The Johanson Journey

Fun in the sun & Friends

noreply@blogger.com (Janette Johanson) — Thu, 23 May 2013 22:05:00 +0000

Just thought I’d share some pictures I’ve taken of the kids together and with their friends over the past week.

Reese is quite the ham. I had a crochet hat in a drawer that she found along with some long pearls, so we tied it all together for a sassy lil’ outfit. Rayne wasn’t too impressed but still super cute sister pics! These outfits are also courtesy of their Aunt Tanya.

At Ryan’s late game, I wanted to get a few pictures of him and his buddies. Its hard to pick which one was best as they were hamming it up for every shot!

I also caught some precious moments with Ryan’s friend Hudson’s baby sister Ashland. I could totally keep her for a daughter in law!

And then there were sweet moments captured with Ryan and his baby sister Rayne… so thankful they love and adore each other so much!

TINY LITTLE STATUE?

noreply@blogger.com (Janette Johanson) — Mon, 20 May 2013 21:32:00 +0000

The title probably should read, “Tiny Little Dancer” as the song goes….. but in this case, we found that statue was more fitting.

A little background…… Reese started taking dance at her school once a week and through the dance company, she was going to be prepping for a recital. I was sort of hesitant to sign her up for the recital because she had only been attending the dance class for a few weeks but the instructor assured me that Reese was ready. She also made a good claim that Reese would feel left out while her friends were all getting fitted for costumes and she wasn’t. OKAY!! Sign me up.

We got a beautiful bright yellow costume which she looked adorable in!! We also got new ballerina shoes and had sparkles all over for the big event! We invited the entire family. We were excited! Pre show pictures were taken and I felt pretty confident for our girl.

We dropped her off with her classmates and got seated in the theater to wait for her group to come out.

Stage fright was evident in the girls who performed before Reese’s class. One girl bit her nails while the rest of her class danced. Another girl was waving the whole time at her mom in the audience. It was very cute. Next up was the last group of the performances and that would be Reese’s group. They filed in on the stage and some of them were scared stiff and others were finding their parents and waving.

I think this shows how interested Reese was in performing in front of all of these people. I’m not even sure the other kids knew what was going on.

Here is a video of the performance if you are interested.

FUN PRE-SCHOOL QUESTIONAIRE

noreply@blogger.com (Janette Johanson) — Fri, 17 May 2013 19:18:00 +0000

Today marks the day that my first born, Ryan graduates from Pre-School. Just look at that grin and hair! The days of regretful hair styles begins! He is especially fond of the faux mohawk. I can relate as I had a similar style with the crazy fro bangs using Aquanet extra strong hold.

I was looking all over for a list of questions that I could ask him that we could modify over the years to see how he changes along the way. I decided to put my own questions together. Please feel free to use these for your lil’ one and change it up as needed.

Ryan’s answers:
1. What is your favorite color? Orange
2. Who is your best friend? Matthew Maguire and Elijah Hannon
3. Do you have a girlfriend? NOOOO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
4. What is your favorite thing to do at school? Play with blocks and cars
5. If you could go anywhere in the world right now, where would you go? SeaWorld
6. If you had $100 to spend on anything, what would it be? a big house
7. What is your favorite food? Hot dogs and Cheetos
8. What is your favorite movie/tv show? The Incredibles &Avengers movies &Sponge Bob tv show
9. What is your favorite sport to play? Baseball
10. What is your favorite sports team? Pittsburgh Steelers
11. What do you want to be when you grow up? A Policeman
12. What is your favorite thing about Mommy? I like to sit by her and lay with her and play
13. What is your favorite thing about Daddy? His hugs
14. What is your favorite snack? Marshmallows or Fruit snacks
15. What are you most excited about doing this last summer before kindergarten? Playing with my friends

Congrats to our little man for making it this far!! Only 16 years to go!

WE ARE SO DRAMATIC

noreply@blogger.com (Janette Johanson) — Thu, 16 May 2013 22:47:00 +0000

I am not sure who the person was that came up with the phrase “Terrible Two’s” but I would like to put my foot down and stake a claim on the phrase “Dramatic Three’s!” I’m pretty sure I’m not the first to try to attach my name to that phrase since most Mom’s I know are saying the exact same thing.

Before I get into many details, I was trying to think back when Ryan was about the two-three age and what crazy things he was up to at the time. Its amazing how quickly you forget once you survive that stage in life with kids. I often wonder if that forgetfulness is somehow built in to being a parent or a Mom because I find myself feeling brain dead about a lot of things….. anyway, that’s another story for another day.

When I was thinking back to Ryan in the earlier years, I distinctly remember the following:

* Having major melt downs on the drive home from school every single day. I had no idea what was causing it other than exhaustion or hunger, so I added goldfish to our route and secured a DVD player in to help appease him.

* On our drives to school or home, Ryan used to lose his mind in the back about which way I would turn the car. We would pull up to a street sign and he would try to direct me on which way to go and when I would turn the opposite way, all hell broke loose. I mean seriously, as if he knows the way to get places at the age of 2!

*Socks. Socks have always been an issue with Ryan for as long as I can remember. Is it the thread that goes across his toes? Maybe. Is it because they are too small or too big? Maybe. Maybe it’s the cotton fibers that stab his feet. I don’t think any thing specific about the socks is an actual problem because we have tried every sock that has ever been manufactured to nail it down. I’ve succumbed to the dreaded socks.

Now there’s Reese who is wrapping up her year of being a 2 year old and she has developed some of her own strange and dramatic habits. Seems about the same time as Ryan so its definitely “Dramatic Three’s in action (early)”

Occasionally when we pull up to the house it will be raining or maybe very windy and cold. In this case I have chosen the lazy way of checking the mail and pull up to it in the car. Its easy just to put the car in reverse and reverse park in the driveway. Unfortunately, I have a passenger who feels this is the end of the world! Screams full of tears and throwing herself on the backseat floor as she wails out “I don’t want to go backwards”. I actually enjoy parking in reverse so that when we leave I can just zoom on out. Reese does not agree. This is the meltdown in progress.

The latest travesty has been regarding mother nature and science. You see, I pick the kids up from school and we have a joyous ride home.

But then… Reese asks me if the sun is going to go down. I respond as any normal Mom would and say “Yes”. Turns out she wanted me to say “No” or perhaps something else, I don’t know.
I JUST DON’T KNOW!
Combine this disappointment with the fact that Reese was taking forever to crawl out of my door while she was buckling her baby into her car seat and now I bring you the additional melt down from closing my door and opening hers. To subside the drama, I reopened my door for her to exit from.

This is only 1 month till her 3rd birthday. I cannot imagine what the full on THREE’s will bring! Oh gosh, and to think I get to do this again with Rayne!

