Friday, December 23, 2011

Merry Christmas!

Once I leave the office today I'll be lucky to have more than 60 seconds of "alone" time, so I thought I better spread some Christmas love before it was too late.  LOL 

So to all of our friends and family that we won't get to see in person this year:

Merry Christmas from the Johnsons!



Each of you are in our thoughts and prayers and we hope you have a blessed day!

Monday, December 19, 2011

A little bit of this . . .

Babies, babies, and more babies.
I have a sweet friend who is expecting a baby boy in May and my sister-in-law is expecting a baby girl the same month.  So excited to start buying baby gifts after Christmas.  Emma is super excited to have another girl in the family; so far she has been completely outnumbered by the boys- 3 to 1.

Back to school I go.
I finally bit the bullet.  I'm starting graduate school in the Spring.  Lord, please help me.  I still have no idea how I'm going to find the time to do this.  Geez, I can barely find the time between work and the kids now to make sure that my house is clean.  I suppose everyone who comes to visit me will just have to step over the toys and look the other way if dust is visible. :)

The zoo is shrinking.
We're down 5 dogs.  Woo hoo!  No, they didn't die.  I'm not so cold hearted that I would say woo hoo about that.  They were sold to a friend who still trial hunts and needed some good dogs.  All I can say is buh-bye.  See you around suckers!

Fowl news.
Hubs brought home two ducks.  I guess he thought the loss of 5 dogs meant we needed to replace them with something.  Ugh.  And wouldn't you know, Emma and Seeley love those stupid ducks.  Rosetta and Donald.  Unfortunately Donald didn't make it.  Can you tell how heartbroken I am?  Rosetta is apparently made of sterner stuff and is currently residing in a storage container on my dining room table.  Double ugh.  Hubs says this is just temporary until he can get Rosetta a warm outdoor habitat.  I pray that happens soon.  Ducks stink.  Literally.  And I catch her head picking out of the storage container eyeballing me as I walk around the house.  Creepy.

Ornament theif, thy name is Pancho.
Hubs' dog eats Christmas ornaments.  His favorite are the glitter balls from Emma's tree.  Don't let the sweet face fool you- stone cold thief with an iron stomache.


New favorite game.
Keep away from the rats.

New favorite question.
Can I open my presents YET?!


Thursday, December 15, 2011

Letters to Emma

Dear Emma,
You've had several big months little girl! I can't believe that you turned 4 last month; I keep asking myself where the time has gone.  This year you had very specific ideas about your birthday- what kind of party you wanted (Jake and the Neverland Pirates), what friends you wanted to invite, and especially on what presents you wanted.  Rollerskates were requested, but not received, and you have reminded me of that fact DAILY. 

My sweet girl, you need to face the fact that you are clumsy like Mommy. 
Skates + a clumsy 4 year old = disaster. 
I'm just sayin.

You and your sweet friend Ramsey at your birthday party.


Playing with Allie.


Convincing Seeley to come and play with the big kids.

You're 4!!!

Mommy and Daddy got you a trampoline for your birthday so that you could practice your gymnastics more often.  You LOVE gymnastics, but still get a little scared about falling and getting hurt.  Since you got the trampoline you've been practicing really hard on your cartwheels and are doing such a good job!  Mrs. Bethany says you've improved a lot.  You actually received your trampoline a few days early because we couldn't hide the fact that Daddy and Uncle Brian were putting it together in the back yard.  You have a stellar eagle eye.


We've also spent a lot of time talking about things that big girls do by themselves when they turn 4.  Like wipe their own bottom.  You proudly told Uncle Brian that when you turn 4 you'll "wipe my own butt."  He almost fell off the trampoline he was laughing so hard.  You've also started going to bed by yourself for the most part.  Sometimes you still like Mommy or Daddy to lay down with you though.  Daddy is usually the one who caves into this demand the most.  You've also gotten really good at saying your prayers all by yourself.

You've also decided that Christmas lights are the best thing ever.  Not that they weren't awesome before, but now they're apparently really awesome.  You flat wore us out running all over Garvan Woodland Gardens.  And Seeley was right there with you, trying to keep up.

Christmas lights at Garvan Woodland Gardens.
 I love watching you with Seeley.  You are the BEST big sister ever.  You are so patient with him, sharing your snacks and toys.  You're so good to involve him in the games you're playing.  Although Daddy does tend to worry when he sees you and Seeley having tea parties and pushing baby strollers so much.  Some manly nonsense about boys and baby dolls. :)

Seeley just adores you.  At bedtime he rushes to your room and climbs on your bed so that he can hug you and tell you "night night".

Life isn't always perfect though.  I've lost count of the times when I hear you scream "Mama! Seeley just hit me!"  Usually this happens when you both want the same toy and he tries to beat you into submission, or when you're doing your own thing and he wants your attention.

We also discovered that you are well on your way to being a genius. Or at least I think so anyway.  Mommy has been practicing writing your name with you, 5 minutes here and there as time allowed.  Imagine my surprise when you just started writing it all by yourself.  Really well.  I assumed that Mrs. Melba or Mrs. Michelle had been working with you too at school, but no.  They said they just saw you doing it one day and were so excited that they started clapping, jumping up and down, and yelling for you right in the middle of class.  You are the only one in your class who can write your name.  How awesome are you?! 

Mommy is so very proud of you, every day, all day.  Even when you're being a stinky butt.


Love,
Mommy

Thursday, December 8, 2011

Christmas Traditions

A few of our family Christmas traditions:


 The Christmas lights at Garvan Woodland Gardens.

 The Santa Train.

Riding on the Santa Train.  Because who wouldn't want to ride on a train, right?!

Seeing Santa on the Santa Train.  This Santa is a friend of mine and has been the ONLY Santa that Em has ever seen.

And our newest tradition- the Elf on the Shelf. 

We just started this, and boy has it been fantastic!  If Em even steps the smallest little toe out of line we tell her that "George" will report to Santa that she's being naughty, and BAM, she gets right back in line.  I so wish that George could hang out with us all year long!

Now I'm just crossing my fingers that I can get in one more tradition this year-Christmas cards.  I'm sad to say that I still haven't taken any photos for our cards yet. Oops.  Hoping to get that done this weekend and then a rush order on cards.