The Thinigs We Do As Mothers...

Can I just start off by saying again how blessed I am to have three wonderful daughters.

Andie was recently in her grade spelling bee. She was one of 5 in her class to make it to the next level, the grade wide bee. I know that she much have gotten this from her father, I am not a very good speller, can't live without spell check! Well, Andie did very well, I was nervous for her and I could tell that she was letting her nerves get the best of her...unfortunately that is what she inherited from me. She made it through Round 3 to get tripped up on "ingredient". She went too quickly and started I-N-G-E-R...as soon as she got that far you could see the shock on her face. She knew she was out. I am so proud of her and know that she is one smart cookie. I so look forward to her learning more and forming new friendships. She is doing very well in school and was in the lead for her class in book reports. She needs to have 25 for the entire year...at her 1st 9 week Parent Conference, she had 27!! She has been a reading maniac and is almost all the way through the Harry Potter Series. She even won the entire series of Diary of a Wimpy Kid from her teacher. This winter will also bring new things into the mix. Andie will be playing basketball for the first time ever. I remember being that age and playing 5th grade ball. She is sooooo tall, hopefully this will give her an advantage, not to mention she also has the Johnson genes. Keep up the great work Andie!!

Avery is loving school!! She is learning how to read and is doing very well. She has started reading chapter books and you can see the pride in her face when she reads through a page on her own. She just recently had a performance for school. She needed to dress up as either a cowgirl, princess, or super hero. So what does she pick...a super hero! I was a little surprised. So here I go, 11pm at night, looking for a cape and mask for Avery. Thank Heaven for Wal-Mart! Well the only colors Wal-Mart had were red and blue or green and black. I opted for the red and blue. I also found some rhinestones to iron onto the back and made an "A" for Super Avery. It came out really cute, but of course I couldn't send her off without a big bow in her hair. She did so good during her performance and was such a ham...surprise, surprise. She knew all her dance moves, most of the words, and said her part perfectly! Avery is such a little performer and I can't wait to see what she will do next.

Erynn, where do I start with Erynn. Her favorite word is "bery". She uses it alll the time. "I am bery cold!" "I am bery hurt". "This is bery fun". It has become my favorite word to say as well, just ask the girls at work, haha. I love to look outside and see my Erynn playing in the sandbox, holding the puppies, or sun bathing on the glider of the swing set. I know that she misses her sisters terribly with school being back in session and her daddy as well. I so look forward to the weekends when she has them allll day. I can't wait til she is old enough for preschool, I think that she will love it, she is so smart and I now she will love to learn. Right now her favorite movie is "The Princess and the Frog". She watches it alll the time. It was the cutest thing, I have never seen this movie, but there is a firefly that is in love with a star. (Spoiler Alert!) Well the firefly gets smashed and dies! I know, I was shocked to hear this. Well Erynn cried and cried, but then at the end, you look up in the sky and the star he loved now has a new little star right next to it. When Erynn saw this she was sooo happy. It was really very sweet. I love having Erynn home with me. I love having a job that allows me to be home so much. We usually nap together, she loves to lay down with me and I have found that she has to sleep right next to me. She has to constantly be touching me. It is really kind of cute. We always say "I love you" and she has to say "I love you more".

What can I say, I am on cloud nine right now. I love my family, I love the weather, I love the upcoming seasons. I now just need to work on spending more time with others around me...so I can share the love. My house looks so cute, the hubs put up the Halloween lights. My sister taught Andie how to make paper bats that are hanging from my front porch. I love them. When the wind gets blowing they start moving all over the place, looks like they are flying. I also found the cutest door hanger from The Gingerbread House. It was originally $45.00...No way would I pay that for a door hanger, I got it for $15 (love finding sales).

I hope that anyone that reads this is doing well. Hope that you are all as happy as we are and hope that you always remember what is important in this life.

Graham County Fair-Part 1

I have to break this up into two different posts only because my camera wigged out and these are the first set of pics...

We had such a great time at the Fair. My girlies just love to run around and ride the rides. Anyone who says they don't enjoy the Fair must not have ever watched the excitement on their kiddos face. That alone is so worth it! Lucas and I were smiling so much we started to get cramps in our cheeks.

