My BYU Roommates....Inspired by Jenny (Tucker) Denton

I just read a blog post by my old (former) roommate, Jenny (Tucker) Denton... (That's her hugging me with a stocking on my face) Here is her blog if you want to read it... It might be because that TIME of month is rapidly approaching, but her blog today made me cry. I think partly because of hurt feelings of the past, partly because of nostalgia, but a large part was from gratitude.

In Jenny's post she talks about her Jr. High and High School years. How mean the adolescent kids were back then and how unaccepted she felt all while growing up. Her story could just as well have been mine...and I venture a lot of other people's. I was bullied mercilessly as a teenager. I look back now and can see why to some degree. I wasn't one to be...let's say...politically correct...even before that was a common phrase. I usually spoke my mind whether anyone wanted to hear it or not. I was smart, logical...and I felt they were not...and often challenged them on it.

As painful as those years were, I have found one point of light that could be considered a blessing. Although I was never asked to one dance and had extremely few dates. I can now feel gratitude for the fact that nobody every liked me enough to want to get drunk with me, share their drugs with me, or "sleep" with me. Funny thought...but with my low self-esteem back then... I don't know that I would have resisted.

Then I went away to BYU. There I was a young girl with low self esteem and very little confidence....but always the feeling that if people would only get to know me, they would like me. I decided then that the people I would be meeting on my new adventure would not know the shy, insecure Robin. I was only shy because that was the box I had been put in through all the years growing up with the same people. If nobody expected me to be shy...then I didn't have to be.

I started out with one roommate, Darcy, that I didn't get along with very well. We were very different people. So I transferred to Maeser Hall in Heritage Halls and that made all the difference. I was thrust into a dorm with 5 other girls that I had never met. We had 3 bedrooms, each with 2 girls, one kitchen area and a bathroom. We had to get along...at least for the rest of the year.

As I recall we did have some trying moments, but what I remember more is suddenly having friends who actually liked me. (I know that because they are still my friends today.) We had so much fun together. We went on road trips, climbed every mountain, went fishing... sang into cooking utensils for microphones... went on more road trips, ate lots and lots of food, overcame trials together and learned to love each other in spite of our differences.


Those were good years. When I was in high school they kept telling me that "these are the best years of your life". It's surprising I didn't kill myself then... It's a good thing I didn't believe that. My college years...those were some of the best years of my life. My first roommates...those are some of the best friends of my life...along with the friends we met and mingled along the way. I am grateful to those FIRST roommates (Jenny, Paige, Lisa, Ann, Melinda...and Michelle and Sharmyn who were kind of roommate add ons) for being such good people...and such good friends. You made all the difference!
Ok...now I have to get back to studying. Unfortunately...I had so much fun back then at BYU...I forgot to study. So I will finally graduate from BYU this year...25 years later...but better late than never.

Here's to My (Somewhat) Sugar-Free New Year!!!

Sugar is of the devil...at least for me it is. Every year I try to give up sugar for Lent which is for about 40 or so days starting with Ash Wednesday and ending sometime around Easter depending on my willpower and my ability to rationalize when Lent actually ends that year. It is getting harder every year and I have done some serious rationalizing in the past few years.

Well this year is different. Sarah and I decided to give up sugar forever. Not really, but pretty much. She sees me as a serious sugar junkie...and herself going in the same direction. I have told her it is easier to foster good habits at 16 than at well...older.

So our goal this year is to just give it up. We discussed a few rules though...I mean it can be fun to have some sweets on occasion. We decided that FHE is one of those times. It just isn't the same if we don't get a treat for FHE. So we can have a treat on that day. It isn't supposed to be a full blown sugar fest on Monday...just a treat. However the last two Mondays have been a bit excessive. I did find that the amazing brownies Sarah made last Monday were a bit sweet (to a person whose life motto is "You can never be too sweet or too rich." Unfortunately, even though my body said stop eating these wonderfully sweet, rich brownies...you are getting sick... I managed to finish my two anyway. (See it's a sickness.) We also get to have some sweets if we are on a date and the guy buys it for us... (a leftover from my college days) Sarah is more likely to get that benefit than I am. **sigh**

Hopefully in time I will find that one small sweet will be sufficient.

