ONCE UPON A POTTY

Back in April 2008.....Finn's teacher Mrs. Baragan told us Finn was ready to begin potty training...Todd and I were floored, he has just turned 2 and we had heard that boys are usually late in this area. Her reasoning was due to Finn telling her he had to go just before he went in his diaper.

Lo & Behold.....She was right!!! It only took a few weeks of endless changes of clothes and presto potty trained. There are many tools/books/suggestions for potty training out there, but I must say Mrs. Baragon was our potty training fairy!!!! For parents with toddlers (that don't have access to Mrs. Baragan) we do recommend books......there are many books out there on potty training....but our household favorite is "Once Upon A Potty" by Aloha Frankel.

So....to get to part two of this post, Finn still wore a pull-up at night (expensive & uncomfortable)!!! This past Saturday night we accidentally put him to bed without a pull-up. Sunday morning he woke up...........

DRY DRY DRY DRY DRY

We decided to take the plunge and go for it...no more nightime pull-up, even if it meant changing/washing sheets daily. And much to our surprise and amazement yesterday was his 5th day in a row with no accidents! (Two of the nights he woke up asking for me and I took him to the bathroom and then back to bed) For Finn's efforts we told him he could get something special.....you won't believe what he wanted....

Storm Trooper Helmut with Voice Activating Changer

I love this shot...he kept wanting to see what he looked like!

Not to scary for a Storm Trooper

maybe the striped underwear take away from the scary factor?!?!?!?

OUTSIDE WE GO

Outside entertainments.....

When March arrives our kitchen extends to the backyard. By this time of year, the weather has warmed up a little bit and it stays lighter longer in the evening. I don't know why, but I love cooking and eating outside. Maybe it has to do with the fact that Monday through Friday I am inside an office with little outside involvement.

On the menu, turkey burgers with baked crinkle potato's (a Finn and Todd fav).

notice the wheat bun?

Trader Joe's has the best wheat buns.

hungry yet?

Happy faces all around...I get two thumbs up on dinner!

KAYLA IN ACTION - HIT & SLIDE

In honor of Softball Wednesday, below are two videos from Saturdays game, first of Kayla making a hit and running to 1st.

Second video, Kayla sliding home! I think I see All-Stars in her future. (Can you tell which voice in the background is the mother and which one is the grandmother?!?!?!?!?)

IT HAPPENED....MIDNIGHT RELEASE OF TWILIGHT DVD

By now it isn't a secret.......I am a Twilighter to the core. If you happened to see all the advertisements via TV, Internet and newsprint.....you will know the Twilight Movie DVD was released midnight on March 21st at certain locations. You must know, I wouldn't miss it. Sleep is really over rated.
It also helped that I was part of a team, a team of family and friends, ranging in age from 10 to 40(another one of the reasons I love Twilight, it reaches out to all age groups).

Our Twilight Team (Angie, Devon, Kirra, Kayla, me, Mary, Hayley, Heather, McKenna) started the evening off at 9pm at Chili's in Oceanside (strategically located close to the local Wal-Mart where we would continue on after dinner)

Angie and Devon

The younger of the group, Twilight face art complements of Angie.

Mary and Tiff with El Nino Margarita's

Kayla and Angie

I have to explain this photo below......Todd and Finn had just called from Wal-mart wanting to know where we were (it was already 10:30).....Chili's took forever in seating us so we were a little behind...while the adults were paying the bill the girls headed out front to wait and this is the view we saw outside the establishment window! Needless to say, I don't think Chili's wants us back any time soon.

This is what happens when you get 5 or more girls together over the age of 11.

Instead of Charlie's Angels we have Twilight Angels

Mckenna, Hayley and Kirra

Kirra & Heather

(Are they Team Edward or Team Jacob?)

Heather, Mary and Kayla

Typical females...excited over merchandise!!!

Hayley in Team Edward Gear

My husband and son are Twilight supporters

Finn was fading fast as the withcing hour approached

Mary

Yes, you need the T-shirt, Edward would want you to have it.

Twilighter Sisters

It is true...nothing will be the same.

Outside of Wal-Mart....waiting, waiting waiting......girls always ready with a pose.

Our group waiting in line outside the Wal-mart, only minutes till midnight.

Live video for you of Twilight Rap

I had a fabulous evening! One of the many things I have noticed about the Twilight populous is that all generations come together and share the same passion for Twilight, Stephenie Meyer and a love story. We met new people, admired custom made t-shirts in line and just enjoyed being together! Sighhhhhhhh...now we wait till November for Midnight Release of New Moon! I must mention Todd and Finn one more time...thank you for showing up and supporting us!

FATHERS SURGERY

A few days have passed since my last post.....before you judge me too quickly, I have good reason. My father went in for surgery on Wednesday for Hiatal Hernia repair and a lower abdominal hernia. It is always stressful when a loved one must be operated on, I was able to take time off of work to be with my mother on Wednesday at Scripps La Jolla Waiting Room while my father was in surgery. They began surgery around 9:30am and finished up by 4pm.

All went extremely well.....my father was fortunate enough to be operated on by one of the top Hiatal Hernia Surgeons in the US.(Thank you Little Robert, my brother recommended Dr. Bhoyrul after hearing him speak at his yearly Covidien Confernece in Coronado, CA) As you can see in the photo below from Saturday night, my father is recovering fast!!!!

