lived in a different part of the country!) I suppose at least now we can say we are from the home state of our fine President as well as the most corrupt governor ever.

Piper's class celebrated Lincoln's 200th birthday yesterday by dividing up the Declaration of Independence among her 25 classmates and reciting it for the parents, complete with paper plate top hats. Very impressive, I must say. We were invited to listen and then enjoy donuts and juice. Carter and Finley definitely enjoyed the donuts and juice, as was evident by Carter's semi-permanent "fruit punch mustache" he sported the rest of the day.

I love going to the kids' school, we are very lucky that they plan so many activities to involve the parents. After all, it wont be long before they're mortified by the sight of us at their school. So, I'll take this while it lasts. Today, I get the pleasure of executing my room mom duties at Piper's Valentines party at school. I think Valentine's Day was always my favorite at school. Remember how hard you thought about which classmate got which card. God forbid you gave the icky kid the one that said Be Mine. You could never live that down. I also just wanted to say thanks to all our friends and family who contributed to Piper and Trace's "Kisses from Home" books for school. I was truly overwhelmed at the kind and funny things you all wrote, and am so excited to see the kids' reactions. We are so blessed to have such a great family and group of friends! TGIF!!

Chip off the Old Block

2009-02-11T06:00:00.000-06:00

Remember how when you were a kid, you thought your mom might actually have super powers? I remember being truly, jaw-droppingly baffled at how she was able to figure some things out. I realize now, as an adult it was because I was stupid. I had the thought process of a child, therefore when I thought I was being sneaky, I might as well have posted a flashing neon sign in the driveway letting my parents know what I had been up to. One incident comes to mind - my mom had bought a huge bag of those little mini boxes of nerds for Valentines day, and they were housed on the top shelf of the kitchen cabinet. My brothers and I got the really fantastic idea to make "nerd soup" with them in my tea set one day. Seems logical, right? Because after all when you think of tangy coated chunks of sugar, what sounds better than mixing them up with a little water, and extra sugar of course. So this is just what we did. However, after we had made and sampled our concoction, we apparently froze up like deer in the headlights. Now, looking back I am truly confused as to why we did not just wash this sugary mess out of the tea set and go on with our day. Instead we decided that Mom would never find out if we were really smart and just hid the nerd-soup filled tea set in the toy room. A stroke of genius. Of course you see how this story ends. The same way it would end when we would decide to mix up lotion, baby powder, calamine lotion, shampoo, and anything else we could find in the bathroom cabinet inside those little Dixie cups and then throw them in the bathroom garbage before Mom wondered what the hell we were doing in there. Amazingly enough, her superpowers would kick in and we would be found out. So my reason for bringing up the aforementioned maternal super powers is this - do you think its possible that those powers allow a mother to make things come true? As in, when your mother says to you as a child, "Someday, I hope you have a daughter/son JUST LIKE YOU!" I think its a very real possibility.

Tim was the child who I'm told by my mother-in-law took the same thing in his school lunch every day for like 6 years. Sad part is, he could still tell you what that was. Meet Trace, aka Mr. Peanut Butter and Jelly. Its not just his refusal to branch out in the culinary sense, but his math brain, his love of all things sports-related, his ability to remember the most trivial facts, etc. that make me think that perhaps, there are mama super powers at work here.

Its the same story with my Piper. Wow, talk about a chip off the old block. Not only is she the spitting image of me - my dad says its like a time machine - but she has so many of the same characteristics its scary. She is the polar opposite of her brother in terms of eating. I'm constantly trying to come up with new and exciting options for school lunches, like my mom did for me. (I've stopped short of the huge hunk of granola that my mom sent me, which upon further inspection turned out to be a piece of leftover fried chicken.) We run the gamut from chicken salad to chicken noodle soup in a thermos to turkey, lettuce and mayo on wheat. She definitely keeps me on my toes. It is also apparent that she got her love of reading from me. There was never any question there though, as her father will readily admit that he made it through school having read no more books than he could count on one hand. That, and the fact that the thought of going to the library is truly frightening to him, he's one step from hyperventilating like the crazy girl on the national spelling bee if I ask him to take the kids to the library. Piper, on the other hand has to be prompted to put down her latest book and play outside (did I mention she also got my athletic abilities?) I love to watch her get so engrossed. I always appreciated the escape of a good book as a kid - I still love it as an adult.

