First Snow of 2012

Greetings!!! I hope you all had a great weekend. Mine was very nice. It was just good to get away and be surrounded by friends. We didn't leave the lake house all weekend long--actually I didn't even step one foot out the door on Saturday--and it was much needed.Like most of Arkansas, we woke up to snow today!! It wasn't much, especially compared to last year, but I still love the snow!! This is better actually because you aren't trapped inside for 4 whole days--like last year. I literally thought I would go nuts with the cabin fever last time. It was horrible!!! Some cute little boys (who are always riding their bikes around our neighborhood) knocked on our door and asked if they could shovel our driveway for $10. Since Scott and I don't know how to say no to the little ones, even when it's an extremely unnecessary purchase, we said yes....and Scott tipped them an additional $10. His excuse was "they're young and learning the value of working hard for money." Ha. Since Scott worked from home today I was a good housewife and made us an omelet for breakfast. It was super healthy too! Just egg whites, spinach, and tomatoes. I honestly think it's the best omelet I've ever had. Just goes to show you don't need all the cheese and bacon to make it good!
Holly isn't like most kiddos. She doesn't enjoy playing in the snow. She just looks at it like 'ew. I'm not getting in that.' So we celebrated the snow day with her favorite--Purina Busy Bone!!!! She's so obsessed that I can't even believe it. We started with these a little before Christmas and now she's very aware of them and asks (in her own little way that only I would know) for them. She's really good at eating them now. It used to take her about 2 hours but she's really aggressive and can totally tackle those bad boys in a solid hour. Look at how filthy she gets when she eats them though! That bone is all over my little doodlebug. Yucky!!
Tonight I made a pizza! Scott and I haven't made a pizza in a while and we used to do it all the time. We just buy a pizza crust, smear a little olive oil on it then add whatever toppings we like. This time we opted for tomatoes, bacon, gobs of spinach, and a little 4 cheese Italian blend from Kraft. We both agreed it's the best pizza we've ever made. We'll totally be having it again this week. And just to make ourselves seem extra nerdy--we calculated it was only about 350 calories!
I was still hungry after dinner so I made a little snack. I always keep chocolate chips and strawberries in my house. I feel like it's not so bad of a splurge. It's impressive how just a few chocolate chips can make such a large amount of melted chocolate. Chocolate covered strawberries are my absolute fav.
And, of course, this little girl got a bath after the Busy Bone mess she made of herself. I know I always say it but....even if she pretends like a bath is major abuse I KNOW she always appreciates it and feels soooo good afterwards. Holly was major spunky today. It's like we knocked 10 years off her life. I think I owe it to the Busy Bones. They make her SO happy.

BTW: For all your Bachelor fans out there--I kinda think Courtney is going to take it all the way. I saw him on Ellen a few weeks ago and it got super awkward when Ellen was criticizing her. And people "in the know" are saying she wins. I also learned reading Us Weekly in the Walmart checkout line yesterday that she used to date Jim Toth (Reese Witherspoons husband) and Jessie Metcalf. I found that innerestin...

DONE.

This Weekend I'm....

Spending the weekend at the Julian lake house....


A little getaway is much needed....


Even if it's just a 30 minute getaway....


We're indulging in bad food and good wine....


Playing beauty shop (like always)....


Making s'mores by the campfire....


And major relaxing. Happy weekend y'all!

Yesterday

Hey-O! This post comes to you veeerry early--6 AM to be exact. I'm WIDE awake. I considered going to the gym and getting that over with for the day but my bed feels very cozy so I'm opting to stay put.
When I first woke up, around 5:30, I was surprised to see Holly wasn't in bed with us. She normally wakes up to potty around 2 then asks me to put her in bed. I tossed around then realized there actually was a little furball snuggled between Scott and myself! I guess she asked him to put her in bed instead of me. It's always such a shock when that happens! Oh hello there Holly. Glad you made your way up here!


Speaking of Holly, she went to the beauty shop yesterday! She looks so cute!! She always looks younger to me when she gets a little haircut. I don't know what I was thinking when I agreed to a 8 AM appointment. Holly doesn't wake up until 11:30 & I don't even think about getting dressed for the day for a solid 2 hours after 8. But when people ask if I can be there by 8 I don't know how to say "no that's way too early for us do you have another time slot available?" so I always just say yes. Poor Holly was nearly still asleep when I handed her off to Gail--her hairstylist. I asked her if Holly just stands there all pitiful like while she's grooming her and she said "oh yeah she's like a statue." The look on Holly's face when she's getting a bath (or groomed too I guess) is so funny to me. She looks like she's getting abused and turns so sad and sulky. Silly girl! I try to tell her that everyone has to take baths but it doesn't make her feel better.
I bet Gail thinks I'm so homely. I don't think she's ever seen me with makeup on and I always have makeup on. The first time I took Holly I had just left the gym and was surprised she could squeeze us in so quickly. Last time I was sick as can be and only able to keep down 6 saltines in a 2 day period. Scott was so busy at work so he couldn't take her and I didn't want to cancel so I somehow managed to get a small ounce of energy and take her there. And this last time.....I mean, the Johnson household doesn't get dressed before 8 AM unless it's for an airplane ride so....
One of these days I'm going to look presentable. I bet she thinks I just love Uggs, sweatpants and my Northface fleece.
Listen to what I ate yesterday. A CFA spicy chicken biscuit for breakfast, chili and a baked potato from Wendy's for lunch, and half a quesadilla from Flying Burrito--with a side of queso--for dinner. What the? Hello Rotunda!! Isn't that horrible/embarrassing. I don't know what got into me but I woke up thinking "ehh, I don't care what I eat today." And of course I didn't work out because what's the point after eating like that. I've got some major damage control to take care of today.
Alrighty well, I'm going to try to fall back asleep for another hour or so. I hope you guys have a great day!

