a little slideshow for your viewing...
Monday, December 21, 2009
those special moments in 2009
this has been a WONDERFUL year! before we jump into 2010, i thought it'd be appropriate to highlight a few special moments that could easily get lost in the memory banks without a gentle reminder...
a little slideshow for your viewing...
a little slideshow for your viewing...
Monday, December 7, 2009
Saturday, November 28, 2009
oh, christmas tree, oh, christmas tree...!
today was a VERY special day. josh and i chose, brought home, lit up, and decorated our very first christmas tree together! we had so much fun...!
this years "theme" was humor :-) we went shopping for our decorations about a week ago, and had no clue where to start. we started picking up ornaments from the shelf, and some of them just made us giggle. sooooooo, we threw them in the cart, and that became the theme! if it made us laugh, it found it's way onto the tree!
josh with coca cola santa
of course we had to include june in the festivities.
this years "theme" was humor :-) we went shopping for our decorations about a week ago, and had no clue where to start. we started picking up ornaments from the shelf, and some of them just made us giggle. sooooooo, we threw them in the cart, and that became the theme! if it made us laugh, it found it's way onto the tree!
josh with coca cola santa
of course we had to include june in the festivities. an annoying jingle bell collar was just the thing!
ooooo, so romantic... our first christmas!
the finished tree!
here we go! the fun ornaments! cookie monster... looking sharp.
the reindeer playing a trumpet became our "angel" and is sitting atop our tree :-)
ooooo, so romantic... our first christmas!the finished tree!
here we go! the fun ornaments! cookie monster... looking sharp.
the reindeer playing a trumpet became our "angel" and is sitting atop our tree :-) and the pig? SO random...
seriously, the reindeer (that looks like a donkey) and the zebra CRACK ME UP!
bulldozer: AWESOME. ballerina frog...REALLY?
NYC taxi...YES! love the old car and the school bus :-)
seriously, the reindeer (that looks like a donkey) and the zebra CRACK ME UP!
bulldozer: AWESOME. ballerina frog...REALLY? 
NYC taxi...YES! love the old car and the school bus :-) favorite places: our backyard
sometimes (okay, more often than not) i get frustrated with the fact that we live in a little 2 bedroom condo, and not some great big house with a yard, garage, 4 bedrooms, 3 bathrooms, two stories, living room, dining room, island in the kitchen, 5-peice master bath, guest rooms, etc. (thank you HGTV for reminding me of this desire every day i watch you and your House Hunters marathons....) but when push comes to shove, we have plenty of space in our little cozy place. june, on the other hand, could perhaps use some stairs to keep her in shape, but that will come in time.
i've begun to think of our condo complex as our ENTIRE house. the front gate? well, that's like our gate at the end of our huge property. our walk from the car to the front door? well, that's as if our garage was huge and far from the kitchen. and the park behind our house? well, that's our backyard!!
we live right next to Sheep Hills Park. there is one large hill, a playground, 2 soccer fields, a baseball field, a sidewalk path, and some dirt paths that extend through aliso viejo canyons. we literally sneak out between two of the buildings on our property and we are right there, smack dab in the middle of the hill. as soon as we break through the buildings, we let june off the leash and she's free to roam. as soon as she sees a dog or a bunny, however, it's back on the leash for her. she's not THAT well trained...
we visit the park at least once a day. whether its for a walk around the paved loop or a 20 min playtime for june off the leash, we have found that this park is really one of our favorite places.
seeing as how it's the holiday weekend, and josh, june, and i have EXTRA playtime with each other. this morning, we threw on some hats and jackets, made some coffee, and made our way to the park. it was empty, which was a real treat because june could hang off the leash the entire time. the fluffy clouds, changing tree colors, and fallen leaves made for a beautiful sight this morning. i grabbed the camera and took a few shots of our morning. what a way to start the day!
the view of our house from the park. yup, it's that close!
i've begun to think of our condo complex as our ENTIRE house. the front gate? well, that's like our gate at the end of our huge property. our walk from the car to the front door? well, that's as if our garage was huge and far from the kitchen. and the park behind our house? well, that's our backyard!!
we live right next to Sheep Hills Park. there is one large hill, a playground, 2 soccer fields, a baseball field, a sidewalk path, and some dirt paths that extend through aliso viejo canyons. we literally sneak out between two of the buildings on our property and we are right there, smack dab in the middle of the hill. as soon as we break through the buildings, we let june off the leash and she's free to roam. as soon as she sees a dog or a bunny, however, it's back on the leash for her. she's not THAT well trained...
we visit the park at least once a day. whether its for a walk around the paved loop or a 20 min playtime for june off the leash, we have found that this park is really one of our favorite places.
seeing as how it's the holiday weekend, and josh, june, and i have EXTRA playtime with each other. this morning, we threw on some hats and jackets, made some coffee, and made our way to the park. it was empty, which was a real treat because june could hang off the leash the entire time. the fluffy clouds, changing tree colors, and fallen leaves made for a beautiful sight this morning. i grabbed the camera and took a few shots of our morning. what a way to start the day!
the view of our house from the park. yup, it's that close!
playing around with each other... 
and of course, a family shot :-) 
Tuesday, November 24, 2009
Inside Me A Lunatic Sings
Music is a big part of my life. Ever since I can remember there have been certain songs, albums, and artists that can take me back to a specific memory or move me in a way that I haven't been moved in a long time. These moments are better than pictures because I can feel the emotion that went along with each time and remember the surrounding context much better than I can when looking at a picture. These moments aren't a snapshot of an instance, but rather a genuine recollection of the moment in time.
