If I Can Remember....

I need to get back on here to rant and rave about stuff. I don't know what. Usually when I rant and rave I don't know what I'm going to say, but I need to utilize this blog by what it was originally intended for...an outlet for me and my need to sardonize. I don't know if that's a word.

My other reason for blogging is to catch everyone up on the goings-on of the Johnson clan. So, here are some updates:

Millie turned 6 months old on Monday!!

Yes, my baby is getting bigger. And so are her eyes--my word! She often has really big, alert eyes that take in everything all around her. And the overalls she was wearing today were soooo cute! I had to take a picture of them. She's begun eating cereal and fruits and veggies. Usually the veggies end up getting spit all around her. She devoured her pears today, though. She's fun and just so beautiful.


This is our house. I took this picture the day we put our rocks in. It's a nice little place, don't you think? We placed the rocks in the flower beds along the front of the house right in front of the white foundation areas on either side of the front door. This picture makes our front door look like it's just floating above the ground. It's not, don't worry. We have stairs. I know you had to catch your breath just then.

Here's a close up of the rocks. We have our pathetic little petunias planted there, but they're just a little color and they were only $1.99 for four plants. Jackpot.

So, kid updates. This is just another cute picture of Millie, but I have stories of the other kids.

Matt says the weirdest stuff. He makes me laugh. The other day the kids helped me wash the cars. Matt took his sponge and as he did the whole "Wax on" movement he said, "Good bye, dirty. Hellooooo clean!"

When Lori and her boys were here Dad pulled the slip and slide out for the kids to play with. Matt has always been a little shy about water. He doesn't like to get water in his face. So, to psyche himself up to run through the water (because he just ran the length of the slide, he never allowed himself to slide) he chanted, "Wolverine, Wolverine, Wolverine, Wolverine!" By that time he reached the slide so he sucked in his breath and blinked furiously as he ran through the sprinklers. Finally, he made it safely through the water. He would then strut his stuff and cockily chant again, "Wolverine! Wolverine!" Sometimes at the end of the slide he'd just joyously skip and sing, "Zip-a-dee-doo-dah! Zip-a-dee-doo-dah!"

To get to the Buffalo Jump, you have to go through the little town of Ulm. The kids have begun doing things that I remember doing as a kid. It just helps me understand how annoying I am. Anyway, as we headed through Ulm the girls were meditating and saying in the perfect monotone, "Ulllllmmmmm, Ulllllmmmmm..." (I remember doing this as a kid.) But the meditative "Ulm" was quickly expanded to "Ullllmmmmm is the place, Ullllmmmmm is the place." And finally it became the full expression of "Ulllmmmm is the place to rock and roll, Ullllmmmm is the place to rock and roll." Because everyone knows that the 20 people that live in Ulm are big partiers.

This is a picture of the final bit of the sunset today. I took this picture at 10:25pm. The longest days on the plains are truly long days.

So, that's about all I've got to say about that. (Forest Gump reference for you there.) I'll try to find some random subject to rant about. I don't know about you, but I'm missing those posts.

'Fess Up Friday

Help me!! I took the week off AGAIN! It started out busy and I just never regained. But, I wasn't completely inanimately watching tv. We did tons of yard work this week. Josh did the lawn and I weeded. And then I weeded. And then I weeded the raspberries (they're mean little suckers). Then we weeded the front flower beds. These boogers have been bugging me since we first moved in a year ago. The previous couple, who lived here for 16 years, had done a lot to the property and kept it up very well, but the wife loved the wildflower look in these blasted flower beds. I couldn't tell what was weeds and what was flowers last summer, plus I was pregnant, so the beds went out of control. Plus, we have this family of garter snakes living under our front steps that feed off of the neverending supply of bugs on those darn wildflowers, so the whole thing HAD TO GO!

And go it did. We sprayed everything DEAD. Then Josh and my dad shoveled the DEAD stuff out. So then it was BARE. We put down weed block and rocks and I planted a couple of petunias and it looks so pretty now. It's so nice. (In case you need guidance as to my mood at this moment, the caps are me yelling through gritted teeth. That's right. I haven't had enough sleep this weekend and I'm a little loopy and you know you LOVE it.)

