29 of 365 memories...ready, set, now where did I put my keys??

King Cake Louisiana here we come!!

My life, insert laugh track here......

In all of my attempts to finish packing for our crazy weekend that we are headed too, I am without a doubt FAILING!!



This morning started off really well. I was in and out of the shower in record time, to only realize as I was lotioning myself up that I had only shaved one leg. If I was going any where else other than Louisiana it would not matter because it is JANUARY. But the weather there will probably be exposing parts of me that have been hiding covered since October.



I got the oldest child up, fed, located all devices he will be needing for his 8 hour journey this afternoon and out of the door for the bus. (ONE DOWN- TWO MORE TO GO)



I got the other 2 up, fed, located all their devices and of course Ms. Princess parade's array of animals, crafts that she has made for everyone (including my girlfriend Stacey's dog), pillows and of course her CHAPSTICK! Lord help me if we forget her FAVORITE chapstick. Got them out to the bus and then...........................



NOTHING!



I started more laundry, I made some coffee, I came downstairs to pay bills (which is a joke because I haven't been able to access my online banking in days, so I'm doing things the old fashioned way. And Lord help me if I have to press 1 for English or press * 2 8 A if I want to talk to a PERSON again I can promise you some one will get hurt!



Packing, did I mention anything about packing??



Nope, not a one.



And now what am I doing, checking emails, bitching blogging to you all.



We leave in less than 4 hours and to say I am half way finished would be, where we can insert the laugh track.



I will get there, I always do.



And then from this afternoon until Sunday morning, we will be making memories Louisiana style. 16 hours of driving and lots of fun in between



On Friday we will get to love on, smell and hold my girlfriends freshly birthed baby.



On Saturday we will celebrate my nephew's first birthday!! Yes, Cody is already one. Do you all remember this?? Oh be still my heart!!

On Sunday we will get to celebrate my mommas birthday in the morning and then head on back to Georgia.

And of course we will be EATING in between all the fun.

Fast and Furious to say the least but oh so worth it to be with my people :)

28 of 365 memories....one smile at a time.

3 goofy grins, what could be better than that?!

I tell my kids almost everyday to change the world, one smile at a time.

I don't think we all understand what just a simple smile can do for a person that is having a bad day. I mean a real smile, like your looking into their eyeballs and you can see their heart and soul. My kids are going to learn so many things in life, some good and some not so good.

But no one else in life is going to teach them the importance of their smiles. (And also the importance of using deodorant and clean socks :)

That's what their momma is for........

Signs, Signs, Everywhere there's signs...

My mother sent me this email chain last week and I thought I would pass it on before my 7 years of bad luck start. I really believed it about myself. When I read my husbands, it wasn't him at all. And then 2 out of my 3 childrens were fitting for them.

I only disagree with the 2 colored things about myself.......
(FYI) My first name also means Battle Madian. So in my case, my sign and my name meaning are pretty dead on :)

Kind of FREAKY!!!


>VIRGO - The Perfectionist (Aug 23 - Sept 22) Dominant In relationships. Conservative. Always wants the last word. Argumentative. Worries. Very smart. Dislikes noise and chaos. Eager. Hardworking. Loyal. Beautiful. Easy to talk to.Hard to please. Harsh. Practical and very fussy. Often shy. Pessimistic.
7 years of bad luck if you do not forward.



Here are the others.....


>CAPRICORN - The Go-Getter (Dec 22 - Jan 19) Patient and wise. Practical and rigid. Ambitious. Tends to be Good-looking. Humorous and funny. Can be a bit shy and reserved. Often pessimistic. Capricorns tend to act before they t hink and can be Unfriendly at times. Hold grudges. Like competition. Get what they want. 20 years of good luck if you forward.



>AQUARIUS - The Sweetheart (Jan 20 - Feb 18) Op timistic and honest. Sweet personality. Very independent. Inventive and intelligent. Friendly and loyal. Can seem unemotional. Can be a bit rebellious. Very stubborn, but original and unique. Attractive on the inside and out. Eccentric personality. 11 years of luck if you forward.



>PISCES - The Dreamer (Feb 19 - Mar 20) Generous, kind, and thoughtful. Very creative and imaginative. May become secretive and vague. Sensitive. Don't like details. Dreamy and unrealistic. Sympathetic and loving. Kind. Unselfish. Good kisser. Beautiful. 8 years of good luck if you forward.



>ARIES - The Daredevil (Mar 21 - April 19) Energetic. Adventurous and spontaneous. Confident and enthusiastic. Fun. Loves a challenge. EXTREMELY impatient. Sometimes selfish. Short fuse. (Easily angered.) Lively, passionate, and sharp wit. Outgoing. Lose interest quickly - easily bored. Egotistical. Courageous and assertive. Tends to be physical and athletic. 16 years of good luck if you forward.




