Hello January!

Man- I never thought I would get December blogged! It stinks to get this far behind. Now if I can just get January caught up before February is over! ha!
January got off to a fast and furious start, as always. I started back to work on January 2nd, and the kids went back to school on the 3rd. I am really looking forward to next school year when the calendar shows that we don't get out until right before Christmas and then get a week off after New Years. It will be nice to have that time after all the hustle and bustle of the Christmas season.
January is the month of birthdays in our family, which means a lot of celebrating. But I'll do birthday posts separate.
Here are some random January happenings...
Brenna and I FINALLY agreed on a bedding set for her room, and I love it! Now if we could just find curtains to match it...

We went over to the Middleton's to watch the Cowboys throw away the first playoff game after an amazing season. We were all pretty bummed. But we certainly had our spirit on and rooted them on the best we could!!

Brenna and I made cupcakes for the occasion.

These girls cheered their hearts out!

I sure do love these kiddos!

We've got spirit, yes we do!

My people....and Steve.. haha!

Good bye 2016- Hello 2017

We decided to have a low key New Year's eve this year at home with friends, which is my favorite way to spend any evening!
The Baldwins and Middleton's came over to eat and hang out. The Riley's were out of town. None of us had any intentions of seeing midnight.... but as usual....once the fun started the time got away from us!
We watched The Tide Roll and win while these adorable kiddos sported their Bama gear!

 We watched endless "routines" and dance parties that they put on for us. And eventually we talked the guys into a game of none other than...SPOONS! (It's my new favorite game if you can't tell!)

It was a little too intense for many pictures, but I did manage to snap this one of Jamie and Brandi!
We all had a great time, as we always do!
On New Year's day, we spent the day at home in our jommies just hanging out and being lazy. I may have taken a nap...or two!
Macie came down and showed me that she did her make up all by herself!

In case you can't tell....blush is her favorite.
That evening Josh cooked his famous traditional New Years day meal of Cabbage, sausage, corn bread, black eyed peas, and fried potatoes! It was SOOO Yummy!

Pops and Memaw came over and joined us for dinner, and brought Walker since they were babysitting him for the night. This made Macie Claire a SUPER happy girl!!! She played with him non stop and eventually put him in the stroller and logged a few miles around the house!

He loved it! And Pops and Memaw soon realized that they needed to take the babysitter home with them for the night! So they loaded Macie up and took her home to play with Walker that night and the next morning. Smart thinking! And it helped a ton since I had to go back to work the next day.

2016 was a good year for the Pools. But we can't wait to see what 2017 has in store for us!!

Six Flags Season Passes again!

Thanks Graddy and Kathy!! We enjoyed activating our passes, and can't wait to use them again this year!!

The Holts and Abners come to visit!!

Months ago we had planned to have a big Johnson family Christmas at our house this year. But after Aunt Susan was diagnosed with Breast Cancer and had her surgery right after Thanksgiving, with a set back a few days later, and Uncle Dave falling off of a horse and injuring himself pretty badly, it became obvious that our plans were not to be. We were all upset that we couldn't be together, but our main wish was for Aunt Susan and Uncle Dave to both get better. 

It was eventually decided that the Holts and Abners would still come to our house to spend two days with us and then head up to Oklahoma for the day to check in on Mimi, Aunt Susan and Uncle Dave. It was a hectic schedule for them, but gave us all some time together. 

There were two little girls who were beyond excited to see their Aunt Bit!!! And she was equally as thrilled to see them! They didn't waste any time taking her for a ride on their new go cart.

They also took anyone else who was willing to go for a ride- but I was inside making cookies and enchiladas for dinner!  And if Mama is busy- there are no pictures. Next time I will order pizza and be outside where the action is! There was also a moment when I looked up and saw Taron, Nolan and Grayson on the buggy going through our back yard and then down the street! Lots of fun to be had in the country for sure!

After dinner, I caught all of the guys outside sitting at the picnic table...aka- the USS Josh! 

I love this group of guys! Some of them products of Bob Johnson, and the rest of them soaked up as much of him as they could during the time they had. Each one of them wonderful men...just as my Papaw was. But don't let these smiles fool you- as soon as I walked outside with the camera, they all got really quiet and quit talking until I went back inside. So- they are just as ornery as Bob Johnson was too!!

A fire in the fire pit was next up.

What do you do when all the chairs are taken? Pull up a wheel barrow of course!

Oh how I wish we could all sit around like this more often. My heart was so full.

But the smack talk soon started, and before I knew it we were setting up the tables for spoons!!!

A few things happened during this game that are note worthy...

*Brenna backed away from the table with tears in her eyes after the first round of grabbing spoons because we scared her so bad!

*I think we may have scared Macie and Mrs. Jackie too- who were innocent bystanders.

*I broke a nail.

*Aunt Bit and I broke the plastic holder on my rainbow while fighting over a spoon.

*Oh- and we broke a table. Yep. Broke it. 

*And last but not least- we laughed until we were all sweating and crying!

