The Basic Halloween Post

(FYI: Our cute little religious town decided to hold Halloween on Saturday this year so the kids didn't have to trick-or-treat on a Sunday. We were very happy with the arrangement.)

Halloween was fun this year at the Johnson house. Everett has wanted to be Spiderman for months now, and after a quick trip to a consignment shop, I had his costume ready. Easy, peasy.

I tried to talk Ashley into being a superhero like Everett, since she always enjoys playing pretend superheroes, but no such luck. Ashley wanted to be a princess, and a purpley sparkly princess at that. I let her pick out some inexpensive purple fabric and tulle, and I made her a dress. It took about three times as long as it needed to because since I am too cheap to buy a pattern, I make a huge amount of mistakes (a little ruching down the front hides a multitude of errors). My seam ripper and I are very well-acquainted. But, it got done and it was actually pretty fun to make.

Everett has enjoyed showing off his Spiderman moves for a few months now. He was a little sad that I was making something for Ashley to wear, therefore not paying much attention to his costume, but he was thrilled when I told him we would paint his face. Everett went around for days after that proudly pointing out to Ashley that she might be getting a new dress, but he gets his face painted. I had to make good on my promise and he was one happy boy.

Ashley doesn't even really know what a princess does. Joel sat down with her one day and said, "You know Ashley, princesses play basketball."

Ashley's reply was simple but effective: "No, they swirl!"

After a little deliberation, Ashley won, but Joel has brought it up a few times since.

After the kids were done trick-or-treating, Everett was already thinking of what he wanted to be next year.

"I think I want to be a princess, well, a boy princess," Everett said decidedly.

"Why do you want to be a princess?" I asked.

"Because, they play basketball!" he replied.

I guess someone had been listening to Joel all this time. Too bad it was the wrong child.

After about ten too many pictures, the kids forgot how to smile and so we hustled out the door.

Everett was truly a boy on a mission. He took off with an older friend and together they tore through the neighborhood (always within eyesight). All I could do was hope that he remembered his thank-yous, because I was too busy ushering along Ashley, whose pace fluctuates between mosey and wander.

After our first neighborhood, the kids sat down to enjoy some candy. Some kids (ahem, Everett) enjoyed other people's candy.

Everett and his friend were both superheroes, obviously. They have a lot of fun together and are pretty similar in that they have a lot of pent-up energy. They love to play tag; they chase each other with as much power as they can muster. The only problem is, neither is very good at stopping his pursuit in time to avoid knocking the other over.

"Show your muscles!" we said. They look pretty cute.

Here is another picture of Ashley because I've posted so many of Everett. I'm sure you have forgotten what she looks like by now.

Although the number of houses we went to was not overwhelming for Ashley, she did get tired of saying thank-you each time. When I had to remind her several times at one house without her cooperating, she finally turned to me and said huffily, "I already said thank-you!" Ashley had said it, yes, but at the previous house. I think she decided that one thank-you is enough for everyone in the neighborhood.

But, since that is not what I decided, she still had to do what I said.

I had wassail brewing in the crock-pot when we came home, but the weather was pretty warm today so we didn't really need it. It sure hit the spot, though.

Joel and I hid most of the kids' candy before they noticed. I prefer to let them binge on it so I can get it all out of the house and eliminate all that whining for more. This way they don't have quite so much to binge on in the next couple of days, and Joel has gotten his share complaint-free. Win-win.

After filling their bellies with candy, we popped the sleeper sofa open and watched Ratatouille. The kids were wiped out and went to bed easily and quickly. What a fun day!

Mr. Sandman

Everett just told me about a dream he had, so I thought I'd write it down before I forgot. I occasionally ask him if he had a dream, and he never has anything to tell me. I think after a few minutes, Everett started adding details he didn't really dream about, but it is a fun story just the same.

Everett came excitedly into the bathroom as I was washing my hands this morning.

"Mom, Mom! Guess what! That one time, there were all these skeetos (mosquitoes) and they wanted my poop and I let them go in the toilet and I flushed them away!"

"Everett, was this a dream or did this really happen?"

He grinned. "I saw it in a dream!"

"What happened in your dream?"

"I woke up and all deese skeetos were trying to eat me all over da pwace (insert a growly yum yum yum yum yum). And next I got up and next I went to the bafroom and I put them in the toiwet!"

