Happy Thanksgiving

Shawn will be thrilled that I've posted twice in the past month!  We just returned from our whirlwind tour of North Carolina otherwise known as Thanksgiving.  Both my parents and Shawn's sister live within a few hours of one another, so we are able to celebrate with both families as Shawn's sister fixes dinner on Friday.  We all had a great time but are happy to be back home in our own beds.  

One Year Later

Wow.  One whole year.  Shawn has been giving me a hard time for months now to update the blog.  My response is always, “I will”, however it’s pretty clear that I haven’t!  So, here we are, one year after my last post.  A lot has changed while much remains the same.  Mostly, the boys continue to grow while we continue to run them around to their various activities.  I’m still home during the day, holding down the fort, and Shawn is very busy with his work.  

This past summer was quite busy, with both boys attending both Boy Scout camp as well as Summer’s Best Two Weeks.  We had many house guests, which we love, and enjoyed a week living like cowboys at the Tumbling River Ranch in Colorado.  These spoiled kids...:-)...they have the life!!

Conner is now in 6th grade - his final year in elementary school.  He is a conscientious student, is continuing with violin for another year, moved up to Boy Scouts at the end of last year, began swimming for a competitive youth team this fall, and is a member of a local youth group.  I’m not sure I’m ready for him to move over to the middle school next year.  He is a super sweet boy who is very silly and very sensitive and starting to become a lot more independent.  We could not be more proud of the young man he is growing into.

Grady is in the 3rd grade and “riding the bus like a normal kid” this year.  Our district only buses the kids in town to the upper elementary so this was a big deal this fall.  Aside from being dubbed “Goofball Grady”, he is a good student, a cub scout, and an all around sports dude playing baseball, soccer, and wrestling.  He is a constant source of entertainment for all of us.

So, life for the Johnson’s goes on.  We are planning on another move...is anyone really that surprised?  Just within town but right before the holidays.  We are pretty excited and ready to be finished with that chapter of our lives.  Time to set down some major roots and become a solid part of a community.  We’ll have lots of space for guests so all are welcome, as usual.  Happy Halloween and see you in November!

It's October?!?

Lunching at The Grove in LA with my mom.

Sibs in LA.

We had the best time celebrating the Gregory's 50th wedding anniversary this past weekend. What an amazing couple and family. Thank you for including us!

One of my nearest and dearest :-)

Our little Luna girl.

Hard at work on the porch swing project.

First day of school!

LOTS of lizard hunting went on in Orlando. This was one of Grady's conquests.

Our traditional picture spot at Epcot.

Yeah...that's a giraffe...right outside of our room!

Bug Eyes on for the 3D show!

A chat with Betty Boop at Islands of Adventure.

All aboard the Hogwart's Express!

Just hanging with Harry and his friends at Hogwart's!

Conner and his counselors at SB2W.

Wow! How time flies when you are having fun! We've been back in the 'Burgh for 3 months now and it has been go go go. After a great summer at SB2W (despite a blue flag flying at the close of 4th term) and an amazing family getaway to both Universal Studios and Disney, school is in full swing and the boys are doing great. We are all loving being close to family and old friends - though our Eastern PA friends are missed - and are taking advantage of the close proximity.

Both Grady and Conner are doing scouts this year. Conner is playing soccer and the violin, and is involved with our church's youth group, while Grady is preparing for the wrestling season now that baseball has wrapped up. I'm very busy carting them around to all of their practices and meetings in addition to tending to the new addition. Everyone - I mean EVERYONE - loves Luna. We get stopped wherever we go and people just oogle over her. She looks like a teddy bear and has the sweetest disposition. We really lucked out...or maybe she did...I think she's a keeper.

Shawn is traveling a ton, still, but it works for us. I don't know anyone who works harder at everything they do...we love him so much and are so thankful for him. We will have the chance to get a few days together later this month in NYC - much needed and much anticipated. I love New York in the fall and it'll be even better since it will be just the two of us.