Our Week in Michigan

I thought that since I finally unpacked my suitcase today (I got back Tuesday night) that my vacation really is over and I should write about it. Contrary to my previous post, we actually had a great time in Michigan, even though Ty wasn't there (that's another story) and so I was a single parent, (with lots of help thankfully.) After night number 2, Jackson stopped screaming, thankfully. I did have to lay in the room with Jackson while he went to sleep, which was more than annoying, but other than that he really was great. So back to our trip.

Jackson was so excited to see his Grandpa and Grandma Jones. For weeks he woke up every morning asking to go visit his Grandma Jones in Michigan. Before we got our plane tickets he would ask if Grandma was coming to visit him at his house sometimes he would cry when I told him she couldn't come to our house. So when we found out that there was a week in October that would be good for us to visit the busy Mission President and his wife, we jumped on the chance to go. (Ty already had plane tickets to visit his friend in Washington, so yes, I went by myself to the inlaws.) So we had a great time. Nick and Kristin came from Chicago for the weekend with their adorable little girls. It was so great to see them. I think that Alexis is the best behaved little girl I have ever met. Nick and Kristin need to write a parenting book. Geez. I was so impressed. Anyways, here are the cute cousins together with their annual halloween shirts from their Grandma Jones.

They had so much fun together. Making cupcakes with Grandma,

Playing football with Grandpa,

Going to the park,

Fingerpainting,

Playing with Playdoh,

And going to the Christmas Store.(Jackson loved the dancing Santa)

We also visited President Jones (Grandpa) in the Mission Office. We wanted to get a picture of them wearing the President Jones name tag. Hayden was happy to oblige.

Jackson, on the other hand, was being shy. Grandpa really did have to straight jacket him for me to get him to sit. He wouldn't even put on his nametag. But that's ok, later on that night we got a good picture. It wasn't in the mission office, but it was in the office that Grandpa Jones uses at home.

Anyways, we had a great week and we can't wait to go back, with Ty next time of course. Thanks so much Grandma and Grandpa Jones for entertaining us for the week. The boys had the best time and we miss you already!

Travel Log - October 16th 2008

We made it to Michigan. We're visiting Grandma and Grandpa Jones. And today was suppossed to be fun, and it was, until bedtime. Jackson is an emotional nut with a sleeping disorder. It's called, "I am going to be an tired donkey and not go to sleep." He was a manipulative, out of control, emotionally distraught, tired donkey. He ruined the fun day we had. We went to Bronner's Christmas Wonderland. The largest Christmas store in the world. We went out to lunch, and even though he was so tired, he ate and wasn't too bad. He took a nap in the car. He played outside. He ate dinner nicely. And then it was bedtime, and for the second night in a row, he didn't want to read stories, didn't want to say prayers, didn't want to sing songs, didn't want the light off and the list goes on and on and on. Because of all his screaming his poor brother couldn't go to sleep, and that kid can sleep, and needs his sleep. So I'm laying in bed with Jackson - which I am extremely against - and I am almost shaking with anger because I am so mad that I am laying with Jackson in bed, when there are so many other things I want to do. He can do the going to sleep part by himself.

So he stops crying and Hayden stops crying and I lay there at least half an hour. (It might have been 5 mintues, I don't know. I can't stand laying there when I'm not going to bed.) And I think they're asleep. So I get up and Jackson screams - Mommy Nooooooooo! Don't go. I'll miss you! Don't goooooooooooo! No! No! No! No! No! Mommy! Mommy! Mommy! Mommy. By this time I was done. So I closed th door.

Now they're both screaming. Jackson is basically hyperventilating and I am considering calling a taxi and saying See ya next week. I'll pick you up when it's time to catch the flight home. But Grandma saved the day. I took Hayden out of his bed and went to the quiet basement and closed the door. Then I rocked him to sleep (which I haven't done since he was little, little, like 4 months old it seems like.) and Grandma Jones calmed the beast down. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. Will you put him to bed tomorrow? When Nick and Kristin are here with their babies? Please?

This Year I Saw Some

I think I have missed "The Changing of the Leaves" for years. I haven't driven up in the mountains to see them for a long time, so a couple weeks ago we did it. We drove through the canyon and it was beautiful. Granted, I didn't realize that the leaves were changing already, but everybody else did. The weather was so nice and there was no BYU game that Saturday, soooo, we're still alive and we didn't get pushed off the road, and down a cliff, which I almost thought was actually going to happen. Anyways, I accidentally saw the leaves and they were beautiful. I exposed the boys to Cascade Springs. I loved going there when I was little.

We ate lunch on a rock.Dad's trying to show the boys the fishies.

Hey boys, take a picture with your Mom so you know that she went with you places. Ya, that's a great one.

Ok, now take a picture with your Dad.

Hey, look at Mommy. I want a good one in front of the cool looking burnt stump, dang it. I don't care if it's nap time.

Awww, family togetherness. The end.

A glimpse

Check out these awesome pictures of my little boys. Tiffany Moody in my ward agreed to take pictures of my babies. Looks like she did a great job, especially working with my shy children who don't like to smile when people tell them to, or do anything that people tell them to really. She would tell Jackson to sit or stand somewhere and he would say, "Um, no. I don't think so." Or just plain, "Um, no." She was so patient. Thanks Tiffany, I love them!

