IT'S ABOUT THAT TIME

THE WORK CHRISTMAS PARTY HAS FINALLY ARRIVED...

AND IF THIS BAG IS ANY INDICATION OF WHAT'S IN STORE....IT'S GOING TO BE A WILD AND CRAZY DAY!!!  MAYBE THE BIG BOSS WILL LET US OFF EARLY TODAY..FINGERS CROSSED!! HAVE I TOLD YOU LATELY HOW MUCH I LOVE CHRISTMAS??

                                                   2 DAYS AWAY

I LOVE A CHRISTMAS PARTY

WE CELEBRATED  OUR FRONT OFFICE WORK CHRISTMAS PARTY LAST WEDNESDAY (12*14*11) BECAUSE AMANDA TOOK THIS WEEK OFF...LUCKY DOG!!! WE WERE SOOOOOO EXCITED TO OPEN ALL OUR PRESENTS..I SUGGESTED THIS YEAR THAT WE OPEN FROM ONE PERSON EVERY HOUR SO IT WOULD MAKE OUR PARTY LAST LONGER :) AND AMANDA WENT FIRST...THE FIRST GIFT SHE GAVE US WAS A WEEKLY DEVOTIONAL BOOK OF HOPE...HOPE IS ONE OF HER FAVORITE WORDS..AND SHE HAS A COPY OF THIS HERSELF..I'M THE ONLY NON BIG READER IN THE GROUP AND THE REST OF THEM READ ALL THESE NOVELS AND PASS THEM BACK AND FORTH...THEN TALK ABOUT IT AT WORK...SO I'M SUPER EXCITED FOR US ALL TO READ THIS STARTING IN 2012 AND HAVE OUR LIL' WEEKLY DEVOTIONAL BOOK CLUB AT WORK...I THINK IT'S GOING TO BE FUN FUN FUN!!!

STEFFIEJ THE REINDEER

DASHER * DANCER * PRANCER * VIXEN

THIS WAS MY PRESENT TO THE GIRLS..I WANTED EVERYONE TO HAVE THE SAME BAG :)

SUSIE LOVED HER LAST NAME FRAME...SHE HAD SEEN IT IN A MAGAZINE AND KIM HELPED ME HUNT IT DOWN ON-LINE...GOT MY M-I-L ONE FOR CHRISTMAS TOO...SHHHHHH, DON'T TELL HER :)

I WAS ALSO AMANDA'S SECRET SANTA...SHE ASKED FOR A DVD OF THE LION KING..BUT SHE HAD NEVER SEEN ICE CASTLES...BLESS!!! EVEN I HAVE SEEN ICE CASTLES...SO, INDEED I FELT SHE NEEDED A COPY IT ALSO...IT WAS A BIG LAUGH FOR US ALL!!

THESE WERE OUR PRESENTS FROM SUSIE...KIM WANTED US TO POSE AS ROCKETTES..SO WE GAVE SUSIE A PRESENT SO SHE COULD JOIN IN ON THE FUN!!

WE HAD TO EAT IN BECAUSE WE "ARE" THE FRONT OFFICE...AND WE COULDN'T LEAVE..SO WE HAD SOME APPLEBEE'S CURBSIDE AND UPSIDE DOWN :) STRAWBERRY CUPCAKES FOR DESSERT...

KIM GOT US THE MOST AWESOME PUMPKIN BUTTER FROM A LIL' PLACE CALLED MIKE'S FARM...THEY HAVE A PUMPKIN PATCH IN THE FALL AND A CHRISTMAS LIGHTS TOUR IN THE WINTER...THE PUMPKIN BUTTER IS INSANELY GOOD...SO GOOD WITH CREAM CHEESE ON A BAGEL...

 AMANDA GOT US A GAG GIFT OF TOILET SEAT COVERS AND A SCRUBBY PAD...KIM'S FACE IS PRICELESS!!! LUCKILY WE CAUGHT HER FIRST REACTION FACE ON CAMERA..KIM MAKES THE BEST FACES..BUT SHE CAN NEVER REINACT THEM..SO IF YOU MISS IT, THAT'S IT...GLAD WE DIDN'T MISS THIS ONE!! SHE MAKES ME LAUGH!!

MERRY CHRISTMAS TO MY FRONT OFFICE WORK PEEPS!!! HOPE SANTA IS GOOD TO YOU ALL!!!

MERRY CHRISTMAS.....FROM THE JOHNSONS!!

