Babbling Brooke

Music Madness with Me

2009-01-27T09:14:00.001-08:00

In September, we went to the Music Builds Concert at the Virginia Beach Ampitheatre. It was an awesome concert with Jars of Clay, Switchfoot and Third Day. At the concert, there was a unique band that I had never heard about named Robert Randolph and the Family Band!

They had an interesting set up! The lead singer played a mean slide guitar. The guitars screamed, the bass player took control of the songs, it just a made you dance! Robert Randolph and the family band are more of a jam band. Usually, I am not a fan of jam bands but one of their songs was so much fun that I couldn't resist adding it to my workout playlists. With lines like "Do the jerk till it hurts!" and "Sh-Sh Shake it!", you can't help getting pumped up! There ain't nothing wrong with that...

City Girl

2009-01-23T07:06:00.000-08:00

Last Friday was a busy day for my husband and I. Bryce had to stay late for a basketball game. One of my students had a melt down. We didn’t get a lot of time to chat during the day, we were tired.

When Bryce got home from the game, I greeted him with a big hug and a kiss! We started talking about the day. While we were talking, he went to grab something from the fridge and I decided to tie up some loose ends on the computer.

"Guess who's going out of business?” Bryce asked.

"Who?"

"Circuit City," He exclaimed!

“Ut-oh, that could be trouble! I read an article on the news today about that. Wavy TV 10 said to be careful about the sales because they may be deceiving. The trick is to mark everything up and then discount it," I shared.

"True, but they are going to liquidate everything, eventually there will be something good!" He responded

Over the years, I have learned a few things about Bryce. One, my husband loves sports. Two, my husband loves electronics. Three, He will find any excuse to get new gadget! On his way to the stairs, He looked my way. I smiled.

With a flirtatious voice replied, " It’s still trouble.”

At this point, He knew that I wasn't going to give in that quickly. As usual, He headed upstairs to get out of his suit. I was back on the computer finishing up some loose ends. Bryce continued talking.

"Can you believe that the Inauguration is next week?" Bryce asked.

"Not really, it's been kind of surreal,” I recalled.

“It is going to be a hot mess at school on Tuesday, no one is going to be there! I heard that they are still having trouble finding subs for all the teachers that are going to be in D.C."

" Yeah, we are having a bit of a problem with that, too. Plus, people are going to call in sick," I added.

“D.C. is going to be packed. They are starting to close down roads tomorrow." He commented.

“I just can't imagine. It is going to be craziness. Even if I was super excited, this is one event that I would much rather watch on TV. “

“I hear ya," He chimes in.

“I know that people say that it is all about the atmosphere. It’s a once in a lifetime opportunity but it just seems like way too much of a hassle to me. I think it would be like watching the ball drop in New York. It's so crowded that you can barely move." I compared.

This was just the beginning of my revelation. Even though I knew that Bryce was still upstairs, I continued sharing my thoughts.

“There’s so much traffic on the roads. If you don’t get there a few days in advance, you’re guaranteed to be in your car for hours. Then, you find out that your hotel isn’t as close as you thought. You’re bumping into people as you make your way to through crowds, the decorations and the news crews. It's cold and it's impossible to find a restroom! Your feet are tired from walking and standing. To top it all off, you don’t actually get to see the ball drop. Most people are so far away that you have to watch it on a screen. It would be the same at an inauguration. Unless, you have special FBI clearance, you won't actually get to see the President in person. Sure they have speakers so that you can listen to the speech live. I would be willing to bet that they are delayed because of the feedback.”

Bryce finally chimed in from upstairs.“It could be exciting but with HD it is just like we are there. Tough call! I was listening to the radio on my way home. I heard that they were opening the subway up at 4am on Tuesday."

“ See, there's another reason that I wouldn't want to go! You have to buy subs at 4 am. I just couldn’t eat a sub for breakfast. Even if you bought a 12-inch and eat half of it, you would still have to lug it around for the rest of the day. Who wants to carry a sub around all day? There is no way a cold cut combo would taste good by lunchtime. " I exclaimed.

Bryce didn't respond, so I just figured that he had moved on. I continued to type. Slowly, I heard footsteps coming down the stairs. He peaked around the corner. Trying to contain himself, He looked at me and stated, “ Honey, I was talking about the subway. You know those things underground with trains...”

I looked up, our eyes met. There was a pause. A giggle was rising..

"Opps, I guess I won't need the cooler that I was about to mention!" I joked.

Apparently, I have seen one too many $5 foot long commercials. What else can I say; I am just not a city girl!

Side Note: For anyone who doubted the legitimacy of my nickname “Babbling Brooke”, this post should clear up any confusion.

"Be Still and Know that I am God"

2009-01-18T19:10:00.001-08:00

We spent a lot time hanging with family and friends over the break. Spending time with Johnson family usually means good meals, good conversations and good laughs! There is never a dull moment in Johnsonville. This christmas was no exception! For some strange reason, the common theme to the stories this year, the bathroom. Who knew it was such a interesting place for family gathering?

It all began when I noticed the new sign that my mother in-law had placed on the toilet. If you can't read the sign, it says "Be still, and know that I am God" Psalms 46:10.

It made me chuckle. After eating too much of Frances' special lasagna, being still was the only option that you had. Praying could help since you ate the whole lemon meringue pie and since your tummy was grumbling in ways that you have never imagine, being reminded that God is in control could be comforting.

Anyways, I thought it was pretty funny so I decided to bring the rest of the family into the bathroom . I wanted to share the humor. They laughed but this only lead to more insanity! Enter the bathtub. Stay tuned for part duex of the bathroom story.

Get in the Game

2009-01-14T13:22:00.000-08:00

The holidays hit. Actually, they exploded! The decorations, the excitement, the planning, the celebrations, the shopping and the busyness were everything that I had hoped for and more. My favorite thing about the break was quality time with friends and family! It was like a whirlwind swept me up.

I miraculously ended up in the wonderful world of OZ! I was skipping down the yellow brick road of vacation. I must have lost my red shoes because it took me quite some time to find my way home!

