Swim Party at Aunt Lisa's!

Today we went to Lisa's (Tommy's sister) for a swim party! All of the kids were there and we had a ball! Thanks for having us Lisa!

The Johnston Girls! (Laura, me, Lisa)
Olivia loves to get together with her cousins! Nolan, Chelsea, Avery, Levi, Sophie and Blake! Laura, Avery and Chelsea
Sophie and Avery

Olivia went down the slide with Sophie! Thanks Sophie! Olivia loves to play with you!

Twins in Training

Brad and I started a new blog (who are we kidding, it will be mostly me, HA!) I want to run the mini-marathon next year but need someone to be accountable too! He agreed and only made fun of me a little when I told him I ran 22 min on the treadmill and went 1.4 miles. He said he thinks the treadmill is broken and that I could walk that fast. Nice. Anyway! I have a LONG way to go, but want to journal my progress for my own encouragement along the way!

New Blog

I added a new blog to my sidebar, Middle West Meals.

From Indianapolis Monthly:
"The gist: Recipes and personal anecdotes by a devoted foodie."

Fun!

I love QVC! I don't buy stuff very often, but I am very tempted to buy these! They attach to a pop can to help it keep the fizz. I am bad about drinking an entire can at one sitting. I often put a can 1/2 full into the fridge with the intention to drink it, but the fizz is gone!


"Keep your soft drinks fresh and fizzy with this set of Quicktop soda can lids. Made of polypropylene and SBS, they produce a watertight, airtight seal over your beverage for continued use long after you open it. Each is designed with a grilled spout to keep outside objects out, while five different colors--yellow, purple, blue, olive, and silver--offer an easy way to keep track of your own beverage. The lids also convert into cups, making them ideal for lunches, picnics, and more. Set of five."

Set of 5 Quiktop Airtight and Watertight Soda Can Lids $17.71 plus shipping. ( I couldn't get the link to post, but go to QVC.com and type in "Quiktop")

Playing Outside

Logan kept walking through the tall grasses in our yard. It was tickling his tummy!

Chocoholic!

Is Logan too young to be a chocoholic? We just finished a pan of brownies I made in a disposable tin pan. I put the pan in the trash (on top). I walked into the kitchen and he had taken the pan out of the trash and was eating the crumbs out of it! Now he is standing at the stove crying for more. Apparently I am not being clear when I say "ALL GONE LOGAN!" :)

Our Fridge

As I was hanging up another piece of Olivia's artwork, I noticed the front of our fridge. I laughed outloud as I remembered our before-kids fridge. Always spotless, No magnets, no fingerprints, nothing on top. I remember thinking I loved the clutter-free look of a clean fridge.

But now I have to say, I LOVE our fridge this way! I love the artwork, I love the fingerprints, I love the magnets all over. Logan LOVES to play with them and that makes me smile. There is a pop on top, because Logan wants to put his hands in it. And there are plants on top because Logan would play in the dirt.

I can't imagine the day when it is time to put the magnets away, because the kids are over them. Or the day when they stop making pictures. SO I have a plan:

• Next come the school papers
• Parent reminders
• Sports pictures
• Prom pictures
• Wedding pictures
• Grandchild pictures

Now I am feeling anxious and old. (smile)

Olivia's New Bike!

A family friend gave Olivia a new bike tonight! How fun! She is so excited and wants to do it by herself. "Let go mommy, I can do it!"

This is a turning point for me, she really looks like a big-little girl now!! Am I ready for this?

Calm Down Daddy!

Yesterday Tommy went with the Easley's to visit their vineyards in Southern Indiana. He brought Olivia back some different flavored candy sticks.

Daddy: "Olivia, look what I brought for you! The flavors are bubble-gum, blueberry, cherry, (etc)!!!"

Olivia: "Calm down daddy and let me see." (taking them from him)

Handy Olivia! (Get it? Like Handy Manny?)

Tommy and Olivia put the new nightstand together today! (Thanks Dotty!) It matches the bed perfectly! Thank you to my Handy Olivia and daddy!

During...


Olivia is so proud! She got to put the "doorknob on"!


After

Olivia's Favorite Saturday Morning Activity

As you know, Olivia LOVES when daddy takes her to the gas station to get peanut-butter cups! This morning we all went. Logan gets his feelings hurt when he is left behind. (smile). Olivia picked out her new favorite dress from Isabel for this big occasion.

