Christmas Day...

... we can honestly say that this Christmas was one of the
best yet!

Besides going overboard on some of the new toys.
We got to spend Christmas not only with Mike's
Mom but with my parents as well. What more could

you ask for? I'm just glad our parents have a great

relationship with each other.

Mike and I started out Christmas Morning opening
presents at home from each other (shown above)
Then we went to Grandpa Johnston's to see
some of my extended family (shown below)

We ended the day with Christmas Lasagna at our house
and opening gifts with my parents, visiting one more
of my aunts on my dad's side of the family and Mike

headed out to work. He was only suppose to be there
4 hours and ended up staying the whole night due to the
storm. I guess that's what happens when you have a
job in the medical field. Those hospital just don't

close like everywhere else. I didn't mind and I don't know

that he really did either. (holiday pay + time and a half not too bad)

That's how our Christmas went. The only thing we wish we

could of had was seeing Megan, Daniel and the Kids. We missed

you guys but hope your Christmas went well!!!

Fixin the house!

Well, when I had Fall Break in October, JaNae told everyone how lazy I was, so I put up our mirror (pics to come) and installed new lighting. Our house is coming along slowly but surely!

Christmas Time is Here!

Well Christmas is almost here, and we've been super busy! Mike finished up finals this week. (Hallelujah!) 18 credits in one semester, let alone, 9 chemistry, 6 biology and 2 math credits are something that even prisoners shouldn't have to endure. Now it's 3 weeks of "recovery" and then back at it again.
JaNae has kept busy with projects and Christmas stuff. She pretty much coordinated the ward Christmas breakfast when Jeff and Catherine were out of town; you wouldn't imagine all of the little details-sheesh! She went to Melissa's recital, the Relief Society's dinner, as well as Mindy's ornament party. She's been a busy bee to say the least!
We did manage to get out on a date last week though. We saw the new 007 with Jeff and Catherine. We had to fight bad snow and Jazz game traffic, but it was fun. We actually sat in the parking garage for 45 minutes because of all the jazz people trying to leave too!



Our view from the Conference Center


Another view of the Lights of Temple Square

We went to Temple square on Wednesday to see the lights. It was wonderful! Afterward, we thought that we might be able to see the lights better from the Conference Center-so one of the guides (who's serving a 3-year mission there) took us up to the Hall of the Prophets. They let us outside and we got to see pretty much all of temple square. It was so neat! Then, as he was taking us down, he showed us his favorite thing in the Conference Center. It was the Bronze statue of the First Vision. He showed us different symbolism in the statue-symbolism you might never pick up on.... Then to end it, he took us to the paintings of the First Presidency-which were newly painted and just hung up a few days ago.


Let us remember the True Meaning of Christmas this Holiday season!

Reno Thanksgiving/Christmas

Well, we went to Reno for Thanksgiving and to also celebrate Christmas with my Sister and Brother-in-law. It was a good trip-long and boring drive (as most of Nevada tends to be) but none-the-less too short of a "vacation." The time always seems to fly by, but we missed our kittens, and just being home; there is no other better feeling in the world than to be at your own home.


<-----The "surgeon" Kyle busy at work. Kelly, JaNae and Sandy decided to try a new garlic-turkey recipe. The whole house smelled like garlic for the entire day!! But it was really good....


Whenever we come to Nevada, well.....paying cards is always something we have to do....Nevada is the "gambling state" after all. Following a delicious turkey dinner and a few rounds of a card game JaNae and I have been playing lately, Kyle got the grand idea to teach the girls Texas Hold-em Poker. Mind you, JaNae nor Kelly have ever played the game.

I had a GREAT hand. Pocket Kings!!! After a few rounds of betting and a 4 of a kind Kings, I went all in!!!!



To my shock, JaNae called my bet. She bet all of her money............
Was I in trouble? After all I had the one of the best hand in poker.....




She then showed her 4 Aces and took all my money! She ended up taking everyone's money....


On Friday, Mike and Kyle woke up early to go to Cabela's for some good deals but ended up at Sheels-an outdoors store. It is huge-they just build a new one in Reno, but most of the stores are in the Midwest. They went shooting with Kyle's dad and brothers to "test out" their new toys....

While the boys did that, JaNae, Kelly, and Sandy went to see "4 Christmases." They said that the movie wasn't very good, and that although the previews were funny-of course the rest of the movie was a bore. All the funny parts were in the previews. Why does that always happen????

