We have another BABY!

Brady and Clay watching prairie dog hunting clips.

MOLLY SUE BANTA


Brady's best friend since college came to visit us this weekend. I didn't get that many pictures because they were so busy working on my "Honey-do" List! Clay even brought Riley's 13th B-day present with him! Molly Sue is the newest addition to the Brady Bunch. She is an eight week old Yorkie weighing in at almost two lbs. She is sooo adorable and the kids can't get enough of her. Bailee took her for show and tell this morning. I can't think of anything cuter than a puppy and a class full of first graders oohhing and aahhing.

We had such a great time with Clay. (Although, we did miss Anita, Nathan and Abby.) Anita, I'm going to have to send Brady down there to help Clay with your honey-do list. They even fixed the garage door I wrecked last week! Brady and Clay did manage to squeeze in some prairie dog hunting of their own! When we count our blessings The Johnsons' are at the top of the list!

This week on the Brady Bunch....

I took the boys out to one of my friend's (Misty) sheep farm. They are lambing now and we got to hold some 24-48 hour old lambs. So precious! We went inside the barn to get a closer look at the mamas and babies and Charlie snuck/snook out of the barn's gate. I ran out to get him. Here's where it gets interesting... swung down to pick him up and my back went out on me! I am sooo old! All my friends and Jay were still in the barn. I couldn't pick up Charlie, so I opened my car and let him crawl in (I couldn't even pick him up to strap him in the car-seat) so I just closed the door.

I had to go back into the barn to get Jay and tell my friends goodbye. I hobbled into the barn and immediately Misty (a nurse) had me lay down on a bale of hay. With my legs in the air and a dog licking my face! I told them I just wanted to get Jay in the car and go home. So we head to the car and are surprised to see Charlie holding my car keys pressing the lock button over and over again. We proceed in playing his game, happily trying to get him to press the unlock to no avail. He's smiling having a great time! Let's call On Star! Great idea, where's my phone? In the car! While we are finding a phone that has cell service (remember we really are in the middle of nowhere). I get to lay down with my feet in the air again, in the back of Misty's car! I am in the strange place of laughing so hard but on the verge of tears! How did I get this old? I have been exercising lately, this isn't suppose to happen.

So, now I'm home and bent (for lack of a better word) trying to "rest"! How do you "rest" with five kids? The girls have been so funny they started walking around like hunchbacks to make me feel better. Definitely sit-com material!!! It is a good thing we took pictures right when we got there or I would have been taking pictures of everyone's feet!

You know you have a toddler in the house when....

you find dryer sheets in the toilet!

you get squirted by a water gun on a daily basis.

you celebrate things like throwing trash away or putting tiny dirty jeans in the laundry basket.

you'll sing a whole song just to get them to eat one more bite!

you pick up the same toy six times and put it away.

your foot is injured requiring you to limp for awhile because you stepped on that SAME toy.

you scream expletives like... "SCOOBY DOO!" or "ICE CREAM!" when you step on that SAME toy!

you give them too many cookies because you love to hear them say "cookie."

you lose your keys, your phone, your sunglasses, and your mind!!!

you find out you LOVE to play trains and read the same book over and over again just to hear them laugh at the same part every time.

I got tagged!

My long lost friend that I love dearly tagged me. I am carefully and cautiously joining this tag because I don't follow astrology anymore! Because I know that like me, my God is jealous. Please leave lots of praises or I might get angry or I might get my feelings hurt because I'm sensitive! I'm sorry, I lost my train of thought because I was day-dreaming!! Now where was I? Oh yes, did I mention I am leading a ladies Bible study on "Captivating" I love leading but, it would be nice if someone else leads next time! "Captivating" is sooo romantic in a nontraditional way. And it is helping me learn to relax!

Riley has been cracking me up lately with some blonde jokes. If you are blonde please don't take offense because I love and care for you and relate to these jokes completely. I just love jokes have you heard this one? A blonde has just gotten a new sports car. She cuts out in front of a semi, and almost causes it to drive over a cliff. The driver furiously motions for her to pull over, and she does. The driver gets out and draws a circle and tells her to stand in it. Then he gets out his knife and cuts up her leather seats. He turns around and sees she's smiling. So he goes to his truck, takes out a baseball bat, and starts busting her windows and beating her car. He looks back to see that she's laughing. He's really mad now, so he takes his knife and slices her tires. He turns around and she's laughing so hard, she's about to fall down. He demands, "What's so funny?" She says, "Every time you weren't looking, I stepped out of the circle!"

