Tricks and Treats

We had another great Halloween this year, they seem to get better and better with the girls! No one had any major meltdowns, weather couldn't have been better, and there was lots of loot to be had.

We started off the afternoon with a block party hosted by The Ashworth's, all the kids had a blast. By sundown everyone was ready to hit the streets to do some trick-or-treating. By about 7:15 little Lane, the pink fairy, had gotten her fill, and Addyson, the HSM cheerleader, wasn't far behind her.

We all had such a great time, but we're all feeling it today, haha

Now on to the holidays, such a fun time of the year!

Poison Control

Our little Lane was up to no good, again.

Last night I came in our room to find her on the floor gulping down the lotion I use on her for her Eczema. She had a ton of it in the palm of her hand licking it, the stuff must have tasted good. I started wondering if this could be something serious, then about that time there was a knock at my door. A friend from church came by to drop something off, so I told her what happened. She suggested I call Poison Control so I did. They said that Lane needed to eat some crackers and drink something. Also, the lady said for me to keep her up for a while to keep an eye on her(it was about 8:00 at this point, so you know I was thrilled to keep her up any longer) She's fine today, just a bad diaper first thing this morning!

Always something exciting going on at our house =)

All Things Fall

We've been living Fall to the fullest these days in the Johnson house!

The girls and I went to a pumpkin festival and picked some great pumpkins this past weekend, and even got approached by a local newspaper photographer asking of she could feature the girls in the newspaper, fun! Ryan carved the pumpkins and they looked really cool...

Yesterday Addyson had her costume parade at school, and we almost didn't make it. You'd think after living in Houston all my life I'd be a pro at driving in thunderstorms, but this one was different. Seriously, I thought I was in the midst of a Monsoon. I pulled over twice on the side of the road because I literally could not see anything in front of me, very scary, especially with my 2 precious babies with me. We finally made it to school and got to see all the fun costumes the kiddos were wearing!

Addyson is a High School Musical cheerleader this year and she's such a cutie in it. Can't wait until Halloween, and we're really excited because it falls on a Saturday this year, yay!

***Here's a recipe I plan on trying out soon, doesn't it look yummy?? Ryan and I are all about our Apple Cider and Hot Chocolate before bed =)

Hot Caramel Apple Cider

Recipe by Our Best Bites

1/2 gallon apple cider (64 oz or 8 C)

1/2 C orange juice, fresh squeezed or good quality bottled like Simply Orange

1 orange

8 cloves

2 cinnamon sticks (if yours are more than a year old- buy new ones!!)

1/4 t ground allspice

1/3 C jarred caramel sauce* more to taste if needed optional: caramel flavored syrupsweetened whipped cream (or from a can is fine!)

*For a delicious twist, substitute maple syrup for the caramel sauce in this recipe.

Newest Ride

I'm wondering if Ryan will ever be 100% happy with the vehicle he drives? He'll buy a car, then a year or so later he thinks of a reason to get another one. We've been through trucks, an Explorer, a Hummer, a few Tahoe's(I on the other hand plan on driving my Tahoe until the wheels fall off, I love it. Just might be Addy's first car!), and now this one, an X3 he brought home today. It's a fun little car, wonder how long he'll drive this one?? ha!

"Just Give Me What I Want, And No One Gets Hurt"

Some lyrics to one of my favorite U2 songs, Vertigo. Love, love me some U2!! I got to see them for the third time last week at Reliant Stadium, and really, the third time was a charm! Bono is the ultimate rock star and the boys in the band are also pretty darn cool themselves.

I grew up listening to them. I always think of my sister Courtney when I hear, "Sunday Bloody Sunday". She had that song on in her room ALL the time so it for sure takes me back. Seems like each one of their albums takes me to a really great memory in my life.

I'm so glad I got to go to the show. I went with Brandy, Bobby and my neighbor Shannon, she is a nut! It was a blast, can you tell from the pics??

Oh and a pic of little Lane before we left, she and her runny nose weren't thrilled that I was leaving!

Dewberry Farm

Yesterday our friends, the Clark's, called to see if we wanted to join them in a day spent at Dewberry Farm, a really neat place to pick pumpkins and do all things "Fall". It was so much fun! The girls enjoyed going through the corn maze, got to see some baby chicks, among other things. It was a cool and dreary day, but it was a nice change from the hot and humid weather we've been having. We didn't get to pick a pumpkin because our favorite 2 year old decided it was time to go home and get a nap....They also have a Christmas Tree Farm during the holidays, hopefully we'll find the Johnson Family tree there this year.

Just Because...

Just as I'm dumping out the laundry onto the floor to be folded I hear a key unlocking the front door. To my surprise my sweet husband walks in and brings me flowers, nice! I wasn't even expecting him home until after dinner because he was working in Lake Jackson, about an hour away, today. Love that he got home early and loved the flowers he had with him. Think I'll keep him!!

Ready for the COLD!

I think us folks here in Texas have been pretty patient. We've just been through a brutally hot Summer and now that it's October, we're ready for some relief. We're READY for a cold front! Our relatives in Alaska, Utah and Wyoming are seeing the cold, even snow believe it or not! As I type, a storm is blowing through and it promises some cooler weather. I'll believe it when I see it, hmmm.

Little Lane is ready, can you tell? Shorts, a T-Shirt, and a hoodie...only in TX.

And I thought Miss Addyson looked especially cute this AM before school!

The PJ Girls

Addyson and Lane got to have their best friends, Ashlyn and Brinley, over for a play date today, a bedtime edition! Shannon and Brian went to the Kings of Leon concert and I offered to watch their girls for them. After full tummies of pizza, juice, and Popsicles, the jammies got put on and my camera came out...

Such cute little ones, I think!

The Birthday Boy

My beloved husband turned 35 years old yesterday, "Wow!!" I told him, haha For a few months we're the same age, then until the next July I get to gloat and tell him I'm younger than he is ;-)

I think he had a good birthday this year. As usual, we celebrate Ryan's birthday during the October General Conference like we do each year, and we got to spend it with the Popes. We had a great time and a really yummy chocolate cake too(thanks Melanie!).

We hope you have many, many, many more, sweet Ryan!!

Hurricane Lane

Delaney has always been our "get into everything-won't sit still for 2 seconds-overly curious"child, so each day is a new adventure with her.

Yesterday I was getting ready for the day when I could hear the dog scratching on the backdoor wanting back in. I kept asking Addyson to let him in and she wasn't saying anything. Finally she walked in to our bathroom and said, "Mom, there's chocolate all over the place so I didn't think you'd want Booka inside yet" By the way, the girls have renamed Baxter to Booka. He's still Baxter, but answers to both names, a sweetheart of a dog! Anyway, I walk out into the living room afraid of what I'd find, and our precious little Lane dumped out a brand new box of Cocoa Krispies all over the place, *sigh*. I mean, this isn't the worse thing she's ever done, but actually I thought it was funny so I had to get a pic of it. Now, had it been a chocolate bar type situation it wouldn't be so funny, and there probably wouldn't be a pic of it to be seen anywhere!

A picture I really wanted to get was when Ryan walked in on her in her room last week and she had smeared Balmex all over her face, oh MY! She looked like she had a little mask on her face; she did a good job of avoiding her eyes, nose and mouth, I was surprised! Ryan didn't think it was too funny, but I did, haha

Love, love this little girl, but she for sure tests every ounce of patience we have :)