Welcome 2020

The start of a new decade and a new year...……..wow!

Review of the last decade:
2010 - Zachary was going to be 1 year old in  March.  Les and I escaped to CO for awhile in April (I think this needs to happen again soon....LOL)
2011 - I was pregnant with Sadie and we were working on closing on a house.  We closed March 2nd and she was born by c-sec on March 4th.
2012 - January, Les' mom moved in with us b/c of her Alzheimer's progression.  She lived with us for about 6 months before moving into Mustang Creek.  This year was also our 5th wedding anniversary and we went up to Massachusetts to celebrate.  I also had some mental health problems that I had to deal with and went to counseling to overcome that.
2013 - I went back to work at MMI and was so happy!!
2014 - We went to Alaska on a cruise with the kiddos, my  mom, and cousin Nancy.  What a great trip.  Les got a new job with the county; which was such an exciting change for our family!  I think Zachary started Kinder this year.
2015 - my mom had her knee replaced and I left MMI (about 5 months before it went under).  We were now going to be schooling both kiddos with Sadie being in Pre-K and Zachary in 1st.
2016 - My mom took us to Disneyland (both kids are wanting to go back) and she ended her chemo treatments because of an allergic reaction to the meds.  Her lungs were done and not able to handle anymore treatments.
2017 - We started taking classes at our homeschool group, MArCH and what a great thing that was.  We have enjoyed our time there.  Les' mom was getting sicker and we weren't sure what was going to happen with her.  Zachary is in 2nd grade and Sadie in Kinder.  This summer, we went to CO with the whole family.  We visited Colorado Springs, Durango, South Fork, and so many other places.  What a lovely state!!!  I love CO!
2018 - This year began rough for us because we lost Doris, but knowing she's eternally healed, helps ease that loss and pain.  We still took classes at MArCH and I was asked to join the Board of Directors as the Membership Director and eventually took over Activities Director instead.  Totally fits my personality!!  We've had some great field trips!!  My commitment will be over at the end of May 2020.  We went hiking and camping up in AR this summer and oh my gosh, had a wonderful time!!  The mountains = Happy KK!!  :)
2019 - What a great year it was!  We had so many fun adventures!!  We adopted a dog in Dec '18 for the kiddos for Christmas, so much of 2019 was spent training the puppy.  We went to Kentucky to the Ark Museum - must go!!  We hiked, water rafted, toured, and so much more in TN.  I really like that part of my country.  Beautiful, hilly/mountainous, rivers, and wide open spaces with not as many people.  So peaceful!!  Zachary is in 5th and Sadie is in 3rd.
2020 - A year of a lot of change - we're planning on moving and really  hoping my parents come too.  We have already been trying to be out in nature more (already 4 days in a row of being outside and getting fresh air).  I want us to be more active this year and eat healthier (most of the time, gotta have some cheat days!!!) ;)  I want to cook at home more and not eat out as much.  I want us to spend even more time together doing things that we love.  We hope to get horses this next year at some point, but we just keep praying for God's WISDOM to direct our paths.  I want to be in HIS will.  I'm excited to see where this next year AND decade take us.  Cheers!

We've had so many memories made and I can't even begin to name all that we've done, been, and experienced.  This is a nice review of a few of the things we've done.

I want to take a moment and remember those who have passed on from this life to eternity.  We have lost a lot of family members and friends. Lindy, Uncle Larry, Uncle Claytie Bear, Doris, Jim, C.P., Bobby, and so many others.  We love all of you and you'll forever have a place in our hearts!  <3

Goals for this next decade:
- Move
- Travel to Yellowstone
- Travel to more state parks and explore other parts of our country
- Fish more
- Hike more
- Buy horses
- Graduate our kids through homeschooling
- Travel overseas and explore other countries
- Eat Healthier and at home more
- Continue to read my Bible daily
- Volunteer more
- Love Deeply
- Respond through my spirit and not react in my human nature (be more like Jesus!)

I think this is a pretty good list for now, so stay tuned to see how this next year goes!!  I'm excited and hopeful as we quickly move into 2020.

Go with God.

#6

I'm sure you're asking yourself "what in the world does #6 mean?"  

Let me answer that for you - Sadie has been losing teeth every few months.  Tooth #6 is lose and has been for a few weeks now.  Tonight she comes into me and tells me that #6 is bleeding when she brushes it.  She says," what does the tooth bleeding mean?"  I said," well, that means that it is getting looser and will be ready to be pulled soon."  She FREAKED out!!!!!!  Full out crying and hiding her eyes on the couch, all while curled up with her back to us.  She wiggled it for me and it seems pretty lose, so we'll continue to watch it, but since we leave for Hawaii in about 5 days, I either need to pull it before we leave, or there's a good chance she loses it while we're gone. 

