The Jones'

Ian's Critterman Birthday Party!

2009-10-30T07:12:00.000-07:00

Finally! I have pics from Ian's 5th birthday party! We had such a BLAST! As you all know, Ian is totally into bugs and animals of all kinds. He has really been wanting to have the Critterman come and do a party for him. So for his 5th birthday we invited the Critterman himself to our home to entertain us and all his friends. We invited his entire class from school and almost everyone came. We had 18 kiddies and parents in our living room floor to watch the show. The Critterman arrived and introduced us all to his friends. He was so Great with all the kids. Very informative and kid friendly. I think the adults even enjoyed learning about the animals.
Without further ado, I present to you Ian's 5th birthday party featuring the CRITTERMAN!!

The Critterman's show took place right in our living room! We had the kiddies sit on the floor with the adults standing up behind watching his every move.

Everyone was in Ahh of the Critterman Dave! He allowed each child that wanted an opportunity to touch every animal...except for the tarantula of course!
Here Cash is cautiously touching the first animal of the show, a legless lizard! That's right, there is a difference between a legless lizard and a snake...who knew?

"Please do not let that tarantula jump off your hand!"

This creature as GROSS as it may seem was really quite beautiful and intriguing!

Actually, this is what Ian thought about the tarantula! EEK!!

A Blue Tongued Skink! "What's that?"

London gettin' some lovin' from Ms. Mailea! (we miss you girl!)

The hedgehog was by far the cutest animal he brought!!

I still can't BELIEVE I let a stranger in my living room with a 10 foot Burmese Python!!! OMG!!! Ian loved every minute of it!!!

We ended the party with cake, ice cream and gift opening! Dave has been doing educational animal shows for many years. He has several "safaris" to choose from. He really focuses on educating you about the various animals and stresses conservation and the special role each animal plays on this earth. You are sure to be thoroughly entertained and educated anytime Dave the Critterman is around. If you are ever looking for a cool and unique idea for a birthday party, check out Dave the Critterman at www.animaled.com.

Julia's Birthday Party

2009-09-24T08:36:00.000-07:00

We celebrated Ian's BFF's birthday party last weekend in Keller. Julia turned 5 one week prior to Ian. They have been friends since before they turned one year old. We met the Stewarts at Caylor Road Learning Center and Julia's mother, Mailea taught Ian and London in her home until we moved to Aledo. They are very dear friends of ours and we miss them terribly. The Stewarts have become quite the "horse" family and their oldest daughter Megan has her own horse Champ. Julia's party was all about horses and hanging out with Champ. Each kiddo was allowed a ride in the backyard with Megan and Champ. Ian and London totally loved every minute of it. Neither of them were scared nor cried. Megan was so good with all the kids. She is only 10 years old, but rides Champ like an adult. She competes with her horse almost every weekend and has won numerous awards. Needless to say, her parents are very proud of her as are the Jones'.

Most of the kids in the photos attended Mailea's school when Ian and London were there. They have gotten so big...where does the time go!
Enjoy

Ian is FIVE!

2009-09-17T18:31:00.001-07:00

I know I've said this before, but seriously, where has this past year gone? Or for that matter, the past FOUR years???? September 15,2009 at 4:00 p.m. marked the first day of Ian's 5th year of life!
It started like a normal day. Ian woke up and said "good morning mommy, ONE more day till my birthday!" No honey, TODAY is your birthday! He let out a little shriek and said I'm FIVE today?!?!? We loaded up the car, cupcakes for his friends that grandma made and headed to school. Justin was out of town in Seattle, so Li-Li was filling in that evening for a special celebration.
I picked Ian up from school, and we headed to the pediatrician's office for his 5yr checkup. After the appointment and a finger stick and flu mist vaccine we headed for ice cream and then picked up fried chicken (his request for dinner). We stopped on the way home to collect London. Li-Li surprised Ian and London with birthday presents and a huge balloon! He was very excited to see her, but more excited for the gifts. You see, Justin really wanted to see Ian open his presents from us, so Ian knew he had to wait until the next day when daddy arrived home.
We spent quality time with my sister, cooked dinner and Ian opened his gifts. He got a Texas Tech t-shirt (never mind that) and then his favorite...Mario Kart for Wii video game. After that, all he wanted to do was play. I totally justify the video game playing by the fact that the game is interactive (he uses a steering wheel to navigate the courses) so he must be getting some physical activity that way, right?
The next day Justin came home and Ian was surprised to see he received a learning game for his computer, a Tag reader book and then a trampoline from us. I know, recipe for disaster! However, I grew up with one and fortunately never was injured. My sis did suffer a broken arm, but this one is SAFE! It has a net around it so you won't fall off!!! Ha! I guess I must let go and just let him grow up right? So, we will hope for the best and take care of what injuries (hopefully minor) occur. Needless to say Ian is a very fortunate yet thankful little boy!

More about Ian:
* He is 50 lb (90th %) and 47 in (75th %)
* He is wearing size 5-6 and 13 shoe
* He attends a 5 day a week private pre-k
* He love his sister, but also loves pickin at her and making her scream!
* He can carry on a full blown adult conversation with anyone over the phone
* He writes his name and is close to reading by sounding out words
* His favorite interests are bugs, dinosaurs and just about any animal
* He currently prefers to watch Animal Planet on TV
* His favorite shows are "King of Queens" (ahem) and "America's Funniest Videos"
* His favorite movie right now is Transformers
* He enjoys playing with his legos and will build you anything, from a museum to a jet.
* He recently travelled to Virginia for his first solo visit with Grandad and Grandma (they flew with him of course)
* He toured Washington D.C. and visited the Smithsonian of Natural History
* He attends Sunday School and is currently very inquisitive about Jesus and God
* He says the blessing at dinner and has recently been asking to say his prayers at night
* He loves to please, but is a very strong-willed little boy
* He brings more joy to his mommy and daddy than you will ever know!

HAPPY 5TH BIRTHDAY IAN CRAIG JONES!