Ever since June decided she wanted to listen to my iPod (by chewing on it) while I wasn't home one day it has had issues. The play button doesn't really work all that well and it will occasionally stop playing altogether until I reset it, so I decided to take it to work and just "shuffle" it all day so I don't have to deal with it stopping every time I change the album. I bring it Monday morning, press shuffle, and don't touch it until it's time to go home on Friday evening. Kind of like my own personal radio station while at the office.
This afternoon I was busy working and suddenly was transported back in time to just over nine months ago. February 21st, 2009 in fact; Our wedding day. As soon as I heard the song I stopped working and just closed my eyes to listen and experience the memories. It wasn't that long ago, but it felt as great today as it did then.
The best part about this song was that it almost wasn't played at our wedding. While Gigi and I were searching for songs to be played for different times at the wedding, I sent her the lyrics for this song and she loved them. Then I played her the song and she said, "Those aren't the lyrics you sent me." She was right... sort of. I sent her the English lyrics, but the song is sung in Icelandic. Sneaky... I know. But with a lot of talking I convinced her that even though the song was in a different language, it was the perfect song for the moment. Although, until the moment actually happened she still didn't really believe me. You can ask her what she thinks now. Go ahead, I'll wait...
Anyway, this song makes me smile every time I hear it and so I thought it would be fun to share the video and it's lyrics...it's English lyrics to give everyone a little taste of what was going through my mind as I stood in front of God and everyone waiting to kiss my new bride.
Inside me a lunatic sings
On a silver river
You illuminate the whole world and blue eyes
Cut the starry sky
I make a wish and close my eyes
Yes do that, now begins the story
Oh no
At lightspeed
Inside a heart explodes, an airplane crash
Down on the earth sings
I make a wish and close my eyes
Yes do that, a silly dance
All is forgotten in very little time and yet begins
Open eyes
Oh no
My best friend no matter whatever happens
I swallow tears and breathe hair
A bad break, we cry in each other arms
When we meet
When we kiss
The lips burning, we hold hands
I see you wake
I see you naked
Inside me a lunatic sings
Always rushing, we run quickly
Everything becomes smaller
I scream louder
I'm with a shell, going away
My best friend no matter whatever happens
A bad break, we cry in each others arms
I swallow tears and breathe hair
When we meet
When we kiss
The lips burning, we hold hands
I see you wake
I see you naked
Inside me a lunatic sings
Sunday, November 15, 2009
ho-ho-ho-holidays!
ahhhh, yes, it's here. HOLIDAY SEASON! halloween came and went, and thanksgiving and christmas are right around the corner.
..........AND I AM SO EXCITED!
this year has brought many firsts... first time getting married (*disclaimer, this will ONLY happen once...!), first time sharing a room with a boyyyyyyy (ew...), first time being an aunt (YAY!), first time roadtripping across the western US (amazingggg), first time being a bridesmaid, first time cooking more than twice in one week... the list could go on. but what i've been most excited about for a few months now is knowing that josh and i get to enjoy the holiday season as husband and wife (and dog...of course) for the first time!
this is the year we get the opportunity to create our own little family traditions. whether it be a certain holiday movie on christmas eve, a crackling fire on the chilliest of nights, a sugar-cookie baking spree, the hanging of christmas lights, the decorating of a christmas tree, or even just a week of self-mandated annoying christmas carol-singing, we'll be engaging in our new traditions purposefully and intentionally--as this will be the FIRST of MANY.
i'm sure i have a few high hopes for the season, but josh and i will take some time to make sure we know what each other's expectations are, just to be sure we don't catch the other off guard with rediculous christmas desires. for example, i've daydreamed about redecorating our entire kitchen with RED placemats, GOLD table runners, and a whole new festive place setting at each seat at the dining room table, but he doesn't know it, yet. i'll probably tell him, and he'll probably(and by "probably" i mean "definitely") shoot it down, but at least i can stop the daydreaming and move on with my life! he's already dropped a few HINTS that he wants his "nightmare before christmas" collectables strategically scattered around the house during the month of december, and i've decided that's a battle i'm not going to fight this year :-) good wife, i know... (actually, i am quite the fan of the movie, and his collection IS somewhat impressive...)
when all is said and done, our holiday season will probably end up being simple and reasonable. and i'm glad. the holidays aren't about "keeping up with the jones'", they aren't about getting the best gifts, or even giving the best gifts, they aren't about who has the best decorations or whose lights shine the brightest after 10pm. the holidays are about the little, planned and unplanned, family traditions. they are about how each family chooses to spend time with each other. they are about celebrating the birth of Jesus with those you love most. they are about the little special moments spent together. this new family of ours will be busy with a year of first-time traditions this holiday season, figuring out how we best show our love to each other, and how we most gracefully praise Him, and i couldn't be more excited!
june, get your ears ready for some faux reindeer antlers! the nonsense is about to begin! :-)
..........AND I AM SO EXCITED!
this year has brought many firsts... first time getting married (*disclaimer, this will ONLY happen once...!), first time sharing a room with a boyyyyyyy (ew...), first time being an aunt (YAY!), first time roadtripping across the western US (amazingggg), first time being a bridesmaid, first time cooking more than twice in one week... the list could go on. but what i've been most excited about for a few months now is knowing that josh and i get to enjoy the holiday season as husband and wife (and dog...of course) for the first time!
this is the year we get the opportunity to create our own little family traditions. whether it be a certain holiday movie on christmas eve, a crackling fire on the chilliest of nights, a sugar-cookie baking spree, the hanging of christmas lights, the decorating of a christmas tree, or even just a week of self-mandated annoying christmas carol-singing, we'll be engaging in our new traditions purposefully and intentionally--as this will be the FIRST of MANY.
