Keeping Up With The Joneses

Fall 2010

2011-02-24T22:05:00.001-08:00

First Day of School- September 2010!! Look at those cute kids! My third-grader...

A pre-firster....

Another pre-firster...

...and another pre-firster! (Showing us his booty... oh Charlie...)

Soph and Charlie were lovingly greeted at the door (and are everyday) by their new teacher Mrs. Malkowicz... (LOVE her!)

Henry was so excited to have art supplies at the ready in Mrs. Dale's class (love her too!)

The trio started soccer- all on the same team- it was such a blast! Henry making a power kick...

... very cute little goalie...

We returned to our favorite pumpkin patch!

Mags and Charlie got new glasses! I wish I had a picture to go here of Mags in her glasses, but alas, I can't find one... Maybe in my late Fall/Winter post... :)

Much of MY September/October was spent in preparation for the Tacoma Dome Holiday Food & Gift Festival - the hard work paid off- the space looked great and it was a successful (albeit exhausting) endeavor!

Okay, more Fall to follow!!

Summer 2010, Part TWO

2011-02-23T22:10:00.000-08:00

We took our inaugural trip to the Oregon Coast this Summer- two nights in Seaside- what a fantastic place!! Love the ocean- and love the village-y feel of Seaside

Ok, so this pic isn't from Seaside, it's from a lake- but I had to show how filthy my child could become in a few moments time... It was a kinda chilly overcast day at the park- and despite my warnings, the Jonesies found their way into the lake. And into the sand. And back into the new Suburban. Oh well...

Henry, Sophia and Charlie decided this was the year... the Year of the Birthday Split. The year we had two birthday parties instead of one...

So Charlie and Henry chose to have a Star Wars "Jedi Training Academy" party with all their male friends. They swam in the pool and had treats. They got super awesome T-Shirts that said "Property of Jedi Training Academy".

...They went outside for some intense Jedi training, when who should appear from the woods- but

The Dark One. The Sith Lord.

The battle was intense. Darth had some moves, but he was outnumbered about 16:1. Even the chosen one can't beat those odds.

Victory was swift and sweet.

(okay, it's really a pinata, but isn't that realistic looking?)

So the next day, it was time for Sophie's "Fancy Nancy Tea Party". She is so cute. I could eat her alive.

A darling group of little "Fancy Ladies", lovely decorations in Grandma Obray's gorgeous backyard, finger-sandwiches, cupcakes and delightful weather- it was perfect.

Summer 2010- Part ONE...

2011-02-22T23:17:00.001-08:00

Summer started early for us this year! After Annie's fantastic Talent Show performance of the "Hoe-Down Throwdown" (that's her singing in front! Isn't she cute??)

...and another super-cute Pre-K performance (this one was the "I've Bloomed" concert)...

...and a special "half-birthday" celebration for Mr. H...

...our family left school early to attend the wedding of cousin Jessica Hauser in the Salt Lake Temple! Here are the kiddos relaxing on the bed. (Notice that Mags has an ear in each hand- she is always looking for skin when she's tired- fortunately, sibs are willing to oblige)

kiddos waiting outside while Mom and Dad attend the ceremony- GORGEOUS day!

We got to see LOTS of Jones/Hauser cousins- and cousins' kids- which was extra special! It was such a treat to see the family and enjoy that time together.

Sophie got to meet Charlotte...

and we loved on Aunt Cheri and her sweet grandbabies (Jackson and Isaac here with Mags and Henry)

Annie got to see Emily- her special buddy- and Grandma Jones in her cute red hat

and we ate our WEIGHT in icecream at the reception... (That's what happens with five kids run loose at a reception with an ice cream bar... I think this was Soph's fourth or fifth cone...)

and if that wasn't enough... we went to BYU (and had more icecream) and got indoctrinated by our parents on the merits of a BYU education... (can't start too young!! :)

(See!? They're even making a "Y" in the Wilk... Be still my heart...)

So, back home for the rest of our fake Washington Summer... ugh. I think it was maybe 60 degrees on the Fourth of July? Didn't dampen our spirits though- we had a very festive blast of a time at the Reddings

we even decorated our scooters and had a parade!

...with our own police escort

Mom left the next day to go to Girl's Camp for a week- with thirty first year girls! It was a total blast- and even made for the first summer-like break in the weather! (Finally!)

More to come!

Spring 2010 Recap

2011-02-22T21:14:00.000-08:00

Well, I figure it's been almost a year... probably time to update the fabulous happenings of Spring 2010... It started with field trips... to the Puyallup Fair school...

...and Mud Mountain Dam

We enjoyed a fun-filled overnighter at Great Wolf Lodge with our friends the Voellgers- Nothing like an indoor water park when it's raining outside!

We had a cool kid-cabin room...
we went to storytime in the lobby at night...

and got soaked at the waterpark during the day!

Then in May, it was time for the return of MDWEFT! (For the uninitiated, MDWEFT is the Memorial Day Weekend Extravaganza of Family Togetherness)

This year we went to Fort Nisqually's living history museum (aka: Annie HEAVEN) to learn a bit about settlers in our area... very informative and very fun!

We followed our educational excursion with a trip to the "Pick Quick" Drive-in- luscious old-fashioned burgers, handcut fries and shakes (I feel my arteries clogging just typing about it). De-licous. Later we went to a movie and enjoyed some togetherness. A fun weekend for everybody!

Summer 2010 coming soon!

UPDATES GALORE!

2011-02-22T17:44:00.000-08:00

I have been quite steadfast, working diligently to make my files of pics for the "Great Blog Update of 2011". It's coming friends. Prepare yourselves. And the posts will be long. By George, they will be long.

Catching up- Winter 2009/2010 edition...

2010-06-05T23:28:00.001-07:00

The Annual Jones family Christmas Tree retrieval... (this year much less adventurous- just went to the local tree farm...)

... a super-cute Pre-K program... Can you spot the trio?

Miss Maggie celebrated her SECOND birthday in Princess (ELLA!) style...

...which included a really cute Living Nativity with her little friends...

Christmas Eve meant dinner at Grandma's!

...and after-dinner stories...

and gifts- Jammies and snuggly things to sleep with (girls had handmade dolls, Charlie had a handmade puppy, Henry got a sock monkey)

Christmas morning- full of ANTICIPATION!

(and STILL wearing our bows!)
(Charlie can't wait to get into the GOLDEN Santa presents... :)

...or any of the rest of it, for that matter!)

Monkey see, monkey do!

Catching up- Fall 2009 Edition...

2010-06-04T23:45:00.000-07:00

A few things we did last fall ... (lame, I know, but had to catch it up... :)

We started school... Trio in Pre-K, Annie in 2nd grade. Two schools, two districts, three classrooms. So exciting!

Annie and Hattie on their first day of school- (and Annie's first time on the bus!!)

Silly, cheesy brothers...

We had a fun-filled visit from Aunt Sheri and Uncle Mark!!

...which included a totally FANTASTIC trip to the Puyallup Fair!

In October we took our annual trip to Leavenworth for "Autumn Leaf Festival"...

...and what would Fall be without a trip to the pumpkin patch...

...with our friends!

...lots of them... sheesh, what are you people, Mormon or something? :)

Mom got crazy with the costumes again... Annie's Cleopatra, Charlie is a skeleton, Henry's a vampire, Sophie is a ballerina witch and Miss Maggie... well, she's Bo-Peep, of course..

