Happy New Year

Well, it has definitely been too long since I have posted. The holidays were very busy, but good. We missed Chris, Amber, and Avery terribly, but were able to skype with them on Christmas Day! The kids loved opening their presents (Flannery more then Grady) but they were definitely spoiled by all who love them. Thank you to everyone for all the new fun and noise they brought to our house. It is now time to purge the toy collection in the Johnston house.

JT and I are very excited about our couples gift from his mom. We will be getting quarterly "date nights" when she comes to town and stays with the kids. (Of course, we try desperately to find time in between, but it is challenging with our crazy work schedules) Thank you to my best friend Dawn for recently keeping both kids so we could try a new Thai Restaurant in Jenison!!!!

Next week Grady has his 18 month check up and we have kindergarten registration for Flannery. I can hardly type the word kindergarten. I really am not ready for her to be that old. She is so excited about getting to go to school for "all day" next year. She is going to be going M-W-F all day! Grady is finally starting to say more words when he can get a break in the chatter.....Flannery definitely dominates the conversation at our house. His big thing now is to tell me "night-night" when he is tired and wants a nap or to go to bed. It is so sweet! What's even better that melts my heart every night is that we have a routine of tucking Flannery in and if for some reason he is "busy" doing something and realizes she is in bed, he will go to her door and knock so that I pick him up and he gives her kisses and tells her night-night. The routine always ends with him at the door blowing her kisses! Despite their age and gender differences, I am so glad to see that already have such a special bond!

This weekend we are travelling to Chicago as a family (and I mean JT actually gets to come this time) to see Nina and hopefully a brief visit with Aunt Alissa and Uncle Tom (we think they are both on call this weekend). We are hoping to go to the Field Museum and maybe the Chicago Children's Museum and Nina says she wants us to try "Indian Food". I must say it will be so nice to have the extra help of JT tackling the kids in the city! I will try and update again soon! and add some pictures as well!