Katie

 

Katie, 11 and a half and just dying to be 12.

Favorite new boots for Christmas from Mom and Dad and new grey sweater from G&G Walton.  

On the 28th, Katie went to her first Young Women New Beginning’s Night.   The theme for the youth this year is ‘ARISE and SHINE FORTH, that thy LIGHT may be a standard for the nations.  (D&C 115:5)  The young women had spent a previous activity making glass lanterns revealing a Salt Lake Temple or Young Women’s torch which were aglow with battery operated candles.  The room looked beautiful.   After the YW theme and motto, I spoke about the history of the Personal Progress program.  I've just been called as the Personal Progress leader and the Camp Director.  The timing couldn’t be more perfect.  I’m so happy to be in Young Womens in general… but I’m elated to be in Young Womens with Katie coming in – and so excited to be joining Katie for her first Girls Camp.  After I spoke, the YW president, Emma Patterson spoke.  Then each of the classes stood to present their class symbols and introduce themselves… Beehives, Mia Maids and Laurels.   Then I was able to stand again as ‘Katie’s mom’ to introduce her to everyone…  Here’s what I said about Katie…

Katie

• First of all, I knew that my oldest daughter would be named Katie when I was in 2^nd grade. When Chris and I got married I said, “just so you know, our first daughter will be named Katie”.  And so it was.
• We had a great doctor who delivered her in Bethesda, Maryland.  Since we didn’t know if we were having a boy or a girl, he asked if I had names picked out and what they were.  I told him what it would be for a boy, and that it would be Katie if it were a girl.   Instead of saying, “it’s a girl” when she came out, he said, “Katie’s here!”  I cried because that’s what I do… I cry.
• Katie was born in Maryland when her Dad was in Medical School. So Katie lived in Maryland for 2 years, in Washington State for 5 years, in Georgia for 3 years and has been here in Germany for almost 2 years.
• She was a pretty feisty toddler and sassy 4 year old but she was also pretty adorable and could sing the abc’s so cute that we decided to keep her.
• She spent several years doing ballet, gymnastics and horseback riding and loved it all. Now she’s in ballroom dance, soccer and piano and loves all those as well.
• She’s very responsible. We knew we could start leaving Ryan to babysit when he was almost 12 because 10 year old Katie would be there to help him. She’s always been the second mom of the family.
• She’s really diligent about getting her homework done. She has excellent grades and just won the Reading award for her team this last quarter.
• She shares a big room with her two little sisters… which she tolerates, but she dreams of her own room some day.
• She’s good at rolling her eyes… but reserves that mainly for her older brother.
• She likes music and clothes and boots and purses and jewelry. She can’t wait to get her ears pierced.
• She loves Paris.
• And she can’t WAIT to be in Young Womens – and either can I.  (Just 4 more months till she’s 12!)

  

Photo Challenge Day 21-Something I Made

When I officially gave Katie my old camera for Christmas I gave her the choice of two different fabrics for a camera strap – kind of a camera makeover.  She chose the green polka dot.   I opted for a camera makeover as well, and sewed a new red one.  I think it’s going to be kind of fun to change the fabric every so often!

Photo Challenge Day 20–Guilty Pleasure

I LOVE York Peppermint Patties and since I’ve convinced myself that they are a ‘lower-fat’ chocolate bar I only feel half the guilt for this little pleasure.  Unfortunately, my family has adopted my love for Yorks so I have become a York-sharer.  Nothing works better as a little reward for the kids.  Emily earned a small bag full of these for working hard on one of her personal goals this month.

Photo Challenge Day 19–My Shoes

These are some of my favorites.  I found them 6 months ago at a German shoe store and have worn them a ton!

Photo Challenge Day 18–Sweet

This is my ‘sweet’ boy, Luke.  He is my ‘laundry pile delivery boy’.   He actually volunteered for the position, which is why he’s so sweet.  He saw all the laundry piles all over the coffee table and couch over a month ago and said, “Mom, where does this pile go?” while picking up the nearest mound.  Matthew followed suite and soon they had delivered all 11 piles to their appropriate places with big smiles on their faces.  Ever since, when he sees the piles he stops what he’s doing and volunteers for ‘laundry pile delivery boy.’  He requests that the piles be high enough that he can keep it steady with his chin.  What a sweetheart.

