Hellllloooo 2011....

Well, just like that the holidays have come and gone and a new year is upon us. This christmas was really nice as it was my first one that I have spent with my whole family in many years. Santa treated the girls very well.....he didn't go so easy on the finances but it was worth it ;). Every year though, I have these wonderful intentions and these visions of the holidays that go something like the pilsbury crescent roll commercials on TV......you know the whole family is laughing and loving together, the house is immaculate, table is beautifully set, everyone is floating on cloud 9. In reality, this never happens, so you would think I would give up on this vision by now....LOL.

As I say goodbye to 2010, I look back in astonishment at how much happened in one year....some good, some bad. In just one year, Chip got offered a great job, we uprooted the whole family and moved all the way to Maryland. The job is one of the good things of course, the move...well, let's just say I see that it will be good when we get truly settled where we belong. Another good thing is I finally finsished my Master's degree!! Okay, that is actually a great thing!! Though, I will admit, there is this pessimist living within me at times now that didn't used to be there that has been known to roll her eyes at that $15,000 piece of paper that is serving no purpose as I am getting passed up for job after job. But, as Chip says, it is something that can never be taken from me and I earned it.

2011 has started out with some ups and downs all ready. The up is that we traded in the Terrain AND the PT Cruiser for two brand new cars that worked out to be a better deal then we had before which is wonderful! The down is that we found out my dad had some blockage in his heart and had to undergo heart surgery. BUT, he is recovering well and the hope is that he will feel better, be healthier and live longer because of this, so that is an up.

My hope for 2011 is that it holds the perfect job for me whatever that may be and it allows us to move into a place that suits our whole family. Those of you that really know us also know that we have a reputation of moving a lot. I will admit, we have moved around a good amount which some of that comes from having two different families in two different states and some comes from being unsettled where we start. I was very settled on "the farm" as we like to refer to it down in North Carolina and though it was and is still hard to give that up, I know that there is a place for us up here that we can all call "home" :)

So here is to 2011 and all the opportunity that awaits!! Cheers!!

Ready or Not....

Ready or not, the holiday season is upon us!! Time has flown by so fast! I remember as a kid when I would hear adults say this, I thought they were crazy because Christmas always took FOREVER to get here.....now it could really slow down a little. In some ways, it feels like we just moved here yesterday and in others, it almost feels like we never left. For this reason, I am thankful right now that I am able to be home during the week. I have been able to get my christmas shopping done stress free and I have plenty of time to get everything else done...except for keep the house clean. I know that there are people out there this holiday season that have lost thier job and are really struggling day to day to make any kind of ends meet. For this reason, I am thankful for many things:
1. I am thankful that I have such a great husband that puts me and the girls first no matter what.
2. I am thankful that I have two happy, healthy children that keep me on my toes.
3. I am thankful that I am surrounded by a family that is always there no matter what.
4. I am thankful that I researched rat care and found out that the cold downstairs was causing our kids pet to become "angels" and moved the newest upstairs before we had yet another death in the family ;)
5. I am thankful to Shannon for working out with me everyday and being a great friend.
6. I am thankful that I was given an opportunity to teach college this semester, I really enjoy it!
7. I am thankful that I will be finished with all my work required for my masters degree in 1 WEEK!!!!!
8. I am thankful that Dylan comes in and makes himself at home whenever he is here
9. I am thankful that I can get cream of crab soup anytime I want and that when I order crab, it is actual crab and not some type of canned wierd stuff.
10. I am thankful that I discovered the Target eatery.....where else can you have a decent lunch with your kid for a total of $5.00 :)

Do I want a job?....yes, I do, but I want a job that I really enjoy and want to do and I am confident that I will find that, but until that time I am thankful that I am able to be picky without fear of being evicted and eating ramen noodles every night. I won't lie, when I find a job, the budget will look much better but it could be a whole lot worse.

So, this holiday season, my hope is that everyone has a list of things to be thankful for! Have a wonderful and safe holiday season!!
-Heather

I know it has been a while since I have last posted....honestly I haven't had much to post about, but anyway, I feel like I have neglected this so here we go! As you all know, we moved to Maryland back in late July. The pros of this move was I got to move close to my family and Chip has a job that he loves and is a really big step for him. The cons of this move are we left a fantastic neighborhood and lots of great friends. Now, many would say, it is just a neighborhood, big deal! But it was not just a neighborhood.....it was a place that we had many friends and many memories. We ended each week as a group relaxing, we called this fun friday, all the kids and adults got to unwind. I had a group of girls that were there whenever you needed them, whether it was to talk, watch movies, go eat or craft, they were always there. So, when this opportunity came to us, we discussed it and figured that long term this was definitely a good move. I, in no way doubt that, but lately I am struggling with a couple of things. First, I hate the house we live in and the neighborhood....it is very hard to go from one extreme to the other and I definitely have done that. I am however, very thankful that I have met a friend in this neighborhood and her and I work out everyday together. Second, I am realizing I really would like a job. Yes, I teach at the community college two days a week and I really enjoy it, but I long for more. I want the money, freedom, independence and comraderie this will bring. I have to be patient though since the economy is not going so well and everyone needs a job, but those that know me also know that patience is definitely not my strong point.

