Me and My Boys

Some News

2011-11-10T18:25:00.003-07:00

We are so excited for April!

July

2011-11-05T16:13:00.007-06:00

July was fantastic. Zac and I had our routine going strong and we found so many fun things to do. I got to go to the Children's Museum for the first time (Zac has been many times before with others). What a fun place. He was busy the whole time and didn't want to leave. His favorite part was the real helicopter that you can sit in and do the controls.

4th of July was pretty low key. BBQ with family and then the Sandy fireworks. It was fun as always.
If we let him, Zac would be carrying a bag of chips with him where ever he went. Funny kid.

My mom and I taking pictures of each other to pass the time.
And if my grandma looked at my blog, she might be mad at me, but this hair cover brings back lots of memories. It always come out when it gets windy, and it was rather hilarious trying to get it on this time with the wind. Love you grandma.

There was more boating on grandpa's yellow boat of course. (Zac got to go with grandpa just a couple of weeks ago to put the boat in storage for the winter, and there were tears shed. Not many people love to go boating on it more than Zac and that is saying something in this family.)

His grandpa lets him drive all the time. Zac really likes to go in circles. It gets a little scary.
For the 24th of July, Jon's mom was in charge of the neighborhood parade and breakfast that they do. Zac participated in the parade for about a block, and then watched as the rest of it went by. That kid does have mean flag waving skills though.
Zac loves watching shows on whatever ipod he can con out of someone. As he's watching, he gets himself into the strangest positions and will sit there for like that for the whole show. Here is just one example. Crazy what he finds comfortable.
That afternoon he thought it was important that he help water grandma's flowers. It ended up just being a fun time playing in the water and an opportunity to show off his muscles.

Scary, I know. Don't mess with him.

At the beginning of the summer I wanted to have a work out goal that would push me. I decided that I want to run in a 10K. I really do enjoy running, but my go to distance is 3 miles. It takes me about a half hour and I'm good with it. Nice work out. I didn't ever see the need to go further than that. But I decided that if I trained, I could double that. It was fun to work at over the summer. I got some good runs in and on the 25th of July I ran in the Salt Lake Deseret News 10K. It was really fun. I went a lot faster than any of my training runs (I beat my time by about 8 minutes) and finished in about 54 minutes. The last part was rough, but I was proud of myself for achieving my goal. No walking even, and I only almost fell over at the end.

After the race, we had a family reunion with Jon's family. It was at a swimming complex in Ogden and a lot of fun. I didn't end up taking a lot of pictures, but we had a good time.
As I sit here typing on this very snowy day, it is fun to think about what a great summer we had. Zac calls morning, or the sun being out, summer time. For example if he wants me to get out of bed, he'll tell me it's summer time. Oh, how I wish it were true.

June

2011-10-02T16:14:00.008-06:00

We had such a great summer. Zac and I got into a fantastic routine with fun things to do every day. Oh how I miss it. For my birthday this year we went to lunch and the zoo with my sisters.
There aren't too many pictures of animals because that is definitely not the highlight for Zac. The only thing he cares about is the carousel. It was a fun day.
Jon and I also had a lovely date while Zac got to have a sleepover with his aunts. Everyone got what they wanted. Then for my party, Jon organized a great BBQ for me. I just love birthdays.
We went for our first boating trip of the season one night for a quick trip. Oh how we all love that boat!

For Father's Day, I decided to take some pictures of Zac looking like his dad. They turned out cute. Zac has such a good example to look up to. We are so blessed to have Jon as the daddy in our family.

May

2011-10-02T15:20:00.005-06:00

Jon graduated from the University of Utah this month in Health Promotion and Education. It was exciting to see him achieve goals he has been working hard on. It was a fun day.

After the graduation, we had a Cinco de Mayo/Graduation party for him. Yummy food. Fun people. Kristen made him morter board cake pops for dessert.

His parents gave him a new golf bag. And from me he got a new watch to add to his collection.

We are so proud of you Jon!!!!

One of my best friends at work turned 50 this May, so I made her a cake. I didn't want to make it black and dreary (who wants to eat black food?) I had seen some flowers she had at her house and decided to make it like those instead. I liked how it turned out and it was super yummy too- with lemon curd and lemon buttercream inside).

Jon has loved U2 for as long as I have known him. He had been bugging me about the concert for months, but we just couldn't justify how much it would cost, and I wasn't really all that interested in it. Well, I was sitting in my math endorsement class about to take a test, when I get a phone call that my sister had been given 4 tickets to the concert from a student and had invited Jon and I to go. I have to say, man can they put on a show!!! It was incredible. The stage was amazing. Jon was thrilled, and we all had a great time.

I took a lot of videos, but they take so long to load, so just know it was great. We were glad that the tickets didn't go to waste.

April

2011-10-02T14:36:00.004-06:00

During Spring Break this year Zac and I spent many hours in the bathroom working on potty training. He picked up on one part really quickly, the other part we are still working on 7 months later. :( Someday, right?

Easter was great. Zac is getting to be an expert at finding eggs. He is also an expert on eating all the candy!

He looked very handsome in his new outfit.
You know the Easter Bunny likes you when he comes to your house and your grandma's house too!
Doesn't this just remind you of George Castanza?

Congratulations Mr. and Mrs. Brown

2011-09-05T10:15:00.006-06:00

Megan and Taylor's wedding was lots of fun. I really didn't get very good pictures (I forgot to take my camera to the temple) but I wanted to post what I did get.

The night before, they had their wedding dinner. It was a little stressful because I was doing parent teacher conferences that same day. I had to schedule all of them early and then leave as soon as my last one was done so we could get there on time. It was decorated cute and was fun because the girls had all secretly planned to do a little flash dance. Megan's new brother in law got up to sing a song he had written about the couple (it was darling, filled with all their inside jokes and finishing with Taylor Brown and the neighbor's daughter). When he finished he siad he was going to sing another song. He started and then the music to Single Ladies came blasting on in the middle of it. At first the moms stood up and looked mad, and then they started dancing. Then all the girls in the audience came up and danced. It was silly. They then had quite a dance party. Zac just wanted to run back and forth from one side of the room to the other. He got his cousin Kayla to go along with it. It was a fun night.
The day of the wedding was beautiful. Their ceremony was performed by Elder Perry and it was so neat to sit with my husband in the sealing room and actually get to hear those words in a situation where we would remember them.
We got to the reception place early for pictures, but with some kind of mix-up family pictures never got taken, and Zac was not happy (neither was his mother) at having to stay looking nice for an hour when there were so many fun fountains of water to be playing in.
This is what most of that hour looked like.
We did get a few shots of our family in our yellow and black.
Megan and Taylor both love Harry Potter and even have their own wands. As a surprise to them they had a Harry Potter cake as a groom's cake. It was really fun.
It was a fun night and we are so excited to have Taylor in our family. They are so good for each other. We love you guys.

Hot Dog! A very Mickey 3rd Birthday

2011-07-29T17:23:00.011-06:00

Zac's birthday this year was a lot of fun. His current obsession includes Mickey Mouse Clubhouse (as well as Toy Story, Cars, and Monster's Inc.) I had a lot of fun with the Mickey theme. These were some of the pictures we used on the invitation.

Many hours were spent working on his cake. I decided to make the clubhouse- and as Michelle would say, it was definitely ambitious!!! It took my sister Kristen, my sister in law Mallory, and me a lot of work (a lot of which wouldn't have been necessary if I knew what I was doing- like making black fondant- seriously just buy it next time!) But it turned out really fun.
Red was not the best color to have behind it. Oh well.

And the decorators with our creation. Thank you so much for you help girls!!!!
Everyone came in their Mickey attire, and Zac wore his Mickey party hat to open presents.
He got a doctor kit and a Buzz Lightyear snuggie among a million other fun things. His daddy is proudly showing him how to use the stethoscope.
Zac liked the cake so much, he thought it was a toy and got mad at me when I started cutting it up and he wanted to play with it.
My cute sister in law Lauren misunderstood the invitation when it said to wear Mickey attire and thought she was supposed to come dressed up as her favorite Disney character. I'm pretty sure that if I had actually asked people to do that she still would have been the only one that came dressed up. Hear is the darling Pocahontas. Mike couldn't come because he had to work, and I'm really sad because Lauren said if he had come she would have made him dress up as Prince Charming from Cinderella. How great would that have been?
Jon didn't want her to feel bad, so he got dressed up and got in the picture too. Zac's cute great grandparents in their Mickey shirts.

How effective is face time on your iphones if you are sitting right next to each other?
My mom has super nice neighbors that got Zac a birthday present and brought it over. It ended up being this huge Toy Story ball that you can climb inside and roll around in. Let me tell you, it was the hit of the night. We have spent many hours since in the ball. He likes to have snacks in it, as well as watch shows.
I don't know why these pictures came out sideways, they are right on my computer. Anyway- funny.
You can see Zac through the little window at the bottom.

I also took the yearly pictures with the bear for his 3rd birthday. Man, it's crazy to see how much he has grown compared to the earlier ones!

Jon's present to Zac was new shoes- and of course they had to be Jordans.

This is a common look on Zac's face lately (unfortunately). He has definitely found his bossy/grumpy side and it comes out all to often. His nackname is Zachy Drama!
Oh, but we do love this boy. We are so blessed to have him in our family. I can't believe it has already been 3 years, and I sure can't wait for the next 93. I love you little man!

Christmas

2011-07-18T08:58:00.007-06:00

Christmas was so fun this year. Zac was such a perfect age to totally get into it. He loved that Santa was coming and was so excited about opening his presents. He was definitely spoiled! Santa came to our house Christmas Eve morning and we had our own little family Christmas morning. When you asked Zac what he wanted from Santa he would tell you that all he wanted was a basketball hoop and a basketball. His dad couldn't have been more proud. Santa delivered and Zac made the very first shot he tried. We have spent many hours shooting hoops since he got his hoop.

His dad thought that since he had a basketball hoop he needed the proper attire to go with it. Zac got a Nike workout outfit from his dad that is the perfect thing for making the best shot.
Santa also brought Handy Manny and the tools. We had to bring the tools around everywhere we went for a while.

After he opened his tools, he made sure to show the tools each of his presents. Here is Dusty admiring Zac's new sweater (probably appreciating it more than Zac).

