Heather Johnson Photography

Woo Hoo!  It’s done, done done! The journaling reads: We had a very Merry Christmas this year. Marie wasn’t too aware of what was going on, but Holly was completely into the holiday! Holly opened up princess dresses, a Dora Dance game, and lots of clothes. Grandma and Grandpa enjoyed having us at the Farm as is our custom each year. This year we were surprised with a visit from Amy and Jim too!

It will be so nice to actually start posting other projects and creations on this blog, I have a bunch of different categories listed but not much under each one yet. Just today I cut out a crayon apron, four placements, and two tablecloths for my four year old’s kitchen.  Can’t wait to share tomorrow:)

For now, I will post my last page and enjoy the silence that occurs when both girls are asleep.  I don’t know whether to eat a snack/meal slowly (I have yet to do that since Marie came home from the hospital in November) or just stare at the ceiling and think of nothing…if only for a few moments!

So excited that this album is just about ready to share.  I have to tweak Day 25, and will be posting it tomorrow, and then off to Shutterfly it goes!  Definitely feel like giving myself a pat on the back for completing it this year–a newborn and the holiday season do NOT mix well together!  It may lack a bit in creativity, but the most important stuff like the photos and the stories, are recorded.  Can’t wait for next year!

First up–Day 20.  Profiled our advent calendar by Playmobil, love those things!  I first learned about them via Ali Edwards, and now I can safely say they will be a holiday tradition.  The journaling reads: Like I said before, this was definitely the year of the advent calendar! (We had two going strong!) This was our first year trying out one by Playmobil, and I completely love them as does Holly. We went with a dinosaur theme, Holly just loves dinosaurs! It was fun to build upon the scene each day, and very hard to keep Holly from peeking ahead!

Day number 22 was about our extended family Christmas.  Loved that we were able to get the whole group together for a picture!  The journaling reads: This year we managed to get a group family photo at the Grace Christmas.  We are quite a large group!  This year’s party was at Bill and Kathy’s and the little second cousins had a great time playing in the “clubhouse,” riding four-wheelers, or riding horsey on one another!!

Day number 23 is about the day we went to Santa at the Mall of America.  We had a great time, it was so nice to get out after Holly had been so sick that week. The journaling reads: A visit to Santa, a warm Cinnabon, and twirling in the falling snow.  Perfect December Day!

Day number 24, Christmas Even, was unfortunately a “staged” shot.  This photo was taken the week after Christmas, as on the actual Christmas Eve this year I was sick, sick, sick! The journaling reads: This is how I WISH I could say we spent Christmas Eve. Unfortunately Justin and I were both very sick that day, and spent much of it on the couch. A few days later I was well enough to snap this picture–which is what I had planned to do that day had I been feeling better!

Finished up the whole album today, and will be posting the rest of the pages over the next two or three days.  So glad to have it done!

Day 17 is all about Holly’s first haircut!  The journaling reads: For the first time in Holly’s life this week, she got a haircut. You would never know it was her first time, as she climbed up into the chair like an old pro. (I swear this girl is going to be spa-junkie someday, she loves to be pampered!) In the end she lost about four inches, and just loves her new “do!”

Day 18 is all about Marie and her first bath at home.  These photos just crack me up! The journaling reads: Lots of baby stuff going on here at home! Here are some photos from Marie’s first home bath.  Love how she because a little buddha once she is submerged in warm water. She loves baths!

Day 19 was a day for Holly and I to reconnect.  Doing our favorite thing–going out for coffee!  The journaling reads: Today Holly and I were able to sneak out together for one of our favorite pastimes–a coffee break! Earlier in the week Holly told me that she was missing me, and mising the things we used to do together. So, at the first chance we could, we had a morning together and talked over hot chocolate, apple juice, and pumpkin bread! Love my girl!

Plugging along!  The journaling for this day reads: Today was a day for baking cookies! Worked out well to bake the cookies while Holly napped so that she could enjoy the decorating part when she woke up! We had a great time–and they tasted great!

Another day reflecting the December we are having this year–a glimpse at what is real.  (I don’t like to admit it, but some of our holiday preparations and traditions are…how shall I put it…staged!  Not that we don’t make gingerbread houses together, we do, but when I am making my poor daughter change clothes and hairstyles the same night for content purposes you know I am a) having a harried December and b) clearly have issues!)

Anyhow–this is one of my favorite pages.  In it is the sunrise Justin and I watched together one morning while the girls were still asleep, Holly giving Marie her first bottle, and evidence of the bouquet of flowers my husband brought home for me “just because.”  Yup, this page just might be the most magical of all.  I hadn’t written the journaling yet for this page as I wrote this blog post, but now that I have written this post I think I am going to put some of the sentiment from it into my December Daily.  The journaling for this page reads: This is our December this year–our real December.  We had the peacefulness of a sunrise enjoyed while the girls were both asleep, the joy of watching our daugthers get to know one another, and the love of good friends bringing us warm meals and well wishes. Wow. We really have a wonderful life.