A Fond Farewell to 2007

It's hard to believe how quickly time can pass and it's only as you look back on all that has happened in the short space of a year do you truly realize how precious time can be. Our family has been so blessed this year and we are grateful for the time we've had. So, in honor of 2007...here's the Jones family top ten of the year!

1. LINDY TURNS FOUR! Lindy has always been the spice in our family. She continually keeps us on our toes around here. She is often too smart for her parents and provides endless anecdotes which we love to share with family and friends. Our home wouldn't be the same without her. We are grateful for her enthusiasm and her energy, even when we wish it were directed somewhere else at times!

2. AMY VISITS HAWAII! I was extremely fortunate to be able to go on a 15-day cruise with my sister, Jody, and my mom in March. While it was quite surreal a lot of the time, I was so grateful for the experience. We had a lot of fun and even though I missed my husband and my girls dreadfully it was totally worth it! Thanks Jody!

3. UNCLE JEFF FINALLY GRADUATES! It's been a long time coming, but we finally got Jeff, Erin, and the cousins to join us here on the western side of the country. It's hard to believe that he's old enough to be a doctor, but we are all so proud of him and so grateful to have him closer once again.

4. HENINGER FAMILY REUNION! What a blast. Even though we complain that the Heninger Olympics are rigged in favor of the sibling with the most children we still seem to enjoy one another's company enough to get together and do it all over again. The kids had a wonderful time getting acquainted with their cousins and the adults had a great time joking around and sometimes irritating each other. Dad was the only one knocked out of the raft during our white-water experience and in spite of losing his Cabela's hat (which I believe he's replaced already) and a pair of old-fogey blue-blockers I think he had as good a time as the rest of us. Thanks Ian for your expert river guiding and thanks family for the fun. See you in a couple years.

5. UNCLE STEVE VISITS UTAH! It's not often that we are able to pull uncle Steve away from his stint in the military, but we were lucky enough to be able to visit with him for a short while before he left home and country for a new opportunity in England. The girls were completely enamored (particularly Lindy) and it was nice to spend some time with him. We miss you, Steve!

6. FAMILY CAMPING TRIP! We had our first real family camping trip this summer. It was also the first time that I let my girls have free reign of the dirt in the area. No...it was not an easy feat to let my kids get uproariously dirty, but we all survived and had a great time!
7. ELLIE TURNS TWO! Our sweet little Ellie has been such a fun addition to our family. She has been the calm after the storm (yes, we mean Lindy). She rarely gets into trouble only because she seems to do things so innocently. Even when we do get after her for something she usually just says, "Alright, mommy" and stops whatever it is without a fuss. We are particularly grateful that the "terrible two's" haven't caught up to us yet!
8. BIKING IN MOAB! Every year Ian has taken some time away to go on some crazy bking/hiking/camping trip with the boys from the Heninger side. This year was no exception. And, in spite of some slight snoring issues suffered by all, they had a great time and, luckily, no one fell off of a cliff trying to take pictures. Yes, you're right...this was no 2-week cruise to a tropical island but Ian was able to do something he loved and I know that I'm still indebted to him for the Hawaii dealio!
9.UNCLE RICH COMES HOME! We were able to welcome Rich home form this 2-year mission in Denver, Colorado. It's amazing that it's already been two years. Thanks for being such a great example of service and testimony, Richard. We're glad you're back and look forward to seeing you more often!
10. IT'S A BOY! In November we were able to catch a glimpse of our upcoming March/April 2008 baby and find out that we can, in fact, produce a male child. I had some misgivings at first (my mind has been deeply entrenched in "pink" for the last 5 years) but after having a somewhat disturbing view of our future with a teenage Lindy (thanks to the movie "Dan in Real Life") I am back in the saddle and excited to have a less emotional member of the family. I hope. We are all looking forward to "baby brother" joining us this next spring.

Thank you to everyone who helped make this year a great one. We are truly grateful for the relationships we share with our family and our friends. It's those connections that make our lives so much fun. We love you and can't wait to see what 2008 has to offer!

And To All a Good Night!

