Breckenridge, CO

Halloween weekend felt more like Christmas as it was spent in the chilly mountains of Colorado as we celebrated the marriage of one of Brad's college buddies. As usual, getting together with Brad's college buddies and their wives brought on some great times and lots of laughs. While a quick trip, it was still a wonderful time and we can't wait to see everyone again in April for yet another CMC wedding (one of the last...)

Beautiful Breckenridge

Roomies! (Kimmy, Helen and Renee)

Handsome Husbands (Nate, Brad and Doug)

If we were a normal couple, this would be our Christmas card photo.
We're not a normal couple.

CMC Wives Club

The Men of CMC

We didn't have cards so we played drinking Chutes and Ladders, Dora the Explorer style.

It's all fun and games until someone gets "Iced."

Hot Diggity Dog!

Although Halloween occurred nearly a month ago, I couldn't resist posting this pic of our little hot dog. Milo escaped the wrath of my animal costume infatuation this year but he won't be so lucky next year I'm sure.



Below is a little story to accompany the pic of our adorable little frankfurter and if you've read my recent rants about being a first year teacher this will make much more sense.

Brad and I were headed out of town on Halloween weekend for a wedding in Colorado. While excited for the trip, I was stressing out because we had to leave for the airport right from school and in the middle of my Halloween party at that. I was also bumming because we were going to have to leave Colie and Milo for yet another weekend (the fourth in a row.)

On the Thursday before Halloween (the night before our flight) I ran into Target to pick up some Halloween themed goodies for my students' party the next day. While inside the wonderland that is Target I stumbled across the costume aisle, or should I say aisles. While sauntering through the chaos I came across a magical aisle...the aisle with pet costumes. For those you know me, you understand that finding an entire aisle of pet costumes is pretty much like winning the lottery in my eyes. For years I have been subjecting my pets to the horror of costumes (and clothing) so finding an entire area at Target, dedicated to the process of dressing your animal up to look like another animal or something even better, brought on an energy like I hadn't felt in weeks.

I quickly scanned the assortment in pursuit of the perfect costume for Colie. (As I said before, Milo was off the hook this year.) Like a beam of sunlight bursting through the clouds, there is was. The costume I had dreamed of for the last three years. The hot dog suit. Yes, the hot dog suit. I had seen this costume once before, long ago, but there were only larges left at the time. I quickly scanned the availability and found a small for our little Colie Bear. I was SO excited. (Keep in mind my life at the time was a scattered mess. My emotions were in shambles and I could barely talk without wanting to burst into tears as a result of my lack of sleep and lack of sanity.) I rounded up the remaining items on my list and headed home. I couldn't wait to get home and show Brad my prized possession. On the drive home I planned the reveal out. Colie and I would go into the bedroom and we would emerge with her in her hot dog suit and me singing the Oscar Meyer theme song. It would be perfect. Brad would laugh, I would sing and Colie would march proudly around although she was restricted to a bun.

None of this occurred. None of it. Why you ask? Because in my hurry to get home I managed to grab all my bags from the checkout stand except the only one that mattered. The one with the costume in it. After unloading the car and realizing my mistake I immediately broke down in tears. Yup, I bawled my eyes out over a size small, hot dog costume for a dog. I mean bawled. Full breakdown. Sobbing. Brad, understanding my irrational nature was simply a result of stress and exhaustion, gave me a bear hug and immediately started brainstorming ways in which to rectify the situation. He was already grabbing his keys and heading out the door to retrieve it when I broke the news that I hadn't bought it at our Target but rather at the one in Redmond, 45 minutes away from out house. More tears. More irrational behavior on my part. More of Brad trying to tell me everything was going to be okay. More of me slowly realizing that I had pretty much lost my mind.

I will spare you the rest of the details but let's just say it ended with Brad and I getting up extra early so that we could be at the Redmond Target when the doors opened. The costume has been located and within minutes our little sausage was dressed and ready for a picture before we had to drop her off with Grandma and Grandpa Johnson and head to Colorado. Halloween had been saved

Good Friends + Wine + Airline Miles

And the next thing you know...we're headed to Peru! On Saturday night Brad and I joined friends Ali & Brett and Brooke & Jake for dinner and to discuss a possible couples trip in 2011. Two hours later we had booked ourselves 6 tickets to Peru for July 2011. Whoa!

