It's definitley a Monday!!

Maybe it's because it's the first day after Spring Break, maybe it's just because it's Monday, or maybe someone has it out for me but today needs to be over!  Reid and I do not like one another right now.  The terrible twos need to go away, like yesterday!  And I've had many people tell me that the 3's are even worse.  It can't be-we won't make it. 
Today has been a craptastic Monday.  And it all went downhill real quick.  I'm tired and I'm tired of feeling like my two year old is running this house and my life right now.  You know how you see kids out in public acting horrible?  Non stop screaming, kicking, crying and having the ultimate tantrum?  I used to think that it was the parents and I'd be saying to myself "that kid needs a spanking", "do parents not know how to discipline their kids?" or "when I have kids, they will NOT act like that".  Well karma has come back and bit me in the butt--HARD!!  Josh put it perfectly a few weeks ago by saying, "I used to think it was the parents, now (after Reid) I think it's the kid sometimes".  Let me just recap my last couple of hours...
Addi gets home from school and I tell Reid he has to pick up his toys before we can go.  He thinks throwing them across the room works just fine.  We finally get toys picked up and head out the door.  Hurdle number 1.  As we are driving down the road, Reid decides he wants lemonade.  And he wants it now.  What he doesn't seem to get is that we are driving down the road, I can't just make lemonade appear.  I politely tell him we don't have any and we'll get some when we get home.  This isn't good enough.  He then proceeds to scream as loud as he can that he wants lemonade.  Keep in mind I'm driving down the bypass, it's not as if I can just pull over and take care of him right then and there thanks to all the endless construction work that is going on.  Because of said construction work, I get even madder because I can't pull over.  At this point I have reached behind me and swatted his legs (like that actually fazes him) and my voice is loud to be heard over his screaming.  He's got snot smeared across his face, he can't catch his breath because he is crying so hard and I slam my pinky finger in the glove box getting a tissue to wipe his nose.  That's it!  The last straw.  Addi has her fingers in her ears because it's too loud, this is not how I wanted my day to go, my finger is throbbing and Reid is still screaming.  Thank goodness I had sunglasses on so my kids couldn't see my tears because enough was enough. 
We make it through Target in record time and head to the dreaded Wal Mart.  Why don't I just go home you ask?  Because Reid refuses to potty train and is completely out of pull ups.  I HAVE to go.  We get in the store and I put him in the cart.  He has learned how to gracefully climb out of any shopping cart even while it is moving and still land on his feet.  He can almost unbuckle himself out of the front of the cart and has learned how to suck his belly in so far that he can make himself skinny enough to make the strap loose enough for him to wiggle and stand up thus causing him to almost topple over and fall out of the front.  It's a losing battle for me.  So I'm the mom in Wal Mart that every one is looking at as my child screams and kicks that he wants out and wants to walk.  I somehow keep a firm hand on him and push the cart at the same time without running anyone over.  So I'm that mom that everyone is looking at and I can see it in their eyes. Some have sympathy because I think they feel my pain.  Others look at me like I can't control my kid (pretty much) and others look at with that same expression I know I have given others about not disciplining your child.  Karma was in full force today for me! 
So my point is this.  I know I can't be alone.  Someone is reading this, nodding their head and having flashbacks of their kids doing the same.  WHAT DO I DO???  Addilyn was not like this.  Granted she was not an angel by any means but good grief what did I do that has caused Reid to act like this and make my lose my sanity, question my motherhood and begin to seriously think he might actually be our last child (Josh is probably grinning at this one now :/)
And I don't have a saving grace.  I don't smoke to take the edge off, I have a rule about drinking until Josh gets home (most of the time) and I've taken up running but I'm so tired that sometimes putting one foot in front of the other is too exhausting.  And I feel guilty to ask Josh or tell him that I just need a break and need to get away.  I feel guilty because Reid is my kid, he depends on me, I know he doesn't wake up every morning with the intentions of making Mommy crazy. And I know that some day this will pass and my kids will be grown, mommy won't be able to make everything better with a kiss and I'll miss them being little. So for now I just grit my teeth, throw my hands up and ask God to help me. 
God, help me be a better mommy to my two sweet blessings.  Because I know that's what they are.  I know there are so many people who's constant prayer is to be parents and that there are countless kids with no parents or abusive parents and that my hard times are so mundane compared to others.  So God please, help keep me in check with how blessed I am, help me keep my patience a little longer every day and I really do thank you for making me a mommy.  Just help me be a better one.  Amen