This is officially the first year ever that we've had Christmas with just our little family. I was a little wary at first (I'm a big believer in BIG family Christmases) but I have to say that I truly enjoyed our relaxed holiday. We had all our favorite Christmas traditions: Chinese food (started by the Heninger clan and a hard one to let go of), the reading of the Christmas story, and (my personal favorite) Christmas PJ's! Here we are Christmas Eve modeling our newly acquired bedtime wear:

After the girls went to bed Ian and I spent a nice evening watching a movie and preparing for the next day! The girls slept really well the entire night and we didn't hear from them until 8am the next morning. (Yes, we know that we are blessed and don't necessarily expect it to continue.) Both girls were SO EXCITED to see what Santa had brought for them. There's nothing like having little ones in the house to make an adult remember the excitement of Christmas mornings. 

It was so much fun to see them enjoy this fun holiday. We are so blessed to have such sweet girls in our home. It was a joy to hear Lindy praying (each prayer) to have Heavenly Father bless us to be grateful and express her own gratitude that baby Jesus was born. It sure put things into perspective for Ian and I. So while I was nervous about having such a "small" family Christmas, we were certainly able to fill our home up with a lot of laughter, fun, and love. Merry Christmas to all...!

Cracker Nut Ballet

Our sweet little Lindy has been anxiously looking forward to her "Cracker Nut Recital" (as she so innocently calls it). I literally thought she was going to pee her pants in anticipation. So, here is a snippet of the actual dance that her little class worked on for the parents, grandparents, and siblings alike. Enjoy!

Actually, I Feel Like Crap

I've often wondered...what would happen if we were all perfectly truthful when answering the question, "How are you?" I've been tempted to be sincere many times, but since my parents taught me to be polite I'm afraid I often lie.

It's interesting to note that in other countries/cultures the use of "how are you" is not as indiscriminate as it is in our society. It's only said when the person asking actually cares about the answer. Now, don't get me wrong, I'm not saying that no one cares...or even that I actually care a great deal each and every time I ask the question...I'm just saying that sometimes I think I'd prefer the world in which "how are you?" is actually a question, and "actually, I feel like crap" is a valid response.

O Tannenbaum...How Sparse Are Your Branches

I know...it's absolutely insane that as of the 12th of December we still hadn't put up a Christmas tree. We had such grand plans for this year but they didn't come to fruition until Ian finally had a day off work so that we could take care of this vitally important Christmas task.

Thanks to a neighbor we were able to procur a permit to cut down our very own tree. So, Ian used his handy-dandy topo mapping software and GPS thingamabob to plan out the "perfect" route to acquire said tree. We packed up all the cold-weather gear we could muster and drove up Provo canyon, past Deer Creek, through Wallsburg, and then onto a single-lane, snow-covered, scary-as-heck road up into the wilds of the Utah wilderness. In the warmth of the truck it was breathtakingly beautiful. Every branch of every tree was coated in snow and I was thoroughly enjoying myself...until we stepped outside in search of our tree. YIKES! I know that I should be a bit tougher when it comes to cold weather due to my Canadian upbringing, but I'm not. Ian's satellite mapping showed that there were a lot of trees in the area...but they didn't, apparently, differentiate between the aspens and the pines so the pickings were slim. We saw several beauties on the opposite side of an icy creek but very few on our side of the water. While the girls trudged up and down the "road" Ian and I did our best to scout out a little pine tree. A few minutes after scaling a 5-foot embankment Ian shouts down, "I think this one's okay". Since this whale of a pregnant lady was not following anyone up any sort of an embankment and I was pretty sure we were all going to expire from hypothermia I replied, "Great! Let's go!" This is, by far, the least imput I've had on a Christmas tree in our entire married life. A couple minutes later Ian comes down the side of a mountain hauling our tree:

After a little adjusting (it wasn't until we got it home that we realized it was over 12 feet tall) and a little heat (to get rid of the ice stuck on each branch) we were able to set it up in our front room. The house smells oh-so-Christmasy and the girls had a fabulous time decorating it. I'm not sure we'll attempt this venture again until the kids are a little older...but for now we are simply enjoying feeling like we've entered the Christmas season in full swing once and for all!

Mind Like a Steel Trap

You might need the background story for this...
In January of 2006 (yes, nearly 2 years ago), we attempted to join the ranks of pet-owners worldwide. This grand adventure lasted only 4 days. (Keep that in mind: 4 days!)
Over the last 6 months or so Lindy has taken every opportunity to remind us that she misses Zoe and asks repeatedly if we could go visit her. Sometimes she even throws in tears and a little sniffling to add more melodrama to her requests.
So today: Lindy was assigned to give a talk in Primary next week. In the car on the way home I casually ask, "So, Lindy, what do you think you should talk about?" And, of course, she responds, "Why don't we talk about my dog we gave away?"
We're never going to live that one down. We miss you, Zoe!