And Jon and I had a great Christmas as well. Here I am admiring my new watch. What a nice husband.
On Christmas morning, we spent it with both families. Again- so spoiled.
Zac is definitely on his Grandma's nice list- whether he deserves it or not.
What more do you need when you're 2 than a Buzz and a big box? Life is good.
Well, maybe a silly aunt that will hide in the big box with you!
Christmas was especially exciting for Jon's little sister Megan this year. She went over to open her Christmas present from her boyfriend and ended up getting engaged! We were there soon after to hear the story and see the ring.

Congratulations Megan and Taylor! We are so excited for you.

We finished the day with Zac convincing another aunt to throw him in the air for about a half hour.
We are so blessed. It was wonderful as always to spend time with family and celebrate our Savior's birth. I wish we took the time more often to focus on the love that we share.

December Fun

2011-02-21T15:45:00.011-07:00

December was filled with lots of fun- of course busy, but lots of fun. Zac and I spent a fun day with my sisters and mom. Normally we all take a day off of school, but since we got the week before Christmas off this year, we just went then.
Jon and I have made a tradition of going to Temple Square to see the lights each year. We also have made several trips to Build a Bear where Jon has gotten me some very cute friends. We decided to combine the two this year. As part of Zac's Christmas he got to pick a new friend.
Meet Fluffy Toby. Fluffy because Zac was thrilled to get to fill him with fluff. And Toby because I think Jon thought Fluffy was a little girly of a name. The whole process was sooo fun with Zac. He was so excited at each part.

Then we went and saw the lights. So beautiful and so cold. We didn't last a real long time, but it was still a great night. It was one of the first nights we had spent with Jon in months (last semester was killer- I went from Sunday to Friday only seeing Jon for minutes).

One of our traditions with Jon's family is we draw names and instead of getting that person a gift we take them on a date. We had lots of fun this year. We also included a few extra nights together. We made an amazing gingerbread house

We also got to have a night just with the siblings. My mother in law had everything ready for us to go on a photo scavenger hunt. At first I think we didn't quite know if we were going to get into to it or not, but I am proud to say we accomplished EVERY THING on the list.
Everyone under a park bench:
Everyone doing exactly what a sign says to do:
(None of us are smoking)

Fill a stranger's car with gas:
Flip a burger in uniform:
Something that starts with the letter Z:
Everyone sitting in one chair:
Everyone in/on a shopping cart:
Braid a stranger's hair:
Ask a stranger to dance:
Act out a Disney scene in a public place (this is from Bambi if you couldn't tell):
Juggle for an audience and get them to clap for you:
Group hug with a Walmart employee:
Everyone drinking out of the same can:
A picture with someone in a uniform:
The group doing the chicken dance in front of KFC:
Jon and Ryan then proceeded to sing and dance IN the KFC and then run out. So funny.
Folding someone's laundry at a laundry mat:
Bagging someone's groceries for them:
You fit in that? (We couldn't quite decide, so we tried 2)
(Yes we are in our shower)
Posing with a statue:
Making a human pyramid for a stranger:
Spelling out a word (decided to do a shout out to the person who made the whole night possible):
We had so much fun together. It is truly amazing what strangers will do when you tell them you are doing a photo scavenger hunt.

We had a fabulous December followed by a fabulous Christmas. Definitely my favorite time of year!

Jingle Bell Rock

2010-12-31T02:27:00.005-07:00

One night I was hanging out with my sister's even before Halloween. Kristen had just found a new Neil Diamond Christmas CD (a classic at our house) and we were listening to a few tunes when Zac found an all time favorite. Jingle Bell Rock came on and boy did this kid start dancing. And dancing and dancing. He came up with some incredible moves and then expected that all of us do them with him (which of course we did, why wouldn't 3 grown woman dance like fools for an adorable 2 year old boy?). I'm pretty sure we listened and danced through this song at least 25 times that night.

All through this season he immediately recognized when the song came on the radio and sang along word for word. One day he was with my mother in law at the store buying a new phone and the song came on. He had all the employees amazed as he put on a nice song and dance performance. Oh how I love this boy.

Gratitude

2010-12-31T02:08:00.004-07:00

We spent Thanksgiving this year at my mom's house. It was the first year in a few that we didn't do the Human Race. It was so dang cold that morning. Next year we are back on though. Had to do my own exercising at my house while watching the parade. I was in charge of the nut cups.

Everything was delicious as usual.
I am so grateful for this wonderful family that I am a part of.
Zac practicing taking pictures of himself. Not half bad really, almost artsy.

Happy Halloween

2010-12-31T01:50:00.005-07:00

Why not really? It's 2:00 in the morning and I have just finished editing the 150 pictures I had on my camera, so why not post about Halloween on December 31? Zac was the cutest cowboy around. We had gone to my grandma's house and she had this fun hat and that decided it for us. Luckily Zac has a very talented grandma for the rest of the details. We went to my sister's trunk or treat and he met up with a very beautiful princess Greta. These two are so cute together.
Cheese!!!
And here is Zac with one of his guys. We don't go anywhere without at least one, and usually it is one for each hand. We started with just the Mickey guys, but since Christmas, we have expanded, oh how we have expanded.
Two fabulous aunts!
And after the trunk or treating, you must relax with some good old Mickey Mouse Clubhouse.
The actual night we went trick or treating in my mom's neighborhood.
The haul...
And this is how Zac would chose to be all the time if he could.
In the words of our little cowboy "Howdy cartners"

Colors

2010-10-18T23:34:00.004-06:00

Last summer I had visions of posting every week and keeping up- for myself- on all our activities. This obviously didn't happen. I'm going to start where I'm at and fit in the summer as I go (good plan right?). Well I guess this is from a couple of weeks ago. For Jon's birthday his parents gave us tickets to go to the Colors concert at the Sandy Amphitheater. Colors is a group my roommates and I were obsessed with in college. We went to every possible concert, had all their songs memorized, and had their pictures plastered all over our walls. Listening to their music still brings back so many fun memories of Utah State and some of my best friends in the world. Also great memories of Jon and I during the dating years. The last few years Colors has been having a concert just once a year. It was fun to sing along and reminisce.
Em, Lar, Candice- I missed you!

(Em, do you remember singing this as we were walking home from the mall with Erika? Good times)

They have a new CD out that I have been thoroughly enjoying. You should check it out!

Good music, good company, good memories, lovely fall night, soaking wet butt from sitting on the wet grass, seriously good times!

A Day at the Zoo

2010-09-06T13:10:00.005-06:00

The day before Zac broke his arm , my mom and sister and I went to the zoo. It reaffirmed to me why we weren't taking him on vacation with us. He didn't want to stay in the stroller. He just wanted to walk all by himself. Even though he was a bit of a pain, there were fun part to the day. He loved the animals and especially loved the carousel. He went again later in the summer and it went better.

The baby elephant was so dang cute.
He loved climbing up to the slide, but screamed the whole way coming down.
This one pretty much sums it up.

Memorial Day

2010-08-25T19:25:00.006-06:00

For Memorial Day we had a BBQ with my family. I really just ended up taking a million pictures. I just love this little boy's cute face- even when he is dire need of a haircut.
Telling a story...
He's so expressive- he cracks me up.
There were some other cute faces at the party.
The rice crispy treats were delicious.
We played a new game- not sure of the name, just know that I wasn't very good. I think my mom beat us all.
What's a party without some bubbles?
Or some the favorite drink in our house- Diet Coke (his is caffeine free here). He seriously is an addict. He has such strange likes for such a little kid.
And the one who feeds the addiction.
And to finish- some more classic expressions. I sure do love this boy. Can't get enough.

Mother's Day- I know it was 3 months ago

2010-08-21T11:18:00.005-06:00

I know that this was months ago, but I'm going to try and get a little caught up every time I can find a minute or two. The night of mother's day, we were at my mom's house and I had my computer. We got playing with the photo booth application and I can't remember a time that we all have laughed so hard in years. So just thought I would share in the joy.

My grandparents especially had fun with it. I'm pretty sure I have never seen them laughing so hard.

What ridiculousness I get into with my family.
(You wanted to be included Kris- here you are my love)

50 Years

2010-07-07T09:38:00.008-06:00

About a week ago my sweet grandparents celebrated their 50th Anniversary. It was so fun to get together with family to celebrate this amazing couple. My sister and I decided to make them a cake for the occasion. The pictures from their wedding were ruined somehow, so there were no pictures to o from for what their original cake looked like, so we came up with our own design. It was the first time we tried working with fondant and it was so much fun.
We did all the piping work and then painted on the gold.
We made cakepops that matched the cake for each person.
The final product:

It was really fun to make, but it made us appreciate Food Network challenges where they make what they do in 8 hours. Our little cake took two full days of work.

We just had a small get together at Spaghetti Factory, but it was neat to spend time with everyone.

Zac doesn't have a great reputation for his behavior at restaurants, but he did awesome, with a little help from Mickey.
My aunt wrote a 333 word poem for them.
My other aunt had given my grandma a book with questions about her life to answer. She finished filling it in and Cindy then made copies for everyone. It was so fun to read through and I learned a lot about my grandma's life.
My mom made them a wall hanging with everyone in the family's names on it.
My grandparents are some of my best examples of how to have a good marriage. They love each other so much. They also never miss a chance to serve each other as well as their family. My grandma has had arthritis since she was in her early 20's and has lived most of her life in a lot of pain. My grandpa takes care of her daily and does it so patiently and with so much love. They have been to countless dance recitals, games, piano recitals... They are so supportive and our whole family is blessed because of how they live their lives.
We love you so much Grandpa Dan and Grandma Dorothy. Thank you for your great example.

The Most Magical Place on Earth

2010-07-01T00:29:00.000-06:00

As with many of our vacation pictures, this post will probably be more for me than anyone else to remember our trip, so feel free to scan through if needed. No, really, scan through, I won't be offended because I am pretty sure there are close to a million pictures and I know how it is with looking at pictures of other people's vacations.

