READY.SET.GO.

I have a love hate relationship with Fall. 

 

 I hate back to school

I hate the schedule of going to bed early and waking up early

 I hate that it gets dark so early

 I hate when the irrigation  turns off and I frantically try to

 keep my grass green as my water bill goes up. 

 

I love the Fall activities on the horizon of :

pumpkin patches

apple picking

 hot cider drinking

windows open at night sleeping

 and my fav holiday - Halloween

 

 I have had a harder time adjusting to it this year for some reason. 

Summer is a party for me and I am not wanting to leave the party yet,

 I ain't ready to go home.  But slowly all the people are leaving

and I am left there pouting and wondering how time went by so fast. 

But like it or not, life and its responsibilities comes

and drags me kicking and screaming back to reality.

 

The reality of school

practices

 games

 PTA mtgs

 dance lessons

music lesson/practice

 scouts

dinner on the run

swim lessons

BLAH, BLAH, BLAH!!!

 

 Nothing that everybody else ain't got.

It's me, I am just extra whinny at the moment. 

And so it begins.......

The busy season of life that my husband reminds me

"is all self induced"!!

So the countdown to next summer begins.

 

READY. SET. GO.

 

My big ol' 11 year old

Kyle turned 11 last month and as I sit here and berate myself for taking so long to write this post, I tear up at the reality of writing this post. My little (he once was- for real) Ky Ky is 11.  He hasn't been little for some time now and each year on his birthday post I probably write the exact same thing but that is kind of how Ky is.  Unchanging (not physically!!!), reliable, the same cool cat he has always been. I am grateful  on a daily basis for this kid. He is becoming a young man faster than I would like and with 6th grade on the horizon, I'm in tears all over again.  . He doesn't like the hugs and kisses anymore from the mama or papa, but tolerates a squeeze of the shoulder every once in awhile. As I try not to take this too personal, it reminds me again just how big he is and how much he is becoming his own person. As my schedule continues to fill up, I find less and less time to journal and scrap book.  This blog has filled that gap a little, so I wanted to write down a few things to let him know just how awesome I think he is.  Kyle, I am so grateful for your calming personality in our family. You are patient and kind more often than not.  You are crazy smart and I love your infatuation with animals and nature.  I love your innocence of the world and the belief of good in all people.  I have many hopes and dreams for you but mostly hope that you know how much your dad and I truly love you. You make me proud everyday and feel so blessed to be your mom. I would take back those days when you and I would play for hours in a heart beat, I am grateful to be right here, right now with my big ol' 11 year old. 

So far.....

So far summer has been a complete success !! We have been very busy and having lots of fun.

Summer officially started with the celebration of school getting out with our annual schools out party.
The oversized slip and slide was a huge hit and we topped it off with a watermelon eating contest!

 Next up:  Capitol Classic!!  Always a fav in this house, we started at the train depot and ran our fastest down the hill to the Capitol where there was party waitin' to be had.  Kennedy was determined to run this year, so we found her a race shirt, slipped on her run fast shoes and pinned on a make shift race number and she was one happy racer!  Big brother handed over his medal to his littlest very willingly and made tears come to the mamas eyes.  You are the best Kyle !

Celebrating our main man Jake for fathers day, we piled in the excursion and we headed off to McCall!  One of my personal favs!  Its my escape from real life!  My kids to myself, beautiful scenery and nothing to do!!!  Always a must, we filled our tummies to the rim at the Pancake house - check out the GIANT cinnamon roll! Swam in some hot springs, fished, rode our bikes,  and found 3 baby foxes that were very obliged to eat our left over pancakes!

All this mixed in with some Roaring Springs, bike rides to the library,  boating, lots of cousin and friend action and we are rockin' the summer time.

I think we have had some pretty good times..... so far!   We still have exactly 62 more days left. Pressure is ON!!!!  Here's to slow days jammed packed with fun and sun!!!

I try.....

Kindergarten homework assignment May 18th :

 " Write one or two sentences about something you like to do with your mom."

Kindergartner response:

GASP! Sniff, Sniff !!!!!