In November, our sweet Annie celebrated a very important birthday- turning 8 and getting baptized! She celebrated with Sophie and Hattie with a yummy dinner at Rainforest Cafe and a fantastic shopping trip at the mall- followed by her first sleepover at our house. Fun Fun!

(I'll post baptism pics when I find them... hmmm...) Annie was baptized during Thanksgiving weekend. She shared her special day with her friend Adriana. Both girls were baptized and confirmed by their dads- and many friends and some family members were in attendance. It was very special!

We finished the fall with a bang- the trio played an exceptional season of soccer under the careful tutelage of Rachael Redding, our coach of choice... :)

And our "California Girls" performed a jazz number in their dance studio's recital.(that's Soph on the end...)

...and we're just getting started! So many more things to update!

Playing catch-up...Summer 2009 Edition

2010-02-18T12:00:00.000-08:00

The massive undertaking that is catching up the blog will begin with Summer 2009- though these pics are in absolutely NO chronological order... and I'm too lazy to fix it... so here you go, Cyberfriends. :)

WHAT WE DID THIS SUMMER By, The Jonesies

We rooted for Daddy (in the rain) in his first ever Triathlon!

We celebrated the Fourth of July...

We learned who DOMINATES at two-square...

We celebrated a very BIG fifth birthday...

....like three times....

We went to cheer camp...

...and for lots of park-dates with our friends...

We did LOTS of goofy stuff around the house- and LOTS of swimming in our new pool (though I don't have pics of that, unfortunately...)

We played T-Ball (though we prefer COACH pitch...)

We endured the worst heat wave in WA history by taking an impromptu trip to the beach!

(yes, we wear hair fancies when we wear bathing suits...)

We went fun places with our cousins...

...especially grandma's house...

We went to gymnastics camp...

We participated in a play...

We graduated from preschool...

...and lots more! But there's a taste... Now, on to FALL!

Why I haven't blogged...

2010-02-17T16:19:00.001-08:00

Hello Friends.
I'm not sure what the standard etiquette is for not updating one's blog very frequently. I feel pretty confident that Emily Post and Miss Manners have little to say about the matter. I have been repeatedly chastened by multiple folks for my ineptitude. So I feel I will offer something resembling an explanation.

Upon thorough examination of the evidence, it seems apparent that my avoidance of the blogging world (excepting my business blog) began when The Upheaval (aka- preparation for my first major Tallulah Twinkletoes show) began. This was the point in the Summer when all extraneous activities (ie: reading, crafting, sleeping, blogging, etc) ceased to exist. Since this time, life has continued in much the same manner- the Upheaval began in August, and continued into the Fall months as I participated in a number of different boutiques and little Soirees, completed MANY custom orders and daydreamed about my business plan.

I took a brief break in December to enjoy the busy, blissfully craft-laden Christmas holidays, and now I find myself still busy...
This is, of course, good for business. Family life has been largely uninterrupted, thanks to the advent of FULL DAY SCHOOL for the trio, the support of a great husband, and three hour daily naps for the Magster. My nights are late, my mornings come early and I am still figuring this balancing act out, but life is good.

So please forgive my blog neglect. I will include, for your viewing pleasure (and mine), some photos of events gone by. Since my scrapbooking days are still on hold for another year (at least), I will be better about blogging and updating the status of the Jones family for those near and far...

xoxo

AOJ

Totally NOT Neglecting my blog...

2009-09-07T00:44:00.001-07:00

Okay. I know. I've been, um, busy lately. I guess I took the Summer off- and the problem with that is, when one has the list of things to blog about that I have, returning to the Blogosphere seems a very daunting task. In truth, it will likely take me DAYS to catch up, but catch up I will, rest assured. A tasty morsel of things to come:

-end of school, 4th of July, visits from cousins, spontaneous trip to the beach, MCT, Gymnastics camp, bball camp, cheer camp, outings with friends, MORE outings with friends, triplets' birthday, Tball, two-square tournament, Sumner Arts Fest... and SO much more!!!!

I'm getting to it- I promise... It might take until Christmas, but it's going to happen!

Memorial Day Weekend Extravaganza of Family Togetherness!

2009-05-26T21:32:00.000-07:00

So, in lieu of taking a one-night overnight trip (which often ends up being a nightmare... I mean, who actually sleeps the first night in a new place, kids don't calm down, it isn't until night two that anyone actually rests, blah blah) we decided to do some fun outings to keep ourselves entertained this last weekend!

Friday night, we went to the Valley Drive in to see:

It was our first family trip to the drive in since Annie was a baby, and it was a blast! The kids loved it and the movie was great... I recommend it!

Saturday, we cleaned the house (work before play, of course... :) then loaded up everyone and went to lunch at McDonalds (I know, but remember, five kids...) then to Parkland Putters- an old-school mini golf place near Tacoma. The kids were so excited to go mini-golfing and Maggie was very... helpful...

She's cute, can't fault her for that...

Since the day was completely GORGEOUS, we opted to take a family walk on Ruston Way on the waterfront in Tacoma. It was a busy day there, but the weather was glorious, which, as we Washingtonians know, is an occurrence not to be trifled with. So, walking we went...

By the end of our walk, we had worked up an appetite... So we decided to eat dinner at Tacoma's Old Spaghetti Factory- a fabulous place to eat with kids- Kids meals are only 4.99 and they include a drink, salad, entree and dessert! Awesome! And delicious- they even have whole wheat pasta now! Yay me!

We went home, got ready for bed, then went to church Sunday and enjoyed a restful, rejuvenating Sabbath.

Monday, we went got up, got ready and after lunch went to Federation Forest and did a family hike! The Jonesies LOVE to hike- even Maggie was enthralled! The trail was easy enough, and we probably walked a couple of miles, effortlessly.

We stopped by our favorite Farm Stand on our way home to get some fresh veg and fruit (and ice cream -OBVIOUSLY one of the four food groups...) and went to a relaxing cook out at the Deputy's home. And *bonus*, got to see the inside of the new house they're building... Fun day!

It was truly a fabulous weekend. Not perfect- never perfect, but very entertaining, and I think every Jonesie had a truly exhilarating time. I think we have begun a new family tradition- the Memorial Day Weekend Extravaganza of Family Togetherness (MDWEFT) will be something we look forward to each year... and I have 364 days to recover... :)

Annie's Program

2009-05-26T21:18:00.000-07:00

Annie had her First Grade music program at school, "Hansel and Gretel Eat Right". She was the cutest squirrel in the bunch. It was really cute and actually pretty funny. Where else do you get to see a singing compost pile? As Jim stated (quite profoundly, I might add...) "Lessons we've learned: Sweets=bad. Fruits and Veg=good. " I would add: "Compost=essential (and apparently, musical)."

A few pics:

An Apple for the...

2009-05-13T10:12:00.000-07:00

Check out these beauties! I made them for Annie's teachers at school for Staff Appreciation Week... Yes, I'm totally channelling Martha here... Yes, for the uninitiated, they are apple-shaped cake pops. In a bucket. With ribbon. Could I be more unabashedly girly?

A few things I've learned...

2009-05-11T09:34:00.000-07:00

Thanks so much to everyone who commented here and on my FB account about what it means to be a mother. Your comments were great- and very inspiring- they were great in my talk yesterday! In honor of Mom's Day, I'm including in this post my list (from my talk yesterday) of a few things I've learned in the last 7.5 years of motherhood...

I've learned:

You can clean nearly anything out of carpet with either ammonia or shaving cream.

It is often better to listen than to talk.

