Christmas 2010

Christmas 2010

We woke Christmas Eve day to find the world huddled under a thick comforter of snow. The branches of our neighbor's cedar tree hanging a little lower under the weight of their new cover. Roads, driveways, parking lots, the hill next door turned into skating rinks and sledding slopes.

For a moment, standing on my doorstep, taking in the snowy quiet, it felt like Christmases past, when being out of school meant nothing to worry about other than occasionally finding myself with nothing to do...those rare moments of boredom easily cured with a book or a TV special or "helping" my mom in the kitchen (at least I always thought I was helping, but if my mother is anything like I am in the kitchen, and I suspect she is, my "help" was probably more of a hindrance). But, the moment quietly skirted away as we jumped into the car to begin a day of errands and busyness...picking up last minute gifts, a run to the bank, baking for Christmas Eve dinner with no water in the kitchen, back out to exchange something we'd purchased earlier in the morning...

In the midst of the scurrying, the holiday goes by in a blink. Every year I think "it just doesn't feel like Christmas". What I have come to realize is that I will never again experience Christmas the way I did as a child. There is no more anticipation of Santa's arrival or running out of my room on Christmas day to discover my stocking had been filled magically overnight. Gone are the days of eating Christmas tea ring (a long braided cinnamon roll shaped into a circle) and opening gifts at the crack of dawn, still in our pajamas.

Christmas as an adult seems so much more anti-climatic.

But, there are moments when I feel like a kid again, even if just for a minute....moments made up of homemade gifts and decorating the tree, drinking hot chocolate with whipped cream, the first snowball fight of the year and snow angels, a quiet afternoon spent playing Yahtzee, a house full of family....opening the one gift I'd dreamt of, but never expected to receive (and still can't believe I got it!!! Holy smokes!).

It's those moments that made Christmas Christmas for me this year....and it turned out to be a pretty amazing Christmas after all :)

MU B-Ball Game T-Bone Style

December 18, 2010


Stadium Grill before the game for some dinner, beverages, and tiger time...



Watching the game with Ace- always the best seat in the house!

Setting the Record Straight...

December 22, 2010

In a previously posted blog, I wrote about things for which I am thankful. Although stated in the message that the list was composed in no particular order, with no difference to the ranking of importance of each of the individual things/people on the list, I feel the need to clarify one thing....

Tim Reed (and all the Reeds for that matter) actually does rank above chapstick on the list of things that I am thankful for...IF I were ranking the things...which I wasn't :)


Tim Reed- cooler than chapstick :)


Peppermint lip balm from Lisa Reed- a close second...

P.S. I would have cleared this up sooner, but was waiting to find a photo of Tim to go along with this post (since this blog did originally begin as a photo project :)).

A little taste of heaven...

December 15, 2010

Well, I don't have anything else on my Christmas list after this. Whoever created this masterpiece of deliciousness is an angelic genius.

Best early Christmas surprise EVER. Thank you, Austin Timothy for blessing my day with one! :)

Who'd a thunk it....

December 4, 2010

Austin and I got roped into babysitting for my sister on Saturday night so she and Tony could go to Tony's office Christmas Party. We have watched the kids before, but typically only the older ones and never all 4 at once. Needless to say, Austin was a little hesitant about our volunteering for this adventure...but it actually turned out to be pretty easy. Ariah entertained the Fat Baby and the little Fruit Bat slept most of the time. When she was awake, she was easily appeased by a bottle and being held.

There was one point in the evening though, I ran out of hands...attempting to hold the bat, eat dinner, and change Fat Baby's diaper...I'm good, but I'm not that good yet. I was so shocked by what actually happened next, I had to take a picture. Austin actually volunteered to hold Aliyah for me while I helped the other kids!

I got in trouble for snapping the photographic evidence , but it was well worth it because it's so cute :) And hopefully this will help ease Lisa's fears that us watching all 4 kids at once was going to be too strong a dose of birth control ;)


Precious :)

Hanukkah

December 5, 2010

One of the best things about being part Jew is getting to celebrate both Hanukkah AND Christmas. I remember this being a huge source of envy among my friends in elementary school...that I got TWO opportunities to get presents! It is pretty fun...