As I began to settle into a new year, I realized a few things. God did some amazing things in 2008. There were some moments that took my breath away. Others were not so glorious. Ultimately, when I reflected where my life started at the beginning of last year and where I am now, I couldn’t help but think, WOW! It would be unrealistic to share it all. I imagine it would be like putting a puzzle together without any corner pieces. Don't worry you are off the hook; rather than attempt that, I am going to share my hopes for the future!

I read once, "I am not who I was. And I am not who I will be." (ID: The True You). Life is a process. That book helped me understand that every moment, every thought, every word, every event and every action molds us into who we are going to become. You’ve probably heard this before; it’s not really a new concept. It is one of those ideas that you hear repeatedly yet do not fully understand what it means until you recognize how it relates to your life. I call it an “aww-hah” moment.

I play the what if game, often. What if my dad was still around? What if I pursed dancing? What if I had gone away to college? What if I had become a computer programmer? What if I didn’t have to baby sit so much? What if I stayed in that relationship? What if I didn’t take this job? What if I didn’t eat that whole bag of peanut butter m&m’s? There was so much of my life that I wished I could change.

That is not my desire in 2009. I am learning to appreciate that my past and my present affect me daily but it is God that determines who I am and who I will be. So, now what?

My favorite part about watching a basketball game is halftime. Right now, your thinking, typical girl, she likes the cheerleaders. Well, I do but the real reason that I love halftime is because of the winded interviews. This starts the process of deciding what to do next. Weather the team is tied, winning or losing, as the players and the coaches’ head to locker room, they are taking in the final moments of the first half. They are strategizing about the next half. When stopped for questions, the players are barely able to spurt out an answer and it becomes clear that they are focused on one thing, The Game.

The next few minutes in the locker room are crucial. The coach reflects on the team strengths and weaknesses. Next he recognizes the other teams strengths and weaknesses. They review what they practiced before game. Then it happens, the coach comes up with a plan, a play that will shock the other team. He lays it out on the board. In an encouraging, confident voice he pulls the team together, and explains that this is their moment, this is their time to “Get in the Game”.

Here is my first “aww-hah” moment of the New Year! I want to take advantage of every opportunity that God gives me to become who He wants me to be this year. I hope to enjoy the yellow brick road of '09. I want to use my past experiences to grow in the present. No more playing the “what if” game. It is time to accept that everything that has happened and is happening will mold and strengthen me.

In short, I want to be focused and strategic. When interviewed at halftime, I want to shout breathlessly, that I am going to “Get in Game”. I want to be mentally, physically, relationally and spiritually prepared for whatever God brings this year. Over the next few weeks, I am going to be laying it out on the board. I am going to look for new ideas, learn new plays and practice. Most importantly, I am looking forward to strategizing with the team.

Music Madness with Me: Christmas Edition

2008-12-20T05:15:00.001-08:00

There are many reasons that I love Christmas. The most important reason is that we celebrate Jesus' birth and one of the best ways to celebrate Jesus' birth is to spend Christmas Eve with Water's Edge Church at the Ferguson Center. What can I say, I just couldn't resist the plug. Next to that, I love decorations and lights, especially sparkly red ones! Also, presents don't hurt but my favorite part about the season is the music. For one whole month, the Johnson family listens to 101.3 TWD. Christmas music 24 hours a days. It's the best.

It is hard to recreate the magic of traditional carols. Every now and then a group will hit it out of the park. I think Barlow Girl did a great job at uniquely rocking out one of the best Christmas songs ever!

Boom

2008-12-12T19:27:00.001-08:00

ESPN is a part of the Johnson household. At first, it was not by choice but sports have crept their way into this girl's life. Bryce and I have developed a theory that ESPN has some of the best commericals. There is one small, unimportant flaw with this theory, ESPN is all we watch. It is on our TV 85% of the time!

Sticking to our theory, we love the new commerical with Greg Oden. I do not know much about him but here is what I do know. He was the NBA's number 1 draft pick for the 2007. He plays for the Portland Trailblazers. He has a slightly dull and goofy appearance. Plus, Greg looks a lot older than 20! There has been much debate about his marketability. That is why we think this is really funny.

Check out his face! It is simply laughable when Greg states, "I'm a chameleon". Deodorizing spray, sports drinks, nasal spray, vacuums, he can sell it all! Really, what else can you say, other than,

"Boom"

Note: This one goes out to our buddy, Robbie Leffel! We love it, too!

The Things They Say

2008-12-10T19:38:00.000-08:00

Last month my class did an art project with leaves. It is one of my favorite things to do each year. The student get a plastic bag to go outside and collect leaves. We get different sizes and shapes. After we have collected our leaves, we bring them inside, get some plain white paper and we trace the leaves with different colors. The results are always beautiful.

Yesterday while my students were doing individual activities, I had a chance to start clearing my desk. I never quite know what I will find. Incidentally, my bag of leaves were still there. Maxwell had offered to organize some papers for me. He was standing near the trash can so I handed Maxwell the bag and asked him to please throw away the leaves. It didn't seem like a big deal to me. Apparently, it was to him. He stopped, held his chest, looked at me very seriously and told me "Look, I am not a husband".

I guess I know who rakes the leaves in his family. I have to admit that it does fall into the husband job status, you know, rake the leaves, take out the trash, fix the toilets. It was so hard to not laugh and I was slightly taken back. I had never really thought about it that way but I was happy that Maxwell was starting to understand this concept.

"Your right, Maxwell," I responded simply.

I stood up and threw the leaves away myself. A few minutes passed. As if to console me with this devastating news, Maxwell walked by my desk and asked, "Are you okay?"

Music Madness with Me

2008-12-08T20:10:00.001-08:00

For many years, I wan an only child and I had a vivid imagination. I got my nickname, Babbling Brooke, after an 18 hour road trip to Florida with my grandparents. They decided it was perfect for me.

Most of my childhood dreams involved being a famous dancer, singer, actress or all three of the above. I was the original Brittany Spears. Cue the laughs. What can I say, I was every inch of sugar and spice that you could get. As long as I had someone or something near by, I would share my thoughts, ideas, plays, stories and emotions freely. If you weren't listening, it didn't matter. I would just shrug it off and keep going. I was not one of those kids that needed to be entertained. I could get lost for hours in my thoughts and dreams.