Splash Park!

2009-09-17T07:35:00.000-07:00

We found this new-to-us park a couple of weeks ago and really have enjoyed playing there. It is such a great place!! The park itself has tons of new, innovative climbing and swinging apparatuses. It is set on a lake with a great fishing dock. The other day we went and there were 2 men racing mini-remote-controlled boats on the pond. Ian thought that was super cool. There is a lovely covered pavilion and really nice bathrooms, perfect for a birthday party or get together.

The best part for my kids was the splash area. It is a large concrete area with water spouts situated in the ground. The water squirts up at different times and heights. You will see by all the photos I took. I'm warning...this post is photo overload. None the less, the kids had such a great time. This is definitely a park we will frequent more often.

Enjoy!

Ian did not want to wear his swim trunks because he said he did not want to get in the water...but after seeing London have so much fun, he wanted to take part as well!

Ian and London played really well with each other, chasing each other, playing with other kids and trying to anticipate when the water would shoot up in there face! :)

Remember these...

2009-09-15T07:11:00.000-07:00

LIGHT BRIGHTS!?!?!!

I totally remember these growing up. They were soooo cool. However, the times have changed just a bit. Mine was a huge black box with paper punch outs that you could only use once. Now they are a little sleek design with designs you can use over and over. They provided me hours of entertainment as a kid!

Uncle Ryan gave one to Ian a couple years ago and he is just now old enough to work it. We pulled it down from his closet a few nights back and he loves it! It is now his new night light! Funny how now-a-days kids have such new innovative toys, but the classics seem to last forever!!!

Here is Ian learning how to insert the pegs into his design:

The finished project!!!

Thanks Uncle Ryan for hours of fun!!!

Labor Day Weekend, 2009

2009-09-14T20:32:00.000-07:00

We spent the day sunning and swimming in Brian's pool over Labor Day weekend. The kids had so much fun playing at Bri-Bri's new house. His pool is lovely and look what Ian found...

That's right! A baby Gecko! He was in heaven. It was swimming for it's life in Brian's pool. Ian rescued the little guy! He and London played with it for awhile and then Ian decided to release it in the grass so it wouldn't drown. The older he gets, the more aware he becomes with animals. A year ago, he would have "played" with it to its death! But now, he knows the right thing to do.

Thanks Bri-Bri and LiLi for such a wonderful day!!!

Workin' toward the goal of "mi-mi" FREE!!!

2009-09-06T20:51:00.000-07:00

We have gone from this...

To this...

To this...

That's right folks...mi-mi only during nap time and bed time!!!! What a feat this is! It all started when I picked London up from school and her mi-mi was missing. We had to wait until we arrived home for her paci. Then I just thought maybe we could give this a try. I told London she was a big girl and only needed her mi-mi for bed time. She was totally fine with it...at first. However, it really hasn't been that bad. There have been the 1-2 melt-downs a day, but for the most part she has done great. No mi-mi in the car, none when she is hurt and definitely none when she whines. What would that teach her?...just scream louder and mommy will give in. Now you know what a stickler I am for consistency! (At least I can talk a good game)

All kidding aside, if I give in once...it is all over. So for the past 4 days, we have stuck to our guns. Whenever London becomes really upset asking for her mi-mi, I just say, "London, if you are going to cry or whine, just go to your room and do it!" So far, she totally puts herself in time-out, screaming all the way to her room, shuts the door and cries for about 45sec. I then go in to her and say "Now if you're done crying, come tell mommy you're sorry and let's be a happy girl". She then gives me a hug and off she goes. It's amazing...this is the honest truth! I just wonder how long it will last!?!

None the less, we are working toward paci free, and so far so good. I just have to keep telling myself, consistency, consistency, consistency! Give in once and I'm doomed!!!

So we will see...my goal is to be completely done with "mi-mi" by the age of 3! Baby steps I tell you, baby steps!!!

First Day of School

2009-08-27T08:21:00.000-07:00

Ian started Pre-K at Trinity Christian School last Wednesday. This day marked one of his firsts that I surely do not want to forget. We had meet-the-teacher a couple of days prior and he was just so grown up. He totally introduced himself to his teacher Mrs. Nantz as "Hi Ms Nantz, I'm Ian" after a short time thinking and stuttering he said "thank you for sending me a postcard" (she sent a hello postcard introducing herself to Ian and he was reminded by us to say thanks, but I didn't really think he would remember)

The next few photos are of Justin and myself taking Ian into school for the first day. Trinity's mascot is an eagle. He has to wear a uniform everyday and Wednesday is chapel day where he has to wear a white polo tucked in with navy trousers and a belt. We are really pleased with this school so far. Ian is pulled out of his class each day for a special class. It rotates everyday between Spanish, Computer, Art, Library, Music and PE. He came home after is first Spanish class telling me all the colors in Spanish (rojo, azul, blanca, amarillo, verde) I know I've said it before, but he like a sponge. That boy totally sucks up any information you throw at him, relevant or useless! :)

Long Night

2009-08-27T08:05:00.000-07:00

Well, yesterday we had this fine idea to go swimming at the ranch. We packed our dinner (brats, salad and beans) and off we headed to Gordon, Texas. We picked London up from school and all was well. Just about the time we arrived at the club house, London spit up a bit and was a touch fussy. Well let me just tell you, I totally watched the whole progression of a full-blown stomach virus unravel before my eyes. (At least, I hope that's all it is.) She proceeded to get sicker and sicker. Yes, I know this is totally gross, but seeing as how this is the first time my baby has really had a stomach bug, I didn't want to forget it.

Needless to say, we left the ranch and came home without dinner. London did sleep with Justin and me...if that is what you want to call it. Up every hour or so with a sick child mixed with trying to sleep with one eye open makes for a very long night!

However, London woke up this morning and has managed to keep down some crackers and juice. She is a bit puny, but all in all doing well. She will stay home from school today and hopefully be good as new tomorrow. Poor babe...bless her and her upset stomach!