"How did you put them in there?"

"I cwosed the wid, see? And next I fwushed (sound effect) and they were all gone!"

"What happened next?"

"Den I was back in bed and fwee cwickets came hop hop hop on top of me! And next I fwushed them down the toiwet too!"

"And then what happened?"

"Nuffing," Everett shrugged, "I just went back to sweep."

Fun stuff. I think I know exactly why he dreamed of a swarm of mosquitoes. Last night we watched the movie Ponyo, and in it, as the little boy jumps over some rocks, hundreds of insects scatter away from him. Maybe this made more of an impression on him than I thought, or maybe I'm completely off with my logic here. Either way, I'm glad to write this down so he can laugh about it later.

Progress!

One month ago, William was at the negative 3rd percentile on the growth chart for height and weight.

(He weighed just shy of 12 and a half pounds and was only 23 inches long.)

The doctor wanted me to bring him in after a month to get him weighed and measured again, so I did that today while the kids were playing at a friend's house. Guess what? He has grown! He hasn't grown much, but he has grown. Today, at seven months old, he almost weighed 14 pounds and was 24 inches long, which puts him at the 3rd percentile.

We're not in the negatives anymore! (Don't get Joel started on the statistical impossibilities of negative percentiles)

I'm truly not worried about him because he eats well and is happy and very energetic, but it is nice to see that he is growing. I'm sure he will catch up--although I'm sure we won't be able to put him front-facing in his car seat for a long while--but for now, I can't help but enjoy my sweet little guy. He is wiry and squirmy and cuddly and his big brown eyes and thick dark lashes make me melt. I love him more than words.

Tomato, Tomahto

Sometimes when I'm in the mood for an easy dinner that everyone will eat, I make creamy tomato soup and bean and cheese quesadillas (I like corn tortillas the best because it almost tastes like nachos). It's cheap, it's fast, and usually I have the ingredients.

I used to think I didn't like tomato soup, until I tasted some that didn't come from a can. It was wonderful! I decided to start making it regularly, and I've been really happy with the results. Joel, however, doesn't always agree. Whenever I'm making tomato soup, he comes over to the pot and says forlornly, "I'm guessing this isn't Campbell's. . ." to which I say "too bad!" and get back to stirring.

I have seen a lot of recipes for tomato soup, but for the sake of being uncomplicated, this is how I do it:

(Warning: this recipe is completely made-up. The amounts are non-specific and technique is, well, it probably couldn't be considered technique at all. Use at your own peril.)

(Also, this looks a lot more complicated than it really is. It really only takes 15-20 minutes, but you can have it cook longer for the flavors to meld--it would work well in a crock pot, I think, but don't quote me on that. Lizbeth, are you reading this? What do you think?)

(FYI, if you make this recipe as I've written it and it causes your taste buds to revolt, your kids to hate you, and your dog to run away, you have no legal right to sue me.)

(That is all.)

Elise's Creamy Tomato Soup (heart healthy!)

You will need:

tomato juice

onion (red, white, yellow, doesn't matter)

garlic

1 can diced tomatoes

salt & pepper

flour

butter

milk

cottage cheese

basil (fresh is best, but not always in the budget)

thyme

Mrs. Dash seasoning--or similar, if you want to add a little something extra. Usually I leave it out.

1/2 tsp baking soda to cut the acidity (this makes the soup temporarily puff up, so use a much larger pot than you need and only fill it 1/2 way!)

This is my process:

Heat up 1-2 T butter in a pot. When it's melted, throw in a little diced onion and minced garlic. Cook for a couple of minutes. Then mix in some flour to make a roux. Once that is going, slowly whisk in some tomato juice. Bring it to a simmer. Add canned tomatoes, basil, thyme, salt and pepper. Let it simmer for a few minutes. Then add maybe 1/3-1/2 cup cottage cheese, or more if you want. (FYI, the cheese curds completely melt into the soup. If members of your family don't like cottage cheese, they won't even know it's in here. It just makes the soup a little creamier.)

After the cheese has melted into the soup (you'll be stirring it with a whisk), get out a glass measuring cup and pour some milk into it. Then take a little of the hot soup and whisk it into the milk (this tempers the milk so you can add it to the soup). Take the baking soda and whisk it into the soup. It will make the soup fluff up--don't worry, it will go back to normal in a few more minutes. Slowly whisk the milk mixture into the soup before the baking soda bubbles disappear. Cook for a few more minutes and it is ready to go!

