Don't worry, because I know you have been...this Johnson Party is alive and well. Last week Dan was in St. Louis for a couple of nights and then in Montgomery.  On the nights he was home we took care of kids with the stomach bug. He was sooo glad he didn't miss out on that. We were also in charge of a ministry event on Saturday and with lots of help, especially from my family, it was great!

The ministry event we planned was a mother and daughter tea that was co-sponsored by Dan's office and a local parish. It was an event for girls 10-12 and the point of the tea was to talk to them and their moms about God's plan for growing up and becoming women and how being a woman is unique and beautiful.  Wonderful ministry...but Mrs. Shy One over here had to give the main talk, because obviously Dan couldn't....and it was probably the hardest thing I have ever done in my life. Harder than birthing a 10 lb 6 oz baby with zero epidural. And no, I am not exaggerating.  I was so thrilled when it was over and thanks to the Holy Spirit I think it went pretty well.  And because God seems to enjoy pulling us out of our comfort zones, I get to give this talk again on Thursday. So pumped.

Enough about me, the kids are much more interesting:

While at my parents house Emma asked if she could bring this life jacket home so she could wear it to school. I won that conversation...

But lost this one...This is what Emma wore to school yesterday:

Yep, it is her "cast" because she had a "scrape" on her knee....I am dreaming of a white and green uniform...

When I picked her up from school, the "cast" was in her backpack. Her teacher was laughing because once Emma was around her friends she was healed of  her broken scrape. That and she couldn't bend her knee when sitting at her desk.

 Kolbe tried to wear this to bed last night:

He eventually realized that it might not be that comfortable for sleeping.

Joshua has not gotten into wearing safety gear yet, although now that he is close to walking, it might not be a bad idea! His favorite place to be is in his highchair. YUM.

89.6% of the time these three are making messes and definitely keeping us on our toes...and then there are sweet moments like this:

They DO love each other!!  ;)

Today is a special day! 

Today is Grammy's birthday!

Emma Rose loves Grammy because:

"She gives us the best presents and sends me letters.

She has a cat named biscuit.

She lets us play with the barn

and she gives us big hugs!"

Kolbe loves Grammy because:

"She lives with Papa

and she gives us mail,

because we play swords at her house too."

Joshua loves Grammy's hugs and kisses!

We love you Grammy and wish we could spend the day with you and Papa!

Yes, unfortunately (and sometimes fortunately) our kids are growing up.  It is amazing how they manage to change weekly, it's hard to keep up sometimes.... 

So I thought it would be fun to link up with the Mrs. Bean over at Bean in Love and write a little update on my three goobers.

1.

This week we went shopping for Emma's school uniforms that she will wear for KINDERGARTEN next year. Can't believe it. I was nervous to take my rowdy crew to the uniform store being that I chose the most ideal time to go- right after lunch, i.e. nap time. But thankfully the employees were so helpful and gathered everything she would need. Emma did have one meltdown in the dressing room. She DID NOT want to wear the collared puffy-sleeve shirt. JUST the DRESS, MOMMY!  She calmed down when she got to pick out a matching headband...I am not a fan of bribery....not really....

Above: Proudly modeling what she has to wear next year and then an example of what she likes to wear now. She was still wearing the scarf when I picked her up from school. She has her own style and I actually might miss the clothes battles in the mornings next year....

Emma is also very affectionate with Joshua and loves to be a "little mommy."

 

Emma is also a DAN'S GIRL 100%. And nope, my feelings are never hurt when all of the artwork that comes home from school says it is for him and not me. All of the artwork actually says "To DAN Love EMMA."  I think it is hilarious, Dan, not so much. He said, "I am Daddy, not Dan, I don't want to hang up artwork that says 'to Dan love Emma'...I am her daddy!" So yesterday we had lessons on how to write "Daddy."

Best Friends

2.

Now Kolbe...Kolbe, Kolbe, Kolbe...he is just like his daddy...a smooth talker and oh that grin...it is so hard to get mad at him. Even Dan has a hard time keeping a straight face when disciplining this kid. 

We are currently in the trenches of potty training. We are "late" in doing this according to the rest of the world, but I am ok with that. He is now ready and he is so proud of himself when he goes by himself. So there you go.

He is on the chocolate and sour cream diet. Haven't heard of it? Me either.

He loves to play ball and roll around in the dirt. He is also getting really good at playing house with his big sis. He looks up to her so much and sometimes watching them play just makes my heart melt. Kolbe also is talking so much more and he says the cutest things:

Walking out of his room this morning with sleepy eyes, "I saw my bruder crying.  Can we get out the awful maker and eat awfuls? I will get the horks."

