Johnsons' Journey

I think I am enjoying this spring vacation way too much, and am getting so very lazy. *lol* I need to get better about coming here to post, and I also need to get better about the blog-hopping thing… I don’t want Facebook to take over my blog, but sometimes I fear that is what’s happening! So not a good thing! … It’s just that I get more responses off facebook, than I do here on the blog, so I tend to go there… For the “attention”, I guess. *lol*

We had an OK weekend…

The boys had their bowling league on Saturday morning. They both bowled well, and got over their average in every game… We don’t know if their team won the games or not, because one of their team-mates was gone. We’re assuming that he post-bowled, and we’ll find out how the games went on this Saturday… Up until last Saturday the boys’ team (The Cougars) were in 1st place… I’m hoping that they still are, as it would make the boys SO HAPPY if they finished in 1st.

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Well, what do you know… I am now 39 years old… Only one year left until the dreaded FOUR-OH … OMWord, I so don’t want to turn 40. I really, really, really, really, really, really don’t want to turn 40. It makes my stomach upset just to think about it. *lol*

Despite the fact that I am teetering on the top of the hill, I still managed to have a good weekend.

On Saturday we of course went to the bowling alley for the boys’ league. It was a position round, and their team won 2 out of the 3 games… They could have won all three, but their team-mate, Marshall, was having a REALLY had day. On the game they lost, Marshall only got a 50 (his average is 89). If he had played as well as he normally does, they for sure would have won all three.

Jared and Josh, on the other hand, both bowled really well. I think Jared is out of his slump, much to his happiness. In fact, while he still didn’t beat his top game of 170, he managed to beat his top series (the total of all 3 games together). His top series was 342, but on Saturday he bowled a 390… He also got his first turkey (3 strikes in a row), but sadly it was during practice, so it didn’t count. *lol* Poor Jared! … He almost got a hambone (4 strikes in a row), but he only got 9 down on the 4th one… One pin shy. *lol*

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We’re getting a late start at homeschooling today, so I thought I would try to squeeze in a post while the kids got ready for the day.

Remember how Amanda used to say that everything is FANTASTIC! … Well, she seesms to have gone past that stage. She now has a new “word of the day”… And that is “cha-ching!” *lol* … Whenever anything goes her way, you can hear her all through the house, “CHA-CHING, CHA-CHING, CHA-CHING!” … When we were bowling on Sunday, she bowled one game too (with bumpers). Everytime she would get even 1 or 2 pins down, she would call that out. It was sooo funny!

She is now playing with imaginary friends now too… I remember when the other kids went through this phaze, but Amanda was just a wee one then, and not old enough to play along. *lol* Anyway, on Sunday she was playing Battleship by herself when she put the game away in disgust and said, “My imaginary friend cheats! It was the boy one. My girl imaginary friend NEVER cheats! I’m going to play with her instead!” … So cute!

Jared had a nice birthday. He said it was really fun. … We didn’t get to surprise them with going to the bowling alley though… A friend of the family (Joe’s Mom’s best friend), Sheila, called Jared to wish him a happy birthday. While she was talking to him she said, “I heard you were going to the bowling alley for your birthday. Are you there yet?” … Oops! *lol* … That sort of let the cat out of the bag. *lol*

After they bowled 3 games (the Mewings were there too), we all went to the newly opened Molalla Mainstreet Pizzaria for dinner… The building used to be Ricky D’s, which was also a pizza place. Ricky D’s had TERRIBLE pizza. We were hoping that MMP would be better… It wasn’t. … And now they don’t even have spaghetti or lasagna anymore, so I can have something better to eat… I doubt we’ll be eating there again.

Alicia’s art class was a no-go yesterday… We went to Dolce Dance, as usual, and Amanda had her ballet class, but Jay (Alicia’s teacher) didn’t show up. We found out that Jay and Lindsay’s son was sick, so Jay was home with him. Lindsay said that she meant to call us, but never got to it… It’s a good thing that Amanda had her ballet class anyway, so it wasn’t a wasted trip (but Alicia could have stayed with the boys, instead of being bored there…)

Well, I have to eat breakfast and then start school, so I guess I’ll catch ya on the flip side! … But before I go, I just wanted to give a quick shout out for accutane. Check it out!

While our personal “birthday season” is winding down, it’s winding down with a vengence! There have been so many birthdays in the last few days! The 29th was my sisters and my friend, Talitha’s birthday. The 30th was Joe’s cousin’s son, Josh’s birthday. The 31st was Joe’s Uncle Larry’s birthday. Yesterday was Joe’s mom, Elvina’s birthday. And today is my Mom, Scott, Joe’s cousin, Carol and Joe’s Grandma Johnson’s birthday (and Jared’s is coming on the 10th). Sooo….

HAPPY BIRTHDAY!

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Good morning. … Thought I’d check in with ya’ll while the girls are still in bed and the house is quiet.

It’s been quiet around here the last few days, which is always really nice… The kids and I finished decorating the house for Christmas sometime this week… I can’t remember exactly which day though. *lol* … I still need to take some pictures and post them on Flickr. Right now the girls are sleeping on the living room floor, so I can’t do it now.

The boys spent last night with Jacob and Jamie. They left with them right after bowling, and Joe will pick them up on his way home from work day… I miss them, and will be glad when they’re home.

Since the boys got to spend the night with their cousins, we took Alicia and Amanda to Subway for lunch after leaving the bowling alley… Then I let them sleep in the living room last night, as a treat. For some reason they think that’s just awesome… but if it were me, I would choose sleeping in a bed, rather than the living room floor. *lol*

Poor Josh had a really bad day, bowling wise, yesterday… For some reason that I don’t understand, the last few times Josh has bowled, he has been getting progressively worse. His average is something like 72-ish, but yesterday his games were 42, 54, and 59… I feel bad for him, because I don’t want him to get discouraged… But then, he never seems like he’s upset over it. He just says he’s having a bad game, and then goes back to bowling… Coach Mick does come over often and tries to help and is always encouraging him… I don’t know… Maybe he’ll do better next Saturday… I just wish we could get the boys to the bowling alley more often, so they can practice.

