Impressions Ala Lydia

First Impressions of South Korea

2011-03-31T18:15:00.003-05:00

Many things I have noticed already, but here are some good ones:

Traveling is very hard on young kids. I miss Alex dearly but am so grateful that I didn't put him through the 13 hour flight here. There was a family with two young boys sitting directly in front of me. The mom and dad literally stood in the aisle just so there boys could stretch out over 4 seats and sleep for a few hours. It was such a selfless act, and made a profound impression on me. I had the pleasure of sitting right beside a 4 month old baby as well. She was just miserable and cried frequently. Being a new mom myself, this did not upset me, just made me very aware of how hard it is on the little ones.

Korean flight attendants are gorgeous. Georgia said that it is a requirement of the job, no qualms. No discrimination suits. The "ugly girls know not to apply."

Korean men like to mock foreigners. A lot. It really irritates Georgia but I just thought it was weird. Georgia knows enough of the language to know they are mocking us, am oblivious.

Korean men like my boobies. Totally caught a man staring at my chest on the subway. I made eye contact with him and he just smiled. Georgia did give me the heads up that if someone asks if I am a Russian, quickly say no. That means you are a prostitute. Considering I am already being gawked at, I better practice that response. A woman asked at the Incheon airport if I was a Russian, but only because she herself was from Russia and needed help figuring out customs. She didn't have a cool sister send her an email of what to expect and how to get through it. Right down to disinfecting carpet right when you get off the plane that gets your shoes wet... so walk gingerly onto the tile floor.

After getting off the Subway and getting onto the streets of Seuol, I finally felt like I was in a foreign country because the buildings look so different. The signs are all neon and everything is open late, all night long. People start later here. Makes me wonder which country has it right. I may be able to offer an opinion on that after my time here is over.

Skype is my best friend. I have talked to Brent several times already and this morning was able to see them on the webcam and talk to my boys. Alex lite up like a Christmas tree when he saw me. All for free.

Hotel rooms are very different here. The "bed" is more like a boxspring, literally, and everything is small. Very functional but nothing at all fancy. The bathroom has the shower in the middle of the room and the drain two feet from the toilet. No division. Good to know when when going to the bathroom after a shower has taken place. Wet socks are not happy socks.

Time to go find some breakfast. Apparently people eat soup and rice to start their day here. There is a Dunkin Donuts down the block. I would never consider it in the USA... starting my day off with a donut while on Weight Watchers. Well guess what?! If it is between a damn donut and soup- going for the donut every time.

Valentine’s Day

2011-02-14T15:07:00.000-06:00

Today is supposed to be a day that you think of your loved ones… your special someone. This year that cloud of giddiness and pure joy is tinged with storms. I can’t get my mind off of Angie. It would have been her 37th birthday 11 days ago and today Erik is coping with having his first Valentine’s without his wife. Brent and I are still in shock over this loss. Everything seems to remind me of her. I still wear my Leukemia bracelet daily. I still think of Jessi and Erik daily and worry about how they are dealing with it all… I worry about them. There are considered to be 5 Stages of Greif - Denial, Anger, Bargaining, Depression and Acceptance. I worry that they will linger on Anger for a while.

I know I would be angry if my mom were ripped from me when I was 13. I know I would be pissed off if my husband were just suddenly… gone.

There are no correct answers in how people deal with grief. For me, I am depressed. I will always remember and love Angie.

Weight Watchers- It’s a Journey

2011-02-01T13:52:00.000-06:00

I started Weight Watchers on 01/18/2011 and just completed my second week. I have lost 5.4 lbs which I think it very exciting! Granted, I have a long journey ahead of me before I reach my target goal but I am enjoying this process.

Right now I am focusing on learning. I am learning what will make this a life-change for me and the tricks that will help me to keep the weight off FOREVER. So far I have really enjoying trying Weight Watchers recipes, keeping yummy guilt-free foods in the house, and keeping allies at hand. I have many friends at work who are also doing WW and have experienced success. Seeing their progress is very encouraging. Brent has also proven to be a fantastic ally. He is making better food choices for himself and is 110% supportive of my goals.

For me, it’s about owning where I am right now. It’s about acceptance. I am not a “healthy” person. I have a tremendous amount of weight to lose before I reach my target of 140. I have accepted that may be a few years from now and am okay with that. I want to have another child so reaching the goal may need to wait until after that happens. And no, I am not pregnant!

I want to be around, and healthy, when I am 90 years old. I have so much heart disease, obesity, diabetes, etc in my family that I cannot be idle any longer. I am approaching 30. My first goal is to be under 200 pounds by the time I reach my 30th birthday in June.

That is only 12.3 pounds away. I can totally do this!

Angie

2010-11-04T21:12:00.002-05:00

Angie Johnson, my brother-in-law Erik's wife, passed away on October 24, 2010. She was only 36 years old. It is still a shock to my system that someone that young could be gone so quickly. Angie had a weird swelling in her hand back in September and we were nosy and asked about it... she was going for testing to see what the cause was. On Friday 10/22 they diagnosed her with chronic leukemia and started her on a low dose of chemo. We got a call from Brent's dad that Angie was in ICU, essentially in a coma, and things weren't looking good on Sunday. We left right away to go to the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, MN. When we got there, we both knew something was really wrong. How can someone go from talking to me on Friday night, being strong and confident that things would turn out okay... to lying in a hospital room having a respirator control her breathing not even 48 hours later. I knew Angie was going to find out the diagnosis during the day on Friday so I called her that night. She was shaken, but strong. The only time her voice broke was when she said telling her parents was the hardest part. She said out of all of her sisters, she was glad it was her fighting cancer because she could fight it the best. She said, "Does that make me crazy?" I said, "No, that makes you noble."

Oh Angie.

I still can't believe it. While Angie was still with us I was in the room holding her hand, rubbing her feet, talking to her as normally as I could. Of course, Angie would've decked me if I touched her feet under "normal" circumstances! She sure was feisty.

The thing that keeps my mind busy is how Jessica and Erik are coping with this loss. Jessica is only 13 years old... and Erik just lost his wife of 15 years. I cannot imagine facing this world without Brent by my side. I am trying to be there for them, let them know we love them and are here if they need us... but I just don't feel like it's enough. No one will ever be able to take their pain away or replace Angie in their lives.

We traveled out to North Dakota two days before the visitation just to be there with them. My 15 month old son Alex really kept everyone distracted. I was able to help Jessica shop for clothes for her mother's funeral (just typing that makes me want to cry) and we bonded over making French Toast for breakfast one morning. There were a few tense moments about Jessica leaving the house in a tank top and flip flops... but apparently she and Angie were supposed to go last week for Jessi's winter gear. When I heard that it just broke my heart. Brent and I offered to get her a coat, hat, and gloves and let me tell you... she is just the prettiest girl. She said, "I want something that makes me feel like a model." After she found a cream Columbia jacket with a fur lined hood... it was easy for her to look like America's Next Top Model.

Angie adored Jessica... she was always bragging that Jessica was the prettiest, smartest, most athletic girl - and she was right!

I still can't wrap my head around the fact that she's gone. She took our wedding pictures. She emailed me for updates when she knew I had a doctor's appointment while pregnant, she emailed me after Alex was born when she knew he was having a check up... she kept track of us. I always appreciated her efforts... and I will miss her presence dearly.

Frustration

2010-06-18T16:46:00.002-05:00

We can’t seem to get our finances in order. The moment we think we have things under control; we are dinged with a surprise Late Fee. Late fees are not the norm in our household… but for the past few months neither one of us are noticing due dates. We have been struggling to keep up not because we don’t have the money but because we don’t seem to actively keep on top of it. It is so frustrating. I think Brent is on top of it and vice versa. Most things are taken care of promptly and then something creeps in. I don’t mind calling creditors, explaining a mostly true situation, and getting the fees reversed (and the lack of fees on the account makes them believe the mostly true tale)… but what does that say for us? Have we all of a sudden become irresponsible card holders because we are now parents? Is this a normal thing new parent’s struggle with? Our mail is piling up on our guest bed but everything else in the home is in order. The baby is well. Our marriage is strong. So why is it a constant struggle? I would venture to say it is a lack of communication between Brent and me. We don’t like verbalizing “rules” or assigning jobs. We don’t like admitting to one another we aren’t on top of it, that we are inconsistently organized. I don’t want a family where the wife does the bills or the husband does the bills… but now I am starting to understand assigning that heinous task to an individual. That still doesn’t make me want to volunteer.

My 29th Birthday

2010-06-14T17:02:00.000-05:00

I woke up on the morning of June 5th and it was just like any other Saturday. I normally have breakfast in bed with some fresh flowers sitting nicely in the middle of my dining room table. I am taken out for dinner and a movie and treated like a queen all day.

But this birthday was different. I expected it which helps so I mentally prepared myself and was truly not hurt when these pleasantries did not occur. You see, Brent was sick. I mean, sick sick. He was running a temperature and was just icky for days. This was also my first birthday as a mother so I knew that aspect would be different because you are needed whether it is a special day or not. Alex woke up at 7:30 like usual and needed his mommy.

I did manage to sneak out of the house and go shopping. I left while Alex was napping and Brent only had to watch him for about 45 minutes before I returned home. Shopping alone when you have a 10 month old baby is a real treat so I was incredibly grateful for that “me” time. I found some great clothes at fantastic prices. There was no guilt. My mom and dad sent money for my b-day present so there were no feelings of “This money would be better sent here or there.” This was MY money and I spent every bit of it gleefully.

That night I cooked barbeque chicken breasts and corn on the cob on the grill. I baked potatoes and had such a nice dinner just enjoying grilled food and sharing some of the potato with Alex. Brent didn’t eat much but he did make the effort to join us at the table.

I thought that was the end of my birthday. But I overlooked the fact that I married such a terrific man.

Friday evening, June 11th, I was starving. Brent said he would take out chicken for dinner and I didn’t see it. I said, “Well, its payday let’s go out somewhere to eat.” He didn’t budge from the sofa. I was in some kind of rush to leave but he wasn’t budging! Then I said, “You’re not going to believe this but someone is pulling in our driveway! It looks like your parents.” I was shocked and of course it was Sue and Larry. They came with presents for me and to babysit Alex so Brent could take me out. It was a complete surprise.

Brent still wasn’t feeling 100% but he planned this special evening for us. For those of you with babies, you know how special it is for someone to plan for a sitter and then take you out for a real date! We ate dinner and chatted then went to see “Get him to the Greek” which I thought was hilarious. I laughed the loudest in the theatre (no big surprise there) and then we went home. Alex was sleeping soundly in his room. Larry was asleep on the sofa and Sue was finishing a movie. All was well. And I got my birthday celebration.

Memorial Day Weekend

2010-06-07T18:20:00.020-05:00

We spent a lot of time with the Johnson Clan over Memorial Day weekend. First, we went out around noon on Saturday for a BBQ that afternoon.

Alex playing with his new drum.

Lee and Marlys enjoying the weather

The North Dakota Johnsons were able to come in for the holiday which is always fun.

Alex's first time in a wading pool. We didn't have his swim suit, but we made it work!

Alex and Ashley playing

Alex feeling out the grass

Grandma Sue and Sheri looking pretty

Playtime!

The three cousins. Alex clearly wanted to play, not take pictures!

On Sunday, Erik and Angie met us in New Hope to eat lunch at the Sunshine Factory. After that we packed and headed out to Chisago for an RV trip. The 3 of us joined Larry, Sue and Jessica and went to Shell Lake, Wisconsin.

Marty enjoying the ride out to Chisago on Sunday afternoon.

The ride out there was fun for all of us, especially Alex. He had lots to look at and everyone was playing with him!

It was gorgeous out that but rained all Sunday night. So... no bonfire! Not many great pictures from that first night because we were all trapped inside.

Jessica's odd choice of sleeping location.

The set-up

View from the RV

The shallow water was just beautiful. It was pretty warm but none of really wanted to go swimming.

Except for Marty! It was his first time swimming and he loved it!

And I leave you with this, a picture of my babies bum. He was tuckered out and slept in the back of the RV for a few hours on Monday morning. After he woke up, we did a little shopping and headed home. It was my first time traveling in an RV and I am sure it won't be my last!

