Holiday train show

After school one day the kids and I went to a Holiday train show at our local botanical gardens. Mulu started out being unimpressed with my idea of going - being 7 he was too cool for trains. I was able to convince him to go "because his sisters would like it" - and once there we all had a great time!

My new favorite photo of the Johnson kiddos - I sure am a lucky mom

Aria is currently - all about trains - so this was right up her ally. In this photo you can see one of the model trains that travels around the room surrounded by beautiful poinsettias and decorations.

You can see Aria saying "oh wow" as another of the trains whizzes by

Mulu checking out one of the trains - maybe he wasn't too cool after all

I tried to get an "action shot" of Aaliyah - but she is into posing now - here is her cute self

One of the marvelous gingerbread houses that helped decorate the room

And afterwards we stopped in the gift shop for Christams cookies and cocoa

First Snow!

Last winter Aria was about 15 months old - being this old allowed her to walk in the snow, participate in sledding and look around - but not old enough to remember. So when it snowed for the 1st time this year - it was all new for her. On this day Mulu was at school and I bundled up the girls to talk them outside to play in it for the 1st time this winter.

When I opened the garage door, Aria saw the snow and was amazed. In her deep, raspy voice she said "oooooh wow - - - - look 's rainin - - - - nooooo - - - 's not rainin - - - s' fuh ee (funny) what is it?" having a whole little conversation with herself. :)

We had fun playing in the backyard - pulling them around in sleds - taking bites of handfulls of snow. Although, being the particular one she is, Aria had a hard time with this "fuh ee" white stuff being all over her things - she had to clean off every surface - which doesn't work well when it continues to fall from the sky.

Here is Aria - all bundled up out in the snow


Aaliyah's 1st snow angel of the year



and the playground in our backyard still works!

crazy hair day

Mulu's elementary school (he is in 2nd grade) had crazy hair day - this was our attempt (seeing that I didn't have hair paint like he initially wanted). He said it was a great hit - and that people laughed at him but it was ok because he was trying to be funny :)

its a little hard to see with the dark background - but we did dozens of little tiny pony tails all over his head.




top view

Pie Crust 101

Before Thanksgiving day Aaliyah and I got to go visit my Grandma (Aaliyah's GREAT grandma) Hubacher to teach us how to make her perfect pie crust. It turned out to be a very special day for the three of us (and we ended up making lots of wicked good pies.

Here is Great Grandma showing Aaliyah exactly how much ice cold water should be added



Aaliyah posing with some dough



Aaliyah's turn to roll it out



We made a mini pumpkin pie just for Aaliyah. She ended up taking it to preschool to show her teacher and friends - they cut it into little pieces and they all got to try some.

Here is Aaliyah and Great Grandma posing with the mini pie - (this is Aaliyah's wink smile)




The three bakers - not bad for a self timed photo

Very Thankful . . . .

As we are approaching Thanksgiving I am in awe of all the blessings in my life. Over dinner the other night I asked everyone to mention one thing they were thankful for. This is what I got:

me: being surrounded by love

Brian: our family

Aria: my brother and sister (we helped her with this one - although she may have been able to come up with "the muppets" all on her own

Mulu: that the Indians helped the Pilgrims

Aaliyah: money

tee hee

Happy Thanksgiving everyone!!!

Fall

We have had a very busy and fun beginning to fall

Here is Aaliyah, Aria, Mulu and cousin Charlie at the pumpkin patch





playing in the leaves - Aria (sorry about the runny nose)



Aaliyah - with a hat on (it wasn't that cold, but I wasn't going to let her fabulous curls be infiltrated by the leaves/dirt/nature in general)


Mulu loving the leaves (and he worked very hard helping to rake them all up)


some fun Halloween desserts



presenting the Johnson kiddos as: a zombie ninja, Kermit and Ms. Piggy



our trick-or-treating gang


Daddy and Aria

Aria's Professional Photos

We had Aria's 2 year pictures taken professionally - here are some of the best shots