A New Morning Craving

This is a slight break from the serious previous post.  Just to let you all know, that as a self proclaimed connoisseur of McDonald's breakfast, lunch, and dinner menus... there is a new item (at least new here), that you must try.

Have you tasted the fruit topped oatmeal yet?  It is delish!  I don't even like half the fruit in it... but somehow they literally all make it melt in your mouth.  I may stop cooking breakfast all together (yeah right).  But as long as my Christmas gift cards last (my mom knows me too well)... I will be driving through to see my friends at the local "Old McDonald's" as Callie calls it.

Eat up, my friends.  You're in for a real treat.

Why I Do, and Do Not

I have an amazing friend that I met during our brief two year stint in Cleveland, Ohio.  I worked with her at Ryan Homes, and this post is because of her.
She is the fiercest advocate I know to the importance of being a stay at home mom.  She believes that the most important job she could ever do here on earth, is to parent her three boys.  It is because of her, and Jesus, that I have peace and contentment in knowing that what I do as a mom matters.
So this post is hopefully not meant to offend those who do not choose to stay home.  But instead my hope is to give a voice to those who do. Slightly in defense to the outer world who often label us as unimportant, or old fashioned, and slightly to allow others to really ponder the choices that they have made. 
Contrary to the majority of public opinion, I do not stay home because I am unable to get a job.  I am well educated.  I do not stay at home because I prefer to "waste my education and talent."  I don't consider teaching my kids history, math, English, and business a waste.  I think of it as a good investment in the future of the country.  I do not stay home because I am lazy, and cannot handle an 8 hour work day.  My day actually is never really over.  It's just a rotating cycle.  I do not stay home because my husband is uber rich, and we just don't need the money.  Law School is expensive, if you're wondering.  Sacrificing in this house is a daily event.  We don't get to have lush vacations every year.  And if we are blessed to be able to go, like our Disney Vacation last year... it's because we have loving friends who include us for free, or because we have saved the rest of the year to be able to make it work. 
I stay home because children are innocent, and have been given to me by my loving Creator.  He entrusted them to me to teach them, train them, correct them, and lead them to him.  I could do that after work hours, and on the weekends... but kids ask questions all through every day, every hour.  And I prefer to be the one answering them. 
I stay home because although my parents and Kevin's parents are incredible grandparents, I want them to remain in that role.  I want Kevin and I to be the primary disciplinarians, not my parents. And in our experience.. kids need a lot of disciplining between the hours of 8am to 5pm.  They are here to spoil, love, and teach.  They have raised their kids, and it's my job to raise mine.
I stay home because my husband works a busy job, and it makes our family operate so much better.  I'm not the best cook,.. but I do.  I'm a great cleaner, and his clothes get clean.  Our house is crazy with 3 toddlers running around.  I can't imagine what it would be like if I was not here to help things along during the day.
I stay home because I feel that as a Christian, there is not a higher calling than to raise the future generations of Christ followers. The Bible is not specific on a must do/ or do not stay home statue.  But it is clear on the importance of children, on the innocence of children, and on the value that Jesus placed on them.
I stay home, most importantly, because my husband was raised by a stay at home mom.  He has been forever grateful to her for the sacrifices she made to make that happen.  Eggs have a deeper meaning to him, because she made them for him every morning.  Personal devotions are ingrained in him because she was there reading at the kitchen table every morning.  I can't help but to think that if my boys turn out to be anything like my husband, this stay at home job was completely worth every penny that I didn't make.   
I feel fortunate to be surrounded by friends who value these same ideals, and who encourage me on my way through it.  Maybe if we would all give each other a technology high five, or a simple phone call every so often, we could listen less to the world, and more to each other.

Christmas Pictures

Annual Cousins Photo Opt



Family Christmas Eve




Mitchell Christmas... Boys got new Big Wheels!



Modeling New Christmas Mickey Mouse Pj's and slippers from Mama Jan and Papa Bob

What can I say?  Christmas Morning

Beautiful Norah De.  And some gorgeous blue eyes

Eli's Gift... already stolen

Our Big surprise: The boys in big beds.  Can they get any cuter?

