Another awful business trip....

Paul is away on business this week. He went to California. I know he is working really hard in support of our family, but somewhere in the back of my mind,(that mind attached to my head and body, which is living in 32 degree weather) he is having fun, talking to old friends and basking in the warm 69 degree weather of moisture filled California. Never mind that he has sat in two long meetings today, I still get these visions of him eating out, staying at the hotel and watching sports without a sweet, loving wife standing in front of the TV. I know when he gets home tomorrow, he will be tired from travel, but not hungry, because they feed him really well in First Class. Laura and I will shower him in kisses and hugs and thank him for working so hard for our family. We really miss Paul/Dad when he is away on another "awful" business trip. Really, it was awful.

I am addicted to House Hunters

I have a confession. I hear that once you find out that you have an addiction, you are supposed to face it. At first I thought it was that I just liked the HGTV channel on TV, but it is so much more. I turn on the TV in the evenings and my heart skips a beat as I scan to HGTV. I find myself smiling and my pulse seems to increase as I search to see what is on next. Then it happens, Suzanne Whang,is walking toward me with those bangs....You guessed it, HOUSE HUNTERS. I must confess this House Hunter watching is a real addiction, because I am not even looking for a new house. Then the addiction increased as they introduced HOUSE HUNTERS INTERNATIONAL. Now I get to feed my addiction twice in one day. In the future, if I ever want to live in Puerto Rico, Belize, Italy or Paris, I will be set, afterall,I am almost a pro, right? If I decide to simply stay stateside I have become a couch real estate agent. It is amazing what you can learn in the comfort of your own home, in your comfiest chair, holding a peach fresca. I feel better that I have confessed this, but I have to go....House Hunters is starting in a few minutes. I just love this whole confession thing. It is so cathartic.

I DON'T DO BUGS!!!

Paul, left for Philadelphia this morning. He had been gone only 3 hours when I decided to do the Monday morning wash. I was sorting the wash, when this huge, hairy, bulbous spider crawled out from under a sock. I am not spinning tails here, this spider was about 3 inches across and it had eye thingys in the front. I screamed, the dog barked, and all heck broke loose. Now, being spider savvy, I knew that the worst thing I could do would be to take my eyes off of that ugly creature. Knowing there is a spider on your mud-room floor and knowing where it is, is better than knowing there is a spider on your mud room floor and NOT knowing where it is! So, amidst screaming, I kept a wary eye pealed on that big sucker. With my other eye, I spotted the heaviest,weighty, item that I could find...the Clorox bottle. I finagled the clothes away from his grotesque leggy body with my feet. Note* (All of that learning to pick up coins with my toes as a child was paying off) With the vermin in the clear,it took me three thuds to kill that gruesome rascal.
Laura, is at the mall today. She has no idea that her very own mother saved her. I am not sure if I want to tell her about this incredible feat. I will have to be a quiet hero.....after all she and I don't do bugs.

Baby you can drive my car....

Laura, our youngest, is only 13, but she never lets us forget, that 16 is right around the corner. The very thought of that makes me cringe. How can she be growing up so fast? I suppose I knew that this was coming, when she asked for clothes last Christmas. This Christmas it got worse. She asked for clothes, shoes and make-up. When the clothes, shoes and make-up request comes, it is only a small jump to asking for the keys to the car. Wasn't it just three years ago that she still wanted an American Girl doll? I really started worrying, so I looked up the age when you can get your permit in Colorado. It is sadly, still 15. Sadly, because that means Laura is 18 months away from that permit. Yeah, I freaked! Then I went outside a few days later and saw my daughter. She was sitting in a toy car, (belonging to her good friend's little sister) driving around and having a great time. It was Barbie pink, and moving along at 1 mile per hour, and just too cute. Cute, because she wanted to ride in a toy car and also the fact that she could even fit in it. As she came up our driveway, (the really long one) she announced, "Hey mom, look at this, I am going be driving our Sequoia in 18 months, watch out!" I smiled and ran to take this picture. I waved as they turned the car around and slowly made their way down our very long driveway. I realized more than ever that I have to savor every moment with that sweet girl. She is a hop, skip and a jump away from high school, driving, proms, dating (cringe) and then college. I guess I am lucky that she always announces her progressing age. I need that reminding from my daughter.

We have a long driveway.....

Living where it snows is a new experience for us.  Paul gave me all the tips to driving and stopping in the snow and black ice.  I feel really comfortable driving and getting around in the white stuff now, but we have a really long driveway. Most days the snow has been gone by afternoon carpooling. This happens, because Colorado has a lot of sun!!!!  That is the good news. There is still the fact that we have a really long driveway.  I mentioned that before right? :)  Well, we do. Paul and I were either going to get a snow blower or an ATV with a plow set up for the winter months.   Now the "either" was really never there for Paul. What man would choose a snow blower, right? So, you guessed it, we got the ATV. Now Paul goes to the home of our Honda ATV with snow plow, starts her up and plows the driveway in two minutes. He also does some of the neighbors driveways and some of the street for fun. Yes, we have a really long driveway, but a snowplow makes it another new Colorado adventure for us.

Let it snow! Really?

Our first winter here was picture perfect.  We had a beautiful white Christmas. Nothing looked more peaceful than watching it snow on Christmas eve. Huge, light pieces of snow falling against a dark sky, while we were inside, warmed by the glow of the fireplace.  We were some of the lucky ones.  Our house faces south and the sun shines most days, melting the sidewalk and long driveway. Oh, guess what, we loved shoveling snow!!!!

Leaving California

We moved to Highlands Ranch, about 30 minutes south of Denver, 18 months ago.  This move opened up a new chapter for our family. When we lived in California, we had some great adventures.  Paul and I were born and raised in California, and we delighted in raising our kids there too.  We hiked in mountains of Yosemite and the Sierra Nevada, swam and built sand castles at most of the beaches, visited the Sequoia and Redwoods, explored the gold rush country and experienced all of the theme parks several times. We miss all of those places, but mostly we miss our friends and family. On a trip back to visit, my sister, daughter and I went to one of my favorite beaches.  I stood in the waves and collected sand in a bottle.  Now when I am homesick, I can pull out my bottle of sand and sniff it.  I suppose if I hold a shell up to my ear, while I do that, I will be able to hear the waves too.  I have haven't tried that one yet. :)

Hope you have enjoyed seeing some of the things we have been up to. Please come back again.

Love,
The Johnson Family