Photo Challenge Day 17–Something I bought

13 gals from the ward helped my friend, Yvonne, celebrate her birthday with a girls shopping trip across the border into France.  We left after the kids were in school and drove just over an hour to Soufflenheim, France – a little town known for it’s pottery.  This was my second trip to Soufflenheim.   Stores are open from 9:00 to 12:00 and then again from 2:30 – 5:00…  Everyone closes shop for lunch.   Since we arrived at about 10:00 we had exactly two hours to shop – then eat lunch and then head home before our kids got out of school.  We wandered down the main street of town hitting all the best pottery shops.  At one point, a group of us walked down a side street to an out of the way pottery shop that we hadn’t noticed before.  The front gates were open but the front door to the shop was closed.  We rang the bell and waited but no one came. Most of the gals gave up but Emma and I were determined to get inside.  We could tell from looking in the windows there were some things we were interested in.  We knocked and rang and wandered around their courtyard for any sign of people.  Finally a man carrying big buckets walked across the property and we said, “Excusez moi!”   He kindly opened the shop doors for us and went into the attached house to get his wife.  Emma and I found ourselves immediately attracted to this blue line of pottery – (we have very similar tastes!) but it still took us a half hour to pick out our pieces.    I ended up with three square-ish bowls and a similar low platter – that all stack perfectly.  Emma picked up some gorgeous bowls and we both walked away thrilled that our determination had paid off.    At 12:00 we headed to the corner and ate a great lunch with everyone before heading home.  Good friends!  Fun day.  Yvonne thinks she’ll celebrate her birthday the same next year so maybe I’ll add to my collection!

Photo Challenge Day 16 - Water

I’m loving the chance to document some of the every day things around here through my photo challenge this month. (or last month actually)  Matthew loves water.   Every time he sees his swimming suit in his top drawer he asks if he can go swimming... and since we don’t go swimming much in the winter, the bathtub is the next best thing. He plays with his new Schleich ‘water’ animals, counting them and telling me all their names and showing me what they do. He even shows me how he can swim moving along on his tummy and kicking his legs. He stays in the tub so long that he definitely gets raisin fingers.

I am just loving this kid so much. It makes me so sad to see him growing up so fast. I spend lots of my day just observing his play, listening to his sweet little voice and giving him LOTS of hugs… trying to soak up these last few months of 2.  Love you, big boy.

        

Photo Challenge Day 15–Morning

A whole lot happens every morning in this bathroom. 

This is our MAIN bathroom.  German bathrooms tend to be as big or bigger than their kitchens.  Ours is definitely a large bathroom.  2 sinks, a big tub, toilet and a shower.  We came from having a huge shower in our Georgia house so the small shower is Chris’  main complaint – especially because the bathroom in general is so big.  The lack of storage was definitely something to get used to… but the cabinet between the sinks came with the apartment and that’s more than we’d seen other places so we couldn’t complain.  We purchased the second cabinet from Ikea.   I was pleasantly surprised that it had a big bathtub since I do love a nice hot bath before bed.  Another interesting thing is that this bathroom only has two plugs in the entire thing and they are way up high by the lights over the mirrors.  Only two things can be plugged in at a time.  All German windows have amazing ‘blinds’ called Rouladens… which black out all light.  (Just like you’re sleeping in a cave – they are fabulous!! )  Our bathroom windows have them to, of course, but in the spring and summer we hardly put them down.

We don’t have a master bathroom so this bathroom is shared by the occupants of the three bedrooms on this floor… Chris and I, Luke and Matthew and Ryan.   The three girls have their own bathroom upstairs in their room, but since it doesn’t have a tub they frequently use this one as well.  In fact, the whole families toothbrushes live here too (minus Katie’s) so you can imagine the traffic.

Morning in this bathroom is somewhat chaotic.  Ryan showers here first at 6am before anyone else is awake.  The girls wake up at 6:15.  Katie showers  and does her own hair upstairs (it’s practically her own bathroom) while Emily and Megan run downstairs to have me do their hair in this bathroom while Ryan does his hair at the other sink.   They all brush their teeth here and take turns using the bathroom before heading off to school.  As the kids are leaving the bathroom Chris hops in the shower to get ready for work.  As soon as he’s out then the little boys are in the tub playing with their new dolphin, seal, whale and shark animals.  They stay and play for awhile.  After they get dressed then they excitedly run back in here to do hair, fighting about who will be first.

