Mike and Amy's Wedding

Mike and Amy were married in the Logan Temple on March 29, 2012. The newlywed's emerged from the temple just beaming!

 The Uber Mike and Amy family picture.

 The Johnson side of the family.

 From left to right: Tami, Steve, Elaine, Amy, Mike, Heidi and Debbie.

 Mike and Amy with the rascals!

Mike and Amy with their wonderful mothers!

Cheetos Faces

 Cheetos mustache.

 Angry Cheetos.

 Surprised Cheetos.

 Happy unicorn Cheetos.

 Booger Cheetos.

 Ear wax or abnormal hearing aid Cheetos.

Vampire Cheetos.

Vertical angry eyebrow Cheetos.

April General Conference

Despite having grown up in the Ogden, Utah area, Cody had never been to General Conference. Heidi had been only one time before. So during our trip back to Amy's wedding, we decided we would endeavor to go to April General Conference. Cody, Heidi, Kjersti, Gary, and Cheryl made the trip and it was wonderful!

The Family Pinewood Derby

The Prince William Ward held a family Pinewood Derby. All of the kids entered cars and all won awards. Eve won the award for "Most Sparkly" and Kjerti brought home the "Most Colorful" award. Well done girls!

The National Building Museum

In downtown Washington D.C. near Chinatown lies one of the most remarkable, yet unknown museums in the city: The National Building Museum. We paid a visit there and did a little building of our own!

 

Remarkably, Heidi and the kids managed to stack large Lego building blocks higher than six feet tall!Eve said after the impressive feat that she was simply trying to create a work of art, "that would inspire and could possibly lead to a Happy Meal later in the day."

Once Was Enough



Cody: "Ring around the rosies, weeeeeeeerrrrrrrrrrrr!"

 



Cody: "A pocket full of posies, neerrderleedereeeeee!"

 

Cody: "Ashes, beeerreeeerrrrwowwww!"

 

 Cody: "Ashes, woooooowwwoowwmeerderlederrrerrreeerdeeeeoowwwwwww!"

Cody: "We all fall dowwwwwwwwn, meerrderleeedrrrereeeeeneriiiiiiiddererreererererrrrrrrrrrr!"
Eve: "Can you do that again for my nursery class?"

Angry Birds

 Playing Angry Birds on an iPhone is so "old fashion." Why not play Angry Birds in your living room with wooden planks (couch pillows), stone slabs (mattresses) and green pigs (kids).

Of course, launching the Angry Birds (kids) from a sling shot (dad) can be a bit tricky, but the aim is amazingly accurate. Kjersti: "Watch out pig with a helmet (Eve)!"

The pigs snort and mock you until you knock them out... but in the real life game, sometimes they just keep snorting and mocking you even once they've been knocked out.

Eve (bomb bird) totally took out everyone in this shot. It did smell a little ripe, so we weren't exactly sure what exploded after this happened.



Flat Stanley Pays a Visit

Cousin Luke Peterson sent us a good friend of his in the mail... Flat Stanley. Since Eli was out attending a birthday party, Kjersti and Eve picked up the slack and gave him a first rate tour of the area! The tour started in front of the Strong home. Stanley said, "Thanks for rescuing me from the envelope. Do you realize what a traumatic experience it is traveling in the mail?"

Next, the kids took the wee man to Base 117 out in back of the Strong house. Stanley said, "Base 117?!? How did you come up with that?" Kjersti replied, "There used to be a sign on the fort that said, Base 117, so that's what we've called it ever since."

Stanley got to check out Kjersti's school, Ashland Elementary School. Stanley said, "This reminds me of the place I was born."

Stanley got to hang out in nearby Prince William Forest Park. Stanley said, "Do racoons eat paper men?" Eve said, "Absolutely!" Stanley wasn't sure whether she was serious or not so he jumped back in the van.

Kjersti and Eve wanted to take Stanley to a place their parents always take them on walks at The United States Marine Corps Museum. Stanley said, "I think the Marine teepee is leaning a little bit sideways."

Stanley took this picture of himself in front of the main gate to Quantico Marine Corps Base. After he took the shot he asked, "Does this picture make my head look big?"

Continuing the Marine Corps theme, Stanley checked out the Iwo Jima Memorial in Arlington. It was here Stanley boldly stated, "I will join the Marine Corps!" Kjersti broke the news to Stanley that paper men were not allowed to enlist. Eve said, "Awww, poor Stanley."

Running over to the Jefferson Memorial, Stanley said, "That all paper men are created equal, and are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable rights!" This created a bit of an awkward moment.

The Washington Monument. Stanley loved it, but was very disappointed to find out it was still closed due to the 2011 earthquake. "Bummer." he said.

After the big adventure, we took Stanley to Kjersti's favorite restaurant, Potbelly Sandwich Works. It was here Eve dropped a meatball with marinera sauce on Stanley's face. Let's just say that paper men don't wash up so well. Despite that, Stanley was sent back on another traumatic trip through the mail to give a full report to his cousin Luke.

Bedlem

Christmas morning is great. It is ranks at the top of the list in the category of "anticipated chaos." Eve was a very happy camper!

 Kjersti in the heat of the moment. Granted, she looks collected and in control, but it's just for the camera.

 Wild man Eli unwrapping his scooter! We just loved the fireplace show. We found it on Netflix. It's rated "G" in case you were wondering.

 Kjersti just loved her American Girl doll.

Eve felt the same about her's. Another successful Christmas!

Silent Night

In our humble re-creation of the birth of our Savior, Mary (Kjersti) watches over the baby, while Joseph (Eli) and the shepard (Eve) look on.

A few notable items to this picture... our shepard is sporting her sheep, the TV is playing a burning fire since we have no fire place and finally, the star signifying the Savior's birth is perched prominently above the fireplace. Christmas is all about getting the details right and man, we nailed it this year!

 The shepard had to give Mary a few pointers on basic child care.

Mary, great with child.

Big Time and Sherps Pay a Visit

 Big Time and Sherps (Gary and Cheryl Strong) paid us a visit just before Christmas. We had a great time. We visited National Harbor and ran into Mr. Peeps.

 I think Eve was the happiest Peep ever after she received her Peeps hat.

The euphoria of the Peeps hat was intensified when Grandma Cheryl bought her a Build-A-Bear. Notice that in the picture, as opposed to the last one, you can't even see her eyes because she's got such a big smile. How cute!

On our way to the United States Botanical Garden, we stopped for this picture.

Kjersti and Cheryl had a fun time piecing together a structurally unsound gingerbread house. Fortunately, no inspections of the house were done and no one moved in. Eve ate the tastiest parts of it a few days later.

Here are all of the gingerbread houses in all of their glory! It was so great having grandpa and grandma here to enjoy one of our favorite Strong Christmas traditions!