Johnson Family Dish

Webelos!

Scott earned his Webelos badge last night!!  So proud of him, and his daddy, this was a lot of hard work!  He is one badge and 3 requirements away from getting his arrow of light (this is the highest rank you can earn as cub scout) whoo-hoo!!.

(The look of annoyance is for his sister’s benefit, she was taking the photo.  Glad we captured that bit of truth there.)

I have to say that, in respect to the boy scouts, I am glad to only have one son to walk through this process because it is a lot of work (and this is only CUB scouting!).  It is so good for the boys, it teaches them so many good and useful life skills though so we love the program.

May I Have This Dance?

After a long and tourturous wait Kelcie finally got to go to her first dance.  Her wait was torturous because she had to miss the New Years Eve dance due to her 14th birthday being 3 days after the fact. 

Randon and I followed dropped her and Gabby off and went it to check it out (yes, I did have my camera around my neck, much like a tourist) and take a few pictures of this momentous occasion.  After assessing that our company was not so much wanted, we left.  Only to go home and think about what on earth she was doing at that very minute.  When she made it home, she told us all about the boys she danced with, and this has been the major topic of all conversation with her this past few days.

She also had a Stake Youth Standards Night, which she and I attended on Sunday.  It really is more and more fun the older our children are getting.

And the Post Script for this post: I was hesitant to post any of these pictures until I saw them and I just can’t help it, they are so expressive (and perhaps amusing (for me anyway) that here goes!

This is Kelcie walking up to the church building, I was asking her for a picture and she turned around with this perfectly desperate look imploring me to please not be so wierd, or to not embarrass her.  I can’t remember which, both pleas were stated repeatedly.

and this guy was the first young man we saw.  Wore out from dancing, already?  or taking wall flower to the next level?, I couldn’t tell really.

And this perfectly expressive photo of Kelcie, Gabby and Abril.  Do take note that Kelcie’s friends are perfectly content to pose for the picture and flash thier genuine smile.  For those of you who know Kelcie, you would know that this is her “there mom, I am smiling for your silly picture so will you please just go now?!”

And as I said before, we did go, she is a great kid and she deserves some parentless fun, which she had.  Love just causes parents to be very annoying sometimes.

Radical Feminism

I was so excited about a history class that I am taking entitled “Women in US History”.  I bought the book, I have read half of it already and really enjoyed it, couldn’t put it down in fact (even though it is a text book).  There are few things I enjoy more than reading stories of strong, self confident, inspirational women who make a difference in this world.  I believe they have always existed (case in point, mother Eve, though many may disagree with me because Eve is  largely misunderstood, I believe), and I love to read about them.  I am all about girl power and very saddened by the typical damsel in distress, my feelings on her type are: start getting yourself out of your distress, don’t wait for a prince, or anyone else for that matter, to save you!  Be strong!  Yes, you need other people but you don’t need others to the point of your own complete helplessness with out them, take some interest in yourself and start working on your distress.  Other people may even want to help you more when you are willing to help yourself some too.

Back to the class, I was so excited to go to the class last night until, I met the instructor who is a self proclaimed “radical feminist”.  Now, to be honest I absolutely expected a teacher with some feminist views to be teaching this class so, I tried to be prepared.  But, I was not prepared for this lady.  She is no bigger than a grasshopper (a 105 lb. and 4′11″ tall one)  and she is a spitfire!  There are several men in this class whom she has taught other subjects to and they took her bantering about their maleness in very good humor; I think I was more upset for them than they were (but they know her so perhaps it was some inside humor that I was not getting).

So, when she spoke of radical feminism I immediately tuned out, she lost me.  Here’s why: First, I don’t think you can be a radical anything and not be unbalanced as a human being.  And second because Feminist say that they want equality between the sexes (which I absolutely and whole heartedly believe in) but what they really seem to be wanting, in my view, is domination (which I am strictly opposed to!  Do I need to explain why?  I hope not but I would be happy to be clear on this point.). 