Each year, we have a Hanukkah dinner/gift exchange. Of course, it's never as big as Christmas, but for one evening during the eight night festival we gather as a family (Jessica, my blonde sister joins us annually :)) to share a traditional meal that includes beef brisket or roast, latkes (potato pancakes...picture hash browns)with applesauce, and nuthorns (cookies) for dessert (among other delicious items), light the menorah, and remember the miracle of the oil.

For those of you how are unfamiliar with the history of Hanukkah or who need a little refresher...here's a brief summary...

The Jews are conquered by the Syrians who defile the temple and force the Jews to worship idols. There are a small band of believers who refuse to bow down to a carved image and they rebel against the Syrians. Eventually, led by the Maccabees, the Jews conquer the Syrians. In the aftermath, when the Jews return to the temple, they realize that it's a spiritual mess...and there's a big problem b/c there was only enough ritual oil to burn in the Menorah for one night instead of the eight nights required for purification of the Temple. The miracle of Hanukkah of course is that the oil lasted for the full eight nights.

The neat thing about our Hanukkah celebration is that we connect the Jewish celebration to our Christian faith. The menorah is an eight branched candle holders with one central candle holder where the "servant candle" is located. The servant candle is used to light the rest of the candles. Each year our mother reminds us that as Christians, we know that the true servant was Christ and it is He who brings light to the world just as the servant candle brings light to the other candles.

So, once a year we spin the dradle (a game devised so that children could secretly learn the Torah while under the oppression of the Syrians) and remember the history of our people and the power of our God.

Happy Hanukkah!




Austin enjoyed Fat Baby's gift almost more than the Fat Baby did! If you look closely at the middle picture, you will see Austin IN the tunnel :)

Candy Pictures

December 3, 2010

When I was little, I would come home from school and head to the kitchen where I would climb up onto the counter and dig the bag of M&Ms (the giant 1 lbs bag) out of the cabinet. I would pour myself a bowl of candy and then carefully re-twist the tie around the package and put it back. Then, I would take my bowl downstairs and plop in front of the TV.

With the USA Cartoon Express on in the background, I would meticulously arrange my M&Ms into pictures on top of the bean bag TV tray that served as my artist's canvas. Then, one by one, I would remove an M&M from my picture and pop it in my mouth.

Today, while taking a much needed break from grade conferences with students, I revisited my youth....

Thankful

December 1, 2010

So, this is a little late considering that Thanksgiving was a week ago, but I can be thankful on other days of the year too right? Besides...today is one of those days when I need to focus on the happy things in life because it's frickin' freezing outside and I hate being cold.

During the 30 yard trip from my car into school this morning, my nose froze into a bright red, snot dripping faucet and my shoulders painfully hunched around my ears in a feeble attempt to block the wind. Meanwhile, my husband is frolicking along in a short sleeved Polo, gleefully chattering about how it's perfect golf weather (it's 10 degrees below freezing. literally). The second we step into the building, he says "It's too hot in here" while I'm still in the process of beginning to thaw. So, yeah. I hate winter. But I still have a lot to be thankful for....

Things I am thankful for this year: (I'm not numbering them because I feel like numbers designate importance or priority in lists and this is in no particular order at all...and they're all equally "important" :))

* My husband. Despite his affinity for unbearably cold temperatures :) Fortunately, he's perpetually hot and functions as a portable space heater :) He is beyond amazing (not just for his high body temp) and I am so blessed to have him in my life. He makes me laugh, encourages me, and challenges me. I'm excited about what the future holds for us as I believe he makes me a better person and God is truly going to use our marriage to refine and shape me into a more Godly, Christ-like woman.



* Chapstick. God bless chapstick/lip balm/Burts Bees. My lips get so dry and chapped in the winter...I don't think I could survive without it :) And God bless Lisa Reed for the Shea butter peppermint lip balm that she gave me yesterday. That stuff is magic.