A couple of thoughts for the New Year

2009-12-31T16:17:00.006-06:00

1. Isn’t it lovely being a mother? I didn’t anticipate the pure joy a little one brings into your life. I cannot begin to express how much love has filled our home with the addition of Alex into our family. Brent and I are so blessed to have such a happy little guy.
2. Just breathe. Stress can come in so many different ways. Sometimes it hits all at once and causes a physical reaction. Sometimes it creeps in and takes you by surprise. However the delivery… just breathe. It will pass.
3. I’m worth it. I need to make time for me… to develop my interests and take care of myself. Just because I am a mom doesn’t mean I can’t have girl time… or time to scrapbook… or time to read. I am worth setting time aside for.
4. Let’s Get Physical! I have gained more weight than I care to admit since I have been in a happy, committed relationship with Brent. My tummy is gross. I am used to the big thighs and hips… but a tummy too! That won’t do!
5. Enjoy the small moments. Sometimes I work myself into a tizzy with all of the cleaning around the house or chores… and I forget to stop and enjoy the small things. And with Alex, there are so many precious moments to witness.

Some pictures from 2009:

Brent and I before a friends wedding over the summer.

I like to call this one "First man to man chat"

Tummy Time!

Marty being adorable

A big change for Alex and I

2009-12-10T19:32:00.004-06:00

Alex and I are making a change. He was giving me all the signs that breastfeeding was no longer working for him... so on Monday evening we started the process of weaning. It has been seamless for Alex since he is well accustomed to eating formula... but I am a hot mess.

It is devastating knowing that I cannot keep up enough with him. It's the simple law of supply and demand. He can eat 10 ounces of formula at a time now... and when he nurses he only gets about 2 ounces. The last few weeks Alex has only been able to nurse about 5-7 minutes, and then he snoozes. I switch breasts and the same thing happens. So basically, he was working really hard and exhausting himself. And he was left hungry. And since he was working so hard, I was left sore.

Since I wrote last, Alex and I found such a happy place breastfeeding. It was comforting for both of us and I miss it desperately. He would nurse, hang out for a little while, and then we would suppliment with formula. But the last several weeks he has just needed more than I can give. He needed more, sooner. I even tried eating seaweed soup (it is believed to increase milk supply in Korean cultures). But Alex is eating solids now and is just a hungry little guy. I can't help but feel inadequate. If I could supply more, we would still be nursing.

The pain in my breasts this week has been more than expected, but it's nothing compared to the emotions I am battling. Today they haven't been hurting as badly... and it is is killing me. That means my milk is drying up. That means this stage is almost over. That means I only have a day or two before I can't produce anything at all...

Brent says I should be proud of sticking with it even though we experienced so many challenges in the beginning. He says I have given Alex exactly what he needed. Now he just needs something else. And as I write that I know it's true but I am crying anyway. Is this normal?! I just feel so torn up about the whole thing.

I know it's the right decision but that doesn't make it easier. Women are not known for being rational. I won't lie and say the idea of wearing a normal bra and drinking a beer doesn't excite me... but this has been such a special time for us. It's our quiet time.

I have no doubt I will remember the simple pleasure of knowing I provided something so special to my son. I need to focus on the fact that some women don't have the opportunity to breastfeed at all and count myself fortunate for these past four and a half months.

Breast milk is best, but for how long?

2009-10-22T17:09:00.001-05:00

I am sure the question of the duration of breastfeeding has plagued many mothers. Not because we don’t enjoy being milk cows, but because we want what is best for our children. Some doctors (and I am quite certain they must be men) recommend breastfeeding for the first two years of your child’s life. I am sorry but WHAT?! At that point the kid would be unbuttoning your shirt and everything. That is a bit much. My mom and I discussed this and she said, “Well, women in other countries breast feed their children for years.” I am sure they do in third world countries out of necessity… no means to do otherwise. America is different. Breastfeeding is all about “bonding” and “doing what is best for your baby.” Okay, well what if you don’t produce enough milk to solely breastfeed? What if your baby tolerates formula very well and is starting to be antsy at the breast like the food isn’t coming fast enough? Is it okay to “wean” the baby at that point?

Alex and I have struggled with feeding from day one. He was aggressive, I got injured by my breast pump, and I’ve never produced enough milk for him. I felt so terribly guilty about that at first, and still do at times, but I do what I can. I pump and breastfeed but his main intake is formula. He clearly likes breast milk from a bottle and loves to breastfeed. Most of the time. Lately he is becoming panicky while breastfeeding and doesn’t calm down enough to drink. I get frustrated. He stays frustrated. I end up giving him a bottle and pumping which completely derails my time to bond with my son.

This unfortunate pattern has occurred several times over the past few weeks and has got me wondering about when to toss in the towel. I simply don’t want to start looking at breastfeeding as a chore.

I know that Alex is at a disadvantage because he gets mainly formula, but a lot of women can’t – or choose not to – breastfeed at all. He’s had 3 months of about 12 ounces of breast milk a day. And believe me, I work hard for that amount! Since most women can produce 8 ounces in one pump session, my 12 ounces a day seems like a small number. But again, I work hard for it and am proud of it. I am proud of my dedication.

Alex is still a little guy and I don’t want to feel guilty about stopping but at the same time I want my body back. I just don’t want to be selfish in this. After all, being a mom automatically means you will sacrifice.

The length of time is personal to every woman. I have friends who breastfed from 6 weeks to 8 months. One of my friends chose not to breastfeed at all because she experienced so much pain initially. It’s a personal choice.

And for me, making a tough decision requires time and thinking out loud which is why I am asking other mothers what they think and writing about it. Are there any opinions out there worth sharing? I will make my own decision for what is best for Alex and I… but I always like to know what people are thinking. I simply don’t want to start looking at breastfeeding as a chore.

My little boy Alex...

2009-09-06T22:54:00.007-05:00

Alex joined this world officially on 7/23/09 at 9 lbs, 4 oz. He is just beautiful!! The picture above was taken about 1 hour after Alex was born. We had a great birth experience (considering). Alex took his time in getting here and we had to be induced 5 days after the due date. Being induced is a strange thing because of the way childbirth is romanticized. I always imagined being woken up in the middle of the night, grabbing our overnight bag, and rushing to the hospital just in time to welcome our little bundle of joy. Well, this was nothing like that. We called the hospital to see if they had an extra bed since we were only 5 days late and considered "elective" and were on our merry way.

We arrived at the hospital at 7 AM and were told to wait for a room to clear because someone came in between the time we called and the time we arrived. We sat around the waiting room for hours and that was taking it's toll on me considering I was 9+ months pregnant and waiting rooms are not known for comfort. I was also told to eat a light breakfast and nothing else so all I had was toast and yogurt.... not much for being prego. We were admitted into our room at 10 AM. At 11 AM the doctor was able to get the ball rolling. It took about 20 minutes after the doctor broke my water and administered pitocin that the contractions started. After about 2.5 hours of back labor I was done and was ready for an epidural. The contractions were only 20-30 seconds apart and I was quickly losing all of my energy. I knew at that rate I would never be able to push effectively.

I wanted to have a natural birth but I will tell you one thing-- my birth experience went from insanely painful to letting my family join us in the room to wait until I was fully dilated. My dad's eyes were glued to the monitors and he was telling me when I was having contractions. He would say, "Oh! That was a BIG one!" Even I thought it was funny.

When the time came to push the family left and it was only Brent, a nurse named Jen, our doctor Kacey, and myself. I pushed for 2.5 hours and was constantly amazed at how wonderful my husband is. I asked for ice chips but only one or two at a time. He helped me focus on breathing which was awesome because I kept forgetting to do that. I only had one moment that was questionable-- I called him a chimp. Okay- I have to explain that one. I had an allergic reaction to the epidural and was itching like mad. I asked him, "Scratch my armpits Chimp!" You know, because Chimps groom and scratch one another. Weird. Anyway, I only cursed a few times much to my surprise. I was very cooperative and followed direction well. Again, the romanticized version of a out-of-control prego girl just didn't happen.

When it was time for Alex to arrive, the room was suddenly full of people. Brent was able to see him crown and at one point I had to stop pushing so they could unwrap the umbilical cord from Alex's head. That was very scary. Brent and I knew something was up because our doctor was talking to the nurse about how much the baby's heart dropped after each time I pushed. But in the end, Alex was born and they flopped him on my stomach. I didn't cry surprisingly at all that day, not during the pain and not from the joy of seeing my first born son. I was just in shock that it was really happening, that the day had finally come that I would meet my Peanut.

Over a month later, I gotta tell you that I love being a mom. It is the most wonderful experience to care for such a dependent little baby. I have gotten so excited in the past week because he coos now. He has characteristics, his hands are huge, and he always has toe lint. It's just been so much fun.

I will admit I was very overwhelmed at first. We struggled with breastfeeding, I lost my appetite, and I felt like I was in a fog. Just tired. I cried a lot but a lot of the time it was tears of joy at having such a beautiful, healthy son. Then one day the fog was just gone. I am so grateful for that. Now I have a clear head that knows how lucky I am to be part of such a loving family. I really hit the jack pot when I moved to Minnesota. I love my life.

Brent and I have created a blog just for Alex since our family is so spread out. Check it out for updates specific to Alex, the link to his site is on the right hand column.

Update on nursery

2009-06-17T22:42:00.005-05:00

Here are some pictures of our progress.

The two bags are clothes we have been given and from yard sales. The mesh bag is full of receiving blankets, hooded towels, etc.

This are just two colorful, fun items. It's the diaper organizer on wheels and a baby rocker.

And finally... this is a dresser that used to belong to Brent's dad Larry when he was a boy. Refinishing it was supposed to be my project but pregnancy was upon us before I did any work. I did some sanding in the beginning, but Brent did the majority of it and all the staining/coats of polyurethane. I think he did an amazing job. There is a matching nightstand to do as well, but that can wait until Peanut arrives so I can work on it.

Things are definitely coming along. Now that the dresser is done, I will get his clothes washed in the next few days. He can come anytime as far as I am concerned! I am starting to understand fully why all women say the last month is definitely the longest. I am due on 7/18. That seems like a long way off. Just last week I started to feel uncomfortable pretty much consistently. My feet are swollen, I am achy, and Brent is consistently putting on my tennis shoes! He has been great through out this whole thing. I am convinced that we will make a good parenting pair.

I am honestly getting anxious about being sleep deprived for at least 6 months. That part worries me. But the most exciting thing for us will be meeting Mr. Peanut. I just love the little guy and can't wait to snuggle him.

Marley and Me

2009-05-24T22:25:00.005-05:00

I have not seen such a touching movie in quite a while. There were times when I felt like I needed to stop watching just to stop and appreciate life. Just take a moment...
If you have not read the book or watched the movie and plan to- you should stop reading now. I knew from others that Marley dies at the end of the movie but once you see how much this dog affects the lives of its owners you start to understand just how difficult for their family that must have been.
We are first introduced to the "Worst Dog Ever." Just getting a puppy last March, I get how difficult it is to go through the potty training and teething. But Marley is something altogether different than what Brent and I experienced! He is a terrible dog that cannot be trusted with, well, anything! But the pure love he has for John and Jenny makes up for any hardship he causes them. There are several moments of pure warmth that are shared between man and dog- John comes home from work and sees his lovely wife dancing with Marley. The couple loses their first child and Jenny sits on the sofa not expressing any feeling at all, in shock. Marley comes and rests his head on her knee as if to say, "I understand. I love you. I am here for you." She is finally able to cry over the loss of her child.
My husband and I love our dog Marty so much that watching a family lose their pet was hard on both of us. We are very excited to have Mr. Peanut and have him grow up with such an awesome companion. It was very touching when the Grogans brought home their first baby Patrick and John sits and asks Marley not to freak out... because then maybe he won't either. Just so many moments to enjoy, share, and learn from.
We love our little Marty Bear and watching this movie makes me cherish him even more.

Click here for more information on the movie.

Phase 2 completed... weeks ago!

2009-04-27T19:32:00.004-05:00

Sorry I haven't posted regarding Mr. Peanut's fantastic room. It is now yellow with a nice area rug and wall furnishings. We bought some frames and printed off the cutest pictures of baby animals online. There is a puppy, chicks, kittens, and a bunny. Adorable.

This is a picture of Marty and I enjoying the room... okay maybe I am enjoying it more than him! LOL

Mr. Peanut's room...

2009-03-29T18:42:00.009-05:00

Some of the things given to Mr. Peanut by friends and family. He's not even out of the oven yet and everyone is so excited!!

This is Mr. Peanut's shelf. It has some gifts from Jessica, mom, and Auntie Emo! (And some diapers Brent bought!)

Brent moved all of Georgia's furniture out of Mr. Peanut's room! I was convinced we wouldn't have room in our small, tuckunder garage to accomodate everything... but it all worked out! This has been vexing me since Day 1 of the pregnancy. Of course, in Minnesota, you wait until Spring to do anything outdoors and that includes moving things in and out of a cold basement.