We celebrated my birthday with my family the day before we left. Jon made me cupcakes and gave me the cupcake holder which I love. Anybody having a party?
Some of my other gifts were cake related as well. Zac enjoyed many of my gifts-

the cupcake pillow, the cupcake cookbook, the new sports bra and autographed copy of Sweating With the Oldies. Really what more could a girl ask for? Oh yea, a trip to Disneyland.
Jon was feeling really sick the first day we were there and decided to stay at the hotel and sleep while the rest of us went to the park. We decided to go to California Adventures until we could all go to Disneyland together.

Luckily it didn't last long and he joined us later that night.

We of course had to take pictures of these things that are such a large part of our lives.
I think this picture is the only one with all of us in it of the whole trip.
Su- baked or wasted?
Megan was my buddy on this trip for taking Kodak moment pictures as well as keeping up with my rigorous Disney techniques. Thanks Megan!

Even posing with her biggest nightmare- now that's dedication!
Captain Eo was back-ugh. I mean- yea. The 3D technology was amusing. And really, these glasses are just made for us.
Such bliss...

(Don't worry, we bought one.)

Mallory stuck with me this afternoon and we watched the parade and rode the train. While waiting for the parade sometimes you get a little bored and take pictures of your toes- that's normal right? And who doesn't need some Mickey Mouse joy on your toes? To go along with cute new green shoes I might add.

Super Hero poses-

We spent the next day at Six Flags. None of us had ever been there before and it was wild. Definitely not for the faint of heart, mind, or stomach. We of course started with...

The rides here are wild! We basically walked on to almost every ride in the park except for about 3 that we waited for about and hour. If you ever get the chance, the X2 will rock your world!
My birthday was awesome. We started out at Goofy's Kitchen for brunch. And really, who doesn't love a good Mac n Cheese Pizza? Seriously, it was delicious.

They have this place that teaches you to draw a character- how fun is that? I think we have excellent Dales.
Jon arranged for us to have an amazing dinner at the Blue Bayou which is the restaurant inside Pirates of the Caribbean. So great!
Definitely a memorable birthday. I'm not sure if it will be topped any time soon with all the parades and fireworks and food. I guess that just gives you something to work towards right Jon?

The next day we went to the beach and got sufficiently red. No pictures. No one needs to see that anyway. That night, thanks to a sprint with Megan, we were the only ones to use our tickets to the World of Color which is the new water show in California Adventures. I can't even describe how amazing it was. Wow! These Disney people seriously know what they're doing.
I cried through part of it. Incredible!

And one last story just to prove how magical our trip really was. We were walking out of the park one night and it was past midnight. We noticed a group of people and realized it was Mickey Mouse- that's right the mouse himself. We went over and everyone was kind of just trying to push their way in. It was a little crazy and we were standing to the side when Mickey pushed through the crowd and grabbed my hand. He chose us out of a crowd. I think Minnie has some competition. It's OK, cause she was nice to us too.

Hmmmm. I wish I were back there right now. Although summer real life has been much easier to come back to than school real life would have been, so I do have to be grateful for that. And really, it just means that I can start dreaming about our next trip there.

A Blue Cast

2010-06-29T14:00:00.003-06:00

Zac finally got his cast last week. It is certainly more sturdy, but it also can be used as a weapon. We also have heard lots of new knock knock jokes as he and others sit and knock on the cast. He loves the sound it makes. He also loves the sound it makes rubbing against the edge of our furniture- we're trying to keep the damage to a minimum.

Since we've gotten back from California, Zac has been really clingy and and a little emotional. He really didn't want to get his picture taken, and yet I do continue to over document his life :)

Broken Arm=Bummer

2010-06-11T17:30:00.005-06:00

So, the other day I had planned a get together with a friend I haven't seen for a while. We went to a park by her house and had a picnic and let the kids play. They were having a great time playing together and we were sitting on a blanket a few feet away. Zac had climbed up the steps on the playground equipment and was just standing on the first little platform eating some crackers. He took a step backwards and stepped right off the platform and fell. I ran to grab him and immediately could tell that he had broken his arm (one of the most terrible things I have seen- I still think about what it looked like and it makes me sick). Jon was on his way to work at the ER at the time, so he just met us there. Zac was so brave and very polite. He would tell all the nurses and doctors thank you in the middle of his tears as they were doing things like giving him an IV.
The crooked arm- so sad.
We spent about 4 hours in the ER waiting for an orthopedic doctor to be done at his office to come and set the 2 bones that were broken. The doctor on call wasn't comfortable doing it on such a little guy, so we just waited for the other doctor instead of having to go up to Primary's. It was a long day.

They had me hold him while they did the reduction. They drugged him pretty good, but he was still screaming while they pushed and pulled on his arm. It makes me want to cry just thinking about it. I of course didn't watch, just watching Jon's face was enough. It is so nice to be married to someone who knows what to do in this situation and was so calm and knowledgeable when I'm freaking out. Zac was thrilled when the splint was finally on and he could finally have some milk. It was what he had wanted all day.
He has to have the splint on till we get back from California. I'm now really glad we decided not to take Zac with us. He will be well taken care of with the 3 nurses at home. He's decided he wants a blue cast. Hopefully they will do a waterproof one. We had big swimming plans for the summer and this is putting a serious wrench in our fun plans.

Zac would now spend all his days doing this if his mom would let him.

(Pre Haircut)
(Post Haircut)
Watching this:

Dear Comcast people- please update the Mickey Mouse Clubhouse choices available on On Demand. Please. Soon. Please. Thank you. Love, Me.

Zac is doing really well. He's a trooper. We're glad for all the family lovin' he's been getting too. What an adventure.

Goodbye Harvey, Hello Cowboy

2010-05-27T06:35:00.004-06:00

Goodbye...

Hello...
Zac's new favorite saying is "Come on in to my new car."
We love it. Come for a ride with us!

Easter- Only about a Month Later

2010-04-28T16:13:00.001-06:00

Holidays are getting funner and funner as Zac understand more and more of what it's all about. After 3 different egg hunts, he was quite the expert.
I really think it's not nice to have to do an Easter Egg hunt in the snow! My parents' neighborhood puts one on and we decided to go. I didn't quite dress Zac warm enough for the occasion (the kids with smart parents came dressed in snowsuits and boots and gloves) so we didn't collect too much, but it was still fun. This whole walk around and pick up things with free candy in them is Zac's cup of tea.

Then the Easter bunny came to our house and to Grandma D's.

He got a new bike that his dad and grandpa diligently put together. The bike's name is Diego- in our family everything has a name- thanks aunt Shell (Mr. Shell:))

He can't quite reach the pedals yet, but he can get around on it just fine. It's also handy if you need to stop and take a potty break, Zac informed me, cause the seat lifts up. It's good we're still in diapers. I'm worried about when he does start potty training where I'm going to find presents.
Even though it was general conference and we didn't have church, we got Zac dressed up in his new spiffy outfit.

As Zac will tell you, he's so handsome!

It really was a wonderful weekend. Conference was awesome! It is so nice to listen to the prophet and apostles and feel of their spirit. I've been listening to the talks on the internet. So great. Hope everyone is enjoying their spring- snow and all.

Rock a Bye with Bunny

2010-04-10T08:56:00.003-06:00

The other day Zac noticed an Easter decoration that I had up and he wanted to play with it. It is a bunny sitting in a rocking chair.
Well, Zac loves to "rock-a-bye" in any rocking chair he sees. His grandma does it with him to get him to sleep for his naps and has taught him the rock-a-bye song my great grandma used to sing and its a favorite. So after playing with it for a minute he told me he wanted to rock-a-bye with bunny. I said OK and we went into his room and sat in his rocking chair with him on my lap and him hloding the bunny. But he just kept getting mad and telling me he wanted to rock-a-bye with bunny. I couldn't figure out what I was doing wrong. I set the bunny on the table next to the rocking chair and made it rock back and forth, but that wasn't cutting it. I put the bunny on the ottoman that rocks and made it rock there, but that sure wasn't working for him either. It was only when Zac started climbing up on the ottoman and trying to sit on the bunny that I figured out what he was wanting to do. He didn't want to make the bunny rock, he wanted to sit on the bunny's lap and rock-a-bye with bunny.

He was pretty sad when he couldn't figure out a way to sit on the bunny's lap. This kid seriously cracks me up.

(Don't judge us. I know the room is quite a disaster in the background. I"m pretty sure it's just proof that we play hard and it had been a good day right? Zac's good at making a mess, but he's also a pretty good helper to clean up- we just hadn't gotten to that part yet.)

The Yellow One is the Sun

2010-04-07T16:49:00.003-06:00

Or... Half game, whole snow cone. Or... Take luck... with you... on your journey.

Oh the joy that these quotes bring me. If you recognize them you are probably thinking of about 20 others and chuckling to yourself right now.

I was first introduced to Brian Regan when I was very pregnant with Zac. We were driving home from the Sunday party with family and Jon had downloaded one of his shows onto his ipod. We got home far before the show was over and we just sat in the car laughing till we were crying for another half hour. I made Jon bring it to the hospital so I could have something to laugh at when I was in pain. (Zac came way to fast, so it was never used)

Anyway, we have shared the joy with many family and friends and helped to create many new fans. This man is so funny (without the smut that a lot of comedians use). If you have never heard him before you need to look him up on YouTube. So when I was look for something to get for Jon for Christmas I saw a bill board announcing that Brian Regan was coming. I decided to get us tickets. My mother in law had the same idea and got tickets for all of us as well. It worked out OK since we just sold our tickets and got to go with the family. So fun!

Megan you finally made it!

If I had more money than I knew what to do with...
We laughed until tears ran down our face and our cheeks hurt. Thank you Brian for a hilarious night.

You can even join with us and hear the lady with the loud laugh sitting right behind us!

TWO

2010-03-07T07:09:00.008-07:00

Since it's been a month now, I thought it would probably be good to post some pictures about Zac's birthday. Once again I think I had more fun with it than he did, but someday I think he'll appreciate it more. I was telling some people at school what kind of cake I was going to make and they told me to be careful because if I start out making fancy cakes that I will be stuck doing it forever because that is what they will expect. I told her that was OK with me because I think it's fun to have an excuse to make a fun cake.

We decided to take another bear picture. Someone was asking me why I hadn't been doing it anymore and I figured that no one cared about them at 21 months, however I thought it would be fun to keep it up on his birthdays. Here's a comparison between one and two.

I can't believe he is so big.