>TAURUS - The Enduring One (April 20 - May 20) Charming but aggressive. Can come off as boring, but they are not. Hard workers. Warm-hearted. Strong, has endurance. Solid beings that are stable and secure in their ways. Not looking for shortcuts. Take pride in their beauty. Patient and reliable. Make great friends and give good advice. Loving and kind. Loves hard, passionate. Express themselves emotionally. Prone to ferocious temper-tantrums. Determined. Indulge themselves often. Very generous. 12 years of good Luck if you forward



>GEMINI - The Chatterbox (May 21 - June 20) Smart and witty. Outgoing, very chatty. Lively, energetic. Adaptable but needs to express themselves. Argumentative and outspoken. Like change. Versatile. Busy, sometimes nervous and tense. Gossips. May seem superficial or inconsistent. Beautiful physically and mentally. 5 years of bad luck if you do not forward.



>CANCER - The Protector (June 21 - July 22) Moody, emotional. May be shy. Very loving and caring. Pretty/handsome. Excellent p artne rs for life. Protective. Inventive and imaginative. Cautious. Touchy-feely kind of person. Needs love from others. Easily hurt, but sympathetic. 16 years of bad luck if you do not forward.



>LEO - The Boss (July 23 - Aug 22) Very organized. Need order in their lives - like being in control. Like boundaries. Tend to take over everything. Bossy. Like to help Others. Social and outgoing. Extroverted. Generous, warm-hearted. Sensitive. Creative energy. Full of themselves. Loving.. Doing the right thing is important to Leos. Attractive. 13 years of bad luck if you do not forward.




>LIBRA - The Harmonizer (Sept 23 - Oct 22) Nice to everyone they meet. Can ' t make up their mind. Have own unique appeal. Creative, energetic, and very social. Hates to be alone. Peaceful, generous. Very loving and beautiful. Flirtatious. Give in too easily. Procrastinators. Very gullible. 9 years of ba d luck if you do not forward.



>SCORPIO - The Intense One (Oct 23 - Nov 21) Very energetic. Intelligent. Can be jealous and/or possessive. Hardworking. Great kisser. Can become obsessive or secretive. Holds grudges. Attractive. Determined. Loves being in long Relationships. Talkative. Romantic. Can be self-centered at times. Passionate and Emotional. 4 years of bad luck if you do not forward.



>SAGITTARIUS - The Happy-Go-Lucky One (Nov 22 - Dec 21) Good-natured optimist. Doesn't want to grow up (Peter Pan Syndrome). Indulges self. Boastful. Likes luxuries and gambling. Social and outgoing. Doesn't like responsibilities. Often fantasizes. Impatient.. Fun to be around. Having lots of friends. Flirtatious. Doesn't like rules.. Sometimes hypocritical. Dislikes being confined - tight spaces or even tight clothes. Doesn't like being doubted. Beautiful inside and out. 14 years of bad luck if you do not forward.



What does your sign say about you?

And is it right???

27 of 365 memories....laughter pains!

Do you have one person in the world that you laugh so hard and so long with, that at some point in the conversation you have to hold your belly and pray to the good Lord above to help you breath again? (that was possibly the longest run on sentence I have ever birthed :)

My girlfriend Lena is that person. We had our "sweet tea therapy" this morning.

We laugh, we cry, but most of all, we just enjoy.

I love this little lady (and she knows it)

She is the coolest "northern" I know :)

26 of 365 memories.....parade princess

Hannah asked me this morning if she could wear her Mardi Gras shirt to school today. I asked her if she was going to explain to her friends what Mardi Gras was all about.

Yes, she said to me. I'm going to tell them that the princess get beads and candies thrown to them. And the people that are not princesses have to get their treats off the ground.

All righty then, that sounds like what I was thinking too :)

25 of 365 memories....Enjoying the breeze!

  I love this boys smile!

This one is one that only a mother can love :)

                                               

24 of 365 memories....Tinkerbell wanna a be.

This past week has been a little nutty in our house. I don't know whats worse, when Brian is out of town for work? Or when he is in town and is working so much that it seems like he is out of town?

This morning my daughter was very excited to see her daddy, when she opened her big beautiful marble colored eye balls.

What do you want to do dad?

Do you want to wear my Tinkerbell sunglasses and play tic tac toe?

Of course that's what he woke up this morning saying!!

And so they did.

Might I add I think the purple shades are rocking on him :)

There is nothing sexy to me, than a man being a daddy......

23 of 365 memories....That's what friends are for.

There are so many things in life that I want to teach my children. Friendship is one of them. Friendship with each other and other people. I have a few close friends that I rely on for my everyday SANITY!

My neighbor Carol is one of them. Last night while my husband worked late and her husband was on a hunting trip, the 2 of us just LAUGHED. And laughed and ate and drank and laughed some more. Her kids are older and she enjoys coming to my crazy house because she doesn't like the quite of her own.

When we first moved here, this wonderful lady took me under her wing. And showed me the ropes.
She knew I had never been away from home before and could tell that I needed someone. But not just a neighbor, "a friend".

And so 3 years later, she rarely knocks before she comes in. (which I love) she brings over her bottle of wine. We lose our shoes and laugh on the sofa.

