The Johnston Chronicles

Virginia

2012-02-08T21:38:00.000-08:00

My baby boy...


Is leaving California...

He's so proud of his sweet wife's outlook of the news...

Erica is looking at it as an adventure...

It's not quite as easy when you're 12 years old...

But I know Thalia will do just fine...she'll meet so many new friends...learn a lot about herself... and get to experience a new part of our country!

Virginia... my friend, Jake, said it's absolutely wonderful. I suppose I'll find that out for myself this summer! I'll miss them even more, just knowing they're farther away!

BB...aka 'Before Babies'

2012-02-07T06:35:00.000-08:00

I started thinking yesterday, what did I blog about before the boys came along? I definitely have always blogged about family..but I caught myself thinking I didn't have anything to blog about since I'd covered all the recent times with the boys.

But I blogged for 3 1/2 years before they were born... so I looked back at old posts... I found a precious video of my friend, Laner's, first grandson right after he was born (almost cried), I saw our house getting a little remodel, I saw the farm, going on a walk with Rema, lots of Camilla... just a variety of topics. So, I decided to blog about the woodshed!

I'm sitting here on a Tuesday morning, 6:30 a.m., enjoying my coffee, with NO FIRE! Rats! I miss it when there's no fire in the wood stove. Considering it's in the mid-50's outside...that's why there's no fire. But I still miss it.

My guy has worked hard on stocking the woodshed this year. You can see how much we've used this year -see there in the front? The last picture was taken from the door of our family room... I should have photoshopped it so you could better see how the clouds were... beautiful...it was a blustery day, kind of like it is now, except right now, it's still dark...

Running with Papa

2012-02-04T22:38:00.000-08:00

Emerson was ready to run...

and his Papa was ready to run with him...

back and forth...

"around the bend" as Emerson says (from Thomas the Train!)...

It's not everyday you see people running with a blanket...

But Emerson did... never tripping over it... not putting it down... he did look back several times to see if I was taking photos... or getting it all on video...

Occasionally, he'd run to me and want to look at the camera to see the picture.. and then once he'd seen it, off he'd run...

"Let's go, Papa!"

Emerson is not a quiet runner... I love hearing all his little happy noises as he runs!

You may notice an absence of Papa in the last photos... someone was getting a bit tired from all the running...

and it wasn't Emerson!

Should I or shouldn't I?

2012-02-01T18:55:00.000-08:00

Emerson climbed up on the stool when he was visiting...

He had spotted the phone and pulled it toward him...

"Ummm? Should I or shouldn't I start pressing buttons?"

He quickly pressed a button or two....

"Ummm? Nothing happened. Should I try it again?"

The phone lit up...

"Now what?"

It was so cute...Emerson was so curious about the phone...about how it worked...

One in 7 Billion

2012-01-30T23:25:00.000-08:00

On October 5th, Lindsey posted this on Facebook. It warmed my heart on October 5th when I first read it, and everytime I think about it, I react the same way. One aspect of a mother's love!
Lindsey S.

I think we're about up to 7 billion people now in the world. Isn't it amazing that there's no cuter face (in my opinion) in the whole world than my son Benjamin's! (And I'm saying this after he dive bombed himself multiple times walking to the doctor, in the waiting room, and on our way back to the car! All because he wanted to drive Mommy's car instead. A girl in a wheelchair actually had some difficulty wheeling herself around his body!)

"Let me see, Mimi!"

2012-01-29T22:38:00.000-08:00

This weekend we spent hanging out and playing with Emerson...at his house! Two weeks ago, when this picture was taken, we spent hanging out with him at our house! Both were definitely FUN!

This weekend, well, I took a lot of photos... and Emerson kept wanting to check them out. They'll be coming soon....

Dreamy

2012-01-26T23:16:00.000-08:00

In reading some of the ideas with Photoshop... I tried something new on some of my little guy, Emerson's, pictures. I just love this...something new to play with!

(You can see the SOOC (straight out of camera) of the top picture in the post below this one.)

Left Behind

2012-01-26T22:45:00.000-08:00

This little blue 'race car' was left behind...

I found it by my coffee cup after our little guy had left...

I don't think he's too worried!

Sliding

2012-01-22T23:15:00.000-08:00

There's a park not far from our home...easy walking distance...

Before the boys were born, I used to dream about taking them there to play...

I've been able to take them...but this weekend, it was just Emerson and I...

Last time I took him, he wouldn't go down the slide... this time he did...

He climbed up the equipment...and LOVED walking across the 'bridge'... he knew I was taking photos, so he'd turn around every once in a while to see if I was taking his picture!

It was so much fun for this Mimi...

and I could tell it was so much fun for my little guy!

I lost count after 513 on the number of times he went down the slide (just kidding!)

Here he is on the 'bridge'...he LOVED walking across it...

"AGAIN!!!" he would yell...

and off he'd run to do it again...

This is where he usually climbed up...

All of a sudden, we heard a "Hi Mrs Johnston!!" and these 3 girls walked up. Two of them are former students... They remembered when Emerson and Benjamin were born...and immediately asked if this was one of my grandsons.... They pulled out their cell phones and started taking pictures... they were telling me how ADORABLE Emerson was... (Yep, I absolutely agree!)...

This little dog ran up...and the girls quickly diverted their picture taking to the dog...

Emerson went back to climbing...

