From the Johnson Archives

Remember that list of fairies I posted the other day? Well, another fairy that will be visiting our house soon is the tooth fairy. Zack will have six teeth extracted on March 31st. Which brings me to the "archive":

Zachary had seven teeth pulled in 2004. I know what you are thinking...how many teeth is he going to have left? Let's just say he has a very overcrowded mouth...kind of like a shark.

Zack post extractions in 2005.

Anyway, Gary and I took Zack to the oral surgeon in June of 2004. I sat with him while they put the IV in his arm and watched him fall asleep (this, by the way, is Zack's worst memory of the whole ordeal; the needle poke of the IV). The nurse ushered me back to the waiting room where Gary was thumbing through a magazine. An anxious and excruciatingly long half hour later it was all over. The nurse came out and said we could come back to the operating room and see him. Well, anyone who knows Gary knows that he can't stomach that type of thing. So I said I would go, he could wait there. I walked into the extremely bright operating room to see my little eight year old lying on the operating table; barely awake with bloody gauze in his mouth. Is it getting hot in here or is it just me??? He mumbles, "Hhhhii, mmmmmm". Well, that is all it took to put me over the edge. Now, I know it is getting hot in here! I think I am just going to take off my jacket....all of a sudden the nurse is running over yelling "she is going down, get a chair". I think I will just rest my head on the table for a minute. Where is the oxygen?!? Next thing I know I am being wheeled into the recovery room (yes, hooked to the oxygen tank), where Zack is already waiting for me.(when did they move him?!?) So there I sat, in the recovery chair with Zack looking across the room at me from the "visitor" chair. This is about the time that the nurse went to the waiting room to proclaim to Gary, "Well, they are both doing better now!" You can imagine Gary's shock when he saw the two of us.... his son sporting a mouthful of gauze and his wife sniffing oxygen.


We both recovered from the event, but it will forever be apart of Johnson history!

Wish us luck for round two!

Office Fairies

Office Fairies are the people in my office; who I rarely see (they are magical like that); who make my life easier while at work.

I started thinking about that this morning when I noticed my paper supply had been magically re-stocked.

I need to look into fairy service at home:

The paper fairy: I would never have to run out at 8:00pm to buy a ream of paper because one of the boys used the last sheet and has a 10 page paper due the next day. Thank you for reloading the printer, paper fairy!

The trash fairy: I would never have to kick the bathroom trash out of the way to get to the toilet OR come home to the smell of stinky kitchen trash. Thank you, trash fairy, for keeping the trash bins emptied (and void of rotting food).

The bathroom fairy: I would never have to look at drips and dribbles (I’m in a house of boys…you get the drift). Thank you, bathroom fairy, for cleaning the toilet and sink 4 times a day (even if it is at the very time I have to go…without fail).

The breakroom fairy (aka the coffee fairy): This is more of a convenience for Gary since I don’t drink coffee, but the fairy does restock the tea so I can see a use for him. Gary would never again have to run out to Starbucks because he ran out of coffee in the early am hours. Thank you, coffee fairy, for supplying us with multiple varieties of teas and coffees...especially the caffeinated ones for Gary :)

The vacuum fairy: I would never have to nag Gary to vacuum the house again (imagine that)! Thank you, vacuum fairy, for sucking up all the paper punches I almost always spill on the rug while emptying the electric hole punch.

The computer fairy: I would never have to worry about fixing my computer, loading software, or killing viruses again! Thank you, computer fairy, for loading all of the most up to date software and never causing me a moment of down time.

I think I need to update the chore charts for my boys...I'm sure these services can be negotiated for the right dollar amount!

Time to catch up

I know...I missed you too! It has been 4 months since I last posted a blog.
I have some major catching up to do. How about I give you a few of the highlights from the last few months and we just move on...agreed?! Great!

1. The Kindle is the best invention since the ipod! No joke, I am addicted to it. Since December I have read: The Phantom of the Opera by Gaston Leroux, Nineteen Minutes by Jodi Picoult, 10 facts about Disneyworld by Jeremy Schultz, The Confession by John Grisham, Room by Emma Donoghue, Day after Night by Anita Diamant, Leaving Home by Jodi Picoult, and Alone by Lisa Gardner. Let's not skim over the fact that I have also set many high scores on EveryWord, Word Search, Shuffled Row, and Mine Sweeper. Oh yes, I am kicking butt on EveryWord!

2. Zachary achieved double honor roll for his grades at the Middle School and his Geometry class at the High School; he accomplished this while having 2 toe surgeries and beginning the orthodontia process. Not bad at all!!! He will have some teeth removed later this month and gets the rest of his braces on in early April. In late November he decided to have a Bar Mitzvah so, he has learned the Hebrew alpha bet and is now reading and chanting Hebrew prayers. I am so proud of him.

3. Daniel has had more homework in 4th grade than Zack has had in 8th grade. The poor child has slaved over the books for hours every night. I have hopefully put an end to it with a (persuasive?!)conversation I had with his teacher. I guess she (reconsidered?!) her homework policy over the last two weeks and Daniel has been able to finish in under an hour (tear free I might add)! As always, Daniel is a constant source of entertainment around our house.

4. Gary has been deliberating on the next car he should buy. There has been serious talk (on his end) of getting a Westfalia. What's that you say??? Why would he want to get a Westfalia? Because there is a sink AND a refrigerator right on board AND wouldn't that be AWESOME for all of the (maybe 2) camping trips we take every year?!?! Of course it would be! (If we lived in the backwoods!) It's OK ladies, you can calm down now, I have convinced him to look at other cars as well. (Jane, that doesn't mean he is getting a big ASS truck!) He is being mindful that I don't want to be seen pushing a car up a hill (I think that is why he got a AAA membership)!



5. My sister is having a little girl. This IS one of the highlights of the last 4 months because you all know my family has been swimming in a sea of blue for the past 14 years.

6. I am a full-time working woman. The best part of this is that Gary has been doing most of the cooking. I come home just in time for dinner. The other great benefit of working is that Gary hired a gardner. Yep, I guess he figures since he is doing all the cooking he doesn't have time to mow the lawn. We live quite the life of luxury!

All in all it has been a great 4 months!
Talk soon,
Julie