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Deck the Halls

We are all busy preparing for Christmas. The tree is up. The boys are trying to find or make things for presents because they so love to wrap. 9 Days to go!

For Amy

This picture was taken after our second snowfall. We have quite a bit of snow now, though the rain?!? we had on Sunday melted and compacted what snow we did have. We picked up another inch today and as a result Derek is two hours and ten minutes into his commute by bus and will be another half hour until he gets to the bus stop. The wrong bus stop where we will pick him up and drive him to his car at the right bus stop. His bus was running at least 20 minutes behind this bus so he figured getting on the road sooner rather than later was a better choice. It will all work out fine providing we return home all in one piece with three sleeping kiddos.

Thanksgiving, Ect.

We had a great Thanksgiving. So much to be thankful for! We spent T-day with the Dierdorf family as well as Derek's brothers, David (reading to Allie) and Kurt. Derek's parents were in Japan visiting his sister. We were delighted to have Greg and Anna visit from Chicago. We spent the Friday after T-day in a cooking making frenzy. Greg showed off his skill with the "blender". We made chocolate chip, sugar and jumbo gingersnap cookies. I also tried cornflake wreaths. What a sugar filled day. We went to Edinborough park on Saturday to climb around, slide down and scale the climbing wall. Nothing like clambering through a kids park to make one feel old and worn down! We prevailed though!

Happy Birthday Allie!

One year ago today I became mom to a daughter. Since that day I have learned many things. I have embraced my inner pink. I have gotten misty eyed watching my daughter lovingly carry her baby doll...upside down. I have learned much about footwear fashions and gone to great lengths to squish her little feet into cute shoes. I learned how to polish itty bitty toe nails, and have not yet repeated this feat. I have mastered the "sprout" hair do. I have been delighted to come home from work and see the ponytail created by my stylist apprentice of a husband. I have watched a little face transform into a myriad of pouts, puckers and grins. Thanks, Allie, for being such a great sleeper those first three months. Thanks, God, for giving me something I didn't even know I wanted (a daughter).

This ball toy was a hit. Tyler just had to get it for her. It uses air pressure to blow the balls up in the air. My 10 and 5 year old neighbors want one for Christmas!

First Snow

Today we had our first true snowfall. The boys woke up and declared, "Get the boots, Mom, we are going sledding!" Well there wasn't quite enough snow for sledding but we did get out to make our first snow bunny of the year. How fitting that our last snow creature of last year was also a bunny, due to the fact that we had a blizzard on Easter. Allie did very well for her first snow experience, except for the falling flat on her face part. She recovered quickly though and was quite the little snow bunny herself. Danny whipped snowballs at me, though I was forbidden from retaliating. No fair! Tyler helped roll snowballs for our bunny and added the finishing touches. I would love winter if only it would stay like this. Snow but mild temperatures and no wind. I guess I will take it while I can get it.

Allie

Peek-a-boo! Allie has a favorite hiding spot. When I lose track of here this is where she can be found. Hiding among Tupperware. She is at a great age. She will be one year old in just two weeks. She dances, locates missing people and objects, gives high fives and hugs her baby dolls. She is climbing on everything and has started to protest when we tell her NO! Her favorite thing to stand on is Daddy's subwoofer next to the TV. She tries to sit on it and keeps falling behind the entertainment center, feet in the air. She also can play "Baby go night-night" which is quite adorable. Note the last picture.

Halloween

Halloween was a big success this year. Great weather, cute costumes and loads of candy. The boys went as Optimus Prime and Bumblebee. Sorry the image is a bit dark. It was night time after all. Tyler didn't want to wear his mask but Danny wore his the whole way. He nearly wiped out on all the front steps because he couldn't see a thing! Allie crawled up on all the front porches and sat next to the pumpkin and smiled expectantly and waited for her picture to be taken. She was the very cutest CareBear we have ever seen. The kids brought back their candy after an hour or so of meeting neighbors and dumped it on the living room floor. They started sorting it. There were piles for Tyler, for Danny, for Grandma Nancy and for Silly Grandma -but to my horror- no piles for Mommy and Daddy!! Halloween with three kids and the only candy we got was lollipops that were already licked and rejected for flavor! Luckily though we only had 7 kids trick or treat at our house and so I have a whole bag of candy left for me.

Autobots Sighted...

A beaming Bumblebee (the transformer not the bug) and a pouting Optimus Prime (leader of the Autobots) were spotted at CDCL preschool. They had a program with a few Halloween and fall songs and then did a costume parade for the parents. They were very cute and I can't wait for more and more programs as they go through school. They will have another program for Christmas this year. We are excited to trick or treat tomorrow and thrilled and pleasantly surprised that the forecast calls for a pleasant 60 degrees! What no blizzards? No windchill? We don't have to hide the costumes under snow pants and winter coats? Awesome! Stay tuned for more.

Payback

*no mommies were harmed in the making of this blog*

Peverse Pleasure

*no children were harmed in the making of this blog*

Dark Walks

Dark Walks have been a favorite this summer. Daddy brings his lantern and the boys have carried flashlights. We found a great kiddie lantern for Tyler at a garage sale. For Danny's birthday he got some special money from Papa Bob and GeeGee and bought himself a kiddie transformer lantern. Now all three have their own lanterns and are enjoying the early dusk this time of year. Hopefully there will be a few occasions over the winter to continue this event.

