He's got his game face on!

This is Mark right now at the Diamondbacks game. He's the Security Kid. Perhaps Law Enforcement will be in his future as well!



I am so amazed sometimes at some of the unexpected opportunities that have come the way of my kids. Last night was his first orchestra concert of the season, and Mark is the section leader. He was offered the opportunity to move up to the next orchestra, but refused on the grounds that he has already had to change his schedule once this semester. What a kid!

Giddee Up!

I'm fairly certain that my blog is not one of very interesting reading as of late. So might I regale you with "Tales from the Gynecologist" or "Live from The Stirrups"!?



I had my annual visit of dread to my gynecologist on Monday. Stop me if you've heard this one before. You're sitting in the waiting room and the front desk gal calls out from behind the window, "Mrs. Johnson, we're gonna need a sample." Well, fortunately for me, I had drank a fair amount of water before I left and was prepared to offer my specimen.

I'm finally called back and taken to the "smaller waiting room" otherwise known as the examination room. The nurse takes my weight (I HATE SCALES!!!), my blood pressure, and asks if I'm having any problems. I tell her, "Well, I haven't had a monthly in 2 months and I'm not pregnant, is that a problem?" She laughs and writes it on my chart, and I further tell her that my husband keeps bugging me and asking if I'm pregnant. I told her that I told him, "Let's operate on the idea that I'm NOT unless I tell you different." She laughs again and directs me to 'the gown' and that 'everything comes off'.

So anyway, my doctor comes in and I rehash what I told the nurse, and she asks why I haven't had a monthly in 2 months. I tell her that I don't know, but, my husband thinks I'm either pregnant or under a lot of stress. She asks about hot flashes and the like. I ask, "Are you telling me I'm old?" "No, you're a too young for that, besides then I'd be old next year." So now I know that my gyno is 39 years old.

Well out come the stirrups and, of course, this is my FAVORITE part of the visit. She notices my height once again and says, "Oh, let me extend these for you." Holy cow!!! I was easily more comfortable immediately! It was the first time EVER that my knees weren't around my ears!!!

Long story short, I have to have some bloodwork done to check my female hormone levels. I'm afraid they'll tell me I'm no longer a woman;) So out I skipped with my lab order, my prescription, and my order for my mammogram. Joy of joys, we'll discuss "The Girls" at a later date. Until then......

With His help go I

The Earl of Melancholy has visited me again today. I find myself contemplating Heavenly Father and His Son, Jesus Christ role in my life. As I wrangle with my thoughts of inadequacy, I question whether I am doing all that I can to live a life that is pleasing to Him.

I am not especially talented and pretty much a regular "Jane". This is alright with me as I do enjoy living my life of relative anonymity. I do worry though, about what I have contributed thus far in my earthly existence. I suppose this could be just me looking at the back of my own tapestry, as I am wont to do.

I am just so grateful that I have my Savior who loves me and lets me know that when I feel especially alone and lonely. He calms my troubled soul when I feel that my efforts in the building of His kingdom seem so insignificant.

I try very hard to see the eternal perspective in everything, and I try to be very present in my trials so that I learn from them the first time. I've had many more challenges than my tiny little mind could ever conjure up for myself, and I am humbled that He would allow me to have them and learn.

I am grateful that I have the gospel of Jesus Christ in my life. I am thankful that I have a model to follow in the raising of my family, even though I haven't always been successful. It's the belief in Him that allows me to get up each morning and try again.

I hope your day is peaceful.

Boys will be boys, or something like that

We have adopted another puppy. Andrew is moving out of our home this weekend and has bequeathed his puppy, Riley, to us. I am no longer a "Beagle grandma", I have become his "Mom". Now this being said, Riley seems to know that he is a member of this household and makes himself quite comfortable, thanks in part to his training from Big Brother Berkeley.


Uh, yeah, apparently I can't take a shower without being taken advantage of. One thing that is a constant in our home is that the dogs are not allowed on the couch. Do they listen? I think not. Little Riley can even jump up onto my bed now too.



Gee Mom, aren't we so cute on the couch? Their redeeming quality is cuteness of course and scenes like this:



It's funny to me when they sit together, they look and turn their heads in unison. I think in these pictures, they are looking for Grandma Johnson. Let this post be a lesson to all of you parents out there. If your adult child moves back home, make sure they know that any pets or children will be leaving with them when they get back on their feet and leave again. I think we were just so happy to have Andrew back that we assumed he knew this was the case, but alas, we would be wrong about that. Therefore, we have made it clear to the remaining two.

I've got to go vacuum now, it's the shedding season.

Cutie Patootie Diet

To watch the video, scroll down to the bottom and turn the sound all the way down on the playlist, then scroll back up and press play. Hilarious!

100 things I like.....

I stole this idea from a friend's blog. I thought it helped to focus on good things, no negativity here. So in no particular order:

