Eli

Taking Eli's picture can be quite a challenge! Stacy worked had to work hard to get a smile!

Muffins with Mommy

We had Muffins with Mommy at church a couple of weeks ago. We had muffins, fruit and juice for breakfast right before church. The Daddies helped serve. It was great to eat breakfast with my five blessings!

PS I did not include my picture of Isaac because he said it made him look like an alien creature!

Patches Visits the Vet

We took Patches for her first vet visit last week. Her vet also happens to be our good friend and a fellow homeschooler, so our appointment was quite a treat. His wife Valerie and their two children gave us a grand tour so we could see all the inner workings of the clinic. Then Dr. Matt let the children "help" with his exam and see him give the vaccinations. He gave them a quick lesson on cat care, and then let them see some x-rays of various animals. Patches and Eli both behaved very well, which was a blessing. We will be visiting Dr. Matt again when it is time for Biology! I am thankful for good friends who care about our children!

Olivia's "Pretend" Birthday

Olivia's "Real" Birthday is May 15, but we celebrated her "Pretend" birthday with friends yesterday. In honor of our new feline friend, Olivia chose a cat themed birthday party. Our birthday parties tend to be laid back affairs, with lots of food, friends and playtime, and this one was no exception. We had thirty-six people, which included about a hundred children (That may not seem mathematically possible, but if you were here, you understand!). The menu consisted of p,b & j sandwiches, various chips and dip, carrots, homemade bread and cupcakes. Olivia was thrilled with the presents she received, and she loved being the center of attention! I am thankful for our sweet birthday girl and all of the friends that made her celebration special!

The Johnsons Go Feline!

Patches and Anna Grace our good buddies!

Her favorite spot (which could be due to the crumbs that live under our table!).

Patches loves Eli (when he is asleep!).

After years of putting it off, we officially became pet owners last month! Patches Ruby Johnson joined our family on April 18. The children had been asking for a pet on and off for the past couple of years, but the idea of adding pet care to my plate had been overwhelming! Olivia finally talked us into it last fall, and we told her we would get one after Christmas. She had been asking since January if it was after Christmas, so we finally bit the cat bullet. My friend Melissa's grandmother's cat (how is that for genealogy) had kittens, and we "adopted" our sweet Patches.

So far, cat ownership has been much easier than I had anticipated! She already knew how to take care of bathroom issues (I am hoping she will teach Eli!), and she has been great with the kids. She is smart enough to be afraid of Eli and she hides during playdates, so I think she may fit in well here!

Kansas City Adventure -- The "American Girl" Hotel

We opted not to stay at the Great Wolf Lodge for our third night in Kansas City. We moved to a cheaper hotel that also happened to have an American Girl Doll package. The package included a doll bed for each girl, cookies and milk for the girls and their dolls at night, and a breakfast buffet, complete with a seat for each doll. It was marketing at its best, and it worked on us!

The children had a great time. Our rooms all opened out into a sitting area near the pool, so we were able to visit lots with our friends. Mark even got in a game of cards with the dads. Everyone was very tired, but very happy. Our Kansas City Adventure was a success!

Kansas City Adventure-- The American Girl Store

Posing with "The Doll of the Year"

Bailey and her good friend Mary Anna

The girls were very excited to visit an American Girl store for the first time (The dads and boys headed to Toys R Us instead). Bailey has been collecting catalogs for a long time, and she has most of them memorized. She was excited to get to see the dolls and their "stuff" in person.

The girls spent the month of January doing jobs around the house to earn money to buy a new outfit for their doll. We went on a Saturday afternoon, which happens to be a very crowded time to visit! The store has a salon where you can pay to have your doll's hair styled, for the low price of $10-$25, but our girls opted to spend their money on doll clothes instead. They made their purchases and spent lots of time looking around. They are already making plans to visit the American Girl store in Denver when we visit Uncle Wes and Aunt Rebecca later this year. I am glad we do not have a store near us, so that it stays a rare treat!