3.

Joshua is 10 months old and on the move. You can tell he is the third child because he will crawl off while I am cooking or something and then I ask the older two to play the "who can find Joshua first" game. Emma and Kolbe love this game and so do I.  Probably bad, I know. He is usually found in my shower or here:

Waving his white flag.

He is getting so big and just wants to play and do everything his siblings do.

Joshua is fluent in grunting. And this little big guy loves to eat. Anything and everything. Edible and unfortunately inedible. 

He is still very attached to his mommy- which I love, but it does make it hard to get anything done sometimes...but he is sooo snuggly and I am just trying to remind myself to enjoy it because I now know it won't last forever.

And here is one last pic of our growing family, curtesy of Emma Rose:

Emma is left-handed, so I think that is why she sometimes writes her name backwards, maybe? And once again, the whole "Dan and Lauren" thing. I promise she doesn't call us that at home. Dan and I have an ongoing discussion about whether or not his hair is black or very dark brown...Emma cleared that one up for us. And I am digging my red jumpsuit...

That's all for now folks!

Now if you haven't already, click on over to BeaninLove to read about those precious bean twins! 

It was about 4:45 and I was getting ready to brown some meat to make tacos when Dan called to say he would be leaving the office soon and would be home around 5:30. He sounded exhausted and a little down. During our quick convo he mentioned how he wished we could just go on a vacation. After he hung up, I was standing by the stove cooking and thinking about how to help. What could I do to help take a weight off of his shoulders? And then I thought- why can't we have a mini vacation here! So I got to work- finished up dinner, set the table with whatever festive decor I could find around the house, and made a quick playlist, including the beach boys and good ol' Jimmy. I even changed into the most tropical looking skirt and top that could find in the depths of my closet. Emma and Kolbe helped too and couldn't wait to surprise daddy. 

Finally he was home and we were waiting. Dan walked in the door and the first thing he heard was "Aruba, Jamaica, ooo I wanna take ya...", then he saw us and the table set and the smile on his face made my day for sure. And then we all danced together and ate tacos. 

A one hour vacation from the worries of the world.... Check.

Sometimes all it takes is a moment to think outside of the box and a little extra effort to pull it together and the result is new family memory that we probably won't forget. 

"Key Largo, Montego, baby why don't we go

down to Kokomo, we'll get there fast 

but then we'll take it slow,

that's where we wanna go

way down to Kokomo."

And you will probably have this song stuck in your head the rest of the day. You're welcome. 

A long long time ago...the summer before my freshman year of college, I was up at FUS for orientation weekend and I was riding around campus with my high school youth minister, John Beaulieu. He was playing this new Christian music cd in his car. He was really excited about this up and coming Catholic artist and was telling me all about him. His name was Matt Maher and his album was called "The End and the Beginning." Little did I know that this artist's music would soon become the soundtrack to most of my college career and beyond.

Whenever I listen to Matt Maher's album "Welcome to Life" I think of my travels in Austria and hanging out in my room with Ana and Vickie and Sarah and Jen and Mary Ellen and Fenter...and riding on trains and all of that fun "I spent a semester in Europe" stuff.  That cd was also playing in the car the first time Dan and I ever went out to eat together. Yes, I remember funny things like that.  When I listen to his album, "Overflow" I think of my junior year and driving around Steubenville, because I am pretty positive that cd played in my car for an entire semester...

And then the following three albums Dan and I have enjoyed together, post college, while doing ministry.  The first time I ever got to see him in concert was when he was involved in ADORE ministry and Dan was able to get them to come to McGill four years ago.  I was so pumped. I remember sitting in the gym, watching them set-up, holding baby Emma, and Matt came and sat in the chair directly behind me to tune his guitar. I was starstruck. I froze and was sitting there trying to act normal. Do I turn around and introduce myself? Do I tell him how much his music means to me? Is that weird?  What did I end up doing? Nothing. He was tuning his guitar and very seriously preparing for the evening and I just sat there quietly, feeling very awkward, but so excited at the same time. (In case you were wondering, I did get to meet him later.)

Needless to say, I am a huge fan of Matt Maher and his music and the thing I love most about it- more than all of the memories attached to the songs- is that each song points to God and His Love for us.

Why I am I writing about this?? Because he is coming to my town again this Friday night for the "All the People" tour with Chris August and Bellarive. And I am so grateful for my parents who are graciously going to babysit so that I can go!! The concert is free -- which is crazy-- and everyone near Mobile needs to come. It is going to be AWESOME.  See. you. there.
And all the people said Amen.

