Welcome

No matter what you've done for yourself or for humanity, if you can't look back
on having given love and attention to your own family, what have you really
accomplished?
Elbert Hubbard

Monday, June 14, 2010

Where Does Time Go????

So it has been about 8 months since I have updated our blog. Time just manages to run away from me. Please read on to see what we've been up to and what we have coming up.

I have completed several household projects this past winter and planted the new flower beds this spring. I got the garden in the ground for the 2nd time. The frost killed it off earlier this spring. I am just keeping my fingers crossed that we get plenty of fresh veggies, spices and TOMATOES this season.

Emily and Ty are in swimming lessons this summer. And at the same time, Emily has Ice Skating lessons and Ty is involved in T-ball.

We will be celebrating Emily's 7th Birthday in a few short months. She has put in her request for a sleepover for 6 of her closest friends. I will host this event a couple of weeks before her birthday.

It seems that I will have foot surgery in late August, after school starts. This will be the 3rd surgery for said foot. Poor Emily, the 2 previous surgeries have been around her birthday (1st one just before she turned one and the 2nd one was just before she turned two). I will be laid up for anywhere from 10-12 weeks of absolutely no weight on my foot. Emily will be in school all day and Ty will attend pre-school full time during my recuperation. And poor Rick. I say this now, because I know that this will be a long road for him.

Read on to see what we have been up to these past several months.

Family Vacation

The Johnson Family is taking vacation in July. Rick and I are taking the kids to Cabo San Lucas. We are so excited to finally get our first stamps in our Passports. I'll update you when we return.

I Left My Heart In San Francisco....and can't wait to get back

OMG. San Francisco was so much fun. Who would have known that in basically 3 days that I would see so many places. Melissa and I had a GREAT time. We had the most awesome view from our hotel room. Off to the left, the Golden Gate Bridge, in the middle was Alcatraz and off to the right was the Richmond Bridge. We got to ride the Cable Cars (do not call them trolleys, the drivers take offense to that) standing up on the outside of the cable car holding on for dear life.














We went to China Town and I had Dim Sum for the first time on a roof top. How fun that was. And the not so fun part was walking up some of the steepest streets you will ever see in your life.


Then it was off to Alcatraz. That was a time I will never forget. Walking through the compound and thinking about the people that we've heard about that were imprisoned there and just the shear magnitude of being in a place like that. It was a surreal feeling being there.






















We walked around downtown San Fran and just took in sights and had a great time. We also got a chance to visit Fisherman's Wharf. That was pretty cool. It was hard to decide where to eat at though. There was so much going on. We literally got pulled off of the sidewalk and thrown into a booth at a restaurant that makes a mean Cosmopolitan and served up some of the best sea food (except for the sea food that is served on Cape Cod). It was the best of the rudest customer service I've ever been a part of.





















On our last day in this beautiful place, we took a tour of 4 of Napa Valley's vineyards. I was in heaven. Between Melissa and I we ordered 15 bottles of wine and brought some home packed in our suitcases. This was some of the best wine that I have sampled thus far. Obviously, with the 20 some odd bottles that found its way to Colorado.


We went to V. Sattui, Domaine Chandon, Andretti Winery and Black Stallion Winery. I don't have a picture of Black Stallion. As I was having way too much fun to snap any photos. You will have to take my at my word. It was beautiful.










I cannot wait to get back.

Tuesday, June 8, 2010

Creepy, Crawly








In June, my babies and I and Becca went to the Butterfly Pavilion. Emily had already been to the exhibit with her BFF. So she was our tour guide. She could not wait to hold Rosie the Tarantula (which she chickened out on her previous visit). Much to my amazement, she held the big, giant, hairy bug. It was GROSS. Ty wouldn't go near the thing and I don't blame him one bit. Next it was off to touch the horseshoe crab and a starfish. Again, Emily and Becca touched and Ty and I did not.




















Then we actually got to see some of the most interesting looking butterflies. Mind you, these are not your average garden variety. I was amazed at the various types. Ty was looking all over and yelling butterfly, butterfly. It was too cute.