Shrinky Dinks, Sweet Nothins', and a Barrel o' Monkeys

If he only knew...

2012-01-11T21:36:00.000-08:00

Luke was a trooper today while he got fitted for his expander, etc. In three weeks they will start cranking (literally) the roof of his mouth open to make space in that tiny mouth for adult teeth. Then a couple weeks after that is braces. If he only knew what was coming!!! Would he be so willing to cooperate?

About a year ago...

2012-01-11T21:26:00.000-08:00

this cute little chubbin' bundle crawled around my house getting the toe tops of his socks dirty! Just remembering...sigh...

Macoroni and Cheese (if you please)...

2012-01-09T18:55:00.000-08:00

Luke loves the mac. Everyday for lunch and sometimes breakfast! So when we heard this song by Bill Harley we had to buy it. Have a listen...

A mom alone...

2012-01-06T19:27:00.000-08:00

What does a mom do when she is left alone for 5 days? I am sure visions of pedicures, hours at the mall and eating out with girlfriends float around in your mind. That, however, is not my report. Although there were a couple themed movie nights (Hugh Grant and Jane Austen) and, thanks to the serendipitous union of a laptop and Hulu+, the viewing of the new show Once Upon a Time, the days were filled with work, work, work! After finishing the basement our home was in upheaval and it was up to me to put it all back together. So I dug deep into my premommy life and miraculously recovered my super-efficient-focused-get-it-done-mode that I thought had been pulled out of me with the placenta of my first born. Nothing was going to stop me from conquering!! (I know you will stop reading now and just look at the pictures and I am okay with that. That is what I would do!!)

Let's start with the garage. When we started the basement we had to move all of our basement life into the garage. It was a whole lotta nothing: a jumbled collection of toys, underused workout equipment and heaps of old school papers to name of few categories. Combined, it was a massive force of stuff that required too much of our time to purchase, slightly use and then toss in the basement to be forgotten forever. Here is the very embarrassing picture of everything when the basement was empty:

All I wanted was to park a car in the garage again (even if it was the small car). After two days of sorting and hualing and donating this is what was left:

And yes, the small car does fit!

So where did all that stuff go? Let me show you! First all of the Christmas decorations came down (on the day after Christmas, I felt like the Grinch) and all the holiday bins were sorted through. Lots in the donation pile!! Then the boys clothing:

I went through every single one of those bins!! Then they joined the food storage and "memory" bins down in the room we refer to as the "broken wall room" which is just a storage room in our basement.

Deep breathe...okay...on to the livingroom, kitchen and bathroom. Now that there is no TV upstairs I reclaimed the livingroom as a quiet room. My friend took our chair and a half (the one which was in mint condition that I found on the side of the road...e.g. "free".) I rearranged it to look like this:

In the kitchen I cleaned out the entire fridge, scrubbed the oven and fixed the drawer that was missing it's front. And in the bath I rearranged Jasper very creative interpretation of an "organized" bathroom drawer. Zeke and the boy's drawer now look a lot better:

The last day was the hardest. I so wanted to blow it all off and scrapbook all day. I knew, however, that I would never have a whole day to focus on these household tasks (realizing that all these projects really just need focus to get them done). I had built my scrapbook filing cubie-thingies during my Hugh Grant fest so those were ready for my over six foot span of paper.

A quick nod here to my Kirkland Chicken Thigh box from Costco that I have loving stored my scrapbook paper in for the past 4 years. You were wonderful in your time. I so enjoyed how you held my paper. You really were the perfect size. Who knew that day at Costco when I needed you to haul all of my odd, obnoxiously large dairy and meat products that you would become such an integral part of my life. I was very sad to see you go but you just didn't fit in my beautiful new basement. (I know I have a picture of said box but can't find it in my ten-thousand plus pictures.)