HOW I AM LIKE ANGELINA JOLIE…

noreply@blogger.com (Janette Johanson) — Wed, 15 May 2013 20:00:00 +0000

I never thought I would find myself comparing to Angelina Jolie but with the recent story released of her decision, I think I am more like her than I thought!

I’m not sure why I look at Angelina and think that she is so much older than me but she’s only 2 years older! I guess it could be her accomplishments that seem to have aged her but age is not really the issue. The main reason I bring up age is because women across the world are probably asking themselves if they would do what she did (assuming they had the funds to do so). If you don’t keep up with the news, Jolie had a genetic testing done for a specific gene known as BRCA1 which indicates likelihood of developing breast cancer. Jolie tested positive with an 85% chance of developing cancer and made the decision to reduce her chances by having a double mastectomy. Usually stories like this aren’t something I can relate to because celebrities sharing their stories in the past haven’t been that personal to me.

This headline though is different. I try to be very aware of my health and consciously go to the Doctor when I suspect something is wrong. I don't' want to mislead you to think I am a hypochondriac but lets face it, I don’t want to die.

My Father’s mother died before I was born at a very early age from a stroke and complications of colitis. Thankfully medical technology has come as far as it has because now we can surmise that the reason she had a stroke was probably due to a blood mutation she had which has been passed down to my Father, one of his sisters, a cousin and myself. I got tested and now know how to medically handle it.

My Mother’s Mother died of breast cancer in 2005. She had a double mastectomy without reconstruction. She got cancer in her 50’s and it went away and came back and spread. So, the last time I saw my OB, they offered a test called the Halo Breast Pap Test. I didn’t hesitate to sign up and do it. There was no collection so that gave me some relief. If a test was affordable and available through insurance to have the testing done like Angelina did, I would sign up and likely make the same decision she did. They say the mutation is rare so how can you decide if it’s a path you should take?

The medical field is probably trying to evaluate the story and I am sure there will be an overwhelming increase in women wanting this same test. Is it necessary? I guess its up to the individual their convictions. The only thing that part of me thinks I might not do it is….. what if the ultimate plan God intended for me was to live until I was the age of 76 and cancer was the predestined way for me to go and I removed the odds of getting it…. wouldn’t there still be something in place so that my time ended at the original planned time? I guess we’ll never know.

With only 2 years between myself and Angelina Jolie, I think it brings it closer to reality for me and I applaud her for her decision and am thankful she shared her story. I just hope the medical world can find a way for things like this genetic testing be more affordable so we can all make this decision no matter our income.

What do you think?

Family Group Gatherings: A Tradition Worth Preserving {GUEST POST}

noreply@blogger.com (Janette Johanson) — Wed, 15 May 2013 19:00:00 +0000

Family Group Gatherings: A Tradition Worth Preserving

The family dynamic has changed over time, and where once it was commonplace for extended families to live in the same area and spend time together this is not a situation that exists for most people anymore. More and more people move to different areas for work or study and stay there to start a family away from the towns they grew up in. Families often only all convene at weddings, christenings or when babies are born. It is important therefore to make the most of these gatherings and keep your family unit strong regardless of distance. This is made easier by great deals in group bookings for accommodation for the whole family.

Christenings

The biggest problem most people will have with the Christening, naming ceremony or other celebration of their child is choosing godparents. A common rule seems to be having the same number of friends as family, so if you have chosen two close friends to be godmother and godfather have another two godparents picked from your families. Do not be pressured or guilt tripped into your choices, as it’s an important decision that is yours to make. There is no changing your mind afterwards so make sure you go with people you really trust.

Weddings

Planning a wedding is probably one of the biggest organizational challenges you will ever face, and making sure all the family can be there and commanding the politics of that is just one aspect of this mammoth task. Do make sure to take the time to find out if key family members can attend though before you book a venue as it is just as important to have all your loved ones there to witness your special day as it is to get the right dress. You’d be pretty upset if you booked a date only to find your Nan is having surgery that day or some equally disappointing coincidence. Weddings are about the joining of two people, but also of two families, so to make it a real family occasion think again about having a childfree wedding with just a handful of guests, and make it a family affair.

Births

When babies are born inevitably everyone wants to visit and see the new arrival. With family spread across the country, some of those visitors will inevitably want to stay with you and, whilst friends and family with children of their own are likely to understand that this isn’t possible with a newborn, others might not be quite so understanding. In order to feel like you have some control in an otherwise whirlwind period of your life you may like to arrange a day or few days when you feel ready for visitors for all the family to visit and celebrate the new addition together. Politely let them know that you need your space whilst adapting but suggest local places they can all stay together during their visit – Travelodge is a great budget friendly option with family rooms available.

Families may have changed over the years but the bonds remain that keep drawing them back together to celebrate life’s milestones. Make sure to keep these traditions going even if you can’t all fit in each other’s houses, and travel and stay as a group for special events.

Could Epic be one of this year’s biggest films? {GUEST POST}

noreply@blogger.com (Janette Johanson) — Wed, 15 May 2013 17:59:00 +0000

Could Epic be one of this year’s biggest films?

With the recent and latest Epic trailer available online, now is probably the best time to get excited. At the very least, your children are probably getting geared up. Whilst you may not take as much of an active interest, this is a family-friendly film that you may want to keep an eye on. It should be no surprise, in fact, if this film goes on to do rather well this summer.

To summarize, Epic is the story of Mary Katherine; a girl who ends up shrunk to a tiny scale, joining magical creatures in a fight between good and evil in the forest. Its simple themes of good versus evil give the film plenty of potential. As the trailer shows, this seems to be something that it has capitalized on particularly well.

For the family

At the heart of any family trip to the cinema is, of course, the choice of film itself. As such, the film needs to be good. When taking children, you're also further limited by any age restrictions on the more mature films.

Fortunately, Epic seems to be appropriate for everyone. It’s not overtly violent and avoids any adult themes. Yet it’s not a dull lullaby either. There is plenty of tense action, including some impressive camera work that has gone into crafting this film; something that arguably isn't in every CGI film. The end result, if the trailer is anything to go by, should be a CGI film that not only makes you laugh, but keeps your eyes on the screen throughout.

Finally, let's not forget that the film simply looks fantastic. It’s something that is instantly recognizable and ensures you always have something to watch. Throw in some key cast members, such as Amanda Seyfried playing the main heroine, Mary, alongside Colin Farrell and others, and you have the makings of a very popular summer movie. Only time will tell; Epic opens across UK Cinemas this summer.

Hello Monday!

noreply@blogger.com (Janette Johanson) — Mon, 13 May 2013 22:38:00 +0000

Ahhh… what a great weekend! I haven’t felt like saying that in a while! Most weekends I feel like they have come and gone and usually the memory of them is a blur. As you know, this past weekend was Mother’s Day. We traditionally schedule a breakfast that includes the entire family so that we can share a meal together to celebrate all of the Mom’s. This year, everyone was able to make it! After breakfast, I asked to take group pictures of the families.