I hope one day in the FUTURE, I call my daughters house and she tells me, mom can I call you back I'm laughing with my "friend".

That will be music to my ears........

22 of 365 memories...She Bangs She Bangs!!

When I went to my hair appointment this afternoon, I told my hair dresser I needed a change!! I love my hair short and wanted to keep the same hair do but add a little something else to it.

So we added a few bangs.

I haven't had bangs in so long, that I can't even remember who I was pregnant for or who was a baby. (Do you do that? Do you remember things in your life based on which child you were pregnant for. Or how old they were at that time)

Anyway, I like them!!

I really really do!!

21 of 365 memories........Is this stalking??

Yesterday evening I was sitting on my back porch and I decided to see how long it would take Hannah to snap out of her Suite Life of Zack and Cody coma and notice me taking pictures of her.



How long you ask??



Let's just say the early stages of frost bite, had started to set in on my fingers:)

BUSTED!!

20 0f 365 memories....a busy man taking a breath.

A Lifetime In A Weekend....

I was thankful for the long weekend we had.
And I'm sad to see it over.
It ended tonight with my husband leaving for the airport, me trying to get 3 cranky children out the door in the sleety snow for swim practice and then to have our dog (yes of course you guys, Iris) slip out of the front door when no one was looking.
This is so typical of my everyday life it is not even funny.



Alex swims 3 times a week. And it wouldn't be so bad if it wasn't at 7:30 and 8 :15 at night. And when Brian's out of town, that means WE ALL get to go and sit, BIG FUN FOR MOMMA!!



And then there is our precious, crazy, neurotic canine, Iris. She is our dog that we adopted when we first moved here. She was abused before we got her, so I try and cut her major some slack. To say that she has issues would be an understatement. She really is a sweet dog, but girlfriends got lots of things to keep the dog whisperer busy.

If the door is opened just a smidgen and one of the kids are getting ready to go out, she bolts. In the past week, she has gotten out 4 times. We had months upon months where she was not out, but now its back to free bird!!



So needless to say, Brian's plane was delayed because of the weather, we didn't make it to practice because we had to get our dog. Which we did and now she is laying on the floor at my feet right now, because she knows mommas pissed mad!!



This weekend was refreshing in a way that hasn't happened in awhile. Or maybe I just haven't been noticing.



Friday evening Hannah had a skating party to go to. She has not skated before. We have tried twice and failed miserably.

The other times went something like this.

Look mom I can skate.......BAM (her rolling around on the floor thrashing and screaming things in LATIN that I can not understand)



This time we took it very slow and she stayed patience with me herself. She fell a couple of times, only once did the words " I BROKE MY COLLARBONE" come screaming out of her mouth. The thrashing only lasted a hour few minutes.



And then she was back out there, ready to go.



And you know what blogging buddies, I let her go....



I did, I let her do it.



And she did it! (well sort of)

She skated on the carpet around and around with her little friend. I loved watching her. Her face is really what angels look like. And her smile is like a 1000 watt bulb. My daughters laugh is one of those deep down belly laughs. (Kind of like the little brother on A Christmas Story, when he is eating the mashed potatoes)

She is my girl.

She is my bud.

And letting her GO, is not easy for me.



Letting any of them go is not easy, but HER oh dear lord, pass me the kleenex.



She is me in so many ways and I don't want to smother her little internal flame, by giving her any of my fears.



That has been one of the hardest things I have dealt with as a parent.


Our children might act like they don't listen, but they do. They take every single word and save it. Because one day they might need to hold it against us in a court of law.

I'm not a negative person. My everyday life is pretty optimistic but by chance if I make a comment about a food or a TV show, the next time that thing is brought up, one of my kids are reading the play back of what I said.

A long time ago, I decided to not put my crap on my kids. And I think I'm doing a, sort of good job.

If only I could get my crystal ball to work, it could let me know how this all ends. But I guess there would be no fun in that, now would there.

19 of 365 memories.....please baby Jesus, just a little bit!!

Tonight we had a little bit of snow fall.
Well it was what us Southern people call snow.

It's what everyone else in the world that really knows what snow is, call sleep in their eye.

My kids call it SNOW DAY!!
I'm thinking that's not happening but I'll keep you posted.

Tonight as my kids were trying to catch snowflakes on their tongues, my daughter started to say a little pray. Please baby Jesus just a little bit more!! Now I can promise you I have never allowed my 6 year old to watch Talladega Nights. And I don't refer to Jesus as "baby Jesus".
So where did these come from??
The world may never know.....

18 of 365 memories......chicken wings, brownies and sleep overs, OH MY!!

The boys both have their best buds sleeping over tonight. My husband made home made chicken wings and brownies to help celebrate!! It's not really a celebration but we can play like it anyway!!

Doesn't my family room look like a scene out of animal house. (minus the togas and beer cans, of course :)

That's what sleep overs are all about, good ole messy fun!!

