Happy Birthday!

We here at the Johnston household would like to wish Jesus aka Immanuel a very Happy Birthday!
Thank You for all you have done for our family.

All Star in the family!!

This has been a busy month.
We had 2 recitals sandwiched a baseball game all in one day( Myrna has some pics on her blog),closing day ceramonies the following week and an All Star selection.
Skyler made the 8 and under Silver State Cal Ripken All Stars.
He is practicing everyday. We are also busy with fundraising ventures.
The State tournement is this Thursday July 1st.
We are the host team if they happen to win they are off to Arizona for national tournement.
We will keep you posted.

Myrna Update!!

Myrna is bedding down in Cheyenne Wyoming.
I'm no expert but I think she may be speeding.
She sure has covered a lot of miles since she left Reno.

Myrna is on her way!

Heads up Nebraska! Myrna is on her way we had brunch with her after church this morning.We are playing a game and tracking her progress.She is sending text pictures of where she stops and the kids are logging it on a map with stars.She is in Wendover,Nv. for the night.

HAPPY EASTER!!!!!

THANK YOU JESUS!!
For your forgiveness and unselfishness.

Opening Day!!

Today was Skyler's Opening Day for Cal Ripken Baseball Rookies league.
We had a special visitor from Nebraska his name is Flat Alex check out
the pictures. Bob I had to point out the pictures to Robin.

Happy Birthday USA!!!!!

Hope everyone have lots of Hotdogs and soda or Pop or even Beer and relaxes on this day of celabration.
Our plans are to partake in the Reno Aces 4th of July baseball game this evening.
Fireworks are planned for after the game and Auntie P is up visiting from Sacramento that is who the Aces play tonight and it happens to be her favorite AAA team.

Pictures from our Vacation

Hope you enjoy the Pictures !!

We made it back to Nevada

What a great trip we had!!
Thanks to Bob and Shirley for letting us invade their home for 5 days it was like a home away from home.
Thank you Janell and Randy for the wonderful day at the farm and great food.
Thank you Sue for the great dinner and hospitality on our way to South Dakota.
The kids held up very well for all the traveling and sight seeing.
Mt. Rushmore was hot and breathtaking and really neat.
Crazy Horse was awesome Skyler commented "They won't even have it finished before he dies at the rate they are going" We will have to check the progress in a couple years.
Special thanks to Myrna for following in an extra vehicle I beleive it saved a life or two.
I will get pictures uploaded as soon as I can.
We all enjoyed the experience and can't wait to do it again.

MERRY CHRISTMAS!!
Happy Birthday Jesus!!!

Busy Day!!

Today we got up for "Dawn Patrol" (early morning to see hot air balloons take flight.)It is Reno's Balloon Race weekend. This is rapidly becoming a family tradition. We were a little late getting started today but quickly found a parking spot and headed to Rancho San Rafael park to check out the mass launch of about 50 to 75 balloons. Grandma is usually with us but this year Nanna came and hopefully next year they can both come. The kids really enjoy watching all the balloons take off it is quite spectacular.(photos to come)
Then it was off to breakfast at PJ's a great place for breakfast.
We will be off in a couple hours to spend the day at Wild Waters a water park in Sparks.
Right now I am going to get some rest. More about our busy day later.

Happy Birthday America!!!

Hope everyone has a safe and happy 4th of July!!
Davey ,Robin ,Skyler ,Shae and Sterling. aka The Johnstons

Kindergarten Graduate!