Then it was onto the dreaded back entry way closet. How I loath this closet. Stuff is always falling down off the shelf. We can never find our shoes or, at least, both parts to the pair. And our plastic grocery bags (that I always have the best of intention of bringing to Target to be recycled into those neat park benches) take over the floor and force everything else out so we have to hire a small skid loader to shove everything back in just to be able to close the door. Surprisingly, all the closet needed was one more storage container from Ikea and a good cleaning. Here was the end result:

Whew!! I know I did a lot more than this but just writing about it has made me tired. As any stay at home mom can attest, it doesn't really matter WHAT you do with your time, if you can get even one day alone in your home, even if you just sit on the couch and stare at the wall, you will feel at least rejuvinated. A few hours, or days, into it, sadly enough, you will realize it doesn't matter how much time your are given...you will never get it all done!!

The Larsons

2011-12-04T06:54:00.000-08:00

An afternoon off...

2011-10-15T16:32:00.000-07:00

and I come home to this! At least the boys have had a happy time with dad!

I heart fall...

2011-10-10T19:39:00.000-07:00

Everyone loves fall...including me. When I was young I innocently loved it because my birthday was in the fall (I still love it for that reason!). Now that I am older fall has taken me hostage with its color changing, warm food, crisp air, and golden sunshine. Here are some of my favorite pictures from our fall so far...

The perfect fall puddle! With the perfect little 18 month old running through it!

A sneak peek at our family pictures! I have a really weird face but everyone else is perfect.

Camping with the cub scouts...

Me and Zeke

2011-10-08T21:17:00.000-07:00

Doodoo Geek and his prodigy...

2011-09-27T19:17:00.000-07:00

When Zeke was little he loved to wear a strainer on his head. He called himself Doodoo Geek!

Then came Isaac (24 years later). Isaac the Colander Caper. (Not the same strainer but you get it right?!)

At some point we were given the blessed strainer that Zeke donned as a child. Then we had Luke and Lukie the Pacie Avenger was born...

Yesterday I caught Jasper following suit...we need a name. Any thoughts?

Smells like pizza...

2011-09-27T17:48:00.001-07:00

So lets just say that a certain someone (not Meagan) tooted in the office. Luke walked in a couple seconds later and said, "Ummm, something smells good in here! Smells like pizza!"

The sisters week...

2011-08-27T21:40:00.000-07:00

So much fun with my sisters and their kids during our trip home. I could never get sick of this crazy crew! Highlights: corn dogs and cheese curds, skipping rocks, Modern Family, painting, babies and their bottles, underwater pictures, llamas, "Evelyn thinks in Arabic..." and on and on!!

family bliss...

2011-08-03T19:48:00.000-07:00

We love to visit Gramma Sue in Minnesota in the summer. Trampolines, cousins, cows, frogs, long grass, cool mornings, guns, gravel roads, yummy food, scrapbooking, runs to town, starry nights, and more cousins!

Hungry Little Birdies...

2011-06-16T20:55:00.000-07:00

First day of summer and we are already finding crazy things to do!

cupcakes make the world go round...

2011-03-18T12:08:00.000-07:00

Catching a leprechaun...

2011-03-17T20:14:00.000-07:00

or attempting to anyway!

So he wants to feed himself...

2011-03-13T13:03:00.000-07:00

we will see how long that lasts!

Forbidden Fruit...

2011-02-18T11:16:00.000-08:00

Jasper just can't resist a pile of Legos.

Pokemon Valentines

2011-02-13T14:45:00.000-08:00

Zeke came up with the sayings...I designed them (with Isaac's help) on Picasa!

Not ready...

2011-02-10T07:02:00.000-08:00

for this!!!

Big Brothers...

2011-02-02T21:47:00.000-08:00

Cabin Fever...

2011-02-02T20:02:00.000-08:00

As is typical, us all being in the house for a day because of the snow, led to some scuffles. At one point, Isaac and Luke got into it. Luke walked (well, cried) away with a large scrape on his arm and Isaac ended up without DS privileges for two weeks. Later that night we asked Isaac if he apologized for hurting Luke. In response Isaac said, "But that was an accident. I meant to punch him and the pencil I was holding got in the way!" Heaven help us.

My three sons...

2011-01-22T14:17:00.000-08:00

And so it begins...

2011-01-15T18:23:00.000-08:00

11 years ago...

2011-01-08T09:30:00.000-08:00

Lots of Birthdays?