After the dog was called away by his owner, the girls started climbing on the equipment too. They also decided to slide, only they went belly-down. Serenity, one of my former students, apologized, saying she didn't mean to be a bad influence on Emerson. I told her not to worry, he wasn't paying any attention to them sliding like that....

and then I saw him climbing back up to slide...

and...he came down on his belly! He was laughing, I was laughing...and so were the girls!

"Ummm, I think I'll do it AGAIN!"

And off he went...

What a great time we had at the park! Riding his 'motorcycle' there...sliding... climbing on the equipment... walking on the 'bridge'... for 2-3 hours straight! I'm grateful we have the park close-by....but also that I had my little guy here for the weekend!

9 Years!

2012-01-19T18:19:00.000-08:00

9 years ago today, Lindsey and Donnie had a beautiful wedding...the beginning of a beautiful marriage!

I remember the first time I met Donnie...they were 'just friends'... I told a friend of mine that THAT was just the kind of guy I would love my daughter to marry...

They've always been on-the-go... playing... walking together... friends...

After over 6 years of marriage, our little man, Benjamin, entered their lives...

I love watching them as parents...

Now as they celebrate their 9th wedding anniversary...

another little person is on the way...

they'll go from a family of 3, to a family of 4!

Happy Anniversary, Lindsey and Donnie! We sure do love you both!

collages

2012-01-18T22:59:00.000-08:00

Playing around with Photoshop, I made these collages of Thalia, Emerson, and Benjamin! I saw this idea somewhere, with the letter in one of the squares, and just loved it. So here I sit at 11 p.m. instead of sleeping, like I should!

But it sure is fun!

Riding his motorcycle to the park

2012-01-17T23:31:00.000-08:00

I asked Emerson if he wanted to go to the park. He did. I asked him if he wanted to ride his 'motorcycle' to the park, and he jumped on it was ready to roll!

He told me he liked to go downhill! I told him to SLOW DOWN!

We got to the park and he stopped to check it out...

He was hanging across his handlebars like a true biker...

I told him how cool he looked on his motorcycle...

He thought about that one...

After checking out the situation at the park, he rode his motorcycle over to the play area,

He decided to park it...

thought about what he wanted to do...

and then got off to play awhile...


Periodically, while he was playing, he would turn around to check to make sure his motorcycle was still safely parked. Fun at the park...that's what we had!

Quite the helper!

2012-01-16T23:05:00.000-08:00

Emerson is quite the helper! At first, he was unsure about the wood stove. "Will it come out?" he asked about the fire. After I reassured him the fire would stay in the stove, he was ready to help his Papa bring in firewood.

Actually, every few minutes, Emerson would decide it was time to get a new log. We had to explain that we needed to wait just a little while for the first log to burn.

He liked to help...

That was hard work!

Time to get on the slippers and relax a while!

An early morning picture

2012-01-15T21:33:00.000-08:00

We just had a fun couple of days with Emerson...just Emerson! We played Thomas the Train, we played with blocks, we rode his 'motorcycle' to the park...we slid down the slide approximately 483 times...we took an equal number of pictures... we read books... we cooked macaroni and cheese at 11:30 p.m. (as has already been documented here on the JohnstonChronicles)... we just had fun!

This picture we took this morning...before breakfast, before we even got dressed... It's a "good morning" picture from us to you!

11:30 p.m.

2012-01-14T20:01:00.000-08:00

He DID take a late nap...

He WAS excited about being at Mimi and Papa's....

He WAS hungry...

and oh, was he being a HAM! Making faces... talking gibberish...

Papa went to bed...

and Emerson and I stayed up playing...

and cooking, then eating macaroni and cheese...

and then he wanted to read his new book, Tractor Trouble for the thirty-fifth time (slight exaggeration!)

and oh, how much fun it all is... how much I love it...how I wish he lived closer!

(sorry this video is a little blurred...but at 11:30 p.m., my eyes weren't working so well:)!! )

2 1/2 year old speller!

2012-01-14T18:44:00.000-08:00

Gabe had told me Emerson could spell his name... but I didn't realize it was like this! When he spelled his name, dog, and stop....I asked him how to spell 'Mimi'... he said, "I don't know!" So I told him...he remembered it! Then he asked me, "How do you spell Papa?"... "How do you spell Daddy?" ... "How do you spell Mommy?" and that's what he wanted to do, spell!

Playing in the dirt

2012-01-11T21:31:00.000-08:00

On our last trip to see Benjamin and his mama & daddy, Benjamin and I took a walk to see the tractor. We also took a picnic (peanut butter sandwich and some water). Benjamin sat right down on 'the log'...that's our spot for watching.

After we talked about why the man wasn't there driving the tractor, Benjamin wanted to get a bit closer....

"That's a BIG bucket!" he said.

He decided to throw a rock or two into the bucket...

"I want this BIG ROCK!"

There it went...into the bucket...

Now you may notice a bit of ...dust...from throwing the rock. Benjamin said it was fire! I was confused at first, but then realized he was referring to SMOKE! I explained...

He decided to pick up a bit more...

and throw it...

and some more...

and throw it!

As you can see, Benjamin really enjoyed playing in the dirt...

I thought he was finished when he wiped his hands off...

I was wrong...

We had a change of location... but not a change of activity. Now some of the dirt was coming off the 'tracks'.

