Eben and Kivi Go Skiing!

Right after Opal's birthday party, we left with Poppie and Nonnie to go skiing at Snoqualmie. This cute little mountain has about 5 lifts. (I think you can see all of them in this first picture.) It's perfect for beginners. Both Eben and Kivi tried skiing and, thanks to a nice lady and her 2 year old grandson, they both tried snowboarding, too. Eben had a timid first couple of runs and stayed safely between Nonnie's skis. Kivi had no fear, and her little nervous giggle was so hilarious! After Eben found out that Kivi had made it down the run all by herself, he decided he couldn't let his little sister outdo him and got tough. By the end of the night, both of them were going down by themselves and doing "pizza" (snowplow) like champs.

Eben, Poppie, Nonnie and Kivi ready to go down the mountain.

Kivi, practicing her "french fry".

We used a leash and Poppie's belt to tow them back and forth from the lodge to the little "magic carpet" lift.

Eben snowboarding!

Skiing videos! The first features"The Kivi Wiggle", which is how she started! It was so funny (then she crashes). The next is of her laughing as she's boogying down the mountain. The last one is of Eben "The greatest skier ever!"

Opie's "O" Party

On Feb 7th we had Opal's first birthday party. We decided to have an intimate and cozy party this time, because of weather. February is not a good month for a big outdoor event with lots of freezing babies. My parents were able to come up from CA to be here for it too so that was a plus. The theme was the letter O, because Opal was turning One. The colors were Orange and Olive green. We ate spaghetti O's, O shaped bagel sandwiches, Oranges, Oreo and Oatmeal cookies, and Onion rings. It was an Odd lunch, but it was all wiped Out when the party was Over.  Amazingly we didn't even play a game! Instead everyone wrote Opal an encouraging letter which she will open on her 16th birthday. If you would like to participate in Operation Opal 2024 I know she would love it! Just write her a letter and send it to us and we'll put it in the time capsule.

Our family pic. The poor girl just got 4 shots the day before, so she was a little tentative.

Opal and her "O" cake with One candle.

Trying out her little smash cake.

She likes it!

"O" foods

A garland of Our Baby "O"'s first year.

The cakes

Our guests for Opal's 1st.

Opal Turns One!

My little baby girl is a whole year old! Where in the world did the time go? I know it's only going to go by faster as time goes on. So we are going to cherish these times, of sitting, laying, animal sounds, laughing, clapping, smiling at everything, wild stick-up hair and raspberry sounds. No walking or crawling, or even rolling over any more. And why should she? She has an entourage of willing servants to get her all she needs. I'm sure in no time she'll be moving along with the rest of them, meanwhile we might have to go to physical therapy to appease Dr. Reid and Nonnie. 

If you never move a muscle, Opie girl, we would still be the happiest parents in the world to have such a sweet, contented, smart, loving girl (who could live with us forever)! We know either way you will touch a million lives with your precious spirit because you are truly a child of God.

Our Family On A Sticker

Me So Sad.

I let the kids watch the movie Ice Age today because my poor Sweet Pea has a fever and just wants to lay down. I let the boys have hot cocoa cause they did so well at their jobs. Well, Eben did good, Jasper needed much prodding to basically reach inside the dryer and drag the clothes 6 inches into the basket. But hey, he did it. So a little hot cocoa for him too. But by the time he got his, Eben and Kivi had already started to watch the movie downstairs and the cocoa must be consumed (and spilled) at the upstairs kitchen table. He sat there for 5 seconds. Torn. Then he slid off the chair and walked to the top of the stairs with his head hung and muttered, "Me no hot cocoa. Me watch movie. Me so sad."

Westport for New Years 2009

Our Christmas gift from Grandpa and Grandma this year was six days at the ocean with our entire Johnson family.  From the 27^th to the new year, we got to kick our feet up and read, play games, play Wii (courtesy of the Schocks), soak in the hot tub and watch movies with Uncle Chris, Auntie Tonya, Marlee, Madison and Emma.  We had a great week being wonderfully unproductive and enjoying our family!  Thanks Grandma and Grandpa!

Hot tubbin'!

Playing a game called Would You Rather. Marlee would rather let us paint a beard and unibrow on her instead of entertaining us with a belly dance.

Kivi and her find on our beach walk.

Christmas Day 2008

Our Christmas morning always starts out with a birthday cake for Jesus. The kids blow out the candles after we sing "Happy Birthday" to Him. This year we actually put the manger scene on the cake with a white chocolate nativity mold - the whole activity of melting chocolate in our microwave killed 2 - yes 2, brand new microwaves. Peter spent Christmas Eve making many trips to Home Depot and installing a total of 3 microwaves!!! Lesson: Don't melt white chocolate in a plastic baggy in the microwave. Turns out we're not the only ones to have had this misfortune. So baby Jesus was put on our cake at a high cost - but hey He paid a way bigger one for us. We think He's worth it.

The next thing we always do is read the Christmas story from the book of Luke.

This year was unique because thanks to all the crazy technology these days we were able to have my family join us from California via the web cam. They turned on theirs, we turned on ours and we just left them on for the morning. Grandma and Grandpa were actually with us in person, so we had both sides of our family this Christmas!

Next, the kids did a little 3 wise men skit - which Kivi through a fit during because she couldn't be the first wiseman, we opened stockings, ate breakfast, Peter made Swiss eggs - yum! and we ate the cake of course, and then we opened presents!

The after present mess.

Later in the afternoon Uncle Chris, Auntie Tonya and the girls joined us for turkey dinner, more presents and games!

Opal's first Christmas! All the kids have posed in this giant stocking I made for their very first Christmas.

All of us in our matching Christmas jammies!

Happy Birthday Jesus!