Mormon Beagle Mom/Grandma

Meet Riley.

Berkeley loves his new nephew, Riley. Riley is Andrew's new baby beagle. That makes me, a Mormon Beagle Mom and a Mormon Beagle Grandma.

Did I mention that Andrew has moved back home?

P.S. Are you a Mormon Beagle Great-Grandma?

So much excitement for one week!

My girl has done it! On Tuesday, May 20, 2008, Brittany graduated from East Valley Institute of Technology with her "degree" in Massage Therapy! It was 110* that day! Whew!

She didn't actually receive her diploma that night. She had to go to school the next day for her last day to pick it up. The EVIT graduation was held at the beautiful Mesa Arts Center in downtown Mesa.

She looks so happy! Even Mark looks thrilled.

Wonderful Aunt Dartell was on hand to enjoy this special day as well.

On Wednesday, May 21, 2008, Mark graduated from 6th grade at Noah Webster Basic School. He even earned a medal for being on first honor roll all year. Next year he is off to Fremont Junior High School. My baby is growing up! Thank you Aunt Dartell for taking the picture.

On Thursday, May 22, 2008, Brittany graduated from Skyline High School with half of her class. The weather took a sudden dive and was raining that night. They could no longer hold the graduation on the football field, so they had A-J in the gymnasium and M-Z in the auditorium. The kids were pretty disappointed about spending the ceremony apart and they were only allowed 4 tickets. Brittany, being the enterprising individual that she is, acquired a few extra so that her aunt and several of her friends and co-workers could attend. Aunt Dartell took more pictures because my camera batteries died, I'm just waiting for her to e-mail them to me, so I'll post more at a later time.

I was just so proud of Brittany. I was overcome with emotion as I pondered the last three years and everything she has gone through and sacrificed to get to this major milestone.

She received a massage table and chair and accessories from her father and I for a graduation gift. You've been formally noticed, Brit's in business and she's goooooood!

I just had to post this picture. I think she looks like Britney Spears in this picture, what do you think?

Friday night was a fun Bunco night at my house followed by a group of us girls going to see "Made of Honor". I thoroughly enjoyed the movie and the company I was in!

And lastly,

SOLD!!!!

Saturday, May 24, 2008, exactly one year and one month from the date we closed on our present domicile we have finally sold our mobile home. Goodbye my dear gas stove. Goodbye my refrigerator with a freezer bigger than the one I have now. Goodbye to 12 years of raising our family in this home. We sold it to someone who will take good care of it. No more two mortgage payments. No more taking care of two lawns. No more cleaning two houses. My shoulders suddenly feel lighter. Thank you Heavenly Father for a wonderful week!

Dangerous part of town

We moved out here to the "East Side" just a shade over a year ago. We decided to escape the big city for greener pastures and weather that is 3 to 5 degrees cooler in the summer.

It was all for not. We live in the most dangerous part of town now. Cops are everywhere, loading up, and setting speed traps. How did it become so dangerous so quickly? What is wrong with people?

That's right! Krispy Kreme is back in town and people have been lining up for their "fix". I live within about a 2 mile radius to this place, do you have any idea how dangerous that is? I'm embarrassed to say our family has purchased 6 dozen at this point. No, no, they weren't all for us. Yeah, that's right we gave them away. Wink, wink.

Mother's Day 2008

Anyone that knows me at all knows that Mother's Day is not my favorite day. It's not because I don't enjoy being a mother to my children, but of the strained relationship I've had with my own mother all of my life. But, since President Woodrow Wilson signed the proclamation of Mother's Day to be the second Sunday of May on May 14, 1914 it has become what I believe to be a quasi-holiday designed to trot out and display the guilt and failure we can sometimes feel in our own mothering.

I have, however, obtained a wealth of knowledge since becoming a mother. So, in that vein, I will share my musings of what I know.

What I Have Learned As a Mother

1. Laughter is essential.

2. Play with your children, don't be the stink who won't.

3. You children will remember every thing you say.

4. They will remember what you say, and then choose to ignore it.

5. Closing yourself in the bathroom is actually an invitation.

6. Read to your children, it brings out their imagination.

7. Let your children catch you praying.

8. You can never say "I love you" too much.

9. You can never give them too many hugs and kisses.

10. It's okay to make mistakes. Don't be too proud to apologize to your kids.

11. A silly made-up song can cheer up the surliest of children.

12. You can't keep your kids from disappointment.

13. Dance with your kids. It's fun!

14. Always answer their questions, no matter how uncomfortable they make you feel.

15. I would rather hear the truth, even if I don't like it, than to hear a lie.

16. You can't praise your children too much. Self esteem is essential.

17. Even when they are grown, they still look sweet when they are asleep.

18. Sometimes they don't need anything, they just need to know you are there.

19. Mom knows where everything is.

20. I am the most popular person at bedtime. (Drink, another kiss, etc.)

21. Live in the moment.

22. The baby of the family will try to wear their position to their benefit far longer than the older ones.

23. It's okay to put yourself in time-out.

24. Always be ready to listen, the opportunities will present when you are the most busy.

25. Mom is the biggest cheerleader. There will be occasions when our enthusiasm will be perceived as embarrassing to our children.

