Can you believe this guy is STILL on?

SNL did this clip about Sanjaya. I think it says it all! Oh my, oh my...how long will this guy last?

A Message from Camilla

Thank you, Nada!

What a surprise! Look what was sitting on our porch when we got home...Well, actually, it didn't look exactly like this, it was in a plain brown box. When we opened it, this is what we found. I love the wrapping! It's from Harry and David's. Inside the boxes were pears, apples, mixed nuts, truffles, and cherry candies. YUM! THANK YOU, NADA!!!

Now Nada is Camilla's aunt...she lives in Texas, which in my opinion, gives her a lot of clout! She's a true Texan...so we relate to each other real well. Nada came out here a little while back to be with Camilla and the family...and we had the honor of Nada staying with us. This was my second time to be with Nada. Over 2 years ago, when Camilla was in treatment in San Francisco, Nada came out. She and I ended up driving to San Francisco together and that's when we first met.

I just had to post this picture of the package...and tell Nada THANK YOU!

Memorials to Eskie

Camilla, who by the way is much stronger (I will post on her soon!), wanted me to write more about Eskie. When I told her the post I had written and told her which photo I had put on, she told me I should do more. She also is the author of the title of this post!

Camilla loved Eskie. One thing Camilla loves to do is come over and play games while she sits by the fireplace. Well, Eskie also loved to sit by the fireplace, so it often became a scooting match to see WHO sat DIRECTLY in front of the fire...Camilla usually won. Actually, Rema loves to sit in front of the fire too...it could be a battle!

The night we lost Eskie, Camilla was as sad as anyone. She loved him so much. It was heartwarming to me...Camilla's concern. She was SO incredibly concerned about ME...how I was feeling...how Ron and I and our kids were over losing Eskie. She told me she called Seth...told him about what had happened to me...and how he understood because he had just put his huskie down 2 weeks ago...his name was Brian!

Eskie loved to hide...under the sink, behind dishes, amongst the jam...lots of places! He could open our cabinets...so many mornings I would be running late for school because I spent so much time trying to find Eskie! Sometimes I couldn't figure out HOW in the world he could get somewhere without knocking everything off! Even though I couldn't stand to have him on the counter, I would usually smile at him first, congratulate him on even being ABLE to get up there...then I'd gently put him down and move the stools so he couldn't climb back up...silly me, he would find another way to get up there. I never figured out what exactly he loved about being up there...when he'd NEVER even tried the first 17 years of his life!

Now Eskie also grew to LOVE the toilet....not sure why...we always gave him fresh water - every single day....but he would eat downstairs, ignore the water DIRECTLY next to his food, and saunter upstairs, climb on the toilet, and drink to his hearts content!

Eskie...he was the perfect pet. We miss him.

You've been THE BEST KITTY, Eskie!

We lost Eskie today.

Eskie has been the best...he was my very first kitty...maybe my only. I remember the summer before Lindsey started 3rd grade. She came home with her friend, Katy, and told me how much she wanted this cute kitty. My first answer was an emphatic NO. She begged, she pleaded, she cried...and in the end...we had Eskie.

Gabe, who had told Emily how he didn't like cats, (of course, now they have 3...Smores, Cookie, and Pumpkin) well, Gabe use to dress Eskie up in Lindsey's doll's clothes and he and his buddy, Isaac, would put Eskie in Lindsey's doll stroller and take poor Eskie on a wild ride around the neighborhood. Eskie was always good natured about the whole thing.

He had a great life...and now he's gone...and I'm sad.

Ron and I went to the bay area Friday - Sunday. When we got home, our neighbor John asked us if we had seen how Eskie's face was swollen...we hadn't noticed. So we looked, and it wasn't too bad. Ron took him to the vet today. He had a massive infection that went from his eye to his mouth. Plus...he was severely dehydrated and had kidney failure. I'm not sure how he could tell all that. Eskie also only weighed a little over 5 lbs. We knew he was really thin...but he was nearly 18 years old.

We stayed with him...petted him...told him how much we loved him and would miss him...

A Lesson in Determination...in Hope...in Faith...in Resiliancy...in...

Of course, I'm talking about Camilla.