Long Time Comin'

2009-08-26T12:03:00.000-07:00

Hello to everyone out there!!! I do think I'm back...maybe! Hopefully I can get back connected in the blog world without getting so far behind. I'm really going to make an effort to post more frequently. Promise!

Okay, enough of that! This summer has really been uneventful and has flown by way too fast! One of our highlights was spending 2 weeks in Northern Virginia at Justin's dad's home. Justin's two sisters (kate and victoria) and their families were also there. Justin's brother Mark and his wife live about 20 min from his dad, so they joined in the fun as well. At one point there was 17 people sleeping under one roof!!! Luckily Barry and Chris have a large home with a super sized back yard complete with screened in porch and swimming pool. It was a very laid back vacation but so much fun! The kids all got along beautifully.Darren & Kate, Mark & Amy, Justin & Mel

Ian & Callum dancing to "Kids Bob"

Toward the end of each evening, Grandma had a special treat for each kid! This night was bubble night! The kids loved them, especially London! She totally knew what to do and picked up bubble blowing quite quickly!

Ian became quite brave doing "tricks" off of the diving board!

Callum & Ian both learned how to dive properly, and by the end of the holiday, they were competing with us adults for the prize of "best dive"!

Alfie is 15 months old and Victoria and Matt's son. This is the first time for us to ever meet him. He is the best baby, so laid back and happy. He would sit outside in the high chair after his nap watching all the big kids! He was so content and such a joy!

Mark, Amy & Alfie

Matt, Victoria & Alfie

Most days were spent swimming, eating, and hanging outdoors by the pool!

We all celebrated Callum's 6th birthday...Spongebob style!!

And then there is Miss Priss! She totally thought she ruled the roost at Grandma and Grandad's house. After a few days, she really warmed up to everyone, especially the guys. She was all about cuddling with her uncles. As far as London knew she was just as big and could do EVERYTHING her brother and cousin did. She was so curious and watched every move they made. For the most part the boys were very patient and included her in their play. I really think her being around and interacting more with older kids did her a world of good with her speech. She attempts to say everything and over the past few weeks, she is becoming more clear and easier to understand.
Oh Miss Bella...you deserve a gold star! I do believe London has found her long lost best friend. London followed her around everywhere. Bella was so sweet and tolerant of Miss Priss. Whenever Bella was done with London's pestering, she would just hide under the couch to escape. One night we were watching TV and London disappeared. After several minutes we found her snuggling Bella in the mud room under the table. They both were so content.

One morning we took breakfast to a kid's park and all ate and played. The kids had a blast, but by the time we left the sun was already scorching us. Virginia is super hot and super humid...thank goodness for the pool!

We all had such a GREAT time. Thanks to Grandma & Grandad for being such lovely hosts! Everything was PERFECT! We are already planning our gathering next summer!!

Good Morning Mommy!!!

2009-04-09T08:19:00.000-07:00

Justin woke up with London this morning. I was sooooo tired that I did not even hear her awake in the monitor. I tell you, this working night thing is taking a toll on my body. I am having a difficult time switching back from a "night" schedule. And the fact that I can't shake this sinus crud is probably not helping matters. :) ANYWAY...(sorry about the rant) none the less, when I did get out of bed this morning, this is what I saw in the kitchen...

This is only the second time London has tried cereal for breakfast...ALL BY HERSELF! She totally knew what to do with the milk after the cereal was gone. Justin did not even prompt her to raise the bowl to her mouth. I'm sure London has watched her dad drink his cereal milk this way before. It is just amazing to me how observant kids are!

Have a great day and "HAPPY EASTER" from London Elizabeth Jones!!

A touch of SPRING

2009-04-05T12:04:00.001-07:00

After church this morning we attempted a photo shoot amongst the bluebonnets. Our neighbors planted bluebonnets in their yard, and the have really taken off. They are beautiful. So in honor of our Texas heritage, here are some photos of the kids nestled along side the blooms.

Thanks grandma in England for the lovely dress for London! I love it! It is so cute on her and totally different from anything you can find in the states. You should have seen her showing if off to her daddy this morning before church. I told her to go show her daddy how cute she looked. She totally marched herself into the living room, stood so proudly in front of her dad while she stuck her tummy out as if to say, "look at me and yes, I know I'm cute", then proceeded to twirl around in a circle. Yes, it was so cute, but oh my goodness, what am I going to do with a GIRL!?!?!

HONK Ball!

2009-04-05T11:20:00.000-07:00

Well, this spring is the first time for Ian to play an organized sport! We signed him up for Honk ball, which is T-ball for the younger kiddos. Whenever they touch a base, it "honks" at them...way cute.

Yesterday was Ian's FIRST game! Let me tell you, I think it was about the cutest thing I have seen in a LONG time. There are 8 boys and 1 girl on his team. We had to report early for our team and individual photos. Ian looks so big, and I was such a proud mommy.

The game goes something like this...Each team goes through the entire batting order before the inning is over. Each kid hits off of the tee and then runs to first base. You are only allowed to run one base at a time and there are no "real outs". After everyone has batted, they switch teams. After 45 minutes the game is over. The actual game is pretty funny to watch. Here are all nine players on the field attempting to field the ball, all the while the dads are also on the field shouting and encouraging the kiddos to "throw the ball to 1st base...gently." It was way fun and Ian had such a great time! Honk ball is mostly fun with a little bit of organization and rule following mixed together. It really starts teaching the kids how to listen and how to play a team sport. WE ARE ALL BIG FANS OF HONK BALL!

Here are several (yes, I'm camera crazy) photos from the event. Notice in the background all the parents/coaches on the field helping direct the game! too cute!!

London even enjoyed watching "bubby" play ball! She was such a great girl and very well behaved. Thanks to "stranger-danger" she sat in my lap the entire time. :)

Our last weekend...

