Johnsons Update April 26th

Howdy fam!
Well, we have some awesome news: Tom is pregnant! We're so excited. He hasn't had much morning sickness so far, but he's already showing so we think he might be expecting triplets! We're going to name them Oswald, Smedley, and Dunkle.
Just kidding.
No, but seriously. We are moving into the house next door to Grandmas old house! I'm so excited. I cannot even begin to explain how ecstatic I am. You guys know I'm obsessed with old houses and pretty much anything vintage and historical. Its a bungalow and was built in 1915. The fact that it is right next door to Grandmas old house makes it even more amazing. AND, three of the surrounding streets are actually named after Toms ancestors, who also have statues in the area. Crazy, right? It's meant to be.
I have been in contact with the lady that owns Grandmas old house (Janice Gennevois) since we went with mom and dad to look at it. She's been fixing it up and it was finally ready enough to do a walk through, so she called us last week to do an interview. We walked through the house and it is just so awesome. I can't wait to show you guys pictures. It has a CLAW FOOTED TUB! AND, mom and dad, remember the fridge that was in Janices house? She got a new one and is putting her other one in the Cottage (that is what she calls our soon to be house). It's an aqua blue vintage fridge. I know some of this doesn't mean poo to some of you, but this kind of stuff is a huge passion of mine.
 So basically it has 3 bedrooms, a front room with a really cool fireplace, a little eating nook just off the kitchen, and then a big room that was added to the back, which will probably be the kids playroom/tv room. It has one bathroom, and unfortunately, no garage, but the backyard is HUGE and so is the front yard. The front yard has grass. It also has a cute little porch on the front. It's in a really cute area and in the historic district, so the entire street is really charming. We are happy to be moving out of the ghetto and into a better area where Mae can start school. What else....it's just so cute. I can't wait to move in! It's seriously a dream come true for me. I can check that one off my "Vision Board". WOOT!
During the interview we ended up just hanging out at Janices house with her friend and mom for a couple of hours. She fed us and we just sat in the backyard and talked forever. It was such a blast, and she and I have so much in common. She called a few days later and offered it to us. Since then she and I have been emailing back and forth and we've become good friends! We're tossing ideas back and forth about cool things to do with the house.  She said she wanted a creative person to move in to make the place their own and to have creative freedom with it. I'm sure you can imagine how happy that made me.
Anyways, I'll shut up about the house now.
 Sawyer is 9 months old and finally got sick. Not that I was hoping for it, but he's just been so healthy and happy his entire 9 months, so I guess it was time. We went for his 9 month check up yesterday. He's been acting a little fussier than usual, but nothing that I was worried about. Turns out he has an ear infection, and Mae has strep. They are feeling better and of course, all over the place anyways.
I am loving Herbalife more and more, and I really love helping my clients lose weight and feel better overall. I just moved up to Producer, which is the 3rd level and my new discount is 42% off, so take advantage of my discount if you want! I plan on becoming Supervisor by the end of July, which is 50% off as well as an increase in earnings from my downline.
School is going well. I think I mentioned that I got A's in my classes last block, and I'm in my 3rd week of my 2nd block of classes. I'm taking Critical Thinking and Research Writing.
Tom and I just got back from a weekend in Vegas with Nick and Tanya and a bunch of their friends. We went to celebrate Tanyas 30th ( and I guess you could say mine as well). We had so much fun. We went to a hypnotist show and Tom and I ended up getting hypnotized! I wrote about it on my blog. It was a really cool experience and so much fun. We watched the video and it was pretty funny. Made total fools of ourselves! It was nice to get away, but we missed the kids a lot.
Well...I think that is about it. We miss you guys!

Gnome Cake

Made this cake for my supervisors birthday today.

 I found out that she has gnomes hidden all over her garden! 

 I think it turned out really cute.

johnson update

News:

Melissa got straight A's her first semester of school. YAY! She is loving her job at Ikea.

Mae is now riding a two wheeler and caught on super quick! She's been riding around the block with her neighborhood pals.