The jury is still out on the two littlest Johnsons, though Finley's diva tendencies point more towards me and Carter's love of the Chicago Bulls reeks of Tim. But in the meantime we are getting a kick out discovering little pieces of ourselves in our children. And of course, I get a little chuckle each time I think that perhaps my own mama super powers may allow me to give my own children the pleasure of someday having a child JUST LIKE THEM!

Oh, to be a kid . . .

2009-02-08T15:40:00.000-06:00

As I type this, every pair of kids gym shoes we own is soaking wet, our mud room lives up to its name, and my kids are experiencing something that they've almost forgot existed - physical exhaustion. All is right with the world again. You can have your massages, tai chi and yoga - I'm convinced that there's nothing more zen-inducing than a weekend of 50+ degree days in early February. I know there's still winter to be had, but somehow just having the cobwebs brushed off our brains and our bicycles makes us feel alive again!

In true Johnson fashion, we were like a circus bursting out the garage at 10 am Saturday morning. Trace was happy just to break out his bike and helmet, Piper bounced and flitted from bike to scooter to running, to sitting to "I'm bored," all within 10 minutes. Finley was excited to try out all the big wheels that her legs were just too short for last year. And Carter, like the strange, sweet, special little character that he is, when prompted to ride his bike, said, "I'm gonna ride the fastest thing there is - my feet." And he was off. If we were all so blissfully unaware of what other people thought of us, the world would be a much better place. This is definitely one kid who blazes his own trail, no matter what those around him are doing. For instance, as his siblings and the other neighborhood kids were enjoying the long-overdue opportunity to ride bikes and scooters and play basketball, Carter had discovered the one remaining hill of snow. He proceeded to pull out the snow saucer and repeatedly sled down all 24 inches of it - shouting "Whee!" each time like he was riding the Demon at Great America. When this lost its thrill, he moved onto to sailing "leaf boats" down the rushing rapids at the end of our driveway. And of course, then the wheels really started to turn in that 4-year-old boy brain, because after all, if leaves can float down the trickle of melting snow, why can't Carter? So the snow saucer was quickly repurposed as a white water raft. Carter patiently sat 4 houses down on his blue saucer, waiting for the current to bring him home. Though we laughed and shook our heads, I think I was as disappointed as he was when that melting snow didn't come through for him. He, because of the lack of action, me for a different reason. For me, it was a moment where I saw him get just a little wiser. Smart is great, sometimes wise , well not so much. Over Christmas break, we took the kids to see Bedtime Stories with Adam Sandler. I highly recommend it even if you don't have kids to take. My kids still talk about the part where it was "raining gumballs." I guess my point is that sometimes I wish as adults we had even a fraction of the boundless optimism and imagination as when we were kids. But if the world has jaded me in some ways and I've had to turn into a grown-up, I thank God every day for these four funny little people who each day let me see things through their eyes. I don't need rose-colored glasses, I'll just sneak a glimpse via my kids. Here's hoping everyone is ending this weekend with lungs full of fresh air, and a spring in their step. If we can just make it through Monday, Tuesday promises to be beautiful too.

Diaper Days

2009-02-06T08:41:00.000-06:00

Two momentous things have happened in the Johnson household recently. Neither of which has happened for 8 years. First, I actually got all the laundry washed, dried, folded and put away.My utter hatred for laundry is rivaled only by my distaste for the music of Mariah Carey and Gloria Estefan. I am thoroughly convinced that when I go to bed at night, socks bid adios to their matches , never to be seen again and little t-shirts, windpants, leggings and sweatshirts begin a fast and furious breeding process. In a matter of days my laundry pile is akin to the overflowing garbage can of Sara Cynthia Sylvia Stout who would not take the garbage out. My wise sister-in-law Ann says the only way to stay on top of it with a big family is to do at least one or two loads a day. Let me tell you, I am a pro at throwing that load in the washer, but somehow the effort of getting it into the dryer (which is undoubtedly occupied by a load waiting to be folded) is monumental. So, usually two days later I am rewashing it to rid it of that "off" smell. So for me, the only way to do laundry is the marathon laundry day. Much to Tim's delight (and for the sake of necessary undergarments), this marathon occurred yesterday. So it is with a spring in my step that I approach the weekend, with full drawers (uh, I dont mean that how it may sound) and limitless wardrobe possibilities. Well, as limitless as they are when you have the girth of a third-world country.