I believe all of these pictures deserve to be remembered...

Josh ON the table...

Grayson and Anna Catherine and Nolan ON the table.
Did I mention that we BROKE the table??

It always comes down to these two...

We are such a laid back and relaxed group....NOT!

Cards everywhere!

Taron ON the table. But this was the one we didn't break.
Nolan was the winner....again.

On Thursday, we all got up and had a big and yummy breakfast. Dad and Kathy eventually joined us, and the guys made plans to go shooting. (because I am sure it says somewhere in the Bible that "when two or more Johnson boys are gathered, they must shoot." I think it is in Hezikyah.) 

But before we could turn the boys loose with their toys...we had some presents to open. 

Thank you Mimi for her shirt!

Aunt Susan had special gifts for us all, but since she couldn't be there, we skyped her into the party! She made us all memory bags with different memories. Pieces of Papaw's shirt, broaches and other items that belonged to different family members, and prayer beads inside that were made from beads she collected from all of us. It was so neat!!! She put a lot of time into it, and we all treasure them. Now I know why she wanted some of Mom's necklaces.. :)

A picture to show Mimi the shirt "she" got her for Christmas! 

My sweet Bear.

Graddy and Jakers

The puzzle girls!!! 

2/3 of my heart right here!

I love my Daddy beyond WOW. 

Proof that you are never too old to sit in your Daddy's lap! 

After we finished with presents, they guys left as quickly as possible. Because...guns!

Us girls decided we needed to go check out the new Funky Munky sno cones in town! 

So we went by and picked up Mrs. Jackie so that she could join in on the fun..

And headed for sno cones...in December!

That evening we all just hung out at the house and enjoyed each other. The guys sat by the fire, Grayson bonded with Kitty Kitty...who he renamed Esse...

And us girls had a movie night upstairs. We watched Elf and ate popcorn and pickles. Just as Brenna and Macie requested!

It was a great visit, but it ended all too soon. I will say though, that we managed to cram as much fun as humanly possible into two days together!! 

I love this group so very much! And enjoy every minute that we are gifted together.

If only the rest of the clan were in this picture too... NEXT YEAR for sure!!!!

Christmas at Pops and Memaw's 2016

The day after Christmas, we loaded up and headed over to Pops and Memaw's to celebrate Christmas with them. Our tradition is to have breakfast and then open presents. Pops holds nothing back on his family breakfasts! And everyone is full and happy when it is over!!
But I think the kids eat at record speeds just so that they can open presents!!

Pops and Memaw's babies!

I think she likes her new doll cradle!

Make-up! She was one happy little girl!!

Marshmallow guns all around!! 

And a Peppa Pig poster! 

After presents, everyone kind of kicked back and relaxed while the kiddos went outside to play. Josh got serious about his napping....and curled up in the bed! We didn't see him for a good two hours!
The kiddos rode on the go cart, played with marshmallow guns, and just had fun being together! About the time Josh woke up- I was fading fast. So I left him with the girls- and I went HOME to curl up in MY bed for a good nap! And let me tell you- it was heavenly! I think I slept 3 glorious hours!
That evening we just enjoyed being at home and playing with all the new Christmas stuff!

Such crazy weather for Christmas! Flip flops and tshirts to play outside! But we'll take it!

Christmas Day 2016

Since Josh had to work Christmas Day, the girls and I got up that morning and loaded up to go spend the day at Graddy's house. We met them before church and dropped Jake off and our "stuff" for the day, and loaded up and went to church with them.
I loved that it looked like we all planned our outfits for the day! (even though we did not)

Gosh Brenna looks grown up in this picture!

Merry Christmas from the Johnson clan!

Dad and Kathy

If only Josh could have been here too....

After church we went back to Dad and Kathy's to just hang out for the rest of the day. It was great to just relax and rest. We made some soups, I baked some cookies, and the girls played. Larry and Jeri came by along with Katelyn and Dillon for a little bit and visited, and Mrs. Jackie came over after she went to her son's house for a while.
Macie enjoyed doing a puzzle with Mrs. Kathy and Mrs. Jackie. This girl loves her some puzzles!

And she enjoyed hanging out in her Graddy's lap!

And I promise Brenna was there too! But she doesn't tend to hang out with us as much as Macie does these days. She spent her day watching movies on the lap top and playing on her ipad- therefore she didn't make it in many pictures!
Later that day we went over to Nina's to see her for a while. She had just gotten back from Germany and had some prizes for the girls! Their favorite was the coocoo clock! They played the reindeer antler ring toss and threw it on to Nina's head....but I didn't get a single picture! Dang it! This was the only picture I got at her house...and surprise surprise... it's of Macie! Seriously- I gotta work on my Mom skills. They were lacking this day! I blame it on exhaustion!

After Nina's house, us girls went home and called it an early night. I was totally worn out, as were the girls. We went all out and had frozen sausage, egg, and cheese biscuits for Christmas dinner (haha!- don't feel sorry for us- it was by choice!) and were in bed before 9 pm! I call that a success!!!