Dear Santa

Tonight the Jones family celebrated another milestone. It was our first Santa Letter Writing Night. Ellie really didn't do anything but scribble a little on a piece of paper and then try to color my teeth (don't ask because I don't know why). But our little artist, Lindy, was able to produce a fine letter. As you can see, she was quite specific about her Christmas wishes. She's been planning on asking for some rootbeer lipstick for about 11 months now. She kept asking me to buy her some and I kept putting her off by telling her that she'd have to ask Santa at Christmas time. She has a great memory. She also wants a FurReal baby pig. And last, but certainly not least, she asked for a wiggle car. Grandpa and grandma set those wheels in motion over Thanksgiving and now here we are. Luckily Santa has hired some great elves this year who, I'm sure, will help fulfill our 4-year old's wishes. She was beside herself with excitement as we helped her address the envelope, put a stamp on it, and stick it in the mailbox. Isn't childhood grand?

Little Miss Attitude Strikes Again

We are sitting at the dinner table enjoying our time together as a family. The conversation eventually turns to the ever-present drama of our home. (The stage for each day's drama is usually ruled by our oldest daughter with the under-study role reserved for the second-born.) This evening's conversation goes as follows:

Ian: "Well, I think I can safely say I'm the least dramatic of all of us."
Amy: "I wouldn't necessarily say that."
Ian: "Have you seen yourself pregnant?"
Amy: (not one to let this slide) "Oh yeah...have you seen yourself tired or hungry?"
Lindy: (to Ian) "...or married?" (with the same tone as her mother)

So, I can't tell if that's a point for me or Ian. Hmmm...

Temptation

I recently read a story about Heber J. Grant that gave me reason to stop and think. One day Pres. Grant went to his meat cellar to pick a ham that was to be donated to his ward for some type of ward function. It was his policy to always give the best to the Lord. As he began to look over the hams to determine which he might give, he suddenly had the thought that he could give the smallest and poorest ham and no one would really know, or care, for that matter. Just as the thought crossed his mind, he immediately recognized it for what it was and said aloud, as if there was someone there with him, "Shut up Mr. Devil or I'll give 'em two hams!"

Each and every day of my life I'm faced with sometimes little, sometimes big, temptations that put me in the position of choosing sides. I think that most of the time I do okay. But some days it's hard to remember that I've already chosen the side I want to be on. I know that the sneaky jerk wants me to believe that I'm not worth the fight, but I do know better. I know whose daughter I am and I know whose side I'm choosing. All the same, it's nice to know that I'm not the only one who wants to shout out loud, "Shut up!"

I Have Nothing Interesting To Say

For those of you who periodically check out our blog and couldn't care less about the things my kids do, or what my in-laws did for holiday celebrations, or what I think of the many baby-namings of the world...this might not be anything new. I have nothing to say. Nothing at all interesting happened today that I feel would be fascinating enough to captivate, entertain, or enthrall.

But here's the deal. For just this moment I want to say I'm grateful for the trivial. I'm thankful for the ordinary day-to-day tasks that I typically rant, rave, cringe, cry, complain, and whine about. The fact that today was boring and common means that I am still Amy the stay-at-home mom of two crazy girls. I'm still the wife of a good man who supports and encourages me...even in my irrationally pregnant state. I still have a warm place to sleep at night and food to eat--even chocolate. My family is all only a phone call away. I am surrounded by people I care about. And most of the time I feel involved and needed in my life.

What can I say. It's a good day!

Tis' the Season to be Thankful

If there's anything better than a good Thanksgiving dinner, it's Thanksgiving dinner with family. And I mean FAMILY! We had a mini family reunion in Idaho this last weekend. Almost everyone was able to come. We were only missing Steve and Becca's husband, Jerran. (One of these days we'll be able to get everyone together at the same time.)

We had a wonderful Thanksgiving dinner complete with turkey and ham (compliments of Grandma) and ate at "The Center" in Blackfoot. We decided there just wasn't enough space in Grandma's house for all 19 of us. The food was wonderful and we all ate until we were ready to burst...then we had pie.