"Wow, those are BIG tracks!" Benjamin said.

He was trying to figure out what was on the other side of the 'tracks'...

He decided to add some rocks to the other side...

After checking out the tracks, Benjamin wanted to climb up and stand on the tracks....

Holding on to the handle, he was pointing out the lights, where the engine was, where the man sits, etc.

He was cooperative when I told him I wanted to take some pictures of him on the tractor...

He bent down and peeked at me through the handle...

His Papa came out to see what we were doing...we got Papa to sit on the tracks, too!

Papa grabbed the camera and took a picture of Benjamin with his Mimi...

Then Papa backed up to get the whole HUGE tractor...

We waved good-bye to Papa...

It started because of this pan...

2012-01-08T17:36:00.000-08:00

I love this pan! My sweet daughter-in-law, Emily, gave this to me a couple of years ago for Christmas. It's called a 'mini scone' pan, but I use it for cornbread. I love it. I was making cornbread last night and I could NOT find the pan...

I had made this absolutely delicious lentil soup - red lentils - with leftover ham... and I knew it needed cornbread to go with it... I was getting frustrated looking for the pan..knowing it was suppose to be in this cabinet... so what did I do?

I took every single pot and pan out of the cabinet...and cleaned it out. See the pile on the right? Most of that is now in the garage to go to the dump! Lindsey, you'd be proud of your mom!

An empty cabinet...an empty lazy-susan...

A cleaned out cabinet...

but.... the cornbread was made...just about an hour after I had planned! and it was delicious with the soup!

His hair!

2012-01-07T10:05:00.000-08:00


Emerson King... I've always loved taking pictures of him from the back...showing his massive head of hair. A couple of weeks ago, here he was, watching Thomas the Train...and his hair! I grabbed my camera.

He saw me... "No, Mimi!" he said.

His daddy reassured him that taking the picture of his wild hair was a good thing... that his Mimi loves his hair.

He was OK with that...so back to Thomas the Train he went...

and all was well!

Emerson's middle name is 'King'... and he's definitely a 'King' with his hair! Thick, thick hair is a King trademark!

Black and White

2012-01-02T20:16:00.000-08:00

I love black and white pictures... they make me a bit nostalgic. Instead of getting ready for a week of work, I've been sitting here playing with Photoshop...I watched a video on a different way to convert to black and white...and I love the results! Emerson was giving his Daddy tons of kisses...and both of them were having lots of fun with it. I love Emerson's little piece of his hair sticking up!

At Joshua, Erica, & Thalia's, we I decided we needed to take a group shot...this was after a few gifts being opened! Look at Thalia! Can you even believe she just turned 12? I so wish we lived closer!!!

Benjamin and his backpack! I haven't asked Lindsey if he's still wearing it all the time... he sure is cute with it on! (Well, he's cute with it off, too!)

I'm really loving this black and white conversion!

"I'm going beddy-bye"

2012-01-01T19:29:00.000-08:00

Benjamin...

When he goes to bed, his daddy reads him a story... not your average 2 1/2 year old bedtime story, but stories like Moonshot (Apollo 11) and recently, Johnny Tremain. He does read the more average bedtime story, like Noah's Ark, sometimes. Benjamin will tell you all about the astronauts - Neil Armstrong, Buzz Aldrin, and Michael Collins, who peed in a bag! He told me that Johnny Tremain was, "really sharp!" Well, not too long ago on one of my trips down there, I asked Benjamin if he wanted to sleep in Mimi's bed and I'd read him a story.

He did...and we did... I think we read "Monster Tomatoes".... but Benjamin was more interested in looking at the pictures of my phone...and then taking pictures with my phone!

Now when I go down, Benjamin will usually say he's going to sleep in Mimi's bed... I love it!

This was what was happening here, only it wasn't bedtime...

but he had told me he wanted to sleep in 'Mimi's bed.'

Sometimes, the video is going at just the perfect time!

"Beddy-bye"... I haven't heard that expression in so long!

DBS IV Photography

2011-12-29T13:12:00.000-08:00

At 2 1/2 years old, Benjamin's showing signs of how he's definitely part 'Johnston'... he's loving the Nikon..."needing" to see the light blink (the little light that flashes to help the camera focus) and taking photographs, too!

You may be thinking what a good picture of Lindsey this is...and you may not notice the...well, the right side of the photograph has some interference...which is actually Benjamin trying to take the picture of his mama AND watch the light blink on the camera at the same time. It worked...just like he thought it would!

His mama is one of his favorite subjects...

With his papa, he decided to work on perspective, you know, taking photos from different angles...

Ok, enough of Papa, he was ready to get back to taking pictures of his mama...

Papa...

Mimi...

Ok, now it was Daddy's turn to have his picture taken!

I can see it now... DBSIV Photography!

Great job, Benjamin!

(Benjamin's initials...and he's a IVth! His Daddy is DBSIII...and his grandpa is DBSJr....etc....)

Thalia is a Worship Leader!

2011-12-28T09:29:00.000-08:00

Thalia...
She loves the guitar....loves to sing... and loves Jesus... (and her Mimi...right?)

Putting all that together...

and you have a sweetheart of a worship leader...

at her church, she leads the Junior High Group...sometimes is in with the High School worship team...and sometimes sings in the large sanctuary!

On our trip before Christmas, we were there on a Wednesday night...and she was leading worship.