Adhesive bandages have magical healing powers.

Nothing compares to the young testimony of a little child as they share with you their thoughts about Jesus.

Not to be offended that when the children play house, the mother is always dead.

Family activities and projects are never perfect, and that's okay.

Family home evening, no matter how raucous and loud, is precious time.

"Furniture" is synonymous with "playground" in the vocabulary of a four-year-old.

The carpet will always be dirty, the patio door covered in fingerprints, mysterious odors will linger in the laundry room, but babies will grow and change and we will never have those moments back.

Grandparents are angels.

Children will clean any mess if they can do it like a superhero.

Sometimes we just need to cry in the pantry for a few minutes, and that's okay.

Martha Stewart did NOT have five children aged seven and under.

A little individual time with a child does wonders for behavior.

Never break a promise.

My Heavenly Father knows me, He knows my children- HIS children, and wants us to be happy.

Relief Society is often that- a RELIEF. There is great wisdom to be found among those who have done it before, and great support to be found among our sisters in the trenches.

Above all, prayer is a lifeline. It is the ultimate resource, the channel by which we plead our hearts desires, cry out the pain in our hearts, and receive quiet answers.

Hope your Mother's Day was a great one! Hang in there Mommies, you're doing the most important work there is- and in the immortal words of Zac Ephron, "We're all in this TOGETHER! " :)

Mother's Day Tea

2009-05-07T13:20:00.000-07:00

I LOVE the preschool the trio attends. They do the most creative, cute FUN activities and they LOVE going (Yay!)!

Today we had the "Mother's Day Tea". They transformed the meeting room into rows and rows of pink tables with real tea cups and finger sandwiches. The kids sang us a song and gave us presents. It was very sweet. Here are my gifts:

They came wrapped like this:

So, my other favorite part was the paper they each gave me called

"Some Important Stuff About My Mom"

(answers are color-coded: Soph, Henry, Charlie)

My Mom's name is AMBERLYN/AMBER/AMBER

She is ABOUT 14/100/18 years old and her favorite color is BLUE & GREEN/RED/PINK.

My mom's favorite food is GROWN-UP YOGURT/PIZZA DIPPED IN RANCH/PASTA.

Her job is TO HELP US CLEAN OUR ROOMS/CLEANING THE DISHES FOR US/HELP ME PUT ON MY BATHING SUIT SHIRT FOR SWIMMING LESSONS.

When my mom and I want to have some fun, we GET ICE CREAM TOGETHER/GO TO SUPER JUMP PARTY ZONE/GO TO THE STORE AND GET FOOD.

My special Mother's Day words for my Mom are: "I LOVE YOU"/"I LOVE YOU"/"YOU'RE BEAUTIFUL!"

I love that! I will keep those little treasures for ever and ever! Thanks kiddos!

Earnest Query...

2009-05-03T18:22:00.000-07:00

So, I've been asked to speak in Sacrament meeting next week on Mother's Day. Topic? Mother's Day. I am bracing myself for the inevitable fact that this assignment will bring with it an unneccessarily difficult week of mothering, requiring me to do some extreme soul searching and brain racking to find worthwhile things to say (yes, I'm being brutally honest- but doesn't it always happen that way?) I'm just being real- anyone who knows me KNOWS that I adore my children, in spite of all their sneaky, loud, irrational naughtiness.

So I'm asking, simply said, what is the BEST part of being a mom and the MOST DIFFICULT part of being a mom? Please reply. I need feedback. You'd really be doing me a service here, folks. You might even get a shout-out. Yes, you could be famous among the throng of Victor Falls Ward-goers. Please help me. Don't make me beg.

Thanks friends.

Tallulah Party- TONIGHT!

2009-03-31T11:38:00.001-07:00

Hey Everybody! Just a little reminder- Tallulah Twinkletoes "Spring Soiree" tonight at my house, 7-9pm. Bring your Easter dresses and favorite Spring outfits to coordinate- and check out the new Kufi caps and Princess clippies! Totally adorable!!!!

See you there!

Big Thanks...

2009-02-05T20:52:00.000-08:00

To everyone who attended and helped with mom's big 60th surprise! It was so much fun- and I think she was genuinely surprised- especially when Ash walked in the room! We had a great weekend- got pictures taken of the cousins together (adorable) and spent a lot of quality time together. I wish Ash and Chris lived closer- I love when we get to all be together!

Check out...

2009-01-29T17:43:00.001-08:00

my rockstar husband on his newest post on "Can't We All Just Blog Along?". Hilarious, moving, profound, all wrapped into one. Love that guy.

Tallulah Open House- TONIGHT!

2009-01-27T13:40:00.000-08:00

Come one, come all! My house, 7pm. Treats, bows, tutus, you know the drill. Come see the new Valentine's stuff. CUTE. :)

Day in Seattle

2009-01-22T10:23:00.000-08:00

We spent the King holiday on Monday at the Pacific Science Center in Seattle (KING county. How apropos). The kids had fun doing all the fun hands-on stuff there is to do- and everyone's science interests were entertained- Charlie saw the bugs and dinosaurs, Henry saw the space stuff, Soph went in the butterfly house, and Annie, well, just took EVERYTHING in (she's our science girl...). We walked around the Seattle Center- saw the International Fountain (very cool) and then ate a YUMMY dinner at Buca Di Beppo. A fun family day, all in all. Best part, everyone fell asleep at 7:00 on their way home and transferred RIGHT to bed- no bedtime wars! Wonderful!

New Bed!!!!

2009-01-22T10:18:00.000-08:00

To try to satisfy my insatiable need to redecorate and reorganize the house, I had Jim put together the boys' bunk beds- theirs will be bedroom makeover #1. We bought paint (though we haven't painted yet-one thing at a time). Here's the bed. The boys are ecstatic- and it's the new hot spot for everything at the Jones house...

By Popular Demand.

2009-01-03T21:19:00.000-08:00

The Diarrhea Debacle of '05.

(In the interest of time, censorship and well, personal challenge, I have decided to share the story in the form of an extended Haiku. enjoy. )

children are pooping

filling diapers, soaking towels

under their bottoms.

children are rashy

bottoms need airing

(home teacher is coming by).

baby is standing

removing diaper, pooping

into playroom vent.

new carpet ruined.

mother is crying aloud.

children are pooping.

FIN.

(I know, it doesn't look like a Haiku. I wrote it in three stanzas, but it won't publish that way. Bummer. Pardon the pun.)

Welcoming in the New Year. (not for faint of heart...)

2009-01-02T21:52:00.000-08:00

So, I finished my post last night, just as I hear Annie at the top of the stairs screaming at the top of her lungs and crying.

I RUN upstairs to find her, vomiting, at the top of the staircase.

Granted, the day before, Annie had two puking episodes, but she was feeling well enough on New Years to be up and about and do some family stuff. (I figured it was a 24-hour thing, and it had been well over 24 hours since the last episode...you know...). My poor little girl.

I follow her to her room to find that Sophie had (unfortunately) snuck into bed with Annie (as is often her custom). Sadly, poor little Soph, still sleeping, was entirely covered in vomit. Face, hair, chest, everything.

I showered both girls, had them brush their teeth (yes, Sophie too... ugh.) and put Soph down for sleep on old quilts sprawled on her bedroom floor (expecting her to do it in the night as well- though she didn't... yet) and put Annie in her make-shift bed. Her carpet will probably never fully recover, even with Ammonia, carpet cleaner and everything else. It's orange.