Soooo..........stay tuned to find out what happens to tooth #6.  

Hawaii Trip

My mom has been planning to take me to Hawaii for years and it's never been the right time.  She's been on chemo, kids too little, I was working,  etc.  This summer, we decided it was a good time because she's healed from her cancer and my kids are older now and can handle the trip better.  So, she booked us on a cruise to HI in January.  I'm so excited, and we kept it a secret from the kiddos till Christmas morning, that is when we revealed to the kids about their trip.

Les and I bought them luggage for the trip (and for Christmas), so my mom and I gathered a few items to put into the bags as clues for them to figure out where we were going.  Sadie got it the minute she started looking at the clues...........I was shocked at how quickly they figured it out.

The kiddos were in shock and didn't even know how to answer or act.  Zachary then got scared b/c he's been studying The Titanic and said," I don't want to go, I'm afraid it will sink."  We explained to him that the likelihood of that happening was very low b/c the Titanic sunk over 100 years ago (115 1/2 years to be exact).  He has already counted the lifeboats from a picture of the ship that we received in the mail today.  LOL  I think he's getting used to the idea.  Sadie has been learning to hula dance and has shown me her "moves".  They've both been putting on the hula bra and hula skirt.  I keep trying to get a picture of Zachary in it, but he has been to quick for me.......HA!!!  I hope to get one for blackmail in the future.........HAHAHAHA!!!

Here are a few pictures of the reveal on Christmas morning.........enjoy!!

Opening the first bags...

More clues in Zachary's bags...

She had guessed Hawaii before this and now she's looking at the postcard.  She was correct!!

They're soooo cute - I love these 2 so much and I'm excited to share this experience with them too.  I'll miss the hubby, but he'll be home working and then building at our land.  He's excited to be building and hunting.  <3 him and appreciate him "letting" us go for so long without him.

Mom, thank you for making this possible for us - I am beyond ecstatic!!!! 

Hawaii memories....here we come!!!

Johnson Family Christmas!!!

Johnson Christmas - we had a lot of fun and I hope that you enjoy these pictures also.  Merry Christmas to all of our Family and Friends!!!  We love you and hope you remember that Jesus, is the Reason for the Season!!

Zachary and Mommy :) 

Sadie looking like a rapper.........she was so cute with this hat on.

Christopher looking like an Elf and acting the part too.......pretty funny!!!

Kimberly, Caleb, and Damira 

Zachary was so excited over this Lego set, he could hardly stand it....HAHA!

Zachary and Caleb - they're so cute together and have a bond.  So sweet.

The guys in their matching shirts...

The ladies in their matching shirts...

The girls, Sadie wouldn't look up.

ANNND, that's a wrap on Christmas - love ya!!!  :)

Merry Christmas

We had a wonderful family filled Christmas with both my side and Les' side.  We had a lot of laughs, games, gifts, food, and a wonderful reminder from my dad how we are Jesus' gifts when we accept Him as our Lord and Savior.  Jesus is the TRUE meaning of CHRISTmas and nothing should get in the way of Jesus and what He did for you and me.

Here our a few pictures from our Christmas with the Cornelius side of the family (Johnson coming next...stay tuned!).  :)

The girls being silly and having fun.  Lots of laughs!!

Sock Exchange!!

Zachary and Tyler wrestling and playing football. HA!

The guys playing cards...

Hannah, Sadie, and Whitney at Lakepoint Church for Christmas Eve Service. 

Zachary, Tyler, Jude, and Caleb at Lakepoint Church for Christmas Eve Service.

Our Family Photo - I just love this picture of us!!

The CornAck Family altogether for a picture - Love this one too.

Christmas Cookies

So excited - I just sold some Christmas cookies that I cut and decorated yesterday!!!  Woo Hoo!!

Talk about making a gal feel extra special b/c someone liked her cookies enough to BUY them!!

Here are this years cookies.  Sadie helped decorate some of them too.  Great memories with my girl!

Stuff or Memories??

Which would you choose, stuff (material items) or memories (seeing things, doing things, etc)???

My hubby and I have been talking about this some the last several weeks.  I choose TIME together!  Which means, memories for me!!  I don't want/need "things", but I desire to give my kids the gift of my time and seeing the world (or at least our country) together.  There's nothing more desirable; then to be with my little family that God blessed me with.

We leave this Saturday to go with my side of the family to Colorado.  I'm excited to be going with everyone and to see many things (we have crammed the vacation full of sights!).  We're going to Caplan Mountain (NM), Pikes Peak, Royal Gorge, Durango train to Silverton, and some other places along the way.  It will be a fun time and lots of memories.  :)

To be continued....