A Week with the Johnson Grandkids

It's been three days now with Austin, Ashley, Tyler & Lucy Johnson. Mom & Dad Susie & Jason Johnson are in Chicago at a trade convention. What a joy the children have been. There have been a few sad teary episodes of missing mom & dad, but overall there have been no problems. Great Grandma Nadine has been supervising during the day until I, Grandma Debbie get home. I think they really like it when Great Grandma watches them - because they can basically do anything they want within reason. It's working out great for me. I leave the house at 5:30 am and get home about 4:00 pm. We fix dinner when I get home and I believe they are just having cold cereal in the mornings.

The first night we fixed grilled tilapia, corn, & rice pilaf. The tilapia was yummy. I baked me some salmon....but the tilapia was better. I nibbled.......

Last night, Wednesday 7/16/08, we had homemade Pizza made by Aunt Tammra! It looked yummy! I didn't partake because of my low carb diet, but it looked like everyone enjoyed it and there was even an extra one for them to eat during lunch today. Tammra & Rick and their children, Destiny, Rachael, Michael & little Jennifer were over because their air conditioning had gone on the blink on Tuesday night. They slept over on Tuesday night and stayed and "played" on Wednesday. Rick thanked me for letting them stay and I told him "family helps family"! How blessed I am to have my children so close.

Today, daughter-in-law Trina called to say that she turned on the central vac system at the same time the children were playing on the "splash pad" and it evidently caused a breaker to blow and both turned off. Found out they are on the same breaker and we can't run them both at the same time! She was unable to open the small breaker box to try to fix it - so we called the homebuilder to get an electrician over. He came and all is well. The kids are out on the splash pad as I write.

Don & I are going to listen to a Glen Beck broadcast tonight - he is an LDS talk show personality with definite opinions on various subjects. Don really enjoys him - I can take him or leave him - I really don't like conflict, controvery or politics - and I really dislike talk radio. BUT I am a fan of my husband, so where he goes - I will follow! (maybe) :)

We pick up grandson Stuart from football camp tonight, along with Tyler who has spent the afternoon at Aunt Sarah's making a bottle rocket with cousin Calvin for tonights cub scout pack meeting. Tomorrow is grandson Austins 13th birthday. The kids plan to spend the day playing Rock Band with each other and their uncles. We think uncles, Rick, Billy, and maybe Danny & Jimmy might be coming over. We celebrated his BD on Sunday, while his parents were still here.

Danny shared with me a good quote from Henry Eyring (father or son? I don't know).... he said "You ought to find something that you love so much that when you don't have to think about anything, that's what you think about." That’s a great quote - makes me wonder what I would think about ……I do think about Don – love him so much! I do think about my Primary church stewardship – I love serving. I do think about improving my health and mind. And I marvel and think about my children and grandchildren all the time.

TAMMY & AMMON MOVING!

Sunday, July 13, 2008 at our weekly Sunday Family dinner/devotional Tammy & Ammon announced that they will be moving to Coos Bay, Oregon!

WOW - really came as a shock to us! There were a few tears shed and whys asked. Alexis was so sad to be leaving she was just sobbing on Don's lap. He made her feel better by inviting her to lunch today - they went to Burger King! Ammon had called earlier in the week and invited Don & I to dinner. We were really wondering what it was all about - thought maybe they needed some money to help them get a new truck - since Ammon had been rear ended on the freeway earlier in the week. But no, we thought, that can't be it - they never ask for anything - they are always the ones giving and doing things for others!

They fell in love with the country two years ago while attending a family reunion. Tammy received a strong impression that this was where the Lord wanted them to be. They don't know why, but obedient they are! They have been preparing for the past two years and getting things in order.....completing their family - having their Abigail, getting their home finished up, helping us finish our cabin, etc. Ammon has studied and earned his contractors license from Oregon. They will be living near Ammons brother and will have 9 cousins to play with! There are two wards in Coos Bay and I'm sure the Lord has need of their service there.

We are so sad for us, but happy for them and the exciting times ahead of them. We will miss Jacob and his good example and leadership of the cousins! We love Alexis and her songs - we will miss hearing them. It will be so hard not to have Joseph around - those curls, those football poses, those flirty smiles! And his "I love you, too!" And Abigail - will she keep that full head of hair? She is such a beautiful baby - that porcelain complexion and precious smile.

Ammon will be missed - he entertains us so much with his descriptive stories - he makes us laugh so much. And it is so fun to watch Tammy just shake her head at his antics!