Sawyer has started to find his voice and now screams a high pitched, glass shattering scream. He sounds like a raptor. He uses this scream for all occasions: When he's happy, excited, surprised, and especially when we put him down for bed when he doesn't feel like going to sleep. He is crawling ALL over the place.

Toms rugby team is in the finals and he basically gets MVP every game. He rocks!

A Christ Centered Easter,Day One: Palm Sunday

{ Read Matthew 21: 1-11}

The Sunday before Easter, often called Palm Sunday, reminds us of Christ entering Jerusalem to celebrate the Passover. We picture Him riding a donkey, with crowds scattering palm branches along His path. Why did they do this, what was the symbolism of the palm branch?

The palm branch was the emblem for Jerusalem because of how important it was to their everyday survival. The palm branch appeared on the coins of that land, symbolizing one of the riches of that country. When Jesus entered Jerusalem, it was when the trees were in bloom, so in covering the way with palm branches, the people were offering a symbol of luxury. It was a symbol of necessity too. To the Jews, palm branches represented a gift from God because of its many uses in their lives.

The palm was so important to the people that if there was ever a war in the countries, they would cut down their enemies palm trees, causing loss of food and livelihood to the people.

No part was ever wasted on the palm tree. This important tree has many different species and many ranging sizes. The date palm supplied dates, of course. The coconut palm supplied both coconut and coconut milk. The sap of the sugar palm was dried, beaten, and ground into very fine sugar. Its leaves could also be boiled and used as a vegetable. The trunk of the sago palm supplied a strong starch that was ground into flour and made into unleavened bread.

Their coarse fiber was used to make brooms, mats, and baskets; their fine fiber was used to make sewing thread, and their heaviest fiber was used to make strong ropes for ships. Palm oils have been made into both butter and soap. Coconut shells, too, were used. Fine bowls, cooking utensils, even tools were made from them. The timber of some palms was resistant to rot and salt water and was especially good for making boats. The seeds of palms were boiled into a medicinal drink or were dried and eaten as nuts. If they were allowed to dry a long time, they became as hard as rock and transparent, and made durable beads and trinkets. The palm’s yellowish-white flowers had an odor similar to that of violets, and they were made into perfume. The lovely, waxy flowers also were worn by the women as decorative headdresses.

Since the palm trees meant so much to the people of Jerusalem the act of placing this precious plant at the foot of our Savior meant giving up worldly goods, both necessary and luxury.

The people of Jerusalem shouted the words "Hosanna! Hosanna! Hosanna!" when Jesus entered their city. We still do this today at our Temple dedications and at other solemn events. The word Hosanna comes from the Hebrew word "Hosanna" and means, in effect "save now" or "Lord, save us now".

How would you show your joy that Jesus is the Christ if he were to come today?

This week our family will be focusing on the last week of Christ's life. I hope to have the time to share each day with you and bring the spirit of Christ into your homes as well. We are encouraging each other to not only remember that Christ died for us but that he lived for us. He is the ultimate example to us all. Remember to continually ask and look for ways to serve those around you, and bring the light of Christ into other's lives. God sent his son so that we may live with Him again in heaven. I pray that you will remember Christ this week as we approach Easter Sunday and keep his light with you daily.

Mom and Dad Update: Dad is breathing a sigh of relief now that the Costco audit is over. They scored excellent which is the best rating they could get. Dad worked long & hard and it all payed off. Now back to the daily overwhelming grind... Mom's getting a early Mother's Day/Birthday gift from Aaron and Aunt Kim --a trip to Pasco, Washington to see the Mathews family and Grandma Lindgren. I'll be going the end of April. The weather here is crazy as spring tends to do. The lilac bushes have leaves and perienials are coming up in the garden. The sun is shining one day and then snowing the next. Winnie is loving the warm weather and I am hating her muddy paws. I put clean sheets on the bed and before I could get the blankets on she had put a perfect horseshoe shaped track of muddy paw prints across the clean sheets!

April birthdays: 2- Darby Hadley

& events 2- Catherine Gore

8-- Happy Easter

11- Heidi Hadley

14- Elise leaves for BYU Idaho

(in rememberance--Aunt Kathy 16th)