2010-12-18T08:59:00.001-08:00

Luke and I were shopping at Target the other day along with a whole lotta last minute Christmas shoppers. When we were in the toy section (it was allowance day) Luke noticed that there were a lot of carts full of toys being pushed around. He very casually commented "There must be a lot of birthday parties right now." Just as one who believed in Santa should assume!

Hockey makes us happy...

2010-12-18T08:43:00.000-08:00

Jasper's very appropriate reaction when Hockey played on Pandora. Hockey makes me smile too!

Merry Christmas (again!)

2010-12-17T19:08:00.000-08:00

See all this?

2010-12-11T10:47:00.000-08:00

It's a mess! And for some odd reason I don't mind!

Jasper's first Christmas!

2010-12-11T10:41:00.000-08:00

Merry Christmas!!

2010-12-03T14:13:00.000-08:00

Self Explanatory...

2010-10-31T18:58:00.000-07:00

Happy Accident...

2010-10-23T18:55:00.001-07:00

I was so glad that I accidentally pressed the button. What a great "sum up" picture for my birthday shopping trip that Zeke and I took together.

Respect the monster...

2010-10-12T14:41:00.000-07:00

Hide and Seek...

2010-10-12T14:33:00.000-07:00

Compare and Contrast...

2010-10-12T14:16:00.000-07:00

Our roots:

two lane county roads, corn field horizons, passing tractors

Our branches:

construction, eight lane tollways, sea of cars

Bonfire...

2010-10-12T14:06:00.000-07:00

a Johnson family tradition!

September "What are we doing right now..."

2010-10-12T13:53:00.000-07:00

Waiting patiently for the time change...
Celebrating Jasper's 6 month birthday!
Baking too much...
Coming down from nearly six weeks of Cub Scout organizing...
Loving our new turtle and hermit crab friends...
Recovering from a very busy Thursday...
Roasting marshmallows and camping in our backyard...
What we do every Friday night...eat pizza and watch Scooby-Doo...
Trying to plan a "spend nothing" Labor Day weekend...it is hard...
Trying to decide if we should buzz Isaac's hair short again or let it grow out...
Sticking strictly to the breakfast menu and 8 pm bedtime...
Getting in the school groove...

Our Magic House

2010-09-23T10:36:00.000-07:00

Zeke told me this morning that our house is magical! He will pull the last pair of socks from his drawer one morning and then the next morning, when he opens the same drawer, it will be full of socks! And when he leaves his empty shaving cream can on the bathroom counter the next morning it will be gone and, magically, a new one appears in his bathroom drawer! Sometimes, on the most magical days, he comes home late from work and there is a plate of cookies on the kitchen counter and a plate of food in the microwave waiting for him! Amazing!! Maybe, just maybe, the next time I open my jewelry box my I will magically find new diamond earrings!

He ate it all...

2010-09-23T10:26:00.000-07:00

and then attempted to eat his washcloth and the camera!

Peach Fuzz

2010-09-22T13:08:00.000-07:00

He has hair! (and beautiful demin blue eyes, super long eyelashes and a contagious smile!)

Some prefer...

2010-09-17T10:53:00.001-07:00

Some prefer Quicken...to complicated for me! Others, Excel...=SUM(what!)! Maybe a check ledger...if you're 70! Just give me the back of an envelop and I can stay as organized as can be. (In budget, however, is an entirely different question!)

Our New Friends!

2010-09-14T09:13:00.001-07:00

Welcome to the family Sheldon, Napoleon, and Yoda!

The park is open!

2010-09-03T15:56:00.000-07:00

Finally...after two long years...of watching our favorite park be torn apart...of being held up by construction trucks...of having to walk five blocks to Prince Pond...of wondering when...Washington Park has reopened...and it is wonderful!

The view...

2010-09-03T15:36:00.000-07:00

from our office chair on a Friday evening.

Mango-a-go-go

2010-08-30T20:19:00.000-07:00

For some odd reason I get a visual buzz when I pop open a sliced mango. All of the little mango-ettes standing at attention. Beautiful, bright orange symmetry.

