third grade

Payton Jones

First Day of Third Grade

As is always the case, we finished our last summer vacation late Sunday night and then prepared to start school the next day.  Ready or not...here we come.  No new backpack.  No new clothes.  Back to school at our house is super easy going since it's in the middle of the summer.  I did buy Payton a new lunchbox because he was NOT going to use the {embarrassing} Transformer's lunchbox anymore.  He didn't actually say that because he has too much tact, but the hum, hahhing he did when I pulled it out and asked if this would work again this year said plenty.  

Payton has the most amazing teacher this year, which I didn't think was possible because he had the most amazing teacher last year.  I feel so blessed!  I just can't believe that we are already here...third grade...really?  really!

Here's to {hoping/praying for} another amazing school year for Payton!

big boy bed

Once upon a time, there was a sweet little boy named Cooper who was 2-years-old, but he often thought he was 5-years-old because that's how old his brother was.  He told everyone he was 5-years-old and tried to act like a 5-year-old.  One day, he realized that 5-year-old boys DO NOT sleep in cribs.  Cooper was still sleeping in a crib so he decided to show his parents that this was not acceptable.  He climbed in and out of his crib, scaled the window and pulled on the blinds until finally he broke the crib (and anything within reach) to the point that it was almost unusable. 

When his Mother realized what was going on, she knew that she had to give up her own desire to keep this sweet little boy caged up in his crib and buy him a "Big Boy Bed."  It was time.  Cooper had shown that he could not be contained in a crib any longer.

Cooper and his two older brothers, Payton and Parker went to the "Big Boy Bed Store" (IKEA) with their Mother to find the perfect bed.  They had so much fun trying out all the beds, but they knew that the little white one would be perfect for Cooper. 

Cooper cheered all the way home, "My bed!"  "My bed!"  "My bed!"  He was excited that his devious plan to get out of his crib had worked.  Cooper, Payton and Parker anxiously awaited while their Mother set up the bed.  As soon as the bed was set up, they all cheered along with Cooper, "My Bed!"  "My Bed!"  "My Bed!"

Cooper's Mother hoped that this excitement would last when it was time to actually sleep in this new bed.  {Luckily, this is a fairytale, which always has a happy ending.}  When it was bedtime, Cooper's Mother read him a bedtime story, gave him his blanket and bear, then tucked Cooper into his big boy bed for the first time.  His Mother walked away and as she closed the door she saw Cooper close his eyes and go fast asleep.

And they all lived happily ever after...

Until a week later when Cooper realized that he could actually get out of his bed, open the door and roam around the house as he pleased!  Oh boy...

Cooper LOVES his big boy bed!  The rest of us are trying to endure it.

annual jones family reunion

Can you guess what the theme was this year?  That's right, y'all...Western.

Payton absolutely goes crazy for this family reunion.  Not because of the dirt, the lake, the 4-wheelers or all the fun boys to run around with {those are great too}.  But, he loves the themes.  He begins asking months in advance..."What's the theme?"  Oh yes this boy looks like his Dad, acts like his Dad and idolizes his Dad, but he does love a good party like his Mom!

If you haven't been properly introduced to a Jones Family Reunion, please click here, here or here to see that this is not just your average Family Reunion.  The women of Tim's family put all the other family reunion planners to shame.  I'm ashamed this year because I didn't take very many great pictures, but that doesn't mean there wasn't tons of amazing western garb adorning every last inch of the cabin.  These women do not miss a detail!

This reunion seems to triple in size every year with the amount of offspring we are producing, which makes it sooo chaotic.  There are literally kids running in and out and up and down and everywhere all day and NIGHT long.  Pure chaos, but I love it and can't imagine not doing this. 

Island Park has become one of my favorite places.  I absolutely love running around the Island.  I love the feeling of the mountains.  I love spending time with family that we only see a couple times a year.  I love seeing how much every is growing and changing.  I love this tradition that Tim's family started and continues to carry on.

Yee-haw!

tim's birthday

Tim was out of town the week before his birthday so we were able to plan a few special surprises for him.  The boys could hardly wait to give Tim this candy poster.  They loved going to the store and picking out the candy and then deciding what it should say.  We had to vote on what the poster should say.  Payton took suggestions and we voted on whose suggestions everyone liked best.  Basically, Payton forced Parker & Cooper to vote for his.  It was pretty cute!  Although it's hard for me (being the control freak that I am), I love giving my boys control and watching to see what they do.

