Happy 50th Anniversary Mom and Dad

My parents celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary on June 3rd of this year.  They were married in 1961.  Wow!  Way to go you guys!  (I won't comment how old that means you are....let's just say, you both look great!

In honor of their special accomplishment, my siblings and their spouses all went out to dinner....just the adults!  I think that was the first time we've ever done that without at least a kid or two.  They wanted to go to Red Lobster, and since we aim to please, we granted their wish.  I am not a seafood lover and neither is my brother's wife, but we survived.  I had chicken, just incase you were wondering.  Todd, however, was so excited.  We've only been to Red Lobster one other time and I don't remember much about it.  So he was thrilled when he heard we were going there.  My  poor, deprived husband!

Mom and Dad.....still smiling!

I decided in order to be fair, I would post the family pictures in chronological age....sorry Wendy.

Wendy and Anthony 

Melissa and Todd

Brad and Michelle

(my younger sister wasn't there)

And here is the beautiful card we gave them.  Yes, I made it.  I know, you can hardly contain yourself because it's so cute..... :)

50 years...

...and still swimming!



It was a fun evening.  We gave them a gift certificate to Red Lobster, so they could go again sometime....they love the place, but don't go very often, and 6 movie tickets.  After dinner, we got all the cousins together and "hung out" at our place.  It really was great!

Congrats Mom and Dad for 50 years!  I didn't say you were swimming well, but at least you're still treading water.  (HA)   Keep it up!  We love you both!

Happy 17th Birthday Eric!

Eric turned 17 years old on June 5th.  I know I always seem shocked whenever my kids have a birthday because they are growing up TOO fast......and since I still feel the same today, I'll spare you the details of my pending doom of growing-up children!  Just know that I AM shocked of how quickly the time is going and I don't like it!

Since his birthday was on Sunday (and a Fast Sunday at that), we had a pretty mellow day as a family. Eric requested Chicken Alfredo for dinner, so of course, I obliged. 

This cake looks terrible.  I know that. You don't need to tell me. I asked Eric what kind of cake he wanted and he said, "white with pink frosting."  I didn't have 17 candles to put on it, so I decided to write on it instead.  It was cuter in my head.....for some reason, when I started to write, the gel "frosting pen" leaked and exploded on the cake.  I'm sure it had nothing to do with me......either way, it still tasted good and my boys didn't seem to mind that you could barely read the sentiment.....

Eric got a guitar strap and a "clamp-thing" for his guitar too.  He also got a new game for his PSP. 

We love you Eric.  You are such a wonderful example of righteousness to your brothers and we are so proud of you!

Happy Birthday Eric!

Oh, and one more thing.....Eric made Madrigals last week.  The current Mads came and got Eric at 2:30 in the morning (Tuesday night) and took him  away for the rest of the day.  They had breakfast at someone's house, walked around a bit in the dark, blind-folded, then went to school.  The Mads made him wear a sign that said, "Hello!  My name is Eric Jones.  I made Madrigals!  Please make me sing I'm a Little Teapot."

Congrats Eric!  What a fun experience you are going to have!  Way to go son!

Planting the Garden

We planted our garden this year as a family.  What a great idea!  Sadly, we've actually never done this all together, so this was a first.  It was fun and it might be the starting of a new tradition.....stranger things have happened.....

Jacob was thrilled to be in on the planting.....

Even I got my hands dirty.....and trust me, the other hand was dirty too.....

Kyle was sick with Strep, but he came out with his blanket and watched, so we could all be together.  Poor kid.....he didn't feel well at all.

Brandon was a great help!  Way to go Brandon!  Beautiful!

Eric and Dallin planting together.  I am really going to miss these days when these kids are all grown up....

We borrowed a tiller and Eric did most of it.  Good job son!

Even Dad helped.  He still couldn't bend well or get down on his knees, but he was a trooper! 

Sweet Kyle.  He just couldn't smile, he was too sick!

Brandon and Ziggy.  Yes, Ziggy was there too.  He didn't help much though.  I wish we could train him to do the garden.....

Cute Jacob!  (And FYI:  this outfit he is wearing is an Eric original)!  Awww, I can hardly stand it. 

This is a picture of only one side of our garden.....it's not too big, but it's just right for us!

Unfortunately, Todd says the cucumbers are already dead.  It's probably because I helped this year.  So much for tradition.......Oh well, maybe it's not the "harvesting" that matters......right?

Happy Birthday to me!

I turned 42 on May 5 of this year.  UGH!  I mean, don't get me wrong......I LOVE my birthday, but I don't really like the fact that I'm getting older.  It's more apparent every year that it's inevitably going to happen and there's not a thing I can do about it.

