Carter's Favorite Story...

"Mom, remember when that one time there was a bird in our house?"

Luckily we were able to call 'Animal Control'-our neighbor Heather who lives across street and knows all things flora and fauna! Do any of you know how to catch a bird flying around your house? We do now....call me if you ever need to know! ;0)

When Lopa comes to town...

we LOVE it when she makes us yummy cookies! June 2008 surprise visit! ;)

What happens to my bed....

when Chris is out of town. First comes one and then the rest soon follow....

June Happenings....

Can you tell which baby is mine? Of course the one without any hair! ...that must be what they mean when they say McKinley has the 'Johnson look'! Both my friends Valerie and Korey had babies within a month or so before and after me!



Our little star of the Kindergarten Play--Big Bertha Lee! Madison requested her part and was so excited that she got to 'charge' the other boy billy goats who walked over her bridge!



And next we have Florence Nightengale with her good friend Ruby Bridges ready to give their speeches for the 2nd grade Back to School night! I have to mention that Kennidy is wearing one of my favorite dresses that my mom MADE ME when I was a little girl. It has little white flower buttons and there was even a white petticoat to go underneath! Oh the talent, where did it all go?

Disneyland with Old Friends!

Shawn & Margaret Fielding stopped over for a Disneyland visit in May and we had so much fun with our 8 kids together when we realized that they are almost the exact same ages & genders!  So great to keep in touch with college friends-especially ones that helped get Chris and I together! Oh the stories we can tell....  

Our little runners & McKinley 2 months old!

Our Elementary School has a Jog-a-thon every spring and so this is Kennidy & Madison's big race and the whole family comes to cheer them on! 

Who can resist a happy baby!  May 13th and two months old McKinley has already won our hearts!

Roger's Garden with G&G Johnson....

Right before we put Grandma & Grandpa Johnson on the plane back in May, we stopped in Newport Beach for a quick visit to the most beautiful nursery in the O.C.--Roger's Garden!  The girls gave their grandparents a grand tour! ;0)

10 years and our FIRST Garden!!!

Thanks to Grandpa and Grandma Johnson's green thumbs.....we finally got our first garden this spring! We used the new square foot gardening book by Mel Bartholomew that Grandma Johnson gave us and it worked great--especially for us beginning 'recreational' gardeners!

This one is going out to all the Grandmas....

Listen close to the words to this song, it is my absolute favorite Kindergarten tradition at our school.....



Goes something like: "I'm gonna wrap myself in paper, I'm gonna dab myself with glue, put some stamps on top of my head, I'm gonna mail myself to you!"

Girls in White Dresses....

Kennidy and McKinley, eight years apart, celebrating together!

McKinley on her Blessing Day, age 1 1/2 months, notice the little white bracelet from her Aunt Sundee and the teeny-tiny silver ring from her Great Aunt Linda (CTR-Choose the Right). So sweet!

Kennidy and her dear friends, Madison & Kelsey Frost- who made it through all of the crazy weekend with us!

Our beautiful Kennidy, may you never forget this day!

Kennidy's BIG 8-April 2008

I know it's been awhile, but I feel the need to pick up where we left off with this blogging stuff because....someone told me there is a website where you can get all your blog posts printed and sent to you in a nice little scrapbook! (please send me the link if any of you know the name of said site!) Since this is the ONLY form of scrapbooking I have been doing over the past year (and a meager attempt at that!), I am going to keep it chronological in hopes that someday I might make use of these postings! ;0)

May 3rd, 2008 our oldest Kennidy turned 8--which is a big deal in our church because that is the age they get baptized! We also decided to bless (similar to a christening) our newest baby McKinley on that same weekend to make it easy for family to attend...so we invited all the family who could make it to come out to California and celebrate with us! It made for a very BUSY but MEMORABLE weekend!

