Amanda and Jesse Johnson lead a very busy family life in Glennville, but the couple seem to enjoy all the family togetherness and activity. They have a blended family of six children.
“We keep on the go most of the time, especially this time of the year, playing ball and enjoying the outside,” Amanda said.
Amanda’s parents are Louis and Tiffany Knight and Candace Copley. Louis is employed at Plant Hatch in Baxley, and Tiffany is a stay-at-home mom. Candace is a loan officer at South Georgia Bank. Amanda’s siblings include Daniel Knight and Morgan Bland in Glennville and Jordan Lynn in Reidsville.
Jesse is also from Glennville. His grandparents are Wylene Johnson and the late Billy Johnson, and he has always had a special bond with them. Jesse’s parents are Ron and Tracy Pray, who live in Rincon. Ron is a survey manager for J.H. Hires Construction Company in Beaufort, South Carolina, and Tracy is manager of Reddy Ice in Savannah.
For Amanda and Jesse, life revolves around their children, who include Alexis Johnson Simmons, Haleigh Johnson, Jaylynn Johnson, Adalyn Kirkland, Lan Johnson, and Asa Kate Johnson.
Alexis, who married Logan Simmons in March of this year, works at Boneyard BBQ in Reidsville. Logan is the pastor at Surrency Community Bible Church. They live in Glennville.
Haleigh, 18, graduated this past Saturday morning from Tattnall County High School (TCHS) and was on the TCHS volleyball team. She plans to attend Brewton-Parker College on a volleyball scholarship and has chosen nursing for her degree choice.
Jaylynn, 15, will be a sophomore at TCHS this fall, and she plays on the school volleyball team. Amanda said that Jaylynn is the family TikTok queen.
Adalyn, called “Addy” by her family, will be going into the sixth grade this fall at South Tattnall Middle School and has been accepted as a member of the school softball team next year. She also plays the positions of shortstop and pitcher for Havoc Softball, a travel team. She made the All-Stars team at the Glennville Recreation Park and is now involved in tournaments.
Lan, age four years old, is “all boy.” He just graduated from Busy Little Beavers Christian Preschool, but will be returning next year, too. He likes playing Recreation baseball and racing four-wheelers. Lan is also quite a talker and will keep you entertained.
The youngest member of the family is 16-month old Asa Kate, whose parents and siblings agree that she “rules the roost.” Amanda refers to Asa Kate as the real “Boss Baby,” and she has her family responding most of the time to her wants.
Jesse’s job as a bread route driver keeps him mainly in Tattnall County. The company, Loafing Around, Inc., is based in Savannah. He has been with the company for over six years and enjoys being able to work close to home so as to attend most of the children’s activities. He also works on occasion with Stuart Bland in his heating and air conditioning business.
For Amanda, who enjoys being a mother to all six children, she finds that her favorite pastime is just attending their events and keeping up with their activities.
She also sells Nu Skin products, after first using the products and liking them so much. One of the most popular items has been the Nu Skin LumiSpa, which is an invigorating and refreshing application that can be done twice daily. Also, Nu Skin body butter, foot cream, collagen, and toothpaste have been some of her best sellers.
“The body butter is what we all rub on us when going to the Rec Park and being outside. It seems to help in keeping the gnats and mosquitoes off us, and even seems to soothe a sunburn. Some of Amanda’s customers have used it to alleviate their eczema, too,” said Jesse. Nu Skin has recently announced a new product, Nu Biome, a drink that is used for overall health, which is already popular with customers.
“We enjoy camping and especially going to the beaches of New Smyrna and St. Augustine. Of course, we stay at the ball park a lot right now, and Jesse also coaches two softball teams,” Amanda said.
“One of our most memorable trips was to The Ark. We found it simply amazing how the Ark could be built so long ago, and so massive as it was, according to the Bible,” Jesse said.
They enjoy sports, especially the Atlanta Braves and the UGA Dawgs, and this past year was a fantastic year for both teams.
When Amanda does have some free moments, she likes to restore and paint furniture as well as wood signs. The couple also look forward to moving into their new home in July, which is under construction on Hilltop Road.
“I really like to cook, although we are ‘foodies’, too. Our favorite place to dine, but just for special occasions, is Miyabi Kyoto Steak House in Savannah. I have to credit my grandmother, Kathryn Knight, for teaching me how to cook. I have a family recipe book that she prepared for me, which I refer to much of the time,” Amanda said.
Her family enjoys her homemade mac and cheese and her Crock Pot Mississippi Chicken.
The family attend Gospel Baptist Church in Claxton. Jesse feels that as parents that his and Amanda’s greatest responsibility is to teach their children the love of Jesus and to instill in them Christian values. They also enjoy Christian music, such as artists Casting Crowns, Mercy Me, Lauren Daigle, and Ann Wilson.
“We also like to prank each other quite a bit. We generally just like having fun together and being with our children,” Amanda said.
Amanda Johnson’s Recipes
CROCK POT MISSISSIPPI CHICKEN
4 chicken breasts
4 to 5 Mt. Olive Pepperoncini peppers
1 cup juice from Pepperoncini peppers 32-oz. jar
1 dry Ranch packet
1/2 to 1 stick butter
salt and pepper to taste
Add all ingredients in crock pot and cook on low for six hours. This is simply amazing, especially if you like a spicy flavor.
AMANDA’S MAC & CHEESE
1 (8-oz.) block Velveeta cheese
canned milk
macaroni
2 eggs
butter, ¼ stick at least
salt and pepper to taste
grated cheese, optional
Boil macaroni until tender, and then drain. Cut cheese into chunks and stir into hot macaroni along with butter after macaroni has been drained. Add canned milk to desired consistency and salt and pepper to taste. Pour into a greased glass casserole dish and bake at 350 degrees F. for 30 to 45 minutes. In the last ten minutes of baking, the grated cheese can be sprinkled on top of the macaroni.