Double the heartache

For those of you who know me even the littlest bit know that I come from a large family.  And I'm not talking just the 5 siblings.  I'm talking aunts, uncles and cousins too.  And I think know that I'm extremely blessed and lucky.  Those of us on my mom's side are extremely close.  It was always us, (my sisters, brother and I) and Rebecca, Rachel, Jared, Jessie, Paula and Zach.  That's a whole lot of kids and a whole lot of fun. Growing up they were more brothers and sisters to me than cousins.  It's just how close we grew up.  And sharing in happy times, excitement and blessings also means you share in the bad times and the heartaches.  And that biggest heartache came 5 years ago today.  And even though 5 years sounds like somewhat of a long time, my heart still hurts, it beats fast, my cheeks burn and my eyes well up with tears just thinking about what is missing from our family.

 

One of us earned his wings and became an angel.  And my heart still feels that loss every day.  Because there is not one single day that has passed since that snowy and cold day in March when the good Lord decided to call Jared home that my mind doesn't think of him.  I'll always remember where I was and what I was doing when my phone rang and I could hear my mom's voice trembling on the other line when all she said was "he's gone".  I vividly remember dropping the phone and watching it fall down the steps and disconnect from the other line. Remember feeling that maybe if I didn't call her back none of what she said would be true.  I remember thinking that just 10 minutes earlier Josh and I had been outside with Addilyn playing in the snow and laughing like things were ok.  In that instant of a phone call, our family and lives changed forever. 

 

 

Five years.  I just can't seem to wrap my head around that.  I remember the countless drives to Norton's, the talks and jokes in the waiting room while making the time pass, the endless prayers bedside, dropping to my knees to God in the waiting room and chapel, adding angel after angel to his angel Christmas tree and finally that last drive to Norton's.  And it really doesn't seem like that long ago, but yet so much has changed since then.  Our huge family has expanded greatly.  Three more got married, adding two more guys and one girl to the family.  Nine (9!!) babies have been born since 2005, giving Jared two more neices and two more nephews that he never got a chance to love and kiss on and spoil and teach new things to.  But because we all have our memories, those babies will all grow up and know who he was and what kind of a guy he was. 

 

our last family picture

Thanksgiving '07

 

 

You know that song "If Heaven Wasn't So Far Away"?  Yea, what I wouldn't give to just wrap my arms around him one more time or just to look at him and see him smile.  But instead all I can do is know that we will see him again one day.  And I hope this year he is celebrating his "angel"versary and Granma's first birthday in heaven with all our loved ones.  Because today is not only his anniversary but is also Granma's birthday.  So my heart aches twice as much today for the loss of two important people from our family.  I hope they're floating around on a big fluffy cloud talking about how bad the CATS need to learn how to play ball and she giving him a love pat or two on his knee as they look down and know that so many people love them and miss them terribly. 

 

I know these two are looking down on us

today and always

 

"There are no goodbyes for us. Wherever you are, you will always be in our hearts." ~Mahatma Ghandi

 

My thoughts and feelings exactly



Friendship Shout Out!

I love being married and I love being a mommy but sometimes a girl just needs her friends!  And when you have great friends it makes life more enjoyable!  God blessed me with some great girlfriends and with those girlfriends come their husbands who are also friends with Josh.  And with these great couples come some pretty great and cute kids for Addi and Reid.