I have fingers CROSSED that we will not have a repeat of last night- with the other four Jonesies. I have become a germophobe- bleaching, Lysoling and sanitizing EVERYTHING and everyone, hoping it will soften the blow. I suppose it's a good thing that these things happen gradually- five puking at once would be, well, not fun. (Ask me someday about the Diarrhea Debacle of '05- my playroom heater vent has only now recovered...)

So this one goes out to all my Puke-cleaning Sistas and Brothas- especially the newly initiated like Candi- who are all praying with me that we don't have another night like last night.

HAPPY NEW YEAR!

2009-01-01T22:39:00.000-08:00

I'd have to say, I think 2008 was pretty good. A quick recap, for anyone who missed anything- and for me to list a few things I forgot to mention: (really, this list is mostly for me, but read on if you'd like... I'm realizing it's kind of like one of those BAD "year in review" letters you get with Christmas cards- listing obscure people's names and weird things you don't care about... so sorry if it's dullsville- like I said, for me and posterity...)

January:

Maggie turned 1 month. Spent a LOT of time inside, acclimating to life with 5 kids. That's pretty much it.

February:

Turned 31. Had the cutest Valentine's dinner with Jimbo and the kids. Swimming lessons for the four. Read Twilight, New Moon and Eclipse. Re-read Twilight, New Moon and Eclipse. Read everything I could get my little fingers on about Twilight movie, books, Stephenie Meyer, etc. (Fed the frenzy, basically). Read lots of other stuff. Wrote some stuff.

March:

Read LOTS more stuff. (See Good Reads list) Wrote lots more stuff. More swimming lessons.

April:

Read lots more stuff. Wrote lots more stuff. Easter. Went to Idaho for niece Jenni-Leigh's wedding. Spring Break. Neglect of blog begins.

May:

Tenth wedding anniversary! Had tasty dinner at Salty's. Neglect of blog continues. Lots of reading. Memorial Day hike with kids, Charlie gets glasses! Father/Son campout.

June:

School is out! Craziness ensues. More reading. Plant sorry excuse for a garden. Ashley visits with the cousins! Neglect of blog continues. Discover used bookstore in Sumner- oh happy day!

July:

Trip to Great Wolf Lodge. Fourth of July at Barkers. Day Camp, Annie's play, lots of busy stuff. Still reading, and neglecting blog.

August:

Trip to zoo. (Lose Henry. Last year- Charlie. Next year, Soph?) S,H &C birthday carnival extravaganza. Hello Blog! We're back! Breaking Dawn midnight release! (Yes, reading.)

September:

SCHOOL and PRESCHOOL (and my new lease on life begins... :) No soccer, dance etc. this season- we're simplifying! Reading!

October:

Jim is 34! Oktoberfest with the Gma & Gpa. Pumpkin patch(es)! Cutest Wizard of Oz costumes ever. Make lots of bows.

November:

We elected, who? Annie is 7! HSM on ice! Tallulah Twinkletoes launches with fun party! Thanksgiving. EXCELLENT Black Friday shopping with the ninjas. TWILIGHT movie! HSM 3 with the kids. Re-discover love of creating/crafting after Ward Fabulous Friday.

December:

Maggie is 1! Cutest Christmas nativity program ever (Henry- Wise Man, Soph- Cow, Charlie- Stable boy). LOTS of snow. Lots of wrapping. Christmas tree hunt in Mtns. Jones Family Shopping day! Wonderful Christmas Eve/Day with loved ones. Begin insatiable and relentless search for fun, economical home-improvement projects for new year!

WHEW! And that didn't even include pictures - or all the loads of laundry, diapers changed, toilets scrubbed, windows and cabinets washed, meals prepared, children bathed, prayers said, tears cried, timeouts taken, miles driven, boo boos kissed, songs sung, trips to the library, phone calls made, medicines administered or calls to grandma! (among other things!)

Yeah, I think 2009 is going to be pretty awesome too.

Cute, Dancing Christmas Jonesies.

2008-12-28T17:16:00.000-08:00

Merry Christmas, Jonesies!

2008-12-28T16:52:00.000-08:00

Our Christmas was wonderful this year!

We started a new tradition- Jones Family Shopping Day! On the 23rd, we got everyone ready and went out for a fun day of shopping for each other! We took the kids to a really huge dollar store and let them each have a turn picking out gifts for their siblings. This proved to be a really fun thing to do- they were so proud of their selections- and they even wrapped them themselves! Then, we went to lunch and finished the day doing a little last minute shopping for other gifts. The kids were pretty great, all things considered. And the snow kept coming.

Our Christmas was WHITE- an unusual occurance for Washington, but very lovely and fitting for the holiday. We were blessed to spend Christmas Eve with Grandma and Grandpa Obray and Eric. Grandpa made the YUMMIEST Prime rib dinner and we followed the meal with a Christmas story with Grandma and some carols. The kids were tired and anxious to get in bed for Santa (weird- I wish EVERY night was Christmas eve...) so we went home and donned our Christmas jammies, laid out Oreos for the big guy (Santa's favorite cookie, you know...), and went to bed praying Santa would come after a day full of threats that he wouldn't if behavior didn't improve... (I'm not sure what it is about Christmastime- they could be angels the rest of the year, and during the most logical time to be really good, they are demons... hm.)

Christmas morning we awoke to the pitter patter of little feet, running around our room. We all went downstairs and very systematically opened our presents. (We were organized this year- mess was very minimal!) Highlights included a pink guitar for Annie, Two-wheel scooters for Charlie and Soph, a CD boombox for Henry and another ride-on toy for Mags. Each kid received what they wanted and everyone was happy...

Then came Christmas Number Two. Grandma and Grandpa Obray edition.

They arrived around lunch time with insane quantities of gifts for the kids. We have so many new games, puzzles, toys and books that I think we could successfully run our own Boys and Girls Club. It was wonderful. The kids are in heaven. Thanks G & G- we are so so excited about our new things!

It really was a wonderful holiday. Everyone was happy. Jim was home with us most of the week, which was a lot of fun. I'm always a little sad when the holidays are over, but I'm already thinking of my list of home improvements to start in January, so the sadness is minimal! :)

12-21-08 Happy FIRST Birthday, Maggie!

2008-12-28T16:37:00.001-08:00

So, those of you who are Mommies, remember when your oldest child was a baby, and the first year of his/her life seemed so exciting? You anticipate the changes in their development- you can't wait until they can eat food, or crawl or walk and every little moment is amazing?

Now, fast-forward to your youngest child and think about the same things.

All I have to say is:

SLOW DOWN, BABY! MAKE IT STOP! PLEASE STAY LITTLE AND LET ME SNUGGLE YOU AND NIBBLE YOUR CHEEKS AND SQUISH YOUR LEGS AND ROCK YOU TO SLEEP AND DRESS YOU LIKE A DOLL! LET ME CHERISH EVERY LITTLE MOMENT OF YOUR BABYHOOD! DON'T WALK YET! DON'T TALK! PLEASE JUST BE MY BABY!

I know it sounds silly. I know it's a little crazy. I have adored everything about this year- about this sweetheart that Heavenly Father surprised me with a year ago. She is so loving and so angelic and I know our family was not complete until she joined it. I love you, Baby Mags. Happy birthday.

Soph/Fia Pictorial

2008-12-10T11:17:00.000-08:00

SOPH.

FIA.

Soph/Fia.