2009-03-27T18:41:00.000-07:00

We spent together out at the ranch. We decided to let the kids swim and fish. Yes, it was an indoor pool. :) Ian was a bit rusty at first with the whole swimming alone thing, but quickly regained his confidence. Before long he was swimming the entire length of the pool by himself. London did great as well and sure enjoyed her floatie from last year. We spent Saturday and Sunday afternoon enjoying the warm weather and cooking out as a family. Ian and Justin even managed to hook a few fish off of the dock as well.
Here are just a few photos from the weekend.

Have a great weekend ya'll!!!

Wordless Wednesday

2009-03-04T10:56:00.000-08:00

YIKES....DINOSAURS GALORE!!!!

2009-02-26T11:51:00.000-08:00

Well, a couple of weekends ago, the Jones family had the opportunity to take a step back in time to the prehistoric days. That's right folks, we played amongst the DINOSAURS!!

Ian & London's grandparents in England have really been wanting to do something special for the grandkids. Since neither of the kiddies "need" ANY toys, we decided a nice family outing would be just perfect!!

So, we loaded up the family, packed our dinner and camera and set off to Glen Rose, TX to the Dinosaur park and Dinosaur Track State Park. [Thanks emily for the great idea:-)]
Located just outside the state park is a place called Dinosaur World that takes you on an outdoor meandering path through nature past life-size dinosaur models. It is like an outside museum if you will. Around every corner is an educational opportunity complete with a plaque describing the showcased dinosaur. We learned tons about the very interesting, scary, yet kinda cute prehistoric creatures.
Here are several photos we took along the way!
Notice how unsure London is of the huge creatures. It took her awhile before she actually became used to the monstronsities!

My personal favorite was the T-Rex! He was just so huge and appeared to be the most life-like. Watch out Ian! Hopefully cute little boys are NOT on his menu!

London thought the kiddie park with "play" dinosaurs was more her cup of tea!

At the end of the walk was a sand pit in which the kids could sift through and "dig" up authentic fossils. Ian found and was allowed to keep three fossils and two shark teeth, which he thought was just so cool! Oh how the boy LOVES his "treasures".

After several hours at Dinosaur World, we loaded up, added more clothes (it was quite cold outside) and headed to the Dinosaur State Park. We are really looking forward to camping at the park when the weather gets warmer. There are tons of things to do there and the campsite facilities are super nice. Along the river bed are actual dinosaur tracks that were uncovered by archeologists years ago. I forgot to get photos but they are quite awesome. You can really see the feet prints. We had to cross over the river on rocks...with two children one riding on my hip. That proved to be quite a feat in itself. I was not thinking about taking photos, but rather concentrating on not falling in nor dropping London into the freezing water!!! :)
Okay, maybe that is a little dramatic, but none the less we did have to cross the small shallow creek by way of large boulders. The river will be a super cool place to hange out during the heat of the summer.
Below are a few photos from the banks of the river bed.

Once we were completely frozen, we made our way to a picnic table and settled in to our homemade dinner of hot tomato soup and sandwiches (thanks to Mur's handy thermos). We had such a wonderful day! The kids throughly enjoyed every minute of the trip and we have made such wonderful family memories! Thanks Grandma for such a super outing!!

THE NEW DOO!

2009-02-13T12:05:00.000-08:00

Yes I know...Ian needs a haircut. My mom thinks it is cute long, but it's definitely starting to look like a helmet head. Anyway...his new thing is styling it himself. He puts water in it and combs it "all by himself".

What do you think -- beauty school graduate...or dropout?!?

Camping Anyone???

2009-02-13T11:46:00.000-08:00

Ian & London say SURE!!!!

Ian found his pop up tent the other day and asked Grandma if he could play with it. Of course she said "YES". It has now become the new craze for Ian and his sister. They think it is too cool hiding out in it. London loves her brother, and Ian is so great with her. He really knows how to entertain her!

Grandma's Been Here!

2009-02-13T10:53:00.000-08:00

Yea for Ian and London!!
Last week Justin was out of town on a business trip and Grandma Chris came to stay for an entire week! I worked a couple of days and Chris stayed home with the kids. They had such a fantastic time! She totally entertained Ian and London...I even think she had fun herself. :)
The weather was beautiful a couple of the days so Grandma had a lesson in golf, tee-ball, football and four wheeling...all compliments of Ian Jones.
London quickly warmed up to Grandma and totally bonded with her. They spent hours playing together and reading her favorite animal book. I even spent some good quality time with her over several glasses of wine. We planned out a menu when she arrived and we all enjoyed Grandma's wonderful cooking all week long.
We all sure enjoyed her here and can't wait to do it again!!

THANKS GRANDMA FOR A WONDERFUL WEEK!!!

Here are few photos I took during the week.

London loves her baby buggy! She is playing peek-a-boo with Grandma!

Have a GREAT weekend ya'll!
MEL

Cotton's 3rd Birthday

2009-02-06T11:39:00.000-08:00

Last weekend we travelled back to Keller for Ian & London's friend's birthday. Cotton is the son of our old neighbors Dani & Beau. It was so fun to see everyone from the old street and catch up with old friends. The party was at Little Gym. The staff was wonderful with the kids and everyone had such a blast!
Check out the photos!!!

PARK DAY!!!

2009-01-26T10:47:00.001-08:00

Last week I met up with my friend Cassidy and her little girl Emery at a new park in Fort Worth. Her daughter is 2 months older than London. We had such a fun day playing with the kids. The weather was beautiful...actually quite warm, and I was even wishing I had put sunscreen on Ian & London.

London was so adventuresome...look at her climbing up the steps all by herself and sliding down the slide...all by herself!

Ian was so great with both girls! He was super sweet and so protective of both of them. He really enjoyed pushing them in the tire swing.

It was definitely fun times had by all!!

Happy Monday Ya'll!!
MEL

Ian and London's new FAVORITE book!

2009-01-19T08:45:00.000-08:00

Justin received this book about animals for his birthday from my parents several years ago. Ian found the book the other night and has become a huge fan! Of course London can't stand the fact that bubby gets to sit in daddy's lap all by himself.

