Wednesday, December 23, 2009

Can I open it? Can I? Can I? Can I?.....

Alex is soooo excited about Christmas he can barely stand it! He shakes and holds his presents (the TWO of them under the tree) and asks "Can I open it?" over and over. Tonight both he and Rylee were just giddy with excitement. I was stroking their cheeks telling them "Patience, patience." A phrase I've used with Alex since our first days in the orphanage together.
So the girls and I are sitting on the couch watching Alex poke through the gifts under the tree and waving his arms and scrunching up his face in excitement and asking if he can open ANYTHING?? "No" is my answer of course, or I say, "Let me think um.....no." (Yes, I do take a little pleasure in this sort of thing!)
Devree decides we need to teach Alex the true meaning of Christmas. "Alex, it's time you learn the true meaning of Christmas."
Immediately he stops wiggling and rummaging through the gifts, looks up from the tree, scrunches his face into a look of misery and says in a little voice:
"Patience?"
We laughed so hard. Blogging it just doesn't do it justice. It was truly a painful expression. I'm not sure he understands why we laughed so very hard. I wish more than anything I had it on video to share with you all. (Especially you James! In fact I mentioned maybe we should wait a few more days after Dad gets home just so he can see how excited Alex is. To which I got a resounding "NO!" from all the children in the room!)
Once we could control ourselves, Devree said, "No the real meaning of Christmas is..."
Alex interrupted, "I know Jesus born."
Devree: Yes and it's about giving not getting. Its the joy you feel to GIVE presents. Like I am excited to give Mom her present and I'm excited to give you your present.
Alex-with a huge look of glee: And I am excited for Mom give ME present!
Oh, well. It is his first Christmas. He has every right to be excited. However, I'm a little worried that his little heart might beat out of his chest when Christmas morning gets here on the 31st and about how tortuous this may be for ME to make them wait until James gets home! (For the record they get to open two presents tomorrow night-their cousin gift and of course pj's and two on the 25th, one from their grandparents and one from James and I. I'm not THAT mean! Besides I'm only thinking about my own sanity-they will certainly need something to play with/entertain themselves to get through the next six days until Santa comes!)
Alex and Rylee are nestled up on the couch with pillows and blankets-insisting to sleep by the light of the tree. I think it might be hours before they actually fall asleep. Ahh....the wonder of Christmas!

Tuesday, December 22, 2009

Intorducing the newest male member of our family....Edward!

Devree gave Jasmine Edward for Christmas. The day she bought it I was fine with it as I imagined it would live at Jasmines house. Little did I know that by the time the gift was given that Jasmine would be living with us!
Edward is loved by all the girls:


Except me because he scares the snot out of me! And my protective pooch Ella. Last night the girls (Jasmine & Devree) went to bed early, lights out at 9:30-beautiful, peaceful great! At 9:45 we had treats dropped off at our house and Ella jumped from my bed to greet our visitor with her "welcome to our house now I'm going to eat you" bark. Kambree answered the door and I remained in bed (Yes, I go to bed early-five am comes really fast!) but Ella came upstairs only to stop at the top of the stairs and begin growling a low guttural growl and then some short sharp barks. I couldn't figure out why she was still carrying on and on and after yelling to her a few times to be quiet I got up with plans to hit her with my decorative pillow. I walked out in to the hall to find EDWARD right outside my bedroom door staring at me! I jumped and screamed and I'm sure shortened my life span by a few days then picked him up and threw him into the girls room where they were huddling under their covers laughing!!
So.....
this afternoon I strategically placed Edward right behind Devree's door so that when you opened it he was BAM-right there! I sent the girls up to their room right after school as it was quite messy and got them both!! Teeheehee!
I have a feeling we are now at war.....Ed-war!!

Visting Santa....

Standing in line....almost an hour.

Alex goes first. He asks for a MP3 player and Pokemon Platinum game.

Look at that smile. Hard to believe this is his first visit ever with Santa isn't it? He is so excited to "open preezents".