Sidenote: The museum gets a "yippeee!"; the gas station with daddy gets a "yaaahooooskiii!!" (with lots of jumping around!). Go figure.

Silas

Olivia and I are spending at few hours at Brad and Kerri's with Grandpa.  I got some precious time with Silas!  He is sooo cute and getting so big!!!

The Right Price!

This bag is from Envirosax.com and is only $8.50! It folds up to the size of a tangerine but holds two shopping bags full of groceries!

I am so excited! I have been looking for a bag for my trips to Target. We don't do our grocery shopping there, but do make frequent trips for little things. I am excited!!!

You Know You Are a Mom When...

A recent phone conversation with Jamie went like this:

Jamie: "How are you guys today?"
Stacey: "Good, but I think I have a cold, I have a low-grade fever and congestion."
Jamie: "Hmmm, maybe you are teething."

Funny Jam! We are definitely moms!!!!

Thought for the Day

I receive a couple online daily devotions via email. One of them asked this question today:

"Can Strangers See Jesus in You?"

This is a VERY simple, yet thought provoking question. I pray that as I am out and about, in everyday life, my actions, attitudes and conversations reflect who is living in my heart. AND equally as important, during our precious family times at home, including the frustrating moments, my kids and my husband, would also see who is in my heart.

Don't Grow Up Too Fast!

Olivia just said: "I wish they made kid bras".

I said: "When you get older you can wear one, alot older, like 12!"

I don't even know! Is that when girls start to wear bras? I can't remember and I am SO not prepared for her to be 12. AND since she can't date until she is 30 AND Tommy has to go with her, she really shouldn't rush things.

So to my little Olivia: "Please stay 3 for a very long time! Don't rush things! Let your only stress be not getting to the gas station often enough!"

Reverse Comment

Many of my blogging friends have been posting about why they blog, and how fun it is to receive feedback through comments! I too LOVE the comments! I think blogging is such a great way to document our lives, and share our everyday moments and thoughts. I love that comments are the way we can encourage each other! God has blessed me with sooo many fabulous friends and family members who graciously encourage me and lift me up. Thank you!

I have decided to do a "reverse-comment" post. I am going to list all of the blogs I visit and my favorite post from each one!

The Faith Filled Family of 5 (Brad and Kerri): I loved the post of Silas! He is so cute! I just don't get enough time with him!!! Tell him Aunt Stacey Loves him!

BK Woofs (Dad and Kathy): I really enjoyed the pictures of your backyard. You guys have done a great job creating a little haven to enjoy.

The Blissfully Happy Housewife (Jamie): One of my favorite posts from your blog is "God's Sense of Humor" I am still laughing about Eva pulling down her pants in a store!!!

Double JA Jill: I really enjoyed "Home is Where the Heart it" It was truly inspiring and made me realize just how thankful I am about the home God has given us!

Family of 5 (Kim): My favorite post from your blog is "Oh the Joy" (June 27). Can Addison be any cuter? She is a doll! I love the way you chose to really embrace that particular moment, when she had made a mess for you! You chose to enjoy it and that is truly inspiring to me! We can find joy in anything!

Loving our Simple Life (Kristen): I love this post. I love to see "before and afters". As moms we spend ALOT of time in our homes and it is so nice to add some color, changes some thing, rearrange furniture, whatever we need to do to "keep things fresh!"

Life of a Domestic Goddess (Sarah): I am not sure if you have ever read my blog, but I have read yours and really enjoyed it. I am not sure when you posted the post about Isaac (I think it was Isaac) being a late talker. You mentioned something about boys having "verbal explosions" around 22 months. I CAN'T tell you how reassuring that was! Logan was a late talker and every now and then I would be concerned. I prayed about it and one day I saw your post and was very encouraged! Isn't it neat to know that God is using your blog to encourage others!

Livin' the Dream (Heather): I really enjoyed reading about your recent vacation! It was so inspiring. Tommy joked one time and told me that we would not vacation until the kids were 18! Seeing the "highlights" of your trip made me realize that the surviving the "lowlights" of a trip are soon distant memories, being out shined by the "highlights"!

So, these are my favorite posts from the blogs I read regularly. Thanks for sharing your lives with me!!!

Hugs

Coats and Socks

Hi 86F Lo 69F

In my quest to be the ever-thankful, no matter the circumstance, child of God, I try really hard to see the positive side of everything. While I do struggle with this at times, I really do try hard. SO when we are the middle of one of the long seasons of the year, either summer or winter, I have days when I am wishing it was which-ever one it isn't, just for a mintue. Does that make sense? For instance today, took the kids for a walk. It was hot. Took the kids to an indoor playground, it was hot. Took the kids to the church, it was hot getting from the car into the building. Get the picture? At that moment I was thinking winter sounded pretty good.

