A Surprising Mother's Day Gift

Mom Small and her Boys
Originally uploaded by jmsmall2005.

We pulled off a monumental surprise for Mother's Day, flying to Ohio to spend the weekend and totally shocking Jason's mom. What fun! We had a great time hanging out with family, and the weather cooperated nicely. On Saturday we had lunch at the Pine Tree Barn and ate on the porch in the sunshine. Jason and I volunteered to grill up some steaks for Sunday dinner, honing our grilling skills for when we have our own bbq. And of course there was lots of scheming about which project at our new house Jason and his dad should start first...

Back home now, we're thinking about the following things:
* packing up our condo
* whether or not to go to 10 year high school reunion (just found "MHS Class of 97" website, so strange...)
* this summer's road trip to Canada

Oh, and what Jim will say Thursday night...

Laughing together

Laughing together
Originally uploaded by jmsmall2005.

I have to write a quick note because it's been SO LONG since we blogged...and we are leaving in 13 minutes for the airport and a fun little jaunt to London (yay!). Not much time to blog anyway, since I just got back form a week in Idaho last night. You will notice that there are loads of new pictures of Cole in our flickr album. I love him.

(Luckily, Jenny is mad about him, too, so when I'm with her I'm not quite as silly as usual. :))

I also got to meet Baby Maddie May while I was there. Maddie was born two months early and is spending her days in the NICU, but she is a pretty good fighter. It was fun to see her with Laura and her big brother Jackson.

Most springish Idaho trips are also work trips. This was my first visit to the Boise office of Team Simpson, and it was really great--this new job is going quite well! I did the rounds with babies, meeting Sam and Kate, and I also got to stop by and say hello to the Governor...until we were interrupted by the Canadian Ambassador. Ah, well, what can you do?

Go ahead and enjoy smiling back at Cole. We'll post more when we're back on this side of the pond.

Cole-dorable

Cole-dorable
Originally uploaded by jmsmall2005.

I'm sorry, but this is too cute for words. It's like having a really sweet doll. That laughs. And cries. And poops (at which time he can be given back to his mother).

We went out to dinner tonight. When we left the house it was 72 degress outside and I carried my jacket. We got home about 20 minutes ago and it is now 55. Apparently the weather realizes that we cannot go get our Christmas tree tomorrow wearing shorts. I appreciate its sympathy.

Class of 2001

Class of 2001
Originally uploaded by jmsmall2005.

"Our Trip to Idaho," Part 2. We left McCall and drove down the mountain, straight to Nampa and the campus of Northwest Nazarene University. There we donned nametags and shared hugs (and introductions of spouses) with my old college cronies. I must confess, I'd been looking forward to our five-year reunion for quite a while, and we had a great time. It was fun to see old friends and reconnect with people with whom I'd spent four significant years of my life. I loved the moment when, watching "Grandma Dave" take to the drums just as he did many times starting our freshman year, Amanda turned to me and said, "Yep, it's still funny."

After our reunion lunch we spent some time catching up with old friends--cheering on the basketball team at the homecoming game, discovering new coffee shops in Nampa, drinking tea and eating at Red Robin, adding to the collection of "Senate Pictures" and dissecting "Tess" during our "reunion bookclub," confessing that I've been reading other people's blogs, and reliving ridiculous memories. I've said this before, but it is so wonderful to discover that you still connect with people you knew in a past life.

Thanksgiving at the Cabin

The Family in the Prow
Originally uploaded by jmsmall2005.

Our most recent trip out west will have to be spread over a couple entries. According to our pictures (again, posted at the right), we should have a separate entry simply entitled "Cole," as he is the subject of about 90% of the pictures. I blame Granny, who stole my camera for a while. And Cole, for being the most adorable creature on earth.

We have added a few people to the family this year, and after all the hoopla and chaos settled down it seemed like Thanksgiving was a good time to take stock of things and, basically, count off. So we packed up, shipped out, and landed at the new cabin for a week of being together...in a calmer sense than we have all year.