The second monumental accomplishment that has occurred in the Johnson household has been in the making for the last few weeks. Currently, for the first time since Piper arrived, we have no one in diapers!!!! Tim and I can take very little credit for Finley's recent accomplishment. She told us one day, she would wear panties from now on, no more diapers. She is also requesting "big girl cups" instead of sippy cups at the dinner table. She is definitely a strong-willed little girl, who is determined not to miss out on anything her big brothers and sister are doing. Never before have I seen a child so obsessed with panties - each new day brings a huge decision. Will it be Dora, Minnie Mouse, polka dots, flowers, Yo Gabba Gabba, or Elmo? This is not a decision to be taken lightly either - apparently your panties must match your outfit and your socks as well. I'm learning so much from my little girly girl. So we have been "high-five"ing over a slightly lower grocery bill each week with no diapers. The other day in the mail, we got a little package from Huggies that contained some coupons and one tiny little newborn diaper. Of course, being a hormone-filled woman, I got all mushy and dreamy-eyed, oohing and aahing over how tiny it was, anticipating the sweet little bundle attached to the butt that would fill that diaper. Though Tim played along, his oohs and aahs only thinly veiled an expression that clearly said - "Are you kidding, more diapers?" Its not that we dont realize this is just a brief respite from diapers and their cost, but to the breadwinner of the family, that diaper said "Na na na na na na, you only get off easy for a few more weeks."

So, in the meantime, we are enjoying the freedom of no diaper bag - though in its place comes 52 potty stops. Not sure which is the lesser of two evils. Here's hoping everyone enjoys the heatwave this weekend - you're bound to see my children bursting out the garage door Saturday like the caged animals they must feel like at this point. After taking two nice chunks out of the drywall, Carter's F-150 will finally log some real road time this weekend! Have a great weekend!

Crafty Wednesday

2009-02-04T20:27:00.000-06:00

For whatever reason, I had a much-appreciated surge of energy today, and what better way to harness that energy than to get crafty!! I am notorious for really great ideas, grand ambition, and no follow through. I like to think of myself as a professional starter. I'm not proud to admit that probably each room in my house is a testament to this. Poor Piper had one curtain out of four hanging for months on end. Two weeks ago, they finally met their matches. (I started to feel bad that her new baby sister was going to have a completely finished room and she still didn't have curtains.) Sorry, Pip! Thanks for hanging in there! Unfortunately, the boys still have a half-painted treasure map and palm tree in their pirate bedroom. I guess I better finish it before pirates aren't cool anymore. I could go on and on, but what purpose would that serve. When I was in the final stretch of my pregnancy with Finley, our house slowly came into tip-top shape. All I have to say is thank God for nesting instincts.

Today, I managed to finish painting some letters for the kids bathroom upstairs, get the last coat of paint on the changing table and bookshelf I've been working on for the nursery, make a glass block nightlight for Piper's room and still had time for tons of "nuudle art" with the little kids. These nuudles have got to be the best kids craft item since Play-Dough. They are little biodegradable noodles made out of cornstarch (think cousin of the packing peanut.) You just dab the ends of them on a damp sponge and can stick them together to make anything under the sun. I picked some up at Hobby Lobby last night, you can get a huge box for about $5. So, of course by 9 am, Carter had asked about 38 times when we could play with the noodles. The best part about these things is that they make virtually no mess, the creations you can make are only limited by your imagination, and they're easy enough to use that even a two year old has fun with them. Of course, like with Play-Dough, after 40 minutes both kids had checked out on craft time and I was still building our dream house complete with flower garden and apple tree. But Finley really enjoyed her necklace and bracelet, twirling around asking Carter, "Isn't I'm pretty, Carter?" Yes indeed! Here's hoping that this streak of energy continues, Lord knows I've got plenty of starts that could use some finishing touches.

Cabin Fever

2009-02-03T12:00:00.000-06:00

In the past, I've laughed as Tim describes how cooped up he feels in the winter, he's even gone so far as to say he thinks he has SAD (seasonal affective disorder) resulting from the lack of sunlight and fresh air. It is with every fiber of my very pregnant, very crabby, very uncomfortable being that I apologize to my wonderful hubby for not taking him seriously. I am so SICK of being in the house, not being able to let the kids outside to play, not being able to walk from my car to whatever building I'm trying to enter without the wind cutting to my bones! This winter really bites! Damn Puxatawny Phil for seeing his shadow (hell, I cant even see my toes these days.) So I guess that means six more weeks of winter, six more weeks of pregnancy coincidentally, too.

