christmas is coming

The holiday season is arriving a littler earlier than normal in the Johnson household, thanks to one 5 year old boy who is beyond excited! Hudson insisted that we get our tree last weekend and then insisted that we put it up. This is normally something we do after Thanksgiving. I compromised and said we could put the tree up but not decorate until this weekend. He agreed. He's fine with that since the boys have had their tree decorated in their room for days already. Lights shine through the entire night.

He's totally into Christmas. He was pretending to be Santa in his sleigh. I wish I would've gotten a picture a few minutes later, he taped a kleenex to his chin for a beard.

And we have to have lights outside!! Aunt Vicky got us the candy canes last year after Hudson saw some in a book that he just had to have!

After putting the lights outside, they warmed up with some hot chocolate and marshmallows by the undecorated tree and fire.

Hockey

Hockey has started, and with 2 boys, everything is doubled. 2 helmets, 2 sticks, 2 pairs of pads, 2 jerseys, 4 skates, and one giant bag (that I am certain I could even fit into!). It is a learning experience for all of us that's for sure. Practice twice a week, volunteer hours, fundraising, tying skates as tight as I can, where do all the pads go, pulling helmets off slowly and gently because apparently it really hurts. It feels like chaos sometimes, and I'm not sure if I'm fully prepared for what being a "hockey mom" entails, but if these boys (or maybe only one of them) want to play hockey, then I'm willing.

They got put onto teams last week (of course not the same one, that'd be too easy!). Hudson is #13 on the blue team and Pax is #8 on the yellow team. Can you tell by this picture which boy really, REALLY likes hockey?!?!? Yep, it seems Pax is a natural. He gets it and he likes it. His teeny tiny little body cruises around the ice and you really can't help but laugh. But he's good. Hudson, as completely expected knowing his personality, is a little more reserved, doesn't want to fall so he takes his time, moves his feet slowly and cautiously, but he's trying and gets more comfortable at every practice. And the fact that both of these boys had to use walkers to hang on too just weeks ago, I'm amazed at the progress they're making!

I got out on the ice with them this weekend, for the first time in like 15 years! My size 5 skates still fit me and I was pleasantly surprised that I could actually still skate (I was in figure skating through all of my childhood)! And the boys loved me skating with them! We'll have to go more often as I could tell it really helped Hudson's confidence, following Mommy around the rink.

And we all had fun! Mommy's sore feet and all!

Halloween.....days later....

So Halloween has come and gone and I'm just now getting around to blogging it. The boys had a blast (to say the least) trick-or-treating!!! They ran, full speed ahead to each house with a light on, always saying trick-or-treat and thank you, leaving 2 proud parents in the dust watching from the sidewalks. Harlow got in on the action too but we couldn't let her run wild, she would've been a runaway pig! 

1st ponytail

Her first ever ponytail......needs to be documented. That cute little thing turned my baby girl into a big girl. And she sat still for me to put it in, as long as I told her I was making her pretty, she was in her glory. All day, if you asked where her "pretty" was, she'd smile and point to her ponytail. And to those who begged me to cut her mullet, even sometimes threatened to cut it themselves (ahem...Maddi!!), eat your words, that mullet turned into the cutest thing EVER!!

I thought I'd also give you a glimpse of the after effects of that cutest ponytail ever! And a not-so-happy, very tired little sister.