First off a shout out to my Step Sister and Step Brother from another Mother for coming this year! I know it made the breakfast that much more special! If you are a friend on Instagram, these are a duplicate posting of pictures.

This is my Step Sister Haley.

This is my Step Brother Jason.

And in no particular order, this is my family…..
My Dad, Step Mom Patricia, Haley and us.
This is Erik’s Mom, Dad and Sister Tanya with us.

This is my Dad (Pap), Step Mom Kaye and Step Brother Jason.
This year I got each of the Mom’s a Oragami Charm Necklace. I loved that they were living lockets that you could change out the charms to fit your life. They each got the #3 for the number of grandchildren, they each got their birthstone, a heart with the word Mom on it and 1 additional charm that was specific to each one of them.

My day was so nice and relaxing! I got to rest with Rayne while she napped and took in a movie I’ve been wanting to see since it came out in theaters, Safe Haven. It was a great movie! I just love Nicholas Sparks stories. After the movie, I was able to go to the Nail salon and have some much needed pampering thanks to Erik and his parents for giving me a gift card! I branched out and tried a new color I don’t think I normally would have chosen! It may have been inspired by my love for EOS (thanks to Stacie) and my favorite EOS flavored lip balm.

Erik and the kids also got me a beautiful necklace (which I meant to take a picture of, but this is in essence what it looks like with 2 pink shoes with Reese and Rayne’s name on the back of each and a blue one with Ryan’s name. Super sweet!! I also got a “We {heart} Mommy Frame” that I can’t wait to fill!

Love my sweet family!! It was a great Mother’s Day! I hope yours was great too!!

WEEDS & COTTONTAILS…

noreply@blogger.com (Janette Johanson) — Tue, 07 May 2013 18:37:00 +0000

It has become a routine each night to come home, eat dinner and then go in the backyard to play. Sometimes we doodle with chalk, blow bubbles, test out new skate boarding tricks or simply chase each other around.

You can always count on me to have my phone handy when I see the kids are in a photogenic mood to capture the evening light and the kids and their crazy poses. Reese was secretly practicing her dance moves which she will stop if you catch her doing it and refuses to show us a full example of what she is learning in dance. Ryan was just having fun jumping around while Rayne was clinging to Erik’s leg while he was tending to weeds that I’ve ignored.

Here is my lil’ Sasafras playing with Ryan’s skateboard and striking a pose for me.
Ryan likes action shots!

Mid jumps, Erik calls us over to see that he has uncovered a nest for a baby bunny or squirrel. We all rush over to see and of course we all want to get in there and touch it and see what’s there. Our curiosity got the best of us so we started to slowly move the nest back and that’s when Ryan said he sees another baby. Erik says he thinks he sees a 3rd baby and I’m telling you, this nest hole was tiny! I can’t imagine how more than 1 baby would fit in there. Ryan reached his hands down to lift a baby up.

The look on Rayne’s face was priceless! I joked that she was reacting to the sight of all the weeds in the garden but it was actually a reaction to the number of babies that started popping out.
My guess is that there were about 6 babies in that tiny lil’ hole under the cedar wood chips and weeds. As they all climbed out in a scurry, I had the movie “Ratatouille” in my head thinking that the lil’ babies were all shrieking and actually speaking, “ABORT, ABORT!” “Everyone run for the greenbelt and hide!”

All of us were trying to catch one and Erik and I debated whether they were baby squirrels or baby bunnies. I am team bunny but it really is hard to tell. They were moving so fast…. Rayne was squealing and one of the babies was squealing, but they were SO DARN CUTE!!

They ran so fast as soon as we let them go and Ryan had the last one in his hands. I wish I could have snapped the picture fast enough because he held him gently in his hands, pull him up to his face to say I love you and kissed his lil’ head before letting him go. He is such a sweet boy.

I just hope the lil’ babies found their Mom or each other. The Mom was no where to be found but my Aunt said in a Facebook message that usually the Mom’s don’t stick by the nest, they are out fighting predators. I asked Erik to check the nest this morning to see if they came back and they were not there. I hope they come back later in the day to regroup and bundle up again. Its nice having the green belt behind our house to expose the kids to nature and fuzzy lil’ cottontails!

For her…

noreply@blogger.com (Janette Johanson) — Mon, 06 May 2013 17:46:00 +0000

I am typically a very good planner. I think about holidays in advance when most people would cringe at the thought. This coming weekend is Mother’s Day and I checked that off my list of things to get done for a gift a few weeks back so I was feeling pretty good. I was dropping the kiddo’s off this morning and walked in the door to see that this is Teacher Appreciation Week! In the words of Erik, “Didn’t we just do that last week?”. {face to palm}….. shoot! I hadn’t planned for this one! I’m cruising through the pinterest boards of ideas to find something creative and cute for these amazing women. While I am scrambling for ideas on the perfect gift for them, I thought I”d share something else that I just purchased. I wanted to bring this to your attention because it only lasts for the month of May so I didn’t want any time to slip by without telling you.

My cousin’s wife, Amy just recently found out that she has leukemia. Together they have 2 adorable kiddos. Amy is a young and healthy Mom so it came as quite a shock.

Amy has had an incredible support come forward on her behalf for prayers and some friends have even started a facebook group called “Amy’s All Stars!” We are certainly praying for a speedy recovery and currently prayers for a match with her sister for a bone marrow transplant. Friends and family as well as coworkers are taking pictures with posters to show support and have even created a T-shirt for her cause.
I happened upon one of my favorite jewelry designers pages and it was like fate! Amy Cornwell was featuring this necklace called “Hope is the Key”. 20% of the proceeds for selling this necklace will go towards Leukemia & Lymphoma Society. You can get it with a heart charm to say Hope or a Diamond shape!
I love that Amy Cornwell is always creating with such a big heart for helping others and knew this was a perfect way I could show my cousin Amy how much we love and support her. I ordered it to hopefully arrive in time for Mother’s Day with her birthstone. I think its safe to share this here because neither of these folks read my blog (that I’m aware of). I bought it as a surprise gift and it will be mailing out this week. You can order this necklace too for yourself or someone you know who might need hope for other reasons. The proceeds will be donated on sales for May. I love all of Amy’s work and be on the look out because I think she’s about to have a huge moving sale mid-week! You can shop HERE!

Say a lil’ prayer for my cousin & his wife Amy as she begins her journey in this battle.