Did my 6 year old really put he actually, really and truly L I K E S family home evening?!?! 

There it is, in his kindergarten hand writing, true story!

I try "to do" all the things I am suppose "to do"  but sometimes this mama is  T I R E D!  Not gonna lie, sometimes I just don't have it in me for a lot some nights and it seems like Mondays are one of those "hard days".  As I drag, pull, beg each child to the living room and quickly pull a lesson from my file, I often wonder "is this really worth it".  Are they even getting anything as they fight with each other, lay on the floor and cry, ask me 7 times if we are done yet. Half the time they are more concerned about what is for treat rather than what I am saying.

Than comes those little moments of hope, little glimpses of light, that maybe just maybe a little bit of good is rubbing off on them.   My little coley boley gave me that sweet feeling when I saw this homework assignment. Thanks Cole for making it worth all the times I try......

One giant, long, over due POST

This is going to be one giant, long, over due post. There is a lot to report around these parts! Lets start with Easter! We made a fast get away to California for Easter. There was the annual Jones Family Easter party, a brand new baby Jake, and lots of cousins to be attended to!  We stayed at a hotel and you would have thought we were in Disneyland!  Between the heated pool and the self serve pancake maker in the hotel lobby, my kids were livin' large (nothing wrong with a little imagination). We hunted lots of eggs, played with lots of cousins and ate lots of Uncle Nate's chicken wings (in 3 flavors)!

Than there was the birthday that the parents weren't home for! My little coley boley quacamoley turned 6! (sniff sniff) But it actually worked out to his advantage. I think it was the best birthday ever. 3 parties, I'd say he cleaned house pretty well!

Than there was Punta Cana! Oh Punta Cana......how I dream of you at night (uh try all day, too), long for the lazy days at the pool, the effortless meals that were placed before me morning, noon and night,the endless supply of virgin pina coldas and coco locos. Ok I will stop, I'm beginning to get teary eyed myself. Jake and I got to spend 8 glorious days and 2 not so glorious travel days in Punta Cana, Dominican Republic. He worked his tail off this past year and won his companies incentive trip. We were lucky enough to extend it and have a second honeymo0n (TMI?). The resort was beautiful, wonderful, amazing, breathtaking, relaxing, what other words can I use to explain "BEST DAY EVER" (x7)!!!! We met new friends, partied with old ones and had an amazing time.

NUMBER 4

NUMBER 4 TURNED NUMBER 4!

Kennedy turned the big 4 this past week.  Cant seem to get that little girl to stay little! Seems like she literally grows over night, maybe its that big bed, speed up her growth or something!!

Lucky for me she embraces very thoroughly the youngest child syndrome and still loves to be held, snuggled up and "babied".  Which I am all but thrilled to indulge her in!

I love you my sweet number 4!

From Collages

Nothing like a good pillow pet race.

From Collages

the 4th

Oh she is just big.  Big, big, big !  I finally relented and took her crib and changing table (that was serving as a dresser) to consignment. She has been sleeping in the crib, that we turned into a toddler bed for 3 almost 4 years.  It was a hot mess taking that over there.  I was consumed with emotion that my baby was no longer a baby, I wasn't having any more babies and the baby I bought the crib for was now 10.  So there I sat in the consignment store, tears slowly making their way to the surface and over the top they came and down my cheeks as the sales lady turned to look at me. Overcome now with embarrassment I quickly said good bye and high tailed it out of there!  I think my husband was about ready to kill me after hauling 2 couches, 2 love seats, a crib, a changing table and now I'm in tears over it!  It took us a little while to find Kennedy a  bed but we did and she is very happy to be in her "big girl" bed.  One good thing, she looks small again in that big ol' bed!

I try  my bestest to write down things my kids say because "I will cherish them one day and miss them being little", Lately the 4th child has been, at the least, "killin" me and not softly but very loudly and obnoxiously.  Like her older sister, who at 3 was EXACTLY the same, I have written proof in her scrapbook.  These girls have the gift of  D R A M A.  How does ones' body literally make so many tears.  And the magnitude and arrival of the tears are amazing.  Giant crocodile tears on demand. No working into it, flood gates open, full blown hysterics, at the snap of a finger.  So in between her frequent crying episodes, she has delivered some pretty hysterical lyrics.  Should I be worried about alter ego, hmmm? Anyhow, here are few of quotes, definitions and or scenarios from the littlest Jones, who isn't so little anymore.