This has become the nightly ritual right before bed. The two kids crawl up in Justin's lap and have a serious lesson in animals. You would think the book was WAY over Ian's head, but he is totally into it. He is spouting out facts about bugs and animals I didn't even know. It is amazing to see the things that child retains. Talk about a sponge. It is like he hears something one time and it is ingrained in his little, or rather large memory. Things like remembering the fact that a dragon fish is not "actually" a fish but rather an eel with a huge set of teeth on it. "Mommy, I do not want to be swimming in the ocean with one those things!" Who the heck knows what a dragon fish is?...Ian does!

None the less, I love seeing the special times Justin has with our children. He is truly a wonderful husband, friend, and daddy!

Happy Monday Ya'll!

London Elizabeth at 15 months!

2009-01-19T08:14:00.000-08:00

This past Friday was London's 15 month well-baby check up! Where does the time go? It was a great visit. She weighs 20lbs, 10oz. She is only in the 25% for height and weight. We met with our new Pediatrician here in Aledo. She is a super doctor and could be my bud! She recognizes the fact that I am a nurse and see all the horrible things possible with children. She is very good with me as a mom/nurse and is very attentive to London. We just discussed everything with London and after chatting about her speech, she decided that she was probably FINE! London is an extremely bright little girl. She understands everything you tell her and has her own way of communicating. She signs a few words and actually has about a 5 word understandable vocabulary. She is very inquisitive. She makes sounds for "cow", "duck", and knows where most of her body parts are. She is definitely learning so much right now. She is just like a little sponge, I see her wheels turning all the time.

Ian went with us to the Doctor's appointment and when it came time for her shots, I sent him to the waiting room. He can not stand to hear is baby sister cry. She did great and actually cried more about being held down than she did about the injection itself.

I will leave you with a few photos of London and Ian that Justin took this past weekend!

Hugs from the Jones'!

"WHERE IS LONDON?"

"THERE SHE IS!"

She has her skirt on her head. After Justin put her jommies on, he asked her to pick up her clothes and put them in her hamper. I guess she decided they needed to go on her head first. Not sure if she is trying to put them back on, or if she just wanted to wear a hat! :)

Got to love the pacifier! That is our next feat...one of these days!!!

Bubby just being silly!! :)

More Christmas!

2009-01-14T09:47:00.000-08:00

We celebrated Christmas with my family January 3rd. My parents and LiLi came to our house for the weekend. Friday we spent the afternoon watching Texas Tech loose in the Cotton Bowl! (What a bummer!!) There is always next year right?!?

None the less, we were all decked out Tech style! Get your Guns Up!

Ian and London love the new picnic table from Grammy and Pop! We can't wait to use it more when it warms up outside! Thanks! :)

Saturday, Ian and London played Santa and helped pass out the Christmas presents!

London enjoys pulling her new suitcase and carrying her new bag from Grammy & Pop.

LiLi will be so hip sporting her new Uggs!

The Hotwheels suitcase and transforming car launcher was a total HIT!!! Ian has become quite the poser for the camera!

Saturday afternoon it was 89Degrees outside! Yes, folks you heard me 89 on a winter day in January! What crazy weather!! However, we sure took advantage of the sunshine and spent most of the afternoon outside playing! Here are a few photos of the kids enjoying the outdoors!

The next photo is my favorite of London in her hand-me-down bubble car!
Check out her hair! :)

Happy Hump Day to everyone!
Love,Mel

Our Christmas!

2009-01-06T16:02:00.000-08:00

Christmas this year was spent in Aledo with just us...Mommy, Daddy, Ian and London! It was very nice. I worked the night of Christmas Eve. Ian slept with Justin through the night in anticipation of hearing The Reindeer on the roof top. Ian and I made cookies during the day and left them by the fireplace for Santa. Ian awoke Christmas morning around 6:45am and was sooooo excited to see if Santa "really" came and ate the cookies.

NOT SOOOOO FAST!!!

Justin had strict instructions from me to NOT let Ian and London see their presents until I returned home from work. I of course wanted to see their sweet faces and share in the excitement of "Christmas Morning". So there Ian was, kept in our room watching TV, mad, and not understanding why he could not see his presents. Terrible mommy, I know! Poor baby! Well, I arrived home around 7:45am and greeted Ian in our room. He was so excited to see me...of course he was...Now he got his presents!

I must say, he was the cutest thing ever! Ian totally "gets" the whole Christmas and Santa Clause thing. There he stood mesmerized by his gifts from Santa and all he could say was "Oh, My, Gosh!" We had really been talking to Ian about Christmas and the real meaning behind it and the birth of baby Jesus. We also talked a lot about being "thankful" for everything we receive and everything we have.

{Side Note} At one point about a year ago, I guess for his birthday, Ian had said something about not being satisfied with a gift he received from someone. It was not what he wanted. Well, I was appalled. From then on, I decided that this was something that needed to be addressed. We really try and stress to Ian the fact that we need to be thankful for everything we receive regardless of what it is. We consistently talk about how there are some people that are less fortunate and do not receive any gifts and how we need to be thankful for everything we have.

Back to Christmas morning...Once Ian had a glimpse of everything from Santa, he stopped what he was doing and said "Mommy, we need to say Happy Birthday to Jesus and be thankful for all this stuff"...I guess they do listen. :)

We opened our stockings then Justin and Ian passed out presents and we opened gifts from each other. After a couple of hours, I went to sleep and Justin played with the kids. I was also scheduled to work the night of Christmas day, so Justin spent all morning preparing our Christmas dinner. We had ham, broccoli casserole, home made {to-die-for} macaroni & cheese, okra and biscuits. It was so nice and just perfect. I then received a phone call from work giving me option to stay home. We had too many nurses scheduled that night. Of course accepted the offer and continued to play with Ian and London and all their gifts. It was a pretty perfect Christmas for us Jones family!!

A Special Treat...