We went...

I am so proud of her... for who she is and what she's doing with her talents!

She's amazing!

The Week Before Christmas

2011-12-26T11:33:00.000-08:00

It was the week before Christmas...

My guy and I took off to go see the kids...to deliver gifts,

but most importantly, to just see them...to spend some time with them during the holidays...

We loved hearing Thalia play her new guitar...recording herself singing and harmonizing on her new Garageband program on their new iMac!

Joshua...my baby boy...

my sweet daughter-in-law, Erica... trying not to laugh at my guy's jokes...

shopping in southern California for my guy some new boots!

comparing the toe with Erica's boots...

THIS is southern California...I took this looking out the window of the car as we were on the on-ramp to the freeway!

Joshua was examining some of the contents of his stocking....

Thalia was helping to document this through pictures!

Thalia and her new Converse-All Stars...well, maybe that's not what they're called anymore?

Erica was so surprised to open her new shoes! (not really)

I love this!

We headed back to Lindsey's... and I took out Benjamin's backpack...and he wanted to wear it, well, about all the time!

Papa let him smell the pumpkin pancake batter (he ate 7...yes, that's SEVEN)

Benjamin looked inside his stocking...

Donnie was checking to see what his stocking held...

From there, we headed north. Emerson was checking out his stocking...

Giving lots of kisses to his daddy...

Papa read his new book to him... CARS Christmas...

He was excited over his new 'motorcycle', as he calls it!

Christmas Eve...my guy and I headed home...to the tree we had forgotten to water before we left...that was just fine in the cold house...

to the little village homes I love to put out every year...

to our stockings...

to new boots - surprise?

to my new Le Creuset 7.25qt dutch oven...oh boy!

and to settle down for a long winter's nap...

Merry Christmas!

She's on the radio!

2011-12-25T19:38:00.000-08:00

My guy and I were down at Joshua, Erica's and Thalia's for a few days last week. We were heading out and what do you know? Thalia was on the radio! I knew this was definitely one for the JohnstonChronicles!

(Truth: She recorded herself...playing the guitar...and singing...and harmonizing with herself two different ways... then Joshua recorded it on a CD!)

A sheep in a manger

2011-12-12T22:47:00.000-08:00

How's this for a precious little nativity scene?

A friend of Lindsey & Donnie's does this every year... and this year, my little man was old enough to be part of the nativity...

Benjamin was the sheep!

How sweet is that?

(By the way, Donnie made the sheep costume!)

Coffee?

2011-12-10T22:30:00.001-08:00

Click on the photo to enlarge...

Mummy

2011-12-10T11:35:00.001-08:00

Benjamin might look like a superhero with a cape on...

But no, this is Benjamin after his bath...

wrapped up in a towel...

shuffling around the house...

I told him I was impressed with how well he walked while wrapped up like a mummy...

He thought about that...

"Um, Mimi, what's a mummy?"

"Oh WOW!"

(Not a true story...at least not the 'wondering what a mummy is...')

A new photographer...

2011-12-10T11:03:00.001-08:00

Benjamin wasn't sure he wanted to be photographed while he was... well, going potty...

He was also a bit confused because the person behind the camera wasn't Mimi...

But because he loves his Papa, he started to smile for him...

Yep, his Papa picked up the camera and started taking pictures....

because it was the day we were having Thanksgiving dinner...we had it the day after Thanksgiving....

Mimi was busy cooking...

It was fun having family and friends together for dinner... Jean Marie and Betty, Lindsey and Donnie's wonderful next door neighbors, were there, along with Joe, Donnie's cube-mate at work, and Gabe, who came by himself since Emerson was sick :(

Thanksgiving...

Red Rock

2011-12-03T11:21:00.001-08:00

My baby brother took us up to Red Rock while we were visiting.

It was one place I knew I wanted to see.

There are two HUGE ('ginormous' as Thalia would say!) rocks on either side of an ampitheater. I was told the acoustics are great... concerts, big concerts, are held there, with the season opening with a sunrise service on Easter morning.

Looking toward the southeast from Red Rock...

My baby brother and his favorite sister... I guess I should also say he's my very very favorite brother!

My baby brother and my guy climbing a set of steps after we had walked out to this overhang... (where the photo of my brother and I was taken)...

This is the stage of the ampitheater.

I just realized these photos are a bit out of order. When we first drove up, this statue, which I can't remember who it is..., my cousin, Patti, GRITS, and I had our photo taken in front of this physique!

Patti was taking one of her baby girl all by herself...

This is standing at the top of the ampitheater looking down at the stage...

The group that visited Red Rock.... my baby brother, Becky, Patti, GRITS, my guy, Sami, and me.

My studly husband and brother decided to show their...athleticism?...by sprinting up the ampitheater... I was definitely impressed! There were a lot of people there exercising!

I was in the visitor's center where they had listed every concert that had been performed there. This picture was of one of the first musical groups to perform there...in 1910!

Sami and I had my guy take our picture..

and then Sami took one of my guy and me...

GRITS and Patti (her Mama)!

OK so my guy got into the 'photographer mode'...

Just the girls...

Now my baby brother can be...well, he can be a ham...

I'll let the photos of him and Becky speak for themselves!

Adding Sami into the picture, didn't change my baby brother's antics...

"JOHN, come on Johnny, straighten up now," begged his sweet wife!

