The One Time I Wasn't a Pushover

I often wonder what kind of mother I'll be.

I wonder if I see a someone on the playground picking on my kid if I'll be able to teach them how to stand up for themselves,

Or teach them how to walk away.

I was always a "scare-dy cat".

I made friends with the mean girls at school to insure they weren't my enemies.

(Probably the best advise my Mother ever gave me.)

Don't get me wrong I didn't hang out with them on weekends but I slapped them 5 every time I passed them in school.

It paid of too when Taylor Ryan saved me in the Nathan Hale girls' bathroom.

I swear I was about to get pounded by a 250 pound Mexican girl*.

(I was in the 5th grade BTW)

Until Taylor stepped in. "Let her go guys, she's cool."

Phew.

Fast forward to last summer in the pool.

I was swimming with 2 of my nieces and nephew in our community pool.

And some little brat who was probably 5, kept stealing our pool toys.

It was seriously obnoxious and her mom was nowhere to be found.

I told Kylee(8), Kalyn(4) and Koltyn(2) that we should just ignore her and keep playing.

Well she kept stealing Kalyn's toy.

Kylee looked at me waiting for me to respond.

Of course I didn't.

The eternal peacemaker that I am I just got our other toys and gave them to my nieces and nephew.

After the little bully kept stealing those toys, Kylee had finally had enough.

"Hey! Those are our pool toys. Stop taking them from my sister it's not nice."

I felt like such a loser.

I promised myself I would not be that person ever again.

December 22, 2011.

In Kayenta, Arizona.

At the Burger King playland.

Meet my niece Rylie....

It was her 3rd birthday.

And she was having a blast playing with all the big kids in the play land.

We were on our way to Utah to spend Christmas with our family,

And we stopped for lunch and to give her a break from the car ride.

Hey, It was her birthday, she deserved it.

She was trying to conquer the jungle gym stairs but her legs simply were not long enough. 

She needed help.

Her Dad was getting our food. Her Mom was holding her baby brother.

So Aunt Krystle stepped in.

I am not small. But Rylie needed help.

So I lodged myself on the first step and began to assist her.

First step. Done. Second step.....just about there.....

And then I hear this voice.

Monotonous.

Yelling....

"MOVE. MOVE. MOVE."

I give Rylie a shove up the 3rd and final step and hear it again.....

"MOVE. MOVE. MOVE."

Then it occurs to me that these commands are directed towards me.

I look down and what do you know.

The meanest looking Indian kid* is looking me right in the eye.

And he is yelling at me.

"MOVE! MOVE! MOVE!"

And then something inside me snapped. 

And I yelled.

"I'll move when I'm ready!!!"

"Can't you see that I'm helping a little girl!?!?!? Are you freaking kidding me?"

I then moved and he proceeded to race up the steps.....

No apology. Nothing. 

I ducked, stepping through the net curtains and my Sister Natalie was standing there holding her baby.

With her mouth hanging open.

And then we cracked up laughing.

Natalie later proclaimed that she was pretty proud of me.

"I heard you say you'd move when you were ready. I thought good for Krystle standing up for herself. And then you just kept on going at him. It was awesome."

So as it turns out. 

I think I'll teach my kids how to stand up for themselves.

No one likes a scare-dy cat.

** I am not prejudice. Bullies come in all shapes, sizes and colors.

The Trip That Changed Everything.........

I've been thinking a lot about my trip to Moab. I'd like to use this particular post to just jot down a few things I loved about the trip, and things I realized because of this trip.


- The drive up with Natalie and David.


- I loved Rylie's temper tantrum 40 minutes in to the trip. For heaven sakes it was her 3rd birthday and she was spending it on the road strapped in to a seat. I can't wait to tease her about it when she's 16. 


- Pulling over on the side of the road. swinging open the van door and David holding Rylie out over a pile of snow while she pinched a loaf. Yep, It was 22 degrees. She is a sport.


- Natalie coaching David the whole time...."David what you gotta do is keep her feet on the ledge and hold her hands. My mom used to do it to us all the time."


- Learning how to stand up for myself (and Rylie) in the play land at Burger King. Turns out I think I'm going to do just fine as a mom. (This little ditty deserves it's own extra post later this week.)


- Getting out of hiking ALL the way to Delicate Arch because I'm pregnant. Yep I milked it. I don't care if Natalie did the hike 7 months pregnant with Jude last March. Good for her.


- Listening to Corey talk about said hike in bed later on.... "Krystle, I might as well have hiked Everest today. That is what it felt like. I'll never do it again." I tried telling him, but to no avail.


- I also found out Corey made David carry my camera bag on the way up even though David had a horrible head cold and sore throat. Maybe that is why Corey declared last night that he considers David the 'MVP' of the trip?


-Also Jude having an explosion in his diaper, on my watch, while everyone else was out conquering Delicate Arch.