I feel like I need to write some sort of Johnson Family update...but what? I mean it has been almost  a week...what have we been up to? I don't really remember...

We played putt-putt last week. That sure was interesting...but a lot of fun!

not sure what happened here...

Joshua was a great helper

Kolbe: the only one to get a hole-in-one!

Spring break is now over. Emma is back at school.  Joshua, Kolbe, and I are now better from fighting a mild case of the stomach bug. And Dan has been busy at work. Blah blah blah.

As I write, my brain is overflowing with random thoughts, things to mention in this post, but so far my coffee hasn't kicked in and I can't form the sentences. 

Here is an example: 

why did both boys wake up at 5:30 this morning?- I really want to get a haircut, but when and how?- I need to change J's diaper before it leaks-but I really want to blog- what should I make for breakfast- what should we do today- look at dan's calendar- iron his shirt- I need to go to the store- milk, apples, syrup...

Syrup...There was this one time my freshman year, I was hanging out with my girlfriends, sitting in one of our dorm rooms having some deep conversation about the difference between boys and girls. Yep. Of course. We were discussing how our brains are like spaghetti and all over the place and how we try to do many things at once. Boys are like waffles, they compartmentalize and focus on one thing at a time. Yes, I know everyone has heard this analogy, but since we were wise college freshman we concluded that a waffle always needs syrup, so the syrup is the LOVE that brings the waffle and the spaghetti together...???  

Very wise and mature...obviously

Well that was almost 10 years ago (WHAT??) and to this day whenever I get frustrated because I feel so overwhelmed about every little detail that is going on and Dan is totally calm and focused on one thing at a time I start to think about how syrup is love. And how we could always use more syrup in our lives... the end.

Hmm..now I am hungry.  Waffles, anyone?

Happy Birthday to you,

Happy Birthday to you,

Happy Birthday, Dear Alex,

Happy Birthday to you!!

You are a wonderful brother and uncle!!

We are so blessed to have you in our lives.

We love you so much!

Some random thoughts:

1. The Easter celebration has been great so far- with egg hunts, Easter baskets, too much chocolate (complete with tummy aches), bike riding, fun with cousins, and a family movie night. Tomorrow we are going to the beach for the day and Emma has already begun to pack. Her suitcase is full of dolls and other toys, everything you would need to go swimming. I think we are set. Let the Easter fun continue...for another 7 weeks...I love being Catholic! ;)

2. I love babies:

3. Joshua loves to eat. Let me say it again. Joshua loves to eat. Ever since he had his little surgery, he gobbles up whatever we give him, like oatmeal, veggies, fruits, or  what he gets his hands on...like bread, french fries, pancakes...you know. At his last check up he was still off the charts for his height. How many inches long? I couldn't tell you. My mom-brain can't remember.  But some friends of ours have nicknamed him Lebron.

Trend Alert: The Oatmeal Goatee

4. Dan and Kolbe are starting a band. I might play tambourine. I haven't been asked yet though.

5. I love Band-aids. I especially LOOVVVEEEE how much my kids depend on them.
Some examples:

"I just bited myself, I need a band-aid."

"Ow! I hit my head on the couch, can I have a band-aid?"

"I have a tiny red mark on my knee that looks like it might bleed soon, band-aid please."

"my tongue is bleeding, band-aid?"

"i need a band-aid, my toe fell off!!"

"Mommy, I have to have a band-aid, the bones in my arm are broken!"

"Where are the band-aids? I have barnacles on my hands!"

(which means "my hands are shriveled from the bath"...)

And the most frustrating thing about these precious boo-boos is that I give in and pass out the band-aids and then when we really need them, they are all gone. Then try getting into a deep conversation with a 5 year old and 3 year old about why we are out of band-aids...fun times. It is a process and we are working on it.

6.  Kolbe and Emma were playing house, here is the conversation I overheard:

(Emma was changing a baby doll's diaper.)

Kolbe: Ok, honey, I am going to go play basketball!

Emma: Ok! I am going to keep changing this diaper.

Kolbe: Thanks honey, bye!

(he runs out, then runs back in)

Kolbe: Honey! Honey! Honey! Honey! I am going to go play basketball!

Emma: Ok! be careful!

(he runs out, then runs back in again)

Kolbe: honey, honey, honey!! I hurt my knee!  

Emma: oh no, are you ok?

Kolbe: Yeah honey, I am going to go play basketball!

I have no clue about where they came up with all of that...

         

                                                  oh those kids...so funny, they are!