The cabin, of course, is beautiful. It was like a dream come true to have us all there and all healthy (yes, it's been that kind of year). We had a really relaxing few days centered around Cole, and then the aunts, uncles, and cousins joined us for a festive Thanksgiving celebration. Deee-lish! This was my first Thanksgiving home this millenium, and I enjoyed every bite. And the leftovers.

As we curled up on couches with our full bellies Thanksgiving night, snow was falling softly outside the windows. I wished we could have stayed just one more day, but on Friday morning, Jason and I packed up to head to Nampa for the long-awaited five year reunion of NNU's Class of 2001...

Someone This Way Flies!

IMG_0790
Originally uploaded by jmsmall2005.

Another flight to and from Idaho--but this time it was Mom and Dad coming our way instead of us going theirs! They stayed with us last weekend, and we had a wonderful time--a few touristy things, like the International Spy Museum (Missy's pick for Favorite DC Spot), the National Portrait Gallery (recently reopened, and turns out there's a reason they named the metro stop "Gallery Place"), and George Washington's home at Mount Vernon. Just a few weeks ago the new interpretive center and museum at Mount Vernon opened up, and we closed the place down on Saturday...and made ourselves hungry enough to eat a buffalo. We also went to a Caps game and just hung around some. Though Mom has made a habit of visiting me a couple times a year, recent family events have made it impossible for her to come since she was here with Grams and Gramps last November...and it's been years since Dad was here. It was wonderful to have them, and I must confess that, even though we will see them next Friday as we wing our way back west for Thanksgiving, I was a little sad to drop them off at the airport.

I am currently enjoying the first day of a delightfully long weekend. With the election behind us, my colleagues and I spent yesterday tossing papers. I think I filled the first dumpster by myself, throwing away five years of work (turns out I'm quite a paper rat, and an old intern stopped by yesterday to say hi and bemoaned that all the filing she'd done for me two years ago was sitting in the bottom of said dumpster). When I told Jason last night that I felt like I was afraid nothing would be left to show for my time in the Otter office, he suggested that I write my name on the wall--"Missy: 2001-2006." A thought... Now that Team Otter is actually moving on, after months of treading water, I am getting ready to move on too. Actually, I really should get moving on my novel, but unfortunately I decided to read all six Harry Potter novels again before I started. I finished book six a couple days ago, but I still find that when I close my eyes I am really at Hogwarts...

note: Jason really was part of this weekend, despite the picture. Blogger has refused to attach additional pictures to this entry, so go look at our flickr album for a more complete visual recounting. Sorry Jason!

Idaho 2006: Take Nine

Cole and Aunt Missy
Originally uploaded by jmsmall2005.

Needless to say, Cole and I had a good time getting to know each other. His aunts and his granny spent a lot of time passing him back and forth, especially during his lunch at Red Robin (first of many). Shaanti is doing great--I was complaining to Jason that when we went shopping she, brand-new mother, looked so put together and I looked like a scrub! (it IS nice to be back into the same state as my wardrobe!) :)

After smothering Cole with kisses, Jenny, Mom and I drove up to McCall to check out the new "cabin." I put that in quotes because it is more like a lodge or a villa than a cabin. (Jenny stood by the door to give a proper sense of scale in this picture.) It is soooo amazing, and we are going to have the most lovely Thanksgiving there next month. When we got there we found a mountain bluebird in the fireplace, and, after many screams and ducks, we finally got it to fly out the door.

Oh, and the IHA conference was good--especially with Mom there. But not as good as my adorable nephew...

Columbus Day Weekend in Ohio

Small Family at Fiesta Mexicana
Originally uploaded by jmsmall2005.

While Missy headed to Sun Valley, Idaho to present the latest on healthcare legislation to the Idaho Hospital Association, Jason flew to Ohio to visit his family. His brother, Justin, is the operations manager of a new Candlewood Suites hotel in Polaris (just outside of Columbus). Jason and the rest of the family got the full tour -- including the privileged behind-the-scenes exclusives, such as the pump, fire, and phone switching rooms. Justin exudes pride in the successes he has had in working to launch the new property, despite all the kinks including 120 alarm clocks going off at midnight (two nights in a row), leaky dishwashers, and other hazards associated with a new start. He is clearly on his way to the top -- he secured a substantial increase in reservations the day of the tour (and associated revenue) landing a 20+ room reservation for 30 days while his sales manager and general manager were on leave.