A special shout out to our travel agent, Ali, who spent hours on the phone over the last 72 hours, ensuring that we all got from Seattle to Peru and back solely on airline miles. Luckily her boss, Baby Lily, is pretty flexible and didn't mind her employee making personal calls while on the job. She might feel differently when she realizes she is not going to Peru with the group. Next round Lil, next round.

We cannot wait, to turn Peru upside down with these lovely ladies and their amazing hubbies!



Note: Before I added the tail to the "U" in Peru it looked like "Perv or Bust." Thank you Mr. Schlameus for pointing this out to me.

Catching Up Part II

Birthday Month 2010
(yes, I get a whole month)

October brought about the big 3-0 for me. While not a horrible experience, I'm pretty sure something in the twenties sounded a lot nicer. Whenever I feel old I let my students tell me how old they think I look. They have no sense of age and to them 30 might as well be how old their grandparents are. (Most recently they have landed on 24 while one even told me I look 17 which sort of creeped me out.) If I had my druthers I think I would just stick with 28 but life won't have it that way. At least the DMV won't.

My 30th year took place on 10-10-10, pretty cool if you ask me, and was about as low key as possible. Brad and I celebrated over a glass of wine with friends (although they didn't realize it was my b-day) and spent the rest of the night catching up on our shows. The next day was the family birthday party which is a must on the Johnson side of the family. I walked away from the weekend with some good loot such as a Justin Bieber shirt (courtesy of Brad), a Kindle and a new point and shoot camera. Oh yeah, and a romantical weekend getaway to Oktoberfest in Leavenworth the following weekend...

I won't lie, I was slightly disappointed that there wasn't a big hooplah for my 30th. Especially since my gal pal, Ali, had been saying for the last 10 years that she was going to throw my a big party because, "how could you not, it is 10.10.10 after all." However, I knew I was going to have a ladies get together later in the month at my fave Mexican restaurant and really, did I need a big party or a surprise party?! Yes, yes I did. And that is JUST what I got the following weekend when my romantical trip to Leavenworth with the husband turned out to be a surprise party in my honor!Hosted and organized by Brad and two of my besties! Along for the ride were Brad, myself, 10 friends, three babies and three dogs. Whoo hoo!

Yep, they got me. They let me spend a week believing that 30 was just another birthday (which really it is...) and then pulled a fast one on me by renting a house in Leavenworth for a weekend of friendship, laughs, games, and Oktoberfest activities. I'll spare you the details and let the pictures tell the rest of the story. But first, a HUGE thank you to the friends and family that made this weekend possible. It couldn't have made turning 30 any better!

The whole house was decorated in 30's paraphernalia.

A wild weekend at 30 is really a night in playing games with friends. Love it!


You know life has changed when there is a baby monitor mixed in with the beer.

Yup. This happened.

Even babies love Oktoberfest!

This creep-a-zoid had been growing that beard for weeks just for this occassion.

Group shot! Yes, I have a bear hat on my head. It has paws for mittens too.

And later in the month I got to celebrate one more time with my other gal pals at Jalisco's in Lake City. Four years running ladies...four years running! (We missed you Julie Hunter. I know your love affair with Jalisco's is almost as serious as mine.)

The sombrero is a tradition. Minus the year they didn't provide one. I still have not forgiven the establishment. HA!

Catching Up Part I

While our lives have been consumed with my new career (yes, Brad's too), we've managed to fit in all sorts of other activities that were already on the docket for the fall. I would not be doing our blog justice if I were to avoid posting a bit about the wonderful and normal things that have been going on in our lives. So here goes...