Today my son Skyler graduated from Kindergarten.I attended the event along with all the other parents.The children entered the cafeteria and lined up on the steps of the stage. They sang a couple of songs then were seated on the floor.
The teacher Miss Pollack said some kind words to the parents about their involvement with our children and how important it was to continue to read to and with our children.
I can't tell you how proud I am of my son.I even got a little choked up when he was the first one to be called to receive his"diploma".Just imagine what I'm gonna be like when he graduates high school.
My wife Robin was there with her 5th grade class.(She teaches at the same school)
She was very proud also and after the ceremony she had to take her class back to her classroom for end of the year festivities.
Skyler and I had a snack and some juice then I took him to Robin's class so he could finish out the day.
Driving back to work it dawned on me that I was the proud father of a "First Grader".
Robin and Skyler don't get much of a summer break they start their new school year on July 7th.
(Year round school)
They both switched to Blue track so we could attend next years Gatewood Family Reunion.
I myself can't wait because that would mean I would be the proud father of a Second grader and a Kindergartener.(Shae hits the school scene next year LOOK OUT!! Kindergarten will never be the same)

Busy Saturday!

Today we started out with a "Work" sponsored Breakfast for all our families to celebrate Mother's and Father's day held at Bonanza Casino. Then it was off for Ballet pictures. Unfortunately Dad gave Mom the wrong information about the time and she was 45 minutes late. (Oops!)
Then it was to the ballpark for Awards ceremonies. Skyler got his trophy and we said our good-byes to Coach Darin and Tia they are moving to Missouri and leaving tomorrow.
Now it is lunch time for the kids (chicken dinosurs) and movie time (Pied Piper of Hamlin).
Time to relax a bit then when it cools down yard work.
Get to use my new weed eater again!!
I think this is just the beginning of many more busy Saturdays to come.

P.S Mom hows the video coming?

Whew! Our "new" schedule

Well, our Shae-Shae is back now, and it's like she never left. She is so very kind and tender hearted, to the point that she was shrieking in the backyard last night when Skyler was squishing ants. She's still asking why, to which I have begun to reply "There is no why" that I borrowed from Myrna.
I am experimenting this week with timing and driving the kids to their new places. Shae goes to pre-k now in central Reno and Sterling is in her 3rd week of home daycare in Northern Reno. I have learned about some of the harsher parts of town, the worst stop lights, and that leaving at 7:27 really makes a difference vs. leaving at 7:33. Jimminey Christmas! Ah well, Shae is making many new friends and her instructors love her. They are helping her to make new friends. It's well worth it, but as Sky put it, "Mom, why are we in the car so much?" I realized we were in the car for over 2 hours each day....I truly "get it" now about being the mom taxi. Location, location, location.....is there ever really a good one? In the meantime, Sterling is getting good at repeating songs in the car and perfecting her rhythm and dancing. Quite humorous to see an 18 month old doing the swim from her carseat!
Sky starts guitar lessons sometime this month, waiting for his instrument to come in. But, he graduates from kindergarten on Monday. YEAH! He's getting so tall and very inquisitive himself, though he's learned not to verbalize every thought....
Robin

Father's Day

My Father's Day was fantastic.
I slept til 8:00 a.m got up took a shower and headed off to church.
Our church was handing out Tootsie Pops to all the Pops that attended today in honor of Father's Day.
After service we headed out to Target for a new lunch box for Shae Shae, her first day at her new daycare is tomorrow,next we went to Sears to pick-up my Father's Day present.(I requested a new gas weed eater with an edger attachment.)Got what I wanted!!
Then we ventured to Costco for monthly supplies.( well bi-monthly since the kids seem to be eating more and growing .)Got home unloaded the van, checked out my new toy,watched Tiger force a playoff in the U.S Open ,took the two older kids to the park to fly their kites came home cooked some boneless ribs on the BBQ,ate dinner watched the end of the NBA finals game (Celtics let one slip away darn it) now I am posting this Blog and going to bed.
WHAT A DAY!!!

Shae Train back in Reno!!

