Yard Work

The Hubs has been hard at work out in our backyard lately and its really starting to pay off. 

When we moved in, most of our big green yard was actually moss. The moss was slowly choking out what grass remained, and it made for a soggy and lumpy mess when it rained.  Molly also had a temporary behavior lapse during the winter and dug several holes around the yard.  Perhaps she thought she was helping Steve aerate the lawn?

In the last few months he's filled the Molly holes, leveled uneven patches, killed and removed the moss, seeded the whole yard and laid down grass sod over that ugly parking patch that used to be in the back right corner.  The previous owners had parked an RV out there and the grade was sunk so low that after one particularly rainy weekend, we found two ducks swimming in the pond that had resulted.  What is this, the Johnson wild life preserve? I think not. Not with Steve on the case! I'm really proud of all the time and effort he's put in. It's looking great dear. 

 

 
Don't worry. I'm pulling my weight too.  I've been tasked with the flower garden and roses. I'll report back when I'm sure I haven't actually killed them.

Side note.... Spring in Seattle is kind of awesome because you occasionally get to experience magical backyard moments like this:

Tiptoe through the Tulips

Spring has sprung in Seattle!  This will inevitably bring both rain and sunshine as we inch ourselves ever closer to the region's most coveted season, Summer.  Lucky for us, this last weekend was full of the latter; beautiful sunshine, with almost shorts-worthy temperatures.  This made for a gorgeous day at the Skagit Valley Tulip Festival on Saturday, with my lovely ladies in tow.

This is the second time I've made the almost 60 mile journey north to the tulip fields and I have one tip for those who are going this year or plan to go in future years:  leave early in the day and be prepared for traffic!  We left mid-afternoon after a really nice brunch together, but paid for it sitting in traffic for what felt like an eternity.  We eventually got to the tulip fields around 6pm and the sun was just beginning to go down.  The good news is that it made for some unique photos and  we barely hit traffic going back to Seattle when we finally hit the road at 8pm. All in all, it was worth it to spend the day with my pretty ladies enjoying rows and rows of pretty flowers.

 

 

Is it just me, or does this song immediately pop into your head too?

Buongiorno!

Since the bulk of our European adventure this Spring is going to be spent in Italy, I thought I would be proactive and try to learn a little survival Italian. I've been told that, in Rome especially, a majority of Italians and other travelers do speak English.  Still, I'm trying to embrace the mantra of "when in Rome, do as the Romans do!" (literally).   Not only do I think this will likely be appreciated by locals, but I think it will help me get around a bit easier and avoid getting ripped off.  I also have this unreasonable fear of really needing to use the restroom and being unable to communicate that in any other way than clinching my legs together and pointing at my lower body like a five year old... no thank you!!

So while I drive to and from work, and around town the next several weeks I'll be listening to this:

I know, I know... Italian for Dummies isn't the most sophisticated of language tools but in terms of short-term survival prep vs. really trying to learn the language, it did have the best reviews.

So, if you happened to see me driving around talking to myself and making grandiose gestures (I'm not sure why I feel the need to say everything in Italian with such emotional emphasis and big hand movements, but I do)... fear not... I haven't gone crazy. I'm just practicing.

Grazie! Arrivederci!

Wine-O

Super Bowl Champs!

Way to go Seahawks!  You dominated Super Bowl XLVIII yesterday, beating the Broncos 43-8 and we had a BLAST watching you do it!! Of course I'm a little sad to see the Football season end, but that must mean Spring is around the corner.  Great season Hawks. You've made the Johnson household very happy!!! See you Wednesday at the Victory Parade!! (Hoping my Sherman shirt comes in time to wear!)

 

PS: Happy Birthday to this big guy this week!!

Europe this Spring!

The Johnsons are heading to Europe this Spring! This will be my very first trip to Europe and I couldn't be more excited.  With the holidays behind us, our plans are now really beginning to take shape.  The major milestone this week was the booking of all of our travel! It feels so much more real now that an itinerary has officially been set.  And here it is .....  we will leave Seattle, bound for Amsterdam.  We'll spend 5 days in Amsterdam and then make our way to Italy.  We'll enjoy the next 5 days on the Almafi Coast.  After that, we'll venture back to Rome for the final 5 days of our trip.

(A) First stop Amsterdam,  (B) then on to the Almafi Coast, and (C) Final days spent in Rome

With an itinerary and travel plans finally set, my energy is now fully focused on sculpting the experience and preparing for the trip.  Where to stay? What to do? What to pack!?!?  That last question is of high importance, as I'm going to attempt to pack only one carry-on bag, suitable to meet European carry-on requirements (i.e - basically a backpack) for a 15 day trip. Yikes!  I've been researching the best travel bags and tips for packing light (not my strong suit) and I would welcome any ideas from seasoned travelers!  This detail probably weighs most heavily on mind at the moment. The balance of the planning is very exciting to me. More details to come!

Busy times.. Happy Holidays

I have NOT been a very good blogger lately.  Alas, life has been time consuming.  My last post went up at the end of September and A LOT has been going on since then.  Here are the Top 5 highlights from the last 2 months:

#1  - We bought a house and moved in!

After several months of searching and frustration, we were blessed to find our first house! We closed and got the keys on October 16th and spent the rest of the month packing, moving and saying goodbye to our little townhouse in Fremont.   Steve and I spent 6 years in that place and made a lot of memories there. It was sad to leave, but exciting to start the next chapter in our lives.

Our new house is in North Seattle and we love it!  Big yard, more space and it's all ours.  It'll take some time to get settled in, but it already feels like home.

Home Sweet Home!

# 2 - Happy Halloween and Annie's first Trick-or-Treaters!

I was SO excited to finally live in a neighborhood that would allow little goblins to knock on my door and ask for candy! Every time the door rang, I squealed with joy and Molly freaked out, and I'm sure the neighbors thought a bunch of freaks had moved in next door.  We also hit up an annual Halloween party with friends that was a blast, as it always is.

I'm ready for you trick or treaters!

Becky the Killer "B" ha ha :)

My hubby is such an ape sometimes.

#3 - Molly turned 1

Our sweet Molly celebrated her first birthday on November 23rd. She got lots of cuddles, played fetch for hours and got a special mega bone, which she ate in a day in a half.

Fetch!!

#4 - The Huskies go 8-4 and are headed to the Fight Hunger Bowl on December 27!

Every Saturday you'd find the Johnson's either down tailgating in Padelford or posted up somewhere to watch an away game.  The highlight of our tailgate season was the Oregon vs. Washington game in early October when ESPN Gameday came to film at the UW campus.  This was by far the earliest tailgate of my career, but well worth it to carry our sign up to Red Square and be a part of a really fun and energized crowd.  Unfortunately, the Dawgs lost that day.   They went on to win every home game after that, including the Apple Cup over Thanksgiving weekend.  It was a good season Dawgs, and I look forward to a win over BYU on the 27th!

Yes, we had a gallows with a roasted duck. Don't be so sensitive.

Apple Cup!

#5 - Getting ready for the Holidays!

And now Christmas is just one week away!  Wow, time flies. We've got the lights up on the house, our Christmas tree is decorated and I've been through 2 batches of eggnog so far.  I still have a bit of shopping to do and a few more loose ends to tie up, but I think I'm ready!  This will be the first Christmas I've hosted with my family and Steve's at our new house and I couldn't be more excited.

So... here is wishing you and yours a most joyous holiday season and a very happy New Year!

More regular blogging to commence in 2014, I promise.