26. It doesn't get easier the older they get.

27. Your capacity to love just keeps growing.

28. Be flexible. They are not mini-me's.

29. Your children will grow up, so stop feeding them.

30. It's the toughest job you will ever love, with an unimaginable return on your investment.

Andrew, Brittany, and Mark, I am so grateful that Heavenly Father saw fit to send you to our home and allow me to be your mother. I love you with all of my heart and I thank you for loving me in return. I am so proud of all three of you and for the unique individuals you are and all that you have brought to my life. I am a better person because of you.

P is for the Perfectly Pretty Pink Prom Princess!

I did NOT look this great on my wedding day! This is my pretty Brittany all dolled up for the Prom this last Saturday.

Kristen Taylor in our ward, did her hair. Beautiful from the front and back!

This is Brit's prom date. Randy is her buddy friend from work. Aren't they cute?


My sleeves are right here, Mom! Can I go now? Yes, it is a strapless gown, however, I felt it a small price to compromise on since it wasn't backless or go down to her navel in front. She bought the dress with her own hard earned money. At half price! The torch of the thrifty has been passed, sniff sniff.

Real-life Enchanted. Need I say more?

They all ate at Cheesecake Factory.

One more shot of the hair. I'm a little verklempt. Pitted olives....have no pits, discuss.

Her dad and I never went to our respective Proms. I guess all of the boys were afraid of the Amazonian strawberry-blonde who liked to wear heels in high school. In retrospect, I'm glad that I never dated anyone in high school. Back to Brit, I was so happy that she went. She had a really great time and danced her hair out. I can't believe I have such a beautiful daughter, she must get that from her father!

Random thoughts.......by C. Johnson

It's a wonderful Spring we're having isn't it? Makes you want to buy a pretty new purse and go for a jaunt in the breeze. I just wanted to share a little nature with you and perhaps an anecdote or two.

Here is the agave in our front yard. Aren't the blooms so pretty? I have never had much of an appreciation for the foliage of the native Southwest, but I'm starting to. There are five blooms on this cute little thing. I think that the amount of rain and/or watering determines how many you get. Last year, we had just moved in, and it barely had one.

The Yucca. Why is it called a yucca? It isn't yucky. The fronds are little hard to trim. I have to use a saw. If you look at the base of it just to the left, a baby yucca is growing outside of it. How cute.

At the bottom is a gardenia I planted in the back yard in a hole that my Beloved Beagle Berkeley kept digging. He wouldn't leave it alone no matter how many times I filled it back up and scolded him, so I made use of his hard work in trying to dig his way to China. The top is a dwarf orange tree that Lee planted in the backyard. We won't have fruit for another couple of years, but we are at least able to keep these things alive. Now, don't worry, in the midst of all this desert rock is a lawn in the back yard. I have to have some grass, I'm from the Great Northwest for crying out loud!

I've saved the best for last. This is my next door neighbor's car. (Shhh, she doesn't know I took a picture) Notice the bird doody on the side just underneath the mirror. This is the handiwork of a particulary vain little bird that enjoys "flirting" with his or herself at any given point in the day. I see this bird every morning when I walk Mark to the bus. The bird stands in front of the mirror and then starts fluttering his wings at its own image, like its the most beautiful thing it will ever see. I tried to get a picture of the bird, but everytime I got close it would fly onto the roof. As soon as I walked away, it perched itself right in front of the mirror again. Oh the self esteem! I'm so very glad I park my car in the garage.

G is for girl and Graduate!!!!

Ladies, (I would say "and gentlemen" except hardly any of those types peruse my blog) may I present the culmination of nearly 18 1/2 years of hard work, toil, sacrifice, successes, some not-so-successes, waking up early, going to bed late, going to bed sometimes even later, prodding, poking, downright skewering, and labor. On May 22, 2008 at 8:00pm on the Skyline football field, we will have the extreme delight to see this face cross the field:

Brittany Charmen Johnson will pass center stage, shaking hands with school administrators that have made such a difference in her life, wiping away tears as she catches a glimpse of her mother, standing in the bleachers waving her arms wildly and crying out, "Brittany, I Love You!"

Yep, the Coyote will have left the building! Thank you and Good Night!

Ho hum.

I've been checking everyone's blog and surfing for ideas. My life is sssoooooo boring right now! Okay, maybe I just thrive on the minutiae of constant busy-ness and this could be the calm before the storm. It is May already, and the kiddos will be getting out of school for another year.

Things I'm Looking Forward To This Month:

Brittany is going to Prom this Saturday. Kristen Taylor is going to do her hair. Jewelry night. HOA meeting. Krispy Kreme re- grand opening. Mark's orchestra concert. Brittany is graduating from Skyline and EVIT. Between those two days, I'm hosting BUNCO. Something I don't want to publish yet. Memorial day. Not having to wake up early to get kids to school.

I tried to do the Disney Princess quiz that I saw on Kathlyn, Shellee, and Whitney's blogs, but when I tried to cut and paste it to my blog, it didn't turn out right. So much for "Thievery Thursday". Anyway, the quiz said I was "Megora". Who is that? What Disney movie is that from?

I think I'll watch "27 Dresses" tonight. Ho hum.