February
I am a fan of February! There is Tyler's birthday and Valentine's Day and all kinds of fun. This February was a bit more dreary than usual...TOO MUCH SNOW. I am so over it. Yes, the twinkle lights were in full effect this entire month and the bright Valentines decor was helpful too but I am SOOOO ready for Spring. Well, really Summer but I will take Spring. Anything to make it stop snowing.
Kameron started the month by achieving a teen milestone. He got his first job!! So exciting. In our family once you turn sixteen it is time to get a part-time job. I suggested that Kameron follow in his mother, aunts, and sister's footsteps. Apply for a job at an assisted living center as a server. This is the greatest part-time job for kids. You learn to wait tables (a life skill you may need) in a non-stressful environment. The hours are great. He goes in from 5:30 to 7:30 a couple of nights a week to work a dinner shift. He is home with PLENTY of time for homework. Then on Saturday he works 2-3 shifts. I also love that this teaches love, compassion, and respect for the elderly. You really grow to love those residents so much. A great life skill for a moody teenage boy. Already his jaded little heart is softening. I love it.
Kam with his celebratory slushy.
He was very nervous to apply for jobs. I drove him to several places. He was hired on the spot at the assisted living center where Reilly got her first job too. (The management has changed from when Reilly worked there.) Kameron thought that he was just going in to see if they were hiring and to get an application. They took one look at him and had him fill out the paperwork and interview right then with two different people: The director of the center and the chef. Thank goodness we just went over some possible interviewing scenarios as we were driving around. This is a life skill that is so hard for kids these days. Kids who hate being put on the spot, talking face to face, talking on the phone...they are so used to texting and snapchatting that it is even more difficult for them than it was when I was a teenager. But Kameron did great! The first question they asked was "Why do you want a part-time job?" Kameron told them that he needed to earn money to help pay for his LDS mission and for college. (So brave!!) That was what sealed the deal. They got super excited and said "We love young men who are saving for missions!! They make the best employees!!" It turns out that they have had several other LDS kids work for them who were also saving for missions and they had done such a great job and made such a good impression that they were thrilled to hire another one. Then they asked Kam if he had any other LDS friends who also wanted a job. The next day they hired Kameron's good friend Caden too!!
Tyler turned 46!!
But on Tyler's actual birthday he and I headed out into the worst blizzard ever...as in employers were sending their employees home early...to have an incredible meal at Downriver Grill. Tyler REALLY wanted some osso buco for his birthday and come ice and snow the man was going to get to eat what he wanted to on his birthday. So despite truly horrific roads...We had a gourmet feast. The restaurant was cozy and romantic. The osso buco was divine. So was the butterscotch pudding with chocolate ganache and gingersnaps that I had for dessert. You don't see homemade butterscotch pudding very often and it was worth every calorie. We also managed to do a little bit of birthday shopping for Tyler before the roads were too horrendous and we had to head home.
Side note: When I lived in Kansas City there was a restaurant called Tippin's Pies. It was HEAVENLY!! Many of my high school friends were employed there as "pie cutters". True story. The best Tippin's pie...in my opinion...was the butterscotch pie. My parents would often bring a couple of pies home on the weekends and they were always butterscotch and french silk. Tippin's restaurant has sadly gone out of business and there is no where to get my beloved butterscotch pie. I have tried a few other butterscotch pies here and there but they were nothing like the Tippin's recipe. Tippin's pies CAN be purchased in grocery stores in the Kansas City area but they are factory made like our Spokane Cyrus O'Leary pies and they are NOT THE SAME.
Then we did have his Superbowl Mexican Fiesta Party that Sunday. It was awesome even if the lame Patriots won.
Despite our lack of interest in the Superbowl... February was filled with two VERY exciting sporting events. The first was Rubber Chicken. As I have said before this is the big spirit contest between our high school and our rival. This is a much looked forward to event for the whole family. The girls basketball team plays and the cheerleaders do a big half time show. Then the boys basketball team plays and the dance team does a big half time show. Both schools are trying to win the most school spirit and win "Chuck" the Rubber Chicken and all the bragging rights for a year. After two years of losing our school FINALLY reclaimed Chuck and won Rubber Chicken!!