Anyway, back to the excuses for not exercising, Josh and I went to get this rock to lay down. At Ace Hardware, mulch was about $13 for a bag that covered 10 sq ft. I was using a gift card we got and that was going to put me over budget. Instead, I bought the weed block and flowers. So we went to a sand and gravel company in town and paid $18 for over 2600 lbs of rock. Yes, 2600 LBS! Josh, my everlovin' stud of a husband shoveled all that rock out of the back of the truck and into the beds. Then I raked it level. Plus, I used my foot to push it. Sometimes that was easier than the rake. So, I got work outs, just not "official" ones. But, they start again on Monday. They have to or I'll have to punish myself. Don't ask me how. I'm full of empty threats. Just ask my kids.

So, I just fessed up to more than I should have. How'd you do?

(BTW, Kayleen, I don't have a workout buddy. It's too hard to ask someone to workout with me. First, I don't know who to ask, second, my living room is too small for two people to workout in, and third, I have to work around an ever-changing nursing schedule. So for now I just have virtual workout buddies--you guys.)

Go Jump Off a Cliff

Before Lori and her boys head for home (they're leaving in the early AM), Dad took us to see the First People's Buffalo Jump. It's not even 10 miles away from Great Falls. I didn't realize we had so many historical sights so close by. What have we been missing???

The kids stood next to a buffalo. Don't worry it was stuffed. And they were allowed to touch it, so that made it even better.

The way the jump worked was that a young man, about 13 to 16 years old, would wear a bison calf cape and act like an injured calf and play up to the lead cow. She's follow him up the hill and the rest of the herd would follow her. Then about four other young men would wear wolf capes and start freaking out the herd. They'd be following the lead cow who would be led by the "injured calf" and he'd take them to the edge of the cliff. Because of the buffalo's poor sight, they would not be able to tell that they were actually heading off a cliff until it was too late. It was actually a bit freaky to realize what the young men had to do to have these HUGE animals stampeding behind them. The young men would jump off the cliff onto a shelf and quickly scramble out of the way so they wouldn't be kicked off the hill too.

Dad led Abby and Emma to the edge of the cliff. The grass color change is where the cliff begins.

This is what the shelf looked like. At the edge of the rock is the steep decent to DEATH! It was a bit scary. The cliff ran about a mile long.


Dad and Matt at the edge of the shelf. Matt said being at the edge of the cliff "was fweaky."

Millie slept until about five minutes before we left. She was such a good girl.

As we left, Dad asked the kids what they learned. I think it was Emma that said, "Never jump off a cliff!" Smart kid.

The Dam Joke

I've never felt too restricted in my religion, but I've never been one to shy away from a little rebellion. Although I try not to swear, this is one of my favorite jokes.

The other day we went to one of the dams. Here's what's pretty cool. There are several dams built on the falls that Great Falls is named for. The falls were discovered by Lewis and Clark in their infamous trip through the Louisiana Purchase. So we took a dam excursion.

The dam.

This is the dam suspension bridge you have to cross to get to the dam island in the middle of the Missouri River.

We had lunch on the dam island.

The kids were all running to use the dam bathrooms.

Trent and Millie. There ain't no dam joke for this one.

Dad took the kids up the dam island rocks.

Mom and the kids looking into the dam water.

I know it's a lame joke, but the dam joke makes me giggle.

'Fess Up Friday

Yes, my friends. It's that time again. I've been a busy lady lately. That means that I have not been spending the time online, but I have been doing some other things lately: my sister Lori is still here (more photos soon), my novel has begun (that one's not coming to the blog anytime soon), and school's out. And somehow, blog-land lives on even if I don't post something every single day.

