At the beach

I love being at the beach. I don't love packing for the beach, hauling everything through the sand to get to the beach, changing diapers at the beach, trying to clean up and pack up to leave the beach or cleaning up the van after the beach... but I sure do love BEING at the beach. There is something just mesmerizing about the water crashing onto the sand... especially here in Destin. Gorgeous turquoise blue water and white sand. It's picture perfect.

We spent a few days on our vacation playing at the beach. We set up a big tent and a few umbrellas which gave us great shade. We had a cooler full of ice cold drinks, tons of beach toys, frisbees, footballs, two body boards, a skim board and plenty of seats for the kids although they never even sat down.


The kids really liked the body boards. Ryan and Katie used them the most. The waves were perfect on our second beach day when there was more wind late in the afternoon. Chris helped them on and gave them a push as a big wave approached. They loved it. Tyler loved it too. Even Spencer and Megan had fun on them.


Luke just loved the beach. Sitting in the beach chairs, running into the waves, stealing the other kids beach toys, wading into the water with Grandpa, going on walks, being pulled around on one of the boards... he just never got tired of any of it.



The little cousins were fun to play with. Chris played with them for a long time helping them run away from the waves and jump in the shallow water. What cuties.


On the last day we picked up a Skim board and found the perfect stretch of sand and shallow water. Chris and Ryan had fun practicing.


Even at the beach Matthew was hardly put down. Someone always wanted to hold him, usually Grandma. He smiles so much now when you talk to him that it seems he's always grinning. Matthew really never went in the water but still was plenty sandy by the time we went home everyday.


When the kids were tired of the water they started to dig. They made big holes in the sand, soliciting help from aunts and uncles. Then they tried to fill their hole with water. Even Luke was excited and willing to help. We laughed each time he filled up his little cup and bounced it around until there was nothing but a few drops to put in the hole. He didn't mind and neither did we. It kept him busy for an hour.


Seriously, so much fun to be AT the beach. Makes me want to go back!

On Vacation

We arrived in Destin, Florida on Sunday night, July 12th. A few hours after us Chris' whole family flew in to Ft. Walton airport and made their way to the house that would be home for 21 people for a week. 3 floors, six bedrooms and plenty of room for all of us. It was a cute neighborhood of condos around a great pool.

Monday the guys headed straight for the golf course and the rest of us lounged around and then made our way to the pool. The weather was cloudy but still hot and humid. It rained on us for a few minutes here and there but we kept playing. Then it poured and we were soaked. I know, we were wet already, but now every towel, stroller, baby blanket and beach bag was soaked too.

With a sporadic thunder stormy afternoon we decided to get ready and head to PFChangs for an early dinner. We convinced the hostess to seat us after she stared at us and said, 'we already have a big party here.' We all glanced at the relatively empty dinning room and helped put tables together. Good food. Great to be together again.

After dinner we walked around the brand new 'Grand Park' outdoor shopping area taking our time and enjoying the perfect temperature.

Some of the cousins
Group shot
Emily and Kyle
Chris and I
Kayla - 20 months old, Luke - 19 months old, Haylee -23 months old
Ryan and Haylee
Smiley Matthew, 2 months old
Spencer and Chris

Two weeks ago we ate popcorn and had icy's five nights in a row... it was Harry Potter Week. On Monday afternoon I taped a family invitation to the fireplace... All Johnson Muggles please meet in the Great Dining Hall for Wizard lessons... 8:00pm We could hardly wait... Monday night we watched Harry Potter and the Philosphers Stone. Tuesday night we watched Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets. Wednesday night (after youth night) we watched Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban. Thursday night we watched Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire. And Friday night we watched Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix. It was so fun and got us so excited to see #6... Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince which we (Chris, Ryan, Katie, Emily, John, Nikole, Tyler, Spencer, Grandpa Johnson, Lindsey and Ashlyn) saw opening night while on vacation in Destin, Florida. Loved it!!!

Elder Walton

My parents took Brian, my youngest brother, to the MTC today. He called us this morning and we put the phone on speaker and gathered around so that all the kids could talk. They said... have a good mission... see you later... have a good time... do good... come to our house when you are done... where are you going? It was fun to talk to him. He sounded nervous, anxious and excited... the exact recipe for a cute little greenie. We love you ELDER Walton. Hope you like the cards we sent you!

Katie's 9th birthday

Katie requested hawaiian haystacks for her family birthday dinner... and then a platter of nine chocolate cupcakes with pink frosting! She giggled before trying to blow them out. She has a history of not being able to blow them all out... sometimes she blows and doesn't get any outInstead of handing over a pile of presents we gave her questions to answer in order to find them. Check out Katie's quiz and see if you can figure out where her presents were hidden...


All the kids gathered around her to help her finish. They loved it. As soon as she figured out the last clue she dashed off to get her presents. She got...


Clothes, which didn't quite come in the mail on time...

A black necklace, which she wore for days afterwards...

A big K for her desk...

The new Jonas Brothers CD, (already has every word memorized)

A new clock,

And a lime green iPod!
She was shocked and SOOOOO happy. Katie and Dad spent the next hour or so getting all her CD's loaded onto her iPod and buying more songs with her iTunes gift card from her friend. This nine year old was in heaven. Happy Birthday Kate.