Insert Foot In Mouth

Last week I was on my soap box bragging about how AMAZING and just perfect my son was in tot soccer that I organize for work.

The title of this post pretty much says it all. Emmit was a total terror today. Doing the opposite of what I was telling him. At one point he walked out the front door and honestly I crossed my fingers that he would just drive himself home.

I'm just saying.

No one is perfect child or parent.

Looking at this picture of Emmit above, I should have known I was in for it today. 

#33

I’ve always been # 33.



You know like # 33 in the program.


It is a number that I’ve held onto since my sophomore year of high school.


I’ve used the #33 for various things like access codes or log in accounts all my life.


As of yesterday it became official.


I am 33.


I teased my co-workers and scared my husband with the thought of me wearing my letterman’s jacket to work with the big volleyball patch with# 33 on it. Don’t worry I didn’t do it, but it’s really too bad the jacket comes out only once a year. (That is a separate post altogether).


I celebrated my birthday with sneaky gifts from my husband, like a trip to the spa.


Hugs and kisses from my kiddos.


An early morning call from the one and only person who carried me for 9 loving months in her womb.


I had flowers delivered to my work by SURPRISE SURPRISE my brother. Whew he does love me and remembered he has a little sister living up north.


Via phone I had an entire Beaver Lake Middle School 6th grade P.E. class wish me a happy birthday thanks to Coach B, aka my dad.


I heard from many of my friends and even an old coach from junior high.


I had cake.


I blew out candles.


I ate off a red plate.


And most important I went to bed feeling full of love and joy that I am just another year older and of course wiser!


Cheers to me and cheers to the # 33!

Tot Soccer

Today Emmit started Tot Soccer in the new field house here in town.
Unlike Grace ( sorry baby girl) but this is true, Emmit followed every instruction I gave him, stopped on the whistle, helped me clean up and held onto each word that I said.

When your mom is the one in charge sometimes it is hard for kids to follow or to take the instruction serious. So I was so glad that E followed well and really enjoyed himself.

I'll tell you what, Emmit will not make a good soccer player. He rather pick the ball up and dribble and when I told the kids to get ready, E would drop into a 3 point stance as if he was going to pounce on the other toddlers.

Thank you Emmit for a great morning and for reminding me why I love what I do.

Being a mom is really the best!

First Day of Pre School 2011

 Oh the places you will go Miss Grace Anne. Today you started your 2nd year of Pre School at Whitey in classroom 6 with Miss Jodie & Miss Louise.

You were excited as ever this morning to head to school to see your friends and to wear the required Western gear for the first day.

 Natalie & Grace back at it for another year together.

 In front of the school. Yes this is a little "Senior Portrait" looking, but all the other moms were doing it so I joined in.

 Hand stamping time with Miss Louise.

 Grace's favorite free time activity at pre school is painting.

Grace today more then anything I want you to know that your mom and dad are proud of you and we want you to be yourself, because you know what little Grace your a great person and we love you.

Make new friends this year.
Learn Lot's of stuff and really just be happy!

To the moon sweet cheeks.

Pretty Good Weekend

 DMB concert with my best and oldest friends that I have. Cassie, Sarah, Brooke and Tamsan I heart you all.

 Here we are at our seats. Not too bad right!

 Fun in the sun at our good friends the Moore's house.

 My boys getting their swim on.

 Oh that's me trying to wake board. So HARD. I tried like 13 times. I can barley feel my forearms.

 This is the closest I got to getting up on the board.

 Aunt Morgan enjoying the ride.

 Emmit and I just chilling in the boat. I never want to cut your hair little man.

 Grace found a new friend this weekend. Sorry Grace but we will NEVER buy you a lap dog.

That is my girl tubing with the big kids. She kept giving Kelly the driver a thumbs up to go faster. That's my girl the little thrill seeker.

Friends, family, sun, music, boating and way woo much drinking pretty much made it the perfect long weekend.

The benefits are endless

The benefits are endless with the Anacortes Parks & Recreation Department.

Last Friday was the outdoor movie.

The location, Storvik Park. The movie, Despicable Me and the time Dusk.

The Dads of our group. Josh what is really in that coffee cup?

Best night of Grace's life. Hanging with the older girls and endless access to Skittles

Eli & Emmit

Sweet Caroline

Friday night summer concerts at Seafarers Park sponsored by the POA.
Interesting.
Beautiful.
Tail Gating for those 60 or better.
Great views.
Fun the kids.
Fun for the adults.

This last Friday the Swapps joined us for Cherry Cherry, a tribute band of Neil Diamond.
They sounded ok, but it was free and the kids loved it.

A farewell to Sugar

Thank you Sugar for many great memories you have given Grace & Emmit.
You were a major pull to get the kids to jump in their double stroller in the summer/ fall so mom could get her fitness on.
You let us feed you endless apples and grass and always came over to greet us as if you've been waiting for our arrival all day long.
Last night Grace and Emmit got some sweet Sugar time in thanks to her owners.

While we were walking the back loop, we had our apples ready for Sugar. Like always we started to feed her with our big open flat hands.
Bob the owner came over to me and whispered that this is Sugar's last weekend with them.
They sold her to a family with young kids out of town.
It is a good thing. She was needing more attention and someone to ride her everyday.

We will miss Sugar.

My heart breaks a little only because I know this weekend the kids will go to the fridge to get apples to feed to Sugar.

Get out the Kleenex box people, I am about to tell a 4 year old her dream horse is no longer just up the hill form us.

On a side note, I didn't even have my camera on me so the owners of Sugar ran into the house to document Grace with Sugar.
That's good stuff.

Oh Leavenworth

Josh shared stories of walking through the town with his parents and getting stung by his first bee in front of the ice cream shop and I shared stories of my brother and I watching my parents give us $5 each as they drank beer and clinked glasses in a beer garden they we could not go into.

No really, we shared , OK I over shared everything that I know about camping in Leavenworth, WA. Some people got to go to Lake Chelan, Hawaii, Cannon Beach  or where ever else with their families growing up. I got to go camping for weeks at a time at Eight Mile Campground, located well about 8 miles up the canyon.
You know what?
I would not have changed it for the world. Something about dipping into that icy cold river each summer makes you feel alive and freaking cold as nuts! I am happy that my parents got me outside!
Enjoy below a few pics from our first Johnston Family camping trip to Leavenworth. It was only one night, but what the heck I documented the heck out it.

Even though we ate out, went to the community pool, hat shop, ice cream shop and petting farm on the way out of town. It still felt like we were really camping.

Maybe next time we will get the kids up on the rock and then stare at the sun for 8 hours at the swimming hole!