I must go now because I'm starting to get ill and I need to console one of my children!

AUGUST: Loves to joke. Attractive. Suave and caring. Brave and fearless. Firm and has leadership qualities. Knows how to console others. Too generous and egoistic. Takes high pride in oneself. Thirsty for praises. Extraordinary spirit. Easily angered. Angry when provoked. Easily jealous. Observant. Careful and cautious. Thinks quickly. Independent thoughts. Loves to lead and to be led. Loves to dream. Talented in the arts, music and defense. Sensitive but not petty. Poor resistance against illnesses. Learns to relax. Hasty and trusty. Romantic. Loving and caring. Loves to make friends.


TAGGING RULES:

1. Mention the person who tagged you and create a link back to them.
2. Copy-paste the traits for all the twelve months (see below).
3. Pick your month of birth.
4. Highlight the traits that apply to you.
5. Tag 12 people and let them know by visiting their blogs and leaving them a comment.
6. Let the person who tagged you know when yours is up!

And now I'm tagging...

Adrian and Tara


The Twelve Months

JANUARY: Stubborn and hard-hearted. Ambitious and serious. Loves to teach and be taught. Always looking at people’s flaws and weaknesses. Likes to criticize. Hardworking and productive. Smart, neat and organized. Sensitive and has deep thoughts. Knows how to make others happy. Quiet unless excited or tensed. Rather reserved. Highly attentive. Resistant to illnesses but prone to colds. Romantic but has difficulties expressing love. Loves children. Loyal. Has great social abilities yet easily jealous. Very stubborn and money cautious.

FEBRUARY: Abstract thoughts. Loves reality and abstract. Intelligent and clever. Changing personality. Attractive. Sexy. Temperamental. Quiet, shy and humble. Honest and loyal. Determined to reach goals. Loves freedom. Rebellious when restricted. Loves aggressiveness. Too sensitive and easily hurt. Gets angry really easily but does not show it. Dislikes unnecessary things. Loves making friends but rarely shows it. Daring and stubborn. Ambitious. Realizes dreams and hopes. Sharp. Loves entertainment and leisure. Romantic on the inside not outside. Superstitious and ludicrous. Spendthrift. Tries to learn to show emotions.

MARCH: Attractive personality. Sexy. Affectionate. Shy and reserved. Secretive. Naturally honest, generous and sympathetic. Loves peace and serenity. Sensitive to others. Loves to serve others. Easily angered. Trustworthy. Appreciative and returns kindness. Observant and assesses others. Revengeful. Loves to dream and fantasize. Loves traveling. Loves attention. Hasty decisions in choosing partners. Loves home decors. Musically talented. Loves special things. Moody.

APRIL: Active and dynamic. Decisive and hasty but tends to regret. Attractive and affectionate to oneself. Strong mentality. Loves attention. Diplomatic. Consoling, friendly and solves people’s problems. Brave and fearless. Adventurous. Loving and caring. Suave and generous. Emotional. Aggressive. Hasty. Good memory. Moving. Motivates oneself and others. Sickness usually of the head and chest. Sexy in a way that only their lover can see.

MAY: Stubborn and hard-hearted. Strong-willed and highly motivated. Sharp thoughts. Easily angered. Attracts others and loves attention. Deep feelings. Beautiful physically and mentally. Firm Standpoint. Needs no motivation. Easily consoled. Systematic (left brain). Loves to dream. Understanding. Sickness usually in the ear and neck. Good imagination. Good physical. Weak breathing. Loves literature and the arts. Loves traveling. Dislike being at home. Restless. Not having many children. Hardworking. High spirited. Spendthrift.

JUNE: Thinks far with vision. Easily influenced by kindness. Polite and soft-spoken. Having ideas. Sensitive. Active mind. Hesitating, tends to delay. Choosy and always wants the best. Temperamental. Funny and humorous. Loves to joke. Good debating skills. Talkative. Daydreamer. Friendly. Knows how to make friends. Able to show character. Easily hurt. Prone to getting colds. Loves to dress up. Easily bored. Fussy. Seldom shows emotions. Takes time to recover when hurt. Brand conscious. Executive. Stubborn.