MERRY CHRISTMAS TO MY BLOG WORLD FRIENDS...OF FIVE :) HERE IS MY CHRISTMAS CARD FROM THIS YEAR...I ACTUALLY JUST MAILED THEM OUT YESTERDAY...WASN'T GOING TO DO A CHRISTMAS CARD THIS YEAR BECAUSE, OF COURSE, MONEY IS A LIL' TIGHTER AROUND THIS TIME OF YEAR...AND NO ONE WANTED TO COOPERATE FOR A "GROUP" SHOT..BUT THE MORE I THOUGHT ABOUT IT..THE MORE IT STRESSED ME NOT TO SEND A CARD..BECAUSE I LOVE GETTING CHRISTMAS CARDS...AND I FINALLY FACED THE FACT THAT IT REALLY DIDN'T MATTER IF I HAD THE "PERFECT" ONE GROUP PHOTO...I LOVE MY BABIES..JUST BEING THEMSELVES...SO, A HAPPY SUMMERTIME CHRISTMAS PHOTO IT WAS....AND HERE IT IS!! ENJOY MY FRIENDS!!!

                                                           THE FRONT

AND IN HONOR OF THE WORLDS GREATEST BALL TEAM....THE BACK

**THIS IS THE FIRST YEAR I HAVE USED TINYPRINTS.COM... AND LET ME JUST SAY I WAS TOTALLY IMPRESSED WITH THEIR CARDS...I WAITED UNTIL THEY OFFERED A 20% COUPON CODE AND A FREE RUSHED SHIPPING OFFER.... BECAUSE THEY WERE MORE THAN I USUALLY SPEND ON CARDS...BUT THEY WERE SO DANG CUTE AND HAD SOOO OOO MANY OPTIONS TO CHOOSE FROM...THAT I JUST COULDN'T RESIST ..AND I ORDERED THEM ON A TUESDAY AND THEY WERE HERE BY THURSDAY...THEY WERE  PACKAGED SO THAT NOTHING COULD GET BENT WHAT-SO-EVER...I WAS A HAPPY HAPPY CAMPER AND DEFINITELY WILL USE THEM AGAIN!!...I ALWAYS LOVE SPREADING GOOD FINDS ON-LINE WHEN I FIND A GOOD ONE...AND THIS IS A GOOD ONE FOR YOU TO TRY...YOU WON'T BE DISAPPOINTED**

CANDY CANE LANE

TUESDAY NIGHT (12*13*11), MADDOX AND SAYLOR WERE IN THE CANDY CANE LANE CHRISTMAS PROGRAM AT SCHOOL...IT WAS MY FAVORITE THAT THEY HAVE BEEN IN SO FAR!!  THEY ALL HAD TO WEAR CHRISTMAS PAJAMAS AND THE MAIN CHARACTER, JANE, WAS PERFORMED BY A LIL' GIRL IN THE 2nd GRADE NAMED, AVERY!! AND SHE ROCKED!!! WHEN SHE STARTED SINGING, I LOOKED OVER AT SCOTT AND SAID.."I CAN'T BELIEVE THAT VOICE IS COMING OUT OF SUCH A LIL' PERSON"..SHE WAS AMAZING!!! KNEW ALL HER LINES AND NEVER MISSED A BEAT...I NEVER CAN TAKE GOOD PICTURES IN OUR GYMNASIUM FOR SOME REASON...SO I MADE THE KIDS ENDURE A QUICK PHOTO SHOOT BEFORE WE LEFT NANA AND PAPA'S HOUSE....MADDOX WAS NOT IN THE PICTURE TAKING MOOD SO URBAN TOOK HIS PLACE....AND HE WAS WOUND SLAM UP :)

MY MADDOX MAN WAS JOSEPH...AND I WAS SOOOO PROUD OF HIM....HE'S SO NOT THE ATTENTION TYPE LIKE THE REST OF THE THREE :) HE DIDN'T HAVE TO DO ANYTHING BUT WALK HOLDING THE MANGER AND THEN SIT HERE THRU ONE WHOLE SONG...BUT I WAS STILL PROUD!!

SAYLOR WITH HER FRIEND, HARPER CATE....THEY WERE PJ TWINS!

AND..JUST LIKE THAT..ANOTHER EVENT WAS MARKED OFF THE CHRISTMAS SEASON LIST...GETTING EXCITED FOR THE ARRIVAL OF UNCLE-E!!! THE KIDS ARE BOUNCING OFF THE WALLS...SURE HOPE HE'S READY FOR ALL THE EXCITEMENT!!