Kiersten is adjusting very well! Kylie, however, is doing good but not great. She is doing fantastic in school!! She misses her room and a yard to run around in. The yard is one thing I believe the whole family is having a hard time with. We usually spent our time after school and work outside grilling and letting the kids play, here we have had to sell our grill because they are not allowed and there is no yard.

I do know that once everything falls completely into place, this will be great for our family! I am glad to be a part of Dylan's life as well as everyone elses that lives here. I also know, the best things come to those who wait......if only I was better at waiting ;)

Farewell to a furry friend

About 10 years ago, I had a friend that was injured. He had a dog named Jake that he had no idea what he was going to do with while he was in the hospital and recovering. So, I volunteered to "watch" him until my friend was ready. Jake came to our house and immediately made himself at home, him and Oscar became friends right away. He was a little hard to walk and had a lot of spunk but was the sweetest brown eyed boy. He would lean into you so he could be as close as possible to you and lay his head in your lap and stare up at you with his sweet face. Needless to say, our temporary arrangement ended up being permanent and Jake became a member of our home. He was there when we brought Kylie home from the hospital. We came home and laid her on the floor so he could introduce himself and he was immediately smitten! He adored her, he would pace when she cried and lay beside her. He felt the same way about Kiersten when we brought her home. As they grew with him, they could climb on him, lay on him, dress him up, anything they wanted to do, he was more than willing to comply. You could not ask for a better dog with kids. Even when my nephew Dylan came along, Jake was eager to offer himself up to Dylan as a jungle gym, pillow, you name it. About 6 months ago, Jake had a seizure completely out of the blue. We took him to the vet and they thought that maybe he got into something and had an allergic reaction. We thought and thought and searched the house for something different that he could have gotten into so we could get rid of it but came up with nothing. A couple of months later he had another one, we again took him to the vet and this doctor immediately took a liking to Jake. He spent the night with him and told us that he believed Jake had a tumor and it could be months, years, there was no telling. A couple of days ago, he started leaning a little to one side....we were concerned. Then when I came down the steps on Sunday morning, I knew something was really wrong. He was wagging his tail and happy to see me as always but he couldn't barely walk and his eyes could not focus on me. With a sinking heart I called Chip down and he took him to the vet. That is when the bad news came, the tumor was so large, it was pushing on his brain and there was no turning back. I couldn't let him suffer, he had given us all he had for so many years and he deserved way better. So now Jake is running around in doggie heaven, tumor free. Our house feels so empty and strange without him. It will take a while to get used to not seeing him at the door when we get home, to not hear him guarding the house all night while we slept, but I know he is guarding us from his new home.

God does have a sense of humor.....

This title is so true and I can prove it, I have two girls! LOL!! Not only do I have two girls, but one is extremely dramatic, squealy, whiny and emotional. Those of you that really know me, can see the humor in this as I am not an overly "girly" girl. Now don't get me wrong, I am not a bodybuilder that spits and scratches myself or anything, I just don't relate well to overly emotional, dramatic people. So to amuse me, I live with Kylie. Kylie is a great kid, she aims to please, she is very passionate about things, but she can pour on the drama and the tears in a heartbeat. EVERY night this week, it has taken at least an hour to get her to bed because she is SO upset that we are going on the cruise and won't see her for 6 days...... it sounds a little something like this:
-good night kylie, i love you, have sweet dreams okay..
-sniff sniff, okay but mommy, why do you have to go on a cruise
-because sometimes grownups need vacations, but it is not for long, we will see you next week
-But, sniff sniff, don't you looooovvvvveeee me, aren't you going to miss us....why can't we GO....
-Kylie, you are getting yourself all worked up over something that is not a big deal, we will bring you a cool thing back from the Bahamas and you have lots of fun plans and we will be back before the weekend
-But I don't want to ride the bus, i want to be able to hold your hand,
-OK, that doesn't have anything to with the cruise, but you are a big girl and I am there to hold your hand until the bus comes and hold it the whole way home
-BUT mommy?
-yes, kylie
-It's just I'm, I'm, I'm, I'm going to miss you and i am going to CRYYYYYYYYY

I will spare you the repeat of all of this about another 5 times, but this has been my week. We also dropped Kylie's grandma from SC off at the airport a couple of weekends ago, and that evening consisted of a very similar scenario though the conversation was different, it consisted mostly of I am going to miss grandma, when will I see her again......you get the picture. I have heard Chip was quite the drama king when he was little so I am sticking with she gets this from his side of the family!

I started teaching my class this week and I really think I am going to like it! It is a lot different teaching college over elementary school, but in a very good way! I hope they actually learn something from me, I know I will learn a lot!