Building

Yesterday I actually had a great idea (a rarity) for a Family Home Evening lesson. It gets dark here around 7:00 pm, so Joel and I loaded everyone up in the car and drove down to the river. The children, each enthusiastically armed with a flashlight, ran and played up the trail as we watched the sun disappear and the sky turn dark.

We found a place to sit down and I began to tell the children about Christ's visit to the Nephites. I told them how they had seen terrible storms and some of their homes had been destroyed, and how scared they felt. I wanted to tell them all about how the people were joyful when Jesus visited, and how much Jesus loved them.

However, the children were getting restless, so I sped things up. "Do you think the people were happy or sad that Jesus came to see them?" I asked.

"Sad," Everett replied.

"Yeah," Ashley added.

I reminded the children how happy they were to see Jesus, and how happy He was to see them. I explained that when Jesus came, He told them "I am the light of the world."

"Can you say that? Can you say 'I am the light of the world'?"

"I am. . ." Everett began, as Ashley just stared.

"I am the light. . ." I continued for them; they both looked blankly at me.

I had them repeat it one more time.

"I am the light--hey look! A Sun!" Everett noticed a design on the ground where we were sitting.

I redirected his attention to the lights illuminating the walkway. I explained that Jesus says he is the light of the world because he shows us the way to get back to Heavenly Father, just like the lights help guide us along the path.

"If those lights were off, do you think it would be dark or would it still be light out here?"

"Um, light," Everett replied quickly as he played with the grass.

I explained the point again. Just as I was finishing up, the children jumped up and escaped to the nearest light pole.

I didn't mind too much. This lesson had the potential to be something that really made an impression on them. However, I realize that my job as a mother is not to only provide few amazing moments, but to help them build their testimonies brick by brick. Sometimes it can feel a little tedious, and a lot of the time it's difficult to see the progress we're making, but I know it is happening.

The important thing to me at this point is that my children know their Mother loves Heavenly Father and that they want to love Heavenly Father, too. We'll build the rest a little at a time.

Brothers

Everett loves William, and William loves Everett. They love each other so much that I don't think they ever get tired of one another (this will happen when they're older, I'm sure). Everett loves to roll around with William, and William always laughs at whatever crazy thing Everett is doing.

Ashley doesn't seem to mind being a little left out. In fact, last week when I was at the fabric store with Ashley and William, a woman came up to her and asked "Is this your little brother?"

Ashley said, "No! Dat's Evewett's wittle bwudder!" I corrected her a few minutes later but I think Ashley was still skeptical.

Yesterday Everett called me into the living room. When I came he excitedly told me to look at what he and William were doing. It seemed like a pretty good photo opp to me!

William never seems to mind when Everett is moving him around.

But he especially loves it when Everett is moving with him.

William loves the attention and Everett loves to be adored and giggled at. It is a win-win situation for all.

Ashley decided she wanted to be in the picture too. Our house is pretty crazy some times, but we have a whole lot of love to make up for it.

Very Ashley

Ashley doesn't have tantrums very often, but when she does, they are major. Everett had far more tantrums at this age but I could usually distract him with something else. In fact, my motto with Everett was "redirect, redirect, redirect!" Ashley will not be distracted from something she wants, even with a bribe of candy (believe me, I've tried). Joel asked me a few weeks ago who I thought the most stubborn Johnson was, and it didn't take me long to decide it is Ashley. This stubbornness does mean that she can take the time to figure out just about anything without getting too frustrated.

One day when I was cooking, Ashley got mad about something and though she didn't have a full-on tantrum, I took some pictures of her pouty faces anyway. They are so very Ashley, especially the pictures where her lower teeth are over her top lip.

Conversations I don't want to forget

Everett was carefully placing a lot of pillows and blankets on the stairs.

Everett: Wook Mom, Wook!

Me: Wow! What is it, Everett?

Everett: It's my future

Me: What is a future, Everett?

Everett: (thinks for a minute) That place where it's all dirty and then gets shiny and new and nice!

(Everett had just seen and thoroughly enjoyed Meet the Robinsons and was intrigued about the concept of a future)

Me: What do you want to do today, Ashley?

Ashley: I want to be really really strong like Everett

Me: How do you know Everett is strong?