i'm sure i have a few high hopes for the season, but josh and i will take some time to make sure we know what each other's expectations are, just to be sure we don't catch the other off guard with rediculous christmas desires. for example, i've daydreamed about redecorating our entire kitchen with RED placemats, GOLD table runners, and a whole new festive place setting at each seat at the dining room table, but he doesn't know it, yet. i'll probably tell him, and he'll probably(and by "probably" i mean "definitely") shoot it down, but at least i can stop the daydreaming and move on with my life! he's already dropped a few HINTS that he wants his "nightmare before christmas" collectables strategically scattered around the house during the month of december, and i've decided that's a battle i'm not going to fight this year :-) good wife, i know... (actually, i am quite the fan of the movie, and his collection IS somewhat impressive...)
when all is said and done, our holiday season will probably end up being simple and reasonable. and i'm glad. the holidays aren't about "keeping up with the jones'", they aren't about getting the best gifts, or even giving the best gifts, they aren't about who has the best decorations or whose lights shine the brightest after 10pm. the holidays are about the little, planned and unplanned, family traditions. they are about how each family chooses to spend time with each other. they are about celebrating the birth of Jesus with those you love most. they are about the little special moments spent together. this new family of ours will be busy with a year of first-time traditions this holiday season, figuring out how we best show our love to each other, and how we most gracefully praise Him, and i couldn't be more excited!
june, get your ears ready for some faux reindeer antlers! the nonsense is about to begin! :-)
Tuesday, November 10, 2009
the results of last night's efforts
sweet and sour chicken and white rice :-)
soooooo yummy!!
...and how about that fire in the background, courtesy of my man! such a good monday night...
by the way, thanks for the many recipes i've already received! can't wait to cook 'em and share 'em again...
tonight... spaghetti... a johnson family recipe!!
soooooo yummy!!
...and how about that fire in the background, courtesy of my man! such a good monday night...
by the way, thanks for the many recipes i've already received! can't wait to cook 'em and share 'em again...
tonight... spaghetti... a johnson family recipe!!
Monday, November 9, 2009
lessons learned
8 months of married life and it's finally come time to start cooking at home more often, and going out to eat less often. i know, i know, it's tragic. i'll give you a moment to be sad :-(
okay, moment over.
in the past two weeks of this "cook-at-home-.........adventure.....", i've learned a few things--imagine that! saturday, i learned that i don't like dill weed. not only is that a much better nickname for an idiot than for a spice, but it just has an entirely overwhelming (not-so-great-in-large-quantities) taste. turns out josh doesn't really like it either. anyone need a jar of dill weed??? i've learned that you CAN indeed leave chicken in a crockpot for too long. it turns into chicken mush. no one likes their chicken mushy. no one. a few weeks ago i learned that parsley may be the most amazing green food i know of, after green peanut butter m&m's, of course (chimichurri sauce is a new favorite). oh, i also learned that although you can add garlic to just about anything to make it edible (in my mind), josh's taste buds don't work the same way as mine. who'd'a'thunk it?!
with these lessons learned, and others, i'm beginning to find the joy in cooking. obviously, cooking is more fun on the days the meals turn out good, but i think i could get used to this.
josh and i are planning to cook together tonight. YAY, YAY, YAY! cooking becomes 9 times as fun when it's with my guy. don't rub your eyes, you read right... NINE TIMES AS FUN! ;-) we've been blessed with a little "gem" of a kitchen. it's great cause for some incredible gymnastics. the maneuvers we pull to get around each other can often be entertainment to those watching (june). i'll duck, he'll grab the bowl, i'll stand and shut the cabinet (okay, okay, let's all be honest, i leave cabinet doors open--josh will probably be the one to shut it), he'll move his legs, i'll reach for the pan in the bottom drawer and pass it to him, i'll open the fridge, he'll grab the milk and pour it into the measuring cup i'm holding, etc. etc. it's all too much fun to be in a 4x6 space working together...........!
now...to determine who will clean..............
got any good recipes? please share!! email me :-)
bothjohnson@gmail.com
okay, moment over.
in the past two weeks of this "cook-at-home-.........adventure.....", i've learned a few things--imagine that! saturday, i learned that i don't like dill weed. not only is that a much better nickname for an idiot than for a spice, but it just has an entirely overwhelming (not-so-great-in-large-quantities) taste. turns out josh doesn't really like it either. anyone need a jar of dill weed??? i've learned that you CAN indeed leave chicken in a crockpot for too long. it turns into chicken mush. no one likes their chicken mushy. no one. a few weeks ago i learned that parsley may be the most amazing green food i know of, after green peanut butter m&m's, of course (chimichurri sauce is a new favorite). oh, i also learned that although you can add garlic to just about anything to make it edible (in my mind), josh's taste buds don't work the same way as mine. who'd'a'thunk it?!
with these lessons learned, and others, i'm beginning to find the joy in cooking. obviously, cooking is more fun on the days the meals turn out good, but i think i could get used to this.
josh and i are planning to cook together tonight. YAY, YAY, YAY! cooking becomes 9 times as fun when it's with my guy. don't rub your eyes, you read right... NINE TIMES AS FUN! ;-) we've been blessed with a little "gem" of a kitchen. it's great cause for some incredible gymnastics. the maneuvers we pull to get around each other can often be entertainment to those watching (june). i'll duck, he'll grab the bowl, i'll stand and shut the cabinet (okay, okay, let's all be honest, i leave cabinet doors open--josh will probably be the one to shut it), he'll move his legs, i'll reach for the pan in the bottom drawer and pass it to him, i'll open the fridge, he'll grab the milk and pour it into the measuring cup i'm holding, etc. etc. it's all too much fun to be in a 4x6 space working together...........!
