A poem honoring my grief
3 years ago
Monday, March 30, 2009
Friday, March 27, 2009
Singing Chicks:
You can't compare my little birds to Bakerella...in my defense I don't spend hours at a time in the kitchen! These little birds however make me smile! My sister commented that they looked like they were singing to us! I hesitate to eat these small creations, they some how all seem to have little personalities! {No I'm not going crazy!} All the "imperfections" give them their own little personality:) One even has a little curl coming down it's face! Oh Joy, the little things that give me satisfaction!
NUMMERS
You better believe I'm making these cute little cake pops today!
I have a LOTTA stuff to blog about! Hopefully I can get to it later today! Until then enjoy Salivating over these nummy critters!
Thursday, March 12, 2009
Spring Cleaning!
My sister Brittney already beat me to the punch, but for those of you who don't know my parents I wanted to give you a little insight on the kind of home I grew up in!
Matt and I have been stressed to the bone with Matt starting a new job and leaving me behind to pack our entire house with in 4 days to move to Idaho on Saturday! As grateful as I am to have such a great opportunity for our family come our way, I am a complete wreck! Monday being one of my worse days I seriously had tears in my eyes all day long!
I was ready to call it a night by 5 that evening but of course I had to get the mail first! Too my Surprise something came in the mail from my parents! Was it spring all ready? I opened the envelope to find $200. Every year...or sometimes twice a year:) my parents do their annual spring cleaning of their wallets! My parents have 7 kids, and not one child is left out!
As excited as I was for the money coming up with FUN ways to spend this money, I was even more grateful for the unselfishness my parents show to everyone around them! They have so many things they can use this money for but instead they put all their kids first! I love you Mom and dad!
On a side note I have 2 more days till I move...TEARS TEARS TEARS! Thank you so much to those who have been helping me pack up these past few days!
Matt and I have been stressed to the bone with Matt starting a new job and leaving me behind to pack our entire house with in 4 days to move to Idaho on Saturday! As grateful as I am to have such a great opportunity for our family come our way, I am a complete wreck! Monday being one of my worse days I seriously had tears in my eyes all day long!
I was ready to call it a night by 5 that evening but of course I had to get the mail first! Too my Surprise something came in the mail from my parents! Was it spring all ready? I opened the envelope to find $200. Every year...or sometimes twice a year:) my parents do their annual spring cleaning of their wallets! My parents have 7 kids, and not one child is left out!
As excited as I was for the money coming up with FUN ways to spend this money, I was even more grateful for the unselfishness my parents show to everyone around them! They have so many things they can use this money for but instead they put all their kids first! I love you Mom and dad!
On a side note I have 2 more days till I move...TEARS TEARS TEARS! Thank you so much to those who have been helping me pack up these past few days!
Tuesday, March 10, 2009
Losing my mind!
The police station should have my number on speed dial due to the fact I've locked me keys...and keys with kids in the car many many times! Last week was no different as I was picking up Gracie from preschool! It gave all my cousins a good laugh...and secretly I think it made them feel better about themselves knowing their near perfect cousin did something wrong:)
Friday, March 6, 2009
Jackies Story!
Every month my Salon and Channel 2 news come together and give one deserving person a make over! I guess it's their way of "giving back" especially in times like these! Every month I have been amazed with the stories people submit and I am a bit taken back by what people go through in their day to day life!
I want you all to meet Jackie! Her sister and one of my best friends emailed us with her story and holy cow it was a tear jerker!
"Well.. where do I even start?? Jackie has had a really tough hard life. When Jackie was 14 she randomly started having seizures. The doctors couldn't figure it out. She didn't get in an accident, she didn't bump her head, nothing. They were apparently brought on by "growing up." She would have a few a week, nothing major. Well.. with every seizure Jackie had, it slowed her down. Pretty soon she started getting really behind in school. Kids started thinking she was "awkward or weird." People on the outside had no idea what she was going through physically and mentally. She was only at school about half the time. All of the friends that Jackie did have ended up going on with their lives while Jackie had to start living hers at home. Seizures started getting more and more frequent. After 2 or 3 years, Jackie was a puzzle to the doctors. She was seizing every 3 minutes and had to be in the hospital constantly. It was BEYOND hard on my family and parents, but especially my little sister... to this day I have never heard a single complaint from that girl. She is the strongest person that I know. Seeing her go through something so challenging was the toughest thing I have ever had to go through. She has made so many people stronger for facing those challenging things and always keeping a smile on her face. Jackie ended up staying in the hospital for awhile. She lost over 30 pounds in there... she was so exhausted, couldn't stay awake for the life of her. Normally having 1 seizure would completely wear her out, and she was having one every 2-3 minutes for days on end. She missed out on everything. Her whole high school life. That was such a fun time for me when I was her age. It was so hard to see her miss out on that. Not being able to go to Friday night games, Junior Prom, dates.. anything.
About two years ago, (also Jackies Senior year of High School) all the specialists from around the country came together and had a conference on Jackie. A lot of them were completely shocked at her story. But they also said the surgery would hopefully help her to the point she would only have a few seizures a week again. The doctors finally decided to do it. She had gone through enough in the past 6 years. My family was terrified. We were told that she might lose a lot of her memory, have speech problems, among a lot of other problems. She decided that it was worth the risk and she wanted to go for that slight chance that she might be able to live a semi-normal life.
Well.. they cut her head from ear to ear. They went in and took out a 2 inch by 3 inch piece of Jackies brain. They thought they had gotten all of the problem area. The next day Jackie woke up. She remembered all of us. She could still read, write, and do everything BETTER than before. The girl suprised us all again :) She responded really well to the surgery.. for about a year her life was back to normal. Not a SINGLE seizure :) She was able to go out and get a job, try to meet some friends, and hopefully start living her life again. Well about 5 months ago, the seizures started again. We are hoping and praying it doesn't get back to where it was again.
