The Amazing Sears!

  That makes them sound like a circus act, and while Kale does juggle, that's not what I mean.  They are some of the most thoughtfully kind friends I have ever had the privilege of having and here's the perfect example of why.

  Blythe and I have been having a hard time lately.  She doesn't really want to be held by anyone other than me, especially when she's in a crowd.  This made Easter weekend not very much fun.  We were with family and she was yelling at everyone unless I was holding her.  

  I was complaining to Erin about it this morning.  Just a short whiny email letting her know why I was being grouchy and not a very good friend.  Then I went to check their blog and saw that Finn was having ear tubes put in this morning.  He did great and they were back home very quickly.  

  This afternoon I went about my business running errands and got a message from Kale that they had left a package on our porch.  I was expecting it to be some passed down toys for Blythe, which is always a treat and greatly appreciated.  When I got home I went to get the package and 'lo and behold McCalister's Sweet Tea and cupcakes were on my door step!!  So they have a child who had minor surgery this morning, I have a grouchy baby that I'm whining about and they're the ones leaving the most fabulous presents ever for me!  Seriously, I can't think of anything that makes me happier than sweet tea and cupcakes.  It made my day!!!  

  Kale and Erin never forget a birthday, anniversary, and now even just a bad day.  They are always the first Christmas, Valentine's, and Easter card you get.  They're amazing.  I have no other way to explain it.  We truly do not deserve their friendship, but I am constantly unbelievably thankful for it.  I just wanted to give a big shout out to brag on them because as of this moment I have no way of repaying the wonderful gift from today.  

Love you guys!!!

Ahead of the Curve

As a result of my previous post "The Classic Man Shoe," I have received much grief and criticism.  Many of the remarks have even questioned my sense of style.

So in my defense, I would like to call upon a very respected source of men's fashion and style, the April 2008 issue of GQ magazine, page 78.

Call me a "style boy" if you will.

The Great Stump War of 2008

I, Courtney Allison Johnson, have declared war with the stumps.  Our front flower beds are filled with gnarly, mean, ugly looking stumps.  Whatever natural green thing that once drew life from these stumps has long since passed away.  Saturday I declared war with a full shovel assault.  To show the stumps I wasn't playing around I attacked 3 of their living comrades.  After 45 minutes of hacking I called in re-enforcements in the form of Caleb.  After 45 minutes he had completely removed 2 of the ugly bushes proving, yet again, he's a big burly man and I am but a dainty girl.  Day one had to go to the home team (those of us living in the home).  We suffered minor injuries when I ran into a water faucet and scraped my shin up, a grasshopper tried to take out my eye, and a lizard the length of my forearm made a run at me causing me to scream like the dainty girl I had already proved to be.  Sunday Caleb removed the final living stump making it a highly successful weekend.  I make this vow to everyone who reads this.  No stump in my front yard will survive the year 2008.  I'm fed up with their ugly stump ways and I WILL HAVE NO MORE OF IT!!

A little something for your listening pleasure

I've been Tagged

I got tagged twice so I figured I'd better respond so here ya go...

10 years ago: Like both the people who tagged me, Em and Jill, I was in high school.  Hating track, taking an unholy and unhealthy amount of ibuprofen, and goofing around with friends.  

Things on my to do list today:

1.  Return a pair of shoes to DSW - I got 2 right shoes even though I had a conversation specifically about such things happening as the guy supposedly "checked." I've decided he doesn't know his right from his left so all shoes looked the same to him

2.  Clean the floors with the new vacuum cleaner that came yesterday - no more sweeping and shop vacing!

  Here's the problem with my to do list... it has about 87 items on it.  Most of which have been there for circa 87 days.  I love making lists and unlike sweet Jillian I don't really care if I accomplish everything or anything at all.  If I don't it just gives me something for my list of things to do the next day.  So here's the short version of everything else.  Clothes to hem, take in, or replace buttons.  Organize our office, wash the dog who smells like death warmed over, and a plethora of other things to plan, research, or purchase.

  The only thing I usually accomplish is sitting around hanging out with Blythe!

What would I do if I became a billionaire:

Give to my family, church, and friends

Travel - Greece, Italy, Egypt, Anywhere that popped into my mind

Get a pilot's license and buy a plane to travel in

Get a giant farmhouse in the middle of nowhere for most of the year, a beautiful beach house for the summer, and maybe a downtown apartment in Seattle or Boston just for the heck of it. 

I would have lots of old cars.. vintage jaguar, old land cruiser, etc...

I'd open my own coffee shop/bar/book store/boutique

Buy lots of bags, coats, and shoes!!

Three of my many bad habits:

Being lazy, not returning phone calls and emails, and being judgmental 

5 jobs I've had:

Papa John's order taker

Sonic girl

Waitress at Swensen's

Camp Counselor

Purchasing and Inventory Control at PrimeSource

5 things people don't know about me:

1.  I think I would become a hermit if left to my own devices.  I can go weeks without seeing or speaking to anyone.

2.  I have no self control whatsoever when it comes to food and drinks. 

3.  I was accepted into grad school in Australia (RMIT to be exact) to get a masters in advertising, but didn't think it was worth the money since I planned on being a stay at home mom eventually.

4.  I've started playing around trying to learn how to tailor clothes, so I can make my clothes fit me better.

5.  I would love to be able to paint, draw, take pictures, or anything else, but seem to have no artistic ability at all.  

I will now tag Erin, Casey Face, Hayley, Mama J, and I'll double tag Massey since it worked on me!

Hello all, I know it's been awhile so here's the short rundown of what's been going on...

   Caleb's trip to the Middle East was a success.  He ate his first camel burger and saw the mall with a ski resort inside.  His trip was also extended to include a trip to London so he didn't get back until the 23rd.  Meanwhile, back at the ranch, Blythe and I were very busy.  She's working on rolling over and can do it if you position her hands for her, but I've been told that doesn't count.  She also had her first outright laugh which involved me dancing to Missy Elliot's "We Run This."  There have been a couple more half giggles, but nothing like that again.  We're looking forward to it being a common occurrence.  She has decided she's much happier in life when she doesn't have clothes on, so we're terribly excited about summer and warmer weather!  Hence why she has no clothes on in any of the attached pictures.

   We have purchased the P90X workout DVDs and yesterday was the first day of our 90, so 89 to go!  I won't lie I'm pretty stinkin' sore and I didn't do but maybe 1/2 the reps I was supposed to.  I will be highly impressed with myself if/when I can do a full video.  Right now I'm just attempting to at least do one of everything.    

   So that's what's going on with us, not much to report.  Here are a few pictures of our girl though...