The Sun Will Come out Tomorrow!

Big, big, big changes for our family this year! Livie is attending public school, and LOVING it! She is very smart...they only have to take spelling tests when they get a word wrong on the pretest, and she has only gotten one word wrong so far this year! Emma is going to preschool two days a week while I work at a local coffee stand. Mike, Livie and I are all in the local production of Annie! Mike is Daddy Warbucks! More later, but I've gotta go to work....

Spring/Summer things!

Mid-June finds the Johnston family busy and looking forward to vacation and camp in July! I planted my veggie garden, but it is looking kinda sad. Some bugs have gotten to my beans, only 1/2 of my carrots have popped up, and I can't see ANY of the lettuce I planted. The peas are the only thing thriving, and it looks like I may have a few cucumbers. Next year, we are doing things differently!

Besides our usual things, I am now walking on Tuesday nights with three friends, part of a moms group on Thursday mornings, going to the summer reading program at the library on Fridays and considering taking the girls to Kid Zone at New Life on Wednesday mornings. Whew, I'm gonna need a break from my summer vacation! We are enjoying cooking out on Mike's new grill and enjoying the sunshine until 10:00!

We are very excited for the family reunion in South Dakota. We leave the 1st of July! I have not met most of Mike's extended family, and am told there are lots of kids for the girls to play with. It sounds like it will be a group of 30 +! We are planning on going to a chuckwagon dinner, Mt. Rushmore for fireworks on the 4th and other family fun activities! I am hoping to talk Mike into going to Wall Drug and the corn palace, but it might be too far away!

We spend most of July at camp, and this year I will be there more than Mike! Mom is coming the first week I am there to watch the girls because I will be the camp nurse and kitchen help! The next week, Mike is at camp, and mom will stay at our house. After that, comes Junior camp which I am the assistant director, followed by Livie's first chance camp in August.

Spring 2009

Spring is here! We have been enjoying being outside again. The girls already have their wading pool set-up, Mike has a new grill and we dragged a picnic table over from the covered picnic area. My veggie garden is starting to sprout and my flowers are blooming!

I am starting to plan for Emma's birthday party. All I know is it will probably be sometime in mid-morning on July 18th (a Saturday). She says she wants a monkey party and I finally figured out that she wants us to sing "Happy Birthday to you, you look like a monkey and you smell like one too" from Madagascar! I think it is hilarious that things we used to do in our childhood are fresh and new to my children.

We have a fun and busy summer planned. We will be celebrating the 4th of July at Mike's family reunion in South Dakota near Mt. Rushmore, and then spend almost the rest of July at camp. mike and I are celebrating 10 years of marriage on July 16! We want to go see Casting Crowns at the Missoula fair in August and I want to got to Washington and Oregon sometime around Week of Missions (by the way, does anyone know the dates for that?). We will need a vacation to recover from our summer!

In the fall, Olivia will be attending 2nd grade at Mission Valley Christian Acadamy and Emma will be going to Good Shepherd's Little friends preschool. I will either work as a barista or at Emma's preschool.....BIG changes. I am excited for them, but also wondering how I am going to get up and out of the house by 8:10 5 days a week! And to think I used to work the 7 am shift, and have an hour long commute! I don't miss those days.

Just a quick update on us, it has been since Feb! I enjoy keeping up with my friends on FB now!

A Great Week!

Wow, this has been a GREAT week. God has really blessed us. Church was awesome on Sunday. The preaching was great (I'm not biased or anything), the music was superb and everything just fell into place.

Monday, we did school even though it was President's Day because we had taken Friday off. Liv did really well. I went to work out with Judy like I do three times a week and came home to discover a piano in my living room! Mike's friend, Rudd is letting us borrow it! Yea! I have wanted a piano for YEARS!!!!! It looks so pretty sitting here in my living room.

I was able to do Em's room for around $20.00 thanks to the bargain section at Wal-Mart. I posted pix just for you, Synova! Let me know what you think.

Hope you all have a great week!