BRING ON THE PARADE

THE WEEKEND BEFORE LAST (12*3*11), WE HERDED UP THE CROWD AND HEADED DOWNTOWN FOR OUR ANNUAL CHRISTMAS PARADE...THIS IS THE FIRST TIME WE HAVE EVER TAKEN THE KIDS TO THE CHRISTMAS PARADE..HOW SAD IS THAT?? BUT, IN ALL HONESTY, I REMEMBER THE LAST TIME I WENT AND IT WASN'T THAT GREAT..SO WE JUST HAVE NEVER BOTHERED WITH IT...BUT, THIS YEAR THE GIRLS WERE ON A DANCE FLOAT FOR THEIR DANCE COMPANY...AND THEY WERE BOTH SOOOOO EXCITED...(THANKS MIMI AND GRAND-DADDY FOR BUYING THEIR SWEATSHIRTS FOR THE PARADE)...PAPA EVEN TOOK HIS TRUCK DOWNTOWN EARLY THAT MORNING AND WENT AHEAD AND GOT US A PARKING SPOT TO BE ABLE TO SIT AND WATCH AS THE GIRLS CAME BY...WE ALL LOOKED LIKE THE PAPARAZZI AWAITING OUR PRINCESS'S ON THEIR FLOAT...

MY DAD TOOK THIS PICTURE AND I LOVE IT!!

ME AND SUSIE-Q GOOFING AROUND BEFORE THE GIRLS ARRIVE

MIMI DECIDED TO LOAD ALL THE KIDS UP WITH SUGAR WHILE THEY WAITED FOR THE PARADE TO START...NOT THAT THEY NEEDED ANY EXTRA ENERGY... BECAUSE THEY WERE BOUNCING OFF THE WALLS ALREADY JUST GETTING TO PLAY IN THE BACK OF OUR FRIEND JAMES' TRUCK...

GOTTA LOVE SOME CHICK-FIL-A!! THE BEST SWEET TEA IN THE WORLD!!

OUR FLOAT WAS OF COURSE DIVA'D SLAM OUT!! BECAUSE IT WAS CARRYING LOTS OF DIVAS!! SAYLOR IS THE ONE LAUGHING NEXT TO MY FRIEND JESSICA IN THE ORANGE COAT AND LONDON IS BEHIND HER ON THE LEFT WITH NO SMILE...JESS VOLUNTEERED TO BE THE FLOAT MOM FOR OUR CREW...I WAS THE PICTURE TAKER AND VERY HAPPY SHE TOOK THE FLOAT JOB!!

THE GIRLS WERE PRECIOUS...OF COURSE I'M BIASED...BUT THEY WERE ALL TOO CUTE!!

THIS FREAKY LOOKING ELMO WAS A HIT WITH THE KIDS...AT THE BEGINNING OF THE PARADE HE TOOK HIS HEAD OFF AND THE MAN WEARING THE COSTUME JUST RODE THE FLOAT WITH THE RED SUIT ON WITH HIS HEAD STICKING OUT...THANKFULLY, HE PUT IT BACK ON...YES..WE ARE REDNECKS FOR SURE!!! BUT BLESS HIS HEART..I NEVER COULD HAVE STUCK THAT THING ON MY HEAD..PANIC ATTACK CITY HERE I COME!!

FLOAT MOM WITH OUR GIRLS BRINGING THEM BACK TO WATCH THE REST OF THE PARADE!!!.. WAY TO GO JESS!!!

LONDON * SAYLOR * RILEY-COOPER*EMMA

NANA AND LONDON

MIMI*LONDON*GRAND-DADDY

THE PRINCESS #2 GOT LOTS OF LOVE AFTER THE PARADE..SHE HAD THIS FACE THE WHOLE TIME...SHE WAS SUPER HAPPY...BUT JUST IN AWE OF WHAT ALL WAS HAPPENING...

MADDOX'S FRIEND FROM SCHOOL...BLAIR...RODE IN THE PARADE AND THEN WHEN SHE WAS DONE HER MOM BROUGHT HER BACK TO OUR AREA SO SHE COULD HANG OUT WITH MADDOX...MY BOY SURE CAN ATTRACT THOSE GIRLS..GONNA HAVE TO KEEP MY EYE ON HIM FOR SURE!!

JESS WITH HER ROTTENLY-CUTENSS RILEY-COOPER!!

THE W'S!!

HERE COMES SANTA CLAUS...HERE COMES SANTA CLAUS!!

