Missionary homecoming weekend

Nicholas spoke in church and Grandma & Grandpa Martineau came to hear him speak.

We had fun showing them around Charleston while they were
here.
Friday

Downtown Charleston & Folly Beach 

One of the Oldest Museums in the United States. 

 

Lunch at Bubba Gump's on Market St. after we picked Ben up at School.

The Marsh was beautiful in the fall sunshine. Sunset over the Atlantic and then on to Jim and Nick's for some southern BBQ.  The waitress want's to go to Dad's for some of his homemade Mac & Cheese. You will have to ask him about that one next time you see him.

Saturday

Carriage Ride Charleston history tour & lunch at Santi's in Summerville. 

Sunday

Homecoming talk in church ( Oakbrook ward, Charleston Stake).

Roast beef sunday dinner lots of visiting.

 4 generation

Nick, Grandma & Pa Martineau

Monday

Fort Sumter

 Lunch at Coconut Joe's over looking the Atlantic on Isle of Palms.

Brick oven Pizza outside, the weather was perfect.

Remaining exterior Fort Wall

 

A beautiful Day in Charleston!

Jam Session!

One of the things my boys have always loved doing with their Dad.

 The boys were playing while Darren was gone and this is what I found after I heard him come home.

 I believe this is the first time I have seen him play in a suit;)

Can you see me in this one?

We love having Nick back Home!

He's Home!

Nicholas competed a two year mission in the Oregon Portland Mission for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day saints. We picked him up at the Charleston SC airport last night at 9:40. We then went straight to the church where he met with President Reeser who released him as a Missionary. We celebrated his homecoming and birthday by eating a piece of Ice Cream cake. 

Welcome Home Nick!

 Today we did some badly needed shopping and then met Ben downtown and ate lunch at the

 King Street Grill. Burgers are half price on Wed!

Laundry Room gets New Color!

This change was a long time in coming. I have wanted to paint this room for a long time. I was not fond of the yellow walls. Yellow is a nice accent color in my opinion 

(my opinion is not based on any design rule).

Before 

 Here you see the two trial patches.

Preparing and masking

After

Everyone likes the new color!

Thursday Update

I have finally done a bit of sewing! 

As you know our Missionary is coming home.

That meant I needed to move all my sewing supplies out of his room.

Here is his bed with two new pillows sewn just for him;)

I didn't make the quilt, shame on me.

This was my first try at a neck roll pillow, I thought it was easy and plan to make more in the future.

Don't you just love making matching buttons! 

I made a square pillow with one side textured and one side smooth, that way both sides are useful.

There are only 5 more sleeps until this bed will be unmade!

Are you prepared?

As you may know if you live in the South or on the East Coast HuRRicane season is in full effect! 

What are you doing to be prepared?

We have 72hr kits but I always wonder if I have everything I need or would want in them.

I would love to hear what some of you who have had to use yours wish you would have had in them.

We are now keeping our eye on Katia. The remnants of Lee should bring us some rain later this week, we need it so no big issues there.

Thursday Update

It's the end of summer and I have one project that i have been working on here and there. I have been seeing this on blogs lately and have been wanting to do one. It took me awhile to find the old windows and then they did not look the way I had imagined them. They had nasty paint colors on them. So I would go out to the garage and try to sand, but it was just way too hot until about a week ago.  I like how this one is turning out. I have another matching one that is in the process of being sanded.

I want them to display all the fun things we do together with family each year. I think I will change the pictures around at the end of each summer to enjoy all winter long! I will have a total of 12 spaces. I will share the finished project after it is hung.

Irene brings in some waves to ride!

Darren and I got up before first light. We wanted to get to the beach early so I could try to catch the sun coming up over the ocean and he could catch a few waves before everyone else came out to surf the hurricane produced sets of waves. Irene was not close enough to cause any major problems here in the Charleston area. I never did get a picture of him surfing because by the time the sun came up he was way down the beach.

 This is my favorite

Update on Irene

This morning it is slightly windy and we are under cloudy skies, the type of clouds you see in oregon all 

year long. Here is a satellite picture from the weather channel.

Will this be the one!

It's that time of year again! We are watching Hurricane Irene wondering where she will go in the next few days. We hope we are ready if she should track west rather then east like all the others did last year.

I will be going to TN if she continues to grow in strength and heads toward us. Darren and Ben are staying. I will keep in touch via cell and facebook if I do leave. Tomorrow morning will give us a better picture of what we are in for. We feel lucky that we have not had a Hurricane hit while we have been here.

Tue Morning Update

Looks like Irene is going to spare us of a direct hit. We will know more this evening as she moves closer to the Bahamas.www.weatherchannel.com

Latest Threat level map

www.weatherchannel.com

Thursday Update

August is flying by and so much has taken place this month already!

We enjoyed a visit from Aunt Sally and Uncle Larry. We took them to see some of the sights around the Low Country and of course feed them some home baked Pizza!

Then it was off to San Diego for a wedding!

Lauren & David were married in the beautiful San Diego Temple!

I did not bring a camera (I know huh that is so not like me) So all of these were taken by wonderful members of the extended family!

The bride dancing with Elder Nick Johnson (thanks to uncle Derek making it possible for the missionaries to be their in a Jedi type of way.)

The bridal shower at the Marriott pool deck.

 The beautiful teen cousins!

 Grandma Marlene & Papa Joe.

Darla & Mom

 Elder Taylor Johnson

Elder Nicholas Johnson

Four generations of Johnson boys

Twenty Seventh Year!

I am so very lucky to be married to my very best friend!

We enjoy being able to attend the Temple together and with our family!

We are so blessed to have two wonderful Boys and an amazing Daughter (in-law)!

We adore our first Grandson!

We look forward to many more happy years together!