* My family- there are too many hokey things that I could write about how amazing my family is. I apologize, but I must include some of them here...My mom is my inspiration- she is gracious and hardworking and giving beyond what I could ever hope to be. My dad is my rock- when I was wandering in the wilderness, it was his testimony and example of wisdom that God used to draw me back. My sister...God love that little breeding machine- she is an example of loyalty and tenacity and I love her to pieces. And I can't even begin to talk about how thankful I am for the little bebes...E, my little man, Ariah the midget Princess, Fat Baby, and the new little fruit bat. How thankful I am that they live in Columbia and I get to see them all the time. They make life more entertaining :)



* My new family- let's just face it, I have the best in-laws EVER. Actually, correct that...they are more than "in-laws". They are my new family. I have the best new family ever. Lisa is the kind of homemaker I hope to be one day, one of the most generous and sincerely kind people I have ever known. I can't imagine anyone more willing to sacrifice for his children than Tim- thanks to him we now have motion sensored lights on our house, clean gutters and a practically leaf free back yard, and great MU football seats whenever we went to the games- I am so blessed to be counted as one of his kids now :) Kyle and Adam are the brothers I've always wanted. And Deonna is amazing...she has never met a stranger and while some would think that a person who is perpetually happy could be annoying, with Deonna, it's just endearing. And baby T-Bone..well, now I finally have a nephew with my curls ;)

* Super soft Kleenex- I'm working on box #3 for the season and trust me, the softness makes a HUGE difference

*Chicken nugget days

*My animal kingdom- they can be so insanely annoying and drive me absolutely nuts...but then, there are nights when I'm sitting on the couch, enjoying a quiet evening at home after a long day at school, and I look down and they're snuggled up together...I can't help but love them and know that life just wouldn't be the same w/o them :)



*Uni-ball fine point pens- best pens ever

* My friends- of course...because I have the best friends ever

* Chocolate chip cookie and Baskin Robbins..oh! and Snickers bars




* My job, my co-workers, working at the same place as my husband :)

* The park/playing outside/tromping around in the woods :)




* My camera...as much as I would love to have a SLR camera (which is actually really, really badly), I love my Sony Cyber Shot and it does take some pretty good pictures. So, one day I will get my dream camera, but until then, I am still thankful for my wonderful Sony :) ...I also love the camera on my phone because I can automatically upload those pictures to Photobucket which is SO much more convenient! :)

* Word Scramble Challenge Addition- best iphone game app. And most addictive.

* DVR- because there is always a game or sports news on TV at the same time as the shows I watch...thanks to the wonder of DVR, Austin can watch whatever he wants and I can still catch my shows! :)

* Golf- because it's 4 hours of time I can spend cleaning, shopping, or catching up on recorded TV! :)

* Movies- my favorite entertainment

* Traveling! - I'm so pumped for our trip to Italy and Greece next summer....my hope that it is the first of MANY international vacations! :)



* Snow- it's the only redeeming part about winter...there is not point in it being freezing cold if there's no snow to make it enjoyable and scenic :)


you can't really see it, but it's snowing in the pic...and it was really pretty :)

Okay..really, this list could go on and on because I have SO much to be thankful for...and so much that I AM thankful for :) But, since this post has reached epic proportions, I will just end it here....

Happy belated Thanksgiving! :)

P.S. So, not all of the pictures were taken this week...but they were all taken by me, so I feel like that counts :)

P.P.S. Can I also say I'm thankful for Christmas music...because I am :)

Raccoon

November 20, 2010

I send Austin a text, "Check out my parents' new pet"



He replies "Nice. Let him play with Jeepers".

Perfect...

Vacation

Tuesday November 23, 2010

I have days where I am sure that I am in the wrong profession. Moments when I have no idea why I thought I could be a counselor and I have no doubt that I am in way over my head. I feel like Leonardo DiCaprio impersonating a doctor in "Catch Me if You Can". As if my only qualifications and training are a forged license and watching medical dramas.

Do you concur?

I concur.


A student pours out her problems in my office, her frustration and pain and I sit across the desk, like Leo looking at the broken tibia, mind reeling with what to say or what to do to make the situation better.

I have no idea.

Listen and reflect.

I sound like a parrot though...

Does this girl know that I have no idea what to say to her right now?