Ashley: Cause. . .he's three.

Ashley: Ta Da!

Me: Ta Da!

Ashley: No! Only girls can say that

Me: Only girls?

Ashley: Yeah

Me: I AM a girl

Ashley: No you're not.

Me: Well then what am I?

Ashley: A Mama!

Mr. Explorer

William is an extra-happy camper as of late. Why? Well, over a week ago he started scooting. Yep, that's right. He's scooting. He can get anywhere he wants to go and put anything he wants into his mouth. It is a good thing we just bought a new vacuum cleaner--we need it!

Naturally, this whole scooting thing coincides perfectly with Everett and Ashley's latest fetish: cutting up any paper they find into tiny little bits. Also natural? The fact that William loves these tiny bits of paper more than all of his bright, flashy toys put together.

Well, in spite of myself, I am finding a lot of enjoyment over seeing him scoot around so well.

A couple of days after William figured out he could scoot, Joel and I took a video of him. It is a terrible quality (some day we will get a real video camera) and the only real action is at the end, but we're proud parents so I'm putting it up here.

Things you should know about William before watching:

He was tired (he had already been scooting around all night and it was past his bedtime).

He is much faster now.

He loves popsicle sticks and will do anything to get to one (he tries to suck off the remaining flavor). I don't like him playing with them because I'm afraid he will ram them down his throat, but I let him just for the video.

password: scooting

Finest Sunsets

Mark Twain spent the summer of 1855 here in Muscatine writing for the newspaper which was partly owned by his brother. He was impressed by the sunsets and his statements about them (found in his book Life on the Mississippi) are still a matter of pride for Muscatine natives.

"And I remember Muscatine—still more pleasantly—for its summer sunsets. I have never seen any, on either side of the ocean, that equaled them. They used the broad smooth river as a canvas, and painted on it every imaginable dream of color, from the mottled daintinesses and delicacies of the opal, all the way up, through cumulative intensities, to blinding purple and crimson conflagrations which were enchanting to the eye, but sharply tried it at the same time."

Well, they are pretty nice. So tonight I decided it would be a perfect time to take the kids on a walk down by the river so we could all see a sunset. Number one, the sun sets around 7:00 these days, so the kids wouldn't be up too late, and two, it isn't freezing cold yet.

We got there just as the colors were beginning to fill the sky. Everett was excited.

After a few minutes, the colors were even more vivid.

They started to fade pretty fast. I was a little disappointed; this is one of the plainer sunsets I've seen here. It would have been nice to have something spectacular since we were all out there with the camera, but it was fun to see it anyway.

Ashley was heartbroken that we made her walk with us along the river rather than playing on the playground, so she was thrilled when we told her on our way back that we could play for a few minutes. It was dark by then, but she didn't mind. She and Everett ran almost the whole way back, hand in hand.

William had a good time too. He was happy to have graduated to the stroller, although I think he still loves being close to me in the wrap. We didn't hear a peep out of him the whole time we were out.

It was nice to get out and see it. I think we should do it again before the weather gets nasty.

Dennis

Joel and I have a nice king-sized bed which we inherited from my grandparents. We love it. It is a select comfort bed, and can be completely dismantled. This is great for moves. In fact, moving is the only time Joel and I ever dismantle the bed because it is such a pain; there are a lot of awkward pieces.

Yesterday Ashley wrote with blue pen on my cream colored sheets, so I stripped the bed.

Everett came into the room as I was occupied with other things, unzipped the pillowtop part of the upper mattress, and completely disassembled the bed. All in about ten minutes.

We weren't very happy. However, I did realize that technically, this is something I have never told Everett not to do, so I couldn't be too upset with him. I'm sure he was just fascinated by all the strange things he found inside our bed.

It took Joel a while to put back together (he may or may not have been muttering to himself along the way). I'm pretty sure Everett won't ever do this again; usually when he does something like this innocently, all we have to do is explain to him why he shouldn't and he remembers.

What a funny kid. Mischief and all, I'm sure glad he's mine.

Jokes, cont'd

Everett bounded into the kitchen this morning and said:

"Mom, what did one chair say to the other chair?"

"I don't know. What?" I said.

"Let's get sitting!"

He was very pleased when I laughed. Then he asked me to tell him a joke.

For his first made-up joke, that one actually made a lot of sense.