According to the medical profession, she shouldn't be here...but she is. A hemoglobin count of 3? That's what she had...and in spite of that, and massive amounts of her pain meds, she is still calling the shots. She talks on the telephone, she analyzes her TV shows, she has gained a little strength, she's making videos for close family and friends, she dictated valentines, she told me how to scan her valentines to send to Drew and Seth...and the doctors don't know how she is still here. Meet Camilla!

She is one absolutely amazing child...she is teaching me so much. I don't even know what all I'm learning, but I know she has changed my outlook on life in so many ways.

So for those of you who have been looking for updates, what I can tell you is this. Camilla is definitely weak, but she's also incredibly strong. She's dying of cancer, but she is so very much alive and vibrant.

It's Time

The Johnston Weight Loss Challenge never officially started...so I think now is the time. We certainly wouldn't want to let Gabe down since this was his brainchild. He did tell me the other day he was happy because he hadn't GAINED any weight! Hooray for Gabe. Unfortunately I did. Saddie on the other hand has started off with a bang...she's already lost 2! Way to go, Mom!

So comment in if you want to join. You can tell your weight and the date you weighed in...or you can just write in how many pounds you have gained or lost since a certain date. Does that make sense?

Every weekend, weigh in and either post your new weight or just let us know how many pounds you've lost (or gained)!

Here's to summer...........

There are stars...and then there are STARS

When I think of a 'star'...I think of something or someone that shines. Camilla has dreamed of being a star - the movie-type of star - and this past week, her dream came true - in ways she couldn't have imagined.

Our community has been a star for Camilla's family...people have rallied around this family in so many ways...including people who have never met them.

Tuesday, Camilla, Rema, and I were flown down to LA. We had arranged a visit to the set of the OC - one of Camilla's favorite shows - for Wednesday.

Backtrack to December...a neighbor knew someone who knew someone...etc., who contacted one of Camilla's "idols"...Drew took a day, flew up to our little town, and came to visit Camilla. What an absolute delight it was for her. As they visited that day, Camilla told her how she loved the show called The Family Guy. Drew gets home and contacts Seth who calls Camilla and talks to her, does voices for her...again makes her day.

Fast forward back to January. So we have the OC set up, the donation of the plane...so Camilla calls Seth. He invites us to visit the set. Camilla is BEYOND excited.

Tuesday we walk in to the set and everyone there treated Camilla like a 'star'. Seth arranged for her to sign a contract...to record for an upcoming show...Drew came to record too...it was beyond her imagination.


Camilla looks over her lines.........Getting set up to record.


Camilla recorded as the character of Baby Girl.


Watching and listening to Seth as he recorded the different character voices was amazing. He also drew for Camilla.



After I took this photo, Camilla wanted a 'retake' without her glasses. Seth decided he would take his glasses off too...so 'take 2.'


Wednesday, we were given a grand tour of the OC set and then watched them film. Not sure what episode...maybe 14? It was a birthday party scene for Taylor. It didn't matter what the scene was, it was thrilling for Camilla...and that's what mattered.


Camilla is certainly a star...What you cannot tell from these photos is the intense pain this 'Baby Girl' was in. Two days before we left, she developed shingles...extremely painful. As we were loading the plane Tuesday morning to leave, Rema is telling Camilla we should cancel the trip. Cancel? No way!

How do you say thank you to people who have gone so out of their way to give this precious child such gifts? There aren't any words...

The Johnston Weight Loss Challenge is Coming

Are you getting ready? The Johnston Weight Loss Challenge is the brainchild of the one and only Gabe...I'll be officially kicking it off probably about Thursday. Some of the details need to be worked out, but it's your choice if you want to post your weight or just post the number of pounds lost or gained.

Now you don't have to be a JOHNSTON to join the Johnston Weight Loss Challenge...so don't be shy...you may want to eat a lot before our official starting date.

Christmas, 2006

Christmas has come and gone...and what a wonderful Christmas it was! We all flew to Texas and spent the holidays between Saddie's and The Farm.

Gabe and I have had multiple conversations about how blessed we are to have the family we do. I'm sure others feel that way about their families (at least I hope they do), but we have the greatest family! I love having everyone together...hanging out...playing games...doing 'projects'...just being together. You've heard of the old expression of 'wall to wall carpet'...well, we had wall to wall people. At Saddies, there were 10 of us sleeping and at the farm, we had 17 one night and 15 the other nights. Was it crowded? Yes...but oh how much fun it was!
This is my side of the family.
In Dallas at my mom's, we spent a lot of time at JOHN DAVID's house...he sometimes forgets the NAME I HAVE CALLED HIM FROM BIRTH...I have NEVER called him just JOHN.