Silence can be therapeutic right? F. Think of something profound to say...

Is now a good time to ask an open ended question?

"Sweetie, we have to talk to your parents. They need to know what happened."

Shoot! She's crying. Offer Kleenex....now what?

Explain. Empathize. Listen. Reflect.

Good God, why am I a counselor?

She leaves my office and I sit in the silence and cry because I feel like I have failed her. Even when I know, deep down, that my decision was right, she can't see that and in her eyes I have made everything worse. I have betrayed her. I feel like the worst person on the planet.

Is it 3:00 yet? Nope...it's 11:07. Awesome.

12:25. She's back. Not crying. That's a good sign, right?

"So, I'm calmer now. And I think that even though it's hard for me to hear, you are right. I'm scared but I do think talking to my parents will help. I wrote them a letter, can I read it to you and you can tell me what you think?.....Thanks for listening to me...."

Maybe I'm not the worst person on the planet after all.

After school, another student comes and shows me a floral arrangement she made in one of her classes.

"I made it for you. They're real too".



Maybe I am in the right job after all.

And I do love it.

I sure won't mind the 5 day break though! :)

Happy Birthday Fat Baby!

Sunday November 21, 2010

Fat Baby's birthday party.

Pants optional. Austin's favorite kind of party :)

Friends

11-18-10

It's nice to think that despite our differences and regardless of stereotypes and societal assumptions, that we can look beyond the surface to see what really matters- loyalty, caring and kindness...the willingness to snuggle up for warmth on a cold evening. I think that's how true, lasting friendships are formed. :)

Last MU homegame

11-13-10

And it was SOOOO cold! Thank goodness for a heater in our tailgate tent!

Dwarf House

11-17-10

When I was little,I knew that fairy tales were true because I had seen Snow White's cottage with my very own eyes! I knew it had to be the same one because it was too small for normal people to live there; only dwarfs could fit in it's tiny door or peer out it's miniature windows. And there were always beautiful flowers and plants growing in the yard, a definite sign that it was a magical place. I adore this house.



Although I'm all grown up now, I still drive past my favorite little fairy tale cottage everyday on my way to and from work...and to be honest, I'm still not convinced that fairy tale dwarfs and elves don't live there :)....so needless to say, it was a saddened and surprised when I saw a House of Brokers "For Sale" sign in the yard on the way home from work the other day :(. I guess even dwarfs and elves grow up eventually and have to move on to bigger and better cottages...

Pipe n' the Park

November 7, 2010

Austin and I are doing a "small group" (which is actually a very small group since it's just us and the Webels, so really it's more like a weekly spiritual double date) over John Eldredge's book Love & War. This week our homework was to encourage each other to do something that sparked our passion for Christ and our walk with the Lord.

One of the big things that "stirs my affection for Christ", as Matt Chandler would say, is being outside and seeing His creation. There is something about the complexity, the fastidious details of the world that humbles me and leaves me in awe.

On a walk through the park, I look at the leaves changing colors and think about how the seasons are a picture of fall, death, redemption and life. I am amazed about how the smallest details in the canvas of creation reflect the magnificence of God...how BIG He is and yet how loving He must be to put so much effort and design into Creation. I feel closer to God as I walk through his artistry.

And so, on Sunday afternoon, Austin and I packed up the dogs and headed out to Rock Quarry/Grindstone park...for a walk in the woods and some quiet time with each other and the Lord...




Austin's affection for Christ isn't stirred as much by Nature as it is by enjoying his pipe :)

Solo weekend

11-5 and 11-6, 2010

This weekend is the first weekend I've been solo since Austin and I got married. He flew off in a private plane for Lubbock, TX with his father on Friday to watch the MU vs. Texas Tech football game. I'd be lying if I said I wasn't a little sad when he told me he was ditching me for the weekend...but being the good wife that I am (LOL), I told him that the opportunity was too good to pass up (and it totally was! A chartered plane, police escort to the game?! That was a no brainer! :))

It helped that Tim Reed made saying "good bye" less painful with a gorgeous gift of a dozen roses! Having them on my kitchen table to look at all weekend, made the pain of separation a little more bearable! :) LOL. If I get roses every time he steals my husband for a boys trip, I may have to send Austin off with his dad more often ;)



So, Friday at 11:30 began my solo weekend...Fortunately, I have great friends and a fabulous mother-in-law who managed to keep me busy and entertained while Austin was gone! Friday afternoon Lisa Reed picked me up and we spent the afternoon shopping which was such a blessing. Lisa is one of those people who just make you want to be a better person after spending time with them. Her generosity is humbling and I hope that one day, I can be as giving as she is.


