The best of 2010

So a friend reminded me that it has been almost a year since I last updated my blog--for the record it has only been 10 months--but boy a lot has happened in those 10 months!!
I am very glad my two younger kids a still pretty young, reflecting back and all the stuff Kaidyn is in too, keeps up pretty busy. I can't even imagine what it is going to be like when the other 2 are older.
First of all I will start with the kids:
Kaidyn--ended her year as a 2nd grader and is now in 3rd grade!! She is one of the best readers and math students in her class. She loves to read and is constantly asking me to bring home books from school. She joined Grant singers this year--it's the schools "special" choir that performs at various events throughout the school year as well as most school programs. She also recently joined the 3rd grade math team and hopes to be one of the top 4 math students so that she can go to the competitions. She played soccer last spring and continued with fall soccer. She is now in the U-9 division and her team totally rocked, and she scored at least 1 goal in all games except the last one. The team played together all last year and added 2 new members this year, but stayed pretty much the same. The only games they lost were during a tournament, in which one of the losses was in a shoot out and they ended up placing 4th. They should continue to play together in the spring and she is so excited about it. She is currently playing basketball, but missed her first game due to illness. She will play through mid-December.
Jayd--is now in Kindergarten. She is learning her letter sounds and basic reading and math. She also played soccer this fall and really enjoyed it. Other than that not much is new in the world of Jayd.







Jett--is now a boisterous, no fear 3 year old. He climbs, he jumps, he runs, he punches, he throws balls and temper tantrums. Watch out when he runs up to you (especially if your a guy) because you never know what he's going to do! He got Seahawk football tickets for his 3rd birthday this year from Levi's cousin and he and Levi went to the game November 7th. The Seahawks were totally creamed by the Giants, but he didn't care and had a total blast!




Now on to Levi and I:
Levi is still working as a Grant County Correctional Officer. He comes home with some pretty interesting stories and with some hellos from some of my former students. He also played for the Moses Lake "semi-pro" football team, the Columbia Basin Riverhawks, last spring. The team totally sucked and never one a game, but I think he had fun and with only some minor injuries. He is debating between playing again next spring and playing more golf instead--my vote is more golf!!

As for me, I have become a "runner" in the loosest sense of the word. If you know me, you know that my idea of running was between and around bases. Last winter I decided I needed a life change. Nothing drastic, just different. I quit drinking soda, from 6-8 Pepsi's a day to 0, and I started running. It was a rough start, and I hated every minute of it. Looking back, I don't know why I even kept with it, but I did. I ran in Ephrata's Canal Caper (10K) last March and finished in a little over an hour. Then it was Bloomsday (12K) in May and a half-Marathon in July in Missoula. After that some friends talked me into training for a Marathon in Portland in October. So I did. My goal was just to finish, and I did, 5 hours and 14 minutes later. It was the hardest thing I have ever done, next to childbirth, but without the drugs, and looking back I loved every minute of it. I inspired Levi and he's going to run a couple halves with me next year.
I also began my 8th year teaching at Royal Middle School. I'm still teaching 7th grade math with a couple of additions of an intervention class.

Well that's the Johnson's in a nut shell for the 2010 year. We went camping this summer and went to a couple of Mariners games. We got a couple of cats, Griffey and Felix, and hopefully will have no mice this winter. We still have our 2 dogs, Rocco and Kiya, and they are not liking this cold weather.

Good Times!!!

Fanfest 2010

Yesterday marked the unofficial start to baseball season with our annual trip to Fanfest at Safeco Field!

We arrived at Safeco Field about 30 minutes before the gates opened in hopes of getting vouchers for a Edgar Martinez of Dan Wilson autograph--along with everyone else. We joined a line that wrapped around the stadium and across the street in front of Safeco Field. Since the Edgar and Dan autograph sessions were limited to 500 people, we did not get a voucher (oh well, maybe next year), but we did for some of the other players, however we didn't feel like standing in line for those so we skipped those autograph sessions.

We had a blast anyway--

The first thing we did was run around the bases. To see Jetts face light up while he was running from base to base was so awesome, it made all the fussing while waiting in line totally worth it.

Next, we went to catch pop-flies in the outfield. When it was my turn Jett was being fussy again, so I picked him up and propped him on my hip as I went to catch my ball, Jayd also decided she wanted to join us and clung to my other leg, just as I made a perfect catch. Those watching were quite impressed with my combination of baseball/mom skills!! The girls and Jett also tried to catch balls and although they were unsuccessful, they still had fun.

Last we went to center field to the "homerun challenge". Basically we hit a ball off the tea over the centerfield wall from about 40-50 feet away. All 3 kids loved it and Levi and I both hit a ball over the wall!! Swinging the bat felt sooooooo good!!

After lunch and a stroll through the Mariners Hall of Fame, we hit the team store and then we were ready to hit the road and head home!!

Can't wait for April 12 when the Mariners open the regular season at home against Oakland and the Big Unit is throwing out the opening pitch!! I'm making my prediction right now that the Mariners will win the west this year--maybe even the World Series!!!