I really need to give this woman a chance, she may be a very good instructor?  I just really hate when I feel a Professors is attempting indoctrinate students with their political beliefs.  I know the political affiliation of every one of my instructors, from this and last semester (should I?  I don’t think so.).   It seems to me that a lot of professors are leftist or have leftist ideals.  I tend to vote republican, generally, and I tend to have more conservative ideals but, I am also a realist and a humanist and there is not a political party that encapsulates my ideals.

I will be open minded for this instructor, though it will take some effort.  However, I do not think radical feminism works.  I happen to think that radical feminism is a loss of feminism altogether, and a loss of that which is most unique and wonderful about being a woman. 

Please understand here that I am not endorsing inequality in men and women, I do believe that we should be equal in our duties in the home and elswhere.  However men and women ARE infact different!  And what on earth is wrong with that?  I love all that is unique and wonderful about womanhood.  I wish more women celebrated all that was unique and lovely in them.

1/2 Marathon 2009

Randon is going to run the Lost Dutchman 1/2 marathon with me this year!!  I am so excited!  We are running with the same girls from last year + a few more, I guess running is contagious!

We ran 10 miles yesterday.  I’m not gonna lie, it was really hard!  We only have 3 more weeks left to train until the big day.  In honor of that I wanted to post a short reflective essay that I wrote for my English 101 class.  We wrote it to fit the parameters of NPR radio’s This I Believe (and I got extra credit for submitting it too). 

  Pushing Personal Limits

            I believe in working hard for a challenging goal.

            I find an outlet for my belief in running.  I do not have an athletic build, quite the opposite actually; I am a short stocky woman.  I have never been good at sports, I am hopelessly uncoordinated and often clumsy.  But all of those things do not stop me from pursuing the sport of running. 

            Running takes motivation, it takes strength and dedication, and for me at least, it rarely comes easily.  Perhaps this is why I love it.  Running pushes both my mental and physical, boundaries. 

Last year I decided to take my hobby of running to the next level; I decided to enter the local marathon by running the 10K event.  Three of my friends were also running in the marathon and persuaded me to run the half marathon with them.  We began training early in October for the February event.  We ran separately during the week and as a group on Sunday mornings at six .a.m.  We trained on the hilly dirt roads of our home town, on which the marathon would be run.  We practiced the difficult hills and encouraged each other to keep moving when it got tough.  

The most memorable run we ran came one cold rainy January morning.  As native Arizonans the rain added a new dimension to our challenge.  We had no idea how freezing cold or heavy rain could be.  We started in a light drizzle which became full on rain by mile five of our nine mile run.  This run was the greatest test of our endurance during training, it was hard.  We endured it at the time but, even now we still talk about the challenge of that specific run.

On the day of the race I lined up at the start line, with my friends and a thousand others, exhilarated and curious.  Curious because I had never run 13 miles before and although I had a good idea of what a long run required, this was 13.1 miles of constant running.  I couldn’t even say for sure how long this would take.  But the starting gun fired and there was no looking back.  We ran.  Near the end of the race my body was so tired, I could feel myself slowing down; I just wanted to finish.  I was determined that I would not walk one step of this event and that I would finish, and I did.  It took 2 hours and 26 minutes to finish the race, not great time really but, I wasn’t worried about time, just finishing.

            I love running while watching the sun come up over the mountains as I am breathing in and out.   I even love the burn in my lungs as they work hard to supply my body with oxygen.  I love feeling fully alive as my body struggles to run up long, tough hills.  I love what running does for me; it is not something tangible, like the metal all of us finishers earned, it is something invisible and powerful.

Honors!!

I just got the call—-I am IN honors!!  I qualified and my application was accepted!!!

I really don’t mean to be obnoxious and boast but this is such a supreme triumph for me.  I have never been a “good student”, I barely passed high school, I always thought that this was because I had some intellectual deficiency, or learning disability at the least.  So, forgive me if you have heard enough of my academic rants but this is so big for me

Algebra (An Outsiders Reflections)

For over a month now it has been my personal quest to (re-)learn (and this time really understand) basis principles of math and Algebra.  I have been very determined in this effort reading numerous books, which have helped, and seeking the help of my friend Christine, and my Uncle Kyle, both math teachers (thank you guys so much for contributing to my understanding you both helped me at points where I was hopelessly deadlocked on my own and I just needed a human to teach me, not a book).