Love, Heidi

Rearanging Furniture

I absolutely love moving our furniture around. Partly, because I truely like change, but also because I am always trying to figure out the most efficient use of space. Today, I did Emma and Olivia's rooms...so much fun!

I realized, Olivia has a really cute room with lots of personal touches, and fun things on the walls, and Emm'a room only has one thing on the wall, and it is Livie's stained glass window. Poor Emma, I guess I need to get working on her room.

Any ideas for a theme for Emmy's room? She has a fairly new quilt that has pink, purple, green, blue, and yellow, so there is some flexibility. Her walls desperately need new paint, she needs window decorations and wall decor. I am thinking of getting her name in big white letters, painting the trim and furniture white, and making some sweet curtains, but am wondering what color to do. Right now she has pepto bismal pink walls!

Olivia's room is blue with clouds and butterflies on it. I would like to paint her trim and furniture white too. SHe has darling pink gingham window valances. I think Livie's room is my favorite in the house, but I like my room, the living room and kitchen too. I like the yard too-does that count as a room?

Another new post, 2 in 2 days!

This is for all my friends who think I don't post often enough on my blog! I could write you a list of excueses, like good grief I homeschool don't you think I have enough to do, or I am so busy cleaning up after my dog eating everything in the house that I don't have time, but the truth is, sometimes I just don't have anything to write I think others would enjoy reading. I know that was a very long run-on sentance, Andrea, but this is how I talk, and I want reading my blog to be like having a conversation with me.

I am going to a mom's slumber party tonight, and am super excited. I got new glasses yesterday. It was really cool...the girls got to help make them. Oh...I know, I could post about my new diet, but that would just be me whining because going dairy and wheat free is HARD!!!!

So, I am going to attempt to set up a poll about what you most want to hear about...I'll let you know how that works.

Later! Heidi

Things Thor has eaten this month:

1. The zipper to my new olive/sage green hoodie.

2. Emma's new ballet slipper.

3. 3 sleeping bag zippers.

4. My Liz Claiborne purse.

5. A whole roll of toilet paper.

6. A small cabbage patch doll that was on my 5th Birthday cake (yes, almost 25 years ago)

7. Doll house furniture.

8. His collar.

9. Unidentified plastic doohicky.

10. Un-numbered q-tips

11. Board books.

12. Ballerina magnetic dolls.

13. Zippers from both Emma's and Livie's coats.

14. Not his chew toys.

Anyone want a Yorkshire Terrier cheap?

December 2008

Wow, December is gone? I'll share our highlights of the month with you!
EMMA's CHRISTMAS PROGRAM
Emma was an angel in the preschool's Christmas program this year. Olivia was the special guest Inn Keeper. Everyone sang so nicely, the angels got a little carried away with Go Tell It On The Mountain and teacher Teresa had to cut them off...but it was cute.

FAMILY VACATION TO MISSOURI
For Christmas this year, we drove to Missouri to surprise Mike's dad at his sisters house. We had a blast. Getting there took two days in icy, wintery weather. We finally arrived at dinner time only to find Mike's dad had already gone to the hotel for the night. We decided to go ahead and save the surprise for the morning. Boy was Grandpa shocked to see us! We had a great time together.

The first night, Emma and Olivia slept in the living room and for 20 minutes, Emma kept saying "Night, Night". Denise would tell her "Night Night, Emma" and it would continue back and forth. So cute.

Christmas was great. All Emma asked for was Barbie panties, and after 3 different wal marts in 2 different states, Santa finally found them...2 sizes too big. Emma didn't care how big they were, she was happy anyway. Olivia and Emma each got each other Barbie cars (and told each other what they bought!). Mike was surprised to get me a pair of shoes for CHristmas!

Olivia got an early Birthday present from Grandma and Grandpa....she got her ears pierced! She is such a big girl now.

The drive home took 3 days. We stopped by Wall Drug for the best coffee in the world, and only 5 cents a cup....such a deal! We drove by Mt. Rushmore and then spent 2 hours at The Reptile Museum. For pictures of all this...check out Facebook!

