I hope you’re ready for the most random entry I’ve had in a long, long time! I’m currently at work and every time I get a tiny break I jot down nonsense. And here it is…today’s nonsense and a recap on what’s going on in the life of a Johnson.

Do you ever feel like you’re cheating on your spouse? I’ve been guilty of that late. The other day I ate out for lunch and didn’t tell her about it. She later found out after checking our bank account. I couldn’t explain it. I felt totally guilty. She was upset at me. She made me lunch but the temptation of a greasy burger caused me to leave the office, drive the guilt-ridden 2.5 miles and then sit in the cozy restaurant, reading the day’s news and chomping down the fries that will be stuck in my belly for months and months. She eventually forgave me but still I was in trouble and I knew it.

The new job has been good. I get paid $500 more a month. I get benefits. I get Saturdays off. It’s been good, especially since people everywhere else are losing their jobs. I’ve gotten a pay raise and all I have to do is drive 50 minutes longer. Really not a big deal, except when the brakes on my car are going out. Screeech!

Lia is doing great! The first month is over so Lis and I are able to relax a bit more and worry a bit less. We still run into her room when we can’t hear her breathing through the baby monitor but so far, so good. She has been getting up only once a night (Lukas was up every 2-3 hours), she’s growing (she was at 100-percent in weight and 95-percent in height – Lukas never reached 100-percent for anything) and she’s smiling! That’s the best part. If you make funny faces or noises she’ll usually smile at you. She loves her big brother, always smiling at him or trying to talk to him with her baby noises. She doesn’t cry that much instead yelling at us, which is amusing. She doesn’t like the prickliness of my goatee she’ll just scream at me. She doesn’t like that you’re not right there when she wants to, she won’t cry, she’ll just scream at you – quick yaps.

I know every parent says their child is the best and they’ve had the best experience but seriously, we have! Lukas never cried (until he was 2-1/2) when he was a baby. He was always smiling, always making people laugh, and was easy to take in public without worrying about a fit. Lia has been the same, though she does tend to make more grunting noises during the Pastor’s sermon, or let out the occasionally gas when the congregation is in prayer. Both kids have been great, choosing to smile more often than crying. This allows me to pick on them more, which may explain why Lukas decided to start to cry more often when he turned 2-1/2.

Lis and I are doing well. We’ve been snuggling, which for married people – Erik/Stephanie take notes – means that you’re lying next to each other rather than facing the wall with your backs to each other. “We always snuggle,” you say! Wait for five years down the road, two kids and a bout of cancer later and tell me that you’re still snuggling. It also doesn’t help that I snore and drool and one night when we were first married I had a dream that I wanted to hurt Erik so I grabbed, pinched and twisted Lis’s skin in my sleep. She woke up screaming, I apologized and quickly fell back asleep. That will keep you from snuggling for awhile.

Oh…and though I’m getting paid a little more than I have in the past that means that crap has to hit the fan. Brakes on the car going bad. Check! Heater in the house goes out. Check! Garage door no longer opens, leaving the car out in the cold overnight. Check! Argh! What is up with that?!

I’m really looking forward to the holidays – even Thanksgiving! I don’t know if it’s because I have less stress in my life (again, thanks new job) or just that the family is growing, but I’m really looking forward to it. Oh about that “family growing” thing.

On Nov. 8 Erik proposed to his girlfriend Stephanie. They have dated for six months. He proposed along the water in Kirkland and afterwards had a get together at the Shark’s Club just feet away. I met them there, hung out with them and celebrated with everyone! It was a good time. I had to be the lone Johnson representative because my parent’s were in Oregon for a…you guessed it – dog show! Randy was in California and Lis isn’t allowed to enter a bar with a 4-year-old and a newborn.

Weeks later Randy tried to steal Erik’s thunder by telling us that he knocked up his girlfriend and that the two (now three) of them are headed back home in mid-December – to stay. Though I’m not all “Whoohoo!” about the news I was still glad to hear that they were going to come up, live here and that Randy was thinking with a level head. He knows he needs to move back so that he has a decent paying job and because the cost of living up here is way cheaper than what he’s paying right now.

Which reminds me, for any of you that are going to watch “Twilight” this weekend or in the future, Randy’s roommate/buddy Kellan(Lutz) plays Emmett Cullen. I’m not about bragging if I know so-and-so the movie star. We joke about it every now and then when someone brings up the flick, for instance this weekend someone brought up the movie. I think it’s a neat little bit of info to say that we hung out with him on our anniversary because we did he joined my brother, Lis and I on our trip to the comedy club. Lis then likes to say, “Yah, and he’s kissed me.” Before adding, “…on the cheek.” 

Anyway, back to the family, it’s growing fast. Erik is getting hitched, Randy’s having a kid, we just had a baby girl, within a year the entire family would have gained four new members.

Oh yah, and Erik and Stephanie are thinking of having Randy and I DJ their wedding. The pressure is on! We did my Grandparent’s 50th anniversary party mostly to good reviews. We followed it up with struggling through a retirement party, though I think it was more the guests than us. But a wedding?! The pressure is really on. Oh well, a couple sips of the bubbly and Randy and I will be on a roll possibly getting my third career started.

I’m excited for the Christmas season. We always have so much fun stuff going on. We do our annual trip to Seattle for the Christmas season. Christmas Eve is our Pizza Pajama Party and our White Elephant gift exchange. Christmas is our Secret Santa and well…Christmas! Plus there is the church’s White Elephant gift exchange, Erik’s Wine/Cocktail dress-up birthday party on Nov. 29, and our annual New Year’s Eve Casino Night. Should be good times all around!

This is the first week in months where I’ve been able to go home every night. I’m pumped! I’ve been covering a lot of games. I’ll probably have to work this Saturday but at least its not the weekday and right after work. Since I don’t have to work we’re having a Movie Night tonight, watching Wall-E at my parent’s house and eating pizza. I’m excited! Erik and Snef’nie are coming over. It’ll be a good time.

My fantasy football teams are doing well. I’m in only one pay league this year and I’m currently sitting in third place. If I can climb to No. 2 then I’ll be guaranteed money. I don’t think that’s going to happen and right now I’m worried that I might be upset in the first round. Things aren’t looking good, though on paper they do. We’ll see what happens in the upcoming weeks. Would love to snag $225 right before New Years.

Finally, Lis and I are planning our next trip to Brazil. Looks like the wife and kids are going to leave me a bachelor for four weeks and then I’ll fly down to meet her for another two. The first week of bachelorhood is always fun. I can stay up late, play Madden, eat pizza, maybe go out with Josh one night. After that it’s hiding underneath my covers, leaving the TV on while I fall asleep and trying to work both jobs more and more. Anyone want to hang out? Hehe!

Whoa…I’ve read your eyes out so I’ll go. Thanks for reading!

PS

Photos are coming soon!