BUT I do not want to wish away this season. SO I started listing, in my mind, what I loved about summer and the heat.

• The kids don't wear coats, meaning I am not stuffing kids who are too busy to stop to put on a coat, into a coat, then getting them into the car seat, where they are uncomfortable, THEN carting the coats around after they quickly take them off at our destination.
• No socks! If I happen to fall behind on the laundry (not that that EVER happens! I kid, I kid) the last thing that gets done is the sock matching. SO if we are in a hurry and the kids need socks, they may not end up with a matching pair. This really isn't a big deal, but considering the fact that your kid now doesn't have matching socks on, adding the reality that you stink at laundry, and if it happens to be that time of the month, you certainly have the makings of a good pity-party.
• Playing outside. This is a big one. I am pretty convinced that God gave moms spring, summer AND fall as opportunities to take the kids outside almost everyday. I am a winter wimp. (I know, hard to believe since I grew up in the tundra). I don't care to bundle up the kids very often, step outside into the snow and have to run back in to take someone potty.
• It stays light later - I feel that my energy often fades with the sun. So in winter, some call it seasonal-depression, I call it "the lights go out too early".
• Watching Logan run to the door when we say the magic words "go outside". I certainly don't say that very often in the winter. Maybe this winter will be different, I am vowing right now to play outside more!

These are just a few of the reasons that tomorrow when it is HOT and I am carrying a child, a big purse and probably some groceries, I WILL NOT wish, although just for a moment, that I could feel the cold air of winter on my face.

Stay tuned for the "why I love winter" post in December.

My New Motto

I heard this quote over the weekend and am adopting it was my new motto!

"I am too blessed to be stressed!"

I love that! It just seems to instantly put everything back into perspective! Don't forget to thank God for all of your blessings today!!!

The ESPYS

I love award shows.
Tommy loves sports.
The ESPYS is both!

Did anyone else snuggle their honey to watch this sports awards show? Thank you babe for filling me in on who people are and what they do. I loved our date at the ESPYS!

Our Trip Home Part 3

Our last leg of the trip was to Gigi's house. We went swimming last night and drove to Lake Michigan this morning, even though it was raining, it was a nice drive! Then to visit Grandma M at St. Paul's, she is doing great!

Daddy and Logan swimming at Gigi's... You would think that swim would have made Logan sleep well, not true! Our precious bundle of energy was up from 1am-4am playing!!! UGH Logan, Mom and Dad aren't up for playing at 1am!

4 cute feet playing on the bunk beds.

I love our trips up north. They make me miss my family and friends so much!!!

Our Trip Home Part 2

Then we stopped by Grandma Kathy and Grandpa's house! We drove over to Krider Gardens to see the pretty flowers.



Then we went to Vic's for ice cream! I can't believe I used to eat there when I was a little girl and now my kiddos are eating there too!!!

Our Trip Home Part 1

Tommy and I took the kids home this weekend. (I say home, meaning northern Indiana) We stopped to visit Jamie and the kiddos Friday afternoon. Thanks for lunch Jam! It was fun to watch the kids play and visit with Jamie. Eva is quite the baseball player!!! And Jayden is doing his best to keep up with the big kids!

Eva and Olivia playing baseball...

Big hugs goodbye!

Short Prayer

Some nights Olivia is just too tired for a long prayer, here is her current short version.

"Dear God, Thank you for everybody we love and everybody we give and everybody we know. And all God's kids say AMEN!"

I'd say that about covers it!

R's etc.

Logan, you are saying your R's now! Instead of "caaaa" for car, it is "carrrrrr".

When you see an airplane you say "Jay, Jay" for Jay, Jay the Jet Plane. We say, "say airplane, Logan" and you say "Jay, Jay".

We search the house ALL THE TIME for your special blanket. We say "Blanket, where are you?". Now when you want your blanket, you say "are you?".

Date with Daddy - Updated

Olivia and Tommy had a date this afternoon. They went to buy more beads so she could make more necklaces, then to the bookstore.

Me: "Olivia, tell me about your date with daddy."
Olivia: "We went to Hobby Lobby and we bought peanut-butter cups and heart beads. I only had two peanut-butter cups, they were melting so I couldn't save one for Logan, because they were melting. My hands got messy but I washed them. I couldn't save one for Logan, they were melting."