The next day was just as full of food and family as the day before. We went to Lava Hot Springs with Grandpa and Grandma Joye and ate ourselves silly once again. They had rented the gymnasium of the elementary school and we had all sorts of room for kids to ride, run, bike, and swing around. Amazingly enough, no one got hurt...at least seriously. Ian, Daniel, and Andy all showed off their strength and took turns climbing the rope. When was the last time you were able to do that? Me? Never.

I think the biggest entertainment of the weekend was the wiggle-cars! As you can see, they were enjoyed by young and old:

Happy Thanksgiving Jones family! We love you!

Wait For It...

Today was the official ultrasound day. There has been much speculation as to the gender of our forthcoming baby and I do believe that most, if not all, speculators have agreed that the time has come for the Jones family to finally receive a boy. Ian has been telling everyone that he's sure it's a girl...partially to prepare himself for what he called the "inevitable". I have had no intuition at all for which I've been slightly disappointed. (Aren't we, as women, entitled to that whole women's/mother's intuition? Apparently not.)

So, our family took a little field trip to the doctors office today and were able to see the first pictures of Jones Junior # 3. Any guesses yet?

I've been playing around with the idea of not actually posting the gender...to make all of you as anxious with anticipation as I have been the last 20 weeks. But I figured I might be lynched if I did. So, here we go: IT'S A...

That's right...I knew that the Lord had a sense of humor, and here's a wonderful example of it. I have to admit I almost cried. Not out of joy. Out of sheer TERROR. So, we'll all be able to get a great laugh as I attempt to be a mother to a baby boy. Holy crap.

Things You May or May Not Know About Me

Someone recently tagged me with the "Six Things You May or May Not Know About Me" deal...so after much reflection and thought I decided to post the results. Keep in mind, there are some of you out there that actually might know these insane things about me...so no guarantees that they are unknown to any of you!

1. When I was a kid I wanted to be Indiana Jones. Hey...I guess I got the Jones part.
2. I've never had a broken bone.
3. I can spell the word "blood" with my fingers.
4. I'm a complete font-elitist. I detest certain fonts for no other reason than I just do. I love others for the same inexplicable reason. I've had arguments with employers as to why my choice of font was better than theirs. I've been known to boycott certain retail establishments because I think they are stupid to have used a particular font.
5. I can't stand the unnecessary and moronic use of the letter "K" as a marketing ploy (stuff like "Kountry Kollections" or "Kart Kountry" or "Kash n' Karry"). The sight of such atrocities actually makes me want to hit someone. No, really...I want to beat someone up.
6. Strange grocery-shopping compulsion: I feel the need to buy fruit in even numbers. For example, if I need 4 bananas and the only option is a bunch with 3, a bunch with 5, or a bunch with 6...I'll choose 6. And no...I don't pull extra bananas off of the bunch at the store...that's just rude.

So now you all know 6 additional things about Amy that you really didn't need to know...and you're most likely saying to yourself, "Boy, that girl's nuts." or "Gee, that explains so much."

Hugs and kisses!

I Just Wanted To Share

In my never-ending quest for baby names I've come across some doozies. And I mean doozies! Here are my top ten lists for the night. I hope you all sleep well knowing that despite all the cruelties your parents ever inflicted on you...you've been saved from the endless torture these children will have to endure (these are actual documented namings...not just names in a baby name book):

Boys:
10. Maxigan
9. Marvelous (sheesh, why not Fantastic?)
8. Onarada
7. Festus (yup, it's a holiday for the rest-of-us)
6. Enobi (help me Kobi-Wan-Enobi)
5. Argyle (I have a couple pairs of his socks, I think)
4. Joeaziel
3. Rebecca (I did NOT accidently put this one in the boys list)
2. Jawarhalal
1. Treoganeke (I can't even pronounce this one. Anyone?)

Girls:
10. Tenlee
9. Velandra
8. Rodana
7. Oleo
6. Velveeta (very good in dips)
5. Deztini (yup, pronounced "destiny")
4. Lettice
3. Pookie Bair
2. Poopsie Dier (Pookie's twin sis)
1. Latrina (in Italian "Latrina" actually means "latrine". Nice.)

Enjoy!

