Nate's Poetry

While discussing school with Nate, he said that he was doing poetry. Mike asked, "Are you going to learn Haiku?" and Nate answered, "I already know how to poo." The best part is that Nate was totally serious and thought that's what Mike had asked.

TJ's Star Spangled Banner

This is TJ's latest piano piece which he learned as part of his Great American Award that he is working towards in school. He has worked really and almost gave up on the end, but learned with enough practice he can do it!

McKay and Friends

Today McKay is playing with his two best friends, Keaton and Sara. It is so much fun when the kids find friends to play with that they get along really well with. McKay can play with either of them for hours and the only tears will be when it is time to end the playdate. They are eating lunch now before going to school and McKay just asked Keaton:

"Keaton, do you know Jesus' phone number?"

Keaton didn't have an answer for him, but I thought it was super cute!

Another funny McKay moment!

I was filling a prescription at the pharmacy and they asked how to spell my first name. After I told them A-L-I-S-H-A, McKay said, "I thought it was M-O-M!"

He is so cute right now, actually always has been, but says some of the funnest things! He is dying for it to be his birthday, now that his cousin Sienna turned four. He keeps telling me "Mom, I want my birthday!" with this little whine like I can just give it to him. When I show him on the calendar when it is, he keeps telling me, "but that is sooo long." It is going to be a fun birthday :) I love this age!

An aging Mom!

McKay: Mom, look at this picture.

Me: What is it?

McKay: It's a different mom.

(He was looking at a picture from when Mike and I were dating and I am holding Rachel and Emily when they were 1 1/2 and probably 3. Now they are 16 and 14, I believe.)

Me: Yes, that was a long time ago. Do I look different?

McKay: Yes.

Me: Do I look better then or now?

McKay: Then.

Me: Why?

McKay: Because you are new.

Tostada Dinner

Black refried beans vs. pinto refried beans:

Mom: I don't really taste the difference.

Dad: I prefer the black refried beans.

Nate: I am like you and dad. I don't really taste the difference and I sleep without socks!

State Chess Tournament 2010!

Once again the boys have been participating in the chess club at school each Thursday morning. Today was the 2010 State Chess Tournament, which has become a yearly event for the boys, and once again they did not fail to disappoint! Nate earned 3.5 points (won 3 games, stalemated 1 game, and lost 2 games) and placed 13th for 1st grade! T.J. earned 4 points (4 wins, 2 losses) and placed 17th for 4th grade! It amazes me that they do so well each year against so many kids. I am so grateful to the Johnson's who run the chess club each week just for the benefit of our community. What wonderful people we are surrounded with! The chess meetings have grown so much and our school ended up placing 6th place overall! It takes dedication and a strong mind to play 6 games of chess over an 8 hour time span. I am so proud of them and their accomplishment!

McKay's Funny Sayings

While at Disneyland, McKay threw a towel in the trash can and said, "I love that trash!" McKay LOVES everything. He is constantly saying "I love that" to the strangest things!

It had been about 3 weeks since Mike had shaved. Needless to say, he developed quite a beard and finally decided it was time for it to go. McKay didn't notice until later while waiting in line for a ride and then he asked, "Dad, where is your beard?" Mike said, "It's gone, I cut it off." McKay's answer was, "But now you are not Santa!"

Another time while waiting in line, I told McKay that he was getting so big and he replied, "I am growing big for Jesus."

Nate Funny Comment

Nate was preparing to teach a FHE lesson on Samuel the Lamanite. He asked me, "Mom, did Samuel have a gun?"

Chaz

Obviously I have posted much this year, but this is for you Liz :). And next year, I hope to do better!

Chaz now weighs in at about 20 pounds. He went from my smallest baby (almost 2 pounds smaller than Nate) to as big as Nate was at Chaz's age! He sure is a cutie and we love him to pieces. He is a people person. He will stare and smile at anyone who will look at him and he LOVES his fingers. He usually is sucking on his thumb or a couple fingers or the entire fist and sometimes he tries for both hands at the same time. Sucking is probably incorrect though. I believe it is more of a chewing, chomping motion. He also LOVES his index finger. He is always pointing it and raising it up in front of his face. Then he makes funny "talking" sounds. We think he is trying to tell us some great proclamation of his. One day, he may be involved in a career that involves a lot of debating. Here are some recent pictures of him. He loved the pool in Hawaii and splashed away! I can't wait to see you in January Liz!

Christmas Eve

For Christmas Eve, we always read the Christmas story and the boys usually act it out using puppets.  This year I had some costumes I had borrowed to use for my sharing time, but the boys didn't get to be in it so they were very excited to dress up for ours.  They started as shepherds with McKay being an angel.  Then we took an intermission as they changed into their wise men costumes.  It was very special and so sweet to see how excited about they were.  Even McKay loved it!  

After the story, it was time for the traditional Christmas Eve presents.  Pajamas!

We got home pretty late because Kip needed Dad's help with something and by the time he finished, it was storming pretty badly.  When we got home around 11:30, we realized we had caught Santa in the act!  Our stockings were partially filled and there was stuff scattered all over the floor!  The boys quickly left a note asking him to please return and hurried to bed.  They were relieved the next morning to find that Santa did indeed find to come return and finish the job!