The balance of the weekend was spent viewing dad's latest property acquisitions and renovation projects, lunching at Landoll's Mohican Castle, playing a rousing game of Scrabble, and watching the Washington Redskins embarassing defeat to the NY Giants. We also went to see The Guardian at the Mount Vernon movie theatre (a compeling tale), and wrapped up the visit with lunch at Fiesta Mexicana.

It was nice to get away and spend time with the family again, regaining those Ohio "roots" (Justin bought me an OSU Buckeyes hat and blared the fight song in his truck on the way to the airport), and enjoying time out of the hustle and bustle of our daily life in the nation's capital.

Another Cole-fest

I'm sorry, but if you had a six day-old nephew who was this cute, you would paste him all over your blog, too. Right now this picture is up on my computer screen so that when I am frantically moving from document to document during this crazy last week in session before the election I occasionally accidentally run across it and grin all over again.

Cole and His Mama

Cole and Shaanti
Originally uploaded by jmsmall2005.

Of course I knew Cole was beautiful, but I love having pictures to confirm it. Do I have to wait two more weeks to snuggle him close? In the meantime, Jenny and I have taken to calling each other "Aunt." It's fun.

He's Here!

Cole Adam Bucher ushered in a new era in the Johnson family when he made his grand entrance into the world at about 5:45 a.m. MDT today. His granny describes him as "so sweet" and his grandpa says that by one view he looks like his mom and by another angle his dad (though granny suggested that he might have his Aunt Jenny's wild, stick-up hair! :)). He and his great-grandad share a birthday, 87 years apart. And, in my three hours experience as an aunt, I'm convinced it is the loveliest job in the world. Pictures will, of course, follow shortly, but the news is too precious not to share.

The Last Johnson Bride

In her dress
Originally uploaded by jmsmall2005.

Isn't Jenny so pretty? She made such a beautiful bride on Friday night, and we were so glad to share in celebrating her marriage to Chad. The wedding was beautiful, wonderful, perfect. What a wonderful day!

I can hardly believe that all four of us have been married off--it was the last time the twinkle lights will sparkle in my parents' yard. (After three receptions there in 371 days, however, they might be a bit relieved!)

Now Jenny and Chad are relaxing in the Dominica Republic, and Jason and I are relaxing at home. Finally. No more trips until I go back later this fall to meet my new nephew (I can't miss that!). We are officially putting our suitcases back into the closet and settling in to stay. It is kind of exciting, thinking about living in our house instead of just doing laundry there.

And fall is just around the corner. It is worth living in Washington DC just for fall.

"Our Little Brother is Married!"

Kim and Casey
Originally uploaded by jmsmall2005.

There were three of us who kept saying that incredulously over the past weekend. During the ceremony Casey and Kim gave their mothers roses, and Shaanti whispered to me, "Why don't they give us roses, we're giving him away too!" We laughed, but we both felt it--there is something quite different about marrying off your little brother than even watching your sister get married!

Pictures can be found by clicking on this one here, and you will see that it was an absolutely beautiful wedding. The backyard at the Johnson house was again transformed into a fairyland. My favorite part of the wedding was the slideshow, with pictures of Casey dressed up as every imaginable super hero. People lightly chuckled at the picture of him as Superman, but as we went through Batman, Robin, the Green Lantern, Flash, and finally the Penguin the laughter got louder and harder. We all remember the boy who would only wear clothes with a cape.

Best of all, Kim is now officially the sister-in-law. I always felt a bit sorry for the girl Casey married, knowing that his three older sisters would be quite overprotective and hard to win over. But then I met Kim, and I instantly loved her. They headed off to Mexico to recuperate. In the meantime, Jason and I are trying to fit two weeks of work and sleep into three days before heading out again on Friday to quote sonnets at Dawn's wedding. And here I thought everyone was already married!