SUGAR COOKIES GALORE!

I LOVE my sugar cookie recipe. It truly is the best I've tasted. Wanted to share since it is the holiday's. I am home making 100's (it seems) for Young Women Nursing Home Christmas Sing-a-Song tonight. Hope you enjoy them as much as I do! Merry Christmas!!

Cookies: 1 1/2 c. Powdered Sugar, 1 c. Butter, 1 t. Vanilla, 1/2 t. Almond Extract, 1 Egg: MIx together then add: 2 1/2 c. Flour, 1 t. Baking Soda, and 1 t. Cream of Tartar. Cover and refrigerate 1-3 hrs. Heat oven 375 and roll out (make sure they aren't too thin, thicker cookies are the best!). Bake until edges are light brown (6-8 minutes)

Icing: 3c Powdered Sugar, 1/3 c. Butter (softened), 1 1/2 t. vanilla, and about 2 Milk. Mix sugar and butter. Stir in vanilla and milk. Beat until smooth. Add food coloring if desired.

EARLY CHRISTMAS GIFT!!!

WOW! Rob surprises me AGAIN! We have talked about getting a new MacBook Pro laptop for about a year now, but he said he still was thinking about it...well he surprised me last night. I am so excited! Little stressed trying to learn the new ropes not knowing the "MAC" style but looking forward to the new world it offers. My homemade movies are going to look FAB now. THANKS HONEY! and get back kids...this ones MAMAS!

BEAUTY and the BEAST 2008

We had the best time with this show. All my kids were awesome. Wade was truly incredible...as my mom put it "Broadway good!". That was the ultimate compliment. She worked with him on blocking and interpretation. He said he feels like he is the beast now. Sad to see the show close, but hoping to catch up on needed sleep before our trip. Thanks to all who came and those who helped pull this together. Til next year!

BEAST - 2008

Yesterday was the best show yet...one more to go tonight, but I had to post these pictures. Kendra came to "Bedtime with Belle" and Jasper was tooooo cute with "the BEAST" after the show. Wade was AMAZING! One lady came up to him and said the show was better than the movie so she is coming back tonight. He got a standing O! GO WADE. Thanks to all who have supported this great time in my kids life.

Christmas Photo Session 08

We had a BLAST (we'll me, Leanna, and Krista...Wade HATES photo shoots!) taking pictures. The girls got all dressed up and we spend an hour with my NEW Nikon Lens. AWESOME! Enjoy the photos of our BEAUTIFUL kids. We are pretty lucky to have such talented, GORGEOUS kids...if I do say so myself! Our Christmas photo is NOT displayed as to avoid you not opening our annual Christmas letter/photo. ENJOY!

CHRISTMAS TREE 08

We are headed to California and Utah this holiday season. My way out of having to put up Christmas decorations. The kids HATE my fancy, white lighted, fake "memory" tree every year and want me to do a little decorating before we leave,so I decided to buy them a small "real" tree to decorate and avoid putting up all the other stuff. It's in my kitchen (to avoid pine needle clean-up anywhere else). The girls LOVED picking out the tree and love the colored, twinkle lights and Disney ornaments. Funny how whatever you grow up with you never want (hence, my childhood tree with big, bulbous OUTSIDE colored lights, fake popcorn garland, and cookie dough ornaments...). Guess now I've made my kids hate the fancy look. WHATEVER...my tree, my house. As you can see it is pretty pitiful, but they plan on having a small, "real" tree from now on so we'll see about that. Oh Christmas Tree, O Christmas Tree...what will you be next year we'll see!
PS. The silly one of me is Rob's favorite...It's my "I GAVE IN" picture.

ADELYN is here!!!

My BABY sister, Ashna, had a beautiful baby yesterday. Weighing in at 8pd 13oz, and 20" long. I got these photos off her facebook page...CAN'T wait to hold her. Addie is a fat, pumpkin pie! Love that. Enjoy!

