Keep your eyes on Jesus!

I got this E-mail from Ethan's teacher today. If we could all live by these words!

From: Files, Jessi
Sent: Thursday, January 15, 2009 2:15 PM
To: Johnson, Angela K; 'Jeff Johnson'
Subject: cute Ethan story

Ethan said this today in class, and I thought it was so sweet that I had to share with you guys!

We were talking about penguins and looking at a world map of where they live. I asked how we would get there—walk, drive, fly, etc—all the kids were saying we would have to take an airplane because we would have to cross an ocean. Ethan said, no, we could walk there if we just kept our eyes on Jesus.

I thought it was the sweetest thing!

Blogging Marathon

By now, you have probably figured out how I operate.....get way behind.....then become completely obsessed with catching up.....work for hours on end to catch up.....vow to never get so far behind again.....then the cycle begins again. Today, I was determined to get all of our Christmas celebrations posted, so here they are! Keep scrolling.....it goes on for days! Enjoy!

Christmas Activities....

Before the family celebrations began, we had lots to do.....here are some highlights:

Decorating....I had a little help:

EE & MK put up the Santas while Emma hangs the stockings....

...then Emma decorates herself!

IBC - Children's Choir Performances

Both choirs (Preschool & Children) performed on December 14th. The Children's choirs performed a traditional Christmas Pageant. This is the only picture that I have of Emma, and it is actually from rehearsal because she was hit with a stomach virus and had to miss the performance! She was devastated, but isn't she a beautiful angel? Next to her are two of her very best friends, Maggie & Karmyn.

The Preschool choirs performed The Twelve Days of Christmas. Emma was suppose to be a Candy Cane, but they had to call in a replacement at the last minute. Ethan was the train conductor--and he was a GREAT train conductor! Although, you'll notice in the pictures that his train lagged a little behind. At one point, he actually became the caboose! Mary-Kaylin was a Santa. It was a great night--I always feel like the Christmas Season has begun once the children's choirs have performed. It's one of my favorite nights of the year!

Our Gingerbread House & Tree

Aren't the beautiful? Everyone joined in to make the "Santa House"--it was so much fun! The babies were knocking at the door saying, "Knock, knock, Santa. Come out you house!" Emma was very patient with them, and then got to decorate the tree all by herself while the babies napped. Then I got to clean up the mess! I was sweeping up sprinkles for days!

Mommy's Little Helpers!

I also had a little bit of wrapping help this year.....and a little "unwrapping" help as well! Actually, I think there were only two gifts that I had to wrap twice due to curious little hands.

Some other things we did to celebrate:

1. Emma - Caroling at Baptist Hospital with the church

2. Ethan - Caroling downtown with his Kindergarten Class

3. Visiting Santa at the Mall

4. Shopping for our Angel Tree kids

5. Angela & Jeff - Hosted a party for my awesome Management Team

6. Jeff - Wrapped & Wrapped & Wrapped & Wrapped

Keep going to see the rest of our Christmas......starting with Christmas Day!

Santa came to the Johnson House!

Jeff's Mom loves to tell about how excited Jeff would get on Christmas morning when he saw that Santa had come. She tells that he would say in a sweet little boy voice, "He came....he came....he really came!" There is not much that I love more than the sight of my kids, full of excitement, on Christmas morning. This year was no exception. Emma, as usual, was the first one up....at 5:30 a.m. (which, by the way, is a little late for her!). Jeff & I had only been asleep for a couple of hours, so we sent her back to bed. She came back at 6:30 and couldn't stand it any longer! The babies were still sleeping, and we decided to let them sleep a while longer. We headed downstairs and, believe it or not, Santa had come to the Johnson house in full force! Emma & Ethan checked out their Santa gifts and opened stockings--it was nice to have some time alone with them before the two-year-olds entered the scene! For Emma, there was a new bike (she keeps outgrowing them!). For Ethan, Santa brought Star Wars galore....a "command center" tent, blaster game, and action figures.