We have been storing Georgia's things for her in our spare room. It's essentially been Georgia's room! Now her twin bed with trundle bed is in the office, and her other stuff (dresser, nightstand, vanity, chair, and bins) is i the basement. I even made sure the dresser has something covering the top of it so it doesn't get all scratched up. She refinished all of the furniture (that is why she is insisting on keeping it even though she has been out of the country for 2+ years) so as long as we can provide a free storage space we will. We may need to revisit that as our family continues to grow but we'll take that as it comes. I am just thrilled that it all worked out... for all of us.

We decided to leave the twin bed up here and put my double bed downstairs because it will better suit my parents when they come in July. They would never be comfortable on a double or queen bed... but they can certainly be comfortable in their very own twin beds!

Phase 1 is complete! Phase 2 is painting in a nice soft yellow we picked out the other day at Home Depot and Phase 3 is adding the crib and what not. The big finale, of course, comes around July 18 when we bring home our baby boy...

Here are some before and after pics:

Before

After

Cool Development

2009-03-19T17:42:00.003-05:00

Every time I consume calories Mr. Peanut kicks me. He gets all excited! It could be after I drink hot cocoa or eat a snack. Doesn't matter. He loves to kick! We haven't been able to feel him on my tummy yet mainly because he doesn't do it consistently but hope to soon. Brent is ready to feel his son move!

This is so cool.

Mr. Peanut

2009-03-12T12:27:00.000-05:00

Well, Peanut has some extra parts between his little legs – we are having a baby boy!!

We had the 21 week ultra-sound last night and let me tell you, there is no doubt we are having a bouncing baby boy! And no, we do not have a name picked out! J Mr. Peanut weighs 1 lb 1 ounce and was moving all over the place. He has all the essentials- bladder, kidneys, 4 chamber heart, 2 legs, 2 arms, etc. It was awesome! We are so happy and thrilled to be adding another little guy to our family.

Wow. This is fun.

Long time huh?

2009-01-18T14:26:00.002-06:00

I feel like it has been a long time since I updated my blog... I meant to add pictures from Virginia and Kentucky. I meant to write about the holidays and how much fun we had with Brent's family... but I have been tired all the time.

At least there is a reason! I am pregnant! I am about 14 weeks along and feeling good other than being tired very frequently. I have only been sick once so I am very lucky in that regard. We got to hear the baby's heartbeat on our last doctor visit!! It is all so strange and surreal. I love it.

Just to think about the fact that a little baby is growing inside my belly and will appear in mid July is beyond me! I am sure this will be one roller coaster ride I will never forget.

Robert and His New Bride

2008-10-22T23:01:00.004-05:00

I stumbled across this picture on Robert's webpage and it is just perfect. These two are clearly meant for one another! Today is their 11th day being man and wife-- CONGRATULATIONS!

I will post more on their wedding later on... we traveled to Virginia then Kentucky within a 6 day time period BY CAR and then I had a stomach bug... so forgive me if I am low on energy! :) All I can say is it was wonderful to see this happy couple get married and to see the Blue Ridge Mountains in autumn.

Hair Cuts

2008-10-05T13:50:00.010-05:00

I have gotten two, yes two, hair cuts since Brent and I got married in June! It's all gone now! Here are some pics:

Starting length post wedding updo:

First cut 06/29/2008:

Second cut 09/18/2008:

The past

2008-10-05T13:36:00.005-05:00

It's strange how one comment on a blog can send you back onto Memory Lane. Someone signed "Jeremy" left a comment on my wedding post and my mind instantly went back to high school and the guy I spent 3 years dating. Without going into detail, he hurt me tremendously and it took 5 years for me to trust someone enough to love them. Brent has shown me that life goes on, and good things come to those who wait. I googled Jeremy and was pleased to see his life now... married with 3 daughters. They look happy and I am grateful for that.

We were never meant to end up together. I was meant to explore the North and fall in love with a Scandinavian hottie. We are truly happy in our marriage and I wish the same for Jeremy.

This picture taken on our honeymoon in June

Update on Daddy...

2008-10-04T14:48:00.003-05:00

It has been 9 months since my father's heart attack and stroke on December 27, 2007. I am proud to admit my father is doing remarkably well. Seeing him in June for my wedding was difficult in many ways. He was much improved from my recent memories in January... but still very much a changed man. He would sit for hours by himself just staring off. Not napping, reading, watching TV, just staring. It was unsettling because my dad has ALWAYS been a social butterfly. We did things together to get him to interact more like asking for help with yard work (he has always enjoyed to get dirty outside), cooking his favorites, and going on walks. I tried to engage him, but for whatever reason I couldn't really connect as I always could in the past. When my friend Robert arrived, daddy lit up like a Christmas tree. He was Chatty Cathy yet again.

Maybe dad was just upset that he was losing his little girl, or maybe my lack of compassion in his weakened state had made it's mark.

Dad hasn't worked since his accident and will never work again. He struggled with depression as a result. Regrettably, I often reacted to his pity parties with disgust instead of understanding. I should have been more caring to a man that has always taken care of me.

Now my parents have relocated to Kentucky and they are acting as if both of them are retired instead of disabled. It's wonderful. They talk of the catfish pond, the family of turkeys that visit, and all the deer that roam the back field. They have chairs set up on the porch for easy viewing. They just love it.

Dad started perking up when he finally had income. His disability was awarded in August and since then his happiness has increased dramatically. I love hearing him bustle around when I talk to mom... just like old times. I know it's not all great and rosy, but at least a part of my daddy is back.

I am very happy to hear it, and next week we will be stopping in after Robert's wedding for a day to see the new place and visit. I can't wait to see them.

A Young Philosopher

2008-08-01T21:03:00.002-05:00

While eating dinner, our family got into a discussion about teaching Sunday School that led into children growing up too soon these days. Brent's dad said, "I bet I would be surprised how quickly kids mature these days."

Our niece Jessica replied without hesitation, "Kids aren't getting more mature, they just know more mature things."

Brent and I immediately made eye contact at such a philosophical statement coming from an 11 year old girl. We were astounded. Jessica has a unique take on childhood. She is an only child and very bright for her age. I have seen her play with her cousins, but typically I have found her helpful and "mature" for her age. She thinks the average neighborhood children are dull and that parks are boring. Two traits among other that distinguish her from other children her age.

Of course, with Jessica's perspective in mind, she's only a kid. But would a kid really have that wisdom at 11? Definitely something to ponder.

Marital Bliss

2008-06-30T17:33:00.009-05:00

I am married! I am officially Mrs. Lydia Johnson and it feels wonderful! The wedding was perfect from the weather to the people we shared it with. I have listed listed a few pictures... enjoy!

Picture taken on the pre-dinner cruise before the Groom's Dinner.

Picture of the table setting at our awesome Groom's Dinner hosted by the Johnson family. We had all of our favorite foods and it was simply lovely.

My bridesmaid and long time friend Michelle helping me get ready.

The Blushing Bride.

The Happy Couple.

A great picture of my Maid of Honor and sister Georgia and father Walter.

Taking One Day at a Time

2008-05-12T23:02:00.004-05:00

It seems our lives have become a bit hectic and just stayed that way for months. My mom had a stint put in her heart on 12/26/07, then my dad had a heart attack and stroke on 12/27/07. Then I traveled to Virginia. Then I purchased my wedding dress. Then I purchased bridesmaids dresses and mailed them to my girls hoping they would fit. Then came the looking for a house. Then came our puppy Marty. Then the closing of our house. Then the moving in, painting, and setting up. Then came Ashley's first birthday party. Then came getting Marty neutered. Then came a girlfriends baby shower. Then came our Housewarming Party for the Johnson family. Last weekend we traveled to North Dakota for a graduation we didn't actually attend.

Breath, sigh, relax.

Now spring is in the air and it is the first week since September that my department has not had mandatory overtime. I am going to enjoy working in my new yard and walking my puppy. I am going to enjoy cooking my fiance dinner. I am going to enjoy singing to Marty before Brent has gotten home at the top of my lungs. Today's tunes came from The Phantom of the Opera. We will have to see what tomorrow brings.

Life is good.

Moved In! (Well, our stuff anyway!)

2008-03-17T18:40:00.001-05:00

I tell you what, moving in a pain in the A$%! I feel like I have been kicked by a horse and I didn't even do the heavy lifting! The house is an absolute mess but we have all the time in the world to unpack. Well, not really. We both enjoy comfort so I am sure it will be a max of two weeks. But the painting may slow that process, who knows?!

All I can say is, thank goodness for friends! We had plenty of help and everyone was so nice about helping. The girls even helped me set up our bed, complete with bedskirt!! And since we have been living in the house since 3/3/08 on an air mattress… it's awesome that we got to sleep on a real bed again!

We did have a scare with our puppy Marty. We have a split-level house with stairs going up and down upon entry. He climbed out on a ledge through the wrought iron fence in the livingroom, tried to turn back around, and fell 10 feet to the stairs leading to the basement. Charlie rushed to get him and I quickly followed once I knew what had happened. He seemed like it knocked the wind out of him, but other than that he was unphased. No broken bones or signs of head trauma. Lucky little guy!

Sigh. That was scary.

But yeah, the move is complete. We still have to clean the apartment but the lease is not up until April so we are all good. Exciting times.

Meet Marty

2008-03-02T18:11:00.003-06:00

Brent and I frequent a pet shop in town just for fun, I find it therapeutic to see all the puppies and watch them play. Well, today we fell in love. His name is Marty. He is a four month old Pom-Shi Tzu and is adorable. Marty will only be 15 pounds at the most so he is an ideal lap dog. He has a calm temperament but he is still playful as a puppy should be. He isn't potty trained yet so that should be a blast... but he is already part of our family.

Buying a House

2008-02-24T19:35:00.004-06:00

Buying a house is a roller coaster of emotions. House hunting is like being given a chance to design your life in multiple locations. Because of course being female, if there isn't anywhere to store bathrooms items- or a place to put storage- that can't possibly be YOUR bathroom, can it!?

On the more serious, reasonable side... it is a very scary experience. My parents have never owned a home. They have always struggled financially so for Brent and I to be looking a few months before we are wed is incredibly hard for me. It's very foreign territory. Once I got over the shock of understanding that we can afford a mortgage... I started to get how nice it would be to have equity.

Can you imagine not throwing money away on renting an apartment where you have no space, no yard, noisy neighbors, and no real privacy? I mean, you pay hundreds of dollars for a roof over your head with nothing to show for it. I have been renting for years now and the prospect of the roof over my head actually helping to better improve my finances overwhelms me. Of course the mortgage and utilities far surpass what we pay in rent, but know we will KNOW where the money is going not just wonder about it.

It's a strange thing being 26, engaged, and a prospective homeowner in 5 days if all goes well. The offer has been made, accepted, and now we are waiting on the bank and a potential closing date of 2/29/2008.

We'll see. I have learned that there are many houses in the Metro for sale and to not put all your eggs in one basket... but I certainly want to start living the American Dream.

It's a real thing.

Wedding Dress Story

2008-01-24T21:07:00.001-06:00

So this is the story of my wedding dress. I made plans to try on dresses at David's Bridal on Saturday, January 19 for the first time. Since I had never tried on dresses, I pessimistically assumed this would be the start of a long, drawn-out process. I picked up Sydney, my old roomie and long-time friend, and met Brent's family at the store in Roseville for a 3 pm appointment.

The store was crowded but once we were shown our area we were all much more at ease. We luckily got a corner location that allowed the 6 of us to spread out a bit and be comfortable. All except for Sydney and I who were hard at work getting in and out of the sometimes cumbersome dresses...!

After being embarrassed getting sized, the dresses started pouring in. The women favored the embellished dresses with bead work, trains, and little extras. I put many dresses on that we lovely but not me. I couldn't imagine wearing a dress that felt like a production to my small, outdoor wedding.

I kept seeing this ribbon, bell shaped dress out of the corner of my eye and after trying 10 different dresses on, asked if that came in my size. I had never noticed the dress in the catalogue or online... but it looked lovely hanging on the rack. They only had a size larger so I tried it on and was able to twist it around my body it was so big! But I loved it.

It was the only dress that made me feel emotional, like that was the one. It was simple and elegant. It didn't feel like a fuss. Needless to say, I wanted the dress. I found out the dress has been discontinued in "Women's" sizes so I couldn't just order it. My heart fell.

Since we were all getting tired, I decided to call it a day and go out to dinner where I continued to think about the ribbon dress. Sheri said it was Sue's favorite, and it was Syd's favorite because she saw my reaction to it. Sheri, Angie, and Jessie thought a different dress suited my figure more.

