Top 10 reasons why...

...we're not going to win the neighbor of the year award:

10. There are always at least 3 newspapers in our yard.

9. We don't rake the leaves until the very last leaf has fallen...no sense doing it twice.

8. We don't rake anyway, Shane just blows them into a big pile.

7. Our dogs bark at every living creature that comes near our yard.

6. They bark loud enough that you don't even have to go outside to hear them.

5. It's not unusual to see teenagers climbing our fence.

4. Sometimes those teenagers leave paper hanging from our trees & shaving cream on our driveway.

3. They usually make the most noise in the middle of the night when the rest of the neighborhood is trying to sleep.

2. Being a popular youth pastor doesn't necessarily make you a popular neighbor.

1. There are a flock of flamingos in our front yard.

Sweet Red Cheeks

So the nursery director brings Luke into the auditorium this morning during our sound check and says, "Is his head warm because he has a fever or because he's sunburned?"
I say, "Both...but he's not contagious."

Yep, I feel like the mom of the year.

The Big Game!

Here's how the conversation in the Johns house sounded yesterday...
Seth: Tomorrow's the big game, huh Dad?
Shane: Yes son, tomorrow's the big game.
(read 15 times for full effect)

He was one excited little slugger! Here he is a few minutes before the game having a quick power snack. Doritos make you fast & strong, right?
Luke enjoyed the first inning, but slept through the rest.
Kallie seemed to enjoy it too, but didn't really watch.
Here's the team in the dugout...everyone's hat & shirts are about 2 sizes too big - their ears were all folded down.

Coach Shane in action! (He had a blast, by the way.)
Seth on 1st base for the first time!
Running to second... (he started to run into the outfield until the 1st base coach sent him in the right direction)

At bat, with a little help from Dad.

How do you like that stance? He looks ready to catch...except he's not looking at the batter...
Two of a kind...
When we got home Shane took out his old high school baseball jersey to show Seth that he was number 2...GO, GO NUMBER 2!!
Kallie is sporting the I've-been-at-the-ballpark-all-day-and-my-cheeks-got-pink look.

T-ball with Coach Shane!

Seth had his very first t-ball practice today! He was so cute out there! Their first game is the 24th, so I will be sure to post some pictures of the Arlington Riverdogs in action...with Daddy coaching!

Father/Son Camping

Seth really, really wanted to go on the youth camping trip, but unfortunately Shane couldn't be a daddy and a youth pastor at the same time (not on this trip anyway...there was lots of hiking, rafting etc.) But he promised Seth that when he got back in town he would take him on an overnight camping trip...just the two of them. For four days Seth asked me constantly if he could call Daddy to see when he was coming home...he was so excited! Kallie caught wind of it, and decided she was going camping too. Seth said this was alright with him, even though I could tell he felt like she was intruding on the fun. After I hurt myself, Kallie came into my room and started "fake" sneezing. She said, "Mommy, I have the sneezes...you can't go camping when you're sick." So she stayed home with me. I think Seth & Daddy were a little relieved. Seth loved the s'mores and the campfire!

The picture of Shane and Seth looking at the camera makes me laugh! Everyone knows that Shane can't open his eyes very wide. They were lying in the tent taking a picture of themselves, and Shane & Seth both tried to open their eyes as wide as they could. Apprarently Seth inherited to squinty-eyes trait.
Seth ate scrambled eggs that Daddy cooked at the campsite...and then read his Bible with Daddy in the morning. Isn't that the sweetest thing ever?

One Tough Mommy

Okay, I know the following story has been a source of amusement for many of you, so I have decided to give in & let the rest of you enjoy a laugh at my expense. So here's what happened...

Yesterday, I had just returned from the doctor's office where I was told I had an ear infection, an upper respiratory infection & a fever. After getting my prescriptions & coming home, I decided to put Luke in the playroom to play for a while. Luke is at the age where if he actually sees you leave the room, he screams. But if he doesn't, he'll just play contentedly. So in an attempt to make a quick exit, I made a split-second (stupid) decision to hurdle the baby gate instead of stepping over it. My toes caught it, and I fell really hard, dislocating my shoulder. So there I was, lying on the floor at the top of the stairs screaming for Seth to go get Daddy, only to remember that he had gone to the store. Then I started screaming for Seth to bring me the phone, but he got scared & upset & just started crying from downstairs that he couldn't (while Luke is standing at the gate crying as well). I remembered many years ago taking my friend, Chris Brooks, to the ER after he dislocated his shoulder playing softball, and all they did was lift his arm over his head, pop it back into place & send him home with a sling and some pain pills. So...deciding that I was not about to give anymore money to our local ER (we already give them quite a bit) I decided to use my left arm to pull my right arm over my head & pop it back into place. It worked. It's pretty sore, but I'm okay. And Shane says that he is posting "No Jumping" signs in the house. Hysterical.

Hooray! Daddy's Home!

Shane took his youth group camping for four days at the beginning of spring break. They had a wonderful time, but the natives at home were restless for the chief to return! Boy, were they excited when he did!

Pots & Pans!

My friend Stephanie came over & helped me organize my kitchen cabinets. Here are pictures of Luke helping out...

The many faces of Luke...

Here's the story...

Luke has been sick this week. The other night he just didn't want to sleep, so at 10pm I got him up and just let him play, hoping that would tire him out enough to sleep through the night. And all of a sudden it hit me...oh my goodness, it's March 2nd and my baby will be 10 months old tomorrow! I only have 2 hours left to take his 9 month pictures! (Obsessive, I know, but I did it with Seth & Kallie so I have to keep up with Luke's pictures too!) So I pulled off his pj's and just snapped all of these headshots. I just love that sweet, little face and all of those expressions!

This little girl is a mess!!

Let me just tell ya, our little girl has got

P-E-R-S-O-N-A-L-I-T-Y!

Why in the world we didn't name her Kallie DIANE Johns we'll never know (Love you, Mom!) This afternoon she was carrying around her giant Dora doll saying that they were going to get married at the "marrying center" and that there would be LOTS of dancing! She even got all made up for the occasion...

And then a few days ago I caught her putting tortilla chips in between her toes & eating them. Thankfully, she quit biting her toenails recently, so I guess we won't complain...