Santa didn't know Rylee's name (Despite my best efforts of writing it on a sticky note and showing it to Santa while I was pretending to show him his picture on my camera. It worked for Alex but I don't think Santa was quick enough to catch both names) and in her mind that clinches it-he's not a real Santa or he would know her name!!

But just in case he might have some pull with the "real Santa" Rylee asked for barbies and snow boots. She commented after wards that he had very bad breath!

Look at those sweet, happy kids!

The Worst Neighbor Gift Ever??

Oh my.....
I was so proud of myself for getting my neighbor Christmas gifts early. I bought them after Christmas last year. Cute little boxes of hot chocolate. The kids and I delivered the bulk of them Sunday night, caroling as we went. Alex was pretty excited about it and would race from house to house ringing the doorbell before we all got to the porch.
Austin was not so enthusiastic and told me later he thought they were pretty lame gifts but I defended my cute little cocoa's. We deliver to about 25 families so the cost can really add up.
I still have three to deliver and they're sitting on my desk. The nutrition information was facing me and imagine my surprise when I realized that I delivered ONE serving size of cocoa to all the families in my neighborhood! Good grief. I am so embarrassed.
You are right Austin, they ARE lame!

Monday, December 21, 2009

Alex's Dare Graduation....

Sunday, December 20, 2009

Christmas Sunday Outfits

The best pose:

Some of the out-takes:
And the goofy pose:

Saturday, December 19, 2009

A week or so of pictures!

Momentous occasion!!
(Insert sounds of angels trumpeting right here!)
After almost ONE YEAR James receiving his first order from Micro-Clair so he can begin manufacturing the Glummy Bag!

The kids checking it out. (Notice dinner defrosting and raising on the counter?)

The manufacturing team (which also included Alex!) Yes, it's a family operated business and besides that, we need cheap labor!

Looking up from their mad frantic work pace to glare at me taking their picture. Hey, I'm documenting history in the making here!

Alex Studying English

More child labor laws being blatantly broken.

Introducing "The Glummy Bag". (Available in Brown, Blue or this Silver/Gray color.)

Kambree's first night of Dance Concert. (I am there, really! I am there in all these pictures as I am the one behind the camera!)

Kambree opening her admission letter from Utah State!

This sign says in fine print at the bottom
Instructions:
1. Place hands in dotted lines.
2. Raise above head
3. Run around screaming "I'm in! I'm in! I'm an Aggie!"
Which Kambree did!

Kambree's Dance Concert Night #2



The girls entertaining themselves while waiting for Rylee's dance concert to begin. (By shaking their head around and taking pictures of themselves in motion-hence their stoned looking appearances.)

The boys entertaining themselves as well in less ostentatious way:

Rylee posing in her costume!

Congratulations from Grandma's

and Dev

and Syd

and Kam

and Dad

and even from her brothers-although not as enthusiastically!

Visions of Sugar plums dancing in Rylee & Ella's head!

Austin's Choir Concert

Afterward' s:
(My Dad really is nice, and I don't think he finds all these concerts torturous but judging from his face I may be mistaken?)

Devree's Choir Concert:

The Johnson Christmas Party
Shondra & Arron (Arron-this is the best one I got, the rest have you hiding behind your huge hand!)

Kids on the comfy couch:

Austin & Zach-sometime after Austin accidental hit Zach in the face with a squishy ball. That's okay because Zach is going to get his Dad (Troy) to beat Austin up.

The present passing game:.
(This picture is funny because my Aunt Bev is taking a picture of me taking pictures! When ever I get my camera out my brothers always comment how I'm just like Aunt Bev! Must be an oldest daughter trait!)

More of the present passing game

Zach after the present passing game crying because "I didn't even get a chance!"

The most popular game for both little and big boys:

The "Smear Vaseline On Your Face and Dunk it in a Bowl of Cotton Balls to Make a Beard" game.

Kam & Tim (cousin) are both seniors this year and apparently to old to play these kiddie games?

Kambree after we cleaned up who insisted I take her picture to see if she looked like a midget in this pose!

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