2008-12-10T10:54:00.000-08:00

We have a strange phenomenon in our house. I wouldn't try to simplify it by calling it "multiple personality disorder", or "schizophrenia"-rather, maybe, some sort of paranormal event that happens on occasion when the planets are aligned a certain way, (or perhaps when our middle daughter hasn't had enough SLEEP...) or the moon is in a certain stage...

I call this phenom the appearance of FIA.

Sophia- or SOPH as she is generally known, is a very sweet, fun-loving little lady. Yes, she has more sass in her than most four year olds (it can't be easy being the only female triplet AND the middle daughter...)- she holds her own pretty well with the brothers.

But sometimes, we find that our sweet little Soph has been replaced by the maniacal and completely irrational FIA. Fia is not a popular person around the Jones house. She has been known to create some substantial messes- usually involving water, fingernail polish or lip gloss, pen or crayon, make-up on occasion... and Fia ALWAYS heralds her appearance with a monster-sized fit.

We have learned to be patient with Fia. At times, she needs to cool off in her room for a bit and take a breather. Sometimes, when we ask Fia where Soph went, we find that Soph wasn't far and she's more than happy to find her way back. In fact, in a conversation I had with SOPH the other day, I found out that Fia often appears "when I don't get enough attention". (How's that for perceptive!)

It isn't easy to be pulled five directions and try to meet everyone's emotional needs- but we do the best we can and I don't think that the occasional visit from Fia will leave any lasting damage on anyone (well, unless you count the HOUSE...).

We are so blessed to have our little Sophie- even when Fia rears her mischievous head. I can't imagine our family without her.

Amazing.

2008-12-09T10:59:00.000-08:00

Check this out- this is our niece Jessica (at BYU). She is so talented! She's trying to enter a contest- watch:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B9zn2hewCiw.

Smooth Jazz.

2008-12-08T23:58:00.000-08:00

There's nothing like a little SMOOTH JAZZ to soothe the soul before bedtime. Keep your eye on Henry (yellow headband, Buzz jammies). I almost peed my pants laughing. Cutest kids ever.

Press "pause" on the Playlist while you play this one- you need the background music from the video for the full effect... enjoy.

Into the Woods.

2008-12-08T23:07:00.000-08:00

Happiest Baby. Ever.

GORGEOUS view.
The giant tree beside Jim? Yeah, Ours. We had to shave it down a bit... :)

Cute little troopers.

Does anyone else know that play? I loved it- had the soundtrack once upon a time. Great show. Good songs. "Into the woods, and out of the woods- and home before dark!" Anyhow...

So, like true Northwesterners, we look forward to the excitement of visiting the tree farm each year to select the lucky little Douglas that gets to come die a quick death at the Jones house. (Okay, no offense to my artificial tree-owning compadres, but I just can't do fake. Sorry. Hate me if you must. And yes, we do kill the tree within days. Still not an argument for going fake.)

This year, however, Jim decided we needed a little more adventure in our lives. We purchased a $10 permit at the ranger station in Enumclaw and set out into the forest to find our next victim, ahem, Christmas tree. (Um, BARGAIN, by the way!)

Oh the fun that awaited us! (No sarcasm in that tone! Seriously fun!)

We bundled everyone up and started hiking (yes, it was relatively arduous with 4 small kids and one in a backpack), navigating around stumps, fallen logs and lots of densely packed trees. The kids LOVED it- nary a complaint among them (even though they fell like every two seconds climbing the hill)! I loved it! The view was amazing. Breathtaking even.

We found our tree- our first Noble Fir- within about 1.5 hours. It was great.

Next year, we will definitely plan it out better- we'll take a lunch, build a fire, spend the day, convince as many of our B-L friends as possible to caravan with us and make it a party! Woo Hoo! Seriously, it make the little rec major in me feel so glad to be in the outdoors- and what is more breathtaking than Washington mountains? (Don't answer. Let me bask in the memory.)

So, you artificial tree aficionados, give it up, swallow your pride and join my merry brigade next year. Seriously, SO fun.

Epiphany.

2008-12-04T18:28:00.000-08:00

So, I'm driving in the car today, enjoying my 2.5 hours of child-less (read: no one over 11 months) time, when I find myself thinking about my blog. I planned out a post about Twilight (which I may, or may not revisit at another time...), even thought through the wording, the clever quips, the tag line, when suddenly I realized, for the first time EVER...

I Am A Dork.

Truly. I am a bonafide dork. I'm not saying that folks who think out speeches in their minds and mentally compose letters in the shower are dorks (phew Candi- I think you're okay...). What I mean is, the way I use language- the wordy, lengthy way I explain things... I have always been blessed with a mind that easily recalls and uses vocabulary. At times, I am a bit overzealous in my use of words. Often, I find the most ridiculously ambiguous ways of explaining things. There are times my dorkiness has worked to my advantage (mostly involving academia), but for the most part, it's a scarlet "D" that I must bear.*

Thankfully, I was also blessed with a pretty solid self-concept as a youngster, a trait which often protects those of us who call ourselves dorks from really realizing or fully acknowledging it.

Other signs I am realizing are indicative of dorkdom:

matching socks, shirt and scrunchies. (A favorite past time of mine in bygone days- scrunchie days)

sleeping with a blankie. (Yes, I do still have it. Yes, I do still sleep with it. It's soft- don't judge me.)
reading embarrassing amounts YA lit.(Guilty. I do have a good reason for this, but I won't explain now.)

being overly melodramatic. (see * above)

having a psychotic tendency to become enamored of and obsessed with things of questionable dorkiness (ie: Harry Potter, Twilight, Strawberry Shortcake, etc.)

having the word "dork" written upon your forehead. (Okay, that one isn't true, but you get the point)

I think I am willing to not only accept my dorkiness, but embrace it. I think we dorks of the world make more "fun" mommies and daddies. I think we express ourselves well and have a finger on the pulse of what makes us happy. Not really such a bad thing, don't you think?

Happy Turkey Day.

2008-11-27T11:24:00.001-08:00

Happiest of Thanksgivings to all of you in blog-land! (And Happy Bday tomorrow, CL...) I hope the holiday finds all of you well, surrounded by people you love, full of delicious edibles, and SO tired that you decide NOT to get up at 4am to go shopping, because my homies (fellow shopping ninjas) and I will be out there, taking no prisoners in our efforts to acquire cheap stuff. Please sleep in if you're tired. Leave the shopping to the pros.- or, do it at your own risk, as the case may be. I'm just sayin'...

In the interest of ending this post on a good, non-threatening note, I want to give you a quick list of things I am thankful for...

Right now, I'm thankful for health, for kids that are healthy enough to be WHINING non-stop, waiting for their turn at the yearly Playstation fest (yes, we only take it out one day a year). I am glad they are healthy enough that I can hear them whine, that I have them near me, even if they are noisy.

I am thankful for Jim- for all that he does for our family. I am glad he has found a creative outlet in his blog and I'm seeing, again, glimmers of the pre-law school man that I married. I love you, Shum. Thanks for your constant, amazing support and patience.

I am thankful for my adorable, sneaky, messy, silly, children- for each of their unique personalities, for their snotty noses, for the precious things they make for me, for their efforts to help out and countless other things. Even when they're crazy and loud I am so glad that they are here. I am grateful that they have the ability to do all that they do- even if it's naughty sometimes.