Jackie is really shy now. Back before all of this started she had a cute group of friends, lots of self confidence, would dance around the house and just had a fun life. This situation has really taken a toll on her. I would love to be able to see her like that again and I think a makeover on my cute little sister would help to do the trick and help her be a little more confident. :) She is such a nice girl. Like I said before, I have never in my life heard her complain about her situation that she has been given. She makes the best out everything.. I wish we could all be a little more like her!"
We had such an amazing time with Jackie and her family! Tara Thank you so much for submitting Jackies story!!!
Jackies Family!!
It was a party!
Tara Thanks again for submitting Jackies story! This was by far my favorite Make over we have done! And if anyone else wants to nominate someone for a makeover email me, and I'll connect you with the right people!!!
I want you all to meet Jackie! Her sister and one of my best friends emailed us with her story and holy cow it was a tear jerker!
"Well.. where do I even start?? Jackie has had a really tough hard life. When Jackie was 14 she randomly started having seizures. The doctors couldn't figure it out. She didn't get in an accident, she didn't bump her head, nothing. They were apparently brought on by "growing up." She would have a few a week, nothing major. Well.. with every seizure Jackie had, it slowed her down. Pretty soon she started getting really behind in school. Kids started thinking she was "awkward or weird." People on the outside had no idea what she was going through physically and mentally. She was only at school about half the time. All of the friends that Jackie did have ended up going on with their lives while Jackie had to start living hers at home. Seizures started getting more and more frequent. After 2 or 3 years, Jackie was a puzzle to the doctors. She was seizing every 3 minutes and had to be in the hospital constantly. It was BEYOND hard on my family and parents, but especially my little sister... to this day I have never heard a single complaint from that girl. She is the strongest person that I know. Seeing her go through something so challenging was the toughest thing I have ever had to go through. She has made so many people stronger for facing those challenging things and always keeping a smile on her face. Jackie ended up staying in the hospital for awhile. She lost over 30 pounds in there... she was so exhausted, couldn't stay awake for the life of her. Normally having 1 seizure would completely wear her out, and she was having one every 2-3 minutes for days on end. She missed out on everything. Her whole high school life. That was such a fun time for me when I was her age. It was so hard to see her miss out on that. Not being able to go to Friday night games, Junior Prom, dates.. anything.
About two years ago, (also Jackies Senior year of High School) all the specialists from around the country came together and had a conference on Jackie. A lot of them were completely shocked at her story. But they also said the surgery would hopefully help her to the point she would only have a few seizures a week again. The doctors finally decided to do it. She had gone through enough in the past 6 years. My family was terrified. We were told that she might lose a lot of her memory, have speech problems, among a lot of other problems. She decided that it was worth the risk and she wanted to go for that slight chance that she might be able to live a semi-normal life.
Well.. they cut her head from ear to ear. They went in and took out a 2 inch by 3 inch piece of Jackies brain. They thought they had gotten all of the problem area. The next day Jackie woke up. She remembered all of us. She could still read, write, and do everything BETTER than before. The girl suprised us all again :) She responded really well to the surgery.. for about a year her life was back to normal. Not a SINGLE seizure :) She was able to go out and get a job, try to meet some friends, and hopefully start living her life again. Well about 5 months ago, the seizures started again. We are hoping and praying it doesn't get back to where it was again.
Jackie is really shy now. Back before all of this started she had a cute group of friends, lots of self confidence, would dance around the house and just had a fun life. This situation has really taken a toll on her. I would love to be able to see her like that again and I think a makeover on my cute little sister would help to do the trick and help her be a little more confident. :) She is such a nice girl. Like I said before, I have never in my life heard her complain about her situation that she has been given. She makes the best out everything.. I wish we could all be a little more like her!"
We had such an amazing time with Jackie and her family! Tara Thank you so much for submitting Jackies story!!!
The Channel 2 guys: Casey with the morning show!
Liv did the Makeup this time and I did the hair...It was a fun change I've done the makeup the last 2 times!
Liv did the Makeup this time and I did the hair...It was a fun change I've done the makeup the last 2 times!
Jackies Family!!
It was a party!
Tara Thanks again for submitting Jackies story! This was by far my favorite Make over we have done! And if anyone else wants to nominate someone for a makeover email me, and I'll connect you with the right people!!!
Sunday, March 1, 2009
WINNER WINNER CHICKEN DINNER!!!
Thanks to Random.org I'm proud to announce the winner of my pay it forward...I picked 2 winners because I'm nice!! CONGRATS to #16 Brittney Cheek {YEAH!!!} and #42 Annalee Taylor!! I need both your addresses asap {email to jennapowell22@hotmail.com...you won't be disappointed!
Also some BIG news in the Johnson House hold....I am Pregnant! Ok JK totally not! We are moving!!! AHHHH I know especially after my last few posts! Matt got a job in Idaho Falls so I will officially be an Ida"HO"an again!
I've been asked a million times are you sad?? Happy?? And to be honest I'm not sure yet! I'm excited but man even thinking about it makes me cry! So all you Idaho people I need friends...so lets be friends!!
Also some BIG news in the Johnson House hold....I am Pregnant! Ok JK totally not! We are moving!!! AHHHH I know especially after my last few posts! Matt got a job in Idaho Falls so I will officially be an Ida"HO"an again!
I've been asked a million times are you sad?? Happy?? And to be honest I'm not sure yet! I'm excited but man even thinking about it makes me cry! So all you Idaho people I need friends...so lets be friends!!
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