Santa's dollhouse (sorry I turned the camera)

A Little knitting fun

 The Johnson women tried their hand at knitting this past weekend.  Well it was Jill and I learning from a great teacher.  It is complicated know doubt but definitely addicting too.  Tanner wanted in on it too.

 Grammie was very generous in letting Tanner hold hers.  Maybe because it doesn't take her 30 minutes to do 3 rows.  More like 7 minutes.

A family breakfast filled with lots of memories for Jay.  He remembers being at this restaurant as a child sitting in this exact booth, and drinking hot chocolate in the same mugs.  

Gingerbread house

 One fun thing this christmas is our Advent calendar.  Tanner hoped every day it would say gingerbread house because she could see the box up on the shelf.  Finally day 6 arrived and it was gingerbread day.

As fun as it is to do this with Tanner I will have to say that it is still mommy doing it and tanner eatting it.  Maybe next year she will get into actually building it.

It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas

 Well it is that time of year...  Hallmark movies, peppermint everything,  decorations and baking, baking baking.  Every year I get more and more into christmas and I have noticed that it has amplified even more with kids.  I love seeing it through their eyes.  To Jett's curiosity to Tanner rediscovering everything but this year she said "remember last year..."  The memory making has begun and I am so excited.  One thing that is Tanner's favorite this year is the Advent House, in which she gets to open a door everyday with a special message for her.  Most of the time it is an activity but it is fun to see her ask first thing when she wakes up in the morning. Here is Jett helping daddy with the christmas tree lights, do you see him pointing to them.   He points to everything right now at 15 months and is just stabilizing his walking.

Mommy wrapped him in some lights because that's what every boy should do right?  I just finished a movie called the Heart of Christmas that aired on GMC and had songs from Matthew West.  I cried through the WHOLE thing and it was such a good reminder of how blessed we are with healthy kids and to cherish EVERY moment with them because we aren't guaranteed tomorrow and that life here just makes us yearn for our eternal home in heaven where there is no sickness, pain, and heartache.  In the midst of a hard day or week for that matter with the kids I felt blessed that I get to have those hard teachable moments with my kids and that I can kiss their cheeks and laugh and play.  Thank you Lord for speaking to me even through a silly christmas movie.  

We love because God first loved us- 1 John 4:19  I really want to show GOd's love this season and through the next year.

 I love Tanner's expression right here.  Jay and I sit and are in awe about how much she is growing and understanding and really is so fun.  Her questions and comments are just perfect.

 Jett sits in awe as the tree is placed and decorated.  He loved the bulbs!!

 A fun tradition is having Jay's sister Jenny here helping us.  It just wouldn't seem like christmas without her.  She gets us started on the baking, decorating and holiday joy.  Thank you Jenny for coming up, it is such a blessing to all of us.

 You can just see him wanting to get into that box and help.  Amazingly enough he hasn't touched the tree since it has gone up.  I thought for sure I would end up with a gate up around it but so far so good.

 A finished tree picture.  Next year I know I can go at least two feet taller.

Here is Jett with the christmas tree bulbs, which he said ball and proceeded to roll them down the hallway.  I love it!!  we only broke one and it wasn't even his fault.  THere will be more posts soon as the festivities in the Johnson house have just begun.  Stay tuned...