I'm not sure when or how that that part of my life changed but it did. I am still a dreamer, I can still get lost in my thoughts for hours but through life experiences, circumstances, friendships and relationships I have become more guarded with my words and emotions. I am not always sure whether that's a good thing or not, the verdict is still out. It may simply just have been a part of growing up. Regardless, there have been many times in my life, when my nickname did not serve me well but there was always music.

I started dancing at a very young age. It was so wonderful. You could sway, spin, show passion, and emotion without having to say a single word. With dancing and music, there was a rhythm, a melody, a beat, a lyric to help describe what you were going through.

I developed a taste for all different types of music. You name it, I probably like it, unless, the song has a lot of bad words. Rock, alternative, hip hop, r&b, techno, country, oldies, classical, I am not a music snob. I simply love it. Music is powerful and moving. That is why I decided to start this new piece to my blog. So the journey begins:

I love Nichole Nordeman's song "Brave". It is amazing. I could not have put any of this into words better. God did not design us to settle for how things are. He designed us for so much more. "To the moon, Alice."

Life has given us experiences. Those experiences have molded who we become but they don't define us. God does. I am not the social bee that I once was, however, I have been given the desire to make my words meaningful instead of plentiful.

"I am small and I speak when I'm spoken to. I am willing to risk it all"

I love that part of the song, it describes perfectly what I want to portray in life. I want to use my words wisely for His purpose, yet, at the same time be willing to say or do whatever God wants. It not as easy as it sounds. I slip constantly, that is why I have memorized this:

"Let the words of my heart and meditation of my heart be acceptable to thy sight, Oh Lord, My rock and my redeemer." Pslams 19:14

As you listen, is there anything that hits home to you. What moves you about this song?

Yao puts the Ying in Yang!

2008-11-21T17:48:00.000-08:00

I have developed a slightly unhealthy obsession with Yao Ming. I am not sure how this happened because I know absolutely nothing about the Houston Rockets. The truth is that it is impossible to be a Red Sox's fan and not to be a Celtic's fan. Regardless of this minor detail, Yao has crept his way into my limited basketball vocabulary. It all started several years ago with the Visa commercial's. Yao has managed to accomplish that magic again! This one will not beat the "Yo" commercials but it is certainly laugh worthy.

Is it possible to not laugh when whole restaurant chants "Eat the Head"? I don't think so! The expressions on Charles Barkley and Dwayne Wade face's are simply awesome. It has been said that T-Mobile's service is not so great but I have to give them an A+ on this commercial!

The Things They Say

2008-11-20T18:35:00.000-08:00

Fridays are always eventful in my classroom. It could be that the kids are excited about "free time" or it could just be equated to the pre-weekend jitters. Whatever the cause, I can not predict what will happen on Friday's. This is one of the best things about teaching my kids.

I have a job chart for my classroom. There are 11 jobs, one for each of my students. They alternate weekly. One of their favorite jobs is to change the bulletin boards. The bulletin board helper changes the dates, the days of the week and updates the weather. When they get to school, the students are expected to check the weather on the computer. Then they choose from an assortment of weather cards. After they are done, they post the current conditions and the prediction for the next day. Some of their options include sunny, partly cloudy, cloudy, rainy, snowy and windy.

Elisha especially loves this job. She has even created her very own weather vocabulary. Last Friday, she declared that it was "Froggy" outside?! Are these the perfect weather conditions for a princess to kiss a frog or does this mean that Kermit might be able to escape Ms. Piggy's wrath? Is there a 50% chance that frogs will from the sky?

I tried to correct her a couple of times. I even asked her some of the silly questions that I mentioned above. Regardless of the picture that I tried to create, she was determined.

"No, it is Froggy outside," Elisha proclaimed!

Finally, I just gave up and joined in the fun. Every time someone new came in the room, I playful asked Elisha to share the weather conditions for the day!

A Favorite Movie Moment

2008-11-06T18:06:00.000-08:00

Who can forget "An America Tale"? It was the story about a family of mice traveling across the seas to find a new life and freedom in America. In the midst of their travels, the Mousekewitz family is seperated from thier son.

Fievel MouseKewitz has the adventure of a lifetime trying to find his family. Fievel could possibly win the award for the most lovable cartoon movie character ever! He was innocent, sweet and incourageable. He saw the best in every situation, not to mention every rat! It would take too much time to cover all the wonderful scenes, characters and songs from this movie but here are just a couple of my favorites. For some reason , I don't think that my cat, BJ, would appreciate this one:

The next clip is by far the best. I am touched every time I hear this song. It always makes me think about my dad. He passed away when I was 3. After I saw this movie, rarely, would I drift off to sleep before singing this song. No lie, I would say my prayers and then dedicate the song to my dad. It became a part of my bed time routine.

Admit it, it is hard to watch this without a tear trickling down your cheek. Everyone has a childhood movie that sparks special memories."The Last Starfighter" is my husband's. What is your special childhood movie?

The Goose is Loose: Adventures of a Sleep Talker

2008-11-04T08:46:00.000-08:00

I have a secret, I am a finicky sleeper. I have several conditions required for a good nights rest. The room should be completely dark and quiet. To create this effect we have industrial strength shades. I love to be covered up by soft sheets and fluffy blankets but the room must be cool. This is one of the reasons that I like a fan blowing. Reason number two is it drowns out any sounds that go bump in the night. All the doors should be closed not cracked. This rule especially includes the closet doors. I still believe there is a chance that the boogie man might jump out and get me.

To add to the already lengthy list, I happen to be a side sleeper, too. It doesn't matter which side, I don't discriminate. Pillows are a must. Specifically, I need three. Two should be lined up against the wall in a straight line just in case that I decide to flip from my left side to my right side in the middle of the night. The third one is my security pillow. I hold onto this pillow like there is no tomorrow. I am quite sure that if the boogie man did visit and tried to steal my pillow, the fight would be on!