So, I wanted to write down some reflections from this journey, what I have learned about math, about math people, and about myself.  In grades k-12 I was not the sharpest tool in the box when it came to math; I graduated high school having gotten only as far as pre-algebra, that’s right, I said PRE (and I barely made a high enough grade to pass this subject, it really was bad and I have to say that it is a bit of a shame to me *blushing*).  So, much of what I have learned this past month or so has been fresh and new material to me and a few of the concepts have been tough to learn.  Ah, but I love a good challenge and this certainly is that!!!  So, I am determined to learn and more importantly understand math. 

Two of my greatest moments on this journey came when Scott asked me to help him with a word problem on his homework that was essentially multiplying fractions.  In the past I would have said “I am so sorry son, I don’t know, you will have to ask daddy when he gets home.”  But, I was able to help him!!  Then Morgan had homework involving absolute value and some other algebaic ideas which I proudly was able to understand and assist her with.  The only way that I can explain how wonderful an accomplishment this was for me is to compare it to being an illiterate adult and finally understanding the concepts of reading enough to actually read and not only read but help another person (who is extremely precious to you) read too.  If you can imagine that you can imagine my joy at being math literate enough to help my children!  Or maybe like the underdog team (let’s say the Cardinals) making it to the Superbowl!!  The victory is so sweet.

So some of my random thoughts on math and math people: 

I think there are really two kinds of people: the left brain dominate people and the right brain dominate people.  This is a common theory but, the more I study math the more and more I am convinced of the relevance of this idea.  I realize that there are always exceptions, those who are equally right and left brained (oh to be them!!) and that you cannot neatly categoralize all human beings (at least to my mind, left brained individuals may disagree) neatly and tidily into categories like that.  So, with that understood, here are my thoughts on left vs. right brained individuals, after only entering a fraction of the (scary to me) world of the left brainers; all of this from a hopelessly (and happily) right brained individual.  Left brainers seem to love rules, categories and order; infact it would seem to me they sometimes take comfort in those things.  Everything is black and white to them.  It seems that it is absolutely right, or because of the tiniest flaw, infintely wrong.  They seem to see the world in detail, little pieces at a time, and I am sure there must be some systematic formula for everything they do.  Some of them can be some what bland, though not all.  They love the complex, complicated world; it seems they derive a lot of joy from figuring the complicated out (sometimes to the point of madness).  Wow guys, you left brainers have my admiration.

It certainly is a contrast to us right brained folks who like to look at the whole and judge things based on the situation and circumstances, not necessarily by rigid rules.  You know, we like to wing it.  Oh, we have rules too, they are just more subjective usually.  We like human error, we embrace that, there is a lot of give in just taking things as they come and accepting them.  We hate rigid schedules and like to be creative in everything we do.  What a contrast and how much we need both to be balanced. 

As much as the left brained world of math frustrates me, to the point of tears (and that is hard to do my friends!), I am happy to be learning it.  If only for the fact that it gets me out of my right brain zone and forces me to at least try to understand how the other side views the world.  But, I like my right brain domination and while I may dabble in the left, my home is most definitely in the right.

Our New Addition

Meet the baby of the house.  I know he is irresistably adorable, we all think so too.  We call him Pierre.  The kids wanted to give him a french name.  (I think it will be instrumental in teaching us all french someday too. )

Randon suprised us and brought home this adorable little orange fluff ball on Monday night.  He was abandon with his sister (who was snatched up by an associate of Randons) at one of his company’s buildings. 

He was skin and bones two days ago and now he has a perpetual round belly.  He has captured all of our hearts and we all go around asking “where is Pierre?”  or “who has Pierre?  I want to hold him too!”  He is the darling of the house now and is quickly becoming the most spoiled cat alive.

Why Do We Have To Grow Up?