Big Girl Dreams

noreply@blogger.com (Janette Johanson) — Fri, 03 May 2013 09:00:00 +0000

I have recently been digging through pictures from my childhood. I ran across a picture of a house I wish I could show you that was newly built near my Dad back in the mid-90’s and I thought it was the most beautiful house! Every time we would drive by it, I’d say that it was my dream house. The funny part is that it was probably a 3 bedroom home with 1 bathroom and wasn’t really that special. Many years later, I remember driving past it after growing up and thinking “gosh, I can’t believe I used to think that was my dream house!”

I think its so funny how our first dreams of homes started with Barbie. She and Ken had a very impressive home. I had no idea where Malibu was when I was playing house with them but knew that I wanted to live there and be just like them!

So now that I’m grown up and living in our home now, there are still times when Erik and I drive by a place and say, “that’s what our dream home will have” or “I hope we can add that to our dream home”. For instance, Erik really wants a home with a porte cachere and a third car garage with high ceilings so he can lift cars up for working on them. Oddly enough, I want a double stacked oven which is bizarre considering I don’t cook that often. I think an under the stairs hidden room might be neat to have with a whole room set up incase of emergencies.

Love the dark woods!! They are so nice and rich looking. I got carried away in my online searches and started looking up land sales in craigieburn and mernda villages and started to think that maybe I could be happy in a house that was all white and stainless steel! So elegant and pretty, don’t you think!? Heck, living on the shores of Australia would suit me just fine with a room looking like this and kangaroos hopping by our windows instead of squirrels and rabbits.
So now I’ve gone from living in a Barbie dream house to a gorgeous home in the mernda villages! Its fun to dream right? Where do you think your dream home will be or are you already in yours? I keep thinking it would be nice to have a place in another country to just hop a flight and relax but I’m quite content in Texas. Good thing for custom home builders!! I’ve got a stack of ideas and torn pages from magazines and websites piling up!

Disclaimer: This is a personal blog and the opinions are 100% my own. This post is written in partnership with Stockland.

{April} HEARTFELT ACTS

noreply@blogger.com (Janette Johanson) — Wed, 01 May 2013 09:00:00 +0000

Today I am sharing my Heartfelt Acts for March with Emmy Mom! If you have any you would like to share, you can link up on our Heartfelt Acts Page anytime! There is no set day or time for you to write about your experience, but just sharing the details to pass it on. You are open to do anything to show Heartfelt Acts!!

This months prompt:

1. Forgive Someone.
2. Send a care package (ex. military, friend or family member in college, for any friend just because).

WHOA! I was sort of nervous about this month because I wracked my brain to think of who I could forgive. I felt that for it to be worth writing about, it had to be something life changing and I wish I could tell you that I am able to do that but unfortunately I’m not there. So then I got to thinking about a Care Package, (disclaimer: you do NOT have to do the suggested prompts, these are merely ideas) and was struggling with who I could send one to and what should I put in it. I was talking to my good friend Amber who reminded me that a Care Package isn’t only for military or college kids, but that I could think of a care package for a shelter in need. {High Five Amber! Great idea!!} She sent me information about the SPCA and their wish list.

So, I took off to the Dollar Store to grab a few items to create a gift bag for each of the kiddo’s to fill and carry in and then took the family to Wal-mart to pick up more items from their wish lists. As most of you know, we lost our dear Mackie on April 15th, so this care package was donated in memory of her. The kids were super excited and I think deep down we had hopes to find a new family member to take home, but sadly we didn’t find one. The SPCA workers were so excited to see us coming in with bags of goodies! Some of the goodies were for them to use in the office so they were super excited about that!

We explained to the kiddos that we were doing this donation of a care package in memory of our sweet Mackie to give puppies and kit-tens (you have to say it as if its two words because that’s how Reese kept saying it… too cute) to live comfortably at the center until they get to go home with their new families.
{picture overload}

Here the kids are loading up their gift bags. They each had a different pup on their bag that they picked out on their own. They move fast so it was hard to take clear pics… sorry!

This was the contents of their personal bags:
Disinfectant wipes, pet odor spray eliminator, cat liners, balls, squeaky toy, lint roller, cat toys and dog treats.

Off we go to Wal-Mart. Rayne was very excited to put things in the cart!

We donated Mackie’s big fluffy bed along with our gift bags and Wal-mart purchases. We added to the care package- Paper towels, puppy pads, Q-Tips, Alcohol, cotton balls, detergent, antibacterial hand sanitizer pump, puppy bath wash, pads of paper, highlighters, dry erase markers , cat nip & cat nip bubbles.
Off we go!

These were the sweet residents of the McKinney SPCA that warmed my heart. I just wish I could have given them a home.

This particular pup really liked Ryan and was trying to shake hands with him through the gate.
I felt good about this care package and I know Mackie is happily looking down knowing we were honoring her with our donation.

If you want to join along and link your Heartfelt Acts, please click HERE to add yours. Next month’s prompt is very fun! Can’t wait!

1. Host a cookie exchange. Examples of how to do this can be found HERE & HERE.
2. Write a letter to a family member telling them why you love them. (Great for Mother’s Day!)

happy thoughts of april

noreply@blogger.com (Janette Johanson) — Tue, 30 Apr 2013 09:00:00 +0000

Have you entered the $200 worth of Handmade Giveaway from Queen Bee Market?
Click HERE to get entered to win!

It’s the last day of April, so I am joining with EmmyMom to share my Top 10 things that made me happy this month. Tomorrow Emmy and I will be sharing our April Heartfelt Acts! Excited to share our special acts!

1} I think we can all agree that as parents, the first words you are waiting for your newest baby to say out loud is “Mommy” or “Daddy”. The next words that melt your heart are hearing them say “I Love You”, especially on their own. With each of our kids, we seem to have developed a unique way of saying I Love You to each. With Ryan, I always say, “ I love you with all my heart”. With Reese, I say, “Love you to the moon and back”. With Rayne, we are still working on our verbal expression but I think she might be our silent case as this is the way we tell each other we love you.

Hand is brought up to the side of your face and slightly tilted. Seeing her do this makes me smile. She’ll even do it to Ryan and Reese. It’s the most tender and genuine sign. Means the world to us.

2} So proud of Ryan and his love for Baseball!! Go Giants!

3} I realize its only the end of April and June is still far away but around these parts, you have to plan ahead or miss out on booking a place for a birthday party! I finally got Reese’s birthday party booked! The theme is Dora! She’s not my favorite pick but Reese asked for her, so I shall accommodate!

4} Ryan has been very lucky to have found such good friends and I am equally as lucky because the friends he has have great Mom’s. Through the Baseball team program, Ryan has been matched up with his pals again and I’ve got my Mom friends back regularly!

5} My flowers purchased in early March are still alive! These are rose bagonias! My newest favorite flower to plant!

6} The first spring Erik and I lived in our home, we planted 5 Easter Lilies. I felt sortof defeated because they only bloom once and that particular spring, the wind was so bad that it blew all the petals off. Last Spring, they were back but had multiplied. They multiplied again this Spring and you can see the green sprouts in the front garden. There is currently 1 already in bloom and the rest are right behind it! So pretty!