The next morning I called the other stores in the metro area to see what they had. I made an appointment in Richfield on Monday night after work to see if a size smaller or a large petite cut would work. All day I thought of the dress.

I arrived at David's Bridal with my friend Sugantha with a feeling a dread. I told her what dress I wanted and they only had one left, in a size too small. So now there was only one chance for this to work. By this time, I had convinced myself to just buy the dress and lose weight if it were doable. So when Sugantha pulled up the zipper with no trouble- I knew it was fate.

I purchased my bell dress that makes me feel like a princess with cash money (as daddy says) and am so grateful. If I lose 10-15 lbs it will be more comfortable, but it is not necessary.

So the story of my dress is this- I saw it out of the corner of my eye, searched for it, and now have it in my possession. All in 3 days.

Sometimes you just know.

Fun Christmas pictures a little late in coming...

2008-01-18T22:39:00.000-06:00

Brent being silly...

Sheri with Roger (our gift to baby Ashley)

Ashley and Jessica with their matching robes...

Piano lessons with Sue...

Winter picture of the engaged couple...

Me being silly...

Ethel

2008-01-18T22:18:00.000-06:00

Ethel is Brent's grandmother whose health is steadily failing. She is currently 90 years old and is one of the most independent women I have ever met. She mowed her own acreage, gardened, and lived without assistance until recently. She was able to safely drive a car until about 6 months ago. That is a huge achievement in life. When I met her she didn't want assistance climbing the stairs. She is the type of woman to tell like it is and that is hard to come by with someone from her generation living in reserved, Scandinavian Minnesota.

She is a painter, an artist of real talent. We have several of her landscapes hanging in our apartment. There are daily things that remind me of Ethel... a determined look, a light laugh, a reference to beer.

And yes I said beer. Ethel loves her beer. One family event she arrived with her mug of beer and had a few glasses of red wine. Brent and I watched her with amusement as we swayed to the carols holding a glass of wine in one hand and a puppy in the other. We thought for certain the wine would end up staining his mom's beige carpet... but luckily she kept it contained! Then the real crowd pleaser came when she chewed on some turkey for a while and then took it out of her mouth to feed to the puppy.

Adorable, right?

Or when a woman is brazen enough to say, "At least I'm not the oldest one here!" while slanting her head toward a dinner guest a few years her senior that was seated directly beside her. The guest had no hearing loss issues either! Wow. Shock. Awe.

She is such a breath of fresh air.

My hope is that her son, Brent's dad, be comforted by the fact that his mother has led a very full life and that her passing is a natural experience. This has been very trying for Brent's parents since they live so close and see the daily withdrawl from reality.

I will feel comfort knowing what an impact she has had on all those who have known her, and loved her.

We don't know what to expect as far as how long she will hold on, but please keep Ethel in your thoughts and prayers.

My dad...

2008-01-06T18:18:00.000-06:00

My family experienced a blow... on December 27 my dad had a massive heart attack and stroke. He was in critical condition for days being kept alive by a respirator and was announced brain dead. When he opened his eyes and the next day started squeezing our hands, we began to hope.

Now dad is speaking normally but has lost most of his motor skills and short term memory. He can only get out of bed with the help of two nurses, one of either side, but his mind does not understand that his body is too weak to hold him. As a result, the first morning he was in a regular room (Wed. Jan 2nd) he fell out of bed. Mom and I had not yet arrived at the hospital and the first thing we saw was dad laying on the floor with a nurse over him. Four nurses were required to get him back in bed and the fall caused two stitches in the back of his head and a blood clot in his left leg.

The news that dad is out of critical care is wonderful, but the damage to his mind is extent enough that he has to have someone in the room with him at all times to monitor him. He keeps insisting to get out of bed, but he is slowly regaining some of his strength. For example, at first he was not able to hold the phone up to his ear and couldn't keep still enough for someone else to hold it for him.... now he can hold the phone for a few minutes.

I am thankful that my family pulled together in this trying time to comfort my father and mother. It is great knowing that people truly care. It is going to be a long road to recovery and since I live in another state, I will not be there to witness the small goals like understanding how to move yourself up in a hospital bed. I just hope that through rehabilitation he does recover the use of his body and memory.

Here are some notes I kept of his first night speaking again after the attack when the respirator was removed. Most of it is funny, but some of it is touching....

12/31/07

First words: I want to see my wife.

Shortly after: I'm sorry, I'm gonna die.

Then he just became ornery and said the following in repetition throughout the night:

I want to go home.
I want ice chips, no I don't want that.
I want to go home. (We say no.) Why not? I already had my heart attack.
Why can't I sit in a regular chair?
I want a tissue, no I don't want that.
Why can't I go home?
Where's _____? (He kept asking for people over and over)
Sit down Penny.(few seconds later)I want ice chips, no I don't want that.
I'm hungry, do you know how long it's been since I ate?
Is this the only bed they have?

The Holidays

2007-11-26T21:19:00.000-06:00

Man do I love the holiday season. I love festive smells, wreaths, Snowmen, mistletoe, and Christmas music! I love that after Thanksgiving I am allowed to watch my beloved movies and put up decorations. It's great.

I focus on the spirit rather than the spending. I ask myself regularly where my focus is so I can stay caught up in the giving spirit, not in a material sense but a loving, caring sense.

Deck the Halls people!

Wedding Plans

2007-11-17T21:52:00.000-06:00

Brent and I are getting married on June 22, 2008 at the Panola Valley Gardens. I can't wait. It seems to be all I can think about. We are going to keep it simple, but simplicity also requires planning. My goal is classic elegance. Nothing too cheesy and nothing too extravagant.

I usually get what I want, I mean, I got Brent didn't I? (wink,wink)

I will try to keep you posted as plans progress.

The Melting Pot

2007-11-14T22:49:00.000-06:00

Last night to celebrate Brent's 29th birthday, we went to the Melting Pot in Minneapolis with Charlie and Jacquie. It was by far the most enjoyable dining experience of my life. Our waiter was excellent. He knew the menu, what sauces were compatible with what meats, and was attentive but not overbearing. Needless to say he got a substantial tip. Both couples ordered what the restaurant calls "The Big Night Out." We started with cheese fondue and dippers. It was a Mediterranean Cheese Fondue that consisted of Fontina and Grùyere cheeses blended with roasted garlic, dates, shallots and a touch of white truffle oil. The dippers were different breads, tortilla chips, fresh vegetables and green apples. I didn't think I would like the apple, but paired with such yummy cheese it was awesome!

Our salads came next. Brent chose the House Salad. It consisted of crisp greens, Roma tomatoes, cucumbers, eggs, and Emmenthaler Swiss cheese, served with sweet and tangy House Dressing. Brent was quite impressed with the dressing. I chose the California Salad that had mixed baby salad greens, Roma tomatoes, walnuts and Gorgonzola cheese, with Raspberry Black Walnut Vinaigrette Dressing.

Then the entree. We chose the Fondue Fusion with Coq au Vin as the cooking style. The broth had flavors of fresh herbs, mushrooms, garlic, spices, and burgundy wine. I had no idea that fondue with meats meant that raw meat was served and we cooked it ourselves at the table! Everything essentially took 2 minutes to cook and the Coq au Vin ensured that the food would never burn. My favorite bite was probably the pork tenderloin, it was incredibly tender. Here is what the entree consisted of:

Lobster Tail
Filet Mignon Medallion
Balsamic-Marinated Sirloin
Garlic and Herb Chicken
Citrus Pork Tenderloin
White Shrimp
Wild Mushroom Ravioli
Roasted Red Pepper Rigatoni
Fresh Vegetables

And then desert. At this point we were all so happy and pleased. We had been sitting for over an hour enjoying a leisurely meal and great conversation and then bam!- the chocolate fondue. We chose the Flaming Turtle for the table. It was milk chocolate, caramel and chopped pecans, flambeed table side. The dippers included fresh strawberries, bananas, cheesecake, tasty marshmallows, pound cake and brownies. Let me tell you, I have never experienced something as decadent as a fresh strawberry dipped in such delicious chocolate. I wanted to dip my fingers in by themselves just to get at the chocolate!

I enjoyed the evening so immensely that it stayed on my mind through-out the course of the day. I was pleased to be able to give my fiance such a wonderful memory on his birthday. All four of us had a great time. And if you are wondering why I went into such great detail on the menu, it's because I want you to try it yourself! Let's all fondue!

Here is the website if you are interesed: http://www.meltingpot.com/

Silly Donkey!

2007-11-07T23:26:00.000-06:00

I posted this picture over a year ago and in reviewing old blogs was inspired to post it again.It is just priceless. Brent and I still laugh our asses off when we see it. Get it? We laugh our ASSES off! That is a real knee-slapper.

Okay, maybe not!

Much afoot...

2007-11-07T22:39:00.001-06:00

There have been many things going on in my life and I have been busy to say the least. We have had mandatory OT for the past six weeks ranging from 4 to 10 hours per week. The extra money is nice, but as a newly engaged woman I would much rather be spending that precious time with Brent. It's hard to work 10 hour days and come home with energy. The sad part is, this will continue until the end of February. Last year, the requirement got up to 14 hours a week. FUN!

Besides that, about three weeks ago my company had a "realignment" and laid off over a hundred people. I am fortunate to still be employed but I did get transferred to a new department. That also entailed obtaining a new location in the building and new boss. Neither of which I minded to be perfectly honest. I love my new desk. It is more private and larger. The atmosphere is also more quiet and focused, which are both positives. I didn't always click with my old boss either so was glad that changed. As Brent says, I got a fresh start and didn't even need to do anything.

Now I am getting special attention from my new manager and feel like I am an "engaged" part of my team again. It's great. Work has become a lot less stressful due to these changes and I am so grateful for that. I was ready to start looking but didn't want to leave my teammates with such full plates. That wouldn't be very nice, would it? ;)

With all of that happening at work, my mom has gotten some bad reports from the doctor and I convinced my sister that I should get married sooner rather than later. So, now we are planning on June of 2008 (instead of 2009). She had initially wanted to wait until she was moved back to the US to help me plan, but she can help me plan via Skype as we proved this past Sunday. Poor Brent about lost it listening to two sisters discussing wedding details! We want to keep it as simple as possible but are waiting for Georgia's vacation dates to cement a location and date.

I have also been thinking a great deal about family as the wedding and holidays approach. It hasn't gotten any easier being away from my parents on Thanksgiving or Christmas. Last year I experienced them both without any immediate family members. I have been welcomed into Brent's family with open arms, but there is nothing like my mom's warm embrace and daddy whispers of "Merry Christmas Little Girl." Just thinking about it brings tears to my eyes. With work requiring so much overtime, I only get the actual holiday off and will most likely have to work Christmas Eve this year. Maybe not a complete day, but it will be something.

But anytime you have new management, there are questions with no answers as of yet. It all requires patience which I have plenty of. We were dumped on a new team so of course they don't have all of the answers. And believe, we are analysts so we have TONS of questions.

I feel like I have written too much, but is it ever really enough? I am so happy right now despite missing my family and being at work too much. I am so in love. Tonight Brent had dinner waiting on me when I got home at almost 8 pm. What did I do to deserve such a loving man? I haven't always been so fortunate in love and that just further emphasizes what a prize I have now. I am truly loving life.

Trip to Grand Forks, ND

2007-10-15T13:53:00.000-05:00

Brent and I took a weekend trip to see his family in North Dakota. We arrived on Friday afternoon and he took me on a brief tour of the town. His family lived there for two years during his middle school years so it was interesting to see where they used to live and what school he used to attend outside of what I have always known to be his home in Chisago county. We had a relaxing time talking, eating out, and playing the Wii. Here are some pictures of our journey:

Erik, Angie, and Jessi (Erik is Brent's oldest brother)

Twiggy the family dog. She is 8 pounds of fury!

A picture from the road somewhere in ND.

Jessi playing Dance Dance revolution with Angie helping out on the arm movements. Jessica REALLY LIKES DDR. She has limitless amounts of energy so something that can keep her entertained is a good thing!

Kids Incorporated

2007-10-15T13:09:00.001-05:00

My mom has been urging me to post about Kids Incorporated, which I didn't remember anything about until I typed it in on Google. Once I heard the jingle, it all came back to me. I remember it being a part of my childhood Disney experience. The show ran from September 1, 1984 until September 1, 1993. It consisted of a group of young teens (that occasionally shifted every few years as members grew too old to be "Kids" and were replaced) who performed cleaned up versions of pop music standards of the era, with most of the Kids noticeably pretending to play their own instruments (they did sing, though). Along the way, lessons were learned through the conflicts of the kids (e.g. the value of honesty, or why not to cheat on a test.)