"JUDY, do something to your brother," she pleaded...

Finally.....

The rocks...they're just so beautiful...the whole place is amazing...

Time to head back. This was the Tuesday before Thanksgiving...and the day we were having our Thanksgiving dinner. Unfortunately at the time, we lost power while starting to get everything cooked...so finding out the power wouldn't be on until after 4 p.m. at the earliest, we figured heading to Red Rock was the thing to do... and it was wonderful!

Red Rock, Colorado!

My baby brother

2011-12-01T17:38:00.001-08:00

My baby brother...

is a year older today... He doesn't quite look like this now...this is in his younger days... here he is with my baby girl...his niece!

He has always been a family guy...loves his family, loves to have them all around -- just like his sister!

He ~~used to be~~ is a bit crazy at times, especially when with my boys. As has been chronicled here on the JohnstonChronicles, he taught my boys things that little boys like, but not necessarily their mom... like wet willies, passing gas, burping loud, etc...

I've always loved this picture of him and Becky!

About a year and a half ago, my baby brother took his life in a different direction. He changed careers and changed states...going from Texas to Colorado. As you might guess, we now all love Chick fil A. This picture was taken last Christmas, all of us sporting our new Chick fil A shirts!

I'm not sure who Becky was yelling at, but I'm sure it wasn't her dear husband!

OK, that's better... looks like all is well:)

Becky looks a bit scared around Gabe...but my baby brother doesn't look too scared!

Last Christmas, my baby brother and my sweet sister-in-law, Becky, flew out to be here for Christmas.

This year, as many of us that could, flew or drove to Colorado to spend Thanksgiving together. This time, like I said in an earlier post, we were at my baby brother's home. One day, he, Joshua, and Ron hit the slopes...

My brother likes to show people a good time... here, he took us to Red Rock.

He was so happy, he gave Becky a smooch!

I wanted to take some good photos...

but, as usual, he started horsing around...hamming it up...

Typical... "John! Act right....come on, John!"

My baby brother...

He's a great dad to Addison and Sami...

A great uncle to my three kids and a true 'great-uncle' to Thalia, Emerson, and Benjamin...

He has learned to listen to his wife...

Here he is enjoying just hanging out with some of his family...

The three of us have been together for a long time...

My baby brother... he's a loved guy!

Happy Birthday to my baby brother!

Columbine Memorial

2011-12-01T06:37:00.001-08:00

While in Colorado, we went to Littleton to the Columbine Memorial.

It was April 20, 1999...

The Memorial is so well done....

such an emotional place...

it's almost inconceivable that such a horrible tragedy took place in this beautiful place... in a high school...

The handshake

2011-11-29T21:10:00.001-08:00

The Handshake...

Not just any handshake... but the Papa/Thalia special handshake! What a riot they were!

Hanging out at UJ's

2011-11-28T18:56:00.001-08:00

For Thanksgiving week, a crew of us headed to Colorado. My brother, 'UJ', and sister in law, Becky, moved there about a year and a half ago. We were all excited to see each other...to see UJ and Aunt Becky's new home...but mostly, just to be together.

As is typical of UJ, he was busy making sure everyone was comfortable...everybody was happy.

I love their new dining room...

There was quite a bit of hanging out... Joshua, Erica, and Thalia were the 2nd wave to hit Colorado... As you can see, Joshua had himself a 'Buckys'... aka Starbucks... Um? Looks like some others might have needed a cup of coffee to wake them up...

Yep, this is one of the coffee-needers...

Not Joshua...he was full of energy after having his Buckys...

My sweet Erica... was listening to her husband tell stories...

Saddie was listening...

She wanted a picture with her great granddaughter...

and with one of her granddaughters...

UJ was trying to spur his daughter to action...

Sami woke up her Uncle Ron...

Now, we weren't all there, but Addison was there - at least electronically. He's living in Korea, and so we skyped with him...

Addison had just woken up...even though it was 9:30 a.m. in Korea...

We all gathered around to talk to him...

We all enjoyed visiting with Addison...

My guy and I had arrived on Saturday... and Joshua, Erica, and Thalia had gone skiing...

The skiers, and UJ, were relaxing in the hot tub...

Joshua was feeling a bit stronger....

Here we are on Sunday morning. We were all getting ready to head to church.

UJ was... well, who knows. His nephew, my baby boy, seemed unfazed by his uncle's antics...

Picture time... Saddie hopped in the picture. Oh, I see...Joshua was repairing his wife's earring...

After church, and after a Buckys run, (and an unbelievably close call for a wreck...but Joshua's quick reaction saved the day) we started getting some lunch together. Becky has a dip that I love...I make it a lot... and so that was on the menu...

It's Becky's recipe, but I threw it together....

Saddie was waiting...

In the meantime, a hot game of "P-P" aka, Ping Pong, was going on in the basement between Joshua and UJ...

I'm not sure who won...

Saddie got tired of waiting for the dip, so she started with some ham and the tops of the green onions...

My darlin' granddaughter was relaxing on the couch...

I don't think she was excited about me taking her picture.

Finally, about 2 p.m., my cousin Patti and GRITS came. They flew in from Texas. Liz, Patti's oldest daughter, lives in Colorado, about an hour and a half from UJ. She drove up and surprised her mama and sister!

GRITS was taking a picture of her sister and mama... and her Aunt Judy was taking a picture of her taking a picture!