1. Crisp autumn nights
2. Babies heads
3. Surprise money in the mail
4. Freshly cleaned laundry
5. Devoted beagles sitting at my feet
6. I love you's
7. Dancing
8. Harvest moon
9. Apples
10. New ink in my printer
11. Beautiful orchestras
12. Romantic walks
13. How I feel AFTER a workout
14. Mark asking me for hugs
15. Treats left at my doorstep
16. Silence
17. Clean kitchen
18. Grandfather clocks
19. Browsing clearance at Target
20. Reading
21. Playing Bookworm
22. Watching sleeping children
23. Flowers just because
24. Crossing things off my to do list
25. Rearranging furniture
26. Fresh sheets
27. Cozy pajamas
28. My friends
29. Girl movies or "chick flicks"
30. Laughing
31. Taking naps
32. Perfectly manicured lawn
33. Pedicures
34. Massages
35. Blog stalking
36. The Young and the Restless
37. General Conference
38. Jewelry
39. White teeth
40. Real mashed potatoes
41. Going barefoot
42. Spaghetti
43. Grandmas
44. Twilight
45. Anita Shreve books
46. Soft sugar cookies
47. Christmas
48. Michael Phelps
49. Days that Lee has off
50. Dreams
51. The ocean
52. Family get-togethers
53. Good dance music
54. Willow tree figures
55. CSI Miami
56. Presents
57. Ross, Monica, Joey, Rachel, Chandler, and Phoebe
58. Sleeping
59. Lighthouses
60. Cotton flannel
61. Warm homemade cinnamon rolls
62. Basements
63. Days off work
64. Girls night
65. Nemo
66. Refrigerator magnets
67. Plants that I can keep alive
68. Beautiful art
69. Balanced checkbook
70. Early bird dinners
71. Green
72. Black and white photographs
73. Parties
74. Bananas
75. Kitchens with a theme
76. Found money
77. Vacuuming
78. Painting
79. Secret acts of service
80. Perfectly appointed linen closet
81. Smiles
82. My Ipod
83. Free gift time at Clinique
84. Avon catalogs
85. Sunday paper
86. Gold colored paperclips
87. Packages from the UPS man
88. Taking care of my family
89. Being needed
90. Waking up slow
91. De-clutter
92. Brand new box of crayons
93. Having my hair washed and dried
94. Saving money
95. Funky hosiery
96. Happy endings
97. Useless trivia
98. Hot cocoa
99. Kraft macaroni and cheese
100. Rug Doctors

Miss Mopey has left the building.......

I've been such a mopey mopey lately. I guess you could call it the "I can't wait til summer is over doldrums", or "Is this heat ever going to end?". Some people get down in the winter when there is less light, I get down with neverending oppressive heat. But, NO MORE I say. I will be happy! I will be upbeat! I will laugh! I will sing! I will dance!



I will get my fall decorations out. The fall decorations suggest to the mind peace and calm and COOL. Scarecrows and fall leaves. Cute little people swinging from vine wreaths in beautiful oranges and browns and yellows! Lions and tigers and bears, oh my!



I will take the time to watch a funny movie. A happy dancing penguin movie:) Penguins are happy, right?

Whatever.....it's all random

Well, it's been a week, so I thought that I better post something. On the good news front, Mark is doing a lot better with school. We have been sending extra prayers his way and to all his classmates. He has been happy for a week now, thank goodness. He is working hard and getting A's, we're so proud of him.

Brittany works so much. I do worry about her. She hasn't been able to nab a massage therapy position yet, but is still hopeful. She has been doing more to establish her independence from "Mom and Dad". We started charging her a nominal amount of rent, so now she lovingly refers to us as "Landlord". She is happy and cheerful though, and I love that about her.

Andrew is struggling. He isn't happy living at home and is currently looking for another arrangement. I guess it isn't pleasant to be 20 years old and living with Mom and Dad, what with the rules and all. I am hoping that he can move forward in his chosen career soon, and then I think he may learn to appreciate me; I don't know that for sure though.

Me? I am currently trying not to let the state of affairs bother me. I've worked so hard all of my life for what I have, and I'm mad because "He Who Should Not Be Named" is really doing a number on my family. I'm not really sure what I have done to deserve this.

I'm glad it's Tuesday and I can't wait til Friday because the industry that I work in is a real big bummer right now. You keep hoping the news will get better, then the government announces it has taken over the two largest mortgage giants. Oh bother.

My Marky

I'm not sure what I should do. Mark is having a really hard time adjusting to Junior High School. If you know him please don't talk to him about this, it would embarrass him. It's hard for me, his mother, to see him in tears every day. The other kids are mean, they have foul mouths, and the other kids are just plain mean.

He is begging me every day to homeschool him. I'm torn. I work from home and I am responsible for our household and yard. I don't feel qualified much less have any more time. What do I do?

We keep trying to give him a pep talk, you know, "just give people time to get to know how wonderful you are."

In Tempe, they have middle school, which is 6-8th grades. The 8th graders were schooled in separate buildings so the younger kids didn't have much interaction with them. In retrospect, I think this is a great idea. Here in Mesa, and I am a product of Mesa Schools, it seems like every man for himself.

You want your kids to be able to handle the challenges of the world, but, what do you do when their sweet sensibilities become forever altered by this earthly experience? Some of these kids have such filthy language. Don't they know that it doesn't take any intelligence whatsoever to talk this way?

I think as a society, we have stepped away from being that village that raises a child. Apparently it's anything goes. What is the point of making rules when the adults won't abide and enforce them? This is why we have girls dressed like street walkers, and boys that either don't own a belt or decent underpants. If I see another pair of "stank drawers" I'll have to excuse myself to heave. Of course, there is the very real fear of getting sued. What a sad commentary on our intelligence and common sense. Common sense doesn't get the big payoff in court.

Back to Mark. I love him so much, and I can't make everything perfect for him, but, how do you help so that he doesn't become so completely broken and miserable?

Your thoughts please.

Phelps Phan

Great News!!!! I am so excited! It couldn't have happened to a better person! On September 13, 2008 at 10:30 p.m., I will be glued to the TV to watch Michael Phelps host the season premiere of Saturday Night Live! Pure Genius! Those folks over at SNL sure have their finger on my pulse.

I got a funny email from a friend today. The following is for adult viewers only, so if you have little children, I'll wait for you to scoot them out of the room. I don't want to be held responsible for any conversations that you aren't ready to have.

Are they out yet?

Okay.

Here you go.






Isn't that just so adorable?