We always make a stop by the animals, not the most pleasant time, but at least the girls get to see some pigs, chickens, turkeys, rabbits, and other forms of poultry up close. We also got to see the biggest pumpkin entered, it weighed 140lbs! We have decided to encourage Andie to enter something into the Fair next year! That will be fun to look forward to.

There were so many rides this year that all my girlies could ride, and they did for about 4hrs. Off one, on another, sometimes on the same one. There were just the right amount of people there. Erynn had a blast, I don't remember there being as many rides for little kids in the past as there was this year. She loved the Super Slide and there was a mini set of swings that she would hold her arms out on and pretend she was flying. Everytime she came around to where I was she would have this huge smile on her face and wave to me. I was also shocked because I don't think Andie and Avery fought once, they were to busy running to all the different rides and playing together. Plus My mom came with us and we bought her a bracelet too so she could ride some of the rides, I think she had a good time.

We ended the Fair with a bang where Andie, Avery, Lucas and I rode the EXPERIENCE...I screamed the whole time. Lucas does not ride those types of rides, he prefers roller coasters, but an adult had to ride with each kiddo, so he took one for the team and boraded...he didn't feel so great afterwards, but it will be an "experience" we will not soon forget!

So here are some pics!

Yay October!!

I have posted in the past how much I LOVE October, well it is here again!!

It is Fair Weekend!! I know there are a lot of people out there that think the Fair is gross, dirty, with crazy people, and bad food...which is true, but we love it! I love the parade Friday morning. I love the going to the exhibits and seeing my girls school work. I love watching the excitement as they wait to get on a ride. I love the smiles (and sometimes tears) on their faces as they get off a ride. I love the time I get to spend with my hubby and our girlies and my mom usually comes along too. It is just an all around time for family bonding. Unfortunately I work most of the weekend, so we have yet to make the trip, but soon!

Here are some pics from the parade...

My girlies watching the Thatcher Float in the Parade...GO EAGLES!

Also, we got to enjoy the "fruits" of Andie's labor. A few months ago Andie decided to plant her watermelon seeds in the backyard. We weren't sure if anything was going to grow, we live on a rock. Well it did! It has been fun and exciting to see this little watermelon seed grow into a plant almost the length of the backyard! We cut open one of those watermelons and it was so pink and smelled so good and was so yummy to eat! We are so proud of our Andie and have decided to clear out a section in the yard to designate as "Andie's Garden". Can't wait to get that project underway...

Andie's watermelon Avery enjoying some yummy watermelon

On Your Arm

I can't lie that the last few days have been rough on me. With my ear pain, Erynn cutting her hair (yeah, will have to post pics of this up soon), and just a general feeling of being down, it has been hard to stay positive and not let my frustration take over. I've shed a few tears, I've turned to my family for support, and was so grateful last night for my family.

After a hard day for me yesterday, Lucas came home from a long day of teaching at the high school and college, once the kiddos were in bed, we went for a drive, just the two of us. He could tell that I was going through a lot that day and it was just what I needed, like he was reading my mind. I instantly felt better. He didn't even really say anything, it was just having him right there next to me that made all the difference. It made me think of this amazing man and all that he has given and done for me over the years. I am so grateful for my husband, for the support he gives me, and the comfort of just having him by my side. Don't know what I'd do without you babe!

I hear this song and think of how perfect it is for us, had to share the lyrics, I could never put it all into words what I feel better than this:

On Your Arm
You always felt like home
You knew my favorite song
And I love the way you say my name
I love just about everything

Wake up to your morning face
Love you a little bit more everyday
Love the way you walk into the room
It's just the little things

Cause on your arm I could fall asleep
And on your arm it's the best of me
And on your arm I go anywhere
Cause I know that you'll be there
Counting a million ways to stay
On your arm

I can't believe you belong to me
I guess I must have done something right
How did we get here and where did we start?
You follow my heart

And on your arm I could fall asleep
And on your arm it's the best of me
And on your arm I go anywhere
Cause I know that you'll be there
Counting a million ways to stay
On your arm

