Christmas Letter 2012

Jones Family Update

Kris is currently working as a project manager, consultant, marketing manager, and entrepreneur. He stays busy with work, church, and helping others. He takes such good care of Tiffany, and his children adore him. Our favorite time of day is when dad gets home!

Tiffany continues to manage the home and take care of the kids. She feels so grateful that she can be at home with them. She stays busy with a few side jobs and homemaking projects.

Kasey just turned three. He is bright, energetic, and so much fun. He loves to run, jump, play outside, and entertain his sister. He has his mother’s strong-will and his father’s sense of adventure. We love having him in our home.

Shelby is now seven months old, and she is such a sweet little doll. She is easy-going and happy, and her dimpled grin and big blue eyes melt our hearts. She loves to play with her brother and giggle at his exploits.

We are so grateful for each other, our friends and family, and, especially this time of year, the joy of the gospel. We wish you a peaceful and joyful Christmas season.

Love, The Jones Family

A last little Christmas thought from Kasey: “The baby got forth, and before he did that he laid down his sweet head.”

Halloween and Christmas Greetings

Shelby getting acquainted with her pumpkin.

Kasey helping gut a pumpkin.

Pumpkins are carved!

Kasey displaying his pumpkin.

Mom carved Shelby’s pumpkin – see the resemblance?

Our Halloween costumes: If you can’t tell – Kris is Gilligan, Tiffany is Pippy Longstocking (Kris and I totally threw our costumes together day of – obviously), Kasey is a penguin, and Shelby a spider.


Gotta love those little spider legs!

Kasey, the penguin.  I’m pretty sure he loved this costume because of the feet.

Shelby eating cheerios for the first time.  Solids, here we come!

First snow of the season!


Kasey fulfilling his role as big brother – pulling little sis through the snow.

Kasey and Shelby – having a good time together.

Kris and Kasey – peeking through the window while playing in the snow outside.

Kasey is displaying our Christmas tree and new piano.  We are so blessed to now have my Grandma Larsen’s piano in our home. It has been such a treasure – it is a beautiful piano, and I must admit, we had played the piano much, much more since it’s arrival!  A real piano beats a keyboard any day!

It may be hard to see, but Shelby found a nice little seat for herself on one of her toys. She is moving like crazy these days! She leans forward into the crawling position, scoots a little, plops onto her tummy, stink bug’s her bum into the air, and pushes herself up to sitting again in a new position. Somehow, she gets around!

Kasey, our little drummer boy.

For some reason, Kasey and Shelby look awfully guilty in this picture, like they’ve been caught conspiring. In reality, mom had had it for the day (I was trying to sew felt Christmas trees unto shirts for everyone – more on this later), and for the first time ever, I put them both in front of a movie.

More snow! Kasey and dad built a snow man and quite the slide. Kasey loves playing in the snow, obviously.

Old Slanty, arrayed in all it’s finest.

See all that hair sticking out of Kasey’s hat? Kris is still pretty proud of Kasey’s mullet, hence the picture.

Our annual trip to temple square.  We had such a nice time. The lights and nativity put is in the mood for Christmas, and the snow added to the Christmas cheer.

It has been such a busy month.  We tried so hard to have all of our Christmas To-do’s done before December so that we could enjoy the season.  We are almost ready for Christmas, and soon we will be headed to Hurricane to visit my family and see my brother Jake who just got home from his mission – hurray! It will be such a wonderful Christmas. We are in desperate need of a holiday. Kris has been working overtime on projects, and we are ready to relax and enjoy some time together. Kasey, especially, is ready for dad to be home more:

• We were talking about how our family will be together forever because Kris and I were married in the temple. Kasey’s response:  “But dad’s not home forever and ever. He goes to work!”
• We were talking about things we are grateful for. Kasey: “I'm not thankful for my dad cuz he's at work.” His follow-up prayer that night: “Please bless that daddy can come home from work. Amen.” Our favorite time of day is when dad gets home!

Other news: My sweet grandma passed away in October.  She had a beautiful funeral and burial, but we will miss her!  It was too sudden. My Grandma Larsen's life is so inspiring. At 85 years old she was still living on her own, driving, keeping up her yard, serving her family and church, and making baby blankets for the great-grand kids. Her secret to a long and happy life: "Just keep moving!" We love and will miss you grandma!
· We told Kasey my grandma had died. It was a sweet conversation with him. We were talking about how Jesus died and they put his body in the tomb. Kasey: “Not his head? Did his head not go with his body?” Oh Kasey.
Other Kasey moments:
· “I didn't even chew that skittle!” :)  (um..not sure if that’s a good thing!)
Me: “How can I get you to stop jumping on the bed?” Kasey: “Replace me.” (We had learned what that meant recently.)