Friday-All the family arrives at our Johnson Hotel and The Marriott down the street! ;o)
Saturday 11am-Kennidy's 25 kid bounce-house Bday bonanza complete with lunch, games and a cotton candy machine (thank heavens Aunt Kari and good neighbor Heather were there to serve it up again and again and again)!
Saturday 5pm-Kennidy's Baptism by her Daddy complete with songs by the cousins, talks by Grandpa Woodley and Grandma Johnson and Mamo's yummy refreshments!
Sunday 2pm-McKinley's Baby Blessing by Daddy followed by a family dinner afterwards and goodbyes to all!

And then Kennidy's mom and dad collapsed! ;0)


This is Kennidy's cousin Bailie and when they are together everyone thinks they are TWINS!


Madi Rose LOVED the cotton candy, can you tell? :0)


Johnson Family at Baptism!


Woodley Family at the Baby Blessing!

Train Rides & Animal Encounters...

So that was the last time we let Carter hold the hamster by himself...Here are some other fun pictures of our train ride and petting zoo adventures in San Juan Capistrano with Eric & Megs and Mom and Dad!

Why we love Mamo & Grandpa so much...

As soon as my parents arrived from the airport, this is where my kids dragged them:

Golden Spoon anyone?

I think we ate so much frozen yogurt the week our family was here we overdosed them on it! It was exciting for us to make our first family visit to our newest yogurt store located in the Hillcrest area of San Diego! The store actually opened just a week or two after McKinley was born so we were a little slow in getting everyone down there to see it, but it was a perfect treat to share with the cousins after a day at Sea World!

Beach Fun with Family!

Madie Rose and Ali could not get enough of the water as they jumped the waves while Chris gave Carter some early 'board lessons'. 'Baby twin Kate' as my kids call her was so cute crawling in the sand with Carter while I tried to keep McKinley sand-free! And here is that favorite smile of Carter's that just makes my heart melt....two is just such a cute age! He loved the Sky Ride at Sea World! Uncle Todd sent Sophie on a wild body board ride and I just happened to catch it on film--go Sophie!

Kennidy's 8th Birthday Party with family...

What fun for Kennidy to have her Oregon cousins-Ali, Maddy, and Sophie- here to celebrate with her on her very special 8th birthday, April 26th. Kennidy also loved having her uncle Johnny and soon-to-be Aunt Kylie and cousins Carissa, Shawn & family here too! The day started with yummy bday pancakes & gifts to open, then a day on the warm sand at the beach and ending with her favorite-a plain cheeseburger with chocolate shake and fries at In N Out, it was a perfect Bday for Kennidy!

McKinley greets her first houseguests!

At exactly 1 month old on April 16th, McKinley went to Disneyland for her first time! (Pretty amazing considering I had to wait until I was 20 and in college before I went for the first time!) Spring Break 2008 was a constant party at the Johnson Hotel as both sides of the family came to vacation & celebrate with us! After the Grandmas left, we greeted the Hawkins, the Utley's (Kari I need pictures from you since I didn't get any), John, Kylie & friends, the Nelson's, the Platt's, and The Woodley's all here in California to play in the sun! McKinley got in her first days at the Beach and Sea World too as a result!

April 2008 Visit to Gigi's new & improved house

So amazing for us to see all that Uncle Larry and Uncle Jim have done to update Grandma's house!

McKinley's First Photo Shoot

3 weeks old...

Grandma Johnson Saves the Day!

I have to admit I cried the day my mom left my hospital room after having McKinley. But I have to say, Chris did a fantastic job as Mr. Mom for 2 weeks after she left! Now Chris is in Boston ALL WEEK and his mom is here to spend Spring Break with us! McKinley just turned 3 weeks old today and Kennidy has decided to potty-train Carter (since his mom hasn't been able to)...thank heavens Grandma is here to help with the chaos!

Tricycle-riding Cowboy

Carter finally switched out his princess scooter from cousin Halle for a real 3-wheeled machine!



Carter has caught on to his sisters' flair for Dressing Up! Boy-style of course!

Easter with Carter....

Mommy's Little Angel...


Grandma's Take Out...


Must have a balloon in mouth for picture...