Day 2

Today, we started our day with just sitting around and relaxing. My kiddos got to finally get to see their cousins' gerbils, Caspian and Gracie, and Brooke and Megan were nice enough to let them all take turns in holding them.

(L-R: Kaylie, Tanner, Brooke w/ Caspian, Preston, & Megan w/ Gracie)

After getting around, my sister Theresa and I decided we wanted to get out of the house and go shop! Well, actually I wanted to and Theresa was willing to go along with me. :o) So us girls headed to the big town of Ellsworth, a town of 2700. We ended up spending 2 1/2 hours there. We went to Alco, ate lunch at Dairy Queen, then went to Dollar General and a local Hallmark store. At the Hallmark store we found the best gift for our younger sister Tammy!

We then all took naps, ate supper, some went and looked at some stars and planets through Matt's telescope (darkness! -- that is something that we are rarely around with living in a city.), Aunt Tammy showed up and we started baking and making salads for tomorrow. We got two pumpkin, one pecan and the crust ready for a coconut meringue pie all done, plus we prepared our breakfast for tomorrow, some call it monkey bread, caramel rolls and we call it bubble bread.

(Everyone waiting for Tammy to open her gift!)

So now all the kids and both my sisters and dad are in bed, while the guys and mom are watching the movie Expelled and I'm trying to catch up here. The boys are getting to sleep in Grandma and Grandpa's room, and Kaylie gets to sleep with Aunt Tammy and her doggy cousins. She was very excited and I hope that she settled down well!

(Kaylie, Aunt Tammy and the doggy cousins, Samson, Sierra, and Shyanne)

Tomorrow is going to be a big day for us and I'm sure for all. Hope you have a Happy Thanksgiving and be thankful and enjoy those around you.

Day 1

The beginning of our holiday's did not start out too well. On Monday, from morning to night, I worked and worked at getting ready to leave town. After doing piles of laundry, getting church things done and packing for five us I was able to go to bed fairly early at 11:30. (Now Jeff didn't get to bed until a little after 2 am.) Our goal was to be on the road no later then 9:00.

At 2:30 Preston came in saying he felt like he was going to throw up and he couldn't find the "can". (The "can" is a large Hunts Ketchup can which is like an old coffee can, it's perfect for portability, ie as in a vehicle or by a bed at night. It's also better then a big bowl because there isn't the rounded bottom so there is no "splashing" back in the face.) He was then told just to go to the toilet. He tried and didn't make it. I have the best husband in the world because he always cleans up the throw up! (If I tried, I would be adding my own stomach's contents to what was already there.) So after 20 minutes of sleep Jeff was back up, cleaning off the bathroom floor and all that goes with that. He finally got to go back to bed around 4:00 and then it was my duty to stay up with Preston. (The whole time Jeff was up cleaning, I was awake also, I wasn't sleeping!)

As I was laying in bed, and Jeff was cleaning the bathroom, all I could think about was what we were going to do about Thanksgiving and traveling back. All of my kids had been counting the days until we left for Kansas. I knew that they would be soooo disappointed if we didn't get to leave when we had planned. I knew my mom got up at 4 something CST, so I waited until 4:00am MST to give her a call. She said, "I want you to come." So the decision was made to keep an eye on Preston to see how he was doing when the time came and that we would more then likely head out that day, just not as early as originally planned.

Around 11:00 we headed out on the road. About 10 minutes on the road Preston started heaving. We pulled over got our cleaning stuff out. Sterilized the "can" and sprayed the van with some Lysol and we were back on the road again. We were all very thankful that ended up being the last of the stomach issues! Today Preston seems to be back to normal. He is running, playing and eating.

When we hit our destination, I then was able to go and pick up the long awaited and anticipated Gambino's pizza! They have the BEST sausage pizza and the only time I get it is when we visit Kansas. That was the end on day 1.

Poetic or Pathetic

This morning, Preston was taking a quiz in his Language Arts. He has been learning about poetry, which he really does NOT like! (Which I can't blame him because I've never liked it either.) On one section of his quiz he had to match words to their meanings. Some of the words were poetic rhyme, poetic expression, and poetic count and rhythm, as he was going through trying to find the meaning he was reading it as, pothetic rhyme, pothetic expression, and pothetic count and rythm. When he was saying it, the word sure sounded a lot like pathetic!

I found it funny because in his mind (and in mine) the words are interchangeable (which would be a synonym! ;oP )

A Gas Leak

The past couple of days I've been trying to get ready for our trip back to Kansas. That means I have been doing load after load of laundry :s I did not realize how behind I was, but thankfully I just have a couple loads left and then I'll be done for this round. In the midst of "doing" laundry I got a whiff of natural gas. I called Jeff over to see if he could smell it and he said he smelled something but he didn't think it was gas.