Yummy Beef Fajitas

I made a new steak fajita recipe last week and I HAVE to share it with you all.

I don't remember where I clipped it from, so I can't show love to the original owner. It is from newspaper but that's all I know.

Beef Fajitas

2 pounds beef skirt steak (I used 2 thinly cut pieces of round steak)
2 limes, juice from both; zest from one
1 jalapeno pepper, minced
4 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 cup low sodium beef broth (I used Organic)
1/2 tablespoon of Old Bay seasoning (I used 1 tablespoon of Tony Chachere's
1 tablespoon cumin
1/2 teaspoon each of salt and pepper
1 medium yellow onion, sliced
2 assorted bell peppers (I used a red one and a yellow one)
12 flour tortillas (I used whole wheat)
1 cup sour cream
2 cups of Mexican shredded cheese


Trim fat off of steak. Combine next 8 ingredients (through pepper) in a seal able container. Add beef, coat all sides and marinate for 8 - 24 hours in the fridge. (I let it sit for 24 hours) Grill to desired doneness; allow to cool for 5 minutes before slicing it against the grain into thin strips. Grill veggies in an aluminum pouch until warm and tender (or with the meat in an indoor grill pan. (I broiled the steak with all the veggies on top, it was too cold to grill out. But I will grill them outside next time)

Warm tortillas as according to the package, then fill with meat and veggies

Top each with your favorite fajita toppings (ours are Mexican cheese, green leaf lettuce and sour cream) and serve.

Happy Cooking!!

Chuck E Cheese on crack

When we lived in Louisiana we would visit Chuck E Cheese about once a month. We would meet some friends there, the kids loved it, I thought it passed the time on a rainy day was swell. Since we moved we haven't visited our over grown rat friend very often.

Well tonight we went to a place called Dave and Busters and all I can say is OH MY WORD pass the Prozac here please. It was like a bad acid trip (well I'm assuming anyway, I've never had a bad one:)

This was over stimulation at its finest. Before dinner we had just spent about 2 and a half hours at Ikea. So we went from bad to worse.

We had dinner, the highlight of dinner was watching my kids make there straws rise out of their Root Beers like magic

Then it was straight to Bozo the clowns worse nightmare.
I took Hannah around to play some games and after she had accumulated 132 tickets.
How much money does it take to get 132 tickets?
Well about 20 hard earned American dollars.
And what do you get for 20 hard earned dollars or 132 tickets.

A blinky ring that impails your fingertip when it is turned off and on.

And 3 small plastic freebies, that I'm sure if I go into my old Mardi Gras stuff in the attic I can find the same ones.

As I waited for the kids and Brian to finish playing a racing game, I found spot to sit.
And was pleasantly surprised to find out it was a vibrating machine gun game.

Hey don't judge me, there's nothing wrong with a girl enjoying a little friendly gun fire :)

17 of 365 memories......partners in crime

My middle son and my daughter fight more than any of the other combinations of my children.
And the reason is, they are alike in SO many ways. My older son is very calm, sweet, laid back like my husband. But my other 2 they have.....well lets just say, they have more fire burning in their belly.
They are just as sweet, but the laid back and calm, yea not so much.

(I really have NO idea where that comes from :)

When their having a good day together, they are an unstoppable team.
Tonight at Chuck E Cheese from HELL Dave and Busters they were in perfect sink together playing games. Hannah wanted to play a racing game that Jakob was playing, so after his turn they played together. She sat on his lap because she could not reach the pedals. As she steered and he worked the petals, Jakob would say, take out the blue car Hannah.
And she would run into the other car and then say, like that Jakob?
Yea good job, now run over the little old lady crossing the street guy on the motorcycle.
Like that Jakob?
Yep just like that.
It really was magical watching them. I watch them act so not magical together most days, that them running people over together actually brought a tear to my eye.

Hey, if breaking the speed limit laws and running over blue hairs keeps the love flowing who am I to stop them??

this is from my phone so it is horrible but you get the idea!

Can you feel the law breaking love??

16 of 365 memories....the sweetest things

Yesterday after school Hannah and I had a "girls evening" and Brian, my father in law and the boys had a "boys evening". We had a skating party to go to (SHOCKINGLY there were no emergency room visits after) and Brian took the boys to the World of Wheels car show. When Hannah and I were getting ready for the party, I asked Hannah her what was the sweetest thing she could think of to take a picture of for the blog.

Her response was this.....

my response was this....

Yea, I think momma won this round :)

15 of 365 memories......living life in the last mile....

If your house is like mine you have an order. Everything, well almost everything has a place.
We have a spot for this and a spot for that and yes we even have a spot for that crap thing.


Every evening we have dinner, Brian or I bring which ever child has practice that evening to practice and we manage to bring that same child back home (don't laugh some days I pull up at swim practice and I forget if I even brought a child with me, because I'm there so much its like second nature)


After the kids are bathed and books are read and every ones piggies are tucked in.
OK, only Hannah has legitimate piggies, the boys toes are more like hogs now :)


Once I hear silence coming from all the rooms, I start what I call my last mile.