As you can imagine, when something in this equation changes, I wake up! Enter my husband. During the first months of our marriage, I found out that Bryce was a sleep talker. He doesn't just say a few words then drift back into his dream. Oh no, he can have a full conversation while visiting cloud 9. The first time it happened, I was clueless. I was woken up in the middle of the night and had no idea what was happening. All I knew was that I heard my husband crying out....

"The goose is loose," my slumbering husband exclaims!

Startled by the noise, I sat up and looked around. "Bryce, are you okay?"

"The goose is loose!" Huh? What!? We had pets but the last time I checked we did not have a goose nor did we know anyone who did. I made my way through the mountain of warm blankets. I put my hand on my hubby's back to comfort and check on him.

"The goose is loose," He repeated.

"What goose?" I asked. There was no answer so I proceeded with the investigation.

"Why is the goose loose?" I questioned.

"I dunno" He mumbled.

"Who let the goose loose?"

"I dunno" He mumbled again.

"Did you let the goose loose?"

Bryce knew the answer to this question, it was emphatically "No."

I should note that early in our relationship, we had two different pets. Larry was a dalmatian that Bryce had before we got married. He was named after the great, Larry Bird. Without a question, he was Bryce's dog. To this day, I don't think that Larry liked me. He tried to run away a lot, eventually he succeeded.

Shadow was a sweet grey cat. She was a surprise that Bryce brought home. It was understood that she was my cat. She was cute, but Shadow had a small problem with the litter box, she didn't use it! That did not go over well with the Johnson household. Anyways, it is time to get back to the story. I was determined to get to the bottom of the goose situation so I decided to try a different tactic.

"Did Larry let the goose loose?"

"No," Bryce answered confidently.

"Did Shadow let the goose loose?" I continued.

"Maybe" He answered.

"Did I let the goose loose?"

"Hmmmm"

"I let the goose out?"

"Hmmmm, Maybe."

"What! Why did I let the goose out?"

"I dunno." Bryce proclaimed. I could tell that he was starting to get annoyed with this little interrogation because less than a minute later he announced that "He was done talking". He rolled over and nestled back to his side of the bed.

What in the world!? What had I done to be accused of letting the goose loose? A flood of insecurities rushed into my mind. Is there a secret meaning to this dream? Was I not a good wife? Did I forget to iron his favorite shirt? Did my lack of cooking skills finally catch up with me? I must have made spaghetti one too many times for dinner. I knew that it must have been bad. Not only was I being charged with letting the goose loose, my cat was being accused too!

The next morning, I told him about it. Bryce had no recollection of the conversation at all. He didn't even remember his dream so he claims. I think that he may have decided it was better to plead the 5th. After 7 years of marriage, I have not heard about the goose again. It will always be an unsolved mystery. This was the first adventure with my sleep talker but it definitely was not the last....

Disclaimer:

No husbands, wives, pets or geese were harmed as a result of this incident. At least to my knowledge!

Disappointment

2008-11-03T18:29:00.000-08:00

Disappointment happens all the time. You didn't get the grade you wanted on test, your parents went through a divorce, you didn't get in the college you wanted, the promotion that you thought you were getting did not happen. A relationship ended, your kids break the rules, someone you love is gone. I went through some hard times a couple of years ago. I felt disappointed with what God had placed in my life. It became hard not to ask, why me God? Why didn't you protect me from this? I have tried my the best, why is something that I never thought could happen, happening to me, Lord? As I was searching and crying out for answers, these two quotes came up in a devotion. They were so good that they made it to refrigerator decoration status.

"God may deny our request but He will never disappointment our trust"

"Thank God for your disappointment, celebrate His grace and love, know that He will never leave you and will bless you from above."

Avoiding some sort of disappointment in life is nearly impossible.We may not like the way something in our lives is unfolding. Maybe you feel like God let you down because you have prayed and hoped for something. The truth is that your expectation was in something or someone other than God. I have learned that even when things are down and out, it is not God that disappoints.

You know what is right for your family and your situations, right? It is easy to lose sight.The reality is that God is the only one who knows. He knows all the desires of our hearts and He knows which desires are best for us and which one are not. He knows more about us that we can ever comprehend.

"For if we died with Him, We shall live with Him, If we endure, We shall reign with Him, If we deny Him, He will also deny us, If we are faithless, He remains faithful, He cannot deny Himself." 2nd Timothy 2:11-13

Weather we choose to claim this truth or not, God is going to be faithful. He allows for us to have free will but He will still be there in the midst of our choices. When I am not faithful, He will be. I understand that there will be days when it is hard. On those days, remind yourself that God does not disappoint. He will always be there to lift you up.

Yo

2008-10-25T18:51:00.000-07:00

There are not a lot of good commercials anymore. Luckily, we live in world where DVR allow us to pause and skip all the annoyingly bad commercials. Every now and then there are still a few that are noteworthy. Personally, I like the new VW commercials and I think the Gieco commercials are awesomely funny. I can't believe that I am about to say this but I would highly recommend watching ESPN for the commercials.

That being said, yesterday, Bryce and I were to pretending to act like "gangstas". Don't ask what sparked this silliness, however, I am pretty sure that we sounded more like "wangsta's". As we were "pounding it" and saying things like "Yo, Hommie", we were reminded of a fun commercial with Yao Ming several years ago.

An oldie but a goodie! I remember laughing every time I saw it on TV. What are some of your favorite commercials?

The Things They Say

2008-10-22T18:54:00.000-07:00

Maxwell, my special student, brought in a Hannah Montana CD for "Free Time Friday". Sounds harmless, Right? That is what I thought. It had been a couple weeks since the last proposal, maybe he had moved on, maybe he was realizing that it just was not meant to be. I was completely wrong. Here is the scenario:

"Guess what I have?" Maxwell said, as he quickly flashes a CD from his book bag.

"Hmmm, did you bring something for free time?"

"Yes, can you guess what it is?"

"Hmmm, is it a UVA football?"

Maxwell is a big UVA fan, so his face lit up when I mentioned his team.

"No," he responded.

"Is it a new sudoku puzzle?"

"Nooooo," Maxwell said.

"Okay, I give up, Maxwell, what did you bring?"

