Our surprise as BIG as TEXAS!

Texas is a big state. But we KNOW our Christmas surprise is just as BIG as Texas! A few months before Christmas, Kendahl's family decided to have a family reunion at his parent's and sister's houses in Austin. We told them that there was just no way we could go. Gas is so expensive, it would be a long drive and it would be too expensive to fly. So we finally convinced them (and ourselves) that we would be staying home for Christmas. But that wasn't what fate had in store for us! A little less than a week before Christmas, Kendahl called me from work and said he felt like we should go to the reunion. I couldn't believe it since we had talked about it over and over and had felt it was best we stay home this Christmas. So after talking about it for a few days, we decided to go - but not tell anyone! We would surprise his family! We quickly decided that Santa should come the following morning (Dec 22nd) so that we could leave the following evening. Everything started falling into place. We had Christmas the next morning (good thing Santa can make emergency trips!) and then left that night at 6 pm. We drove ALL NIGHT LONG - 16 1/2 hours to be exact - until we arrived at Grandma and Grandpa Johnson's doorstep. They were surprised - and so was the rest of the family! It was a great nine days together. Here are a few pictures of our Christmas at home - and then pictures of us (and a video) of our big surprise! It was definitely a Christmas we will never forget!


Here is what the kids woke up to Christmas morning (well, it was actually Dec 22nd - Santa had to come a few days early so we could leave on our trip that night!)

Their gifts to each other. They like to put signs on their doors that say "No Boys Allowed" or "No Grils" (as they sometimes spell it). So now they have a dry erase board to write whatever message they want and it hangs on their doorknob!

Kaylee opening her present from Gma and Gpa Christensen! A new bank - so now she can save all her money! Konnor was excited because he got one too!

Konnor loved his present from Gma and Gpa Johnson!

The kids were a tad excited about their new "Hullabaloo" game! Thank you, Blake family!

Kenna opening her presents from Aunt Kristi!

Kaylee and her new ladybug bike!

Konnor and his new Spiderman bike!

With Christmas at home over, we hopped in the car and made the long trek. Here is the video of our big surprise! Just click on the big green arrow below. You will see Grandma and Grandpa's surprise, then Kristi's surprise, then Karleen's surprise, and then Kellye's surprise. Everyone arrived on different days (except Kristi who lives by Gma and Gpa - so we just went to her house to surprise her) - but no one had any idea we were going to be there - so this is lots of fun to watch!

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Finally, all together again! And in true Johnson tradition, a game was immediately started. At least 3-4 games were played each day we were all together for this reunion! The Johnson Family LOVES to play games! Settlers of Catan and Scrabble are the top favorites! But Kendahl (the "Game Guru") taught them a few others!

Playing games is in their blood - even the younger generation got out the games and played!

Now that the cousins were finally all together again - here they enjoyed playing video games together!

Aunt Kristi, Jessica, Kenna and good ol' Trucker!

Grandma made sure she got lots of kisses from Kenna (who loves to give them!)

Kaylee and Konnor with Santa's cookies and milk on Christmas Eve!

And then the kids went outside and threw carrots on the sidewalk and grass for the reindeer. (As a side note: after the kids were in bed, Gma looked outside and saw her very expensive ORGANIC carrots out there. She mentioned that she didn't think reindeer cared if the carrots were organic or not - and we agreed. So we went out, picked most of them up, washed them off and put them back in the fridge. The reindeer, incidentally, ate the rest of the carrots - and we are pretty sure they are the best carrots they got all night!)

The kids were all ready to open their presents on Christmas morning!

The cousins helping little Jayly open her Christmas presents!

Karleen especially likes her gift. Diamonds are a girl's best friend, after all (Kar is the only one who knows if these are real or not!)

Grandpa opening up his presents!

"MY BRUSH!" Kellye says! Kellye had this brush as a teenager - it was her favorite brush. Karleen took it and would never give it back. And now years later... Karleen finally decided it was time and gave the (very old, very ugly, I-wouldn't-want-to-use-it) brush back again!

Ooohh... Kristi really likes her gift!

Kristi and family on Christmas morning. We are all still trying to figure out if they like the Dallas Cowboys or not? ;)

Konnor LOVES helping in the kitchen! Here he is with Grandma helping make the rolls for Christmas dinner!

Aunt Kristi did a fun project with the kids - making bird feeders! The kids went outside and got pinecones. And then they put a bunch of peanut butter on them. And then they rolled the pinecone in bird seed!

Aunt Kristi with the kids showing off their peanut butter pinecone bird feeders!

Aunt Kristi helping the kids hang their treat for the birds!

After eating some of the seeds off the pinecone, this bird flew away (with a very happy tummy!)

The kids had fun not only at Gma and Gpa's house - but also at Uncle Joe and Aunt Kristi's house. Here is Konnor on the 4-wheeler with Uncle Joe!

One day we decided to go searching for dinosaur tracks! Did we find any? Just check out the pictures below!

Konnor and Mason looking at the river (and yes, they got wet!) How can a kid resist water even if it is cold outside?

And we finally found it! A dinosaur footprint! WOW!

Climbing on the big rock!

Some of the family at the end of the hike!

Kaylee and Konnor before going to church.

Time for a few family pictures! Kendahl with his Mom and Dad and sisters!

The Johnson siblings: Kristi, Kellye, Karleen and Kendahl

All of the cousins together!

The entire Johnson family (except Kendra and her family who couldn't come!) Left to right are Grandma, Kristi and her two kids, Grandpa, Kellye and her four kids, Karleen and John and their two kids and us!

It is a Johnson family tradition to have a talent show whenever we get together, so on New Year's Eve we had a great time watching all of the talent our family possesses! Here is part of the audience on this couch...

And another part of the audience on the other couch!

Mikey sharing his talent and telling a funny joke!

Konnor, Kaylee and Jayly sharing their talent and singing "I am a Child of God."

Madison showing us her talent of a handstand! WOW!

Konnor trying to copy his cousins and attempting to do a handstand... he needs a little more practice!

Our New Year's Eve FEAST !

Thanks for the fun and for making our SURPRISE such a blast! We love you!