7} So with all the flowers in bloom, its no surprise that Spring has made its appearance and I’m already fearing the summer heat—but for now, we are loving our days at the park!

8} I love seeing Halloween costumes that can be worn over and over again. It sure helps the pain of the cost for these cute outfits to be part of the dress up games the kids play year round! 2 Spidermen (one is our neighbor Evan) 1 firefighter and Rayne is in a little monkey costume Ryan wore his 1st Halloween!

9} I love drawing with chalk… maybe more than the kids—its just fun to see the sidewalks so colorful! I drew our family name and the word love in the corner and Ryan drew a picture of Mackie. So sweet that he includes her in his drawings.

10} What can I say, this guy makes me so happy all of the time! Love ya Babe.

Handmade awesome

noreply@blogger.com (Janette Johanson) — Mon, 29 Apr 2013 12:00:00 +0000

Before I share the exciting information about an awesome giveaway…. I wanted to tell you about an awesome deal going on today with Pick Your Plum!! Today is their 2nd year Birthday and in celebration they have a handful of awesomeness to grab but that’s not all!! You can get a discount of 20% too!! Discount code: Birthdayplums So exciting!

Last year, I remember seeing a bunch of friends on Instagram showing pictures from SNAP! If you aren’t familiar with SNAP! It is a huge blog conference held once a year in Utah. I wish I could have gone to it this year but as usual, I followed along with friends who were attending. I think my favorite part, aside from great ideas and tips is the swag and chance to shop at Queen Bee Market! Talk about a crafter’s heaven!

If you are like me and followed craft bloggers on social media, you may have seen some awesome photos of the Queen Bee Market last week. This gathering of handmade goodness is fun to browse through... and even more fun to shop at! I partnered BlogPrizes.com and some of my blogging friends to give YOU a chance to win some of the hottest items at the Queen Bee Market. And I really mean HOTTEST. Several of these items were sold out before the show was over, and a couple sold out very shortly after it started!

One winner will be getting a box filled with all of this!

Be Kind Sign - Evie Ivy Engraved Cutting Board - Alexis Mattox Design Camera Strap - August Blossoms Cupcake liners, straws, and cookie cutter - Bake it Pretty Aqua Bracelet - Hoop-la Crochet Rose - Made by Jewls 3 Bars Handmade Soap - Karol's Handmade Soap White Flower Earrings - Love Stitched Heart Necklace - The r House Couture Moustache Covered Notebook - Ameroonie Designs Leather and Fabric iPad Case - Sage & Harper 3 Lip Balms - Kustom Kissers

Enter using the Rafflecopter widget found below:

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Still Daydreaming…

noreply@blogger.com (Janette Johanson) — Sun, 28 Apr 2013 13:00:00 +0000

Gosh, after talking about my trip from 2006 to Italy and Turkey, I am starting to get the itch to really go somewhere! When I really think about it, we haven’t been on a trip since our honeymoon in 2007! I know several families with kids have already started taking family trips and hopefully we can get our act together to find some kind of vacation package that wouldn’t scare me financially or distance-wise.

I know lots of families take their kids on trips by driving late in the night and just try to recover from loss of sleep during naps or just live on high doses of caffeine!

Have you seen the deals on the web lately for trips!? I get emails about them all of the time and just wonder if we could handle a family trip with the kids this young. I’d love it for them to see the beaches, mountains and landscape of the world. I just would want them to remember it all so they could share in the memories of the great trips we went on!

I’ve seen amazing deals for Disney!! I know my kids would love to go here!!

Or how about a trip to go skiing and learn how to down hill ski on the bunny hills of Crested Butte!

Oh how I would love to see my babies lil’ tushes on the beaches!

I think I might even be able to survive a cruise ship with them! I’ve heard there are great packages for Disney cruises that kids LOVE!

So my goal the next few years will be to start a piggy bank that we can throw money into for future trips. There is so much of the world to see and I can’t wait to show them all there is to explore!!

Favorite sayings

noreply@blogger.com (Janette Johanson) — Sat, 27 Apr 2013 17:00:00 +0000

Oh Italy…

noreply@blogger.com (Janette Johanson) — Sat, 27 Apr 2013 13:00:00 +0000

With the summer months approaching, I got caught up daydreaming about places I wish I could go and then got to remembering that this time in 2006, I was planning a trip to meet Erik in Italy. Our plans were to meet in Rome while he was on R&R from his deployment with the Army and travel for the two weeks as much as we could.

We started out in Rome which really deserves a full week or more to get to see and do everything you could possibly want if not longer. We then moved our way to Florence and a day trip to Pisa and another to Venice.
Venice was everything I could imagine it would be and more! The colors of the boats that were tied up along the coast line as well as the beautiful flowers that were outside of the homes were so beautiful. The only regret I have about visiting Venice for 1 day is that we weren’t able to stay there for very long. If we had more time, I would liked to find a hotel and bask in the ambiance of the city. Just look at the beautiful location for Hotel Rialto! Its right there by the infamous bridge!! I am sure there are a bunch of other gorgeous hotels to stay at that are tucked away in the heart of the town but I distinctly remember thinking how cool it would be to wake up and open my hotel window and look out at sun rising over the canal.

I remember Erik and I sat in the town’s square and watched the pigeons. These pictures are no exaggeration of how many birds flock to this area.

The streets are so narrow and you can’t help but to examine the housing around the city and see signs that there have been floods from the changing tides. This city has managed to keep its authentic setting and is one of the places I hope we can go back to in the future. Perhaps on our 10 year wedding anniversary we can go back to Italy and stay longer in the breath taking Venice. Here is a summary of our trip to Italy traveling through the different areas and also our trip to Turkey is mixed in. Have you been to Italy? Venice? If not, put it on your bucket list! I’m off to daydream some more!

Batter up!

noreply@blogger.com (Janette Johanson) — Thu, 25 Apr 2013 16:49:00 +0000

If you have been around The Johanson Journey long, you probably have noticed that we like to dabble in a bunch of different things with the kids. I don’t remember as a child being too interested in sports or extra curricular activities other than dance or drill team. There are so many options for kids to try out just about any sport activity as early as 18 months old. WHOA!

First we tried Gymnastics (look how little Ryan was!):

Then we tried soccer tots (again, Ryan looks so tiny!!):

Then we tried Lil’ Sluggers Baseball and got interested in hitting the ball with a bat!

And of course gave swimming a try:

We took a slight break from sports when Reese was born but gave soccer another shot- this time it was more of a team setting rather than just learning how to kick a ball.

Ryan didn’t seem as interested in soccer this time around. So we got into Karate!

