Thanksgiving... It's Beginning to Look A Lot Like Christmas!

I know I am a little tardy on my posting... I apologize. But, just so you know, we had a fabulous first Thanksgiving together. It actually was really our first Thanksgiving together too. Last year for Thanksgiving, the whole Johnson family was at the dunes. I was one sad girl that Tyler was not here for that weekend, but we got to spend it together this year as a married couple. Who would have thought at Thanksgiving time last year that I would be spending Thanksgiving with my husband this year?!? CRAZY! Well, we did a lot of running around on Thursday for Thanksgiving. Our first stop was at Tyler's Aunt Fernie's house for the first round of food. Then we had to make an appearance at my Aunt Heather's house, but no eating was involved. Then, that night, we ate Mexican food at my parent's house so we could include my poor dad in our Thanksgiving festivities. Can I tell you that I want nothing else for Christmas, but for my dad to get better?! I would give back all the presents in the world for my dad to be able to be normal dad again. I think that wish for him to be better is on a lot of people's wish list this year and has been for the past 3 years.

Our first Thanksgiving at my aunt's house (Tyler hates this picture because his hand looks a little bit gay. What do you think?! A little bit fem... But, he is still so dang attractive!)

After Thanksgiving, we of course had to put up our first Christmas tree together. It was a team effort. Tyler's mom bought us the Christmas tree and decorations as a surprise. I was so stinkin' excited. All the decorations are so cute on our tree. I love it. I turn it on every time I am home just because I love to look at it. My mom's tree is approximately twelve times the size of mine. But, it's a cute little tree for two cute little people. I freakin' love Christmas!

Tyler stringing the lights...

...lots of lights...

In fact, it actually took six hundred lights (six strands of one hundred for all your math-illiterate people) to make this little tree look perfectly lit!

Then I put all the decorations and ornaments on. It was so much fun to decorate my own tree for my own little family. I loved it!

Tyler was attempting to get a few action shots of the decorating...

The Finished Product... What do you think?!

(Some pictures were taken with the flash on and some were taken with the flash off. I couldn't decide what looked best so you are getting lots of pictures of my stinkin' cute tree! Thanks Mona for the tree and lights and decor! It will be used for a few years to come, until we expand our family and house and have a need for a bigger tree to accommodate all those things!)

7 Random Things About ME

I have been tagged by Calli Ann Huffaker Overstreet,

so here you have it...

7 Random Things About Amelia Nathel Romney Johnson

1. First of all, my middle name is my maternal grandmother's first name. I was born on her 50th birthday on February 25th, 1986, so I have her first name as my middle name. (Amber carried on that tradition by having Tate on my dad's 50th birthday, so Tate's middle name is William, my dad's first name.)

2. I secretly (or not so secretly) wish I could still be a cheerleader. I cheered for four years in junior high and high school and fulfilled my life-long dream of being a UCA cheer instructor for three summers. I loved every minute of it and wish I could still do it. And because I am still close with my boss, Travis Neese (Arizona Idol winner) I still get to work at and judge cheer competitions, which still keeps me in the cheerleading loop and hopefully will for a long time.

3. Until I am forty years old, I will probably continue to be bitter that I never made the Euporea Dance Company at Mesa High. I auditioned two years in a row (my junior and senior year), made it through first cuts both times, and got booted in the final cut both times. And to this day, I still can't get over it! Maybe it's time to let it go... or not!

4. Mitt Romney is my dad's second cousin. So, yes, we are related to him. As my brother would say, "Mitt, '08!!!!"

5. I am IN LOVE with all shows reality. There can be a preview for a new reality show and I will think it is so stupid and that I would never, ever watch it. But, then the night of the series premiere or a new season, I am there watching it. I love reality shows!

6. I have been obsessed with Judge Judy since her show began almost twelve years ago. I used to DVR it when I lived at home and it would make my family so mad because they hated her. Now that I live on my own, I TiVo it every day. I love how she is so straight forward with people and makes them feel 100% stupid. I have probably seen every single episode, seriously!

7. I have never had a job where I didn't have hook-ups from other people. The first job I ever had was at Goody's Yogurt in high school (owners were brother in law and sister of my mom's best friend, Vicki Sherwood). Then the summer after I graduated, I worked for Universal Cheerleader's Association as a cheer instructor for three summers (received an application at cheer camp my senior year and made staff). I worked at my dad's office as a receptionist for a few months (obvious how I got that job). I was desperate for a job and Scrapbooks, Etc. was hiring so I interviewed there and got a job (both Amber and Amanda worked there before I did). The job I currently have is as an office manager for Pulliam Custom Homes (Pulliam's are friends with Tyler's brother in law and sister, Tyler and Kori Treece). So, I have been pretty dang lucky with jobs over the years!

Now I tag whoever wants to do this... Go for it!

One Word: Star-Freakin'-Struck

I MET JENNY FROM

"THE BACHELOR"!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

(I know you're all jealous and, quite frankly, you should be because it was fan-freakin'-tastic!)

Can I just say how hot Jenny is in real life?! And I don't mean that in a lesbian-ish way at all. She really is way hot! And apparently Brad thinks so too! So, Tyler and I had the wonderful opportunity to go to the Sun's game last night, obviously. And I wanted to get to the game real early because I secretly wanted to stalk down Jenny and take my picture with her. Well, to my surprise, all the dancers were out at different entrances, greeting people. And coincidentally, the entrance we walked into, Jenny was standing right there. I didn't even have to stalk her down. She knew I was going to be coming in that entrance and was standing there on purpose. It was totally meant to be. I was freaking out. Seriously! I was! I was so

STAR-FREAKIN'-STRUCK!