After my husband ran his first marathon, I asked him what was the hardest part and he said the last mile.
I was hurting, he said but I knew the light at the end of the tunnel was coming.


My last mile consists of the kitchen cleaning and the lunch ritual in our house.
I'm very sort of particular about what the kids eat. So I would much rather them bring their lunches from home. They each get to pick 2 times a week they want to buy lunch. My boys rarely ever buy, my daughter takes her 2 days when there's "baked" chicken nuggets and pizza. If they only looked as good as they sound!



Its a funny thing because when I start to make sandwiches or wraps or whatever were doing for the next day, my body starts to go into the light at the end of the tunnel theory. I know that when this is done, I'm starting the dishwasher and off to ZZZZZ land I'm going.

Well of course thats after we put up the clean clothes that have accumulated on our bed, start another load of TOWELS, let the dogs out, get the dogs back in and in there beds, check all the doors, set the alarm, watch my husband check the temperature in the snakes cage (oh..... don't act like you all don't do that every evening also!)

This is what my last mile looks like.....

(don't be hatin on my yummy white counters)

I'm hoping Granite is our next project, I'm hoping even more that my husband is reading this:)

sandwiches and juice boxes, to come

What's your last mile like??

14 of 365 memories.....the calm before the craziness

And so it goes.....mom can we sit by the fireplace before we start homework, yep you sure can!!

4 minutes later,(Jakob says) mom can you tell Hannah to please go do her homework she is being SO annoying, I mean unpleasant.

(Alex's says) She is no where as annoying, I mean unpleasant as you are!!

And so my picture perfect moment was gone in a 4 minute flash......

Showing the ads some love!!

I don't know if you all have ever really taken notice to the BlogHer ads that I have in the side bar of my page. BlogHer is a community of blogging women that I am very proud to be a part of. I have met and keep in touch with about a dozen or so women through this community. I applied to have their ads run on my page in the Spring last year and was welcomed with open arms from them.

What happens is every time one of you (wonderfully beautiful) people click on one of the ads I get a credit for it. The more times you click, the more credit I get.
SIMPLE!!
The hopes is one day, hopefully in the near future I would get my credit for the clicks.
Hasn't happened yet, but a girl can always HOPE!!

I also have Google ads running, so if your feeling some extra love flowing through your fingers, I would love for you to click on those also!!

BlogHer just announced something new there doing in 2009. There having their viewers ( me) and people that view their viewers (you) vote for your favorite BlogHer bloggers blog post.
Did you get all that?
There were lots of blogs and ers and stuff :)

Basically if you see something on my blog or another BlogHer blog that you like, you can go to this link and vote for your favorite blogger.

You don't have to be a member of BlogHer to vote.

So why don't you guys take a look at the ads and do a couple of clicky clicks for me.
(If you would like to do it EVERYDAY that would be AWESOME and I WILL TYPE IN CAPS EVERYDAY TO LET YOU KNOW HOW WONDERFULLY DELICIOUS YOU ARE!!)

Bribery you say, no not bribery.
Just showing the love in CAPS is all.......

13 of 365 memories.....which one is which??

Instead of one picture tonight, I thought we would have a little fun with 3!! Alex has been learning all about traits and habits that you get from your family. Physical traits that you can trace back to your parents and grandparents and then traits and habits that you get from being raised with your family.

I decided to take different pictures of the kids and have them identify themselves. Here are 3 of them, can you guess which Johnson's kid is which??

Picture A

who is this cutie??

Picture B

and this cutie??

Picture c

and last but not least, this cutie??

I did some other ones of the backs of their hands, the bottoms of their feet, cheeks and knees. It was pretty cool to try and match themselves!!

12 of 365 memories....Because she IS the princess

Hannah wanted me to post a picture of her sleeping. I explained to her that she would have to ACTUALLY be sleeping in order for this to happen.

Oh well I want to smile for it, she says.

Yeah well baby you can't if your sleeping, I say.

Oh, well than can you do it and act like I'm Sleeping Beauty, she says.

Hannah you are my Sleeping Beauty, I say.

And mom your my Sleeping.......wait for it........Booty.

Get it?

Yes I get it!!

She is SO my child!!

Don't be hatin on my jams!!

Yesterday Brian, Jakob and myself braved the frozen air to do "our miles". They were running 6, I was walking 3. It was suppose to be 4 but I was cold and so there you go. I know some of you reading this live where it is a lot colder, but low 30's and outside for long periods of time, are really not my strong suit.
I am lots of things cute, witty, slightly odd but a Northern, I am not :)


I ran about a mile and a half of my 3 miles and let me tell you my legs are CURSING SCREAMING today!!! And what they are saying I can't translate on my blog because I promised the Blogher people there would be no profanity on here.
Damn it did I really do that??


Of course while I was running my ass calories off, I was jamming to my oldies but goodies!