I want to play with my narbles (marbles), where did I put them?

What the heck was that for?

Can we go to USquirrel and get some cake battery ice cream?

Mom,who sings this, Gusher (Usher) or Kelly Carkenson (Clarkson)? (it is one or the other there are no other singers)

Why do you pick these clothes out for me, you make me look ugly. (repeated almost every morning)

Why can't you just take me to the mobies (movies), I will sneak in my own candy.

Kate was laying on her stomach on the floor, Kennedy steps on her to get over her. Kate yells, I glare, Kennedy says : She looked like a rug!

Crying, laughing, but mostly crying. The 4th Jones girl keeps us on our toes!

McCall

winter wonderland here we come. so much excitement and anticipation was put into the 1st winter storm. it actually left enough snow to do something with. the kids were more than happy to sneak away for a quick weekend in snow filled mccall. they played in the snow until their clothes were soaked and than they soaked some more in the hot tub. than they dried off from the hot tub and back into the snow! as always a great time was had by all! especially cole, who caught some major air while sledding down some awesome hills!

From Collages

R E P E A T

pinewood derby was bitter sweet for mr. kyle this year. he won AGAIN! the 1st pinewood derby was a little intense in that his car didn't make weight, his dad was out of town, and his mother freaked. an easy fix, we got it up to pinewood derby standard and it won every race! not bad for a 1st timer. beginners luck? we thought that was the case when the 2nd year did not bring the same results. with a renewed glimmer of hope this year he was wishing for the "checkered flag". with little prep time, ky entered a simple wedge design. which proved to be just fine when it kept taking 1st place. being his last pinewood derby he was all smiles that night!

Just dance!

I used to tear it up in the days.  If I do say so myself, not braggin, I'm just sayin'.  Anyhow, we got Just Dance 3 for the Wii  Christmas.  I am laughing to myself as I type this!!  I love me some good Guitar Hero, but Just Dance takes the cake.  We literally played it for 5 or 6 hours, ok Kate and I played, on Christmas Day.  We let others have a turn every now and than, but only to wipe the sweat from our brow and grab a drink!  I won't incriminate myself , but I will definitely exploit my children for your entertainment!  Pls disregard the annoying voice (mine) in the background shouting out commands and comments!

The haps around here!

Wow is it already January 3rd!  A lot of things have been happening around here....Oh where to start!


Most exciting is Cole got his rods out!  This little 5 year is one tough dude.  When I saw the size of the rods that were pounded into his leg and than pulled out, serious stomach turn.  He was amazingly brave, I think I cried more tears than he did.  He has a little swagger in his step again, but the doc assured us that it will be gone very quickly and he will be off and running in no time.  Good thing - he starts football in February!

From Collages

The holidays were fabulous. Kind of a blur but enjoyable nonetheless.  They started with a quick trip to Utah for a family Christmas party.  Peeps I only get to see once a year, but so worth the trip.  Especially to see my grandparents.  We made a special trip to Temple Square to see the beautiful lights with one set of grandparents and partied with the other in a good ol' Mormon family party IN the church! 

From Collages

Than the actual day came and went so fast I had to stop and wonder, did that all just happen? WOW!  I was a little concerned that Santa was not going to be making it this year, Mr. Peeps did not have all good things to report.  BUT the jolly ol' guy pulled through.  All were estactic with their loot.

From Collages Oh no, we aren't done.  Kate's birthday was a week after Christmas and it was party time again! We went roller skating, as is the tradition for the last several years, at the Rollerdrome in Nampa.  You have to say in Nampa because it takes on a whole new meaning. I think it was built in the 70's and it hasn't changed since, I don't even think they have vacuumed since 1970.  However, a good time was had, no broken limbs, just lots of bruised behinds and elbow stingers! From Collages And that's the haps around here!!