Friends

Many of you are probably not aware that in Spokane, there was a huge group of kids Armour's age in our ward and in our playgroup. It was tough to leave his friends as he had so many right at his age and level. He is starting to make friends here. Here he (and Ender) are playing with one of their new friends.

Calling all Readers...mom, that means you...

Oh yeah-that's right people-this is my 400th post. Instead of thinking of that as sad, I am just going to think of all the memories I have journaled on here! Awesome!!! I am excited about that.

Now, I just wanted to take this opportunity to thank my readers for reading, and to thank all of you that gave me book suggestions on my blog "Class is in Session". I just wanted to respond and update on my reading...

1-I took the first suggestion I got and took out my copy of Tess of the D'Urbervilles (yes-I own it and have never read it). I am currently reading that. (Thanks Laura)
2-I have never even heard of These is My Words, and it came recommended multiple times-I will have to look into that one for sure!
3-I have to say that I, like Natalie, love the English language and books in general. I love reading books that make me think about the world in a different way. Of the suggestions Natalie gave me, I have only read The Hiding Place (which I love!) and Anne of Green Gables (which I have not read in a long time. I am seriously behind on my classics reading and honestly, when I was assigned a "classic" to read in school-I usually skipped it...sad, I know. But I am discovering why they are called classics-I agree with Mick that classics are called that for a reasons and tend to be really good. That is probably going to be my next kick-we'll call it a classics catch-up!
4-I am glad Sarah mentioned the Koontz Frankenstein books-my in-laws also recommended those, and I had forgotten. Definitely on the list. I sadly, did not really like Life Expectancy-I think I may have had too much Koontz in a row by then...I have not read any of the other books Sarah mentioned...except...
5-Wicked-I love that book and cannot believe I didn't put it on my list. I have read most of the books by Gregory Maguire. Awesome.
6-I love teen fiction books so will certainly look for Book Thief. Has anyone else read Speak? VERY powerful book! I really was amazed by that book-very well done, kind-of sad, but so real. I read that when I was teaching high school and still find myself thinking about how I felt as I read that book all these years later. It was good. I recommend it highly and it should have been high on my list!
7-I was so excited to get recommendations from aunt Karen! Thank you so much! I have not read any of those you recommended either and I really want to read The Host. Wes read all the Christopher Paolini books though so we own them-I will read those soon.
8-Love the idea of looking at the other Pimpernel books-sadly that thought had not even crossed my mind-thanks Mick for thinking for me!
9-Great idea Mel-I love Orson Scott Card-Loved The Seventh Son books and the Ender's Game series (all should have been on my list), and have not read Lost Boys!
10-Again with Jane Austen-I have started all her books and not finished any, but I bought them all when I was in Utah and will read them all before the end of Solace's school year-just for Stefanie and Natalie! It is my goal!! There-it is in writing-no getting out of that now!
11-I loved the Work and the Glory books too and cannot believe they were not on my list-thanks for the reminder, Jen! Also loved To Kill a Mockingbird-my copy of it has been read enough that it looks like it has been through a brawl. All your suggestions look awesome! Thanks!

So, basically I have learned that I am not all that well read and have a long way to go. Thank goodness I have well-read friends and family that can help me out along the way as I try to better myself and smarten up! You are all amazingly awesome to help me out and I am excited to read, and read and read-oh and I am still taking suggestions! (Come on Mom-if ever there was a blog for you to comment on, this would be the one right up your alley!!)

Maybe I should start an online book club-I am reading Tess of the D'Ubervilles, anyone want to join me? It can be the October book of the month...I'll put it on my sidebar.

Ender's Last Day of School

Solace and Ender had their last day of school on May 30th. We had already taken all the pictures Solace wanted to on her portfolio day (plus she brought Ender's camera to school during her last week and took a lot of CUTE pics of her and her classmates, but I don't have the plug for that camera with me, so that will be coming soon...), so this is pics of Ender's last day!

Ender and his music teacher. When we were trying to leave, 3 of the girls from Ender's class tried to hide him under the piano,thinking they could keep him there if we couldn't find him. Here they are after they were found out (but still trying to hide & keep him).
Solace's friend gets in on the action (I guess he thought it was unfair for Ender to have all the female attention all to himself.)
Ender and his teacher.
Good-Bye Preschool! We loved learning there!!