"It's a Hannah Montana CD," he exclaimed!

"Wow, that is way too cool! What a great idea! I can't wait to listen to it. Can I see the CD?"

He handed me the CD and I open it up. First, I read the song titles and the messages. Then, I checked out the pictures. I have never seen a Hannah Montana CD before, so I noticed that one side had pictures of Hannah Montana and the other side had pictures of Miley Cyrus. Apparently, I am out date on the wonderful world of teen pop so I started to ask questions.

" Now, I know that this is Hannah Montana. Who is this?"

With much anticipation, Maxwell explained that it was Miley Ray Cyrus.

"Oh, that's neat. Thanks for sharing it with me."

At this point, most of the class had joined into the conversation. Even Mrs. Manning, my super wonderful assistant chimed in.

"Hannah Montana is a very cute girl."

Matthew blushes. Then turns to me and says:

"Mrs. J, I think that you look like Hannah Montana."

Please, try and contain yourselves from laughing too hard.

"Well, Maxwell, I am quite a bit older than Hannah Montana but thank you very much. That is so nice," I said.

I couldn't resist smiling, wouldn't you? Anyways, Maxwell began to feed off of this comment.

He held up Hannah Montana's picture. "Your hair looks like Hannah Montana's"

I showed him that my hair is brown and I pointed to some pictures, then explained that my hair looked more like Miley's hair. I don't know why I said this but at the time it seemed to make complete sense.

"Your right, It does look more like Miley Rays's hair," He agrees.

Since this conversation, Maxwell, has started referring to me as Miley Ray. No lie, when I walk by him in the classroom, I hear things like "Hi Miley Ray", "Will you help me, Miley Ray", "What did you do last night, Miley Ray?"Miley Ray is so pretty", "She is my girlfriend", and "I love you, Miley Ray." Maybe I am just reading these signals wrong. Personally, I like that theory. There is only one flaw with it. When he says these things, Maxwell looks directly at me while smiling and giggling.

Ultimately, I think it is important to recognize that there are positives to this new association. When Maxwell tells all the principals that he loves Miley Ray Cryus and that he is planning to marry her one day, they don't directly associate that with me! I think that merits a sigh of relief, for now!

Side note:

Has anyone noticed that it is impossible to talk about Hannah Montana or Miley Ray Cryus, without saying their whole names!? Does this seem slightly annoying to anyone else?

Don't Stop Believing

2008-10-18T16:44:00.000-07:00

In case that you have not figured out from my profile picture, I should mention that we are baseball fans. Specifically, we are Red Sox fans. Boston fans are the best fans you will ever meet. We are not your typical fare weather fans, ether. We supported the Sox through the all highs and lows. Trust me if you know anything about the Sox, there were many years of lows. It would take hours, maybe even days to even properly explain all that we have been through.

Have you ever seen the movie "Fever Pitch"? Well, that pretty much sums up our story minus some of the extremes. Bryce's dad took his family to Fenway Park when he was a kid. Needless to say that is all it took for him to be hooked. Secretly, I think it was requirement to a become Red sox fan to marry Him. I am pretty sure that it could have been the deal breaker!

Anyways, It has certainly been an exciting ride. Even after many years of disappointments and heart-wrenching games with the evil empire, we kept the faith, we cowboyed up and we hung with the idiots! We witnessed the greatest come back ever! In 2004 and 2007, we celebrated with the champs! With all of that being said the sox will always hold a special place in our hearts. As Boston fights for the ALCS in game 6 and hopefully game 7, I think Journey's songs says it best, "Don't Stop Believing".

Here are some of our favorite highlights with the sox.

Bryce is extremely excited about the amazing 7, 8, and 9th innings of Game 5 against the Rays! Like I said, we will never give up!

The Costco Way

2008-10-11T16:41:00.000-07:00

The Johnson family has an addiction. I do not know that I can adequately describe the extensive amount of time that we spend feeding this addiction. This addiction not only includes us but the entire Johnson family. Bryce's parents, Billy and Frances are addicted. Bryce's brother, Chad is addicted. His girlfriend, Kim, is addicted and they live in Georgia. I have heard that the first step in facing an addiction is admitting it. So here it goes.....

We are all addicted to Costco!

Some of our first dates were at Costco with the Johnson Family. It is just too hard for a girl to resist a hot dog and a very berry sundae. That is just the beginning,at lunch and dinner time they give your free samples of new foods! Who can beat being able to buy enough toilet paper to take care of a couple of small armies. Let's recap,free food, toilet paper and a hot dog. All this in one shopping trip, Oh boy! Plus, you can't forget that each month, they send out coupons with even more discounts. That is just the icing on the cake.

We happen to love Costco so much that we own the " Costco Way" cookbook. Conveniently, the recipes include items that you can only get at Costco. It is good thing that we shop there a lot. This weekend we made one of favorite recipes from the cookbook, Barbecue Chicken Pizza Bagels. As you can see this is a yummy treat! It would be great for a movie night, community group/bible study or the big game night.

Here is the recipe:

2 ounces of chicken breast meat (you can cook it or use canned chicken)

Sliced Bagels

Barbecue sauce

Cilantro

Green onions

Mozzarella Cheese

Preheat oven to 400. Get the cookie sheet ready, spray it with some veggie oil. Place the bagel sliced side up. Spread a good amount of BBQ sauce on the bagel. Put the chicken on top of the sauce. Sprinkle lots of shredded mozzarella cheese on top. Bake for 10 minutes. In the meantime, chop up the green onions and cilantro. After cheese is melted and the bagel looks crisp, sprinkle green onions and cilantro to finish the recipe off.

I would love to know what you think of this delicious recipe!

Watch Out Obama

2008-10-06T15:09:00.000-07:00

There is a new presidential candidate in town. It might just be someone that you know. This is one campaign story that you will not want to miss. You will be in for a little surprise.

Just copy and paste the link. Then tell me what you think....

http://www.tsgnet.com/pres.php?id=46832&altf=Cspplf1boe1Cszdf&altl=Kpiotpo

It is obvious that the "Mystery" candidate is creeping up from the bottom of the polls! Who will you be voting for?

