Celebrating Christmas a few months early!

This is the second year the Anderson family celebrated Christmas in August. For the past several years, the entire family has not been able to get together in December because of bad weather....so we decided to move Christmas to August when the weather would not be an issue. The day was complete with lawn mower rides, ladder golf, clowns, swimming in the pool, pony rides, and a gift exchange! Thank you Aunt Kathy for hosting again. The Johnson family had a great time!!

Jack was having fun taking rides on Aunt Kathy's lawn mower

Corey with her new baby, Luke
Angie and her baby, Carter

Clowns showed up for the party!

Jack and Logan were entertained by the clowns....momentarily

Jay the pig and Jack the bunny

Uncle Craig didn't like this game too much!

Grandma Deb and cousin Angie being silly

Jack and Daddy in the pool. Jay just dunked Jack!

Jack touching the pony

On a pony ride with Aunt Susan!

Jack had fun sitting on the pony

Another weekend at the lake...

The Johnson family headed down to Sun Valley Lake this past weekend with Brian, Tricia and the kids. It was a quiet and relaxing weekend with the family....just what everyone needed! With the summer coming to an end, this was probably our last time in the water this year. We are already looking forward to next summer at the lake!

Jack was having fun driving the boat with Uncle Brian

Jack and Daddy!
Joe and Abby having fun in the water!

Waving for the camera

Jack couldn't get in the water so he had to watch Joe and Abby from the boat. Poor guy!

This is one of Jack's newest facial expressions...he likes crinkling his nose!

The Johnson family

Joe and Uncle Jay going for a ride on the Super Mable

Great-Grandma Johnson with Jack

Brian and Joe taking a wild ride on the golf cart!

Jay and Joe being silly

Iowa State Fair!

The Johnson Family went to the Iowa State Fair last Friday night with some friends to watch our favorite band, The Nadas. Jay and I showed up a few hours early to walk around and see some of the attractions. Jack loved seeing all the animals. This year he was big enough to ride down the giant slide...which I think he enjoyed. (It was a little hard to tell by his facial expressions....or lack of!) Jack was getting pretty tired by the time the concert started, but he did manage to sit through most of it. Jack and I went back to the fair last night with Grandma and Grandpa McCulla. We walked around and looked at more animals and enjoyed more food!

Jay and Jack at the top of the giant slide

Jack wasn't too sure what to think!
Family picture at sunset

Jack and Avree's bricks outside the administration building

(Thank you Grandma and Grandpa McCulla!)

Good friends hanging out after The Nadas concert

Jack had fun playing in the giant wooden shoes at the Pella booth!

Jack loved looking at the animals!

Jack with Grandma and Grandpa

Grill Club!

This past weekend we had a special grill club event. Our good friends, Kory and Nikki Beidler, were back in Iowa with their son, Gavin!! Kory and Nikki moved back east a few years ago and they have been greatly missed. It was so nice to see them again and have them join in on a grill club event. We were still missing a few members from the original grill club group...but that didn't stop us from having a good time! Thanks again for hosting, Katie Meimann!

The whole group!

The original grill club members....well, at least those who

remembered to wear their grill club t-shirts!

Scolding Bubba for forgetting to wear his grill club shirt!

We decided to be nice and let him in the picture with us!

Grizzly Jack's Grand Bear Resort

The Johnson family headed to Utica, Illinois this past weekend to visit Grizzly Jack's Grand Bear Resort with the Kniff-McCulla family. The resort was very kid-friendly and a perfect getaway for families. They had an indoor water park, amusement park, miniature golf, and more. Everyone had a great time!

Group picture before a round of miniature golf

Jack, the future golfer!
Kaiya and Avree showing off their shades

Luke had a hard time on this hole!
The girls trying to see each other through the log on hole #8

Grandma and Grandpa with the kids in the water park

Jack is a Grandpa's boy!

On the slide!

Jack wasn't sure what to think of Grand Bear

Still not too sure....

He loved the fountains in the pool!

Grandma and Avree

Jack and Daddy in the baby pool

Steph and Kaiya

Group picture on top of Starved Rock

Being silly

Luke had to push both girls up the hill in the stroller!

Family picture

The three cousins!

more of the cousins...

Sisters!