Look what I can do!

This past weekend Austin was determined to learn how to write his name so we practiced over and over on the magna doodle and he finally got it. I am so proud of him, I can not believe that I have a baby old enough to write his name. Anyway, so now he writes his name on anything and everything. So this morning we headed outside one last time before the cold front blows in and got out the sidewalk chalk. Austin should be at school today but threw up at about 11:30 last night (FUN!) but thankfully has been fine since. I love that Austin is so proud of himself and that he had so much passion and determination in the things he does. Both Michael and I are very competitive and determined people. I have been told my whole life that if Julie sets her mind to it, it will be done and I LOVE that Austin has this same quality.








He wanted to write Austin loves Barrett, Dylan and Mommy but we settled for B,D, M! I love my Austin and am so proud of the big boy he is becoming!

FIRETRUCK!!

Austin is having a firetruck birthday party for his 4th birthday. Wow 4 just sounds so BIG!! Anyway so for his invitations we decided we would go to the fire station and take some pictures with the firetruck. Austin LOVED it and the pictures turned out super cute!


Talking on the radio

Squirting the water hose

Wearing a real fire helmet

Getting on the truck!

The firetruck even brought Austin home!! Oh the benefits of a small town and it doesn't hurt that my best friends husband is the Assistant Chief at Van Volunteer Fire Department.

Waving bye

Later that day Austin told me that he didn't like riding in cars anymore and really wished he could ride everywhere in the firetruck!!

I am so excited about his birthday and know he is going to love it too!! Now we only have to wait a month!!

Bath Time Mohawks!

Every night after dinner all three boys run for the bath tub. They love taking a bath with all their toys and splashing water all other the bathroom. I love it because it is great entertainment for me while I clean the kitchen. We decided when washing everyone's hair that we would give everyone a mohawk. They all laughed at each other, I don't think that Barrett and Dylan realized that they looked like that too!



I love this picture...It shows how crazy each of the Johnson boys really are!!

Look what we learned to do!

The little boys have learned to climb up the ladder of the play-set and slide down the "BIG GREEN" slide. I am not thrilled about this because it makes me very nervous. My favorite thing about nice weather is that my children can play outside and I can accomplish things inside. This is a thing of the past for now. Until I feel a little more secure in the fact that they can do this by themselves I will now consider myself ladder monitor!! Both Barrett and Dylan are very proud of themselves and so is big brother Austin because of course he taught them how to do this! I do have to say that I am proud of the boys for this accomplishment but with them each new accomplishment is a little bittersweet. I remember when Austin accomplished this same adventure and I was so excited about him and all of the activities he was going to be able to do. As I am excited for the boys it also makes me a little sad because I know that independence is coming. So yes I am excited for this accomplishment but will hold them a little tighter and longer today because I know that my sweet babies will be sweet big boys before I know it!

Finding trouble!

Proud Barrett

Proud Dylan

The three trouble makers!!

Update on me- Well I went to the doctor yesterday and she confirmed that YES I need to have my gallbladder removed but also believes that I might have a stone caught in my bile duct. This would require me to have a scope but down my mouth and remove it. Lucky me! I am scheduled to see the surgeon on Friday so we will have more details then. Until then please continue to keep me in your prayers!

A Night at the Emergency Room...YEAH!!

Not fun...but relief. I have been having these horrible pains in my abdomen, right below my rib cage and on Thursday night I had had enough. So we left for the ER about 11pm and got home about 6am with a diagnosis of gall stones an irritated gallbladder and recommendation of removal of the gallbladder...OH YEAH...why not...surgery! So after lots of pain meds and a perscription for some at home we now just wait for a Dr. appointment. Please keep me in my prayers as we prepare for this adventure!

Amen to a beautiful day!

