2013 Christmas Memories

 December was full of party's and all kinds of festivities!

2 ward parties, a formal Messiah sing-a-long at a members home, an open house with some new friends, birthday, family and more friends!

One random night Colby, took the kids to a Christmas party at an office he refers people too.  He said it was awesome!  There was all kinds of food, Santa, elves, games, etc

I wasn't able to go because I was in charge of a women's ensemble for the ward Christmas show and we had rehearsal that evening.

So when I came home Eden has this little gem on her face!

One of my favorite Christmas traditions growing up was sitting down as a family and frosting sugar cookies together.  I tell you what we got pretty detailed and came up with some sweet creations.  In fact my brother had decorated one so good one year that my mother kept it for like 5-6 years!!!

So I wanted to continue the tradition with my little family and this was the first year we included the kids. 

  Eden loved "painting" the cookies.

The timing was also just right that my cousin came up from the Springs for my birthday weekend.  So while she was there I put her to work and we made all kinds of goodies!  I am so grateful she was there because it was so much easier having the help! I really love having her close by!

Once we have made all our goodies then we make up a bunch of plates and deliver them to people!  So I may make a ton, but we never keep it all.  We like to get rid of them and share them with friends and family.  There is no way I could eat them all myself anyway!

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We started a new tradition this year with Eden.  Last year for my birthday I received a wooden manger about 2 ft tall.  Whenever, Eden is good or shares or is polite she was able to put one piece of straw in the manger to prepare it for when baby Jesus would come.  

(She did pretty good with it.  I just wish I would have taken a picture of it.)

Then Christmas morning we brought it upstairs by the big tree to remind us that HE is what it is all about.  We hope to develop this tradition a little more as they get older.

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Christmas Eve came and we were having a special visitor.  But before our visitor came we had Eden open her 1 gift that we open on Christmas Eve and it was a cute little set of Christmas Pj's with matching robe and slippers.

Not too long after there was a knock at the front door!  Who else could it be than......

SANTA! (aka Poopa)

Eden has never had an issue with Santa.  In fact she walked right up to one in an airport.  But Axel on the other hand....

Never to old for Santa

Axel finally warmed up to him but only if daddy held him too.

They made me do it!

 Once Santa left we got out our special Santa plate and mug and left cookies and milk for Santa.

FINALLY!!! Christmas morning came and it was a fiasco?!?!?!

Axel got some new wheels but if you watch the video I think he likes the sounds effects more than the jeep!

So this Christmas solidified it for us.  We are going to be doing things much different next year.  Colby and I have always wanted to switch things up but just have never taken the initiative to do it.  But after this Christmas we decided we gotta fix this.  Next year, we are cutting way back on gifts and then create a new tradition for going somewhere that day to give service or deliver 

things to others who are in greater need than us.  

We want our children to remember that it truly is about giving and not spending ALL DAY opening presents. 

We hope that you all had a memorable and Christ-centered Christmas. 

From our family to yours Merry CHRISTmas and wishing you a year full of growth and incredible memories.

There's no place like home!

Many of you know that it has been a rough year for us.  People warned us that your first year out of school would be hard, but I guess I was prepared for how hard it would be.  It has really taken a toll on me and I instead of being a support to Colby I felt more like a burden.  I just had to get away and regain my strength and re-hydrate from all the tears I had shed.

So within a couple of days I loaded the kids and we drove to my parents house.  The 7.5  hour drive with the two kids was just fine.  Thank goodness for the army of tumbleweed that we drove through for about an hour because I think that it helped to keep Eden entertained.  However, if any of you remember that old game Frogger, I felt like the frog trying to skip around all the tumbleweed.

When we got there my mother had prepared a good ol fashioned mother dinner.  It was perfect and just what I needed when I walked in the door.

The first day there we went with my brother and his kids to the zoo!  Omaha has the most amazing ZOO ever!!! Unfortunately, it is pretty expensive.  Here is Eden and her cousin Karley.

My parents were such a huge help and really jumped in to take care of Eden and Axel so I could have a little break and some "me" time.

In fact my mother jumped at the chance to bathe the kids and heck why not use the kitchen sink.

They loved it!

My parents took Eden on a couple outings while we were there.  They took her to the park and played on the play ground as well as to the duck pond to feed the ducks and geese!

I think one of the things the kids loved most was spinning in the office chair.  They just kept going and going.  

Axel got the word, "Weee" down pretty well too! 

We also took a trip out to Scheels.  If you haven't been there it is just an over-sized sporting good store.  They have lots of fun things inside to entertain the kids.  It is only $1 to ride the ferris wheel and Eden is tall enough now so she was thrilled to go.  In fact we were the only ones on it!  Usually, there is a ridiculously long line but we picked the perfect time and day I guess.

Of course while we were there we took the kids to the visitor center so my missionary parents could show them off to all the sisters and the Visitor Center directors.  

They also have a little area where kids can dress up like pioneers.  I didn't know that my mother had taken Eden over there and the next thing I see is my lil pioneer walking around the corner!  She looked absolutely darling!!! Doesn't she just fit the part?

***

We had a great time with my family, but it came and went to quickly.  No one was ready for us to leave and we didn't want to leave either.  But Daddy missed his Eden and Axel.  I was still pulling in the driveway before he was already opening the doors! As you can see he mauled them the rest of the night and wouldn't stop touching them.  

I love watching him love our babies!

"HOME IS THE PLACE YOU GROW UP WANTING TO LEAVE, AND GROW OLD WANTING TO GET BACK TO"

Halloween

The month of October started out a little frigid.  Eden was dying to play in the snow and make a snowman, so of course I obliged.  

The kids have really started playing together lately and it is so cute to see Axel crawl up to Eden's table and "color" with her.

  

                                                The leaves here are nothing compared to the midwest.  Growing up in Nebraska when the leaves would fall, you couldn't even see the blades of grass.  We loved it and loved playing in them.  So naturally we raked up what little leaves came down and indulged.

With the colder temperatures I introduced Eden to hot chocolate.  

Hmmm...........I think she liked it!  I didn't get my mug back after that.

                                     

My halloween cuties!!

We tried a new method of pumpkin carving this year and Colby and I are converted!

Power drill!!! Makes it so much easier and faster.  

Colby had Eden write her name on the pumpkin and he cut it out! SO cute!

She also drew the face and he cut it out as well!

  Our ward held a Trunk-or-Treat and of course we love going all out!!  This is perhaps the one time that I really love Colby's car.  With the sound system and lift the kids are just drawn to it!

However, I will say we are quite disappointed with the lack of participation from the other ward members.  In St Louis so many families would decorate their cars and go all out.  But here they do it in the daylight and they hardly decorate their cars.  I will say there are a couple, but come on guys, we need to pick it up!

                                       

Our Foxy little girl!!!

The evening of the Trunk-or-Treat was the night of our big revealing.  It was getting harder and harder to hide it so I was grateful to let the cat out of the bag.  

That is right!!!

Johnson baby #3 is on their way coming April of 2014!!

I must give complete credit of the idea of the shirt to my husband!  

He hopes to be the next pinterest sensation!  Ha

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Halloween Night finally came and Eden couldn't have been more excited!

She loves trick or treating.  It was absolutely freezing but it didn't seem to phase her.  

She could have gone all night.