2009-01-06T12:57:00.000-08:00

On December 23rd, Mrs. Clause found time in her busy, busy schedule to come see all the kids at Ms. Mailea Stewart's school. (She is Ian's previous teacher in Keller, and mother to Ian's best girl friend Julia) We were lucky enough to be invited!

The children all gathered around the Christmas tree complete with a fire roaring from the living room and listened intently to Mrs. Clause. She read several Christmas books and ended with the story of Baby Jesus.

As you can see, London was not too thrilled with the idea of a photo with Mrs. Clause. Ian tried to make her happy, but the only way she was getting anywhere close to her was in her mommy's arms. :)

We stayed for lunch and most of the afternoon. It was sooo Great to catch up with Mailea. We miss her dearly!!!! Ian and Julia had a blast playing together with Cooper while London laid down for a nap. By the way...she is expecting her third baby!!! Yea for her and her family!

Hanging with LiLi

2008-12-11T07:54:00.000-08:00

So, this past weekend Justin went hunting with my dad in Plainvew for pheasant. Ian has been with my mom and dad for the week. I stayed home with London and the dogs. I did have to work Friday night, so my sweet sister stayed with London at our house.
It was perfect...she totally took care of her Friday night and Saturday while I slept.

After sleeping on Saturday morning, I gathered up our stuff and the dogs and headed to the Mound for a slumber party at LiLi's. We had a blast! Brian came over and hung Christmas lights on Lin's house. Bridget and Jim came over for pizza and the Big 12 Championship. We put London to bed and all played Cranium, boys against girls! Bet you know who won?!...the GIRLS of course.

Thanksgiving Trip Update

2008-12-11T07:13:00.000-08:00

Ok, so I am just now getting around to updating regarding Thanksgiving. None the less, we had a great time in Plainview! We arrived at my parents house Tuesday before Thanksgiving and stayed until Sunday. Ian stayed with Grammy for the week and Justin collected him the next week while he did some pheasant hunting with my dad. One entire week without Ian. While Mommy, Daddy, and London had some good quality time together, we missed Ian terribly. He had a fabulous time going to the movies, playing outside and delivering Meals on Wheels with Grammy and Mur.

Back to Thanksgiving...my mom cooked a fabulous meal for all of us including Mur, Grandad Doug and my Aunt Nancy. Justin and Dad fried the turkey! By the way, my grandad is home and doing better everyday! Yea!!!!!

Justin did some duck and deer hunting while we were home...and did I mention he caught my car on fire???
Oh sure! He had collected some tumbleweeds under the car that he did not see. While he was driving down the highway, the car lost power then began billowing smoke from under the hood. He had to call the Fire Department of po-dunk Floydada to come put our car out...ON THE SIDE OF THE ROAD! There was 4 DPS troopers and a fire truck assisting Justin and my poor car! Can't you just see it now? What a fiasco!! He had to be towed back to Plainview and our car is still being repaired. Hopefully it will be returned to us later this week. I am just now to the point where I can sorta smile/chuckle about the ordeal. Thank goodness for insurance!

All that to say, yes we had a great time and yes, we are so thankful for so many things!

Our neighbor, Dr. David Wright took me, Ian, and LiLi up in his plane for a tour of Plainview aerial style.

Mom & Dad have acquired their #2 bike..."Geezer" is this Harley's name. They have stepped it up a notch & are riding in class now. Their helmets even have radios in which they can talk back a forth to each other! Notice the size of mom's seat, she can ride for miles and miles on that puppy!
What a name..."GEEZER"

Despite the runny nose, cough and goopey eyes, London did manage a few smiles while crawling in Roxy's bed.

One of London's FIRSTS!

2008-11-10T09:30:00.000-08:00

Last week London and I spent the night with my sister. Ian was supposed to go with us, but after he got "sick" in my car :( I decided to leave him home with Justin. He was fine, I just think he had gotten really dizzy on the merry-go-round at school and it upset his stomach.

We had a really great time! Lin and I cooked dinner and enjoyed some wine. Lin had purchased some artichokes for us and little did I know...London loved them!
I don't think she really got much to eat from them, but she sure enjoyed chewing on the leaves!!!

GO TECH! GET THOSE GUNS UP!

2008-11-10T09:03:00.001-08:00

Yes, Saturday was quite an exciting day! After all, Texas Tech beat OSU to hold on to a secured #2 ranking nationwide. The Jones household was all set for the big event! After a very productive day planting bulbs for next spring and Justin washing and waxing my car, we settled in for a night of college football. I had made a brisket that morning complimented by roasted potatoes and carrots. Let me just say Mikey a.k.a. London ate the heck out of some brisket!!! She loved it.
The game was so very exciting! Oh how proud I am to be a Red Raider! I think we really have a shot at the National Championship.

Everyone enjoyed the game and cheering on those Red Raiders!

Bless her little heart! She just could not stay awake till the end! Notice the Double T still stuck to her face! :-) Sweet dreams little one!

BFF!

2008-11-09T09:03:00.001-08:00

The other morning was a typical morning. I had just arrived home from a night of work. I was immediately greeted at the back door by "little bit" screeching with glee to see her mommy! Oh what a glorious site. Her little self came teetering around the corner, smiling from ear to ear (of course behind her pacifier), arms lifted in the air as to say "Hi, mommy, I've missed you so much...please pick me up!"

Ian was in his bathroom all by himself brushing his teeth and preparing for another day of school. Justin had already fed the kids breakfast, and the lunches were packed and ready to go. I proceeded to help Ian dress for school. Daddy had his clothes, underwear, socks and shoes already laid out. Ian said "good morning Mommy!, I've been a good boy and I slept in daddy's bed last night!" He was genuinely happy to see me, and his little joyful voice is just such affirmation that I have the greatest little boy ever!

After dressing Ian, we returned back into the kitchen where London was dressed for school and playing in her favorite drawer full of mommy's kitchen gadgets. Justin returned in the kitchen with the dog's food. Because it was chilly outside, Justin decided to feed Chloe in the kitchen floor, so she would not be cold outside...she is such a spoiled dog!