When it becomes hard is when Jacob makes things that look wonderful and we want some but can't have any. Yesterday, Jacob made some Belgian waffles. They smelled wonderful...but face it...they are not nearly as wonderful without some hot buttermilk syrup over them...or some kind of syrup at least. But I came up with a yummy substitute... I mashed a small amount of natural peanut butter with a banana until it was all mooshy and then spread it on the waffle. It was soooo yummy and very filling. I only ate 1/2 a waffle and made it through church. I think that extra protein makes it stick a little better. I thought it was so good, I think it will be my new favorite topping for pancakes and waffles...and who knows what else. No sugar and much better for me.

So that's my new discovery for today. YOU should try it. Only YOU are probably not reading my post...so YOU will never know. :o)

I find some of the coolest things at garage sales...

...This is one of them. This is called the Vital Wear Vitalwrap system. I bought one a few weeks ago at a garage sale...because I have no insurance and I love things medical. (I know kind of weird...but whatever.) Well a couple of weeks later my mother had knee surgery on her meniscus and the doctors told her to get one. I already had one... She test drove it for me and loved it. A week later my knee, for some unknown reason, decided to swell and cause me problems. So when my kids left on New Years Day to spend 3 days with their dad, I decided to try it while laying in bed for 3 days reading Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows. (I read it at Christmastime last year and really enjoyed it...I'm not much of a story book reader). Anyway...I love it. You fill the bucket with Ice and water and then place the wrap around the body part in pain. (They have different sizes for different body parts: neck, arm, back, ankle, wrist, etc.) Then you turn it on and cold water circulates through the wrap. The temperature can be adjusted so it is not too cold. It also becomes hot for heat therapy...You just have to put warm water in and it will heat it. It also provides compression. I love it. It keeps the cold right where it needs to be and you don't have to worry about leaks or it slipping if you doze off. They usually cost around $300-$600 to buy. (Most people's insurance pays for it) But I got it for $20 and I love it.

Oh...and by the way... HAPPY NEW YEAR!! Not that anyone reads my blog (because of my chronic neglect and inconsistency)...but you never know.

Merry Christmas!!

Johnson Family Christmas 2011

Ok…get back on your seats…yes, it is a Christmas Card from the Johnson Family…and if all has gone as planned, it is even on time this year. Looking back on the year, 2011 was a good year for our family, and we can see that we have been watched over and blessed.

As a family we completed our goal of travelling to all 48 states this summer when we visited the Southern States. We really enjoyed visiting with our good friends the Corners in Georgia and the Millers in Tennessee. We saw some beautiful sights including the Great Smokey Mountains, and the Everglades. Our country is beautiful…go see it!

We also got rabbits…and found out that what they say about rabbits is true… Suddenly we found ourselves with way more than we wanted. That in itself is a crazy story, but we are now happy with the 3 we have. We discovered rabbits are great pets and love our new additions…Rylie, Chimi (changa) and IHOP.

Jacob (14): Has turned out to be quite the Jock. Well maybe not the “Jock” mentality, but he loves sports and wishes he could play all the time. He especially loves football and was first string for his school team this year. He is currently on the basketball team. He went to his first church dance this year and really enjoyed that as well. He also does very well in school. He even won a 1^st place award in the School Science Fair and will get to compete at the County Fair this spring. (He worked hard on that project and really deserved the award.)

Sarah (16): Did I mention 16? Yes! She has her driving permit, but has not had a lot of practice yet. She seems to be in no hurry to drive, which is nice because that keeps insurance rates nice and low for the time being. She and some of her friends celebrated her 16^th birthday at the beach in California. A good friend also surprised her by flying down from Washington to enjoy the privilege of taking her on her first date. She was thrilled! This year Sarah has been taking ballroom dance. She loves to dance and is quite graceful! She also loves reading and is an excellent student.

Robin (32): Still plugging away at that Bachelor’s Degree. She is planning on Graduating from Brigham Young University in the Fall of 2012. Independent Study is requiring some growth in the discipline department, but it is coming along. She also got to go to the Antiques Roadshow with her Mother this summer. Found out that the things she hoped were worth a bunch of money..were not. But had a great time re-visiting and playing tour guide to her mother in Savannah, Georgia and seeing the Magnolia Plantation in South Carolina again.

