Hey... Breilly, Whitney, Zach, and Emmie....we are here in Austria!! Tonight we are in Graz, staying with the Bäck Family! We miss you!! Kiley has been missing you.. she sleeps alot so she must be dreaming about all of you!! LOVE YOU!! Here are some pictures of our trip so far.We rode in a carriage to a castle (Kiley slept´she was just like sleeping beauty!), we went to the place where the family lived in the Sound of Music, and we went shopping down a neat street!! We wish you were here too!!

Thoughts of a Mom....

Often I sit and watch my kids and wish that life was "as fun" for me as it is for them. I watch as they pick up a ribbon, and dance across the room with it, as though it is a magic sash. I watch as my son becomes a "rock"star as he plays guitar hero (okay I feel a little rock starish when I play it too), picking up a stick - which immediately becomes a weapon of some sort. I watch as they drag their stuffed animal dog around by a ribbon, pretending it is real dog. So begins the play, I begin rocking the baby, petting the new dog, dancing around the room. We laugh, and I stop and think - am I the kind of mom I "thought" I'd be?

I think of my beautiful, talented, amazing sisters and friends, and the mom's I know they are, and I wonder.... am I? I know that I have better mom days, and not so good mom days. I have days when I AM a fun, cool, mom. And I have days that I transform into the wicked witch of the west, riding my broom around the house, as my children run from my spells.... Thank goodness that they forget quickly, and give me another chance the next day, to "try" again. I love being a mom. Right now, living somewhere new, I am embracing this role. I am grateful that I am a mom. I am grateful that these little people we are intrusted with, love us, and teach us that life is so fun and magical.

To all my sisters and my friends, you are wonderful moms. You are wonderful women thank you for encouraging me, inspiring me, and motivating me to be better. I love you all.... have a wonderful day!

Valentines Day... Happy Feet!

We had a FABULOUS Valentines day. We woke up early, had a fun valentine breakfast. (Heart waffles) Derek bought me roses! (What a sweet guy!) I bought him candy (that IS sweet-right?) Then we went to a FREE movie (care of our realtor - who sold us our home) where we ate lots of FREE popcorn, and FREE soda. (Unfortunately the 3 littles didn't think the Pink Panther was that great, Derek left early)

The afternoon, we ate lots of SUGAR cookies. Then we prepared for the big clogging debut for Breilly and Whitney. They did a GREAT job, even if you can't see Whitney very much, she did AWESOME! They both got first and second place. We came home and then played in our family band, with Guitar Hero's help. We are planning on taking ourselves on tour, maybe to a location near you.... Or, you are welcome to come to our establishment - The Johnson B&B. We offer AMAZING entertainment. (clogging, singing, etc...) Needless to say, the day wore out the kids, and everyone went to bed quickly that does show LOVE to mom and dad.

After our last year of chaos, and trials, and good times too.. I sure love my "Valentine" more today than I thought I could. This year has brought us closer to each other, and closer to the family, and closer to what is really important. Love is really what makes the world go round. Love you all!

Choices and Consequences

Life lessons.... Monday I was at the school, helping the PTA, when one of my children proceeded to pull/touch the fire alarm! WOW! What do you do? Well, I don't know if I did the right or the wrong thing, things kind of went into "slow" motion, and I asked this child to immediately come to my side - as the principal shut the alarm off. Then when we returned home, we had a "talk," as she was in "time out." We then went over the good old "choices/ consequences" - YW stuff... bottom line she decided that she wished that she could rewind the "choice," hence having a much better consequence. Isn't life like that? I told her that she would have more days like this, but the best thing that we can do, is to never do it again, which she assured me, "I'm never doing that again, Mom." I know that I will have more days like today, Ug... maybe next time it will be better - for both of us.

I got tagged 4th file, 4th picture

Here is my very handsome husband. This picture was taken at my parents house, I don't know why, but I thought he looked so good in it that we used it in our Christmas Card this year. He's such a great husband- I sure do love him, even if he walked on our new wood floors with his shoes on (A big NO NO)

Now I tag... Alita, Diane, Cheri, and anyone else who needs a fun idea for a blog entry....

Go to your files and post the 4th file, 4th picture and then explain the photo!