After church we went to get things ready at my parents house. Zac missed his nap with everything that was going on- and well that made for an interesting night. We decided to do a jungle theme birthday because Zac's favorite color is green. He loved the green balloons and he has learned to sing happy birthday with lots of enthusiasm.
I made him an alligator cake- more green!
We had some awesome pizza for dinner which is Zac's favorite.
And then we opened presents.

By this time the lack of nap was becoming apparent and mom got to open most them. Our family is so kind to this little boy. Man was he spoiled.
We got him his own computer because he loves anything with "puttons". But I wanted to show off the quilt in the background that my mom made. It is an "I spy" quilt and Zac loves it. It has to be layed out on his floor and we find things on it everyday. Seriously, my mother is so talented.

We blew out candles, eat cake, threw a fit, and had a bath...

The first video is cute of him playing in the tub. The second is for Michelle- and what you are teaching my son to say and teach the other kids around him and get me in trouble.

I can't express how much I love this little boy. I had been an amazing 2 years. I am lucky that I get to be his mom forever. He is so smart and has such a fun sense of humor. Each day I am in awe of what he has learned and what he can do. It is helping through his new phase of throwing some amazing tantrums. He is a special kid. I'm so glad to be a part of his life.

Frogurt Explosions

2010-02-06T20:19:00.007-07:00

Warning: This post involves explanations of the bathroom issues of a near 2 year old. If this offends you in any way, please do not read on. If you are a mom of a similarly aged child you probably have dealt with very similar issues and will find humor in our little adventure. While we didn't at the moment, we now do.

For the past few months Zac has had problems pooping. He is such a picky eater that if we aren't really careful he gets really plugged up. Over the week of Christmas things were crazy and we weren't really careful. The poor kid had to experience some pretty terrible things to get cleared out. (This part of the story is a little too graphic to go into, but it is enough to say that it is good that Jon keeps gloves on hand at our house and that he has a stronger stomach than me. Even so, I think all three of us were a little traumatized.) So, in an effort to keep things moving as they should, Zac received all kinds of remedies- fiber yogurt with prunes in it, probiotic pudding, all kinds of fruits, mineral oil... you get the idea. Well, one night not too long after, we had gone out to eat with my sister. After the restaurant (which was an adventure in itself- Zac would not eat anything and I was determined not to have spent money on him in vain and if you have ever decided to have a power struggle with a 2 year old you know how that goes.) we had gotten gift cards for Christmas to Frogurt- a perfectly lovely frozen yogurt establishment. We decided to go and get a treat. In the car on the way there, Zac smelled as if he had been successful in filling his diaper (we were thrilled of course because we cheer at our house for poop that comes easily- literally we cheer). When we first walked in, I found the bathroom so I could change him while Michelle and Jon waited up front. In the first place when we walked in, there was no changing table- just a toilet and a sink. So, we opted for the floor- gross I know, but what are you going to do. Zac was not pleased with having to lay on the floor and started screaming and trying to get away. Now, changing a normal diaper under these circumstances is hard enough, but when I opened the diaper it became clear that it was going to be quite the experience. The methods we had been using to help keep things moving had worked with a vengeance and had filled that diaper beyond capacity and up his back. So I am in a small Frogurt bathroom on the floor with a screaming wiggly child and poop pretty much everywhere. I yelled out for Zac to stay where he was and stuck my head out the door. Luckily Michelle and Jon were sitting where they could see me and I didn't have to go and find them. I motioned for them to join me, and the three of us got busy trying to clean up the mess. After going through a few wipies- I realized we were out. Jon went after the toilet paper and we used the rest on the roll. It took all three of us to get the onsie off with out getting the mess all over Zac's hair. Luckily the pants and shirt were spared and were able to put them back on. Of course since there was no changing table there was no diaper bin, and so we ended up having to leave the very full and very stinky diaper in the little garbage can. We all washed up and then got ready to leave- remember there were 4 of us in the bathroom meant for 1. Well, I had locked the door the first time I had gone in, but after Jon and Michelle had come in to help with the crisis, no one had thought to lock the door, and as Michelle started to walk towards the door to leave, a woman needing to use the bathroom started walking in. She was embarrassed thinking she had just walked in on Michelle and she quickly closed the door. At that point we didn't know the best way to leave the bathroom knowing she was standing just outside and might wonder what Jon was doing in the bathroom with 2 women. In the end, we all just paraded past her as gave an extremely sour look. We then went and got our yogurt which was delicious but of course our gift cards had not been loaded correctly and didn't work. As we sat down to eat, we kept watching for the poor lady to come out of the bathroom we had left smelling terribly and extremely lacking in the toilet paper department. So, ma'am, if you're out there we do sincerely apologize. I hope you can understand our dire circumstances. I'm not sure either of us will ever look at Frogurt the same way.

So with all of the poo problems that happen in our house, I am always looking for ways for Zac to eat more vegetables. My sister, Kristen, had heard from her friend about this spinach that her picky eaters just loved and I decided to try it. Zac LOVES it. It helps that his favorite color is green and that we can call it his green. All you do is pack the blender with fresh spinach and add a cup of water and blend it till it is a bright green liquid. Then you add half a container of orange juice concentrate and a banana. You can add any other frozen fruits that you want- I usually do strawberries and blueberries- and then you blend again. It comes out very green and you would think it would be very good, but it really just tastes like a smoothie. I like it, but Jon won't touch the stuff because he says that anything that looks the same going in as it does coming out couldn't be right. Either way, Zac drinks it all the time. And for anyone experiencing similar problems with their children, it works wonders and is a great way to get some good nutrients into your kids. Here is the proof of how much Zac loves his green. (Sorry some of the pics are blurry- he doesn't like to hold still)

Here's to more days of cheering and less days of pushing and crying!

A Merry Holiday

2010-01-03T16:04:00.006-07:00

We had such a fun few weeks, I thought I'd share some pictures-ya know, before I have to face reality and head back to school tomorrow. This year instead of picking names to do homemade gifts as we have done in the past, we chose names to do a Christmas date with people in Jon's family. They turned out so fun. I took Jon's sister Mallory to the mall to get lunch and go shopping and then to see the Nutcracker- for sure a Christmas classic.
Jon's mom took me to a Zumba class (seriously have you done this- so fun- ridiculous- but so fun!) and then to get pedicures. I remembered why I love them so much and decided that I should be going to get them more often. Who can resist polka-dotted toes? I'm sure that weird guy on The Bachelorette would totally approve.
Zac got to make pizza with his Mal Mal. And he took his grandpa out for ice cream and a trip to Dollar Tree. It was a fun tradition that I hope we continue next year.
I took my annual day off of work to go hang out with my mom and sisters. We went to breakfast and then to the mini concert that FM100 does at the mall.

While we were there, there wasn't a line to see Santa, so I decided to try and see if Zac would go sit on his lap. I thought it was going to be a disaster, but Zac warmed up to him and when he asked what Zac wanted for Chistmas Zac said crackers. He decided toys would be good too. That kid cracks me up.
Zac got a new church outfit and he looked so grown-up and handsome.
And if you know my boy, you know what is going on here- or at least what is trying to be going on. Poor kid, but love the face.
Because I had to work till the 23rd- preparations for Christmas this year were pretty crazy, but after a few meltdowns on Christmas Eve, we got everything ready and had a wonderful holiday. We had a party at my aunt and uncle's house with some great Christmas pictionary and always entertaining white elephant gifts.

We spent some time with Jon's family and then Jon took off for work- he worked midnight to 6:00 a.m. When he got home we did our own little celebration. It was really fun to watch Zac open presents this year. He had a great time. He got his crackers and toys.

We then went over and opened presents with Jon's family. Zac loves his new tool bench!
And then we walked down the street and opened presents with my family.
My mom made Zac the greatest new quiet book that is amazing and I can't even guess how many hours it took her. He loves it.

After presents I took Jon home and put him to bed and Zac and I went back and partied some more with family.

Zac really enjoyed his candy cane!
And then did his best impression of Jacob.
I know, hold your daughters back. He's a hottie.

For New Years, we played with family again. My mom got a wii for Christmas and we had lots of fun racing- right Dad?
My mom and Zac had lots of fun playing together too.
We hope everyone had as much fun as we did, and that everyone is having an amazing new year!

Day 25

2010-01-03T15:49:00.002-07:00

All right- so I think after a whole month of blogging everyday, I got burnt out and then never finished my gift for Jon. For the last day, the thing that I love about Jon is how unselfish he is. I know Michelle already talked about this a little bit, but it is one of my favorite qualities about Jon. He really is always thinking about other people and what he can do to make things better for them. Most of the other things I have listed are just examples of how Jon lives this principle. I think part of the reason this is so important to me is that I think I am naturally a pretty selfish person. I work at it all the time, but I have to think about what I should do that would be beneficial to others and not myself. For Jon, he is the opposite. He automatically thinks of things to do that would be helpful for someone else and I so admire this quality. He serves me all the time- as the other posts have shown. He serves the Lord in his church callings and just helping members of our ward and neighborhood. And he serves and loves our family.
I have loved this month. I have loved being able to share things about my sweet husband. It has humbled me to really focus on the amazing traits that Jon has. I feel so blessed and lucky to be married to such a wonderful person. I love you Jon!!!!

Day 24

2009-12-25T00:45:00.003-07:00

I love thatthe most important thing in Jon's life is his family. Not just Zac and I, but his mom and dad and brother and sisters, as well as my family. He id definitely and oldest child. He is always looking out for his siblings. He finds ways to do things for them, and he is always trying to be a good example. Something else that I have loved since I first met Jon is his amazing relationship with his mom. He has always been able to talk to her about anything.
Isn't this the greatest ever picture!
I love that he loves me family and really works to have a relationship with each one of them. As you have seen from what each of my siblings have said- they love having him as part of our family. I know that it hasn't always been easy to fit in, but he has always worked hardto make sure they all know that he appreciates them and all they do for us. We have amazing families. The time they have spent helping to take care of Zac is immeasurable. I am grateful to them everyday, and I am grateful to have a husband that sets his family above other things.

