Category Archives: Fun

by Barbara

My Lil’ Eskimo

So, it’s winter here, in case you didn’t know.

Everything takes so much more effort and time to do. Before the heavy coats, boots, hats, mittens, etc. Dagny and I would walk the driveway get the mail and play outside.

Today I asked Dagny if she would like to get the mail with me. She promptly said “Yes!”. I put on her snow paints, boots, mittens, coat, and hat. 15 – 20 minutes later we were outside. Ugh! Even with all the hassle I must admit it was all worth it seeing her having fun with the snow, plus the rosy cheeks were pretty neat.

Here is My Lil’ Eskimo.

hi

hi

hi

hi

Barbara

P.S. Happy Birthday to my brother, Emeric and our good friend, Troy!

by Barbara

Christmas Tree ’09

Up until now Craig and I didn’t put a Christmas tree up if we weren’t going to be celebrating it at home. Neither one of us grew up putting a tree up right after Thanksgiving. It was usually during the last week of December that we enjoyed our trees. Actually, the Hungarian tradition was to wait for the Angel to bring it on Christmas Eve. I remember waking up as a little kid on Christmas Day and seeing a beautiful tree all decorated with all sorts of presents underneath it. Living in America for most of my life, some traditions got replaced with new ones. So, we decided that Dagny should have her own wonderful memories of the wonderful smell of a live tree, the beautiful ornaments that all have meaning behind it, which I can’t wait to share with her when she gets older, and the colors of Christmas.

2009 tree

I can’t tell you how wonderful it was for all three of us to go out as a family this past Sunday and pick out a tree and then decorate it. I am a firm believer of having your child be incorporated in things, but with full understanding of their limitations. I get, that she doesn’t get that we were picking out a tree or what the purpose of ornaments are. But, that doesn’t mean you can’t still have fun. We had a blast playing peek-a-boo (perhaps her favorite game at the moment) as we went from one aisle to another looking for a tree.

having fun

having a blast

pretty girl

Later on in the day, Dagny helped with putting some of the ornaments up, I gave her the ones that were non-breakable and she loved doing it for about five minutes. Then she left to play, but kept coming back to put more up. So, I do get her limitations, but those five minutes are what it’s all about. I cherish those moments and I hope one day she will cherish them as much as I do.

helping mommy

Last year I got this Swedish Nativity set to tap into some of Craig’s Swedish heritage. When I saw this, I fell in love with it right away. I just love the simple design. I think it’s beautiful.

Nativity

Before we started to work on the tree, Dagny found the snow globe. Wow, I didn’t expect her reaction. She just watched it and kept asking us to shake it so she could see the snow.

This is Craig’s favorite shot of it.

Craig’s favorite

This is my favorite.

my favorite

For dinner I made my very first Chicago deep dish pizza from scratch (from the dough to the sauce). The reviews were all good by the masses.

deep dish pizza

It was a busy Sunday, but wonderful. I wouldn’t have it any other way.

I will end this very long post with a shot of our middle child.

ho ho ho

Love to all.

Barbara

by Barbara

Thanksgiving 2009

What a difference a year makes?

Last year Craig and I made a stop at Binghamtom for a quick Thanksgiving linner at my brother’s before heading to Long Island to spend the night. The day after we had a flight out to Russia for court and to spend three weeks in Moscow with our baby girl. This year the entire family was together again celebrating not only Thanksgiving, but also Dagny. This was Dagny’s first Thanksgiving with the family and it was wonderful seeing her with her family. She just loves them all so much and they all love her!

So, instead of a long wordy post I thought I would give a visual breakdown of our turkey weekend.

Here are the ladies in the kitchen getting the fiesta ready.

the ladies

Here, Dagny is running back and forth between Erika and Tim. Simple things like this makes Dagny a happy toddler.

Erika and Dagny playing

Uncle Tim and Dagny playing

Here are my favorite three kids in the world getting ready to eat.

My three favorite kids

After dinner, we had Dagny open some of her birthday presents from her family. Here is Dagny’s very first bike (Radio Flyer) from Uncle Emeric and Aunt Edit. Dagny loves it!

Dagny’s new wheels

Here is Dagny playing with Grandma and Grandpa Johnson’s gift. She loves anything to do with animals and the alphabet, no joke. Needless, to say she loves her present.

Loving the Zoo

Because, Dagny’s new bike is tad bit big, Uncle Emeric and Aunt Edit got her a 4-wheeler that she can ride right now. She is one lucky girl to have such loving Uncle and Aunt. Currently, Dagny is riding it around the house with her Bear as her passenger.

Yet, another from Uncle Emeric and Aunt Edit

Here is Emerson and I watching Dagny play with her new toys. I love this boy so much!

Me and my boy

This might be my most favorite photo of the weekend. Here is everyone reacting to Dagny’s excitement playing with her Uncle Emeric’s chips. I just love everyone’s reaction.