Me: "Tell me about the bookstore"

Olivia: "They had Barbie books with Stacie and the Kelly girl. Daddy read to me."

Me: "What was your favorite part of your date?"

Olivia: "Eating peanut-butter cups"

Me: "hmmm, (rolling my eyes)"

I am sensing a pattern with the peanut-butter cups. First of all she is taking after me and LOVES them! Second, we could probably skip the Disney World vacation we are planning (in a few years, is Disney ready for Logan? I don't think so) and just visit local gas stations in search of peanut-butter cups.

The finished product (heart necklace)

The Skinny About Post-Baby Bodies

I seem to be constantly struggling with the pros and cons of my post-baby body. (Actually, I couldn't really pinpoint a pro, except of course the babies themselves, HA!) Anyway, it was so refreshing to read what Gwen Stefani had to say recently regarding her post-baby body:

She says, “I’ve spent a lot of time wasted on it, thinking about it. Nowadays, I just try to realize how stupid it is, because nobody cares - except me!”

Rock on girlfriend!!!!

(To the VERY DEAR friend of mine with whom (just last night) I shared a late-evening phone conversation concerning this very matter, here is our new motto! Love you!!)

Indulgence

Thanks to Olivia's new-found love of the gas station, I am getting my chocolate-peanut butter-cup fix on a regular basis. So today, Tommy and the kids are outside playing in the pool, I should be doing the dishes but instead I am blogging and enjoying a peanut butter cup and iced tea. Life is GOOD! AND the movie Fool's Gold just came via Netflix! So fun to look forward to tonight!

Daddy's on Vacation Day 1&2

We are really enjoying having daddy home with us! He is really helping me around the house and with the kids! We went to the pool yesterday and then just hung out at home. Today Olivia and I went to the park with Christie and Laurie! Fun, relaxing days!

Using daddy's leftover poster board to decorate a sign for Olivia's room!



Our Princess all ready for the park! She could not be convinced that her princess (nightgown/ballgown) dress would not be appropriate for climbing. So here is the park outfit #1



Outfit #2, at the park, when she realized that mom was right!

Maggie, Cameron and Olivia being monkeys!!

Loving Olivia's hair this way.

Many of you know that Olivia picks out her own clothes, that is just one of the battles that Tommy and I decided we would not choose to fight. This is VERY important to her and as long as she is clothed we let her express herself in this way. We step in occasionally when necessary, like the other day when she wanted to wear a sundress and bright red tights. Is it bad that I told her that people don't wear tights in the summer because you could get so hot and end up with a fever? Oh well, it stopped her from wearing them. As she walked in front of me at Target yesterday I just HAD to take a picture! The combination is so Olivia-like. Not matching in the least! One day if she becomes a fashion designer, we can say, it all started here!

New License Plates

I am a little bummed the the State of Indiana is using new license plates. I liked that the number code for the county of residence was on the license plate. I would get so excited when I saw a "20". I wanted to run up to them and say "I used to be a "20""! Now the plates are just random. I also remember getting excited on road trips into different states, when we saw an Indiana plate we check to see the county on the plate. How fun to be in a place like Florida and see a "20"! Oh well, I am all for change, but for me, this one is harder to get used to.

I LOVE MAGAZINES!

I absolutely love magazines, particularly home magazines. They are currently not in the budget, however, I do check out older issues at the library (can't tear out the pages though, bummer) and my mother-in-law, who shares my love of magazines, has given me lots of gift subscriptions. Currently I receive: Indianapolis Monthly, Traditional Home and Home. I also get to read Dotty's Architectural Digest when she is done with them. Today, a Country Home issue came, not sure if this is part of one of the others or not, but I enjoyed it! I would not consider my home decor country, at all, but I loved the pictures in this issue. I love how the photographs of rooms in magazines are SO inviting and SO cozy! In the past Kerri and I had received gift subscriptions to Southern Living (Thanks Kathy!) and I really enjoyed that one too!

All this to say, I really love magazines. Every now and then, when I can't resist the urge, I buy a celebrity gossip magazine at the check-out. I love to buy them as gifts when friends have babies. They are great to read when stuck in a hospital room. I recently purchased two of them for Kerri when she had silas (April) and I love her for keeping them until I could read them! The Internet is making them easier to resist. I too love ICYDK.com (our guilty indulgence, right Jill?). What magazines do you all receive and love?