The other fun surprise for Tim's Birthday ended up being a super fun surprise for me too (not so much for Cooper)!

Tim's Mom always cut his hair growing up.  He has begged me to cut his hair since we got married and then started having boys.  He hates the hassle of making a hair appointment and driving two streets away to get his haircut.  He wanted something more "convenient"...plus he's cheap!

I've never had a desire to cut hair...ever...not even a desire for one second.  It's second on the list, right below "Nurse," of things I never want to do.  But, since I've been conquering "things I never want to do" lately, I figured, why not try?

Tim was out of town, my boys hair was beyond shaggy and I drove past a Sally Beauty Supply store....it dawned on me...perfect birthday present!  So, I walked in and spent just under a hundred dollars on clippers, scissors and a cape.  (What can I say?  I'm an all or nothing girl.)  I called my friend on the way home and said, "I'm cutting my boys hair tonight.  Is there anything I should know?"  She said, "I'll be right over!"

Danielle (pictured above) came over and showed me how to cut my boys hair.  I was instantly hooked and started demanding the scissors.  It felt like this is what I was born to do.  Breed boys and cut their hair!  Okay, it wasn't that smooth and their hair didn't look that great, but it looked good.  And, more importantly, I loved it!

Nurse.  check.
Barber.  check.
What's next?  Auto mechanic.

I know!  I know!  This post was supposed to be about Tim's birthday.  Funny, how I can always manage to make everything about me.  Back to Tim...I'm pretty sure he had a great birthday and loved all his surprises!

{Although I'm pretty sure that the boys & I loved them even more!}

cub scout day camp

Payton got to attend Cub Scout camp for the first time this year and I got to attend one day with him!  That's just one of the perks to my awesome calling {Cub Scout Committee Chair}.  I'll have to get back to you on the other perks.  Anyway, he went to Jurassic Journey the first day and Super Hero Academy the second day.  Basically, it's every thing you would expect cub scout camp to be and more!  The kids loved it and the leaders endured it...mission accomplished!

Seriously though...I really do like my calling and love working with these boys and the AMAZING cub scout leaders that we have.  Camp was so much fun...and funny...really it was quite hilarious!

twelve years

{June 22, 2010 we celebrate our 12-year-wedding anniversary}

Tim & I were in California on vacation with our family when our anniversary came around.  Tim thought we should leave the boys with his parents and celebrate with a night out in Cali.  I thought we should spend the time with our family and celebrate after we got home.  

I won....just like I always do.

Not just because I always get my way {which I usually do}, but because I'm married to this man. 

I won...18 years ago when I first noticed Tim across the room at a church dance (sad, but true!)

I won...16 years ago when I was finally able to start "dating" Tim.

I won...15 years ago when I felt the horrible pains of losing someone I truly loved.  The day Tim left to serve a full-time mission I felt like a piece of me was gone.  I didn't know if we'd end up together in the end, but I knew that I really had fallen in love with him!

I won...13 years ago when Tim returned home from his mission and we discovered we were both still madly in love with each other.

I won...12 years ago when we were sealed together for time and all eternity.

I won...and I'm still winning every single day since we got married.  12 years ago I would have never dreamed that I could love this man so deeply, so intensely and so indescribably much, but I do.  

I won...because I discovered true love and I keep discovering it every single day!

girlfriends

{Me, Camille, Michelle, Dani & Heidi}

{Doing what we do best...talking & eating!}

“Even though we've changed and we're all finding our own place in the world, we all know that when the tears fall or the smile spreads across our face, we'll come to each other because no matter where this crazy world takes us, nothing will ever change so much to the point where we're not all still friends.”

This quote perfectly sums up how I feel about my friendship with these girls.  I'm so happy that we've made a real effort (believe me, it's seriously an effort) to get together often.  This year we did some extra special things for each other and although this crazy world takes us in all different directions our friendship continues to get stronger.  These girls are my forever friends and I'm so grateful for them in my life!