The Kofford Guide to Survival: Christmas with the Johnsons

My work had a Great Gatsby themed holiday party. It was 20's or formal wear. We bought Simon a tuxedo at this store that was going out of business. I just wore a black dress. They had a fancy dinner and a surprise guest, Brian McKnight. He did a private concert for the event. It was really good, he is quite hilarious.

He picked a random single girl to serenade on the stage and gave her a bouquet of roses

Jamming out

The decorations

Simon and I... we forgot to get a good pic

This year Simon and I went to Southern California to spend Christmas with my sister Becky and her family. They live in Redlands. We had a grand old time spoiling them and playing with the girls. We arrived late the night before Christmas Eve. On Christmas Eve we decorated sugar cookies with the Holton's (some of Becky and Kyle's friends). That evening we went to Kyle's sisters for food, fun, and festivities.

Cookies!

Mads licking the icing

At Bonnie's house, playing chimes

The nativity

Christmas morning I was the first one up, of course. I showered and Simon and I started prepping stuff for breakfast. I think we woke Kyle up and Kylie was the first one out with us. She patiently waited until her two little sisters woke up.

Kylie and Mads by their stockings

Phoebe and Kylie... with a little piglet I put in Phoebe's stocking

Mads and Kylie in the Elsa dresses Simon and I got them

Christmas dinner... Simon made us a delicious English dinner, Becky decorated the table

On Friday night Simon and I took Kyle and Becky to the Olive Garden, one of their favorite places to eat. We had a great time.

Ky and Beck

My love and I

Becky found a groupon to Hesperia Zoo. It was super ghetto, but we got a private tour which ended up being quite good. Since we were the only ones there, the zoo keeper took us to each animal and taught us a little bit about them. They use their animals in productions, there was the lion they used to create Aslan in Chronicles of Narnia, a deer in a Nikon commercial with Ashton Kutcher, and a mountain lion from a Dos X's commercial... among many others.