Lion Traps-Resurrected

As a child it was not uncommon to approach a door and try to pull it open only to be stopped in your tracks, the door opening only inches and then yanked to a stop. Lion traps were strung to, around and from every available attachment including door knobs. Well the lions are out again at the Johnson home. Fear not, our very own lion hunter, Tyler is on the prowl. He is setting traps throughout the house. So far he has only caught one wild animal, a fierce critter named Allie. Poor thing is clotheslined wherever she walks. I think the lions are scared. They have stopped coming around. Hooray for Tyler!

Party

Danny had a great birthday party. The theme was scooper trucks. He is quite into construction vehicles right now. Several were added to our collection. Thanks uncles and grandparents! We dined on cheesy meatballs as per Danny's request. He is such a big boy now. He can pretend with the best of them. As I type he is sitting on the couch in full Transformer regalia. I don't think he can see his cartoon with his mask on. We won't be wearing that to the school halloween party. He is Optimus Prime. Tyler is Bumblebee. We are breaking in our halloween costumes. More postings to follow.

Big 3 Year Old!

Danny is 3! For his birthday event he wanted for our family of 5 to go to the Water Park of America

We had such a great time on the water slides and the lazy river. The highlight for Tyler was the super duper 10 story water slide. They sit you in this 6-8 person raft and push you down this huge tube. The tube exits the building, you spin around a few times, it enters the building, pushes you under a waterfall and dumps you out in a small pool. Let me tell you it is very disorienting to be facing BACKWARD!! while on this ride. Tyler thought it was great though. My only problem was letting go with one hand to cover his eyes for the waterfall part. Letting go was hard and getting my hand up to his face without whacking him and knocking him overboard was harder. Danny liked the children's water slides and the lazy river. It took a few laps but he finally found a way to hang on to the tube. Allie was my little rudder. I floated in a tube and dangled her off the back. She frog kicked for all she was worth to propel us around the lazy river. It was very cute. We will try it again some time I am sure.

Golfing

The moment we had been waiting for had finally arrived. Papa Bryant's heart was better (after triple bypass surgery). Better enough to putt anyway. We headed to a mini golf place in Minnetrista which has an artistic feel to their course. The holes are designed around, within and through sculptures. It is very cool. The favorite hole is the final one in which the balls lazily drift down the river maze and complete their long journey by dropping out of sight.

Children's Museum

Oh my! We had a most excellent time at the Minnesota Children's Museum. September is definitely the time to go. We nearly had the place to ourselves. We rolled our golf balls down the varied chutes including this spiral "swirly slide"
We shopped until we dropped at the grocery store. It was the first time we haven't had to fight for carts and we could make multiple trips because there were no other children waiting in line. Delightful.
We also drove the "Daddy Bus" around town and played mailman. We explored conveyor belts at a "factory" and nearly wore grandma Nancy out. "Come on Grandma, we need more blocks." True foremen. We crawled through an ant hill and thankfully found our way out. We will most assuredly remember this September treasure and make our yearly pilgrimage during this time.

Garden of 2008

Our final garden delight is the blooming of our sunflowers. Our first garden ever filled us with delight and at times disappointment. We enjoyed watching things bloom and were able to eat broccoli, tomatoes, watermelon, cantaloupe, carrots and raspberries. Our pumpkins started out with a bang and promptly took over the world. Then to my great dismay they were attacked by some icky worms. The crop was decimated. Our corn was also first attacked by a raccoon and then stricken with some virus? Good thing Grandma Nancy is a master gardener and takes great delight in diagnosing all our wilting plants. Overall though I consider our first ever garden a huge success. The boys are excited for next year when we will add more crops and hopefully harvest a few strawberries.

First Day of School

Off to school. I don't know who was more excited. I had some free time with Allie to do some work at church and then read in the car while she napped. Blissful. They had a great time at school, Tyler in Miss Connie's class and Danny in Miss Kate's class. They seem to be enjoying the playground, truck room, cooking time, story time and art. They are also very proud of their transformer backpacks. Spoiled rotten!

Hole in One!

Tiger, I mean, Tyler got his first hole in one at a mini golf course. He takes his golfing very seriously, just like his Papa and uncles.

If the Car is A-Rockin...

Giant Slide

State Fair

We went to the State Fair on Thursday. We spent a great amount of time trying out the tractors which is a yearly tradition. We watched the parade, rode some rides, ate some food on a stick and saw some interesting chickens. Nothing, of course, could compare to the giant slide.

Water Park

The boys had their first taste of water slide fun. They had so much fun sliding down on either mom or dad's lap. The challenge for the parent was to hit the water then raise the child above ones head so that though the parent might go under, the child would keep his head dry. Meanwhile Allie slept in the baby swing at the park's playground.

aMAZEing

After each rainfall we dash outside to our fresh, clean canvas and create a myriad of mazes. Each maze uses a full stick of sidewalk chalk as it winds its way up, down and sideways, swirling, zigzagging and dead-ending. We glean hours of enjoyment from each magnificent design.

Allie

Won't be long now until she is walking all by herself. For now she contents herself with pushing things around the room. At her 9 month check-up she weighed in at 20 lbs and 11 oz. She is 29 1/2 inches tall.

Cutie Pie

Loved the boat. Hated the life jacket.

Family Reunion

The Johnson family reunion was a smash hit! 32 Johnson/Sodergren family members were at our house today. Thank God for nice weather. Everything was a smashing success. My favorite part was the three event Toilet Paper Olympics. The events included a relay race, poetry crafting (an Ode to Toilet Paper) and the TP Wrap. Here are some finer moments. The boys also had some fun times with the other kids. The only bad note is that Derek's dad, Bryant, wasn't able to make it. He started having chest tightness on Saturday and is hospitalized. He will be having a double bypass on Monday. Please keep him in your prayers.