Always last to get ready for the day is me.  Sometimes by 9:00, sometimes a lot later than that, I finally get to be in the bathroom by myself!  One of the things I love about this bathroom is the windows.  They let in so much light.  When I blow dry my hair, then I open the left one so that it’s wide open.  ( I get too hot blow drying my hair for so long.)  Now that it’s trying to be spring time I can hear the birds chirping and see blue sky and red German rooftops as I get ready.  Sometimes I can hear the faint sound of Sankt Leon church bells ringing.  I love it.

Photo Challenge Day 14–Happiness

Yes, much happiness in the boys room this month.    We took down the crib (and gave it away) and put up two matching toddler beds instead.  Both Matthew AND Luke are completely thrilled. 

Luke has been patiently sleeping on his ‘crib mattress on the floor’ for the past year and a half.  We wanted to wait until Matt was out of his crib before we decided what we’d do with the both of them.   But as it turns out, there weren’t many choices.   The bed frames and mattresses in the German economy are a different size so we’d have to buy new frames, mattresses and sheets.  Expensive.   We’re not ready to really buy them bedroom furniture yet – we just wanted something to hold us over until we’re back in the States again.   The military shopping center had one choice of toddler bed… these, and as you can see, the boys couldn’t be happier.  They were SO excited when Dad put them together and we arranged them in the room.

They’ve been sleeping in them for three weeks now.  They both go to bed great, don’t get out, and don’t even talk or play around at night, mostly because Luke is asleep in less than 3 minutes.   Matthew still takes a nap every day so sometimes he stays up with us for a little while, but even when he goes to bed at the same time he just stays in his bed and talks to himself.  It’s pretty cute.   

Yeah for big boy beds!

Emily’s Love Life

Boy did I get an ear full today.   Emily came bouncing in the house with a huge red heart shaped box of chocolates and a large pink sealed envelope.  “It’s from Andrew!” she said with a smile.

{Just the night before, when Emily was preparing her Valentines, she told me that 3 boys liked her.  Andrew, Sheffield and Brayden.  

Earlier in the year Sheffield declared that he liked Emily.  She doesn’t remember the details because it was right at the beginning of the year – but it’s just common knowledge now, I guess.

A couple months ago in the cafeteria at lunchtime Sheffield said, “Emily, Andrew likes you.  Believe me, he likes you!!”  Then Andrew got all red and he was smiling and said, “No, I don’t.”   But then 30 seconds later Andrew said, “Now I have two girlfriends.  One in Texas and her.”  pointing to Emily.   Then Emily piped up and said, “I’m not your girlfriend, you just have a crush on me!”  Go Emily!

A little while later, again in the cafeteria, Emily’s table was spinning a bottle (seriously?) and playing truth or dare.  The bottle spun to Brayden and he picked truth.   Someone asked him, “Who do you like in this class?” and Brayden looked right at Emily (who was sitting right beside him) and said “I LOVE YOU EMILY!!!   …because you’re pretty and smart and nice and funny!!”   Wow, how’s that for a declaration. }  

Today ANDREW got into the classroom earlier than Emily and quickly hid his chocolates and card inside her desk.  After two minutes of her sitting at her desk, Andrew said, “Just look in your desk already!!”   She told me she opened her desk, was surprised and said, “someone gave me a big heart box!”   “Ya, it was me!” Andrew said smiling.

Sheffield immediately turned to Andrew and said, “Oooooh, you LIKE her” and then Emily quickly said, “you do too, Sheffield”. Then he got really embarrassed.

Emily opened the card and chocolates after she told me the whole story.  Then I asked, “So, which one do you like?” She responded with a clarification. “Like or like like?” “Well, let’s see, how about ‘like like’?”  “None of those guys. I ‘like’ all those guys but I ‘like like’ a boy named Ryan. “Does he ‘like like’ you?” “Seems like he does, but he hasn’t said anything about it.”

And there you have it… all of Emily’s 3rd grade Valentine details.