Jeff told me to call if I wanted because I've always been right in the past. So of course I had to dial our gas company and get them here on an "emergency" call. While waiting for the "gas man" to get here, I was doubting myself so I tried to smell again and I couldn't smell it, so then I was really doubting myself.

I know all the "rules" you are suppose to follow when you think there is a gas leak, but I knew if there was gas there wasn't much so I wasn't too concerned. I then thought that the "gas man" probably thought me crazy or stupid to say the least. When he showed up, he did not ring the doorbell, but knocked on the door! He was being very cautious not to make a "spark" to ignite the gas fumes. As I opened the door, I hurried off of the phone with a friend. I walked him through my living room with all of our Christmas lights on, to the room where I smelled the gas, which is right next to my dryer that is running. If you've never dealt with a natural gas leak, you might want to know that you aren't suppose to make phone calls, or at least hope your phone doesn't ring. You don't want to do anything that might cause a spark such as turn on lights (Christmas or regular ones) and I would say you probably don't want to run a dryer!

I was pretty proud of my sniffing abilities when his little sensor machine started beeping! He actually found two small leaks around our gas fireplace. He then offered to check anything else we wanted while he was here, and he ended up finding a small leak by our furnace. He just tightened up the fittings and all was better!

When I started 'blogging' I really wasn't planning on sharing that story but now you can see where my mind went with me being really tired and having a headache. I hope it made sense to you! Tomorrow is going to be a full day of packing and getting everything ready for our trip. I'm hoping that I'll get some blogging done on the road, if not, there will be a lot to read when I get back!

Wishing you all a Happy Thanksgiving!

Praisin' With My Kiddos

Today has been a fairly decent day for me and the kids. After getting the boys started on school, I went up to get around for the day because we had a field trip planned to Hammonds Candy Factory. (Yes...there are actually days that I don't get around ALL day long.) Kaylie follows me in my bathroom as I start getting my make-up on and doing my hair. Of course I have to turn on the radio, which today happened to be K-LOVE. I decided that there isn't much better then singing praises with my kiddos, which was my four year old this time.

We started with some Brandon Heath...

Give me your eyes for just one second
Give me your eyes so I can see
Everything that I keep missing
Give me your love for humanity
Give me your arms for the broken hearted
The ones that are far beyond my reach
Give me your heart for the once forgotten

Then we went to some Matt Redman...

Oh no, You never let go
Through the calm and through the storm
Oh no, You never let go
In every high and every low
Oh no, You never let go
Lord, You never let go of me

Then we sang some Mat Kearney...

Come on and we'll sing, like we were free
Push the pedal down watch the world around fly by us
Come on and we'll try, one last time
I'm off the floor one more time to find you
And here we go there's nothing left to choose
And here we go there's nothing left to lose

Then all the boys ended up in the bathroom then we all got to sing and dance to some Toby Mac...

I don't want to gain the whole world and lose my soul
Don't wanna walk away let me hear the people say
I don't want to gain the whole world and lose my soul
Don't wanna walk away let me hear the people say

My kids don't know all the Sunday school songs like, Jesus Loves the Little Children, This Little Light of Mine or even Jesus Loves Me, but they are learning some very foundational truths and I'm in awe at how their little minds can remember so many of these lyrics/prayers/praises. May these words be hidden in their hearts, so when they are in desperate need of them, the Spirit can bring them back to them.

Our First Snow!

On Friday morning, the 14th, I was awoken with the kids' excitement.

"It snowed! It snowed!"

"Where's my snow boots!"

"Let's go sleddin'!"

"I'm going to drive my remote control truck through the snow...I've been waiting so long to do this!"

"I need my snow clothes!"

"I can't believe it snowed!"

"It snowed! It snowed!"

As I was trying to wake up and trying to talk myself to get out of bed, I said in my sleepy voice, "Go ahead, open my blinds and let me see."

This is what we saw!

Yep...not quite enough for snow boots, or snow pants, or a sled...but my kids sure got the pleasure of seeing their first snow for this season!

Fall Fun

November 11-

There is such a small window in the year that you get a chance to enjoy the hard labor of raking the leaves into a big pile... then jumping into them! We had a nice day in the midst of some cold ones, that we got to go in the back yard and watch the kids enjoy the fall, and we even grilled out for lunch!

Can you see the anticipation in their eyes!?!

Landon!

Tanner!

Kaylie!

Preston!

Lunch! Mmmmm

Small Things Missed

Kaylie's art work.... ...on her face, with permanent marker!

The hanging of "red chile pepper" lights in the kids' rooms.

Catchin' Up

As you can tell I have gotten behind on my bloggin'. I've been taking pictures, just wasn't finding the time to sit at the computer and share what all has been going on. So now you are going to get it in a big dose!