Karate was a lot of fun and I think it helped him to gain confidence in himself but I think he was starting to get a little bored with the classes.
So, we’ve changed things up a bit again! Ryan has joined his two buddies from his old school to be in youth baseball. His team is the Giants and so far, he loves it! This is the perfect sport for him just before he begins kindergarten later this year!

I sure hope this sport sticks! They sure are cute in their uniforms and running the bases. Its funny to watch them as they cross home plate because they all want to slide in.

The time I got influenced…

noreply@blogger.com (Janette Johanson) — Mon, 22 Apr 2013 15:57:00 +0000

I’ve been a long time fan of Instagram and even gotten involved in the photo-a-day challenges which I admit to have been slacking on lately. I have found new friends through the social picture sharing app and also have found new product love through there as well! Earlier in the year, I got a gift card from a friend Amber who I regret to say isn’t blogging anymore but still stays in touch. The gift card was for Etsy but under 1 condition. I had to use the card for myself and not to buy cookies or things for other people. She knows me too well. I almost bought cookies! So I have had this gift card burning a hole in my pocket until it finally hit me!!

I kept seeing all of these cute girls on Instagram posting pictures of themselves in shirts and giving props to Printed Palette.

I love the style and simplicity and yet the boldness of the art on the shirts. I knew exactly what I wanted with my gift card! I got myself a shirt and the girls each a shirt and have plans to get one for Ryan and probably another for myself because they are coming up with new stuff all the time!! It was a beautiful day in Texas to wear my shirt! I wish I could wear it everyday! I just love the hot pink!

I dare ya not to fall in love!! I’m hooked! This is not a paid post, I am just sharing my latest LOVE and hope you like them too!

..and just like that, she was gone

noreply@blogger.com (Janette Johanson) — Fri, 19 Apr 2013 16:50:00 +0000

Monday morning, April 15th was a regular start to our day. This day was special and not because its Tax Day, but its my Dad’s birthday. We had celebrated with him the night before, but he was on my mind for most of the day. We got the kids breakfast together as we do every morning before work and dropping them off at school. We opened the back door for Mackie in our usual routine and wait for her 1 and only bark to notify us that its time to open the door and let her back in. Mackie intently watches over the kids while they eat breakfast in hopes that she will get a small taste each day.

We rush through the house looking for socks, shoes and making sure the girls have their hair done and Ryan has his hair in the Mohawk that he’s been training his hair to do each day. We start the cars and start shoveling the kids through the front door as we grab last minute bags, jackets and just before we lock the door, I always said, “Bye Mackie! I love you and we’ll be RIGHT BACK!”

I am pretty sure that she understood what I was saying because this was my millionth time saying it in the 11 years I have had her. The picture below was the last picture I have of her and I together. It was taken on April 12th in our backyard.

A few months ago, we started to notice that Mackie would have these episodes where she would freeze up and collapse. She would look like she was coherent and we could rub her legs and body and encourage her to stand back up and keep on going. This happened once on our way home from getting groomed and she collapsed in the middle of the road. People came running to see if she was okay. She would get up and act like nothing happened. I was confused but she seemed “okay”.

These episodes were concerning me and it appeared that she was actually having seizures based on the symptoms and how it would be very brief. The only thing is that if they aren’t happening for a period of 5 minutes or longer or happening very frequent, then your vet can only run tests and speculate on what could possibly be wrong to cause them. I had every intention to take her to the vet to get checked but like I said- she seemed okay.

One morning on a weekend, we let her back in from outside and as she walked in, she began to collapse. Her back legs fell first into her typical frog legged position but the front of her body fell sideways. All we could do was help arrange her legs and speak calmly to her until she was able to stand up again. This time, she wet herself and I knew she had just had a seizure. Mackie was an otherwise very healthy dog aside from her thyroid which we gave her medication for everyday.

Monday evening, as our normal routine was rolling along as it does…. I pulled up to the house with the kids in the car. Its quite the production to get everyone out, grab papers, jackets, and bags out. We pulled the 2 trash bins to the side of the house and checked the mail and made our way to the front door. As I unlocked the door, the kids usually rush in to shout out what they want on tv and for dinner.

This time was different. Mackie was laying in front of the door so that we could not push it open to walk through without squeezing by to get in. If she was just sleeping, she would have jumped up but this time she didn’t. I had Rayne in my arms and Reese and Ryan were near her face saying her name and asking her to wake up!

Mackie was warm to touch and I kept trying to watch her tummy to see if she was breathing because it was so hard to come to the conclusions that were already a fear in my mind. I laid my hand on her side, and also found myself calling her name out and shaking her ears I always do. Ryan asked me if she was dead. He speaks bluntly which stings but I realize he doesn’t quite grasp death the way you do over time with the same emotions as an adult. I didn’t want to answer because I still had hope.

Erik wasn’t home at the time because we took separate cars to work that day and he was about 10 minutes behind us at the grocery store. I called him to rush home and that I suspected Mackie was gone.

I felt awful having to pretend she was just sleeping as I tried to get the kids under control and get their dinner ready so that I could go back and check on her. I was in shock and called a friend who also had a sick pup to ask what I needed to do and who I should call. She gave me a number for a vet that comes to pick up your pet and handle the aftermath of your choosing.

As I glanced back to Mackie as I waited for Erik to come home, I noticed that she was laying with her back legs in a frog position and her front body was sideways—just as she was in the last seizure over the past weekend. I can only come up with a theory that she came to the door to greet us as she always does and in the amount of time it took to get the kids out of the car, and move the trash bins to the side of the house and check the mail, our sweet Mackie was having her last seizure. This is the only thing that would explain why she was still warm to touch when we came in because when the vet showed up about an hour later to whisk her away, she had felt much cooler.

We said our goodbyes and made the decision about what we would have written on the plaque on top of her remains which were quaintly boxed up in a small cedar chest. I have relief that I did not have to make the decision to put her down but my sadness over loosing my friend of 11 years will always be there. Everyday since we lost her, I have noticed the absence and feel strange leaving each day without saying my daily, “Bye Mackie! I love you and we’ll be RIGHT BACK!” I know she is with other puppies in heaven and has no more pain. I just hope she knows how much she was loved.

March 1st 2002, “Thunder’s First White Cloud” was born <—that is her AKC name. Mackie was chosen as her common name after the perfume that I wear. She was the most relaxed dog in the group and had 2 nylon bands around her neck to tell her apart from the rest.
I wish I had a compilation of all the pictures of Rayne with Mackie but I wasn’t prepared… she was amazing with each of our children. She was family. She was commonly referred to as ‘Mae Mae’ with the kiddos, especially with Rayne who is talking more and more.

Always & Forever, we love you Mackie Mae.