Brooke and Jake Ware's Wedding
Leavenworth, WA
August 21st, 2010

A beautiful bride, a handsome groom, a fun bridal party, an incrdible location and an officiant named Brad. Yep, Brad did the job he set out to do, he married our dear friends Brooke and Jake. He did a darn good job too! The wedding weekend was amazing, the weather perfect, the air filled with love and laughter and all in all, the best way I can think of to end a summer. While this event deserves much more blogging than I am giving it, I think the pictures taken by their photographer say it all.

I have of course included some of my own photos for your immediate viewing enjoyment. However, I HIGHLY recommend checking out their professional photos too.

Amazing venue for a casual yet elegant wedding. Highly recommend!

The Bride and her "Maids."

The stunning bride.

See, I told you Brad was the officiant!

Eleven years of friendship!

Even Mom and Dad came!

Long overdue...

Yes, I know I have fallen off the face of the blogging planet. Yes, I know how annoying it is to check your bookmarked blogs only to find that there are no new updates. Yes, I know that posting a couple of pics and a few whimsical words does not take copious amounts of time. Yes, I am aware of all these things but hear me out will ya?!

All I can say is that my life was turned upside down on August 20th when I got the news that I was going to be a fifth grade teacher. I was handed the keys to my classroom on August 23rd and there has been no looking back, no stopping to catch my breath, no savoring the moment, etc since late August. It is as if I jumped on a treadmill going 20 mph when I had never run a day in my life. It is as if I was pushed out of a plane without a parachute. It is as if I am caught in the undercurrent of the ocean. It is as if...I am a first year teacher. Apparently all of these feelings are "normal." Dear Lord.

Don't fret, I'm still alive and am rejoicing in the fact that I have finally found a few moments in my weekend to blog and think of things other than curriculum, parent emails, state standards, writing prompts, Halloween parties, sub plans, fundraising, etc. Although I have already spent 4+ hours this morning going over lesson plans and emailing parents, I have also found time to enjoy a home cooked breakfast courtesy of my husband, slowly down a pumpkin spice latte, download a ton of new tunes for the iPod, upload more than 300 new pictures and reflect back on the two months that have sped past in the blink of an eye.

Could it be that I am finally starting to feel human again?! Is it possible that I might get home from work before 8 p.m.?! Am I to believe that there is a silver lining to this ever-looming dark cloud I've been living under?!

Yes, I think all these things could be on the brink of becoming reality and not just a dream. But stay tuned as things change rapidly when you have 31 pairs of eyes staring at you all day, 31 minds depending on to fill them with knowledge, 31 sets of hands and feet clomping around in 300 square feet (or less) for 6.5 hours a day/5 days a week and more than 70 adults looking to you to educate their children and set them on a path to succeed and be the leaders of tomorrow. (Say what!?)

Now I know why teachers get their summers off. Now I know why teachers should get paid more. Now I know why it is important to fund public education (even if it means paying tax on candy and bottle water.) Now I know why smaller class sizes are a MUST. Yes, I am on a soapbox and I am pretty damn sure I have earned that right in the last 8+ weeks of my new career.

In the words of Jack Donaghy from 30 Rock, "I'm letting morality get in the way of making money. I might as well go be a teacher."

Welcome Connor William Kertson!

He's finally here! Connor William Kertson was born Thursday night to proud parents, Scott and Anneliese. Uncle Brad was present (in the waiting room that is) to meet Connor when he was just a few minutes old. Due to a cold, Auntie Kimmy was at home anxiously awaiting a phone call and a cell pic. Little Connor came out a whopping 9 lbs 6 oz and 21.25 inches long!

Due to catching a bug from the kiddos at school (yes, I have a job, but that is for another blog post) I wasn't able to see Connor until tonight. His cheeks are too much, they're simply adorable. It's hard to say who he looks like just yet but I'd say he's got the best of both mom and dad in him! Only time will tell if the littlest Kertson is going to have red hair but I think there's a good chance given that his daddy had some red locks as a baby (and an adult.)

Congrats Anneliese and Scott! We look forward to watching your little (big) man grow!


Sweet Connor


Passed out in Uncle Brad's arms.


Snuggles with Auntie Kimmy