Parent Appreciation Picnic

Before leaving Spokane, we went to a parent appreciation picnic for the preschool. Here are some of the pictures...

Ender and his teacher singing the food blessing Solace and a couple of her friends singing the blessing.
Solace and her friend
Ender is awesome at this thing now!!
Solace's friends met Ender at the bottom (he's already popular with the older girls-like his dad maybe?! Yeah, I think so! He is SOOOOO going to love having a sister one grade ahead of him.)
Sol and the girls again

Memorial Day BBQ with friends

On Memorial Day we went to a BBQ at a friends house with a few other families in our ward. It was a blast! And it gave the kids a chance to play with and say goodbye to some of their good friends!

A driving

S with a couple of her good friends!
E with his Sunbeam teacher.
Friends!

E & his friend that has the same birthday as him.

Armour's last Playgroup & Ender's play

Last Friday was not only Ender's play, it was Armour's last playgroup. He would not pose for pics with his friends, so the only reasonable fair pic I got is this:

And now a couple still shots of Ender's play:

Awaiting his turn to speak...yeah for the sparrows...
Bows...

Ender's party

Well, on Saturday was Mr Ender's 4th birthday. He had a "dinosaur pajama party." We made breakfast for everyone first, then we played pin the nose on the triceratops, then we used fabric markers to draw on shirts for the kids to take home (and they each wrote something on a pillowcase for Ender). After that we played a cake walk-type game to do the presents, and capped the whole thing off with cake and ice cream (Carrot cake from Costco as per Ender's request). Here are a few pictures from the party. (As a side note, Ender got a kids digital camera for his birthday that he LOVES, and has taken tons of pictures with already-I will upload and post some of those later today or tomorrow) My mom and brother Spence were here to help, and Wes basically cooked the breakfast and ran the party. They were all very good at keeping me down (as I am still on bed rest). Thank you for all the help!!!

Those Johnson kids the night before. The table (before we put Breakfast on it.)
The birthday boy before the party!
Little Brother
Big sister
The best birthday boy picture!! (taken by dad of course)
My mom, brother, and the kids ready for the festivities to begin!
The kids at the party waiting to pin the nose on the triceratops.
Ender's turn pinning the nose...

Blowing out candles.

Eating the cake and ice cream.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY ENDER!!!!

A visit to the snowy lake...

A couple weeks ago on Feb 9, we met some friends, the Ursics and the Dunns in Coeur d'Alene to eat at Cafe Chulo. The Ursics had not been to the lake ever yet, so we went ahead and ventured over to the snowy lake and played there for a few minutes before we were all way too cold to continue...Here are a few pics...FYI, Ender took most of these pictures...)

Armour and Halle (taken by E)Halle, Ethan, & Armour (they are all really close in age...) (taken by E)
Ender
Solace goes after her dad (pic by Ender)
Armour sits on the cold cold cement...
Still after dad (taken by E)

Getting closer (E is still the photographer here)

Nice hit Sol!!! (And nice job capturing the shot En!!)
Armour
Ender
Look at that mischievous look...

PJ Party

So. Solace had a Pajama party for her birthday on Saturday. It was great. We made breakfast (I use the word We loosely there as the truth is that Wes made breakfast), then decorated pillowcases, made cereal necklaces, and ate cake and ice cream. It was a great party! Here are the pics (There are no cake pics as I did not make one this year-I just bought one at Wal Mart that she thought looked good-total cop out! Maybe I will post the past cakes in another blog just so I feel better...) Enjoy the pictures!

My attempt at a pic of all three kids smiling and looking at the camera before the party started. This was the closest I got... S & E in front of her poster about her from school.
The birthday girl!
Running around at the beginning while we waited for more kids to arrive (note dad in the background cooking).

Two buddies with their cereal necklaces. FYI, this pic is funnier if you know that the only way I could get them to look up was to take the bowl of cereal and hold it up above the camera. That is what they are both looking at!
Opening presents. Wow-her friends were generous!
Blowing out the candles.
Eating cake and ice cream.