Favorite photo of the weekend

Here, Dagny is helping out Uncle Emeric by being his good luck charm. “Yay! we won!”

Uncle Emeric’s good luck charm

Here is Emerson saying good-bye to Dagny. Ok, how sweet is this? It makes my heart overflow with joy seeing this.

Makes me melt

And here is Dagny playing with her Daddy and Uncle Tim.

Dagny playing Magic with her Dad and Uncle.

We have so much to be thankful for, especially our beautiful daughter!

Barbara

by Barbara

Dagny’s 2nd Birthday Party

Saturday was a big day at the Johnson’s. Little Miss D turned two years old and we had a small party to celebrate the occasion. The original plan was to celebrate Dagny’s birthday when our families come up for Thanksgiving. But, that all changed when we went to Micky’s and Gianna’s Birthday party. I was talking with Jamie (the mom of the two cuties) and she told me I had to throw one. So, I quickly texted, emailed, and designed an invitation to send out. Unfortunately, because of the very short notice we had many people that couldn’t make it. Fortunately thou there were many that could.

the invite

I made a teddy bear cake for Dagny, because this child LOVES her stuffed animals, in particular her bears. I am a little proud of myself, I think it came out pretty good.

getting ready to blow out her candles

I am so angry at myself because we didn’t take many photos. Lucky, other people took some.

Jacob and Dagny

Here are some photos of Dagny playing with her gifts.

cool lady

I don’t think I have ever run across such an amazing four year old boy. Jacob was the most well behaved, warm hearted, helpful little boy. He was so cute and so nice to Dagny. I was so blown away with how well they played together. Dagny was very sad and practically cried when Jacob went home. Even the following morning she asked for Jacob.

Here is Jacob helping Dagny open her gifts.

what a sweetheart

Here they are playing.

playing so nicely together

Jacob showing Dagny the ropes

Michael and Gannia came a little later to the party, but it was so great to see them. I swear they grew so much these past two weeks.

sweet little Michael

Check out my little anti-social bug in the back. That’s not fair of me, she was actually very much in the in mix.

pretty little G

Earlier in the week, Craig and I surprised Dagny at school with a Sesame Street themed birthday cake cupcake.

The cake is actually made up of individual cupcakes. I think that is the coolest thing I have seen since the iPhone. Seriously, how cool is that?!

Elmo cake

All the kids cared about were these two little guys.

Big Bird and Elmo

Look how they are eyeing it.

classmates

Here is my child going downtown on her piece.

yummy

yum

Part three of the celebration is going to be when our families come up for Thanksgiving. It’s so nice to be able to celebrate Dagny’s Birthday with so many different people. She is such a special little girl and she deserves all this love and attention.

Barbara

by Barbara

Happy 2nd Birthday, Dagny!

Dearest Dagny,

A year ago today, I was the saddest person in the world. It was killing me inside that I could not be with you on your first birthday. Even thou I wasn’t able to hold you in my arms, please do know that I was thinking of you every single minute. Your daddy and I got a piece of cake with a candle and we blew it out for you. I just want you to know that you were not forgotten one bit. We were with you that day in our hearts, don’t ever forget that!

Today, you are two years old. It is so weird for me to think of you in years. This past year you went through so many developmental stages and all categorized by months. So, from now on little boo, I will no longer be breaking down your age in months.

You are such a bright little cookie. You recognize your letters and you’re able to not only point to them when I ask you, but tell me what they are. You love to sing the ABC song, you still have gaps between the the letters, but you’re working on it.

Along with your letters, you also know your numbers. You have been recognizing them for a couple of months now, but now you can count in order from 1 to 10. I almost fell off my chair when I heard you doing it the first time. No joke, you stood in front of me and you started counting out loud and using your hand.

You also know your shapes. You have a puzzle that is made up of different ones. I sit with you sometimes and you love to pick a shape and tell what it is and put it in its place. The shapes are circle, rectangle, triangle, diamond, oval, octagon, and pentagon.

You are talking, talking, talking. You are not just doing the one word thing, but putting small sentence together. It’s an amazing thing to witness. What makes it even more neat is that you are understanding and responding in two languages. When I ask you in Hungarian, how old you are you respond in Hungarian, two. When I ask you the same question in English, you respond in English. That is so cool little boo. You also love to tell us “I’ll be right back” and run off to get a toy and then when you come back you say “I’m back”. You also love handing me things and saying “Here you go” with a big grin on your face.

This year you have learned so much from cognitive skills, motor skills, and social skills. I am so happy that you let us in your heart, because our hearts are overfilled with our love for you.

You are an amazing little girl. I am so proud to call you my daughter.

Seriously, when did you get so big?!

so big

Happy Birthday, Sweet Pee.
We love you so very much!

Mommy