Photo Challenge Day 13–Something I’m Reading

These are by my bed right now but that doesn’t mean that I’m reading them all.  We’re reading up on Normandy and the northern French coast for a trip in June.  I haven’t missed a day in the Book of Mormon since January 1st.   : )   I’m half finished with ‘The Time-Starved Family’.  I’m actually not feeling too time-starved these days so I’ve left it for ‘The Entitlement Trap’ which I always want to call ‘The Entrapment…’ and Chris always laughs.  He and I are reading it together and are about two thirds finished.  ‘5 Spiritual Solutions’ is next. 

Photo Challenge Day 12–In My Bag

This is my big camera/purse (from JoTotes.com)  which I usually have with me.  From left to right: my fold up red polka dot bag for German purchases, and snacks for the boys – my Nikon d7000 – my coin purse with some Euro coins in the zip up pocket – my very basic ‘no service inside the house’ cell phone and sun glasses in the other side pocket – shopping lists, diapers, wipes and hand cleaner (counting down on the whole diaper thing) – and my red wallet.  

-- If I’m just out for an errand or evening without kids then I usually grab my dark yellow Fossil purse or my navy square bottomed purse from Florence. 

Photo Challenge Day 11–Close Up

Luke – 4 1/2 years old.

Photo Challenge Day 10–Where I sleep

This is where I sleep, on the right side of the bed (left in the picture).  We lucked out with a master bedroom big enough for our King sized bed and some furniture – including my desk, seen at the very right corner.  Unfortunately, no closets.  Europeans install their own ‘Ikea style’ closets and ours, issued from the military, are NOT large but stand exactly where I’m taking the picture from.  Door to the hall is on the left.  Glass door to the balcony is on the right.

Photo Challenge Day 9–Daily routine

Laundry is a big part of my daily routine.

I miss my big Kenmore front loaders…. a LOT.  They are hanging out in a Columbus, Georgia storage unit for a three year vacation while I use a government issued standard American washer and dryer.  It’s been a hassle figuring out how to get the dryer working well enough but we figured it out and the now the process is so much faster!   The German washers are even smaller and take twice the time to wash and dry.  Luckily our house had American style hookups – with German plugs of course. 

The laundry room is in the basement while the dirty clothes hamper sits two floors up and gets completed filled every day.  It’s Emily’s job this month to take the basket downstairs every day, sort it and start another load.  With her help the laundry moves along quite well.  I let the laundry pile up enough so that I have a few loads to fold at once… that way I can enjoy another episode of my latest BBC series: Lark Rise to Candleford.  I’ve never loved laundry so much.

Photo Challenge Day 8–My Sky

We’ve had lots of gloomy grey skies lately so it was a welcome sight to see blue today.  These are our skies… right over our village of Sankt Leon.  Our house is the first red roof on the left, behind the yellow house.  Below are some pictures Katie and I took in our fields this evening, before it got too cold.  I’ve been sick for four days so it was nice to get outside and enjoy the fresh 38 degree air.  I know Spring is a ways off… but these blue skies sure help.

Photo Challenge Day 7–Favorite

Favorite snack:  Anytime I go into the kitchen craving something little and delicious I reach into my bag of dried Mango’s – perched high enough in the sliding pantry cupboard that the kids can’t reach them.  I was pretty happy to find that my Commissary carries them– SOME of the time, so I stock up when I see them.  Favorite night time snack: Orville Redenbacher’s popcorn with a little sugar (Kettle corn) made perfectly by my man… almost every night.  

Photo Challenge Day 6–Makes me Smile

This guy makes me smile.  He has plenty of two year old tendencies that make me roll my eyes (and that make Luke and I whisper “he’s crazy!” and giggle behind his back) but honestly he’s a sweetheart and growing up so fast.  Only 2 1/2 months until he’s three!

Photo Challenge Day 5–Something I wear

I really needed some new slippers.  I think I hinted fairly well – but even still I was surprised when I opened these up from Chris on Christmas morning.  He picked them out and I LOVE them.   It’s been below 32 degrees for weeks now (actually below 20 degrees for most of that time) and our house is pretty cold… especially the floors which are all hard tile, marble or thin flat carpet.  These have been a lifesaver!  They are SO warm and so comfortable… and they are definitely something I wear… ALL THE TIME!