I am thankful for my amazing parents- for their support in all ways. I truly don't know what I would do without them nearby. I know that moving was a sacrifice for them, but I'm so (selfishly) glad that they did. I truly cannot count the number of times they have bailed me out with child care, cleaning abhorrent messes, sneaking in to clean my house when we're gone, building me FURNITURE!, painting, building shelving and fences, basically clothing my children, and the list goes ON... I am so grateful for all they do in our behalf. They are truly amazing.

I am blessed to have really outstanding friends. I won't list you all, you know who you are. From the ones I grew up with, to the college roomies, to the Valpo buddies, to our newer friends in Washington and B-L, I have laughed and cried and shared countless moments with all of you. Thanks for listening to me whine, for watching my kids, for tolerating the messes they make in your houses (sorry about the fingernail polish, Brooke...), for buying my bows, for just listening in general. You are all hot mamas and deserve to win the lottery. Yes, you too.

Okay, I'm also grateful for the hot chocolate I scrubbed out of my newly cleaned carpet (thanks Dad!) this morning. Having hot chocolate to clean means that we have food to eat, and a house to live in, which are both wonderful things.

And, of course, I am grateful for the Gospel in my life, for my Savior and a Heavenly Father who is constantly mindful of my needs and considerate of my pleas for help.

Happy Thanksgiving, everyone. Don't forget to sleep in. More bargains for me. :)

Cute Charlie.

2008-11-26T11:06:00.000-08:00

So, I was driving back from taking Annie to school this morning with the other 4 in the car, when we passed a doctor's office. The conversation went thusly:

Charlie: "Mom, did you know Jesus is a doctor?"

Me: "Hmmm? What did you say buddy?"

Charlie: (louder- noisy car) "Jesus is a special kind of doctor mom."

Me: "Really? Where did you learn that?"

Charlie: "From my head. He is, Mom. He's a special doctor. "

Sophie: "Mom! Charlie's telling big whoppers again! "

(screaming ensues)

Charlie: "He is Mom. He makes people better when they're sick or they get dead. See, he's a doctor"

Me: (smiling) "I suppose you're right buddy."

(Conversation about the priesthood follows, Charlie still insisting on doctor status, etc.)

I love that kid.

Big Thanks from Tallulah.

2008-11-26T11:02:00.000-08:00

Thanks so much to EVERYONE who came to the Tallulah Twinkletoes Open House last night! It was a success- and I'm so excited about it! If anyone was unable to attend, but is interested in ordering anything, please let me know! Orders will be done within a week so you'll have cute stuff for Christmas pictures! Yay! Thanks again for those who came by!

Happy (belated) Bday Annie!

2008-11-26T10:35:00.000-08:00

I can't believe I'm the mother of a seven year old. I have been so blessed to have my vivacious, sweet and loving little Annie in my life. She is funny, super-creative and sensitive and I can't imagine our family without her! Her bday was on the 16th and we celebrated by going to Rainforest Cafe for dinner, then "High School Musical- The Ice Tour" at Key arena. It was a BLAST.

Seven Things I Adore about Annie: (please indulge me a moment of bragging...)

1. Her SMILE. Annie is such a happy girl! She always has something exciting to tell me! She is beautiful!

2. Her "IDEAS". She is pretty much the most creative child I know- always coming up with inventions or really well-thought out suggestions about how to do things. (I really loved the underpants sling-shot, by the way, A...)

3. Her PASSION for learning. Annie LOVES to read- always has. In fact, some of her favorite pasttimes are reading, listening to audio books, and learning about history or science. She knows her scriptures and gives lots of lessons at family home evening. She has a broad knowledge base of so many things- I'm so pleased that she has developed this love.

4. Her ART. Annie has a stunning ability to notice and recall details. She draws beautiful pictures and always amazes me with her "fashion" creations and other things.

5. Her SENSE OF HUMOR. Oh, she didn't stand a chance with two crazy people as her parents. She's a hoot. I love how she makes me laugh.

6. Her COMPASSION. I love watching Annie "play" soccer. She spends the whole time helping kids up when they fall down- no matter what team they are on. It's so sweet. She has the same love for her siblings (though they do make her nuts more often than not) and she always wants to make breakfast for Jim and I and do whatever she can to help.

7. Her desire to do what's RIGHT. Annie is a good girl. She is very concerned about justice- about fairness and kindness. (Maybe she'll be a lawyer someday...)

I love you, Annie. My life is so much better for having you in it. I thank Heavenly Father every day that He thought me worthy to be your mommy. You are an amazing big sister and daughter and I'm so grateful we have your personality in our home! Happy Birthday!

For anyone local who follows my blog...

2008-11-18T11:08:00.000-08:00

Don't forget... those of you who are Twilight readers and fans...Twilight Movie party- meet at Sarah V.'s house FRIDAY at 8:30- bring an appetizer or dessert to share. We'll get sugared up and go see the movie (YAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAY!) at 10:30. If you HAVEN'T purchased your ticket yet- get on it, lady! :) Try www.fandango.com . Remember, 10:30pm show!!!!

Tallulah Twinkletoes!

2008-11-18T11:07:00.001-08:00

Hey Everyone- sorry I've been out of it for a while- I have, however been busy. I have a new business venture that I want to share with you. A website is in the works, but until it's finished, here is my blog: www.tallulahtwinkletoes.blogspot.com . Go check it out!

Maris Farms

2008-10-28T23:04:00.000-07:00

Yes, it's Pumpkin Patch take two. This time, it was Sophie, Henry and Charlie's preschool field trip to local Maris Farms. What FUN it was for the kids! We rode a hayride, went in a corn "maze", picked out pumpkins, rode a cow coaster, played mini golf, saw cute animals, played in the corn room and had delicious cookies, courtesy of Miss Christy! What a fun day for the littler Jonesies.

(P.S. No, we did not do all the activities of the three most recent posts on the same day. We are getting very good use out of our Halloween shirts this year! :) And yes, the completely ADORABLE bows seen in the girls' hair? Totally made by me! More about that later...)

Leavenworth

2008-10-28T22:46:00.000-07:00

Oktoberfest was in full swing in our favorite Bavarian town in the Cascades. I had dreams of being in the mountains, hearing the oompah music, eating a brat covered in sauerkraut and brown mustard, watching the kids frolic merrily on the hills, having Jim lead us in a rousing acoustic rendition of "Edelweiss", while skipping about to the quaint stores and street vendors, laughing gaily, full of joy and delicious German pastries.

My Sound of Music fantasy (minus the whole Nazi thing, of course), was only slightly tarnished by the reality of the situation. We listened to the audio book (favorite Jones pastime, of late) of "The Wizard of Oz"en route for the duration of the 2.5 hour drive. The kids did well in the car, whining was minimal, fighting infrequent, all things considered. We arrived and met up with Grandma and Grandpa Obray and Eric and went about finding lunch. Sadly, the bratwurst line was insane, so we settled for McDonalds, which the kids were not unhappy about. We divided to conquer the stores, traded the stroller for the backpack (much better) and the kids had a blast buying ornaments in the Christmas store, looking at nutcrackers and cuckoo clocks, picking out a small toy at the toy shop with Grandma, and relaxing with ice cream near the end of the day. By five o'clock, the crazy college kids, some clad in their lederhosen and St. Pauli Girl look-alike finest, had overrun the streets with their steins, and we knew it was time to go.

Ahhh... Leavenworth. 'Till next year...

Scholz Farms

2008-10-28T22:08:00.000-07:00

I LOVE FALL!!!! I don't know if it's the gorgeous colors on display, the crispness in the air, the excuse to eat copious amounts of comfort food, or the opportunity to get out and do fun, festive things with the kids- whatever the reason, I look forward to it every year! I took the kids, along with our friends the Barkers and Leonards, to Scholz farms, our pumpkin patch of choice in the Orting Valley.

