tuesday blew like a drunk guy workin' a breathalizer. no, really, all kidding aside, i had the most horrible day i've had in a long time. the worst part was that i had no idea why my day was so difficult. it just was.
first off, i must clarify--nothing is "wrong", things aren't "bad", and my life isn't "rough". i simply woke up, showered, and began to get ready. i got in a small fight with my closet and the few exciting peices it offers, but that's not new. all of the sudden, i felt odd... different... uncomfortable... i felt like my little world was slowly turning upside down, and i was entirely not surprised when it didn't re-adjust itself until later that evening. i instantly had a disappointing perspective on everything--i didn't like what i saw in the mirror, i didn't enjoy running through my day's to-do list in my head, and i could barely appreciate the few morning exchanges my husband and i shared before work. i just wasn't having it.
i made my way into the office and felt on the verge of tears all day. every little thing i'd normally brush off was given enough credit in my mind to takeover my thoughts. ugh. what an awful feeling. ultimately, i made a decision to bail out of work a couple hours early. i had permission, of course--there was no way i was going to add my bad day by playing an unadvised day of hookie. i drove home, plopped on the couch, and submitted myself to 2 hours of predictable chick-flickness. thankfully, my dose of "confessions of a shopaholic" was just the right medicine. well, actually, i owe getting out of my slump to the desperate prayers and a self-given motivational pep-talk, but you get the jist. the movie helped. i was finally able to detach from whatever had unnerved me and essentially hit the restart button on my day. i jumped on the good-attitude train for the rest of the evening, and have felt fine ever since. :-) high fives to that!
i'm not sharing the details of my crappy day just for the mere purpose of sharing. it was quite the impactful day, seeing as how it's thursday and i'm still thinking about it. there must be a lesson in this somewhere...
since tuesday, i've found myself thinking that i hadn't had a bad day like that for a while, so it was bound to come. everyone deserves to have a bad attitude at their discretion, right??? ehhh, not so much. as i mentioned, nothing is wrong, life is good, and i'm a happy camper. i believe that each and every morning God gives me a little window of time in which i get to make a decision. i don't think the decision is between "having a good day" and "having a bad day" so much as it is between "working to have a good day" and "not working to have a good day". i'm lucky that good days often come my way, but on the occassional day in which i am blatently presented with that choice, i'm going to force myself to take an extra moment, say an extra prayer, and work a little harder to stretch a smile across my face. that morning's decision may be tested throughout the day, and i'll probably find myself working hard to fight off the little grey clouds that so badly want to cling themselves on to my smallest worry, but i must make it a priority to not allow a bad attitude to win me over. it's draining and tiring, and i definitely don't want it happening when i have no stinkin' reason for it.
bad days will come, but their reasons will come with them. and on those days i'll find the loving arms of my friends, my family, and my God to comfort me.
1.28.2010
1.15.2010
i will.
one of my goals for 2010 is to start setting goals.
one of my more relevant goals for 2010 is to become less restless. allow me to explain.
in this day and age, it is SO incredibly easy to yearn for "the next big thing", to always want what's on the other side of the fence, and to keep up, if not surpass, the "jones'". you grow up wanting to get to high school, then get to college, then get to the real world. you finally get there and you want to find a great job, buy a house, meet the man/woman of your dreams, get married, have kids, get a bigger house, get a more glorified job, have more kids, etc.etc.
i look at my own life and realize that in every step of the way, i have always want to be a step ahead of myself. this, my friends, is most likely the reason for why you may consider me "prematurely old". sad, huh? now, don't get me wrong, it's important to dream, wish, and work for all these great things to happen, but what happens when your entire focus becomes wanting what you don't currently have?? well, i believe you end up losing sight of the moment in which you stand.
i want to learn, so badly, how to just savor the moment while i'm in it. imagine the excitement!
so, this year i will do the following:
- i will cherish the tens of thousands of laughs i share with the love of my life
- i will utterly enjoy every minute of marriage...without kids
- i will love the moments i get to spend with my June Bug while she's still got the energy of a puppy
- i will appreciate the heck out of the fact that my bro, sis, mom, dad, and in laws all live within 30 minutes of me. that's equal to one episode of "friends"
- i will tell my friends how much i love them
- i will enjoy my little 1100 square foot condo and my tiny balcony
- i will work my butt off to tackle the daily learning curve i'm presented with in my career
- i will learn and retain as many music facts as my husband can tell me
- i will laugh aloud at the smart-ass jokes i quietly tell myself
- i will find a way to enjoy the countless hours spent in my car
- i will enjoy the daily grind as if its a vacation from the norm
- i will stop in my footsteps every so often and just...be
- i will not always be yearning for the next great moment, but instead make each moment great
- i will be...less restless and more at peace
i'm thankful for this life full of wonderful blessings, and i won't let it to go by too fast. you just never know...
one of my more relevant goals for 2010 is to become less restless. allow me to explain.
in this day and age, it is SO incredibly easy to yearn for "the next big thing", to always want what's on the other side of the fence, and to keep up, if not surpass, the "jones'". you grow up wanting to get to high school, then get to college, then get to the real world. you finally get there and you want to find a great job, buy a house, meet the man/woman of your dreams, get married, have kids, get a bigger house, get a more glorified job, have more kids, etc.etc.
i look at my own life and realize that in every step of the way, i have always want to be a step ahead of myself. this, my friends, is most likely the reason for why you may consider me "prematurely old". sad, huh? now, don't get me wrong, it's important to dream, wish, and work for all these great things to happen, but what happens when your entire focus becomes wanting what you don't currently have?? well, i believe you end up losing sight of the moment in which you stand.
i want to learn, so badly, how to just savor the moment while i'm in it. imagine the excitement!
so, this year i will do the following:
- i will cherish the tens of thousands of laughs i share with the love of my life
- i will utterly enjoy every minute of marriage...without kids
- i will love the moments i get to spend with my June Bug while she's still got the energy of a puppy
- i will appreciate the heck out of the fact that my bro, sis, mom, dad, and in laws all live within 30 minutes of me. that's equal to one episode of "friends"
- i will tell my friends how much i love them
- i will enjoy my little 1100 square foot condo and my tiny balcony
- i will work my butt off to tackle the daily learning curve i'm presented with in my career
- i will learn and retain as many music facts as my husband can tell me
- i will laugh aloud at the smart-ass jokes i quietly tell myself
- i will find a way to enjoy the countless hours spent in my car
- i will enjoy the daily grind as if its a vacation from the norm
- i will stop in my footsteps every so often and just...be
- i will not always be yearning for the next great moment, but instead make each moment great
- i will be...less restless and more at peace
i'm thankful for this life full of wonderful blessings, and i won't let it to go by too fast. you just never know...
1.05.2010
the ultimate
my husband has a *PASSION* and a *DEEP LOVE* for climbing. his face literally *LIGHTS UP* when he begins to talk about it.
a new route is the most *EXCITING* puzzle he could ever be faced with.
his thought process becomes entirely *LOGICAL*.
his ultimate goal is to *SUCCEED*.
his eyes scream *DETERMINATION* as they survey the routes.
he becomes *FOCUSED*, and nothing can get in his way.
he *DANCES* his way to the top, seemingly light as a feather.
and i simply *RELISH* in getting to watch him do what he loves.
12.21.2009
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...
12.07.2009
11.28.2009
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 :-) 
11.24.2009
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
11.15.2009
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! :-)
11.10.2009
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!!
11.09.2009
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
11.06.2009
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!!
10.15.2009
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
10.11.2009
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!
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