Oh my love could you take me?
Oh my love just take me on your arm
On your arm

Cause on your arm I could fall asleep
And on your arm it's the best of me
And on your arm I go anywhere
Cause I know that you'll be there
Counting a million ways to stay
On your arm
On your arm
On your arm

Stress

Well to say that I have been stressed lately is an understatement. I know that I am stressed, I feel that I am stressed, and my family is always telling me I am stressed. Well now it seems so is my jaw. Yesterday I finally got into see the ENT where he diagnosed me with TMJ. I have always heard of this, but never would have guessed this was what was causing all my "ear" pain. Most people with TMJ hear a clicking or popping sound when they open their mouth, or they get something called "locked jaw" where it makes it difficult to open their mouths wide, well I don't have either of these problems. I have the pain, pain that is never ending, both dull and aching that seems to get worse as my day goes on. Working nights, that can feel never ending. So here I am, don't feel like I am much closer to solving my issues, but have decided I need to spend a little more time on me, so I am walking again with my good bud Amber! It was so nice to have not only the exercise, but that girl time, can't wait!

Hoping my lifestyle changes will ultimately help with my physical ales. Wish me luck!

Silly Little Erynn

I was just sitting here thinking that my baby will be 3 in a couple of months! This is so scary to me, where did the time go? Erynn has grown so much over the past year, she is so much fun, a challenge, and the sweetest little thing!! She is so funny and is always trying to make us laugh. She loves her sisters so much, always calls Andie "my Andie" and she loves to say her name "Erynn Johnson".

Just this morning, Lucas and I are lying in bed, we hear a knock, knock, knock on our door. I asked, who is it...this sweet little voice says "Erynn Johnson". Precious.

We have had some crazy rain here in AZ lately. With all the rain has come not only a TON of weeds, but lots and lots of frogs! My girls love frogs. Lucas has made it a tradition to go "frog hunting" in the summertime. So after a good rain, he'll pack up the girls, grab a large cooler and go around Quail Ridge to find all the frogs they possibly can. What do they do with all these frogs, well they let them go in a canal near our house, this way, they don't get ran over on the roads. Well, Erynn doesn't like to call frogs "frogs". No she calls them "Birdits". Why...because they ribbit. It is so cute to hear her calling out for birdits all the time. Well, lately there has been a "birdit" that like to frequent outside our house. He is there almost every evening before the girls go to bed. Erynn likes to go out and find him, pet him and play with his belly and feet. She makes sure to hold him over the ground so he can "pee" first, then she hugs on him for a few minutes. She has kissed him a few times, hope this means someday she will find her prince charming! ;) Lucas is convinced that this frog loves Erynn, he didn't even pee on her tonight!

This is the kind of little girl Erynn is. To see her sweet little face and know that she doesn't know of any bad in the world. She accepts almost everyone. She is always the first person to thank us for her dinner every night and she prays that her and her sister "sweep" good every night. We have had our rough times with her, she has been sick a lot and we still don't know what her future will be like, but I wouldn't trade her for anything in the world. I pray that she will continue to stay healthy and outgrow her reflux, I know that she is one tough cookie. We all love Erynn so much and couldn't imagine our world without her!



Thank you Heavenly Father for teaching me what it is like to stuggle for my children, to grow from my children, and teach me that I would do anything for my daughters!

Breaking Dawn Part 1

The long awaited, highly anticipated trailer for Breaking Dawn!! I remember years ago, sitting in my apartment in Flagstaff, watching the news. They had a segment on up and coming AZ authors. They discussed a little book called Twilight. I was so excited, I love love love Vampire anything! So I went to Barns and Nobles and bought one of the first copies in print. A few months later when New Moon came out, I couldn't find the book anywhere, not because they sold out, but because few places carried the young adult novel. I remember feeling silly buying the book because here I was a twenty something mother buying a book for teens. Little did I know it would become the phenomenon that it did!! I know this sounds super silly, but I seriously love this series and am so sad that it is over. I keep praying that Stephenie Meyer will decide to continue the series so we now what happens to Jacob (hint, hint)! So I am putting this close, were I can always pull up the trailer!!