Now that school has started back, I am able to see myself getting into a sort of groove with staying at home. Two days a week, I get to watch my nephew and the other three, it is just me and Kiersten until Kylie gets home on the bus. This is a whole new world for me, so I am learning and figuring things out as I go. It will be an adventure, I am sure! I will try to keep everyone updated of my adventures as I go.

Saturday, I board a big cruise ship with my man and our best friends and I am so excited, I can barely stand it! I have my closet packed and am ready to go!! I know when I get back Jillian Michaels will be waiting for me and I will be ready! Until then, BON VOYAGE!! Have a great week :)

Settling in!

Well we made it to Maryland! It took a lot of creativity to get all of our millions of things into this new place but luckily that is just my area of expertise! :). I do miss a yard, I miss grilling out and watching the kids play, but overall we are adjusting well and keeping very busy!

My oldest baby turned 7 this weekend and is getting ready to start second grade! As cliche as it sounds, it truly does feel like yesterday I was in the hospital waiting for her to get here! Both girls are adjusting really well to being here and Kiersten likes to tell everyone that she doesn't go to school anymore :) I will definitely have to keep her learning though because I will say that her school there was doing a great job!

I do miss the farm girls and think about them just about every friday...hee hee! But I definitely plan on coming to the southern xmas show which I know will be here before we know it!

I finally got word back and am going to be teaching a class at the college which I am really excited about....I am hoping that with finishing my own masters this semester and teaching two days a week, that will be the perfect balance as I adjust to staying at home during the day which I must admit is quite a change since in NC, I sometimes felt like my job was my life. I even get to spend two days a week with "D"! That is really fun because I get to love him and hug him and then his parents get to deal with all the fun nighttime stuff. I will admit sometimes handling all three in public places gets a little tricky especially when D wants to be held but all that is is extra birth control :).

I apologize that it has taken me so long to update this and will work hard to keep it more current!

Happy Trails!!!

Life has a crazy way of throwing a curve ball when you least expect it. This is certainly the case for us right now as we have exactly 2 1/2 weeks to pack up an entire house, host a moving sale and get it all to Maryland from North Carolina!! Not to mention this emotional rollercoaster I am on now as a result! There are so many positives to moving such as:
1. I will be back with my family and where no matter where I have lived I have always referred to as "home". When I was little, I thought all that "home is where the heart is" stuff was just some sappy crap some sissy made up to put on cute plaques to make a couple of bucks. I thought home is where your stuff is,,,,,,DUH......now I am realizing just what that means and that sissy was actually right and probably got rich as well in the process!
2. I get to be there for my nephew and he will know who I am and not have to "get used" to me everytime he sees me, I will watch him grow up and my kids and him will be tight whether they like it or not. I fully expect that i get asked for him to spend the night or them to spend the night after family functions like we all did when we were kids. And Chad and Holly.....hope you don't have any plans for halloween because I already have plans for the three of them to go trick or treating together and of course Kenzie if she is available ;).
3. Chip is taking a really good job!! This is what got all of this started in the first place. I am so proud of him! He will be working for the university of maryland making a good salary and will get to finish school for free as well as our children will get to go to any university of md school for free as well!! Having two girls, we have always figured one could get married and one could go to college due to the expense of each.....well look out men, both girls can be on the "market" when they are 40 years old!! :)
4. All you can eat crabs!!! -enough said there!

So as you can see there are lots of things to be excited about. However, people have such an impact on your life and I have met so many wonderful people down here!
1. My neighborhood people!! I absolutely love my neighborhood and will truly miss the "farm crew". I will miss our fun fridays which was the perfect end to many long work weeks, I will miss scrapping nights....which by the way never did any crafty stuff until here...huge thanks for that!! I will miss walking and bunco even though I didn't get to too many of them, I will miss yard sale-ing, and so many other things. There has not been anywhere else that I have lived that I made so many wonderful friends in the neighborhood and had so much fun on so many levels! Where else can you drink a beer, watch a chick flick, then bust out some scrap book pages, while watching the kids play, drink some more and then wake up first thing in the morning and go to yard sales!! LOL. However, I will be down for visits, and will attend any functions going on at that time, plus there is facebook and email and the phone!! Hoping I can get down for the southern xmas show and we can do that again....hmmmm...pencil that in ladies!! :)
2. My work- yeah I know, at times, it is so frustrating, but I have met some really great people there also, and I have learned a ton!!!
3. Of course we go to one family but leave another, that is always the hard part of marrying someone from another state....though I will say it makes the whole "whose house do we go to first and when on holidays a whole lot easier" hee hee. They have been so supportive and I know they will really miss the girls. Though it will make our visits down "extra special" just like our time in Maryland has been the past 7 years.

So as the Johannes family starts a new chapter, I assure everyone that the book will not close, we will be down to visit whether you like it or not, we will bug everyone to have fun friday when we come down or hang out, we will be down for certain holidays and we will always be just an email, text, call, or facebook post away. It is so bittersweet as I look forward to memories to come, look back at memories made, look forward to the people I left once before and sadly back at the ones I will leave behind. Happy Trails to everyone and we WILL meet again!! Love you all!!