Many child actors debuted on the show including Mario Lopez, Jennifer Love Hewitt as Robin, Martika (solo record of "Toy Soldiers"), Renee Sands, and Stacey Ferguson (AKA Fergie). Stacy Ferguson held the record as the longest-running cast member, staying with the show for six seasons. After Kids Incorporated ended, some of the kids remained successful in the entertainment industry while others simply fizzled out. Stacey Ferguson and Renee Sands joined forces to become part of a group called Wild Orchard. The group was popular for their R & B sound, but broke up in 2001. In 2003, Stacey started going by the name of Fergie after joining the Hip-Hop group The Black Eyed Peas. She is now persuing a solo career.

It is amazing to me how a show can generate such an amazing career. The Mickey Mouse Club has also given many child actors/singers their start. I wonder what the next equivalent will be in today's generation. And please don't say Hannah Montana or High School Musical!

Check out the pipes on a young Stacy Ferguson:

The Career Path of Fergie:

Missing my Sister

2007-10-07T23:26:00.000-05:00

Lately I've thought about Georgia a dozen times in an hour. That's aggressive. I miss her. I was driving on Highway 169 the other night and saw the 49th Ave exit and teared up. It has been almost a year since I have been able to hug her and share stories in person. Our recent Skype date was canceled because she is having computer/phone issues so now I am really thinking of her: wondering how she is, who she is talking to, who she is laughing with, who she is confiding in.

I spent time with Kelsey tonight who went to the same church as my sister. I haven't seen her since Georgia left. It's really hard to see people when the only thing I have in common with them is Georgia. All there is to talk about is Georgia.

Kelsey and I were close years ago, but Georgia was her friend. She misses her. We had a good time talking about the fact that Kelsey is only picky about boys and clothes, playing the Wii, and listening to music. I printed out some pictures of Georgia that I stole from her blog and Kelsey immediately said she was going to put them in her locker. Kelsey is 13 now and completely looks up to Georgia as a friend and role model.

This is how my sister touches people. She becomes a part of their lives. She is selfless, generous, and sincere. She has many traits that define her as a strong, Christian woman and I am proud of her. I love her.

And I miss her.

NKOTB

2007-09-30T00:26:00.000-05:00

That's right, I am blogging about the New Kids on the Block. It has been well over a decade since I heard their music and yet, I still know the words. I mean, any girl that was born around the 1980's knows "Hanging Tough," "I'll be Loving you Forever," and my personal favorite "Please Don't go Girl." And yes, I know they have terribly corny lyrics and somewhat nasaly voices... but I loved them when I was a kid. No, adored them. We had all of their cassettes, we bought the Teeny Bopper magazines just to cut out their pictures. And we all had a favorite we were certain would fall madly in love with us if only we'd meet...

I know it's sad.

New Kids on the Block (later NKOTB) was a boy band that enjoyed enormous success in the late 1980s and early 1990s. Assembled in Boston in 1984 by producer Maurice Starr, the members consisted of brothers Jordan and Jonathan Knight, Joey McIntyre, Donnie Wahlberg, and Danny Wood. The group went on to sell over 70 million albums worldwide, generated hundreds of millions of dollars in concert revenues, and paved the way for acts like Backstreet Boys and *NSYNC.

KNOTB were at the top of their game and lasted in the music industry for several years. They were not a one hit wonder group. Then all of a sudden they were gone, unpopular. If you listened to their music all of a sudden you were a "nerd" or "geek." The industry blaims this on a shift to grunge and gangsta rap becoming more popular, but that claim leaves me suspicious.

I have always wondered what happened to truly cause their downfall. I heard rumors of homosexuality but am unsure of truth of that claim. It does make you wonder how a boy band could inspire cartoons, sheet sets, dolls, and millions of adoring fan and then be gone as quickly as they came.

Guess that's just the business.

Watch "Step by Step" here:

New Hair Color

2007-09-28T21:04:00.000-05:00

I have recently changed my hair color... again! What can I say? I like change. My mom wanted to see it so here you go Momma!!

Family

2007-09-24T21:11:00.000-05:00

Jessica and Janessa

My beautiful sister Georgia

Dad, Mom, Brent, and I

Brent's parents Butch and Sue

Sheri, Ashley, and Matt

Cutie Ashley

Now that I am engaged to Brent, I am finally looking at his family as my own. All of them have embraced me. The last time I held Ashley her mother Sheri handed her to me saying, "Go see Auntie Lydia." I loved it. I am grateful to have a family close by when mine are so far away. With Georgia in South Korea and mom and dad 20 hours away in Virginia, it brings me great comfort to know I won't be spending Thanksgiving and Christmas alone ever again.

I remember the holidays of 2005 I worked a ton of voluntary overtime because I was depressed to be away from my parents. It was the first time in my life to not have big breakfasts, coffee, and laughs with my folks as they opened their presents from me... there is always a silly one tossed in there! Then came last year, I spent both holidays with the Johnsons since I couldn't make it home.

And yes, "home" will always be Virginia or wherever my parents are. I miss them dearly. Many times I wish I were with them but I know my life is here in Minnesota now. Brent will never relocate and I am fine with that. I love being in the thick of it all. Being in a suberb of a big city has many perks.

There are Farmer's Markets, State Fairs, IKEA, three grocery stores within 5 minutes of the apartment, pizza delivery, and simple things like a McDonalds close enough that your take out is still hot when you get home. And let's not forget the famous Mall of America. In Virginia, everything had to be planned. There was no, "Let's go rent a movie" because it was going to take over an hour to get it. Living in the city definitely has it's perks.

Am I saying that I hated country living? Absolutely not. I loved sitting on the front porch and hearing the river gently flowing across the street. I loved helping my parents mow the lawn and the simple evenings we spent watching TV and talking. I miss the shared looks over hot tea with my mother and the walks around the property looking at various plants with my dad. I miss the mountains.

But let me tell you this, I have never been happier in my life. I am certain as long as Brent is a part of it I will remain happy. The man completes me and if this is his home then it is mine as well. I have two homes and two families. And I feel blessed.

Nature Calls

2007-09-21T23:21:00.000-05:00

On a night like this I love to listen
to all of nature's callings;
the wind beating against the trees
and forcing leaves to the ground___
the whistling sound the wind makes
cascading through the meadows
or even the crisp chilly breeze
flowing against my body
as I walk into the river
my toes are cold, but I don't feel the numbness
my hair is wet, but I don't want to notice
I need to feel the night
I need to stand alone
on the river bed
feeling the cool water wrap around by body
like a towel
making me feel all chilly inside
the way it should be
the fish start to nibble at my toes
I laugh out loud
thinking how crazy I am
but when I try exiting the river
I realize I can't
the water has taken hold of me
forever

I wrote the above poem in 1996 when I was still attending Middle School. My mom has always feared that I would drown because I had a few close calls in my childhood. I am sure this poem did not bring her comfort. My thoughts always leaned toward boys and darker issues such as death and rage. I have never understood that phase of my life. On the outside, I was bubbly and bright. On the inside, I wrote of despair. Good thing I grew out of that!

Cool Puter...

2007-09-17T21:13:00.000-05:00

I bought myself a new Gateway Laptop. That's right boys and girls, my very own laptop. Now Brent and I can both be in the office on our respective computers. I have been wanting to write but since Brent is frequently using his computer and let's face it - I can't just WRITE BY HAND - I got myself a laptop. It solves my problem of wanting computer time on Brent's computer. And he's got our machines "networked" to the same wireless Internet and our printer. It's hot. I guarantee I will be blogging more and may start down the essay path of my college years once again. I want to publish something before I die. (Good thing I am only 26 and should expect a long life!)

My Dad referenced Super Mario Brothers!

2007-09-08T11:23:00.000-05:00

So my dad recently had a cataract removed from his right eye. He was completely alert through the procedure and said the cataract looked like a Super Mario Brothers fish that tries to eat you! My dad probably hasn't seen one of those fish in a decade but it was hilarious to me that he used that to describe the mass that was removed from his eye. He also said that the last moment that it clung to his eye he saw the spectrum of a rainbow...

I wonder now if drugs were involved in this procedure... LOL.

In the Air Tonight

2007-09-08T10:53:00.000-05:00

I remember sitting in front of my mother with my mouth hanging open as she said, "I can take music or leave it." I had just remarked how the song I was currently obsessed with moved me, and she responded with that! Music has always been a huge part of my life and where I find pleasure so hearing made me feel like I had nothing in common with my mother. (Also remember that we often feel like way in our teenage years!)

My next memory in this story is driving down country roads while listening to a Phil Collins hits album. "In the Air Tonight" started playing and my mom was instantly a little more quiet and attentive to the music. As the drums blared out the crescendo her hands beat the steering wheel along with the rhythm. She then replayed the song.

I knew in that moment that she could not simply take music, or leave it. And I will always be grateful to Phil Collins for proving her wrong.

Click here for the music video:

Big News: An Engagement

2007-08-20T18:53:00.001-05:00

Brent asked me to marry him on Friday and I said YES! It was completely romantic and I can't express in words how happy and content I truly am... it's perfect. We are going to wait until Georgia comes home for the wedding so needless to say it will be a long engagement. But she has to be there to help me plan. I am not a planner at all. The smaller the better!! With help I am sure it will be beautiful and elegant-- with as much budgeting as possible. I would get married in front of a justice of the peace in a white cotton dress just as long as Brent is there smiling at me and accepting me as a permanent part of his life.

Lazy Weekend

2007-08-11T16:25:00.000-05:00

I can't imagine what is better than a weekend without obligation. I love catching up with friends... but aimlessly wondering around shops, sleeping in, and watching tv can be much more relaxing. Brent and I plan on doing nothing today. He is napping and I am blogging. I found a great dress today that I'm excited about as well. No one to cook dinner for, no one to entertain, and no worrying about cleaning. It's all so simply, and easy. Just what we need.

Dog-sitting a Gem

2007-07-21T15:26:00.001-05:00

We are dog-sitting this weekend for a friend of mine at work. It has been so much fun that now I want a dog of my own. Lucky is the perfect dog. She doesn't require a leash, she doesn't follow at your heals but at a comfortable distance, she doesn't beg for food... and best of all... she loves to be pet. She will sit on the floor beside the sofa and wait to be pet. (She doesn't sit on the furniture which is also money!) If you don't stroke her right away or enough, she will craney her head back until she has your full attention to keep up the good work. An example of how perfect this dog is: Brent and I got the Harry Potter book and decided to read outside. Lucky went outside with us for over two hours and was not leashed. She never even thought of running off even with people milling around the yard surrounding the apartments. We read and she just laid there watching the action, occasionally wanting to be stroked. On breaks, we chased her around a bit and she would drink from her water dish just as happy as a clam. I fear I won't want to give her back tomorrow and that if we do end up getting a dog... it won't compare. She is a gem.

Worry Free Living

2007-07-20T17:24:00.000-05:00

I have to admit- living with Brent is a breeze. I was expecting a few bumps but it has been almost three weeks and we are still loving every moment of it. It is so nice not to worry about where I will be sleeping or if I have my lactose pills with me when we order pizza. It's great. I always felt like I was living in two different apartments. Now I am completely at peace. Sounds silly, but I feel more at home then I have since I lived with my parents! I am sure we will bicker at some point, but it sure doesn't seem close at hand. I feel like a cat laying comfortably in the sun...

Pictures of the New Apartment

2007-07-04T13:22:00.000-05:00

If you are interested in seeing pictures of my new place, click on The Raison Clan link. It is posted on 7/4/07. Enjoy!

Georgia "Tagged" Me

2007-06-27T00:04:00.001-05:00

Rules"After posting these rules, each player then lists random facts/habits about herself/himself, then chooses several people to "tag". The player will then list the names of those he/she tags and leaves a comment on their blog.

I packed/moved items most of the night preparing for my boyfriend to move in this Friday.

I have to work mandatory overtime for a job that bores me.

My sister is very excited about the package oh goodies I sent her this morning. There are a few things that she doesn't know about so Shhhh....

I love my new cell phone. It has radio and holds MP3s... who needs an IPOD?!

I am tagging no one. (I like breaking rules.)

Robert the Graduate

2007-05-29T18:39:00.001-05:00

Robert. What can I really say about Robert? He is such an inspiration. He is the type of guy who can recover from a terrible marriage and go back to college to complete his Bachelor's degree. He is also the type of guy who wants to pursue a Master's degree.