Tender Mercies

I hope that when I get up to heaven and stand before the judgement seat I will be granted forgiveness for the many, many, many, times I've said, "Why did I have children?" I wish that I didn't have to admit that I ask myself this question daily...but I think I do. I told myself a couple months ago that I needed to cut myself a little slack. I decided that if I reached the end of the day and I was still alive...it was a success! I know, it's pathetic to measure success on the basis of whether I am able to breath in and out, but that was my plan.

However, in spite of this recent slack-cutting, most of the time I feel I've reached the end of my rope. Success (as I've defined it personally) doesn't feel much like success when I find myself crying my eyes out at the end of the day because I know that I've behaved like the world's worst mother for the last 16 hours. And I wonder why I try.

But then there are moments like these:

A little girl who was supposed to be getting ready for bed dresses up like a beautiful princess and comes downstairs with the brightest smile just to show her mommy how pretty she is. These are the moments Heavenly Father has granted to this particular mom as a gift. I get to wrap my arms around a precious child and just laugh with her, love her, tell her what a gorgeous princess she is, and feel like perhaps this wonderous moment is the answer. This is why I have children.

You Have GOT To Be Kidding Me!

As I progress in this blessed, yet perpetually annoying, pregnancy, I'm sure you will all get sick of me expressing my many evolving pet peeves. But today I just can't hold it in. I've discovered once again that I have a distinct dislike for stupidity...in all of its various forms. So what is the source of my rage today? Baby names. That's right...the names that parents choose to impose upon their children for their entire earthly lives. (Well at least until they are old enough to have them legally changed.) I'm going to focus on one particular baby name faux pas. SPELLING. I've compiled a short list of my very favorite irritants. (I will also provide the appropriate translation so you will not be as confused as I have been):

Elyzibythe (Elizabeth)
Ginapher (Jennifer)
Mikol (Michael)
Suezynn (Susan)
Pstephen (Stephen or Steven)
Sydnyee / Cidne (Sidney)
Silest (Celeste)
Karryllinne (Caroline...good grief)
Duglass (Douglas)
Mykynziee (Mackensie)
Kloie (Chloe)

Please join with me in my one-woman battle to rid the world of such cruelties. I ask you...do we honestly need more children being beat up in the playgrounds of the world? Let us all answer with a resounding NO!

Mom or Dad?

So, apparently my kids are more Jones than Heninger (as if we didn't already know that). Maybe # 3 will be mine. :)

Hide and Seek

You can barely notice the blatant "peeking"! :)

HAPPY HALLOWEEN!!!

I was SO grateful that someone made the brilliant decision to postpone daylight savings time until next week. This Halloween we were able to take advantage of the sunlight and didn't freeze near-to-death as we have in other years.

Per our annual custom (at least for the last two years) cousin Abby came over to do the whole trunk or treat thing with us. Ellie did her own version of "Trick or treat" which more or less sounded like "dahdi dee". I think most people accepted this as okay because they kept handing her candy. All three girls seemed astounded that they could just walk up to someone, say "Trick or treat", and receive candy! Each time someone put something in their buckets they would stare in wonder at the increasing pile of teeth-rotting joy. Oh, ignorance is bliss!

Ellie was seriously adorable in this little costume. It took some convincing to get her to put it on. I even pulled out her Raggedy Ann doll and showed her how similar the outfits were...and praised the doll profusely on her beauty. Apparently Ellie was somewhat mollified because she finally allowed us to put it on. We even got a few smiles out of her. Her whole face lights up when she smiles! She had a wonderful time and is probably going to spend every possible waking moment begging for her "tanny" (translation: "candy").

For the last couple months I would ask Lindy what she wanted to be for Halloween and she would respond emphatically that she wanted to be a ballerina. So, we finally found a cute "Swan Lake Ballerina" costume, waited about a month for it to come into the store, and bought it. She was enthralled. While we were trick or treating people kept asking her if she were a princess. Well, being Lindy, she would respond (with a slight tinge of attitude), "No, I'm a Swan Lake Ballerina". End of discussion.

Here are some additional highlights of the evening.

An Afternoon at Cornbelly's

The Jones Family visits Cornbelly's. We were worn out by the time we went home, but we all had a good time. Ellie was enjoying herself so much we could hardly get her to glance at the camera! Here's some pic's of the event.

It's Not FAIR!!!