 

We've been friends with Dee and Heather for a looooong time!  In fact, I've known Dee half my life.  When Dee married Heather, little did I know I would gain a true and lifelong friend.  We share advice, parenting tips, numerous glasses of wine, aggravating husband stories and lots of laughs.  Our children are close in age and even closer in friendship.  I love their sons like they are my own and have enjoyed watching them grow and hit milestones.  And I know Dee and Heather feel the same about our kids.  They've become those friends that know just about everything about you, will treat my kids like their own and we feel at home in one anothers home.  I hope that the friendship that not only the 4 of us have but the friendship between Addilyn and Briley will last a lifetime.  With the 2 littlest guys, Reid and Marshall, I know they will develop a lasting friendship with one another just like their older siblings.  I thank God that He placed this wonderful, caring and fun family in our lives.

"Let us be grateful to people who make us happy, they are the charming gardeners who make our souls blossom." Marcel Proust

When we moved into our home 2 1/2 years ago, I was really hoping for a great neighborhood for our kids to grow up in.  And I got what I was hoping for!  Just 3 houses up from us live a great family that we quickly became friends with.  Jeff and Ali have become good friends of ours and their daughter Kali and Addilyn have become best of friends, not only in the neighborhood but in school as well.  It's nice to have those nights where at the last minute we decide to order pizza, let the kids play and just have some relaxing, laid back time.  And the summertime has been the best.  Letting the kids run around until they are exhausted, the guys shooting the breeze on the back patio while the women trade funny stories, sit back and watch the kids interact so well, swap recipes and soak up life. 

Just last summer we were lucky to add another family to this equation to make the subdivision trio.  Kris and Tracy and their little boy Tyson have become fast friends with us all.  Besides Reid, Tyson is the only boy but it doesn't seem to bother him.  It's so much fun to watch the kids interact with one another and they play and get along like they've known eachother for a long time.  Reid looks at Tyson as an older brother and dearly loves playing with him.  I hope that the friendship between all 4 of them continues to grow and deepen.  I know I want my kids to have a childhood that they can play, learn and grow with the same kids, that both my kids and I feel safe that they are in a safe enviroment and that when they are in highschool they'll have those friends "they've known all their life". 

Theres another family who moved in the neighborhood just a few months ago and I can't wait for their first summer here so that they're 2 kids can join "the gang".  Roger and Josey have 2 adorable kids and they are friends that I have known for a very long time. We've done lots of birthday parties, New Years Eve's and baby birth celebrations together and it's great that they're even closer now to share in so many fun activites.  It's fun to watch our children grow and play together. 

"I cannot even imagine where I would be today were it not for that handful of friends who have given me a heart full of joy. Let's face it, friends make life a lot more fun."  Charles R. Swindoll

 
God blessed Josh and I with wonderful kids and wonderful friends for our kids to grow up with.  We are truly blessed because Dee, Heather, Jeff, Ali, Kris, Tracy, Roger and Josey have shown us what true friendship is.  Whether we've known them for 15+ years or just since the summer, they are friends for life.  And the same goes for the kiddos!
"The greatest gift of life is friendship, and I have received it."  Hubert H. Humphrey




 

 


I'm a stay at home mommy!

So as most of you know, I'm a stay at home mommy.  I have been since day 1 when Addilyn was born.  And every most days I love it!  Since Addi is now in Kindergarten it's just Reid and I during the days.  And I think it's harder with just Reid lol!!  Maybe it's the difference in a boy and a girl, maybe it's the difference in kid #1 and kid #2 or maybe it's a combination of both.  But Reid is going to be the death of me, the reason Josh says we have to stop at 2 kids and the reason I lose my sanity before long.  (I'm really hoping he'll get his act together before he really is the last kid we have)

 

So now I'm gonna get to the reason of this post.  It's been brewing for a loooong time, it might make some people mad and maybe make a few other SAHM (stay at home moms) do a silent fist pump in the air! 

 

I may not have a 9-5, salary paid, vacation earning, reason to get dressed job, but I work!  I can't tell you how many times I've had people say "well you're a stay at home mom so you get to clean house" or "youre a SAHM so there's no reason you can't go to the gym" or "man, I'd give anything to be a SAHM" and the list could go on and on.  So let me start at the top of that list and work my way down...