NEW YEARS EVE
We got home Tuesday teh 30th...just in time for an 80's New Years Eve party the next day! The girls and I got all dressed up 80's style and rang in the new year at the Smith house. We had tons of fun!

That's all I can think of now, and it feels pretty fragmented to me, and I need to go do math with Livie....so more later!

Emma's Preschool

Olivia and I went to preschool with Emma yesterday. It was really fun, and I learned a lot. Last year, I subbed for Teresa when she or baby Gracie was sick and Kelly couldn't sub, so I'm pretty familiar with the school, what I learned was about Emma. The following are things I honestly didn't know about my "baby":

1. She can go potty without help
2. She can sit still long enough to listen to a story
3. She does know how to share toys
4. She can speak clearly enough for other adults to understand her
5. She can trace her name beautifully (won't do it at home)
6. She can count to ten (at home she goes 1 2 3 8 9 10)
7. She does know how to pick up toys
8. She can make it 3 hours without whining (who woulda thought)
9. She can be outgoing (she has a shy nature)
10. She really is a big girl, not a baby anymore

Poor Emma, now that I know these things her free ride is over! I think she gets away with more because I know she is my last baby. Well, she is three now, time to buck up and face the music. You do have to pick up after yourself, you are expected to listen the first time. She was playing dumb with me and I believed her! Not again, sister!

I really did suspect most the things on the list and make her do them occasionally, but seeing her with other kids and another adult in charge for three hours showed me she is old enough to do all those things consistently. Pray for me as I enter this battle. One thing I have always known about her, she is as stubborn as her father and smarter than her mother!

Should I Go Back to College?

Ok, as if life isn't busy enough or I don't have enough to do, I am now contemplating going back to college. When Mike and I got married, I quit school so I could work full-time so we could afford to live. The plan was always for me to finish college when the kids were in school. Fast forward 9 years, and we've decide to home school, which makes attending classes practically impossible. However, in this day and age, I could attend college online and not have to go anywhere.

I do want to finish my teaching degree just in case something happens to Mike, I would be able to support the girls and myself while still feeling like I had adequate time to be a mom. It would also be beneficial in the event that Montana decides homeschoolers need a teaching credential. Many states require the mom to have a teaching certificate or be monitored every three months by the state. So far, the only regulation in Montana is that I notify the superintendents office and agree to teach a curriculum comparable to what is taught in public school and keep attendance records. I want to protect my right to home school, and right now getting my degree and teachers certificate seems the most practical way to do so.

Please pray for this decision. We don't have the finances to do this, so I would either have to have grants, scholarships or student loans. I am not wanting to go into debt for this.

Halloween, not for us!

This year, we made a decsion as a family to not celebrate Halloween. I have felt convicted about celebrating because of its origins, and Mike made the decision this year. Instead, we are making pizza from scratch (dough and everything!), eating as much candy as we can and watching a kids video with the girls. This will be an even more special family time because tonight, Mike comes home from three days of hunting! The girls probably won't even miss getting dressed up, because they have access to dress-up clothes every single day. I figure since Emma has been going through most her days as Cinderella or a Ladybug or a ballerina-construction worker dressing up has lost its novelty for her.

The church is still doing the Harvest Festival for the community kids at the local elementary gym, we're just not participating. This is what I believe Unity without Uniformity looks like. I believe the Bible is clear on this issue, but others may not see it. I hope and pray that they will see the truth, and how God truely does not change from the OT to the NT to now and they mold to what the Bible says, but I have just been convicted of this, and can't expect everyone to agrewith me right now. I pray that because of our church kids are kept safe and hear the truth of Jesus tonight. Thank You Brenda for doing what you feel convicted to do!

I bought a book called "Mommy, why Don't We Celebrate Halloween?" by Lida Hacon Winword that explains it very clearly and helped me to teach my children.

Hunting Season is Here...

Hunting season for big game officially began on Sunday October 26! Mike left this morning for "hunt camp" and will be back on Friday evening, hopefully with a fresh kill.

If you had told me five years ago when we moved from Washingto to Texas that he would go hunting in Montana, I would have laughed at you. Isn't God great how He changes us!

