At the Johnson House

When we aren't gallivanting across the country side like vagabonds and are actually at the In-Laws, this is a pretty normal scene around here.

Konks sitting with Grandpa and Olivia sitting with Memaw. Mom, meanwhile, is usually running around tidying up and getting everything ready for bedtime so that way when the girls go to bed I get to watch my latest obsession. Lark Rise to Candleford. Netflix it baby, you will be so glad that you did!

Hi Daddy

Hi Daddy! We just wanted you too see how freakin' precious we are in our matchy-matchy Sunday dresses.

Mommy says she loves these dresses on us. She said she really loves how it slows down Konks at church, so instead of sprinting down the aisles she just does a brisk jog.

Daddy we love each other a lot and always give really big hugs!

Daddy, Do I have to go to Primary when we come on your Army trip? I really loved Nursery and I ask Mom every week if I can go to Nursery instead of Primary. Can we bring these dresses with us when we come on your Army trip?

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Love you lots and lots and lots,

Olivia and Bianca.

Multiple Personality Disorder.

When Marcus was home at Christmas Olivia decided that her most special blankie has a name. Her most special blankie that she has to sleep with every night was now called Yuckie. It was decided. That was it's name and that was it.

Then a month or two ago she was in the room with me and told me to be quiet because her Prince was sleeping. She often tucks dolls or teddy bears into bed to give them a nap. A little while later she came out with her Prince and was walking around with him.

Her Prince is her Yuckie. She rolls him up in a very specific way, on the diagonal, and then she holds on to him closer to the top and the little part that flops over is his head. When it is her Prince it ceases to be her Yuckie and vice versa. I get corrected constantly if I refer to her Yuckie while it is assuming the personality of the Prince.

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She talks to her Prince and goes on adventures with him. If her wrapping job isn't up to the standards of her Prince then she will unwrap him and start over. It totally cracks me up but also makes me slightly nervous that she now has multiple reasons to be attached to her multiple personality Yuckie.

Long time, no blog.

These last few weeks have been rough. Lots of big and little things going wrong, kids being sick, me being sick all culminating in my lack of mental abilities. ................................................................................................................................................................ For my husband being gone since July I have felt like I have been doing a really good job of being all that I need to be for the girls and keeping up with all of my Mom jobs. Even if I had a harder day I always did something to change the scene or get us out of the house and shake things up. Tell myself that my attitude set the tone for us and it was up to me to change it or wallow in crankiness. ................................................................................................................................................................... I don't think I could even explain all the things that went wrong last month if I really tried. It wasn't one big thing or even a few major events. It was more like everything ALL day. I would even analyze at the end of the day "was this day really as hard as I felt like it was?".... "Am I just over reacting about this right now?". .................................................................................................................................................................. The truth of the matter was no matter how hard I tried to change things up or have a sunny outlook some catastrophe would happen 5 minutes later. It was out of control and it was the darkest time I have had since Marcus being gone. I just could not catch a break and no amount of optimism seemed to help. ........................................................................................................................................................................ I also didn't feel like blogging. I didn't want to blog about how I was struggling while still in the middle of it and didn't have the heart to blog anything else uplifting because I didn't feel uplifted. ....................................................................................................................................................................... A great friend suggested to me to pray about it. I was honestly trying the absolute hardest I most possibly could and it was not enough. To let Heavenly Father know of my struggles and despite how hard I was working and trying I just couldn't do it and for Him to carry me the extra that I lacked. ....................................................................................................................................................................... A weight was lifted from my shoulders that was staggering. A burden lifted that was so huge I didn't understand the weight of it until it wasn't there anymore. There was still a good week or two after that were things just kept going wrong, but I was starting to get a better handle on it. ..................................................................................................................................................................... Marcus kept gently hinting that I had not posted on the blog for a while and after house sitting last week I feel like things have finally slowed down enough to blog again. We are so close to being together again. One more month until we move to California with Marcus!

Fashion Forward......?