 

You're right, my "work" day doesn't start at 9:00.  It starts at 6:15 when I wake Addi up and get her ready for school.  She's out the door and on the bus by 6:56 and I've got approximately 30 minutes before Reid is up if he's not already.  And I'll be honest here, sometime I can squeeze in a few more minutes of sleep because I am one of those people who can go to sleep at any time.  And here's the difference between my "work" day and yours.  I don't get a solo ride into work and home from work.  In fact, I don't get to go ANYWHERE solo.  The grocery store, to pee, to take a shower or even the mailbox.  And I don't get a lunch break.  Take for example today.  I shared my tuna fish with a 2 year old who was also making a mess of his ramen noodles and finding it fun to smash his doritoes all over the table.  I don't think I even got to taste my food.  This is everyday, unless I wait till he's napping but that's normally when I catch up on the laundry.  My showers consist of turning on the Disney channel and trusting Reid to not tear the room apart while I run through the shower.  I then put on my best black pants and tee shirt with no holes and continue on my routine. 

TRUE STORY!!!!!!

 

I do fix my hair everyday and try to put on make up as well.  This is mainly for my husband.  I don't want him to forget who he married :)

 

I saw another ecard that had me a little aggravated.  It was about a mom who had a job and "does everything I do in 2 hours".  Not true! 

I just sometimes feel under-appreciated.  I clean the house, (some rooms multiple times) pick up toys,(always multiple times) do the laundy, do the dishes, get supper started, Addi off the bus and homework done by the time daddy gets home (most of the the time) and on Tuesdays and Thursdays off to gymnastics and squeeze in the grocery store too.  Mind you the grocery trip can make me lose my ever loving mind when I take Reid!  Please reread the first paragraph for a refresher. So I've started going to the grocery at night after supper, after baths and after the kids are in bed. 

 

I love my kids!  And I really do love staying home with them!  I just get tired of hearing people say how they wish they could too when I hear them talk or read FaceBook posts about how their kids drive them crazy, they need a mommy-vacation or hear/read how their kids drive them nuts on the weekends when they actually spend the whole day with them.  And I'm not calling anyone out.  No names are being mentioned and in fact most of my friends don't fall in this category, just several random people. 

Another difference in my life and yours as a "working mom" is take for example today.  I went to the doctor yesterday and have strep throat.  No matter how tired or sick I feel, I can't call in for a sick day.  I have no daycare to take my kids to so I can lay on the couch and rest up and get plenty of fluids.  It just doesn't happen. 

We're still paying off a small student loan I have had since my days at WKU.  But the more aggravating part?  I feel like I have nothing to show for that.  There's no diploma on the wall.  Just sticky finger prints that I know one day I will miss greatly.  No matter what kind of day I have I just keep telling myself "this too shall pass" and "I know I'll miss this all one day".  When filling out medical paperwork I have found myself filling out in the employment field under job description "Domestic Engineer" and under Employer "Addilyn and Reid".  Just a little fun humor!
But for now, I'll leave you with some of the things I deal with on a daily basis

These are a few of the things that I deal with on a daily basis.  Kids who dress themselves, get their heads stuck in tables, I find them rearranging my tupperware cabinet, squirting juice boxes all over the floor "just because", finding more trucks and trains in my bed than I can count and the list goes on and on.  But I wouldn't trade them for anything, other than a peaceful, quiet moment by myself from time to time :)

 

No, it's not 5:00 yet but even when it is, my day isn't over.  I don't even get a break then. 

And I'll leave you with this one...

My mind is most definitely lost.  It's probably somewhere with missing barbie shoes, half eaten apples and mismatched socks.  If you find it-keep it! 

My mom somehow did all this with way more than 2 kids.  When there was just 4 of us, she stayed at home with us, kept my 4 cousins and also 2 other kids.  God must've been handing out a crap-ton of patience when He made my mom a mom!! 