Why Have I Not Tried This

2008-10-05T18:54:00.000-07:00

Scouring the windows for prey, rubbing his neck against the corners of all the furniture, munching on food, sipping water, chasing the dog away...

Who knows what was actually on BJ's agenda for today? It must be exhausting. Just another manic Monday. I have always thought that pets did not like exercise. This definitely looks like Yoga to me. In reality, I will never know what this cat does all day. I just can't help wondering why it is that I have not tried this before.

You have to admit it does look comfortable!

Mia

2008-09-30T18:32:00.000-07:00

NO, I have not changed my name.

NO, I am not starring in a movie with all of Abba's greatest hits. Although, I have to admit that it would be great to live in a world where it is normal to break out into song and dance daily.

NO, I am not joining the military. Figuring out how to get around a barbwire fence does not sound like fun to me.

BUT I have hit a land mine. I have been a prisoner of war. I've had reoccurring nightmares of the scrutiny that I would face. The anxiety about what would happen next has grown. The reality of my fear became clear. Somewhere in the mix of everyday life, I have become MIA.

Missing in Action

That's me, I admit it, I have broken one of the golden rules of blogging. To be exact, I have broken Rule #4 according Word Press's Top 10 Rules of Blog Etiquette.....

"Be Regular. Nobody likes to visit a site only to see the same post from last month sitting there. Eventually they’ll just stop coming."

I've had school stuff, band stuff, working out stuff, facebook stuff, tv stuff, movie stuff, reading stuff, and even birthday stuff! Clearly, the list could go on. I've had plenty of excuses but none of them are good enough. I have let my current readers down. Don't worry, I'm a realist. I do know that there are probably only three people who read my blog but those wonderful three people deserve to know that they are important! It is my opinion that blogging is on some level about community and sharing life. That is one of the reasons that I like to write!

So I apologize. I hope that you will continue to read and enjoy. As for me, I will work on my commitment to follow rule # 4.

The Things They Say

2008-09-24T12:48:00.000-07:00

Just in case you don't remember my special friend, Maxwell is one of my new students who has a bit of a crush on me. Disregarding how many times I have explained that I am happily married, he has made cards and planned dates. He has told countless people that I am his girlfriend. Maxwell has even gotten down on one knee and presented me with a ring made out of beads. It has been admitted that Mr. J is a problem in this equation but he has rationalized this detail. According to Maxwell:

" Mr. J is not going to be around forever"

Can I just say that this concerns me! I am little worried about what exactly he means. I am hopeful that I will not find out the answer to that statement. Maxwell has decided that he does not want to marry me, at least this week.

There are a few problems in the cafeteria. Maxwell has developed the notion that the lunch tables are drums. Throughout the week, this behavior evolved. The hallway walls became drums too. As you can imagine.... this is not good! He claims that he is allowed to "bang" on the tables at home?! After meeting his father, I am not so sure this isn't true.

In any case, it was explained to Maxwell that this was not acceptable behavior in school. He was given a couple of strategies to avoid this urge. He chose not to heed the warning and he did not earn enough "J dollars" to participate in Free Time Friday. Needless to say, he was upset!

Maxwell was so distraught that on our way to the buses at the end of the day, he told the police officer that I was a criminal! He explained that I should be handcuffed and taken away. I think it is safe to say.....

The engagement is off!

The Chipmunks Vs The Chipettes

2008-09-14T11:35:00.000-07:00

So I made the point to watch The Disney Channel this weekend. It made me think about the shows that I enjoyed as a kid. There were so many shows, I can't begin to name them all but I do remember liking the Chipmunks! I enjoyed that every episode in some way was related to music! It, also, didn't hurt that the theme song was catchy. Alvin, Simon, Theodore, do do... do do do do!

These guys were so much fun! In 30 minutes, they figured out how to get in and out of trouble. Alvin always had good intentions but continued to find trouble around every corner! Thus the phrase "AL.....VIN!!!" was born.

I have to admit though, as much as I liked the Chipmunks, I liked the Chipettes even more! What can I say, I am girl! Brittany, Jeanette and Eleanor were just so cool! Brittany was the stylish leader. Jeanette was the smart one yet she was a little absent-minded in some areas. Eleanor was kind and confident and seemed to always work up an appetite by the end of the show...who wouldn't after all that adventure? Their versions of "My Boyfriend's Back" or "It's My Party and I'll Cry if I want To" were unforgettable!

I loved that somehow the girls were always right there to clean up the boy's mess. Miss Brittany was sassy enough to challenge the boys to duels! There was always a debate about who could get the job done faster? Who would be at the finish line first? Who would rock the songs bigger and better? The Boys or the Girls?! Here is one of my personal favorites:

Well, I think you know who I was cheering for to win this battle of the bands! So, the question is:

Who do you think rocked.....The Chipmunks or The Chipettes!?

The Things They Say

2008-09-06T18:33:00.000-07:00

This year I have set up a token economy in my class. Throughout the week the students can earn tokens for participation in class, transitioning, and good behavior. At the end of the week, the students turn the tokens into the "Bank" to earn free time. Since teaching social skills is just as important as academics in my classroom, it is a learning experience for them too. During Free Time Friday's, they get to participate in an activity of their choice. Some students choose to make bracelets. They can look through magazines while listening to music. Some choose extra computer time, reading, coloring or crafts. Some students even lift weights.

Personally, I love "Free Time Friday" because it gives me the opportunity to just hang out with my students and get to know them better. This week, I decided to make some bracelets with Janet. Janet had a super week and she deserved some extra attention. It is always fun to talk with her. Here is glimpse into our conversation.....

"Hey Janet, would you please share some beads with me?"

"Yeah, J, sit here"

"Thanks Janet"

"I really like the colors you are using Janet! It is very pretty. Can you show me how to make one?"

"Sure, why don't you use purple and white?"

At this point we started working together on our bracelets.

"So what are you going to do this weekend, Jan?"

"You First"

"Let's see, On Saturday, I am going to do some cleaning and laundry. I will probably run, workout, and possibly watch a movie with Mr J."