now...to determine who will clean..............
got any good recipes? please share!! email me :-)
bothjohnson@gmail.com
Friday, November 6, 2009
theMOMMAS & thePAPPAS
it's official. i've hit that point in my life where "all my friends are having babies". the "getting married thing came and went, and this next phase is, not surprisingly, more fun to shop for!! :-)
most recently, my brother and sister in law, mark and jessica, had baby joel in september. joel aaron kerns is THE CUTEST BABY BOY EVER and already keeping up first place as best-nephew-everrrr! you may remember him from the johnson family photo shoot, but here's a more recent photo of the kerns family, pumpkin and all!!
our good friends brian and jana harrelson are expecting baby number 1, hunter thomas harrelson, right around thanksgiving! we'll all be eating 10 pound turkey as the harrelsons wait anxiously to meet their 7 or 8 pound new addition. i've already seen a 4d sonogram of him (didn't even know they did that...) and he's beautiful. i cannot wait to meet him!
my bestie, kristy, and her hubby, jj, are welcoming baby #3 (yes, i said 3) in february. after already having two sweet, sweet little boys, braylon and jaxten, the sola family gets to welcome a little girl, taytum faith sola. you can imagine the excitement of a little girl in a house full of tough boys!!
to all you moms and dads, we are so thankful to get to be a part of your lives as we watch your families grow. thanks for being our freinds, and remember, we are praying for you and your lovely families!!
most recently, my brother and sister in law, mark and jessica, had baby joel in september. joel aaron kerns is THE CUTEST BABY BOY EVER and already keeping up first place as best-nephew-everrrr! you may remember him from the johnson family photo shoot, but here's a more recent photo of the kerns family, pumpkin and all!!
our good friends brian and jana harrelson are expecting baby number 1, hunter thomas harrelson, right around thanksgiving! we'll all be eating 10 pound turkey as the harrelsons wait anxiously to meet their 7 or 8 pound new addition. i've already seen a 4d sonogram of him (didn't even know they did that...) and he's beautiful. i cannot wait to meet him!
my bestie, kristy, and her hubby, jj, are welcoming baby #3 (yes, i said 3) in february. after already having two sweet, sweet little boys, braylon and jaxten, the sola family gets to welcome a little girl, taytum faith sola. you can imagine the excitement of a little girl in a house full of tough boys!!
to all you moms and dads, we are so thankful to get to be a part of your lives as we watch your families grow. thanks for being our freinds, and remember, we are praying for you and your lovely families!!
Thursday, October 15, 2009
eye candy... colorado road trip 2009
0ur trip to colorado and back included travel through california, nevada, arizona, utah, colorado, and new mexico. josh and i both agreed that utah hit a homerun when it came to overall beauty, but we also fell in love with the gorgeous sites of colorado and arizona. getting out and hitting the open road for a week was relaxing, exciting, inspiring, and amazing. with a few stops at national parks (bryce canyon, grand canyon, zion, and arches) and a few drives through national forests and landmarks (fishlake, pikes, moab, and the rocky mountains), we were constantly reminded of the endless beauty intentionally created by God. after every turn, and up ahead each mile, another gorge, valley, mountain, hill, canyon, river, or lake would appear. the green trees were greener than usual, the yellow leaves were bright yellow, and the sky-spanning rainbows were clearer from end to end than ever before. i don’t know if our eye for landscape was a little sharper, as the focus of our trip to go out and “see” all the incredible sights, or if it truly was that gorgeous… either way, we so enjoyed the driving and the sightseeing, that i can only hope that some of these pictures give the sights we saw half the credit they deserve.
@ arches national park
@ the grand canyon
arizona
colorado
mountain towns in colorado
the colorado river drive
our tunnel ;-)
leaving colorado
@ arches national park
@ the grand canyon
arizona
colorado
mountain towns in colorado
the colorado river drive
our tunnel ;-)
leaving colorado
Sunday, October 11, 2009
Don't forget to pack the dog!
Traveling with a dog is, well, different, than traveling without a dog. HOWEVER, it is SO MUCH FUN! We took June to Colorado with us this past week, and that lucky dog hit 6 states in 8 days! She absolutely loves car rides, and I think she really enjoyed being with Josh and I 24/7. Here's some advice for those that plan to road trip with a dog (we learned a lot and thought we'd share):
1) Definitely get a pet friendly hotel. They may charge a few bucks to have your pup there, but I couldn't imaging trying to sneak a dog into a hotel room.
2) Get two beds in the room. Your puppy can enjoy the other (shhhhh)...
3) Two words: Poop Bags
4) Bring something from home. June really stuck to her routine of "going to her bed" as soon as she realized where we put it. I think it helped keep things consistent.
5) Leave LOTS of space in the car. June had a place to sleep, along with a few areas she could walk around in, if she needed to stretch out. It really kept her from going stir crazy--she lasted about 12 hours a day in the car!
6) Water, water, water, especially in high altitude areas! This pup definitely got a little spoiled this week, but it's a one time thing...
1) Definitely get a pet friendly hotel. They may charge a few bucks to have your pup there, but I couldn't imaging trying to sneak a dog into a hotel room.
2) Get two beds in the room. Your puppy can enjoy the other (shhhhh)...
3) Two words: Poop Bags
4) Bring something from home. June really stuck to her routine of "going to her bed" as soon as she realized where we put it. I think it helped keep things consistent.
