4th Of July

August is not too late to post about the 4th of July right?

We partied hard this year! The kids decorated shirts.

We went to the Celebration of Freedom In Down Town Mesa.

For 2 nights the kids had so much to do!

We took the kids out to dinner to a little pizza place on Main.

The kids played on the blowup water slides

They got to play carnival games face paint

And check out Patriotic exhibits.

Down Town Mesa did a great job! the Church Members did a great job volunteering! and it was all free!! On Saturday they did fireworks. Living in San Diego seeing a fireworks show dozens of times from the closest possible spot, I thought I would never be impressed with another firework show BUT, I was wrong! Mesa did a scary good job...a little too scary. There was fireworks falling down right where we were! I think the unexpected wind and heat kept the embers burring too long. After the show the kids picked up some of the pieces.

Monday was the actual 4th of July. We went to Bass Pro ( the big sports, hunting & outdoor recreation store) It may kind of hill billy to go there and plan on not spending any money but we love it. We just to window shop, tour the boats and 4 wheeler, look at fishing equipment, shoot the toy guns at the interactive targets and feed the fish at the big indoor tank. It felt very American, it was free, and the kids love it!

Then we went to the dollar movie theater. We saw a cute kids movie called Rio, about a bird going to Rio, Brazil. Whats more American them Brazil? Then Mommy and Daddy

took us to Peter Pipper pizza for Dinner,and we were off to another Fireworks show. We got good seats to see the down town Tempe show.

The Jones Family, Wengers and Figgins all met up with us.

Tempe had the longest show ever probably 2 hours! we enjoyed Chocolate covered pretzels and soda during the show.

Happy 4th of July!

Easter Sunday

Easter Sunday my kids looked pretty good! and they all got along for a few minutes!!

March Brian Jr's Baptism

Brian was Baptized in March.He is such a joy. I took him to the Temple to take photos for his baptisim invitation. He protested at first because he thought it would be too boring and he didn't want to get ready for church so early. but after we were there for a few minutes

he started to have fun.

Here is Brian and his father on the special day. I am glad Brian made the decession to be baptized. he is defiantly growing up and testing his limits. He wants to grow up so fast. I hope he will always make the right choices and serve a mission someday!

He is a handsome boy. I love his freckles!

I wish I would have taken pictures of the dinner

after the yard looked so nice and all the family that came was wonderful

Early Release

One Day In February the kids had an early release from school.

After they were home for a while looked out the back yard window

and saw all the kids playing nicely together.

I knew I had to document this moment.

Sunday Morning Rough Housing

We have lots of time Sunday Mornings lately

as a result the restless kids have started a tradition with Dad,

"Sunday Rough Housing"

it usually begins with Brian and Katie jumping on the bed or hiding in the covers

saying ,"I bet you can find me"

and ends with somebody getting hurt.

But the kids and Daddy all seem to have fun rough-housing

(that is totally a Jones term btw. )

I enjoy staying out

except for the times when they say lets hide from Mommy

then I come in and find

a lumpy bed of giggly blankets

waiting for me to uncover them so they can scare me.

great Sunday Fun.

February We got Chickens!

In February we got chickens!

I painted the chicken coup a lovely dark green.

This is our second try at farming chickens.

I want the eggs the kids and Brian want the pets.

We took our neighbor Anna with us to get the chicks.

Notice the was Brian looks at her :)

Happy Birthday Grammy

Today is my Grammy's birthday every time I talk to her she tells me that she reads my blog. So for her birthday I will do 2 things she loves, blog and post pictures of my kids.

Let me tell you about my Grammy. She is my Daddy's Mama. That is what her 3 sons call her, Mama. She is a beautiful woman, my sisters Charmaine and Jenny look like her with dark hair, blue eyes and light skin. Grammy is very feminine I have seen her in pants probably 10 times in my life, she is almost always wearing a skirt and flat slip on shoes, usually silver. She always has her hair, makeup and nails done just right. She is very soft spoken and gentle. She loves, her family crystal, light blue, silver, hearts, Christmas, Santa, Jingle bells, her family, most of all she loves the Lord and the gospel. Every letter she sends she is sure to include her testimony, her love and to tell us she is praying for me. Knowing that she and my Grandaddy were praying for me everyday gave me a lot of comfort as I have grown.

Grammy is the best birthday gift giver EVER! I can always count on her to rem,ember my birthday! She always gives us a personalized card and money. When we were kids she would spell our name with dollar bills and quarters to match our exact age times 2! She must have spent hours planning out how to make that all work for her 20 something :) grandchildren. She now gives personalized cards to the in laws and great grandchildren. My kids especially love the cards the get, they carry the cards with them for weeks after their birthday.

She is a hard worker! Grammy and Grandaddy have served 3 couple missions Grandaddy was a mission president in France, then they served in the The Indian Ocean Mission (including Reunion, Madagascar, Mauritius, Zaire Africa, and Seychelle Islands) and they served in French Guiana. from all the stories about serving in French Guiana the hardest part for my Grammy was the bugs, lizards, frogs and the weather. I love my Grammy! and I am so glad to have her as an example to me! Happy Birthday Grammy I love you!...i will try to get more pictures, Katie's will not work right now.