It inspires me that he possesses such strength of character. Robert has always had a lot of energy and optimism, but is just enough of a realist to maintain a firm grasp on life. I don't regret for a minute driving 8 hours to see him walk across that stage on May 18th, 2007. Nope. I was so proud of his accomplishments it made the journey worth it.

Lovely Vacation

2007-05-08T08:44:00.000-05:00

Brent and I went to Virginia to spend a week with my parents and had a great time. We were fed like kings and there was spoiling all around. It was nice to see my parents a great deal of the week and still manage to visit with my close friends. I was grateful that Brent was not afraid or uneasy around my lively family- he actually blended in with his quiet, charming ways. Here are some pictures:

There is something to be said for a messy bed...

2007-04-26T19:20:00.000-05:00

Leaving a bed unmade is like making a statement. It says you haven't quite finished your dream that lasted all night and you want to return to that place of imagination. Perhaps you felt completely comfortable with the sheets hitting your legs just so. You enjoyed it so immensely you struggle starting your day because the pillows and comfort draw you back. The sheets call you by name with their crisp coolness.

When a bed is made, you have to be committed to pulling back the blankets and climbing in. An unmade bed almost begs you to rejoin it.

Mondays Tragedy at VT

2007-04-19T23:03:00.000-05:00

I stayed three summers on Virginia Tech's campus and my parents still live only 30 minutes away from the college, so when I heard there had been a shooting, my skin crawled. I knew exactly where the shootings took place and was concerned for the well-being of everyone on that campus, and for the families whose lives would be forever changed. There is no way to turn back the past and help a troubled young man to see the error of his ways, but we can learn from this experience as a nation.

Cho Seung-Hui displayed many signs of being disturbed, and dangerous, and yet was still allowed to reside in the dormitories. Several teachers had referred him to counseling to no avail. Someone, anyone, should have cried wolf but people are too afraid to intervene in one another's lives. If we can learn anything from this, it may be to stop being so politically correct and just tell someone they are nuts and need to be committed.

And don't smile while saying it.

It's hard to write regarding what happened on Monday. There are so many emotions involved: sadness, anger, disbelief, blame... but we have to face evil in this world head on and start calling the kettle black.

Celtic Woman: A New Journey

2007-04-19T22:57:00.000-05:00

Last night I attended a wonderful concert for Celtic Woman in the Orpheum Theatre here in Minneapolis. I felt my eyes fill with tears as their voices soared in harmony. I went with Brent's mom and we both absolutely loved every moment. Between the percussion, lights, voices, and strings... it was magical. I got home and was hyper, I skipped around the living room telling Brent all about the concert, humming as I flitted about. I told him how the fiddler ran across the stage in silver pumps and was by far the most fun to watch. All of the women are highly talented and I cannot express enough what a truly impressive show it was. They have three albums (to my knowledge) and I have all of them. Go get one and hear for yourself.

Jessica vs the Wii

2007-04-11T21:49:00.000-05:00

Easter Weekend

2007-04-11T19:12:00.000-05:00

Easter was loads of fun at the Johnson B&B. We went overnight and for the first time, I was not nervous around Brent's family. I felt like I belonged. His family has embraced me and I can tell I have won them over. It's a wonderful feeling especially since I want to become a Johnson one day myself! Brent's niece Jessica is a live wire. Two weeks shy of 10 years old and hyper as can be. We forced her to box four of us in a row to try and get some energy out of her. It didn't work, but the picture of her "Sweat head" was a direct result. Ashley is three weeks old now and absolutely beautiful. The picture is Ashley holding Jessica's hair in one hand and her father's hand in the other. Jessica lives in another state and was meeting her baby cousin for the first time. Between playing the Wii, conversation, and laughter, it was a relaxing holiday weekend. Reminder: Brent's parents do not own and operate a Bed and Breakfast... this is simply how I refer to it!

Life can be so... Fun.

2007-03-25T17:25:00.000-05:00

Between being able to see a new addition to the Johnson family last weekend and other activities, life lately has been full and happy. Ashley Jane Johnson was born on March 9, 2007, and the pics of her were taken on her one week old anniversary. She is adorable and smelled divine like all well-looked after babies do. We are spending more and more time with our friends Charlie and Jacquie... and more and more time being silly in front of my new camera. Life is good.

Dreaming...

2007-03-16T16:12:00.000-05:00

I am having such a hard time focusing today… the promise of two days with no work is far too tempting. I am dreaming about sleeping in tomorrow, snuggling deeper into the cool blankets as I slumber. I see a weekend full of friends and on Sunday, I dream of seeing a new baby girl just one week old. I will hold her, smell her, and give her back to her proud parents. I am dreaming about dancing to the music in my head and not having to think about work. I only have an hour left, but it feels like an eternity as I glance at the clock every few moments… time to go back to dreaming…

Dixie Chicks: Shut Up and Sing!

2007-03-10T17:10:00.000-06:00

The Dixie Chicks have always been one of my favorite female groups. Their music is fresh, full of classic country sounds, and I connect with their lyrics. In 2003 at the beginning of the Iraq war, their popularity plummeted because the lead singer, Natalie Maines, said she was ashamed President Bush was from Texas while performing in London. Their #1 hit Traveling Soldier fell off the charts, radios refused to play their music, people destroyed their albums, and they received a death threat. I was living in Virginia at the time in the heart of the bible belt and almost everyone is staunch Republican. The uproar in my hometown was amazing. People were irate, disgusted, and disappointed that the Dixie Chicks disagreed with the majority of their fans politically. I remember being surprised that Natalie said that so openly but was impressed as well that the statement was never withdrawn. The Chicks stood together, built a new sound, and became closer as a sisterhood. I watched Shut Up and Sing! which documents the Chicks rise and fall. They are still making music and have not regained the American South... but they are fine with that. Their new album, Taking the Long Way, is amazing. Ever since watching the documentary with bits and pieces of the new album included, I bought it and have been listening to it since. This is the first album that includes no fluff. It is real. They've grown stronger. Watch the video for "I'm Not Ready to Make Nice" and decide for yourself. I am more of a fan. Apparently everyone agrees with me or they wouldn't have snagged 5 Grammy Awards including Album of the Year for 2007.

Fun Pictures

2007-03-10T17:02:00.000-06:00

Brent and I being silly.... Kyle, Stephanie, Evie, Adams, and I being well behaved ;)... Sydney and I being cute.

Minnesota Winter Glory

2007-03-04T13:02:00.000-06:00

We went to a local park that has not been disturbed since we've had over two feet of snow...

VERY EARLY Birthday Present!!

2007-03-03T23:09:00.000-06:00

Tonight I was given an early birthday present that is so cool and right on the money... I never would've guessed my family would've gotten together and purchased a digital camera for me! I mentioned to my mom I would probably buy one before going on vacation but that realistically I was too cheap! LOL. So, today Brent went on a long shopping trip and came back saying that I needed to call my sister. I had no clue. After a conference call with all the peps... I started to play. I love it! It is a Canon Power Shot and I absolutely adore it. I was able to take a picture right away and not worry about reading directions. This to me being a techno-phobe was a huge plus! After reading some basics I feel like an old pro. It has been fun learning what the camera is capable of... and I especially liked being able to shoot videos... that will be fun to actually document real life.

Obese Child and Banning McDonalds in the UK

2007-02-28T10:17:00.001-06:00

A story left me flabbergasted as I sat eating breakfast and watching Good Morning America. There is an 8 year old boy in England who weighs in at 218 pounds. The government has deemed it is not child abuse but I disagree.

This boy will never lead a normal life. He is the size of a robust, grown male adult. He snacks every twenty minutes. He consumes an average of 4 bags of chips and 2 boxes of cookies a day. I wonder why his mother continues to stock their home with junk food when she has a morbidly obese child.

In the interview, the mother said candidly, “He was born hungry and has been hungry ever since.” She seems to take no blame in his present situation although after seeing a nutritionist by court order, the boy lost 20 pounds. Even with this seeming proof that the cause of his weight is not a disorder but a direct result of his environment, the officials allowed him to stay under the care of his mother.

It baffles me how a child who has broken two trampolines and three bicycles is still in this negligent environment. He is a child who wants to play along with his peers and I am sure recognizes his many differences, but there is not a parent present to alter his doomed fate.
In response to the national outrage of this story Prince Charles has made the controversial suggestion to ban McDonalds in the UK. This somehow implies that McDonald’s presence alone is causing England to become more obese. I will admit that America is the most unhealthy, overweight nation on the planet but taking away one American temptation will not cure people’s desire to eat poorly.

I know all too well what a powerful influence food can have over you. My entire family struggles with obesity and I have worked hard to remain “pleasantly plump” and not cross that line. It is difficult but ultimately I am the one choosing to eat McDonalds, or chips, or chocolate instead of grabbing an apple. In the case of this child, his mother should be choosing for him. She should prevent him from eating so frequently and insist on preparing healthy meals.

And in my opinion, if she is not strong enough to enforce better eating habits, the child should be looked after by someone who will.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/medicine/story/0,,2021462,00.html

Work

2007-02-21T12:24:00.000-06:00

All of these months I have hated my job for one reason: Mandatory Overtime. We had to work extra hours from the end of October to the beginning of February. I am starting to see that it may not have been all that bad.

Yes, I was tired all the time. Yes, I wanted to quit on several occasions. Yes, I lost contact with many of my friends. But- I paid off a bill, sent my parents money, didn’t worry about spending at Christmas, and have all of my families birthday presents bought and paid for. I also got myself a new coat, a few sweaters, new make-up, household items, and tickets to see Celtic Woman perform at the Orpheum Theatre on April 18, 2007.

It’s definitely not a bad thing to have extra money for months on end and I feel like I used it responsibly.

Our management team gave us incentives to work toward during the mandatory overtime. If we worked all of the required hours, we were given 8 hours of vacation time. If we had high accuracy and productivity, we were awarded more hours. In total, I earned 26 hours of vacation time. That is a serious bonus if you multiply that times my hourly wage.

In addition to the monetary benefits, management provided snacks like soda, chips, cookies, fruit, Mac and Cheese, etc. to sustain us during the long hours. They also treated us to lunch if the required overtime was more than 10 hours that week. They would cater in Subway, Davanni’s, Chili’s and other quality establishments.

I was inspired to write this today because our managers told us at 9:15 am to clock out after working 4 hours and take the afternoon off on them. So I get to leave at 12:30 and get paid 8 hours. That’s hot, especially when coming from out of no where!

Maybe the perks are worth the struggle after all.

Changes on the Horizon

2007-02-16T11:33:00.000-06:00

It seems like life changes all around us, but we rarely allow to willingly change. Think about it--we will stay in a job we dislike because it pays the bills. We watch the same television shows week after week. We wear the same clothes and generally eat the same foods. Most people resist change on some level. I embrace it on many, but shy away from it as well. For example, I just dyed my hair auburn brown but didn't change the style.

Why do we as a people do this? Does normalcy really bring us that much comfort? There are things in my life that I never want to change. I want the people I love to be near me forever. I want to be healthy until I am old. I want to have a bright personality all of my days.

But things can change. We just need to be ready for it.

Superbowl Sunday- Colts vs. Bears

2007-02-04T12:29:00.000-06:00

I am so excited for some good football today! I am familiar with Grossman and the Chicago Bears (because they schooled the Vikings). On the flip side, my roommie Sydney is more familiar with the Indiananapolis Colts led by Peyton Manning. She is a huge fan and is completely excited they made it. I am sure the game will be awesome. Both teams deserve to be in Miami this weekend. I am just looking forward to being among friends with all kinds of snacks, Brent's A-mazing chicken wings, and booze. Very nice. For any women out there that want to impress their men and get the facts right... check out the below link:

http://femalefan.ivillage.com/entertainment/2007/01/a_girls_guide_to_the_super_bow.html

And in honor of my roommate, I am a Colts fan today. She has been sick all week but I am sure if her team wins, none of that will matter! ;)

Wonders of the Wii

2007-01-28T21:21:00.000-06:00

The Nintendo Wii is a beautiful thing. We got a Wii on Friday, January 19, 2007 and have been playing it every day since. It comes with Wii Sports that has Tennis, Baseball, Bowling, Golf, and Boxing. My personal favorite being Tennis. Can you imagine standing in the middle of your living room swinging your arms and your movements being detected in the game? Pretty revolutionary. The motion sensor is awesome too. If the ball is to your bankhand and you swing forward, guess what? It's a missed shot. Brent is currently boxing against the computer Miis and it's great listening to his commentary. Now boxing is tiring... 3 rounds of 3 minutes all while bobbing, weaving, and hitting. It is a LOT of work.