"What else J?" Jan asked

"On sunday, I will go to church and play my bass guitar. How about you?"

"Well, I will eat steak and potatoes. "

"That sounds yummy!" I responded

"I am going to ride with my dad on his harley"

"Now that really sounds like fun! What does your dad's harley look like? "

"Red and Black with Flames"

"WOW, That is too cool!" I commented.

By this time, Jan had a had huge smile on her face now, you could tell she was getting into the conversation .

"Oh and I will watch TV too" Jan exclaimed

"What do you like to watch on TV, Miss Jan"

In a very causal and carefree tone she stated:

"Disney and News"

The conversation continued with more details but I really loved her answer! Talk about hitting both ends of the spectrum! So innocent and yet serious! I think I will make a point to watch Disney this weekend.

Save 2nd Base

2008-09-06T04:39:00.000-07:00

Who can resist checking out this shirt? It causes you to do a double take! Weather you admit it or not, secretly, it makes you smile. While I was reading one of my fitness magazines, I came across an article about this very neat organization. "Save 2nd base" is dedicated to raising money for breast cancer awareness. It was started by the friends and family of Kelly Rooney who lost her battle to breast cancer in 2006. Every story is touching. The diagnosis, the journey, the past, the future, and the outcomes are all personal and emotional. Every story is as important as the last but they are all unique.

Let's be real though, no matter what the situation involves, it is hard. For those of us who have a loved one who is battling this disease or who had a loved one that h lost their battle to this disease, you know that it can difficult to keep a positive attitude. That is why I think "Pink With A Wink" is brilliant. It makes you laugh but at the same it still recognizes how important it is to support survivors and inform those at risk! Research has shown that early detection of breast cancer, can save lives. Why not turn some heads while we help fight this battle! I will definitely sport this shirt.... How about you?

Here is the link to the site, I think it is worth checking out!

http://www.save2ndbase.com

Disclaimer:

I apologize to all the boys for this blog! Although, I would be willing to bet that there were still some middle school chuckles that built up when you saw the shirt! Just admit it, that's the first step! I am just joking, really... it's okay. In any case, I hope that you will be able to pass this on to the special women in your life. I would also be willing to bet you your women would be excited that you care. I promise, it might just win you some points!

The Things They Say

2008-09-02T13:36:00.000-07:00

Have I mentioned that I am a teacher? Well, I am! I teach some of the most wonderful students in Virginia! At least, that is my opinion! My job is a little different than your average high school teacher, you see, my students are special. No really, I mean that literally! I teach students with different types of exceptionalities.... they have autism, mental disabilities, and sometimes multiple disabilities.

I feel that it is important to mention that my students are academically and socially on an elementary school level but they are still going through all those crazy high school emotions and changes. I teach all the core subjects, Math, Reading/English, Social Studies, and Science. Since our students have special needs, we have a big responsibility to teach social, behavioral skills and transitional skills which include job related skills, cooking, shopping and other independent living skills. The skills that we take for granted are extremely important to my students. Trust me it makes for an interesting day!

I have found there are fantastic things that come out of my student’s mouths. The things they say can be incredibly smart, funny, crazy, and logical, all in the same. I can not count the number of days that I leave school laughing over the events! The stories are too good not to share! So the saga begins...

Yesterday was the first day of school. I usually have about 11 students in my class. Some of my students are with me for a few years. This year I have two new students. New students are always fun! Enter Maxwell.

One of the first day activities is to draw pictures depicting the classroom rules. Matthew was supposed to be drawing pictures of students showing good manners. Here is how the conversation goes:

"Maxwell, can you tell me which classroom rule you chose?"

"Students will use Good manners"

" That's nice, can you tell me which good manner, you're picture is showing?"

"That's You, Sweatheart"

"Oh, thank you Maxwell, can you tell me which good manner is Mrs. J showing?"

" Well, your having a baby"

" Maxwell, Mrs. J doesn't have any babies and you are supposed to be drawing a picture of using good manners, Can you tell me an example of a good manner "

"Sweetheart, You are going to have babies" At this point, Maxwell has a huge smile on his face and is winking at me.

I am really trying hard to change the subject, and redirect him to the right path.

"We are supposed be drawing pictures of good manners. Your classmates gave some wonderful examples of good manners earlier. Do you remember any of those examples?"

At this point, he started to pretend that he was cradling a baby. He was not listening to a word that I said.

"You are my new wife"

I slipped, the laugh just rolled out of my mouth. It was just too cute. I've had students have crushes before but none that actually proposed marriage!

" Well, Maxwell, that is sweet but Mrs. J is already married. I have a husband and I like him a lot."

By his expressions, He looked taken back for a second but soon he was grinning again.

" Well, that is just too bad for Mr. J because I AM your sweetheart now. You are my wife."

Over the past few days, I have tried numerous times to let Maxwell know kindly that I am his TEACHER and that is as far as it goes. A few times I even, just ignored it, not wanting to reward him with more attention from this behavior. However, Maxwell is currently telling random faculty members in the halls that I am his wife. Yesterday, at lunch he tried to kiss me on the cheek while I was helping another student with their food! He did his best to take advantage of the situation! Since then, our class has focused on appropriate ways to greet people..... kissing teachers on the cheek is NOT one of them. During free time Friday, He made me a ring out of the beads! Oh my, I think next week, I am going to have to bring a few pictures of Mr. J to put on my desk. This year is going to be adventure!

The Battle of the Blanket

2008-08-28T15:14:00.001-07:00

I love pets. What is not to love? They love to play and cuddle. They listen and seem to understand. Most importantly, they are genuinely happy to see you when you get home! I know there are some disadvantages too. Like kids, you must feed them, clean up after them, brush them, bath them, make sure they have medicine, take them to the doctor's, and you have to invest time in them. Still, I love pets!