Jeepers snuggled up in my empty shopping bag

After spending Q.T with Lisa, I met up with Jessica to go see Megamind. It was hilarious...of course, Will Ferrell as an alien cartoon was bound to be funny. I definitely recommend it :)

Saturday morning was Rachel repentance morning. Do you ever do something, or forget to do something, and you feel like the worst person on the planet as a result? Well, that was me on Saturday. I was supposed to go to Ariah's school on Friday afternoon and read to her class because she was the "Bloom of the Week" last week...and I totally forgot. I got caught up with a student issue at work and then I went to see Austin off for TX and totally flaked. I didn't even think about it until Sharon called me to ask if I'd forgotten anything! Awful. I'm felt SO awful...I had images of all those sad scenes in movies where the little kid is waiting, excited and hopeful for their parent to come to their event, but their awful parent is passed out in a stupor or off in the dark recesses of a poker hall instead and they totally miss their child's recital or class party or whatever...That's me. I'm that alcoholic, gambling parent. Worst. Aunt. Ever. Award...and I'm the big winner.

Luckily, I have a very forgiving, gracious niece who told me it was okay and I could come read another week, even though she won't be the Bloom of the Week. She's so sweet. But I still felt bad, so to make up for my awfulness, I treated her to a girls' morning, starting with breakfast at IHOP and then a shopping trip (already paying forward my afternoon with Lisa ;)).


Ariah chomping her bacon at IHOP :)

Shopping with Ariah is hilarious. Mostly because she has way better fashion sense than I do and just walks around the racks saying "Okay, Turtle. What size are you? An XS? This is an XS. Here, get this." And she hands me the cutest shirt ever.

In the dressing room, I say "well, Ariah, which one do you like better?" and she cocks her head and observes the top with a critical eye and makes her choice. And it's ALWAYS the better option.

"Hummm, well, I think the other one. That one shows your bra and the flower is too..." (she makes a hand gesture that I think means too poofy or just "too much"). Hilarious.

In the car ride on our way home, she's delighted playing with her new lion puppet that she says loves the wind and hangs him up by the window. It was one of the best Saturday mornings I've had in a long time :) Saturday afternoon I managed to make it to another movie (I love movies) with my friend, Courtney before heading over to watch the first half of the MU football game with my parents.

All in all, it wasn't too bad flying solo for the weekend...although, if I had my choice, I'd much rather be having all that fun with Austin there too :)

Moonrise

November 4, 2010

Today on the way to school, I commented on how beautiful the moon was. I pulled out my phone to take a picture, but there wasn't a good view of it from where we were on the road. So, Austin said "wait til Stadium. You'll be able to see it really well from there".

When we got to Stadium, I was trying to get a good angle through the windshield while we were waiting at the red light. I couldn't get a good shot, so Austin snapped a couple shots with my phone. The zoom wasn't that great though, so I grabbed my camera from the floorboard, turned it on, zoomed, aimed, and had just gotten focused when the light turned green. I asked Austin to wait just a split second but as I hit the button to capture the shot, he pulled off the break and we rolled forward. All blur....shoot! And of course, when I went to take shot #2, the battery on my camera died. Dang it. I do have the pic from my phone that Austin got though.




Flash forward to this evening................................................

First of all, let me say that my husband is probably one of the funniest people I know. I may have said that before, but it's true and worth reiterating. He constantly cracks me up. It's also way more amusing in person than I can convey in writing...