I'm not sure how many times a day I hear this. Hundreds. Thousands. Tens of thousands, possibly. You would think that at some point my brain would file that particular phrase under the "Go Ahead and Tune Out" file. No such luck. Each (and every) time it drills through to the irritable part of my brain and nerves begin to fray. Suddenly I find my self professing loudly to all within the sound of my voice that life, as a matter of fact, isn't fair. Somehow I have entered into that golden age of my life when the previously-assumed senility of my parents begins to make sense. They weren't senile. They were parents.
Tonights drama? Rice. With chicken. We sit down at the table and Lindy takes one scornful look at my lovingly prepared dinner and announces, "I will not eat that...not one bite...not at all!" My solution? Quietly and calmly inform her that she will sit there until she eats it. If she sits there all night, it doesn't matter. She WILL eat it. (Sidenote: yes, not my best parenting moment...I know that. In fact, one second into it I realize I have doomed myself to a tortuous no-win ordeal...but not one to give up easily, I prevail.) So here she sits. Alone. Pitting her will against mine. Refusing to take even one little bite. Tomorrow I may have to post a picture of Lindy sitting in front of her breakfast bowl of rice and chicken. Holy crap.

Pumpkin Guts Anyone?

Tonight we did our annual pumpkin carving night with the kids. Since this was the first year Ellie was old enough to participate, we decided to have her jump in hands first. All we got was, "Oooh...yutty!" (Translation: "Yucky") Within seconds she was happy playing with her toys and left mom to do all the rest of the dirty work.

Lindy was SO excited (due to the recent acquisition of the previously-mentioned pumpkin from the Pumpkin Patch) and even managed to pull some sticky, gooey, pumpkin guts from her very own jack-o-latern. She designed the face and had her dad help her cut it out.

Here are the results of our pumpkin-carving evening:

Pumpkin Patch Field Trip

Friday was my lucky day to help guide 25 four to five year-olds through the slightly over-crowded Pumpkin Patch. I wish I would have had a little more time to snap pictures of our own, very excited, Lindy...but such is the dilemma when you are trying to make sure no child gets lost or misplaced. Phew, we made it. Lindy had a blast and came home cradling her hand-picked pumpkin like a baby. (She even tried pushing it around in the toy stroller until it fell out 3 times and mom decided it needed to rest on top of the fridge until we could carve it.) It was the highlight of the week!

Not A Fan Of Ebay

I know, some might say I'm un-American, un-fun, or even a communist...but I don't like Ebay. I've seen those Ebay commercials (specifically the one where there are a bunch of people riding horses through the countryside hunting for the Evil Knievil lunchbox). Do I resemble any of those people? I answer with a resounding NO. I don't have time to hover on the internet waiting to see if my maximum bid of $1.25 will be vetoed by "daffdill3qqg" or her cohorts "coolbeppy" and "tuckerdog2000". Is it too much to ask to just pay next to nothing for a simple item and be on my way? In my opinion someone could make a fortune with lawsuits claiming "emotional distress" as we all gasp in collective disappointment because the item listed as 99-cents was nabbed at the last minute by "tigger861" for an astonishing $16.51 plus shipping. Good grief!

Which TV Mom Are You?

So, thanks to Autumn, I took a crazy online "Which TV Mom Are You" test. I laughed when I read the result:

"Amy, you are Lois from Malcolm in the Middle. From coming up with punishments to putting together interesting combinations of leftovers for dinner, there's never any doubt who's running the show at home: It's you. You're pragmatic and proficient, but keeping your kids in line, keeping them fed, and keeping within your budget probably leaves you feeling harried. Sometimes after shouting out orders or admonishments, you might feel more like a monster than a mother. But there's never any doubt that you love your kids and are a mama bear when it comes to protecting them: just ask anyone who's ever tried to criticize them. You've got an extra sense for sniffing out trouble and are a genius when it comes to coming up with tricks for nipping it in the bud."

Should I be worried about that? :)

Snow? Seriously?...

Each fall it's always the same: I anxiously look forward to the "just a light jacket" weather as a change from the ridiculous heat that overwhelms us each and every summer. Just when I think we've reached those days I look outside to see an onslaught of wind, cold, and SNOW! You've got to be kidding me! The girls, on the other hand, were SOOO excited about it. Lindy kept jumping up and down telling Ellie excitedly that they were going to go get their mittens and build a snowman. Of course, I then had to play the bad guy and let them know that the snow wasn't really going to stick around (good for me, apparently bad for them). Check out the excitement:

Mommy, What is Your REAL Job?