IN 12 MORE DAYS TO BE EXACT :)

YESTERDAY WE HAD OUR CHILDREN'S PROGRAM AT CHURCH..I WAS ON A MISSION TO FIND US A SEAT...AND APPARENTLY I WAS REALLY FOCUSED ON THAT..BECAUSE I TOTALLY  MISSED THIS UPSIDE DOWN TREE HANGING IN THE MIDDLE OF OUR ATRIUM... BUT ..I SAW IT LATER ON FACEBOOK AND IT IS BEAUTIFUL..I HAVE ONLY SEEN THIS DONE ONE OTHER TIME..IN A RESTAURANT WE HAVE HERE..THEY PUT THE TREE UPSIDE DOWN HANGING FROM THE CEILING AND THEY EVEN TACK A TREE SKIRT AROUND IT AND HAVE PRESENTS UPSIDE DOWN TOO..MAYBE I CAN TALK SCOTTJ INTO DOING THIS NEXT YEAR :)

GO COWBOYS!!!

FOR ANYONE THAT MAY NOT KNOW....SCOTTJ IS THE NUMBER 1 INSANEEEEEEEEE, OVER THE TOP...COWBOY FAN!!! HE TOLD ME HE HAS LOVED THE COWBOYS SINCE HE WAS CLOSE TO 3 YEARS OLD..THAT MAKES HIM A 35 YEAR COWBOY LOVER!! FOR THE PAST TWO YEARS I HAVE BEEN GOING WITH HIM TO DALLAS TO WATCH ONE OF THE GAMES..THIS PAST YEAR THE NFL WAS IN THE MIDDLE OF THEIR STRIKE AND IT DIDN'T LOOK LIKE THEY WERE ANYWHERE CLOSE TO COMING TO AN AGREEMENT...SO WE ENDED UP HAVING TO GO AHEAD AND MAKE OUR YEARLY VACATION PLANS..WHICH MEANT...NO TRIP TO DALLAS :( I WAS BUMMED BECAUSE IT HAS BECOME A TRADITION TO GET OUR PICTURES MADE WHILE WE ARE THERE..HERE ARE TWO FROM LAST YEARS SESSION...WE BOUGHT A BIG ONE OF THE SECOND ONE TO HANG IN SCOTT'S COWBOY ROOM..HE LOVED IT..AND I DID TOO!!

WE LOVE AMY...SHE OWNS IMAGES OF GRACE PHOTOGRAPHY...AND I AM SOOOO GLAD I FOUND HER...HOPING TO TAKE THE TWINS WITH US  NEXT YEAR FOR THEIR FIRST DALLAS COWBOYS FOOTBALL GAME..AND GET THEM IN ON A PICTURE SESSION TOO!!

GOOD NEWS IS...THIS YEAR WE ARE GETTING TO SEE THE COWBOYS TWICE...JUST NOT IN THEIR STADIUM..BUT THAT'S OKAY..WE ARE JUST HAPPY TO BE ABLE TO GO TO A COUPLE OF GAMES...MOST RECENTLY, WE SAW THEM PLAY THE REDSKINS...IT WAS A GREAT WEEKEND..SCOTT AND I CHRISTMAS SHOPPED AND THEN WE HEADED TO THE STADIUM FOR THE BIG GAME....HE INFORMED ME THAT THIS WAS AS BIG AS A SUPER BOWL SINCE THE REDSKINS AND COWBOYS ARE SERIOUS RIVALS...

A NICE REDSKIN FANS FAMILY PARKED BESIDE US IN THE PARKING LOT AND AGREED TO TAKE OUR PICTURE BEFORE THE GAME...THE DAD ALSO THREW SCOTT A REDSKINS HAT WHICH SCOTT WAS MORE THAN HAPPY TO GIVE THE THUMBS DOWN TO...

MY HUSBAND SHOWS GREAT SPORTSMANSHIP AT ALL TIMES  :)

HE WANTED TO WEAR  HIS JASON WITTEN JERSEY..BUT WE HAVE HAD TO RETIRE IT SINCE WE GOT IT SIGNED LAST YEAR..SO HE PULLED OUT ROMO FOR GOOD LUCK!!