My favorite.  An entire building of trampolines.  I was too busy jumping to be in a picture.

And there you have it.  That is the final Christmas wrap up.  We hope everyone had as magnificent of a break as we did!

Christmas List

Christmas here in the Mitchell house has come and gone.  And while I considered typing out a deep post about how we spent the last 2 weeks explaining to our kids the true meaning of Christmas, (which in our house, among the adults, is an undisputed, Jesus came to earth).. it seems that will not be happening this year.  One, because Mickey Mouse, Santa Claus, and Jesus are still all in the running for first place on Callie's list of whose most important.. and Two, this is my blog, and I'm in the mood for a bit more light hearted approach.  Don't get me wrong, every time Callie looked at her pile of gifts and asked where more presents were, I gently tried to remind her of why she got presents in the first place.  But to a desperate 4 year old who is just trying to keep up with the other kids piles, in that moment, they are lost words.  So I'm thinking this year, maybe we will start our preaching in July, and shut up come December. 

Here is a Chronological list of the Mitchell/Johnson/Mitchell Christmas of 2010:
1. Kevin and I had a wonderful little family Christmas here the Saturday before the big day.  Just to make sure that my stockings didn't go to waste. 
2.  A few days later, we enjoyed some fantastic adult only time  when my Mom and Dad took the kids to Columbus a few days early.
3. Which resulted in a shopping spree to Banana Republic for me! Courtesy of Kevin being super tired at work, having no kids around, and just plain feeling nice.  (What can I say... the guy likes to spend when he's stressed.  I'm not complaining).
4. My first day in Columbus, my sister and I enjoyed duel haircuts/ color.  I've been scarred too many times from doosies.. and Kevin is pre-programmed to think that crying after a haircut is typical business.  This one though had no tears, no freak outs, and I am loving being a slight blond again.  I was born to be one.. even if my roots weren't. The only downside?  Rachel and I have both come down with a suspicious rash.  Coincidence?  You be the judge.  I don't care though.  I'll take a rash with a great hair style any day. 
5. We celebrated so many Christmases it seems like a blur now.  Johnson side, Mitchell side, Mitchell extended side.  They were all filled with our incredible families, so many screeching little kids that you just have to join in... and lots, and lots, and lots of food. 
6.  Jack and Charlie decided to shock us and started sleeping in big beds.  I know, I know.  My doctor tells me I'm late on the up take on this one.  But they loved their cribs.  And since he wasn't about to make house calls to make sure that they stayed in their beds at night, Kevin and I were putting it off as long as possible.  Remarkably though, ,they've been so good.  I only found them co-jumping once so far.  They've got to celebrate independence somehow.
7. We spent some quality time in my parents new hot-tub.  Or if you ask my nephew Eli.. the ocean.  Or if you ask Jack.. the Pool.  If you ask me.. it's just plain awesome to have a huge bath that the entire family can fit it.
8. I got to catch up with some dear friends from high school who although live in very different places in the United States, somehow we have all managed to stay close and true to each other.  It's a great honor to have friends like that.
9. Today, our last day, we went to what I think will be my favorite place on earth.  It's called Sky Zone.  And it's a huge building filled with nothing else but an indoor trampoline.  Oh yes, my friends.  It's as cool as it sounds. 
10.  Overall, we had a blast.  We love our families so much, and are lucky that they are all here to love on us when we visit.  We feel very fortunate to have two home bases.  And although some days our hearts may ache more for one than the other, we know that we are where God wants us to be at this stage in our lives.  We are happy to take on this new year in a city that we are beginning to love, with friends that we have fallen in love with already.

Happy New Year to everyone!   
PS.  Pictures to follow... but we are having technical issues.  The issue being I left my camera cord at home.  Oops.