Day 23

2009-12-25T00:36:00.003-07:00

I love that Jon is adventurous and out-going and gets me to try new things. There are some things I'm pretty wimpy about- if you know my mom you at least know I come by it naturally. I'm not one to go out my way to chat with people I don't know. Jon is very comfortable talking with people and he helps me get out of my comfort zone all the time. He encourages me to try new things even when I'm scared and a lot of times it turns out great- things like riding on wave runners and such. I love that he pushes me. We don't become better if we stay stagnant and I need to be marred to someone that stretches me to my limits and yet is there to support me the whole time.

Day 22

2009-12-22T21:49:00.002-07:00

First, let me say how much I appreciate everyone being so willing to add their thoughts to mine. We have amazing families!
I love that Jon is a spiritual leader in our home. I have been blessed to be a part of different parts of Jon's spirituality. It was incredible to get to know that side of him through his letters on his mission. Jon was an amazing missionary. Going on a mission wasn't a decision he took lightly. He made the decision to go and his whole heart went into the work and the love of the people in Mexico. I miss the relationship we were able to have through letters. It is easier to share this side of me in writing than in person and it was good to be able to share our thoughts and testimonies with each other so often. It's something we don't do in the same way and I miss getting to read about his relationship with his Heavenly Father as much as I did.
I love that Jon and I were married in the temple. I love that we make it a goal to go there often and that he is worthy to be there. So many people don't have the blessing of sitting in the temple next to the person they are madly in love with and know that they get to be with that person forever. This is a blessing I do not take lightly.
I love that Jon is a worthy priesthood holder. There have been many times when Zac or I have needed a blessing and Jon was able to give them. I love having the priesthood in our home.
I love that Jon works on his spirituality- he reads his scriptures and other books. He is good to make sure that we remember to say our prayers. He teaches Zac to pray. He is good example to me. He makes me want to be better.

Day 21

2009-12-22T21:47:00.002-07:00

Hey Jonny,

This is your brother Michael. I thought I'd add a few words to the blog as well.

To start off, I want you to know I appreciate you more than you know. I've been drowning in a sea of estrogen for most of my life, and it's nice to have another voice in the family to take my side. I've enjoyed being your friend--playing and watching sports. It's such a relief to have another male in the family to talk about things of interest, i.e. NOT scrap-booking and crafts. I especially appreciate that you're always willing to lend a helping hand--I won't forget your help in moving me into my apartment.

I LOVE your son. I know he's got a great father. If you ever need someone to mentor him in dribbling left handed, I am your man. Seriously, let's make a pro athlete out of that boy--college athlete at a minimum (I know a school with a pretty good basketball program in North Carolina).

Anyway, that's about it. I love you man. Thanks for being a good friend.

Love,
Your Brother Mike

Day 20

2009-12-21T06:18:00.003-07:00

It brings me great pleasure to take a few minutes to write out a few of my thoughts about my older brother, Jonathan Edward Jones, who also happens to be my longest-running friend... almost 25 years! Who else gets to say that at 24 years old?

I have always looked up to the bold, righteous figure of my older brother. When I was younger, my only form of admiration was mimicry: cutting and combing my hair the same way, listening to Bush/Dave Matthews/u2 or any other cds I stole out of his cd case, and wearing the same clothes (seriously. The same clothes. I would take them out of his closet.). As I grew older and carved my own niche, I've been able to more fully realize the things it was I really admired about him, like his hard work ethic and his full devotion to providing care and support for everyone around him.

Admittedly, it wasn't always peachy. Many of the lessons that we learned together growing up came with a heavy hand. I would highly recommend that nobody here ever call him JoJo or Jonboy, take his cds without asking, or sneak into his closet after he's left for school to find cooler clothes. These are all lessons I learned MANY times, and my repentance was often called upon by the strong retaliation of an older, physically superior brother who could take me down in a flash. I simply cannot count the number of times I pressed buttons until I received a response, and boy... we got in a lot of trouble.

I learned a valuable lesson, though, because when we would fight, my mom would send us to our separate rooms until Dad got home, at which point we'd both be brought before the patriarch of the house to explain our case. I can't think of a single time I was ever thrown under the bus or left out to dry. We were in trouble, but we were in it together, and countless times my brother showed me the definition of brotherly love by sticking up for me. One time, we'd been sent to our separate rooms to 'think about what we'd done' while our parents sat downstairs and stressed about how two brothers could get along so poorly. We both huddled around our respective bedroom heat vents, and conversed through them until we'd reached a peace agreement that worked. We walked downstairs to our parents, and calmly explained that everything was fine, and we'd worked out a healthy peace agreement.

A simple tale, but it has stuck with me. Jonathan, you have shown me what it means to love your family, what it means to work hard for what you want, and that everything will work out in the end. Nobody I know can joke like we can, and nobody I know can pick up trash in the yard like we can.

Sigh. I've re-written this whole thing twice, and these static words still seem to lack the true emotion for what I feel. Thank you, brother, thank you for always being there for me. Thank you for not letting Jesse Mcguire beat me up in school. Thank you for not beating me up when I broke your first portable cd player. Thank you for helping teach me how to drive. Thank you for helping me move to Ephraim. Thank you for never judging or condemning me. Thank you for marrying an awesome girl from an awesome family. Thank you for being a real man and raising a family with honor. Thank you for having empathy to the world around you. Thank you for devoting your life and time to helping complete strangers with your work at the hospital. Thank you for always making me laugh.

Dude. I love ya. Our lives are rich with the history two brothers have created, and sooner than we think, we're going to be the image we've always had of our father's generation, all chewing the cud around the dining room table long after the meal has been put away. I look forward to growing old and always knowing I've got you and our family with me. Just like the multiple times you've thrown bullies off me at school, I'm happy to know my brother will always have my back.

-Ryan

Day 19

2009-12-20T15:28:00.002-07:00

I love that Jon is still a flirt (hopefully just with me). Even though we've been married for a little while now, Jon is still very romantic. He does sweet things to make me feel important- like bringing flowers and treats to school to celebrate my first mother's day. We also have all kinds of inside jokes. Oh, I see, disaster Marty, you make me feel eguberating, olive juice and elephant oil, go take a nap, kiss my nose just to name a few. I'm glad that after these years I'm still worth the effort to flirt.

I have pictures to add, but I need to scan them at school tomorrow.

Day 18

2009-12-19T08:10:00.002-07:00

Jon is a great gift giver. Especially at Christmas he is incredibly thoughtful and gets me unexpected things that I just love. (No pressure or anything). He always writes notes to explain the gift and why it is important and I have loved saving those notes and reading through them. Our first Christmas married I had visited the class I was going to be taking over in January and I happened to go on pajama day and read a thon day with buddies. They were out of control and I was scared to death to be taking over the class. For Christmas that year Jon had put together a teaching kit to make my first days of teaching manageable, including a build a bear to look like him that I could hug if things got too crazy. One year when he was working graveyards at ARUP and wasn't home a lot at night he actually worked with my mom to make me a quilt (yes he tied it and sewed the binding on!) that I could have the nights he was gone. The year I was pregnant he made me a super hero kit with a car wash to make my super car perfect, my kryptonite- peanutbutter m&m's, and my action figure (a beautiful Willow Tree sculpture with a mom, dad, and new baby). He almost always makes me cry, not neccessaryily with the gift itself, but with the sentiment behind it. His gifts show how well he knows me and how thoughtful he is.

Family Pictures

2009-12-19T07:57:00.004-07:00

So in October we got family pictures taken with my family. We are just now getting the CD back with them on. They turned out so cute. Just thought I would share.

Day 17

2009-12-17T05:39:00.003-07:00

I love that Jon is such a movie fan that it means he will watch even the sappy movies with me. I have talked to friends who their husbands refuse to go with them to see a show they want to see. I think almost every movie we have gone to see I have gotten to choose. He is a good sport when we go out. These days however it's a miracle just to make it to the movies since it is one of the dates that requires a babysitter and we over use ours anyway. I guess that makes it even more meaningful right now since the percentage of times we go to movies is now so low and I know there are tons of movies Jon is interested in and he still lets me pick what we're going to see. Seriously- how did I get so lucky?
One of my favorites that even though it is not one of Jon's favorites he has seen it with me many times.

Day 16

2009-12-17T05:14:00.003-07:00

I love that Jon makes me laugh. As I was thinking about this one, I have realized how much this is not a small thing. I remembered back to college just after Jon was home from his mission and I was kind of dating this other kid (Jon you knew about that right? :)). I was trying to decide what I really wanted in a date and I distinctly remember thinking that the other guy didn't make me laugh and and that Jon did all the time. I immediately ended things with the other guy because I couldn't imagine a life where I wasn't laughing and happy every day. Jon loves to make people laugh. He's sarcastic, silly, and witty all at different times. And get him in the room with his brother and dad at Sunday dinner and you can hardly get your food down (thanks to their amazing ability to take Su's jokes and make them their own). On our last two dates walking back to the car, I think people must have thought we had lost it because we were laughing so hard- one at Jon's incredible speed walking championship skills and the other at his speed skating skills. Because Jon is like this was spend a lot of time happy and laughing at our house. I love also that this is another thing that Zac has in common with his daddy. Zac has the funnest sense of humor already and the most contagious giggle. If I could have a wish it would be that our house will always be filled with laughter. Thank you Jon for making me smile, snicker, roll my eyes, laugh out loud, and roll on the floor nearly wetting my pants depending on the day.
Just an example of the hilarity that ensues at family dinners.

Day 15

2009-12-15T09:04:00.005-07:00

Jon-The Super Brother-in Law

So today is my turn, Jonny! I was excited when Kim offered me the opportunity to write during these 25 days of Christmas. There are so many things I admire about you, but I will only mention a few...

First, you love Kim with your whole heart. As her older sister, I couldn't ask for anything more. I know that you will always take care of her and put her needs above your own. You are a good example of what a husband should be.

Second, you are the best daddy Zac could ask for. You play and have fun, you teach him tricks and crazy things to say; but you also teach him about Jesus and how to treat other people. I look forward to watching Zac grow up as he follows your example.

Third, you have a strong testimony and you honor your priesthood. I've watched you serve faithfully, no matter what your calling is: teacher, priest, missionary, counselor in the Elder's quorum, or ward librarian.

Fourth, you are a hard worker. You do it all: school, work, family, church. It's not easy to find time to do all those things, let alone to do them well and with a smile on your face, but somehow you do it.