Yesterday's selections were Salt n Pepa, Tupac and Lauryn Hill. I am learning lots of things about myself as the years go on.
One of those things is, my inner black woman is clawing to get out of me!!
My music choices lately have reminded me of this.

Another thing that I notice more in more is that all of these songs that I'm reminiscing with really have had a meaningful effect in my life at one time or another. Good or bad they still have stuck with me after all this time.



I have been feeling a little apprehensive about a few things in my life lately. I don't do well with stepping out of my comfort zone. So basically doing anything that does not involve kids, preferably my kids, I don't do well with. Being at home for the last 13 years with my kids, has taught me lots of things about myself. But one thing I haven't gotten from it was, its OK to eventually do your own thing. I have always thought in the back of mind (way,way.....did I say WAY, in the back) that I would go back to school. Well it's not really back because I never went. I was married at 19, a baby at 20, another one at 23 and then another at 26.

Now I'm thinking if I'm going to do this, I need to start with enough of a prayer chance to graduate before Alex starts.

So what's the problem your thinking?

SCARED and FAILURE, plain in simple.

Not failure at school but failure to not be able to continue to have 10 balls in the air at one time. And do it well.

Scared that I'm going to realize the dreams I had as a little girl are just those, dreams and nothing more.

I talk often about the demons friends in my head.

We all have them I know, its just how far do we let them go.

I let mine have to much fun at the playground some days. Yesterday as I was dying jogging, I kept thinking to myself, really what are you afraid of, get your head straight and just do it.
If you try something and its not what you thought then deal with it then.
But you won't know until you try.....

And then in one of the last songs I listened to Lauryn Hill reminded me.

How you gonna win if you ain't right within?
(Laugh if you want, but I LOVE THAT LINE) it might not be grammatically correct but it sure does make a hell of a lot of sense

I went home and had a nice long bath talk with my husband and decided that I need to put the friends in time out for awhile and just do it!!

Do what you ask?

UMMM..........president, chef, mother of the year, author, college graduate!!

WHY NOT THEM ALL?

I'm sure I can find a Bell Biv DeVoe song that can help me with that.

11 of 365 memories....(Hannah's Sunday pick)

Being from New Orleans and also being Catholic, the Fleur de lis has always been a special symbol to me. Before Katrina (in case your new, hurricane Katrina), the symbol was something that meant Saints football, it represented the Blessed Mother and the Holy Trinity, yes I was raised around old school Catholic women. At one time it was also the symbol for French Royal's. My paw paw was as cajun french as you can get. (Some people refer to it as a coon ass or a creole.) So if you here me talk about myself in the third person or ask my kids to bow before speaking to me, please don't correct me it's just my royal highness ness coming out :)

After the hurricane, the Fleur de lis became a symbol of hope. It was like a little flickering light in the distance that we all could recognize. The fleur de lis is a recognizable sign to those of us, who are far away from home as well as those that were trying to rebuild and go back. The city had a visual symbol of New Orleans to hold close to their hearts. The Fleur de lis became a unspeakable common ground for all those who love the big easy.



I remember after the storm when we arrived in Georgia when ever I would see someone with a Fleur de lis shirt or a magnet on their car, I wanted to run up to them and hug them, hold them. And just........I know, I know.



Now a days it seems they are EVERYWHERE. And I'm very particular about my Fleur de lis (my girlfriend Lena knows I get a little nutty about this subject). Sometimes it's hard to share but just like I have taught my children, I know that I have to.



Anyway, this picture is of 3 Fleur de lis decorative balls that I found at Hobby Lobby in November. I fell in love with them at first sight. They represent my 3 Louisiana babies. I used them at Christmas time and decided (with the help of my decoraters, Lena and my 6 year old daughter.....insert laughter here), that we are going to keep them out all year long.

I hope that you get a chance and click on the links. You will learn a little (that's always a good thing.....RIGHT??) and you can get a better understanding for something that is so special to us N'awlins people.

10 of 365 memories (The weekend edition) yes I know its Monday

So I got a little behind this weekend, yea just a little.
I didn't blog at all this weekend, yes daddy I'm SERIOUS!!

Hi Ho Hi Ho, its off to game night we go!!

9 of 365 memories.....

Is this against the Child Labor Laws?

She does get paid in jelly beans :)

8 of 365 memories

Rub a dub dub 2 little piggies in momma's tub!!!

7 of 365 memories.....what a life!

Yeah, this is going to take awhile

I forgot to tell you all that I had two very important blog things happen to me last week. On January 2nd I had my 2 year blogoversary and also this post was my 500th post!

In that post my son was SUPPOSE to be helping his father with HIS snake cage and instead he decided to use painters tape and keep himself busy. The funny part about the whole thing was, when I walked in and saw my son all taped up.
I asked my husband why did you let him do that?
His response...... I didn't even know he was doing it.
Let's forget the fact that they had been the room together for about 20 minutes, lets also forget the fact that Jakob is my chatty child. But I can't forget the fact that, when I needed to tape the walls that evening to paint, I had no tape left!!