I hope this didn't offend anyone and even if it did, oh well.  It was just a way of blowing off some steam and putting it to those moms who do nothing but complain about anything and everything. 

I thank God and my husband for allwoing me to be a stay at home mommy.  I try my best, work hard at it and hope I'm doing a fair enough job at it.  In fact, I hope for my kids sakes I'm doing a kick ass job at it!  I love being here when my kids wake up, when Addi gets off the bus, to take her to her activities, to volunteer for Feeding America, to volunteer in Addilyn's classroom and have some one on one time with the most trying, hard headed and lovable little 2 year old. 

And this is what peace looks like!:)

Happy 6th Birthday Addilyn!

     So somehow my little sassy, diva, bright eyed, 1000 question asking, flipping through the house, sweet little girl just turned SIX!!  If I could ask one question I believe it would be to Father Time and ask him "WHY?" why does the time go so fast?  Why does their babyness, toddler time and now childhood fly by like a bat outta hell??

 

But regardless of how fast the time goes, I'm loving (almost) every minute!  Of course in high school I didn't even wanna think about having kids.(why would I??) And even in college, it wasn't at the top of my priorties.  But then, in 2003 when I met Josh and I pretty much fell in love pretty quick, things and my outlooks changed.  Now, I wouldn't trade being a mommy for anything!  And I often find myself thinking that this was God's plan for me all along.  I was meant to be a mommy! :)  And I am so so so thankful, grateful and blessed that God placed Addilyn Dale in my life 6 years ago.  She has been the greatest blessing, has kept me on my toes and has made my heart so full of love. 

 

Addilyn and I talked about her party for months leading up to the big day.  We tossed around a few ideas and then finally settled on an Ice Cream Sundae party.  And boy did we have fun with it! But before I get into that let me take you through her actual birthday. 

 

I love to make my kiddos feel super duper special on their special day!  I try to make it all about them as much as possible and make it a day they look forward to all year!  So the night before Addi's birthday I blew up a package of balloons and placed them in the floor of her room and leading out into the hallway from her room.  I also hung ribbon from her doorway for her to walk out of in the morning.  The morning of her birthday, her daddy, Reid and I woke her up singing "Happy Birthday to You".  This was a morning she actually woke up with a smile on her face and no complaints of getting up too early!

 

That morning her eyes got big when she saw all the balloons and she walked repeatedly through her doorway :)  Three days later I finally had to take them down!

 

She requested her birthday breakfast of scrambled eggs, french toast and chocolate milk.

 

 

She finishes getting ready for school and gets to wear her special birthday girl shirt and poses with Reid for a picture!

it's 6:45am and Reid is in his boots!

 

Once Addi got home from school she was soon met by a cute little neighbor boy who gave her a balloon and (eeeeppp!) her first flowers!

 

 

We told Addi she could pick where to have her birthday dinner.  We had Reid taken care of so we could let the dinner be all about Addi and Daddy and I could enjoy dinner too.  My noodle and rice lovin girl chose Kansai! (woohoo for sushi for mommy and daddy)

We treated her to Baskin Robbins after dinner

 

By the end of her special day we had one very tired little girl!  But by now she was on the countdown to her birthday party that weekend!

 

 

 

Because we were doing an ice cream sundae party I bought $1 aprons from the Dollar Tree and my mother in law was great at putting the kids names on them.  I thought they might come in handy since the kids were probably going to make a mess making and eating their sundaes.

 

We split her party into 2 days.  Saturday for friends and Sunday for family.  I just knew it would be too crazy and too many people to do it in one day. 

The birthday girl getting ready to make her masterpiece!

 

 

This is by far my favorite picture.  It really shows the excitement that she felt and the fun she was having!

 

 



Our ice cream sundae bar!

Chocolate and Vanilla ice cream

warm brownies

bananas and strawberries

rainbow sprinkles, nerds, gummy worms, chocolate chips, Reese cups and Oreos

Chocolate, Caramel and Strawberry syrup

hot fudge and strawberry preserves

whipped cream and cherries

 

YUMMO!!!