His 35th

Sunday, the 16th, was Jeff's 35th birthday. We had a full day of plans so I was unable to get on that day to blog, so here is his birthday blog.

The day started out with a sleepy "Happy Birthday" from me as he was saying goodbye to head to the church around 7:30am. At church he was surprised in the services with a big bowl filled with a box of Golden Grahams and a quart of milk in it. (This was linked to the prior weeks message when Jeff told a story about finally getting some Golden Grahams, but then things kept happening that when he finally sat down to eat, they were soggy.) Jeff truly felt appreciated and loved by the outreach of those in our church.

Now I had a surprise evening out planned for Jeff, along with some friends who were celebrating their anniversary the same day. So I had to make it through the day with keeping him from eating too much, and keep him from wanting to do something that would ruin the evening plans.

After church, the kids and I went and picked up some pizza and ice cream. Jeff had decided that he didn't want a cake and all he wanted was ice cream. So I got all the fixings to make his favorite Sundae from Culvers...Reece's Peanut Butter Cups and Novelty Chocolate (the chocolate that hardens.) After enjoying the pizza, ice cream, and singing Happy Birthday, we then watched Jeff open his presents.

Jeff then suggested we put up our Christmas decorations and decorate our tree that evening and spend time as a family. I said, "Yeah we could do that, let me see how I feel. If I'm too tired we might just rent a family movie and watch it together." That became the way to be able to get the kids to the babysitters. We then laid the kids down to rest and Jeff decided he would put up some Christmas lights on the house. As each kid got up they went out and helped him. It then came time to get the kids to the babysitters.

I went out, all ready to go, and told the kids to get in the van because we might go rent a movie to watch. Of course, I had one who said, "I want to stay home and spend time with dad because it's his birthday." But after a quick, "NO, you are going." he jumped in the van. I then told Jeff that he better have everything put up by the time we got home. I then informed the kids that they were going the Alonzo's house, and they hollered out a "YEAH!"

As I was on my way back home, Kevin and Marty, were pulling in right behind me. I got out of the van and told Jeff to go change clothes because we were going out! He stopped, looked at me, then started looking in the van for the kids, then Kevin and Marty walk into the garage. He was very surprised and shocked. (He had been bugging me all week to ask Kevin and Marty over and when I kept coming up with reasons not to, he was getting a little irritated with me.)

We all then went to Pappadeaux's, a seafood restaurant. I enjoyed some peppered shrimp and Jeff enjoyed some lobster. He was treated to his choice of dessert, which he picked cheesecake with strawberries. We enjoyed great fellowship with some great friends, we always get some... no... a lot of laughter in when we are with Kevin and Marty.

The day ended with full tummy's and smiles on all of our faces.

Cute Sayings

Cute things my kids said today:

Landon, while trying to do school and Kaylie was making a lot of noise, said, "You're annoysings me." (sounds like a'noise'ings)

Kaylie, as the kids are hanging some chile pepper lights in their rooms, asks, "Dad, can we decorations your room?"

Tanner, (I'm not sure who he was talking to, or where he learned it) "Don't be sassin' me boy!"

The Jones'

Here are some pictures of the "Jones" gathering to celebrate my Uncle Jerry and Aunt Linda's 40th wedding anniversary. If you read this post you know that I was the only one who wasn't there.With whom it all began...

My grandparents

December 6, 1942

Aunt Linda and Uncle JerryDad, Mom, Marvin, Aunt Kathy, Aunt Linda, Uncle Jerry

(the siblings are Dad, Kathy, Jerry)My family without me, Jeff and the kidsThe cousins: Amber, April, Theresa, Tammy, Landon, Nathan, Jason

(the boys go to Uncle Jerry, the "A's" go to Aunt Kathy, and the "T's" are my sisters)

The younger generation: most of these are 2nd cousins but there are a few step-kids in there.

I guess these next couple of pictures were a good laughing moment for the family.

My Uncle Jerry won the Kansas School Psychologist of the Year, and there he is holding a sippy cup!

Pictures courtesy of my brother-n-law Matt!

The Downside of Colorado

Today is a day that I am experiencing the downside of living in the beautiful state of Colorado. The "Jones" side of my family is all gathered together in Kansas. They are there to celebrate my Uncle Jerry and Aunt Linda's 40th wedding anniversary. The three siblings are there, my dad, Uncle Jerry and Aunt Kathy along with their spouses and all of my sisters and cousins with their family's. I am the only missing cousin. :o( I normally would have made it there, but we have really tightened our budget because we are going through Financial Peace University, and it is the holiday's too. We have a trip planned back to Kansas for Thanksgiving and there is just no way we could make two trips so close together.