Disneyland at Christmastime!

This year we got to take a trip to Disneyland at Christmastime!  We love it.  (Of course, we always love Disneyland.)  Christmastime is especially magical.  They have everything so festive and fun!  This is us waiting for the parade.  I love the parades, and the rest of the family humored me.

The California letters between the parks were candy cane striped with several big character statues.

This is in Bugs Land.  

The castle this year was so beautiful.  Last time we were here at Christmas, it wasn't quite this amazing. They do really neat fireworks too, but we don't usually stay in one place long enough to actually watch the show.  This time, we happened to be in line and get on the rocket ride just as the firework show was going.  It was perfect!  Front row seats, up in the sky!

Disneyland is such a fun place for us!  We will be sad when our season passes are up, but will look forward to when the next child turns 2 and we start a Disneyland year again!

Festival of Trees

This year we made our traditional visit to the Festival of Trees.  We usually take my mom and this year my brother joined us.  We had a great time as usual.  It is a fundraiser for the local primary children's hospital.  The trees are decorated and then sold to raise money for the hospital.  This year my mom decided to purchase a tree so we bought this cute Thomas tree.  The boys absolutely loved it!  Maybe next year we will have to add a princess tree to the family room for the one granddaughter!

McKay is Growing Up!

I have noticed lately that McKay is acting much more grown up, especially in the sentences he uses.  When you are reading to him and ask him a question that he doesn't know the answer to, he will say "I don't know what that is," instead of just "ma don know".  Today I was just standing in the kitchen when all of a sudden he ran from across the room, gave me a big hug, and said, "Glad to see you!"  It was so cute.  I hadn't even gone anywhere!

Of course, with growing up, comes the realization of being afraid.  It has happened with each of our kids.  They are perfectly fine sleeping in the dark with the door shut, until about age 2 and 1/2.  Then all of a sudden they are afraid.  A couple nights ago, I told McKay goodnight and started to shut his door and he started crying, "Don't shut door, don't shut door!"  I turned the light back on and went to talk to him.  He said he was scared and when I asked what he was scared of he said, "Tiger."  I thought he had become afraid of the tiger in his favorite movie Kung Fu Panda.  I kissed him and left the door open and he slept fine.  The next night Mike was putting him to bed and started to shut the door and the same thing happened.  This time when we asked what he was scared of he said, "Tiger" and pointed to the wall next to his bed.  It was then that I realized what was scaring him.  Our toilet is behind the wall next to his bed.  He thought the toilet flushing was a tiger in the wall!  It made me so sad to think that our nightly toilet flushing was causing him so much fear!  We decided to show him that the noise was the toilet, so Mike went into the bathroom and I told McKay how funny it was when the toilet was flushed.  He laughed when he heard it flush and said, "funny toilet!", then insisted on the door being open (don't think that will change now.)  Once they know fear, it seems to stay.  

Tonight at dinner, Mike chuckled about something and asked McKay if he knew what was funny.  McKay got down and headed for the bathroom and said, "Toilet funny!"  then flushed.  He is so entertaining and fun.  What a sunshine he is!  Now if we could just get him to use the toilet!

Decorating our Tree

One of my favorite things about Christmas is putting up the decorations.  The  boys start out excited, but then get bored.  They love to do the tree, but I always make us wait until everything else is finished and cleaned up.  Then it is time to do the tree!  For me it is the final touch and I love to be able to turn on the lights and enjoy!

Fun movie night!

When we returned home from Idaho, we were greeted with a wonderful surprise.  A movie night all set up and ready to go.  There were tickets, individual bowls of popcorn, blankets, candy.  Everything you need for a family movie night, all prepared by dad!  He is so thoughtful and fun.  It was a super fun surprise!

Trip to Idaho

When the boys went off track, I decided to take off!  The boys and I loaded up and went to Idaho to visit their cousins Justin and Max!  We had a great time.  The boys played and played and enjoyed all of the projects Aunt Janae had planned for them.  They have so much fun together.  It was nice for them to have unlimited cousin time!  (And I enjoyed the sister-in-law time as well!)

Our First Snowman of the Year!

The boys were very excited to wake up to a snow storm.  As soon as Nate got home from school, it was time to build a snowman!  They had a lot of fun playing in the snow.  McKay loved the snow.  Anytime there is snow on the ground he calls it "snowman".  He also loved to wear all off his snow gear.  Doesn't matter where we are going or how cold it is, he wants his boots, hat, and gloves!

Halloween

For Halloween this year, we had a variety of characters.  T.J. wore his award winning Obi Wan Kenobi costume, Nate used his Indiana Jones hat that he worked so hard to buy at disneyland, and McKay was obsessed with Buzz Lightyear so that costume got another year of use!

Birthday and Halloween Dinner with Nanna

Nanna invited us over for a delicious dinner and apple picking.  The boys love going to Nanna's and especially enjoy picking the fruit from Nanna's trees.  We were also surprised with pumpkin carving and birthday cookies for Mike! It was a wonderful evening.  Thanks Nanna!