Before I knew what was happening, London had made herself over to Chloe's food bowl! A BIG NO, NO! Chloe is a bit funny with her food to say the least, as well as being scared to death of the kids. BUT NOT TODAY! You would have thought London and Chloe had been best friends forever! It was too cute. London had her hands full of food and was ever so tenderly feeding them to her new best friend...one by one! Chloe did not mind at all! It was as if she was enjoying the extra bit of spoiling by being hand fed. It was an instantaneous friendship between London and Chloe. This NEVER would have happened between Ian and Chloe! I've decided it must be a girl thing!

BOO at the ZOO

2008-10-30T09:50:00.000-07:00

Several of my coworkers all went to celebrate Halloween at the Fort Worth Zoo's "BOO at the Zoo". My sister joined me and boy, am I glad I had the extra set of hands to help with the kids. There was about 8 of us moms from work all with our kids in tow along with several thousand other folks all joining in the festivities.

As you can tell, thanks to Aunt Li Li, Ian was Spiderman and London was a Dragonfly. Every year since Ian has been old enough to know about Halloween, my sister has let him pick out his own costume as is his Halloween gift from her! They usually go toghether to the store to pick it out, but this year, he knew he wanted to be Spiderman. He found his and his sister's costumes all by himself in a catalog. "Li, Li I want to be Spidey so I can shoot my webs, and London needs to be a dragonfly because it is soooo cuuuuute!" (his exact words)

From the time we all arrived at the first "Treat Station" until the time we arrived home, Ian ate candy...the entire time! The child is so mistreated...he never gets candy from us. Surprisingly, he DID go to sleep at a decent hour that night!

Cassidy is a coworker of mine who organized the trip for us all. Her little girl Emery and London are about 2 months apart. I think they could pass for sisters!!!

I took a cooler full of sandwiches and snacks. Boy was I glad I did that. Not only was the food expensive, you had to wait in line for it. This way, we just sat up camp whereever and ate our dinner. As you can tell, London is a PIG! She ate an ENTIRE peanut butter and jelly sandwich and still wanted more!

The Zoo had constructed a play place designed to look like a carnival. There was a bounce house, hay stack maze and grassy area for the kids to run and play. Under the pavilion was tons of games for the kids to play as well as a stage set for the "monster show". Li Li and I took turns looking after London while the other went with Ian. He played all the games available. His favorite was the green rubber frog game!

As the evening wore on, the weather turned a bit chilly. I had London all cozy in the Radio Flyer Wagon wrapped in a blanket. She loved the mittens I brought for her. It was like she knew they would keep her hands warm. When I went to put them on her, she totally held out her little hands! She loved them!!!

"Thank you Li Li!"
"I love my Spidey costume, & I LOVE U!!"

Time with Grammy & Pop

2008-10-30T08:07:00.000-07:00

We spent Thursday - Sunday at my parent's house. I sure enjoyed the R&R and Mom & Dad sure enjoyed the kids! We really had nothing to do (surprise, surprise) so the days were full of just hanging out and playing. Justin stayed home and went on a all boy's weekend hunting trip. My grandaddy had hip replacement surgery the day before we arrived, so I did spend as much time as possible visiting him in the hospital. Hopefully he is on the road to recovery now!

Ian and Mur spent an entire hour looking at his dinosaur book. Mur would use her flashlight to point to a dinosaur and Ian would spell it out. As far as Ian was concerned he was "reading" to his Mur. Of course the book was way over their heads, but all they cared about was spending time together. It was too cute!

When Pop came home, Ian just had to show him the rocks he found in the front yard! "all sorts of kinds of rocks...long ones, round ones and even one that looks like fossilized wood" He was so proud!

Can you say DRAMA QUEEN?!?!
London totally found her shades and wanted mommy to put them on her. She is such a ham and thinks she is soooo big!

Of course the weekend would not have been complete without Grammy introducing London to lip gloss...at the ripe age of 12 months old! :-)

Hangin' with the Campbells

2008-10-30T07:49:00.000-07:00

This past weekend the kids and myself travelled to Plainview to see my folks. I stopped off in Lubbock to see my dear friend Amy and her new baby boy. Hudson is 3 weeks old and such a sweet baby! I held him the entire time and he only fussed when he was hungry! His big sister Ava thinks he is pretty special too! She sure has grown so much. She has totally morphed from that baby stage into full blown toddler! She was such a delight and oh so cute!!!

Catchin' Up

2008-10-22T11:48:00.000-07:00

Ok, I know...I've been really slack and haven't added any posts lately. No real excuse except we are just busy around here.

London had her 1 year check up with Dr. Shori last week. She is 20lb 5oz (45% on the growth chart) and 28in long (25% on the growth chart). Looks like she may be a little petite thing. Not to sure what to think about that except a) she is easier to carry and b) girls are supposed to be smaller than boys. As you know there is nothing small about Ian! :)

Dr. Shori was very pleased with how she is progressing. She is definitely more verbal saying ma-ma, da-da, ba-ba (for bubby) and several other mumbling words. She knows the sign for "please" and we are working on several more. She was impressed that she is already fully walking. I think Dr. Shori as well as myself are convinced that she is a "normal" one-year-old!

I have turned the car seat around in my car to forward facing now. She has the okay to eat anything she wants. It is now okay for peanut butter, honey and all the milk products she wants. She is not a big fan of milk however. We have tried warming it and putting sugar in it, but not so much! She prefers water. We just offer lots of yogurt and cheese. We are done and have been done with the bottle for a while now, she is straight sippy cup now. She does however love drinking from mommy's straw!

We are travelling to Plainview tomorrow for a visit and I'm going to Lubbock to see my friend Amy's new baby boy, Hudson. He is 3 weeks old now. I will take photos of the entire weekend for all to see when we get back. Justin is staying home and deer hunting all weekend. We will return home on Sunday then back to work for me on Monday.