It's Time

It is fitting to me, that as this year soon will draw to a close, so too, has my computer screen.  It's on it's final days as a viewable option to any email, itune, or online look-up.  Really people... these boys did a doosey on this baby.  It's wonderful that I can still type because I have genius computer people in the family who hooked me up so I could view it through my TV.  But the kids only like sharing their cartoon time with mommy for so long. 
So today, it's to the repair shop.  Time to find out just how expensive kids really are.  And even though Kevin offered to buy me a brand spankin new laptop for Christmas,  we thought that we should at least try to see if we can get the screen fixed for less than Best Buy was offering.  Budget.. gotta always be on it.
Blog posts, (thank goodness right?) are sure to continue from good old Columbus, Ohio.  Due to the fact that my parents house is a laptop haven... I'm pretty sure every couch cushion comes standard with a laptop.  As Kevin dubbed it "Family laptop hour."  Yep, that's us Johnson's.  We L-O-V-E our computer bonding time in front of my parents ginormous flat screen.  Really, that's not even sarcastic.  It's like the saying, "There's always room for one more"... well that's true for my mom's dinners as well.. but it also suits my Dad's view of technology.  You come to their house,  and you can be sure that there will be a computer available to check your emails.  He's famous for setting up guests with a Internet connection, a TV, and good coffee. 
So it's off to Christmas break with a quick stop first at the local computer store.  Here's hoping that those men who were huge nerds in high school, now turned wealthy computer geeks, will know just how to get this baby back up, and viewable, again.
Merry Christmas!!

"I Hold Jew"

No worries, this isn't a theological post.  It's about Jack.  And his current favorite phrase, and what we decided to do to make it stop. 
When you have 2 kids the exact same age, one on one bonding time seems few and far between.  They are sadly always grouped together, even in addressing them.  It's always, Jack and Charlie.. not one without the other.  In fact, in the short two years so far, I have never been out with just one of them.  I go out with Callie for girl time, but never, ever, with just one of the boys.  Weird to think about.  I've never seen their personalities without the other one's influence.
So today we started to change that.  Jack has been having some clinging issues with mommy, reverting to asking "I hold Jew (You)" (not proficient yet in correct pronouns) instead of wanting to play with toys, or his siblings.  So Kevin thought some good therapy for him would be an alone "date" with me to Kroger's and Target.  Super exciting, I know. 
The car seemed oddly quiet with 2 extra car seats, and the first question he asked when we pulled into Kroger's was where Charlie was.  He still whined a bit in the cart, but there was no hitting, biting, yelling, or temper tantrums!  Target, I must say, was a home run.  He got to walk, suck a popsicle, hold his Pooh Bear, and get eyelash pumps from ladies everywhere.  He was even such a gentleman that he held my hand the whole time, and he let me try on clothes without sounding like a sumo wrestling match was in the dressing room.  We browsed, talked, almost went potty like a big boy... and bonded. 
I think it was a success.  When we got home, he didn't care so much for me anymore.  He didn't ask "I hold Jew" ... and he didn't cry for me.  He went right back into beating up his siblings, which is the way things should be.  Leaving me more time to talk to my husband, definitely the way things should be. 
 

Stop Looking at Me

Here in the Mitchell house we struggle with our looks.  Meaning, our eyebrows can do more twists and turns than you would believe.  It's a harsh reality for us creative types that wear our emotions for all to see.  In fact, a common saying here is.. 'Raise your Eyebrows!'  I'll admit, I can make a face with the best of them. But lucky for me, I'm not good at self photos... but I am good at taking them of others.
Kevin, being the main recipient of the saying (the man wears his thoughts in his brows).. gave his permission to give a sample of this lovely face. 
So here is "daddy's"


Seriously... this man was blessed with some brows

And here is his son.  I'm thinking this is a Like Father Like son trait, Yes?


 You can only imagine what this face will look like when his hair grows in.  Oh wait.. no need to imagine.  Just scroll back up and take a peek at the DNA. 
Not to worry though.  Besides the face, Jack tends to be a major snuggler and lover.  Plus, at least when he gets to high school, we will know exactly what's going on in his head.  No sly hiding the girlfriend in his room for this boy. 
But we are working on the looks in the meantime.  And I mean all of us.  So please, if you see our eyebrows out and about before you see our lovely eyes, just kindly remind us to "please raise your eyebrows."  Remember what your mom always told you.  If you make a look long enough, your face might freeze in the position forever.  Gosh I hope not.