This morning, Lindy came into my room to lay in bed with me. After a minute or two she asked, "Mommy, what is your job?" I sagely replied, "I'm a mommy and I take care of you and Ellie." She thought for a minute then said, "Jody helps people go on vacations for her job, Mike helps people get their mail, and daddy flies airplanes. So, what is your real job?" Thought-provoking, isn't it?

My Favorite Night

There is something special about the 3rd Thursday of each month. It's bookgroup night! Every time I think about it I hear a tiny "yipee" in my head. Bookgroup makes me happy. This month we read "Devil in the White City" by Erik Larson. It's one of my fav's and I was excited to discuss it. We spent a lot of time exploring the "opposition in all things" aspect of the book and teasing Heather for ignoring every other chapter. (Your imagination is too active, Heather!) It goes on my recommendations list. So, if you're looking for a fascinating and captivating read...pick it up!

Welcome Home Elder Jones

It's amazing how fast two years can go by (when you're not the mom, right?) Tuesday night we welcomed Elder Richard Jones back from his mission in Denver, Colorado. Apart from looking a bit dazed and confused (in part, I'm sure, to the 3 very lively nieces running circles around him at the airport) he looked great and we were all so excited to see him.

And, of course, mom was grateful to have her youngest son back.

The girls were having a blast getting to know their Uncle Rich. The "getting to know" included several trips up and down (and up and down) the escalators, a couple trips in the elevator, and assorted hugs and kisses. Here they are (Abby, Ellie, and Lindy) expressing their own feelings about this event.

We are glad you're back, Rich. We promise that next time we go to Disneyland, you'll be on the guest list! :)

Our Little Ballerina

Lindy is absolutely LOVING her ballet class. She spends the entire class with a huge smile plastered on her face. She is simply thrilled to be there. She looks for me every few minutes to make sure that I'm watching and that I am appropriately impressed with her grace and poise while she executes each "echape/saute" combo. To see my little girl so completely joyful makes each cent paid worth it. Here she is demonstrating first position (sorry, I had to get the face and therefore didn't actually get the feet in first...).

The Devil Came Down From Her Bedroom

So, it is rather soon to be doing a second post but I had to update a little for this evenings' most recent event. At 9:00pm I usually assume both my girls are busy sawing logs as their bedtimes are 7:30pm (Ellie) and 8:00pm (Lindy). I got a call from a friend who wanted to drop something by and she showed up at the door at about 9:05pm. We chatted for a moment then I walked her outside to say goodbye. Suddenly there was a noise at the closed door behind me. I tried, in vain, to open it only to hear a small (yet surprisingly malicious) giggle from inside. I said in my stern mom-voice, "Ellie, open the door." She responded, "Oh...otay" and I heard a series of rattles and clicks with no luck at all on the now-locked deadbolt.

As we still haven't installed one of those handy-dandy remote thingy's on the outside of my garage door I was feeling a little more than slightly stuck. But I figured that since mommy was now locked out of the house at 9 o'clock at night it probably wouldn't matter if my kids stayed asleep so I decided to ring the doorbell and hope that Lindy would come to my rescue.

She did. I’m saved. I didn’t have to rely on the Lehi Police department to rescue my children from a negligent mother. Phew. (And, by the way, the two-year old is back in bed...I think.)

And So I Attempt My First Blog

So here we are...a momentous occasion in the life and times of the Jones family. I have made the decision to officially join the throng of bloggers out there in the world. I will most likely bore all concerned to death as I pummel unsuspecting friends/relatives/acquaintances with the daily ongoings of our rather dull life. Yes, I know you are asking, "Well Amy, if the throng jumped off a bridge, would you jump too?" Good question.

In keeping with the theme of my life, today was slightly hectic, mostly crazy, and somewhat of a blur. I took the girls to the mall (sorry, hon) and spent a little more than 3 hours playing out the "But I don't have to go to the bathroom"/"Mommy, I need to pee now!"/"I guess I don't really need to go"/"I need to go to the bathroom RIGHT NOW!" scenario. I think one sales lady might have thought I was trying to pull some crazy shoplifting scheme as we raced out, then in, then out, then in the store only to buy one pair of tights.

Good news, though: I didn't throw up at any point during our mall excursion. So considering the way things have been going the last couple of months, today was a grand success.