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| Kameron is the one waving the flag...you can only see his t-shirt and hair. |
We had the Daddy/Daughter Dance. This year Bryn got her dad all to herself. She was so excited!! Bryn loved picking out Tyler's shirt and tie...all purple...her favorite color. Then they were off for a night of dinner and dancing. This is a yearly fundraiser that the cheerleaders at our high school put on and it is always looked forward to by the Johnson girls. (Ailey is now too old to attend and had a babysitting job that night.) Tyler has been going to this event for years. Bryn wanted to eat at Costa Vida and then they were one of the last ones to leave the dance floor. :)
Official Photo
Every year when this event rolls around Kameron and I also go out for a little mother/son night. These are so precious to me. Especially the older he gets. This year I wasn't so sure that this was going to happen with all that he has going on now...social life...job...etc. But he happily let me know that he was still available to hang out and was looking forward to it. Yay!! He chose to have a dinner and movie night. Kameron picked going out for Mexican food. We had so much fun laughing and talking. The only phone in sight was mine...this was momentous. The kid actually carried on a conversation and we laughed ALOT. Much needed in this time of life.
Man, the toddler years were easy as pie compared to kids growing up and moving on. This is a time of a lot more tension between Kameron and myself. Our relationship has always been so easy and laid back. He is a super good kid. Nice. Sweet. Not mouthy...but now the testosterone is raging and he is grouchy and irritable and seems to always be in a bad mood and is super BUGGED by his mother. I KNOW that this is normal. This is him exerting his independence so that he can grow up and leave the nest. This is him cutting the apron strings. This is him growing into a man who doesn't need his mommy hovering over him. But...it is HARD!! It is so much harder with Kameron than it was with Reilly. Maybe because Reilly and I have been butting heads since she emerged from the womb and Kameron and I have not. It feels more personal sometimes. I get my feelings hurt so much more by his irritation than I did with all of Reilly's yelling and sass. I keep reminding myself of what our pediatrician asked me about Reilly when she was this age...if she was "soiling" the nest? And I replied with Yes, she is really shatting it up and he laughed and said "Good! That's just what she is supposed to do so that she can leave it." Well...the nest shatting continues. But not this night. This night was fun and easy.
I love that boy of mine!
He also wanted to see the movie La La Land...say what?! I had been begging Tyler to see that movie to no avail. But for once Jazz band which is often my nemesis worked in my favor as Kameron's jazz band buddies had all seen the movie and had highly recommended it to him. The whole movie is an homage to jazz. There is even a scene with a phenomenal trumpet player that had Kam on the edge of his seat. Ha ha. Also, I FINALLY get the appeal of Ryan Gossling. I might be late to the party but I am all on board now. :) I've now seen the movie twice.
Exciting News:
Kirk got married!!
My brother Kirk married his long time love, Meki, on a beach in Costa Rica.
The whole McClellan-Sasaki Family from L-R: Meki's son Tarron, Meki's daughter Kaiya, Meki, Kirk's son Kaiden, Kirk, and Meki and Kirk's baby Kirin.
We are super happy for them!! Meki and her kids have been part of our family for a long time now. I've been calling Meki my sister-in-law for 3 years now!! It is nice to make it "official". We were so sad not to be there for the wedding. We almost were but this time of year is just too hard to take kids out of school for 10 days or to leave them on their own for 10 days without someone who can drive (officially) and Reilly couldn't take that much time off to come and babysit either. Pretty much no one in my family was able to be there unfortunately. Luckily my sister Jordin and her family were able to make the trip and represented the McClellans.
Ramon, Jaylah, Jordin, RJ, Meki, and Kirk
But we were there in spirit and via the internet :)
We absolutely hated not being there. It looked like such an amazing trip and such a special day!! Luckily we were able to facetime and kind of felt like we were there!!
Meanwhile back in Spokane...
The snow was piled up higher than Bryn and across the street it was piled up higher than Kameron. Ugh. I am not a fan!!
This is how I was feeling!!
And...still am...all the way into March. Yes, it is still snowing right this very minute!!
Finally Valentine's Day rolled around...
