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!!

Takin it all

Doesn't he look so happy to be in this picture, well yeah the kid in the middle but I am talking about the kid on the far left. Yes, my child, the ONLY ONE NOT smiling.  Hellooooooooo, you just won the Thanksgiving tourney for 5th grade boys!  I guess I am a little more excited than him, as are all the other players!  Kyle and five other 5th grade boys played 5 furious games in 2 days and won the whole tournament.  With only one sub these boys were T-I-R-E-D!  They played their butts off and the little metal around their neck is to prove it! 

With 20+ family member visiting from out of town, we juggled turkey dinners, holiday shopping, cousin craziness, bunko mania and basketball all in 3 non stop days!  It was the fastest and most fun 72 hours we have had in a long time!

The 2nd best time

Lets face it, you can not beat summer.  Lazy days in the sun, staying up late, bbq's, snow cones.

It's the best time of the year. 

Coming in at a close 2nd though,  is Halloween!  Halloween is the fave holiday around here. Nothing to teach the kids, don't have to make sure they "get it". Just have fun and eat candy! Halloween is not even here yet and we have brought it in with a bang.

Much to my surprise, we didn't freeze at the pumpkin patch this year. Armed with coats, gloves, and hats, we headed out to the Farmstead for some pumpkin finding, corn maze wondering, and cow train riding fun!

The annual Jones kids Halloween party was a total smash this year!  We had 52 kids wrecking havoc in the backyard.  It was complete chaos and a total complete BLAST! My nephew asked if we could do it again tomorrow! 

And just think we still have a week until Halloween.....

Pass it on....

I thought this was very interesting and wanted to share it .

Not asking for your donation or support.

Just thought it was worth a view.

With conference this last weekend, one of the talks that really stood out to me was the talk (can't remember who gave it!!!)  on the usage of the reference "the Mormons".  He explained that it is like a nickname, a nickname only tells you a little about that person. It doesn't convey the whole truth of that person. It may give you a glimpse of what that person is like or what they are, but to truly know,  you would need their whole name.  It is kind of like the church. "Mormon"  doesn't tell our whole story, it doesn't tell who we are.

There is a huge misconception in this world that we are not a Christian people.  The talk went on to encourage us to use the full name of the Church. The Church of  Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints. To let people know that yes our nickname is the Mormons, but we ARE The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints.   This video supports that misconception of the world and how it is effecting our leaders and the people who want to be leaders.

Kinda deep, but just a thought!

Just a girl thing!

The St Luke's annual Woman's Celebration was this past Saturday. It has become a tradition with me and my girls for the last couple years. We added a few new girls to  the group, Grandma Jane and Aunt Ashlie.  As the sun rose way too early on Saturday morning, we snuck out of the house not so quietly and headed down to Boise Town Square.  There, we boarded a good ol' school bus shuttle that dropped us right at the steps of the Capitol - the start line!

Race time cheers could be heard for each corner of Capitol and Idaho streets . The red and purple balloons dotted the sky and  seemed to flutter to the music of the Boise State band.  The sun was slowly making its way above the tall buildings in downtown Boise to warm our chilly legs.  Kennedy was ready to rock in the jogger and Kate had her new running Nikes warmed up.  The air was filled with excitement and we were ready to go!  Kennedy was in training for Capitol Classic, just ask her, she will tell you about 6  times. 

3 miles logged with minimal complaint and lots of laughs, the Finish Line party proved to be just that! We couldn't pass up a photo op with the new comers claim to fame of finishing a 5K! 

Making our way through the line to gather up our brown bags, we plopped ourselves on some grass and went to town on our fudge-cicles and chocolate milk!  Perfect weather, fabulous company, the St. Lukes Woman's Celebration was da' bomb!  See ya next year girls! 

He's Back

Cole is officially "out" of his wheelchair!  6 long weeks (for all of us!) has come to an end.  We got the thumbs up for the doc and Cole is able to walk. He has a little swagger in his walk now, but that will subside here in about a month!  He is already riding a big wheel like a banshee and has attempted his 2 wheeler!  Most importantly, he will be able to ride his 4 wheeler with his dad on his trip to Sand Mountain at the end of the month.   Cole has been an amazing trooper through out this whole thing with minimal complaint.  For a child that doesn't stop from sun up until sun down - he did surprisingly  well being confined to a small seat for so long.  I personally think he was relishing in the attention, but what do I know, I'm just the mom.  The human body is an amazing machine!  The x ray showed new bone forming already and you can hardly see the original fracture line.
 Our next hurdle will be taking out the rods in a couple months, but thanks to an amazing doctor and lots of prayers, little man is going to be just fine. 

There is a little boy in his kindergarten class that has taken an extreme interest in Cole. He likes to push him to and from different places and is always asking him how he is.  About once a week he brings him a picture that he has colored or drawn on.  His name is Owen (Owen2).  It brings me to tears each time this little boy brings something to Cole. It is so sweet .

(I hope your leg is better - better is spelled backwards!)

Cole has a best buddy that doesn't go to his school also named Owen(Owen1), who by the way, was an amazing friend to Cole while he was in his wheelchair.  He would come over and just sit with Cole and do whatever Cole wanted to do. Pretty awesome for a 6 year old. 