Robin’s sister Karri and her baby Starlette (Star) lived with us for most of the year. We really enjoyed having them. Having a baby around helped Robin get over all of her baby cravings. :o) They moved out in September when they bought a new home…close enough that we get to see each other often. It is fun to have a baby in the family again.

Those are the most exciting things this year. We are happy and healthy and are blessed to have all that we need and even many of our wants. We are celebrating the blessings of the past year and are looking forward to new adventures in the coming year and hope you all are as well. We wish you all a very Merry Christmas and many blessings in the new year!!

Love,

Robin, Sarah & Jacob Johnson

Oh What do you do in the Summer Time When all the World is HOT???

Tomorrow we are off on the next leg of our tour of these great 50 states. When we are done, we will have been to 40.

We are flying into Omaha, Nebraska tomorrow night. My Ex-Brother in Law and nephew Colton will pick us up and will be with us on our journey. I was going to book a room on Friday night, but hesitated. Unfortunately, the $70 room on Friday night became a very difficult to get $135 room by Saturday. **Note to self** Don't forget that Monday nights in Omaha, Nebraska are very popular for hotel stays in June. **SIGH**

We will visit Winter Quarters for a short while, because the last time I was there I didn't see as much of it as I wanted to. Then we will be driving to Fargo, North Dakota. Why? Well, we haven't been to North Dakota yet, and Fargo's as good a place as any place in ND. With campgrounds like the "Great Grassy Plains" campgrounds, I just couldn't get too excited about camping. So maybe we'll see Toy Story III while in Fargo and we'll always remember we saw it in North Dakota.

From there we will be off on the REAL adventure...into Wisconsin and Michigan, camping around the Great Lakes. Not sure quite where, but we'll figure it out as we go. We'll go up and around Lake Michigan (the middle one) and down through Chicago. Maybe we'll stop and get a hotdog...see a museum and say we've done it.

Hopefully we'll have time to see Nauvoo again and spend a day or two in Moulton, IA...where Gary (bro-in-law) lives.

I am excited for the trip, however my TO-DO list is long, and my time is running short. I guess I'll go to bed and get started early tomorrow.

....Is that what you do???

A Goal Not Written is Only a Wish!!!

OK...get back up on your stool...Yes, I am posting a blog. By now, there are probably no followers, but I'm going to post anyway.

Why??? Because I should be studying...and because it is the first day of LENT!!! ...and because I am setting my goal...

For years, since my college days at BYU, I have given up sugar for Lent. Well, I have tried to give up sugar for lent. More years than not, I have been sorrowfully unsuccessful...and if the truth be known, I probably ate more sugar during that time than I do when not giving up sugar. But we'll talk about my compulsive eating binges some other time.

This year I am really going to do it though. I have read online about how it is to be properly done...did you know that Sundays are not included in the Lenten Fast? Yeah...well, I'm not going for it. 46 straight days of no sugar...but that's not all...I'm doing more this year. (As if sugar isn't hard enough!)

Here is my list of foods that are off limits for the next 46 days...

All foods that contain in the first 3 ingredients: sugar or any substitutes including artificial sweeteners, honey, corn syrup, fruit juice, and my personal favorite...dehydrated cane juice (as if). I will allow myself one packet of Stevia per day or 1 TBL of Sugar Free (Fruit Only) Fruit Spread....and I can chew sugar-free gum or eat a mint. Also forbidden: white flour or any items which contain white flour in the first 3 ingredients. This will eliminate virtually all desserts including SF puddings, jellos, cookies, cakes, hot cocoa etc.

My goal is to learn to enjoy eating healthier foods...not to figure out how to eat the same foods but with chemicals instead of calories...and to help me choose complex carbohydrates over simple sugars to get my energy.

Foods I am going to eat more of: Veggies, fruits, whole grain foods, beans, brown rice, and of course lean meats.Last night was my FAT TUESDAY before embarking on my new healthier life. I ate way too much and was painfully full for hours. This only served to reinforce how miserable it is to over-indulge in that stuff. I am excited to get started today...and as my tummy is still recovering from yesterday...it is on board with me at the moment.

Also on board with me...at least sugar-wise is Paige and my daughter Sarah (little does Jacob know that he'll be participating by default).

So here's to a longer, healthier, happier life!!

General Conference....

LOL Cats General Conference