If you have made the choice to have pets, there are still decisions that you will have to make. What type of pet? There are so many options but most of the time, people decide between cats and dogs. Dogs are usually thought to be submissive and playful. Cats are more cavalier and finicky. You can train a dog. Cats are NOT so easy to train. The list of differences could go on but the truth is that I love them both and like the typical woman, I have a hard time making up my mind. So If you haven't figured it out yet, we have a cat and a dog! Adah is an adorable but confused pekingese dog who sometimes thinks that she is a cat. BJ, well, He always comes when called....Really what cat does that? Together, they bring us many laughs in the Johnson household! Hence, the battle of the blanket begins.

Bryce and I each have our own comforters which we relax and curl up with after a long day at work. We've had them for a few years. These blankets have been ate on, slept on, used to clean up spills and who knows what else! We probably should have replaced them a long time ago. Trust me, they have seen their share of wear and tear but with that wear and tear comes great memories. We are very fond of these comforters. Apparently, so are our pets!

It all started with Adah, we noticed that she would always come sit at our feet. At first we thought that she just wanted to be close to us. How sweet!? But soon we noticed that she would get on the green blanket no mater what, even if there was only a corner barely touching the floor. There she was. I feel that at this point I should mention the fact that she has her very own bed in another room that is very fluffy and seems like it would be much more comfortable. Anyways, Slowly, she become very protective of this blanket. We come downstairs in morning and she is on the blanket. We come home from work and she is on the blanket. Now, Adah is a small and lazy dog, she cant really jump on the couch by herself. So, It was is an extra special treat if we happen to forget to push the recliners all the way down because then she would be on the couch with the BLANKET! Honestly, if you try to take the blanket from her, she gives you this pitiful look, almost, like a fight is about to break out! Bryce started to this think was cute!

Being the sweet and caring man that he is, Bryce started to purposely leave the blanket on the floor at the end of the night for her. He even started to fold the blanket up neatly, just so it would be more comfortable! Adah ate it up! Immediately, She would jump on the blanket wagging her tail. Again, like the typical woman, this made my heart melt. I bet you are wondering, what happened to the cat?

Well, you see, BJ can jump wherever his little heart desires. He has a favorite spot on the couch that he can get to without any help. He has a chair at the dining room table, he has a house with a scratching post next the sliding door that leads to the backyard which he can strategically watch for birds and squirrels... probably dreaming about doing unearthly things to them. After many years of having pets, I think that they are just like kids. They fight for our attention and clearly get jealous of each other. Adah will snap at the cat, if the cat tries to get pet while she is on your lap. BJ will intentionally walk by to be pet when the dog is getting attention. He will, also, jump Over the dog to get on the couch. After jumping on the couch, he will lay right in front of her and drag his tail in front of her face. Despite all of this, I think that they secretly like each other! I decided to put this put this theory into an experiment and it was hilarious what happened the next few days!

This is what the scene usually looked like before Bryce started to make Adah a blanket out of the bed.

This is the bed that Bryce made just for Adah!

The next morning this is what we found!

BJ had taken over the Blanket, leaving poor Adah on the floor! Well, the next night, I decided to fold the blanket much bigger, just to see what would happen. Would BJ or Adah claim the blanket?!

Turns out, they might just like each other! Although, I have a feeling that this will not be the end of the battle! I mean really, did I mention that this is MY blanket!

Who Loves Mrs. Butterworth?

2008-08-24T13:20:00.000-07:00

Who loves Mrs. Butterworth? She has been around for quite a few years! She always has that cheerfulness and sweetness that make kids smile. Check it out, Mrs. Butterworth has even learned how to "pound it"!

But I think the most brilliant advertising use of Mrs. Butterworth has to be in the Geico Commerical. Yes, I know this commerical has been on TV for quite some time but it makes Bryce and I laugh every time we see it! It just has a magic touch. The lines are so classic:

" Broken glass send shivers down my bottle"

"It was a piece of cake, or more like hot pancakes!"

So I thought I would post it for you all to enjoy again! "Oh, oh, oh, someone has put a logo right over my face!" Who loves Mrs. Butterworth, We do!

"Palli Palli"

2008-08-21T17:18:00.000-07:00

Like any other day, I decided to go on a run after work. There is a stoplight at the end of Colony Road about 1.5 miles from home. It was beautiful outside, the sky was clear, it was warm with a nice breeze, I was relaxed and in the zone. I reached the light and it was time to turn around to head home. This is where I usually kick it up a notch but my knee had been hurting so I decided it would be better to walk. Let me just say it was a surprisingly interesting walk home.

I was in my own world, when I hear this woman say "excuse me". Yes, I stopped,it is just the type of person I am. She looked very lost. Hardly understanding what she was asking because of her choppy English and Asian accent, I put together that she was asking me how to get to "e-mart". It was in the complete opposite direction then where she was headed. I redirected her and her daughter which just happened to be the way I was going. She continued to tell me that her and her daughter just came from Korea yesterday. To my surprise,They kept walking with me and continued talking. Feeling somewhat like a host, I felt like I needed to be polite. I found out that her daughter would be attending HRA to study English. She pointed out schools and churches to make conversation. Her daughter would be staying with a pastor of a small Korean church and the lady herself, would be returning to Korea to be with her husband and other daughter. She was determined to take me with her!

She tried to convince me that Korea would provide a home, a job, and lots of money to teach English. I jokingly asked if I would be able to learn Korean, because it seemed like a hard language. She assured me it wasn't. We laughed about it and for the next mile we shared stories about our lives. Her Daughter, Emma, told me what subjects she was looking forward to school, we talked about pets, traveling, family, friends and of course the Olympics! As you can tell, the pace of the walk became leisurely. I mentioned that Bryce was probably wondering where I was. I proceeded to share that it usually didn't take me this long. Smiling the women patted me on the back and said "Pali,Pali". What!? Apparently, it is a very common phrase in Korean which means, "Hurry Up!" It was one of those moments where you just stop and start laughing.

I walked with them (briskly) to end of the road, pointed them to the E-mart (also known as the Korean Wal-mart, another interesting fact which I learned on this trip), bidded them farewell with a handshake, a smile,and a new phrase "Palli, Palli" . I dont know that I will ever meet these beautiful women again but I am thankful for those wonderful moments we shared on that unexpected day! I guess, you never know who God will put in your path to brighten your day! On another note, I certainly hope that they found their way HOME!