Here is Bryn's Valentine Box which had to be made into the shape of the dinosaur that she was doing a big report on. The box also had to have three facts about her dinosaur on it. It is a protoceratops. Thank goodness for Tyler. By kid four my school project mojo was LONG GONE. So it was Daddy to the rescue. They had a great time putting her dinosaur box together.
I was once again a party mom in Bryn and Elle's class. It was wild in there. I signed up to help with the craft thinking that it would be nice and easy...wrong. But the kids had a great time and Bryn loves having me in there with her so it was all worth it.
Then it was home for our own Valentine's Day celebration. The kids and Tyler made homemade pizzas and I had teriyaki green beans and ate a huge king crab leg. We were all thrilled.
Tyler did a great job of spoiling me on Valentine's Day and I tried to do the same for him. I loved my four big bunches of tulips, Mrs. Sees Chocolates, and my darling black and white polka dotted Kate Spade blue tooth speaker. Perfect to listen to while working on all my projects and in various locations. We had a fantastic Valentine's Day!!
I saw this Valentine's Quiz on Facebook and thought it was kind of fun. Here are our answers. (If there is a difference of opinion...my answers are in italics and Tyler's are in bold.)
Who is oldest? Tyler (He is one year older than me.)
Who was interested first? K-We were both interested at the same time. T- Me.
Same high school? No.
First Date? 4th of July Parade and Rodeo in Oakly, Utah
Most sensitive? K- Me T- Kristin
Worst Temper? K-equally bad...but mine is quicker and his is a slow burn. T- Both.
More Social? K- Me. T- Kristin
Hardest Working? K- Both T- Both
Most Stubborn? K- Both but in different ways T- Kristin
Most Sarcastic? K- Me T- Kristin
Who makes the most mess? K- Tyler!! T- Me by far.
Who wakes up first? K- Tyler T- Me.
Bigger Family? Kristin has the biggest family.
Do you have kids? Yes, four.
Who cooks the most? K- Me but Tyler cooks quite a bit too. T- Kristin
Who cries the most? K- Me T- Kristin
Best singer? K- Tyler T- Me.
Hogs the TV remote? K- TYLER!!! T- Me.
Better Driver? K- We are both good drivers...Tyler is better in bad weather. T- Me.
Better Cook? K- Me. T- Kristin
Smarter? K- We are both smart. T- Kristin
Most common sense? K- Me. T- Me
How long have you been together? 24 years
We had Donuts with Dad (and Uncle) at our elementary school:
They had a great time!!
These guys were there!! Only the best players from Gonzaga's Basketball Team!!
This happened...
Oh yes, she did!! Ha ha!! In your face Gonzaga!! (This was about a week before the BIG GAME...you know the one...the one where BYU kicked Gonzaga's butt in their own arena and knocked them out of 1st place.) This picture is a classic. She was like "Sure, you can have your picture with me but I'll be wearing my BYU swag." All the LDS dads at the event were dying laughing when Bryn got her picture taken with these guys. Just on Sunday our friend, Josh, was like "I am taking this picture to BYU in a few weeks and putting it up in the alumni building!!" Ha ha!!
Ailey has been doing a ton of babysitting and had around $100 to burn so we got to go on a few shopping sprees together...and we've enjoyed a few of these:
Love those Starbucks Cake Pops!!
Bryn has also been getting a lot of alone time with the parents lately:
With Reilly out of the house, Kameron working and having a social life, and Ailey having an active social life too plus lots of babysitting jobs it often means that it's just Tyler, me, and Bryn. It has been so much fun to hang out with her!! Who wants to cook dinner for three people? Not me. Time for sushi!!
Delicious!!
Kameron had his first formal date/dance. It was the Priest and Laurel Dinner Dance for our stake. The kids get paired up. The leaders assign them. Then the boys have to ask the girls to the dance in a creative way and the girls have to reply. They have a fancy dinner and a night of dancing. Reilly was not a fan of the assigned "dates" and the "pairings" were never to her liking. But Kameron was pretty happy with the girl that he was assigned to go with and he asked her out in a cute way. He did not ask my opinion or even want help with an idea. He just went ahead and did it himself. He ended up having a fun night. Did he get any pictures? NO. Annoying. This is what sucks about having a boy...with daughters the dates always come over to the house to pick them up and so you get pictures. They were supposed to have taken pictures at the dance but I have yet to see any and probably never will. Just know that the girl was cute... Kam was pleased... and they had a fun time.