What we are doing...August 2010

2010-08-30T20:11:00.001-07:00

Enjoying a very quiet, clean home while Isaac and Luke are at Grammas...
Waiting around for school to start...
Trying out hybrid diapers...
Picking too many cucumbers from our garden (and eating them)...
Making lots and lots of home made icecream...
The farmers market...
Constantly feeding a growing Luke...
Getting used to a new calling (Zeke in bishopric)...
Relandscaping the back yard...
Swimming at the Lisle Pool...

Should I be concerned?

2010-08-30T20:08:00.000-07:00

1st Day...

2010-08-29T11:09:00.000-07:00

He is growing too fast!!

A little space...

2010-08-19T16:05:00.000-07:00

...makes everybody HAPPY!! The boys are at gramma's and Jasper and I are left to our own devices. We walk, we play, we swing, we scrap, we get a heck of a lot done!!

So lucky to have you!

2010-08-15T16:58:00.000-07:00

You have been through a lot in your short 8 years but your persistence and tenacity never fail you! Now you have a new hurdle and you are ready to tackle it! Take it on with all the diligence and energy we know you possess and you will keep on shining our little Sparks!!

Aquarium Mode

2010-08-11T09:19:00.000-07:00

Thank you Aquarium Mode...I finally have some good pictures from the aquarium!

Obviously...

2010-08-11T09:00:00.000-07:00

Mom: Hey Lukie, why are you all wet?

Luke: Because of the water!

Sandwiched

2010-08-10T14:49:00.000-07:00

That is what I am! This summer, despite all our efforts, Isaac and Luke have been not falling asleep until 9 or 9:30 pm. Baby J is usually up at 5:30 am. So I am stuck with 8 hours to fill all my scrapbooking/blogging/emailing/movie watching, needs not to mention get the 9 hours of sleep that I need to be a fully functioning adult. Let's just say that I have not had a very restful summer (and it is not because I have a four month old!)

As local as it gets

2010-08-09T20:39:00.001-07:00

I have never seen a zucchini grow so big or pulled so many cukes off of the vine (over 20 so far). The one advantage of a hot, wet, muggy summer...a large produce section right in the backyard!

Pomplamoose

2010-08-09T20:20:00.000-07:00

That's right Pomplamoose...it's French for grapefruit (although they spelled it wrong...it is supposed to be pamplemousse) and I am addicted! Check them out! My favorites are "Expiration Date", "Little Things", and their cover of "September" by Earth, Wind, and Fire.

ps...in my next life can I please be as cute as Nataly Dawn?!

Takin' It Easy in ChiTown

2010-08-07T22:17:00.000-07:00

An easy going Saturday in Chicago with Zeke's parents and brother Tucker...

Yes...they really are this cute!

2010-08-07T22:08:00.001-07:00

The three musketeers, my three sons, the three amigos, what ever you want to refer to them as! They are all mine...they drive me nuts most of the time...but I love them none the less!

So yummy...

2010-08-07T21:44:00.000-07:00

If he were a cake, it would be lemon chiffon with a sweet lemon glaze. If he were an ice cream, it would be peaches and cream in a waffle cone. The sweetest fresh picked corn, a tomato off of the vine...he is a little slice of heaven between two pieces of heaven with an extra helping of heaven on the side.

When the Halloween candy runs out...

2009-11-04T14:29:00.000-08:00

We have donated it, forced it upon our neighbors, and gorged ourselves with Halloween candy and now it almost gone and I am relieved. Some take the "moderation" approach to Halloween candy, restricting themselves to only a few pieces a day and making it last until Easter. I was somewhat envious of these types when I was a child. But I just didn't understand how they could let there candy just sit there, so pretty in their buckets and bags, unwrapped and uneaten. It is a shame, actually. Candy, in my mind, is not given to us to just look at. And now as a mom, moderation is still not my strongest trait. I allow the boys (and myself) full access to that candy until it is gone and it is usually gone in less than a week. Yes, I do gain a couple pounds the week after Halloween but it is only the start to a really fun holiday season filled with baking and eating and eating and baking! There is always New Year's resolutions...right? But that is still one birthday and two holidays away!!