5) Leave LOTS of space in the car. June had a place to sleep, along with a few areas she could walk around in, if she needed to stretch out. It really kept her from going stir crazy--she lasted about 12 hours a day in the car!
6) Water, water, water, especially in high altitude areas! This pup definitely got a little spoiled this week, but it's a one time thing...
It's Sola Time!
Josh and I took this past week off to hit the road for a few hours (40+ hours, actually) to go visit our friends in Colorado. Kristy, her husband, JJ, and their two boys, Braylon (2 1/2) and Jaxten (1) moved to Fountain, Colorado in July. JJ has been stationed at Fort Carson, just outside of Colorado Springs, and the Sola Family has really made a nice life for themselves out there. Kristy is pregnant with baby #3 (a girl, this time), so we thought we'd go say hi and spend a week in the life of the Sola Family prior to the chaos of the 3rd little one! Actually...we can't wait to meet her!
We spent the week playing with the boys, hanging out with Kristy and JJ, catching up on life, hitting local hot spots and parks, going out for some yummy food, and enjoying the cool Colorado air. June came with us, so the boys had a new friend to play with for a week. Braylon thought it was so cool to have a "Fruff Fruff" live with him for a week, but he was pretty sad to see her go. As a matter of fact, he was sad to have to go to sleep at night, and on various occassions woke up during the night looking/crying for the dog. So cute, but I hope he's adjusted okay since we left.
Jaxy & Bray
Playing around with Mom!
Check out this crew!
Josh and Bray playing Monkeys!
Big bro feeding little bro some ice cream!
Little man. Such a sweetie.
Tackle time! 
Jaxy: quite the book worm!
Sweet family! Bye guys--thank you so much!
We spent the week playing with the boys, hanging out with Kristy and JJ, catching up on life, hitting local hot spots and parks, going out for some yummy food, and enjoying the cool Colorado air. June came with us, so the boys had a new friend to play with for a week. Braylon thought it was so cool to have a "Fruff Fruff" live with him for a week, but he was pretty sad to see her go. As a matter of fact, he was sad to have to go to sleep at night, and on various occassions woke up during the night looking/crying for the dog. So cute, but I hope he's adjusted okay since we left.
Jaxy & Bray
Playing around with Mom!Check out this crew!Josh and Bray playing Monkeys! Big bro feeding little bro some ice cream! Little man. Such a sweetie.Tackle time! 
Jaxy: quite the book worm!
Sweet family! Bye guys--thank you so much!
Friday, September 25, 2009
FAMFAM
I have been extremely blessed by a wonderful family. My mom, my dad, my brother, and my sister have all been so influential to me in my life. My memories of childhood are all positive, and I can barely remember fighting with my brother and sister, although they'll be the first to tell me that it wasn't all that rare of an occurence. These days, we all live within 30 minutes of each other and are lucky enough to share the occassional dinner, weekend barbeque, movie, and shopping trips. It's no question that we always celebrate birthdays and holidays together--to not would be a crime! And the best part is, I LOVE my family. My funny, crazy, nosy, sweet, knowing family will forever have my utmost love and respect. All 4 of them! Yes, even Rolly. ;-)
Not too many people can say what I just said. All too often, the word "family" means a father in one state, a mother in another, brothers and sisters spread across the globe. Whether it be unresolved conflicts or just plain distance, good, strong, loving, sharing families are hard to come by. It takes work to build a family, and even more to keep it standing strong.
Although God is the only one with control over which family you come from and belong to, you get a little bit more of a choice when choosing one to marry into! Not much more...just a little more :-) I fell in love with the Johnson Family the day I met them. I have so much to learn from the techy movie buff, Jacqui. I am reminded of kindness and thoughtfulness everytime I'm in Jessica's presence. Mark challenges me to think harder than I've ever had to think before speaking (an excellent challenge that most would let me get away with). I am blown away by the unending patience Lynette has for all of us, and will forever love her home-style cookin'! And there's never a dull moment when Don is around--the man spreads cheer like it's Christmas! The newest edition to this legacy family is little Joel, who, in his 3 weeks of existence, has been such a neat little miracle I've gotten to experience. (Thanks Mark & Jess, for sharing him with us!)
For Lynette's birthday, we all got together and gave her a series of moments to capture. Thanks to a little help from our friend Jim Farmer (the guy on the other side of the camera), here's the greatness I call the Johnson Family!
Not too many people can say what I just said. All too often, the word "family" means a father in one state, a mother in another, brothers and sisters spread across the globe. Whether it be unresolved conflicts or just plain distance, good, strong, loving, sharing families are hard to come by. It takes work to build a family, and even more to keep it standing strong.
Although God is the only one with control over which family you come from and belong to, you get a little bit more of a choice when choosing one to marry into! Not much more...just a little more :-) I fell in love with the Johnson Family the day I met them. I have so much to learn from the techy movie buff, Jacqui. I am reminded of kindness and thoughtfulness everytime I'm in Jessica's presence. Mark challenges me to think harder than I've ever had to think before speaking (an excellent challenge that most would let me get away with). I am blown away by the unending patience Lynette has for all of us, and will forever love her home-style cookin'! And there's never a dull moment when Don is around--the man spreads cheer like it's Christmas! The newest edition to this legacy family is little Joel, who, in his 3 weeks of existence, has been such a neat little miracle I've gotten to experience. (Thanks Mark & Jess, for sharing him with us!)
For Lynette's birthday, we all got together and gave her a series of moments to capture. Thanks to a little help from our friend Jim Farmer (the guy on the other side of the camera), here's the greatness I call the Johnson Family!
Thursday, September 24, 2009
We should've known...
People (all too often) ask me what the hardest part about being married is. Why they want to know so badly, I’ll never know…
But, I’ve finally found it.