Sidenote: I think I should start getting into more fashion magazines since I am in my thirties now and always seem to be a season behind the current trend...

Sharing the Love

Thanks Kristen (Loving our Simple Life) for giving me this award!!! Your blog is so inspiring! The way you document the precious moments in your life with your family is so sweet. I am excited to, like you, have a blog book made, at the end of each year, (instead of a scrapbook, I am terrible at scrap booking), for my family memories! How fun!

I decided to make my own rules for this one and pass this along to 3 of my favorite blogs! Now you girls do the same, ok?


Jamie at Blissfully Happy Housewife - We started this blogging journey together, it has been fun figuring all of this out. I LOVE our late night blogging phone conversations. I didn't know blogging was going to be so much fun!!!

Kerri at Faith Filled Family of 5 - LOVE seeing the pictures of my niece and nephews, please let this award inspire you to POST MORE OFTEN! (smile).

Jill - What can I say? You and I have been through EVERY stage of life together! That is why I love to read your blog and see the pictures of what I am missing in your everyday life. It stinks to live so far away, but blogging makes us feel closer!!!!

I Just Want to Remember

Logan, I love to watch you play with your cars. You just love to watch the wheels turn. I love your snuggle-bunny jammies. (Yes, it is summer but daddy is part-Eskimo, :) ).

Olivia, you are my angel. I told myself I would ALWAYS remember how you looked as a baby, how it felt to hold you, we just stared at you for hours. Now here we are 3 1/2 years later and I have forgotten those days, and can only remember through pictures and video. Now we are so enjoying in our 3 1/2 year-old little girl. I just want to remember the
moments, when I look at you and promise myself that I will never forget this moment. This was one of them the other day, playing on the swing.

Mama Mia

I am so excited for this movie!!!! It is my goal to see it in the next few weeks (we NEVER get to the movies!). Has anyone seen it?


http://movies.yahoo.com/movie/1809902249/trailer#5585728

Weekend Recap

We didn't do much this weekend, just spent time at home. Tommy was off on Saturday! (Praise God he is done working every Saturday!!!!). Today was church, I worked all 3 services (nursery co-coordinator), Logan screamed for his daddy through the second half of the first service. Nice. I mentioned to him that daddy was coming to pick him up, won't make that mistake again! (But sooooo cute that he loves daddy that much!) Then we were off to Chelsea and Nolan's (cousins on Tommy's side) 5th birthday party, Happy Birthday kiddos!

Pictures of our nice weekend!

Feeding Logan "ICE CREEEEAAAMMMM" (Funny, those two words come out loud and clear.)

Olivia enjoying her ice cream. (If you ask her, SHE is the one who taught Logan to say ice cream.)

Olivia laughing at the Baby Looney Tunes movie, we found a great name for Logan! Baby Taz! Logan before haircut...
After haircut!


A few random sayings from the weekend:

Me: "Hmmm, our car is acting funny"
Olivia: "Is it jacked-up? That's what daddy says"
Nice.


Pulling into Sam's the other day...
Olivia: "I thought there would be none people here"
Me: "Oh sis, Gigi would just cringe to hear you say that! You mean to say, you didn't think anyone would be here."

While at church for SIX HOURS with me today...
Olivia: "Mommy, I am tired, I want to take a nap"
Me: "Quick! Does anyone have a tape recorder? I need to get that on tape!"
I know that will NEVER come out of her mouth again.

When we are all having fun, Olivia hates to stop to go potty. She must be afraid she will miss something, so she tries to get me to go with her to the bathroom, so today she tried this:
Olivia: "Mommy! don't you want to hear the sound my potty makes?"

Pretend Picnic (Part 2)

Olivia and I have special time together when Logan naps. Today she wanted to have a pretend picnic on the front porch, followed by story time. It was fun to just watch her play, smell the flowers, check the mail and snuggle on the bench to read Curious George. I love you sweetie!




Disclaimer: When we started this blog, we were hoping it wouldn't be filled with only our kids, but it is. We would like to think that we have other equally interesting things to occupy our time and thoughts, but we don't. The fact is, our kids are everything to us, and for now, they take up the majority of our time, thoughts and emotions. So stay tuned for the occasional wine recommendation, random un-child-related thought, or event in our lives that doesn't involve the kids. I am told they will become more frequent as the kids get older. (What? a regular date night? a hobby that doesn't involve kids? We can't imagine it now, but stay tuned!).