JULY: Fun to be with. Secretive. Difficult to fathom and to be understood. Quiet unless excited or tensed. Takes pride in oneself. Has reputation. Easily consoled. Honest. Concerned about people’s feelings. Tactful. Friendly. Approachable. Emotional temperamental and unpredictable. Moody and easily hurt. Witty and sparkly. Not revengeful. Forgiving but never forgets. Dislikes nonsensical and unnecessary things. Guides others physically and mentally. Sensitive and forms impressions carefully. Caring and loving. Treats others equally. Strong sense of sympathy. Wary and sharp. Judges people through observations. Hardworking. No difficulties in studying. Loves to be alone. Always broods about the past and the old friends. Likes to be quiet. Homely person. Waits for friends. Never looks for friends. Not aggressive unless provoked. Prone to having stomach and dieting problems. Loves to be loved. Easily hurt but takes long to recover.

AUGUST: Loves to joke. Attractive. Suave and caring. Brave and fearless. Firm and has leadership qualities. Knows how to console others. Too generous and egoistic. Takes high pride in oneself. Thirsty for praises. Extraordinary spirit. Easily angered. Angry when provoked. Easily jealous. Observant. Careful and cautious. Thinks quickly. Independent thoughts. Loves to lead and to be led. Loves to dream. Talented in the arts, music and defense. Sensitive but not petty. Poor resistance against illnesses. Learns to relax. Hasty and trusty. Romantic. Loving and caring. Loves to make friends.

SEPTEMBER: Suave and compromising. Careful, cautious and organized. Likes to point out people’s mistakes. Likes to criticize. Stubborn. Quiet but able to talk well. Calm and cool. Kind and sympathetic. Concerned and detailed. Loyal but not always honest. Does work well. Very confident. Sensitive. Good memory. Clever and knowledgeable. Loves to look for information. Must control oneself when criticizing. Able to motivate oneself. Understanding. Fun to be around. Secretive. Loves leisure and traveling. Hardly shows emotions. Tends to bottle up feelings. Very choosy, especially in relationships. Systematic.

OCTOBER: Loves to chat. Loves those who love them. Loves to take things at the center. Inner and physical beauty. Lies but doesn’t pretend. Gets angry often. Treats friends importantly. Always making friends. Easily hurt but recovers easily. Daydreamer. Opinionated. Does not care of what others think. Emotional. Decisive. Loves to travel, the arts and literature. Touchy and easily jealous. Concerned. Loves outdoors. Just and fair. Spendthrift. Easily influenced. Easily loses confidence. Loves children.

NOVEMBER: Has a lot of ideas. Difficult to fathom. Thinks forward. Unique and brilliant. Extraordinary ideas. Sharp thinking. Can become good doctors. Dynamic in personality. Secretive. Inquisitive. Knows how to dig secrets. Always thinking. Less talkative but amiable. Brave and generous. Patient. Stubborn and hard-hearted. If there is a will, there is a way. Determined. Never give up. Hardly becomes angry unless provoked. Loves to be alone. Thinks differently from others. Sharp-minded. Motivates oneself. Does not appreciate praises. High-spirited. Well-built and tough. Deep love and emotions. Romantic. Uncertain in relationships. Homely. Hardworking. High abilities. Trustworthy. Honest and keeps secrets. Not able to control emotions. Unpredictable.

DECEMBER: Loyal and generous. Sexy. Patriotic. Active in games and interactions. Impatient and hasty. Ambitious. Influential in organizations. Fun to be with. Loves to socialize. Loves praises. Loves attention. Loves to be loved. Honest and trustworthy. Not pretending. Short tempered. Changing personality. Not egotistic. Take high pride in oneself. Hates restrictions. Loves to joke. Good sense of humor. Logical.

Too Busy to Blog!

I was soooo busy this weeknd. So busy in fact that I didn't have time to wait for the garage door to open completely before I decided to back out. Oh No She Didn't! Oh Yes She Did! Right in front of Brady and thankfully another witness. I was in such a hurry I jumped out looked at the back top of my car. I thought to myself, "Yep, I can still drive it. Hopped back in and picked up Riley from a sleep over, drove Bailee to her soccer game and swung by the church garage sale. Sorry Honey no time to fight about the "wreck" and the broken garage door. Brady has been calling it my hit and run!