I knew it would come. Everyone always says, “You think marriage is so great now…oh, just you wait…” It was truly inevitable; and oh boy can marriage stink!
The hardest part about being married is… the moments we are apart. I’m not kidding, it is not easy. You get married and you think, “Wow, this is going to be great! We get to spend the rest of our lives together! You and me against the world!” Boy, were we wrong. I find myself loathing just about anything that doesn’t involve Josh and I hanging out. Morning’s stink because we have to go to work. Sunday nights just mean the end of fun weekends together. Sleep is no fun because we don’t get to hang out those 7-8 hours.
I’ve calculated this…
There are 168 hours in a week.
We sleep 56 of them.
We each work 63, at least.
I think I drive an extra 10 of those.
Josh does school work for at least 20 of them.
Not to mention we DO have friends and family we shouldn’t be ignoring…it’s just not polite!
That leaves…19 hours a week to spend together.
Does anyone else think it’s crazy that Josh and I went and got married in an effort to spend 19 hours a week together!?! Holy Molybdenum! (**New favorite phrase—doesn’t mean squat.) That’s ridiculous. That averages out to less than 3 hours a day; 2.7 to be exact. It honestly makes me mad. There are days I wish I wasn’t so "into" my husband. I wish I didn’t think he was as fun as I think he is. I wish I didn’t think he was the funniest guy I’ve ever met. I wish I didn’t melt the way I do when he wraps his arms around me. I wish I didn’t think he had the cutest, sweetest smile in all the earth. But he does. So I want to be with him…all the time.
So there it is, folks. 7 months in and marriage has shown its true colors. It can really blow. (But it doesn’t.)
But, I’ve finally found it.
I knew it would come. Everyone always says, “You think marriage is so great now…oh, just you wait…” It was truly inevitable; and oh boy can marriage stink!
The hardest part about being married is… the moments we are apart. I’m not kidding, it is not easy. You get married and you think, “Wow, this is going to be great! We get to spend the rest of our lives together! You and me against the world!” Boy, were we wrong. I find myself loathing just about anything that doesn’t involve Josh and I hanging out. Morning’s stink because we have to go to work. Sunday nights just mean the end of fun weekends together. Sleep is no fun because we don’t get to hang out those 7-8 hours.
I’ve calculated this…
There are 168 hours in a week.
We sleep 56 of them.
We each work 63, at least.
I think I drive an extra 10 of those.
Josh does school work for at least 20 of them.
Not to mention we DO have friends and family we shouldn’t be ignoring…it’s just not polite!
That leaves…19 hours a week to spend together.
Does anyone else think it’s crazy that Josh and I went and got married in an effort to spend 19 hours a week together!?! Holy Molybdenum! (**New favorite phrase—doesn’t mean squat.) That’s ridiculous. That averages out to less than 3 hours a day; 2.7 to be exact. It honestly makes me mad. There are days I wish I wasn’t so "into" my husband. I wish I didn’t think he was as fun as I think he is. I wish I didn’t think he was the funniest guy I’ve ever met. I wish I didn’t melt the way I do when he wraps his arms around me. I wish I didn’t think he had the cutest, sweetest smile in all the earth. But he does. So I want to be with him…all the time.
So there it is, folks. 7 months in and marriage has shown its true colors. It can really blow. (But it doesn’t.)
Friday, August 21, 2009
yup, still glad we tied the knot ;-)
happy
six month-iversary,
my love!
i hope it's been
everything you've hoped for
and more!
i love you
something fierce.
Wednesday, August 19, 2009
Friday, July 24, 2009
Sure, why not?!
Two words have been used to describe me in the past: stubborn and hard-headed. That’s just absurd, don’t ya think?!
I am going to Comicon on Sunday. That’s how I know I am not stubborn, nor hard-headed. Attending Comicon (an annual Comic/Fantasy Convention held in San Diego) is my proof!
I’m a realist. I have no imagination. I don’t like things that don’t make perfect sense. Fantasy does not peak my interest, whatsoever. Star Wars gave me nightmares as a kid. I have walked out of a number of Lord of the Rings and Harry Potter-type movies in my lifetime. I teased kids with imaginary friends in elementary school.
“So why the heck are you going, Gigi?” you may ask.
Well, because Josh asked me to. It was presented to me as “an opportunity to do some incredulous people watching” and “have a $20 day-cation”. Who says “No” to a deal like that?! Not to mention, I’ll take any opportunity to spend the day in San Diego with the hubby rather than with coworkers and clients (no offense to any of them…)
Here’s the real kicker--I’m getting excited to go. Josh has done an excellent job of bringing to light that my stubbornness is typically predicated by the fact that I haven’t given something a chance. (My parents probably told me this exact same thing 349 times over the past 25 years, but unfortunately I wasn’t listening, or I was busy saying, “I know”, and moving on. Sorry, guys. Please forgive me…) Josh is a total “techy”, and I have always given him a hard time for it. However, lately, Josh has subtly encouraged my little bit of techyness to surface. He’ll take apart a computer a put it back together, and a little part of me wants to know what all the pieces do. He once asked me to try watching an episode of LOST with him, and it turns out it’s one of the best TV shows I’ve ever seen! I’m so hooked! He’s pulled his phone out to do “on-the-spot research” about 100 times now, and I’ve recently noticed myself doing it. I now somewhat find entertainment in the occasional video game; there are days I am more active on Twitter than he is; and I actually “wikihow-ed” something the other day. It’s amazing what marriage does. I’ve learned to like “techy”.