TO SAY THE REDSKIN STADIUM IS A DUMP HOLE..IS VERY MUCH THE UNDERSTATEMENT OF THE YEAR (SORRY ANY REDSKINS FANS)....SCOTT SAID IT IS FAIRLY NEW..LIKE FIVE YEARS OLD MAYBE..IT WAS SOOOOO BLAH...JUST PLAIN JANE CONCRETE....AND THE NASTIEST BATHROOMS EVER..BESIDES OUR TARGET :) NOTHING REALLY CAN COMPARE TO THE TEXAS STADIUM, ONCE YOU'VE BEEN THERE..BUT LONG STORY SHORT (IF THERE IS SUCH A THING WITH ME)...A WAITRESS AT APPLEBEE'S HAD BOUGHT THESE TWO TICKETS AND ENDED UP NEEDING TO SALE THEM..WE JUST HAPPENED TO BE IN APPLEBEE'S WHEN SHE WAS THERE SPORTING A MANNING JERSEY AND OF COURSE SCOTT BEING SCOTT WAS TALKING MAD JUNK TO HER..SO THEN SHE PRECEDES TO TELL HIM ABOUT THESE TICKETS...SO WE SNAGGED THEM UP AND HEADED TO DC...THIS WAS OUR SEATS..AND THAT IS SCOTTJ MAKING FUN OF ME AGAIN WITH THE "FAKE SMILE"...OUR SEATS WERE AWFUL!!! HE SAID THE WORST IN ALL THE 19 YEARS OF GAMES HE'S BEEN TO...THAT MUST BE SUPER BAD!!!....AND THE BAD THING WAS THAT SCOTT BEING SCOTT AGAIN, HAD RESEARCHED THE SEATS AND FROM THE PHOTOGRAPH HE WAS SHOWN ONLINE, IT LOOKED LIKE WE WOULD SIT OUT IN THE OPEN..NOPE..DEFINITELY NOT..THIS WAS OUR FABULOUS VIEW....IT WAS ACTUALLY WORSE WHEN YOU SAT DOWN BECAUSE YOU COULDN'T SEE PART OF THE FIELD DUE TO THE OVER HANG...

I FELT LIKE I WAS STUCK IN THE UNDERGROUND...BUT I TOOK ONE FOR THE TEAM..BECAUSE SCOTT'S EXCITEMENT MADE UP FOR IT...AT FIRST WE TOOK SOME PICS OF THE PLAYERS FROM THIS FAR UP..THEY WERE OKAY SHOTS JUST TO BE GETTING SOME..BUT A SUPER NICE WORKER TOLD SCOTT WE COULD WALK DOWN FOR A BETTER VIEW BEFORE THE GAME STARTED...AND THAT ROCKED!!!

WE WERE LITERALLY JUST THREE ROWS UP FROM THE VERY BOTTOM AND I TOOK OVER 250 PICTURES OF THE "BOYS" ON THE FIELD WARMING UP...THE HIGHLIGHT OF THE DAY WAS WHEN JASON WITTEN WAS WALKING DOWN THE SIDELINE AND SCOTT STARTS SCREAMING HIS NAME FOR HIM TO LOOK AT ME SO I COULD GET HIS PICTURE..SOMETHING ABOUT THOSE FOOTBALL PLAYERS..WHEN YOU SEE THEM IN PERSON IT'S LIKE A BIG CELEBRITY RUSH..THAT'S THE ONLY WAY I CAN DESCRIBE IT...BUT BETTER THAN THAT BECAUSE JASON IS SO NICE!!

THIS IS WHEN HIM AND SCOTT ARE MAKING EYE CONTACT AND SCOTT IS SCREAMING LIKE A MAD MAN!!

                                THANKS JASON FOR MAKING OUR DAY!!!

WE SAW JESSE HOLLY ABOUT FOUR YEARS AGO IN CHAMPS RESTAURANT IN RALEIGH WHILE HE WAS STILL PLAYING FOR UNC (CAROLINA)....AND SCOTT BEING SCOTT AGAIN...ASKED HIM FOR HIS AUTOGRAPH..WHICH HE NICELY SIGNED A CARDBOARD COASTER...AND SCOTT EVEN JOKED WITH HIM ABOUT "WHAT IF YOU GOT DRAFTED BY THE COWBOYS?"...AND HE LAUGHED IT OFF SAYING THAT WOULD NEVER HAPPEN...THEN HE WAS ON A SHOW CALLED "4th AND LONG"....AND NOW HE IS A "COWBOY"...HE IS ANOTHER OF SCOTT'S FAVES!!!

THE GAME WAS THE MOST INTENSE ONE I HAVE EVER BEEN TO...WE WERE WINNING AND THEN LOSING..THEN WINNING...THEN LOSING..THEN LOSING SOME MORE...WENT INTO OVER TIME...NAIL BITER...FANS ON THE EDGE OF THEIR SEAT....

                       THEN THE VICTORY WAS OURS FOR THE TAKING!!

AND THANK GOODNESS....THAT SURE WOULD HAVE BEEN A LONGER RIDE HOME HAD WE LOST...I'M TELLING YOU...THAT BOY TAKES HIS "BOYS" VERY SERIOUSLY!!!! I HAD THE BEST TIME WITH YOU SCOTTJ..YOU HAVE TURNED ME INTO A COWBOY FAN FOR LIFE!!!...CAN'T WAIT FOR MANY MORE COWBOY GAMES WITH YOU AND OUR CREW!!