Jim's blog

2008-10-02T10:43:00.001-07:00

By the way, Jim has a blog as well: www.cantwealljustblogalong.blogspot.com

It's pretty funny too.

Inspector Deloris

2008-10-02T10:27:00.000-07:00

I read an article in Family Fun magazine recently, written by a frustrated mom with a messy house. She had a brainstorm, and decided to employ a fictional character she invented named "Deloris" to come in and "inspect" the kids' rooms and email her findings to her. It was a total hit, the kids were more conscious of their messes, and Deloris got to be the bad guy, listing all the things that needed to be done- being as nitpicky as she wanted to be.

I loved this idea, since we battle with the same problems.

Jim decided to take everything a step further and actually create a blog for Deloris (www.inspectordeloris.blogspot.com) and an email address. It's hilarious.

My kids are waiting for the results of Deloris' first visit today. We will email them to ourselves from her account and read them after dinner. Our "Leavenworth dollars" will be dependent on how we react to Deloris' findings. My kids are totally excited- and a little weirded out ("how is she going to get in our house if nobody's home?") etc. I'm keeping my fingers crossed that Inspector Deloris will make a splash at our house. If anyone out there wants to try it out, show your kids the blog to lend your facade some legitimacy, and let the fun begin. :)

Reminders.

2008-09-26T15:07:00.000-07:00

I have a sign in my kitchen that says "I child proof my house, but they still get in." I thought it was pretty funny. Truly, considering the substantial amount of childproofing necessary in a house with five kids under six, it is pretty funny. I was thinking about this today, about the sense of humor that is seemingly prerequisite to living my life- and how, often, I find myself desensitized to the negativity that comes with the daily exhaustion of doing the routine. People ask me all the time, "What's it like to have triplets?" "How is it to have another little one after that?" etc. My answer to all of these queries is consistently, "crazy." I think that is the most commonly used word in my vocabulary.

Somehow, in all of this, I find I forget, occasionally, how precious my little family is- how unique and important each "crazy" little spirit is and how much I have to teach them and how much I hope they are learning from me.

I reflected on this today as I sat in a funeral for one of Annie's little friends, Mara Adams. Little Mara returned to live with her Heavenly Father Monday after an eleven month battle with a brain tumor that was supposed to have claimed her life after six months. She was the dearest little six year old girl. Her mother, Heather, wrote the "Life Sketch" (eulogy) in a letter format to Mara, relating all the sweet memories she has of her short life. It was heart wrenching. It was so touching and so impressive the number of people, both members and non-members of our faith that were touched by Mara's life and in whose lives her impact was felt. (The chapel and adjoining cultural hall were full- it was standing room only.) Read more about her at www. maraadams.com

I am so blessed to be the steward of these dear little spirits of our Heavenly Father. I know I need to hug them a little tighter, talk to them a little more, be a little more patient. Watching what the Adams' are experiencing right now is a confirmation of that. Truly, we never know what the Lord's plan is for our little ones- we need to love them every day like it's the last day we have them in mortality. I know this is something I need to try a little harder to do- move past the impatience and bite my tongue- make a greater effort to teach with love. Today was just a really good reminder of that.

First Day of Preschool! 9/8/08

2008-09-10T12:11:00.001-07:00

Henry, Soph and Charlie started preschool at Lake Tapps Christian Preschool on Monday. They were SO excited to go to big school and have some big kid time of their own! (Mom and Mags are excited for our newfound three-day a week bonding time as well!)

First Day of First Grade! 9/2/08

2008-09-10T12:06:00.000-07:00

Annie started first grade at
Lake Tapps Elementary.

(The picture I took of her before school is blurry and bad, so this is the best I've got, unfortunately.)

She LOVES school- couldn't WAIT to get back...

Review of our Favorite Summer Moments

2008-08-27T14:06:00.000-07:00

Maggie learned to sit, unassisted, and got two teeth!

The kids were in a daycamp production of Eric Carle's The Hungry Caterpillar. Annie was a butterfly, Henry an apple, Sophie a cocoon, Charlie a pear.

Annie was in her first play- "Little Red Riding Hood" with the Missoula Children's Theater. She was an adorable "mischievous raccoon". (Pictured, back left)

We went to the Barker's for a Fourth of July fun food fest! Maggie enjoyed her first fourth and another "date" with James Leonard

Annie got dressed up... festively, of course.

Sassy Fourth of July triplets (2/3 with wet pants...)

The kids made their own fun in the backyard...

COUSINS! We were SO lucky to have a visit from Ashley and her kids, Elle and Jeff in June. It was like a 24-7 party! We went to Northwest Trek with Grandma and Grandpa (pictured here) and spent lots of time playing in the backyard. It was a highlight for sure...

We also went to Great Wolf Lodge (without the camera, sadly) and had a blast on the indoor waterslides, sleeping in the cool Kid Cabin, and wearing ourselves out! (Totally fun, for those considering it...)

We saw lots of movies... Wall-E, Kit Kittredge, Kung-Fu Panda, Horton Hears a Who, and The Dark Knight (mom and dad).

We read lots of books.

We spent hours and hours at parks.

We did lots of silly things, and talked a lot about preschool (gearing up!) and first grade, what they would be like, who would be there, what we would take, etc.

It's been a fun summer, and school is just around the corner. We are excited for the new challenges and exciting changes that will come with the new school year, but it's always a little wistful too...

backtrack... Father and Son Campout- May '08

2008-08-27T14:04:00.000-07:00

Charlie and Henry- decked out to represent in their BYU blue...

backtrack... Memorial Day Hike

2008-08-27T13:59:00.000-07:00

We decided to take the kids on a "hike" on Memorial Day this year, and Flaming Geyser Park seemed like a viable, close option. We took a picnic lunch and a very abbreviated version of a hike. The kids LOVED it- Definitely something we will do more often when they're a bit older...

backtrack... Easter 2008

2008-08-27T13:55:00.000-07:00

I know, it's a little late to be including Easter pictures, but this one was so cute of my brood, that I thought, what the heck.

Cool new stuff.

2008-08-20T23:29:00.000-07:00

So, you may have noticed, I added a few widgets to my blog... I feel SO high-tech now. I'm bonafide. I love the book montage, though it isn't really an accurate representation of the books I've read in the last 6 months- a few I read before, most I read during that time (you have lots of time to read when you nurse a baby... if you're wondering how a mom of five can read that much.) Several non-fiction ones are also unlisted. Also, many of those are YA books, which I have taken a particular interest in lately, and they are generally quick reads. A little embarassing and totally indulgent, but fun to read. Though I must say, historical fiction is really my thing. I'm happy to offer recommendations, to anyone interested- I'm working quickly to write my reviews for each book on goodreads. We'll see how many I get to...

The playlist is just fun. I have an eclectic mix for your listening enjoyment. My college girls will recognize many of these (C-L, Lal, Steph, etc.)- talk about nostalgia! (Nothin' like a Bob day, Carrie-Lynn!) Many of you will be sad to hear that I was unable to include SWASS by Sir Mix-A-Lot, as, sadly, it was not a listed option. Take heart, however, good patrons, I will not rest until I locate it. (Except that I need to go to bed soon, so I won't not rest until after that...)

Happy 4th Birthday, Soph, Henry and Charlie!