So when I say I’m excited, it’s not because I can’t wait to wear my Star Trek costume, it’s not because I’m hoping Spiderman will be stuck in the upper corner of the convention center somewhere, it’s not because I’m curious what The Hulk feels like in person, and it’s definitely not because I’m excited to see how much Harry Potter and his friends have grown in the past ten years. It’s really because I’ll be giving something a chance, and I’ll probably like it more than I think.
Being open-minded is really quite exciting!
I am going to Comicon on Sunday. That’s how I know I am not stubborn, nor hard-headed. Attending Comicon (an annual Comic/Fantasy Convention held in San Diego) is my proof!
I’m a realist. I have no imagination. I don’t like things that don’t make perfect sense. Fantasy does not peak my interest, whatsoever. Star Wars gave me nightmares as a kid. I have walked out of a number of Lord of the Rings and Harry Potter-type movies in my lifetime. I teased kids with imaginary friends in elementary school.
“So why the heck are you going, Gigi?” you may ask.
Well, because Josh asked me to. It was presented to me as “an opportunity to do some incredulous people watching” and “have a $20 day-cation”. Who says “No” to a deal like that?! Not to mention, I’ll take any opportunity to spend the day in San Diego with the hubby rather than with coworkers and clients (no offense to any of them…)
Here’s the real kicker--I’m getting excited to go. Josh has done an excellent job of bringing to light that my stubbornness is typically predicated by the fact that I haven’t given something a chance. (My parents probably told me this exact same thing 349 times over the past 25 years, but unfortunately I wasn’t listening, or I was busy saying, “I know”, and moving on. Sorry, guys. Please forgive me…) Josh is a total “techy”, and I have always given him a hard time for it. However, lately, Josh has subtly encouraged my little bit of techyness to surface. He’ll take apart a computer a put it back together, and a little part of me wants to know what all the pieces do. He once asked me to try watching an episode of LOST with him, and it turns out it’s one of the best TV shows I’ve ever seen! I’m so hooked! He’s pulled his phone out to do “on-the-spot research” about 100 times now, and I’ve recently noticed myself doing it. I now somewhat find entertainment in the occasional video game; there are days I am more active on Twitter than he is; and I actually “wikihow-ed” something the other day. It’s amazing what marriage does. I’ve learned to like “techy”.
So when I say I’m excited, it’s not because I can’t wait to wear my Star Trek costume, it’s not because I’m hoping Spiderman will be stuck in the upper corner of the convention center somewhere, it’s not because I’m curious what The Hulk feels like in person, and it’s definitely not because I’m excited to see how much Harry Potter and his friends have grown in the past ten years. It’s really because I’ll be giving something a chance, and I’ll probably like it more than I think.
Being open-minded is really quite exciting!
Thursday, July 2, 2009
a bit overdue...
My quarter century birthday was a couple weeks ago, and Josh and I invited some friends and family to come hang and spend the day with us. I know it's a bit overdue, but I thought I'd share some pics from the day.
The intention was a POOLSIDE BBQ, but the drizzle and grey clouds made for a half indoor/half outdoor, fully clothed party. The cloudy day couldn't keep the BBQ from firing up and cooking some brats and hot dogs.
TheFOOD
TheFRIENDS & TheFAMILY
TheFUN
The intention was a POOLSIDE BBQ, but the drizzle and grey clouds made for a half indoor/half outdoor, fully clothed party. The cloudy day couldn't keep the BBQ from firing up and cooking some brats and hot dogs.
Simple... relaxing... outside... grub&bevs... poolside....
FRIENDS. FAMILY.
That's what I'm talkin about!! I REALLY enjoyed the day. It was exactly what I'd hoped for. Thanks to Josh for organizing the whole shindig! And thanks to everyone that came to make it special!
TheFOOD
TheFRIENDS & TheFAMILY TheFUN
TheGIFT
If you haven't figured out (by my increased levels of techy activities related to Facebook, Twitter, Emails, and Texts) my birthday gift from Josh was a new iPhone! A new-new one. The one that came out the day before my birthday! Josh had been pushing me to get one for a while, but, being my grandmother's granddaughter, I chose to be stubborn and wait until the day I could no longer use the phone I have, just to be sure I got the most for my money. I said, "When this one breaks, I'll be sure to get an iPhone next..." Well, my phone was just fine but the day before my birthday I found Josh and I standing in line at the Apple Store. I thought we were there to visit Jacqui, my sister in law, who was working like a horse on the day of the new phone release. I look over my shoulder to find Josh twisting my phone and ready to throw it to the first floor of the mall. I asked him, "Are you BREAKING my ph....... wait a second...... we're not here to 'visit Jacqui', are we...?" I LOVE the stinkin thing. And I LOVE the awesome husband!
Monday, June 22, 2009
Assembly Required!
Two weeks ago Josh and I revisited our roots by spending some time “building an office”. It was just like the days we met—long hours in front of new furniture with lots of labeling and loads of trash. But it’s these times of working together in which we are reminded of our many similarities…and our many differences. AND… how we best handle them.
We have two bedrooms in our house. One, we sleep in, the other, well, the other is for everything else. Got a computer or two? Throw it in there. How about some old mail? There’s a pile or 9 in there for that. Books? Sure, why not chuck those on that bookshelf thingy?! What do we do with this vacuum? Eh, put it in the “office”. People are coming over!! Hide all that crap in the front room!!!
After feet and feet of measuring tape and pencil sketches of our ideas drawn on scrap paper, we were ready to shop! We borrowed a couple trucks, emptied out our furniture, and headed to Ikea for our new goodies! With 2 days and 15 hours of “free time” to devote to this daunting task, we began to get a move on putting our new office together.