Our 4 year old daughter Shae is back home after spending 2 weeks with Grandma And Auntie "P" . Wow! now I know what it's like to be in a whirl wind.She hit the ground talking.She couldn't wait to pick up the cat Kara or show off all the things she had acquired on her adventures.
I got off work about a half hour early went and picked up Sterling our youngest daughter from daycare. We were home about 20 minutes when the screeching of the brakes sounded outside the house the Shae train had arrived at the station. I had picked up the phone and was answering a survey about home furnishing when the door flew open and in sprinted Shae Shae with the biggest smile you could ever imagine. No sooner had she made her way in her mom and brother popped in the house ,it was a wonderful reunion .
Grandma and "P" unloaded the car and shortly after we were off to Skyler's t-ball game.
We enjoyed Pizza after the game "p" and I set off to the YMCA for a short workout.
We came back and Shae and Skyler were attempting to go to bed. The excitement of the day made it tough for both because at ! 10:30 the were still chatting up in Shae's room.
Now it is Midnight and quite.
We sure did miss that little bundle of personality while she was gone.She has her spring recital tomorrow at 2:00 p.m. hope to have pictures to post.
Time for me to get to bed Skyler has a 10 a.m. game tomorrow and then we hop on board the Shae Train for more adventures.

Take a 6 Year old shopping!

First things first Go Celtics!!!
Eight years ago you would have either found me at a sports bar with my softball team mates having a beer and watching the NBA finals or at the softball fields playing my 4th game in 4 nights and then to the sports bar to watch the finals.
Well tonight I took my 6 year old son to Wal-Mart(sorry Mom)to make a purchase with his own money earned from losing his teeth.
He had roughly 9 dollars.My son is very sharp as 6 year olds go, he left the tooth fairy notes along with the tooth and asked her to wake him up so he could meet her (that was the first tooth.)The tooth fairy kindly left Skyler a note stating that, she tried to wake him up but he must be growing because he didn't wake up. The 2nd tooth was accompanied by a note asking the tooth fairy if in fact was a girl or a boy, he also requested a squirt gun instead of money.The tooth fairy replied once again to Skyler's note telling him she was a girl but has boy helpers.She also informed him that carrying money was easier than toys and promptly gave him $6.00 so he could buy his own squirt gun.
I know that is a lot of information and is a little off the path but I thought you might enjoy how Skyler got his money.
Tonight with my favorite team in the NBA playing in the finals I set off for Wal-Mart (again sorry Mom).(For those of you that don't know me this is a big change for me.)
I had some business to take care of first and then I took Skyler to the toy section.He said "Do you know were the toy section is??"I replied "yes"
He asked "how do you know were the toy section is",I just reminded him that I was a "Genius" and we headed towards the toy section.
We spent the better part of an hour walking up and down the action figure aisle trying to find the right toy.I answered questions like "how much is this" and "do I have enough for this".I stood my ground and made suggestions on things he could afford.I wanted him to experience handing "His money" to the cashier.The thought crossed my mind to supplement his endeavor by that would have meant using my ATM card for the purchase.I went as far as suggesting if he wanted to save more money for more expensive toys we could come back some other time.That was not an option.
After about an hour and a half he finally made his choice,he decided on a "Power Ranger Jungle Fury Zord"(price was around $7.75 not sure of exactly).
When we got to the cashier I wasn't sure if he had enough money,the cashier rang it up and the total was $8.53. He opened his change purse and pulled out his money he had a $5 bill and 2 ones and some quarters and dimes and pennies.I helped him count out the $1.53 from the change and he asked the cashier if he was getting any change back? I informed him he had exactly what he needed.
As we walked back to the truck the feeling of father hood hit me,it was an awesome feeling.(like seeing him catch that pop fly last week in his t-ball game.)
Take a 6 year old shopping and just sit back and enjoy the excitment!!

Skyler's T-Ball Game

Today my son Skyler had his first T-ball game in over 2 weeks.Last week he missed both games one because of weather on because of disicpline.
I was an extremely proud father when he caught a pop-up in the 1st inning.(most t-ballers usually wait til the ball hits the ground and stops rolling to pick it up)looks like the practice in the back yard is paying off.
If you have'nt had the pleasure of watching a t-ball game you don't know what you are missing.

Blogging is fun!

Blogging has become a way to comumicate with family members that I don't get the chance to here from on a daily;weekly or even monthly.It is neat to visit my relative's Blogs across the US and read about what they have been doing.
As I explore the world of Blogging I hope to get better at it.
Blogging is fun!!