My Father

My father was never short on visitors.

In this photo he is flanked by the Johnson clan.

My mother was with him every day!

Me & Dad!

(Orchid in backround from EES, he also received the tallest Orchid

I have ever seen from Violet & Gus)

Thank you!!!

Uncle Ted, Grandma Edna & Mother

My cousin Rachelle & Aunt Grace

Rachelle graduates from Steele Canyon High School in June and then is off to Spain and a European Cruise with her parents. Jealous? I am!!!!!!

My Parents

My mother is laughing, not crying....last night when we were getting ready to say goodnight to my father, the RH factor came out in full bloom (RH = Richardson Humor)

My family and I can't thank you enough, and you all know who you are, for the prayers, the phone calls, the flowers...we have had constant support. My father is being released this morning to the care of Nurse Cherryl.

Special Note: Scripps La Jolla

Patient Care: Excellent

Doctor Care: Excellent

Care of Family: Excellent

They truly are an exceptional hospital.

Highly recommended!!!

Leprechaun Catcher

Do you have a leprechaun catcher????? Every household should have one.....
Thanks to Grandma Cher....we have a custom, moss covered catcher. You might be thinking to yourself.....

"what do you do with a leprechaun catcher?"

Well you catch a leprechaun of course so you can find out where he hid his pot of gold!!! You might also be wondering...how do you get the leprechaun in the catcher??
you lure him in with gold

Simple really when you think about it

I think I see the wee beastie now...trying to get the gold

More gold inside the catcher...think he can fit in the hole?

Pot of Gold
This is what the leprechaun desires most of all.

My mother provided all the decorations, chocolate coins, gold chocolate rollos and the wee beastie. She even had the idea of green food coloring in the toilet. Merci Mother!

Late this evening my husband and I set the stage for Finn to wake up to on St Patricks Day. We told the leprechaun story to Finn before bed. He even called Grandma Cher to find out when the leprechaun would be arriving. I can't wait to see his face.

Part Two (from this morning)
Finn was up at 7am....I could hear his little feet on the hardwood floor and then they stopped......I looked around the hall corner and there he was......still as a statue, looking at the grass trail left by the leprechaun.

He said very quietly, "mommy the leprechaun was here"

we didn't catch him, he was quick but not quick enough

we captured his wee hat

The leprechaun left Finn a little gift on top of his pot of gold. A little statue of himself, in case Finn is ever in search of a living leprechaun, he will know what to look for.

May we all find our pot of gold today!

St Patricks Dinner

Every year my father is kind enough to get us a table at the annual St Patrick's Parish St. Patricks Day Dinner & Dancing Event!!! The proceeds go to the private school affiliated with the parish. So not only do we partake of homemade Irish soda bread, corned beef & cabbage.....all the guiness you want...but it goes to a good cause.

Table Centerpiece

shhhhhhhh......

I slipped this photo in from last years party at St. Pat's,

it is my favorite photo with my father and I couldn't resist including it...

I love this photo of Tiago
(think he is Irish)

Irish Dancers

Tiffiney & Finn

Uncle Mark, Baby Chloe & Aunt Kara

All of Us

(can you tell who has been sipping the Guiness?)

Dad....thank you so much for always getting us a table, for rounding us all up, we look forward to it every year!

For Finn and Tiago its all about the live Irish band and Irish dancers!!

ERIN GO BRAGH

My Little Boy Turns 3

My little boy turns 3 today.

My little boy loves to dance to any beat.
My little boy dreams of firetrucks.
My little boy finds absolute joy in books.
My little boy holds my heart forever in his.
My little boy likes to roll in the mud.
My little boy gives the best hugs and kisses.
My little boy is not so little anymore.
My little boy turns 3 today.

Happy Birthday little Rob!

Tomorrow is my little brothers birthday....yes, for all of you with increased brain power, my son and my brother share the same birthday, March 13th

My brother......

Robert Theodore Richardson

In the Flesh

Wish we could be together to celebrate your special day little Rob. Finn can even sing you "happy birthday cha cha cha"!

They've started rolling on in......

The first birthday present arrived yesterday from Uncle Rob, Aunt Allie, Teddy, Brie and Baby Todd......you can only imagine how excited Finn was. He has told everybody and I mean everybody that his birthday is Friday and the big brown box is his present.

This is the box!

I will keep you posted on the contents of the box....we are making him wait till the big day.....March 13th my little one turns 3.

SATURDAY 11:30AM SOFTBALL GAME

Softball.....sigh.....is growing on us!!!!!! I guess it would help if we understood the rules better or knew why the umpire was jumping up and down with arms flailing about.

Don't get me wrong....I know 3 strikes you're out, 4 balls you walk. See, not bad.

Kayla #4

In the dugout

FANS

(Edna & Jimmy)

Midnight Rockers
(Kayla's Team)

Kayla Next at Bat
More Fans
They look familiar....

Strike
(I love the pink helmet, can you find the ball)

Kayla in the Outfield

Are you impressed with my softball vocabulary? I am learning. All joking aside, Kayla is improving with every practice. Now, even Kirra now wants to tryout for next season.