- My Dad and Gordon announcing that they took a vote and declared Rachel the funniest sibling. Um, that did not bode well with Natalie or myself. Dad pretty much spent the rest of the trip trying to make it up to us......


- Rachel informing us (Natalie and I) that she is going to be a stay at home mom but she will not be doing any cleaning. That lead to an interesting conversation between the three of us. That conversation lead to Rachel picking up a rag and helping us clean out the fridge. A big "YOU ARE WELCOME" to Rachel's future husband.


- Emily Bennett-Garrett. Annabelle's American Girl doll. Featured in the family photo above. Enough said.


- Watching Annabelle open up "Coconut"...... Emily's small white fluffy dog. I freaking tell you, hands down, the best thing I've ever seen. Her reaction was priceless. Tears in eyes, heart palpitating, hands shaking amazingness. You would have thought she was just crowned Miss Universe. I will act it out, in person, for anyone that asks.....


- Corey reading to our baby (still in my tummy) for the first time. Freaking awesome. I may or may not have shed a couple tears. We are having a baby.I still can't believe it.


- Speaking of unborn babes... Nicole and Chris announcing the gender of theirs! My parents unwrapped a small gift signed from the baby and inside was blue tissue paper. They were so sneaky!! Baby Hansen is a boy!!!


- Watching Nicole conquer at Just Dance 3. I loved watching that perfectly petite baby belly while she shook her groove thing :)


- Airsoft war. 


- Going to church on Sunday with the whole family...


- Corey (in sacrament) dodging Jude's drool like it was poop. Seriously bro? Better get used to it, your going to be wiping a lot more then drool off your shirt.


- Annabelle bringing Emily Bennett-Garrett to church. Along with the doll's crutches, and woven basket bed carrier. And of course 'Coconut'.


- My Dad standing up to speak (he serves as Bishop in his ward) and Rylie saying, "Abelle that's your dad, Abelle that's your dad." Over and over again. 


- Corey leaning over while dad was speaking and whispering very sincerely, "He's kind of a big deal isn't he?" To which I responded, "Corey, all of the Garrett's are a big deal."


- I will forever be grateful for the things My Dad said over the pulpit that Christmas morning. The kind things he said about his own children. And the thoughtful things he said about the men we chose to marry.


- Eating with my family.


- Laughing with my family.


- Praying with my family.


- I've always been grateful for my siblings. On this trip though I realized something else. I think I can speak for all of my siblings when I say that we just really want the best for each other. We truly enjoy each other's company and genuinely like the people that each of us have become.


- The letter that my parents gave to Corey and I as we said goodbye at the airport. I cherish the special things that they said to us as individuals and as a couple.


- Hugging my sister Nicole goodbye at the curb. We never know when the next time we will see each other will be. As I hugged her I said (while crying), "Next time I see you, you will be a mom." To which she replied, "So will you." I wish we lived closer so we could experience this pregnancy thing together.I am so grateful to be able to go through this with her. She got me through a lot of really sick days in the beginning :) knowing that they would pass and things would get better. She was a good coach. Sometimes that's just what you need in a sister.


So many great things happened on this trip. I know I'll press 'publish post' and then think of 5 other things that should be added to the list. Oh well...... I hope everyone had a fantastic Christmas and wonderful new year. I'm hoping to be able to blog more this year!

This Means War...

The men on the Garrett side had quite the battle yesterday.....

I knew I wanted to take footage and they were good sports acting out all my cheesy shots I was insistent on getting.

Check it out, you won't regret it.... or you might. I don't know?

I have a blog?

I made a little collage of our summer footage!


Get ready to feast your eyes on some star performances!

Jude's Arrival

Finally was able to finish this video for my sister.

Aunt Jen I hope you enjoy.

Keep an eye (or ear) out for my favorite parts;

I offer to deliver the baby and my 10 year old sister says, "uh gross."

Mom talking on the phone about how Annabelle will have to leave the room during the actual delivery.

Annabelle suggesting she just ducks behind the chair. I think she was serious?

Nat and I cracking up.

Also just a little warning;

While no private parts are exposed this is titled 'Jude's Arrival'.....

You will see my sister's legs in stirrups in a couple of still shots but that is it.

Consider yourself warned.



Untitled from Krystle Johnson on Vimeo.

Booking My Appointments Just Got A Lot More Fun.......

Had a little craft night when Taylor was here.

We designed some notebook covers as a 'back to school' surprise for Bryton and Ivy.

They were totally awesome.

So a couple weeks ago I made one for myself;

Cause I am selfish like that.

Deal with it.

Tying the Knot......

 Travis and Megan totally got hitched....

But, enough with words

Let's just look at the pics!

The first look:

I can't type the exact words he exclaimed

(because my grandma reads this blog)

But I assure you,

His reaction was PRICELESS!

Last but not least,

Honestly my personal favorite.

She is a nurse and he is cop.

This image is totally appropriate if you ask me.

Congrats to the two of you!