Pre-Show Photos

COME TO BEAUTY AND THE BEAST! Next week on the 11th, 12th, or 13th. My kids are all in it and looking forward to a fabulous show! Krista isn't too thrilled with her big "chip" head costume, but I think she is cute! Wade's "Helmet" beast head is huge, but looks fab from the stage. Leanna wishes she was a villager now that she has seen her salt shaker costume, but I think she is adorable. Wade is heavy into practice for Beast and still travels each weekend to tournaments for speech and debate. He is the top qualifier in the state for HI already and is traveling to UT (University of Texas) this weekend for a huge tournament. PRAY! If he does well, he could qual for a scholarship! He will be traveling to Arizona in January (over his birthday weekend) to compete at a multi-state level in preparation for Nationals. SO proud of him. Anyway, if you have questions about time/price for the Beauty and Beast show just email me. See ya!

KRISTA is 13!!!!

For Krista's birthday (the day after Thanksgiving) we traveled down to Vidor again to see our newest cousin, Emma Vivian Harris. She was born November 24th. She is ADORABLE with TONS of black hair. Krista wanted to spend the day with her family and cousins so we made a HUGE chocolate cake and headed down. Rob and Wade went to Donny's home to help with more t-shirts. Jax has RSV so he was PITIFUL. I couldn't stand seeing him so sad. I gave him a breathing treatment which was hilarious cause I think he was getting a high! His eyes were SO BIG. After that, he could breath so I took some cute photos of my "mr man" (I can't wait to get my new camera lens in next week! It's driving me CRAZY not having my super, awesome camera with me!!!). Kendra was so happy to see me too. I brought her a b-day present (Belle Barbie) since she just turned 3 a week earlier. We had a wonderful day, but the best/worst part was seeing my beautiful birthday girl turn another year older. I love her so much and love that she truly loves her family/extended family. Need I even say that those of you who know her best KNOW she was dressed in ALL her new clothes she got for her b-day. It wasn't really cold outside, but Krista was NOT taking the new stuff off. She was styling even in Vidor! Happy Birthday Beauty! Love you - Mama

THANKSGIVING 2008

Even though I had already made Thanksgiving dinner with my extended family, I decided to do it again for my little family. Tom and Travis came over since mom was in Vidor with the new baby and Patrice. She got really sick over there so she had to stay quarinteened. We had a good day. I wasn't feeling all that well myself so we stayed home and watched FRED CLAUS together curled up in warm blankets and a brownie trifle cup! It was wonderful and quite.

Rob and Donny's new HOBBY

Donny finally started his life long dream of owning his own t-shirt business "PimTee's". Rob is SO into this. I won't even get into the craziness with these two, but they are having fun. Donny's first order was from Wade's school for the Beauty and the Beast production. They made over 100 t-shirts over a weekend and even had time to sheet rock part of Donny's new home. MAN WEEKEND is all I have to say. Glad they have each other...next time that happens Nat is coming to my home for sappy chick flicks and craft projects.

My Jasper's Blessing Day

We decided to have Thanksgiving early this year for two reasons. One, Patrice is having her baby the week of Thanksgiving and two, because Jasper was getting blessed and we all were going to be together. I made SO much food. My turkey was brined and PERFECT along side my stuffing, pumpkin pie, lemon pie, mashed potatoes, gravy, and hot PERFECT mama rolls if I do say so myself. The best dessert I made was the Brownie Trifle. LOVE IT! Anyway, Jasper was SOOO cute with his tight white pants on Natalie made for him that morning due to his heavy, little thick body at only 1.5 months old! He is SO big. LOVE HIM. We had a wonderful day and enjoyed the "cuteness" through the whole thing. My camera lens broke so I only have a few shots, but mama took some shots I haven't seen. Great day in the house of Johnson.

Weekend in VIDOR

My girls went down to Vidor to visit their cousins (Patrice's kids). I started cracking up laughing when they told me they started burning trash and decided to roast marshmallows! Only in Vidor can you burn your trash in your back yard and have a family marshmallow roasting party!!!! HA! Really, the girls had a blast. Not just with the trash burning/marshmallow thing, but with cookie making, new pig viewing/petting/naming, make-up trying, dress-up photo session from Leanna taking, but just being together. Gotta love it!