I soooo wish I could be there. It is very rare, now that all of us "kids" are grown, for us to semi be all together. I've assigned Matt, my bro-n-law, to take lots of pictures so hopefully I can share some with you soon. I am saddened. I miss my family, but I am glad that the rest of my family are able to enjoy each other. I did call and got to talk to and wish a Happy Anniversary to my Uncle Jerry and Aunt Linda and said "HI" to others over the phone, but it's just not the same.

Daddy's Child

Here is another devotional/article that I wrote for our MOM's Newsletter at church for November. Thought I would share it on here.

(This is really sad with how many pictures I take,

but I do not have a good recent picture of Jeff and the boys.

This is what I have.)

Daddy's Child

"Yet to all who received Him, to those who believed in His name, He gave the right to become children of God..." John 1:12

I have one child who on several different occasions has asked what he has [physical characteristics] of his dads. He has often heard how his brothers look like their daddy, and even how they act like him. He then hears how he looks like his mom.

This child is not satisfied to have taken after my side of the family. He even has his “cool” aunt’s nose, but that is not what he wants and longs for. He wants something physical to look like his daddy’s. He wants to claim it for himself and he wants others to recognize it in him.

Do we so desire to have our Abba [Daddy], Father’s characteristics? Or are we satisfied with the characteristics the ‘world’ gives us? Can others recognize our Daddy in us?

What do you have of your Daddy’s?

Do you have His arms?
Arms that reach out to the broken hearted, that hold and comfort those in need.
Do you have His eyes?
Eyes that see others as He sees them, as someone created in His image, who is so loved that He gave His son for them.
Do you have His mouth?
A mouth that speaks in love and truth, and builds others up.
Do you have His heart?
A heart that loves no matter who they are or what they do or have done.

There are so many other characteristics that our Daddy has. I hope that we so resemble and reflect our Abba Father, that other’s can say, “She is God’s child! She looks just like Him! She has His arms, eyes, mouth, heart, etc. I would know Whose child that is no matter where I met her!”

"Even a child is known by his actions, by whether his conduct is pure and right."

Proverbs 20:11

An Opportunity of Joy

Ok...I've never done this before but I decided I wanted to share this with everyone. I had actually emailed this to a select few, who I thought would get a kick out of it, but I have now reread it several times and still laugh! So here is an opportunity of joy for you or at least a chance at getting a good laugh.

This is a blog by the brother of this blogger.

http://thejollyporter.blogspot.com/2008/11/last-night-around-930.html

More Wildlife

THIS.....

...is what we found in our basement on Saturday.

We have found a couple of these dead in our window wells. Jeff was always calling it a "gecko" and the boys were referring to them as lizards. Once I finally saw it, and realized in got in my house and it was alive, I decided to do some further investigation. I found out this is a "Tiger Salamander". I was pretty unsettled thinking about something that size getting into my house...that means snakes can come in too!

Jeff thinks he found the crack that it got in through. Hopefully he is right and he got it taken care of. Of course the boys were wanting to keep it as a pet...that was a BIG NEGATIVE! We now have a great introduction into studying the differences between reptiles and amphibians!

I do have to say, that we have NEVER had so much hands on experience with "wildlife", until we moved into this house! There are more experiences to read about here and here.

"The Shack"

I was just wondering if any of my readers have read, "The Shack" by William P. Young, and what they thought about it? I've been hearing both sides of it, from how New Age it is, to how great it is. I just finished it and I would love to hear your opinions on the book no matter what way you leaned. Please leave a comment. (For those who aren't sure how...hit the comment button, type your message, leave it under anonymous, but PLEASE type your name at the bottom of your comment so I know who left it.)

A Night of Memories

If you read my previous post, I mentioned that we were going to have a family night with fun, candy and the making of memories and I believe we succeeded! We decided that we were going to "dress-up", so we started our evening with getting ready...the boys got to go through their daddy's ties and picked out one that their daddy didn't care whether it got spaghetti sauce on or not. Us girls got into our dresses and we added a little color to our cheeks and lips.The kids then got to share a talent with us and one thing they've learned in school.

Kaylie's talent was dancing to some music, and for her 'school' thing she sang us "Jesus Loves Me".

Landon's talent was singing the alphabet song, and his school thing was writing his name.

Tanner read us a book, and then sang 'Jingle Bells' for his talent.

Preston talked about how his talent was building things and showed us some Lego cars and a model that he put together. His school thing he shared was doing some multiplication.

All the kids were then treated with some candy for doing so well on it all.

With everyone in their ties and fancy dresses we then sat and enjoyed dinner by candlelight. We also got to drink out of fancy glasses with our own style of "bubblies" - soda! We enjoyed a nice spaghetti dinner with chocolate cake for dessert.
(It really was only semi-formal, because the boys could wear any pants and I know one had nylon sweat pants, and the others had jeans with one pair having holes in the knees ;oP )

We all then got comfy in our jammies, settled into our king size bed and watched 101 Dalmatians II. We couldn't ask for a better night!