We did another Johnson Tries:
Here were the results: Southwestern Queso Lay's...meh...too bland. Twinkies Ice Cream...so-so. Hostess Snoball Ice Cream...pretty good. Hostess Cupcake Ice cream...absolutely delicious and is not allowed at our house again. So good!!
Kameron headed out of town with his jazz band and traveled to the University of Idaho for the Lionel Hampton Jazz Festival one weekend and that was the same weekend that Ailey headed out of town to our friend's cabin on Lake Pend Oreille for her Young Women's Retreat. So that left Tyler, Bryn and I all alone for the weekend. We crammed it full of fun!! We headed to our favorite local shake, burgers, and fries place for dinner on Friday night and then saw the movie Moana. LOVED IT!!
The next morning we were up bright and early to go the museum to see the Titans of the Ice Age Exhibit. Bryn has been studying dinosaurs and prehistoric animals in school and she absolutely couldn't wait to go!!
Prehistoric Bear...terrifying.
This was a favorite! Identify the prehistoric poop.
The Titans of the Ice Age Exhibit was fun and super interactive. Bryn even got a free fossil. She was thrilled. We walked over to another building and went to the Chris Bovey exhibit. We are big fans! He is a local who does the most amazing artwork...the coolest screenprints of iconic Spokane places and sights. Chris has also been a vendor at vintage shows and I absolutely love his stuff. We have purchased t-shirts and postcards. I really want to get several of his prints. They are so fun and nostalgic and full of love for our beautiful city. He is so talented and we are huge fans. His exhibit is awesome!!
You can check out his website HERE and you can follow him on Instagram @vintagespokane
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| Picture from the Internet |
The sun was actually shining a little even though it was bitter cold!
Then it was time to grab something to eat from one of our favorite restaurants...Yard Bruncheon. It is fabulous. I had the chicken and waffles. My favorite. Tyler had the Irish Benedict. So good. Brynnie had their fantastic Huckleberry Pancakes. The place is amazing!!
Then we had to walk off all that food. The restaurant is in this cool area in Spokane that they are revitalizing. There are now great restaurants, condos, and all kinds of fun businesses in Kendall Yards which once was an area dominated by rail yards. In the 1970s the main rail lines were relocated leaving behind 77 acres of vacant land that had been contaminated by 60 years of railroad activity. The land lay idle for 30 years. Now it is a really cool artsy area that continues to grow every year. The view is spectacular both of downtown Spokane and of the gorgeous Spokane River.
It was so nice to get outside and to BE ABLE to actually walk around and enjoy the outdoors. It feels like we have been holed up for so long. We all have cabin fever. We spent the rest of the day shopping and bumming around downtown. Good times spent with our baby who isn't much of a baby anymore. It is crazy how often we find ourselves down to one child now.
I have also been crazy busy getting ready for this:
It is coming up fast and I have been on the hunt for awesome decor and I have been painting up a storm. Tyler's sister is coming to visit around the same time so I need to get everything done well in advance.
I love my Sisters Creed helpers!! Especially ones who will literally cram pieces of furniture that don't want to fit into our suburban and then will ride home crammed in the back holding onto them. That is a good kid!!
Then THIS happened:
BYU beat the #1 team in the nation...Gonzaga. OH. MY. GOSH. There was more screaming and jumping up and down during this game. We were all hoarse for days afterward. Such a great game!! We are usually Gonzaga fans EXCEPT when they play BYU and this was an absolutely AMAZING game!!
I think we all know who to thank for throwing them off their game!! Ha ha. Plus this picture is just so cool that it deserves a repeat.
This month Ailey had another drill team performance at her school's SMACKDOWN which is the big volleyball game between the students and the teachers. Kameron had multiple jazz gigs. Reilly seems to be plugging along and doing well. I met up with friends a couple of times this month for lunch and once for brunch so that is always fun. February has just chugged along. The snow has made what is normally a month that flies by drag a bit more. This has been one long and bleak winter. Spring has to arrive sometime, right? As of this writing it is March 7th and it is still snowing...literally right now...blizzard. We may need to move to a warmer clime. Not joking.