Photo Challenge Day 4–Mailbox

This is our mailbox… right outside our front door.  Our German mail lady, who in the summer rides by on her bike with a big basket in front, asked me to put my family name on the mailbox itself… so I did.  Below is the place where we collect German newspapers and then promptly recycle them.

The German package lady finds herself on my doorstep at least twice a week, sometimes more.  She has seen me in my loungewear and workout clothes with no makeup more times than not, which is actually the same as my extended family via skype) but I have stopped caring and she doesn’t seem to mind since I’m helping her out quite a bit.  I am now known as the ‘official stay at home mom’ of the block I suppose.  Everyone else on my street works, and if a package comes and they’re not home, which they never are, then she comes knocking on my door to be ‘the official package collector’ because I’m almost always home.  I sign my name to receiving their package and then they get a slip of paper in their mailbox that says their package is over at the Johnsons.    The funny thing is that MY packages come through the military (Chris has to pick them up on base)  so she never delivers anything to me.

The speaker is part of an intercom system which is really cool.  In my family room and upstairs in the hallway right outside my bedroom are the phones that attach to the outside intercom.  When someone rings I can pick up the phone upstairs and say hello.  Then I can push a button to automatically unlock the doors and let them in.  Very handy.

The two buttons under the speaker are the doorbells.  Yes, plural.  The top one for ringing the top floors and the bottom for ringing the bottom floors.  I’m not sure why we need two since we can hear them no matter where we are but there you go.  Two bells.   Germans NEVER knock on the door -- they always ring. At first we forgot and knocked on our neighbor, Sylvie’s, door and she asked about our knocking.   I  I told her that Americans always knock first and then maybe ring and she thought it was very fascinating.  I’m remembering to always ring instead of knock.

The button below the doorbells is the light switch so you can turn on the outside light –which also can be turned on and off from inside the entry way.

Photo Challenge Day 3–Something I Adore

I adore Nancy Kubo clip art.  These little friends are all over my family charts, cards, young women handouts and birthday invites.  These days her clip art is hard to find but she’s a designer over at TinyPrints and her stuff is adorable, as always.  I’ll be using the clip art girls to make a series of Young Women Value cards.  This month… divine nature…

Photo Challenge Day 2–Breakfast

  

These days I USUALLY just have a cup of hot chocolate for my breakfast.  I ran out of Stephens Mint Hot Chocolate, which is my favorite, so now I’m drinking Stephens Candy cane… which is just as good!!   Ummm…. In fact, I’m drinking some right this minute.  

Sometimes I have a half bagel with Strawberry cream cheese.   If Chris doesn’t have to rush out the door then I like to make him something yummy for breakfast so he’ll linger with me a little longer.  Scrambled eggs with sautéed onions, red and green peppers, and cheese.  Another of my favorites is Raisin Bran Crunch with fresh strawberries or red grapes on top.  Yum. 

Photo Challenge Day 1–Me

 

This is ME at my Ikea desk (from three houses ago) sitting on my fold up chair (given to us at our reception) where I spend time organizing and editing pictures, blogging, working on Young Women stuff, skyping, returning emails… etc.  It’s not grand, but it’s MY space… all mine.  

I have three bookshelves behind my desk with paper and supplies of all kinds – and then two filing cabinets filled with files of kids school work and wonderful creations. Chris surprised me with a laptop for my birthday so that I can take it on vacations with me (and to replace my ‘s-l-o-w’ desktop) – but mostly it just stays on the desk and is hooked up to a larger monitor. { I love my laptop but not my monitor since the old one I was using was Chris’ amazing radiology one and this one just doesn’t compare. }

Behind me, in vinyl, is my motto? I guess.  When we lived in Washington our good friend, Jim, started saying this after every positive thing I talked about – going on vacation, getting something for Christmas etc.  It became a thing we said all the time.  When we left Washington I took the motto with me.  I love it up on my wall reminding me of all the blessings I have in my life.   It’s so good to be ME.

Anyway…  this is ME in a place that I spend lots of time. 

Pictures and words by Luke

Luke’s picture of a cowboy – just love that little star on  his chest – and a bunch of words he wanted to write.

Luke Johnson – February 2012 – 4 years old