A really nice man...

Riley: "Mom did the Prophet die?"

Me: "Yes, honey he did."

Riley: "He was a really nice man."

Me: "How did you know he was nice?"

Riley: "I could hear it in his voice."

Kalli: "He sings the song Lead Me, Guide Me - right?"

"A Thousand Splendid Suns"

I just finished the book "A Thousand Splendid Suns" and fell in love with it. I was nervous to read it because I read "The Kite Runner" (by the same author) and really liked that book, but it was a tough read FOR ME, I think just because it opened my eyes to how that part of the world lives and at a point (I think you all know what I am talking about if you have read it) I was a bit disturbed and did not read it again for a month but finished it and am very glad I did.

Anyway, back to ATSS, this was an easy read and I love those books that make you walk away more grateful and more educated. I have to admit I was so tired of turning on the news at night to hear that another of our soldiers were killed in combat in either Afghanistan or Iraq, it was so heartbreaking and would just thinking of how young they were, had families, etc. and knowing they truly just volunteered to serve our country. I openly said we should just drop a bomb on that side of the world because there is no hope for any of them to be civil - oh that sounds awful now that I wrote it out, so sorry! This book changed it all...

It starts out meeting one of the characters at a young age and talks about their culture then as it goes on it goes through the war with the Soviets, to a civil war, the arrival and rule of the Taliban, to that dreadful day Septemer 11th and finally the beginning of the war with us. Those poor people have had to endure so much in their lives, basically everything they knew was turned upside down in a day. It opened my eyes to war one we do not know or understand it is right in their own neighborhoods, they watched their own children starve, were scared to walk down the street because they did not have a man by their side. I totally recommend this book if you have not read it already. I am so grateful to live in this great country and can only hope and pray that while war is an awful thing that it will bring them peace and the wonderful freedoms we enjoy.

So now I am in need of a good book, any suggestions?

HELP!!!

So I took Kalli to the dentist and they told me she has 5 cavities (let me repeat 5!). They want to put her out to do them with an IV, so it is not so hard on her. I keep getting mixed feelings about this whole thing...my mother in law told me a horrific story about a little girl who lived in there neighborhood (here is the short version she went in to get them filled and was under so long she went into a coma and then was in a vegetative state for years). My sister was a dental assistant (until just a few weeks ago) she says it is the easiest way for the little one's. You all know me and I am a mess...my mind gets going and it is not good. So now I am enlisting the help of anyone who has had this done or has an opinion on the whole thing. HELP!!

p.s. she is scheduled to have it done on Feb. 1st and yes I have a call into my pediatrician already to get their advice.

Girl's night / Boy's night

Jett and I have been trying to spend quality time with each of our kid's so this past weekend we did a Mom and Kalli night and a Dad and Riley night. It is so fun to spend that one on one time with each of our kid's to do whatever they want and they love it. Next month is date night with each of them.

Jett and Riley decided to make it a night at home they first started out going to dinner at Chili's then it was home for a night of the Wii. ( I was not there so this is all the info I got)

I asked Kalli what she would like to do and she said to go the mall and eat, ride the merry-go-round and then to the Hello Kitty store. I made the mistake of taking back an outfit that I got and she was very, very unhappy she told me that all the clothes were ugly and we needed to just get out of the store. We went at ate pizza at the food court (Kalli's choice) then off to visit good, old Hello Kitty and the second she walked in she grabbed a basket and began to fill it so we had to a little inventory before we checked out (who knew a pillow with a cat on it could be $55.00) so we ended up with a bag filled with jewelry, pens and stationary.

It was so much fun to spend an evening just chatting and laughing with our kid's. Our hope is that neither of them ever feel like we favor the other we love them both the same!

Tagged - Think Different Challenge

I have been tagged by Lindsey aka The Daily Knack. This is a Think Different Challenge, this could be fun and maybe really change my thinking . I need to think differently about many things but the one I am struggling with right now it is the whole election of 2008.

I struggle with wanting to go vote because in the end does my vote really count? The way I understand it is the each state has "x" amount of electoral votes and on voting day you go vote and in the end they tally up the votes and then the whole state goes red or blue according to the which party got the most votes, so to me my individual vote does not count it is what the majority of each state votes, right? ( I am not a political science major so feel free to correct me). I don't go vote because it does not really matter, but I should just get out and do it because it is our free right as Americans to do so and our country is in need of great leadership (even though in the end the politicians do what they want and it all ends up to be a big lie, to me they are nothing but spoiled, rich people who have never had to struggle from pay check to pay check and worry about crappy health care) do you see now why I need to change my thinking :)
HELP!! I tag anyone who would like to do this one.

*This is a little to serious I should have just picked something on a lighter note but I already typed it all out, sorry so boring!

Here are the rules for this meme:Write a new blog post about thinking differently. State that the post is a part of the Think Different Challenge and include a link and/ or trackback to this post so that readers know the rules of the challenge. Feel free to use the above banner (inspired, of course, by Seth Godin). Include a link and/ or trackback to the blogger who tagged you.At the end of your post, go ahead and tag some fellow bloggers. Don’t forget to let them know they have been tagged.

Hello again!

Picture from bunco night, all the "winners" so sorry Nat and Laurie but we love you both :)

Riley playing basketball (this is our Saturday event) he is playing with a bunch of kid's from the neighborhood and having a blast!
Kalli "helping" at my sister's baby showers, she is so excited for her new cousing to come I think she is going to burst if it is not soon!
I had to take this picture of Kalli playing the Wii she is out of control and loves the golf game...look out Tiger Woods :)
I have no idea how to flip the picture around because I am computer stupid (so sorry) but I loved this picture of the two of them right before Kalli was going to a "Princess" birthday party.

Thanks to all of you who would call and email about where I have been, we are all doing great there really is no excuse I just need to be better about posting more often. I have been so lucky lately to get together with most of you, we had the greatest time at bunco last night...the food was amazing and if any of you want a great recipe get on Heather White's blog it was delicious. It was cute & talented Nicky's turn to host and she made the most amazing frames ( I was lucky enough to squeak by with the LOSER prize). After Deidre, Heather and I went to see "P.S. I Love You" it was just okay for me... I know a ton of people who loved it but I thought it was slow in parts but it did make me laugh a bit and tear up a bit. However, it did make me just want to run home and hug my husband, what did you all think? I had such a fun time just being with the girl's, thanks for a great night out!

Christmas 2007

I have read most of your blogs and it sounds like everyone had a wonderful holiday season. It was no exception at the Johnson household, the kid's got everything their little hearts desired.

It was pretty much Transformer overhaul for Riley oh yes and a bike, he could not have been any more happy he has been bikeless because his got ran over just as the Summer ended. He left it right behind my neighbors car and she had to leave in a hurry and took it out so he promises to be more careful this time around. He really was hoping for the Wii and was a bit bummed out that Santa did not bring it but to his surprise later that day my parents gave it to him and let's just say he was the happiest person on earth the moment he opened it.

Kalli got the cute Rose Petal cottage house and all that goes in it, a little talking baby she named Emma and her lap top (Barbie , of course) just to name a few things. If you ask her though Santa brought her BUBBLEGUM and that is all she will tell you, who knew all she really wanted was blasted GUM.

We all had a great Christmas, spent Christmas eve with Johnson's doing the traditional breakfast in our jammies. Christmas day we went to my parents exchanged gifts then up to my Uncle's for dinner. I think each year my heart breaks just a bit for the plain fact that the kid's are getting older but we have so much more fun with each year that passes. I hope 2008 will be a great year for everyone full of health and happiness for us all!