Barbequed hamburgers was on the evenings menu... Saddie had the job of making the patties...

OK...now, what is wrong with this picture?

I love this picture of Thalia...I couldn't decide if I liked it better closer-up or not... so I just put both of them in this blog!

OK, another game of "P-P".... I think Erica was the champion! (Actually, I have no idea who won!)

Getting ready for the hamburgers, we lined up the cups to get ready to eat...

Oops... here's another, "What's wrong with this picture?'

My sweet daughter in law is a true Johnston... snapping away at those pictures!

Hi Josh!

Erica just smiled at her husband's antics!

Saddie likes to make lotion...so she was trying to convince Thalia to put some on her chapped lips.

We decided to take a 'girls picture'.... so I got the timer set on the camera...

I love this! Unfortunately, Liz had already taken off...

Joshua! This is a GIRL picture!

Ahhh... we sure had fun together!

I am so grateful for my family!

Baby Stewart is growing...

2011-11-28T07:27:00.001-08:00

Baby Stewart is growing!

Benjamin will say, "I kiss your baby!" I asked him if he was going to have a little brother or a little sister...but he didn't answer.

I wonder????

(These photos were taken October 19, November 19, and November 27)

Waldorf Fair

2011-11-17T19:46:00.001-08:00

My baby girl wanted to go to a Waldorf fair...

Off we went...Linz, Benjamin, and me...

As you can see, there was a little petting zoo that Benjamin loved...

He petted...

and brushed the animals...

His sweet mama was watching her little man...

"Ummm," thought Benjamin... "Now what is this critter?"

Back to the horse...

Like I said, this was a fair. One area was set up as a fishing place...

The kids at the school had made all these felt (wool?) fish...with little prizes inside. You then got a 'pole' (a stick) with a line attached to it...and you tried to hook the fish!

What a fisherman!

He wanted his mama to unhook the fish...

She was only too happy to oblige her little man!

Benjamin was trying to figure out how it was all put together.

To exit the fishing area, you walked across a little bridge...

and then walk across the 'river' on a plank...

We also went into a room where you could peel and core an apple...and eat it!

Benjamin peeled one...

After spending the day at the fair, he quickly conked out in the car. This was when he was just recovering from having pneumonia... My little man, I don't know how he kept going all day after having been so sick only a few days earlier!

American Idol bound

2011-11-11T22:38:00.001-08:00

I had been hearing that my little guy was starting to sing...and his repertoire of songs was growing. These videos were actually in September... although, he's still singing!

Sweet faces

2011-11-11T14:59:00.001-08:00

This past weekend, Emerson was entertaining us with his many faces. I didn't catch many on film (well, "film" is an outdated word... on 'digital'? ... what DO you call it?)

but I love the ones I did manage to capture! He was making faces at his Papa...and then his Papa would copy him...then he'd change to another face...and his Papa would copy him...

This 'game' was more than faces. Emerson would jump up and hit something...his Papa would do the same thing...

This face was when he was 'talking on the phone' with his Daddy... only his Daddy was sitting about 2 feet away....

Just sweet :)

Ummm? Let me think about that one!


Again, just sweet!

Emerson King... so many faces, and I just love each one of them!

Talking on the phone

2011-11-09T20:42:00.000-08:00

Emerson was in a talking-on-the-phone mood...

"Hello!"

"Hi, Eme!"

"What are ya doing?"

"What are you doing, Eme?"

Emerson had a grand time talking on the phone with his Daddy...

He kept switching the "phones"...

(One of the phones happened to be the remote control to the TVs!)

How fun it is to talk to little guys...

Just playing with my cousin

2011-11-02T22:17:00.000-07:00

As has already been noted here on the JohnstonChronicles, Emerson and Benjamin had a grand time just playing... One of the things they did was color and write.

Their Papa nabbed them whenever he could...to try and hold them together - a difficult task!

They both got a little marker on them...but none on the floor, none on the walls, mainly just on the butcher paper...

Emerson has loved to write 'ABCs' and '123s' for quite awhiile...

They were both pretty intent in their writing...

OK, enough of the writing...it was time to do something else. I'm not really sure what they were looking at here...but they seem to be in awe of something!

My little men!

My little men who are almost 2 1/2 years old! Emerson will be 2 1/2 in 11 days... Benjamin in 28 days... how can that be? I can't imagine them not talking...not running around.... but at the same time, I so remember these little guys as, well, little guys!

This was hilarious...Emerson sitting on one of Benjamin's 3 potty chairs..and then Benjamin taking a seat on his lap!

Oops....let's switch!

Next up was cars! Benjamin loves to do this...he and I did it when I was here when he was recovering from pneumonia...and he loves to do it with his daddy... and now, what fun to play cars with his cousin!

I absolutely love this! Look at Emerson's follow through! That little car was zooming across the floor!

Emerson figured out the car didn't roll as well on the carpet...

so the boys went to rolling the big truck...

Nope, never mind the truck. Emerson decided to stick with the blue car!

I love his arms! He put his all into zooming that car across the floor!

OK, let's check out the truck...

Time to examine it...

I think this little man was starting to wind down...

starting to get ready to settle down for the night...

until Uncle Donnie, or 'Daddy' to Benjamin, decided to do a little wrestling!

What fun for these little guys to have a cousin so close in age...what fun for this Mimi to have two little men growing up together...