Marriage is great. You wake up next to your buddy, you enjoy dinners together, you cuddle.
You also learn to work together. Whether you like to or not. And it can be difficult.
So, you communicate. It’s do or die. If you can’t communicate—well, you’d better learn.
Josh tore open the first filing cabinet. I got started on assembling the file boxes (yes, at Ikea, you even assemble file boxes). An hour later, I was done with my file boxes and Josh was well into the file cabinet. And he was cruising! I offered to help, as I wanted to show off my skills as a handy(wo)man to my hubby. I was taught how to hammer, screw, snap, crackle, pop, etc. as a kid… I’m fairly handy for a woman, you know? This particular piece, however, proved to be rather difficult, took a LOT more force than I’d expected, and required a good understanding of how each piece connects to its neighbor. Quickly frustrated, I shoved it back over to Josh and left the remainder of the task to him.
My frustration quickly turned to a quiet demeanor. I felt as if I’d failed at something I thought I was really good at. I felt as if Josh had positioned himself as the one in the household that would always handle the physical stuff. I know that’s a typical “man-function”, and I’m all for “marital roles”, but I felt that I’d lost some of my independence. (I may feel this loss of independence more than some women—I don’t deny my “tomboy roots”, leaving me proud of my few carpentry abilities…) I felt it was unfair.
Josh finished the filing cabinet (one of two!) and we decided to leave the rest of the assembly for the next day. After noticing my quietness, Josh began to inquire as to what crept into my head over the past hour. I had two options. I could pretend nothing bothered me, hit the sack, and wake up the next morning hoping the feelings would go away. OR. Or, I could communicate and share with Josh the thoughts of unfairness and jealousy that I’d felt. I chose the latter. As I explained my silly fears, the frustration began to dissipate. Josh listened intently with an encouraging and loving ear (nothing new, if you know my sweet guy). I felt awful for actually holding his abilities and talents against him, and of being jealous of him for that hour or two. It’s so silly, I know, but it was a “deal” to me… and it could have been a “big deal” had I not chosen to work through it with him. I apologized for being such a nerd, and Josh told me he’d try to be more patient with me and continue to help me refine my handyman skills if I wanted.
Twenty four hours and a thousand and five giggles later, we’d completed assembling our new office. We had so much fun working together on the project. I found that my strengths really lie in cleaning, organizing and sorting (typical, how’s that for ironic), rather than with drills, screws, nuts, and bolts, so I left those things (eagerly at this point) to Josh. And check out the job we did!
We have two bedrooms in our house. One, we sleep in, the other, well, the other is for everything else. Got a computer or two? Throw it in there. How about some old mail? There’s a pile or 9 in there for that. Books? Sure, why not chuck those on that bookshelf thingy?! What do we do with this vacuum? Eh, put it in the “office”. People are coming over!! Hide all that crap in the front room!!!
After feet and feet of measuring tape and pencil sketches of our ideas drawn on scrap paper, we were ready to shop! We borrowed a couple trucks, emptied out our furniture, and headed to Ikea for our new goodies! With 2 days and 15 hours of “free time” to devote to this daunting task, we began to get a move on putting our new office together.
Marriage is great. You wake up next to your buddy, you enjoy dinners together, you cuddle.
You also learn to work together. Whether you like to or not. And it can be difficult.
So, you communicate. It’s do or die. If you can’t communicate—well, you’d better learn.
Josh tore open the first filing cabinet. I got started on assembling the file boxes (yes, at Ikea, you even assemble file boxes). An hour later, I was done with my file boxes and Josh was well into the file cabinet. And he was cruising! I offered to help, as I wanted to show off my skills as a handy(wo)man to my hubby. I was taught how to hammer, screw, snap, crackle, pop, etc. as a kid… I’m fairly handy for a woman, you know? This particular piece, however, proved to be rather difficult, took a LOT more force than I’d expected, and required a good understanding of how each piece connects to its neighbor. Quickly frustrated, I shoved it back over to Josh and left the remainder of the task to him.
My frustration quickly turned to a quiet demeanor. I felt as if I’d failed at something I thought I was really good at. I felt as if Josh had positioned himself as the one in the household that would always handle the physical stuff. I know that’s a typical “man-function”, and I’m all for “marital roles”, but I felt that I’d lost some of my independence. (I may feel this loss of independence more than some women—I don’t deny my “tomboy roots”, leaving me proud of my few carpentry abilities…) I felt it was unfair.
Josh finished the filing cabinet (one of two!) and we decided to leave the rest of the assembly for the next day. After noticing my quietness, Josh began to inquire as to what crept into my head over the past hour. I had two options. I could pretend nothing bothered me, hit the sack, and wake up the next morning hoping the feelings would go away. OR. Or, I could communicate and share with Josh the thoughts of unfairness and jealousy that I’d felt. I chose the latter. As I explained my silly fears, the frustration began to dissipate. Josh listened intently with an encouraging and loving ear (nothing new, if you know my sweet guy). I felt awful for actually holding his abilities and talents against him, and of being jealous of him for that hour or two. It’s so silly, I know, but it was a “deal” to me… and it could have been a “big deal” had I not chosen to work through it with him. I apologized for being such a nerd, and Josh told me he’d try to be more patient with me and continue to help me refine my handyman skills if I wanted.
Twenty four hours and a thousand and five giggles later, we’d completed assembling our new office. We had so much fun working together on the project. I found that my strengths really lie in cleaning, organizing and sorting (typical, how’s that for ironic), rather than with drills, screws, nuts, and bolts, so I left those things (eagerly at this point) to Josh. And check out the job we did!
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wedding day snapshots!! 2.21.09