Fifth, speaking of smiling, you are one of the funniest people I know. I love that you find the joy in simple things, it doesn't take much to get a smile out of you. And I admire the ability to quote any line from any movie at the right comedic moment. You make me laugh!

Sixth, you are aware of the feelings of people around you. You always seem to know when I need a hug or kind word. I don't know what prompted you to send those letters out a couple of weeks ago, but mine meant the world to me. You made me cry. What a thoughtful, special thing to do.

Finally (I could go on, but I'm being told its time to go), you may not be blood, but you are an important part of our family. I couldn't imagine our family without you in it. Jon, I love you. Thanks for being a super brother.

Day 14

2009-12-15T06:36:00.002-07:00

Jon is super sensitive to what I need. He can sense when I'm about to lose it and he is so willing to serve me so I can calm down or have a minute by myself. He will distract Zac and let me go in the other room and just shut the door and read or take a nap. In fact, sometimes I am ordered to go do these things. I don't think I let him know how much I really appreciate this. I'm sure just like everyone else responsibilities are never done- I could always have a cleaner house, work on the dishes or the laundry, I always have papers to correct and things to get ready for school, and work to do for church. For Jon to let me or even push me into a room by myself for a few minutes every once in a while is absolutley luscious and I so appreciate him recognizing when I need a few minutes to myself.
This is a book I'm reading right now. Very good!

Day 13

2009-12-13T21:23:00.002-07:00

In a world so full of indifference, selfishness, and some women's rights in there, I love that my husband is such a gentleman. Jon always opens my door for me. It is a small gesture that I appreciate every time he does. I think it is a small way that he can show me that he wants to do what he can to take care of me. He even taught his sisters that if a date doesn't open their door for them, they have the right to punch them. Jon also does little things like sleeping on the side of the bed closest to the door (you know in case some crazy guy comes in the room then Jon can take him out before he ever gets to me). Or walks on the side of the road he thinks is the most dangerous. I love feeling like I am being taken care of. I know that he doesn't do it in a demeaning way- like I can't do things myself. In fact he knows that I am independent in many parts of my life. But it's nice to know that for Jon chivalry isn't dead. He is constantly doing things that shows his respect for women and especially his wife.

Day 12

2009-12-12T09:17:00.016-07:00

I love how well Jon gets along with my family. This is huge to me since my family is such a big part of my life. Jon doesn't just go along with things, he really makes an effort to love each person in my family. So I have invited some of my family to share some things throughout the next few days. Not because I am running out of things to write, but because I know they appreciate and love Jon too.

*******************************************************

Hi Jonny!!

I am SO excited to be a special guest on this blog...at such a very special time of year. You have to know how special you are because I haven't even touched my own blog in months!! I am so thankful Kim has given me the chance to tell you why you are important to me, too.

I could go on an on about the qualitities I love about you! Having you as a brother-in-law has been a joy from the beginning. I remember when you took Kim to Prom and other dances. I remember how wonderful it was to hear Kim read me letters you sent from Mexico. I was able to relive so many great mission experiences from your time as a faithful missionary. I know how important that time was for you...and for Kim. I could write about scavenger hunts all around the valley (twice) and how fun it was for me to be able to spend time with you. You are so fun to be around. Thank you for always joining to our creative/silly experiences. You are such a good sport!!

I also love how our families are close. I LOVE your family...your parents have been so instrumental in my life. I think often of the times I knelt with your dad, as my bishop, as I prepared to serve my mission. I also think of how wonderful your mom is. She is a friend of mine. She makes me laugh and I admire her so much for all that she has done. I have known Megan since she was five! We would read and play together. I loved that she sent me letters in college and on my mission. AND that Launa O'Malley makes me smile! The bond I have created with your family is a treasure in my life!

But, Jon, I really want to make sure you know that I am most thankful for one of your greatest qualities--the quality of unselfishness. Kim has touched on this in a few of her posts this month, and I want to personalize some feelings from my perspective.

First, I love spending time with your little family. My sister is a very important person in my life and I am happy when we can do things together. There have been many times when you have unselfishly sent her along to be with me...including overnight vacations. And now that the JOY of my life (your son) has entered the picture, I am even more grateful for the times I get to spend with them. I know there are many husbands and fathers that would be a little bitter about all of these times, but you aren't one of them. I am very thankful that you share your family so selflessly with others. That time is precious to me.

Even more personally, I have been on the recieving end of your kind, unselfish acts. One VERY cold morning, soon after you married Kim, I was at school in Layton getting ready for my day. I had been struggling with somethings and hadn't been very happy. That morning wasn't any better...until you walked through the door. There you were bright and early, in my classroom, with a cup of hot chocolate in your hand. You told me you were worried about me and that you wanted me to know that you cared about me. We had a wonderful talk (full of my tears--I'M SURE!!) and with a hug, you left before the bell rang. I felt so loved and appreciated after that converation. What a selfless drive you made to Layton! Your visit not only changed my mood, but it marked the true beginning of our brother/sister relationship. I knew you cared about me.

There have been years between then and now--years full of times when you have taken an interest in my life. I don't always let you know how much that means to me. I am sorry for that, but I want you to know that your actions never go unnoticed. You unselfishly make sure I am okay. I appreciate all that you have done to help and support me with school, getting new carpet, moving...the list continues to go on and on.

But, recently you touched my heart in a way that you may never understand. The letter I got in the mail from you came on a day when my heart was hurting and I was questioning some things about myself. I know you must have been inspired to write it, because everything you said was EXACTLY what I needed to hear. I have read and reread your words and they have brought me a lot of peace. Your selfless act of following a prompting has, once again, blessed my life.

I love you, Jon! You are the BEST brother-in-law in the world! I appreciate your unselfish words and deeds. You are a great example of how to love family...and I am so blessed that you are part of mine!

MERRY CHRISTMAS! Love, Michelle

Day 11

2009-12-12T08:39:00.004-07:00

Jon is an amazing dad! I know I am biased, but I think he is better than most. He started out having to be super dad when right after I had Zac I had my spinal headaches and he had to completely care for him and take care of me for several days. Because I teach, Jon has worked his schedule out to be able to be with Zac a lot during the day. Zac adores his dad. Jon is always teaching him new things- funny phrases (most rescent: gadzooks), how to cheer appropriatly for the sports team of your choice, how important technology is- phones, mamotes, compooters, ipods. He has taught him to laugh and be silly and crazy, but he also is the one to remind him to say his prayers. Everynight, Jon gets Zac ready for bed and they read stories together. He does great voices for Grover. Jon takes care of all the medical issues we have with Zac and both hospital visits has been calm and perfect while I freak out. It's really nice to be able to trust someone else with this kind of care. He has taught Zac to not be afraid to try new things and be adventerous. And one of my favorite things that Jon teaches Zac is to be respectful to me. He doesn't let Zac get away with anything if it is disrepectful to me. I love that he is teaching his son from the beginning the same value for women and mothers that Jon has.
I couldn't have asked for a better father to my children. I am excited that I have such a great partner in the greatest responsibility and the greatest joy in our lives. There have been so many times when I am frustrated as a parent and Jon comes in and takes over and I think about how impossible it would be to be a single parent. I am grateful that I don't only just have someone working with me, I lucked out with the best!

Day 10

2009-12-10T22:43:00.003-07:00

Jon always makes my birthdays special. I have decided that birthdays are a curious thing. I think everyone has certain expectations of what their birthday is going to be like. Even you are a person who pretends to hate having birthdays and you tell everyone not to bother getting you anything, I think deep down everyone hopes that someone will do something special for them. Birthdays are a big deal in our family. Even without having a lot of money, Jon always makes it really special. He makes sure to invite everyone to a party. He makes good food. He also has fun coming up with new ideas for cakes every year. They are always an adventure. I really appreciate that he goes out of his way to make me feel special. He knows what is important to me and is always coming up with fun ideas to make me happy.

Day 9

2009-12-09T10:26:00.002-07:00

I love that Jon encourages me to go off and do my own thing sometimes. I have so many different responsibilities (like everyone else) that it's nice sometimes to go do things on my own that I think are fun. I know this wouldn't be good for some marriages, but it is essential to ours. I have never felt like I need to ask permission to go and hang out with my sisters, or go and do crafts with my friends, or take a cooking class. In fact he really tries to work out his schedule so he will be home to take care of Zac so that I can go and do these things. I think he realizes that when I get back I am more relaxed and happy and that makes our family happier. I try to do the same with him, if he really needs time out to go play basketball or go off to a movie. I must admit, I have not been as understanding all of the times as he has. I love that he wants me to be my own person, to learn new skills and have my down time.

Day 8

2009-12-08T06:23:00.002-07:00

Jon will laugh that I have this on here as one of the things that I love about him because I've told him it drives me nuts sometimes, but I love that he a good problem solver. When you tell Jon that you have any kind of problem he immediately starts thinking of ways to fix it. As his wife, sometimes I just want him to listen and commiserate and I have gotten frustrated with him for this. However, he really is good at thinking about things in a different way than I have and coming up with good solutions. And usually after I have whined and sulked about it for as long as I needed to, it's nice to have ideas for what to do next.
I googled problem solver and this is the awesome picture that came up. So great!

Day 7

2009-12-08T06:10:00.002-07:00

I love that Jon lets me sit on his lap. I am definitely a cuddler. If you have read the love languages my first is quality time and my second is touch. When I was little and I would get sick I would always go cuddle up to someone and lay in their lap. I love that my husband doesn't mind that even though there will be a room full of chairs I would rather go and sit on his lap. Thanks for putting up with me!

Thanksgiving Fun

2009-12-07T22:02:00.006-07:00

I thought I would insert some holiday photos in between my love notes. We had a very fun and very busy Thanksgiving break. We ran in the Human Race again this year which is the 5K they do in Draper. We have been doing it now for 4 years. We did it the first year they had it and there were maybe a hundred or so people. This year there were thousands. It was packed. We still had lots of fun.

It was really cold to start out with, but warmed up as the sun came out. Zac got all bundled up and my parents walked with him while Jon and I ran.

