Wednesday, February 26, 2014

Wordless Wednesday - Happiness is ...

Happiness is ...


Driving around in a new truck. 


Enjoying an ice cream cone with a sweet friend.


Making silly faces to make us Mamas laugh after a long day. 

Photobucket

Tuesday, February 25, 2014

Even dogs celebrate in style.



It's hard to believe our sweet Max celebrated his 10th birthday last week.  He joined our family 9 years ago, back when it was just me and Jim.  Crazy!


For such a milestone birthday, of course we went all out!  Birthday hat, cupcake, and yummy treats.  


The kids and I sang "Happy Birthday" to Max and let him dig right into his doggie cupcake.


And this picture says it all ... 
even dogs celebrate in style. :)

Photobucket

Monday, February 24, 2014

Spread the Love.

I've always loved Valentine's Day.  As a kid I looked forward to decorating Valentine boxes and swapping Valentine cards with my classmates.  Not sure what the excitement was all about but I loved it - and the fact that sweet treats were involved probably helped.  Y'all know I have a sweet tooth, so that should be no surprise. :)

As I got older, the day was extra special because I was able to share it with the hubs.  He of course thinks it's a made up holiday (like most men) but for me it's so nice to be told how loved you are.  In the daily mix of shuffling children around, cleaning, cooking, and dealing with sibling disputes, it's nice to hear how loved and appreciated you are.  So for me, it's not about the chocolates or the flowers (although they are nice), but more about the love.

And I hope to spread that love with our children ....


Abby made sweet treats for her classmates this year, which she thought was extra special.  Something so easy, but another sweet way to show appreciation for such wonderful friendships.  


Of course, Abby was pumped about her Frozen Valentine's that Mommy put together for her and her friends.  Levi handed out baseball cards for his little buddies.  

The night before Valentine's Day, I decorated their place settings at the table for a special breakfast the next morning.  The kids woke up to balloons, confetti fun pancakes, and a little basket of goodies.  


My two little Valentine's  ... the best ever!


In the morning, I volunteered in Abby's classroom.  They enjoyed special treats, swapped Valentine's cards, and did some VDay activities.  Super cute kids ... her class definitely knows how to show love and appreciation for each other.  They are all such sweet friends.

In other Valentine's news, the Johnson family is back to saying "see you soon" to the man of the house on this day.  Spring training always starts around this day and this year, Jim left for Arizona early that morning.  It was a sad, hard goodbye - just like always.  You would think it be easier by now, but instead it feels like it just keeps getting harder.  

We're in a good routine now, still missing Daddy but doing our thing and having fun!  And thank goodness for FaceTime.  Technology helps us stay connected, especially with the kids.  They love talking to Daddy and being able to see him.  

Hope you had someone special to shower with love! xoxo

Photobucket

Sunday, February 23, 2014

A's Fan Fest 2014

You've all heard it before, the saying that goes like this ... "You don't know what you got 'till it's gone."  I can honestly say that I've been there a few times, realizing that something I had was so good a little too late.

The hubs and I traveled out to California a few weeks back for our first experience at a Fan Fest, a Fan Fest other than the Orioles.  Having never been to the Oakland Coliseum, I wasn't sure what to expect.  Of course Jim had played there and gave me a little insight beforehand.  To say I was surprised would be an understatement.  First of all, it's not truly a ballpark ... being that they share it with a football team for part of the year.  In fact, the baseball field wasn't even there yet ... not even ready.  There wasn't any nostalgia feel to it ... no warehouse, no bronze statues, no special look to the concourse, and no Bird.  (Although I did manage to find Stomper and I'm pretty sure the kids will fall in love with him too.)  I guess what I'm trying to say is it surely wasn't Camden, but something quite ... different.

Getting past the initial shock was thankfully easy to do.  The staff at the stadium was welcoming, the fans were super pumped for a new season to begin, and Jim seemed to fit right in with his new teammates. (would you have expected any less?)


Just like any Fan Fest, Jim was busy BUSY!  He signed autographs, had photo sessions (my fav is pictured above with the Budweiser girls - soooo cheesy), had media sessions, and was basically running around from one station to the next.  I was thankful to meet two other wives that day, who gave me some of the ins and outs of what it's like to be a part of the Oakland Family.  


Being sans kids in a new place gave us some couple time together.  We were able to have three (yes, three!!!!!) date nights in a row.  Needless to say we found some yummy restaurants.  We also had time to look at some housing options and were so excited to find one we liked.  One less stressor, one more thing checked off the list!  It was fun to explore a new place - finding new restaurants, playgrounds, shopping areas - simply taking in a place we will call home for a few short months.  

As different as it will be, the trip did get me excited for this new journey to begin.  Memories are waiting to be made and this is going to be one of the best seasons yet!

Take a look - the kids think so too! :)


Go A's! 
Photobucket