{APRIL} THIS & tHAT

noreply@blogger.com (Janette Johanson) — Mon, 15 Apr 2013 16:50:00 +0000

Welcome all new readers and friends who have been along with us in our Journey! This post was inspired by How Does She’s post sharing their Top #’s for categories. I think its important to share top favorites every now and then. Enjoy!

Did you know you can sponsor The Johanson Journey? Take a look HERE if you are interested. If you are interested in swapping or promotions, please contact me!

1. One Day at A Time- Emmy Mom

Emmy is a busy wife and Mom to 3 adorable kiddos. You can find her monthly with me sharing our Heartfelt Acts. Emmy shares a variety of posts about her children through her Proud Mommy Moments link up and Things that Make me Smile parties. She’s an awesome blog friend and you will love her! I promise!

Blog~ Facebook~ Twitter ~Pinterest

2. Life & Lemons with Kenzie

Kenzie is also a busy wife and Mom to 3. She’s 100% country girl with big city taste. She hosts a weekly Q&A on Wednesday’s and writes a fun post sharing her Happies & Crappies. Kenzie is always up to something from sharing pictures of her family to trying her hand at being crafty! You have to check her out!

Blog~ Pinterest~Facebook~Twitter

Its always fun to check your stats and see which posts were the best! As a blogger, we need to know what you love to read!! This is within the last month to date top posts! Leave me a note telling me what you like reading about most? Did you read these?
1. Minnie Mouse Party & Recipe
2. Spring Coasters & Plaid Crafts #FAENAMELS
3. Challenge Updates for April 2012
Its no secret that I have a great love for great deals and shopping online for the most unique gifts! I feel so passionate about these companies, that I signed up to spread the word about them. These are my top 3 favorites right now.
1. Pick Your Plum- best daily deals!! Get it fast before your neighbor does!

2. Groopdealz- boutique deals daily & weekends too! I LOVE these!!

3. Very Jane – boutique deals daily & weekends too. Another favorite!!

These are not necessarily “new” blogs but they are just new ones I have added to my reading.
I think you would love them too!
1. Nicole at Life’s A Beach
2. Alissa at Rags to Stitches
3.Raven at Don’t Quote the Raven

There is a feature within Blogger that tells via the ‘stats’ what key word or phrase people might google to find my blog. These are interesting and I guess the good news is they stopped by, but also just interesting that my blog came up!
{I think its safe to say that people are looking for ideas on how to get inspired for April Photo Challenges}

1. April Challenge Instagram
2. April Photo A Day Challenge for Instagram
3. Minnie Mouse Candy Bag Ideas

I think I need to get on the ball to participating in the photo challenges!

Thanks Ya’ll!! What did you think about this? What else would you like to see?

Kitting Out Your Kid For Summer (Guest Post)

noreply@blogger.com (Janette Johanson) — Sat, 13 Apr 2013 13:00:00 +0000

Kitting Out Your Kid For Summer

With British Summertime kicking in and the huge snowfall finally melting away, perhaps it’s time to pack away the winter jackets and start thinking about planning your child’s summer wardrobe (fingers crossed!).

You’ll know that you like to be comfortable and cool during the hot summer months, so why would your child be any different? When they’re playing in the great outdoors, you do need to protect them from the sun but ensure that they’re not too hot as well.

So, if you’re looking to keep your little one cool – in more than one way – here are a few things to keep in mind when shopping.

Material

During the summer your child is more likely to be active and playing outside – the perfect opportunity to destroy brand new clothes! When you’re buying clothes for the summer season, check that they are made from durable materials so you don’t have to replace them in a few weeks’ time.

Durable clothes tend to be made from heavier materials, but this could make your child hot and bothered. Try and find clothes that will last but are made from breathable materials, such as cotton or linen.

Colour

Lightly-coloured clothes reflect the heat, whereas dark clothing absorbs it. This is something you will need to consider when choosing clothes for your children. If they’re dressed in dark or black t-shirts and shorts, they’ll get much hotter than if they’re wearing white and pastel colours.

Shoes

In the summertime, you won’t want to suffocate your child’s feet in big boots or shoes. Try kitting them out in some flip-flops or sandals to make sure that their feet are cool at all times.

Other accessories

It’s not just clothes that you need to think about when the sun starts to shine. You will also need to protect your children from the sun with their accessories.

What about sunglasses to ensure they’re not squinting and a cap to shade their head (and possibly neck) away from strong sun rays? It’s easy to kit your kid out for summer with Ladybird clothes from Woolworths.co.uk because they have a great range of lightweight but durable clothes for children so why not look at their range for inspiration?

My Life in a cartoon

noreply@blogger.com (Janette Johanson) — Fri, 12 Apr 2013 09:00:00 +0000

This was a cartoon I stole from a friend on Facebook that originally had over 17k likes and it is so true!! I can relate to every single one of these and they have all happened to me.

Ryan is probably the king of the cartoon as his sisters are coming in close 2nd and 3rd. Here are a few short stories of this lil’ dude playing the part very well.

Cartoon #1: Tie my shoe Mom!
This wasn’t exactly him asking me to tie his shoe, but same idea. Just the other day we were driving home from a birthday party. Ryan was jumping on the trampoline so much that he scuffed his toe and got a blister. Ironically, we got Superhero Band-Aids included in his party favor from his friend. On the way home, he decided we needed to put one of the Band-Aids on that very moment. This was not something I could do while driving and Erik was in the passenger seat unable to assist either because he has had shoulder surgery recently and his right arm is in a sling. Ryan had a meltdown on the way home with his shoe and sock off holding a Band-Aid in his hands until we got home. He got out of the car and hopped towards the door waiting on me to come to his side and put the Band-Aid on. I went to put the Band-Aid on and did it as gently as I possibly could because you know they think they have lost a limb at this point and at first he was calmed. Then all of a sudden he broke into another melt down because the Band-Aid was too tight. “Lord Help me"! I am pretty sure I said aloud as I tried to calm him down to find the edge of the Band-Aid to pull it apart which you would have thought I was peeling his skin off to loosen the Band-Aid. It was already loose to begin with and now with loosening it more, it wouldn’t stay on his toe which opened up another can of worms. I can’t win. He tore the Band-Aid off and put his sock and shoe back on as if nothing happened and ran outside to play. I just look around and think—“Did that just happen?”

Cartoon #3: I can’t reach my blankie!
This has happened so many times that I cannot even count. Reese is starting to pick up on it as well since we cover the kids up in the mornings at the kitchen table to eat breakfast with their blankies over their legs. Reese will shout out that her blankie has fallen to the floor and she can’t get it. AGH! I do know that Ryan has done a few things which I relate to stalling because I was Queen of Stalling when I was a kid!

All of the kids will be in their beds, tucked in with hugs and kisses and all of our prayers said. I finally get a moment of silence when I walk down the steps. I grab a sip of water before sitting down to relax for the night and hear a blood curdling scream coming from Ryan’s room. I act fast and run up the stairs to his room so that any more outbursts of his crying and screaming don’t wake up his sisters who are very close by in their rooms.