Truth

I love this picture of my sweet girl! It's a rare shot of her playing with toys that aren't her Snake or Ball. Holly has had Snake and Ball her whole life and she's very loyal to them and never plays with any other toys. Momma brought these toys up this weekend. Holly got them for Christmas a few years ago but like all new toys she gets, she enjoys them for maybe 2 minutes then moves along. I was so shocked to watch her run to the little pink piggy, in the middle of us playing with Ball, and ask to play with that instead! It was a moment. I had to take a photo.

Today was a rough day. I've had a lot of those lately. I seem to be more sad than happy the last few months which is really not like me. I guess everyone feels that way a few times throughout life right? It seems to be taking a toll on my body though. I think I have a pinched nerve in my neck and my heart is, what I can only describe as, fluttering. My (doctor) Uncle wants me to see my primary care physician but I feel like I go all the time and they'll be like, 'oh here's that girl again.'
So the stress of my stress is stressing me out.
Someone put this on Facebook today and it broke me when I read it. You know how sometimes you feel like things are said or happen just for you? I felt like the Lord put this on Facebook for me today. It's from the song Blessings by Laura Story.

'Cause what if Your blessings come through raindrops

What if your healing comes through tears

And what if a thousand sleepless nights

Are what it takes to know You're near

What if my greatest disappointments

Or the aching of this life

Is the revealing of a greater thirst this world can't satisfy

And what if trials of this life

The rain, the storms, the hardest nights

Are Your mercies in disguise.'

It was just what I needed to be reminded of and I'm going to try to remember that.
And if that song weren't enough to make me feel better than this adorable face is. Because I could never look at my sweet Holly and not instantly get happy. She's everything.

Super Bowl Weekend

I had a great weekend! My parents came to visit and I so enjoyed their company! We were very local this weekend. I wanted to introduce them
to some of my favorite local restaurants that they hadn't been to before. On Friday night we ate at Basils and it was delish!!! Of course. Saturday we had lunch at Tusk and Trotter which is on the square in Bentonville. The Five and Dime, which is just around the corner of T&T, has recently been renovated so we decided to check that out. It was so neat!! We probably spent an hour in there. It's a little mini museum on how Walmart has evolved. I highly recommend going to see it. Just knowing that the biggest company in the whole wide world started just a few miles from where I live is so cool!! For dinner we ate at one of my favorite locals, Table Mesa. Scott's Dad joined us for the evening and my Dad could not stop raving about how much he liked Table Mesa. It really is so yummy. We didn't have time to go to Crystal Bridges unfortunately. One of these days I really am going to go!! It's so embarrassing that I haven't made it yet.
My parents left town fairly early on Sunday but we squeezed in an early lunch at Fish City Grill (see, all local) before they left. I just loved that they came up just to see me, Holly, and Scott. Usually when they come to town it's for business so I felt extra special that they made the trip to NWA.
We held a little mini Super Bowl party at Randy's since he has the big theater room. We catered Flying Burrito and it was a fun time. I was glad the Giants won and I thought Madonna put on one of the best halftime shows I've seen in a looooong time.
I have to wake up early tomorrow so I'm in bed and ready to lay my head on my pillow. I need a good nights sleep so I've distracted Holly with a Chewnola and she's currently chewing it in her little bed. Hopefully she stays there a while. I LOVE my little snuggle bug and there's nothing like cuddling with her but she knows how to seriously disturb my sleep by hogging my bed space and I'm in desperate need of a really good nights rest. I know I say it all the time but it's so amazing how a little 7 pound furball can take up so much space??!! Anywho, this weekend was great! Looking forward to a good week. It's pretty non eventful but should be nice nonetheless. Until tomorrow.....

What's In My Bag?

Well hello there. Long time no chat huh? Sorry about that. I felt a little under the weather this week and just didn't feel like blogging. I still have a little bit of a sore throat but I'm feeling much better now....just in time for the weekend! My parents are coming up this weekend and I am so excited about that. I'm taking them to one of my favorite restaurants in Rogers, Basil's, tonight and I'm really looking forward to it! They've never been and I know they'll love it. We also plan on touring Crystal Bridges this weekend as well. It's kinda crazy that it's like, 2 miles from my house and I've never been so I plan on fixing that tomorrow. My little doodlebug is doing good! She is very spunky today and won't stop following me every where I go. The last two days she slept literally like, 21 hours each day. She's obviously very rested which must be why she has some extra spunk. She told me she really wanted to go bye bye with me and since I don't know how to tell her no, I took her to Macadoodles! I love that she's so wittle I can just put her in my bag! I also love that she will totally make herself comfterable and just hang. She's totally content sitting in there. I honestly think if she had to sit there for an hour she would happily stay put. I should take her more places actually because she's so easy to tote around and nobody seems to care if she's just chillin in my handbag!! I love this picture of her with her one little arm propped up. Haha. It gives me the chuckles.
Alrighty well, my parents will be here shortly and I need to run a few errands before they arrive. I hope you all have a great weekend!