We are fortunate to live where we can afford for me to stay at home with the girls. Each day is a gift that I need to start appreciating more. I am blessed with the opportunity to homeschool and need to be more thankful for that. Mike is blessed to get paid for what he loves doing-Preaching the Word!

When I look back at all the changes our family has gone through in the last five years, it amazes me. When Olivia was born in January 2003, we lived in Lynnwood in a tiny two bedroom apartment. Mike lost his job when Olivia was 3 weeks old. I went back to work when she was 6 weeks old. Life was a series of who was going to be where when, coordinating Liv's care when Mike was working (school bus driver) and running here and there. We were not happy. We were surviving, not living.

When Olivia was 9 months old, Mike began his first full-time paid ministry-in Big Spring, Texas. What a move! I went from being in a career where I was praised and recognized for my accomplishments to staying at home with Olivia. I went through a period of depression that was never diagnosed or treated. Texas was a place of tremendous growth and hard lessons learned. We were betrayed by people, a church and hurt very deeply. We were slandered, gossiped about and lied to. God stayed faithful. We always had enough food (enough for me to become overweight!), all our medical bills were taken care of, and we always had a handful of good friends. Friends like Tera, who was a great ear and shoulder to cry on. We are still good friends today. We also had each other. Mike resigned in May 2005. Emma came into our lives in July 2005. When she was 2 weeks old, we moved to Clovis, New Mexico for Mike's second full-time ministry position.

Clovis was not the place for us. Another season of growth and pain. Mike was "voted out" of the church in April of 2006 because he wouldn't play politics. Emma was 9 months old and Olivia was 3 years old.

We could have stayed in the south, but we were really wanting to get back to the north and my parents had a house sitting empty in Newport, Oregon so....we moved to Oregon, with no money, no job, just our faith in God...and He is Faithful!

Again, we were well fed, had a roof over our heads, were all healthy and were living on the Oregon coast, one of the most beautiful places I can think of. God provided me with a job and Mike the chance to stay home for 6 months with our two wonderful daughters. We were blessed to be part of South Beach Christian Fellowship. What a ministry there! Those people are in love with God and want to share it! Such big hearts and giving people. I met Ruthie at church and she happened to be my neighbor too, and she was my friend through a very rough patch in my life. We got the chance to visit their family when we were on vacation this year!

During this time, we were talking with two different churches, one in Brookings, Oregon a small coastal town and the other in Pablo, Montana. We had the chance to apply lessons learned in the south and when both churches offered Mike a position, we felt God was leading us to Montana for several reasons I won't go into here.

Ahhh...Montana! We've been here two years, Emma is 3 and Olivia is almost 6. We added Thor (our Yorkie pup) to our family last Christmas. This church is a good fit. We are at home here. Serving God is a joy again! We have a home with a beautiful view of the mountains, a great yard for the girls to play in, a vegetable garden, pretty flowers, a gorgeous maple....and Mike is hunting. I homeschool (which means I get to do fun science projects and lots of arts and crafts along with the 3 r's) We have GREAT friends here. Teresa, the preschool teacher, Mike's crazy mercenary friends, the folks at Pinehaven, Kelly, Alisa, Mandy, too many more to name. I have also lost 40 pounds with the help of Weight Watchers. I am in smaller jeans than I wore in high school, and healthier than ever! Five years ago, I would have cried tears of disbelief if you had told me all I would go through to transition from surviving to LIVING! Isn't there a Bible verse about Christ living in me? GOD IS GOOD!

It is said that a persons true character is displayed through times of trial, I pray that I came through mine with grace and can help others in their journeys. I would go through it all again if I had to to be the person I am today and to be where I am today. I AM LIVING!

Daisy Scouts part 2

I was right, after posting about Daisy Scouts, I recieved the phone call asking if we were going to be involved. I said no!!! Yea for me. I aid we were just crazy-busy this year and were already driving into town 3-4 times a week. All of which is true. I guess I do know how to say no.

