Monday, September 14, 2009

On our own

Win left today heading to Panama City Beach, FL. He is going to be working at Tyndale AFB from now on with the Reserves. The unit he was with at Maxwell, AFB here in Montgomery was a unit that required that he work one weekend a month. He has been with that unit for 10 years. He said he is tired of doing the "weekend thing" and needed a change. He can telecommute with this new job and will need to go down there each September for the last 2 week of the month to finish out the physical year. He will come home this weekend and then head back on Monday morning.

So, while he is away I have to deal with all three children, all the time. The boys are at an age that I can't physically punish them so I have to do it other ways. And they can sometimes take advantage of that fact. Like tonight when they would not stop bickering. I had to raise my voice just to be heard.

Life with three children, on my own. I don't like it one bit.

Saturday, September 12, 2009

Saturdays

What do you do an Saturdays?

At the Johnson house we do chores mainly. Win always works now that he is in private practice. This weekend he is doing his weekend Reserve duty. This is his last weekend at this assignment. He is moving to another job and will no longer be doing the weekend thing.

I have given each child chores to do. Some are to be done each day and some each week. This month is William's month to do the trash. He handles that each day. This is his month to clean the bathrooms. He is also in charge of the yard and he gives Davis and Anna jobs to do in the yard. We have given him full charge of the yard and the other children have to follow his orders when it comes to the yard.

This is Davis' month to clean out the litter boxes. He has to do them daily. This is his month to vacuum the entire house. This is done weekly.

Both he and William share a room and they both clean it up each week. They share the kitchen duties as well and alternate each night of the week. On Sundays I or Win do the dishes.

Anna has her room to keep clean, she dust and cleans the glass doors and she picks up around the house.

William also has Youth Smpthony on Saturday mornings. It is his job to get his chores done and be at this practice. This year Anna is swimming with a year round swim team and she can swim on Saturday mornings. So that has to be factored into our day. Last week I took her and I worked out at the YMCA while she swam.

I have explained to my boys that doing these jobs is not "woman's work" but it is teaching them to do a job well and be proud of their work.

We also pay our children an allowance and if any of their jobs are neglected then we will deduct from their allowance. This way we are teaching them the value of a dollar, how to save, spend and give. Plus they see that with work comes reward.

You might ask - what do you do Beth? Well, I cook, shop, mop and I do all the laudry. And I have to admit, I am additicted to working out and I do that 6 days a week.

I don't ask Win to do much around the house. He works so much. He is in charge of the pool and keeping our money straight.

So, what do you do on Saturday's?

Wednesday, September 9, 2009

Our Summer continued...

August - This month found us wanting to go to the beach but not sure if we should since Win's dad had really taken a turn for the worse. But someone offered us a condo down in Florida and we took it. We got away the week before school started. It was so nice, as you can see the white sands. We all relaxed and had a great time.











Win's dad, our Papa, Lynwood Scott Johnson, was doing OK but not great. He was sitting at the table eating on Tuesday, August 11. That night he took a turn for the worse and on Wednesday he went into a coma and passed away on August 13th. The Lord was gracious to us since that was the first day of school. Win and I took the kids to our favorite local restaurant for breakfast that morning and then I took Anna to school. William drove him and Davis to the school. I then went to Win's parents house. Win went on to his office and around noon I called him to come to their house, the end was near. The kids arrived there around 12:15 and Lynwood passed away at 1:45. He was 93 years old. We were all with him, his wife of 63 years, his two sons, their wives and 4 of his grandchildren.



This picture is of William. He is 16 and is in the 11th grade.




This is Anna and she is 9 and in 4th grade.




This is Davis and he is 14 and is in the 8th grade.

What have I been up to...

since I have failed to update this blog all Summer.

June - My mother's house flooded in May and we spent most of the Summer working on repairing the house. It was almost a total loss and our family (2brother's, children and other realtives) did the work ourselves. She has a new house now. It was fun and very stressfull.

July - My friend and I took our girls to Atlanta to the Amercian Girl Store. We stayed overnight and had dinner at the shop. The hotel we stayed in had an American Girl special and the girls dolls were given beds as well for the night. We had a blast.








One Year ago today

I began my journey. I stepped on the scales for the first time in a very long time and I was shocked at what I saw. I knew my weight had really climbed because I had been to the doctor but I had no idea that it had climbed that high. I was tipping the scales at 289 pounds. My goal was a huge one - 100 pounds in one year. That would be on average 2 pounds a week.

The weight started falling off at a incredible rate. By November I had lost 30 pounds. By Valentines I was 50. Then Summer arrived. I gained and lost the same 5 pounds all Summer long. I changed my exercise, watched my points a little better and that helped but I knew I wouldn't make the goal.

So, today I stepped on the scales - I weighted 207 pounds. I have officially lost 82 pounds. My friend whom I have been on this journey with has lost 71 pounds. I hope to hit the 200 pound mark by my birthday - October 15. So onward I go to lose those last 18 pounds and then lose 20 more after that, to be medically not overweight.

Oh, and today is also Win's birthday. He is 51.