But, today is 'Fess Up Friday. I had a unique experience this week. I quit exercising. Not forever, but just for the week. I've been the same weight +/- 2 lbs for almost two months now. I have felt HORRIBLE about it, especially since I've been trying to do this incredible miracle-working program. So I took a break this week. I didn't turn on any workout video once, didn't run a single mile, ate like JUNK, and lost more weight this week than I have in weeks. I think my body needed a break. So, Monday I will begin working out again, but at a much less intense level than I have been. Maybe that will finally get me past this hurdle. I plan to do the core workout, kenpo, and plyometrics from P90X and go running the days in between. I'm going to try that for about a month or so. We head to Colorado in the middle of July, so I'll try it out until then. I'm taking my life into my own hands, people!

So, that was me. Funny. I ate so badly because I've been spending so much time at my parents' house. It's amazing how much junk food two diabetics keep in the house. Thanks to me, that supply is nearly out of their way. I'm so nice.

So tell me, how'd you do? Any good stories from this week?

Going to Choteau

Yesterday Mom and Dad led Lori and her boys and me and my kids to Choteau, MT, where we went to the "dinosaur" museum. It was a very modest museum (definitely not the Denver Museum) but a fun day nonetheless.

There was a dinosaur!

Emma, Trenton, Tyler, Matt, Teagan, Mom, and Abby

A bear trap. The schools in Choteau are said to go to lock-down when bears traipse down through town.

Emma took notes for Josh since he had to sleep so he could work last night.

Abby, Tyler, A Bear, Trenton, Matt, and Teagan

Uh, Abby, don't look behind you...

Emma, Matt, Abby, and Tyler

Millie was soooo rowdy! ;o)

This is what happens when you yell, "Make a funny face!"

We ended the trip with ice cream. Yummy.

Choteau is also the place where David Letterman's ranch is. There was an information booth there and I wanted to ask the lady how often she's asked where his ranch is, but then I thought I might be the only nerd in the world to ask her that, so I opted to just smile at her and make small talk. I'm a chicken.

Fess Up Friday and More

Dad and Millie (the first time he's held her and she hasn't cried)

I'm wearing a hospital band on my wrist. Sometimes stupid things just happen. This afternoon, before I had a chance to do much, I stepped on a nail. With bare feet. In my basement. I know, stupid, right? I moved a bunch of nails the other week when I changed our family room into a playroom and I'm pretty sure I must've dropped one. Well, it must've fallen just right so it could stand up from the carpet because it got me. Not too bad, but enough that I had to get a tetanus shot tonight. Stupid!

So, Fess Up Friday...hmmm.... except for today, I worked out hard everyday. I'm still not seeing the results I ache for, but I'm holding out hope--it's got to happen sooner or later!

I did work out with the second graders today as I helped with Emma's Olympics. I had the minimum number of parents I needed to pull it off. Thank goodness it all worked out. And thank goodness it's the last day of school. Finally!

Lori, my sister, is here visiting right now. I'm so glad she's here. I really miss her! I miss all you all too, of course! My cousin Heather was also in town with her boyfriend James. The camera hasn't come out too much, but I have a few shots.

Teagan, Lori and Millie

Teagan said, "Can I hold it?"

Gramma, Mom, Teagan, Lori, Heather and James

So, 'fess up about your week. How'd you do?

Last Week of School

This is the last week of school. Everyone else I know is out now. My poor girls have another two and a half days. I'm happy they're still kept busy during the day (because summer vacation gets boring after a while), but I'm tired of not being able to sleep in. I know. I'm selfish--either I want them in school to get them out of my hair or I want them home so I can sleep. It's always about me!!!

Abby is having a luau the last two days of school, so she gets to reuse the luau garb she got for her birthday party. Emma is having an Olympics. Somehow, I'm in charge of it. At the beginning of the year the teachers sent around papers asking parents how involved they'd like to be in their child's education. Of course I want to be involved, but I didn't know I was going to be a go-to-mom. At Halloween I organized the parental help for the second grade's roundup. Now I'm doing the same thing for the Year End Olympics. And it's not just Emma's classroom, it's all three 2nd grade classes. I so don't get it. I guess I should feel good that I'm trusted with the responsibility, but now I know to be a lot more conservative in the boxes I mark of the things I'm willing to do.

At any rate, it's almost summertime!