I was also very busy throwing down the wrong kind of fertilizer (in the dark)! All I know is that there is no way we are going to have crab grass, according to Brady we never had any to begin with. Sorry honey! I know we had crab grass somewhere we used to live and we didn't like it! 45 bucks on a bag of fertilizer and it was the wrong kind. Grrrrrrrr! Wondering why I was in the dark? Well according to the weather channel we were going to have rain showers through the night. They don't happen that often here in Eastern Montana. I got all excited ran out to the garage because I knew we already had some fertilizer. This would be quick and easy (still light outside). I realize it was our heat of the summer fertilizer. Aww Man! Jump on the internet to Scotts.com to look up the right kind and I'm off to stuffmart, grab the $45 fertilizer and a few other necessities. Do you think I ever go into stuffmart without a basket full? I did stay under the 20 item or less limit! The lady behind me made a crack about my $45 fertilizer, she said I guess your seven children won't eat this week. I was never so glad I could sweetly tell her I have five! By the time I get home and fill the spreader it was dark! Aww Man! So I'm running around like a crazy woman throwing down the wrong fertilizer and it on top of all that do you think it rained one drop? Oh well, dandelions look like grass from a distance, the kids love them and I've heard they make a great salad!!

About now most of you are saying to yourself she needs to read Psalm 46:10. I think that is just what I'll do!

Ten Things Tuesday

1. I am so thankful for my amazing husband. So glad God didn't give me what I deserve. He is cool and smart and forgiving and kind and fun and funny and he works so hard! I respect him immensely.

2. I am thankful that Riley has braces! This affords us four hours in the car alone driving to the orthodontist every six weeks. It is such a blessing to me to have that time with her! We also eat out and do a little shopping! (The above mentioned amazing husband works at home on this day and watches the other four.)

3. I am so thankful it is starting to warm up. Jay and Charlie played outside without a coat today.

4. I am thankful for the men and women who leave their families to protect and serve our country!

5. I am thankful for my group of women with whom I get to study the Bible.

6. I am thankful for the AWANA program at our church and the spiritual growth I've seen in my children. Tomorrow is the last night and I'm thankful for that, too!

7. I am thankful for bath time because...tonight Hallie and Bailee were discussing heaven and how they think we won't pee or poo in heaven and there won't be toilets to clean in heaven and that there will be cleaning angels to help us keep heaven looking nice!

8. I am thankful for Metabolic-Frolic Mango Tea.

9. I am thankful for last Wednesday night's American Idol episode. I had to stay home from church with a sick kiddo and watched TV. I was never so glad I watched TV! Jesus was all over the place. Dolly Pardon sang "Jesus and Gravity" and the Clark Brothers sang "This Little Light of Mine" and said Jesus' Name in it! It was so spiritually encouraging! I loved knowing all those people were hearing HIM get due praise!

10. I am thankful for sleeping children.

The Real Housewives of Montana

Brady bought some cooking lessons at a fund raising auction for me and eight friends. After Thirteen and a half years of marriage, I'm not offended! It was soo much fun!
It was a great group of moms, most of us new to the area, bonding over our lack of a Target and eating good food. We got a little break from our sweet kiddos. And we chose to spend the evening in the kitchen - are we dedicated or what?
I didn't even mind doing a few dishes.
The Flaming Orange - Grand Finale!

Thank you Deb and Dave we had a wonderful time and the food was amazing! We prepared Brie, Walleye Fingers, Grilled Halibut, Rack of Lamb, Supreme De Volaille Aux Champignon, Creme Brulee and more. They even put together cookbooks for each of us to recreate the dishes.

Brady and Riley have started taking guitar lessons. Riley's learning the Bass and Brady had an excuse to buy a pretty new Gibson acoustic/electric. This was all inspired to play in our church for worship! So far they've learned... Come Thou Fount, Ode To Joy, Humble Yourself in the Sight of the Lord, Amazing Grace, Yankee Doodle, Let It Be (John Lennon). With Hallie on the keyboard and Bailee on the Violin , I think they need a drummer. Can you picture me behind a drum set?