Before the holidays when I realized that my 2 year anniversary was coming up and also my 500th post I started trying to think of what I was going to say on those days.....

Whenever I sit down to TRY to make myself blog it doesn't work.

You know what I mean?

When I have had certain thoughts about posting something or have written down little key words through out the day to help me remember something that I want to share, I can make that work.

But me just saying OK girl think of something RIGHT NOW to blog about and make it special and funny, yeah well that's not happening.


I started this blog at the very end of 2006. But didn't publish the first post until January 2 of 2007. (lets just say I had some user technical issues)

My girlfriend Emily told me about this whole "blogging world" in the beginning of 2006. I thought it sounded interesting but also like a lot of work on the computer and me and computers aren't really good combinations. I loved the idea of my family and friends back home being able to see my kids whenever they wanted.

So I thought about it and procrastinated and thought about it some more.
I was a little worried about people in my life seeing my kids, that maybe didn't deserve to see them. I've mentioned on here before about "my sperm donor" I'm sorry if those terms offend anyone. But reality is, it does take SPERM people!
Any way, I haven't had any contact with this person in a very long time. And would like to keep it that way. I don't know what I thought might happen but I didn't like it, whatever it was.

Of course my parents thought I was crazy. Why would you want to put anything about yourself or your kids on THE INTERNET??

So in the beginning my blog was strictly business. It was just a few pictures of the kids from time to time and of course me bragging talking about them.

In that whole first year I went from private blog to not private and then private again. I wasn't really enjoying my blog like I wanted to. And then I started looking around at other blogs. One day I was blog hopping from my girlfriend Heather's blog over to her friend Nikki's blog. Nikki had posted something about this other blog that she was encouraging everyone to look at. She said this woman was going through a tough pregnancy but that she had the most unbelievable faith that she had ever seen. I waited a few weeks and finally checked it out. That was in the middle of March. That first post I read on Angie's blog changed my views on blogs forever. I'm not going to get into her story on here. I have recommended this blog to EVERYONE that I know. Start from the beginning, don't forget to bring a box or 2 of Kleenex and have your heart be opened to a faith that most of us can never imagine.

After I read and went back to the beginning of her story, I started to post little things that I had just saved and not posted.

March 2008 really should be my anniversary because I feel like that was when the real blog started. My blog is titled The Johnson Family tales because for the most part it is about our tales but the other little part is me being able to brag, vent, whine, laugh, cry and do it all, with all of my blogging buddies.

For so many years I stayed home with my kids and never really did much of anything but be a stay at home mom. I wish I would of had access to these resources back then. Being home with your kids gets very lonely. People think they understand but really you don't unless you have done NOTHING but cared for kids. It really is a self less job and the hardest job I will have ever had....

In the past 10 months, I have met so many different mom's through my blog. Elizabeth was the first "blog mom" that I met and I have enjoyed getting to know her and all about her life in Minnesota ( and yes girl, I'm doing my MinneSOTA voice right now :)

Denise is another mom that I love to check in with everyday. Her life is CRAZY and so filled with love and I love to hear all about it!!

I love that I have met mom's from as far away as Alaska.

One thing that I have learned, is that no matter how far away, what age we all are, what size we all are, or how different we all speak. We are all women who love our family's, LOVE to share stories about our families and love having other people to share these things with........

I love to blog and plan on blogging for as long as the Lord lets me!!

When's your blogoversary???

Who's butt?? My butt??

I've been keeping up with my walking and listening to some of my "oldies but goodies" in the process.
Tonight's selection was Digital Underground and The Fugee's.

Believe me, you haven't lived until you have Humpty Danced in the rain.....it was a powerful moment.

Of course not nearly as powerful as me thinking that I can feel the chocolate covered cherries pounds melting away, only to realize that I hadn't double tied the string on my pants and the rain had helped them start to moon people slip down a bit.

Thank goodness I had on a jacket.

My kids play ball at this park.....

I can just see it now, Mrs. Johnson your boys application for baseball has been denied because your rather large white behind was seen by other poor unfortunate members of our community.

We will though be holding on to your registration fee to help with the civil suits that there filing.... Have a nice day.


How are your exercise programs going??

6 of 365 memories.....visions of meatballs danced in her head!

Does you child get this excited for spaghetti and meatballs??

5 of 365 memories.....Mardi Gras mambo!!

4 of 365 memories....mom I'm bored!

My tree is naked and all alone!

Yesterday and today have been one of those lots of little things days.

We got lots of little things done.

I had lots of little conversations with my girlfriend that meant something very big in the end.

Hannah and I read lots of little stories.

You know just one of those quite, easy days.

I attempted to de Christmas my house yesterday.
I got as far as the mutilation of my Christmas tree, I stripped all the ornaments off. And when there was no more humility left I took off the beads and the dove.
That was as much as my heart could take for one day.
I know that I am prolonging taking down the decorations, thinking that I am prolonging the holiday vacation to end.
I am REALLY not ready for our craziness to begin again.
Brian's back to work tomorrow, the kids and I have one more day and then its business as usual.

