Johnson Reunion

Thought I would try to get a quick post in, while I wait for the girls to wake up… It’s 9:33, and they are both sound asleep… It’s been a late couple nights.

On Friday Joe invited two of the neighbors and their kids over for a hot dog roast (with our fire-pit thing.)… Both of these neighbors are divorced men… No women… So, it was me, three men, and 10 kids randing from 3 to 12… Let’s see, the ages were 3, 5, 7, 7, 8, 8, 9, 9, 10, and 12… (5 girls, and 5 boys *lol)

I have to admit, I was sooooo nervous all day. You know me, I get so self conscience, and uncomfortable. *sighs*… It wasn’t all that bad though. They are both nice, and the kids are great too. (Though, get 10 kids together, and they can get VERY excited and hyper! *rofl*)… Anyway, they all came over at around 8 pm, and it was probably after 11:00 before they started heading home. (Not that they had far to go! *lol*)… Ray and his 2 left first, but Jia and his kids stayed late. We just sat around the fire and talked. Jordon, the 12 year old, wanted to start one of those stories where someone starts it, and then everyone adds something to it. (I had never done that before) That got a little interesting! It’s funny what those kids will come up with… Josh was a party pooper though, and wouldn’t participate. I did, but not very creatively!

(9:44, Alica is awake now)

After the hot dog roast, the boys had their first non-related sleep over… Well, they didn’t sleep over, but they had a friend stay the night. Isaac is one of Jigh’s kids. He is 10, and very sweet. Jared says that Isaac is his best friend… They are really cute! (Can you say that about a 9 and 10 year old?)… Jared and Josh were both THRILLED to have him over night, and they all did wonderful!… When the twins are here, I have the hardest time getting the kids to quiet down and go to sleep. Not so this time. After I said goodnight to the boys, I never heard another word from them. Such awesome little men!

My kids are going to be devastated when Jia and his kids move next month.

We had to get up and going yesterday morning, because we had to go to the Johnson Reunion. We woke the kids up at 8:00 am, got them dressed, took Isaac home (right next door), and then headed south. The campground everyone was staying at (I think we were one of the only ones who only went for the day… We didn’t make Joe’s dad very happy…) was near Sweet Home (I’d give you the name, but the boys are still there).

We stopped at the Wal*Mart in Lebanon first because I needed a new lawn chair, and we wanted to get Alicia a cap. She’s getting into wearing them outside, and I was getting tired of seeing her in BOY ones! *lol* So we got her the cutest pink hat that says “Princess” on it.

Boy, not many people come to that reunion anymore. When Joe and I first got married, the Johnson reunion was good sized. There were so many people there that I didn’t know, and some that Joe didn’t know as well (though he was related to them! *rofl*) Now it is mainly Joe’s imediate family, and just a handful more… Around 9 other people. THAT’S ALL. I don’t even know if I would call it a reunion. It’s very sad.

I think they must all think that I am lazy though. Not long after we got there, Amanda told me she had to go potty. So I asked where the bathroom was. All I got was, “It’s quite a ways from here, maybe Leann can take her.”… OK… So, Leann took her to the bathroom. About an hour later, Josh had to go. So I asked again, and they kept saying the same thing, “It’s quite a ways away…” … I don’t care how far away it is. Just tell me where the darn bathroom is please!

After we ate, a bunch of us went down to the river, and let the kids play in the water. I had fun snapping pictures… I got some AWESOME ones of my little model, Alicia. (She really is my little model, and *loves* to pose for pictures) I also got a really, really good one of Josh. I got nice ones of the other two too, but sadly they aren’t as good as Josh and Alicia’s… I wish I got good ones of them too, so I could turn them all into 8X10’s for the wall.

While we were at the river, we saw the cutest duck family! A mama duck with 5 babies. They were walking to the river in single file, Mama in the lead. Then one by one they hopped into the water and started swimming up river. So cute! I took some pictures, but they were on the other side, and so they aren’t wonderful… I zoomed in as far as I could, but they kept walking behind clumps of grass. They sure were cute though!

We spent the rest of the evening, sitting in Jim and Elvina’s camp site, chatting. The kids (and Joe, and Jim and Elvina) went to some program where they got to paint rocks to look like ladybugs… Not good. They all got paint on their clothes, and we had JUST bought Alicia’s outfit! It was the first time she wore it. (All the kids, except for Amanda, had gotten soaked in the river and had to change clothes, so Alicia wanted to wear an outfit we had just bought her at the Lebonon Wal*Mart)

After it got dark, Josh came and told me he had to use the restroom, and the girls had to go to. As I was heading off with them, Joe asked me to take the walkie talkie (Joe loves to use those things. They are his favorite toy! *rofl*). So I grabbed that, and the flashlight, and we headed off… Well, the bathroom is not in the middle of the campsites like most campgrounds. You have to walk this quiet stretch, that just has grass/trees on either side. Then there is this big parking lot with the bathroom at the other end. Anyway, once we got off the road with the camp sites, it got considerable darker. Josh took one look down the dark road to the bathroom and said, “Mama, I’m a little scared.” I looked down the road too, and said, “You know what, I am too.” (Big help I am! *lol* Mama=Wimp) So we stood by the lighted information board and called Joe on the walkie talkie (sure glad Joe had me take it!)…. I was a little embarrassed that his family would know I was scared to be out there in the dark, but my fear took over. We wanted Daddy! *rofl* Luckily for us, Joe has a flair for the dramatics. He and Jared came RUNNING, and then we all took a leisurely walk there. When we all came out (Joe took the boys to the boys side, I had the girls in the girls side), Joe thought he could see the space station. We saw a white light (that wasn’t flashing like an airplane) moving across the sky. I don’t know if it was the space station or not, but it would be cool if it was.

–>Pictures of the Reunion<–

We left at around 10:30… Well, most of us. The boys stayed with Grandma and Grandpa. They will be camping there until tomorrow. Then Grandma and Grandpa want to spend one night at the farm as well. So the boys won’t be home until Tuesday. *pout*… I’m sure they are having a great time, but I am going to miss my boys!

The girls weren’t too impressed that they didn’t get to stay. (Grandma can’t do all 4 of them camping, and Grandpa isn’t a help. At all. Trust me.) Alicia got over it quickly, but Amanda is still upset (she woke up a little while ago). When she woke up she looked at me with tears in her eyes and said she wanted to camp with Jared and Josh. When I asked her, “Aren’t you glad to be with Mama, Daddy, and Alicia?” and she said no. *lol* Poor Pixie.

We have some special things planned for them (that Alicia is very thrilled about). We are taking them to dinner at Shari’s, and then told them we would buy them something special from Wal*Mart. Also, a couple days ago I had Joe buy the new Cinderella 3 movie (A Twist in Time), and it’s not even opened yet. So I am going to watch it with the girls this afternoon. Alicia is very excited about that one… But Amanda? She’s still pouting in the bedroom. Poor Pixie.

Well, Joe is spoiling me by making breakfast, and it’s starting to smell good! Catch ya’ll later!

Oh!… Before I forget, Amanda said the cutest thing yesterday. We were sitting by the campfire, and she was on my lap. I forget what she did, but it was something I didn’t like. So I gave her a light swat on her cute rear and told her to stop. She said she was sorry, and then gave me a big hug. Then she looked into my eyes and said, “Can you be happy now, please?” … Now how can I resist that?! She is just too cute for words!!!!