As for Jared, his first two games were under average, but his last game was over… It seems to be his pattern, that he always does best on his last game *lol* … Anyway, his average is 96-ish, and he bowled an 88, an 84, and a 113… What’s funny with Jared, is that when we first get there (and they have 45 minutes of free practice time), Jared bowls really well. He gets strikes and spares, etc. But when the league game starts, he doesn’t do as well… Maybe it’s the pressure. *lol*

There’s not too much going on today. Joe works until 1 pm, so other than some light housework and trying to figure out what to do for dinner tonight, I have no plans… (Though I may wrap a few Christmas presents later today…) Anyway, before I go, just wanted to give a quick shout out for Hudson jeans. See ya!

Calendar page for July 2010

I did it! I got both the calendars done and purchased! … I cheated though. I was bound and determined that I was going to get the good price at ArtsCow (4.99 with free shipping. Coupon code: 2010CAL12M, which is good until the 15th), that instead of actually scrapping the layouts for the calendar, I used quickpages instead. I already had the 2008 and 2009 2-page wall calendar sets from The Shabby Princess, so I got the 2010 version too. I used the 2010 version for ours, and then adjusted the 2008 version (so the dates would be for 2010) and used that for Joe’s parents’ calendar… I really like the calendars from The Shabby Princess, so I only feel slightly guilty for cheating with quickpages. *rofl* I saved us around $25.00, and that’s always a plus in my book!

I was able to get it done on time because Joe took the girls to their drawing and art classes, and I was able to stay home and work on the calendars.

If you want to see them, they are posted in my digi-scrap gallery (link on my sidebar).

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I just wanted to wish my sister, Crystal (who’s married to my brother, Rudy) a VERY HAPPY BIRTHDAY! … BTW Crystal, we bought Melody’s birthday gift today, and I think you’re going to wish it was for you! *lol*

Happy birthday! Love you!

We’re on our three day weekend now, and we’re lovin’ it! The kids worked hard this week, and really deserved this extra day off.

Believe it or not, we’re already done with the first quarter of the school year… It seems really hard to believe that we’ve been at it for 8 weeks already. The time has really flown… And this year things are really going smoothly. We’re in a good place, homeschool wise. The kids are trying hard, and learning a lot… What’s especially nice is that Jared seems to have outgrown the day-dream, let’s be pokey at school stage. I remember when he used to take ALL DAY LONG to finish his school work. Now he works diligently and gets it done in a timely manner… So nice!

Joe’s parents got here at around 11:30-ish to pick the boys up… They wanted to take them out to lunch on the way to their house. The boys were pretty excited about going to the highschool football game (Oregon City vs Milwaukie), and even took their cameras to get some pictures. So cute… Debbie, Joe’s sister, is going into work in the morning (she works in Oregon City), so she will pick the boys up in the morning and bring them to the bowling alley with them (Jacob and Jamie bowl  in the junior league too)… I am under STRICT instructions NOT to forget the bowling ball tomorrow. *lol* (Jared is borrowing one of Jacob’s old balls, that Jacob has outgrown.)

As soon as Joe got home from work (and he got changed out of his uniform), the four of us headed out… We promised the girls dinner at Taco Bell (and I downloaded them the new Ice Age movie on iTunes) as a treat, since the boys got to go out with Grandma and Grandpa… You know what’s sad? … Alicia and I both got a Nacho Bell Grande, and she was able to finish hers, and I wasn’t. *lol* How funny is that? … Amanda was sure hungry too. She downed two soft tacos and her cinnamon twists in record time.

We then did the Walmart thing (groceries, etc) and then came home… Just trying to get some R&R in right now, since tomorrow is going to be a busy day.

Well, off to play in Flickr for a while, and then maybe watch an episode of Warehouse 13 (or Mercy or The Good Wife… Haven’t decided yet)… But before I go, just wanted to give a quick shout out for thermogenic fat burner.

Man, yesterday was a looooooong day!

The kids and I were up, showered & dressed, the house picked up, and ready to go when Joe got home from work at 9:45-ish. As soon as Joe got home, we all hopped into the Durango and headed back into town to the bowling alley. We wanted to try their breakfast there… Every week we see parents of the bowlers with these yummy looking breakfasts, and we were wanting to try it… It was yummy too! *lol*

The girls and their new friends

The boys can practice (for their league) from 10 am until 11 am for free, and the league bowling starts at 11, so we always end up being at the bowling alley for around 2.5 – 3 hours. The boys love it, and we bring things (like coloring books) for the girls to do, so they won’t get bored… Yesterday a couple little girls who do the bumper bowling on the league came over to the girls, pulled some chairs up to the table, and invited themselves to some coloring. *lol* Alicia and Amanda were thrilled, and they all looked so cute, sitting around the table coloring.

Josh seemed to be having a bad day, as far as his bowling went, but he was improving by the time the day was done… Jared did well though, and I think he even improved his average a little… Jared is really getting good… Josh has problems, because of his strength issues… His pediatrician says that Josh has some kind of muscle disease, which is what caused delays with his gross motor skills as a baby (he didn’t walk well until he was 18 months old). Dr. Gyerko said that Josh would never do really well in sports and things, because of his lower muscle tone… Josh doesn’t let it get him down though. He’s just out there to have fun… I am proud of him for not getting discouraged… Not that he bowls badly… He would just knock down more pins if he could just throw the ball a bit harder.

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