With my side of the family, we play a LOT of games. Donnie is usually the MASTER OF CEREMONIES in the new game category. JOHN DAVID is the MASTER when it comes to making sure everyone is having a good time! Donnie taught us MAFIA and IDENTITY. We also played charades, Taboo, Apples to Apples...probably there's more. Here we are playing charades. JOHN DAVID was SO happy the guys won, that he planted a big ole kiss on Ron!




Playing taboo was a lot of fun. I'll be posting about the "Johnston Weight Loss Challenge" which is the dreamchild of Gabe...but you'll hear it referred to in this video:

Gabe's turn...attempting to get the guys to guess his word.

We had to use the box tops from other games to prevent those WANDERING EYES from seeing the answers.

Here are some family group photos:
Judy (me), Mom, John David.........John David, Sami, Addison, Becky

Donnie and Lindsey................................Gabe, Emily, and Biscuit

Erica, Joshua, and Thalia..........................Thalia and Biscuit

Kasi and Addison.............................Sami and Addison

Biscuit models her Woolrich outfit...Gabe holds Biscuit while he makes his "Biscuit Face."


The other half of our time was spent at the farm. Larry's family was there too so we definitely had a houseful and lots of fun. Dave came for a little while with Grant and Reid. Travis also came one night. We took a photo, but not everyone was there.This is Ron's side of the the family.

Mike and Brenda were only there one night when we were also there. They live in Denver and had to get back. Mike and Gabe have become good buddies...well, I'm not sure if someone who serves you a five year old beer would be considered a buddy, but they have fun together anyway.
Gabe and Mike..................................Brenda and Mike

On Christmas Eve, we had a partial Christmas. Erica and Thalia weren't there...they didn't fly in until Dec. 26th. Dave was there with his boys, but Brenda and Mike weren't in yet. Jo cooked her absolutely delicious Christmas Eve dinner and Ron did his job carving the turkey. We had two turkeys....both deep fried. This deep-frying was done in the pole barn.
Donnie, Sid, Dave, Larry, Ron, Gabe, & Joshua work together to cook the turkey!
Grant and Reid.......Ron carves, Josh eats, and Grant peeks in!
Jo's a great cook......Here the family is starting to fill their plates for our Christmas Eve dinner.

After dinner, we opened some presents. This year was different since we weren't all together at the same time. For the Christmas Eve gift opening, we were minus Erica, Thalia, Brenda, Mike, and Sandy. We enjoyed our time, but it wasn't the same with so many missing. We're flexible...so we just had another celebration once Erica, Thalia, Brenda and Mike arrived. Now Grandpa might have learned a lesson...he apparently told a lot of people that he wanted a hammer for Christmas...and he ended up with not 1...not 2...but 3 hammers!
So here's some more family photos:
Ron, Larry, and Dave..................Gabrial, Emily, Donnie, Lindsey

Joshua, Erica, Thalia........................Sandra and Larry

Lissette and Biscuit........................Judy and Sandra


Now, of course, when you're on the farm you should do farm things. If you ask Thalia about her time on the farm, I'm SURE she would tell you about driving the GOLF CART. You may be thinking that a golf cart and a farm don't necessarily go together. Well, they do if you're on Grandpa's farm. The one and only Lissette transformed Grandpa's average golf cart into a TEXAS FARM GOLF CART...yep, she did. Thalia became a master at driving it...after I almost had a heart attack as I heard Larry drawl out, "Hey Thalia, don't run into the trees." (Notice there's no exclamation mark..that's because when Larry draws it out, it's pretty even tempered...not too much excitement.)

You may notice some of Thalia's 'passengers.' The farm has no shortage of dogs. Grammy and Grandpa 'adopted' Cocoa...and Sam and Maggie pretty much hang out at the farm with Cocoa. Thalia loved them all. Biscuit isn't exactly what I'd call a FARM DOG. I kept her in my arms when we had her outside if the BIG dogs were around.

The TEXAS GOLF CART is perfect for hauling tools and Grandpa around the farm. I think we all enjoy it. Erica tried her hand at farm life by driving the tractor. I don't think she did any official tractor work...but maybe next time!