Rayman Raving Rabbids is also a brilliant game and that is where the bunny comes from... they are pyscho bunnies! It is full of mini games that range from milking cows to bunny shoot outs. Very creative and just pure fun.

WarioWare Smooth Moves is hilarious. You pull nose hairs out, shake fruit flies off of bananas, and saw wood. I never knew there were so many ways to hold the Wii mote and some of the graphics on that game are just plain silly... you can tell they wanted people to chuckle at some things and it definitely works!

Brent has Zelda but that is purely his thing. I don't have the attention span for it! All I am saying is... the Wii is meant to be shared. It is sooo much fun that we have had three Wii parties in a week.

Wii want everyone to know it's worth.

Silly Lydia

2007-01-15T18:20:00.000-06:00

I guess it all started last night about 10:30 pm. Brent and I were watching the snow out of his big windows and he was so intent that ... I planned an attack! My intention was to jump on Brent and play. Oh well. I climbed up on the chair and stood on one arm, it tilted, I put one leg down and the other got scraped up something fierce. My skin was actually stuck to my pant leg so when I lifted it up a bubble of blood came with it. It was gross. Of course he has no first aid items whatsoever (which we will remedy) so I went home with paper towel on my leg wrapped in Press N Seal cling wrap! I limped home, cleaned and dressed the wound, and slept with my leg propped up. Today there are no bruises and by the end of the day it had stopped throbbing. It is about an inch long and looks like I may have scraped bone a bit. It appears to be every girl's version of a shaving nightmare! LOL. Thankfully all wounds eventually heal...

Concern is a funny thing...

2007-01-04T19:38:00.000-06:00

I have noticed that my sister has not been calling my cell phone or on Skype since Christmas Day which is highly abnormal. I looked on her blog and she hasn't posted in about a week. She hasn't called my mom in about a week. She hasn't even logged onto Skype since 12/31/2006! So my rational (ha!) mind is concerned. Georgia has sent me a few emails in the past week. She is a bit lonely and seems to be homesick. I don't want a sad, unhappy Georgia! I want the excited girl back who was so glad and proud of her decision to go to South Korea for a year. It made coping with her absence so much easier on all of us.... knowing she was truly happy. Now all I can think about is scooping her up in a big bear hug and squeezing until she pinches me. Sounds like fun, huh? I miss her.

Christmas at the Johnson Bed and Breakfast

2006-12-24T17:40:00.000-06:00

Imagine walking into an old Victorian home with garland strung over arches and a beautiful 9 foot Christmas tree. The whole place smelled like Christmas cookies and I truly felt like I was walking into a bed and breakfast. It's lovely. Sue works to make it not only comfortable, but very inviting. She sets the table ornately with china, wine glasses, holiday napkins and silver. My family back home in Virginia always serves a buffet type meal and on holidays we sit at the little 4 seater table! It's simple and it's home. Although being in the Johnson home is very different than what I am used to, it has been a delightful experience. Last night we ate chili for dinner, decorated Christmas cookies, played games, and then met up with some of Brent's high school friends at the local bar. I'm staying in the guest room and he is sleeping in his twin bed from childhood. I clearly got the better end of the deal! I am in a four poster bed with my own bathroom. This is why I say I am in a bed and breakfast. Brent and I made biscuits and gravy for breakfast, we all took naps, and now we have the house to ourselves while Sue and Larry are in church. I tried to convince Brent to go because it means a lot to his mother, but he didn't budge. I don't fault him for it although the music would have been nice. My Christmas spirit, despite my festive surroundings, is a bit mellow at the moment. I miss my family. I miss wearing pajamas half the day, watching cheesy Hallmark Christmas movies with my parents, and pigging out on lasagna. I miss traveling on Christmas Eve to visit other families in the area and coming home to a cup of coffee. My best friend Michelle called right when I needed her and I feel better. I am grateful for the family that I am spending the holiday with. They have invited me into their home with open arms and I feel comfortable here. I love Brent and the fact that he put on Christmas music right after my conversation with Michelle and danced with me in front of the Christmas tree. He always strives to make me happy, and it always works.

Praying

2006-12-16T15:02:00.000-06:00

This morning a 3 year old asked me to bless the food we were about to eat. I couldn't refuse but at the same time color rose to my face. I haven't prayed in quite some time so doing it aloud and in front of a family caused some anxiety inside of me. As I started to pray the familiarity of the act took over me and calmed me. It felt good. I know that God will bless this family as they head to a Tennessee to start a new life, and I felt confident in the fact that God heard my prayer because it was about a God-fearing family. It felt safe to pray for others. I don't have enough faith left anymore to pray for myself. I've found that it's easier to just live my life, and I am much happier not being governed by fear and the judgment of others. Faith is a wonderful, blessed thing... and God exists. I have no doubt of that. But I prefer living as I am, and have been content in that choice.

Georgia and I, Look how cute we are...

2006-12-09T11:00:00.000-06:00

Okay, Okay

2006-12-09T10:45:00.000-06:00

Apparently a picture of Brent is in high demand since I refer to him so frequently. Yes, he is the love of my life. Yes, he is the man I want to spend the rest of my life with. BUT HE HATES PICTURES. Georgia has taken some cute ones of us and that is where this picture comes from, but when he sees this on my blog, I am going to get scowled at AND attacked. Attacked with tickles of course. Oh well, I can face the consequences.

Music and Cleaning

2006-11-16T20:32:00.000-06:00

My honey of a boyfriend created a Cleaning Playlist on TiVo. What that means is anytime we clean we put on upbeat, fun music and almost forget the task at hand. Right now I am typing as he is cleaning up the dishes. I keep going up behind him dancing and he can tell I am just hyper. If you have never listened to El Matador by Los Fabulosos Cadillacs... dude you better!

Training Yet Again

2006-11-01T13:14:00.000-06:00

I am sitting in training again, this time for the part of my job that will become permanent. It’s exciting to know that next week I will be helping my team to decrease the massive volume we have. The problem is, we are in a lull and I just ate lunch… so I am getting bored and sleepy. I want to be home curled up with my honey. Or at least be entertained reading emails. I haven’t gotten any emails from my sister Georgia yet today and that seems surprising. Since she left for Korea I have been running errand for her and we have been talking regularly over Skype. It’s pretty cool. She was being silly last night sticking her tongue out and what not. Thank goodness for WebCams. I got teary when she imitated giving me a hug, but I maintained. It’s going well. Back to focusing on training… LOL.

Bon Voyage

2006-10-26T20:31:00.000-05:00

So, Georgia is as we speak on a 13 hour flight to Tokyo. This morning on the way to the airport, we were crammed into a minivan with 3 kids under the age of three... so yes... three car seats. David and Natanya (the parents) up front and Georgia and I sitting on top of one another in the back seat. We had to climb over one kid to get there! Once we were in, David piled in my sister's many bags. (I have no idea how she is going to deal with all of that on foreign soil trying to find her bus.) So anyway, to help the boys understand, Natanya kept saying that Miss Georgia was getting on a plane and would be gone for a really long time. She said, "Levi is going to be 4 years old before Miss Georgia gets back." Levi (the 3 year old) didn't get it. When Georgia got out of the van of course tears were shed and Uri (the 2 year old) started crying as well. Levi just looked confused. After helping Georgia check in and crying my ass off- the van pulled back up from circling and Levi immediately asked, "Where is Miss Georgia?" I was obviously not going to answer that one for fear of losing it. Again. So guess who did? Uri, the two year old, replied, "She's on airpane for a weally long time."

Grease Marathon

2006-10-23T18:33:00.000-05:00

Georgia is leaving in 3 days and we have talked about having a Grease Marathon with our previous roommates ever since we all went seperate ways. Well- Amber, Andrea, and Jodi all still live with one another but that is beside the point! ;) So tonight is going to be full of cheesy music and bad hair. Sounds awesome, right? Seriously, I love the movies and am really looking forward to viewing them with fun girls. And I am looking forward to sneaking more time in with my sister. She called on Saturday and wanted me to run errands with her. I joined and surprisingly, Brent came with. She said in the car, "He must really like me to come out on a Saturday like this." And she's right. She is an adorable girl and has blossomed so much in the past few years I can't begin to describe it. I love her dearly. All I can say is I am "Hopelessly Devoted" to my big sister.

I feel good.

2006-10-12T13:30:00.000-05:00

Work is good. Family life is good. Life is good. Well, I guess you can say work is stressful because I still don't have access to all of the systems I need 6 weeks into the job. And I guess you could say that family life is not so hot with mom and dad in Virginia and Georgia ditching me for South Korea in 2 weeks. But LIFE IS GOOD. I have the sniffles because the weather is changing from fall to winter when fall truly only lasted for a month. Brent is getting a full fledged cold so I am inclined to take care of him and pamper him... I love to take care of him. I am actually hosting a going away party for Georgia tomorrow night and I am really excited about it. It should be fun seeing her the center of attention. It's such a huge deal to leave the USA for an entire year. Willingly! I wouldn't be able to leave Brent behind. He is home to me now. I know I am going to miss my sister and am trying to focus on the fact of how exciting this is for her. My dad said she will take good pictures but better not marry a Korean. LOL. Of course there may have been a racial slur thrown into the mix although he is not racist. Wow, right? I can be strong about this. I can be strong about the struggles we all face on a daily basis. I feel good.

Apples to Apples

2006-09-28T20:54:00.000-05:00

It has been a long time since I have reported on my life. Things have been… going. I seem to be a little on the stressed side. Georgia is leaving me in a month. We went through a lot of arguing when my mom was visiting. And then we started arguing about other things… but we seem to be doing much better. We went to see my cousin in Rockford, Illinois this past weekend. The highlight for me was Edwards Apple Orchard. I even rode up front on the tour through the orchard. The chatty driver noticed my camera and offered the better view. It was hot. I took an awesome picture of the horses. Fantastic apples. If you have never had a HoneyCrisp Apple, please do it immediately. Anyway. Work is getting very busy and is very tedious. I keep missing little things! (But at least I am not repeating the mistakes). The learning curve is a full year but I am used to excelling at what I do. Now I have to learn and more often than not, the best lessons are learned in result of a mistake. But everyone is very nice in their approach for me to fix things… so it’s all good. Brent is great. I am more in love than ever. We just have fun with one another, like two children who just built their first fort. It’s very exciting. I’m tired. The apartment above me had BLARING music at 3 am and it woke me up. I stayed awake for at least 45 minutes and was simply furious. I would’ve gone upstairs, but I don’t know them and am not about to knock on some dude’s door alone. I left them a polite note on the door today, and the guy actually came and apologized! It was pretty sweet of him to do. Apparently his roommate was drunk and out of control, but I accepted the apology (of course). He was cute… maybe single… he should hook up with Sydney. She deserves a nice guy. I will leave you with a thought as I inhale the scent of sweet, baking apples… play a game. Read a book. Sleep a few extra hours. Enjoy life while you have it.

Night at the Wingate

2006-09-05T20:39:00.000-05:00

Let me give you a visual- I am sitting in a hotel room watching re-runs of Sex in the City and eating leftover chocolate cake from my Outback dinner. I feel very hip sitting at the desk typing on my blog. I brought the laptop so we could research sight seeing easily in the evenings. I am in training in St. Louis and it seems never-ending. I had a blissful Labor Day weekend, but had to be up at 4 am to get ready for the flight. So, the high of spending the entire weekend with my love is keeping me in the clouds for the time being. I had anticipated a horrible mood and even worse time in class that never came. Training has been difficult because a lot of time is wasted. We have a putsy facilitator that is never in a rush. Being out of my normal routine and separated from Brent is taking its toll. Eating out three times a day kinda sucks. But let me tell you- I did manage to spend $45 on my dinner tonight at the Outback!! Can you imagine?! I have never eaten there and ordered what I wanted. (My company reimburses up to $60 a day for food.)

South Korea

2006-08-17T11:02:00.000-05:00

Georgia got accepted into the program to teach Conversational English and is starting on October 31, 2006. My first reaction was sadness because she will be gone an entire year on this "experience." I am excited for her because I know she will make life long friends, take awesome pictures, and treasure the growing it will force within in. I am grateful that she got accepted simply because it was her heart's desire to go. I will personally have to adjust to the ache of having her gone.

Being Childlike

2006-08-15T16:56:00.000-05:00

Life requires fun. I am sitting at work coloring between calls. The bright colors of the Lion King are comforting in the most unexplainable way... It brings me back to my youth. Let me tell you the story. Every time my sister and I had to go to the doctor, mom would bring us to the pharmacy to fill the prescriptions and let us pick up a coloring book as a kind of consolation prize. If it were a particularly bad cold we would get new Crayons as well. It was great. I used to color often and became a big fan of shading. Embracing a simple pleasure of youth keeps me happy.