So anyway, this morning Carter, Finley and I met friends at Pump It Up for free jump. (not monetarily free unfortunately, free in the unstructured sense.) It was worth every penny to be able to let them climb and slide on something other than my living room furniture for an hour and a half. They are happy and tired and ready to take naps in the next hour or so. Life is good.

On a different note, I would like to send a big hug to my mom across the miles and say that there is bound to be a special place in heaven for her for putting up with me growing up. At the risk of embarrassing my lovely oldest daughter, I will say no more than I am shocked at the depth of emotions and hormones that swirl around in the mystery that is an 8-year-old girl. School mornings are not always the most pleasant here, and I now know why my mom smiled and laughed during most of my fits. I am grateful she did, that laughter was the release that made it possible for me to still be alive and dealing with my own sweet daughter today. So thanks Mom, (and Dad, who also fondly recalls driving me to school - that was fun wasn't it Dad?)

We're off to the OB this evening to check on Baby Girl Johnson. I'll update you all later! Have a great day!

Here's Carter before his much-needed haircut:

And after:

Super Bowl Cupcakes

2009-02-01T15:56:00.000-06:00

Being the huge sports fan that I am, I had to find a fitting way to celebrate the most anticipated football game of the year . . . No really, I don't even know who is playing in the "Big Game," but then again I still believe in my heart that Mike Ditka is still the coach of the Bears. Tim is hanging his head in shame right now. He asks me what I am going to do when our kids really start playing sports. My answer - bake for the team! My mom (who I really wish would come back from Florida NOW!!) mentioned some red velvet cupcakes she made for a dinner with friends the other night, and of course, when you mention food to a pregnant woman it turns into an obsession. So, in the spirit of game day, and to indulge in some much needed culinary therapy, I decided to try out four new cupcake recipes. Unfortunately, there was a tragic overfilling incident and the chocolate cupcakes didn't survive, so we were down to three (gasp) varieties. Tim told me he was offended and this was completely sub-par, but I am holding my head high and bringing them to our neighborhood gathering anyway!!

I was really excited to try a nifty little trick I read on the cupcakebakeshop blog - using those little white "nut cups" instead of mini muffin papers or mini muffin tins. The upside to the nut cups is that they're sturdy enough to just put on a cookie sheet, no tins needed. A definite bonus when you're baking a bunch, since I only have one mini muffin pan.

The final result: YUM!! We tried out Banana Cupcakes with Caramel Honey Buttercream, Key Lime Cupcakes with Key Lime Vanilla Buttercream and Lime Sugar and Jelly Donut Cupcakes. The Banana was a huge hit with the girls. The boys preferred the Lime. There wasn't as many of the Jelly Donut ones, so they'll have to wait until the party to try those. Here's a few photos of the cupcakes and the kids enjoying them! Happy Sunday to all.

TGIF

2009-01-30T17:05:00.000-06:00

So basically, this blog is a result of several things (in no particular order.)

1. Friends, who shall remain nameless ( that means you Patti, Stacy and Frank) bugging me to get on Facebook. Sorry guys, I just can't do it - the whole Facebook/MySpace thing perplexes me.

2. The need to stay connected with family and friends on the eve of our life becoming even more chaotic. Unless you're some random person who stumbled across this blog, you know we're due to welcome our fifth (and final) child in 6 weeks. Undoubtedly, she will bring us immeasurable joy, but less time as well. So I thought this would be a great way to share news and photos mainly with the occasional random thought or recipe sprinkled in. I must give credit where credit is due, so thank you to our old friend Paul Kapellas for planting the seed. He started a family blog this week when he and Tiffany welcomed their beautiful daughter Isla. I love being able to pop by and take a look at new pictures and updates.

3. Utter boredom due to LONG winter days being stuck inside due to sub-zero temperatures and a belly the size of a thanksgiving turkey. There's only so many reasons to run to Target or Trader Joe's, and when it becomes apparent to Tim that I'm using shopping as a form of recreation and retail therapy, it loses its luster. So, when I just can't play one more round of Play-Dough, Little People or Matchboxes cars, all the couch cushions have been turned into forts, I know every episode of Dora, Diego and WonderPets by heart, and Carter and Finley are down for naps - I have a few options. I can take a nap with them (sometimes a very real possibility,) I can clean or do laundry (made you laugh, right?) or I can blog. All kidding aside, I have always loved to write, and I love to read other people's blogs, so I thought - what the heck?

So . . . I will do my best to keep this current as the voice of the Johnson family. I hope you enjoy seeing what we're up to. I love to hear what's going on with all of you - so send it our way, please!