Both me and my boys have been patiently waiting for a beautiful day so they could play outside with their new Christmas toys and today it FINALLY arrived and we were pumped! After lunch I got the boys dressed, put their sock and shoes on and their light coat and I sent them each out the door and believe me they were running. Austin was so excited to get to ride his new police motorcycle and the little boys headed straight for the roller coaster. They played outside for
2 HOURS...Thank God for such a beautiful day!! I turned the heat off and left the door open. These are my favorite kinds of days!




After playing outside everyone passed out Austin and Barrett got in a nap together...the picture is after Barrett woke up and he was watching big brother still sleeping


This afternoon I was looking at a picnic table online and Austin asked me if I was going to buy it and I told him not today. He then looked at me and said, "Sorry about your bad luck Mama"! Wow, the stuff this kid says makes me laugh!

Chuck E Cheese

Last night we decided to take the boys to Chuck E Cheese since Michael was leaving to go out of town for a few days. Austin was super excited!! When Michael walked in the door from work Austin screamed, "Lets go to Chuck E Cheese". So we loaded the car and headed out the door. Austin is TERRIFIED of Chuckie and told us several times on the way up there that he did not want to see him. We tell him over and over that it is just some boy in a costume but he always answers with well what if you are wrong. We get there and no sign of Chuckie...Yeah. Off they go Michael first followed by Austin, then Barrett, and then Dylan...and then of course me chasing everyone. Everyone had a blast!

All the boys in the big jeep

We played and ate pizza and played some more. Finally while waiting for our pizza Chuckie came out. I was at the table with the boys and Austin and Michael were playing. As soon as I saw Chuckie I yelled for Michael to get ready. Austin immediately started panicking. Michael and Austin walked the other direction while the boys stared at Chuck wondering what the heck is was!




After eating Chuckie made his way back to the table and Austin was there and tears were flowing. He walked into a door right by our table and I told Austin to watch because a person was going to walk back out because that is who was under his costume. Austin watched and sure enough a teenage boy walked through the door. Austin argued for a minute telling us that he was just Chuckie's helper but finally was convinced but he says he still does not like him.

I put the boys on the stage with the mechanical Chuckie and Barrett bolted...he did NOT like him. Dylan was ok...


And Austin was very brave and took his picture to...he did not want to get too close to him though...


We had a GREAT family night. We only spent $30 had dinner, played with 140 tokens, won 469 ticket, and everyone came home with a prize! This morning showed me that everyone had a great time because EVERYONE slept until 8:45am....oops!

It is MONDAY!!

Today Austin woke up and said his tummy was hurting, I figured since we had a late dinner last night and we had breakfast for dinner that his greasy bacon just did not sit right. So I turned on a movie and gave him some apple juice. Austin is a little dramatic (I do not know where he gets that from) and was constantly coughing and making the throw up noise, funny kid. So of course after a sippy cup full of juice eventually with one of his "attacks" it came back up all over the tile in the living room. Not so bad, right, a quick mop and its cleaned up. Well while running to get a towel to throw over it I heard a thump and then a scream. Oh yes, Barrett just slipped in the thrown up apple juice and is now covered in it. So I clean up the apple juice, take off Bear's pajamas and breath. What a wild couple of minutes. On days like this and moments like this I feel like we could be either a bad commercial or a reality TV show. So last time Austin had a stomach virus he cried and cried that his bottom hurt so I put him in the tub. So after his "episode" he demanded that he needed to get into the tub so he would feel better. At 10:00 everyone was in the tub 45 minutes later I get the little boys out and dressed and start making some lunch, Austin refused to get out. Finally lunch at 11:15, Austin gets out, gets dressed, and eats lunch. At 12:00 Austin says he is not feeling good when he is not in the tub so back in he goes. For 2 hours he sits in my tub and watches cartoons! I think he would have stayed in there all day but I forced him out. Then about 3 o'clock Austin was pooped out from his all day bath that he fell asleep in the recliner!

How sweet is that! What a day!

The Boys!!

Well since it feels like 5 today we are stuck in the house for another day and we are getting a little stir crazy!! The boys are having fun playing with all their toys but usually everyone wants the same toy! Here are a few pictures from today...