Saturday, we drove around and bought some last-minute gifts for our "Christmas" to each other that night. For dinner, we had some really good NY Strips from Costco and finished it up with pie. I think Mike ate an entire Pumpkin pie this weekend. He LOVES it!!! Mike and Kyle went back to Sheels to salivate over guns, while Kelly, JaNae and Sandy watched "The Holiday." Kyle doesn't like movies, so Kelly has to get as much chick-flick movie watching in as she can....

All-in-all it was a good break from life, but back to work/school on Monday!!

__________________________________________________________________

When we came home tonight, we decided to finish our decorating. JaNae always does so good at making our home look nice at Christmas time.

Last week, (before Reno) we bought some new lights at Wal-mart because JaNae wanted lights on the tree that were red and white. You would think that buying a strand of red and a strand of white/clear-that came from the same store, and was the same brand and everything (the only difference was the color bulb) that you could just take one out of one strand and swap the colors-right?? Were we the only one's who would ever think that??? Well guess what- you can't! The little green stem that actually goes into the light socket is a different shape on the red strand than it is on the white/clear. So, we pulled 400 bulbs out of every-other light and rewired them to have the "correct socket" so as to have the lights alternate red/white on each strand. It was fun-to say the least....

My Mom gave JaNae a new nativity for her Christmas Present in Reno, and she loves it.
She collects them and as you may or may not be able to see from the photo-she has a lot of them!

Happy Thanksgiving

Well, I hope you all have or are having a wonderful thanksgiving.
As Mike said earlier, we are doing a two part blog and this is part Two. Since today is the day of Thanks I knew I just couldn't procrastinate any longer. It's not that it is was hard to think of the things I am grateful for I just can't seem to find time to write.
Well, first and foremost I have to thank Mike for his sweet post I really appreciate him and have to agree with him I am so grateful for him and our family. Including our extended families, Mike's family has always taken me in and helped me feel a part of them as if I were their daughter/sister, and I know my family has done the same with Mike.
I am also really thankful for my Job, I absolutely love working with SelectHealth and I know that my prayers were and are being answered when I got the phone call to work for them. I have been there 2 1/2 years now and couldn't ask for a better job I just love what I do. I know times are hard right now for a lot of people and I have seen it first hand with our family. I'm really thankful Mike and I both have wonderful Jobs.
Well, like Mike said I have to repeat. I'm grateful for the gospel of Jesus Christ in my life. It is wonderful to know that we are not going through life alone. To know that Christ is always by our side leading the way, and guiding us through the hard times. I'm grateful for my testimony in the gospel and the strength it gives me to carry on.
Well as I end this post I hope you take time to write down things you are grateful for, and thank you to all our friends we are truly thankful to have you in our lives.

Thanksgiving, Part I

Well, JaNae and I are going to Reno for Thanksgiving, so we decided to tell everyone what were grateful for.... This will be my post, and she said she will post later....

I think the real question should be what things can I think of that I’m not grateful for. I have soooo sooo much and have been so blessed. First and foremost, I’m grateful for a Savior-whose season we will be celebrating here shortly. I’m grateful that he forgives me for the stupid things I do, and that I can be part of His flock.

I'm so grateful for my wonderful wife. She is absolutely the greatest thing that has happened to me. I'd like to say that I don’t know where I would be without her, but those words just aren’t true.... I do know where I would be without her, and that place is somewhere & something I’m forever grateful that I don’t have to be. She is the most selfless, loving, caring, supportive, charitable, tender-hearted person I've ever known. She is the absolute love of my life, and I’m forever grateful that she picked me to be her Eternal Companion.

For those of you who don’t know how we met, I kinda-sorta blew her off when I first saw her. She was talking with my roommate (they were on the UNLV-LDSSA together) and they were hanging out after a meeting. Mike Kannet introduced me, and I was just like, yeah, whatever....as I walked to my room. Luckily for me, she came to a get-together a few nights later, at our house. I talked with her and was instantly attached. I called her the next day, and (through some strong convincing) we've been attached ever since. I try no to think about what might have happened, had she not come over that evening....

I love the support she gives me. I’m trying to finish school and want to have a career that provides for her and our family while giving me the love and satisfaction of practicing medicine. She has 100% supported me in everything I do, and is always there to encourage me. Thanks Honey- I love you so much!!!! You really are the greatest wife anyone could wish and hope for.... It was definately you I saw in my dreams when I imagined who I would spend forever with.

I’m so grateful for our families. When you have your family and the gospel of Jesus Christ, all the other things are just details.... Like I said, I’m sure I could go on and on and on about how much Thanks I have, but this blog would be never ending. I truely am blessed beyond measure and my cup runnith o'er from the blessings I have been given. I think the best way is to sum up my feelings through this hymn....
"Count your many blessings; name them one by one,
And it will surprise you what the Lord has done.… "