amy

HAPPY BIRTHDAY KYLIE!

pictures from kylie's 3rd birthday last year are swimming through my mind all day today!  i know it's said all TOO often, but holy moly it just goes by so dang fast!!  how is my lil jellybean 4!?  she squealed with excitement last night when i told her she'd be 4 this morning when she woke up :)  and has spent her entire day basking in the special wonder of such a big number!  here are some highlights (more pics in the album to your left...)

(sorry kids, can't figure out how to straighten this out ;)

modeling her new sleeping beauty princess dress (and lisa-bear matching) from grandaddy and gigi!

LOVING her new rolling "pack-pack" from grandma and papa j!!

her yummmy chocolate cupcake breakfast...with sprinkles of course!

we started her special day by taking she and bristoe to see the movie, UP.  it was bristoe's first actual movie experience :)  they both did awesome, although kylie thought the movie was a bit scary :(  next we headed to the mall for lunch and to shop for that gorgeous sleeping beauty princess dress...and also found some sparkly shoes to match!  after a brief rest/nap back at home we headed back out to the tarpon aquarium...saw TONS of fish, turtles, eels, snakes...very cool!  the kids even fed the sting rays and sharks :)  

after reading bedtime books and thanking God for such a fun birthday, kylie was most excited that tomorrow she'll STILL be 4 years old :)  what a sweet angel....

check out these spots....

BeadforLife

Haitian Creations

very cool stuff happening here.  very real lives.  very real need.

happy mother's day!

Before I was a Mom, 
I never tripped over toys 
or forgot words to a lullaby. 
I didn't worry whether or not 
my plants were poisonous. 
I never thought about immunizations.



Before I was a Mom, 
I had never been puked on. 
Pooped on. 
Chewed on. 
Peed on. 
I had complete control of my mind 
and my thoughts. 
I slept all night.

Before I was a Mom, 
I never held down a screaming child 
so doctors could do tests. 
Or give shots. 
I never looked into teary eyes and cried. 
I never got gloriously happy over a simple grin. 
I never sat up late hours at night 
watching a baby sleep.

Before I was a Mom, 
I never held a sleeping baby just because 
I didn't want to put her down. 
I never felt my heart break into a million pieces 
when I couldn't stop the hurt. 
I never knew that something so small 
could affect my life so much. 
I never knew that I could love someone so much.. 
I never knew I would love being a Mom.

Before I was a Mom, 
I didn't know the feeling of 
having my heart outside my body...... 
I didn't know how special it could feel 
to feed a hungry baby.. 
I didn't know that bond 
between a mother and her child. 
I didn't know that something so small 
could make me feel so important and happy.

Before I was a Mom, 
I had never gotten up in the middle of the night 
every 10 minutes to make sure all was okay. 
I had never known the warmth, 
the joy, 
the love, 
the heartache, 
the wonderment 
or the satisfaction of being a Mom. 
I didn't know I was capable of feeling so much, 
before I was a Mom .

(author unknown)

april highlights...

egg hunting...

more hunting...

brief pause for the camera :)

joy of discovery!

grandma's lil cupcake

always some beach fun...

The Beach is Back!!!

We had our first beach outing of '09 today!! OK, so we were all bundled up in pants and jackets and still freezing our tooshies off...but nonetheless...we were at the BEACH!!!!  Had a fun picnic with a sweet friend...here are some pics...

HAPPY BIRTHDAY BRISTOE!

6:56am-wake up to serenade of "happy birthday" tune from mommy, daddy and kylie

10:00am to 1:00pm-birthday escapade to the aquarium (including peanut butter sandwich picnic in the car) **THANK YOU GRANDADDY AND GIGI!!**

2:00 to 3:47pm-NAAAAAP

4:20pm to 5:35pm-cookie cake 

5:36pm to 7:08pm-scooter races around the table with kylie **THANK YOU AUNT ASHLEY & UNCLE MIKE!!!**

7:09pm-GOING TO BED AS A 2 YEAR OLD BIG BOY!!! PRICELESS! :)

A Johnston '08 (to the tune of "Twas the Night before Christmas)

Twas the spring of ’08 and in the Johnston home, the kiddies were packed up—boxes stuffed full of foam (peanuts that is.)

From Jacksonville to Tampa we moved and we dared…hoping and praying, definitely scared.

 

The kiddos were troopers, moved with great ease.  Mom and dad also thought this trip  quite a breeze.

Chad on his harley and Amy at the gym, many trips to the beach and to friends’ for a swim.

 

A sweet new home with a porch swing for two.  A sight so pretty with often a dolphin to view.

Away from our comfort zone He decided to guide.  But forever He promised He’ll be by our side.

 

New church, new friends, new roles to resume.  But never a pretense or perfection assumed.

We had no idea what to expect, but never did we imagine so much love and respect.

 

With Kylie and Bristoe growing quickly each day, we captured a pic or two and blogged right away.

So many firsts, birthdays and revelry…we realized quickly how much we miss family.

 

Then allergies, wheezing, copays and treatments.  Poor bristoe was fighting asthma with quite a persistence!

Week after week and months galore, he hacked and he coughed til we all said, “NO MORE!”

 

We hoped and we prayed that this streak would soon end.  Then finally we felt a nudge from a Friend. 

A sweet doctor we met and we learned quite a bit, and decided that most likely milk was our culprit!

 

Two months it has been since he had his last bout!  But of course the ear infections wouldn’t be left out.

But alas we keep hope and we know that one day, these endless antibiotics will soon fade away.

 

Kylie has grown into a young lady quite fast.  But her innocence and sweetness continue to last.

A princess she is and that she will be, til time fades away or says so by me.

 

We can’t imagine a family luckier than we.  Not sure how we got here, but by Love given free.

Next year will surely be something new.  But one thing we know—our complaints should be few.

 

 

We love those near and miss you if far.  Maybe in ’09 we’ll brave a trip in the car J

So from Kylie, Bristoe, Amy and Chad…we hope that this year was a good one to have.

 

May this next year be a fresh start or even brand new.  And may you enjoy His perfect sweetness on you.

more ash!

here are a few more pics of our sweet time w/ ash....and more in the "kylie and bristoe" album.  

sweet snuggle-time

more snuggles...

beach+hubby+babies+sunset+sista=heaven

SHE'S HERE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

NEED I SAY MORE??

ps....we love you Mike and wish you were here! :) xoxo

pizza party!

tonight we had some friends over for dinner!  since both michelle and i are without our hubbies this week, we decided to team up a bit :)  here are some fun pics from our FABULOUS evening!!!  lol, i just realized that i titled this post "pizza party" but forgot to get any pics of the kids creating all of their beautiful pizzas!  oh well :)  here are pics of them playing at the park before din din....

look both ways....

ty, payton, trevor, bristoe, kylie, delaney

trev just hangin

ty and payton hangin like big bro

catch me if you can!!

moss-collecting :)

seriously...could they be any sweeter??

bristoe LOOOOVES trevor :)

stunning...