Daisy Scout Update

Ok, so we ended last year with me somehow signed up to be the Daisy Scout asst. leader for this year. Well, we already drive into town 3 days a week for preschool and dance class. Thankfully, it is mid-October and I have yet to get a phone call about Daisy Scouts. Now that I posted this, I probably will though. I already have a busy enough Monday with Preschool, homeschool and Weight Watchers. Why can't I just say "I'll think about it" when someone asks me to do something instead of jumping in with "Sure"??????



Did I mention I've been asked to referee Jr. High girls basketball..."Hey Chuck...I'll think about it"!!!!

Lessons I've learned from 2 months of homeschooling...

It's been around two months since we began homeschooling, and we're still enjoying it! I think a lot of our success has to do with:
1. I have covered this in prayer
2. I have a wonderfully supportive husband
3. I have a great support group of other homeschooling families
4. I am convicted that this is what God wants me to do right now
5. I have an amazing daughter who is very easy to teach!

I have learned some lessons, though...
1. Strict schedules don't work for me like I thought they would, I'm more an "order of events" type a girl.
2. It is possible to teach someone to read, when they're ready you just provide the tools, pray, and it all comes together.
3. Some people think you do it because you're "against" public school, and when you choose to not celebrate Halloween, they look at you funny.
4. I am learning along with Olivia, especially in history (in kindergarten, how sad is that)
5. Emma will only do her work on the floor with me coloring with her-yes it took me 2 months of struggling with her screaming through the day to figure this out!
6. Some days it only takes 2 hours, while others the same amount of stuff takes all day!
7. The Hello Kitty pencils work better than plain old yellow pencils.
8. I am doing a good job, even though at times I feel inadequate.
9. The laundry doesn't do itself. (Ok, ok, I already knew this, but I had an image in my mind of how scheduled and wonderfully our household would run. HA!)
10. I have a brilliant 5 year old who makes teaching a joy at times and makes me want to pull out my hair at other times.

Pumpkin Farm and Staryucks....

We went the the Pumpkin Farm on Friday and had a ton of fun! We decided to stop at the local Starbucks first and fuel up. Mine was good, the girls not-so-hot coco's were good, but Mike's Iced Venti Vanilla Latte was NOT! They didn't stir it, and when I tried to with the straw, it spilled all over my nice, white coat. So, we made a detour to Wal-Mart where I bought a stain stick (it worked).

The farm looked a little disappointing at firt, but once we go in, it was really fun. The girls got to pet goats, bounce on big balls, ride horse swings, race in the hy maze and pick out pumpkins!

Summer lovin', had me a blast...

wow, is it really October? I guess so since this morning we had a frost and my tomatoes and corn died. We'll try again next year.

The summer was so fun, busy and way too short. In June, I can't remember anything special we did. In July, we had Nana come for a week, Emma's Birthday, first chance camp, I went to a Third Day concert and then the next day left for Oregon. In August, we went to Labor Day camp where Liv and Em caught 9 fish.

The pictures pretty much cover the highlights of the summer.

We officially started homeschooling on August 25. It has been so good for Olivia. She is adding, subtracting and reading. I can't believe it.

I hear Emma sneaking out from her nap, so I'm gonna go.

TTFN

It's Been A Long time...

I know, I know it's been a verrrrry long time since I've updated. We have had a great summer, which I will fill ya'll in on when my computer is up and running. Currently,we are in Idaho staying at Lake Coeur d'Alene with my parents. Fun!

We started homeschooling kindergarten for Olivia, and she loves it! More later.
Hugs,
Heidi

Preschool Graduation

Olivia graduated from preschool last night. It was bittersweet. We have been at this preschool for 2 years, and I have been very involved in volunteering, subbing, and whatever else is needed. Also, when you have a baby, that's exactly what you expect to have, a baby. Yes you know (in the back of your mind) that they grow up, but now suddenly this baby is going into Kindergarten.

We are ready for summer! Too bad the weather isn't cooperating yet...it's raining.

Until next time....
Heidi

Praise

Mike's dad and his wife were baptized on Thursday night! We have been praying for this for many years.