 

We got so much great feedback that I'm ready to do it all over again!

 

 

With the friend party we had several fun games of Twister

 

 

and there was one game that Daddy even joined in!  He quickly found out he wasn't flexible enough or young enough!!

 

We then did some pretty intense rounds of Musical Chairs

 

Each kid went home with a winning sucker!

All (or most) of the kids from her friend party Saturday!  She sure is one blessd little girl!

 

 

She really loaded up on Saturday with arts and crafts, toys, pajamas and the new Taylor Swift cd!

 

Sunday was a whole new wardrobe day!  And for a 6 year old that's exactly what she wanted.  SERIOUSLY, it's all she asked for.  More pajamas, clothes to get the spring season started off just right and SIX pairs of shoes!  Addi loves shoes, so this was right up her alley! 

 

This was her present from Mommy and Daddy!

 

She was able to read the paper herself which I think made it even better and her face was priceless! At first she was in shock but is now saying it's the best present ever! Which is perfect since she said it was the best birthday party ever! Now I just have to bear hearing "how many more days until the concert" (which is in May!) I may lose my sanity by then!

 

HAPPY BIRTHDAY ADDILYN!!

 

 

 

Happy Cupid Can Suck it Day!

     If you really know me, then you know that I cannot stand Valentine's Day.  I don't see the point in it, plain and simple.  Does my husband have a problem with this?  Haha, absolutley not!  He loves the fact that I call today Happy "Cupid Can Suck it Day".  Ask my sisters, this is the text they get from me every year.  Maybe I'll use this opportunity to use you guys as my therapist because I can remember back how long it's been that I haven't liked February 14th.  My junior year of high school, I was dating a guy and had been for a while.  I got stood up on Valentine's Day.  I felt ridiculous, humiliated, upset and then mad.  And obviously, I haven't gotten over it! :)  But that's ok. Josh would probably shake his hand, pat him on the back and say "thank you so much for saving me all the trouble" !
   Why should there be one day out of the year that the person you love the most (or at the time) be told that they have to send you flowers, get you a card, blah blah blah?  I can't tell you the last time Josh got me flowers, but does that mean he doesn't love me any less? No!  Just surprise me from time to time with them or a card for absolutley no reason (no really, go ahead, it's ok!)  Just don't put so much pressure on today. 
But because the media, marketing and advertising put so much emphasis on Vday, I do like to make my kids feel extra special.  And I'm going to share our day with you.

 

 

6:00am I (and Reid for some reason) was up making pink heart shaped pancakes for my Valentines.  Reid wanted to be right in the middle of it!

 





Addilyn was excited to head to school and celebrate with all her friends!

I was finally able to slow Reid down enought right before bedtime to snap a picture of him.

We ended our day with dinner and the kids each got a new plate and cup to eat on (this seems to be a tradition) and I surprised them with heart shaped Jello jigglers, although they didn't quite jiggle because they got stuck in the mold, but they enjoyed them just the same.  Daddy gave them each their own box of chocolates and Reid was quick to dig in!

So for me, as a mommy, this is what so called Valentine's Day is all about!

I promise this is the last time!

Third times a charm right?  I love the blogging world.  Am I good at it?  Not hardly.  Do I enjoy reading other peoples blogs?  You betcha!  Am I as dedicated as I should be to mine? Nope!  But I think that's because I never blog about things that keep me interested enough to want to always blog.  So I've changed my blog name...again.  Don't judge.  It's not like I'm married to it :)  I did the family blog kind of thing and really enjoyed it.  Then I felt like I was boring everyone with my day to day activities.  So I went the Pinterst route.  I still do LOTS of Pinterest things all the time.  But they always include my family so I'm back to the family blog.  A Day in the Life of the Johnson's!  It may not excite you, but I don't care.  You don't have to read it!

So stay tuned for the day to day things, the pictures, the projects, the family time, the parties and the stressful time!