New Blog Format

In order to make the blog more function (i.e. having the ability to put birthdays up) I had to switch to a newer version of blogger and get a new template. If anyone has any qualms with the color scheme we can change it (I did think Keith and Scott would like the hot pink Barbie template!). Hopefully all the birthdays are correct. I just took Scott's list and added the dates he was missing. If anyone has other lists or items they want on the blog just let me know. The new format makes it much easier to make updates.

In other news, I had a nice birthday yesterday (30-ouch! Lizzy is now the only Johnson child in her 20's - double ouch!). Valerie threw a surprise party for me Thursday night at her parents’ house. Looking back, I was a little too naive about the whole thing. The best part was when I showed up and saw one of my neighbors and his wife getting out of their car on the opposite side of the street from Valerie's parents. I said, "Hi, Dave. What are you guys doing over here?" He said he was going to a friend’s house for dinner and pointed to a house a few doors down. For most people this would have thrown up a big red flag, but I just said, 'Oh, really!' and proceeded to pull into Pat and Dale's driveway and go inside. As I walked into the house everyone screamed, 'Surprise'! And that's when I knew I had been duped. It was a fun evening with lots of good Dutch oven cooking and conversation. Riley also volunteered to give me my 30 spankings - it's a good thing she can only count to 15.

Yesterday, I just went to work and then Valerie and I went out to Dinner at a Mexican restaurant called Jalisco’s – located down by the ‘Falls’. After dinner we crossed the street to look at the river and a group of guys asked if I would take their picture, well in that group was Denney Crum. For those who don’t know, Crum was the men’s basketball coach at Louisville for 30 years. Apparently there were some other notable athletes in the group – so they said, but I didn’t recognize any of the names (before my time).

Anyway, thanks for all the birthday cards and calls. You made 30 not seem so gloomy!

Happy 40th !!!

Congratulations mom and dad on 40 years of marital bliss. We know that having good-looking, courteous, well-behaved, brilliant children helped make it easier, but it's still quite an accomplishment even if your children weren't all those things.

We love you and appreciate everything you've done for us over these many, many years!

Thanks!!

My Impending Retirement

I'm another step closer to retiring early and relying on Margie's mad skills to support my expensive lifestyle of sports cars, designer fashions, and gourmet food after Margie auditioned for and was cast in another play this week at a theatre that apparently actually pays its actors.

Margie will be playing the lead female role, Rachel Brown, in the play Inherit the Wind. The curtain goes up at the end of October, which is a lovely time to visit Pittsburgh, for those of you haven't been here yet.

Margie is also currently co-starring in our entry in the employees-only version of Heinz Ketchup's "Top This TV" ad contest. You can watch the admittedly amateurish result here. We're vying with about 40 other entries for three top prizes of 1.) a 57" screen TV (or $2,500), 2.) $1,500 cash, or 3.) $1,000 cash.

Birthdays, Part II

Birthday	Johnson
02/07	Felix
03/22	Lizzy
04/02	Margie
04/26	Grandpa
05/16	Maggie
05/24	Macie
07/XX	Valerie
07/16	Janet
07/30	Scott
08/05	Grandma
08/24	Todd
09/XX	Jamie
10/06	Amy
10/27	Keith
11/03	Rex
11/23	Lisa
11/XX	Riley
12/08	Kacie

Birthdays

As we all know, I have good intentions, but seldom hit the Birthday on the exact date.
I just looked at the Blog created by the children of a friend of mine and they have all the Birthdays listed on the Blog. It is a reminder everytime you check the blog.

One of you computer whiz kids--Would that be possible for the jimmysyme blog?

Unemployment

After seeing the photos posted by Scott--and I'm assuming they were shot by both Scott and Margie--I am really feeling like they missed their calling. Great pictures!! The video is also priceless and probably should have come with a Parental Advisory.

KJ

Uno Mas...

Also, don't forget to check out the Johnson Family Festivities Video.

6 1/2 minutes of pure insanity!

Mas...

Mas...

Picture Mania!

Here are some of the pictures we took...just a few from a collection of over 300!

Ok, I lied

EVEN MORE PIX...

I think this is the last batch....don't quote me.

MORE PIX!

one more tme

more pix

More pix...

Better late than never....Part II

Great Pix Margie! While I'm out with seizures, maybe you could move into my position at the Dnews. :-) Here are a few contributions of my own. We had a great time and I think it should be a tradition.

Lost & Found

I didn't want to steal Amy's thunder (Congrats on making the big leagues!), but I wanted to post a few pictures from the Reunion, including a picture of two shirts left behind. I had to doctor the picture of CT so that our blog wouldn't get investigated.

The shirt on the left is yellow, the flash washed out the color.

This is a picture of me perusing the garden when we got home. Nothing too exciting to report, but we have had four tomatoes in the last week. We should also have a good pumpkin crop in time for Halloween.

Macie helped me wash out the coolers when we got home. I think we will be having reunion lunch meat for Thanksgiving!