Tonight on the way to Adam's birthday dinner we're crusin' down College and Austin points out that the sunset is gorgeous...Mind you at this point, Austin is a little frustrated and more than a tad ADD and is weaving around Columbia in an attempt to find the fastest route to Buffalo Wild Wings in the middle of "rush hour" traffic (which I do have to say has gotten ridiculous for Columbia)...and all of his comments are totally random and cracking me up....

Examples:

"Talkin on your cell phone while driving, huh? How's that workin' for ya, Yellow?" (at a red light we pulled up next to a yellow Chevy cobalt with a daisy lei hanging from the rear view and College Barbie behind the wheel)

and

"What's the hold up? People in the crosswalk? Don't let that stop you...it's time to get serious. Gotta show 'em who's boss..." (while waiting behind a truck to turn right onto College from campus)

Following on the heels of his sunset comment, he tells me to get out my camera and take a picture. I pull out my phone b/c my real camera is still dead. I try and get one, but trying to take a pic from the car window while in motion is difficult.

"Coming up to a red light! Get ready!!"

I hold up the phone camera and attempt to get the sunset in my shot...I snap one, but it's just a blur on the screen.

I wait til we slow down. When we stop in traffic, the sunset is behind a dumpster.

"Shoot that. Show the contrast between the sunset and the crappy dumpster. See, that's art right there"

I laugh and take the picture. But it doesn't look as good on the phone as it does in real life.

"A true photographer always has a spare battery. Write that down"

Thanks for that honey. I'll keep that in mind.

I hold the phone up again waiting for the next shot....we are driving again.

"There! BAM! Get that!...Ah..you squandered"


"A true photographer knows when to click it or tick it. Write that one down too"

By this time, I'm just laughing.

Honey, what is wrong with you?

"What do you mean?"

I recite all of his one liners from our drive down College. He just smiles like he knows he's been caught, but doesn't care. Hilarious.

Baby Aliyah

November 1, 2010

Baby Aliyah Christina Johnson. Born 10-31-10. Our little Halloween baby. :)

Happy Halloween!

Oct 31, 2010

Sunday morning my sister calls to say that she's been having contractions and to let me know that I need to be "on call" that day. I'm the designated babysitter for the three older kiddos when she goes to the hospital.

After church, Austin and I head home to relax and get some stuff done around the house. Sharon says it will probably be awhile before my services are needed, so I am hoping to have some time before we have three kids to contend with :) Wishful thinking. Around 3:00 or so, Sharon calls me and asks if I can come get Ethan and Ariah- she's taking the Fat Baby to the ER b/c he's rolling on the floor, holding his tummy, and crying that it hurts. Whoa...not the hospital visit I was expecting her to call about, but off we went just the same.

Austin and I pick up Ethan and Ariah and pack up all of their over night clothes and the Fat Baby's stuff too, just in case Sharon stays at the hospital and the kids have to spend the night with us...it would turn out to be good planning on our part.

About an hour after Ethan and Ariah had been at our place, my mom calls and says she's bringing the Fat Baby over. The hospital thought he had a twisted intestine (ouch!), but that it had worked itself out, so they were discharging him...and taking Sharon upstairs to Labor and Delivery. Sharon did want something dramatic to happen for baby #4 since the first 3 were fairly uneventful births...guess she got her wish. She went into Boone with one baby and left with another :)

So, Austin and I spent the afternoon with the kids...carving pumpkins, going to Hearnes for Halloween fun, and Trick or Treating. By 7:00ish when we were finally home and getting ready for dinner, we were exhausted! :) When mom called at 8:20 to tell us baby Aliyah Christina Johnson had been born at 8:09pm and she was going to come pick up the kids to take them to the hospital, I said "no way!". Ha. After spending hours wrangling them and finally getting them settled in for bed, there was no way I was going to do it all over again when they got back from the hospital. But I promised the kids we would visit first thing in the morning after a pancake breakfast and they were happy with that :)

Sunday night was the first night since we've been married that Austin and I crashed before 10:00! Too much fun packed into one night for this old couple...haha.








Carving the pumpkin...


Fat Baby playing football with Jeepers...


Jeepers with excellent ball coverage...



At Hearnes for Halloween festivities...


Ariah, my little poser....always hammin' it up for the camera :)