This year, a friend in my ward gave me a coupon to get a manicure/hand massage.  So I decided to go on that day.  I've never had my nails done or any spa treatment for that matter, but it was fun.  I took a picture of my beautiful hands after they were all manicured, pampered, and colored.  When Todd saw the picture, he said, "Wow, your hands are getting old!"

So there you have it.....I KNOW my hands are getting old. Guess what? The rest of me is getting old too! (But who's the one with the new hip at 41? C'mon, am I right?) :)

It was a fun day and I wore my smiley attire to show my happiness.

Here are a few (okay, a lot) of random photos that make me extremely happy!

Jacob and Ziggy, asleep.  How stinking cute is that?  Come to think of it, Ziggy is ONLY cute when he's sleeping......

The kids at Hollywood Connection.  Brandon, is the sun in your eyes....because it's night time....just saying....

Todd and Melissa at Leatherby's for my Mom's birthday celebration.

THE DUCKS!  We love the ducks.  They come every Spring and sit in our yard.  Sooo cute!

Kyle and Jacob at the Pinewood derby this year (in April).  Kyle didn't win this year and he was NOT happy about it.  It's okay, Kyle.  You did great!

Mom and Eric the night of Eric's Sweetheart's dance.

St. Patrick's Day.  Jacob was the only one who dared try my green eggs.....and I'm not sure you could have really called it a "bite."  It was very miniscule!

Dallin and his paper dragon/dinosaur/unicorn.   He loves to create and is very good at it!

Kyle feeding the ducks.

Jacob asleep on the couch.  If you look real close, you can see that his socks don't match.....but hey, that shows character, right?

This picture of me was taken last summer (2010).  I had ordered these earrings from Avon, not realizing how big they were.  Ummm......yeah, too big for me.  But I thought they were hilarious!

Brandon with his saxophone!

Hey dude!  What's up?  Cool Kyle, that's what!

Grandma and Grandpa Jones who are currently serving a mission in Texas.  Way to go!

Brandon stealing a brownie.  You've been caught, son!

My sweet husband!

Eric and his friend, Tim, at the Cottonwood talent show....so cool!

Jacob and Dallin building a tower with lincoln logs!

Dallin at the science fair.  He tested different kinds of salts to see which would dissolve the quickest in water.  It was tons of fun!

Grandma and Grandpa Johnson at Grandma's birthday celebration.

Eric and Brandon on the Merry-Go-Round.  Who says teenagers are too big?

The Jones kids and the Johnson kids (my brother's) at Josiah's baptism.

Jacob and Kyle miniature golfing. 

Eric, my almost 17 year old!  Oh man......

I know those were random pictures, but they're what makes me happy!  Happy Birthday to me!

Easter 2011

Yes, everyone, we celebrated Easter this year.  I know I'm a month late.....But better late than never, I say!

We started off traditionally with coloring Easter eggs.  Easter would not be complete without that....

Dallin

                                                                   Dallin and Brandon

                                                                                

 Kyle

Even Eric got in on the act.  I think his face says it all.....he was thrilled by this event.  C'mon Eric, where's your Easter spirit?  (Okay, in all fairness, Eric wasn't feeling well, so we'll let it slide this time)  :)

                              Contrary to Eric, Jacob WAS thrilled and showed it immensely!

Seriously, look how creative we are.  You can't really see it in these pictures, but we actually had tatoos this year to put on the eggs.  We are living on the edge at the Jones household!

 I decided to do something different this year with our Easter baskets. I found these cool (okay..... inexpensive, boring, white baskets on clearance), so I thought it would be fun if we decorated them.  We used ribbon and markers and stickers.  LIke I said before, we are so living the lime light!  Here is a picture of everyone's basket the night before Easter.  See the unique blue one?  Yeah, um, that's Kyle's.  He didn't want a boring, white basket, he wanted a "real" Easter basket......why not?  He's unique and wants to show it!  We can't all be the same, after all, right?

The morning of Easter (before everyone "dug" into their baskets).

                     Brandon got a new book and Kyle got a pack of Pokemon cards......so cool!
                                                                    

                      Jacob got a Toy-Story 3 ball.  He was excited about that....and I don't blame him.  Don't you remember those cool, red playground balls from elementary school?  I saved up my money once to buy one and I LOVED it!  It totally rocked!

                                       Dallin got a Wilson volleyball.  It's what he wanted. 

Eric got an itunes gift card and his very own set of truck keys (with a keychain).  He was pretty excited.  "No, Eric, the truck is not yours....."



We had a great Easter.  We celebrate the bunny stuff on Saturday, so that we can concentrate on the true meaning of Easter on Sunday.  It was a nice weekend and we are so blessed and grateful for the gift of the Resurrection.  We hope our children remember the great sacrifice that Christ gave to us.  And that He lives once again. 

Happy Easter!