Happy Holidays

Now that the rush of the holidays is over, I feel like it is time to update our blog! We have had a great Christmas season. To kick if off, we went up to Heber and took a ride on the Polar Express. It was very fun for Nathan, well, all of us I think. We had hot chocolate and cookies on the train, and when we got to the "North Pole," Santa climbed on board for a visit. Each of the boys got a silver bell, "from the reindeer's harness," as Nathan says. Nathan was quiet and didn't say anything to Santa, but was excited afterwards. The elves were also on the train telling jokes and singing songs. A fun experience I think we'll repeat a few years down the road when the boys are older.

Each of the kids got a nametag from the elves, then Santa was able to remember their names!

Every year at the Johnson Christmas Party, the kids dress up and take part in the Christmas Story while Grandpa reads from the Bible. Nathan was a sheperd. Scott helped to get the kids ready and out on cue.

Daniel was the smallest cousin, but as it turned out, too big for the manger! We had to put him in though and get some pictures. He loved it- he got lots of attention. So he kept smiling!

This is our remote entry into the annual Jackson Gingerbread house competition. We made Knapford Station, which if anyone has little boys who love Thomas the Tank Engine, will know that it is the train station on the island of Sodor. Nathan promptly ate all the candy off the roof about 2 hours after this picture!! I guess there is no sense in leaving perfectly good candy out like that!

Christmas Eve morning Nathan and I made some sugar cookies for Santa. In the past, I am always the one snitching cookie dough to eat, and Nathan turns it down. This time, Nathan thought the objective was to cut a cookie out and then eat it right away. It took some convincing to get him to put them on the cookie sheet to bake.

Oma Jackson sent these adorable sweaters for the boys. Nathan has loved wearing it. We knew we had to get pictures, but didn't realize quite how hard it would be to get both of them looking and smiling! It seems easier to get Daniel to smile than Nathan. He always is making goofy smiles. I guess that means he is 3?

This is funny now, but it wasn't at the time: the Sunday before Christmas, Nathan was having a really hard time during church, and was not behaving very reverently. I was frustrated and embarassed and sooo ready to leave by the end of the meeting! A sister sitting near us told me that she remembered the times when her boys were wearing their matching sweaters and how hard it can be. She said, "don't worry, you'll make it!" I think it was just what I needed to hear.

I love these pictures of the boys separately. They look so cute!

Christmas Eve we had a wonderful dinner with Scott's sisters and their families. Grandma Merrill also joined us. Daniel really lights up when he sees her, I think it really makes her happy to see him smile. She usually has a hard time holding him, cause he is so big and squirmy, but she managed it for this picture! Here are all the kids with their Christmas Eve presents to open. Nathan had fallen asleep earlier in the evening, but woke up to open presents! It was very fun to see the kids looking at their books after they opened them.

Christmas Eve, it started snowing, and snowing, and snowing....


and snowing, right thru til the day after Christmas! It was a perfect white Christmas. We had about 10 inches of snow! It was really fun to not have to be anywhere or worry about being snowed in.

We got up around 7:30 Christmas morning and had cinnamon rolls before going in the family room to open presents. It was so much fun to watch Nathan play with his presents. He really took his time opening and then playing with the toys. He did pick up speed later in the morning when we were webcam-ing to Germany and Greece.

Nathan got a Buzz Lightyear, Woody and Emperor Zurg from Santa. They have been a big hit.


And Daniel got his jumperoo, it has been so fun to watch him in this! He can really get going. He has drifted off to sleep in here a few times, only to start jumping again when we reach down to pick him up. It is really fun, it seems like he is really trying to stay awake so he can keep jumping, but is so tired he can't fight it. I guess the only down-side of the jumperoo- if you hear or smell any signs of a messy diaper, get him out quick- the more he jumps after the fact, the more poop gets out of the diaper and up his back!

We got a BYU blanket- yeah! Scott also got a BYU memorabilia book (I think he loves it) from me. He likes to relax with the blanket and read his book- true blue all the way! Scott got a Wii Fit for me, it has been motivating and really fun to "exercise." My philosophy: it's better to do something rather than nothing. And I really don't want to start running in the middle of winter. So I will Wii away the winter months til Spring comes!



We went sledding with the Barney's. Nathan and Landon had a great time on the red sled together. Nathan also liked to go by himself. He really is quite brave on his sled. I think we need to go again when there is fresh powdery snow. This snow was really icy and slushy.

And here is the describing picture of Nathan's holiday weeks- asleep at dinner. He can't hold still long enough to take naps during the day, so he is exhausted by 6 pm. Then he gets enough of a boost to keep going, and going, and going. Then he goes to bed late, and gets up early to play with all of his new toys, and the cycle continues! But, it is so fun to see how excited he is to play with all his new toys. Christmas was a "sucess" and will be fondly remembered. Nathan is already asking for Star Wars legos for Christmas next year!