The Johnson's

Saturday, January 5, 2013

Home for the Holidays

After round one of Christmas celebrating in Comanche, we headed back to San Antonio to spend a couple of days doing our usual Christmas traditions as a family. Cody's parents met us in SA the night we returned for a yummy dinner at Alamo Cafe and our gift exchange. Have a mentioned lately how incredibly blessed I am to have such AMAZING in-laws that I love tremendously? (Also, my mother in law has impeccable taste when it comes to shopping and gifts. Let my orange Michael Kors purse be living proof, among many other things.) I was a slacker picture taker for this exchange, but it was really wonderful to see them and we missed all of the Johnson clan at Christmas this year. We know Princess Addie kept everyone entertained though!

After our putt putt golf excursion on Christmas Eve, we attended the candlelight church service, looked at Christmas lights (Kirby's favorite tradition-ha!) and ate our traditional Christmas Eve dinner of tamales, rice, fruit salad and of course, chocolate cake. Cody and Dad enjoyed some male bonding time in the hot tub after we celebrated my birthday, and we ended the night with a round of reading 'Twas the Night Before Christmas, which we've done for as long as I can remember, and probably even before that. Christmas morning brought even more fantastic gifts (including wrapped presents for Rio), monkey bread for breakfast and a little bit of relaxation before we headed out for the next round of celebrating in San Angelo. Now, I'll let the pictures tell the story...

Had to show the full outfits, obvi.

Love my parents so much!

Family photo op

Birthday celebration for the big 2-6

Let the presents begin!

Celebrating our third Christmas as a married couple

Mom & Dad, just doing what they do

Mom loved her Vintage Gypsy bracelet! Thanks, Bella Vita. :)

Dad was WAY excited about his Johnny Heisman shirt. WHOOP!

He's the man.

Love my boys

This picture is for Lynn-- Kirby now has her very own shoe calendar! You're such a trendsetter, father-in-law. :)

Rio was very excited to open his gift. (Yes, I'm that kind of dog parent and I'm not ashamed.) My parents got him a gameday collar, and he wore it with pride during the Cotton Bowl last night. Clearly it led the Aggies to victory to have another (canine) member of the 12th Man cheering with pride!

So handsome and proud.

We gave dad a frame that says something along the lines of "Good kids because of a GREAT DAD".

There couldn't be words more true- we are so blessed! I think he liked the gift, too. :)

My mom had a designated gift wrap for each of our presents. Cody's was of course camo, mine zebra and Kirby's cheetah print.

So excited to not freeze his butt of when he goes to the mountains for elk hunts!

Precious boy- so photogenic.

He finally got his dart board! So many man cave activities!

It was so wonderful being home for the holidays this year, and I am continually reminded of how fortunate I am to be able to spend time with our family even though we live so far away. Can't wait for the next time we're all together--there's certainly never a dull moment in the Brown house!

Friday, January 4, 2013

Johnston Christmas 2012

After celebrating Christmas with our immediate family at Grandma and Grandad's, we joined the entire Johnston clan for a Chinese Gift Exchange at Aunt Vickie and Uncle Jerry's house. We had so much fun eating a yummy brunch with way too much delicious food, visiting and opening gifts. I loved all of the squeals from the little girls running around! There seems to be a trend in our family and my cousins all have little girls at the moment-- that is until Mr. Bowen joins the group in the spring! We are so blessed to be able to enjoy precious moments like these with our amazing family.