The journey has been long, but like everything else in life, there is always a lesson.
 Lesson learned - we have amazing family and friends.
Oh yea, and thank goodness for modern medicine!!

Run Coley Run!

another 1st day!

FINALLY!  Kennedy got to go to school to stay!

For 2 weeks my little tag along has been wishin, and pleadin' and beggin' to go to school.  She was helping me one day get Cole into class and get situated, she had picked up a bag from home and when she walked into Cole's classroom she hung up her bag on a hook, turned around, waved and said "Bye Mom" and off she went to sit at one of the tables.  With a reluctant chuckle, I quickly scooped her up and explained that this wasn't her classroom and that she soon would have her own hook and her own classroom.  She wasn't havin' it.  Big crocodile tears and lots of "but mom"s came wailing out as I literally drug her to the car. 

The night before, she asked me 4 times if I was leaving her. " You are leaving me right mom?" , with those huge blue eyes and her perfect little smile!  "Yes, Kennedy, I am leaving you."  The morning of, "O.K. mom, you are leaving me right?"  Cole protests every morning for me to stay at school with him and here is my little Ms. Independent who can wait to be dropped off by herself!

Once in the classroom , she wasted no time ditching the mama.  Hung her backpack up, a quick kiss and she didn't look back!  I was expecting to stay for a few minutes and kind of walk her around the room and check it out. Nope, she had it all under control!  I came to pick her up and she started crying because it wasn't time for her to leave.  So preschool was a hit! For both of us!

1st Day

1st day of school for 3 of the 4!

  And the 4th was not happy that it wasn't her day too! We rolled into Amity Elementary (literally!) backpacks packed with supplies, shiny new kicks and a mom holding back the tears.  Kyle is an upper class man in the 5th grade, Kate is in the middle, as always, in the 3rd grade and Mr. Coley takes the plunge into kindergarten.  I think I was more upset about him being in a wheelchair than I was about him "starting kindergarten".  But the chair proved to be quite a spectacle and a good topic of conversation! A long and emotional week has come to an end and I think everyone weathered the storm pretty well.  Next week , as reality sets in, or as the kids say, homework starts, Cole will venture to class without me by his side.

He will probably be just fine,

 I wonder how I will do.......

New Companion

A week ago today Cole received a new companion:

Compliments of a broken left femur bone that was obtained while having a fun day at the water park!  Last slide of the day, Cole went down with a huge smile and came up screaming like a banshee!  After trips to 2 different hospitals and an ambulance ride, the pediatric orthopedic surgeon at St. Luke's hospital  inserted 2 titanium rods in the poor little boys leg.  The wheel chair will be Cole's new side kick for 4 to 6 weeks. He will get to take it to the 1st day of kindergarten, to the state fair and maybe even camping! It has already been a hit with some of the neighborhood kids and has been clocked at a top speed of 8 miles an hour, assisted by an android speedometer app and a more than willing cousin behind the wheels!

One week ago today I too received a new companion:

A constant companion that was already pretty constant to begin with, this just intensifies our relationship a bit.  Cole has always been "mom partial".  Mom partial has become mom constant! Life has come to a screeching halt and the skid marks are a mile long.  Canceling and rearranging appointments, handing off responsibilities and commitments, letting normal life go by the way side. Its been a wake up call for this whole family. It seemed pretty devastating the 1st couple days, but after 2 nights stay in the pediatric ward at the hospital, a broken leg is not the end of the world. We were surrounded by kids that were terminally sick or that had limbs missing or that were mentally disabled.  My small little boy lying in that huge hospital bed didn't seem so catastrophic as I had thought and had made it out to be.  The doctor was confident that the  bone would heal and in 1 year, you won't even be able to tell it was broken. Time has slowed down here and I have had a lot of forced moments of reflection and thought.  It is funny how Heavenly Father presents us with situations that seem to be horrible and unbearable.  Than only to find out that really it isn't as bad as we make it out to be. I have a lot of time to just sit with Cole.
 He doesn't talk much being that he is in a constant state of "gaming".  I think he has had enough video game time to last him the rest of his life.  Cole is the kid that gets under my skin the most, the kid that wants all the attention good or bad, the kid that gets in the most trouble or causes the most trouble. So for this to happen to "this kid"  is both ironic and predictable. Of any of my kids I would expect Cole to have broken something a long time ago. He has had numerous accidents that have put us in the doctors office. And of any of my kids, he is probably the one that I need to spend more quality time with. 

Thus, the current situation unfolds.....

So while we are lazily wasting away our last few days of summer vaca, we are so grateful for the blessings we have had over the last  week. Meals, play dates, phone calls, pep talks, vistors, it has all been  so overwhelmingly amazing to know that we are surrounded with so many wonderful family and friends. Thank you to everyone for your thoughtfulness and generosity, we couldn't have made it this far without ya!  One week down!.......

When cousins come to stay....

As you can see we had a whole lot of fun days that were jammed packed with none stop crafts, activities, water, 2 birthday parties and COUSINS!  See ya next year Gums chickadees!