Loving our time in Mexico...

Cabo San Lucas, Mexico!

Hi everyone! I haven´t posted for several weeks... too busy out and about enjoying the summer. Right now we are in Cabo San Lucas, Mexico ENJOYING this beautiful paradise! This past week Matt´s family from Chicago has been with us - Craig and Karen, Cam and Linnea, and their girls (and Mckenna´s cousins!), Gwen and Sonja. This has been a perfect vacation for kids... endless fun in the sun!

Unfortunately I forgot to bring the computer cord that lets us put the pictures from our camera onto the computer to load onto the blog, but my family is coming to join us tomorrow - my parents and sister Kristi - and hopefully they will be bringing the cord with them. So the pictures I´m posting here are generic ones from the internet, but give a good glimpse of our week anyway... without the cute girls. I will be sure to post a bunch of fun pictures when we get back to Minnesota. We are having a blast, and Mckenna is doing well on her first big trip away from home! We have also celebrated Father´s Day here (Matt´s first Father´s Day!), and today is Matt´s and my 7th wedding anniversary... so we´re not only having fun in the sun, but also enjoying celebrating some meaningful milestones. I hope to post another time next week while we are still here, and maybe even get a few pictures up from our camera.

This is the famous snapshot from Cabo San Lucas - El Arco... this is really how it looks! A few days ago we took about an hour glass bottom boat ride around El Arco, it was awesome. We saw this site, as well as some wildlife - a lazy bunch of sea lions laying in the sun and swimming around, different birds, fish, etc. The guy driving our boat threw out some tortilla pieces into the water, and beautiful, colorful schools of fish came swimming up to the surface. Very cool!


This is where we are staying. It´s a community of villas and haciendas called Montecristo Estates, and is on the beautiful pacific ocean side of Cabo - very quiet, peaceful, and serene.


The patio at our villa.


The infinity pool at our villa - we´ve used this a lot! Isn´t the ocean view beautiful?


Yesterday Linnea, Karen and I went to the spa at the adjoining resort, Sunset Beach. Linnea and I got massages, and Karen got a facial. Afterwards, we relaxed in this roman spa bath... it was so wonderful!


Signing out from Cabo... we are heading out to enjoy the gorgeous weather! Stay tuned for more posts to come... :)

Happy Birthday, Grandpa Craig!

Happy Birthday, Grandpa Craig! These pictures were taken today, just for you... we hope you have a great day!





THOSE TEETH!!! :)

Make sure to have your speakers turned on for this one... watch out world, here she comes! :) Mckenna will be 8 months old, two weeks from today. Where has the time gone?

Memories of Japan...

It's hard to believe that it's already been almost a year since Matt and I took a group of students to Japan for MA's June Term experience. This week again is June Term at MA, and I can't help but think back to a year ago... I was six months pregnant and hoping all would go smoothly in Japan, including feeling well, being able to handle our busy schedule while there, making sure the group stayed together and enjoyed the trip, etc. We had a fantastic trip, one that Matt and I will never forget. When we went, it still seemed crazy to us that we were actually going to have a baby in a few short months! While in Japan we wanted to pick out a small souvenir for the baby, but all the while it felt to me like we were picking something out for another baby - maybe for friends of ours, but not our own. We didn't have a lot of time to shop, and we ended up settling on this little onesie with a Japanese character on the front (not sure what it says!) and a heart on the butt. I distinctly remember picking it up, choosing the largest size they had in the store, and wondering why I was buying something for someone that I hardly even could wrap my mind around actually being real. I don't know if that makes much sense to you, but I remember it being a very real, and almost confusing feeling... was I really going to have a baby, and would she really wear cute little outfits like this?

So, a long story to say, Mckenna just starting wearing the outfit we bought for her in Tokyo. Now looking at her in this, it's hard to believe that there was ever a time when she wasn't with us... we love her so much!

Up to the lake!

Well, I know I am way too busy when I absolutely don't have one free second to update the blog (or look at other fun blogs!) I am just now getting around to putting up some pictures of our nice, relaxing Memorial Day weekend at the Johnson cabin on Middle Eau Claire Lake in Barnes, Wisconsin, which is near Hayward. Kristi came with us to hang out and help out with Mckenna, since Matt was gone most of the weekend with Cam and his cousins at "Little Sis" - the Anderson cousin's cabin on Little Sisabagama lake, about 45 minutes away from Barnes in Stone Lake, WI. We had a great time, and it was especially fun to have Mckenna there - her first of I'm sure many, many visits to this awesome place!

It seems like it takes twice as long to drive anywhere with Mckenna than before she was born. Stopping to change a diaper, stretch, eat, etc. Here we were at a gas station, on our way to the Wisconsin northwoods...






At last - we made it! The beautiful cabin and shiny lake... it really never gets old to see this sight.




The next morning we drove into Hayward to meet Cam, and then the brothers went on to Little Sis to spend the weekend. Mckenna loves her Uncle Cam, and she needs to start getting used to the idea of Matt and Cam and big fish... fishing is a border line obsession with these guys! Here they are at Pastika's, a favorite bait and tackle shop in Hayward. Of course Pastika's was the perfect meeting place of choice. :)


"Daddy and Uncle Cam are gone, and now I'm ready for a girls only weekend!"


Back at the cabin, having fun in the Johnny Jump Up. Hands down, one of Mckenna's current favorite activities - the girl jumps like crazy!


The next day we went back to Hayward to walk around, enjoy the shops, and most importantly, enjoy the beautiful, sunny weather. Mckenna wanted to wear her new sunglasses - we Johnson girls love our accessories! :)


A Hayward favorite, Tremblay's Sweet Shop. Something tells me that Mckenna may be really liking this place as she grows up - I certainly do!


Out and about in downtown Hayward... Mckenna was really having fun! I can't get enough of that smile! (And for those of you wondering if this mega cutie is a figment of your imagination, she's not - she's the real deal!)








Trying on mommy's new prescription sunglasses...


After our fun afternoon exploring Hayward, we drove to Little Sis to hang out with Matt, Aunt Kathy and Uncle Del, and the Anderson cousins. We also couldn't wait to meet Nate and Kristen's new little girl, Elise. And boy, is she ever little! She turned 4 weeks old over Memorial Day weekend, and only weighs 6+ pounds - such a little peanut! She is so sweet, and Mckenna was pretty cute with her.


Proud new papa, Nate Anderson.


Mckenna is familiar with the "be gentle" reminders from playing with Nemo, so she did great with little Elise. We were all commenting on how Mckenna looks like she should be going to kindergarten next to teeny baby Elise! :)


Mckenna with her great-uncle, Del. Here we were out to a local restaurant in Stone Lake for their famous fish fry - yum! Del was nice enough to keep Mckenna entertained while Matt and I enjoyed our dinner.


It was so fun to hang out with the Anderson's for the evening - Matt and I love them! From L to R: Bjorn, Kristen, Elise, Kathy, Nate, Mckenna, and Del.


After dinner, we drove back to Middle Eau Claire and slept in a bit the next morning before packing up to head back home. Mckenna woke up a little early, so I took her out of her crib and put her in bed with Matt in hopes she would fall back asleep for a bit. I couldn't help but snap a few pictures!


Her sleep was short lived, however.


And then I thought I should lay down and cuddle with my loves. :)


Jumping again while we pack up to hit the road. Kristi had to work late afternoon on Memorial Day, so we had to get going and beat the cabin traffic heading back to the Twin Cities.


A walk down to the lake before we leave... we can't wait to come back this summer!


A family picture...


We know Mckenna really enjoyed her first visit to the lake!