Dylan with his two favorite things; his mommy and mommy's phone


Barrett giving big brother kisses


puzzle time!


Austin and Suzie

Barrett and Dylan


Barrett playing peak a boo!!

I thankful that we have all stayed healthy thru this cold weather but am ready to see it go away...I am ready for SPRING!!

This Morning!

So at about 7:45 this morning Dylan started his normal talking and then moved on to screaming Daaaa over and over. We have come to think this is what he calls Barrett because he says it often and screams it every time they wake up. So I went to get Dylan and saw that Barrett was still asleep again (he did the same thing yesterday). Finally at 9:30 I came into his room to find this...

Barrett half awake



of course Austin wanted his picture too! They are wearing their Christmas pajamas which I have renamed their Valentine's Pajamas!! Hey it works!!

Can anyone see Austin

So every night I go into Austin's room to check on him before I go to sleep. I usually turn off his lamp and take the few random things he has put in his bed into his toy box. However on this night there was hardly anything left in his toy box. He has put everything into his bed. Thought it was too cute!!

Austin's Cubbies Lesson

So today during morning nap time Austin and I crawled up on my bed to read his Cubbie lesson that I had forgotten about. As we were reading through the book it asks, Why did God give you eyes? Austin says, "so I can see", Why did God give you ears, "so I can hear", Why did God give you a nose? Austin replies, "so I can pick my boogers out it". You just can't help but love little boys!! Too cute!

New Discoveries!

Barrett and Dylan are changing each day, growing fast and learning new things to get into.
Barrett has learned to climb on to things such as the bed and our dining room chairs. When he see me in the kitchen cooking he will run to the table push the chair out from under the table and climb up and wait for his food...


He is so proud and such a little stinker!!

Dylan has learned a new word and loves to say Suzie!! Suzie is our chocolate lab and Dylan loves to call her!

Personalities!!

Austin loves to take pictures with my camera but also know that I do not like him to have my camera. When the boys were in the car and I had ran into the house to get something he got into my purse and found the camera and this is what I found...



Austin - Happy and silly all the time. He loves to laugh and to make others laugh!


Barrett - always happy no matter what He loves to smiles!


Dylan - He is very serious and is not humored by Austin's antics for the most part!

I love all my children and I love that they are all unique!

2010

Wow I can not believe that it is 2010. Time seems to fly by faster each day. We had a great New Years with great friends. Michael and I spent New Years at the Admire's house with the Jones' and the Russell's and had a blast playing catch phrase. I think I laughed so hard my sides hurt! All the kids came to our house with a sitter and had a blast as well. All the toys were out, the juice boxes were gone, and food was everywhere and all of that equals a blast for 4 active little kids!

At the end of the night we realized we had not taken one picture so here if the only evidence that we had plans on New Years!

On New Years Day we headed to Tyler to run some errands and have lunch. All the boys were excellent. I love the ages of everyone right now. The little boys are for the most part happy and Austin is grasping the concept of listening therefore trips in public are pretty much painless at this point.
On Saturday night Michael was signed up to work the movie theater and so I thought it would be a great time to take Austin to see Alvin and The Chipmunks. So we took the little boys to Mimi and Grandpa's house and headed to Tyler for the 7:00 show. We have taken Austin to see a couple of movies before but we always end up leaving in the middle because Austin is bored and can not stay quiet. This movie was different. We made it through the whole show and Austin did not make a peep. This is such a cute movie and Austin loved it. I loved watching his face and him sing along with the music. He is getting so big and independent. I am so proud of him but at the same time sad because I know that he is going to need me less and less as each new day passes.

Austin at the movies. He LOVES to stick his tongue out at the camera!

For now I am in the process of putting the house back in order to start out the new year. The Christmas decorations are up, all three closets are cleaned out along with three toy boxes, now to get the kitchen and living room in order oh and of course LAUNDRY!!!