Eric's first ugly tie!

We finally sent Eric his first package...and his first UGLY TIE!  The Cameron Family (the same family who gave Eric his lucky tie) told us how to play the ugly tie game.  Basically, we send Eric an "ugly tie" once a month and he has to get a picture with either himself wearing it, or someone else.  So fun!!  I picked up three ugly ties at the DI, and then I had to decide which one to send first. This one is a beauty and it won!  It has foxes, birds, and flowers on it.  Plus, it's orange!  Also on the back it states:  "To be worn with a black, brown or olive suit."  I'm so glad it came with instructions!  I have never seen anything like that sewn on the inside of a tie!  Hilarious!

 

 

 

This one isn't quite as ugly, but I'm keeping it incase I need it for a different month.  It definitely still has its "ugly" charm...

 



 

And this is the 3rd one!  I had to take a few pictures of it because I wanted you to see the whole tie, plus the close up what the pictures are.

 



 

This is a Tabasco/Shrimp tie!  Look closely at the picture!  So funny!

 



 

 

Look at those shrimp!  Ha, ha, ha, ha, ha...

 



We're still waiting for the picture of Eric (or someone else) and he better send it...or there's going to be trouble!  Jake Cameron said he even got his mission president to wear one of his ugly ties.... :)

 

I'll keep you updated... 

Jacob turns 9!

Jacob and his friend Max (Goff) went to cub country together. They had so much fun!

 

 

And then Jacob had a birthday!  He turned 9 years old!  He chose pizza for his dinner and ice cream sandwiches for his treat.  Yes, we are party animals!

 

Jacob got a new DS game...a Pokémon game, to be exact.

 

And a few new Yugioh booster packs!

 



 

 

I'm pretty sure we sang Happy Birthday to him, but don't quote me on that.

 



Happy Birthday Jacob!  We love you so much!

July 4th Fireworks 2013

On the 4th of July, we got together with my Mom and Dad and Brad and Michelle's family.  First we ate ice cream sandwiches!  Yum!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Then we lit some fireworks...

 



 

And some more...

 

And then a few more...

 

until...

 



 

 

they were all gone!

 



Happy 4th of July!  :)

Family Vacation 2013--Disneyland/California Adventure

Happy Jones Vacation!

At the end of June, we finally made it to Disneyland!  We even went to the beach one day!  Sadly, Eric didn't get to come.  We had originally planned to go the end of May, but because Eric's report date to the MTC was on June 12, we just felt like there wouldn't be time.  Plus the other kids had end-of-the-year tests, concerts, and other obligations....so we postponed it.  Yes, Eric was sad...(but he's on his mission and he's doing great.  I think he forgives us...hopefully).

 

These first few pictures were taken with Todd's iphone because my camera suddenly stopped working in the middle of our trip, so they're not great...UGH!

 

This was in front of California Screamin' in California Adventure.  And just so you know...I went on it and loved it!  Go figure! 

 

This is the hotel swimming pool.  It was nice and surrounded by palm trees.  Very secluded and totally fun!

 



 

 

This isn't a very good picture, but it was quite hilarious.  It was the shot of us at the end of Space Mountain.  Soooo funny!  (It's probably good you can't see it too clearly...I looked pretty scared--Ha).

 



 

 

Todd found this cool "Lone Ranger" hat in one of the gift shops.  He put it on and I had to get a picture!  The "paint" was a special effect from the computer...hilarious!

This was our very first ride...the safari ride.  The first day, my mom and Wendy and Anthony and their family were here with us.  The weather was perfect.  It was an overcast day and it was only in the low 80's.  We couldn't have asked for a better day!  (We tried, but sadly, that was the only "cool" day we got the whole trip).

 



This was a very cool aviation ride in California Adventure.  I think it was called, "Soarin' over California."  It was one of our favorites!

Driving the cars at Disneyland...Jacob got to steer in Todd's car, and Kyle got to steer in my car...it's good they have to wait until their 16 to drive for real!  It was just a little bumpy...

Iron Man exhibit.  Eric was jealous of this one...

 



Kyle and Jacob were fighting right before this picture was taken...they don't look too happy, but it cracks me up that Dallin and Brandon are totally smiling in the middle!  Funny stuff!

 



  It was a fun 5 days in California!  Yahoo!  (we did miss Eric though...sorry Eric)

Family Vacation 2013--Beach

 

 

  We went to the beach one of the days!  It was a really nice overcast day...

 

This is the first time we have ever been to a REAL beach!  Exciting stuff!

 



 

 

Dallin couldn't let the time go by without building a sandcastle!  Okay, this one is pathetic...he actually built a better one than this...it will be in a future pic...

 



 

Brandon hurt his foot at the hotel earlier that day, so he didn't go into the water much, because the salt water stung his owie.  :(

 



 

 

Ahhh, there is a better sandcastle.  I told you...and there's even a feather on top!

 

Way to go Dallin!

 



The kids loved the waves!

 



 

 

Sadly, we all got sunburned, on different parts of our bodies...

 



It was quite a windy day, but it wasn't so hot!

 

We still got burned though.

 



 

Scary hair!  But it's vacation, right?

 



 

 



 

 The day we went to the beach was lots of fun, but we were miserable afterwards because of our sunburns.  Apparently I didn't do a very good job with the sunscreen.  Ugh!

   When we were driving back from California to Las Vegas, it was triple digits (in the middle of a heat wave) and several cars were pulled off on the side of the road because of their cars overheating.  We had to go slower, and turn our air off a couple of times so we could make it.  It was crazy and soooo hot!  When we drove home from Vegas, we decided to leave late Sunday night, and drive through the middle of the night, so we wouldn't have to deal with the heat.  We left at about 10:00 pm our time, and got home at 4:45 am.  It was a long night, but there was very little traffic, and it was much cooler!

On the way home from our trip, I bought this souvenir in Mesquite, Nevada at a Chevron station.  We saw it on the drive up, but I decided to wait to see if I found anything I liked more on our vacation.  I couldn't decide what to get, so I got this on the way home...I was so glad we found it again...and that there was still one there!

This is what it looks like on the back!  How stinking cute!

 



 

 

It was a successful family vacation!  I'm so glad we got to go!