As I'm stuffing my face right now with chocolate covered cherries I'm formulating a plot.
Brian can build and sell snake houses for a living and I can cook for them, the buyers not the snakes :)

Maybe it is the instant sugar rush I'm getting from the cherries or it might have something to do with these 2 empty Amstel Light bottles that have suddenly appeared on my desk.....

but by God I think this business venture might work!!



Yesterday morning I walked at our local park. When I got there, there was a little bit of a drizzle, by the time I finished my 3 miles, it was a full on rainstorm. I didn't really care that I started to look like a drowned version of Peter Pan.

I had my music playing in my ears (you know the music that I can't listen to with my kids)
Do you all do that?
Do you have music on your MP3 player that you would not DARE listen to in front of your kids or am I the only horrible mother that does that?

Anyway, Kanye West (hey, say what you want about him, but his music really is good!) was blaring in my ears, my heart was pumping, the rain was falling on me and it was WONDERFULLY AWESOME (daddy that one is for you :).

So maybe the rest of the day I was singing, "I ain't sayin she's a gold digger, but she ain't messin with no broke @#$$%!

But I had to have something to help me through the autospy of my Christmas tree!!


So today I finished the de Christmasing process, that would be why I have the 2 empty bottles on my desk.

I'm bummed that it's all coming to an end.

Snake man is leaving us tomorrow and I'm dealing with it in the most mature way I know how....

chocolate and beer!

RUN FOREST RUN!!

On New Years Day my husband and my son Jakob ran in the Atlanta Track club's Resolution race.

What else would it be called on January 1st?

They ran a 1 mile and a 3 mile race. Both were easy for them, Brian and Jakob are going to be joining the track club and they wanted to see one of the races in action.

waiting for daddy and Jakob

here they come! 1 mile down.

SAY CHEESE!

taking a breather before the next race.

HELLL...UR

now that's a REAL smile!!

SMILE MOM!!

lining up for the 5k.

and there off!

5k down!!

He is probably thinking....pizza and then a nap!!

3 of 365 memories...rain, rain go away

Little Ole Me

Back in September I sent an email to the editor of a monthly magazine that our area gets.

I have loved this magazine since we moved here.

It is always a good guide to things happening in our area and has some really good articles that people in our area write.

There are always chefs in the magazine telling their recipes to a fancy dish of some sorts.

I always wondered why they never printed any "regular recipes" that normal (well at least semi normal) people could use.

One day I was telling my girlfriend Lena this and she said well why don't you just ask them.....DUH!!!

So I did.

I told the editor how much I enjoyed the magazine and how after I moved here I relied on it quite a bit for my information to this new and scary land :)

And then I asked here if she ever thought of putting some "regular recipes" in there.

Her response was, what'cha thinking?? Not in those words but something like that.....

So I sent her a few things as an example and she let me know that she thought this was something that her readers would like and they would try and use it in a future issue.

I didn't mean use my exact things, I just meant something like it. Like putting a little buzz in someones ear, you know BUZZ BUZZ!!

She sent me back something to "edit" and asked me to write a little bio and to send a picture.

Yeah that was comical.

I edited out my husband of our Miami picture and said the best I could about myself. (read the bottom of the article to see what I said :)

Well I was pleasantly surprised to see that it landed in there, this month.

My kids think it is SUPER COOL (they really do) and even my hubby got a little gitty with me!

I'm getting brave in my old age and maybe even a little proud.....

2 of 365 memories.....Who's That Girl??

1 of 365 memories......Betty Crocker

On this nasty, wet, cold day we baked.

We Easy Baked Oven baked!

This was my girls finished product!

YUM!!

A picture a day keeps the Leibfritz's away

One of my ALL TIME favorite blogs to read is "notes from the trenches".



Chris, the woman behind the madness has 7 yes 7 children.

Her blog is HONEST and full of good hearted humor. When I found her blog at the beginning of last year, I didn't realize it was one of "THE" blogs that people read.

Since finding her page and following along with her readings, I can now see why it is!



OK enough with the love for the woman that I don't know.....



She posted an idea that I just love.



Picking your favorite picture from that day and doing something with it. (blog, make a book, line your bird cage, whatever you want to do with it)



I take pictures ALMOST everyday.



I know I know I promise, I really do have a life, but it just always seems like there is something that I REALLY REALLY want to remember. And honestly my memory doesn't work as good as it used to.

So taking pictures is kind of my memory. (remember that all you Leibfritz people that don't like my camera :)



So I've decided to try this.



We will see how far it goes.....

LOTS OF THE GOOD STUFF!

Our New Years Eve was filled with LOTS OF.....

GOOD MUSIC

GOOD FOOD

GOOD FRIENDS

GOOD SMILES

GOOD PARTY HATS

GOOD DANCING

GOOD 2 HANDED DRINKS

GOOD CHAMPAGNE TOASTS

GOOD ANTICIPATION (10, 9, 8....)

AND

REALLY

GOOD

MEMORIES!!