I hear this question from Charis often. I try to answer it the best that I can offering her all of the benifits of growing up, only to have her reject them stating that she wants to be a kid forever.

I never had this feeling as a child. I couldn’t wait to grow up and be independent, every milestone could not come quickly enough for me. So, asking myself this question now makes me really sad. I guess that I never realized that hidden in the question was a sincere desire to remain innocent, carefree and young.

I wish mostly that the superheros of our youth could stay that way forever, without effort, like when we were children. It is difficult to see those to whom we looked at as our “superheros” are really just human beings susceptible to temptation, coruption, all manner of human fraility, just like us. I don’t know really why this is such a harsh reality but the fact is that it is tough.

I guess that the trick is loving unconditionally; that is preserving them as the superheros of childhood that we remember, despite the loss of innocents which tells you that they are not. All of this within reason of course, you cannot allow yourself to be victimized by someone who hurts you repeatedly, you must be an adult in that situation and protect yourself but, I am not talking about somthing sinister like that. I am speaking of something that causes you to view a superhero of your youth in a way in which you feel sad for them because of what you can understand now through adult eyes that you could not see throught the happy rose colored glasses of childhood.

I love everything about being an adult, except that.

4.0 GPA!!

I am new to this blogging thing but, here it goes. I just wanted everyone to know that Michelle did such an excellent job her first semester of school, she picked up her official report-card (if that’s what you call it in collage) today and she has a 4.0 GPA. I am so impressed I think she’s awesome but of course I am bias! Good job Michelle.

14 Candles!

Kelcie turned 14 on Jan. 3, 2009–Yeah!

Kelcie asked us (her dad & I) if she could have a birthday party.  We decided that no, she could not have a big party but, she could have two friends (Brittany and Ku ‘Uipo) over to spend the night.  Well somehow that turned into can I just invite a few friends over to play some games with us?  Oh, okay we agreed but, you will have to plan them for yourself.  Then she said “daddy, will you please bring home the cotton candy machine?”  “No” I said “this is not a party.”  “But, it’s just cotton candy, will you see if you can get it dad?”  SO… the cotton candy machine comes home on Friday night.  Then “Mom, will you just make some cupcakes for my friends and get some ice cream?”  “No.  We will have your cake on Sat., your birthday.”  “Mom, will you just make some nachos for everyone?”  “No.  This is not a party, this is just your friends coming over to play some games, remember?”  Every time I told her no she walked away looking completely dejected (which is probably why daddy gave in and brought the cotton candy machine home for her non-party).  She asked me 300 times or more to help her to come up with some games, I gave her some ideas of where to find some group games but I did not help her beyond that (and her friends did not get cupcakes or nachos either, they still had fun). 

So, when you see the pictures below remember that this is a non-party (to Kelcie) and that will help you to understand how I always wonder how things get so out of control with this child.

Where ever there is cotton candy, there IS a party!

Samuel with his self-made cotton candy puppet.  (Samuel & his brother were staying with us for a couple of nights (which happened to be over K.’s b-day) while his mom was in the hosp. having his baby sister–Congrats!!)

*note to self– never tell a group of teenagers to scoot in closer because they just keep scooting until they all fall down like dominos.  Must think of something less literal next time.

*Again, must be less literal when telling pre-teen that she blinked in the last shot and to try and keep her eyes open this time.

Alex and Joey.  These guys spend A LOT of time with the Johnsons.  But, never fear, I have been assured that this is not because they have an interest in my daughter(s).

Kelcie and Ku’uipo.  Notice how my daughter is happy as a lark at her non-party.  It really was fun, even for us old people (mom and dad).

They played pass the hat (with anything but your hands),musical chairs and “Would You Rather?”

And Addi was happy to have so many people to entertain.  She is our resident jester/clown, and quite a camera ham too (notice how she is jumping into this picture, and how she is  somewhere in most of the others).

I think that Kelcie has some very cool parents (though I may be partial), and I am glad that her friends like to come over and hang out with us for lots of little non-parties.  I would rather have them together here, where I know what they are doing, than together at the mall or some over crowded and shallow place such as that.