2008-08-19T23:42:00.000-07:00

2008-08-19T23:35:00.000-07:00

EXTRAVAGANZA

2008-08-19T23:26:00.000-07:00

I've never been one to do anything... halfway.

So, as is tradition, I went a little nuts with the birthday party again this year. Not that I don't with other parties as well, but this one was super fun.

We did a backyard carnival in Mom and Dad's backyard, complete with games, prizes, cotton candy, hot dogs, popcorn, 8 helpful teenagers, 24 crazy kids, 96 humid degrees and a day that ended in sunburn and complete exhaustion. It was a blast, and yes, I would do it again. The trio loved it. A few highlights...

Charlie

2008-08-19T22:48:00.000-07:00

Four Things I love about my Charlie (in honor of his fourth birthday):

1. His glasses. He looks like the Jerry Macguire Kid, Ralphie from A Christmas Story and Froggy from The Little Rascals all rolled into one. Everyone loves his glasses- they have given him a new lease on life.

2. His whoppers. Charlie is often known to... expand a bit on the truth. "Mom, I was fighting the bad guys last night and they tried to take me and I died. I did."

3. The way he ADORES his sisters, brother and friends. He has the most tender heart of anyone I know. Truly.

4. His prayers. Charlie says the prayer for every meal we eat, no matter where we are. He always remembers and always volunteers.

Charlie is (with the exception of Maggie) the most laid-back child in the Jones house, and we love his easy-going way about life. His sweet disposition and loving nature help maintain equilibrium in our family life.

Henry

2008-08-19T22:35:00.000-07:00

Four Things I love about my Henry:

1. His smile is full of mischief, and his eyes twinkle when he gets a naughty idea, usually an indicator that something is afoot...

2. He has a crush on his primary teacher ("Mom, do my hair in a Superman curl. Jenny likes it like that...I want to wear that tie, Jenny likes it...")

3. He loves a challenge- he's organized and methodical, my type A child...

4. He is strong, wiry and fast. Against the odds.

Henry was my NICU boy- his lungs weren't quite ready for his body, but he was ready for this mortal existence. He grabs life by the horns and finds joy in even the smallest things. He is a sweet boy and he amazes me every day.

Sophie

2008-08-19T22:28:00.000-07:00

Four Things I love about my little Sophie:

1. The way she sings like a rock star, shakes her hips, preens and poses.

2. Her love for all things girly- make up, dress ups, "no mommy, I want a BOW in my hair!"

3. The sneaky way she ends up sleeping with big sister Annie... every night.

4. The way she tucks her hair behind her ear, puts her hand on her hip and bats her eyelashes at me.

She is beautiful, sassy and smart, and I wouldn't change a thing.

The big day.

2008-08-19T22:09:00.000-07:00

Soph, Henry and Charlie celebrated their fourth birthday last Wednesday, the 13th. We enjoyed a family dinner of pizza with Grandma and Grandpa Obray followed by cake and what would be considered Christmas to any average sized family... (What would you expect a birthday for triplets to be like?) This was only followed by a tidal wave of new fun things from their birthday party extravaganza on Saturday (more on that later...). We're finding places for all the new additions and the kids never tire of playing with each new toy.

We are blessed to have each of these beautiful children in our home and triply blessed that they are as fun-loving, precocious and sweet as they are.

Yeah, I know, unacceptable...

2008-08-07T12:06:00.001-07:00

Okay, I know that not updating one's blog for five months is rather... irresponsible... I won't even try to explain why. Suffice it to say, there have been MANY books read, many diapers changed, time-outs taken, meals served and outings planned in the last five months. Consider this my good faith effort at getting back on the proverbial blogging wagon...

2008-03-07T16:19:00.000-08:00

My crazy brood of kiddos...

Excuses.

2008-03-07T16:14:00.001-08:00

So, you may have noticed how delinquent I have been about posting. I have a strange new obsession and I can't seem to do much else. I've read and reread the Twilight series by Stephenie Meyer. They are awesome books- totally consuming- and written by a fellow Cougar, and set in Washington, which is nice as well. I highly recommend them, but beware, you won't be able to do much else. Seriously. I think my kids are ready to burn them... :)

Check out the author's website (and movie page- the Twilight movie is filming in Oregon right now) www.stepheniemeyer.com

Maggie's Blessing

2008-03-07T16:11:00.001-08:00

Maggie had her very special blessing at church last Sunday. It was performed by her daddy and many of our friends and some family members were there. It was a wonderful day, and she looked adorable in the dress that her mommy and two sisters were all blessed in.

2008-03-07T16:09:00.001-08:00

Snoqualmie Falls

2008-03-07T16:06:00.000-08:00

We had an unusually sunny Saturday a few weeks ago, so we decided to take a family trip/picnic to Snoqualmie Falls. The kids loved it- and especially enjoyed "rock climbing" on the boulders in the park.

Valentine's Day 2008

2008-03-07T16:01:00.000-08:00

Here is a photo from Valentines- we had a fun family dinner followed by some special treats from Mom and Dad. Maggie and Annie were the only ones who kept their Valentine's clothes on, so they are featured in the the picture... :)

2008-02-03T16:24:00.000-08:00

Henry LOVES to play with any sort of action figure. This is a transformer he received for Christmas. He is continually BEGGING me to take pictures of him with his various action figures- usually his "Star Wars Guys" (those are the favorite of late).

FHE

2008-02-03T16:17:00.000-08:00

Last week, for family night, Annie decided to help (as she often does) by contributing to the lesson portion of our Monday family night. She often surprises us with the things she has picked up from scriptures or Primary - this night was no exception. She disappeared into the office for a while and emerged holding her version of the Ark of the Covenant- complete with Ten Commandment tablets... She proceeded to give us a very sweet lesson about the Commandments. She is so creative and continues to amaze us with the things she retains that we don't even realize she knows or hears!

2008-02-03T16:14:00.000-08:00

Here is a recent photo of the older Jonesies snuggling during a movie.

Margaret Jane Jones

2008-02-03T16:04:00.000-08:00

We want to formally introduce to you our newest Jones- Miss Margaret Jane- we call her MAGGIE.

She was born at 8:04am at Auburn Regional Medical Center weighing 9lbs 2oz (2 weeks early!) on December 21, 2007. She is a PRECIOUS "little" six week old- a very good natured baby and we are so blessed by her arrival.

She was definitely the favorite Christmas gift this year- her very active sibs have fully initiated her into the clan with whatever saliva, mucus or post-lunch PBJ they can leave on her very chubby Jones cheeks in their constant efforts to steal a kiss. She is well-loved.

So, I guess we're here...

2008-02-03T15:41:00.000-08:00

Hi everyone! I guess I've decided to finally get with the program and start a blog of my own, since I felt a little out of it when EVERYONE we got a Christmas card from this year had one and referred us to said websites to find family updates, pictures, etc. I suppose I've delayed the inevitable due to the insanity that inherently exists in our house- five kids six and under do not allow for many quiet, introspective moments- so we'll do what we can to keep the pictures and updates coming...

So, for the uninitiated, and un-introduced, We are the Jones family. Jim, Amberlyn, Annie (6), Sophie (3), Henry (3), Charlie (3), and our newest addition, Miss Maggie (6 wks). Our lives are entertaining on a regular basis, as I'm sure you'd expect with as much noise, creativity and general chaos as there is in this house... (you'd be SHOCKED and APPALLED at the messes three year old triplets can conjure up... it's truly remarkable...).

So, welcome and enjoy!