· We were having family checkup at dinner, and Kris asks what are some good things happening in our family.  Kasey responds: "I'm not poking Shelby, and we're eating our food, and we're going to have family night!" That about sums it up!

Kasey’s New Do

Yes, I know.  I am just as appalled as you.  And no, this is no camera trick or fancy editing – Kasey has a real, live mullet. (From the pictures, he looks just as shocked as I am.) I’m pretty sure that now all of Kris’s dreams are fulfilled through his son.

Here’s the before pictures– check out those beautiful waves!  What a shame to cut them.

Well, a small part of me knew it was inevitable.  I line keeps from a children’s story comes to mind: “You knew what I was when you picked me up.” (You know, the story of the man who picked up the snake and carried it to the top of the mountain where it bit him.)  It’s true, Kris did have a mullet while we were dating. Clearly, is mullet-love was no secret. And I just thought it was a phase….

Kasey turned 3!  Here he is with his three-eyed spider cake. He wanted chocolate cake with chocolate frosting  - we had to do something creative! Kasey was driving home from Lake Powell on his birthday, so we saved the celebration for Saturday -  we made his cake, then he opened his present (a yellow glider bike).  Then we took it to Liberty park for a spin. Afterwards we went to McDonald’s for dinner, then home again to eat cake a watch a movie together. I’m pretty sure, in Kasey’s eyes, this day was better than any party.

Logan Trip: We decided to take a walk down memory lane and visit our old stomping grounds at Utah State University. We went to the U of U vs. Utah State Game. Unfortunately, I was the only one in blue.  However, my team clearly dominated, as shown by Kris’s sour face.

Even Shelby was an innocent traitor to the Aggies.

Together at the game.

We stayed at a bed and breakfast in the nicest location – south of the valley in Paradise. We walked out our door and horses and cows were there to greet us.

On the quad at Utah State campus. We have such wonderful memories of going there! And yes, that is where Kris and I met and made our dreams come true: we both graduated! (haha and yes, we got married, too!)

Pictures of the kiddos:

Kasey just told me the other day that he likes having a little sister. I’m pretty sure she likes him, too. It is so darling to watch them interact and giggle and squeal together (yes, squeal – they both have the same high-pitched scream. It sounds like a chorus of chipmunk angels when they play sometimes.)

Giving Molly a bath in the kiddie pool.

Shelby doing a ballerina pose in her tights.  Our homemade Halloween decor!

In October, Shelby and I went to VA to visit my sister Heather and my new little nephew Liam, and Kris and Kasey went to Lake Powell. We missed each other terribly, but we also had the best time.

We had the best time in VA. Little Liam is so darling! It was so fun for the cousins to finally get together! Heather and Javan spoiled us with food and entertainment and took us to some fun places.

Great Falls

Potomac River at Roosevelt Monument

Mr. Liam Christopher Bowles

Cousins – going for a ride!

Heather and Javan spoiled me with this Mobe baby carrier – love it! and Shelby does too, apparently.

Crazy hair day! (Liam sleeping in the back. )

Mom and Shelby playing in the mirror. We had the best time in VA, hanging out as moms and talking non-stop.  Love you Heather! (and Liam and Javan, too!).

Here are a few pics from Kris and Kasey’s adventures. They had a great time together, playing in the water and on the beach, relaxing at Powell.  Kris even took Kasey boarding again, and he informed me that Kasey likes it when he does jumps (yikes!  I guess this is what you get when you don’t go with them!) They also had an amazing storm with beautiful waterfalls afterwards!

Apparently, Kris wakeboarding through this waterfall after it had calmed down a little.  That does not sound enjoyable!  Kasey said it looked like chocolate milk.

The storm front

Hailstorm

More waterfalls.

There is nothing more beautiful than a Lake Powell storm, as long as you aren’t in the middle of it, that is!

Brother and sister – they are so sweet together!  I hadn’t anticipated them having so much fun together, but I love it! Kasey really likes having a little sister to play with.

Our lil’ butterball.

Kaseyisms:

· Before Lake Powell – “I will miss you! But I’ll still love you.” So sweet. (He gave me about ten awesome hugs when we saw him again. It made my day!  He really did miss me!  It was the longest we’d been a part – a whole week!)

· After coming back home: “I don’t like to be home. I like to be at Lake Powell!” Agreed!

· “Whoa there’s some monsters coming out of Shelby’s bum!” – after she was passing some gas.

· “If you take my stick I’ll take your phone!”

· Singing to Shelby – “Beautiful, beautiful Shelbs” - Shelby loves it! I love how he calls her Shelbs.