We had dinner with Jon's family. Zac posed with his uncle Ryan by the fireplace. How holidayish.
My sister has taken over making cake pops. She came up with the idea to make turkey ones. They turned out so cute!
The next morning my sisters and I braved the stores early in the morning. I don't think I would ever so this alone, but we have lots of fun going together (right Kris- remember how fun it was checking out at Shopko:)) . I really did find some great deals. On Saturday we did crafts together with my mom and sisters. It's so nice to know such creative people.

Can't show everything- it is Christmas time you know.
Last Friday Jon and I finally got around to putting up the tree (not Jon's favorite activity).
But it was so worth it. Zac was in absolute joyfulness (my grammar is awesome!). We turned out all the other lights and turned on the Christmas lights and he just started clapping and cheering and saying "lights, so pretty". He had to get as close as he could to the tree- he slid his little legs under till he was nose to nose with the lights. He just kept clapping he was so excited.

I so love this time of year. It makes it even more fun that Zac is enjoying it this year as well. We hope all of you are having fun too.

Day 6

2009-12-06T08:09:00.006-07:00

I love Jon's passion. He finds things to love or to work hard on and becomes passionate about them. I'll give a few examples. First his love of batman. The day his sister Megan was born, Jon's dad took Jon and his brother to see the first movie, and the love began. Jon now has seen all the movies, and has all kinds of batman paraphernalia around the house. Batman does reside in the fan and watch over our house, I didn't put it there for effect.
Jon lives for the days when the new movies come out as seen here .
Another passion he has is his love of the Yankees. He has stuck by them through the good and the bad. We were able to go to New York this summer and watch them play in their new stadium.

Jon was in heaven. It was quite the game too. It went for 15 innings ( that equals many hours!) which means we basically got 2 games in one. Jon couldn't have been happier.
He also decided to compete in a triathlon last year. He trained for months and had a great time doing it. The most important passion though that Jon has is his family. I have no doubt of his love for Zac and me. His number one goal all the time is how best he can take care of both of us. I love that we can be number one among all the loves in his life!

Day 5

2009-12-06T07:31:00.002-07:00

Jon has a hot front right tooth. Sorry- this one is a total inside joke. Before Jon and I dated, he liked my best friend and for Christmas her sister and I were goofing off and writing Jon an email pretending it was from her and so we were coming up with really silly things that she liked about him and one was his beautiful front right tooth. The funny thing is that Jon happens to be a little sensitive about this particular tooth because he hit when he was young and the tooth died and he had to have it replaced. Really, it made it all the more funny. First, I love that Jon is someone I can joke around with. Second, I love that we have a lot of history together and that we can look back at things like this and laugh.

Day 4

2009-12-04T18:20:00.002-07:00

Jon is a great cook. He grew up making the best chocolate chip cookies in his family (I think Mallory would now like to take that spot, however.) Now, Jon will eat something at a restaurant and try to figure out how to make it for us at home. He'll even watch Food Network with me every once in a while and gets some ideas there. He makes a really great pasta with all kinds of vegetables that was a hit for my grandma.

He also makes a really great turkey cheese steak sandwich. It is always so nice to have someone else cook for me and I love when Jon is feeling adventurous and makes us dinners.

Day 3

2009-12-03T16:24:00.005-07:00

I love Jon's smile and laugh. If you know Jon, you know that we laugh a lot at our house. He's very sarcastic and cracks jokes all the time. I love when he smiles that all around his eyes crinkles up. (Zac's does the same and I love that he got this from his dad)

When he laughs he puts his tongue up against the roof of his mouth and lifts his chin, raises his eyebrows and kind of snickers. It's so cute.
I love that I married someone who is happy almost all the time. It makes our home a fun place to be!

Day 2

2009-12-02T00:30:00.002-07:00

I love that Jon lets me eat off his plate. Somehow in my brain as long as I didn't put it on my plate then the calories don't count (I'm sure this is how it works!) Things always look better when someone else gets it. I'm not quite sure when this habit started, but Jon has never complained or gotten upset when I steal his food. At this point he just quietly gets bigger servings of things he knows I'm going to be eating. We laugh so hard at this Friends episode where "Joey doesn't share food."

Probably the thing I am stealing most often is french fries, so I'm so glad that Jon doesn't need a plate for the table. Jon not only doesn't get upset when I take things from his plate, he usually saves me the last bite of things (always the best), and most importantly he always gives me huge bite of the tortilla from his Cafe Rio salad that he saves for the end and I have always already eaten as I went. This is the truest form of unselfishness!

25 Days of Christmas- It Still Feels Good!!!

2009-12-01T06:35:00.002-07:00

For Valentines Day Jon wrote 20 things he loves about me. I decided for Christmas this year I would take time each day to list SOME of the things I love about him. It started out being a good idea of a gift I could give to him that didn’t cost money (and then I impulsively went out and got him a big gift anyway- woops). I tell Jon that I love him all the time, but I don’t often tell him why, so I hope you will bare with me over this next month as I take this time to share with him (and I guess all of you) some of the things I love most about him. The first can be told through the song that is playing. It is called “Still Feels Good” by Rascal Flats. Every time this song comes on the radio I think about how well it describes how I feel about our relationship. Jon and I started dating when I was 16. When we first started dating of course there were the those jittery new love feelings of being excited to see him, hug and kiss him, and just hang out together. I am so glad to say that after 5 years of dating, 2 years of writing letters, and 6 ½ years of being married, it still feels good. Like the song says, I think about the first time I held his hand and compare it to now, and it still makes me happy. I still am so excited to see him when he gets home from work and walks in the door. I think about the first kiss after getting married and our kisses now still feel good. I love when we plan dates and he still gets all ready so he's looking nice to take me out. I am so glad to be married to my best friend- someone who makes me feel beautiful, important, and loved everyday. I hope you have a fabulous Christmas season this year Jon. It doesn't matter I've held you a million times- cause it still feels good!

Bribery

2009-11-20T15:07:00.002-07:00

One night I turned around to find Zac looking like this. It's always good to have bribery pictures for the future! This kid cracks me up.

A Trip to the ER and a New Baby

2009-11-16T15:44:00.004-07:00

So last week I was in the middle of my last parent teacher conference for the day and my phone rang. I thought it was strange because I knew Jon knew I was in the middle of conferencing and it wasn't the best time to call. After I was done I called back to find that Jon and Zac were in the ER and I needed to meet them there. They had been over a t friends house and Zac had fallen and hit his head on a wooden bench. This made for a very long day, and I teased Jon that even though it was his first day working in the ER at IMC that he didn't need to start practing on his own son.
Luckily they were able to just glue it together instead of doing stiches. Much less tramatic. He is now healing great. He doesn't really seem to notice it unless you ask him about it, and then he'll point to it and say bandaid, owie. I'm sure it could have been much worse, but I'm still glad that Jon was there to take care of all the blood, and I was just there to sing songs with him after the bleeding stopped.

The next night we got to abysit for Jon's cousin that had a baby a few weeks ago to give them some time to go out. We had lots of fun playing with baby Berkly.
She has the cutest cheeks and red hair. Zac was very soft and sweet to her.

He had to hold her hand while she was getting her daiper changed.
Jon had fun with her too. I think he held and played with her more than I did. He's decided that we need a girl someday becuase Zac is always wanting his mommy, and he just positive that a little girl would always be wanting her daddy. I'm sure he's right.

Argh Mateys- Happy Halloween

2009-11-02T23:06:00.004-07:00

We had a fun couple of days last week. It has been fun the past few years to come up with costumes for the 3 fourth grade teachers to all wear. This year we decided to be be Alvin and the Chipmunks. It turned out really fun.

My mom brought Zac in to be in the parade with me. He was a pirate this year. He wouldn't wear the hat for the parade, but he still was pretty cute.

On Halloween I had to work on my report cards, so we headed up to Michelle's so Zac could play with his aunts while his mom worked. (By the way, going all the way to Woods Cross on Redwood Road is not the fastest way to get there if anyone asks.) After I finished, Zac got all dressed up again and we went to a Trunk or Treat that Kristen's ward was putting on. Kristen looked pretty scary, but Zac figured out what to do pretty quickly. He was all about the suckers!

After, we went to both grandmas' and got some more candy. It is so fun to celebrate holidays now that Zac has a better idea of what is going on. I'm getting so excited for the holidays coming up in the next few months. If I can just make it through Parent Teacher Conferences this week, life will be good.

Learning to feed yourself is funner in CHOCOLATE!

2009-10-01T08:41:00.004-06:00

So Zac is getting very independent these days and is learning to eat all by himself. He does really well with a fork. The spoon food is a little harder, but what better way to practice than with chocolate pudding?
Saying "cheese" for the camera.
Honestly, don't you just want to eat him? He is so much fun these days. He definitely has his demanding moments, but he is learning and talking and playing and making everyone laugh all the time. I love this boy!!!!

Cake Class

2009-10-01T07:57:00.007-06:00

My cake class is now over- can 4 weeks really go that fast. My sister Kristen and I had such a great time. She took most of the pictures of our adventures, but here are a few. I think a second class might be on the horizon.
Zac, after eating a cupcake. He now knows the word cake very well and asks for it every chance he gets.

Our last night we worked on learning the Wilton Rose.

Thanks Kris for being my cake decorating buddy. So when's the next class?

Ace of Cakes

2009-08-30T16:17:00.005-06:00

So school has started once again. Sigh. I do love the routine of it all, but I so miss our fun summer. I thought while I had a relatively quite Sunday afternoon I would update a little bit. If you know me very well, you know that I am a huge fan of the Food Network. I love all the creativity that people can have with food. I don't have to worry that there will be a lot of swearing or other smut to watch. However watching yummy food being made may be the reason I feel like eating all the time (I can blame in on that right!) In any case I especially love watching the cake challenges. I have always wanted to be able to decorate a fun looking cake but have been left to watch other people do it. Until this summer. I was looking at a friends blog and a saw a link to one of the funnest sites called Bakerella. I fell in love. She has so many fun ideas and includes great instructions and fun pictures. I especially love the cake pops she has and I finally found an excuse to try them out. I signed up to bring dessert to an enrichment party. This is how they turned out. I don't have the best pictures, but it was so fun.
First you bake a cake. After it cools, you crumble it up and mix it with a can of frosting and then form them into balls and cool them. This is what they look like.

Then you cover them in a candy coating and decorate them and then put them in styrofoam to dry. This was trickier than I anticipated and I made a gigantic mess, but it was fun.