I bust the door open to find out what could possibly be wrong!? Here are the few reasons that he has done this.
1. He is hot and needs his comforter taken off of him.
2. His comforter that has been pulled down as far as it can is TOUCHING him.
3. His pillow keeps moving when he turns over on his side.
4. He needs a tissue (I put 2 boxes right by his head so that I don’t hear this one again)
5. He can’t stop thinking about Spiders (after watching Spiderman when the spider comes from the ceiling and bites Peter Parker)

Cartoon #4: Can I have a bite of yours!?
Reese is the main culprit of this activity. She will eat like a bird through most meals at home and I tend to eat after everyone else because if I try to eat with the family, its an up and down situation where I find that I can never actually enjoy my meal. Someone needs a napkin, more milk, more ketchup, they dropped their spoon, Mackie needs outside, etc. But it never fails that I am finally sitting down to eat my dinner and Reese asks me what I’m eating. I pray that when I respond she will say EW!! and walk off, but she always asks for a bite. Rayne recently did this too and ate every pea off my plate.

Cartoon #5: Hold Me Mommy!
This typically happens when I am picking the kids up from school. There’s nothing sweeter than going into the room and your baby girl running up to you to hold her! I love that sweet look of “I’ve missed you today” and gather up Rayne’s art for the day, her activity sheet, her jacket and then move to pick up Reese in her room. Rayne doesn’t want me to put her down and Reese hands me her snack that she wants to take with us, her activity sheet, her jacket and then asks me to hold her. I must look like a crazy person with paper coming out of every finger and 2 kids on my hips. I lug the two of them and all of our extra belongings down to pick Ryan up from his room to have him ask me to hold his new pet Ladybug that he is keeping in a cup. While I acquire another item to hold, I have to wait on him to run to another room to show his friends his toy and grab his jacket and make it out the door to attempt to get all 3 in the car without losing something.

The list goes on and on…. its pretty funny to look back on the moments and laugh.

Those are just some of the stories of how well I can relate to that cartoon. How about you? Do you have any funny stories that your kids have done to make these relate to you?

Dear Rayne

noreply@blogger.com (Janette Johanson) — Wed, 03 Apr 2013 09:00:00 +0000

Oh where has the time gone? I cannot believe you are almost 19 months old. I just wanted to document a few lil’ things about you to always remember this time in your life.

You are such a sweet girl and love your older brother and sister so much.
You are best friends with Mackie and offer her your food but quickly will cry if she takes food from your hands.
You love chocolate and fruit snacks and drink milk like a fish.
You still use the pacifier, although we are working to wean you from it and you affectionately call it your “ME”.
You love saying No! and have started to say YEAH! to a lot of things too.
You sleep the best out of everyone in the house.
Although you have been walking for quite sometime, you still have a drunk baby run when you are trying to keep up with your brother & sister.
You LOVE to dance and move along to characters on the TV.
Your current favorite shows are Dora the Explorer and the clips of Yo Gabba Gabba you see between shows. Sadly, your brother and sister control most of what you get to watch and I think you are content with anything.
You love splashing in the bath and cuddling with your blanket at night to fall asleep.
You are quite the climber and I’ve been told that you are even climbing on the tables at school.
You love to twirl your hair when I put it in a small pony tail on top of your head.
You have a habit of removing your socks and shoes minutes after I get you dressed and while we are driving in the car.
I love pointing my iphone camera at you and hearing you say NO! As if to say, “No more pictures Mommy!”
You say “Eeeze” instead of Cheese when I tell you to smile for pictures and always tilt your head up with joy.
You are very independent and we just love you to pieces.
Reese and Ryan love to call you Raynie-Hanie but most often you are known as Rayne-Bow.

I tried to capture you with your brother and sister for quick pictures in the backyard and this is what we got. Love you so much lil’ Lovebug.

Deep in the heart of texas

noreply@blogger.com (Janette Johanson) — Tue, 02 Apr 2013 13:00:00 +0000

“The stars at night are big and bright (clap) (clap) (clap), deep in the heart of Texas”

I love the song “Deep in the Heart of Texas” which was written in 1941 by June Hershey! If you get a big crowd together and play this song, almost everyone breaks out to sing it and clap!

My parents have friends in town from out of the country and have been showing them around our area of McKinney and took them to Houston, San Antonio and Austin! They were talking about seeing the Space Museum and going to the San Antonio river walk to enjoy live music on the walk. I got to thinking how long I have lived in Texas and am missing out on things that are right here in front of me!

Today I am joining Amanda from Princess of The Panhandle and Crystal from Masons Mama in their weekly “Texas Tuesday” link party! I thought it might be fun to share some fun facts I have found about Texas, aside from the fact that I live here and its awesome!

Did you know:

**Oscar, the Academy Award statuette, was named for Texan Oscar Pierce, whose niece worked in Hollywood for the Academy of Motion Pictures Arts and Sciences.

***The Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport (DFW) is home to the world’s largest parking lot. The Rick Husband Amarillo International Airport has the third largest runway in the world and is the alternate landing site for the space shuttle. Texas has more airports than any other state in the country!

***Texas’ nickname is the “Lone Star State” as a reminder of its struggle for independence from Mexico and to represent Texas as an independent republic.

***The phrase “Six Flags over Texas” refers to the six countries that ruled over Texas territory. The first flag belonged to Spain (1519-1821), the second was the royal banner of France (1685-1690), the third was the flag of Mexico (1821-1836), the fourth belonged to the Republic of Texas (1836-1845), the fifth was the flag of the United States (1845-1861 and 1865-present) and, upon secession, Texas replaced the U.S. flag with one for the Confederate States of America (1861-1865). The term “Six Flags” has been incorporated into theme parks (Six Flags), shopping malls, and other venues!

***The most popular snack foods in Texas are Frito pie (a bag of Fritos mixed with chili, onions, and cheese eaten straight from the bag), peanuts in Dr. Pepper, beef jerky, jalapenos, and corn dogs.

***Each year Amarillo hosts the World’s Largest Calf Fry Cook-Off. “Calf fries” are bull testicles.

***The Dallas State Fair Park is home to the largest Ferris wheel (the Texas Star) in the Western Hemisphere!

***After the popularity of the song “Luckenbach, Texas,” so many road signs were stolen that the government stopped making them.

***It is still a hanging offense in Texas to steal cattle or to put graffiti on someone else’s cow. It is also illegal to indecently expose or swear in front of a corpse in Texas. In Galveston, Texas, it is illegal to have a camel run loose on the beach.

I learned stuff about my own state of Texas! Have you heard of these? Share your Texas spirit in a post with us!

*The Johanson Journey*