Annual Jones get together

After last years meager appearance of everyone I almost didn't have a get together this year. I'm glad that I did. We had a great turn out. I always love having everyone over and sitting around visiting and seeing everyone. We have also included the Garlocks (Drew's family) over the past two years and always love to have them join in with us. I think that they were a little overwhelmed this year but we want you to know that you are always welcome and we love having you with us. We had 56 in the family picture
and a few that showed up after the picture. In all I think we had 65 here for an evening of fun, eating and visiting.


Put it on your calendars for next year. It will be the Saturday after Christmas since Christmas falls on a Saturday in 2010. I think that puts it for Jan. 1, 2011. Mark your calendars.

Christmas Day

I just wanted to express the joy and love I have for each and everyone one of my family and friends. We are so richly blessed with good health and a wonderful family. I had so much fun making a few presents for some of our family. I couldn't show them earlier because it would have spoiled their surprise.
Christmas was a wonderful day. Almost all of our children were here, I got most of the shopping and sewing done early which helps me so I'm not stressed out. I really had a fun time making a couple of the kids and one grandson quilts. It was hard getting Tiffany's done because she pops in so often and I really wanted it to be a surprise. She had cut up all of her old cheer shirts from 4 years of doing cheer a few years ago but didn't know how to put them together. I didn't either so it was trial and error. I ripped the whole thing apart three different times before I finally liked it.
Trevor, Brandi and Bentley's were a challenge at the last because my sewing machine went on the blink (the computer chip died) so I was finishing up the one night they both worked while we were in Texas at Thanksgiving. I finished them about 10 minutes before Trevor walked in from work. I think if I do quilts I will need to start earlier in the year. They take longer than I thought they would but I'm happy with the end results. Colten is already requesting a levi quilt but I will have a couple of years to work on his.
Christmas eve we had our own little Mary and baby but couldn't get the rest of the Nativity together.
Yum, yum this puzzle is sure yummy I think every toy ought to be eaten.

Busy weekend

Last weekend was a fun filled but kinda hectic weekend. My mom and two of my nieces drove all night to be here for all of the fun. Trevor and family got here on Thursday. Saturday the 19th we tried to do family pictures. That was a major undertaking. A few turned out but most of them had someone with eyes closed, or looking at someone else.
As soon as that was done we headed to the temple for Colten. That was really special to have family and friends with us there. Everyone was pictured out so we only got the three of us afterward's.
Then it was time to pick up a few things at the store. While I was gone my sweet sister surprised me and flew in for the rest of the fun. That evening Caleb had his Eagle Court of Honor along with two other boys in our ward, Jaron Ellingson and Reuben Marriott. This is the 4th and last for us. We are so proud of all of our boys and this great accomplishment.

Late Saturday evening our sweet Sugar dog took a bad turn for the worst and we had to put her down. She was 15 1/2 years old and was a very good dog. She will be missed.
Sunday Colten gave his mission farewell talk in church. It was so exciting to have all of my children and grandchildren together their with us. Many extended family and friends were also their to support Colten. We are so richly blessed. We had an open house here after church and many came by. It was a wonderful weekend. As I was trying to find a picture of the open house I realized that I spaced it and didn't take one. Oh well it was really nice.

Colten's farewell talk

This is to invite any of you who would like to come to hear Colten give his missionary talk he will be speaking this Sunday the 20th at 9:00 am. We are having a open house following our meetings from noon and well into the evening this Sunday. We will have plenty of food and refreshments so come on by and stay awhile or just a short visit. We would love to see and visit with everyone.

Nixon trying to get the Christmas tree

I had so much fun watching Nixon as he stretched, twisted and turned while trying to get to the Christmas tree.

Mission accomplished

Gingerbread houses

We sure had a lot of fun making our gingerbread houses. I think Keegan and Kierra get the prize of most candy used.

Colten and Caleb did a real nice job on their house also as did Doug and Shandraya. It was a fun filled evening

Thanksgiving

Doug, Colten, Caleb, Shandraya and I had a fun time in Texas at Trevor and Brandi's for Thanksgiving this past weekend. The weather was great until on our way home. It took us a full 12 hours to drive home through snow and rain. Long drive home. The company was great and we had a lot of fun. Bentley loves his swing that his daddy built for him. He's always saying in his cute little way "push me higher,push me higher please". We had a fun Nerf gun war



and played games, watched football, did a little shopping. Bentley and Grandpa just chillin. It was a real relaxing vacation. Didn't have any real pressure. It was a great time away from home.

A couple of weeks ago Colten thought he had a buyer for his big male tortoise but didn't sell it because the back yard for the tortoise wasn't very good, but we sure got some cute pictures of Nixon in the process. Look at that big boy sitting up all by himself at almost 5 months old.

Family Home Evening was fun for the little ones last week. Doug's brother Maury came down from Wyoming with his horses. He had one at Bekki and Adam's home for the kids to ride on.
Kierra's first horseback ride. She even went by herself the second time around and kept saying "again, again" Nixon and Shandraya for Nixon's first horse back ride.
Good food, good fun and enjoyable company = a fun evening.

Halloween

Halloween day was a lot of fun. We are starting (I hope) a new tradition. All of the kids and grandkids that live close came over and had donuts, pumpkin muffins, etc. on Saturday morning and carved pumpkins. Not quite sure how it will work when Halloween falls on a Wednesday, Thursday, or Friday. They might be all moldy and yucky by then. We'll see. It took a few of them a few hours to finish there's. And some only took a little while. All turned out really cute.
Kierra wasn't thrilled to touch the guts at all. Nixon just sat their smiling his happy smile

and Keegan got into it. Jeremy,
Colten,
and Caleb

really spent the time and it shows with their carvings. It was a lot of fun.

Mission Call

Yesterday was an exciting day. Colten got his mission call in the mail. I sent out an email to a few people and got the video camera link with Trevor, Brandi and Bentley up and running so that they could be with us also when he opened it. Jeremy, Joanna, Keegan and Kierra were just arriving in San Diego at that time so we had them on speaker phone. All of his brothers and sisters were here one way or another. It was great.
Drum roll please.......He reports to the Provo MTC on January 6, 2010. He is going to the Houston, Texas south mission. English speaking. We are sooooooo excited.