One of the many things I'm grateful for!

Woody....

2011-11-01T21:10:00.000-07:00

Woody! That's who my little guy was for Halloween!

Emerson definitely loves his cartoons...Woo Woo Wubsy, Cars...

I would have loved to have seen him actually trick-or-treating! When my friend, Karen, came to the door with her two little boys - Jack and Max - I looked at Max and wished for my little men! Max is just about their same age.

Emerson, did you eat much candy?

(On a side note...this is my 700th post here on the JohnstonChronicles!)

Benjamin's First Haircut

2011-10-31T20:36:00.000-07:00

While I was down with Benjamin for the week (the pneumonia week), I asked Lindsey one day if I could please take Benjamin in for a haircut. He'd never had one...

She said I could...

Lindsey knew of a place where they catered to little people's haircuts... Little Scissors!

It was great! You can see the 'chairs' the kids sit in... Benjamin loved the jeep!

Normally, and for quite some time, Benjamin has NOT liked you to comb, or mess with his hair... doesn't like to get it wet...nothing. Lindsey had thought he would not be a happy camper getting his hair cut...

Wrong...

He was loving playing on the slide...and in the little house... and loved sitting in the jeep... but when they put the cape on him, he got real still...

He didn't move his head...but looked around by shifting his eyes...

He held so still...

Part of the time, a shaver was used...

and part of the time, scissors.

She squirted his hair instead of washing it... he didn't mind at all!

What a difference this haircut made! He seemed like he aged a couple of years right before my eyes!

Look at this profile view!

The cape was taken off...and Benjamin was happy with his new haircut!

Oh my, Benjamin! You're looking great!

19 Weeks

2011-10-30T19:42:00.000-07:00

Benjamin says, "YEAH!"

He loves his mama... and he's happy because...

He's going to be a big brother...

We don't know if it's a little girl...or a little boy...but tomorrow, October 31, marks the halfway point.

We're praying...

for a healthy little one
and a healthy mama, too!

Please join us!

Figs and Benjamin

2011-10-30T16:50:00.000-07:00

Benjamin loves figs!

Fortunately, he has a fig tree right in his backyard!

He likes to pick them...

I'm not sure what he's looking for....to see if they're ripe?

Doesn't make any difference, he'll eat them even if they're not ready to be eaten...

I love this... he saw me looking at him as he looked through the leaf...

"Hi Benjamin!"

He not only likes figs, but just about any kind of fruit!

Fluffy, the patient cat

2011-10-30T15:59:00.000-07:00

Fluffy!

He was Lindsey and Donnie's first 'baby'... but he took 'second fiddle' when Benjamin was born. Fluffy has become one of Benjamin's buddies. You can see from this video that Fluffy is about as long as Benjamin is tall... but oh, does our little man love to pick up Fluffy!

All I can say is, Fluffy is one patient cat!

Watching the 'dactrows' (aka tractors)

2011-10-30T15:04:00.000-07:00

Week before last, I was down at Lindsey's. My little man had pneumonia...and, well, it was a time Mimi needed to go.

After starting his antibiotics, it didn't take Benjamin too long before he felt like going outside to play.

One morning, about 9:30, he heard the 'dactrows' (aka, tractors) in the field behind their house. I asked him if he wanted to go see the tractors...and, of course, he did. Off we went.

There is a log on the edge of the field, and we decided to sit there and watch...

Mimi and her recovering-from-pneumonia-little-man...

Benjamin told me to come sit next to him... but I told him to wait while I took some pictures.

He was in awe...

Now you may be wondering what this photo is...I'll give you a hint:

One little boy who is just about completely potty trained...
and sitting on a log for an hour or more watching tractors...
coupled with a lot of water consumed...
adding a sincere dislike to the idea of leaving the tractors to go in the house...

well, we did see one of the men on the tractor relieve himself next to the tractor...

Benjamin loved getting the ground wet!

"Tractor is moving dirt, Mimi!"

After about an hour and a half or so, both tractors stopped. Benjamin was pointing to the tractor nearest us, and telling me it had two lights (true!). We took a little walk up to see it up close. However, some nice man with a great Ozzie accent came up to me, apologized, but said we needed to not be on the working part of the field. "The big guns are here!' he told me. He said as soon as they left, we could come back...

What fun for my little man and his Mimi...sitting on a log, watching tractors.

The next morning, we were out there, me with my coffee, sitting on the log, watching the tractors!

What fun!

Thomas the Train

2011-10-28T08:02:00.000-07:00

Emerson has loved Thomas the Train for quite awhile...

Not 'the train', not 'Thomas', but 'Thomas the Train!'

"Ummm. Where did Thomas the Train go?"

Whew...Thomas is pushing Percy along the track...

How sweet is this?

"S-T-O-P..."

"Uh-oh, Mimi! It crashed!"

Playing with trains...it doesn't get much more 'little boy' than that!

Tomatoes, balls, and chalk

2011-10-28T00:47:00.000-07:00

The boys had all kinds of fun together. Emerson was curious about what was growing in the backyard...so Benjamin took him out to pick tomatoes.

Emerson wasn't impressed.

He was happier with the blue ball... a bit more exciting, in his opinion, than a red tomato!

Emerson also found some chalk! Oh boy...

Benjamin was busy with the wood chips after he ate some tomatoes...