We finally woke Adam & Evan up a little later, and they came in all sleepy eyed and not sure what was going on. It didn't take long, however, for them to realize that Santa had come and there were more gifts to be opened! When we went to see Santa at the mall, Evan had asked him for an airplane. By Christmas morning, we had opened presents at several different events and every time Evan, a little confused, would ask, "Where's my airplane?" He was excited to FINALLY get the airplane that he had asked for! Adam, our Buzz Lightyear fan, had asked for a Rocket Ship, and Santa delivered the best rocket ship ever!!

They must have been very good kids this year because Santa was very good to all of them! We had breakfast, but first, true to our Johnson Family Tradition, we sang Happy Birthday to Jesus, and blew out candles on our biscuits & jelly! It was a great Christmas morning!!

James Jr. (Jeff's brother), Sherry, and the Johnson Boy's (Korey, Garrett, & Noah) came around Noon--we had a great lunch with them and the kids had fun playing with all of their new toys. It has been a long time since we have gotten to spend Christmas with them and it was really nice and relaxing.

That night, Jeff and I fell into bed exhausted from the lack of sleep and constant activity of the past several days. It was worth it all though, just to be with our family and to celebrate God's amazing gift to all of us.

Emma's new iPod. Yeah! Now I can have mine back!

Evan give our newest family member a quick brush.

Adam, still a little sleepy, checks out his new rocket!

Our kids ask for a dog every year--this is about a close as we can get right now! His name is Biscuit and he is very well trained. Best of all, you can turn him "off" at night!

Santa was good to our little Jedi Warrior!

More presents for everyone!

Twas the Night Before Christmas...

....and all through the house, the Johnson's get ready for Santa!!

Cookies & Milk!!

Chiristmas PJs Everywhere!

Crown Him King!

Every year, Ta Ta has wanted to put up a special tree dedicated to the true reason for Christmas. This year, she finally did it, and has named this her "Crown Him King" tree. The pictures don't do it justice - it was beautiful! Many of the ornaments she just had to print from her computer or make herself. Sadly, it is difficult to find ornaments related to Christ at Christmas! TaTa remarked, "I could find plenty of Hannah Montana ornaments!". It is sad but true! On Christmas Eve, Ta Ta gathered all of her kids around the Crown Him King tree to talk about what each ornament represented, and to say a prayer thanking God for sending his Son to earth. It was a special time, and one that I hope we continue year after year.

Family...

We love being with our families at Christmas time, and this year was no exception. Here are a few highlights:

Christmas Eve at TaTa's House

Jon-Austen's new muck boots & waders

Mary-Kaylin's poodle shirt--just like her puppy, Lilly!

Ethan got real tools! He said, "Papa, this is for you and me to work together!"

PaPa & TaTa enoying the kids!
EE & MK making cookies for Santa
Adam & Evan got a new basketball goal--they wanted to open it immediately! Adam is saying, "Open, please! Open, please!"

A Traditional Bowen Family Christmas at Chi Chi's House

The whole clan!

Uncle Dan Dan giving his traditional, "This year we are going to open presents ONE AT A TIME" speech. It wouldn't be Christmas without it!

Memu & Mal Mal

Evan & Adam at a special table that Chi Chi made just for them!

Chi Chi, Uncle Lu, MK & her puppy, Lilly
Emma & Ta Ta

Avie, Scooter, & Memu

JA & EK

EE & MK

EE & Daddy
Adam & PaPa

The Ford Family

Jeff & Emma with Uncle Doyle & Aunt Betty Ann. We have a lot of reason to celebrate this Christmas. Uncle Doyle has fought a tough battle this year but is now Cancer Free!!
Jeff with Aunt Ann

Noah Johnson....where were the rest of those Johnson boys? Hiding from the camera I think!

Emma's new keyboard (oops...forgot to rotate this pic!)

Our first presents!

A Rocking Horse!!

Adam & Evan waited patiently while Harry put together the rocking horse

He had a little help!

Adam loves this rocking horse! His name is Jello!!