Now I am not a fashionista, by any stretch of the imagination, but there were just some certain things that I was always convinced I would never wear.
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Things like an entire denim outfit, or Dr. Martin knee high lace up boots (or any over the knee boot for that matter). Those are pretty extreme cases, but I also never thought I would be one of those people who wears the Sketchers Shape-Ups. (Many apologies if you are counted in that group). I just thought they looked a little hokey and maybe it was just all in your mind that they really felt good to wear or that they really worked etc, etc.
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While at a Shape-Up wearing friends house today, I threw on her Shape-Up sandals to make a quick trip outside. Once I had both feet inside I stopped dead in my tracks. THEY FELT AMAZING. Like I was walking on pillows, like my feet were lighter than air. She wears the same size as me and I momentarily entertained the thought of slipping them in my diaper bag to take them home.
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I exclaimed to the kids how glorious my feet felt. What joy! What podiatry bliss! How have I gone this long without experience such waltzing happiness!
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No matter what my earlier opinions of fashion were (as ridiculous and they may be) I WILL be taking myself to the nearest Sketchers outlet ASAP to join the ranks of Shape-Up wearing women! If you have not experienced the glory of wearing such fine shoes, I urge you to go and try some on today!

Wild and Crazy.

Bianca woke up from her nap with the most amazingly punky afro-ish hair. I LOVE IT! She has got such a jazzy personality (just like her Momma) and this hair totally fits it.

Care to re-create this look?

1) Simply feed your kid a home-made oreo cookie (with mint frosting-thank you Kaitlyn!) for dessert at lunch time.

2) Turn your back for two seconds giving your child just enough time to take the fudgy sandwich and rub it all in her hair.

3) Rinse the child's hair under the sink faucet to get all the crumbs and gunk out. But don't use soap because you are too rushed for time with getting the load of laundry done that has said child's blankie for nap time.

4) Lightly towel dry and put child down for their nap

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et voilá

Who knew mint frosting was such a fabulous hair product? AND it makes your hair smell so yummy!

Mom! Take a picture of ME!! Both my poor little babes are sick (with Momma being in hot pursuit). We have been home for two days just laying low. The nights have been pretty long with one or the other waking up.

Even when they are sick, they are such sweet girls. My heart has been so full with how thoughtfully they have been towards each other. Comforting each other, giving hugs, playing gently. When Bianca starts coughing a lot then Olivia will just run and get her blankie and give it to her to make her feel better.

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I have been starting to feel crappier and crappier all day and even though they have been so sweet today, I am definitely looking forward to bed time!

Never take me anywhere. Seriously.

So I am a pretty loud and ruckus person. There aren't a lot of things that embarrass me, so when I tell you that the events that happened today embarrassed me, they REALLY embarrassed me.
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Never take me anywhere.
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So the girls were whoopin' it up with magical Aunt Helen and I was having a magical day of retail therapy with my friends (Kaitlyn and Sarah). I had been looking forward to it all week and to say I was excited would be a GROSS understatement.
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We stop at the first store and I score some sweet workout pants (the others I had got a rip in the bum, a different embarrassing story for a different time...). We are waltzing to our next store and I am just amped up on life. So excited, having so much fun and all of a sudden having to go pee real bad.
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Perfection! We come upon the outlet mall bathrooms and Kaitlyn joins me (well not in my exact stall, to go to her own stall to pee. We are on the same pee schedules, her and I). Someone was just finishing up washing their hands as we walk in and Kaitlyn and I each take stalls one and two.
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We are quietly going about our business when I hear it. A real loud, ripply and wet sounding fart. Like big time. Like think of that one scene in Dumb and Dumber. Assuming that it is Kaitlyn, and feeling wild and crazy with my freedom from kids, I yell (at the top of my lungs).
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WOOOOOOOOOOooooooooooooooHHHHHHOOOOOOOOOOOOOOoooooooooooooo!!
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Like I was a cowgirl. Thinking I am so clever and funny with my bathroom humor I await Kaitlyn's laughter at my perfect timing to what (I was assuming) was her boisterous fart.
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S.I.L.E.N.C.E.
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Hmmmmmmmm. Maybe she isn't feeling in a jokster mood about farts today...
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Walk out of the stall to wash my hands. Out walks Kaitlyn. She mimes to me "THAT WAS NOT ME!! Are you CRAZY?"
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I Die.
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Cue bathroom flush of lady in stall number three.
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Cue Vashti running out the bathroom and down the hall into the next store. Leaving all her friends behind.
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Like I said in the beginning. NEVER. TAKE. ME. ANYWHERE.