I struggled with how I was going to get them there, but ended up just putting them in cups with some tissue paper to hold them. They turned out so cute and SO YUMMY!! I highly recommend looking at Bakerella's site. I need to try the cupcake pops now. Any parties you want to invite me to????

So once I was in the decorating mood, I got really into Jon's birthday cake. I decided I wanted to try making a checkerboard cake. I got the special pans and they turned out OK, but I think I'm going to make them a little differently next time and it should turn out a lot more clean. So on top of the three layer checkerboards, I made a ganache frosting (oh so rich and yummy) and then made a candy topping to look like the bat signal. I also had to make more cake pops. Such fun.

So now on Tuesday I am staring with Kristen to take a cake decorating class. I am really so excited. Who knows, someday you'll be watching me on Food Network too :)

A Summer of Fun-Great Times and Other Ramblings

2009-07-26T17:09:00.016-06:00

This summer has been absolutely fanastical (I deem this a word!) I was kind of worried leading up to it that I would be so bored and just stuck home all day every day and I warned my friends that I would be bugging them to be going out to do things- but I couldn't have worried more needlessly. We have been so busy with fun things we haven't had a minute to wallow in boredness yet. In fact I have not done one thing for school. Here are just a few pictures showing some of the things we've been up to.

If you know me very well, you know that birthdays are a big deal to me. I know for some people they'd rather not celebrate them, and some rare folks don't even notice it is there birthday ( I think it's all a lie and they really do care and are just waiting for someone to surprise them- that's what I'd be doing.) Anyway- Jon has learned this fact about me and always does a wonderful job helping me to celebrate. We had a BBQ at our house with family which was lovely. But it's the cake that is always the big deal. Jon always does something creative and this year he made ice cream sandwhiches instead of a cake. We had been watching Paula's Party (Woot Woot Food Network- who's with me?) and she did a show on sandwhiches. Now these weren't just any icecream sandwhiches- they were a take on the good old PB&J. Peanut buttter cookies with strawerry icecream rolled in peanut butter chips. Yummy!!
I am totally faking blowing out the candle- I am always the one taking the pictures, so I have to remind people when it is of me.
You know you want one! Mmmmmmm.

Then there was Father's Day. I have the best father's in my life. Both Jon and I have the greatest dad's and grandpa's. They are men that would do anything for their families and have worked hard their whole lives to provide for them. Jon has learned well from these examples and is the best daddy in the world to Zac. So he needed to have a special breakfast. Now, without looking under the picture, what is on the french toast?
Yes, they are ties. I also put them on chocolate chip cookies and 2 out of the 3 dad's that got them had no idea what they were. Thank you Wes for appreciating the amazingness of my artwork.

You already saw pictures of our cruise. Ahhhh, cruise, slobber, hanging tongue, mmmmmm. Oh yes.

We got back for the 4th of July and hung out with my family. Really, how can you not love this little face?
Well, I'll tell you this grandma sure does. Willing to risk dizzyness and loss of dinner to spin this boy over and over again and make him giggle.

He loved the fireworks. He kept saying, wow, wow. And thanks to his great grandma for the glowstick necklace! Hours of fun.

I had the cahnce to get together with some of my high school friends and meet their kids. Alissa and Brittney have been living out of state so it has been years since we have all been together. I love these girls. We need to get together more often now that we are all in the same state. We missed you Candice!
Later that week we went on the 2nd of our 3 trips this summer. We stayed in a house up at Bear Lake with Jon's extended family. So fun! Zac loved playing on the beach in his crab. He also loved playing with all of his aunts, and uncles, and cousins (so many people to say Hi to!) He can't wait for the new little cousin to get here to play with!

Our little architect.

The water was lovely, the wave runners thrilling, and Jon and I had fun on the knee board. I was in charge of the treat Thursday night, and really just eating your food is not nearly as much fun as playing in it. Su had a fun book called Hello Cupcake, and we decided to use it to make ourselves in cupcake form. As everyone did such a fantastic job, I couldn't possibly leave anyone out- so enjoy. Aren't we so talented?
All of the supplies just ready to become cute little people.
This was my favorite one- my husband is so talented. This is his impression of what he looks like being pulled behind the boat.

Su:Wes: (Showing how he felt about not having his own bathroom)
Me:( you never knew I had such big hair and could look quite this beautiful- jealous at my mad skills, I know.)
Mallory: (The winner thanks to a very enlightening bit of eeny meeny mynie moe)

Tina:
Darren:

Kyle:

Jared:

Kayla:

Tanner:

Grandma Jones:

Pretty much we could have just put pictures in and it would have looked the same- that's how good they were.
Thanks to everyone who participated. I get such a kick out of these things.
And here are just some more beach pictures:
Zac actually took some pretty good naps out there.
Nothing better than rubbing the corner of that blanket on your face. Ahhhhh

What a fabulous way to spend a week!

Last week was Kristen's birthday and we went to breakfast at a place in Layton called Doug and Emmy's. The food was delicious and HUGE! It took Zac a week of breakfasts to finish this pancake.

Love those girls! Happy birthday dear sister of mine. Hope it's your best yet.

Last weekend we had our Jones Seelos uncampout- much fun, much french toast, much bouncing, and much heat. Pictures of this to come.

A week from tomorrow we leave for DC. Really, could this summer get more great?? I'm guessing yes!

A Cruise to the Bahamas- For Real This Time

2009-07-08T15:03:00.016-06:00

Last week was absolutely amazing. We finally made it on our cruise- no stopping in the Denver airport this time. I have decided that cruising is definitely the way to travel. This is going to be VERY long and detailed- more for me to remember than anything, so feel free to skim through if you choose.
We started out last Saturday with Zac getting his toddler cruise. We had a fun time out on Utah Lake and Zac was great with the horn.

Sunday morning we left early and got to Orlando.

I decided to rest a bit when they couldn't get our luggage out of the plane because of a huge swarm of bees. Seriously- killer bees in Orlando?
We played around that night and got caught in a downpour- you really just don't get dry in such a humid climate. The next morning we went back to the airport to catch a shuttle to the port.

This was our first view of the ship.

We made it on (despite my fears that they were not going to let us because of our lack of passports). We had lunch in the Windjammer and checked out our rooms.

We then had our mandatory muster drill- I really think orange is our color. We decided that maybe we don't need to be so early next time- pretty hot and claustrophobic.
It was pretty cool to watch as the ship set sail. Everyone went out on deck and watched as it left the harbor.

We then explored the ship a little and went to the show. It was a comedian and a song and dance show.

We then went to dinner. For those of you who have cruised before you understand- the food is one the greatest parts of being on a cruise. Dinners were so good and we had a great waiter named Peter. I want to know where I can get someone to bring me whatever option I want (or several if the mood strikes) of a starter, a main course, and desert, and then cleans up afterward.

We got some impressive magic tricks and napkin folding to add to the atmosphere.
This is Peter. After the first night where Ryan figured out his trick he spent the rest of the time trying to stump him. This one he balanced two forks on toothpicks. Pretty impressive.
During a performance by the waiters, peter had a napkin mouse singing for him. If you go hungry on a cruise it is your own fault. Every night the food was so good! Jon had some sort of sea food at every meal since he never gets it at home. I was adventurous and even tried escargot.

After dinner, Jon and I took some salsa lessons- we weren't very good, but it was fun.
The next day we were supposed to spend in Coco Cay, but the weather was windy and cloudy, so they decided to just continue on to the Bahamas and go to Coco Cay on our way back. So Tuesday ended up being our day at sea. There was a lot to do on the ship to keep us busy. We watched a bar flair show where they were throwing around bottles- I didn't get a very good picture, but it was pretty cool.
We spent a lot of time on deck. It is lucious to be out on deck relaxing and enjoying the breeze.
Here is the view of the pool area. We watched the sexy leg contest. Jon was sad he didn't enter- he so could have won with those nice calves.
We decided that before you board the ship you should have to give a body to swimsuit ratio and that if there was too much body, you would not be allowed on. We saw far too many people wearing far too little.
Jon spent the afternoon playing basketball.
That night was formal night and we all had fun getting all dressed up in all of our bling.

We spent some time in the piano lounge that night and got a yummy drink.

We made into Nassau that night.
We woke up to a beautiful morning. It was a very hot day in the Bahamas. We spent the morning going snorkeling. We went out on a boat and had a gorgeous ride on the Seahorse.

When we got out the reefs we got our gear and spent on hour snorkeling.

It was very peaceful and we saw some amazing fish. I even saw an eel. It was nice to take the masks off after- they got eye sucking out of the sockets tight.

On the way back the party got going with lots of rum punch and dancing. Megan was quite the boogier and she didn't even need any of the rum punch.
This was our host and he really did know how to move.

After the snorkeling we decided to rent scooters and cruise around the island. What an adventure!

It started out fun as we tried to remember to drive on the left side of the road. We drove over to where Atlantis was and saw the amazing resorts over there. We took a break and took some pictures.

After that, the trip got a little sketchy. I was on the back and getting sunburned and sore and we got lost in a scary part of town. Let's just say when there are drugs offered, guns in pockets, and crabs being pushed in your face, you know the fun is over. We did make it back and got a big drink and all was well with the world again. We spent some time shopping at the straw market and Mallory decided to get her hair braided.
The next day we spent at Coco Cay.

This island is pretty much as close to paradise as I have ever been. It was beautiful.

I started the day by doing yoga on the beach- a new favorite way to exercise! Then Jon and I went parasailing- so much fun!!!
It was nice to be out on the boat just to cool down a little. We were the last in the group to take a ride so the nervousness was gone and it was just exciting. It was so nice when you got all the way up. I thought it would be loud, but it was quite and there was an amazing view.

A view of the ship from way up in the air.
I'm so glad we did it.
The rest of the afternoon we spent hanging out on the beach and playing on the big blow up water slide- where we got quite a show :) (no pictures, darn it Su)
That night we did some shopping (Jon got his 4 watches and I got a bracelet ) and watched Ryan do some kareoke to some Frank Sanatra and goofed off with some funny pictures.

All in all it was an incredible vacation. Thanks again Wes and Su, we will never forget it. We so love our family and it was so fun to spend this week cruising together. And, as we marked on our survey, we will definitely be back!