BYU vs. Wyoming

Last week I took Jackson to his very first BYU football game. We had a blast. He was so good! I couldn't believe it. Whenever Ty and I would go to games together we would always say, "Can you imagine if we had brought Jackson? Or Hayden? They would have been so awful." But I had so much fun with Jackson. He loved it. He he watched the game and played in his seat and entertained everyone aroud him by saying he wanted the "white" team to win, not the "blue." Then he would laugh and laugh at himself. I was even a nice mommy and bought him a hot dog, sprite (his favorite), popcorn, and ice cream. He doesn't even realize how lucky he is. When I was little (and going to USU football games almost every weekend) my parents never bought us treats at the game, and if they did, it was like 1 drink for everyone (3 or 4 kids) and one thing of popcorn to share. I felt I was being very not cheap.

Notice the sprite. In the picture above he actually sat down on the steps, all by himself, and said, "I'm ready mom. Cheese!" I guess he knows I like to take a lot of pictures. That big fleshy thing is actually my arm, not a butt crack.He got a little tired at the end, but I can't wait to take him again. Gotta start em young, ya know?

Hair

Yes, I actually spent time doing this, lots of time. I use my time so efficiently. I wonder why my dishes aren't done? Hmmm. Well at least now I have a better knowledge of photoshop. That is way more important than having clean dishes...and clean clothes....and a clean bathroom....and sleep. Anyone can have that. Only I can have these pictures. Ty with hair makes me giggle....hysterically.




Go here if you have as much time as I do.

Ok people, I shouldn't blog at 12:30 in the morning. I only used photoshop to put the pictures side by side, but it took me a while to figure out how to do it. I seriously know nothing about using photoshop. Go to yearbookyourself.com and upload pictures of yourselves and you too can have awesome hair.

Videos - part 2

So I meant to actually post videos in my last post, but for some reason I can only post one video at a time, and I also got distracted. Imagine that, but I wanted to put on one more of Jackson because it makes me laugh.

Videos

Jackson is so funny. He does the craziest things. I love how his little mind works.

And now that I write this I'm sure I'm going to ginx everything, but lately he has been the sweetest, nicest boy. He's been taking naps, and if he doesn't nap he has had quiet time in his room and he actually stays in there playing until he hears Hayden wake up, which means quiet time is over. He's been so fun and he helps me clean and he's going potty wonderfully. It's really been great lately.

And then there's Hayden who has entered the terrible terrible two and is screaming and throwing tantrums. He actually bit Jackson, on the back, of all places. I hate biting. I can handle hitting and kicking, but not biting. To me it means that the kid is evil. I don't know why. So I guess it's either one or the other. At least I don't have to deal with "Jon and Kate plus 8" type life. I only have 2. (I am addicted to that show. It helps me realize that things could be much much harder.) Check it out if you're having a stressful day. It always makes me feel better.This picture of Hayden shows our latest battle. He has rejected his high chair and refuses to use a booster seat most of the time. He wants to sit on a big chair. If I put him him in his high chair and give him food, he gets so mad that he throws it all on the floor while screaing, "Noooooo." So he sits on the big chair and he can't even see his food and can barely get it with a fork. He gets so frustrated, probably not as frustrated as I am though.

Sarah Palin and HIllary Clinton

Trying this again.....so funny

Things I've Been Meaning to Post

I've been meaning to post our last swim of the season. It's so sad that I won't be swimming outside every Wednesday afternoon for a long time. When we were swimming I realized that I didn't bring my camera and I haven't taken pictures of the boys swimming all summer long. That was a travesty because they are so cute in the water. Luckily Lisa saved me and took lots of pictures of our cute kids. I couldn't choose between all of the pictures, so instead of making you scroll down a mile, I put them ALL in a slideshow. I love all the pictures, and I love Lisa's camera, next time I'm getting a Sony.

I took the boys to the Children's Museum again. We have a pass and they LOVE it to say the least. Jackson asks me almost every other day if we can go to the children's museum. I don't think from the pictures that you can tell they actually enjoyed themselves. I have noticed that the more intense and serious the looks are on their faces, the more fun they are having. Or they just can't look they are having fun while concentrating on something new. Who knows, but I know they liked it and Hayden cried and cried when I told him that it was time to say goodbye to the helicopter. They spent an hour on that thing and there were no other kids. It was great, but I only have one picture because I accidentally dropped the camera while taking a picture of both of them flying the thing, and the lens was stuck for the remainder of the day. That was scary, luckily I pushed it back in and it's working, but I was panicked for a while, next year when my husband has a job, and might "drop" it again so that I can get a Sony. (I really love that thing.)

And finally:

Hayden is 22 months old, which is really crazy to me because on the day Jackson turned 22 months old, Hayden was born. One important milestone happened to Hayden on the 22 months mark.

He went pee pee in the potty. Granted, he hasn't gone since, but he sits on it every day and he loves it. He asks to sit on the potty. Aaa, what a good boy.

Labor Day

Last week my sister Amy and my niece Madison came down and we went to Farm Country. The kiddies loved it.

Hayden loved the little chicks, well they might have been Turkeys, I couldn't figure out what they were. Anyways, they loved the baby poultry.

Hayden actually tried to feed the baby cow, but then pulled back as fast as he could. At least he was laughing, unlike Jackson, who basically told me I had to be kidding if I thought he was going to feed a cow.

Of course they loved playing in the jail. Jackson actually asked me yesterday, "Mom, where do we live?" Me: "We live in our house." Jackson: "No! We live in jail!" uhhhh, whatever dude.

This picture was the cutest one of all of the kids together. I should have cropped myself out.

And then of course we had to ride the horses. Hayden laughed and cried at the same time when I put him on the tiny horse. We made it one time around and then he literally jumped off, but Jackson did great all by himself.

It was pretty cute to watch them. I was glad we attempted to do something fun over labor day. The rest of the time we basically cleaned the house, which is now already a complete disaster. What a waste.