I asked Jenny if I could take a picture with her and she said sure. And being the dork that I am, I told her I was her biggest fan. Like, who says that?! I'm such a dork. She said thanks and laughed a little. Then I said, "No, really. I'm, like, obsessed." She laughed again. Then, Tyler took these two treasured pictures at the top of the page, and she told us to have a good time at the game. We said THANKS! And that was the end of that. Then, for the rest of the time we were there, I was stalking her every time the dancers came out to perform or do anything. I think Tyler was a little scared/annoyed of me at the game last night. I really did watch the game. We totally kicked the Bulls' butts and won, but it was close in the end. Anyway, after I met her right when we walked in, I was shaking for a good hour after. Am I pathetic?! I think I am. She is just a girl from a reality show. I can't imagine what would happen if I met a huge, ginormous star. I would make an absolute idiot out of myself if that ever happened. But, let's be honest, Jenny really is a huge, ginormous star, which is why I made a complete idiot out of myself last night. To me, reality stars are real Hollywood stars! That's all! I heart Jenny and "The Bachelor."

These are just two random pictures that Tyler took throughout the game of Jenny dancing in her designated crowd spot. She was right across from the section we were in, so I could continue to stalk her throughout the game. The pictures are a bit blurry, so you can barely tell that it is Jenny, but I know it's her (and if you are as obsessed with her as I am, you know in your heart that it is her, too).

I WAS THERE AND SAW HER IN REAL LIFE!!!

Wedding Bliss

On Saturday night, we attended the wedding of Rosemary Amos. I went to high school with her, danced with her, and cheered with her. She got married in her parent's backyard and it was beautiful. The Amos' have a ginormous backyard and it was the perfect setting for Rosemary's wedding. After the ceremony, we had Joe's BBQ, which was delicious. Below are a few pictures of the guests who sat at our table. A great time was had by all!

This was our dinner table: me, Melanie, Jake, Melissa, Mark, Amanda, Brent, and Tyler - the photographer (By the way, do you think we all had enough Dr. Pepper that night??!! WOW! We were all a little tipsy after drinking that much.)

As much as we tried... and tried...

and tried... and tried...

It was extremely hard to get a normal picture of Brent, and this one isn't even THAT normal. Oh Brent! Such a weirdo! I had to ask Amanda if they had any normal wedding pictures with him always posing so dorky! She said only a few... Haha. Not so surprising!

Our bestest friends, Melanie and Jacob Veater

Melanie's parents, Melissa and Mark Larson

My mom would call this my "cheer smile." I just can't help it. It's my cheesy smile!

Matta's with the ENTIRE Johnson Fam

Last weekend, the ENTIRE Johnson fam went out to Matta's. Tyler's aunt from Mississippi was in town, so Grandpa Johnson gathered the whole family for dinner on Friday night at Matta's. (I don't think there is any other option for a restaurant to eat at when it comes to the Johnson's. I have had to conform my El Charro and Gecko Grill obsessions to Matta's, even though it isn't my absolute first choice for Mexican food...) Here is our large table with lots of people from that night. I bet the waitress who was assigned our table wanted to quit at that point. We tried to make it as easy as possible though:

A good time was had by all! Grandpa Johnson was really proud of his whole family there. I told him that he was the one who started this whole thing. Look how proud he is at the head of the table!

WE HEART AMUSEMENT/THEME PARKS!

Along with the beach trips we took this summer, we also visited two amusement/theme parks from coast to coast. We went to Disney World in Florida on our honeymoon and while we were in California for the Johnson family vaca, we went to Knott's Berry Farm. I am such a sucker for amusement parks. I love going on roller coasters and crazy rides. I don't get scared of them at all or sick from riding too many. I think I found a love of amusement parks from going on so many vacations to Disney World, Disney Land, and Six Flags with my family growing up. Thanks mom and dad! Here are just a few (and when I say few, I mean lots) pictures from our summer amusement/theme park visits:

Tyler had never been to Disney World before, so I had to be the tour guide and show him around!

Our good friend, Mickey, looking our way in the parade at the Magic Kingdom

I think Snow White was hitting on Tyler, which is why she posed at the camera... He's all mine, Snow! Sorry!

Snow's friend, Dopey. He's our friend too!

"It's a small world after all, it's a small world after all, it's a small world after all, it's a small, small world... It's a world of laughter, a world of tears, it's a world of hope and a world of fears..." (Haha. Now you have that song stuck in your head for the rest of the day!)

Lovely dancers from "It's a Small World"

Italian restaurant at Magic Kingdom, similar to the one from "Lady and the Tramp" who are sitting right behind us

Tyler was convinced that Jack Sparrow on the "Pirates of the Caribbean" ride was a human being, but actually Jack just looked really life-like.

Right before entering "The Tower of Terror," which is probably one of my favorite rides of all time (Side note: When the Romney family went to Disney World many years ago, Drew lost his tooth on this ride and then swallowed it on the way down when the ride takes a huge drop. Good memories!)

In line for "Star Tours"

After the Indiana Jones show

At Epcot (We went there last, on our way to the airport, because we knew we didn't need to set aside time to visit. There is nothing to do at Epcot except take this picture in front of the big, silver ball.)

And we did partake of the scrumptious churros at Epcot. Can you tell I am way excited about mine??!!

The flowers at Epcot are also delightful.

Waiting in line for "Supreme Scream"

MMMMM..... Dippin' Dots!

On the boat ride with Tyler's sister, Kelsie (Kelsie's husband, Phil, took the picture because he was sick from the ride before and couldn't take another. Haha.)

Picture with Snoopy!

Hope you enjoyed walking down memory lane with me and my summer! Come again!