My grandaddy is having hip surgery today. He has been battling hip and back pain for quite some time now. The hope is by repairing his hip, he will be able to get some relief from the pain. He is really nervous, for this will be a big operation. Please keep him in your thoughts and pray for a successful surgery and speedy recovery.

Hope everyone has a Happy Wednesday!!

My Awsome Kids!

2008-10-14T07:50:00.000-07:00

These are just two random shots of Ian and London during her birthday party. They just constantly remind me of how fortunate and lucky Justin and I are to have two amazing children. Ian went to the dentist yesterday and I received raving compliments from the dentist about how well behaved and bright Ian is. He totally went back for x-rays and a cleaning all by himself without me by his side. Never once did he say "I don't want to" nor whine the entire time. Maybe the bribe of McDonald's lunch had something to do with that?! :)

And Miss Priss...
She is definitely finding her way in this world. Very much a "momma's" girl and very much knows how to scream for what she wants. It is such a joy to watch the wheels inside her little head constantly turn. She is learning so much right now and understands alot of what I tell her. She cuddles her baby and even tries to feed her a bottle. I will tell her to go find her baby and she totally starts looking for her. I picked her up from school yesterday and as soon as she saw me she immediately started squealing and saying "ma-ma, ma-ma". She DOES know how to say my name! Just this morning sitting having breakfast, Justin walked in the room and she looked all bright eyed at him and said with a big grin "da-da". I think that is the first time she has really done that. She has learned the sign for "please" and uses it for just about everything; food, hold me, and whenever she does not get her way.

We had her first trip to the dentist last week because she fell into my mom's fireplace hearth and hit where her two front teeth were trying to break through the skin. I was a bit nervous to say the least. The fall broke the skin and bruised the gums. I was afraid she damaged the teeth that have not even come in yet. The dentist was wonderful with her. No x-rays were needed, no fractures of her jaw were noted. She did however chip the two front teeth. That means when she fell, she broke the skin AND fell hard enough to chip the teeth that weren't even in yet. Poor baby. She has completely recovered and the dentist will follow up in 6 months. The chips are small enough that hopefully you won't even notice them. So, needless to say no more cute "toothless" grins anymore! :(

She is still a very serious soul, but when she does give you that little grin her big blue eyes light up and it totally melts your heart!

London turns ONE!!!

2008-10-13T12:35:00.000-07:00

This past weekend was definitely a memorable one! It all started with Auntie Amy and Uncle Marky planning to come to Texas for London's FIRST birthday. After Mark sent us all on a roller coaster of emotions, he finally made his plane on time and joined us in the celebration of London's first year of life.

Friday we spent the day at the ranch cooking out Brats and fishing. London enjoyed "exploring" everything around her. The boys landed a few fish and Justin even caught a turtle. The highlight of the day was stalking the HUGE centipede followed by a freezing cold dip in the swimming pool.

Saturday was the day we celebrated Little London's first birthday. We spent the day hanging out and that afternoon my mom, Mur and Uncle Bill joined us at our house for the party. We opened presents which was so fun. London enjoyed rocking in her chair and playing with her new baby buggy more than she did opening presents. Big Brother Ian had the honors of opening the gifts.

The whole eating cake thing was quite interesting....
Not knowing exactly how she would react to the cake and candle, I decided to take a chance and hope for the best. Well, let's just say she LOVED the sweet cake, but had no idea about the fire from the candle. We place the cupcake in front of her and moved back hoping to capture that perfect photo of her staring at her sweet treat. She immediately wanted to see what the candle was all about, and in doing so grabbed the flame and put it out with her fingers. She immediately started screaming in pain and Ian started crying because London was hurting. We had a house full of sobbing. London even has a small blister on her index finger to show for it. After the drama was tended to, we all discovered that London definitely has a sweet tooth!

I am still in shock as to where this past year has gone. It seems like times goes by faster every day. It has been such a joy to watch London grow and develop over the past year. I just wish I could bottle all the little facial expressions and sounds she makes. She is such a fun baby and the best part is watching Ian the big brother play with her, protect her and watch over her.

The Girl Can EAT!

2008-10-13T12:24:00.000-07:00

I know these photos speak for themselves...London LOVES her food. She will try anything I place in front of her. Today her favorite is ravioli, asparagus and cantaloupe. She has been know to eat an onion, tomato, potato salad and pickles. Let's just hope she continues to be "Mikey".

Ian turns 4!

2008-10-08T08:36:00.000-07:00

Well, September 15th marked the first day of Ian's fourth year! He was a little confused about that day seeing as how we started celebrating his birthday September 10th in Virgina and carried through till September 27th in Plainview. His grandparents in Virgina had a birthday party for him "transformer style" in their backyard. It was such a fun day complimented by beautiful weather and one HAPPY little boy after opening all his presents. We shared the day with the clan in Virgina (aunt Barbara, uncle George, Ryan, Mark and aunt Amy). We then celebrated his birthday in Plainview with my family the weekend of September 27th. We were there for Tami's wedding. Grammy and Ian had a day to themselves dedicated for his birthday. Lunch and playtime at McDonalds followed by a trip to the toy department of Walmart so Ian could pick out his birhtday present. He was so excited. We did have a small celebration on September 15 with Li Li here at our house. Ian opened a few presents and we cooked out dinner. He then received his big gift from Mommy & Daddy...a four wheeler. He was so excited. It is an electric one that is just the perfect size for him. He rides it everywhere and thinks he is sooooo big.
I can't believe my little boy is already FOUR years old! Where does the time go?

Baseball?.....well maybe

2008-10-03T12:52:00.000-07:00

Justin and Ian have been practicing every night in the backyard that perfect swing. Justin throws the ball then yells "swing" when it is time for Ian to hit the ball. He actually hits it about 30% of the time. The other night we decided to make this tradition a family affair. While I snapped photos, London entertained herself on the patio. She actually now prefers walking over crawling. It was definitely fun times had by all!!