"Ben! Look at this!"

Benjamin loves writing with chalk as much as Emerson...

He decided to demolish a piece or two of chalk with his hammer.... (just kidding...he was just hammering insects...just kidding again....I actually don't remember what he was hammering!)

Emerson got busy with the chalk.

Expecting that he and his cousin would need a lot of space for their masterpiece, Benjamin decided to move the swimming pool out of the way.

....and off they went...writing with their chalk...

Papa joined the chalk-party...

Benjamin decided to try his chalk-toss.... look at that aim! Right inbetween his Papa and his cousin...and he didn't hit either one of them!

Emerson designated himself as the 'keeper of the chalk' ...

He sat it down for awhile ... and they drew and wrote with the chalk...

The boys discussed the finer points of writing with chalk...

and the not-so-fine parts, like getting chalk dust all over you!

Papa even got chalk dust all over his hands...

"Look, Mimi!"

Papa left the chalk party ... but the boys didn't move...they still had a lot of writing/drawing to do...

What fun they had together.... talking, laughing together...

arguing over who gets to write there... (notice Emerson's hand...squeezing his cousin's fingers!)

arguing a little more...

well...

alls well that ends well...

I think that's what the saying is!

Emerson and Benjamin... how fun to have a cousin with just 17 days difference from your age!

"Are You Ready?" .... "Ready!"

2011-10-26T07:47:00.000-07:00

Emerson and Benjamin had so much fun playing together! After playing 'Thomas the train', and riding the airplanes, and getting in a little tiff over a toy or two, they started running... running from the kitchen, through the dining room, and into the living room - where they had a captive audience who all think they are the cutest little 2 1/2 year old boys on the planet!

They would start in the kitchen, leaning up against the cabinets. One of them would look at the other, "Are you ready?" The other would answer, "Ready!" and off they would go. They both had to have slept like logs that night...they ran and they ran and they ran and they ran!

Too cute!

Reading

2011-10-24T12:22:00.000-07:00

Bliss! I was with both my little men on Saturday... After playing with Thomas the Train...and Percy... Benjamin grabbed a book, climbed up in his bed, and laid down to read. Emerson decided to do the same. Only as he was leaning back to lay down, his shoulders hit the bumper pads...no problem, he just stayed like that, leaning back to read his book. Benjamin was loving his 'Goodnight Moon'... but he also loves 'Trucks' that Emerson was reading...

He decided to close up 'Goodnight Moon'....

and join his cousin in reading 'Trucks.'

What you have to understand about 'Trucks' is that each right side of the page has little windows that open and close. On the left side, for example, there might be a red fire truck, a yellow backhoe, a blue cement mixer... and on the right side would be a little sliding door that says 'red.' If you open the 'red' door, a matching picture of the red fire truck would be there.

The boys were loving opening and closing the little doors...

Benjamin was explaining to Emerson how it all worked...

Precious...they were precious!

I was loving listening to their conversations... they're such little boys now, buddies, friends...and of course, cousins!

October 18th

2011-10-20T20:11:00.000-07:00

Thalia... my sweetheart granddaughter, is 12 years old!

She is my chosen one! Thalia asked me over 3 years ago if I would still love her when Lindsey and Emily had the boys. That broke my heart that she would even think to ask that question. I told her she was chosen... She had been chosen by Joshua...and chosen by her Papa and I... many are born into families - and you're delighted and ecstatic when they are, but few are actually chosen. Thalia is one of the few...she has a special place that no one else can take.

Look how she's changed! She was an adorable little girl, and now she's a beautiful young lady...

...beautiful inside and out!

This was last year when she was turning 11...

She's been my granddaughter for a long time....

This has been in my Bible for a long time... it's a note she left for Joshua one night when she came and hopped in bed with me. I think it is so absolutely precious!

Mimi and Thalia in 2005

Mimi and Thalia in 2010

I adore her!

She's always, always loved animals! When she was 4 years old, she'd cry when she didn't get to see Ozzie, our former neighbor, Pete's, dog. Of course, she loved Eskie too!

Thalia grew up, and so did her animals!

My sweet granddaughter....

Happy Birthday, Thalia!

Your Mimi loves you!

This is how it should be sung!

2011-10-13T06:43:00.001-07:00

Emerson and Mimi

2011-10-11T22:39:00.000-07:00

I haven't been doing a lot with Photoshop lately... seems like I've been so busy! But I just downloaded these frames and thought I'd try them out with some photos of Emerson!

Love the frames...and definitely love Emerson!

Ridin' his John Deere

2011-10-11T22:07:00.000-07:00

Emerson was ready to roll...

He hopped on his John Deere, put it in gear, and took off... (a slight exaggeration)

He was being real, real careful to not run over anything he shouldn't...

Ok, enough work for one day...

"Hi Ben!"

2011-10-04T22:18:00.000-07:00

Emerson was having a grand time talking on the phone...

He'd talk a while, then give the phone to me or his Papa and tell us to talk.

Then he'd talk a little more...

He carried on a pretty good conversation...

I asked him who he was talking to...

"It's Ben!" he told me.

He listened hard to what Benjamin had to say...

After 'hanging up' from Ben, he had a couple of more conversations....

Does it get much cuter than this?

After he hung up, I thought he was through for a while...he grabbed the phone, started dialing...

I think he was checking his messages...