Excitement

2006-08-15T13:53:00.000-05:00

Big things are happening for me. I feel like I could explode with all of the excitement. I will be able to see my mom and start a new job next week, the week after I will be in St Louis, MO for training on my company's money. I only have 3 more days to endure the call center!! Above all, I am in love with a wonderful man. Life doesn't get much better than this.

Big News

2006-08-08T18:36:00.000-05:00

First thing, I got a promotion! I will be leaving the call center and going to the corporate office starting August 21, 2006. I am very excited. I did get a pay increase, although it was not significant. The main thing is I will no longer be in customer service. My new title is Client Benefit Administration Analyst Tester, quite the mouth full. I have a fuzzy idea of what I will actually be doing but will write more about that later. Another BIG thing is Georgia is thinking about going to South Korea to teach English as a second language for an entire year. She is in the process of obtaining her passport and if the phone interview goes well, she would be leaving to start on October 31, 2006. For truly selfish reasons I do not want her to go. She is my big sister and would not want her out of my reach for that amount of time. Also, they have nuclear weapons in North Korea and that isn't exactly far away! I would worry all the time. She wants to pay off her debt with the money she would earn so you can't fault that... but still. Some other news is that I went to Missouri this past weekend to see Robert and was introduced to the world of ballroom dancing. I loved it. I have never felt so elegant in my life as when I was waltzing. Robert has been taking lessons for the past year and was definitely a strong partner to assist a beginner. I am hoping I can get Brent to take lessons with me here in Minneapolis. We'll see about that one! ;) But the trip was great. We talked so much and just enjoyed the weekend. Things are good right now... that's for sure.

Out of the Blues

2006-07-31T12:33:00.000-05:00

On my previous post, I was very sad and a bit on the hopeless side. Let me tell you what I did to make myself happy again. I LEFT WORK! I hate my job and I simply could not take a full 8 hours. My head was pounding and there was absolutely no compassion in my voice. I left after half of my shift and laid in bed. Brent took care of me Friday night and was incredibly sweet to me, not even knowing the sadness that was plaguing me. He didn't read the post until the next day. I think he just sensed how unhappy I was and snuggled with me and made me giggle. Saturday I spent the day with my roommate and her friend Beth. We made breakfast and played Mario Kart. We talked about guys and shared old stories. Things women do. We hung up pictures in the livingroom making me feel instantly at home and content. They are photographs of Duluth, Minnesota that I took last fall. I blew them up and framed them, nature has always comforted me. I went out shopping at Target and for groceries that evening by myself and browsed. That night I watched a movie with Brent. On Sunday I went swimming, read my book outside in the sunshine, made myself breakfast and cleaned up around the apartment. Now I have canvas prints on my walls of bright, colorful flowers. I also hung some mirror panels and a Van Gogh print. My room makes me smile now. In short, everything I did this weekend brightened my spirits. I did things I enjoy.

Sadness

2006-07-28T12:40:00.000-05:00

My heart hurts. It seems full of sorrow and unwilling to cope. I am a strong person but strength only endures when it is determined to do so. I have lost that determination. I have lost the focus of taking care of myself. I need to embrace what makes me happy on an individual level. Read. Walk. Laugh. Play. Kiss. Write.

Nintendo DS

2006-07-18T17:36:00.000-05:00

Okay, so I got an awesome present. Friday is our one year anniversary and Brent and I decided to buy ourselves a new toy. We split the cost on a Nintendo DS and two new games- one Mario and Big Brain Academy. If you are gaming ignorant, a Nintendo DS is a sophisticated Game Boy with two screens, one is a touch screen. I have never been a pro at gaming so Mario is challenging me... but it is so cool! The graphics are awesome and it combines a lot of features from previous gaming systems like climbing walls, turning into MiniMario, and all kinds of stuff. I am used to the old school Mario, I can hear the old familiar tune in my head! I thought it was awesome. Well, the new game is hot. The Brain Age Academy is like having a fitness center for your mind. I adore it. It tests you in categories. I am truly skilled at Memorization but need serious work in Thinking. I am sure that is not a big surprise! Anyway, the more you practice the skills, the better you do on tests and your brain mass grows. It's sound logic. I have always been an advocate of old people playing Chess or working cross word puzzles to keep their minds active, well, this game is brain food for all! I never would have thought of myself as a person that would like video games enough to want a portable gaming system... but man is it fun!

Thank you for Not Smoking

2006-07-11T18:53:00.000-05:00

I quit smoking. I am okay reporting this since it's been a full week now. I don't want them anymore. I still go outside to the smoking area on my break but just enjoy the sunshine. I don't experience the urgent need to wash my hands when I come back in either...! It seems odd to not stop at the gas station for smokes or casually smoke on the drives to and from work. And I was so excited about having a balcony to smoke outside at my new apartment! I have only been tempted once in the past week. Brent and I had Gin and Tonics and I felt like smoking, but that's been it. I am surprised by my lack of true addition but grateful for it at the same time. I'm done!

Feeling At Home

2006-07-09T20:30:00.000-05:00

I have finally been able to catch up with my new roomie. It’s Sunday evening and for the past few hours I have been sitting around talking to Syd while she unpacks. We moved the living room furniture around and it just feels cozy. I love it. I still need to unpack knick-knacks but they can stay in a box for a while as far as I am concerned. I’ve done a load of laundry and eaten dinner. Now I am going to relax on the sofa and watch a movie. I love nights like this… balancing your checkbook, catching up on email, talking with friends- it’s peaceful. I already have my outfit picked out for work in the morning. Tomorrow is a big day. I have an interview so the new suit comes out to play. LOL. I like having everything set up to avoid stress in the morning. That is something I established while living alone and I will never give it up. I even pack my lunch the night before! So it really is home, just different. Now I hear noises other than my own like the shower running, music softly playing in Sydney’s room, or a muffled phone conversation. But it’s good. It feels like home.

MOVED!!

2006-07-06T19:00:00.000-05:00

I am moved in and settled, it feels great to have a balcony and feel like part of a "community." Sydney is hopefully moving the rest of her stuff in tonight... excitement is all around!!

Exciting Moving Update!!! Bye bye U-Haul

2006-06-19T22:47:00.000-05:00

So... my sister is a saint. She asked some people from her church if I could use their trailer to move and they said yes. It is 6' by 12' and 6' high. Now we can move my crap into the trailer Thursday night and park it at the church. I will clean my apartment and take the straggling items on Friday morning, and then move into my new apartment on Saturday. No more unloading into the garage and a week later reloading to move in. No more being displaced for a week. No more U- Haul Rentals on two days. I will be saving serious money. I plan on getting the couple a gift card for their kindness and generosity. After all, they barely know me. But to use a trailer and covered pick up truck without fees, that is seriously hot. And I am 80% packed. It's all coming together and feels great.

Keeping in Touch

2006-06-18T21:54:00.000-05:00

Now that I have lived in Minnesota for over two years, I am starting to be comfortable only talking to my friends back home every couple of months. It's strange. You have "catch up" sessions and only fill in with the juicy highlights of the missed weeks. And when you get off the phone, you feel refreshed because you are reminded of why this person is your friend and why you must keep in touch. Being in different parts of the country doesn't matter when the person is worth the effort.

Stress, Mood Swings, and Sturdying Sighs

2006-06-18T00:56:00.000-05:00

So for over a month I have been having back pain on and off. I am also beginning to hate my job. These two things have seriously effected my ability to maintain a chipper mood among other contributing factors. I feel weak because I actually had to go to the doctor for medication last week to control the pain in my lower back and spasms. I was missing work and just miserable. The last few days have shown a marked improvement but the stresses of work and moving in two weeks is taking its toll. I haven't been able to pack because of back pain and now I've just learned I am going to have to move my things twice. I can explain. I have to be out of my current apartment on June 30 at noon Friday and can't move into my new apartment until July 1 at noon on Saturday. That is a lapse of 24 hours. I can't expect people to help me move on a Friday morning, so I will be moving my things next Sunday and putting them in my sister's garage. I will either borrow an air mattress or stay with my boyfriend for the week and then move all the stuff from the garage to the new place on July 1. Wow, right? So anyway, I have to get a crew together on both days. I don't have much stuff but the more the merrier and faster the progress. But renting two U-Hauls when I am certain moving will aggravate my back again right when it's calming down... It's been a stressful time for me. I have been having fun with Brent as usual and actually went to two Minnesota Twin's games this past week... They were playing the Red Sox and they swept it. (David Ortiz got robbed in Game 3). So by all standards life is good. But I am finally starting to understand why my mom struggles so much to stay happy. She is in pain. I am convinced I've just pulled a muscle, but the realization that I could be my mom all over again is intense and pretty damn scary. And sitting on my ass for 8 hours at work is brutal on my lower back and the job itself is not worth it anymore. So yeah, even with a great boyfriend like Brent and extracurricular activities, it's been tough lately. I know he has noticed, just hope he continues to give me room. Life continues to change and I know this is a phase, I have never allowed circumstances to beat me and I will not start now.

Being Spoiled

2006-06-06T20:31:00.000-05:00

Yesterday was my 25th birthday and I was treated like a queen the entire day. With recently manicured nails and toes courtesy of the birthday check I received from my parents, I was served breakfast in bed... I had fluffy scrambled eggs, a biscuit, bacon, and a pastry served to me on a tray with orange juice and hot coffee. It was amazing. I dressed in sandals and a summer dress for the occasion. When I got to work, I noticed my sister's car in the parking lot and became instantly nervous. Last year she decorated my cubicle so intensely there were streamers hanging from the ceiling! I sighed in relief when I got to my desk and everything appeared normal. Not ten minutes after clocking in, Georgia arrived with a beautiful bouquet of flowers, a cake, and a camera. Of course I turned beat red especially when she sang/whispered "Happy Birthday." I love her- she's good to me. All day I passed out cake (it was a buttercream sheet cake so I felt the need to share) and people wished me a merry day. Brent was super sweet to me reminding me often it was my special day. He even threw out the cake box for me since the sandals I wore were trying desperately to rub a blister on my pinkie toes! I had a choice to make for dinner. We could go to McCoys, which is a great place in uptown Minneapolis with food fit for a king that's kind of spendy... or get pizza like I was craving at some trendy pizza place. Since my back was aching and all I could think about was going home and getting delivery and into my pjs... that is exactly what we did. All I wanted was Pizza Hut pizza (my choice of toppings), a movie, and some beer. Brent made me pick out the movie and opted to get me Honey Weiss instead of the Bud Light I suggested because he knows it's my favorite. I got a back rub last night and was just treated like a princess. So many of my friends from Virginia called to wish me a Happy Birthday as well. I really did feel spoiled, but to be honest, with the people in my life I often feel that way.

Moving Again!!

2006-05-29T16:58:00.000-05:00

So I will be moving in my my friend Sydney on July 1, 2006. I am pretty excited. We have been friends for a while and get along great. We have looked at several apartments and I think I found the one Saturday. It has two bedrooms and a bath and a half. Most girls agree you need your own area for getting "put together" in the mornings. Huge perks are the 21 foot long balcony, three ceiling fans, and wood floors in the kitchen. The community has a pool, fitness center, and sauna. It's affordable and Max is welcome (Syd's dog). I saw it with my sister because Sydney was gone for the entire holiday weekend, so hopefully I can convince Syd it's perfect for us.

Being on the Lake

2006-05-29T16:52:00.000-05:00

Yesterday I was in Chisago, Minnesota at the Johnson Bed and Breakfast. Actually, it's my boyfriend's parents home. They were away for the Memorial Day weekend so we had the house to ourselves. Brent named it the Johnson B & B because I wanted to stay overnight... it's lovely. The house is an old Victorian with loads of charm. It's very comfortable. As we fell asleep on the high four post bed, I really felt like we were on vacation. We treated one another with such kindness the whole time, making sure we had enough sun screen, laughing, eating like kings, and kissing one another. It felt like something out of a romance novel, except for when he was earning man points by changing his oil! ;) It was so hot out. It's rumored to be the hottest holiday weekend in years. We grilled and played in the water. We went on a bike ride. We sat on the swing and talked. I had fun like I were a kid again. When we got back to the cities last night, both of us were exhausted. Now I am glowing a bit red in places but feel like I did something with my weekend, even if today is the holiday itself and I am sitting at work. The trip north made a wonderful, relaxing impression.